Any GoLite hikers out there? What do you carry?

S

SaltBlade

Joined
Sep 29, 2006
Messages
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As I get older and my PPS keeps making my leg weaker, I find myself constantly culling things from my kit and searching for lighter and lighter gear while still trying to maintain a modicum of comfort. As far a blades go I have just purchased two new blades that are extremely light that I plan on testing soon. I hope to post a review when done but that won't be until late fall.
The first of the two new blades is an AG Russell Feather Light Folder. I purchased the clip blade in AUS8 steel. It is 3 1/8 inches and weighs in at 1.5 oz. It will be a pocket carry and probably my primary go to blade. The second blade is the AG Russell DeerHunter, 4" D2 steel weighing 3.4 oz. It will probably reside in or on my pack and be a secondary blade or for heavy cutting, batoning etc. Finally, since I hike where there is always a lot of cactus and usually with my dog I always carry something with a pair of pliers on it. Lately that has been a leatherman Charge IT, weighing more than both the other knives at 8.4 oz. This is a total of 13.4 oz for 2 knives and a multitool. Not too bad. I know of some friends who hike with only a SAK Classic for a blade and while that is about as light as you can go I think it is a little too extreme. 13.4 oz. is just shy of 1 lb. devoted to blades. I could drop the Feather Light but only lose 1.5 oz and I think that knowing I have another blade, in my pocket is worth the weight. I forgot to say that the leatherman resides in the pack as well.
So what do you carry and what are your thoughts of the trade off between a blade and the weight you have to carry?
OldSalt
 
I consider myself an ultralight hiker, but I go heaver than most on survival gear and first aid. For day hikes, I carry an SAK Trekker or a BM Griptilian. For all out stuff, a Fallkniven F1 and maybe a Kershaw/Bahco folding saw. My first aid kit is around 6 ounces.

My survival stuff is at least a lanyard with whistle, signal mirror, small backup compass, LED micro light, SAK Classic or Leatherman Micra, firesteel, and a spy capsule packed with Tinder Quick tabs. I also have a space blanket and a spare one liter Platypus bladder with some MicroPur tablets taped to it. I carry redundant fire starters like a mini Bic lighter, REI Lifeboat matches and Esbit fuel tablets. I have a few ounces of fishing gear, razor blades, wire, duct tape,

My base pack weight is around 12 pounds, plus the knife of choice. All up weight for a summer weekend is around 22 pounds with fuel, food and water.
 
I'm fairly new to backpacking, so I'm still going really heavy on gear, partly because I'm still figuring out what I actually need to bring on every hike and still carry too much that I could probably do without, and partly because I can't afford to upgrade some of the stuff that I originally bought for car camping.

I do have a couple of (hopefully useful) ideas though. First, if the pliers are the only thing you find yourself using on the leatherman, you might consider leaving it behind and just taking a lightweight pair of pliers. If you do use the other tools in the leatherman, then I would consider dropping one of the other knives and/or getting a lighter multi tool.

My other suggestion has to do with cooking. I've stopped carrying a stove and either take food that doesn't need to be cooked or do all of my cooking over a small fire. I don't know if this is an option for you, but if you are carrying a stove and fuel you can save a good bit of weight if you can do without.
 
Yeah, my intire critique is at the most 20 pounds, thats with and axe, and a few knives when I go out for a day. I mean, My pack weights 13 pounds. So the extra weight depends on what I have for blade carry, that could be a large knife,multitool/SAK and folding saw. Or my wetterlings, master hunter and Leatherman wave. Though in the last little bit, I've enjoyed the less bulk and less weight of having a large knife (7" blade) SAK and folding saw.
 
Salamander42 said:
My other suggestion has to do with cooking. I've stopped carrying a stove and either take food that doesn't need to be cooked or do all of my cooking over a small fire. I don't know if this is an option for you, but if you are carrying a stove and fuel you can save a good bit of weight if you can do without.
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Thats the way I look at things, although some places do not allow open fires of any size. I have a small collasable stove I take, great little thing.
 
here's the problem with eating cold: it's heavy. If you carry dehydrated food, you can save a lot of weight. And most rehydrated foods taste MUCH better when they're warm. I do carry some non-cook food on short summer trips, usually a quick overnighter, but find that in any other season, or for longer trips, you'll have more variety and be happier with food you can cook, and eat warm/hot. If you're really weight conscious, carry an alcohol stove. Stove and fuel for 1 person, 2 days will be about 5 oz.
 
I have a friend in the UK who buys all the titanium gear, cuts his toothbrush in half and cuts any spare straps off his light-weight backpack to save weight and he then goes and fills any spare space with cans of beer !!!!!!:D
 
I'm trying to cut weight so I'm kind of in the same boat you are. For day hikes I would say, no scale:o , that my pack weight is about 25 pounds with water and for the short day hikes I'm doing I don't even feel it. Of course I'm 6' 230 pounds. One thing I don't do is skimp on survival gear which, IMO, is where some of the Ultralight people get it wrong. This includes knives. But, a great option to your plier problem is to drop the Charge and go for the Squirt P4. It weighs 2-2.5 ounces. My standard carry is a Howling Rat, Gossman PSK or tactical folder, my P4 and a folding saw. The folding saw, P4 and the PSK might weigh an ounce or two more than the Charge but they are by far much better tools.

