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Post by OddBall on Aug 13, 2015 9:29:13 GMT -8
Some of these ultralight hikers with sub 25lb pack weights for a 4 or 5 day trip I find amazing. I'm in the low 30s but I also bring a LOT of creature comforts (camp chair, powerful led flashlight, solar charger, etc). I also hold onto some things out of tradition and familiarity like my SVEA123R stove that though not the lightest, is flexible and faithful.
One suggestion I can offer...
Purchase a decent postal scale (available on Amazon) that can go up to several pounds and then weigh every single piece of gear you have and enter those weights into a Google Docs spreadsheet. I then setup the spreadsheet so that I have a "taking column" where I mark with a 1 or 0 accordingly. Then, as I pack my gear for a trip, I start marking off all of the gear items I am taking and my pack weight down to the fraction of an ounce is known. This is also very helpful when I'm window shopping new gear as I can pull up my spreadsheet on Google Docs in a store and look at my own gear weights and compare to a new product I'm considering. I can then do a cost benefit analysis to figure out what items are worth the added expense. I even use the spreadsheet for my food but I take it one step further in that I also breakdown the calories per oz so I can see what foods are worth it and what aren't.
If I remember to do so when I'm back to my home computer, I'll post a link to a copy of my spreadsheet so others can see an example of how mine works.
The end result is that I've been able to control my weight down to the fraction of an ounce and I can decide if I really want the weight penalty for that creature comfort. My personal style is I enjoy the destination much more than the journey so I tend to bring my comforts along and hike shorter distances (6 to 10 miles a day) to compensate. To each their own as they say!
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tigger
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Post by tigger on Aug 13, 2015 20:10:09 GMT -8
Some of these ultralight hikers with sub 25lb pack weights for a 4 or 5 day trip I find amazing Having a really light shelter, sleeping bag, pack and stove have much to do with my overall weight. I do bring some creature comforts - beer always and steaks on occasion. I keep my gear simple and lightweight. Golite Featherlite Sleeping bag with no zipper, Hennessy Hammock Ultralight Asym Hammock shelter in summer, and a Whitebox Alcohol stove. Those things drastically cut my base weight. The rest is just ounces that add up. No multi-tool, toothbrush cut in half, one set of clothing that all gets used, no TP, etc...
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Westy
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Post by Westy on Aug 14, 2015 6:40:08 GMT -8
Like Idaho, I've been trimming for a few years. Age is the primary motivation and base factor. Recent planning for a long distance hike accelerated the learning curve and process. We even purchased a hanging scale to measure the loaded pack as well as a digital scale for small stuff. Aside from, "If you don't need it, may not use it, don't pack it" philosophy. Another takeaway for pack weight reduction is your dollars per ounce tolerance. At least that was my experience. You need to factor your willingness to invest exponentially with the consecutive trail days and cumulative mileage.
In the end the true weight driver is the backpacking objective and purpose. To just assign a standard and call it light weight, ultra-light may not take into consideration the outing genre. Technical climbing, off-trail, scrambling, peak bagging, seasonality, environment, water availability, fishing, family outing, mobile or stationary tent sites, thru-hiking. All may have slightly different pack gear choices with or without electives.
What I have learned, come to respect; and has been reiterated on a multitude of occasions by forum members is HYOH.
So finally, to answer Jer's question, I'll pretend I'm an Accountant, "What weight do you want it to be?"
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BigLoad
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Post by BigLoad on Aug 14, 2015 6:47:37 GMT -8
Another takeaway for pack weight reduction is your dollars per ounce tolerance. Yes, I found it very useful to look at different gear categories to see where I could cut the most weight for the least added cost.
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ecocentric
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Post by ecocentric on Aug 14, 2015 15:23:54 GMT -8
I'm pretty sure that my pack on my recent week long ramble across Isle Royale weighed 500 pounds, after I took out 8 lbs of telephoto lens and a lb. of hard salami. I don't really weigh my pack, I find that discouraging. I'm guessing that it would be hard for me to be out for a week with photo gear and not be somewhere between 35 and 40 pounds. I was carrying an uncle's share of the group gear in a group that included two teenage girls that eat like locusts.
