Really pursuing simplicity

This is a great subject. It's funny that what Ray Jardine wrote about as a "dependence" on commercial gear and marketing so easily turns into an obsession with new UL gear for most of us. Gear and weight obsession seems to be something that just must run its course until the person reaches the end of his or her "tunnel." I've wondered what will take the place of my obsession with reducing packweight and lengthening mileage once this 'hobby' of mine takes its course. I think the answer for me is: the basic fascination with mountain wilderness and the simple life that I had long before I ever found out about lightweight backpacking. Once that basic love of wilderness returns to its central position, I think I will begin to look at things the way you have talked about here. Until then I must admit I am singlemindedly seeing how far I can take this all in order to reach my limits, but once those limits are reached, I think there will be a turning point like you have experienced.

Ride the waves, it comes and goes – there are times of intense gear focus and times when we reap the benefits of that focus in different ways. In reality, the quest never ends, one day you start thinking about gear again and go into another cycle.

Ian, I think, is at the conclusion of a gear focus cycle and is now enjoying the fruits of his labor, though it may now seem to him that he went too far into the gear focus. Soon he may forget about that *unbalanced* time after enjoying a few trips outdoors, and begin again to focus on gear, only in a new way.

But aren't all the questions Ian posed at the end about gear anyway? And the thread title is about *pursuing*. It appears another cycle has started already! Only this time the theme is *simplicity*, and it will have it's own frustrations and pleasures, only different in that Ian has learned more about what works for him and will refine, refine, refine each time he goes through it. Pursuing simplicity is still obsessing about gear, still accumulating gear, still trying to find the right piece etc, just in different quantities.

Ian, I've been there, we've been there, I share in your pursuit. My main comment is to enjoy the ride, crests and valleys, gear and the outdoors hand in hand. If we think the end of the search is near, we will only be re-educated upon discovering another possibility. And part of the fun is exploring – possibilities and trails.

However, if you prefer the going and doing backpacking part more, an argument can be made that the gear is insignificant and that it is more about your relationship to it. For example, two people on the same trip, person A heavy pack but not counterproductive, lots o' gear, person B light pack simplest setup possible. Person A is totally immersed in the experience and nature and doesn't think twice about his/her gear, while Person B hasn't smelled the roses at all and is not having any experiential part with nature because he/she is completely focused on gear.

Surfing has another good anecdote. In general it is assumed that: The better one's surfboard the better one can surf and the more fun one will have. Some of us would let this cripple us in that we would not even want to go surfing unless we had a magic board. Then there was a pro surfer who one day went surfing on an old door from a house and surfed better than all of us, even those with magic boards.

The simple life ain't so simple.
Thats what keeps me from going full on SUL.
It so easy now to go UL and have durable gear that doesnt cost a whole lot except a few pounds in the pack.
But I gotta accept that newer better stuff will come along every once in a while and I gotta try it out.

There's dynamic at play here that is an important part of this converstaion, but (I find) doesn't get explicitly articulated when we discuss it:

We're all people who, in some form or another, have a deep and abiding passion for hiking and being outdoors. We love it. But, for some reason or another, we all probably spend more time in front of a computer than we do on the trail. This being the case, I think obsessing over gear often acts as a "fix" until the next time you can get out and actaully do some hiking.

I like my job. A lot. But I'd still rather be hiking most days, and so I spend time on the boards every day while I'm in the office. I *obsess* about gear more frequently than I'd like because I can't actually *use* gear as frequently as I'd like. I have a feeling that something similar takes place for a lot of the users on this board…and I suspect this stretches out the amount of time we spend in the gear tunnel.

Once you're actaully out there, using your gear to foster a great (real) hiking experience and not just fantasizing about it, I think you tend to accept that there's a wider range of acceptable gear weight than when you were in front of the computer creating a spreadsheet fretting over tenths of an ounce in your windshirt selection. I know I fall into this trap anyway. And, for me, it reminds me of doing statistical analyses and returning non-significant results (i.e. the difference between two windshirts that are 4 oz. and 4.5 oz. is not significant, but the difference between two windshirts that are 4 oz. and 8 oz. is).

That said, I learned a heck of a lot by being this obsessive and have put together a very funtional hiking gear system. And obsessing has kept me from being bamboozled by the marketing nonsense that gets thrown at me every time I walk into a gear shop. To that end I think it has served a valuable purpose.

