My 3 Season Gear List

Comments:
1) 17oz is a lot for hiking poles. The Gossamer Gear poles are 7oz for a pair of adjustable ones or 5oz for fixed length ones. You may want to consider lighter poles because you are swinging these as you hike so it's a bad spot to have extra weight. Also I would move these to carried weight instead of including them in your base weight.

2) Replacing that 8oz MSR filter with some Aquamira Tablets (1oz) would save you hassle and 7oz.

3) You might want to try BPL's Thorofare pants. At 4oz, they are a solid 10oz lighter than your MHW pants. I got some this summer and they blew me away.

Thank you for the heads up. I put the poles in my base weight because I rarely have them off my pack (they are mainly tent poles and back up for my bad knee). As for the Aquamira, what do you think of Klear Water. According to the data it's faster and a little easier to use. Also, pre-filters. I was thinking about putting a SteriPEN Water Bottle Pre-Filter on one of my bottles (I would gain 5g over the MSR one used for the water filter).

Justin,

Look into the ULA amigo h20 system or at least the pre-filter, and to add GossamerGear adjustable carbon poles would work perfect with your tent/tarp and save about 12 1/2oz to boot.

couch

If the trekking poles are for just in case and for setting up your shelter than whats the point in carrying anything. Wouldn't it make sense to just find a couple of sticks on the side of the trail if needed or when you get to camp to set up your shelter? Plus you are adding more than a pound to your pack putting more pressure on your bad knee. Am I right?

I personally think trekking poles are a waste of money.

Joseph

My knees hurts if I place it wrong. I can hike for days without a problem, then I will step down wrong and I'm toast. It doesn't matter how much weight I carry (I've done it with nothing on my back). I usually end up using them every other trip. As for using sticks/branches, I would rather not. most of my hiking is done in wilderness and I don't want to have to rely on something I found in the woods (good idea though). I think I will go with the Gossamer Gear poles. Has any of you used them. how good are the expansion nuts. how strong are they (will I break them just looking at them?).

Do a search on trekking poles. The gossamer gear poles will come up every thread as one of the best if not the best every time. Ive tripped over them many times and I'm not a small guy. They hold up well. The expansion nuts have never given me a problem either.

"I personally think trekking poles are a waste of money."

And I will defend to the death your right to hold this opinion!

Welllllllllllll, maybe not to the death…….

Anyway, the poles are a godsend for me. They help me up steep hills, have prevented me from falling, save my knees a bit on steep descents, hold up my mid really well (while saving me from having to look for just the right height stick after a very long day on the trail when I just want to get my shelter set up), and weigh next to nothing! (I've got the Lightreks). I often carry them instead of 'planting' them when on level ground, but even then I'm swinging them in cadence and (I like to believe) creating a bit of momentum even then!