Why go UL?

[Cabin Fever]

I am making the jump to really serious gear. Put in an order for a Granite Gear Vapor Trail (L/L) this week. Going to retire my Gregory Z Pack to wife status. Ready to start cutting ounces. I have been pretty consistent at 25-30 pounds for weekends, but I want to shave that down to 20-25. I have already bought some paracord to replace the short climbing rope I used to bear bag, decided to buy a Nalgene cantene to use for water at camp instead of carrying an extra plastic bottle

My reasons for getting lighter are distance and comfort. I love the challenge of a long day that seems just out of reach. I am also tired of getting home and realizing there is 5 pounds worth of stuff in my bag I never used.

What are your reasons for going light?

[4eyedbuzzard]

...What are your reasons for going light?
Three herniated disks with nerve and muscle damage(left leg). I need to stay under 25 lbs, and closer to 20lbs with food and water. Not really much of a choice other than car camping.

[Egads]

What are your reasons for going light?

Because it's easier hiking.

[take-a-knee]

I am making the jump to really serious gear. Put in an order for a Granite Gear Vapor Trail (L/L) this week. Going to retire my Gregory Z Pack to wife status. Ready to start cutting ounces. I have been pretty consistent at 25-30 pounds for weekends, but I want to shave that down to 20-25. I have already bought some paracord to replace the short climbing rope I used to bear bag, decided to buy a Nalgene cantene to use for water at camp instead of carrying an extra plastic bottle

My reasons for getting lighter are distance and comfort. I love the challenge of a long day that seems just out of reach. I am also tired of getting home and realizing there is 5 pounds worth of stuff in my bag I never used.

What are your reasons for going light?

This stuff works MUCH better than paracord for bear bagging:

http://www.antigravitygear.com/proddetail.php?prod=TRLINE

I like my Vapor Trail. A Platypus carries well between the framesheet and the pack. I bought the lid also, it is worth the weight for convienence. My next project is to sew a ULA style mesh pocket on the back of it. A 24oz twisttop gatorade bottle fits great in the elastic side pockets, MUCH lighter than a Nalgene.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Ditto on Gatorade/reused bottles(whatever size you fancy). Lighter and cheaper.

[Summit]

UL definitely makes hiking easier, but I am not a 'only take what you absolutely need' minimalist. I carry some 'pleasures' stuff, like a couple of pipes, tobacco, coffee press (to make really good coffee), and ThermaRest chair because those add immeasurably to my camping experience.

Another example is I carry a Bear Vault. I consider the extra weight to be worth the elimination of food hanging and worrying over the safety of your food. Also makes a handy little table. Many may not feel the same about that and that's fine. Some will carry a liter of alcoholic beverage while others wouldn't think of carrying that weight, even though they'd like to have it.

So I agree in principal with 'get as light as you can' using some of the latest technology, but don't eliminate stuff you want for the sake of the lowest total weight you can achieve, unless that in and of itself is what motivates you.

[hopefulhiker]

One of the main reasons for going UL is that it makes hiking more enjoyable instead of being more of a chore. Also if you lighten up on some things it gives you more "room" to carry fun things, or things that make you more comfortable.. Like I carried two pads on my hike but was still under 30 lbs most of the hike..

[Deadeye]

I think Summit 'bout nailed it. If you want it, take it. Just weigh it first, because there may be a lighter option that will do the job.

[skinewmexico]

Efficiency. So what made you choose the Vapor Trail?

[Feral Bill]

[quote=take-a-knee;790730]This stuff works MUCH better than paracord for bear bagging:

http://www.antigravitygear.com/proddetail.php?prod=TRLINE


Uh? Almost $20 for a piece of cord that is likely to end up stuck up a tree someday? No thanks.

[optimator]

[quote=take-a-knee;790730]This stuff works MUCH better than paracord for bear bagging:

http://www.antigravitygear.com/proddetail.php?prod=TRLINE


Uh? Almost $20 for a piece of cord that is likely to end up stuck up a tree someday? No thanks.

Spectra cord isWAY cheaper here.
http://www.goodwinds.com/merch/searchresults.shtml?searchstring=spectra&srch=1&search=Go

[take-a-knee]

[quote=Feral Bill;790914]

Spectra cord is
WAY[/*] cheaper here.
http://www.goodwinds.com/merch/searchresults.shtml?searchstring=spectra&srch=1&search=Go

Thanks for the link but those lines are too small, you need about 700# test, not for it's strength but for a large enough diameter so that it doesn't slice your hands with a couple of heavy food bags when you hoist it.

