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#117979 - 07/03/09 08:58 PM Dear beginner
Jimshaw Offline
member

Registered: 10/22/03
Posts: 3983
Loc: Bend, Oregon
Dear beginners, and others,

Unlike the "old days", you get a lot of choice now as to what you do, where you can go, and what you carry with you.

Some of you have read Ray's book and some have read Colin Fletcher's. Fletcher carried everything including the kitchen sink, but advocated carrying the lightest kitchen sink. wink Anyway What I wanted to address is which weight category you will want to be in and why. First off the whole 5 pound pack is not a beginner thing because it takes a great deal of experience to get by with that little gear - its not a really cool way to go unless you want to go maximum miles in mild weather and you are in excellent shape.

Light weight camping with a pack in the twenty pound range is easy to accomplish these days. Even with a tent, real stove, extra clothing and rain shells. The thing is, there's what I call "mission hardware", which includes cameras, bikinis, kites, chairs, wine, climbing gear, NVG, hunting or fishing gear. You have to decide WHY you are going and whether what you will do when you arrive is more important to you than how much it weighs when you carry it.

Frankly I'll carry a 25 pound pack anywhere and be happy, even skiing or climbing. My gear selections are based on tent and warm clothes first, then a realistic stove for where I'm going and what I'm doing.

If you are going to altitude or into a strange environment, you may require heavier clothing or tougher gear. Most Ultralight gear is not very durable, and is often not well ventilated because they don't want the weight of a pit zipper. There is specialised gear for each sport if you want to ski, climb etc, see what people who do that carry. Ski jackets have a lot of extras that BPing jeackets do not for weight savings.

Footgear. Where you go will have a major effect on your footgear. If you are hiking in rocky mountainous country, you need much heavier leather boots than if you stay on the trail. If you are far off trail, you have to consider what would happen to you if you were injured because you sandals were not adequate for the job. wink

The main thing I'm saying here is that there is no right or wrong, no pack too small or too large and if we each hike our own hike and leave the other guy to hike his, we'll be ok. Its the individual that should really think about what they want to do, before they decide what to buy. That 5 pound pack that seemed so cool to carry might leave you cold in camp.

BE PREPARED
Jim crazy
_________________________
These are my own opinions based on wisdom earned through many wrong decisions. Your mileage may vary.

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#117985 - 07/03/09 11:45 PM Re: Dear beginner [Re: Jimshaw]
thecook Offline


Registered: 10/03/08
Posts: 541
Loc: Minnesota
Nice post, Jim. You sum up really well one of the reason I like this site so much-the sharing of information rather than cramming the "right" way down everyone's throats. goodjob

HYOH
_________________________
If I wouldn't eat it at home, why would I want to eat it on the trail?

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#117994 - 07/04/09 07:17 AM Re: Dear beginner [Re: Jimshaw]
Glenn Offline
member

Registered: 03/08/06
Posts: 2617
Loc: Ohio
Perfectly put, Jim; I couldn't agree more.

Could you clarify one thing? "Mission hardware...includes bikinis..."

Just exactly what kind of missions do you go on? grin

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#118004 - 07/04/09 12:55 PM Re: Dear beginner [Re: Glenn]
phat Offline
Moderator

Registered: 06/24/07
Posts: 4107
Loc: Alberta, Canada

I thought Mission hardware included kilts.
_________________________
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Winter list.
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#118008 - 07/04/09 01:05 PM Re: Dear beginner [Re: Glenn]
Jimshaw Offline
member

Registered: 10/22/03
Posts: 3983
Loc: Bend, Oregon
Glenn said" Could you clarify one thing? "Mission hardware...includes bikinis..."

Just exactly what kind of missions do you go on? "
____________________________________________________

I take a lot of young ladies BPing where they can spend a day in their bikini floating on their down airmattress. We eat gourmet food. It beats Carrying a 5 pound pack 30 miles a day, IMHO.
Jim

M on a warmlight down airmattress. weight 27 oz. These are warm even on ice cold lakes.
_________________________
These are my own opinions based on wisdom earned through many wrong decisions. Your mileage may vary.

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#118013 - 07/04/09 03:23 PM Re: Dear beginner [Re: Jimshaw]
Jimshaw Offline
member

Registered: 10/22/03
Posts: 3983
Loc: Bend, Oregon
I was doing some tweaking with my gear lists. Just to set the scene... I live in Bend yes as most of you already know, in the cascades in Oregon. It can go from 90 to 32 in the same day at 6,000 feet here, and hail too.

