Backpacking Baseweight Series: Emily “Squishy” Schrick Talks Going Lighter

Backpacking Baseweight Series: Emily “Squishy” Schrick Talks Going Lighter

“Take less. Do more,” we say! “But, how?” you might ask. And we’re so glad you did. Welcome back to our new series on backpacking baseweights, where we chat with backcountry travelers about how they’ve lightened their load over time. We kicked off the series in August 2024 with an overview from our founder Glen Van Peski and his 5-pound baseweight.

As a reminder: A backpacking baseweight is the total weight of your pack before adding consumables, like water, food, and fuel, as these items will get lighter throughout your trip as you use them. Your baseweight is essentially the lightest your pack will ever be on trail with what you’ve chosen to bring along. This makes it an easy focus for shedding weight over time. With thoughtful choices and the right gear, you can reduce your baseweight and, you know, “take less. do more.”

In our latest interview for the series, we talk with brand ambassador Emily “Squishy” Schrick. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Emily is a thru-hiker turned weekend warrior and completed the Pacific Crest Trail in 2018, John Muir Trail in 2020, and Colorado Trail in 2021. 

Below, she shares what makes up her current baseweight, how that has changed over time, and her advice for lightening your own load. We hope her insights inspire you on your own quest to take less and do more.

Break down your baseweight for us! What’s your overall weight and what items form that?

My baseweight is right around 10.5 pounds, including the following:

  • Gossamer Gear Gorilla 50 Ultralight Backpack with a nylofume pack liner & GG shoulder pocket – 32 oz
  • Gossamer Gear The One tent and stakes – 19.4 oz
  • Katabatic Gear Alsek 22 Sleeping Quilt – 19.7 oz
  • Thermarest NeoAir Xlite Regular Short – 12 oz
  • Pillow – 2.5 oz
  • Cook Set – 12.5 oz (including the “empty” fuel canister)
  • Water Filtering & Carrying – 7 oz
  • Packed Clothing – 28 oz
  • First Aid & Toiletries – 8.5 oz
  • Electronics (including phone) – 20.5 oz

Are there times when your baseweight fluctuates? What considerations do you make on a per-trip basis that impact weight?

It varies A LOT. Mainly based on if I am required to carry a bear canister and how much photography gear I am hauling out on my trip! For example, if I’m going into the Sierra specifically for astrophotography (my heaviest camera set up), my baseweight goes up to 18.5 pounds—the price I pay for carrying a full camera and tripod set up and a small bear can. 

Some trips will also call for slightly different packed clothing depending on the weather. Sometimes I swap in a 4 oz fleece instead of my 8 oz puffy, or sometimes I carry both! Other trips will have a rain skirt or pants added in, and on longer trips I’ll usually add in 5 oz camp sandals.

How have you been able to make cuts to your baseweight over time? What changes have you made? How long have you been tinkering with it?

Baseweight is something I’ve been playing with since 2017 when I learned about ultralight gear. My pack list looks pretty different now than when I thru-hiked the PCT back in 2018. For example, I now have a smaller one-person tent for my solo adventures, and my new Garmin inReach mini is half the weight of my prior one.

However, some things actually weigh more, like my quilt and deciding to actually bring a cookset versus cold soaking.

But, overall, the core of my system has stayed the same. I have a hard time deciding to cut something out of my gear list versus just trying to find something that weighs less! I try to strike a balance between weight and comfort as much as possible.

Do you always take any specific items that some might consider a luxury? What makes these important to you on trail?

Probably many things I bring are considered luxury items: my pillow, an inflatable sleeping pad, body wipes, “sacred” sleeping-only socks, and camp shoes are likely the biggest luxury items besides camera gear. 

What advice do you have for someone looking to lighten their baseweight?

Do this months before your next backpacking trip—or immediately after a trip while you have all your gear out!

Pretend like you’re packing for a normal backpacking trip and lay out every piece of gear, just like you see on those gear layout videos and pictures. Lay things out in categories: Big Three, toiletries, electronics, clothing, etc.

Input every single item into a spreadsheet or use a tool like LighterPack, whichever is more user-friendly to you. Then, grab a scale (kitchen, hanging) and weigh every single item there and upload those weights into your database. 

Take a look at the total weight. Now, with a discerning eye, look at every item you have laid out and think about if you used that item on your last backpacking trip (and to what extent) or if it is an essential safety item (a non-negotiable). 

If you didn’t use the item, or think you can have another item do double duty (e.g., Do you need a fleece AND a puffy jacket? Do you need a bandana AND a buff?), move it to the side and move it off of your list. Now, recalculate your total weight.

If you’re happy with that number, great! Go on a trip with just those items and take notice of how it feels and how your trip goes with that gear.

If you’re still not happy, it’s probably time to start looking at lighter gear to replace your heavier items, such as a single-wall tent or tarp, or a quilt versus a sleeping bag. I’d focus on your heaviest items first, like your Big Three, then your clothes and your cooking and water-filtering set-up. 

Learn to Lower Your Backpacking Baseweight for Light Feet and Longer Mileage

Emily’s insights are a great reminder that your baseweight can and should look different over time. Whether you want to center photography on your next trip or opt for some extra layers for warmth, an increase isn’t always a bad thing. What’s important is taking an honest look at your set-up and determining whether you feel satisfied with where it’s at.

You can find more about Emily’s adventures on Instagram and her website.

Have stories or tips on how you’ve lightened your baseweight over time? Share your thoughts with us by tagging Gossamer Gear on social media (@gossamergear) and using the hashtag #takelessdomore. Interested in being featured in a future baseweight interview? Pitch your story to korrin@gossamergear.com.

If you’re hungry for more outdoor inspiration, check out other articles on the Light Feet blog:

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