How heavy is your kit for hiking?

[dicky109]

Just curious. I'm going to Zion NP & Bryce Canyon next week and was putting my gear together tonight. Planned on bringing tripod, XT, 10-22, 17-85 & 75-300 lenses , flash, various small goodies and 1/2 gallon of water (in bottles) for wife & myself (probably no more than 4 hour hikes). When I strapped all this on my back, I had about 30 pounds and didn't see me surviving the trek.

Choices are leaving tripod at home, getting wife to carry water (it'll be her first hike after knee surgery so trying to keep her load light), &/or leaving 75-300 & flash home. I'll have to decide what's most important for me , but am curious as to how heavy a load you guys carry, especially considering its supposed to be hot as blazes there?

[Tsmith]

My wife and I just got back from 6 days of hiking in the California Sierra Parks with pretty much the stuff in my sig at 22 lbs in the Kata R-103 excluding the water.

Forget the tripod on long hikes as I learned that after the first day, unless your goal is strictly photo opportunity's. Leave off the telephoto lens as for myself it got used once on the trip. You for sure need water and enough of it in the heat. If any elevation gain is involved you need to allot yourself twice the time coming back up.

Expect to get your sensor dirty too.

[sparker1]

I go to those areas often, but try to go out of season when it's cooler. If that's not an option, you just have to deal with the heat. Even in cooler weather, I try to lighten the load. If I'm after landscapes, I leave out the flash, tri-pod and long lenses. With one body and a couple wide-angles, plus a few filters, spare batteries and CF cards, it isn't too heavy. I have a vest that can hold most of that, or a back-pack that holds it all plus water and lunch. The water is the heaviest part, so I need less of it in cooler temps.

[darktiger]

Not that heavy, since I only use a RebelXT with a 24-105 and soon a 10-22.....

[dicky109]

Thanks for some great insight. I'd still like to hear from others how much weight they carry. Maybe this could turn into the "He-(Wo)man of POTN" thread.

Expect to get your sensor dirty too I figured that. First thing packed was my blower and eclipse & Pec Pads. Never had to use the latter yet as the blower has done the job, but haven't been in this dusty an environment yet with digital.
I go to those areas often, but try to go out of season when it's cooler. Yeah, I'd prefer that too, but I'm extending a Vegas business trip so its not an option.
Forget the tripod on long hikes
If I'm after landscapes, I leave out the flash, tri-pod and long lenses. That's my thinking at this point. I don't think I'd use the long zoom much, and its only 1 lb, but I can use that LB for water. Thought I'd need the flash for fill if I want some shots of wifey & me, but I guess the on-camera one may do it. With the IS on the 17-85 it does lessen the need for the tripod.

I'm down to around 20 lbs. with the water, which should be a lot more manageable.

Ok, I just lost 10 lbs. Wish I could do it that quickly for my body, which is XL not XT size:)

[Win]

I think you're going to want to hike lite, it's pretty hot out here and carrying alot of equipment doesn't make sense. You'll probably find little use for a telephoto lens in Zion and end up using a medium, 17-85 should be fine.

Believe me, your wife is going to be OK carrying a bottle or two of water and she'll need it. Hiking in Utah is really alot of up and down and at 100 degrees water will be vital! We don't even go out for a drive without at least 4) 32 oz. Nalgene bottles in the cooler!

I hike with my 5D, 24-70 or 17-40 and 32 oz water. If I'm thinking other lenses I throw one in the pack. I probably don't carry more than 15 lbs. I did 4 miles last weekend using the Toploader 75 and carrying water and an extra lens in a fanny pack. Worked fine.

You will enjoy the telephoto at Bryce and on the drive there. Take your time on the East side of Zion, awesome scenery. Also, be sure to take a look around Red Canyon
just before Bryce, some great photo ops and it won't be too hard on your wife.

By the way, I moved to Utah from Jersey after having taken a vacation here!

Please drop me a PM or e-mail me at NJedge@aol.com if you have any questions.

Have fun,
Win

[SuzyView]

I'm going to Tetons and Jackson and Yellowstone. I am taking 5 males who are carrying all my gear. I'm taking 20D & EOS 3, 17-40L, 24-70L, 50 1.4 and 85 1.8 for me in 2 bags. My son is taking the 10D with 28-135, Tamron 19-35. We are splitting the weight. But if I were you, less is more. Lots of water. We've done these hikes before. It is impossible to get through them without water.

Also, husband is taking all the sunscreen, hats, etc.

[jopfin]

I would agree, you need to pack for what you plan on shooting. I always carry my camera on tripod, always, no matter what I am doing. the only time its in the pack is if the weather goes bad. I have missed plenty of images by not being ready. Its really not that bad to carry over your shoulder like a soldier. I also carry the pack with the water the food and any extra gear we might need. My pack can go between 25 and 40 lbs depending on where and when we are going. The camera pack which my wife dutifully carries can go between 20 and 30 lbs depending on what gets left behind(usually the 50-500). But again go easy don't overdo it and try your best to take only what you need. In that kind of heat I'd be more concerned about hydrating myself more than anything. I just did 18 miles in 2 days with all of my stuff (about 35 lbs+) and the only thing that hurt at the end was my legs from getting so scratched up from all the bushwacking I did. One of these days I'll learn......................Joe