my “help change the first number to 5” list :)

[Mike M]

my base weight is currently 6.9 lbs, would be nice to see that first number a 5 (not 5 even mind you, just the first number) :)

I made one note on the NeoAir that going to a small would shave 3.8 oz- the medium size w/ the sit pad is darn nice, but maybe I'd like the small and the sit pad???

I included carried items as these are the items I actually carry on person- I could put my camera in my pocket to shave base weight, but frankly I don't

thanks in advance

Mike

[Stephen P]

For me, all weight from skin out counts. I would count all items worn and carried when trying to lighten up. However, I understand your desire to get your pack base weight into the 5s.

Here are 2 quick easy fixes. If you are already wearing a good pair of socks (like Darn Tough which you listed), then I would drop the spare. Carry a light pair of dress socks instead just to sleep in (summer conditions). Also, depending on your cooking, you could lighten your kitchen. You could carry a beer can pot instead of a snow peak. I only use these if I'm doing freezer bag cooking…not a fan of them for any other purpose except boiling water.

If you want to spend some $$$, buy or make a cuben quilt. Wish I had one!

[Jeff Antig]

This is what I would do-

1. Attach the gorillapod to trekking poles
2. Cut out map into sections and take only what is required
3. Leave 1 platypus bottle at home. When I run out of water, I boil tea and drink that while I wait.
4. The SP 600 lid is really not lightweight. I find no difference in using foil lids considering that they'll be held in a stuff sack anyway. Cut down beer can pots are also very light if you're willing to do that.
5. If you are talking about the SP short spork that comes in the hybrid kit–it weighs the same as the BPL or Sea to Summit regular sized sporks. It's better to just detach foldable sporks
6. No extra socks
7. Cuben tarp if you have the expense
8. Same with cuben pack
9. Sleep on pack instead of pillow (hard at first but gets easier)
10. Do you really need sit pad?

[Mike M]

thanks gents

I'm a little leery of hiking w/ just one pair of hiking socks, maybe I just need to get over that :)

would the gorillpod stay attached? it would be definitely be more handy on a pole (vs pack), my hikes take me off trail a fair bit so some concern of it getting "rubbed off"

I might be able to shave some map weight- good idea

I could lose a bottle, it does help w/ rotating treated water and occasionally in high/dry areas two bottles are handy

the lid is one of the "custom" aluminum ones made by a member here, weight is 16 grams and the little wood knob is nice to grab (doesn't get hot)- granted a piece of aluminum foil would be lighter

it's their short ti spork (not foldable), haven't see it in a kit, but might be- it's a hair lighter than their "normal" ti spork

the pillow is definitely a luxury- although it is relatively light (and packs to almost nothing)- if I knew I wasn't going to be wearing my down jacket I'd be more apt to leave it behind

sit pad is used as back pad for the pack, use it for sleeping AND as a sit pad :) it's not a necessity and could probably be axed

cuben tarp and pack not in my near future- would be nice though :)

I've got a 450 mug, I'm going to have to check my boil meals- it might be enough pot for what I'm using it for and would save close to a 1/2 ounce

[Trevor Wilson]

You're starting to get down to the low numbers and here is where (for me at least) the decisions definitely get tougher and you might be eliminating some things you really think you need. The areas I think you could reduce weight or eliminate weight are:
– lighter pad – GG Torso weighs 3.5 oz. Save 9.2 oz
– eliminate pillow. Save 0.8 oz
– FAK / repair kit – I think you could get this down to 2 oz total or less without too much difficult. Save at least 0.4 oz
– eliminate tripod. Save 1.6 oz
– do you have two compasses? If so, eliminate one and save 0.8 oz.
– maps: a one page custom map weighs .2 oz. Save 1.6 oz

This would be a total weigh savings of 14.4 oz without spending any money which gets you really close. Lighter spare socks or a beer can pot would save you a little more and might get you under 6. To make any big strides in eliminating ounces past that you might have to spend money on a lighter tarp (cuben) or pack. I hope this helps. Good luck!

EDIT: You would have to spend money ($35) on the GG Torso pad to loose that weight. Sorry for the oversight.

