If You Don’t Have A Postal Scale, What Are You Doing With Your Life?

Back in 2013 I purchased a postal scale, a suggestion I found in one of the most helpful backpacking books: Ultralight Backpacking Tips by Mike Clelland. Its purpose was to be able to compare the weights of what you put in your backpack so as to get down to the lightest possible weight for you. And to remind you that only air and dreams “literally weigh nothing”. Okay, maybe zip ties weigh nothing. And dreams are debatable.

At the time, it cost me about $50 at Staples (this was pre-Amazon) and it was an investment that paid off. Over time, however, once I had most of my gear dialed in I didn’t necessarily need to weigh everything and I wondered if my trusty scale would see much life.

Turns out, a postal scale comes in handy for so many things and I can’t imagine not having one now! Here are just a few things I use it for on a regular basis…

Comparing Weights

Although I am no longer a gram weanie, there are still times when I want to compare the weights of new things I am trying out in my backpack. Mainly, things I use to store food and compartmentalize. I am trying to move away from one use plastic bags and I will test alternatives like silicone or mesh. If both items work, I want to take the lighter one!

Measuring Food

My postal scale spends most of its time in the kitchen because sometimes you have a recipe that calls for food weight rather than cups or tablespoons. A pound of this or so many grams of that. Although I can convert, the scale is so convenient to use for this purpose. Also, sometimes it’s nice to be able to measure the weight of containers like bowls and jars and the scale works great for that, too.

Don’t Pack Halfies

I have recently purchased one of those fuel transferring tools so I can consolidate my used fuel canisters and worry less about running out on the trail! Have you heard of these yet???

The one I bought is the Flip Fuel and it lets you transfer fuel between canisters, allowing you to use up all the fuel you have and limit having to buy a new full one because you have 4 quarter-filled ones but a long weekend trip. Being able to measure the fuel with a postal scale helps prevent overfilling and tells you which one you should transfer to versus from.

Yes, you can do the float-in-the-water thing but it sure is nice to just be able to measure the exact weight. It was fun to go through the house and car to see how many we could consolidate!

To Win At Yarn Chicken

As a long time knitter who has taken her knitting up to fanatic status, I can’t imagine knitting without a postal scale. Whether I want to divide a skein of yarn into two equal parts for socks or know exactly how much yarn I have left before I run out on a project, the scale comes to rescue.

I can measure, knit a few rows and measure again to know how much yarn I am using and how many rows I can knit before I get to the end of the ball. Think of Footloose and the tractor chicken scene but with yarn. The math nerd in me is in heaven and wants to win (finish a project without running out)!