3-Season pack list – help me cut weigh
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Good news: Your “Big Three” of pack, bag and shelter are all reasonable weights. Those are the expensive things to change out.
More good news: LOTS of low-hanging fruit here.
12 tent stakes?!? I know you have a tarp and need some stakes, but an area either has trees or rocks, right? If you haven’t ever used them all, leave some home. Get creative when needed. Bring 25 feet of braided fishing line = 6 grams = enough to reach a few rocks or trees.
“Summit pack, 370 grams” I use a 20-liter sil-nylon travel pack. Folds up to the size of a lemon, name brand ones (Sea to Summit) cost $30-ish. I’ve got a bunch on eBay for $10-ish. 2.4 to 2.7 ounces = 75 grams. Doubles as one of your stuff sacks.
“Swiss Army Knife, 62 grams” A SAK Classic is 21 grams. TSA-seized ones are $5. You don’t (at least shouldn’t) need a can opener or cork screw).
I see 231 grams of lights and batteries (not even counting the PowerBank. Except for winter camping, a zebra light (41 grams) with a lithium battery in it (+15 grams) does more (brighter bright, lower low) at a quarter the total weight.
“Firestarting, 50 grams” a mini-Bic is 11 grams. A square inch of waxed cardboard (produce box form behind the groceries store) is 3 grams.
“Bowls, 92 grams” cut the bottom off of an HDPE gallon or half-gallon milk jug. 15-20 grams. As deep as you want. Two will nest. Free at the recycling center.
First Aid kit and repair kit – ones you assemble yourself are always more functional and lighter than any store-bought version. You’re already carrying the dental floss and some tape, so two speciality needles, a few safety pins and you’re done on the repair kit. I always bring a glover’s needle. Sometimes a curved one. You can get both (plus others) for $1.79 at any grocery or fabric store:
First aid kit for me is mostly knowing how to use my other gear as splints, bandages, warmth, etc. Specific FA items in my kit are a very few drugs (Benadryl, NSAIs, a laxative and an anti-diarrheal), 1-2 days supply of each, a few Bandaids, and tiny professional samples of anti-fungal and antibiotic lotions. I successfully reattached my finger tip on a NZ tramp last year with that stuff (still attached, has sensation, looks pretty good, although my fingerprint did change a bit).
There are other savings to be had, but broadly, if you didn’t use it on your last trip, leave it behind on your next trip. If you didn’t use all the xxxxxxx on your last trip, bring half as much of xxxxxx next time.
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