Do much weight have you cut from your pack?

[krueger]

I'll admit I'm fairly new to backpack wilderness hunting. I have been hunting the deep backcountry for about 4-5 years now and i am always learning and looking for new ways to upgrade my gear and save space and weight. Since graduating college two years ago and gaining comfortable income I have been able to save some serious pounds from my original pack weight 4-5 years ago. This winter/spring i have upgraded my sleep system, clothing system and pack. I estimate that i have saved a little over 8.5lbs from my 2013 pack weight, I am seriously considering upgrading my 2 man tent to a ultralight bivy/tarp combo and saving an additional 3lbs. Gear upgrades are addicting. I have spent ~$600 to save those 8.5lbs this year (i used to use a horribly heavy and big sleeping bag, 5lbs 2 ounces).

How much weight are you guys cutting from your packs before the 2014 season?

 

[desertcj]

I've cut 5lbs from my sleep system. 3 1/2lbs from my boots(At least for early season hunting). I'd like to find another pound or two, because I plan on doubling my water storage ability bringing me up to two 3L bladders plus a 32oz gatorade bottle. It sucks having to plan your hunt being so reliant on water sources.

 

[Manosteel]

not much for me, just tinkering with different set ups for sleep systems and weapons. I was pretty light from last year so just fine tunning.

 

[Coyote Commander]

I cut just a tad over 3 lbs last year on my sleep/shelter system.

I was pretty excited about that.

6 day kit plus 3L of water and bow was 46 lbs. Pretty happy with that.

 

[luke moffat]

Only thing I upgraded to shave weight this winter was my bivy/UL shelter if its just Becca and I for short trips. Oh and going roughly 3+ pounds from my rain gear top and bottoms combined to right at 1.5 pounds for top/bottoms. But my pack will be heavier for some trips as well. So its kinda a wash there.

 

[amp713]

Ive cut a ton of weight in the last 2 years!!! And have been paying alot to do it!

 

[rwbayer]

My big weight lose was the 2013 season. I first hunted in 2012 and brought way too much. Much like a backpack trip I packed, went out, came home and tossed everything that I didn't touch except necessities like a medical kit. May be a bit academic for many, but a great way to get started.

 

[desertcj]

My big weight lose was the 2013 season. I first hunted in 2012 and brought way too much. Much like a backpack trip I packed, went out, came home and tossed everything that I didn't touch except necessities like a medical kit. May be a bit academic for many, but a great way to get started.

Yep and 46lb with weapon sounds good to me! I think I started at 60lbs+weapon....

 

[Justin Crossley]

Not sure I could cut much weight from my system unless I just left things out.

My September sleep system and shelter is under three pounds total.
Tigoat Omni bivy 7 oz
Thermarest Xtherm 15 oz
Zpacks 30* quilt 14.4 oz
Zpacks Hexamid solo plus 7.1 oz including stakes

 

[RosinBag]

I used to use super light sleep system, but it wasn't as comfortable while sleeping. So this year I added about 20 ounces and will be back to my more comfortable system which is worth the weight. Better rest and sleep is worth the extra weight to me.

I have found the difference between my ultralight set up and my not so ultralight, but comfortable with luxuries is about 5 pounds.

So I tend to go more comfortable as 5 pounds won't make or break me.

 

[gobbler1662]

Well i was actually lighter in 2013. Hit my all time low for weight. Did a week in Hells Canyon and was at 32 pounds total. Well this year I have added a few pounds with a spotter and tripod. So oh well cant kill em if you don't see em i guess. Got by for years with just my binos so will see if the spotter is worth it. Cant really drop much more weight with sleep system and shelter unless i go Cuben fiber. My quilt is 1 pound 4 oz, X-Lite is 11 oz, Bivy sack 10 oz, Tarp is 8 oz. Total is 3.06. Like I said I could shave a few more ounces by going Cuben Fiber, but those would be some costly ounces.

 

[Coyote Commander]

but those would be some costly ounces.

Thats kind of where im at.

I know I could drop probably another pound easily (if not more) in my sleep/shelter system. But to do it is gonna cost some serious coin.





After upgrading my sleep system, I dropped my next biggest batch of weight in food. If I want to not loose weight on a hunt where im really covering ground, I need to carry 4000 calories a day, minimum. If I adhere to the 1 oz/100 calories rule, that still means carrying 2.5-3lbs food a day.

I carry about 2800-3000 calories per day and just count on loosing about a pound a day.

I subscribe to the mountain man way of eating prior to a hunt. The week before, I eat till im ready to burst every day.

