Planning Lightening my load

[boisdevie]

Puritabs instead of water filter = lighter weight.
Why such a big knife? Unless you're planning on battening wood (and the Victorinox might not be up to that) if you really need a blade how about a craft knife or a Stanley Knife blade?
Why a Jetboil? Why not a wood stove with a titanium pot?

 

[MikeLA]

Wet wipes are incredibly handy and a fantastic solution to the problems of hygiene in the wild. But my personal view is that they are not realy nessasary for an overnighter. As I said a damp muslin in a ziplock is just as effective, More ecco friendly,and you are not putting plastics into the environment, as they do have to be disposed of at some point. I know it's a contentious issue for some but it needn't be. I simply ask how did we cope before wet wipes?
I have issues with plastic as it gets into everything, even prawns in the Antarctic have been found to have plastic in them. If there is an alternative we should use it and I'd like to encourage others to follow suite.
A muslin cloth costs a few pence in home bargains is reusable and can be composted at the end of its life. Win Win.
Yes you might point out the plastic ziplock bag and I am willing to take alternative suggestions.

I like carrying wet wipes for emergency use and I leave nothing behind never have and before these were used probably a flannel sufficed.

 

[Woody girl]

I like carrying wet wipes for emergency use and I leave nothing behind never have and before these were used probably a flannel sufficed.

My point about wet wipes is that they have to be disposed of at some point. If you take them home and bin them then they go into landfill and if you burn them you are burning plastics.. not a great idea!
I'd like to know if there are ecco friendly ones out there maybe laced with tea tree or lavender oil to add an antibacterial element. I'd buy and use those. They are very handy I must admit but I realy try to be totally aware of my footprint everywhere in every aspect of my life.
A muslin cloth and soap leaves are also lighter than even a small pack of wet wipes.

 

[MrEd]

No spare socks or underwear because I wear wool socks. At night I take them off, rub them up and put them back on inside out. At night, the thermal long john's take the place of the days underwear, which are under-armour antibacterial.

I don't wash when I'm out overnight other than brushing my teeth morning and evening. I have been known to not wash for over a week, other than a splash of water here and there. I don't use wet wipes I use a small bar of soap and a sweat rag as a cloth.

Remember Janne, everybody does things slightly differently. My way of doing things is only right for me. It doesn't need to be right for you......

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I use a small bar of soap and a Bar glass towel from a pub lol.

Works for me!

Totally agree with what works for you, works for you and what works for someone else is what works for them. We are all individuals with different standards, ideas and life experiences. There is no particular right and wrong way I don’t think

 

[MikeLA]

Definite as said just take puritabs your one water bottle for one overnighter will probably be enough or just boil more. Weather has got cold again that’s the area to concentrate on.
A warm night sleep!

 

[Woody girl]

Just googled ecco wipes and found some by sea to summit for £1.80p expensive ... but if you have to have them perhaps these are the answer. Sorry no idea how to post a link. They have aloe Vera so should be moisturising aswell, and are biodegradable.
Perhaps I can persuade all you confirmed wet wipe addicts to give them a go?

 

[MikeLA]

I use biodegradable ones but still bring them home. Don’t like to anything as mentioned.

 

[Van-Wild]

Puritabs instead of water filter = lighter weight.
Why such a big knife? Unless you're planning on battening wood (and the Victorinox might not be up to that) if you really need a blade how about a craft knife or a Stanley Knife blade?
Why a Jetboil? Why not a wood stove with a titanium pot?

Water filter because if I find my only water has matter suspended in it, I'll need to filter it out. Then boil to purify. I agree puritabs are lighter if the water I find is clear....

My choice of knife? It's my only pocket knife. I like the larger blade. It's stainless steel. The 78 also has a very good saw and tweezers, and a tooth pick...

Why Jetboil? Because it's my gas stove of choice. I may not be able to light a small fire where I decide to sleep, so the Jetboil is the faster, simpler option. Plus, I will stop for a brew at lunch time no doubt and firing up the Jetboil on a bench wherever I find myself is better accepted by other people than burning twigs etc in my wood stove. With all that said, I don't own any titanium either.....

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[Woody girl]

I use biodegradable ones but still bring them home. Don’t like to anything as mentioned.

Brilliant. Now you need a bamboo toothbrush and your set!

 

[Woody girl]

Van-Wild had you thought about a milbank? Mine cost £8 second hand army surplus. That would sort the filtering out and then just a boil as normal to sterilise the water. I also use a water to go bottle. It was a gift so I'm not sure of the price but they are realy good. Murky water comes out clear and you can drink straight from the bottle. I use that for our moorland water for extra safety . No boiling or puritabs needed.

 

[Janne]

Bamboo toothbrush.
Tried it. Could not stand the weird feeling when the bamboo part touched my teeth.

Similar feeling to the old ‘finger nails on blackboard’ trick.

We can not avoid using plastic to a degree. Sadly.

