how many weeks were you aout and how many people was all that for?
Post by Chris GilmoreWell I finished my trip and have gotten to step II now. I went
through everything I used and figured out a lot of stuff I could do
without as well as a few places I could do dual duty. Here is what I
came up with for phase II. Keep in mind there will be a Phase III,
IV and V. Eventually I will upgrade my sleeping bag and possibly my
backpack itself once I get the weight down low enough. Keep in mind
i started out with my total pack weight last go around at 48 lbs.
(yes I packed too much food & had a ton of redundancy).
Item: Example: Weight (oz)
Clothing Worn: 60.10
Shirt Cotton button up with collar 5.00
Pants Columbia Convertible Pants 10.80
Underwear Hanes Boxer Briefs 2.90
Socks SmartWool Mountaineer Socks 5.30
Belt Cinch Woven Belt 3.50
Liner Socks SmartWool Merino Wool Liner Socks 1.60
Sun Hat/Cap Baseball Cap 4.00
Shoes Keen Klamath Hiking Boots 27.00
Other Items Worn/Carried: 26.30
Watch Citizen Eco-Drive 6.50
Sunglasses Oakley FLAK Sun Glasses 2.00
Map BlackOps map pouch 8.00
Compass Brunton 8099 Eclipse 3.60
Fishing License & Wallet License, DL, ATM & Cash 2.00
Camera Sony W510 4.20
Knife and Survival 25.63
Knife Esee 6 11.90
Sheath & Pouch Esee 6 kydex sheath and pouch 5.70
Sharpener Redi-Edge Tactical 0.80
Paracord 1.00
Whistle on lanyard 0.10
Fire Steel Lite my Fire Army Fire steel 1.70
Mini Survival Kit tin container 1.20
Flash light Maglite Micro + AAA Battery 0.80
Fishing Kit 0.20
Button Compass 0.00
Signal Mirror 0.30
Water Purification AquaMira Water Purification Tablets 2 0.03
Fire Starter 0.05
Fire Tinder 0.05
Moleskin 0.00
Emergency Razor Knife 0.20
Emergency Saw 0.10
Tin Foil 0.60
Water Bag 0.30
Safety Pin 0.00
Pain Killer Aleve 8 ea 0.00
Snare Wire 0.03
Fishing line 0.03
magnifier 0.00
Duct Tape 0.00
sewing needle 0.00
paper write in rain 0.03
pencil Mini-pencil 0.03
Can Opener P38 0.5
Extra Clothing: 52.60
Rain Gear Only Pants (Assuming Down Jacket is Water Proof) 6.00
Crocs Crocs clogs for water walking 9.00
Insulating Layer Down Jacket 15.0
Polyproplene Layer Polypropolene Long Johns 10.0
Gloves Outdoor Research VersaLiner Gloves 2.90
Stocking Cap Carhart Wool cap 2.80
Spare Socks SmartWool Mountaineer Socks 5.30
Liner Socks SmartWool Merino Wool Liner Socks 1.60
Packing: 54.80
Backpack Gregory Z65 52.0
Stuff Sack(s) REI X-Small diddy Stuff Sack 0.70
Camp Towel MSR Camp Towel 0.90
Waterproofing Trash Compactor bag 1.00
Essentials Bag Ziplock Bag 0.20
Shelter & Sleeping: 117.05
Sleeping Bag Marmot Sawtooth Membrain 15 degree 52.0
Compression Sack Granite 11L Compression Sack 3.5
Sleeping Pad Thermarest Prolite Plus Pad 24.0
Bivy OR Alpine Bivy (If bugs or weather are issues) 30.50
Bivy Stakes REI Aluminum Hook stakes (No Bivy no stakes) 1.75
Drop Cloth Multiuse Contractor Grade Garbage Bag 4.30
Misquito Net Head net for use when Bivy isnt used 1.00
Cooking & Hydration: 43.80
Water Storage CamelBack 3L Hydration Bladder (100 OZ) 6.70
Water Carrier Platypus 1 lt. bottle 0.90
Water Purification System MSR AutoFlow system - 14.90 oz 0.00
Water Purification Seychelle's Advanced water straw 1.50
Water Purification AquaMira Water Purification Drops 3.00
Bear Canister Bear Vault BV500 - 41 oz 0.00