I think that it boils down to this:

The UL and SUL ideology can and does generate a lot of gear-related information. But it's up to every individual hiker to bring wisdom to bear on this information in order to make it useful information that is relevant to their hiking style. The information cannot be a means to itself and there's no way to gain wisdom without actually hiking and using the gear you have.

one axis of simplification you didn't mention was "getting out the door". That's at the heart of most of my changes in the last year or two. Life is busy for me. Many of my trips are when there is a surprise change and I find myself free. When this happens I want to be out the doors as quickly as possible, because I am burning daylight.

So while I have a parameter driven packing list which will configure the maximum comfortable, minimum weight load for a given set of conditions… 75% of the time I use my simplified 3 season solo list. By doing this I can get out of the house in less than 10 minutes, and leave the trail head 10 minutes after parking at the "cost" of carrying some extra weight, and maybe not having the "perfect" mix of clothing.

Having everything ready to go drove me to separate clothing that I use use on trips and what I use in town. This is actually been a good thing because high performance items only get wore when I need the performance. For example, my Cloudveil Rodeo pants were trashed after two years of on trail and being used as part of my normal work attire. The cloudveil spinner pants which replaced them two years ago are still servicable because they only get used in the field.

Honestly I have always felt that the UL scene was just a fad, but I've enjoyed it because I love the philosophy that's embedded in the community. What we need to do is take a look at our consumption of resources, and how much waste we produce by following this trend.

I understand why we want to carry less weight and have cool gear. But we should really take a good hard look at our mindset, because if we can't allow it to generalize to other aspects of our lives, we're doing everyone (and ourself) a dis-service.

*edit: changed title to grab more attention :-)

For me: playing around trying to make the gear set and camping / hiking / navigating / cooking techniques perfect is what keeps backpacking "fresh" and interesting. Trying to perfect those things is what makes hiking as adictive as golf to me. Frankly, I like walking through the woods and over mountains because it's good exercise – but the scenery is usually something similar to stuff I've seen a bunch of times before over the years.

I also agree with the gear cycles and different focuses comments. I'm looking for light enough, durable enough, versitile enough, small packing enough and comfortable enough. Now if I could just figure out what "enough" is for each set of trade-offs, I'd be all set ;)

Awesome topic. I find myself in almost the same boat as Ian. I've gone from carrying simple, heavy gear to complex, fiddly ultralight gear, to now striving for simple, light gear.

As I got older, the simple but heavy gear stole my fun. Hiking became a chore – an endurance contest. As I lightened up, the myriad bits and pieces became a chore to manage and assemble thus hindering those last minute trips as Mark alluded to. The many failures and frustrations of fine tuning my gear turned simple activities into frustrating chores.

Lately I've been striving for simplicity in all things, and hiking has once again become fun. I can spend time traveling and enjoying nature rather than fooling with finicky gear. Simplicity = happiness for me. I've also noticed the concept spilling over into my personal and professional life as well. I've been giving away old gear. I've replaced complicated clutter and a backlog of gear inventory with a pegboard wall holding a dozen or so pieces of gear.

A few examples:

My gatewood cape replaced a shaped tarp and a poncho. My caldera cone burns esbit now instead of alcohol. I no longer worry about crushing my alky stove, having a leak in my fuel bottle, measuring, etc. Light the tab and I'm done. It also makes a great firestarter when I want to cook over a fire. I cook one meal at night, and that's adding boiling water. A cup of Joe and a Clif bar are breakfast. Trail mix and pita bread with peanut butter are lunch. My water filter, cleaning brush and stuff sack were replaced with a bottle of KlearWater. No maintenance kit or mixing caps needed.

One measure of my 'simplicity factor' for me is the time required to break camp in the morning. Invariably, I'm ready to hit the trail while my friends are still fighting with all their crap trying to figure out how to get it all packed up again. Another is who eats first at night. I'm usually done before my partners begin. One reason I solo most of the time these days.

As an IT consultant and developer, my life is complicated enough. Simplicity for me is relaxing in and of itself. The ultimate challenge? The simple fishing kit….

Man this mushroomed fast! I had no idea.

So much of what's been said resonates with me. Jhaura, good call about even this de-focus on gear being a new focus on gear! I've been caught.

The getting-out-the-door factor has become a HUGE one for me as well, although I didn't realize that until I read this thread. In the height of my last "cycle," planning for a trip with a buddy or two in the mountains would actually stress me out for a few weeks, occasionally to the point that it actually wasn't even worth it anymore for me to go. Agh, how I'd like to grow beyond such frustration! But I think the direction that I'm headed will get me there pretty quick.

