Ultra Light vs Boy Scout Pack Weight

“I guess everyone wants to have a light pack, my question is what to cut to save weight? I know I'm not an ultra light packer but like to get tips to save on weight. Anyone want to share their favorite weight saving ideas?

One that I've implemented is painting the bottom of my pots black so less heat is lost so less fuel is used.”

“null”

“JBane, if you search the old threads, there are about 40 that relate to this subject.

I like to use a poncho as my raingear and as a vestibule tarp.”

“Heave the Boy Scout for starters.”

“One thing I liked is using the small plastic netting from onions or lemons as a pot scrubber and all purpose cleaner. The last couple times out, I've just blown off cooking altogether. For longer trips, food is a good thing to be very careful about.

Two old weight related threads are:

http://www.thebackpacker.com/trailtalk/today_mess.asp?threadid=6646&age=9999

http://www.thebackpacker.com/trailtalk/today_mess.asp?threadid=8447&age=9999”

“The three heaviest items (usually pack, shelter and sleeping bag) should be your greatest concern.
Choosing lesser-weight items could make a packweight difference of up to 10 less lbs...so I've been told.

Oh...And ditch the noodie mags!”

“Whisperlight -> Esbit
Timberline -> Zephyr -> bivy
Stainless -> Ti pot
Ergomat -> 3/4 Ultralight pad
Hiker filter -> Drip filter
fleece jacket -> puffball”

“Helium filled backpack

”

“Make the Boy Scouts carry your things.”

“Your pack is probabily the heaviest thing you are carrying. So like said befor, your primary gear weighs the most. Get a solo tent like my gossamer or us a tarp. Sleeping pads, hell you need them other wise you get moister under...never mind thats just the beer from last nights party...Really you need that pad, so get a T-rest Ultra light 3/4. Your flash light has some weight to it so I would recomend a Petzl Tikka head lamp, 2.5 oz. Stove? Make a your own, alcohol one, no joke you can make one out of a can of soda. Chop your toothbrush in half. or drill holes in it. Scum bag the trip, that means no extra clothing. I know I'm a Boy scout too and its hard to break the be prepared methond but you got to think like this, "Be mentaly Prepaired" be prepraird for bad weather, like rain gear, but just don't get wet. I don't carry a larg first aid kit. I carry 3 bandaded, duct tape wraped around a pencil then choped off at the sides. The goal for the duct tape wraped around somthing light is, you arn't going to use a whole roll in one trip, so just pack like 3 feet of tape. I allso cary the neosporan traviler pac so i have somthing to heal up my cuts. I just try not to get hurt much. You may be saying "no one tries to get hurt" and my reply is yes they do! When some one pushes there body, they can get hurt, when you push against weather you haven't packed for, you get dead. When you take the rocky trail up the mtn you oppen your self up to hazards. I my self all ways look for the challengeing road, but I have really strong ankles and a good pair of boots, so I have taken the percousetions to aviod injury.”

“JBane- I shed 10 lbs without even thinking about it. 30 ->20 lbs. Here's how:

Stove- killed the 22 oz Coleman!! (It was all old and rusty and starting to look ugly anyway-yes bping gear needs to stay looking beautiful) Bought a 3 oz Snow Peak Giga Power (fuel cannister is also 3 oz)

Already had a down bag (light)

Pitched tent, bought a tarp

Headlamp- bought a Tikka

started hanging out on lightweight backpacking sites...the pack is the next thing to go, as soon as I find another one that fits

looking at my food”

“One thing you learn is that the more hardcore you are, the less stuff you need. For instance, truely hard core hikers don't carry tents. They sleep on the ground in their raingear, or hike through the night and nap during the day. They only take one 1 qt pot and enough fuel to boil one pot per dinner. Breakfast and lunch are non water items. For clothes, they only take one set and a repair kit. Now also remember that we are talking about hard core hikers, so they don't mind carrying weight, which means that they carry MANY days worth of food.

Pretty much, if you can't decide if you need it, leave it.”

“Biz, I use only Freeze Dried food for dinners. I bought a Seal-a-Meal. Get rid of those foil pouches on the dinners, put the dinner in a seal-a-meal bag and seal it up. Found some Foil lined bubblewrap insulation material and made a pouch out of it with foil tape and a flap that folds over.

Put the dinner in, pour boiling water in the bag while it's in the pouch, fold the flap and it will stay hot for almost an hour.

It rehydrates better, is hotter and only a small plastic bag leftover which can be burned or taken out. Been using this method for a few years.”

“DM, I love that quote. Can I use it?


"If you can't decide if you need it, leave it"”

“How you manager your water is a big item. Get a filter, plan your hike with water in mind and you won't have to carry a lot of water. At two pounds a quart, I'd say it could be one of the heaviest items you carry.”

