• (My) Ignorance was Heavy !
            ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
  
• From 50 to 20 lbs !
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• Had More Fun !
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• Lightweight Backpacking RULES !
            ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
  
• Lightweight - Hawaii Style
            ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
  
• Michael Connick's Method
            ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
  
• Everything But The Sink 101
            ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
  
• Eric's Innovations
            ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
  
• Macho vs. Longevity
            ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
  
• Pack was Way too Heavy
            ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
  

This page is for

Those who've been lightweight backpackers for many years - we'd like to hear about your experiences and techniques.

Those who went out two weeks ago with the kitchen sink tied to your back, had a lousy time and now want to tell somebody about it - well, we're all ears.

Those who spent a day at
The Lightweight Backpacker,
then went out with a lightweight pack (and maybe even wearing backpacking sandals ), had a great time and now want to tell somebody. Well, do it here, your account may be an inspiration to others.

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(My) Ignorance was Heavy !

Well, the bad news is that my pack weighed 60 pounds. The good news is that it would have weighed 64 lbs if I hadn't got one of the young guys to carry my tent (I ran outta room).

I think I had a North Face Snow Leopard internal-frame pack, at the time. As I recall, I had a "lightweight" frying pan, a "lightweight" glow-in-the-dark frisbee, one pound camera, 22 ounce bottle of white gas PLUS a one-quart Coleman can of gas (right off the store shelf), fishing gear, extra clothes. Wow !  In contrast, one guy did just fine with not much more than a gunny sack tied to a wood frame (the key was he wasn't carrying much weight -- No he wasn't the source of my inspiration for reducing pack weight, it was the fact I hated carrying 60 pounds).

Well, in a nut shell, the ascent was 12 miles, 6000 feet elevation gain into the Central Cascades, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, High Enchantment Lakes, in 90 degree heat. It was not a fun part of the trip. Six days later it was a descent that included negotiating the infamous Aasgard Pass -- next thing to vertical, losing 2200 feet in 3/4 mile on small rocks that slide under the boot and large rocks that are slippery. No trail, had to follow cairns. Not a good place to be carrying a (now 45 pound) pack !

That experience was a major turning point for me. As I said somewhere else at this website, if I went on that same trip now, my pack would weigh around 30 pounds, at the outset (a 50% reduction) !

Charles Lindsey, 10/28/97

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50 to 20 lbs !

Charles- Just a quick note of appreciation for your hard work on this website. I've already purchased a Feathered Friends sleeping bag and a Streamlines hand fishing line based on the information I received from you. My pack has shrunk from 50lbs to 20lbs and its more safe and useful than before!

to 10 lbs ?

also........thanks to you I have my overnight pack down to a safe and comfortable 10lbs! I can sure cover ground with this.

HOOGMASTER, 4/24/97 & 10/01/97

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Had More Fun !

Charles, I just wanted to say thank you for your excellent webpage.

It's helped me out a lot in rethinking about my backpack, so consequently, I traveled much lighter and had more fun on my last trip to Emigrant Wilderness in the Sierras. I'll be recommending this site to others, thanks again.

Mario Fruciano, 11/02/96

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Lightweight Backpacking RULES !

I just surfed into your webpage. What can I say? Absolutely outstanding!

...... I got into lightweight backpacking when I realized the duplicity of that tiresome task of removing boots, donning camp sandals, drying feet, etc., ad nauseam.

I began experimenting with backpacking sandals. First, the 50 lb plus pack had to go. I took my 2250 ci "day" pack and began thinking "small" (the ounces took care of themselves).

On July 4th, 1993, I found myself at the Purgatory trailhead to begin an eleven day, 120 mile hike across the Weiminuche. My pack weighed 29lb 6oz (18lb 3oz sans food). My concessions to sentiment were a 5" lock blade knife, binoculars, and a fly rod. I post-holed thru more than a few snow drifts and my water bottle froze solid overnight near the Rio Grande Pyramid. Never did I get chilled or my feet wet.

Lightweight backpacking RULES!

Conrad Starbuck, 12/10/97

NOTE:  With his backpacking sandals, Conrad uses gore-tex socks over neoprene socks over thick hikings socks to avert frostbite.