I do have a 14 ounce Golite Rayway pack. If I pack as light as I am willing to for 2 day hike over night, I come up with 16 pounds With 2.5 pounds of food and 24 oz water. Granted I have a 27 ounce down air mattress/boat, a water filter and a compressed gas stove.

The reason I posted this is just to demonstrate something. I know this area, I have a huge amount of gear to choose from, and still my realistic trailhead weight of my pack would be 16 pounds for an extended overnight with two days worth of food, into the mountains here.

Ok, I have another pack which is pretty special but the point is, my big pack weighs 15 ounces more than the Golite and holds maybe 3+ times as much stuff. If I take the bigger pack I don't have to stuff my down bag of down coat, and I can take down pants too and it all goes into the big pack saving the weight of the stuff sacks. Its nice to just be able to pull out a down jacket when you're cold, and not have to unstuff it and reloft it before putting it on. I am a fan of large light weight packs. If my wife goes BPing with me, its easy to carry all of our combined gear in a 6500 cubic inch pack.

You should plan appropriately.
Jim crazy
_________________________
These are my own opinions based on wisdom earned through many wrong decisions. Your mileage may vary.

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#118016 - 07/04/09 04:36 PM Re: Dear beginner [Re: Jimshaw]
Glenn Offline
member

Registered: 03/08/06
Posts: 2617
Loc: Ohio
Looks like rough duty, but I guess someone has to do it. (My apologies to you - and condolences to them? - if these young ladies are daughters, nieces, or otherwise related to you.)

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#118067 - 07/06/09 12:34 PM Re: Dear beginner [Re: Glenn]
ringtail Offline
member

Registered: 08/22/02
Posts: 2296
Loc: Colorado Rockies
Bikini? Skinny-dipping is lighter and warmer. Nothing chills you like a wet swimsuit. crazy

That is my story and I am sticking to it.
_________________________
"In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not."
Yogi Berra

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#118111 - 07/07/09 01:39 PM Re: Dear beginner [Re: ringtail]
TheJD Offline
newbie

Registered: 05/06/09
Posts: 12
Loc: Wisconsin
Thanks for the post! I'll be taking my first backpacking trip this weekend, although it's more remote camping that BPing. Low miles and high relaxation.

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#118127 - 07/07/09 07:00 PM Re: Dear beginner [Re: thecook]
sabre11004 Offline
member

Registered: 05/05/07
Posts: 513
Loc: Tennessee
I am with Jim on this one. I would much rather carry a few more lbs. that to get to camp and not have what I need to be comfortable. I have made a couple of trips like that and believe me they are no fun at all. Just take Jim's and JP's advice and just hike your own hike. I can distinctly remember walking into an area with a lot of hikers with a little heavier pack than normal and I could almost feel the comments. I have carried a 45 lb. pack and I have carried a 20 lb. pack but I was doing different things at different times and I was comfortable at all times and I think that is what is the most important...sabre11004... goodjob
_________________________
The first step that you take will be one of those that get you there 1!!!!!

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#118135 - 07/08/09 04:02 AM Re: Dear beginner [Re: sabre11004]
Bushman Offline
member

Registered: 07/01/09
Posts: 122
Loc: California
I wouldn't get to into the ultralight backpacking. My base weight is around 16lbs, which for me is light weight backpacking. At that point the only real area i can cut weight is in my pack/tent/bag/ misc items. My pack weights 3lbs and the bag is 2.7lbs with a tent just under 2lbs. I could see that advantage if you were thru hiking because one could carry more food for longer hikes and still be at a very light weight.

For me i like my weight, all the gear is durable and i have everything i need to hike. Plus i mostly hike in to fish so i am not moving camp day by day. Part of gear choice(has been said) is all about your hiking "style"? If you up camp every day, maybe the simpler lighter gear is a better fit.

I would say it is super easy to get base weight down to 20lbs, biggest areas i cut weight in was bag/tent/pack/stove. Another big part is figuring out the misc gear to take.

Anyway its all a personal thing.

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#118842 - 07/28/09 06:27 PM Re: Dear beginner [Re: Glenn]
Greg Offline
newbie

Registered: 07/26/09
Posts: 4
Loc: VA
JimShaw,

Man thanks for that post. It really cleared some things up for me. Im a little new at some of these things. THanks for the the info.

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#119053 - 08/04/09 01:32 PM Re: Dear beginner [Re: Jimshaw]
chaz Offline
member

Registered: 10/22/07
Posts: 1149
Loc: Tennessee
Jim, what about other BPing ladies? This is the same young lady you posted a pic of months ago. How big is your harem anyway? grin
_________________________
Enjoy your next trip...

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