Going Lighter...I am getting there...

[STICK]

As some may know, I just ordered a new backpack, the ULA Circuit (and I must admit I was pacing at the door today waiting for the mailman, and when he drove by without stopping I was a little disappointed. Maybe tomorrow...) Anyway, I did this in my quest to lighten up. So far with my big 4 I have dropped about 8 pounds, and then more here and there by actually realizing what I need on the trail and what I don't. There are a few other items I still need to replace to cut out another 3 pounds or so, but regardless I am happy. I am heading out for a 2.5 day trip next month in the Smokies, and I am looking at a total pack weight of about 27-28 pounds.

Anyway, I have posted a more detailed write up as well as a gear list on my blog. Check it out here and let me know what you think...

[Bags4266]

Nice list, just some thoughts on items I would 86.
1)Pillow - use a stuff sack saving 3.6 oz
2) MSR needle stakes instead of the hogs saving 2.5 oz
3) Bag liner- sleep in the Terramars savings 17 oz
4) Tea kettle use pot for cooking and hot beverages savings 6 oz
5) Compass- savings 1.3 oz

Savings of over 30 oz or almost 2 lbs

[couscous]

Dropping your pack weight over 50% is commendable. It will make your trips more enjoyable. You obviously spent time compiling the list so I would take your list just as it is for the 2.5 day trip next month to create a newer comfort vs. safety benchmark you can compare future changes to. Well done!

[STICK]

Bags,

As for the pillow, I have to have one, and clothes won't do. Besides, If the temperatures ever drop considerably, I would be wearing all of my clothes. I have been through a few pillows and this is the pillow I have come to love. I have the Exped Air Pillow which is about 0.5 oz lighter, but the Cocoon is just better. This is one of those instances where it is my comfort that I am concerned about, and at a measely 3.6 oz I am more than willing to suffer the weight.

As for the stakes, I don't like the way they hold as much as my GroundHogs. I am however planning on replacing the side stakes with some Ti needle stakes, however for the corners and the ridgelines I will stand by my Groundhogs. So, I am looking at replacing 6 with the Ti Stakes, however, I just have to wait until I have money to spend on them. And they are on the bottom of my list since there are other things I can do that will drop considerably more weight.

I am not sure what list you looked at considering I do not have a bag liner listed. I do have some bag liners, but they didn't make my list. Even if they did they are only 3.5 oz. You got me on that one...

Also, my Tea Kettle is my pot, so even if I dropped it I would still have to add another pot back into the mix so I would not lose 6 oz. I do have another solo set up that would be about 2 oz lighter (a 700 ml Ti pot with lid and a Gram Weenie Pro stove) however, I am not sure how this set up will do in the cold. The GWP stove will only hold 1.25 oz of fuel and it may take a little more to boil my water. So, the smartest choice would be for me to use the GSI Tea Kettle and the larger WBS and take a 2 oz hit. Again, that's just me. I feel a bit "safer" using the other set-up for winter conditions. Now in summer the Ti pot and GWP will be my go to set up.

I just can't leave the compass. I can see myself getting air lifted out and then me saying I left my 1.3 oz compass at the house to save weight... Just saying...

I am very pleased with the gear list that I have, and I am sure that I will tweak it a little more as I go. Like I said there are some other things I will still replace that will cut around another 3 pounds off of this weight. I just have to save some more money...

[Ladytrekker]

I am doing the same except that I got the ULA Circuit the catalyst but smaller. I have found that whatever the size of the pack I will fill it so I downsized a little. I just got a down Montbell super spiral and my biggest dilemna is the tent. I have a SD Flashlight Clip like it but it is a little heavier than I like but I love the room dislike the front entry. After a 31 mile hike with 40 lbs I vowed never ever again.

ULA Circuit on top of Springer Mountain

[STICK]

Nice...makes me wish my Circuit was here. I was hoping it would be here yesterday, but I figure the mail services are so swamped they may be a little behind. I am hoping it will be here today so i don't have to wait until Monday though...

I will be changing my tarp out for a MLD SoloMid and a MLD UL Ground sheet. This will cut about 18 oz off my shelter weight. I think I will go with the CF Solomid, but may settle for the Sil version, you know, money...

[Luddite]

1.00 Light My Fire Scout Model Fire Steel Just use your bic
7.50 Camelbak 100 oz Bladder w/ Bite Block & Shut Off Valve Gatorade bottle (.11oz)
0.50 Therm-A-Rest NeoAir Stuff Sack Rubber band
3.70 Cocoon UltraLight Air-Core PillowStuff sack full of clothes
3.00 Kupilka 21 Cupfoam cup instead
1.30 Silva Explorer CompassDon't really need it IMO

Nice pack cover. I just got one of those myself. BTW, the snow on you webpage made me think there was something wrong with my eyes. lol

[STICK]

Actually, I will probably be cutting out the Camelbak bladder. I just ordered a 2L Platy SoftBottle that will weigh much less than the Camelbak and will pack much smaller than a Gatorade bottle when not in use.

I love my Kupilka Cup and will be carrying it. It is one of my luxury items. Trust me though, if I were trying to go as light as I possibly could I would cut it, but I am not trying to set a weight record.

The Neo Stuff Sack is a good suggestion, and I debated taking it off. But for now I think I will keep it.

Actually, the Bic never gets taken out. I use my Fire Steel pretty much all the time. Between the two, I feel like the Firesteel is less likely to malfunction, albeit it can be a little more difficult to use than a Bic. Which is why I carry both and eat the almost nonexistent weight addition.

