How about your Sub-10 list

[Jason Brinkman]

Sorry Stephen – haven't checked this thread in a while.

The program I used on my list is just Excel, but with judicious formatting and a pivot table or two. If I ever get around to it, I will try to make it available for others, but right now it is not intuitive enough for sharing.

The sharpie is something that I have decided is advisable for the rare occasion that I need to leave a message for others. I actually picked up this tip while river rafting, but it is just as suitable for backpacking. It's good for leaving messages such as… went this way, bear in camp, dangerous log blocking river, etc. It is the one instrument that will seamingly write on anything.

[t.darrah]

Jason,
I like the format you used, mine is not nearly as good looking. I have my list posted on my profile and our weight totals are nearly identical. What is interestingto me is how different some of our gear choices are but yet the totals work out so very close. This is what I enjoy about seeing others post their own lists. Thanks.

Dave T,
Thanks for the great picture, please keep posting.
Thom

[Paul Cronshaw]

I am following Tim's posting. Check my profile for my gear list.

I am at the 10 mark. Actually 10.1

Hmmm wonder what I can drop to go sub 10. The book perhaps…,

This list is for my JMT hike this summer and will be a 14 day hike.

Happy Trails

[t.darrah]

Paul,
IMHO your gear list looks great. There are obviously small changes that would put you under 10 pounds, things such as a LW tarp or poncho tarp for a shelter or a quilt in place of your bag, but one can tell that you've developed a system that works for you. Your gear is all high quality and well designed.

I see you plan on going cookless or will you be making use of someone else's stove that will be going along with you?
Thom

[Klas Eklof]

Compare this with dave's picture above, mine is taken 7.23.07.
Dave, I agree, with snow this pass would have been much easier.

Also, Russell, you can walk from road's end to red's without camping in a place that requires bear cans. You could pick up a can at red's when you resupply. I wish I had thought of this before my trip…
Of course, the rules may change for next year.

[Craig Burton]

Here is my sub-10 list for the Smokies — the food is for 7 days/6nights; and you'd be hard-pressed to find me carrying anymore than 20oz of water in the Smokies, but I kept my gearlist on the conservative side for good measure.

Sub-10 in the Smokies

[Jonathan Duckett]

Hey Craig, just noticed your from GSMNP area too. I was going to PM you but you don't have it set up. We need to try to get together for a trip sometime if you're interested.

[Dave T]

.

[Klas Eklof]

Nice, Dave, i know exactly the little ridge you are talking about. I'm guessing you didn't hit desolation this weekend. I'm watching the progress of the government springs fire every day:
http://yubanet.com/tahoelightning.php
still only 20% contained…

[Christopher Chupka]

I barely squeak by. My shelter weights include guylines and stuff sacks for the bivy and tarp.

I messed up a little, I am wearing the 5 oz t-shirt instead of carrying it. I hang my food in the OP sack inside my quilt stuff sack.

[Wesley Witt]

Just curious how you can get by on such small food rations. According to your gear list your daily food is:

2 1/2 oz jerkey
3 1/2 oz trail mix
1/2 hershey bar
1 ramen

This is not anywhere near enough calories for someone backpacking for 6 days. How do you do it?

[Craig Burton]

Hey Wes, you make a keen observation there; and you are certainly correct that the calorie content is low, and there are few areas outside of the Smokies (particularly in the summer) that I would ration myself so strictly.

Since you asked, here are the particulars as to how I can do it:

1) In all fairness, you did leave out the 6 Powerbars I pack. With that said, however, my 7 days/6 nights can be quite misleading. In general Day 1 will not begin until about 3-4 hours before sunset (and setting up camp), and I am always sure to have a large meal just before I set out. The final night of camp is usually no more than 3 hours away from my final destination and opportunity to splurge at the nearest fast food chain. So truthfully, a 7/6 is actually closer to a 5/5 in terms of actual time. Even with that being the case, I most always have food left over using a similar daily average intake.
2) My body is conditioned to function with low calorie intake at a moderate level of daily activity. I estimate my AVERAGE calorie intake on a normal day to be between 1000-1200 non-liquid calories.
3) You'll be lucky to see me cover 17 miles a day — my average is probably closer to 14 miles on moderate trails — and the last 2 miles are usually very tough for me because of a lack of energy. I also usually only take one break per day, and it rarely lasts anymore than 10 minutes. Needless to say, my days are shorter than most, and my nights are longer than most.

I am always looking for ways to find simple and pre-prepared foods that I can enjoy and fill me up; but I often find myself coming back to the diet listed in my gear list.

[Craig Burton]

Hey Jonathon,

My brief time out west really spoiled me, but I've recently come to love the Smokies after spending a few days on the AT through the area. The AT through the Smokies is unique in that the people encountered along the way, and in shelters, actually outshines the solitude, for me.

I actually live near Charlotte, and I do not make it out to Western NC and the Smokies as often as I would like to; but I am going to try to head out that way at least 2 more times this summer, 1 or 2 times in the fall, and several times in the winter. Unfortunately, the rest of my time spent out that way this year will have to be limited to weekends because of an extended vacation planned in August/September.

But as long as I'm back in the Southeast, I am definitely interested in tagging along with fellow ULers as often as possible. I have now turned my PMs on and hope to get involved more in this community, as I have definitely caught some UL fever this season.

[John Brochu]

I added my proposed list for an upcoming hike of Maine's 100 Mile Wilderness to my profile. I would love to hear comments and suggestions. I would be thrilled to drop a little more weight so I can bring my DSLR and a mini tripod.

This is my first summer trying out lightweight backpacking although I'm accustomed to bivying with minimal gear for short periods when alpine climbing.

[CW]

Hi John-

Is the ursack required in Maine? You could save a good bit of weight (1/2 pound or so) by using the PCT bear bag method.

[John Brochu]

Hi Chris,

The ursack is not required in Maine but since I don't have any experience using hanging bear bag systems, and some other aspects of UL are new to me, I thought the convenience of the ursack might be worth the weight.

Your idea is certainly something I'm considering though especially since the bears here are not really bad like they are out west.

Edit: one other thing regarding a hanging system is often in the northeast if you camp up high there are no suitable trees for hanging a bear bag. At least it seems that way to me. I never used to bother worrying about bears in the northeast but I hear they have gotten worse over time, and some campsites in NH and Maine even have bear boxes now.

[Christopher Chupka]

John,
I don't need to carry camp shoes anymore since I have switched to trail runners, my feet are always in pretty good shape when I stop for the night.

That would save you 1/2 a pound.

[John Brochu]

Hi Christopher,

I keep teetering back and forth on whether to bring the camp shoes.

There are supposed to be lots of river crossings on this trip and the camp shoes are great for that. (I bought them for sea kayaking originally.) However, my trail runners are going to get very wet anyway with all the boggy sections so I might just drop the camp shoes from the list.

[Author]

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