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Lightweight - Hawaii Style

Howzit! I live on the island of Kauai in Hawaii and I hike the Kalalau trail frequently (about once every 6 weeks). The trail's a great teacher for lessons in lightness.

My pack (now a Cascades Designs Boundary HD70 portage bag) holds:

an army poncho liner,
Western Mountaineering GTX bivy sack,
Moss Heptawing tarp,
small groundcloth,
Trangia mini-28 stove,
a quart of alcohol,
a change of shorts & t-shirt,
rubber slippers for camp,
a full-length Z-Rest (& 3/4 length RidgeRest if I'm feeling indulgent),
small PackTowel,
MiniMag AA flashlight,
Victorinox Classic knife,
Potable Aqua,
matches/lighter and
some food.

I wear Teva River Runner sandals on the trail and carry one pair of sox for sleeping in and, if it's going to be cool and wet, an REI mid-weight pull-over shirt & TNF jacket. With food, comes to about 22-25 pounds.

Tropical camping, is admittedly, sort of cheating - the worst thing that happens around here is the "occasional hurricane", but the mud and rain can be trying on that 11-mile meandering ribbon of "trail". But I do love it - it's so close, but so far (so far because, so far, the cell phone doesn't work in there)... But, I tend to do the trail all one time just because time off as a business owner is rare and fleeting.

It's nice to see an emphasis on going light. The last time I went down the Coast, my companions suffered beneath their 40- to 50-pound burdens. They did want all of the comforts OF home but their legs were suggesting the entire way that they should have left all that stuff AT home !

From: Annie on Kauai
e-mail: twowhls@aloha.net

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Michael's Even More Ultimate Backpacking Checklist - 01/21/98

"Below is a list of what I now take with me on a backpacking trip. This list has been constantly modified by me over the years and it will probably still change slightly over time."

The key to holding down weight is to watch every ounce. Don't take anything with you that you won't use every day. Try to take items that have multiple uses. Discard all the "nice to haves". Keep it simple!

The basic pack load shown below, without water or food, weighs only about 15 pounds. That's right, I said 15 pounds! This means that a weekend trip results in about an 20 pound load, including food and water. A 5 day expedition results in total load of about 27 pounds.

Below is what I now take with me on a backpacking trip:

The Daypack

First of all, I now hike with a daypack. Since my load is so light, I no longer need a backpack with a frame. My original daypack was a Jansport Dayhauler. At 1 lb., it was the lightest daypack I could find that also had a reasonable carrying capacity. I've since replaced it with a North Face Exocet (actually a technical pack) because I was concerned over its durability and lack of attachment points. The Exocet is an extremely durable pack that weighs 1 lb 14 oz, has very high quality shoulder straps and a hipbelt, and has many available attachment points. With a total capacity of around 2000 cubic inches, it's very much on the small side. However, if you really go light you don't need much carrying capacity. You just need to be efficient in loading the pack.

Now here's how I pack my gear:

Right Side Of Pack (fastened by compression straps; sleeping bag in plastic trash bag, then both inside stuff sack)

* 38 Degree Rated Western Mountaineering Iroquois Down Mummy Bag (weighing about 1 1/2 pounds, in really cold weather I carry a 20 degree rated Sierra Designs synthetic mummy bag that weighs about 3 1/2 pounds)

* Sleeping Bag Stuff Sack (doubles as pillow when filled with clothes)

* Bibler Hooped Bivy Sack (24 ounces, doubles as a shelter that also provides protection from bugs, and as a way to increase my sleeping bag's rating by 5 to 10 degrees)

* 3/8" Foam Sleeping Pad (more important for insulation than comfort)

* 1 Liter Platypus Hydration System (with drinking tube clipped to left shoulder strap)

* Two Empty 2.5 Liter Platypus Water Bags (used for storing and hauling water in camp)

* 1.3 Liter Evernew Titanium Cook Pot (6 oz)

* Mini-Trangia 28 Alcohol Backpacking Stove (6 oz, carried inside cook pot above)

* 8 or 16 oz Plastic Bottle (filled with denatured wood alcohol; I only cook for breakfast on short hikes, but add hot dinners on longer ones)

* Titanium Sierra Cup (about 1 oz)

