I'm 5.10 about 13.3 stone. I guess I could try lose a few pounds.
Was thinking of one of those lightweight packs
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Was thinking of one of those lightweight packs
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Light weight kit
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Look to YouTube for ideas on how to save weight on your pack. The only things I carry a backup for is knives and fire.
I always have an extra Mora Companion and folding knife, and I have two kits with different types of tinder (jute twine, petroleum jelly soaked cotton balls, magnesium/ferro rod block, matches, fatwood) in case I'm in a worse situation than planned.
If you are by yourself, there is no need for a lot of cooking gear. A spare Mylar blanket weighs next to nothing.
I always have an extra Mora Companion and folding knife, and I have two kits with different types of tinder (jute twine, petroleum jelly soaked cotton balls, magnesium/ferro rod block, matches, fatwood) in case I'm in a worse situation than planned.
If you are by yourself, there is no need for a lot of cooking gear. A spare Mylar blanket weighs next to nothing.
I must add this is for hill walking and wild camping as opposed to bushcrafting in the woods. And walking for as long as my poorly knee will let me ;(
I've been battling the knee problem in a serious way for the past seven years or so, my right knee is very badly damaged; I tried the lightweight gear route and it made not a lot of difference at all, so I had a big re-think and took advice from a sports doctor I know in Germany. His advice was immediate and simple - he said lose at least a stone of body weight, and use at least one staff or walking pole; a pair is optimal but one in the hand
opposite the side of the injured leg is almost as beneficial.
I took his advice and lost a little more than a stone, and learnt to keep a pole or staff in use all the time and the difference was amazing, and kicked in in a very short time. I went back to my issue PRI 45 pack and can now walk ten miles with around the twenty kilo mark if I'm out for a week or so, and I'm now carrying the gear I feel comfortable with (which is NOT the lightweight stuff!).
It took a while to get used to using a stick/pole, but it was the thing that made the most difference, especially when walking downhill; it's also
dual-purpose as I use it for pitching the tarp and a good pole weighs nothing.
I do still rely on co-codamol, but not to anything like the same extent as before and I don't get anything like the same grief from my knee as I did.
opposite the side of the injured leg is almost as beneficial.
I took his advice and lost a little more than a stone, and learnt to keep a pole or staff in use all the time and the difference was amazing, and kicked in in a very short time. I went back to my issue PRI 45 pack and can now walk ten miles with around the twenty kilo mark if I'm out for a week or so, and I'm now carrying the gear I feel comfortable with (which is NOT the lightweight stuff!).
It took a while to get used to using a stick/pole, but it was the thing that made the most difference, especially when walking downhill; it's also
dual-purpose as I use it for pitching the tarp and a good pole weighs nothing.
I do still rely on co-codamol, but not to anything like the same extent as before and I don't get anything like the same grief from my knee as I did.
given that the heaviest thing you will carry is your food, take up car camping etc. Enjoyable and use it like a base camp for other things.
I sympathise with this problem because of advancing years. For 60 years I've tried to reduce the weight of my pack, but despite new technology I still seem to carry about 11kg for wild camping. Some of this has to do with safety extras like GPS and phone which are relatively new to me, but it is also to do with comfort. Whereas once I could do without a sleeping pad, my old bones make it a necessity. I feel the cold more and take an extra layer. I now carry a trecking pole for the knee issue which I never used to. Some of the additional weight is to do with a better carrying system. I swopped a climbing pack the weighed just over 1 kg for a framed pack at just over 2kg but it is less tiring to carry and has cured backache after a long day.
When I realised that had my pack weight down to the minimum possible consistent with safety and the level of comfort I wanted, I began to look elsewhere to reduce the weight I carry. I went on a diet and lost 2 stone. ie the weight of my pack. Its like carrying nothing!
When I realised that had my pack weight down to the minimum possible consistent with safety and the level of comfort I wanted, I began to look elsewhere to reduce the weight I carry. I went on a diet and lost 2 stone. ie the weight of my pack. Its like carrying nothing!
Spending money is the easy way to reduce the weight of gear. These days the technology is at a level where one can easily buy low weight. However, it doesn't have to be that way. Early ultralight backpackers did it with cheap gear. The way to do it is to remove unnecessary items.
