Worth the weight?

[luke moffat]

i hear ya but thats what my wife carries all the time, she hung up her springfield EMP for that. and she's not a big girl or anything like that, 135lb max.
I've also been told x-frame grips will tone it down alot. so really I'm passing on a woman's recommendation...

The X-frame grip does tone it down, but then generally it makes the pistol fit women's smaller hands even worse. Has your wife shot it that much with full house mag loads or just shot 44 specials in it?? The specials are OK in it, but I wouldn't want to shoot too many 44 mags with it. I am likely going to be going crimson trace with mine as I'll never hunt with it and its a 100% bear defense gun and then its legal to carry for defense only not hunting.

 

[HellsCanyon]

my item is usually for scouting season- thermacell

I picked one up a few weeks ago but have yet to use it! How many cartidges and refills do you bring? It'd be nice to be able to run something like that when still hunting or slowing hiking to keep the skeeters off, but its only for stationary use correct?

Mike

 

[fillthefreezer]

The X-frame grip does tone it down, but then generally it makes the pistol fit women's smaller hands even worse. Has your wife shot it that much with full house mag loads or just shot 44 specials in it?? The specials are OK in it, but I wouldn't want to shoot too many 44 mags with it. I am likely going to be going crimson trace with mine as I'll never hunt with it and its a 100% bear defense gun and then its legal to carry for defense only not hunting.

she actually keeps 305gr solid cores in it. shes put probably 150rounds down range. majority of those being 240gr mag. she uses the wood finger grooved grips. she is kinda hard headed though, you ought to see how mad she gets when old timers suggest she shoots special or wears shooting gloves or when we've got rifles out they offer her a shoulder pad, she about loses it on em

 

[luke moffat]

she actually keeps 305gr solid cores in it. shes put probably 150rounds down range. majority of those being 240gr mag. she uses the wood finger grooved grips. she is kinda hard headed though, you ought to see how mad she gets when old timers suggest she shoots special or wears shooting gloves or when we've got rifles out they offer her a shoulder pad, she about loses it on em

HAHA right on....She's tougher than me. A 18-24 rounds in a session and I tap out and I have an X frame grip. Still going back to Crimson trace though since its a defense pistol and like the idea of point and shot when the red light is in the right spot when the fuzzy wuzzy comes into came at night.

 

[bbrown]

Thermacells are awesome - only faults are they are very hard to start up high (10k or so) and really only work well if there is no wind up to slight breeze for obvious reasons.

 

[2rocky]

My MSR Water filter is not the lightest weight option, but reliable, and paid for.
Thermacell, which might be a paperweight at high altitude.
My camera is much bulkier and lower resolution than many other models available now, but I know it, and it's paid for.
The standard old nalgene, for mixing drink mix in. and a collapsible nalgene canteen for filtering into.
Longer/heavier tent stakes. (When I take a tent)
Stainless steel insulated coffee mug. Just feels right for coffee.
Seven year old can of Counter Assault bear spray. (I can throw it pretty accurately though!)

 

[hunting1]

BA Dual Core pad, pillow, and a small chair that weighs a lb. Roughing is cool, but if you are not enjoying yourself and or comftorble it is not much fun.

 

[chiefhoyt]

crocks and tiny bit of whiskey for the kill

 

[Goober]

you guys will all get a laugh at this one I'm sure, but the part of me that loves to eat good loves to take this along if I am on a trip that will have a few hours of downtime mid-day: GSI aluminum dutch oven. I wouldn't dream of it on a solo trip, or a hardcore backpack hunt. but if there is a group of us and we are going to basecamp less than 3 miles in, it is worth it to me. With that thing and a campfire, we can cook a meal for 4-5 people in the one pot. Anything from bacon, fresh venison roast, baked fish to brownies or homemade pizza. I guess I am still hanging on to old habits from canoe tripping in the boundary waters. After cooking and washing the dished in it, I will fill it with water and boil it, then let sit overnight and have enough water to fill our camel backs in the a.m.

Obviously it is a luxury often left behind, but if I can come up with an excuse to take it I will. But I am always sure to spread the added food weight into the other guys packs

As I am sure I just made obvious, I am no purist ultralite guy. I am slowly replacing alot of heavier items with lighter stuff, but I still have a long ways to go.

 

[Holmes]

I found this old thread when searching for "luxury" items after I saw @sargent 's pack list and realized that he is making some choices that I can't fathom....for now, maybe I need to change my mindset more, decide that some of the things I carry are trimmable "luxuries".

Example: sleeping on a 1/8" foam pad?! I tried a NeoAir Xtherm last year, slept like shit made the hunt less fun. So this year I'm running an old Exped down mat I had for glacier trips. Big and heavy (2lbs!!), but damn do I sleep well. Also, I can pair it with a WM 30deg sleeping bag down below 20deg and be warm.
There's probably a compromise between this huge exped mat and a 1/8" foam pad that I could find.