* Spoon

* Disposable Butane Lighter

* Tyvek Ground Cloth (3 oz)

* Sleeping Bag Liner (8 oz, doubles as hot weather "sleeping bag" and as a way to increase my sleeping bag's rating by about 5 degrees)

* 50' Paracord (for hanging food and lots of other uses)

* EMS Lightweight Synthetic Long Underwear Top (combines undershirt and long-sleeve outer shirt)

* EMS Lightweight Synthetic Long Underwear Pants (you can hike in these with shorts worn outside them without looking too strange)

* Campmor Vagabond II Gore-Tex Parka (16 oz, in really cold weather I'll add an EMS Polartec Jacket as well)

* Backpacker's Poncho (12 oz, it serves as warm-weather rain protection for me, as a pack cover, and as a small tarp over my bivy sack)

* Toilet Paper

* Small First Aid Kit

* Small Roll of Duct Tape (for emergency repairs of just about anything)

* Toothbrush & Toothpaste

* Extra Plastic Trash and Ziploc Storage Bags

* Two Bandannas (they have a million uses!)

* Small Thermometer

* Office (pen, small notepad, maps, compass, paper for journal, guidebooks, etc., inside Ziploc plastic storage bag)

* Mini-Mag Flashlight with Spare Bulb and Batteries

* Spare AA Batteries for Digital Camera

* Eddie Bauer Minature FM Radio (less than 1 oz, including carrying case)

* Survival Kit (combination whistle, mirror, tiny compass, and waterproof match case with matches and birthday candles inside)

* Victorinox Classic Swiss Army Knife (less than 1 oz!)

* Emergency Space Blanket

* DEET Insect Repellent

* PUR Hiker Water Filter (about 11 oz; purify ALL untested water!)

* Polartec Balaclava

* No-see-um headnet

* Two Pairs of Thorlo Light Hiking Socks (they dry pretty quickly and are changed often)

* One Pair of Wool Hiking Socks (used on cold nights in camp, socks double as mittens)

* Snacks

* ID, Money, Car Keys, and House Key in Ziploc Plastic Sandwich Bag

* Casio QV-120 Digital Camera

* Map of current area

* Synthetic T-shirt

* Nylon Swim Suit

* Thorlo Light Hiking Socks

* One Sport Rimrock Trail Running Shoes (about 20 oz per size 11-1/2 shoe)

* REI Trekking Poles (personal preference; you'll either love having them or hate them!)

* Watch

* Outdoor Research Seattle Sombrero (GoreTex broadbrim hat that offers protection from both sun and rain)

Core, taken on just about every trip; I usually eat cold food except for breakfast (coffee and Instant Breakfast mix)

* Pop Tarts (breakfast, snacks)

* Carnation French Vanilla Instant Breakfast (breakfast, mixed with coffee instead of milk)

* Bear Valley Pemmican Bars and Meal Packs(snacks, lunch; most nutritious "power bars" I've found, and very tasty)

* Salami or Summer Sausage (lunch, dinner)

* Block of Cheddar Cheese (lunch, dinner)

* Bagels (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

* Coffee Bags

* Peanut Butter & Jelly (lunch)

* English Muffins (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

* Small cans of sardines, tuna, or other meat (dinner)

* Beef Jerky (snacks, lunch, dinner)

* Lipton's Noodles or Rice and Sauce Meals ( dinner)

I recently hiked in November and comfortably survived a 16 degree night using the above mentioned clothing and my Sierra Designs sleeping bag. Hiking in winter would require much more clothing. I would also need a much heavier tent and a heavier sleeping bag, which I why I avoid winter backpacking.

From: Michael Connick, 01/21/98

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Everything But The Kitchen Sink 101

I really like your web site because I think it's time for people to stop lugging everything they can into the woods.

I took a class this semester in backpacking. Several of us did this as kind of a joke. It was no Joke!! We were givin a list of items that were required for the trip. The teacher was a traditional packer. I left a few items out, but my pack still was over 55lbs! The class covered 5 miles in 2 days. Hey, at least each of us had our own 4 pound fry pan!!

Any way, I'm sure we could swap stories for hours about backpackers who carry igloo coolers and such.

Time to enjoy the woods and not the gear.