Back in my original post, I DID want to start talking about actual quick or clever gear solutions that people have thought up. Shall we continue with that? Has the request been shown to be more of the same that I'm trying to rebel against? Is my rhetoric over-inflated here? :-D

Oh man, David, what you said is killer for me. Here we are obsessing on our computers, just yearning to get out after the thing for which we're obsessing! Such a modern 1st-world irony. My hope, perhaps my naive hope, is that I'll reach a point where I won't feel a need to dig through these forums more than a couple hours a week instead of a dozen, because my problems will be solved(!)–at least for a few seasons maybe–and in that time I'll actually be content and satisfied with what I have.

Possible? Hopelessly naive?

Can we talk about gear now? :-D

A quick brainstorm / thing I've already done:

1) Windshirt Wars
In my opinion the windshirt battle is a mess. At this point it's much more than a breathability<–>water-resistance continuum, in fact the choice has much more dimension than just that one axis. For one thing, breathability and water-resistance aren't even always related–there are windshirts on the market that don't breathe very well (i.e. do cut the wind very well) and don't resist rain well either, like some generations of the GoLite Ether. Then there's durability and fit, implementation of features like pockets and hoods and closures, and the issue of DWR wearing off quickly or slowly, etc. etc. A mess!

I think I've solved all this with just two pieces: a Montbell Stretch Wind Jacket (hoodless) for trips that forecast mild weather up to a drizzle*, and a Wild Things Epic Hooded windshirt for when I expect storms. Both of these items are a little heavier than some other pieces that would suit the same conditions, but what I get is long life and relaxation about treating the two pieces. The Montbell will be quite a bit tougher than a <4oz windshirt, and the Epic will breathe better than a rainshell but doesn't have any DWR to lose or restore!

*in such weather I usually cover my head with a wide-brim hat

The situation Ian finds himself in is similar to the one I had years ago working as a mechanic in a bike shop: there seemed to be an infinnite variety of brands and designs, which we would debate their merits endlessly until finally settling upon the Holy Grail of bikeness for our own purchases, and then would come along a new innovation. Kablooy! Everything shot to heck and we'd have to start all over.

But that is part of the process, that is, finding out what works and what doesn't, and carrying some of those things forward as our experience matures into wisdom. As a kid I would go hiking in Glacier Park with a canvas rucksack, a k-pok bag, a piece of canvas, a Boy Scout cook kit, eggs, bacon, potatoes, etc. and sleep under the stars. Then I came across some catalogs, learned about alu frame packs, down bags and nylon tents, and got stars in my eyes. For years I carried the "newest thing", isolated myself from the very nature that I came to experience by sleeping in a tent and was only slightly aware that my tack was actually heavier than the gear of bygone days. When it finally hit me I started eliminating stuff. If I didn't use it at least once then I wouldn't take it again. As much as possible single use items were replaced with one having multiple uses, such as a poncho that can be rain gear/ground cloth/shelter. And simpler confiurations: a lighter pack without all the whistles and bells ( I don't need no stink'n water bladder), a simple Ti pot instead of a cook kit, and simpler food.

Now I've come full circle and once again sleep under the stars!

Something I'm longing for that would really simplify my kit is an eVent jacket with reasonable length, light fabric, and good venting options. With pit zips, I think I could use such a jacket as my windshell as well, with the benefit of far greater durability compared to gossamer fabrics like Pertex Quantum.

Another piece that's really going to simplify my kit is my "meteor bivy" project. Here's a link:

http://www.sixmoondesigns.com/ultralight/myo_Meteor.asp

This plus my tarp will cover pretty much anything in my neck of the woods, all four seasons.

Four season coverage is behind my sleeping bag choice as well. I have a Marmot Hydrogen, and layer if necessary. No fretting about which bag; there's only one to choose from.

I love fiddling with gear, but I hate fretting over it, if you know what I mean. I'll always choose durability and longevity over superlight. My budget forces this upon me, but it's a good thing. Frugality allows me to live with less, which reduces my dependence on a large income, which ironically allows me to get out alot more. How's that for simplicity! :-)

I totally echo the comments about getting out the door quickly – the day I got sick of filling tiny vials full of a precise 3 day supply of coffee powder was the day I really realised this.

Also I like gear that's simple on the trail: which is why I switched back to my auto-lighting canister stove from the Caldera Cone.

It's easy to say a simpler kit is better, but I think it's a case of *deceptively* simple though – it takes time & effort to whittle it down, just like with any good design.

