Going Light

“Is fast packing or the weight reduction craze just some marketing ploy by gear makers and some magazine or should I go out underequipped (well the way I look at it) and ill prepared?

What are ya'll opinions”

“Well, most of the gear makers are just now producing lighter versions of their gear, so it'd be difficult for it to all be a ploy by them. The ultralight craze started with a lot of people making their own, lighter gear, and coming up with new ways to use the gear they already had.

It sounds like you already have your mind made up though.”

“I had to embrace the ultralight craze because the knees will not take 40 pounds for more than 15 miles.”

“IMHO I'm better prepared now that I'm into the lightweight bordering on ultralight then when I was carrying around 40lbs. Knowledge is power.”

“Here's a link to all the threads on TT with the word "Ultralight" in the title. Of course, we've done this topic to death, so if you don't get many answers to your thread, you'll be able to see what people have said in the past.”

“After your ten "essentials" all other gear is negotiable. Look for items with multiple uses to keep your weight down. "going light" doesn't mean going ill prepared.”

“yeah i have to admit that I didnt search too hard, my mistake. I was looking at a mag here at work, government work rocks, and it seems that every article was something about going light.

I was taught to go well prepared when I worked outdoors and I cant see going without some of the gear that I carry.

ohh well I apologize for not looking harder”

“I believe that much of it has to do with training, experience and comfort level.

I know those that can go out for days with little more than a day pack and be safe and comfortable....I know others that are a danger to themselves carrying 50lbs of light weight gear and survival equipment.
last edited: 8/09/05 9:43:35 AM”

“i don't know if i'd call it a "craze", i think all backpackers throughout time have always looked for ways to make their packs lighter

i think it's about time that the gear makers get on the ball, plus there are a lot of advancements in light weight materials now

bit also had a good point, as with most things it started by people making things for themselves and the manufacturers caught on”

“To me it's fun to try to go light. I like researching and trying different options. It's part of the hobby. It's like, why do people put racing stripes on their cars? At least lightweight gear serves a purpose. I think hiking heavy is fine too. I've never missed anything when hiking light, although I am not in the "ultra-light" category, yet.”

“What does your pack weigh Sarge? I know the longer the trip, the more weight.

It is also kinda like bragging rights. Na na, my pack weighs only 15 pounds. This is actually mu next goal. Get it to 15 lbs. I am hovering around 18 now.”

“I'm about 25 with my 2 man tent and hydrated food(MREs)/water for 3 day trip. (keep in mind, I just started this hobby last year) I am no way near ultra-light. That weight includes plenty of medical gear to take care of my hiking buds in case of emergency. I've got nothing to brag on, but am enjoying trying to keep the weight down. I think 15 pounds is very reasonable. I'm a spring/fall backpacker.”

“18 for how many night WK?...i had mine at 23 for a 4 day 3 night 32 mile trip...na na na na boo boo”

“Incidentally, I also enjoy staring at my pack for hours on end and trying to rearrange things so they're packed properly and easy to access. Especially last year when I started. It's fun too to try to invent ways using straps, bungee cords, beeners, etc. to fasten things to the pack. Just part of the experience for me.”

“i hear ya sarge...i do the same...i have a "camping room" (the wife calls it the future nursery)...i lay everything out on a daybed and picture how i want to pack it...my friends make fun of me cause i usually pack it different each day

i also label my foods by day and meal...god i'm such a square”

“I had mine to 20 including food and water for a 4 day trip once. I've had it at 13 for an overnighter.

I'm adding weight as my trips shorten and the food gets better.”

“17 pounds for a three day weekend and 37.5 pounds for 9 days (including food and water in both weights). That's as lightweight as I care to go.
I didn't lack anything to keep me safe and comfortable. I had some extra food even.
It's all in the planning and careful gear selections. You don't have to spend a fortune either.”

“After each trip, look over the items you did not use.
Consider NOT taking them next trip.”

“That is pretty good Sarge. When I started this little hobby, my pack weighed 42 pounds on my first trip and it was only 2 days/1 night. Big time oops! That was how I figured out I had something wrong with my knees. My second trip I was down to about 26 pounds. Third trip went to 20 pounds.

My best hike was a 30 mile hike over 2 days/1 night in PA. I have that pack at about 20 pounds although after about 4.5 inches of rain that night, the pack weighed about 30 the next day.

My biggest problem was my tent. I was using a 7 pound sucker. I purchaced the MSR Microzoid and cut the tent weight down to 2 pounds 5 ounces.

I pack and re-pack several times as well!

Time - 18 pounds is for a 1 to 3 night hike. If I am only hiking a weekend, I tend to bring a few extras (coffee, extra booze, saw, extra water)”

“if the weather's good and the skeeters aren't bad i love to cowboy camp(no tent)...some times i don't even take a sleeping bag”

“I have only slept with out the tent up in Canada when we were canoeing. Last night in the park we had a nice breeze which kept the skeeters away.”

“WK - Yeah, the tents a chore. I picked the lightest tent that I could comfortably fit into that was descent quality (I'm fairly tall) - It's a Kelty, similar to the current "Yellowstone 2" but with aluminum poles. I'd love to get a Hennisey, but still have lots of questions (like what do you do in a lightening storm? keep it tied to the trees? will my trekking poles really do the job?) I just got permission to hike again (after ACL reconstruction) last friday, so I'll get to feel your pain!”