In closing, keep up the good work on the site.

From: Brian Finch, 12/26/97
e-mail: bfinch1@ic3.ithaca.edu

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Eric's Innovations

....... this is my first post here, although I've visited the website a number of times over the last 1 1/2 years or so. I credit it with helping me reduce my initial gear list from 75 (!) pounds to 48 pounds (including food and water) for my first real adult hiking trip, a week on Isle Royale, last May.

In addition to the tips I've picked up here and elsewhere, I've come up with a number of innovations on my own.

1. Tarp and Poncho: On Isle Royale, I didn't bother with a tent. I just took a nylon tarp and a military poncho, and a 34 oz. thinsulate sleeping bag. The poncho snapped around the sleeping bag and with the tarp overhead I stayed as dry as anyone, despite typically rainy mid-May conditions. I also had a standard military poncho liner I wrapped around the sleeping bag.

Problem: The sleeping bag I used is _almost_ waterproof, and combined with the poncho tended to hold in sweat. I kept waking up around 3 AM with my midsection soaked in sweat. (The bag was rated to -5 celsius, low temps were usually around -2 to +2 celsius). Eventually I learned to reduce this problem by keeping the bag open so as to allow limited air circulation.

The poncho doubled as rain gear and the tarp made a good windbreak and gave my camp rain protection before turning in at night. The 6' X 8' tarp weighs 19 oz., the poncho is 21 oz. Each costs $25-30.

2. Hammock: One luxury that I WILL NOT go hiking without is a lightweight 8.5 oz. hammock (unless I'm in a treeless area :-)

These hammocks can be purchased from Brigade Quartermaster or Elite Force for $9-13. They are a simple nylon mesh with a metal ring and nylon cord at each end, and are rated to 500 lbs. I love being able to relax in it at the end of a hard hike, or even during a short break right on the trail - it only takes a moment to throw up. In rain you can throw a tarp up by the trail, sling the hammock underneath and relax in comfort while basking in the envious stares of hikers passing in the muck beside you :-)

Believe me, being able to lie down or sit upright in the hammock is MUCH better than lugging those silly camp chairs or stools that weight 2 to 4 times as much and are less versatile and comfortable.

3. Walking sticks: I don't spend big bucks for heavy metal sticks found in stores. I have two I picked up on Isle Royale after being warned I would need both for balance in the swamps and beaver dam crossings of the Minong Ridge. (They were right.)

One is pine, 5.6 oz. The other is some sort of deciduous wood, perhaps ironwood, and weighs 7.8 oz. It is a little more sturdy, but I would not trust either with my full 170 lb. weight. They are quite adequate for my normal use.

My (walking stick) experience, as a young male (w. healthy knees :-), is:

a. Walking sticks are unnecessary on flat trails.

b. They are best used on hilly country (both up and down) for balance and so the arms can assist the legs in raising the body on uphill portions. Without the walking sticks I was huffing and puffing and had to stop after climbing a ridge. With them I was able to power my way up and keep going at a comfortable pace without a break.

c. Walking sticks are also a must in swampy, boggy ground and helpful crossing difficult spots where they can be used as probes or for balance.

d. On very rough trails they are not useful because you will need your hands free for scrambling, and they will tend to snag on things if strapped to a pack.

4. Trail Boat: Do boating and ultralight hiking go together? They can with a Sevylor Trail Boat ($60)! I've only had a chance to test this thing once, but I look forward to using it on the trail. The trail boat is an inflatable 1-person craft rated to 100 kg. (220 lb.) It has two air chambers, and comes with two very short paddles and a versatile storage bag/air pump/wet bag. The paddles are used in a sort of ski stroke fashion. It isn't as fast as two people in a canoe but it works surprisingly well. The storage bag works astonishingly well as an air pump (I won't explain how here, but trust me it is MUCH easier than foot pumps or the huff & puff method.) The paddles attach with cords to D-rings on the boat so they can't float away. One other thing. I've found that partially inflated the boat makes a great sleep mattress, thicker than any self-inflating mattress and with a nice pillow effect for the head. And it just fits within my REI Cyclops goretex bivy.