[Jeff Antig]

-You have a sewing kit yes? That's why you only need 1 pair of socks :)

-The gorillapod will stay attached and you'll definitely notice if it slides off since your poles will move in front of you every step. You could always hold it down with a rubber band. Alternatively, you could check out something called the StickPic

-A trick for the 450 mug–many meals call for 2 cups of water. Well, I improvise. You could use the 450 cup mug and boil the 1-1/2 cup or so of water and add it to your meal. When it is done rehydrating, it'll be very salty–add the remaining 1/2 cup with cold water. That way, your meal will be at a temperature ready to eat.

[Mike M]

nobody likes my pillow :)

sewing kit to repair them- yes, but no blow drier to dry them :)

I just looked at the meals and they call for ~ two cups (some a little less) for meals for two, I usually halve those so I think the 450 should work just fine

I'll evaluate my repair kit/fak- there probably is a little room for improvement there

two compasses, but one is "real"- baseplate/sighting, the other is just a small Suunto button compass housed in the match safe

what do you reccomend for a map source? I imagine you can still grid them for utm gps use?

I've become highly addictive to the NeoAirs :)- not sure I could go back to a close cell pad- maybe the small one though- there are substantial savings going to a closed cell though- probably adds volume though, the Ion is not overly generous in size

[Trevor Wilson]

I like your pillow but it is definitely a luxury :) I have one and carry it most of the time. On trips where I am trying to go light I don't take it though.

I understand the love for the neo air. It is unfortunately the only major place I see in your list to eliminate some significant ounces without high cost. You are right though – not a lot of room in the Ion so that's a tough decision.

For maps – you should be able to load or print from your mapping software. I think Alan Dixon's article on his Sierra Hike last summer explained his process pretty well if I remember correctly. It depends on the length of the trip and how detailed of map you need as to if you could actually fit it all on one 8×11 sheet of paper though.

Overall, I think you have a solid kit and it is pretty light so I'm not sure there is are many places to loose much weight without some sacrifice (i.e. sleeping on a closed cell foam pad) or some cost (cuben tarp or pack).

[Stephen P]

The gorilla pod is light, yes. However, do you really want to add any unneeded ounces to your trekking poles? It beats me why people put anything on their poles (like ductape). You lift and plant these poles thousands of times while hiking, so why make them heavier? I know…there are plenty of threads and comments on BPL about this…and to each his own. Just my opinion.

Looks like you have a lot of good ideas on here.

[Nick Gatel]

If you really want to get to 5 or lower, you will need to spend a little money. But here is how I would do it.

Pack- GG Murmur w/o pads & trip straps (save 5.1 oz)

Replace sit pad and air mattress with Suluk 46 ground pad and padded ground sheet (save 8.4 oz)

Don't need hip belt pouch (save .6 oz)

Tim Marshall quilt w/ 2" loft (save 5oz)

Use something else for pillow (save .6 oz)

BPL Nano Tarp is big enough to not need bivy (save 10 oz)

Add Marmot Essesnce Wind/Rain Jacket gid rid of Houdini (add 2.6 oz)

Replace cookset with Caldera Cone CVP (save 2.5 oz)

Sleep in hiking pants, calipene bottom not needed (Marshall quilt is much warmer (save 5.6)

I bet I could shave 2 or 3 oz off you misc stuff, but won't count it.

Total weight savings = 35.2 oz

New base weight = 4.71 lbs

[Ike Mouser]

The only think i don't like about the cvp is you have to keep buying those expensive esbit tablets, or can you use alcohol as well? Im switching to a keg at some point in the future.

Also I know you want to get under 5, but having a 2nd pair of socks is something i have NEVER regretted. If your going out for more than a few days, its paramount IMO. Wait though..Aluminum is linked to alzheimers right? Might not go keg..