Here is a gear list that weighs 5.9 kg (12.9 pounds) and costs about $450: http://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/2013/10/beginners-guide-to-affordable-bushcraft.html
Also, here is my current gear list which weighs 5.7 kg (12.5 lb):
[video=youtube;m8o95Dug4rY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8o95Dug4rY&feature=sh are&list=UUHwqpNW2tAasbtQnm8Si pjQ[/video]
Here is a gear list that weighs 5.9 kg (12.9 pounds) and costs about $450: http://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/2013/10/beginners-guide-to-affordable-bushcraft.html
Also, here is my current gear list which weighs 5.7 kg (12.5 lb):
[video=youtube;m8o95Dug4rY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8o95Dug4rY&feature=sh are&list=UUHwqpNW2tAasbtQnm8Si pjQ[/video]
Keep all the stuff you love and buy one of these: http://littlegreentracs.typepad.com/my_weblog/2011/05/long-distance-hikers-trolleys.html
There is no shame in it if your knees are shot, your knees are shot and you can continue doing things the way you like without going light.
There is no shame in it if your knees are shot, your knees are shot and you can continue doing things the way you like without going light.
1kg tent is not a tent but a coffin. My siltarp is 600g with stakes, hammock 800g with suspension and acesories. Compare that to a tent with ground sheet, proper stakes and a small tarp as a vestibule. Also a bag for your kit because you have to keep it outside. Also if you want to compare 400 quid tent with a tarp hammock setup, you can go cuben fiber tarp and ul hammock that will go below 700g.
Rant over. Back to the topic
With tarp/hammock surely you still need to consider the added weight of the Underquilt as well?
It's easy to get rather too caught up in the whole ultralight thing of you're not careful (and believe me, I know: my UL rucksack weighs 143g ), but the most important thing you can do is to weigh your gear.
Weigh what you use now, then take a look at lighter options and see where the substantial gains can be made. It's easy to do this on a spreadsheet.
I hesitate to make specific gear recommendations, they can be such personal things, but definitely get the scales out and make a list of weights. A site like Ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk is very handy because they show the weight of the gear they sell, so that should help you to get an idea of where to concentrate on trimming the ounces.
), but the most important thing you can do is to weigh your gear. Weigh what you use now, then take a look at lighter options and see where the substantial gains can be made. It's easy to do this on a spreadsheet.
I hesitate to make specific gear recommendations, they can be such personal things, but definitely get the scales out and make a list of weights. A site like Ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk is very handy because they show the weight of the gear they sell, so that should help you to get an idea of where to concentrate on trimming the ounces.
I agree and disagree with a lot of things said here and i took the lightweight road some years ago.
And indeed you can spend a lot of money.
But there are some rules made which are pretty logic.
What will you be doing, how long and in which weather conditions? Aka what do you expect your gear to do?
Lightweight and ultra lightweight hikers set goals and making miles, eat,hike, sleep, eat, hike, sleep etc. No staying in the woods spending time on building shelters,
do some woodwork, or find food. Not even thinking about creating sparks to light something. A lighter will do.
So a lot of what you will read is set in that frame.
Knowlegde weighs nothing. Read and learn (Ray Jardine, and many blogs, pacific and crest trail hikers, andrew skurka, Hendrik Morkel of Hiking in finland etc) and try simple solutions first in your back yard. Experience where your border between comfort, safety, and weight is. Do you really need a full tang knive for opening freeze dried food bags? A victorinox classic will do, right? Are you comfortable sleeping on just a blanket or simple foam pad or backproblems and on the lookout for a cheap neo air x-treme so that you can rest and keep going?
With more knowlegde and experience the lighter you will be able to hike specialized for your needs.
As said buy a good acurate scale. And weigh everything and ask yourself if there would be a lighter option.
Cutting of your thoothbrush and using thooth powder and putting it in a drinking straw sounds stupid but it safes a little, doing this with every piece of gear safes a lot. Just go over the gear you have already have and see what you can safe before running to the shop. Its fun! Believe me. And yes, its nerdy but that the route)
DIY with simple tricks you can safe a lot of weight or make custom gear to suit your needs. Making a catcan alcohol stove is fun, and weighs 10 grams learning about caloric values of fuel, safes.
When all is less bulky and weighs less, then the need for a new pack is a logical step.
So have fun going lighter)
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And indeed you can spend a lot of money.
But there are some rules made which are pretty logic.
What will you be doing, how long and in which weather conditions? Aka what do you expect your gear to do?
Lightweight and ultra lightweight hikers set goals and making miles, eat,hike, sleep, eat, hike, sleep etc. No staying in the woods spending time on building shelters,
do some woodwork, or find food. Not even thinking about creating sparks to light something. A lighter will do.
