Getting started lightweight

[gabenzeke]

So after two seasons, I've got a lot of my gear sort of dialed in. Thing is, I've found that it's nice to lighten the load as I'm able to go a lit further. What are the first few things or upgrades to make to significantly lighten my load? Looking to get the most bang for my buck per se, but also don't want anything to fail on me.

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[bmart2622]

I would say sleep system. Its a fine line between ultra light and uncomfortable. I used to be a huge oz counter and then I learned that a little bit of extra weight is worth it. But anyway sleep system would be where I would start looking.

 

[Cant hit em]

So after two seasons, I've got a lot of my gear sort of dialed in. Thing is, I've found that it's nice to lighten the load as I'm able to go a lit further. What are the first few things or upgrades to make to significantly lighten my load? Looking to get the most bang for my buck per se, but also don't want anything to fail on me.

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If you would list what your currently using or taking you could probably get some great suggestions on upgrades or things you can leave out or swap for something lighter


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[gabenzeke]

Currently, I'm running a mystery ranch Marshall (planning on trying a stone glacier in the coming months)
Stratospire 2 tarptent
Kelty cosmic 20 (want a quilt, but not sure if that's a good place to start)
REI air rails pad
MSR pocket rocket stove
Titanium cup
Sea to summit titanium spoon
2 MSR dromedary 4l light bags and 2 nalgenes
Katadyn hiker pro water filter
50 feet of 2.8 millimeter cord
Caribou bags, benchmade hidden canyon, zip ties, sharpener for kill kit
3 pounds in personal effects and first aid
TP, lightweight trowel, and hand sanitizer
Tyvek ground cloth
Sea to summit pillow
Fuel for stove
Roughly 15 pounds for food for 7 day hunt
Pocket knife, lighters in my pocket
Nesbit cubes to start fires
Compass and map
GPS and cell phone
Dark energy battery
Bugle tube
Binos, range finder, windicator, AGC bino holder
Backpack cover and minimal layers depending on weather plus an extra pair of socks
I may have forgotten a couple things...this is off the top of my head. Any help on where to start would be so appreciated!

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[fngTony]

Currently, I'm running a mystery ranch Marshall (planning on trying a stone glacier in the coming months)
Stratospire 2 tarptent
Kelty cosmic 20 (want a quilt, but not sure if that's a good place to start)
REI air rails pad
MSR pocket rocket stove
Titanium cup
Sea to summit titanium spoon
2 MSR dromedary 4l light bags and 2 nalgenes
Katadyn hiker pro water filter
50 feet of 2.8 millimeter cord
Caribou bags, benchmade hidden canyon, zip ties, sharpener for kill kit
3 pounds in personal effects and first aid
TP, lightweight trowel, and hand sanitizer
Tyvek ground cloth
Sea to summit pillow
Fuel for stove
Roughly 15 pounds for food for 7 day hunt
Pocket knife, lighters in my pocket
Nesbit cubes to start fires
Compass and map
GPS and cell phone
Dark energy battery
Bugle tube
Binos, range finder, windicator, AGC bino holder
Backpack cover and minimal layers depending on weather plus an extra pair of socks
I may have forgotten a couple things...this is off the top of my head. Any help on where to start would be so appreciated!

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Higher fill power bag or quilt

Comb through your 3lbs of personal stuff

SG 6900 is about 1.3 lbs lighter but don’t sacrifice comfort for this savings. Packs are personal, I’m not saying the SG isn’t comfortable.

Your about right with food weight. I repeatedly read 1.5-2 lbs per day. Maybe after a significant pack diet your body won’t need as much.

Weigh your items then look up how they compare. When looking at binoculars I was shocked how heavy some 10x42s were, almost half a pound.

Maybe keep the lighter of your knives for camp chores and get something like a havalon or tyto.

No trowel, sticks and rocks are found on sight.

Clothing, maybe take a hard look there. I think we all bring something that never gets used so that’s a free savings there.

I’m fine using clothes for a pillow, try it for three nights first though.

I’m not a water system guy so I don’t understand why two nalgene? They’re about 5ounces each. I know splitting hairs but if not needed it’s another free savings. Could also replace one with a collapsible soft bottle.

Have you tried out something like onX maps for your phone so don’t need a gps?

WARNING!!! If you weigh everything individually you find five plus pounds to save but it will cost a fortune.

 

[fngTony]

If you’re around Denver I’ll let you check out my SG pack

 

[ianpadron]

Get a quilt, a tarp, a lighter pad, and ditch those damn Nalgenes and I bet you save 4# right there. I use a 48oz plastic bottle from the store, just dump the water out. Water filters screw right on top instead of the cap. The bottle weighs literally nothing.

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[justinspicher]

I use my layers for both day and night so I don't have to take bulky bag or quilt. I also switched to a smaller bag so I can't take as much.

 

[MuleyFever]

I started backpacking with the ground sheet and only used it a couple times. I also ditched my stove a couple years ago and don't miss it. I would look at options for your sleep system.

I used to buy the lightest gear I could find. Then I realized I wanted to be comfortable and started selling some of the lightest gear I had.

 

[blackpowderhunter]

Cut back to 1 knife (or 1 fixed and one replaceable blade and get rid of the sharpener), why 2 nalgenes and 2 dromedary bags?
your sleep system is heavy. you could cut an easy 2 lbs (plus a fair amount of bulk) there without going to a quilt.
assuming your pad is the regular, thats 1lb 10 oz.. you can easily get that down around 1 lb, your bag (also assuming regular) is damn near 3 lbs.
you could even go with something like the rei magma 10 degree bag for 350 bucks which puts you under 2 lbs on a bag.