Things I'm carrying that I won't give up:
- Kahtoola micro-spikes or crampons - 1.2lbs
- Sony alpha camera, f/2.8 lens, and batteries - 3lbs(?)
- Bear Spray - 0.5lbs
- Zpacks tent poles in addition to my trekking poles (trekking poles double as shooting sticks) 0.75lbs
- paperback book 1lb
- Croc camp shoes .75lb

Things I should probably reconsider:
- use smartwater bottles instead of a 2L camelback bladder
- give up my 500ml GSI thermos and use a double wall Ti mug
- Spartan Javelin Bipod, very nice for shooting, but do I "need' it?
- Do I really need 9 bullets total? Save 1/4lb by just bringing 6 rounds in 2 magazines.
- I bring two lightweight nylon tarps for meat butchering and protection, could try using a mylar emergency blanket instead.
- SOG micro ToolClip multi tool (1/4lb), I've never used pliers or a screwdriver in the backcountry.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

Fantastic thread to bring back up! I don't scrimp on optics. If it's a scenario where I can use my Kowa 773, it will come with me. I sleep great on a Neoair XTherm though... not sure why guys struggle with them. I usually air them down a touch to make them more cushioned.

 

[sargent]

I found this old thread when searching for "luxury" items after I saw @sargent 's pack list and realized that he is making some choices that I can't fathom....for now, maybe I need to change my mindset more, decide that some of the things I carry are trimmable "luxuries".

Example: sleeping on a 1/8" foam pad?! I tried a NeoAir Xtherm last year, slept like shit made the hunt less fun. So this year I'm running an old Exped down mat I had for glacier trips. Big and heavy (2lbs!!), but damn do I sleep well. Also, I can pair it with a WM 30deg sleeping bag down below 20deg and be warm.
There's probably a compromise between this huge exped mat and a 1/8" foam pad that I could find.

Things I'm carrying that I won't give up:
- Kahtoola micro-spikes or crampons - 1.2lbs
- Sony alpha camera, f/2.8 lens, and batteries - 3lbs(?)
- Bear Spray - 0.5lbs
- Zpacks tent poles in addition to my trekking poles (trekking poles double as shooting sticks) 0.75lbs
- paperback book 1lb
- Croc camp shoes .75lb

Things I should probably reconsider:
- use smartwater bottles instead of a 2L camelback bladder
- give up my 500ml GSI thermos and use a double wall Ti mug
- Spartan Javelin Bipod, very nice for shooting, but do I "need' it?
- Do I really need 9 bullets total? Save 1/4lb by just bringing 6 rounds in 2 magazines.
- I bring two lightweight nylon tarps for meat butchering and protection, could try using a mylar emergency blanket instead.
- SOG micro ToolClip multi tool (1/4lb), I've never used pliers or a screwdriver in the backcountry.

I also had a thermarest neoair xlite. It's a couple items down on the pack list. The 1/8" foam pad was used for a sit pad/extra protection under my thermarest. I don't think I'm tough enough (dumb enough?) to just sleep on that 1/8" foam pad either. I did pack about 100 pages I ripped out of Louis Lamour short story collection. They weighed 2.3 ounces, that's my luxury item.

 

[phaetonfalling]

Ultralight camp chair. It's worth the extra 16oz to sit comfortably, relax, drink some coffee, and smoke a cigar at camp.

 

[Wyobohunter]

Pee bottle. It is a luxury to not climb out of the tent in the… wee hours. And an inflatable pillow. Total luxury item weight is about 4 ounces. Oh, and a little more mAh storage than is absolutely necessary. I like listening to audiobooks when laying in the tent. I set a timer so I don’t burn through a bunch of battery and lose my place in the book when I fall asleep. That’s probably another 2 to 4 ounces. Not sure if many know about this but if you get the app “Overdrive” or “Libby” you can download audiobooks from your library for free. The app is also free.

 

[dvstrl]

Thick, fluffy socks just for sleeping in. They never leave the quilt. Nothing beats warm dry feet.

 

[Wyobohunter]

Thick, fluffy socks just for sleeping in. They never leave the quilt. Nothing beats warm dry feet.

I had those last year when I pressed my 30° bag into service for temps in the low 20° and upper teens. For this year I bought a 20° bag for late October and will probably leave the mountaineering weight socks at home, or at least in the truck. The weight comes out about the same.

 

[Rokwiia]

I will always bring a warm air mattress regardless the additional weight. I sleep cold so I have the ExPed SynMat 9 for good weather and their DownMat XP 9 the rest of the year. If I sleep peacefully for even an extra hour, the penalty in weight is worth it to me.

 

[longbarrel]

I replaced my big spotter plus HD tripod that was required to stabilize it. Weight was over 8 lb combined. Now use a Kowa 553 or 554 with a light tripod at less than half the weight, but similar optical quality.

 

[MallardSX2]

Ultralight cot. I cant stand sleeping on the ground. I put my pad on my cot and I sleep about 60000X better every night.

 

[CPL Finwick]

When it comes down to it, its amazing how little you really need to survive in the wild. We get so gear crazy and like our modern advancements. After 8 years in the USMC and 41 years of outdoors life; bring gold bond for your balls, lots of food for calories, your gun, a pair of cloths and a place to sleep... The rest you can make/ find, if you really need the luxury. But the one thing ill for sure carry the unneeded extra weight (Barenjager) dont leave home without it hahahhaha. Cheers