Always carried a heavy 65L pack until I tried a 40L for 3 days

I used to think bigger packs were better for comfort, but last month I borrowed a friend's 40L Osprey for a 3 day trip on the Appalachian Trail in Virginia. I packed way less stuff, ditched the extra camp chair and heavy stove, and my shoulders felt great the whole time. The 65L I normally carry just encourages me to bring junk I never use. Saw a guy with a 70L pack struggling on a steep climb and realized I used to be that person. Anyone else downsized their pack size and felt the difference?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_sandra4d ago

Wait, did you end up leaving the camp chair behind or just never miss it? I feel like that's the real test of whether you're actually downsizing or just packing smarter

the_dylan4d ago

Brought it along on a 3 day trip once and never even pulled it out of the car. Ended up just sitting on a log or the tailgate the whole time. It's been in my garage for like two years now collecting dust but I still can't bring myself to throw it away just in case. So yeah I think that's just called hoarding with extra steps honestly.