Retraction

In a recent discussion, it was pointed out to me that this post is actually in error. It turns out that the 3.0e PHB does have a table showing the capacities of the various containers (p.110). This table was indeed dropped with 3.5e, and doesn't appear in Pathfinder either (at least, in the Core Rulebook). Plus, rather amusingly, the table in the 3.0e PHB gives only the volume of the various containers, not the weight that they can support - and, of course, absolutely no other item gives its volume! So, it's still quite silly.

Fortunately, for at least one definition of that word, some bright spark took the volumes given, and converted this into a likely weight allowance, as follows:

• Backpack - 60lb. - 1 cubic ft.
• Barrel - 650lb. - 10 cubic ft.
• Basket - 20lb. - 2 cubic ft.
• Bucket - 65lb. - 1 cubic ft.
• Chest - 200lb. - 2 cubic ft.
• Pouch, belt - 10lb. (500 coins) - 1/10 cubic ft.
• Sack - 60lb. - 1 cubic ft.
• Saddlebags - 250lb. - 5 cubic ft.
• Spell Component Pouch - 2 lb. - 1/8 cubic ft.

A couple of thoughts about this:

1. All of the weight allowances are considerably more generous than the 2nd Edition equivalents. Further, I suspect that, in almost all cases, the 2nd Ed version is probably much closer to 'right' - those were likely taken from the 1st Ed values unchanged, and 1st Ed was actually pretty good about researching things like that.
2. The weight allowance of the belt pouch, both then and now, is pretty much insane. The D&D gold piece weighs almost exactly the same as a UK pound coin (I know, I checked!). So, can you imagine walking around with £500 in coins strapped to your leg? I'm inclined to drop that down to 2 pounds (100 coins).
3. The spell component pouch probably shouldn't be on the list - it's not really a container for general equipment as such, rather than a tax on spellcasters.
4. Honestly, I think the only items of any relevance are the backpack, the belt pouch, and the sack (maybe saddlebags as well). How many PCs really wander around carrying their equipment in a basket?

In conclusion... well, nothing really. It's just (slightly) interesting when new information comes to light.