How is your backpack weight?

Are you packing on the pounds (on your back)? I hike a lot and I'm still weaning off the weight on my multi-day backpack. My five day pack is 35 lbs. fully loaded with water and food. Seven days weighs (correction) over 40 lbs. This includes the tent, thermo-rest pad, sleeping bag, first aid kit, jetboil stove, and the "essentials".
Do you go lighter? If so how much and what do you leave out? I like my tent but it's 2 lbs.
I'd love to get some tips from other backpackers.

My daypack, dog and human supplies, must be 25lbs. I have no idea how you do that, 2lbs more? I'd take the tent. I try to fool myself that the weight just adds to my workout.

A few years ago my pack for a 3-5 day pack-in hunt above timberline was 40lbs. I couldn't seem to get below that.
Tent, stove, water filter, minimal cook set, dehydrated food, sleeping bag, thermorest pad, tent, warm clothes. rain gear.
My search pack now runs from 20 to 30lbs.
I have heard of packs that were 20-25 lbs for a week. The list they had did not include stove, cook equip, pad, tent( they used a plastic tube)- they poured cold water into the freeze dried package and put it inside their jacket for a few hours.

wow, how do you do that AlpineMike? I have the most superlightweight gear, all titanium pot, a stove that weighs .8 oz, lightweight thermorest and sleeping bag... even bought the lightest backpack REI had and still come out with at least 40lbs. My tent is "heavy" though 3.6 lbs although it really is just some sort of a bivouac.

oh and I forgot that is just for 2 nights...

Royal Yoga wrote: wow, how do you do that AlpineMike? I have the most superlightweight gear, all titanium pot, a stove that weighs .8 oz, lightweight thermorest and sleeping bag... even bought the lightest backpack REI had and still come out with at least 40lbs. My tent is "heavy" though 3.6 lbs although it really is just some sort of a bivouac.

oh and I forgot that is just for 2 nights...

Even packing one week worth of food, I was getting the impression from thru Colorado Trail hikers that 40 lbs. is way too heavy for a pack.
In the past I'd pack a lot of tools that made my pack exceed 70 lbs!!! I got rid of things like the mess kit, extra fuel, fire kindling, mini saw, hatchet, extra water bottles, extra water filter, and plastic containers.
I think my first-aid kit is still a little heavy at 12 oz. but I have found good use for most of it's contents. I decided not to carry the 20 feet of climbing cord anymore and got rid of five carabineers. For alpine conditions, rather than taking a heavy coat I take 2 small jackets. This reduced the pack weight about 4 lbs.

Here is a list of what I carry now that puts my pack in the 35-40 lb. range for 5 to 7 days: (all items rough weight estimated)
Food @1.5 lbs a day x 7 = 10.5 lbs
water (fully loaded)= 6.5 lbs
backpack empty= 3.5 lbs (wow)
Tent w/ poles= 2.5 lbs (Columbia Pup) I hardly fit inside.
Sleeping Bag= 2 lbs (REI Halo 25 Deg.)
Thermo-rest Pad= 2.5 lbs
2 jackets= 2.8 lbs (also serve as rain gear)
Water Filter= 1 lbs
Jetboil stove= 1.5 lbs
First aid kit w/ survival items = .75 lbs
Extra socks, shirts, underwear, beanie hat, gloves= 4 lbs.
Sandals= 1 lbs

tooth brush w/ paste 2 oz
Bug spray= 6 oz
sun screen= 6 oz
soap leafs= 14 gms (.5 oz)
hand sanitizer= 4 oz
small towel= 1 oz
map = 1 oz
compass= 2 oz
knife= 5 oz
monocular and headlamp= 3 oz
15 ft. accessory cord= 1 oz
Plus GPS, camera and extra battries = 7 oz.
--38.5 oz = 2.4 lbs--


Total Backpack weight= 41 lbs.

I need a better scale because with the same equipment the weight changes 3 to 5 lbs. on different days. My lowest weight was 34 lbs.

Thanks for the info AM, my sleeping bag and tent are heavier but I usually don't carry water (jsut a filter) I'll keep your list.