Food Stuff Sack REI Large Stuff Sack for food 6.00
Cooking Dishes GSI Halulite Micro Dualist 18.00
Stove MSR Pocket Rocket 3.00
Soap Camp Soap in microbottle 2.70
Lighter Bic Mini Lighter 0.50
Condiments Salt and Pepper Shaker 1.50
Essentials: 21.85
Flashlight Black Diamond head lamp 3.20
Toothbrush Toothbrush 1.00
Tooth Paste Crest micro tube 0.75
Toilet Paper Wet wipes 6.00
Hand Sanitizer Generic small high alchohol content 2.30
Floss Mini Floss 0.20
First Aid AMK .3 2.70
Sunscreen Sunscreen - microbottle 1.30
Water Purification Katdyn Water Purification Tablets 6 ea 0.00
Quick Clot 1.00
Duct Tape AMK Survival Duct Tape Role 0.70
Hydropel Foot treatment 1.00
Insect Protection Natrapel 1.70
Fishing & Tech (only when fishing or Tech is an asset) 47.90
Fly rod Cabelas LST 9' 4 piece rod 4.7
Reel Kronic Fly Reel & Pouch 7.90
Tackle Lanyard Mayfly Lanyard Pouch 20.50
Phone iPhone 4.70
Keys 3.30
Charger and Cable Scosche Charger and iPhone Cable 6.80
Consumables: 241.00
Food Total Food (2 days) 128.00
Stove Fuel Canister 13.00
Water Water - 10 liter 100.00
Total Items Worn/Carried (lbs.) 7.00
Total Base Weight (lbs.) 18.13
Total Weight of Consumables (lbs.) 15.06
Total Carried Pack Weight (2)+(3) 33.19
Chris Gilmore
(408) 461-1380
Sent: Monday, April 16, 2012 5:55 AM
Subject: RE: [BackpackingLight] Looking to move towards light
backpacking but want to maintain some comfort
Hi Chris,
35 pounds is a respectable figure. If you plan on
two weeks out. Food is often the largest part of most lightweight
packers weight.
Pack weights are variable, though. This is the weight of the pack at
the trail head, as you leave. Base weight is the weight of your pack
and gear without food and water (some people count all consumables
so this is not quite as well defined as you might think.) FSO (From
Skin Out) weight, is counting everything. I dont generally use
this, but this is more to keep what you are wearing and in your
pockets as part of your camping kit.
Generally, I would suggest removing redundancy as
others have said. Indeed, one of the primary goals of light weight
packing is to eliminate everything that you do not use. Example,
about half of the time, EVERY item I carry will be used over single
24 hour period. That also means there is almost NO redundancy. No
1) Ultra Reliable. An item cannot fail because it would make
camping harder without it. Stoves, tents/tarps, etc must be rock
solid.
2) You cannot lose stuff. When you are packed up in the
morning, *check* again. Stakes, poles, odd items all need to be
accounted for.
3) Small, yet fully functional within size constraints.
Example: A tiny Leatherman Micra or Squirt (not both) should handle
most chores well. I also carry a pocket knife. But, these are two
different tools. One is larger and sharpened to a razor edge, it
cuts. The squirt grasps, prys, and twists. Two different animals
that between them cover everything I will need to do. I dont mind
if I have to beat the small edge to rounded worthless. Everything
in my pack is adjusted with the Squirt, soo, it works on everything
lights, fishing reel & lures, etc. (Note that the screw driver was
ground similar to the one in the Micra, ie, flat and angled to fit
#0-#2 Philips heads.)
