Does anyone like to pack ultralight when going outdoors.

Does this answer your question? :D
 

Attachments

  • 0708071732.jpg
    0708071732.jpg
    50.4 KB · Views: 43
When going on weekender's I carry my osprey Stratos 40 and it allows for light sand quick packing. 26 pounds without water.

Now when I went on Philmont......lightening the load was a lot harder.....
 
Ultralight? In general, not at all. I'm fast and agile enough (for myself) even with a larger pack, and if I for some reason actually develop a pressing need to be faster still, few things prevent me from dumping the excess weight right then and there. I like to bring useful things along, and don't pay much attention to the weight unless going into something much more serious and demanding than usually. Now, if the situation is such that going light is a necessity, then I'll obviously do it, but such situations don't often arise in reality. On the other hand, if I'm going somewhere "easy" to do something "easy", perhaps just a quick night out in the woods, then I might not pack anything at all except for the clothes on my person and some food and drink in the pack. But the serious "count every pound, go as light as you can" stuff, I don't see any point at all to that, except perhaps geardoism.
 
Elen said:
.................... But the serious "count every pound, go as light as you can" stuff, I don't see any point at all to that, except perhaps geardoism.
Click to expand...

Its actually very simple ....try running 5 miles with your backpack then run 5 miles with a backpack 10 pounds lighter. I think you will get the point very fast.
 
SpookyPistolero said:
I'd be very interested in seeing your current setup...........
Click to expand...

I am still working on my 3-4 day setup, but my goal is way under 20 pounds

My current daypack without water is only 2 and half pounds.

This is what is included in my camelbak

poncho
space blanket
whistle*
knife
flashlight
paracord (50 feet)
compass
spare battery
fire starter
first aid kit
fish hooks and line
duct tape
bandana
p-38
iodine
Gatorade pouch
bug repellant
bike tool kit
pry bar
 
Bumppo said:
I started with a total pack weight without food or water of thirty two pounds for a three season three day pack. As I learned more about wants and needs, as equipment needed replacing, I bought more appropriate gear that was usually smaller and lighter. Now I am down to a twenty four pound pack, and that includes the clothes i am wearing, plus redundant essentials. Ultra light is a great exercise, but many people fool themselves into thinking their skill level is much higher than it really is. On the trail, I have crossed the paths of many ultra light hikers, and they tend to be shelter mooches, or opportunistic feeders who raid traditional "Trail Magic" Caches. ( hikers sometimes leave canned goods or other food stuffs in Shelters, or along trails so if someone is needy or maybe just wants a change of pace, might trade out ,lets say, some twinkies for a can of tuna) ManyUltra light hikers have ruined this by just sucking up everything and leaving nothing.
Click to expand...

Sorry your experience has been so negative. I'm not sure where you live. You should go over to the Ultralight Backpacking Forums and read around. I think you'll find that the demographic is mid 30's to 60 year old professionals and semi professionals. Most are extremely knowledgeable and very experienced. I have found that UL'ers in general get outdoors more than most . Anyways, I would characterize myself as a ULer in some regards. The only area I've had difficulty plunging into is changing my pack over. I love my Kifaru Express. It's weight alone is probably 3x's the weight of my next heaviest item. A really general list of my 3 Season stuff from the top of my head includes:

Tarptent Contrail (24oz)
REI Self Inflating or Zrest Pad (16oz)
Bozeman Mountain Works Quilt (18oz)
MontBell UL ThermaWrap Jkt (8oz)
Patagonia R1 Pullover
SmartWool Top and Bottom (?oz)
Alcohol Stove/Fuel (16oz)/Pot/Utensils (16oz approx)
Rain Jacket (7oz)
Rain Pants (5oz)
SmartWool Beanie and Neck Gaiter (?oz)
Outdoor Research Gloves
Wool Liners

Anyways, that is just off the top of my head. I obviously carry a bit more stuff like FAK, Knife, basic survival kit etc. The stuff I listed comes in at under 8lbs. I can add Mont Bell Thermawrap pants and an my Kifaru Woobie to take my sleep temp down to the teens.

A lot of my gear is a little pricey, but I save, research and sell gear that I don't use to finance it.

I use my clothes/layering system as just that, a system. So when I sleep I might sleep in my thermawrap jacket to extend the range of my quilt etc. I don't really need or use big heavy knives. I'm currently carrying a B. L. Goode custom and a small Leatherman, but will probably flip flop it occasionally with my Koster Bushcraft when its done.

That is just a rough idea where I save tons of weight. It's definitely not for everyone.

H
 
dd61999 said:
Its actually very simple ....try running 5 miles with your backpack then run 5 miles with a backpack 10 pounds lighter. I think you will get the point very fast.
Click to expand...

But why would I run with my backpack on?