And Bill, if you are happy with paracord that's great, I thought it sucked. The paracord can and will get stuck in a tree, the spectra is so slick it will not.

[optimator]

[quote=optimator;790920]

Thanks for the link but those lines are too small, you need about 700# test, not for it's strength but for a large enough diameter so that it doesn't slice your hands with a couple of heavy food bags when you hoist it.

And Bill, if you are happy with paracord that's great, I thought it sucked. The paracord can and will get stuck in a tree, the spectra is so slick it will not.

Yeah, I noticed that after I posted it....

[warraghiyagey]

One of the main reasons for going UL is that it makes hiking more enjoyable instead of being more of a chore. Also if you lighten up on some things it gives you more "room" to carry fun things, or things that make you more comfortable.. Like I carried two pads on my hike but was still under 30 lbs most of the hike..
That's a good weight and for sure and the extra sleeping comfort has to be a good thing. . . what type pads do you use?

[BrianLe]

" The paracord can and will get stuck in a tree, the spectra is so slick it will not."

I bought some sort of "supposed to be too slick to get stuck" cord and fairly quickly got it stuck in a tree. YMMV, but my suspicion is that any cord can get stuck, perhaps especially if you go in with the idea that your slick cord can't ...

I don't bear bag anymore, it's a PITA. Depending on area of travel, sleep with my food, or Ursack, or where it's required a bearcan. Ursack is sort of my default.

Sorry, I realize this is thread drift, so an obligatory comment on UL --- it's just so much more fun, less pain.

Also, it gives me more flexibility in planning out a given hiking day. For example, I don't need water when I hit a water source but I'm not sure if the next water source will be dry or not. Old school: fill up just in case. With UL (or in my case just 'L'), don't fill up, because it will be fine to walk on to the subsequent source a few miles further if the next one is dry. I.e., lightening up extends my max daily hiking range.

Ditto food --- if I lighten up my gear enough to shorten a several day stretch by a day, that's one day less of food I have to carry in that stretch, making the pack yet lighter, sort of a "virtuous circle".

[garlic08]

I switched to light weight hiking so I could hike again. I gave up long trails at age 40 with sore ankles and knees. Now I hike more than I ever did, no more pain.

[BR360]

Yeah, I switched from "regular" to "Light" due to the following reasons:


Less actual [/*]pain on shoulders, back and feet.
Less potential [/*]pain on knees, ankles, feet, etc.
More options to go further, faster[/*]. This provides both luxury in planning length of trips, type of trips, and safety.
Lighter gear means more options for food quality, "luxury gear," and water stops[/*].

Guess that about says it all.

[BR360]

Yeah, I switched from "regular" to "Light" due to the following reasons:


Less
actual [/*]pain on shoulders, back and feet.
Less
potential [/*]pain on knees, ankles, feet, etc.
More options to go further, faster[/*]. This provides both luxury in planning length of trips, type of trips, and safety.
Lighter gear means
more options for food quality, "luxury gear," and water stops[/*].

Guess that about says it all.

That posted weird! Tried to use underlines. Point made, tho'.

[wrongway_08]

Going lighter also means a smaller pack, mine is below my neck - unless its packed with a full 5 days of food.

Easier hiking, less gear to carry, more miles in the day, more relaxing, easier to toss in a car when you hitch a ride, easier to carry into a store without hitting people/displays..., dont catch branches when you duck your head.

[mark schofield]

I'm getting old and my knees are shot. So lighter weights help keep me out there.

[Montana AT05]

Some reasons:

1. Experience: The more you hike, the more you pare down your gear list to what you actually used, wanted, needed.

2. Challenge: You might like the challenge of getting lighter. I do; it plays to my gear-geek-nature-of-oh-I-want-that-new-lightweight-option. (bank account cries)

3. Body stress: I used to pack heavy (started the AT at 45lbs) and man, my body was NOT happy. No sir. Uh uh. Light weight packing allows you to carry all weight on your shoulders, or your hips, or both, etc. It means much less stress on knees and feet. You get to camp feeling better and you wake up without as much pain.

4. Innovation: New materials, new concepts, new products! Hey, you aren't hiking in Civil War era wool clothing are you? You aren't sporting a branch-frame-deer-leather-pack are you? So why stick with what worked in the 70's or 80's? Nostalgia? Ok, Elvis.

5. Hiking:Camping: A thru-hike involves more hiking than camping. I subscribe to the be comfortable hiking crowd. All I need at night is to be dry and bug free. I can do that without a 3+ lbs shelther system and a clothing bag packed by Paris Hilton.

