Looking for tips, pointers and/or advice

[Kc Fiedler]

If you're just taking a debit card and a few bills a rubber band should work great! Personal preference always tho.

Dr B's shows up at just about any hiking specific store. Or order it from Dr b's website...

I don't know the densities of DEET and water but the weight is probably the same for all intents and purposes. The reason I originally started mixing it was to make it easier to apply to the body. Like I said earlier, you could just do all DEET if that works for you. The reason it saves weight is because you're only carrying a fluid ounce of it in a dropper bottle. Much lighter than any other bug dope applicator/fluid I've found. And it lasts forever because of its high concentration I find that an ounce of it will last an entire hiking season or more.

FBC will save you weight because you can carry an alcohol stove in most situations and a small pot for boiling 2 cups of water. You can minimize your cook set to the point of sub 4oz for stove, screen, and pot. Less than the reported weight of a single empty canister fuel from your list.

If you're on an all out war against ounces these suggestions will help. If you have your own method and system then I'm sure you'll do what works best for you.

Good luck!

[Weather-man]

The wallet weight is as loaded now. I would probably only bring my debit card and some cash, no need for the other junk on the trail.

I'm pretty good with starting a fire, but I think the 4g for 8 waterproof tinder bundles is alright.

I've heard about Dr Bronners but haven't found a source locally yet.

Wouldn't 1oz Deet and .5oz Deet/.5oz Water weigh the same?

How does freezer bag cooking save weight? Wouldn't I still need the pan/stove to heat the water to add to the freezer bag?

Try Zelph's starlyte stove and Foster's pot. Under 2 oz....wind screen and cozy will add another oz or so..http://www.woodgaz-stove.com/foster-...lat-bottom.php

[garlic08]

...Get yo badass to the backyard and test it out and try to put at least 100 miles worth of training hikes in with all your gear.

Best advice here--hike 100 miles with it.

Good luck in your endeavor. My journey to UL was much slower than yours--it took several seasons to go from 30 to 15, then several more to get under 10, then I stopped because I don't even notice the pack any more. If you go this quickly, you may rebound a bit, but that's OK--do it your way, and again, good luck.

[rafe]

Really, none if it matters much till it's been tried and proven -- by you -- and by then you won't be needing us to give you a thumbs-up or thumbs-down. You don't get to ultralight by gear alone, or we'd all be there.

"The math" tells me I should use an alcohol stove to save ounces, but I find them quirky and a PITA. I've been through the gamut of stoves, including wood-burning. Settled on a canister stove. I'll schlep the extra few oz. I also schlep 8 or 10 oz. worth of camera, and a Tarptent instead of a tarp.

If I had infinite cash, I could probably shave maybe, at best, another pound or so from my base weight. The cost per ounce-saved is huge, so I don't think in those terms any more.

Listen to the ideas, if you've got the $$ and the time, try 'em out... Keep a journal of your trial hikes, and report back on how it all shakes down. That's pure research and discovery, and rewarding in its own right.

[Mick3y]

I hadn't really thought about switching to a Fosters Can and Alcohol stove. I've messed around with alcohol stoves in the past and wasn't a huge fan, of course they were homemade.

My biggest concern for any cook set is fuel. IsoPro cans can be hard to find and I haven't seen alcohol in a small-ish amount. What do you guys use for the alcohol stove and what size/form does it come in retail?

[Weather-man]

I hadn't really thought about switching to a Fosters Can and Alcohol stove. I've messed around with alcohol stoves in the past and wasn't a huge fan, of course they were homemade.

My biggest concern for any cook set is fuel. IsoPro cans can be hard to find and I haven't seen alcohol in a small-ish amount. What do you guys use for the alcohol stove and what size/form does it come in retail?

Look at Zelph's web site. I've made a bunch over the years but his designs are the best I've found in terms of weight to performance. The best fuel is the yellow HEET sold at auto stores. Also, all the hostels and trail towns that I've been to sell Alcohol by the oz.

For short sections, under 10 days, I've been playing with Esbit tabs. They're a little lighter than alcohol weighing about .75 oz per day per person for fuel. Not as easy to find on the trail though.

[Mick3y]

How does that Foster's can hold up? One would imagine the rings would help out a bit. I haven't seen any reviews on that yet.

I would save about a pound by switching to alcohol..

[Ronnwell]

The bear bag rock sack I have is a mesh sack which should be easy to repair if it rips.

Repair shouldn't be as big of a problem as the mesh rock bag getting snagged on ... just about everything it comes into contact with. I'm not sure if other people have successfully used a mesh rock bag, but that little experiment only lasted one trip for me.

[Weather-man]

How does that Foster's can hold up? One would imagine the rings would help out a bit. I haven't seen any reviews on that yet.

I would save about a pound by switching to alcohol..

Good question. I have about 15 days on mine and it's doing fine. I've only used alcohol and esbit tabs though. I normally will make use of a fire, if one is available, but haven't done so with the fosters can as it's pretty light. I suppose I could carry an extra and try it in a fire to see what happens.

