Technology - gear weight calculators

Backpackinglight.com runs a competition to design pack weight calculator spreadsheets and they are available for free download. I had a quick look at these and they were a bit too complicated for me, some even worked out the calorific value of your dried dinners. But if this is your thing, go for it.

I found a much simpler solution in Chris Ibbeson's 'Gear Weight Calculator', a simple free PC app (sorry Mac people) in which you enter your gear and it's weight and then categorise it. Each item has a check box next to it, so you can pick your kit list for each trip and let the software work out your pack weight and print a packing list.