If I'm running for my life I will grab my PSK and drop the pack. Otherwise, I am
going slow and steady.

It all depends on what motivates you. I don't get folks who make it their goal
to hike the AT in 12 hours less than the next guy. Different strokes and all that
but I am here to enjoy the woods, not run a foot race.

I will take what I need - sometimes a little more but never less. I don't cut
the handle off my toothbrush and I don't buy titanium sporks.

To paraphrase Einstein: "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."
 
dd61999 said:
Its actually very simple ....try running 5 miles with your backpack then run 5 miles with a backpack 10 pounds lighter. I think you will get the point very fast.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've done that; sometimes for the heck of it, and sometimes because I had to, thanks to the concept of military discipline. But I still don't get the point.

Sure, a lighter pack is a lighter pack is a lighter pack, and less heavy to carry than, uh, a heavier pack would be. But what then? If you want to practice running, well, I suggest just running, without the backpack - it's much more realistic exercise, and not quite so unpleasant. If you want to go out backpacking to enjoy nature and give yourself some healthy exercise, well, I suggest just walking with the pack instead of running with it - you'll have more time to look around and enjoy the sights and sounds. It's not often that one would need to run with a backpack, especially not for many miles, outside the military.

A healthy man can comfortably carry, with a quick walking pace, a lot of weight and still cover long distances with regularity. With this in mind, I do not see the point of going "ultralight", especially when ultralight means, as it does to a lot of people (though not all) "not really as little gear as possible, just gear that is as light as possible". If I see a situation where there is a real need for having the lightest possible load, I'd describe what I do more as minimalism than ultralight packing. A lot of the stuff that perhaps the majority of ultralight folks carry, I would just leave out entirely - that saves even more weight. But when there isn't such a need, and while I remain healthy, I'll carry what I feel is enough for both fun and convenience. :) But then, I'm a little old-fashioned.
 
Polymath said:
But why would I run with my backpack on?

If I'm running for my life I will grab my PSK and drop the pack. Otherwise, I am
going slow and steady.

It all depends on what motivates you. I don't get folks who make it their goal
to hike the AT in 12 hours less than the next guy. Different strokes and all that
but I am here to enjoy the woods, not run a foot race.

I will take what I need - sometimes a little more but never less. I don't cut
the handle off my toothbrush and I don't buy titanium sporks.

To paraphrase Einstein: "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've never understood those who want to speed hike the PCT or App Trail. I go UL because it allows me to pick my head up, and enjoy what's around me as opposed to slugging it out like I did in the military. I was ultimately turned on to UL because of my hatred of the stupidity of the gear I was forced to carry in the military. Anyways, with my current load I can kneel down to examine a track, enjoy some wild plants etc. without even having to take off my pack. I just love the mobility.

No Fast packing here. Now the plus size is, that if I had to use my pack to move overland in a hurry I could easily cover 20 miles a day given I had the water and calories accessible.

H
 
Im no ultralight hiker, more of a minimalist hiker. Sometimes, I go out with just my altoids PSK for a solo night or two. While camping with the wife, we bring almost everything with the pop up.
 
I really strongly suggest that people serious about learning more about the art of outdoor travel should visit the forums at: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/index.html

If for nothing more than to review the different gear lists. I understand that some if not all don't carry the same gear that most here do, but it is very informative as to the utilization of different techniques.

Just a way to broaden the perspective.

H
 
hutch762mg said:
Anyways, with my current load I can kneel down to examine a track, enjoy some wild plants etc. without even having to take off my pack. I just love the mobility.

No Fast packing here. Now the plus size is, that if I had to use my pack to move overland in a hurry I could easily cover 20 miles a day given I had the water and calories accessible.
Click to expand...

This isn't a jab at all, so please don't consider it as such, but I must ask...

With your military load, could you not kneel down and examine tracks, pick up plants or such, without taking off the pack? Because if you couldn't, then the load was simply, well, wrong, and unwise. A soldier needs mobility on top of all the gear. If he can't kneel down comfortably with the pack, then it's loaded wrong, or full of things he doesn't actually truly need.

With the way I normally pack, which I wouldn't ever call ultralight, I can easily kneel down or crawl or whatever such movements might be needed, though of course not as comfortably as without any load. 30 - 40 kilometers a day, with my typical load, is a pretty normal rate of travel for me, provided the terrain or weather isn't hell and I don't feel like stopping to admire the sights all of the time - and with that large pack, I can bring the water and calories it requires. But then, I'm not of the car camping crowd (which isn't a large crowd over here in any case), and have always preferred my feet to things with noisy engines. :)

Personally, I would recommend anyone who enjoys going ultralight to try, in a relatively safe environment, to go minimal instead, some time: bring pretty much nothing, except the things you absolutely cannot survive without (assuming you're not going to start crafting these things on the field). That list can practically be as short as clothes, food and drink. Now that will give you a light load if that's what you're after. Of course, in some environments this isn't a good idea at all, because of human and animal predators for example - though I suspect that in these environments, going ultralight isn't too smart either, unless ultralight includes a gun.
 