Your pack is perhaps one of the big determinants. Big packs breed
space glut
and the desire to fill it with odd items you do not need.
My first aid kit is a couple band aids. I use fuel as a sterilizer.
I use duct tape on blisters and over larger cuts,
a bit of toilet
paper makes a good pad, wrapped with duct tape to keep it on. It
will wash out when I need to clean the wound. I am often out for a
week to ten days using a 3000ci pack (Gossamer Gear Miniposa.) Keep
your gear small and minimal. Learn how to make do with what you
have. Generally, I get everything in a 9-11 pound base load. This is
borderline light/ultra light. (10 pounds is considered Ultra Light,
20# is light.) I recently purchased a 2200ci Murmur. I am betting,
I can get everything for 5-6 days in it. Again, food is my single
biggest weight, often exceeding everything else by double or triple
my base weight. Soo, starting with your pack, get a smaller pack.
Often you will find sub 1pound packs rated to 25 or 30 pounds. Z-
Packs, Gossamer Gear, Six Moons Designs, ULA are some good
manufacturers. Light, to ultra light ranging from about 8.5oz to
about 24oz. For 7 days, you do not need more. This is dollars
outlaid. No help for it, unless you make your own. Note that GG
includes a whistle (not real necessary) on their sternum straps. A
good waist belt is nice when doing 20+mi per day. It places the
majority of the load on or over your hips. There is no sense
carrying weight any higher. Load transfer means keeping the pack
straight, the load will *transfer* to your hips. Ideally, it should
mould to your spine while hiking, but remain flexible enough to bend
over and touch your toes without being painful.
Knife- 11.8 oz (1 lbs 10.9 oz total) Too heavy. Buck or
Gerber makes locking pocket knives for <2oz
Sheath & Pouch Not Needed.
Sharpener
A 1/2 sheet of 2000 grit sandpaper, wrapped around a stick works fine.
Survival Kit & Cord Not
Needed. Your pack gear IS your survival kit.
Whistle on lanyard Not Needed. See above.
Fire
Steel
Bic lighter (2 for the same weight.)
Compass- 3.6 oz Small
ones are good, with a good map, you wont be doing much more than
checking north. ~.5oz
Mini First Aid Kit- 2.3 oz Not
Needed. (Maybe, if you lead a group.)
Baseball Cap- 4 oz A
wider brimmed cowboy style hat works well.
Sunglasses- 2 oz Not
needed
depending on where you hike.
Belt- 3
oz Find a
cheap lightweight nylon one, or integrated with your pants.
Hiking Boots- 27 oz
Depending on terrain, you could go with a pair of trail runners,
About 12-14oz per foot.
-Food Canister- 41 oz (10 lbs total) I wont comment on
food, except to say you need 1-2 pounds per person per day. It will
vary.
Jerky - 12 oz
Snack Sack - 3 lbs
Starburst - done
Snack bars - done
Electrolytes -done
Gatorade -done
Crystal Lite -done
Apple Cider -done
Gum -done
Dried Fruit
Peanut Butter ?
Entrées
Breakfast
Oatmeal
Lunch - 4.3 oz ea
Dinner - 4.3 oz ea.
9:30 PM
-Main Compartment - 412.6 oz/25 lbs11.9 oz
Sleeping bag liner- 4.5 oz Not needed.
Bring a set of long johns. You can wear them if things get bad, too.
OR Bivy Sack- 30.5 oz (1lbs 14.8 oz) A 9x11 tarp can be
set up as an A-Frame, bivy sack or lean-to
it weighs about 13oz.
Sleeping bag- 52 oz Get a
lighter one. I use a 1#11oz(27oz) down bag.
Compression Sack- 3.5 oz OK. Size can be
as important as weight. NEVER compress a synthetic sleeping bag,
though.
Exped Pillow- 3.6 oz Not
Needed. Even your shoes wrapped in a sweater will work.
Thermarest Pad- 24 oz (1 lbs 9.2 oz) NightLite Pad from
Gossamer Gear has about the same R value. It weighs ~10oz.
