WHY?

[Jane McMichen]

When I was a kid, the best times I had were moving through the woods by myself and feeling a part of all that life around me. Deer and other animals often didn't run from me, but watched me pass – I wasn't a threat. Creeks were wonderful areas where all kinds of critters could be seen. The sounds of water and wind made me dream of the wide world and everything in it. It was great.

Somewhere along the way I grew up , got a job, and stopped living in the woods in my mind all the time. One day I realized how much I missed that. Walls make me feel caged, like my mind can't expand beyond the physical barrier. When I get out beyond the noise of cars, phones, and the everyday drone of "civilization" I feel much better. I can think over the concerns of my life from a different perspective. I can grasp what's really important to me much easier. Maybe it sounds strange, but it's kind of like the wake-up call, the 'aha' moment you get about life and priorities when tragedy strikes, just without the trauma.

Learning to go lighter lets me get out further, faster and enjoy staying as long as I can. It's also much better on my bad knees so I don't have a painful excuse to not go hiking;-)

[Jesse Corrington]

Ali, I loved what you wrote about living a simple generous life. This is the direction I'm taking my life, and why ultra light fits in so well.

[John Tunnicliffe]

Well, gravity is a pretty good reason. Clearly religion is already in sufficient supply despite reports to the contrary, so that's not it.

Hmmmm. Sweating less and enjoying it more? Saving my knees and feet? The enjoyment that comes from looking up and around and forward and back and hither and thither rather than right at the ground because I'm not being crushed into hunchness by my load? Because I am getting smarter about things?

Yeah, that must be it. I'm getting smarter. Of course.

I should have thought of that first.

Besides, we all know this, in the boonies too-hard work is caused by stupidity. Indeed. Yessir, it is pretty hard work being stupid, all considered. You have to want it and I don't.

So, yes, Lightness is the LAW, Least Amount of Work, which leaves more room for Play.

And that is WHY.

Amen?

Amen.

John

[Rog Tallbloke]

Three years ago as I was riding my motorcycle round a bend on a country road I met a big SUV coming the other way which lost control and punted me into a tree. I was left hanging there with a broken spine while the driver sped off into the night.

Six months later I went backpacking in Spain, and realised that it was a pain to carry the amount of stuff I had with me. 2KG Macpac rucksack, two skin tent, MSR white gas stove etc. I left half of it in a bin bag at a hostel while I went off with a borrowed daypack for a few days flysheet only, spaceblanket groundcloth, no stove but a bean tin with holes in for a woodburner, minimal spare clothing.

Revelation.

Suddenly I was enjoying my backpacking again, not only because of the reduced weight, but a satisfaction in using my skills to stay comfortable, warm and well fed. Taking a bit of extra time to find firewood, cook real food found on the trail, wash my underwear (and swim). I was alone, so had plenty of time to think about setting up a proper lightweight kit suitable for different seasons and climates, rather than thoughtlessly packing the same gear regardless of likely conditions.

Then I found this website, and lots of likeminded folks to help me bounce ideas around. I've picked up some great tips and some nice gear too. It's been great!

When Kath and I headed to Sardinia for a ten day trip recently, she was carrying 11 pounds and I was carrying 15. And that included quite a bit of food!

Thankyou everyone on BPL for helping me go UL.

[hunter nelson]

its simple and that makes me happy i need no more reason than that

[Gary Boyd]

ok, mostly German, the Scottish side of me just wants to drink and curse, but the German side craves efficiency in everything. Is it efficient to carry a 2 pound stove when the time it takes to cook your meal is inconsequential… no. I want to take as little as possible with me so that what's on my back doesn't interfere with what's around me.

[Monty Montana]

I journey into the backcountry, not to rough it, but rather, to smooth it. Having grown up in Montana and now living in a big city is pretty rough…to me that's the wilderness. But the journey into God's Country is also emblematic of an interior journey, and going lightweight makes the smoothing smoother! Happy trails!

[J B]

Because I'm faster if I go lightweight.

Also, going lightweight forces me to focus on the really important things and leave the rest at home.

[Worth Donaldson]

I'm a canoeist and everyone knows that canoeists tend to bring all the comforts from home including the kitchen sink. I have a bad back but do not want to give up something that is part of my soul. The older I get, the more I push myself, the more I experience, the better my skills become. When I retire I plan on paddling the arctic for weeks on end with no re-supply. It is common to portage from one watershed to another in the far north. Sometimes the portage is several miles. Sometimes it takes days to get multiple packs and canoe across the portage. However, my back is my achilles heel. Last November I experience my 4th episode for a bulging disc. It is very crucial that I keep my core muscles strong and be as gentle to my spine as possible while pursuing the sport I enjoy.

I visit BackpackingLight and others to learn what I can do differently to lighten my load. As a canoeist I believe I am already traveling light but want to do better. This summer I will be hiking the Winds for 10 days, my first backpacking trip and practice what I have learned. What works well I will take with me when I paddle the rivers of the far north.