I cannot wait to get my stuff in the mail. The Cirucuit, the CF Pack Cover and the CloudKilt are all due, actually over due now, so I am really waiting and watching the mail man today. Yesterday as he just drove on by, my jaw kind of dropped open...Where was my stuff that was due to arrive yesterday?! Maybe today...

Anyway, I had him put a drain hole in the bottom of the pack cover. I have found that in heavy rainfalls, rain does get in and will pool in the bottom of the pack cover. Kind of makes it worse in that case...

[bigcranky]

I have a SD Flashlight Clip like it but it is a little heavier than I like but I love the room dislike the front entry.

I used a Clip Flashlight years ago. Take a look at the Tarptent Rainbow and Moment. I have a Moment now and it's awesome.

[Bags4266]

I have a clip too. I will never give it up. Bomb proof. Only use for two though and its a squeeze.

[Luddite]

weigh much less than the Camelbak and will pack much smaller than a Gatorade bottle when not in use.

Aren't they always in use?

I actually went to the Kupilka Cup website. Those are pretty cool cups.

[ec.hiker]

Zpacks Cuben Fiber CloudKilt $55.00 draw string trash bag made of expensive material!!

Just my opinion though.

[STICK]

My water system changes, especially if I am not carrying a Camelbak. Typically I jsut fill the Camelbak with about 2 Liters of water and leave the rest packed down until I get to camp. I have learned that I do not have to carry water in every container...that's just silly...

As for the ZPacks CloudKilt...yeah it is simply a trash bag made of expensive materials, but hey, it is my trash bag made of expensive materials and I like it... It actually came in today, along with my expensive pack cover...

[Luddite]

Cuben fiber is definitely gunna last longer than a trash bag. It doesn't look strong, but it is.

[Rocket Jones]

Aren't they always in use?

I keep my gatorade bottle filled while walking and only fill my 2-liter platy for the evening/morning camp.

[STICK]

I went with a collapsible Nalgene Cantene to replace the Gatorade bottle. It is only slightly heavier (~ an oz) and packs down much smaller. I would normally just put about 2 L in my bladder and then fill the cantene when I got to camp. However, now that I got the Platy coming, I may just use it instead of the Camelbak...I would definitely save weight there...Also, I am considering carrying a tall smartwater bottle on the bottle holders on the strap of the circuit. if I do this I can just keep the platy rolled down. I have found out that not only is weight precious, but so is room...

[sbhikes]

- 3.60 Trail Map in Large Ziploc - Wow, does it really weight that much?

- 3.60 Mora Clipper w/ Sheath - I'm assuming this is a nail clipper. Do you need to carry this? Carry a cardboard nail file for emergencies. If it's a knife, can you carry a smaller knife? I did the whole PCT with just a Swiss Army Classic and still rarely used the knife part.

- 1.10 Bandage Scissors - Do you need this if you have a knife?

- 5.50 HTC Hero Phone with Otter Box. Wow! Phones are heavy!

Total base weight: 16.01 lbs / 256.30 oz
Total dry weight: 22.91 lbs / 366.90 oz


Does dry weight mean after you put in your food? Looks to me that aside from maybe carrying too much first aid stuff there's not a whole lot to pare down. You could adjust quantities of things for further weight savings. Enjoy your trip!

[GeneralLee10]

I have the ULA Circuit and like it a lot. Hope you enjoy your ULA product too.

[Bags4266]

Errrr all this Circuit talk is making me crazy, I have a golite pinnacle thats lighter but I always have my eye on the Circut. Stop!!!!

[STICK]

I need to weigh the Trail Map by itself. It is one of the Nat Geo TI maps so they are actually waterproof. The Ziploc may drop that weight by about 0.5 oz...

The Mora Clipper is indeed a knife. I have a Mora Classic that is about 0.5 oz lighter, but I like the rubber grip (handle) on the Clipper, plus I like the open blade.

I actually may take the scissors out. I thought about that a little bit and decided to leave them just because, but I think that I will remove them.

And yes the phones can be a little heavy...but I like to have it. Also, I have used Google Maps in conjunction with a physical map to figure out where exactly I was on the trail. It was kind of neat and handy. Also, I don't want to leave it in the truck at the trail head. Not only are they heavy, but they are expensive too...

What I mean by dry weight is everything carried and worn except consumables (food, fuel & water). My clothing worn list is heavy, but actually my boots is half of that weight. However, I am testing the boots so I need to wear them. I am thinking about getting some lighter trail runners eventually though since my weight is dropping. Also, currently my trekking poles are almost 20 oz of the carried weight. I will be replacing those with 2 GG LT4 poles sometime next year. These weigh about 3.5 oz each so they will also cut down considerably on some of my carried weight.

As for the FAK, I have cut it down from what I started out with and currently feel good about what I have and the quantities. If I were to remove the FAK items from my Sundries kit I don't think it would actually be that much at all, however, being part of the Sundries Kit, it does kind of seem like a lot...

As for the Circuit...I am a little bummed that it has not shown up yet. Chris from ULA shipped it early Monday morning and I paid for Priority shipping (which is 2 - 3 days) but it has not made it. I figure it has gotten lost in the holiday rush, so I am really hoping that it will show up on my door Monday. Especially since I paid a good amount extra for the speedy services... For sure if it is not here Monday though I will be at the PO asking for my money back on the shipping, and asking where the package is...

Now I just have to make it through the weekend without it...looks like I will be waiting on Santa til next week...

Bags, I will be sure to do an initial review video of the Circuit when it gets here...