These items are different. I carry a
SVEA 123 with cup, and a grease pot (K-Mart or Stanco,) a 12oz soda
bottle(fuel cell) and aluminum foil wind screen/heat shield. With a
Ti spoon, this comes to about 38oz. This is considered a bit heavy,
but the stove is ultra reliable and fuel efficient for 7-10 days.
For short 2 day trips out, I bring an alcohol stove. Saves about a
pound or so, about the weight of the stove...
Stove- 3 oz
Gas Qty. 2 - 26 oz
Camp dishes- 18 oz (1 lbs 2.9oz)
Camp Utensils -
First Aid Kit - 1 lbs 4.9 oz Not needed.
MSR Water Filter - 14.9 oz AquaMira
drops, plus bottles. Weighs about 1.5oz
Shovel- 28 oz (1 lbs 11.3 oz) Not Needed.
Gregory Z65 pack- 67 oz Much lighter
packs out there. Assuming 16oz for light weight. 8oz for UL. 4oz for
SUL.
Water Bladder (full)- 110 oz ?? See below
Lumbar Day pack?- 14 oz Not Needed.
Your pack will be about as light.
Water Straw- 1.5 oz ?? See
below
Camp Towel- .9 Not
Needed. A bandana, cotton, weighs about the same.
Trash compacter bag - They are
rugged, but a trash bag works better. TC bags or Turkey bags can
split.
-Tech
iPhone - 4.7 oz I
dont carry any. They dont work where I hike.
iPhone Charger -
iPhone Cable - .5 oz
Walkie Talkie(s) -7 oz NEVER!
You and your partner or group should never be out of ear shot!
Larger groups should be broken down, but proper planning will let
you meet at the end of a day. If not, always assume there IS a
problem and they are on the trail as planned.
-Clothes Stuff Sack - 5lbs Clothing can
be difficult because it depends on conditions. Assuming extra cloths.
1
set of long johns
for sleeping in or when things go south. (12oz
total)
3
pair of long wool socks (8oz total) 1 pair goes in with sleeping
cloths and sleeping bag.
1
down jacket/sweater (12oz)
1
light wool sweater (14oz
1
rain jacket-5.5oz. Full PU coated nylon, not WP/B stuff.
(For
2 week trips only
)
1
long sleeved shirt
bug resistant weave.
1
pair of pants
Zip off, nylon, with belt around 10oz.
1
pair of jocky shorts
nylon or spandex blend. Support, like any
other athletics.
1
pair of shorts or swim trunks. (Used in town to do laundry and for
swimming.)
1
set of glove liners. (Use socks if it is really cold.) Glove liners
are for paddling canoes.
This will protect you down to about 32F if you are
stationary. You will NOT need these hiking. This comes up to about
the same weight. For less than 2 weeks, I just bring extra socks,
long johns, sweaters, and rain gear. Socks will double as mittens.
This is about 3.5 pounds, but will also keep me as well as yours. I
always wear a wide brimmed hat. Sheds rain really well, sheds
sunlight, acts as a cozy, fans the fire and organizes my pocket gear
at night.
Socks
Underwear
Shirt
Shorts/Pants
Jacket 2 lbs 9 oz & Pullover
Gloves & Stocking Cap
-Hygiene - Front Pouch - 1 lbs 7 oz
Wipes - 7 oz
Not Needed. Or, dry them out first. I use about 2oz of TP per trip.
Toothbrush - 1 oz I use
just the head from Toob brand, weighs about 1/3oz
Tooth paste - .75 oz Not
Needed. Or as Rosaleen suggests, dry dots of it.
Map Pouch & Map - 8 oz You can use a
baggie and the sections you are going to hike. Make copies and cut
the hell out of them, 1/2oz.
-Supplies - Orange - 3lbs
Survival
Kit Not
Needed.
Soft Water Bottle(s) ??See
note below
Head Light
Flash
Light
Extra Dry Bag
Not Needed.
