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  1. #21
    Member 11steve11's Avatar
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    Great discussion on thinking heavy.

    I have to throw in the ditto to weighing everything, putting items on a spread sheet, and then attacking the heavies/working with the lighties.

    Our son (in scouts) went on his first camp last summer using a Navy sea bag I've had as a backpack and a Wal-mart blue pad for interior support. The equipment he had in the bag including tent, sleeping bag, and stuff yet no water nor food was around 25# for just him. Most of the other boys and the scoutmaster had 50+ pound packs they could not lift.

    Right after camp I used a scale and weighed EVERYTHING; heres some of my revealations:

    >A good 30deg sleeping bag at 34oz hung up when not in use keeps the kid warmer than a 60oz one left packed.

    >A good down coat costs less than a good down sleeping bag (and keeps you warmer in the middle of the night when taking a whee)

    >Those walmart $5 blue pads are the insulation / weight / money deal of the century.

    >The 16oz first aid kit got replaced with a home-made 4oz.

    >10# of tent/stakes/ground cloth/fly became a 22oz trek light double and 18oz Tyvek tarp and 3oz of straps.

    >Last fall we hit walmarts 1/2 off summer clothes sale and lightened his load with wicking/UV golf shirts for $3 each and pants for about the same.

    >We also got him a $20 Remington 3000ci hunting backpack from walmart (glenn canyon I think) with a modified empty weight of 20oz. We did splurge on a bladder but I still like 2L pop bottles.

    >The heavy mess kit became a heiny pot kit with spork saving around 16oz.

    >His 10 essentials and survival kit weigh less than 16oz

    Now his base pack weight (no food/water) is around 13lbs and he has useful equipment that can be shared with another. We went scout camping in November last year with this setup, he was warm and comfortable.

    Just last Monday, he brought in his pack to scouts for inspection and was the only one that didn't need help getting it through the door and blew away the camping merit badge instructor with the size and weights. He was the only one that had everything required in his pack, knew where it all was and could repack it.

    I figure adding 2 to 4 pounds of water and I'll carry the food and water filter(he carries mess kit and shelter) his pack for up to a 5 day hike will still be around 16 to 17 pounds and for a kid at about 110lbs, that works for me.

    We didn't break the bank either. $20 pack, $10 bladder, $5 walmart blu pad, $20 & $30 sleeping bags (75% off last seasons model, 1 summer and 1 winter), $5 heiny pot, $7 tyvek tarp, $65 hammock, $2 in straps, $5 survival kit, $8 badger bug balm, $10 for 3 dry stuff sacks, $3 multi-tool with flashlight (cabellas) and nickels and dimes for the rest. Grand total about $200. Just keep a printed copy of the spread sheet with you when shopping, I was supprised when an opportunity to lighten up on the cheap would present itself for example; one Sunday evening on my way out of town last fall I saw a local sporting goods store having an 'event' so I stopped in. They were promoting skiing and hunting but they had a store wide sale happening and their camping equipment was already marked down. I purchased the gerber knife, brunton fire striker and compus kit for $12 (yes the regular price of the compus) and some other misc items. I've hit REI and the 20% off a few times as well as the Thanksgiving day $20 gift card (sawyer water filter, balaclava, and other items.)

    I couldn't have done this without the spreadsheet; thank you Bill Gates!

  2. #22
    New Member
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    Hi Everone. I just want to add someithing here. I know it is hard to get a scale to weigh the pack. I don't know how many of you all have kids, but the Wii system is a great tool for weighing your pack. I'll step on the scale with the pack and go from there. Just some food for thought.
    Jimmy

  3. #23
    Senior Member Can't Wait's Avatar
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    Ya I will have to weight everything individually and then go from there I know I have some luxuries I wont delete I enjoy having the tea candle lantern, will downsize from my superfly to a lighter summer fall option and get a summer TQ now I have the 650 down # 2 Montbell SS bag. I will re read all the tips you have posted and do more research on BPL. .