What I really like about the alcohol is that it's fire and forget. I put in the appropriate amount, light it and put the can on. I then go do some camp chores and listen for boiling water. With a canister I was always rationing fuel...

[RangerZ]

How does that Foster's can hold up? One would imagine the rings would help out a bit. I haven't seen any reviews on that yet.

I would save about a pound by switching to alcohol..

I've been using one this winter. It's held up well to include slipping and falling on my pack. Small fuel bottle, wind screen, lighter, stove stand and alcohol stove fit inside under lid.

I go back and forth between FBC and pasta sides in the pot.


Where are you in W PA?

[Mick3y]

Repair shouldn't be as big of a problem as the mesh rock bag getting snagged on ... just about everything it comes into contact with. I'm not sure if other people have successfully used a mesh rock bag, but that little experiment only lasted one trip for me.

Hadn't really thought about that.. Guess that makes a lot of sense now that I think about it. Small sil bag it is.. lol

[Mick3y]

Good question. I have about 15 days on mine and it's doing fine. I've only used alcohol and esbit tabs though. I normally will make use of a fire, if one is available, but haven't done so with the fosters can as it's pretty light. I suppose I could carry an extra and try it in a fire to see what happens.

What I really like about the alcohol is that it's fire and forget. I put in the appropriate amount, light it and put the can on. I then go do some camp chores and listen for boiling water. With a canister I was always rationing fuel...

I will just have to keep reading about the pot and looking for reviews. I'm not hard on my pack, so I shouldn't be too worried. But, $20 for a beer can makes me want to do a little more research.

I agree on alcohol being easier, I just wanted to try something different. Going back to alcohol seems like a good idea and I have been debating it for a while. I don't know the cost per ounce on the trail, but buying large quantities for day, weekend and week long trips around home is much cheaper than the IsoPro fuel.

[Mick3y]

Where are you in W PA?

Up in Butler

[Mick3y]

Do you know any good trails in the area? I'm not really familiar with anything other than fishing spots

[RangerZ]

Do you know any good trails in the area? I'm not really familiar with anything other than fishing spots

I stay mostly around the city. I can do 13 miles with hills in a city park and can stretch that out if I have the time.

I'm thinking of car camping and day hiking around Yough, maybe Conemaugh/Loyalhanna Lakes, relatively close to PGH.

Depending how it goes I may try the Laurel Highlands Trail http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/lhht/ later in the summer - if only to be on the bridge over the turnpike. 70 miles Johnstown to Ohiopyle (better finish place).

There is the Armstrong Trail http://armstrongrailstotrails.org/ but its flat rails to trails, 30 miles.

I think that those are the relatively long ones. There are others like in Racoon Park, etc. Look at http://www.traillink.com/city/butler-pa-trails.aspx

[Kc Fiedler]

I will just have to keep reading about the pot and looking for reviews. I'm not hard on my pack, so I shouldn't be too worried. But, $20 for a beer can makes me want to do a little more research.

I agree on alcohol being easier, I just wanted to try something different. Going back to alcohol seems like a good idea and I have been debating it for a while. I don't know the cost per ounce on the trail, but buying large quantities for day, weekend and week long trips around home is much cheaper than the IsoPro fuel.

Trail Designs sells the beer can pots for $10.

[12trysomething]

Here is the cook kit I DIY'd. Depending on the DIY stove I decide to take, the whole combo is between 4.6 and 5.6 ounces. The weight will go up a bit as I add additional fuel bottles. I boil and drink out of my DIY Foster pot/mug. It is cut to hold 2 cups of water. I re-hydrate and eat out of the 4 cup food safe plastic container. The carbon fiber is my windscreen and mug cozy. The entire system nests in the 4 cup food container.

Good luck!

[Mick3y]

I like that setup. I was planning on making my own setup when I saw the prices. None of them seem to hard to do. The ridges might be an issue, as might the flat bottom/top ring on the Fosters can. But it's not really that big of a deal.

What is the material you have wrapped on the pot and stoves?

[12trysomething]

I like that setup. I was planning on making my own setup when I saw the prices. None of them seem to hard to do. The ridges might be an issue, as might the flat bottom/top ring on the Fosters can. But it's not really that big of a deal.

What is the material you have wrapped on the pot and stoves?

I did not find the need for ridges. With the ring insert and the fiberglass wick it is plenty sturdy.

http://www.wickstore.com/Products/Ro...__1284-50.aspx

http://youtu.be/iV4tQYxBy3c

Good luck!

[Mick3y]

I made a new pack which will hopefully hold up to the weight better. It's made out of 140D Dyneema GridStop and 70D Ripstop. I also added a waist belt (found a sweet donor pack at Goodwill for straps and belt). Bumped the weight up another 5.4 oz for the pack, but it should definitely hold up better than the 1.3 Silnylon that the previous one was made out of.

I meant to make a guide/pattern/post about the pack and show the progress, but I was too excited to get it done.. Oops