“I just got permission to hike again (after ACL reconstruction) last friday, so I'll get to feel your pain!”
Sarge
10:58:15 AM
8/09/05

Kewl Beans, Sarge!”

“Meet me at Dolly Sods over labor day Stove!”

“i picked up a textsport tent off of ebay for $30...it was a "factory reject" just because some of the seems weren't perfect...i just repaired those seems in a couple places and it works great...it ways 2.3 pounds but i've added a ground cloth and foyer to it”

“I was using a 2 person tent for awhile because I liked the space, but I ditched it for the smallest lightest tent I could find. It may as well be a coffin, but I have grown to like it.

Sweet news on hiking again! I just went back on DayPro so my next 2 hikes should be a piece of cake. The left knee will get fixed after the second hike then I hope I can go off the meds.”

“I just went back on DayPro so my next 2 hikes should be a piece of cake.

LOL! I wish you well WK. It's a lot of work to get back on your feet, so to speak.”

“I can't carry a backpack because of a herniated disc that I won't have operated on. THey pay for me to go to a chiropractor when I need it but my ortho guy says to stay away from heavy packs. So now I just canoe & dayhike. I still bring the kitchen sink but have enough gear for most emergencies & an unexpected overnighter. I do like to hike at night. My average (favorite) hike is 9-12 miles with a 1500-2500 elevation climb. I get carried away & double that occasionally, but I suffer for my over indulgences.”

“catskhiker -

To hike, maybe you could modify one of these jobbies for bigger wheels:

”

“You too Sarge. I started back at the gym yesterday too! Felt good!

The hikes I have planned are not too serious as far as milage goes and flat.

I do have to get back to your state and some of the killer trails like the Quehanna. I love that trail!”

“Whenever my pack dips below 50 pounds I add a few lead weights.

And while on the trail as I eat down my food supply I add rocks to my pack to get the weight back up where it should be.

I certainly don't want to be one of those unprepared lightweighters.
last edited: 8/09/05 12:11:40 PM”

“hpm - Actually, there is a guy at my outfitter who purposely packs heavy to "train". What he's training for, I don't know.”

“And while on the trail as I eat down my food supply I add rocks to my pack to get the weight back up where it should be.HP

don't you mean rawks?...sorry couldn't resist

i used to carry a personal chef with me but it got annoying trying to translate his french all the time”

“tc, it was probably something like this:

You Americans cannot tell the difference between good wine and dishwater, so here is some swill from California.

and

In this country, you think cheese can come out of a can, so I substituted some mold from under my left toenail. You'll never know the difference.”

“mmmmm....toenail cheese, a trail delicacy”

“You aren't allowed to bring wheeled vehicles (including your modified luggage bag) into most backcountry trails. Please know the rules before your novice arse makes nother "backpacking" suggestion. The people you politically support ruin the environment enough as it is. We don't need a troop of wheel backpackers ravaging the woods on top of it.

Thanks,

Someone who backpacks way more the you do.
last edited: 8/09/05 12:30:02 PM”

“there is a guy at my outfitter who purposely packs heavy to "train". What he's training for, I don't know

I meet those type guys now and again. I think they are training to be knee and back surgery patients.”

“Nice pic Sarge!”

“WEll I see that I really need to go through my gear and eliminate some of the excess.

This is going to be a chore, but I am going to look at it like a challenge. I doubt that I will get my weight down below 28 pounds, after all I am fat azz and some of my gear is heavier that what most Ethipoian hikers tend to own.

Can't wait to get home and cull and weigh.

Yerby”

“You want help freight? Post your packing list here and let us tear it apart.”

“But be ready for your ego to take a pounding, lol...”

“I decided a while back that I like day/night hiking. There's few places that I can't get into & out of in a day on the East Coast. Of course I don't mind starting & ending in the dark especially in winter. I love night hiking. It's just my winter backpack was over 80 lbs. I enjoy it much more carrying 20-30lbs & I live in the mountains. I can always sack out in my vehicle.”

“Yeah somehow I think i would be blasted to pieces here if I posted a list. I might do it once I get it down in weight some”

“Cats, you need a sled for winter.”

“We/I will not critize for any of the items on your list. I my question it, asking why do you bring this. I was once in your shoes and know what it is like to have a pack that weighs close to half your body weight.”

“I bet its not that bad, i just have never weighed it. I can think of somethings I use to carry as a forest ranger (i.e. Sawyer extractor, large first aid kit (about the size of a brick and a pound), a lightweight saw, and a really decent repair kit that I made) but probably wouldnt use.

I think this all goes back to the pack, its a Lowe Alpine Countour IV and you want to put a lot in it.

I understand "going light"; heck for the last five years I have done several overnighters in my Revolutionary war militia gear....all you can carry in a haversack and a blanket. Think of a chubby Last of the Mohicians with less hair.

This might be fun after all”

“Totally cool!!!!!

I have been interested in getting into Civil War re-enacting for years now.”

“Well I do Revolutionary war, Civil War and WWII. Each has it pluses and minuses but they can all be fun”

“The best advice I ever got on this board regarding gear was to purchase the lightest piece of gear that I could afford that met my need. But some of my lightest and best gear was also the cheapest - like using Tyvek for a ground cloth.

Of course, the very second I buy something, some manufacturer comes out with something lighter and better. Arrrgggggggggg.”