Keeping my non-big 4 light

[protargol]

So I've put together my big 4 and have done a weigh in. Some things to keep in mind is that I'm hiking with my gf so in reality, our mean pack weight will be more important. Also it explains why we're splurging for a 10 oz MSR Hyperflow filter for water filtration.

Pack - GoLite Quest M - 51 oz
Bag - EMS Mountain Light 20 - 35 oz
Pad - Exped synmat UL 7 M 72 in - 16.2
Shelter - Six Moon Design Lunar Duo - std floor - 43 oz

So that's 9# 1oz if I carry the Lunar Duo by myself. Also that's not yet counting the stakes (we got Ti), the ground tarp, or the seam sealant. I know I could have gotten a ULA for double the price, but this is comfy and I didn't want to have to buy and return the ULA just to try it on. I should mention that I got the pack for $105 and the bag for $130.

So my question is how reasonable it will be to keep everything else (non-food & water) to 6# for a total weight of ~15#? I'm planning on building an alchy stove, but what else can I target for weight? Is 6# too much, should I aim even lower?

Also, any tips on how two hikers can compliment their gear lists to have redundancies, but also flexibility? For example, one of us will carry the Goliath water filter, but the other will have Aqua Mira; one of us could have one cooking pot, and one of us a different shape/size.

[milktoast]

I wouldn't rely too much on splitting gear between two hikers. It's nice to be able to do that when you're hiking with someone but you should at the very least have the ability to carry all of the gear if you had to.

To answer your original question I think 6 pounds is very reasonable for your "non big 4" gear. The heaviest gear you will have to carry in your base weight other than the big 4 will be clothing (including rain gear), so focus on cutting weight there as a start.

[burger]

6 lbs. for "everything else" isn't unreasonable. But 9 lbs. for your big 4 is. If you're willing to invest some money, you could easily save 20 oz. off your pack (switch to a ULA Circuit), 15 oz. off your bag (switch to a UL 30 degree bag or a 20-degree quilt), 10 oz. off your shelter (switch to a Tarptent Squall 2), or 7 oz. off your pad (switch to a ridgerest short). That's over 3 lbs. savings right there.

[bigcranky]

The OP's big four is fine, all things considered. (The Lunar Duo is way better for two people than the Squall, IMHO.)

You should be able to get your other gear and clothing close to six pounds -- kinda depends on what you bring. Add a cell phone, MP3 player, camera, and all their chargers, and the weight adds up quick.

Don't worry so much about a specific number -- take what you need, you can adjust on the trail.

[garlic08]

I agree that it depends on what you want to bring for the style of hike you want. Miscellaneous "things" I no longer carry that I used to: multitool, Nalgenes, latrine trowel, water filter, camera, book, solar battery charger, extra batteries, stove and gas, cook kit, cotton t-shirt, fleece sweater, camp towel, groundcloth, stuffsacks for everything, signal mirror, two back-up firestarters, thermometer, altimeter, camera, sunglasses, sunscreen, camp shoes, bug repellent, deck of cards, book, star chart, extra sitting pad, pack cover...you get the idea. That's about 30 items, average weight probably about six ounces. My pack used to weigh nearly 30 pounds, now it's less than ten, mainly reduced by not bringing "stuff" and concentrating on the basics of hiking rather than camping.

I completely agree with your low-cost approach. I've never used a ULA pack, for instance, because of the cost. I've never paid more than $100 for a light pack. I got my Marmot Helium bag on Steepncheap for less than $200. Wait for sales and used deals. Going light does not have be expensive, despite the myth.

[tammons]

To get everything else in 6# is doable, you just really need to cut back or lighten up, especially on cloths. You need the lightest insulated stuff you can afford.

[protargol]

Has anyone done two person cooking? If I get a 1 L pot for the two of us, what should our second pot be? Would it be easier if we both used our own small pot?

[tammons]

You can do two 24 oz complete alcohol bag cooksets in about 12oz.

Otherwise I would look at a nesting titanium setup, 1L being the largest.
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