With so much weight, they won't notice if you happen to slip a couple of beers in each of there packs...
You can integrate, you just have to use it to your advantage!

I agree with Eddie. Even when on dayhikes in the summer with nothing more then a water bottle I'm still a slow hiker. I see a lot of hikers who are so focused on how far they can go or what vantage points they can reach that they forget to actually enjoy the hike they're on. Either enjoy your buddies company or do your own thing. Why do you feel the need to "convert" anybody? Hike your own hike.

"I see a lot of hikers who are so focused on how far they can go or what vantage points they can reach that they forget to actually enjoy the hike they're on."

You are making a huge assumption that they are not enjoying their hike. If they weren't enjoying themselves would they continue to do it? Doubtful.

"I see a lot of hikers who are so focused on how far they can go or what vantage points they can reach that they forget to actually enjoy the hike they're on."

"You are making a huge assumption that they are not enjoying their hike. If they weren't enjoying themselves would they continue to do it? Doubtful."



I agree, you could make the argument that they are enjoying MORE things because they can go further , see more things, have less weight on feet,joints etc.

my motivation to get lighter is that i am a fairly fast walker in every day life but downhills especially bother my knees if i have too much stuff. My brother is stubborn and says that since he weighs a lot more than me he can afford a greater percentage in weight ;) hoping to do some hikes with him this summer to see if he'll change some.

Hopefully the OP is still keeping up with this thread; it is a couple weeks old.

That said, I agree that "converting" them is only going to happen if they want it to. If they're happy with an extra titanium mug just in case, and all the rest of it, then no amount of "Seriously, guys; just try my cat can stove!" is going to work.

However, every single time my dad goes backpacking, he swears he's going to get his pack weight down. He certainly favors the traditional heavyweight style with a splash of bushcraft rather than UL, but this past summer I got his pack weight to 20 lbs for two nights. That was really good; I see room for improvement of course, but he was completely satisfied. And that's what matters.

The watershed moment for him, and for me as well, was looking at it not from a weight/technique angle, but philosophy. Like Skurka says, are they/you/am I out there to camp, or to hike? Personally, I'm there to hike. I was hiking till dark even when I carried 40 lbs for a weekend. Now I can do the same thing, but be comfortable all day because I'm carrying 15 lbs total. I mostly use camp to eat and sleep. I try to keep a journal on each trip, but before I'd usually fall asleep in my 5 lbs tent with my pen in my hand. Now I finish and go to sleep much more normally. Or stay up and watch the stars!

So if they're unhappy with their huge weights, then talk about why they go backpacking in the first place: for the camping, or for the hiking? If it's for the camping, then who cares when it's only 5 to 10 miles to a beautiful basecamp? And if the camping is it, then just enjoy the easy hikes and your friends' company. And go get big miles on solo trips.