My advice: Don't go Ultralite all at once. Ease in. Go lightweight. UL carries the connotation of ounce counter. Poncho tarp, bivy, minimal everything, drilled out toothbrish handle, you get the picture.

There is a diminishing here. Weigh your current load-out and decide how many lbs you want to lose. Hit that and swap stuff in and out as you experience what works for you. And of course, what works will change with terrain (example: desert hiking vs AT-OMG-MUD-RAIN-STRAIGHT-UP-MOUNTAIN-ON-SLICK-ROCKS hiking). <-- and ya, I'll sneak a controversial comment here. The AT is foot by foot, agonizing inch by inch, the hardest damn tread and trail out there.

[Tipi Walter]

I think Summit 'bout nailed it. If you want it, take it. Just weigh it first, because there may be a lighter option that will do the job.

I agree with this. Just take whatever you want. A watermelon? Haul it in. A 4 pound thermarest for zero degrees and snow camping? Haul it. A beefy winter tent to withstand blizzards and windstorms? Strap it on. A couple of books to read and burn? Bring 'em. A 7 pound pack that makes a 50 pound load seem like a daypack? Grab it. 4 or 5 candles to help your fingers thaw? Take 'em. 25 pounds of food for a 10 day trip? Take it and eat it. A quart of white gas? Haul it. A quart jar of apple juice! Pack it in. A couple cans of food or a cabbage head? Grab em and go. A 4 pound goose down sleeping bag for those subzero nights? Stuff it and haul butt. A beefy 3 pound goose down jacket when things turn mean? Use it and hump it. Let the ULers wring their hands and shout "blasphemer!!", they are a peculiar bunch fixated on physical comfort-while-moving. Don't let their concepts of "hipness" and punching out 20 mile days interfere with your bag nights. The more they shout, the more you're out.


Some reasons:

1. Experience: The more you hike, the more you pare down your gear list to what you actually used, wanted, needed.

2. Challenge: You might like the challenge of getting lighter. I do; it plays to my gear-geek-nature-of-oh-I-want-that-new-lightweight-option. (bank account cries)

3. Body stress: I used to pack heavy (started the AT at 45lbs) and man, my body was NOT happy. No sir. Uh uh. Light weight packing allows you to carry all weight on your shoulders, or your hips, or both, etc. It means much less stress on knees and feet. You get to camp feeling better and you wake up without as much pain.

4. Innovation: New materials, new concepts, new products! Hey, you aren't hiking in Civil War era wool clothing are you? You aren't sporting a branch-frame-deer-leather-pack are you? So why stick with what worked in the 70's or 80's? Nostalgia? Ok, Elvis.

5. Hiking:Camping: A thru-hike involves more hiking than camping. I subscribe to the be comfortable hiking crowd. All I need at night is to be dry and bug free. I can do that without a 3+ lbs shelther system and a clothing bag packed by Paris Hilton.

My advice: Don't go Ultralite all at once. Ease in. Go lightweight. UL carries the connotation of ounce counter. Poncho tarp, bivy, minimal everything, drilled out toothbrish handle, you get the picture.

There is a diminishing here. Weigh your current load-out and decide how many lbs you want to lose. Hit that and swap stuff in and out as you experience what works for you. And of course, what works will change with terrain (example: desert hiking vs AT-OMG-MUD-RAIN-STRAIGHT-UP-MOUNTAIN-ON-SLICK-ROCKS hiking). <-- and ya, I'll sneak a controversial comment here. The AT is foot by foot, agonizing inch by inch, the hardest damn tread and trail out there.

One of the most experienced backpackers in the world was Norman Clyde, and he routinely carried 80-90 pound packs. I don't know about Civil War era wool clothing, but Icebreaker makes some of the best backpacking layers of merino wool and yup, they're a bit heavier than the other stuff. As far as Hiking-Camping, I'm not so sure a thru hike involves more hiking than camping, unless a person hikes consitently 12 hour days from 6am to 6 pm. I'd say a greater % of the day is spent "camping": cooking, resting, sleeping, etc.

[JAK]

Tipi makes a good point that whatever gets you out more days is more important than whatever might get you more miles. I say keep it simple, but more important, get out. If you have to bring a triple weighted chess set, on a trip, so be it. Tinkering with gear and figuring out ounces and BTUs and CLOs and kcal/mile and net elevation gain is fun, but being out there is funner.

[Wags]

i don't really understand this whole 'my pack weighs this all the time' thing some people adhere to. my pack weight changes every trip depending on so many things i can't list em. i guess i could see if it was a thru