Any ultralight backpackers?

M

mdarby

Joined
Apr 10, 2005
Messages
87
I just discovered a website called www.backpackinglight.com and was listening to their podcasts. These guys travel light. Most seem not to carry knives or sharp instruments of any sort, much less nine inch chopping blades and hatchets.

Does anybody on this forum consider himself/herself an ultralight backpacker? Do you make an exception for your knife obsession? Are these folks, in your opinions, taking risks without a knife?

Just curious, as I am not an experienced outdoorsman.
 
ultralight backpacking is great as long as it goes perfect.
i'd rather carry a little more gear, and be a lot more prepared if something goes wrong.
 
You can be a little less obsessed over weight, and be more of a "lightweight" hiker. This just means carrying a 3 lb tent vs a 7 lb tent, not bringing the coffee press, lightening up on things like sleeping bag and outerwear. With the advances in materials today, this is where you will save a lot of weight. Also, by going without a few of the optional items (I guess 9" choppers would fall into this category), you can save a bit of weight. My base pack weight is about 13 lbs, not nearly as crazy as some of the backpackinglight.com guys, who regularly go out with sub-8 lb packs. They go nutty with the tarp thing, I like more full coverage and usually bring a lightweight tent, like a Henry Shires tarptent.
 
agreed, raindog.
I dont go out without a knife or two, but my tent is <5 lbs, and I use a compact down sleeping bag.. a little repackaged jar of instant coffee and a cup that fits over a nalgene replaces the coffee press, and similar stuff throughout what i carry.
 
The only place I've ever been where I would of brought less gear was the Napali coast trail on Kauai, you could get by with next to nothing there.

Generally I canoe camp which is as far from ultralight as one can get, crap I bet my Monarch 4 pack goes a clean 8lbs plus by its self. And if you slept under a tarp in northern Minnesota in July you'd be lost by morning because the mosquitos would move you a few miles away at night, heck with out bug spray a 20 yard walk out will be a 50 yard walk back because of the dang things.

As far as ultralight packers taking extra risk because of limited gear, I guess that depends on their experience level, if it's low I wouldn't suggest it.

Helle
 
This is my recent pack that I put together. For a two day hike I carry a a small survival kit, Buck 119, a couple packets of instant coffee and some sugar packets, a small aluminum coffee cup, a compact hammock with pretied hammock rope, a recently modified machete, leatherman wave or blast, a tarp, a days supply of food (usually some oatmeal for the morning, two power bars, jerky, and I always eat good before I leave). I only carry a days supply of food because I like to sharpen my survival skills while I'm out. I do this by stretching the food out over the two days and scrounging around for edible plants and fruits. Fresh water hasn't been hard to find. Depending on the time of year I will add certain things like compact sleeping bag. Most of the tools that I use are all around me in the woods. Taking a few survival classes will certainly lighten your load. Helle is right. If you carry a light load then experience matters. But, you've got to start somewhere.
 
I do, abosulte fully loaded would be 16lbs, thats more than one day pack. A day hike would around 4lbs of gear, if.
 
Risky at best. Advances in gear has made it tollerable but the common sense factor is still very personal and is determined by what end of the gene pool you came from.

Sub 8 lb packs on multi day high mileage trips increases the chance I get called at 3 am to go look for your sorry a ss.

Skam
 
if you know what you're doin, no biggie. depends on the terrain, weather, and your familiarity with both.
 
I am a member of backpackinglight. I am considered a Super Ultralight Backpacker. Gear without food and water under 4 lbs. and I have been in rain, wind and hail while doing it. I use a poncho tarp for rain gear and shelter. I use and make my own quilts instead of sleeping bags. Everything is multi-use. I carry only the essentials and no luxuries. I prefer simple camp set ups. I have experience with this kind of gear and don't think of it as careless at all. I enjoy myself more with a superlight load. Makes me want to hike more and not just look for a camp site due to being worn out.

This year I did many backpacking trips training for the Grand Canyon and Mt. Whitney. Both very extreme places and with the same gear. I was never cold or wet.

I love big choppers and machetes. There isn't much I take besides a SAK Trekker and maybe a Mora. Sometimes I carry a light Tramontina 12" machete if I think I will chop or split any wood.
 
Just a matter of time Dog ;). A simple leg fracture in bad weather puts you into hypothermia and shock without real gear to buy you time.
I drag bodies out with more gear than you due to unforseen accidents.

Its that Murphy gene pool thang.

I am not saying carry the sink here, just a REAL bag AND shelter some extra food and water in case things go for s hit.

Insist on hiking for a week with a wallet at least carry a PLB.

Why is it that when we go get people SAR team packs are heavy with gear they didnt take themselves. Hmmm

Another reason to charge for rescues depending on subjects IQ.