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Post by cweston on Aug 15, 2015 4:07:42 GMT -8
I have never, not even once, weighed my pack. I take what I have learned from experience I will need, and don't take things that I won't. (Safety gear excluded, of course--I carry those things and hope not to use them.) I just got back from a seven day trip in the north cascades, where we also carried ice axes and bear canisters. My pack was certainly on the heavy side of what it usually is, but it wasn't bad. I've reduced my base weight in recent years--once you have your basic kit of gear in place, you can chip away at replacing heavy things with lighter things without the cost being too astronomical.
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Post by OddBall on Aug 15, 2015 6:12:40 GMT -8
As mentioned in my previous post, here is the Google Spreadsheet that I use when packing my gear for a trip. Having the digital scale to weigh everything wasn't that expensive (~$30 Amazon) and is well worth the investment for anyone interested in getting into backpacking. Note that not everything in the list is something that I take. IE, there may be duplicate items in the list so I only mark a "1" in the "Taking" column for the item I choose to bring that time.
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Post by ashepabst on Aug 15, 2015 6:50:31 GMT -8
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Post by hikerjer on Aug 15, 2015 16:37:40 GMT -8
Thanks everyone for your replies. I just returned from 5 days-4 nights solo hike in the Bob Marshal Wilderness. My pack was 32 lbs at the start with food and water. No filter. I relied on chemical treatment (tablets) which I have mixed feelings about. On my hike I met two sets of guys - two in the 60s and two in their 20s. They were approaching the end of the entire CDT and actually looked in great shape and none the worse for wear. In fact, the younger guys could have stepped right out of the pages of Backpacker Magazine. Their total weight was 22-24 lbs including food and water. I've got to work on this. When you get time, I'd really appreciate a detailed gear and food list from you guys that are in that weight range (low 20s). It, frankly, baffles me, although I know some places I can make changes. One is food. I brought far too much as I usually do. I've just got to cut down on the weight. It never really used to bother me that much, but I'm just not a young buck anymore and I feel the extra pounds - in my pack that is.
Appreciate hearing from in the future.
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jazzmom
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Post by jazzmom on Aug 16, 2015 6:52:34 GMT -8
For food, try weighing your food before and after (i.e. how much you hike out with) diligently for a few hikes to see if you can get some target averages of actual consumption. I found, for me, all my short hikes (up to 8 days or so) were pretty consistent at just under 1lb per day. I take a mix of dried meals plus things like foiled tuna, peanut-butter, cheese, nuts, jerky for lunches and snacks. So, I pack 1lb per day and "round up", i.e. if my itinerary is really dinner on day1, full days on day2-3, through lunch on day 4, I'll still take 4lb of food. I almost always hike out with a little extra food, but having an extra days' worth of food is one "just in case" weight I'm OK with.
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Westy
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Post by Westy on Aug 16, 2015 8:21:26 GMT -8
Jer,
My former Primary Gear Weight (PGW) of pack, sleeping bag, tent w/ ground cloth and sleeping pad was 11.31 lbs. The current PGW of 7.28 lbs. which resulted in a 4 lb. weight savings cost $1,611 or $13.84 an ounce.
The two major factors were pack and tent.
The biggest bang for the buck was switching to the HMG 3400 Southwest Pack ($320) 2 lbs. 0 oz. It would be entirely feasible to have lost an additional 1.5 lbs. on the tent if I had chosen a Tarptent Moment DW, SMD Skyscrape X or Terra Nova Laser Ultra 1. I'm fussy about my shelter and prefer slightly more robust personal accommodation.
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Post by Dynteryx on Aug 20, 2015 17:54:20 GMT -8
Can't compete with you guys... I would be around 28 to 32 pounds. Rain and cold nights = long johns and extra socks. I just can't seem to let go of my fast bucksaw and batoning knife. Might be as low as 27 if I could afford the big agnes fly creek ul2.
Oh Well..