On a side note, does anyone know what Scott's PSK weighs?
 
I always try to go for gear that serves more than one purpose. If your encountering cacti like cholla you really need the pliers, especially for the dogs sake. When I used to guide hiking trips in the Sonoran I'd demonstrate the sharpness of the cholla by lifting up a pod with one spine barely piercing my finger. I would reassure my clients with the leatherman. The blade on the leatherman can probably supplant the AG Russel.

I usually carry a 3" folder, a Leatherman Micra and a 4" to 5" fixed blade if my hiking is more leisurely. If I'm bagging 14ers or trying to cover lots of distance I leave the fixed blade behind. I also keep tabs on what I use and don't use and 86 anything that isn't essential. I brought home a scale from work and weighed all my gear to see how I could reduce weight, I found that my keychain weighs 1/4 pound, definately just bringing the truck key next time.
 
Unless I'm on an overnighter, all I have with me is my EDC (SAK, hotspark, a couple pieces of tinder quik, a couple MP-1 tablets, HD drum liner, flashlight, compass, cordage, leather gloves, cell phone, backup knife, bandana, sunglasses, duct tape, food/sewing kit in match safe) and a couple quarts of water carried in a shoulder slung 2qt. canteen w/pouch.
 
I usually carry a Gerber Yari and a SOG Paratool. Have not weighed them and have not needed anymore than that yet.

On longer (4+ days) trips I have added a 12" beater machete if I'm going out on less used trails or bushwhacking.
 
pitdog said:
I have a friend in the UK who buys all the titanium gear, cuts his toothbrush in half and cuts any spare straps off his light-weight backpack to save weight and he then goes and fills any spare space with cans of beer !!!!!!:D
Click to expand...

Priorities right there :D
 
Idea, how about a set of those very pointy tweezers? Its been a long time since I've hung in the desert but they might be satisfactory, saving you 8 oz?

You have probably already trimmed these but the biggest weight savers are tent, backpack, and sleeping bag...

J.
 
Leatherman do sell a Squirt with pliers instead of scissors but you aren't going to save that much weight.
They do say that the best place to reduce weight is on your feet so a pair of light weight boots or even mids is a good place to start.
 
I carry the "10 essentials", and instead of a tent, I carry a giant backpacking poncho which goes under me when its dry, pitched up when its wet. I wear it when its cold and/or wet when walking. It covers my pack, so no need for a pack raincover. I have a fleece sleeping bag rather than a stuffed one, and I wear all my clothes to sleep if it gets too cold. I don't carry an axe or saw, and my blade is my Spyderco Delica. I still use my MSR Whisperlite Internationale, even if there are lighter choices. I wear trail runners on my feet. I subscribed to Ray Jardine's philosophy when he first came out, and much of my gear in the past was home made. All this goes out the window if the wife and kids come along. They like their comfort.
 
LocoLurker...tell us more about the fleece sleeping bag. Is this just a bag made from a polarfleece blanket? Would it keep you warm in temperatures near freezing point?

Sleeping gear is the biggest problem, for me, when it comes to packing stuff for a trip. So frikkin' bulky....and you have to be careful with it... especially the expensive several-hundred-dollar down bags.

The lightweight dudes talk about making their own sleeping 'quilts'. Anybody tried this?
 
I've looked at the fleece bags and if I remember right, they are considered a summer bag, rated at 50F degrees.

Thinking of getting one to use as a liner.
 
everything that I carry on my back has to earn it's keep. Youv'e all read the saying watch the ounces and the pounds will take care of themselves. I apply that to everything. A lightweight hatchet, or a pint of water? It depends on where you are. Watch those who travel far and fast, especially climbers. Most take two sleeping pads. A good sleep pays dividends the next day. :) ss.
 
Someone out there has a way to cut weight on everything you carry. If you can't flat out get rid of it, then you might want to check out some of the backpacking forums for ultralight suggestions. I recently cut my gear way down in weight, without sacrificing comfort. My sleeping pad is an inflatable full length pad that actually insulates better than my old ultralight Thermarest. My bag is rated for 50F, but that is fine for most trips in GA. I have nice 30F and 15F bags for when it gets colder. My test is single walled, but just as waterproof as my old double walled ones, as long as I don't touch the sides. Soon I will get a Hennessy Hammock and cut the weight even further. My stove is a Pepsi-G alcohol stove, that easily rivals my very expensive stove that I used to carry. Titanium pots, dehydrated food, synthetic clothing, etc.

The only things I haven't scrimped on are my boots, my pack, and my tools. I always manage to jack up my ankles, so sturdy boots are a must. My new Arc'Teryx pack is pretty waterproof, but a little heavier than if I went for a light one like an Osprey Atmos. It is nice to not have to deal with a rain cover that may or many not keep my stuff dry. I don't care if my sleeping bag can still insulate when wet, sleeping in a wet sleeping bag sucks. I have the stuff in the pack in waterproof sacks too, just in case. Tools, well, it should be self-explanatory to people on this forum why I don't scrimp on those. :)
 
I would not rec a fleece sleeping bag other than summer camping below treeline. Since your are carrying very light, the idea is to travel lower faster where it is warmer. The fleece bag is for just one season, the hot one, but its not bad when you wear all your layers and the temp is at 40F or more. And yes, it's Polarfleece. I don't think it will work for your area, Coote. New Zealand seems to be pretty cold.
 
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