The best part? The boat, storage bag/pump, air tube and paddles total less than 69 oz. Kayakers and canoeists eat your heart out. I look forward to taking the trail boat with me back to Isle Royale this fall.

5. Sterno: Why mess with lightweight cook stoves and fuel cannisters when a cheap can of sterno weighs 8 oz. or less? Just pop the lid off the can, stick a match in to light the gel, no fuss, no messing around. It only takes me a moment to pile rocks around the can to form a foundation to put my titanium cook pot on, and the sterno doesn't leave any soot or anything to clean off the cookware. One full 8 oz. can of Sterno will boil at least 6 potfuls of water (the pot holds 18 oz.).

6. Trail Runners: I've switched to Vitesse Trail Runners in place of heavy hiking boots. They offered me superb ankle support on a very rocky, uneven trail along the Bruce Peninsula in their first use last fall. My pair (male size 10 1/2) weigh in at 26.6 oz. and are much more comfortable than any boots I've used. I use goretex socks in rain, BTW. The shoes cost $90, goretex socks run $30-40.

7. LinerSocks: Likewise, I just wear a single pair of lightweight liner socks (1.2 oz. per pair) rather than heavier hiking socks (3-4 oz. or more) that most people use.

8. Waterless wet towelettes: (about 1/10 oz. per packet) are great for cleaning up after meals or after getting your hands dirty on the trail. Nitro-pak Preparedness Center sells them, and I imagine many restaurant suppliers offer inexpensive packs of them as well.

9. SpyderCo makes nice high quality, lightweight knives. My SpyderCo Delica knife has a 3.5" serrated blade (extremely sharp) and weights in at 1.8 oz. A Leatherman Micra tool weighs about 1.8 oz. as well, and has most of the tools on a jackknife. The Delica costs $38, the Micra is $20.

10. Towels: I use a Pertex camp towel that is 32" X 44" and weighs only 2 OUNCES. It looks like a thin sheet of nylon but it really works. It functions by wicking water from the skin. It won't get you bone dry but neither does a regular towel, and the pertex towel does well enough that a few more moments exposed to the air is enough for the skin to finish drying. The towel is kinda clammy feeling, but at 2 oz. it can't be beat. It is large enough for use as a bath towel. Got it from Elite Force for about $16.

11. Water Purifiers: My personal opinion is that the PUR Voyageur ($70) has the best ergonomics and compact, robust design. It weighs less than a pound including bag, tubes and charcoal filter module. If you are on a budget or don't need fine filtration capability, Coughlan's Water Filter costs $20 and weighs less than 6 ozs. It is much less advanced than other filters (lets larger stuff through) and seems to clog up fast but it got me through Isle Royale OK.

12. Optics: I use an 8X Russion KGB monocular that weighs 3.5 oz. and costs $50 from Sovietski Collection. Even lighter 6X and 8X monoculars are now available at roughly similar pricing.

13. Pocket 911. Campmor at www.campmor.com sells these nifty things for $6-7. They weigh 7/10 of an ounce and include a whistle, thermometer and compass all in one little keyring widget. I usually keep it attached to one of my pack zippers. Good as a backup compass, emergency whistle and gives at least a rough idea what the temperature is.

14. Flashlights: since I switched to extended wear contact lenses after losing a contact one night while camping, I don't have a strong need for a headlamp. (Headlamps are a virtual necessity if you want to place and remove contact lenses in your tent.) I've had several lousy experiences with headlamps batteries dying on me, especially in wet weather, prematurely. So I switch to a Russian Dynamo flashlight. At 7 oz. it is about twice as heavy but it does not use batteries. It is very solidly built and reliable. There is a simple broad/narrow beam switch. It gives off a whiny noise and you wouldn't want to read a book with it (you have to keep pumping it with your hand constantly) but for walking a trail or looking through a pack or general nighttime camp use it is perfect. My first one was stolen by some kids, I ended up getting three more (one for my car, one for camping/house use and one as a gift). They cost $10-11 from Nitro-Pak, Major Armor Surplus, etc.

15. Cameras: Olympus Stylus is less than 7 oz., and I understand they have one version (Stylus Epic?) that is around 5 oz. if you are willing to cough up $ for it. The Stylus cost me $100. The Stylus has a compact, sleek and weatherproof design perfect for hiking.

