whats the fascination with weight?

[Man of Tanith]

First up let me say that I only have an hours walk to my permission and I as regularly go by car as on foot. I fully understand If on mountains or long distance walks the desire to lighten the load.
However it seems like we've a fascination with the weight of individual kit items and kit lists as well.
I've always since scouts run on the lift pack think expletives deleted thats too heavy or yeah I can cope with that so the weighing of kits seems a bit odd t me.
Could anyone explain where the fascination came from?

 

[MSkiba]

Because we want a regularly used, tested and trusted bag of kit, that we can take up a mountain should that be what we wanted. Prepared to camp anywhere in the UK is what I aim to have in my bag. Off course if I'm only 1 hour from the car, I will add luxuries like a camp chair.

This, its nice to find lighter kit and smaller kit, so we can either climb a mountain with it, or save on weight and space and add luxuries with us like fresh meat, a bottle or two of honey rum, naan bread etc..


Its a little bit like owning a Ferrari. Are you really going to go 180mph in the UK? but its nice to know if pushed to it you can.

 

[Man of Tanith]

Perhaps its because there isnt any mountains in Bedfordshire I miss that point
I reckon I can camp anywhere in uk with my kit but I dont weigh it past the previous stated method.
Two bottles honey rum crikey thatd finish me and I'd be static camping til my head ache went away.....

Makes sense though thanks for the post

 

[MSkiba]

Yeah Im in Manchester, but I do occasionally go cairngorms every few years and may spend 4 days there without access to my car. All of a sudden the two bottles don't seem enough for 2 people and the 4 hour walk from the car makes weight more important. I never weight my bag and only take what I will need, but lightweight stuff is more important in that situation. Don't get me wrong, I wont go paying top dollar for items made of Ti or whatever, I just use common sense when packing and choosing gear.

 

[rik_uk3]

Perhaps some people have a lot of kit but for whatever reasons can't get out so have fun drawing up theoretical 'kit lists'? Its a bit of fun and passes the time. Its also important to look at what you intend taking, 'do I have too much/little' 'What am I missing' bla bla bla.

If I win the lottery I'll just hire a couple of off duty Gurkhas to carry all my gear Make that four, two for kit and two to carry me, sadly the mind is willing but the flesh is weak these days.

 

[Big Stu 12]

I must admit... I cant see why every gram matters, it seem a bit anal to me, I don't very often walk now and tend to car camp, years ago I used to go away for a week up the lakes/Scotland with everything in one 65lr Karrimor,

This feeling has been backed up with doing a couple of weekends with just that is on the Boone Challenge.... carrying all of my food and water... yes the bed roll is the biggest thing out of the kit, but it not that heavy...

I know boys and their toys..... I've seen so many people worry about the weight of say the stove/fuel/fuel bottle... but learn to light a fire in all conditions.. some will say well you have not got a fire scar to clean up.. I say learn to do it without leaving a scar... and really save space and weight..leave the stove at home

why worry about a titanium KFS... just get your knife out and carve one you can do one in a short time and burn it after use... . or just take a spoon...

The thing that really bugs me is these people that have a wood gas stove and carry kitty litter.... whats the point....again learn to light a fire with whats about...I say that and I know it will raise a few comments...but its true...

Dont get me wrong I do like toys...and have quite a few...and yes I am now into car camping so weight is no problem to me.... and I do use D/O's, griddles and tripods.

 

[Andy T]

I spend alot of time walking in the peak district, usually around ten miles a day. So i do try to pack sensibly and keep the weight down, but like MSkiba, i won't be going down the ultralight everything must be titanium route. I can get by comfortably with the weight i carry around 25 pounds.

 

[BearInTheWoods]

As I commented on another thread, our Dads (if your Dad is now in his 70s or 80s), went camping with pre-war webbing and canvas pup tents, and thought nothing of the weight, because that's what they had. The things leaked and weighed a ton when wet. They carried old clasp knives and pump-up Primus stoves that leaked paraffin if you filled the tanks up.

We're spoilt something rotten by comparison.

 

[Clouston98]

I think things such as it cookware don't make a huge difference in comparison to stainless steel. Yes the to is lighter but when the bags on your back will you really feel a difference?

For me I think a lightweight pack makes a big difference as sometimes milliatry packs can weigh a good few kilos on their own which is suite a lot really.

 

[Big Stu 12]

OH yeah I do realise that some times there is no tree's about, to make things and use for fuel.... as I said I used to do a lot of hill walking, mountaineering, climbing and Kayaking twenty five or so years a go in the UK and in the Alps....

 

[mousey]

I suppose somethings just weigh what they weigh. Water is water - food is food they aren't going to get any lighter.

