3-season GEAR LIST (assistance)

Mike,

I don't know what to say!

You have your list dialed in for your style, and are "ruthless" (in a good way) at advising us on slashing ounces & pounds!!

Things like your pot grabber seem heavy to me given your overall style and packweight; however I can't bring myself to actually say it since you're so low overall!

I honestly think you don't need to change anything to make your trips more enjoyable – except for bringing toilet paper :)

Todd

Oh those beautiful pot grips.

(A) These are auto supply Teeny-weenie channel lock pliers. Yes, 1.5 ounces – UHHG! But, they are superior to any other pot holder.

I've burned my hands (and shirt sleeves) too often to depend on gloves or a bandana. The alcohol stove has an invisible flame! So, I like some sort of pot holder. I've found that the MSR cute version (C) is too small, and it's still easy to burn your hand. Plus, they self destruct after a while.

(D) is about the same wieght as the tiny channel Lock pliers (A)

But – I have a *trangia* stove that came with a cool little grabber (B) that is pretty good, and well under an ounce. Good – solved – done!

Mike,
I notice you have both long pants and shorts. What's up with that?

I see you have a coffee filter. Do you carry the grounds out?
Or is it for water quality?

But WOW! Very impressive and low weight list. It certainly gives me something to strive for. It will get a lot of study over the next few weeks.

Thanks.

I carry the coffee filter for filtering coffee. I have recently been drinking TURKISH coffee, so I can NIX that (YES!)

Also – I scatter my coffee grounds. I feel this is a very minimum impact. I do not just dump them on the ground. I "sprinkle" them in bushes and areas they would never be seen, and in soil that is organic.

I wear a thin nylon pair of running shorts UNDER my light hiking pants. Most of the time, I'll wear the pants, but if it gets hot, and there aren't too many prickers along the trail, I'll add the weight of those pants to my pack. But, they are mostly on my legs.

Your torso length sleeping pad weighs 15.1 oz? This has to be a typo. Also might bring you under 7 lbs. base weight.

Look, I found a way to reduce your pack weight by changing nothing but the numbers on your spreadsheet… : )

…

Reply to Mike:
===========
My torso length pad has been modified. I glued on a thin yellow EVAZOTE pad to the bottom, creating a full length pad. It works perfectly! I even wrote an article about it – but I cant find it.

Yes, it weighs 15.1 oz.

– – and – –

Reply to another Mike:
=================
I have done a lot of experimenting with gaiters. I've done long multi day hikes with and without. In the end, i find that I like them, they help with foot issues. They keep dust and grit out of my shoes and socks (at least it helps). Actually, it is little seeds that cling to my socks that I find the most troublesome, and the gaiters help a lot. So, I know I could get by without them, but they help enough that I wear them. I do a lot of off trail hiking, so tiny seeds (that cling) are an issue for me.

Also – I think I posted the weight of the rather big MSR TITAN Kettle (750ml). I like slightly larger size for cooking on a stove when I'm solo. I have a smaller mug I use when I am camping with teammates. I should use only the small mug on the next test trip.

The aluminum foil lid is easy! Especially on the mug size. It is actually made from an old pie pan.

Mike here is a link to your own article. Use google search

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/make_your_own_gear_multi_pad_ground_sheet.html

There are some things you could get rid of in part or in full, but most come down to preference.

-10 stakes is a lot. If you don't want to bother hunting lots of rocks, you still might be able to bring fewer.

-Mug seems heavy for solo.

-Hardrocks are porkers, but if they work they work,

-If you can live without the t-shirt you could ditch it (I carry a very similar range of clothes for summer up here, and I wouldn't leave out my t-shirt either).

1) Ken – Thanks for the search – I couldn't find it. About that article – I have cut off the TYVEC, it was a easy solution for the ground cloth, but I found I didn't need it – so now its gone.

2) David – Yes – the mug will get replaced.

3) Hard rocks fit my feet SO wonderfully! But they no longer make them.

4) I don't stress to much about the clothing worn, and I wear it ALL to sleep, so the T-shirt is part of my insulation sleeping at night system.

5) Yes, 10 stakes are a lot, but 4 of them are made from tiny titanium BIKE SPOKES. These slightly flimsy stakes are for the tie out cords along the side edges, these don't need much strength compared to the ridge-line.

Two options to think about.

Have – patagonia stretch jackalope synthetic 11.6 oz.
Try – BPL Thorofare Pant 3.9oz.

Have – MSR titanium mug & pot grabber 4.5 oz.
Try – Snow Peak 450 Ti Mug with handles 2.4oz. No pot holder needed.

Weight savings of 9.8oz

"Try – Snow Peak 450 Ti Mug with handles 2.4oz. No pot holder neede"

The SP 450 is listed at 4.2oz. However for 0.5 volume less than the 450, the MSR Titan mug is worth considering, the best part is that it only weighs 1.9oz. You could also take the handles off and shave some more weight. The downside is that it doesn't quite hold two cups of water– the capacity is 13.5fl oz.

The SP 450 Single Wall is listed at 2.4oz and has an actual volume of 15.2fl oz. The SP 450 Double Wall however weighs 4.2oz.

According to Mikes list. His pot and pot holder together weighs 4.5oz. The idea is that even though a pot with handles would weigh more (in this case 2.4oz) it would weigh less than a pot without handls plus a pot holder.

Hey Mike, where's the TP?

You can't go hiking without TP!

:o)

Dean the instigator (I would never do such a thing, oh no, not I)… :)

I don't think Mike is a fan of TP. He gave me a hard time for packing four 4"x4" squares of blue shop towel for such a use. I think he prefers "Oh Natural".

You got one Dean!
Reel 'em in.

Does he use it at home?

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/toilet_paper_free.html

(link above)

Is this my claim to fame?

Oh well…

Mike, I find it pure idiosy that people will go to such lengths looking for TP alternatives when all that's required are: water, your own hand, and a dab of Purell. This method is the simplest, the lightest weight, AND also the cleanest. Just about the only scenario where it isn't the optimal option is desert hiking where water is scare.

I just read your article, very informative. I’ll “think” about dropping my 4 squares of blue shop towel. I am still a bit of a princess though; I may not be able to stick with the program.

Hey Ben, I'm that fool you're referring to! :) I understand what you're saying, but I wouldn't go as far to say it's "pure idiosy", that's a little harsh maybe. Personally, as someone who sits on a porcelain toilet and has had a roll of TP within arms length of me since I was able to straddle the toilet with my chicken legs, it doesn't seem far fetched or idiotic for people to want to carry this comforting aspect of their hygienic life into the backcountry with them even if it means jumping through hoops. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, just saying it's pretty easy to understand why so many people feel the need to use TP or wipes.

Actually, I wasn't saying that using TP itself is idiotic (although it is quite unnecessary) — but I was referring to Mike's write up about jamming snow and river rocks and wooly lamb's ear and old man's beard and grass… up one's ass!

Oh Please!
Don't go here for the 14th time.
You know it's Mike.
You Know he's not asking about TP.

This has been a pretty good thread so far. Honor that.