The ultimate lightweight kit is a good knife and the clothes on your back. Nothing else. Skills weigh 0 ounces. That said… I do love my gear… and I make no apologies for that… and I don't find it complicated or feel a need to simplify. But I know what you mean! I'm dying to buy "The One". But I'm not that bad since it would only be my second 1-person shelter purchase ever. I've been using the SpinnShelter exclusively for over 2 years now. I also have a Squall… but that's in another class (2 person luxury).

G'Day Ian
I’m with you mate.
You only have to read the gear swap forum for a while and see how much almost new gear is up for sale. There are also a lot of the same names.
I also agree with a previous poster that we probably think more about gear when where not hiking. Once were out there there’s so much more to enjoy.
Just imagine if we could concentrate all the energy that has been devoted to making an UL stove in the last 5 years and put it towards something that was actually useful.
I’ve said it before its all about getting out there for me, gear is just something to help it happen
Darren

I'm just reaching this point that Ian is describing. My time spent in front of Excel has dropped significantly (because I think I have made every possible packing scenario).

I spent Spring Break doing some backpacking and using some of my new UL gear I bought over the winter for the first time. This was my experience:

After searching for different items in my pack for what felt like forever, I realized that there were too many things in my pack. I would get WAY frustrated digging through stuff to find my microlight, or my matches, etc. I dropped the idea of switching to the GoLite Ion pack – having only one enclosure "seems" simpler, but I would spend a lot more time trying to find stuff in my pack. Having a zippered outer pocket is heavier – but it makes life easier. I may even sew in little nylon pockets on the inside that are dedicated to my toothbrush and soap, for example. That way I always know where things are. Or… I'll utilize stuff sacks or Aloksak bags more. At home on Excel it seems horrendous to bring an unnecessary 0.3 ounce stuff sack. But on the trail it would make my experience a lot simpler and a lot less fuss to have like-things organized together in bags.

I am dropping the idea of using a super-mini MLD Monk tarp to save a few ounces. It's not really simplifying when a rain-storm comes and I have to find a way to keep my shoes dry.

I am also dropping the idea of getting an SUL pack. (I trimmed my GoLite Jam down to 15 ounces – much better than 21.) I've realized that I'm usually not on a nice, "dirt-paved" trail on a stroll through the woods, and I would be cringing every time I try to set my pack down, walk through a bush, or try to squeeze through a narrow slot canyon. Can you imagine having to say to your buddy "umm… I'd rather not go through there – it will rip through my new pack". Isn't that why I've gotten into UL – so I can go faster, higher, farther, etc? For backpacks I'm sticking to nice "thick" fabrics like GoLite uses.

I decided to forget about bringing a windscreen for my Ti-Wing stove. This is a major fiddle-factor. Yes, the Caldera Cone would work great, but that's just one more thing in my pack. I don't need more things! It was extremely windy on my trip and I built a sandstone "kitchen" in a few minutes to keep the wind away. If it really is too windy to light the Esbit, oh well. I'll eat some bars or something.

I've been toying with making the "ultimate closed cell foam pad" custom built to my body. I'd have a few different layers with holes cut in the upper layers so it "conforms" to my body (hips, spine, etc). FORGET THAT! I'm just going to keep bringing my inflatable pad. Blow it up. Done and done.

There is a lot to be said for KISS.

My current pack is a DIY UL one but it's based on a design that's tough-enough. It has an external stuff pocket because I miss them when they are not there.

I'm still toying with stoves. Alcohol with pre-heat is far too fussy for me but wicking stoves might prove useful but gas is a lot simpler and faster.

I use raingear that is separate from a tarp/tent because they are performing slightly different roles.

Overall I tend to seek to have gear that performs one or more functions well and simply. My pack is just a pack, it doesn't double as a hair-net.

Complexity creeps in I think when you try and use one thing for two unrelated tasks – say a toothbrush as an improvised spear or something.

There's also a lot to be said for having gear that is not exceedingly fragile. If you have to nursemaid your pack through rough terrain then it can slow you down.

Somewhere Ultra-light crosses into ultra-stupid but for each of us that depends on the type of hiking that we do and the compromises that we are willing to make.

Ha, well said Mike!