Happy hiking.

Skam
 
What you said about the simple leg fracture could happen to any of us. I carry plenty of gear it just isn't as heavy as most of yours. I always have the appropriate layers. Fleece hat, fleece long sleeve,extra sox,wind breaker,gloves and rain gear. I also have a good survival kit with fire starting gear. I also have a bivy with me. My system works for me and the people I hike with. I don't go alone ever. I have a passion for wilderness survival which gives me confidence to rely on my brain not just 100 pieces of gear that weighs alot.
 
I recently did a trip in sequoia national park at mineral king to hockett meadow. My pack was probably 50 lbs (we swapped gear at the trailhead, so not really sure the final weight). Not much elevation gain ( ~500 feet) considering the area, but I was completely exhausted after 6 miles in. That trip really makes me want to invest in ultralight gear, but I hear it's approximately $100 for every 1lb of weight you shed. Ultralight gear is expensive. After this trip though, I'm going to start investing in lighter gear and planning small nickle-and-dime gear more efficiently.
 
I definitely have respect for ULighters and am slowly moving in that direction. A great eye opener is Beyond Backpacking by Ray Jardine, check it out from the library...

Fonly and bearthedog I think most of here (ME) would greatly benefit from seeing a typical loadout for this time of year or as late into fall/winter as you both go.

The differences between a Californians and Canadians setup would be very interesting.

My typical 2 day summer weight including food/water comes to about 21-23 lbs. Not bad but tons of room for savings.

J.
 
I've never needed above 20lbs of gear, absolutly none. Anything else I need is from nature.
 
skammer said:
Just a matter of time Dog ;). A simple leg fracture in bad weather puts you into hypothermia and shock without real gear to buy you time.
Click to expand...
And carrying a lot of gear makes you tired, put more stress on your ankles and makes you a lot more likely to break your leg in the first place.

As for me I'm not an "ideological" light backpacker but I try to pick ideas. Some choices can by no mean be harmful and still save weight. Actually, if you think carefully, you often realise that a lot of the stuff you carry is only comfort or even flat out useless.

If you're untrained it will reduce stress on your back/ankles... , if you're well-trained and don't care the weight it will still allow you to pack additionnal useful gear (by saving on those not-that-vital things) or... MORE KNIVES... And if you don't really care about weight you still can carry more just for fun.

Are you carrying a leather backpack or a cordura backpack? Two thick wool blankets or a synthetic sleeping bag?
 
I am not an ULer, but I do subscribe to some of their philosophies. It is all simply (un)common sense. Lighter is often better, but it depends on terrain and weather. I did carry some extras, like a stove, but I do not carry a camp kitchen. My typical anyweather loadout, down to about freezing, is my kit 4-5lbs, and my bag,tent,stove,pack-11-12 lbs. I say it like this because so far, that has been the extent of my testing, colder temps are probably fine. This allows for quite a bit of redundancy, and an ample margin of safety. It also lets me setup camp quickly and easily, in a variety of terrain and conditions.

I am sure that less can be taken in other surroundings, w/ more money, or with a smaller margin of safety. In any case, I doubt that 17 lbs will break the bank as far as weight is concerned. UL will help you decide what is important, and also ways to take things that weigh less.
 
bearthedog said:
What you said about the simple leg fracture could happen to any of us. I carry plenty of gear it just isn't as heavy as most of yours. I always have the appropriate layers. Fleece hat, fleece long sleeve,extra sox,wind breaker,gloves and rain gear. I also have a good survival kit with fire starting gear. I also have a bivy with me. My system works for me and the people I hike with. I don't go alone ever. I have a passion for wilderness survival which gives me confidence to rely on my brain not just 100 pieces of gear that weighs alot.
Click to expand...

If anything carrying too much stuff can lead to the mentioned "leg fracture".

I go pretty light compared to most people. Unlike Bear I do a lot of solo trips so I rely on my skills and intuition to avoid any mishaps. I always carry a 4" or so fixed blade with me unless I'm climbing and need to cut out all extra weight.

This topic has been beat to death before in other threads. Just thought I'd beat it some more.
 
Hey Guys...

I'm one of those guys that need to scale back Big Time..
I recently borrowed a friends alpine pack, one of the largest packs you can get..

He said I'd never fill it up...

Well I had crap hanging off the sides it was so full....

Fortunately due to my feet I can't walk more than 5 kms or so,,so it's not too bad...
However I for sure have to get some more lightweight stuff...

ttyle

Eric
O/ST
 
Personally I think some of you folks are making some seriously dangerous decisions regarding the quality of coffee you bring on your hikes :eek:

BigSkyCoffeeMugs.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top