Building A Backcountry Setup On A Budget.

[Mike7]

P.S. -- Ya, agree with the better/lighter bag with a liner like Sea-to-Summit (20 degree bag is fine for me).

 

[drthornton]

Being a big guy I seriously suggest you make sure you are comfortable with the shoulder girth in some of these bags you are suggesting. I have a Marmot Wizard that has a 64" shoulder girth and it is too narrow to think about spending 10 nights in. The Cat's Meow you've got is 64"...try it out for an extended period before you dump 5-6 hundred dollars.

Mont Bell's Hugger series is made of stretchy fabric which would stretch to meet your shoulder girth. Mont Bell bags are very good and I've read bigger guys that can't handle standard mummy bags like them. I have not been in one though.
http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=796&p_id=2321125

 

[Mike7]

Second the Montbell recommendation. I sleep horribly in tight mummy bags, especially at elevation. I have a super spiral montbell bag and it is the most comfortable bag I've ever slept in. It does truly seem to move with you. I've never tried the Kifaru bags though or Western Mountaineering bags, which both also get great reviews.

 

[a3dhunter]

Being a big guy I seriously suggest you make sure you are comfortable with the shoulder girth in some of these bags you are suggesting. I have a Marmot Wizard that has a 64" shoulder girth and it is too narrow to think about spending 10 nights in. The Cat's Meow you've got is 64"...try it out for an extended period before you dump 5-6 hundred dollars.

That is why I went with a Big Agnes bag, the long bag's have a 73" shoulder girth.

 

[bighouse31]

Here are the slick bag dimensions
DIMENSIONS - WIDE CUT SLICK BAGS

FITS UP TO CHEST HIP FOOT
Reg. Slick Bag 6 ft., 1 in. / 185 cm. 74.5 in. / 189 cm. 70 in. / 178 cm. 51.5 in. / 131 cm.
Long Slick Bag 6 ft., 7 in. / 200 cm. 74.5 in. / 189 cm 70 in. / 178 cm. 51.5 in. / 131 cm.

 

[Heather Stomper]

You can shave some weight by going to the Kifaru Meat Baggies...4 is plenty for boned out elk.

 

[lg-captain]

All great ideas. I think ill add the Montbell UL Super Spiral to my list to look at. I think the sleeping bag will be my last big purchase. Decisions decisions.

 

[BMB]

you get a MontBell bag, i'd use a bivy over it. very thin outershell.

 

[bearguide]

very cool list /good detail /heavy

 

[lg-captain]

I have been trimming everything down weight wise. I will repost when I'm done thanks for all the help. I got the Montbell UL Super Spiral Down yesterday with the Montbell Long Wide Bivy. There is a ton of room and you can move around and it moves with you very cool. I do not like the hood on the bag however. I have 30 days to try it out so no harm in that. I cant wait for Aron to do his review the sleeping bags. Plenty of great info on this forum.

 

[Steve O]

I wish I had a budget like yours starting out! You look in pretty good shape to me. I love my Big Agnes bags, the longs will fit you, keep you warm, and keep you on top of your pad.

 

[lg-captain]

Everything I purchased was on sale or used. For example they have the Montbell UL Super Spiral Down # 1 for 314.00 at promountainsports.com. It took a lot of researching online but I tried to buy quality gear for discounted prices. I figure buying quality gear will save money in he long run.

 

[LNGBOWFLYER]

Fleece bag liner. If you feel you need it sell the fleece liner and your 20degree bag and buy a 5 degree bag. It'll save weight and space.

Thermal rest pad. You listed 2 pads. I would only take 1. Take whichever is more comfortable.

Baklava. It's September. You are taking a Beanie. So your double packing.

You are taking 3 pairs of high quality socks. Drop one pair of the heavy weight socks. I would actually recommend leaving all three behind and taking just two pairs of the lite hikers. They will work fine for September. Either way 2 prs is all you need.

I would only take 1 lighter. 2 is redundant since your buddy should also have one.

Toilet paper soap and deodorant. You are taken baby wipes. That is all you will need. It'll wipe your butt, use it as a field shower. So it makes toilet paper and soap redundant. Deodarant also isn't really needed. After day 3 it wont help.

Drop the nalgene bottle you have a camel back.

Make one of your buds carry 1 of the jetboil fuel cannisters or both of them since you have the burner.

Over all if spread out the gear amongst your hunting party then this is how much weight you can drop.

Fleece Bagliner: 8oz
Thermal Rest: 14 oz
Jet boil fuel : 7 or 14 oz
Baklava: 1.5 oz
1 PR heavy socks: 5 oz
1 lighter: 1.5 oz
Toilet Paper: 6 oz
Soap: 3.5 oz
Deoderant: 3 oz
Nalgene bottle: 3.5 oz

It's a total weight savings of 60 oz. So 3 lbs 12 oz.

Good luck and have fun. Make sure to take lots of pictures and share them.

 

[lg-captain]

Thanks for the advice. I am trimming everything down as much as possible. All great suggestions. I belive am gonna leave the z lite out and just take tyvek for a ground cloth. Any of you guys that have floor less shelter let me know what you think. I will be going solo so I don't have anyone to split stuff with.

 

[Tim in Wa.]

Tyvek works great in a floorless shelter
Tim

 

[swat8888]

1. Don't all my extended trips in Alaska so don't know about the water as much in the lower 48 but I would dump that heavy water filter. Use the iodine or the other tabs (chlorine...I think). Huge weight savings.
2. Dump the nalgene for either a big bladder or some small platypus bags. I bring 2 x 1 liter bags....1 to drink, 1 to wait for the tabs to work. And a bigger bag in case I'm gonna be away from water for extended periods.
3. Too much food. Although I may be eating less calories I'm so busy all day and wore out that half the time I can't even find my entire mountain house at dinner. 2x oatmeal and 1x VIA for breakfast, 2x energy bars/handful of nuts/couple pieces of sugary candy for lunch, and MH for dinner. Oh and 2x gatorade or other flavored drink pouch w/ sugar....The MH, oatmeal and powerbars come out just above 5lbs. I try to stay right around 10lbs.
4. Drop the multi-tool
5. Drop the camp soap...you're going to stink, plus your solo....relish in your nasty stench.
6. Agree on the switch to Kifaru game bags...except I'd still bring one big cotton type game bag. The Kifaru's don't breathe...hence your meat stays wet.
7. I'd also have a pair of trekking poles in my hands when I'm in the mountains.

 

[swat8888]

One more thing...if you drop all those MH desserts that require hot water you can probably get by w/ 1x110g stove....you'll have to cut back on making those 30 coffees too. My buddy and I both used 1x 110g canister for about 6 days until it finally ran out. Depends how much you want to risk it.

 

[larryschwartz]

LNGBOWFLYER,

Just to clarify.......

This is baklava, a pastry made with nuts, honey, and fillo dough......



This is a balaklava....

 

[BuckSnort]

No that's a Balaclava

This is Balaklava...

 

[LNGBOWFLYER]

LOL. I live a good smart a$$. It truly is a lost art is this much too P.C. world. Well played sir, well played