Batteries
1 set
2016>>See note below.., 1 set 2032 for longer trips.
Straps
Not Needed.
Stakes Qty. 5
Good, count out exactly what you need.
Fire Tinder
Not Needed. Or, bring a piece of candle
works as well with a lighter.
Hand sanitizer (accelerant) Not Needed. You
already have your own germs, ha ha. Some brands do not burn that well.
Tape
5
-6 of duct tape? Yes.
Multi-
tool
Usually a tiny Squirt, as discussed above.
550 Cord - 8 oz
50 of 1.5mm line and a small, ti, Niteize s-biner. (Bear line I
assume.) 1.75oz
Camp Soap ??
A tiny bottle of ivory dish soap will last about a month one drop at
a time. Small amounts!
-On My Person 4 lb 6.7 oz (??duplicate?)
Knife- 11.8 oz (1 lbs 10.9 oz total)
Sheath & Pouch
Sharpener
Survival Kit & Cord
Whistle on lanyard
Fire Steel
Compass- 3.6 oz
Mini First Aid Kit- 2.3 oz
Baseball Cap- 4 oz
Sunglasses- 2 oz
Belt- 3 oz
Hiking Boots- 27 oz
-Food Canister- 41 oz (10 lbs total)
Jerky - 12 oz
Snack Sack - 3 lbs
Starburst - done
Snack bars - done
Electrolytes -done
Gatorade -done
Crystal Lite -done
Apple Cider -done
Gum -done
Dried Fruit
Peanut Butter ?
Entrées
Breakfast
Oatmeal
Note??: Water is a problem and is highly variable. I usually bring
2-20oz gatoraid bottles or the like. Anything with a wide mouth.
They fill easily and will fit a steripen. For short trips into the
High Peaks area in NY, it is better to have the stripen because
water sources are about 5-6 hours apart. I will have drained both
bottles and need water NOW. Generally I use AquaMira drops, though.
The AM bottles will last for a month on the trail. And they are
quite light. You can repackage them if needed for shorter 1 week
trips. Generally not worth all the hassle, though. Filters are a
hassle to set up and fill. Mostly, the springs and small creeks are
plentiful, but, small. And they require larger containers, meaning I
have to carry more between watering holes. I tried filters several
times. They just dont work all that well for me
lazy I guess.
Backup is always boiling. Warm coffee, tea, and even Kool-Aid is
fine, but not really great on a 80F day.
Note >>: Lighting is more of a personal choice. I do not like head
lamps. People look at me and blind me. Generally, I use a small
Impulse computerized light with timed off. This takes 2016
batteries. I mention this because rather than take a spare set of
batteries, I take a second light. At a few grams more weight, I have
a back up and it comes in handy for around camp. This is a $1
special (I picked up 20 of them) at a craft store. I stick it in a
tiny plastic baggie. If needed, I can open it up and remove the
batteries for the Impulse. It throws about 7-8 lumens of light,
plenty for any darkness adapted eyes. Petzels E-light is my hiking
light. It will last 16 hours or so. It only throws about 10-12lumens
of light, but again, is fine for darkness adapted eyes. More, and I
lose whatever adjustment my eyes have built up. A larger light
bounces off the leaves or rock face a LOT. This reflection means you
need a bigger light. With a bigger light, you get more reflection
needing a bigger light
and more reflection
If I am hiking after
dark (doesnt happen too often, maybe 5-10% of my nights out do I
need it) I wait till I stumble, then clip it to my shoulder strap,
NOT my head. The somewhat shorter angle will show roots and rocks in
my path better. I do carry an extra set of batteries for this, not
for week long trips, but for longer distance hikes. For >3 weeks, I
just bring a second E-light. Both the Impulse and E-light are
waterproof and have variable settings. I use the lowest setting I
can, knowing that reflected light is what we see, but it is also
what blinds. I really hate headlamps because of the high outputs,
and, invariably, the person using them forgets and looks at me while
we speak. Ouch
My thoughts only . . .
jdm
James D. Marco
302 Mary Lane
Ithaca, NY 14850
607-273-9132 (land), 607-220-9969(cell)
OK folks be kind, i'm slowly moving towards ultra light with a
short stop (1 season) in light as I evaluate which gear I can do
without and what gear needs to be replaced. Please provide feedback
on what you think can be left behind or what should be swapped out
first.
