less kit

[sapper1]

Recently I decide to lighten my load and carry as little as possible yet still carry everything that I needed.So from a full 100 litre pack for a weekend I now have a 35 litre sack that will see me for a week ,including food but not water.
I still carry :
4 season sleeping bag
4x3 tarp
self inflating sleep mat
groundsheet
full cooking kit for one
gas stove and fuel for coffee making
FAK
fire lighting kit
uco lantern
food for a week
water filter
large knife
small necker
small folding saw
spoon knife
Wash kit
Spare clothes
water proofs
bivi bag
And it all fits into a 35 litre sack and doesnt weight that much.

Most of the kit is lightweight but also chosen because it will be durable,all I have done is taken out the things I used to take "just in case".
The biggest space and weight saver was the sleeping bag,I now use a downd bag instead of synthetic.I know there isn't much need for a 4 season bag all year round but if it gets too warm then I can open the zip or sleep under or on it.If I t gets too cold and I only have a 2/3 season bag then I'm in for a cold night.
Has anybody else lightened the load they carry?Does anybody have any weight saving ideas?

 

[locum76]

Thats much the same kit that I use. I always take a book or two with me aswell. I can't fathom why folk would want to lug a full 100ltr pack through glens and over mountains.

 

[lostplanet]

Smaller sleeping bag and get a lightweight liner in silk for an extra season if you need it.

It's easier to clean a liner than the sleeping bag, do you really need a ground sheet?

and swap the waterproofs (assuming goretex) for a lightwieght US poncho which can be your Ground sheet too.

I suppose you could go down the Hammock road.

 

[Toddy]

Hear, hear

The only time I take the full bhoona is when I'm car camping.

I think the clothes you choose to take with you are crucial though.
Layers of natural materials and something really waterproof, just in case.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[sapper1]

I used to use a hammock but still can't see haow a hammock will be lighter than ground dwelling
Hammock
tarp
sleeping mat
sleeping bag
OR
tarp
bivi bag
sleeping mat
sleeping bag
the hammock and ties would need to be lighter than the bivi bag to offer any improvement over ground dwelling.

A thin silk liner won't increase the season rating on any sleeping bag unless it is a really thick one ,if they did then people would be using two liner to equal a 2 season bag.But I agree they are brilliant at keeping your sleeping bag clean.
In the summer a ground sheet isn't neccessary but is almost essential in the winter.Especially in South Wales.

 

[sapper1]

Choice of clothes is very important as these consist of an extra warm and waterproof layer on really cold nights.I tend to wear clothes that are comfortable and fast drying also I use a snugpak sleeka jacket,I've never been cold in that even sat around at minus 5 with no campfire.

 

[lostplanet]

Fair comment, but I think needle sports would choose there words carefully when advertising products for climbers..

http://www.needlesports.com/acatalog/Sleeping_Bag_Accessories.html

don't think you get the same air trapping effect from 2 liners

 

[sapper1]

I think it's a bit of a bushcraft myth ,much the same a the solar still.You're right,It's the air you trap that keeps you warm and you're not going to trap any air between two liners,And none between the sleeping bag and the liner.Silk drapes very well so you'll still have any gaps between your body and the sleeping bag as if you weren't using one.
Back on topic.
I made a great weight saving by cutting down to just one pot and a small gas stove,I have to carry a gas cannister but a 110g cannister will last me a week making 3 cups of coffee a day,You know what it's like first thing in the morning,a nice cuppa ,then get the fire going again ready for breakfast.

 

[Ahjno]

I'm working my way down on the scales. I started with a fully loaded Karimor Sabre 65-100 (and still missed kit). In summer I can manage with my 2 Lowe Alpine Sting sidepockets (total 20 ltr) for about 2-3 days.

I went out friday for a 2 day trip (forgot dinner, so I went back home yesterday ) and brought my hammock (bulky!!!) and Ajungilak Komfort (215cm), 3 season bag: it filled up more than half of my pack And for the time out I found it too heavy.

Seen a cracking new rucksack (40 ltr) - orange, fits perfect and am wondering if I can pack it for an "indefinite" (sort-ish) trip in the UK (mostly doing hillwalking).

