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Telltale signs your kit has evolved.


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Home Forums General Forums Philosophy & Technique Telltale signs your kit has evolved.

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Viewing 25 posts - 1 through 25 (of 32 total)
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  • #1262706
    Travis Leanna
    BPL Member

    @t-l

    Locale: Wisconsin

    I've been very happy with my Exos 58 that I got more than a year ago. Its comfortable and light, and can hold all my gear.

    Recently, I had been noticing that one of two things was happening. Either my pack was getting bigger, or my kit was getting smaller. I figured it was the latter of the two.

    So, I decided it was time to look for a smaller pack. I opted for a Talon 44 which I got yesterday. I packed up my 3-season kit with two days worth of food and a bit of water. Everything fit very nicely, with just a bit of room left so I could do a week-long or winter trip.

    Here's the point where I was certain I had done the right thing in getting a smaller pack: I opened up my Exos 58, and almost literally dropped my fully loaded Talon 44 right inside. With room to spare.

    As soon as I can be certain that the Talon will be comfortable to hike long distances in, my Exos will be up on gear swap.

    #1641085
    Steven Hanlon
    BPL Member

    @asciibaron

    Locale: Mid Atlantic

    i'm packing for a quick overnight 26 mile trip. my McHale Chasm is truly that, a chasm. small packs are uncomfortable for me, so i use the compression straps and pack vertically. it's so tempting to fill that extra space, isn't it.

    i have decided to bring a book, not sure WHERE i'm going to put it. in this void over here, or that void over there. hahah :)

    #1641215
    Jim MacDiarmid
    BPL Member

    @jrmacd

    For a 5 day/4 night trip, I'm going to be carrying 15lbs less in total pack weight (I didn't know what 'baseweight' was back then so this is food + gear) than I did on my first overnight getting back into backpacking 2 years ago. If you figure in skin out the difference probably jumps to 18 pounds due to trading boots for trail runners.

    I'll feel like my kit has fully evolved when it only takes 30 minutes to pack for a trip because my gear closet is as UL as my gear kit.

    #1641238
    Dale Wambaugh
    BPL Member

    @dwambaugh

    Locale: Pacific Northwest

    I know my kit has evolved when:

    There are fewer items
    Less weight
    Less volume
    Better performance
    Greater safety
    I'm thinking about it less
    I'm enjoying the hike more
    Lower cost (that is a dreaming wish)

    #1641251
    Tipi Walter
    BPL Member

    @tipiwalter

    I've found my trips to be getting longer and my pack heavier as I want to carry what I need without resupply for two weeks or more. I just got back from an 18 day trip and decided to take a couple more books and alot more food than usual, like apples, an avocado, a loaf of bread, some eggs, etc.

    The old saying, "The more experienced you become, the lighter your pack", doesn't really apply in all cases. I find the more time I spend outdoors, the more I want to bring out with me.

    #1641252
    Bob Gross
    BPL Member

    @b-g-2-2

    Locale: Silicon Valley

    I had to get my base load to be pretty light so that I can carry it and also the 30-40 pounds worth of camera gear. We have to keep our priorities straight.

    –B.G.–

    #1641256
    Tipi Walter
    BPL Member

    @tipiwalter

    Or my 40 lbs of food.

    #1641258
    Bob Gross
    BPL Member

    @b-g-2-2

    Locale: Silicon Valley

    Hmmm, 40 pounds of food for 18 days? That seems a touch on the heavy side.

    For summer trips, I normally pack about 1.5-1.6 pounds of food per day, and then I return with leftovers. On a recent trip, I packed only 4.5 pounds of food for the first six days (before resupply), and there was still a pound or more of it left.

    –B.G.–

    #1641270
    Tipi Walter
    BPL Member

    @tipiwalter

    I like to eat, obviously. Fresh fruit, Tasty Bite meals(they are heavy), dates, raisins, walnuts, 3 lbs of cheese, etc etc. Walk. Collapse. Eat. Walk. Collapse . . . .etc.