 

[gmajor]

I just picked up a GoLite Shangri-La 2 (1lb 9oz) and Borah bug bivy (6.5oz), and even if I order two carbon fiber poles (2oz each) to pitch the tent instead of relying on sticks or guy-lining to trees, I will have cut my shelter weight by 4.5 lbs. The only place where I would cut significant weight now is my sleeping bag, which is pretty heavy at 3.75 lbs. I'm going to try to carry less water this year too (I typically carry about 7lbs in water alone) on the trip into/out of my spike camps (and more actively prepare when and where to fill up [steripen]).

It's funny to go from backpacking season to hunting season and add a laundry list of weighty items (binos, rifle, rounds, knife + saw, game bags, etc).

 

[arctic sapper]

I just picked up a GoLite Shangri-La 2 (1lb 9oz) and Borah bug bivy (6.5oz), and even if I order two carbon fiber poles (2oz each) to pitch the tent instead of relying on sticks or guy-lining to trees, I will have cut my shelter weight by 4.5 lbs. The only place where I would cut significant weight now is my sleeping bag, which is pretty heavy at 3.75 lbs. I'm going to try to carry less water this year too (I typically carry about 7lbs in water alone) on the trip into/out of my spike camps (and more actively prepare when and where to fill up [steripen]).

It's funny to go from backpacking season to hunting season and add a laundry list of weighty items (binos, rifle, rounds, knife + saw, game bags, etc).

you are going to love that Go Lite Tarp. I used it for ten days in the brooks range last year and I was always dry. It stood up to 60mph winds for 2-3 days. Some things I learned though:
use para cord tied to the pole loops and wrap the other end around rocks. The stakes were worthless in the wind.
Find some moss or bunch grass to put around the base to keep the bugs and draft out
Make sure you pull your guy cords tight to the front and rear. It helps hold your trek poles in place; especially in the wind
We just left the para cord attached to the tarp when we packed up. It made set up quicker when we got to a new location.


Hope you are happy with it.

 

[gmajor]

you are going to love that Go Lite Tarp. I used it for ten days in the brooks range last year and I was always dry. It stood up to 60mph winds for 2-3 days. Some things I learned though:
use para cord tied to the pole loops and wrap the other end around rocks. The stakes were worthless in the wind.
Find some moss or bunch grass to put around the base to keep the bugs and draft out
Make sure you pull your guy cords tight to the front and rear. It helps hold your trek poles in place; especially in the wind
We just left the para cord attached to the tarp when we packed up. It made set up quicker when we got to a new location.


Hope you are happy with it.

Awesome! I like to keep lines attached to my current tent, so I imagine I'll do the same. Great to hear more good reviews from demanding environments.

 

[littlebuf]

im at the point now where theirs not much weight to cut. i am picking up a new bow this year that is significantly lighter, but im not sure what the end weight will be. im anticipating about a two to three pound savings there. picked up a new enigma thats a few ounces lighter than my rev x and am considering a new zpacks tent that could save me around a pound plus. i was already at 47 pounds for a week so with these i could realistically see sub 45-44 pound pack weight for a 7 day trip. i also recently discovered powdered peanut butter, the whole jar weighs like 7 ounces, i carry around 5 ounces of peanut butter per day in my food, that alone could cut a pound and a half. it all adds up, not just sleeping bags

 

[littlebuf]

i see mention of optics, im packing around ten pounds of glass and tripod. thats one area i wont cut weight on.

 

[Clarktar]

Not sure I could cut much weight from my system unless I just left things out.

My September sleep system and shelter is under three pounds total.
Tigoat Omni bivy 7 oz
Thermarest Xtherm 15 oz
Zpacks 30* quilt 14.4 oz
Zpacks Hexamid solo plus 7.1 oz including stakes

Justin, what are your thoughts about the zpacks hexamid. I have been thinking about purchasing one. Durable? Have you had it in weather other than sun (not that there is much of that in western WA). I am really drawn to the zpacks shelters for a solo shelter, the savings in weight is awesome, not so much for the pocket book though.

 

[Clarktar]

Once my spotter arrives, I will be at 7 lbs 15 oz NOT including binos. With binos I am at 9 lbs 11 oz. I do not see any way to cut this weight and I don't think I would want to either. It is a pretty solid setup, well I hope, we will see when spotter arrives.

 

[Justin Crossley]

I used my Hexamid about 15 nights last year and I'm very happy with it. Cuben fiber is actually pretty tough but you do have to be careful about poking it with things. I didn't get a single hole last year but I was careful about where I set it up. I think it is a great way to save weight as long as a guy understands that he is using ultra light gear and treats it accordingly. One thing I really like is being able to sit under cover and cook and eat my meals without taking my boots off.

I did use it in some pretty bad weather. The first weekend of archery elk was very rainy on the westside and I had no trouble at all.

This was a very nasty night at the end of September, with high winds and rain and snow but the Hexamid held up great and kept me 100% dry. I will be sending it in soon to have the beak added just to get a little more space for my gear.