-On My Person 4 lb 6.7 oz
Knife- 11.8 oz (1 lbs 10.9 oz total)
Sheath & Pouch
Sharpener
Survival Kit & Cord
Whistle on lanyard
Fire Steel
Compass- 3.6 oz
Mini First Aid Kit- 2.3 oz
Baseball Cap- 4 oz
Sunglasses- 2 oz
Belt- 3 oz
Hiking Boots- 27 oz
-Food Canister- 41 oz (10 lbs total)
Jerky - 12 oz
Snack Sack - 3 lbs
Starburst - done
Snack bars - done
Electrolytes -done
Gatorade -done
Crystal Lite -done
Apple Cider -done
Gum -done
Dried Fruit
Peanut Butter ?
Entrées
Breakfast
Oatmeal
Lunch - 4.3 oz ea
Dinner - 4.3 oz ea.
9:30 PM
-Main Compartment - 412.6 oz/25 lbs11.9 oz
Sleeping bag liner- 4.5 oz
OR Bivy Sack- 30.5 oz (1lbs 14.8 oz)
Sleeping bag- 52 oz
Compression Sack- 3.5 oz
Exped Pillow- 3.6 oz
Thermarest Pad- 24 oz (1 lbs 9.2 oz)
Stove- 3 oz
Gas Qty. 2 - 26 oz
Camp dishes- 18 oz (1 lbs 2.9oz)
Camp Utensils -
First Aid Kit - 1 lbs 4.9 oz
MSR Water Filter - 14.9 oz
Shovel- 28 oz (1 lbs 11.3 oz)
Gregory Z65 pack- 67 oz
Water Bladder (full)- 110 oz
Lumbar Day pack?- 14 oz
Water Straw- 1.5 oz
Camp Towel- .9
Trash compacter bag -
-Tech
iPhone - 4.7 oz
iPhone Charger -
iPhone Cable - .5 oz
Walkie Talkie(s) -7 oz
-Clothes Stuff Sack - 5lbs
Socks
Underwear
Shirt
Shorts/Pants
Jacket 2 lbs 9 oz & Pullover
Gloves & Stocking Cap
-Hygiene - Front Pouch - 1 lbs 7 oz
Wipes - 7 oz
Toothbrush - 1 oz
Tooth paste - .75 oz
Map Pouch & Map - 8 oz
-Supplies - Orange - 3lbs
Survival Kit
Soft Water Bottle(s)
Head Light
Flash Light
Extra Dry Bag
Batteries
Straps
Stakes Qty. 5
Fire Tinder
Hand sanitizer (accelerant)
Tape
Multi-tool
550 Cord - 8 oz
Camp Soap
-On My Person 4 lb 6.7 oz
Knife- 11.8 oz (1 lbs 10.9 oz total)
Sheath & Pouch
Sharpener
Survival Kit & Cord
Whistle on lanyard
Fire Steel
Compass- 3.6 oz
Mini First Aid Kit- 2.3 oz
Baseball Cap- 4 oz
Sunglasses- 2 oz
Belt- 3 oz
Hiking Boots- 27 oz
-Food Canister- 41 oz (10 lbs total)
Jerky - 12 oz
Snack Sack - 3 lbs
Starburst - done
Snack bars - done
Electrolytes -done
Gatorade -done
Crystal Lite -done
Apple Cider -done
Gum -done
Dried Fruit
Peanut Butter ?
Entrées
Breakfast
Oatmeal
Chris Gilmore
(408) 461-1380