 

[MrEd]

Water filter because if I find my only water has matter suspended in it, I'll need to filter it out. Then boil to purify. I agree puritabs are lighter if the water I find is clear....

My choice of knife? It's my only pocket knife. I like the larger blade. It's stainless steel. The 78 also has a very good saw and tweezers, and a tooth pick...

Why Jetboil? Because it's my gas stove of choice. I may not be able to light a small fire where I decide to sleep, so the Jetboil is the faster, simpler option. Plus, I will stop for a brew at lunch time no doubt and firing up the Jetboil on a bench wherever I find myself is better accepted by other people than burning twigs etc in my wood stove. With all that said, I don't own any titanium either.....

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I have had my jetboil circa 8 or so years and use it weekly, if I lost it I would replace it in a heart beat. Great bit of kit

 

[Van-Wild]

Van-Wild had you thought about a milbank? Mine cost £8 second hand army surplus. That would sort the filtering out and then just a boil as normal to sterilise the water. I also use a water to go bottle. It was a gift so I'm not sure of the price but they are realy good. Murky water comes out clear and you can drink straight from the bottle. I use that for our moorland water for extra safety . No boiling or puritabs needed.

I use a sawyer filter. Very good. I used to have a milbank. Lost it. Got a newer version. Lost it.....

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[MrEd]

Van-Wild had you thought about a milbank? Mine cost £8 second hand army surplus. That would sort the filtering out and then just a boil as normal to sterilise the water. I also use a water to go bottle. It was a gift so I'm not sure of the price but they are realy good. Murky water comes out clear and you can drink straight from the bottle. I use that for our moorland water for extra safety . No boiling or puritabs needed.

Millbank os excellent, I have one in my pack permanently, I keep a carabiner and some cord to hang it up inside it and puritabs in it too.

I carry 2 water bottles, one to catch ‘un-sterilised’ water in for boiling and one to pour the boiled water into

 

[Woody girl]

How the heck do you loose two milbanks? ? ????

 

[Van-Wild]

How the heck do you loose two milbanks? ? ????

Dunno. If I knew the answer to that I'd go back and get them.......

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[Barney Rubble]

I'm planning an overnighter in two weeks time. My last one I was carrying my normal stuff and got to thinking I should have a go at going light or ultralight. Just to see how it goes. I've not got any fancy UL titanium or such like. I will just scale everything down as best I can. Here's what I intend to take, everyone's thoughts would be appreciated...

20 ltr eurohike day pack
1 ltr waterbottle
Jetboil
British army jungle sleeping bag
Snugpak SF Bivi Bag
3/4 self inflating roll mat
Jerven original
Victorinox Rangergrip 78
Down jacket
Wool hat
Gloves
Head torch
Thermal top n bottoms
Food - coffee, dried pasta meal, easyoats
Water filter
Small first aid kit


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I thought that was an eminently sensible kit list. Personaly, I'd change a couple of things. I'd think carefully about the sleeping bag, if you're down south then I suspect it'll be fine with your thermals and down jacket. But up t'north, it might still be a tad chilly for a one season bag, especially if you're pitching up in an exposed location.

I'm not so sure about the jerven bag and bivy bag combo. seems like there's a bit of duplication there. I'd keep one option and swap the other for a small tarp. I appreciate the jerven bag doubles as a tarp but, I understand they can be a bit heavy?

It's been mentioned already but.....poo kit! I'm with Woody Girl and would opt for some tissue paper. I stopped using wet wipes a while back owing to environmental concerns and the fact they're fairly expensive for what they are.

As for the sock debate. I agree with Janne, regardless of the time of year, I always pack a spare pair of socks to change into at night. It's just a nice feeling to be putting on a nice dry pair of socks before bed. Reduces potential condensation issues in the bivvy and also makes for a much warmer night in the winter!

Have a good'un!

 

[Woody girl]

I've just checked the rating of the bag you intend to use. I'm not a user of army bags myself so I didn't think about it. The rating is a min of 3 degrees. It depends how warm you sleep but I would worry about that as barney rubble says. Dampness can mean that feels a lot colder and wind will add to that too. Even with a bivvy. Now I understand your thermals for sleeping in. I'd still be tempted to take a warmer bag or failing that a wool blanket or good sleeping bag liner to be sure. I have a cheap and nasty one season bag that I use as a bag liner and I'm always cosy. I think it cost about £7 in aldi as part of their summer camping range. DEFIANTLY take an emergency blanket if you are only taking the jungle bag. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Woody girl]

The reflective car windscreen sheild under your mat is a brilliant and cheap idea too. It realy works. It protects the mat from punctures and adds quite a bit of warmth by reflecting the warmth from your body that you might loose to the ground back to you. You need to insulate yourself from the ground as effectively as possible.

 

[Van-Wild]

That's the reason for the jerven bag. It has a thermal reflective coating. It will lay under my Bivi Bag and if I get chilly is the night I will pull it over me like a wrap. It's worked before....

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