To say it's about being able to run with your backpack or walk slow and enjoy the scenery doesnt' quite describe my motivation to carry as light of a pack as I can.

I've said this before so please excuse my ever present redundancy.:rolleyes:

I used to take everything but the kitchen sink. I'd lug along the trail resting every mile or so, sometimes needing help to get my heavy pack on and off. Stopping when I was too tired to go further to rest and my motivation was to make it to my camping spot so I could set up camp.

Many times I'd see cool stuff I'd want to stop and see but I knew if I stopped I'd never make it to the camping spot.

Nowdays thinking about what I can leave behind rather than what I can take a lot of times when I rest I just leave my pack on:thumbup:

Also if I see something cool (usually) I can stop and hang out because I can cover more ground faster with the lighter pack. It's increased my ability to stop and check stuff out.
 
Some of you guys may not be into running, mountain biking, or rock climbing but many of us are.

Even if you are a more of a laid back day hiker you can still benefit from lighter weight.

If its not for you or you do not get it thats ok.... this thread is for the people who do get it. :)

We also enjoy the outdoors and the scenery, only just a bit faster or higher
 
Elen said:
This isn't a jab at all, so please don't consider it as such, but I must ask...

With your military load, could you not kneel down and examine tracks, pick up plants or such, without taking off the pack? Because if you couldn't, then the load was simply, well, wrong, and unwise. A soldier needs mobility on top of all the gear. If he can't kneel down comfortably with the pack, then it's loaded wrong, or full of things he doesn't actually truly need.

With the way I normally pack, which I wouldn't ever call ultralight, I can easily kneel down or crawl or whatever such movements might be needed, though of course not as comfortably as without any load. 30 - 40 kilometers a day, with my typical load, is a pretty normal rate of travel for me, provided the terrain or weather isn't hell and I don't feel like stopping to admire the sights all of the time - and with that large pack, I can bring the water and calories it requires. But then, I'm not of the car camping crowd (which isn't a large crowd over here in any case), and have always preferred my feet to things with noisy engines. :)

Personally, I would recommend anyone who enjoys going ultralight to try, in a relatively safe environment, to go minimal instead, some time: bring pretty much nothing, except the things you absolutely cannot survive without (assuming you're not going to start crafting these things on the field). That list can practically be as short as clothes, food and drink. Now that will give you a light load if that's what you're after. Of course, in some environments this isn't a good idea at all, because of human and animal predators for example - though I suspect that in these environments, going ultralight isn't too smart either, unless ultralight includes a gun.
Click to expand...

No offense meant either, but have you been in an Infantry unit?? :)

Those that have know what I speak of.

I totally agree that one should try less not more (in terms of gear not weight)

I was just responding to the question of ultralight backpacking in general.

Hollowdweller,

I 100% concur. You just articulated what I wanted to articulate a lot better.

Thanks!:)

H
 
I'm not into Ultralight, but I am into simplicity. I like bringing along as little as necessary, but with what I do bring I'm more concerned with its quality, utility and durability, than simple weight.

Hutch, I've got a question for you. What do you think of the Bozeman Mt. Works sleep quilits? How comfortable are they? How small do they pack?
 
XMP said:
I'm not into Ultralight, but I am into simplicity. I like bringing along as little as necessary, but with what I do bring I'm more concerned with its quality, utility and durability, than simple weight.

Hutch, I've got a question for you. What do you think of the Bozeman Mt. Works sleep quilits? How comfortable are they? How small do they pack?
Click to expand...

I have the UL 180. I believe they are coming out with some improved models in the future.

I will say that quilt sleeping is a different animal. I enjoy it because I generally sleep very warm, so I like the ability to vent off periodically. In general if I had to change anything on the BMW quilt it would be the foot box. It is sewn up a bit too high IMO. I like a foot box that is a little lower if that makes any sense. It comes up to about the top of the calf. If you need to close the sides up, there are tabs and some cord to close up the quilt around a pad. Not sure if that makes any sense.

As far as how small it compresses, the sky is the limit. What I do is just leave it in the supplied stuff sack and let my load compress it down . So if I pack real light then it fills out the pack space, If I pack more food and water it can compress down quite small, like football size, possibly smaller.

Once again, quilt sleeping takes some getting used to, but I prefer it now. If I was to winter/snow camp I would probably switch back to a 20 or 0 degree down bag and layer up inside of it. But a quilt rocks for 3 season outings.

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