[Marc Clarke]

Wow, I guess this means I'm not the only MBTI INTJ on the forum. Whee! :-)

[Steve S]

Ryan,
its interesting that you brought this subject up at this time. I've recently been through a transitional time in my life, and even though backpacking, and the outdoors have been a large part of my life for many decades, its the lightweight approach that has made an impact lately.
I feel that there is a thread, a touchstone of freedom that is only accessible in the backcountry. This spurs me to do things in the outdoors. The freedom that only the creatures of nature really feel. Freedom in this day and age is becoming harder and harder to not only enjoy, but to even define!
In the beginning, I chased this by climbing harder and harder and bigger and bigger mountains. Years later, both physically and mentally spent, I found that my life experiences had surpassed my perceptions of what the outdoors had to offer. In a nutshell, I was looking at the outdoors through a skewed view.
Stepping out of the climbing world and into the lightweight walking world has allowed me once again to see the beauty and to feel the freedom all around me. It was there when I climbed, but the drive and the pursuit pushed it aside. Walking allows me to see more, to feel more, to experience a spiritual level that is seldom available in any other setting. I do believe that the wilderness is prime proof that a higher being/creator truly exists. I feel its a slight to think that such beauty and awesomness is purely conincidental.
As I tread the trails now, I cover many miles, and my desires sometimes still push me farther than I should, but my head is up, and my eyes are forward. When I return, I feel grounded, fulfilled. I look forward to spending many days out in the high country, with no overiding purpose other than to soak up the experience, and the moment. Each time I look out at some area of the backcountry, I say, "I want to go there." Maybe I'm beginning to learn like a young child again.
Life is good… :)

[Larry De La Briandais]

I'm kinda new here. All the backpacking I've done before has been heavy. However, it was a 2 mile walk in, camp, 2 mile walk out. Even then I was always on the look out for lighter stuff.

Now I'm starting to go "real" backpacking. My wife is interested now. That means I'm carrying even more stuff…

But, to answer your question, I love having the most advanced stuff. My nickname is "Hitech". I earned it as I was always making and improving gear for another hobby. I love having the most "Hitech" gear just for the sake of having it. I'm a gadget junkie. In contrast to that, I'm currently wanting to rid myself of "junk" I don't need. We have too much "junk".

[JOHN ZENNER]

I've always been attracted to backpacking because of the inherent way it forces you to shed "stuff" and get back to just "you". That was true when I was 13 and it's still true at 47 with two kids in tow.

I'm a fisherman, so backpacking is a transportation mode to where I fish, but to be fair it's become a lot more than just that. It's precious uninterrupted time with my kids and my wife in pristine environments. It's solo time at night watching the stars when everyone else is asleep. It's the planning for all the upcoming trips and anticipation of the experiences to be had.

Backpacking, particularly increasingly more pleasant and lightweight, recharges my batteries in a way nothing else seems to. Did I mention that I'm leaving tomorrow morning at 5:00am for a trip with my family?

[john griffith]

Of course there are many practical aspects which all of us already understand. We all enjoy the same physical benefits and most of us get many of the same psychic benefits, but for some of us that have a certain yearning to improve, whether it be ourselves or whatever we are doing then we are called to go lightweight simply because it is obviously a superior way to move through the natural world.

I simply cannot help myself. The concept has taken root in my consciousness and will not let go! I love the adventure of learning/thinking of new ways to get my load lighter, simpler, and more compact. It has informed every aspect of my life. It resonates as a truth for me across the broad spectrum of the many areas of my life. I have simplified (distilled) my diet (no that doesn't mean I consume only distilled spirits), lifestyle, my life's priorities and even my work. I have yet to apply the concept to a part of my life without being pleased by the result.

"Perfection is not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to remove" Da Vinci

[Steven Hanlon]

after long consideration, the brutally honest answer is it's who i want to be and that's the image i'd like to portray. the minimalist woodsy engineer esprit resonates with me, but it is not who i am, not by a longshot. this past year has shown that much – i haven't been backpacking since my New Year's debacle. for a three year period, it was shaping me, but then we had our second son, and that really changed things. all my weight loss has been gained plus some and my next trip is guaranteed to be a disaster simply because i haven't practiced the art of outdoor living in several years. if i'm honest with myself, i haven't been out for a fear of self failure, and that's tough to overcome.

i haven't been on this site in months and simply coming here plays into that want of that self image. that and the want to get back out there and overcoming that fear.

[Charles S. Forstall]

I think you all might be disappointed by my pragmatics. But after spending five years in the infantry I see lightweight as the only way to go. I've carried those 50+ loads at times and hated every minute of it. Beyond that I knew I didn't have enough even with all that weight to last more then a week or so.

Being outside with the army wasn't always fun, but I still like the idea of getting out there and seeing things. To that end cutting weight down seems like an obvious. Less weight, More room for food which equals longer and faster trips. I am also a noob endurance athlete (nothing beyond 13 miles yet, but I am slowly building my mileage base). It seems obvious to me that at some point I will need to carry enough to pitch camp if I am on a long run. The lighter the weight and the higher the functionality the easier it is for me to meet my goals.

I know that isn't quite what you all are looking for but this is a pretty plain and heartfelt reason why I enjoy Ultralight and Lightweight Kit.

[Thomas Burns]

Because, as my wife always says, "This is supposed to be fun."

And now it is.

Stargazer

[Jarod Fleming]

why lightweight backpacking?

Because carrying lots of weight up those mountains suck, and I can't afford a teleporter yet.

[Author]

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