So a lot of what you will read is set in that frame.
Knowlegde weighs nothing. Read and learn (Ray Jardine, and many blogs, pacific and crest trail hikers, andrew skurka, Hendrik Morkel of Hiking in finland etc) and try simple solutions first in your back yard. Experience where your border between comfort, safety, and weight is. Do you really need a full tang knive for opening freeze dried food bags? A victorinox classic will do, right? Are you comfortable sleeping on just a blanket or simple foam pad or backproblems and on the lookout for a cheap neo air x-treme so that you can rest and keep going?
With more knowlegde and experience the lighter you will be able to hike specialized for your needs.
As said buy a good acurate scale. And weigh everything and ask yourself if there would be a lighter option.
Cutting of your thoothbrush and using thooth powder and putting it in a drinking straw sounds stupid but it safes a little, doing this with every piece of gear safes a lot. Just go over the gear you have already have and see what you can safe before running to the shop. Its fun! Believe me. And yes, its nerdy but that the route
)DIY with simple tricks you can safe a lot of weight or make custom gear to suit your needs. Making a catcan alcohol stove is fun, and weighs 10 grams
learning about caloric values of fuel, safes.When all is less bulky and weighs less, then the need for a new pack is a logical step.
So have fun going lighter
)Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met behulp van Tapatalk
I agree and disagree with a lot of things said here and i took the lightweight road some years ago.
And indeed you can spend a lot of money.
But there are some rules made which are pretty logic.
What will you be doing, how long and in which weather conditions? Aka what do you expect your gear to do?
Lightweight and ultra lightweight hikers set goals and making miles, eat,hike, sleep, eat, hike, sleep etc. No staying in the woods spending time on building shelters,
do some woodwork, or find food. Not even thinking about creating sparks to light something. A lighter will do.
So a lot of what you will read is set in that frame.
Knowlegde weighs nothing. Read and learn (Ray Jardine, and many blogs, pacific and crest trail hikers, andrew skurka, Hendrik Morkel of Hiking in finland etc) and try simple solutions first in your back yard. Experience where your border between comfort, safety, and weight is. Do you really need a full tang knive for opening freeze dried food bags? A victorinox classic will do, right? Are you comfortable sleeping on just a blanket or simple foam pad or backproblems and on the lookout for a cheap neo air x-treme so that you can rest and keep going?
With more knowlegde and experience the lighter you will be able to hike specialized for your needs.
As said buy a good acurate scale. And weigh everything and ask yourself if there would be a lighter option.
Cutting of your thoothbrush and using thooth powder and putting it in a drinking straw sounds stupid but it safes a little, doing this with every piece of gear safes a lot. Just go over the gear you have already have and see what you can safe before running to the shop. Its fun! Believe me. And yes, its nerdy but that the route
DIY with simple tricks you can safe a lot of weight or make custom gear to suit your needs. Making a catcan alcohol stove is fun, and weighs 10 grams
When all is less bulky and weighs less, then the need for a new pack is a logical step.
So have fun going lighter
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great post thanks
So i thought to make some pictures of some of the stuff, which costs next to nothing but will get you going
Pop can alcohol stove.
Pot stand, made from bicycle spokes
For 5 days toothpowder in a cup (sambal) I got from the local chinese restaurant.
Deodorant and toothpowder for 3 days in a contact lens holder.
Aluminium windscreen made from a straightened party servings tray. (Sorry, don't know the english name)
Just a light, big plastic drinking cup. Free from a festival.
A rather heavy, but free stainless steel 1,5 liter pot. ( old coffee pot)
Now replaced with a titanium pot. But still made a noncost lid from an aluminium tray, for it.
Hopefully you will get some ideas going.
Good luck!
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Pop can alcohol stove.
Pot stand, made from bicycle spokes
For 5 days toothpowder in a cup (sambal) I got from the local chinese restaurant.
Deodorant and toothpowder for 3 days in a contact lens holder.
Aluminium windscreen made from a straightened party servings tray. (Sorry, don't know the english name)
Just a light, big plastic drinking cup. Free from a festival.
A rather heavy, but free stainless steel 1,5 liter pot. ( old coffee pot)
Now replaced with a titanium pot. But still made a noncost lid from an aluminium tray, for it.
Hopefully you will get some ideas going.
Good luck!
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If you want a seriously light weight cook kit contact me I am just starting up a new business making them this is not a plug for me but I know what your going through I am just finishing from recovering from knee damage 5 years ago so I sympathise
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