I run 1 water bladder and keep an empty smart water bottle for use if needed.. cuts down on bulk and weight.
whats included in that 3 lbs of personal effects/first aid? seems like a lot to me.
tooth brush, small tooth paste, baby wipes, scent free gold bond, small pack towel, and a minimal first aid kit is usually what I will carry there..

 

[fngTony]

For personal stuff I just carry a wisk toothbrush(one for every two days). Travel size mouth wash (don’t take unless it’s three or more days) you could use the listerine strips instead. A few qtips.

Here’s my standard list.

First aid & meds (9 items)
• Quick clot
• Gauze
• A few bandaids
• Alcohol wipes
• Tylenol
• Ibuprofen
• Anti diarrhea
• Pepto pills
• Oragel
• tp
• hand sanitizer


Fire & navigation/signal (8 items)
• Lighter
• Tinder
• Storm matches in case
• Ferro rod
• Paper map
• Compass
• Whistle
• Offline maps

Repair/tools/electronics (9 items)
• Tenacious tape
• Duct tape
• Small multi tool (gerber dime)
• Allen wrenches for bow
• Power bank w/cord
• iPhone cord
• Phone
• Headlamp w/extra batteries
• Flashlight?

 

[EastMT]

I really like the sawyer gravity water filter. I carry two 1 liter coke bottles with the 1 gallon gravity bag. Screw the filter onto the bottle and it fills right up while you are doing other stuff. I think the system is a couple oz, couple more for the bottles. I was going to carry nalgene this year but needed to trim weight. I as long used the 1 liter bags, held up well, no issues.

I carried 1.5 pounds of food on a 10 day sheep hunt and honestly had trouble eating it all. Trimming back to 1 lb this year.

I went with a treated bag, 30 oz and it's warm!

 

[dihardhunter]

My approach is to look at extra cost/weight savings. For instance, if I can upgrade sleep system and it costs me an extra $375 by the time I buy new gear and sell my old equipment to save 11 ounces - that upgrade cost me $34/ounce.

Conversely, upgrading to a Sawyer mini from whatever you use now might only save you 2 ounces, but those 2 ounces are CHEAP. $10/ounce max. Less if you sell your old gear/equipment.

An ounce is an ounce is an ounce is an ounce. That's the way I have looked at it over the years and I'm done with upgrades at this point. Nowhere else to really shave weight beyond what I've done (going to a Stone Glacier pack from my Kifaru could save weight actually), but it gave me an objective way to rank either/or buying decisions.

 

[ianpadron]

I really like the sawyer gravity water filter. I carry two 1 liter coke bottles with the 1 gallon gravity bag. Screw the filter onto the bottle and it fills right up while you are doing other stuff. I think the system is a couple oz, couple more for the bottles. I was going to carry nalgene this year but needed to trim weight. I as long used the 1 liter bags, held up well, no issues.

I carried 1.5 pounds of food on a 10 day sheep hunt and honestly had trouble eating it all. Trimming back to 1 lb this year.

I went with a treated bag, 30 oz and it's warm!

1 pound total?! For 10 days!?


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[EastMT]

Ha! No 1lb a day. One mtn house for supper, 5oz, then oatmeal with peanut butter for breakfast, trail mix, Clif energy blok, snack bar during the day. This trip I did 2800 calories a day and honestly it was a chore to eat it all. Cutting back to 2000, if I get real hungry there's plenty of ptarmigan.

 

[gabenzeke]

Thanks everyone. The 3 lbs of personal stuff is mostly medical...im a type 1 diabetic. I also go through tons of water, and have always used one nalgene for flavored stuff and one for plain/cooking water, but I can see the wisdom in ditching half of that. I think I'll start with my sleep system. I'd like to try a quilt and tarp...do I need a bivy for that kind of set up?

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[BCSteel]

Thanks everyone. The 3 lbs of personal stuff is mostly medical...im a type 1 diabetic. I also go through tons of water, and have always used one nalgene for flavored stuff and one for plain/cooking water, but I can see the wisdom in ditching half of that. I think I'll start with my sleep system. I'd like to try a quilt and tarp...do I need a bivy for that kind of set up?

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I like nalgene bottles since I also use them as a hot water bottle on cold nights and don't have to worry about it leaking. One has always been enough for me when coupled with a 2L water bag.

I do all of my solo camping with a 7x9 silnylon tarp and 0C rated down bag with no bivy bag. So far my coldest night has been -32C and I'm still here to talk about it. Do I think a bivy bag is necessary? No. Would it add a margin of error in very inclement weather? Absolutely. It would also add more to the rating of the sleeping bag which might also be helpful depending on your anticipated camping conditions.

 

[gabenzeke]

I like nalgene bottles since I also use them as a hot water bottle on cold nights and don't have to worry about it leaking. One has always been enough for me when coupled with a 2L water bag.

I do all of my solo camping with a 7x9 silnylon tarp and 0C rated down bag with no bivy bag. So far my coldest night has been -32C and I'm still here to talk about it. Do I think a bivy bag is necessary? No. Would it add a margin of error in very inclement weather? Absolutely. It would also add more to the rating of the sleeping bag which might also be helpful depending on your anticipated camping conditions.

Might get a bivy to go along with the tarp and try it out sometime in the rain this fall just to see what I think. I can always sell it. I'm thinking I'll ditch the katadyn too for a steri pen and drops as a backup.

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[BCSteel]

I forgot to mention, I changed from an inline water filter (Lifestraw) to a steripen this year. Absolutely love it. So simple and easy to get good water fast. I also immensely enjoy being able to chug back a litre as fast as I want with out having to suck my eyeballs through a filter to get my water.

 

[Felix40]

You could save 2 pounds by going to a quilt and a lighter pad. Then get rid of the nalgenes and use regular water bottles. Those are the most obvious things to me that have no downside or tradeoff, only benefits.