From: Eric Blievernicht, 02/01/98
e-mail: BLIEVEE@fhsmtp.fh.trw.com

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Macho vs. Longevity

".... I certainly agree that head-down, straining like a mule under a big pack is hardly a way to enjoy the journey. I consider how I got into heavy loads: I made my first backpacking trips before I had any gear, so I didn't carry much. When I was 17, I did a week-long trip on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon with only a grocery bag with food. No sleeping bag, no shelter. I lit a fire at night.

Gradually, I started collecting equipment. I loved having the right stuff, and enjoyed the feeling of strength it gave me to power up a long grade under a load. I liked the lift that came when the pack was dropped. I liked the pictures of me with a pack that towered over my head. (Naive, silly, 25 years ago!) Even when the macho-image thing wore off, I went into the bush equipped with a minor biology lab: books, notebooks, magnifiers, plant press, dip net, specimen jars, camera or cameras, tripod... I could do it then. I'd go for three or four weeks at a time. After a summer in the Wind River Range, I weighed my pack without food and water and it was 70 pounds. I thought that was terrific, little guy like me hefting loads like that.

Of course I grew out of that phase too, and now I'm more interested in protecting my body and, as you say, making it last. I don't bounce as well as I used to but I still have stamina if I keep the load down. Time for rethinking and retooling.

Cheers,

From: jeremy schmidt, 02/21/98
e-mail: jschmidt@wyoming.com

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Pack was Way too Heavy!

Dear Charles, I just wanted to write you and say what a great site this is. I just got back from my first real 3-day backpacking trip (with my brother and friend) into the Mountain Lakes Wilderness in Southern Oregon. As I write this, I'm nursing my blistered feet, sore shoulders, sunburned neck, aching knees....I wish that I had seen this website a week ago. I think just about everyone needs to go through the "kitchen sink" hike before they see the light.

Just for the entertainment value, here is what I did.

My pack was hideous. I had no concept of weight just as long as I could attach it on somewhere. I had an additional little army backpack filled with junk strapped to the main pack. Some of the more ridiculous items included a ten pound sleeping bag, a coffee pot, a steel pot, aluminum griddle, a big hatchet (ok, small ax), folding shovel, 12 potatoes, bacon, 2 dozen eggs (in those fancy plastic egg holders of course), box of frozen capri suns, extra all-cotton clothes, a big 3 man pup tent, 1-quart metal army canteen (full) & 1-gallon canteen (full). The pack came to about 80 lbs based on the bathroom scale. This worried me a little (especially the complex engineering process I had to develop to get the pack on my shoulders) but hey, I looked cool with that sleeping bag towering over my head.....just like one of those extreme Mt. Everest adventure climbers on The Discovery Channel.

On the way to the trailhead, I got to thinking and started getting real nervous about the weight. I really didn't have a clue how far we were hiking, how long it would take or how steep the mountain was. Luckily just before we took off, I dumped the ax, shovel, tent, extra external bag and metal pot. I still think it must have been 60 plus pounds with the water. It felt like a hundred after about 50 yards.

I'm sure you can guess the rest of the story. The hike was miserable (of course I enjoyed it though). Oh, and after hiking the trail along side a good sized stream for about 2 miles, I final realized "gee, I outta dump out this gallon canteen of water".

My biggest mistake was thinking "I'm going camping and need to take everything possible to be comfortable camping. Hiking is secondary." However, in retrospect, I should have thought "I'm going hiking and need to leave as much stuff as possible to be comfortable hiking. Camping is secondary."

As a side note (not related to pack weight) we didn't find our trail out so just casually decided to hike about 2 miles due west "through the boonies" until we hit the main road. It was all downhill and we estimated about an hour hiking and only took a quart of water each. We ended up walking about 1 mile (3 hours) through solid chest high manzanita (buck brush) down the side of a steep mountain in the blazing hot sun at 2:00. None of us had long pants and you literally had to walk through the middle of the bushes. I seriously thought about dumping my entire pack and just taking the finacial loss.

But we finally made it, and as I write this and look at your webpage the Monday after, I can't wait to do it all again:)

From: Ron Buckingham, 07/24/00
e-mail: srichmnd@medford.net

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