“2lbs a quart??? Sweet! That's lighter than I thought...I was always told it was 8lbs a gallon =80).”

“If you don't need it leave it: clothes

This was also the first trip I managed not to bring TONS of extra clothes. This is really hard for me, I'm always afraid I'm going to get cold.

Take a few minutes picking out light stuff. I brought a wool sweater instead of a fleece jacket (lighter and very warm-warmer than any of my fleece jackets and less bulky!) and some polyester/lycra leggings. I love these leggings. They are warmer than long underwear and just as light. Made by Melanzana (Leadville CO) for climbing I think.

ALWAYS bring a warm hat and gloves if you think you are going to get cold. Your body can lose a lot of warmth through your head. It's amazing how much warmer you can feel just by wearing a hat and gloves. And they are lighter than an extra clothes.

Deck of cards. lol why do I always bring a deck of cards bping? I guess I'm afraid there will be Nothing to do and Nothing to talk about...I Might leave these behind next time, I don't know yet”

“Thanks for the advice and from what everyone has said I guess I'm doing ok with minimizing the weight of my pack.

I have a MSR Pocket Rocket stove (4 oz) and it boils water fairly quickly. I use the freeze dried foods like Backpacker Pantry stuff, I used to carry MRE's but found the backpackers pantry stuff tasted better and was half the weight. I'm using a Clark Jungle Hammock which weighs in at 4lbs maybe its not hard core but it is on the light side. As far as extra clothes I usually only take a change of socks for each day I'm out. The trip I'm taking over the next week I am taking an extra set of long johns (polypro's) but thats it for extra cloths. At the moment my pack weighs in at 45 lbs for a six day hike so I'm thinking that isn't too bad.”

“how do you get FOURTY-FIVE pounds, with light stuff like that?

are you carrying 50 fuel cannisters???”

“I don't intend to brag here, but on the SHT last week I had a 31# pack, that's with a tent, 2# food x 6 days, and water.”

“i've gone to cumberland island with a 16 pound pack!

after 3 days, you get tired of ramen noodles, tho.... blech!”

“Hmmm... I always thought it was "a pint's a pound, the world around" but I guess I was wrong. ;-)”

“On my last, long trip into the Beartooths, 5 days,I carried 32lbs. I really cut weight in 2 out of the Big 3 (Bag, tent, pack). I used a Marmot "Never Winter" bag (31oz), Kelty Dart 2 (46 oz). My pack is still a little heavy at 6 lbs tho. It's an 80's vintage Lowe (Star?). I've gradually been replacing my old, heavy stuff with lighter wt. gear. e.g.,Traded the Peak 1 stove for the Pocket Rocket. The pack is next!”

“No I only have two fuel canisters. My food wieght is ~8lbs, pack 6lbs, sleeping bag 6lbs... I'll have to do a complete inventory and let you all know what was in there. I've got a 15 hr drive tonight and will review everything and cut out some stuff I'm sure. I always start off with the 'be prepared' method of packing and then cut back and I havent cut back yet.”

“The heaviest item on my last trip was my pack, at about 5 lbs. Anyone know of a truly lightweight pack with at least 3000 c.i.?”

“The most important thing to do to reduce food weight is to weigh it. (no duh they all said) Whatever you really eat per day be it one pound or two is exactly what you should bring--no more. If you don't know how much you eat you can try figuring it by figuring about 120 calories per ounce. You can also weigh what you take on a trip and weigh what you have left when you get home and work from that. Fats have about double the calories of carbs and proteins.

When you get the big three weight way down it allows you to take some of those little things that make life better without wrecking your back.

Hiking should be pleasant--not a drudge.”

“With all due respect to the Boy Scouts (I was one myself), I wish to hell they would get away from their fixation with HATCHETS! I still see these groups head up into the mountains with those damn things strapped to their belts. The next thing you know, there's 30 kids off in the woods chopping up everything in sight! I have no problem with "being prepared", but a hatchet is probably the most useless piece of equipment you could drag out there.”

“Steve - my Kelty Redwing is 2800 cu. in., if I remember correctly. After serious trimming it's 2# 4 oz.”

“Aero, my scouts laugh their a$$ off whenever they see those things...not all troops are the same! I'd put some of my scouts up against a bunch of the BP'ers who post here (don't mean that to insult anyone, just proud of how good some of the boys are)”

“I love my Gerber Sport axe as it weighs in at about 1.5 lbs! But I only take it if I'm going some place where I know I can have a raging fire. Ummm. it your sleeping bag is 6lbs, I would look at getting another. I have a 15degree SD down bag that weighs 3lbs. Its very nice.”