  4. #24
    Senior Member Raul Perez's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by medicjimr View Post
    Ya I will have to weight everything individually and then go from there I know I have some luxuries I wont delete I enjoy having the tea candle lantern, will downsize from my superfly to a lighter summer fall option and get a summer TQ now I have the 650 down # 2 Montbell SS bag. I will re read all the tips you have posted and do more research on BPL. .
    Simplest thing Jim is to just get a postal scale for like $10 and segregate your gear on a spreadsheet based on Category... for example mine are:

    Backpack

    Sleep/Shelter System

    Cooking System

    Hydration System

    Clothing

    Misc Items

    Consumables (food, water, fuel)

    Then list each item you have in those particular categories. After its done just plug in the weight.

    Then post it on here and you will get A LOT of feedback.

    I did this last year and I got like 10 pages of responses and great tips. I had a problem going below 14lbs base weight now I'm hanging around 8.9 - 9lbs base weight (depending on if I want to bring a mini tripod or not) for the Summer and 10.4lbs Fall/Spring.
    "If you give a monkey a gun and he shoots someone, you dont blame the monkey"

    The end of the world is not coming in December, it is happening now in my living room. - TFC Rick

    http://watermonkey.net/

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    http://www.youtube.com/user/RaulPerez1?feature=mhee

  5. #25
    Senior Member Buffalo Skipper's Avatar
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    My tent vs hammock weight savings...

    Here is my winter shelter list:

    Warbonnet Blackbird Double 1.0, 23 oz
    Terrapin Tarp, 20 oz
    Hammock Gear 3 Season Incubator, 23 oz
    Hammock Gear 3 Season Burrow, 21 oz
    ---------------------------------------
    Total 87 oz (5 lbs 7 oz)

    Compare that to my old (pre-hammock days) setup:

    Mountain Hardware Viperine 2, 85 oz
    Kelty Lightyear 25° down bag, 34 oz
    Thermarest 3/4" inflatable pad, 18 oz
    Foam pad (my back needed more), 10 oz
    --------------------------------------
    Total 147 oz (9 lbs 3 oz)

    That is a savings of over 3 lbs. I also shaved 3 pounds off my backpack (went from an Osprey Aether to a ULA Circuit). Finally, I cut my wasteful extras from my load, and my winter base weight is now down to 13.5 lbs; summer weight is a little below 12 lbs. These were both just a few oz under 30 lbs before my gear went on a diet!

    But just as important as dropping all that weight, is that my comfort level has improved dramatically, both during the day (hiking) and at night (sleeping). It has really brought the fun back into my hiking.

    YMMV.
    “Indian builds small fire and stays warm, white man builds big fire and stays warm collecting firewood”—unknown

    “The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea”—Karen Blixen

  6. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Buffalo Skipper View Post
    It has really brought the fun back into my hiking.
    I think out of everything said this is the "Most" important!

    Well said Buffalo Skipper!!
    "yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift---thats why its called a present" - Master Oogway
    It's always best if your an early riser!

