Ultralighters, where did you eventually ADD weight back to your pack?

[Dogwood]

As with many people who "seen the light", I made the mistake that thinking going ultralight (generally recognized as sub-10lbs) is the right for every type of trip, environment, season or activity.

Obviously I never thought that during winter, over the years I've done trips with friends, my wife, more "social" backpacking trips (more camping, less hiking) and so on.

I use different packs, stoves and shelters depending on the trip, time of the year and desired objectives.

+1 All this.

I think it's a disservice to Newbs beginning to consider going to lighter wt kits, and even some who have been in the UL deep end of the pool for some time who haven't become aware, when a generalized wt range is categorized to be conventional, moderate, light, UL, SUL, XUL, extreme mega nano light, etc. I think it points to humans having a need to ANALize, calculate, categorize, inject superlatives, and rule with more than wee bit of pride in a lowest wt pissing contest. I find much of this boring and a cliche. We then, and I've done it too many times, start saying things like UL for 3 season. I ask myself, "what the heck does 3 season mean?", because 3 season in Cascades NP does not always equal 3 season in Shenandoah NP on the AT which certainly does not equal 3 season in Hawaii Volcanoes NP at the summit of Mauna Loa or 3 season off trail crossing a glacier and off trail in Wrangell-St Elias NP in Alaska when I'm out with a Tipi Walter sized 20 day supply or Arches NP in Utah off trail. There are so many variations it starts becoming foggy and messy. The more I know the more detail I include the more I realize that vastness of that which I will never know or will have the details for.

"Don't worry so much or make things so complicated so often, HIKE ON" I tell myself.

jus my ramblings.

[Just Bill]

Furthermore I think this is a great discussion from experienced hikers explaining what didn't work for them. Future long distance hikers should be able to take a few tidbits of advice from this thread

Bit of a tricky thing that. (feeling british I suppose)

As Dogwood eludes to... it's the exercise itself of exploring and chasing the grams that teaches what you need to know overall. A tip or two might save a step but it's worth doing yourself as most of the gains have nothing to do with the scale.

As Mags states with much less BS than I. The right tool for the right job.
Still gotta know how to use all them tools and why you have em though.

There's some happy to do one job their whole life with one set a trusted tools, then there's others who tend to get restless when they got that particular job done.

You've got the unfortunate mindset and troublin thought process that likely you're cursed to keep tinkering for many years to come. It'd be nice to just be done... but that never seems to happen. Course Irish; there's some fun in that too.

[Coffee]

I don't have my base weight under ten pounds so I'm not technically ultralight but I am pretty close.

Two things that have added weight: Full size Sawyer ditching the mini. Small cut out blue foam strapped on top of my pack used as a sit pad. The utility I get out of both additions is very large for the couple of ounces of additional weight.

[August W.]

I have gone back to a full length sleep pad (usually) and cary about a two foot section of foam thermarest pad for sitting or kneeling on.

[1azarus]

Yup. It is your old uke that is my hiking companion. I guess a :-) would have been appropriate in my post. I have come to like that hunk of plastic.

[garlic08]

My pack weight dropped to under ten pounds so slowly, over six years or so, I think I got it right the first time and I've added nothing back since my CDT hike in 2007.

[MuddyWaters]

My pack base weight stays fairly light. 6-7 lbs most of yr.

But, i tend to carry too much food and water. Sometimes on purpose. Realizing that more weight is better for my conditioning than less. i often carry 1-2 L water, and then only drink at the sources 5-10 miles apart, carrying water for nothing.

You can hike most of the trail without carrying any water really.


As long as the wt is manageable, it doesnt really matter. Id only worry about wt if targetting unusually high miles or pace. The beauty of a light pack, is that you dont have to worry about a couple lbs wt.

[shelb]

I added "sleep clothes" - cotton shirt and cotton (or wool) leggings (something separate from my hiking clothes and my town clothes). It makes such a difference in how I feel and fall asleep!

[capehiker]

Got down to a sub 10 pound pack this past June (by 3.7 ounces). Then I decided to add weight back on, but controlling how much I added:

• Z seat 2.2oz
• Liteflex umbrella 8.0 oz (best purchase of the year)
• Regular Sawyer filter 1.3ish oz (difference)
• Went from Zpacks Duplex to TT Rainbow 14oz (difference)
• Added thick soft sleep socks 3oz
• Added super thin silky top and bottoms to sleep in 9oz
• Added portable battery charger 5oz

Total added back to pack: 42oz/ 2lb 10.5oz My base pack weight for last weekend was 13.2lbs. I now use 15lbs as my upper limit for base pack weight and that has allowed the right extras to enhance my hikes.

[squeezebox]

My injury in May was certainly some to do with the wt. I was carrying. But I,m not going to threaten hypothermia, eat really bad food(like dry ramen, or pop tarts) or do any other stupid light stuff. I continue to work on finding the happy balance. Probably won't ever find it.

[Heliotrope]

Torso foam mat to full length inflatable-must have sleep! Frameless pack with no hip belt to gossamer gear gorilla. Though made up for increase with lighter bag - 20 deg down quilt from synthetic bag.


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[EVC]

When I started to lose my sanity.


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[atmilkman]

When I started to lose my sanity.


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When I started getting hungry.

[gunther11]

Still beeing a Greenhorn...
I do switch for and bag
- I went bag to the regular filter, the mini was really to slow and Need to much cleaning
- I did put my coffee mug bag(just Need that littel extra)
- tent peg -> no using again the V shape models

Total abt200-300 g extra

[gunther11]

sorry... my english has some room for improvement :-) ... -> now using again the V shape models

[Rmcpeak]

Back to canister stove after several hikes with alcohol stove and setting picnic table on fire at Pig Farm on a cold windy night :-(


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[cmoulder]

2 "luxury" items... GSI coffee mug because I like a lot of hot coffee (instant Cafe Bustello espresso!) that stays hot, and a Neoair Trekker (47"x25") to replace the Neoair xlite because I really dislike my elbows hanging off the sleeping pad. Total penalty is 8oz, which I carry gladly.

[BirdBrain]

Tried to do without coffee once. Never again
Tried to do without a trowel once. Not as talented as some I guess.
Tried to save weight with the Sawyer Mini. PITA. Switched back to full size.
Tried to do without sleeping socks. Worth the comfort.
Tried so many pillows in the name of weight savings I could outfit a hotel (including no pillow). Settled on Exped pillow pump.

[squeezebox]

Since we are heading into winter I'ld like to hear from some UL folks about summer vs. winter UL.

Sleeping pads---I bought a large xtherm because I wanted the wider width. 77x25" 20 oz. The short xlight is 48x20" 8oz. That's a big wt. difference.
I'ld like to hear what you tried, and what worked.

[Coffee]

I've used my Neoair xlite down to the high teens and I don't think I was getting cold from the ground despite the modest R value. Now I wasn't toasty warm on the night on foothills trail where it got into the mid-high teens but I don't think a better pad would have helped. I wouldn't buy a winter pad given that I wouldn't want to go out in colder temps anyway (that and I really don't want to spend the $$$$$ on a quality 0 degree bag).