3 Season / 3 Night – Gear List

Rob, given what you said above (I'm not attacking the big 3) here is my stab at it- Don't take offence at my suggestions I'm trying to do this quickly during lunch.

Big 4: [ 9.41 lbs.]
Frameless Pack – 30.5 oz w/Hefty Bag Liner= work on later
30 Degree Sleeping Bag – 48 oz= work on sooner! 3 lbs!
Self Inflating Sleeping Pad – 24.4 oz= personal choice
Solo Tent – 47.7 oz (w/ 6 stakes & poles)= work on later

Cooking: [ 5.7 oz.]= Good enough
Bud Can Stove – 0.4 oz
Pot Stand/Wind Screen – 0.7 oz
LMF Spork – 0.5 oz
Titanium Cup – 2.5 oz
24oz Heineken Pot- 1.6 oz

Clothing in pack: [ 2.34 lbs.]
Poncho – 8 oz
LS Shirt – 7 oz
Underwear – 1.5 oz
Long Socks – 2.5 oz
Long Johns – 7 oz
Balaclava – 2 oz
Gloves – 2 oz
Beanie – 2 oz
Gym Shorts – 3.5 oz= no need
Towel – 2 oz= you have a bandana, no need

Toiletries: [ 7.05 oz.]
TS Tooth Brush – 0.75 oz
Tooth Paste – 0.8 oz
Toilet Paper – 2 oz (in ziplock)= some say leave it home
TS Gold Bond – 1.5 oz
Hand Sanitizer – 1 oz
Deet – 1 oz

Misc. Gear: [ 1.06 lbs.]
First Aid Kit – 2.9 oz (in ziplock)
Flashlight – 7 oz w/ batt. (small hand held w/ headband clip) = this is way too heavy- you can get a very small LED that weighs less than an ounce- I go one for $4 in a clearance bin 3 years ago.
Notebook w/ Duct Tape Pen – 2.75 oz= personal choice
Cord – 50 ft. – 2 oz= could be lighter
Hefty Bag – 0.5 oz
AquaMira – 1.1 oz
Glow Stick – 0.7 oz= you have a 7 oz flashlight why take this?

Consumables: [ 10.11 lbs.]

Food – 53.25 oz
Alcohol – 5 oz
2L Platypus w/hose – 70.5 oz full= no need you have a water bottle (below), at least dump the hose and bring the empty bottle if water sources are far away or you need to do the auquamira overnight for breakfast.
Water Bottle – 33 oz full

Full Skin Out – Base Weight: [ 6.47 lbs.]

Hat – 4.5 oz= could be lighter
Sunglasses – 1.5 oz
Bandana – 0.5 oz
Swiss Army Knife – 2.2 oz = get the classic- mine weights .7 oz
Small Bic Lighter – 0.4 oz
Pants – 13.5 oz
Belt – 2.25 oz
Shirt – 5.5 oz
Shoes – 42 oz= are these boots or do they just have lead insoles? use trail runners-
Ankle Socks – 2 oz
Underwear – 1.5 oz = you have long johns listed above, no need for a 3 day trip
Fleece – 17 oz =change later
ID, Credit Card, Cash – 0.5 oz
Cell Phone – 4 oz = why?
Map – 0.5 oz
Survival Kit* – 5.6 oz (around neck)= no heavy, what are you planning on surviving? (just hike out, if you can hike you can't fish either) you can cut this weight.

*Survival Kit* – 5in1: whistle,compass, flint, signal mirror, lanyard, waterproof container (contents:
waterproof matches, tinder, 25ft.10lb. test fishing line, 2 hooks, 1 lure, 1 sm. weight, sm. pencil)

Your 'Big 4' are pretty heavy. Considering these 4 items compose almost 3/4 of your total base weight, this is where the potential is to shave off a significant amount of weight.

