Newbie Midwest 3 Season

[Mathias Gillum]

PDF Gear List in profile.

My 16-year old son and I are new to backpacking and have been lurking here putting together gear over the past 2 years. Our lists are just about identical. His gear is a little lighter – CCF pad, DriDucks.

We backpack as a duo but are also training to go to Philmont with 2 crews in August. This gear list is for 3-seasons in the Midwest – hot (summers), humid & rainy. Temperatures 30s to 90s F. Typical trips are 2 nights/3days.

Gear Philosophy – We followed this site and tried to make the most economical new lightweight gear purchases or use gear that we already had. We have spent about $800 total to outfit both of us. Special thanks to Doug Prosser, Mark Verber and everyone who posts on this site.

All shared gear is listed at ½ weight to split 50/50. Color codes mean nothing except yellow highlights a few misc. things we still need to pick up.

Suggestions, comments, criticisms, questions greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Chris Gray]

-Do you need to carry two bandanas? Nix one
-Do you need to carry a flashlight?
-Do you need to carry a lighter?

You could put the latter two in your pack, I dislike carrying items in my pants pocket.

-There are lighter insulation pieces. Save 5oz or so.
-There are lighter rain jackets. Save 5oz+
-Nix the extra socks for 3/4 days trips or look into ankle or dress socks to sleep in.

-You could switch to a tarp or TarpTent and save a ton on this 5lb 8oz monster tent.

-Nix the sleeping bag stuff sack. Stuff it directly into your bag with a pack liner. Save 2.6oz

-Nix the stuff sacks for both poles and stakes– fold them in with your tent. Save 1.25oz

-Nix the bowel. Just eat/drink out of your cooking pot. Save at least 1oz.

-Have you thought about a CCF pad or at least a torso length inflateable? Save 16oz.

-Do you really need 5L of water capacity? Downgrade to a 2L platy without the hose, and take just one Gatorade bottle. Save 6.2oz

For just yourself and your son, I would switch to an alky stove. For more people then just ignore this comment.

-Filters are heavy, have you considered the Frontier Pro?

[Jeffrey Kuchera]

Given your goals and considering the money you spent on this project I would say that you did an extremely good job! The only item that really draws attention is the Sirius three tent. It is really the only weight demon that jumps up and spews vomit whilst its heads spins in a circle. Of course saving weight on the shelter would certainly require the spending of some funds and you may not be ready to move to another style of shelter yet anyway. Shelter ideas to consider in the future should include Henry Shire's Tarp Tents and sil-nylon tarps.
Again I must offer praise as you have spent wisely and lightened up. Further weight savings will be harder to realize at this point and will require some comforts be forsaken and that some new ideas and techniquies be embraced. Weight savings will start to come slower at the stage you have achieved. I now this sounds kind of dark but again you should be proud you have achieved this level.

[Roger Caffin]

Some different thoughts.

> this 5lb 8oz monster tent.
Yeah, a bit heavy, But one step at a time.

> Nix the sleeping bag stuff sack. Stuff it directly into your bag with a pack liner.
I can only DISagree. Looking after my sleeping gear is critical: a light silnylon stuff sack with a plastic bag for total waterproofing is worth the weight imho. But many commercial compression sacks are built like tanks and are way too heavy.

> Nix the stuff sacks for both poles and stakes– fold them in with your tent.
Ah … disagree. These need looking after, and so does the tent. Silnylon stuff sacks (MYOG) are very light and protect everything.

> Nix the bowel. Just eat/drink out of your cooking pot.
Ah … bit hard to nix the bowels. Mine are attached. :-)
Oh – 'bowl'! Eating out of the pot may be OK for one person, but with two people having UL plastic bowls are worth while imho.

> Do you really need 5L of water capacity?
Nope. Try 2 or 3 PET soft drink bottles of 1.25 L capacity. Very light, very rugged, zero cost.

HTH
Cheers

[Chris Gray]

Roger:

-I just do not see the point in carrying both a pack liner *and* waterproof stuff-sacks. The packliner should be completely waterproof once the end is folded down and a rubber band is used. If you don't trust the pack liner, then why bring it? Just use the stuff sacks and be done with it– no need for both.

-Stuff sacks for poles and stakes– meh, if one cares, then just use one stuff sack, stakes and poles should fit into one very easily. Personally I just rubber band my stakes and carry them on the outside of my pack.

-Regarding the bowl/cup. In the gear list there is: one pot, one plastic bowl, one plastic cup. I said to just nix one bowl *or* one cup. There is no need for all three if one is just boiling water etc.

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