However I guess it starts with trying to save a bit of weight, folks start to measure things i.e. packs, sleeping bags, shelters and sure there are some weight saving to be had. Then some folks go abit silly with it and begin weighing spoons and chopping the handle off their toothbrush etc.

I think [like with so much in life] you just have to be sensible.

 

[BearInTheWoods]

I must confess to saving weight by carrying only 2 litres of water and a purifying pump. The purifier may sound a bit soft but I had a bit of trouble with my liver years ago (haemachromatosis) and was given a very severe talking-to by the consultant about taking water from streams, dead sheep and liver fluke played a significant part in the conversation and rather gave me the habdabs.

 

[ozzy1977]

Easier and a lot cheaper to loose a few pounds of the bloke carting the pack than it is the kit in it, I like my kit to last, most of the realy light weight kit does not look like it will.

 

[rik_uk3]

I must admit... I cant see why every gram matters, it seem a bit anal to me, I don't very often walk now and tend to car camp, years ago I used to go away for a week up the lakes/Scotland with everything in one 65lr Karrimor,

This feeling has been backed up with doing a couple of weekends with just that is on the Boone Challenge.... carrying all of my food and water... yes the bed roll is the biggest thing out of the kit, but it not that heavy...

I know boys and their toys..... I've seen so many people worry about the weight of say the stove/fuel/fuel bottle... but learn to light a fire in all conditions.. some will say well you have not got a fire scar to clean up.. I say learn to do it without leaving a scar... and really save space and weight..leave the stove at home

why worry about a titanium KFS... just get your knife out and carve one you can do one in a short time and burn it after use... . or just take a spoon...

The thing that really bugs me is these people that have a wood gas stove and carry kitty litter.... whats the point....again learn to light a fire with whats about...I say that and I know it will raise a few comments...but its true...

Dont get me wrong I do like toys...and have quite a few...and yes I am now into car camping so weight is no problem to me.... and I do use D/O's, griddles and tripods.

Go and wash your mouth with soap you heathen

Fires are good if you camp in woods only. I want my 10,000BTU's of controllable heat any camp I go to

 

[rik_uk3]

I think things such as it cookware don't make a huge difference in comparison to stainless steel. Yes the to is lighter but when the bags on your back will you really feel a difference?

For me I think a lightweight pack makes a big difference as sometimes milliatry packs can weigh a good few kilos on their own which is suite a lot really.

Your spine, hips and knees will remind you of the weight in twenty years time.

 

[swright81076]

Having the lightweight kit encourages you to pack more IMO. I'm sure many of us are guilty of packing that backup stove and fuel because it doesn't weigh much, or a titanium spoon because it's easier than carving one....
I've started playing with a canvas bedroll that I might start using in place of a hammock, yes it's heavier, but who cares.


Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2

 

[Man of Tanith]

Easier and a lot cheaper to loose a few pounds of the bloke carting the pack than it is the kit in it, I like my kit to last, most of the realy light weight kit does not look like it will.

Thats a good way t lighten weight carried.

Rick all my camping is done in woods.
I take more wood in so not to strip the resources there.
Stoves are ok for a quick brew......

 

[Big Stu 12]

Go and wash your mouth with soap you heathen

Fires are good if you camp in woods only. I want my 10,000BTU's of controllable heat any camp I go to

Thats what I do now , as I said I been in all sorts of places, and I agree stoves have their place, I use them form time to time, but how many people do you see chase the gramm's and then camp in a wood.. and walk 25m from the car with all the kit...

my point was aimed at the guys that have wood stoves and take kitty litter into the woods, because the cant light a fire unless its in perfect conditions... and yes I have come across them more then once.

I've got a mutli fuel stove that gets used when I cant light fire, ok I am a better cook on a fire, as I more used to it, and choose to.

I also carry a stove just in case... all be it mainly a hexi.., if I am in woodland that is shall we say lacking wood, then i'll use a stove but most of the time you'll always find enough wood to cook on... the problem comes when people think you have to have a big blazzing fire.... I saw one this last weekend ....

 

[9InchNinja]

Ha, my set up is going the completely other way. It's MoT's fault, all this Boone challenge stuff! Shifting my synthetic light weight gear and replacing with canvas and leather. To overcome the extra weight, I'm just taking less stuff with me.

Never been overly concerned with weight, but it's always nicer to haul a lighter pack than it is a heavier one.

 

[sandbender]

Your spine, hips and knees will remind you of the weight in twenty years time.

+1 to this.

As a younger bloke I would wander off into the hills and woods with fairly heavy packs, I feel it now. Obviously some folks take their weight savings to extremes and end of with kit that might not be tough enough (or enough) for their trip, but every half kilo you don't pack on your back now will make getting out and about in your fifties much easier.

Also having less on your back allows you to enjoy your surroundings a little more.

I never skimp on water though.