[Mike M]

no ready to give up the pillow just yet :)

also I'm not trying to get under five, I realize that would take a rather major overhaul which I'm not considering at this juncture

^ agree on the socks- I like having two pair (w/ one pair that is always dry)

look like the 450 will work, found some pretty stout aluminum "foil" that will work as a lid- savings of 0.9 oz over the 650/lid

I also looked at my TP figure and that was from a 5 day trip, three day trip worth weighs in at 0.5- savings of 0.4 oz

I can ditch the trowel- a suitable stick will work (albeit probably not as well)- savings of 0.7 oz

we have a very large printer at work, going to se what I can come up w/ for a map on one page- I'd like to keep it at quad scale if possible- my thought is I don't typically need two FULL quads- usually just portions of each

my goal is to cut the map weight in half- if done- a savings of 0.9 oz (possibly more if the paper stock is lighter than USGS?)

that's roughly 3 oz- a start anyways :)

the windscreen I built for my stove also doubles as a wood burning stove (w/ the addition of two stakes)- it's pretty efficient and I use it whenever I can. I carry the Esbit in case of inclement weather, lack of wood or laziness :)

[Ike Mouser]

Two-three stakes held together make a fine trowel.

[Mike M]

^ good idea- thanks :)

[Mike M]

made a little more progress :)

I reduced the suncreen and bugdope by 0.1 each for a whopping 0.2 savings :)

I've reduced the fak to 1.3 for a savings of 0.5, the repair kit to 0.4 for a 0.2 savings- total 0.7 savings

I've replaced one of the liter platys to a 1/2 liter (I like the gatorade powder packs and they are designed to mix w/ a 1/2 liter- perfect)- savings 0.2

I had too many Micropur tabs, saved 0.1 there

I reduced (replaced two of the larger stakes w/ smaller ones) the stakes/guy lines saving 0.4 oz

I nixed the hip pocket- 0.6 oz, I still would like some kind of small mesh, tiny pocket that I could slip onto my belt to hold sunscreen, bug dope, etc- if anyone has ideas for something small/light lmk

I nixed the tripod, replaced it w/ a stick pic (0.4 oz) http://thestickpic.com/- savings 1.2 oz

soooooo 3.2 ozs gone, inching closer, now @ ~ 6.6 lbs

[ross erickson]

if you like the golite ion the lighter option would be a zpacks zero made of cuben at ~2oz!

[Hiking Malto]

Pitch your 18 oz. trekking poles and get some 8 oz. LT4 and you save 10oz. Then worry about cutting grams.

[Mike M]

^^ both appear to be nice bits, but not probable in the near future

I was able to shed .8 oz on the maps and .3 oz on bear hanging rope- it was 50' long and I never used that much in all my hanging, so it was trimmed back to 35'

[Mike M]

I took the suggestion on ditching the sit pad (albeit it was after I was reading the thread on the MLD Burn and saw several were running their neo's in thirds against the back of the pack)

the Neo in thirds fits like it was made for it and provides a nice smooth backing/cushioning for the pack- so I inch yet a little closer :)

I also got my Stick Pic device in and playing around w/ it looks like it will make a very viable substitute for the tripod

[Larry Dyer]

It looks like you did a good job modding your ion Mike. Mind posting a few more pics of it? I'm a sucker for the things but mine is still a blank canvas. :)

Also, if you're serious about getting the weight down on the cheap, and I think it has already been mentioned, you should at least play with beer can pots. They're cheap enough that you can always toss it if it doesn't suit you.

[JASON CUZZETTO]

I use a stuff sack with a shoe lace sewn across the top. You pull the stuff sack's top up under your belt. Fold the top down over the belt and feed the lace around the sack and tie like your shoe. Stays in place and if you use a dry sack rain won't get to the contents. Very simple and works well.

Thank you,

Jason Cuzzetto

[Mike M]

^ I like it- thanks :)

I can't take credit for the modding of the Ion, Tim Marshall did it for me (before he got famous :) )- his work is top notch

the flap pouch I put my first aid kit, compass, headlamp, notebook/pen, maps and water tabs

the elastic side pockets I use for liter (or 1/2 liter) bottles, the rear elastic pocket w/ bungee can be used for wet tarp, fishing pole, etc

[Larry Dyer]

So I stand corrected – Tim Marshall did a good job of modding your Ion. I must have an eye for quality or something! :)

Regardless, the pack looks nice. I particularly like how this design utilizes the entire bottom surface of the lid for a very minimal penalty in weight compared to the smaller pocket sewn in the middle of the lid variant.

[Mike M]

Tim definitely does outstanding work :) the lid pocket, mesh back/sides, bungee added less than two ounces and has turned it into a very capable 3-4 day pack

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