Just realized I stopped defending my 20 pound base weight after a guy at REI weighed my pack
I used to get defensive when people at the trailhead made comments about my pack, like I had something to prove about carrying extra gear. Then a guy at the REI in Denver put my loaded pack on the scale and it read 20 pounds, and I just stood there doing the math on what I actually used versus what I was hauling for no reason. How many of you have actually weighed your pack dry, and did the number surprise you too?