  7. #27
    Senior Member G.L.P.'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cranky Bear View Post
    The answers are all here, take a look at Srg Rocks UL set-up, take a look at Rauls list, GLP's, TeWa's, Trout's, and many/many more! Reason I say this is you will see a common theme amongst them all, there list is "Very Short" but compiles everything "They" would need for "Their" area of hiking, remember the differences in weights between summer and winter as it all plays a roll!
    UL is also not just a number, it's a mind-set! This is something that most do not understand, unless you have been there/done that! You can go UL and still be comfortable, Rock did it, as many others have, but it doesn't work for everyone! I think Shug said it best in one of his videos and that was he has done the whole Ultralight weight thing a square of Tp per day thing no this, no that, which has helped him get where he is now, "Happy"! And that is what I took from it "Happy", Hooch says it all the time, "I don't weigh gear I just throw it in and hike", but that was and is his choice!
    Others have mentioned about posting your list, and this is "GREAT" advise as there are a whole lot of very experienced lightweight and UL hikers on here that will help chip away at the list!
    I have gotten that UL set-up but I don't carry it anymore, as I am a gear *****, and I change my gear like most change undies, pretty much daily!
    Good luck Jim, I'm sure you will get to where you want to be!
    Best Post so far
    I think you nailed it CB .... it is a mindset it's not just oh i need to drop this or change that out ...you need to really think about the gear you take and how you use it...and what you use it for
    it's easy to tell someone drop this and change that but if they don't understand why or for what they will never get passed the first hurdle in there way to UL
    like CB said alot of our list are the same there all short
    but at the same time some of the gear is the same...but some of it is not
    it all comes down to your area of the world and what gear will work
    clothing i find is the big one ppl have a hard time with
    UL cloths are not cheap and are hard to find the perfect balance when it comes to cloths....also alot of ppl take alot of cloths...you got to find a balace with this...my motto is if i can't wear it all..i have too much
    shelter is easy find the lightest hammock that will hold your weight
    Jim you can also make hammock now that you have a sewing machine..buy some ripstop and make a UL hammock
    another thing is tarps i see alot of ppl carry BIG tarps for 3 season..nothing wrong with that at all..but if you want to drop weight to go UL you need to think small when it comes to tarps
    first aid is another area alot of ppl fail in .... if you really think about it the best piece of first aid you can bring is you .... you first aid kit needs to come down in size ... for some ppl it's hard to do this...i had a hard time with it myself...but once i got passed it i ended up with a 3oz first aid kit...and by UL thats still heavy LOL
    my 3 season setup is 8lbs 15oz that everything but food and water
    i could get that to 6lbs easy ...but i like the weight i'm at ...as long as i'm under 10lbs i'm a happy camper
    that brings me to another thing..weight
    don't get all crazed about having to be the lightest...as long as YOUR happy with your pack weight...then thats all that matters
    UL is a state of mind and it comes in time...look at raul and Sgt rock
    if you follow them you can see it didn't happen overnight..it was a process
    that took them awhile to get to ...same with me..i went from 40lbs to 30lbs...to 20lbs to 15lbs to 12lbs and so on and so on

    one thing i like to do when i come home from a hike is put my gear in 3 piles...the first is the pile of gear i used the most...
    the next pile is the pile of gear i only used 1 or 2 times
    the next pile is the pile of gear i never used Ex for you first aid kit

    then take the pile of gear you didn't use...and put it away
    then take the pile of gear you used only a few times and go through it and find the gear you really do need..the rest put away...
    and they you will see how you just cut you weight in half

    like i said...it's a mindset ...let it come to you
    It puts the Underquilt on it's hammock ... It does this whenever it gets cold

  8. #28
    Senior Member Can't Wait's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Raul Perez View Post
    Simplest thing Jim is to just get a postal scale for like $10 and segregate your gear on a spreadsheet based on Category... for example mine are:

    Backpack

    Sleep/Shelter System

    Cooking System

    Hydration System

    Clothing

    Misc Items

    Consumables (food, water, fuel)

    Then list each item you have in those particular categories. After its done just plug in the weight.

    Then post it on here and you will get A LOT of feedback.

    I did this last year and I got like 10 pages of responses and great tips. I had a problem going below 14lbs base weight now I'm hanging around 8.9 - 9lbs base weight (depending on if I want to bring a mini tripod or not) for the Summer and 10.4lbs Fall/Spring.
    Got the scale just got to set down and start, got a few days next week to do some tweaking some stuff will have to wait can't replace bag right now or Pack .

  9. #29
    Senior Member Raul Perez's Avatar
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    No one says you have to change right now brother... but you can at least identify the area and locate a lighter alternative... plug the lighter alternative in your spreadsheet and see what the bottom line could be with the change.

    It's a game of numbers... and us accountants love us some numbers!
    "If you give a monkey a gun and he shoots someone, you dont blame the monkey"

    The end of the world is not coming in December, it is happening now in my living room. - TFC Rick

    http://watermonkey.net/

    Youtube Channel:

    http://www.youtube.com/user/RaulPerez1?feature=mhee

  10. #30
    Herder of Cats OutandBack's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by medicjimr View Post
    Got the scale just got to set down and start, got a few days next week to do some tweaking some stuff will have to wait can't replace bag right now or Pack .
    Hi Jim,
    Do you think there might be a video in your pack/kit weight analysis, decision process, kit before, kit after? Might be worth doing.

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