I too went down the road of going ultralight but am now on the path of ultra simple. My last alcohol stove fell over a few times with a full pot of boiling water, so I added 2 Ti tent pegs to make a stand, then I needed a heavier duty windscreen to hold the pegs, then a small preheat pan for cold weather then I needed a lighter and bandana to pick up the pot and a lid as well as a fuel container. A total of ten bits to keep track of, now I have started using a Jetboil ( Yes I am ashamed to admit it here!) I leave the stove connected to the gas and I only have four pieces to keep track of, all of which are large and easy to track. (And yes, I have looked at chopping the Jetboil in half to save some weight!)
Similarly I now:
Use a Contrail, no rear pole to keep track of, as well as no extra guy lines.
Have a hooded cocoon, no headwear to keep track of. Keep my gloves stored in the pockets of my Cocoon, if it's cold enough for the Cocoon, chances are I'll need gloves too.
Use a large plastic bag for all of my clothing and sleeping wear, no stuff sacks to keep track of.
Use a pack with a couple of pockets, so my main pack only contains my large items I will next need in camp, ie. Contrail, mattress, clothes and sleeping bag, food for dinner – Four main items.
Because of the simplicity I can break camp in 5 minutes, know I have everything and better enjoy the amount of time I have on the trail.
And the few hundred grams extra I am carrying I make up for by swigging the equivalent weight in water before I leave the trail head!! 300grams = 300mL of water, now my pack weighs the same but life is much easier.

To harken back to Jhaura's eloquent and thoughtful post above, I come back to the Zen phrase: "The journey is the reward." Each part of these cycles have their joys and disappointments, enlightenments and frustrations. Our work is to drink this all in and understand that it is the road we are traveling on that creates the rewards, not just the getting there. Simple, complex, heavy, or UL, makes no difference, the joy is in the process if you only look.

Happy Trails,

-Mark

A very good post, with a lot of wisdom… And a very good reflection or question about "how much stuff do I need?" It occurred to me that if someone came to my house and saw as many toasters on my kitchen counter as sleeping bags in my closet (yes, but this one is for english muffins, while this one is for wheat toast!!), they would think I was a bit touched..

I recall a time (the polar ice sheet was still in northern California, if that gives you a hint) when I had a single pack, sleeping bag and tent, plus a "visqueen" tarp (there, now I've really given myself away)- and don't remember the quality of my wilderness experience being any less. Actually, it was much better, because I just loved being out there and didn't obsess on constantly getting more gear!

Anyway, personally, I'm letting go of the crusade for the perfect jacket, the perfect pack, or the perfect tarp. I'm going to try to get out more, get rid of some stuff, and free my mind a bit.

thegeoguy

>>> It occurred to me that if someone came to my house and saw as many toasters on my kitchen counter as sleeping bags in my closet (yes, but this one is for english muffins, while this one is for wheat toast!!), they would think I was a bit touched.. <<<

LOL! I love it! That makes me want to make fun of MYSELF (a job usually reserved for close family and friends)!

FINALLY someone has said what I've been doing all along – well, sort of.

My Cabela's PacLite rain gear ain't the lightest but it is light AND durable, unlike Frogg Togs. Plus it's not a lot of $$$.

My REI UL 60 Cruise pack isn't the lightest but it is durable and comfortable, AND relatively inexpensive.

My TarpTent Contrail isn't the lightest shelter (but it's close) but it IS comfortable, well made and relatively inexpensive.

Now for the "sort of" part:
My WM Megalite bag is pricey but I value a good night's sleep.

My SteriPen Adventurer is pricey too but it won't clog, PURIFIES water and is lighter by far than a filter/purifier.

AT 65 I'll be d@mned if I'll skimp on light stuff if it's durable. I ain't savin' my money for my yuppie daughters to inherit and I ain't luggin' my 7 1/2 lb. Dana Terraplane pack around in summer any more!.
On the other hand I DO admit to a slight (7 and counting) stove fetish.

But at my age a lot of my gear comes from "collecting" better gear as time passes & the technology improves to improve my comfort. My Boy Scout Yucca pack may have been state of the art in the '50s but Lordy what an ancient relic that is now.

Eric

Very well put together, Ian!

I'll admit upfront: I LOVE gear — reading/analyzing gear specs, and buying/fondling new gear. But there's also a part of me that craves simplicity and abhors clutter. These two 'opposing' forces actually work together, steering me towards trying out new things on the one hand, but keeping only what I truly need and use on the other.

I keep two sets of gear — an UL set for tougher hikes (frameless pack, silnylon tent, alcohol stove, etc.) and a lightweight set for more relaxed trips (internal frame backpack, double-wall freestanding tent, canister stove, etc.).

When I buy anything new, I will force myself to evaluate it against existing piece(s) and make a choice between them. Weight, functionality and durability are important, but also simplicity. With just one or at most two of everything, pre-trip gear selection is a breeze. All my gear fit nicely into one half of my bedroom closet. Thank heaven for Ebay.