I'm very interested to see how you deal with a weeks worth of food and the make of sleeping bag you use!

 

[Shewie]

I did the thinning out thing a couple of years ago, then I bought a canoe and everything got thrown back in the pack again.

I go through phases, sometimes I like to be quick and light and then other times I like to have the toys or the extras to play with.

It's either the full on titanium mentality or the cast iron depending on where I'm headed.

 

[sapper1]

The sleeping bag is a cheapy from mountain warehouse,it's their everset model.I bought it to see how I got on with it.I'm happy with it so far but we haven't had any cold weather yet.As for food,I use a lot of dried pasta meals and ration pack meals,I also take dried fruit and porridge and rice meals.Tea and coffee don't take up that much room or weight.If I was using a base camp then I'd either carry a bit more in side pockets or use local shops.

 

[sapper1]

I find that my sleeping kit is what takes up most space in my sack.I'm looking for a 4 season bag that packs down to the size of a one season bag and weighs the same as a silk liner.Anybody know of one?

 

[Gumbob]

Your kit is very similar to mine other than the sleeping bag. I use a 2/3 season even in winter. I get away with this by filling my aluminium water bottle with hot water, stuffing it into a pair of socks and throwing it down the bottom of my sleeping bag just before hitting the sack. In the morning you have luke warm water to wash with and if there is any left its already been boiled so its safe to drink.

HTH............Ian

 

[Nonsuch]

I'm amazed. The last time I did a backpack up in the mountains, I had - inside the rucsack : down 3 season sleeping bag, minimal spare clothes (not enough - I was cold), first aid kit, water filter, overnight food (dehydrated), size 27 trangia, water bottle, waterproofs, fleece, headtorch, hat, gloves - no knives, no saw, no lantern, no wash kit, no bivi bag - and that was my 75l rucsack more or less full, then I had a thermarest and tent strapped on the outside ! How does it all fit in to a 35l bag ?

NS

 

[sapper1]

Careful packing and leaving no gaps.

 

[Humpback]

Sapper1
What do you use for the ground sheet? (material and size)
Alan

 

[lostplanet]

Food for a week would take up 30 liters of my bag!

poncho to replace goretex and ground sheet?

 

[lostplanet]

Sapper did you have a softie 9 Hawk?, been searching around for light bags now i've seen this I bloddy want one!

 

[sapper1]

Sapper1
What do you use for the ground sheet? (material and size)
Alan

Heavy duty pvc groundsheet 8x6 from go outdoors,It's heavy but very hard wearing.I'm considering cutting it down so it is just the right size to protect my bivi and sleeping mat.

 

[Paul_B]

Don't bother get polycro for the groundsheet as its very light and still tought but cheapish. Winwoods outdoors in Keswick sell them online. Alternatively google Team IO as he does UL tarps and groundsheets / UL tent footprints for common lightweight tents too.

If you have a cheap source of plastic (like I do at work) you can get some light stuff that can be used then slung out when damaged.

Sleeping bags? Why do you need one when a quilt is good enough with a camp mat. I'm a new convert and you can't knock a 600g quilt that will take you down to 0C or -7C if you believe their hype. A Golite one. Light and very practical IMHO. You can open it up if hot or tuck it under snugly in the cold. Plus being open underneath it can cope with larger people and also with extra clothes if it does get cold. In most UL sleeping bags you can hardly get into them if you are big let alone get extra layers on. A quilt doesn't have the same problems. I got mine in XL too and half price (only £100 instead of £285 that the latest updated version now costs). Check out Outdoors Warehouse in Windermere from time to time asa they sell marmot and golite stuff cheaply and you might pick up a good, light sleeping bag cheaply like I did (or a quilt in my case).

I have heard of adventure racers (OMM and LAMM competitors) who in their two man teams carry a two skin tent, sleeping bags, food, pots, stoves and gas enough for 3 days cooking and spare for a brew at the end (or disqualification). They can have kit checks at the start too. Anyway, I heard of a team who had one guy carrying it in a 20litre sack and the other guy carrying a 10litre sack. Now that is what I call SUL camping. They are nutters though IMHO.