Everything Weighs Something

What a great article, Charles! I felt I was reading my backpacking life story. I'm a 58-year-old woman who bought all her backpacking gear in the 1970s, after a month-long Outward Bound trip. That was back when a 6 pound tent was considered amazingly light! I, too, have been doing what you've been doing: going through my gear, gradually replacing my old heavyweights with lighter weight gear. I laughed when I read about your buying a digital scale that weighed grams, because that's exactly what I did! I've become (gulp! gasp!) a gram-weenie! But my 58-year-old back and knees heartily approve all these changes! Thanks for sharing your story.

Nice article

Similar to my own experiences, except I read Ray Jardine's previous book, "Beyond Backpacking". I suppose I'll have to read his new book.

But, you're still using your Svea 123???

I remember using mine on Mount Rainier in the snow at Camp Muir at 10,000 feet and I couldn't get it to work.

I use a 3 ounce canister stove now, much better. You also have to carry a 13 ounce canister, but it lasts me 8 days.

…this also sounds like my story which started in the late 60's when I was in scouts. Now that I am retired I have also been lightening my load the Ray way and with help from BPL. Isn't it wonderful how things and times have changed,
hike on,
gerry

and $1500 later i am almost there

Yup, my story too. I love the title.

I found that lightening up is a very synergistic process. I couldn't go with a lighter pack without reducing the gear too. Light shoes wouldn't provide enough support unless I carried a lighter load. When I first found BPL I was planning my first trip in 8 years. I went from a 35 pound or so base weight to 16. The next year I dropped about 3 more. For this year I'm probably going to add an item or two for a bit more luxury.

It was very illuminating to do a 2 night snow trip up Whitney last month. I considered my pack heavy but on exit including ice axe, crampons, helmet, climbing harness it was 23 pounds without food or water. That was pretty good compared to most of the others whose packs were over 40.

PS- Don't dis the SVEA 123! It's pretty. It has a comforting sound. It's durable- mine is older than I am (45) and still going strong. Ok it's a bit heavy… but it used to be considered ultralight!

Thanks to all for the accolades!
I've dropped another 24 oz's with the purchase of an obscenely expensive NeoAir to replace my old Therm-a-rest pad. Fortunately I got a good deal on it with my REI dividend and a 20% off coupon.

HJ, I don't have a gear list posted yet but I've seen a few good ones on this site http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/gearchecklists.html

Charles

Really nice, honest read. I'm sixty and I found it amusing that I also started with the same Jansport pack and replaced it with an Arc'Teryx Bora 95. My wife and I started switching to lighter weight backpacking gear about ten years ago. Every year we replace a few things. Yet an equally critical change was when I began backpacking LIGHTER. Not only dropping 20 lbs. of gear weight, but also dropping sixty pounds of BODY weight.
It all began when I met an eighty-one year old backpacker on a trail at 11,500'a few years ago. He passed me. I was struggling…and he wasn't. He told me that any body weight I carried above my belt may as well be in my pack. Since that chance meeting on the trail I've lost 60 pounds. I walk over an hour a day and now watch more closely what I eat. What a difference!
Last year my wife and I did a loop in Mineral King (Sequoia N.P.). Twenty years ago the same trip took us 14 days (I weighed 225 lbs.). This past summer we did the same trip in just 8 days! My pack weight was 20 lbs. lighter…and my body weight was over 50 lbs. lighter! We crossed the Great Western Divide (over 12,000') twice…I did it this time twenty years older with a lot more enjoyment! I'm literally backpacking lighter and hoping to enjoy doing so for another 20 years. Your article was an enjoyable read. I've passed it on to many friends. Trek on!

As Ryan C said, this is the first article in a long time that I haven't skipped through. Not that other articles here on BPL are bad, simply don't have a lot of time.

What a great read this article was indeed. I'm really happy for you that by reducing you pack's & content's weight and by realizing it's better to weigh your gear in grams than pounds, you've found back the reason why you started to hit the trails that many decades ago: to enjoy nature, to enjoy the mountain and to enjoy being outside. I hope that your transition to a more sensible gear kit will see you on the trail for decades to come.

Eins

I thru hiked last year and met a buddy that used a SVEA 123R and I fell in love. I've been wanting one ever since. They're just so loud, heavy and beautiful to not love.

Over priming/over pressurizing a stove, any stove, is simply a bad idea. He's lucky he didn't get burned.

I over pressurized an XGK with an old gray pump (I'm used to the newer, "stepped down" MSR pumps). The fuel burst out around the "o" ring between the top of the fuel bottle and the "collar" of the pump. Fortunately, I was using the windscreen, so the fuel didn't ignite. There's something to be said for "remote" fuel set ups. ALWAYS USE A WINDSCREEN with a remote fuel white gas stove. Yes, it makes the burn more efficient, but even more importantly it makes the stove safer.

HJ

Lighting a Svea, no doubt, takes some practice but when done correctly it works every time. There are very few things that can go wrong since the stove is as simple as a stone hammer. But if the valve hasn't been cleaned or it's not been primed properly you'll have problems. I use the angled mini-pump too, it takes about 8 pumps, open the valve, allow enough fuel to seep out to fill the bowl at the base of the burner shaft, close valve, light fuel, wait till the fuel is almost burned off, open the burner valve, perfect flame every time. If one part of that procedure is done incorrectly it won't light or it'll belch huge flames in your face. I see the stoves others carry and marvel at their convenience, instant igniters and super quick boil times but why be in such a hurry? You're at camp, you're not going anywhere, what's the rush?

Never had any problems with my 1973 era Svea, never used the pump. Kept it clean, replaced the wick every 10 years or so, along with the nipple. Poured a small amount of fuel into the little depression at the base of the burner, lit it, waited a bit, then when the fuel was almost gone I turned the stove on. Worked every time.

Also used an XGK purchased around 1980. Didn't know it but got a small nick in the o-ring that sealed the fuel tube (from the fuel tank) to the burner body. Pumped it up, looked for leaks, none. Turned it on and lit it. Noticed fuel leaking out rather quickly from where you insert the fuel tube. Luckily there was slight slope and the fuel ran downhill, away from the burner. Otherwise it would have been quite spectacular, and perhaps even deadly if the full fuel canister exploded.

After that I was meticulous about checking that o-ring and replacing it regularly! Haven't used the stove in ages, though…