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Post by topshot on Aug 21, 2015 5:13:28 GMT -8
When you get time, I'd really appreciate a detailed gear and food list from you guys that are in that weight range (low 20s). It, frankly, baffles me, although I know some places I can make changes. One is food. I brought far too much as I usually do. I've just got to cut down on the weight. It never really used to bother me that much, but I'm just not a young buck anymore and I feel the extra pounds - in my pack that is. Appreciate hearing from in the future. This list was just over 28 pounds (and includes what I am wearing or carrying also) from 4 years ago with 7 days of food (and I also took too much back then). I've reduced in some areas but added some also so my base would likely still be ~12 pounds when solo. Feel free to PM if you have questions on anything on it. My former Primary Gear Weight (PGW) of pack, sleeping bag, tent w/ ground cloth and sleeping pad was 11.31 lbs. The current PGW of 7.28 lbs. which resulted in a 4 lb. weight savings cost $1,611 or $13.84 an ounce.
I'm happy to say my PGW is 6.25 lbs and only cost about $350, but I got my pad used and use a homemade polycryo tarp.
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amaruq
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Post by amaruq on Aug 27, 2015 10:23:02 GMT -8
In the end the true weight driver is the backpacking objective and purpose. To just assign a standard and call it light weight, ultra-light may not take into consideration the outing genre. Technical climbing, off-trail, scrambling, peak bagging, seasonality, environment, water availability, fishing, family outing, mobile or stationary tent sites, thru-hiking. All may have slightly different pack gear choices with or without electives. Out of curiosity, I just put together a list with weights for all the technical gear I would typically carry on an icy expedition with expected vertical components. Including harness, rigging, rope, tools, 'pons, and boots (assuming long approach to the snow on which I'd prefer lighter footwear) I'm around 25lbs for technical gear alone. Nevermind food, shelter, bedding, a spare set of clothes, the "third" tool/traditional axe. I do like to carry a bit more rigging - runners, cord, 'biners - than I might need because it affords flexibility, but even the maxed-out rack only accounts for 6lbs of that total. Might have to invest in some lighter rope and lighter tools.
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Aug 28, 2015 7:16:47 GMT -8
When you get time, I'd really appreciate a detailed gear and food list from you guys that are in that weight range (low 20s). It, frankly, baffles me, although I know some places I can make changes. One is food. ULA circuit 38 ounces. Neo air 25. WBBB Hammock 32. OEM Deluxe tarp 16. UGQ quilt 16. WB stove 1. Alcohol for 6 days 6. Bottle for alcohol 1. GSI tea pot 5. Spoon 1. 1st Aid kit 4. 7 tent stakes 3. Toiletrie bag 4. Additional clothing 16. Chem tabs for water 2. camera 5. bic 2. water bottle 2. nalgene canteen 4.
water 32. food for 6 days 156 (26 ounces per day). Rain gear (top only) 18.
totals 389 ounces for 24 pounds 5 ounces. Add in either my Ursack (8), or my BV500 (40), and the total come to 24 #s 13 oz, or 26 #s 13 oz. 25 or 27 pounds is close enough.
The biggest adjustment I made was to food. 26 ounces of food per day takes some figuring out what works for you. Rice, couscous, or quinoa, with a foil meat or fish works for me most nights. I try to eat cold breakfasts and lunches, but you would be amazed what can be done with cold water rehydration. Graze all day on something relatively light and full of fat, like Fried Onions or Fritos. Only time I eat crap is on a hike. Snickers works for me, but the chocolate melts unless you are hiking in cool weather. Pringles works even when crushed into a powder. Cashews also are great in the calorie per ounce list.
My typical day might be something like: 3 ounces of grapenuts with 1 ounce of powdered milk 500 calories 2 ounces chips or other fatty snack 320 cal. OR 3 ounces cashews 471cal tortilla tuna wrap with mayo and hot sauce (7 oz) 400 cal OR Justin's almond butter with honey on flat bread. 400 cal Snickers or other afternoon snack 250 cal 2 ounces Minute Rice, 2 ounces dehydrated back beans, 5 ounces foil chicken hot sauce 600 cal
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