My lightest pack ever!

[hikerjohnd]

OK - here goes - my gear list for my lightest pack weight ever! for 4 days:

14.8 ozs - Pack - Six Moon Essence (with some mods)
25.6 ozs - spare clothes - less smelly around camp - sweaty stuff can dry
21.2 ozs - kitchen - pocket rocket, fuel, lite my fire fork/spoon, bandanna, soap, scrubbie, lighter, knife
15.0 ozs - camp kit - rope, Zipka, first aid kit, headphones, mp3 player, spare batts, pillow, head bug net
19.0 ozs - sleeping bag - Marmot Trails
10.2 ozs - raingear - dri-ducks
15.2 ozs - therma-rest self inflating 3/4 pad
47.6 ozs - tent - Europa w/ pole, stakes, groundsheet
04.6 ozs - TP and new Ti trowel (homemade - 1st trip!!!)
09.0 ozs - water containers - 2L camelbak and 2 - 1L pepsi bottles
15.8 ozs - water filter
98.8 ozs - food for 4 days
128.0 ozs - water

424.8 ozs - 26.55 lbs and the food is split - I shipped some to Neels Gap for pick-up when I arrive there - I will be leaving with a pack that weighs less than 23 lbs!!! A personal best! :clap:clap:clap

[jimtanker]

Thats great!!!

The lighter it gets the better you feel.

[peter_pan]

It is like Limbo Rock....How low can you go? enjoy your enlightened hike.:)

Pan

[springerfever]

You could possibly drop another twelve or so ounces by switching over to Aquamira water treatment. One of the best weight saving ideas I have incorporated into my kit.

[springerfever]

BTW.....congratulations on your total pack weight !!

Everybody has their own favorites and it could be you just prefer to use the filter and have cut back in other areas. The AquaMira was just a suggestion in case you haven't tried it......have a great hike !!

[hikerjohnd]

You could possibly drop another twelve or so ounces by switching over to Aquamira water treatment. One of the best weight saving ideas I have incorporated into my kit.

I think that will be my next big weight loss - but I really like silt free water provided by the filter and find the transition to Aquamira a hard step to take. Any advice for getting the same quality (less silt) without the filter?

[bigcranky]

You can pour your water through a bandana into another water bottle. I usually collect water in a 6-liter Platy bag, then just Aqua Mira the whole thing. Then I can let it sit for a while if it needs to settle out any crud, or pour through a bandana into my water bottles. Most of the time, though, the water is fine, especially when someone has piped the spring, or if there is enough flow in the stream.

[jimtanker]

I was going to suggest the Aqua Mira and also going to an alky stove like the ION. Always ways to reduce weight.

But hey - HYOH.

[Just Jeff]

For getting silt out w/o a filter, I use a bandana. But they also make little mesh filters that fit inside the mouth of the water bottle. The ones I've seen are sized for a Nalgene but I think they make smaller ones. They probably weigh an ounce or less and would be much easier to use than a bandana.

[springerfever]

There is a learning curve with using AquaMira but it is well worth it and the water tastes great. You can save a LOT of weight by carrying a reasonable amount of water and not over doing it.

When I first started with the AquaMira and carrying less water, I always carried a small six ounce container of water for emergencies. After toting that for about six months on numerous hikes and never using it, I left it at home. It helped me with the transition.

Most decent water sources will have a reservoir that you can use your cup to carefully dip the water out of without disturbing the sediment. Then simply fill up your platy and treat with the AM. Mix the AM before collection and then after adding to your platy wait 15 to 30 minutes depending on conditions...i.e. read the directions on AM.

Another great location to obtain water is from dripping seeps off of rock faces. I use a piece of aluminum foil (actually my preference is a cut up coffee bag such as Starbucks) about four by two inches. Just funnel the water right into your platy.

Make a habit or always leaving say a couple of pints of water in your reservoir until reaching your next water source. Camel Up by drinking this and then refill and treat. By the time you are thirsty again the required time for AM activation will have passed.........once you swap over, you can fine tune your method and you will be saving some serious weight.

Like I said, tote a small amount of purified water for a while and I bet you can leave it at home after you reach a comfort level with the AM and save even more weight !!

[hikerjohnd]

I was going to suggest the Aqua Mira and also going to an alky stove like the ION. Always ways to reduce weight.

But hey - HYOH.

I keep an Ion in my daypack during the winter - in case I am out and want something warm to drink. But I have just found alcohol to be too slow for me. The weight reduction on multi day trips isn't enough to justify the weight savings to me (Sgt Rock has a thread about the weight of stove/fuel over a week or so - the starting weights are very similar and the weight savings comes as the hike progresses - interesting read...). Anyway, I ended up with the pocket rocket and I find myself remembering when I first started backpacking - I carried a coleman propane stove with the green cylinder - what do they weigh - 3 pounds??? Ahhh memories. :)

[jimtanker]

Oh, I remember those days. I had the Whisperlight International with a HUGE polycarbonate stove stand that held the bottle too. With a big fuel bottle that was always completely full of fuel. What a monster.

My old pack used to be 60 pounds total. I remember carying it around when I was living in the Mojave desert. How could I have been so blind. Now Im under 20 pounds BPW and loving it.

:banana :banana :banana