    #1641275
    Alex H
    BPL Member

    @abhitt

    Locale: southern appalachians or desert SW

    "I opted for a Talon 44 which I got yesterday. "

    Travis, what happened to the Swift dude?

    #1641290
    Javan Dempsey
    Member

    @jdempsey

    Locale: The-Stateless-Society

    I want to hike with Walter! Add 2lbs of coffee and we're set.

    #1641298
    Jeffrey Kuchera
    BPL Member

    @frankenfeet

    Locale: Great Lakes

    I knew my kit had evolved when packing it up was no longer a chore.

    #1641305
    Bob Gross
    BPL Member

    @b-g-2-2

    Locale: Silicon Valley

    Many years ago when I carried a traditional load, I kept a 50-pound scale in the trunk of my car so that I could a last-minute weighing of my pack.

    Now I still keep a scale in the trunk of my car, but it is a 25-pound scale.

    –B.G.–

    #1641354
    Elliott Wolin
    BPL Member

    @ewolin

    Locale: Hampton Roads, Virginia

    Jeffrey hit on it…I just realized I too no longer have to carefully pack my backpack so that everything will fit, or just barely fit, like I had to in the good old days.

    Now I just sort of put things in according to a general plan, then ponder whether I should buy a smaller/lighter pack (but since I'm so cheap I never do it, so this is a regular occurrence).

    Way back when I would regularly ponder whether I needed a larger/heavier pack.

    #1641383
    Travis Leanna
    BPL Member

    @t-l

    Locale: Wisconsin

    Alex,
    I still have the Swift, and I do like it for overnighters. However, when I start doing week-long outings, the framed packs are more comfortable for me.

    #1641389
    Larry Dyer
    Member

    @veriest1

    Locale: Texas

    I knew I was doing something right when I noticed my laptop, it's case, cord, and an external hard drive is heavier than gear and food I need to survive for a week.

    #1641413
    Jason Knecht
    Member

    @distortedaxis

    Locale: Earth

    Because your wallet is empty!

    Actually in all seriousness, I too have noticed a change. I can hike faster, further, and longer than I used to when covering the same ground as I did in previous years.

    #1641414
    Dan Montgomery
    Member

    @thedanarchist

    Locale: Hampton Roads, VA

    After barely getting everything inside your new, lighter, smaller pack, you eventually move your sleeping bag and jacket to larger stuff sacks to help fill out the same pack.

    #1642823
    Rakesh Malik
    Member

    @tamerlin

    Locale: Cascadia

    "I had to get my base load to be pretty light so that I can carry it and also the 30-40 pounds worth of camera gear. We have to keep our priorities straight."

    I'm glad I'm not the only one… though I got my camera kit down to under 20 pounds by sticking almost entirely to a 4×5 instead of a bulky digital SLR ;)

    #1642825
    Bob Gross
    BPL Member

    @b-g-2-2

    Locale: Silicon Valley

    The weight and bulk of two DSLR bodies is insignificant compared to the weight and bulk of big lenses.

    –B.G.–

    #1642837
    Rakesh Malik
    Member

    @tamerlin

    Locale: Cascadia

    Yeah, that's one thing that I like about the smaller LF lenses — since they don't have barrels or moving parts, they're a lot smaller and lighter than lenses for SLRs. Of course, the down side is that they take a lot longer to shoot with, but you can't win 'em all :)

    #1643860
    John Donewar
    BPL Member

    @newton

    Locale: Southeastern Texas

    It is when you realize that you are selling the lightweight gear that you bought earlier because you have replaced it with lighter weight gear.

    Party On,

    Newton

    #1643873
    Rog Tallbloke
    BPL Member

    @tallbloke

    Locale: DON'T LOOK DOWN!!

    I'll be glad when mine has evolved enough to have grown legs and follow me around.

    #1655538
    Ben
    BPL Member

    @benen

    I'll know my pack has evolved when my wife and I have a combined base weight under 20 pounds…and then again for under 10 pounds but I can't see the latter happening for a long time.

    #1657207
    Dug Shelby
    Member

    @pittsburgh

    Locale: Bay Area

    oops

Viewing 25 posts - 1 through 25 (of 32 total)
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