3lbs (48oz) for a 30F sleeping bag is just way too heavy. My Golite Ultra 20 quilt (which is really more like a 30F quilt) weighs just 19oz…that's almost 30oz less! Even if you don't want to go with a quilt, you can get a good 30F sleeping bag for 20-25oz. Yeah this is expensive, but if you choose the right one it will last you forever. It's better to buy one good bag than a series of cheaper bags.

Your sleeping pad is pretty heavy too….the NeoAir is a nice option (13oz) or you can get something like the MEC Kelvin Summer Pad which is similar but even thicker for just $40. That pad is 19oz.

It doesn't look like you really have any warm clothing in your kit. The longsleeve shirt and long johns will help, but you really need something like a fleece, or better yet a down jacket for those cold evenings.

On a budget it is hard to get UL with the big 4 but I would consider the Campmor 20 degree down bag. For $120 you would shave off 12 oz. from your current bag and gain 10 degrees:

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___40065

Energizer as part of their Trailfinder series makes an LED Headlight that sells at Walmart for under $5. That would save you about 5 oz. from your current flashlight. $1 per ounce is pretty good.

Amazon has a Merino Wool sweater from Red Moon that sells for $25:

http://www.amazon.com/Red-Moon-Merino-Pullover-Sweater/dp/B001CCV23E/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=apparel&qid=1252207930&sr=8-6

As PP mentioned, your shoes are way too heavy. There are tons of posts here talking about trail runners.

As PP also mentioned, you have a lot of stuff on your list that you don't need. I would just get out there and you will see how much stuff you have on your list that you don't need. Dropping an item reduces it's weight and cost by 100%.

Your list does not look that bad, but you need to ditch the heavy items.

At 32 oz of food per day x 3 = 6# + 2L of h20 +4#, plus a little fuel so around 8 pounds total.

YOu should be able to hit 20-25# total pretty easy. Just go through your list and start cutting the heavy items first. I would do that first. You can probably cut 2-3# there right off the bat at little expense.

The big 4 could be lighter. Go for a 2# pack, 2# bag, 9-14 oz pad, 2# tent or tarp and bivy/bug tent.

My big 4 right now is 40 pack, 46 tent, 31 bag, 14+4 for pad so I am not far behind at 8.5#. I am modding my tent, new lighter pack and just those 2 items will get me to 6.5#. If I go the gatewood cape and bug tent, with a small neoair and a 2oz GG foam pad I would be at 5.2#, and maybe less rain gear which is another 10oz but its more $ and slightly less comfort so…

ITs all the little cuts and changes here and there that add up. It take $ though so you can do just replace one item at a time.

SUL take more $ since everything is high end, cuben, etc.

If its a 3 day you can live with a 8-16 oz alcohol cook kit for about 3 – 4 oz and its almost free. That would be a good start and would save a couple of oz.

Eventually get rid of the fleece and replace it with something lighter.

7 oz flashlight must go.

Personally I dont count anything, worn every day, in my pocket like a knife or a lighter etc. I want to know what is hanging on my shoulders day in and day out. Its useful to know what the complete weight is though.

Probably the reason I like moderate winter hiking. I am wearing most of my clothing.

Frameless Pack – 30.5 oz w/Hefty Bag Liner – not bad
30 Degree Sleeping Bag – 48 oz – should be 32 oz
Self Inflating Sleeping Pad – 24.4 oz – could be much lighter, but more $. A used short prolite and a blue pad would weigh 13 oz
That would cost about $50-60 (blue foam about $7 at walmart) and would save you 11.4 oz off the bat.

Solo Tent – 47.7 oz (w/ 6 stakes & poles)- Tarptent would save you about 1# but expensive at $220.

A gatewood cape and a bug tent and or bivy would save almost 2#. Again expensive a $240 unless used.

A tarp and bivy is cheap. If you do an open pyramid setup with an 5×9 poncho/tarp takes one pole add a tyvek bivy sack, that would save a lot of weight. 9 oz for the tarp/ poncho at $45. 7 oz for a MYOG 1.25 tyvek bivy at $5 per yard from quest. You can glue that.
That would save you about 43 oz off your tent and raingear for about $60-70. Carry a garbage bag for an intermediate rain gear, IE setup.

