best weight savings for the $

Back a few years ago, when my back could still take it…

I sold my 2.5lbs self-inflating pad for an el cheapo and light as heck Wal Mart blue foam pad. I got three years' usage out of it — until my body rebelled. I'm now back to self-inflating pad again, but it's short length, and the weight is just a bit over a pound.

Heavy rain gear -> Driducks ($15) or Frogg Toggs ($40)
Heavy stove -> pepsi can stove ($1 if you make it yourself)
Inflatable pad -> closed cell foam ($20-30 for the nice, super-duper lightweight Gossamer Gear ones, although they only tend to last about a season before becoming deflated…)
Heavy backpack -> silnylon frameless rucksack (~$100-150 depending on the model…granted this is not exactly cheap, just cheaper than the average internal frame backpack, which seem to average over $200 for a nice one)
Heavy tent -> Equinox/Campmor 8'x10' tarp ($80)
sleeping bag -> homemade synthetic quilt ($50-70, depending on what insulation you use and how cheap you can find the 1.1 nylon for the shell)

I'm sure I'm missing something. Usually you can find decent ultralight down jackets on sale in the spring for $100-120. The cheapest way to cut weight is of course to take things out of your backpack.

Currently my biggest opportunity for weight savings is to more accurately judge my food. A day extra is fine, but I overshot this yet again on our last multiday. Not only would this be free, it saves money.

For me I would say the Mighty Esbit Tab. At 47 cents a tab- thats 4 tabs for weekend hike. $1.88 for two days and each tabs weight is 0.5 oz. Not bad!!! Less is more.

It seems like big ticket weight savings items, or at least the ones that I want, are around $200.

Right now I want a hooded insulating jacket, sleeping bag/quilt, and new pack. Each is around $200 give or take.

MYOG aside, I think you are right that paying $60 to save 1.4 ounces on a cook-pot can get out of hand pretty quick.

The upside is that people are at different levels of the UL spectrum, such as just starting out. As such, I know there will be a market for my Snowpeak Manual stove, Trek 700, and spork when I go to alcohol or esbit.

Some very good ideas have already been mentioned but one more that I've benefited from is the elimination of a water filter and replacing with Klear Water which I carry via a BPL dropper bottle.

I started using a steripen this summer. Being able to instantly sterilize water without having to wait 30 minutes like I did before using aqua mira means I can carry less water. Typically 1 liter instead of 2, for a 2lb weight savings.

2 lb weight savings for under $100. That's not too bad!

Dan

now if you could only ditch that TV and extension cord, you'd be doing great!
I also made a savings of a few ounces when I purchased my carbon fiber poles, for $45 no less, but then i stopped using my solo tarp so dont reaalyy even use the poles anymore. Come to think of it, micropur tabs were quite a savings over my katadyn hiker, for $12. But then im always stuck carrying water that isnt fit to drink (yet) so like you say… i tack on 2 lbs again. shucks.

"I tack on 2 lbs again. shucks."

Not necessarily. Many places in the West and Southwest, water sources are so far apart that you often need to carry 2 liters (or more) at a time…

Saved almost 10 oz by buying a $25 wide thinlight for my hammock instead of using a wide RidgeRest. Mainly this is a winter back-up for my underquilt, but if its fairly mild I sometimes use it on it's own.

Saved 3 oz for about $2 when I switched to a Foster's Can Pot (I don't drink beer, and no one else in the family drinks Fosters, so I couldn't get it free).

This Forum :)

Cost: Free
Weight Savings: 30+ lbs

So I was curious, how much weight have you saved on any one item with the least amount of money to do so?

LOWA Hiking boots 900+ g each, 100 € for a pair of Inov-8 Roclite 315, over 1 kg saved.

Heavy Peak1 stove -> Penny stove FREE!! (friend made it)
5.5lb pack -> 2.8 pack ($25 on eBay)
4 lb sleeping bag -> 3 lb sleeping bag ($22 on eBay)
Lots of crap carried -> lot less crap carried (free, just pay attention to what you pack) I figured out I don't need a full change of clothes/day, a pillow, a flashlight, a lantern + a headlamp

Galvanized steel windscreen -> Al flashing screen ($0.70)

Stainless cutlery -> lexan cutlery ($1 in thrift store)

Al cookset -> Ti cookset (free used gift card, but the set was actually $50)

Heavy PVC poncho -> SD Microlight Jacket ($25)

Arcteryx Alpha lt jacket and lighthouse tent (4 lbs $900 dollars)
to
Gatewood Cape and serenity net tent and pole(20 oz and $290) less is more