Tyvek bivy is a easy, cheap and good myog project.

I have that exact poncho tarp and its a good one. Also have a tyvek bivy and it works. YOu might want to start off with a campmor UL 8×10 tarp first for more coverage.

Cooking: [ 5.7 oz.] Could be 3-4 oz. Use a easy mac plastic cup to make coffe – .6 oz, select choice plastic soup container 1 oz.

Clothing in pack: [ 2.34 lbs.] Does not look too bad.

Flashlight – 7 oz – lighter
Notebook w/ Duct Tape Pen – 2.75 oz – lighter. 2 pc of WP paper and a micro pencil. I carry a pen in my pocket 24/7
Cord – 50 ft. – 2 oz – triptease is lighter I think.
AquaMira – 1.1 oz – mine weighs 2 oz. You need a water dipper of some sort unless you are using it on top of your bottle. A 1 qt plastic bottle bottom works. Also need to treat it with clorine depending on where you are. MSR sweet water 2 oz.

Glow Stick – 0.7 oz – out

Consumables: [ 10.11 lbs.] – Sounds about right. You could ditch the hose as mentioned above and just go with a 1L and 1 2L platy and save a few oz. Also you could use a 1 oz 1 L water bottle, free, almost

*Survival Kit* – sounds good if you really need it for 3 days. I read a good response on a question the other day about survival and med packs on the AT. The responder said he carries only a quik clot kit and a wrap, IE he can hike out or call out if he has a minor problem. I do think an anti diareal and a few bandaids and a striker is a good idea.

Thanks for the replies. You're right, the survival kit is pretty useless unless I plan on fishing for my dinner during a trip (I have a 3.9 oz telescopic rod and a 7.9 oz reel) and use it as a backup in case of an emergency.

You can just carry some fishing line that is almost weightless, couple of small hooks, cut a branch for a pole, dig some grubs and do it old style.

I have this one that weighs 2oz. For a 3day it owuld be okay.

http://www.travelgearblog.com/archive/ultralight-backpacking-fishing-pole.html

I went fishing not too long ago with it and the spinning real that goes with it just to try it out. Caught a couple of small bass and a few pan fish. Lots of fun. Casting is tough due to the short pole length, but it works.

The big change in your pack weight will be when you get a lighter bag, lighter pad, and go a duel purpose tarp/bivy. That will save you pounds. The tarp/bivy combo is cheap if you make the bivy, like maybe $60-70 total. I have the Campmor extended UL poncho/tarp. Your tent and poncho weigh 3#8. A tarp/bivy weighs 16oz so that would save you 2.5# for $70 or so.

Any suggestions for a pad that's lighter but will still be comfortable? I use a water proof self inflating pad and would prefer a similar pad just lighter. I'm a side sleeper so most pads don't really serve their purpose so I don't always bring it. But some places I go the ground is pretty rough and somethings better than nothing. Plus I like to have it when it's colder. The cold ground can really sap your body heat.

Bored so I will pipe up again.
I am a side sleeper too, like 100%.

The best setup I have found so far is a regular neoair (R3.2) on top of a blue pad. Very comfortable. Its the only setup I have used that does not crush my shoulder into my neck.

The Exped pad I tried was close but very heavy, lots of R value though, like R7. It would make a good snow sleeper.

I think a neoair is good to 32dF. With a blue pad (4 oz) I think to maybe 0-5dF but not exactly sure. That said a GG 1/8 foam pad is what a lot of people use under their neoairs. $10 and weighs 2 oz.

A thermarest prolite on a blue pad is not bad either, but you dont get the contouring around the shoulder and hips as much. 1" vs 2.5". Very light though at 11 oz for a short.

The BPL torsolite is supposed to be a good pad, R value of 3-4 10 oz. I have not used one.

Thanks for all of the input Troy.