Shiny New Gear list. Its true, Lookit.

[Ethan Schuler]

1) Part of a group of two, though there won't really be any gear sharing likely.

2 ) We're doing a two day gear test trip at chain-o-lakes at their canoe camping spot next week. Then a 3 day at hoosier state park in two. Obviously I'll bring more food.

3 )Midwestern october weather, otherwise known as, about anything really.. I wouldn't be surprised with anything between 0 and 90.

4) 2 days this time, 3 days the next.

My gear list is in my profile, Sorry for all the re-editing this post, I was trying to make a direct link to it.

Things of note, or I feel desire explanation. My pack is overkill, I've had it forever, but when I have funds/time, I'll be making a new one, likely a mishmash of designs from this site, likely out of cuben fiber. That project will start about the time that the snow does.

My hammock should be modified by the time I leave on the first trip, I'm going to be using homemade whoopie slings, also if I don't eventually replace the whole system, it'll definitely get doctored up.

I'm going to use the rest of the amsteel blue as my food hanging bag and emergency rope. I don't have it, which is why the weight isn't listed.

The down vest, I was so excited about, I found an ambercrombie vest from easily the early nineties, great condition, and I ended up removing over a half a pound from it of extra stuff. It looks hideous, but its so warm. Its from the early nineties… nothing looked good back then. It's a well known fact.

Oh, and the "heavy" knife. I have alot of experience out in the backcountry, but never from the side of backpacking. Alot of car camping, also I have a lot of family in the military, a few in the special forces, so a lot of times we'd go out, and "make due." At this point in my basically amateur backpacking career, I'd like to say its my, all else fails piece of backup equipment, but in reality its likely just a mental safety blanket. I do realize that.

Eh well, I'm done, now Discuss!

[Larry Dyer]

Nice list. You'll really cut some weight once you lose the bomber tacticool pack too! It wouldn't be hard to lose something like a pound off your sleeping bag as well by switching to a quilt. That's more serious money though.

You can lose about an ounce on the water bottles by switching to a platypus. I think Smartwater has some of the heavier bottles anyway.

Do you need 2 trashbags?

You can probably lose some weight off of your "misc kit."

Nice job on trimming the vest down but it and your jacket seem heavy by ultralight standards but I'm not sure how much you're willing to spend there, if any.

EDIT: Since you mentioned some MYOG projects for this winter I'll say this as well.

Check out milsurp field jacket liners. Some say they can be turned into excellent UL vests for a layering system. And a quilt might be another good project for you. I know it's one I've been thinking about undertaking a lot more lately (I made my first stuff sack yesterday lol).

[Michael Ray]

I'd never heard of Hoosier State Park and a search turns up few references. Is that another name for Brown County?

Anyway, here are a few thoughts.
– Your 2 pair of wool socks are really heavy. How thick are they?
– Use 1 trash compactor bag rather than 2 normal ones.
– I highly doubt you'll need a down vest here in the next few weeks unless you're a cold person anyway. It's possible we could hit freezing but not likely we'd get even close – check forecast before you go. I'm OK on 40 F mornings with my normal nylon shirt/pants and DriDucks.
– 25 oz (!) rain resistant pants (and being worn all the time)? You're going to burn up hiking in those and a baselayer nor will it be raining much this time of year. If you really want rain pants just get some DriDucks unless you're bushwhacking. A basic Stearns poncho from Walmart (8.5 oz) is even lighter than a set of those.
– Nix the 3rd pair of heavy wool socks.
– It appears you're going no-cook.
– Toothpaste, soap/sanitizer, etc in your misc kit?

Welcome to BPL!

[Ethan Schuler]

Yea a new pack could end up saving me near three pounds. And a full pound from converting to a quilt. I didn't realize that they were that much lighter. Nice

The two trashbags are for a couple river crossings we'll be doing at hoosier park, in oct.

Contents of my misc kit: heatsheets bivvy, 3 gauze pads, 2 alcohol wipes, super glue, vial containing 2 sewing pins, sewing needle, and fishing line, fire steel and striker, whistle, 2 zip ties, burts bees chapstick.

The vest and jacket are ridiculous, but I had the jacket laying around, and you know the story of the vest. Its my intention to myog both of them. I'm both looking forward too and dreading working with down. Not reall sure what I'm going to do for rain gear in the end, more research needed.

Thank you for your comments! I'll go look into the stuff you mentioned.

[Ethan Schuler]

Hoosier national forest, talk about a wicked typo.

My socks are a quarter of an inch thick sitting on the ground. Is that thick for socks?

I'm a pretty warm person normally, I've been in near zero weather with my baselayer top and a light sweatshirt before and have been comfortable, I guess I just didn't think about not taking my vest.

Yea, my pants are ridiculous, but they're good against rain/wind and breath well. Also, most importantly I had them already :D they are near top of my list of things to replace.

And because its bad form to have people look elsewhere "Contents of my misc kit: heatsheets bivvy, 3 gauze pads, 2 alcohol wipes, super glue, vial containing 2 sewing pins, sewing needle, and fishing line, fire steel and striker, whistle, 2 zip ties, burts bees chapstick."

Thanks for your time responding to my list.

[Michael Ray]

> Hoosier national forest, talk about a wicked typo.

Ah, HNF. We'll be there in 2 weeks with my son's Scout troop.

Those seem like thick socks to me. I'd think your feet will be hot but whatever works for you. I happen to use Injini merino/synthetic blend, which are 2.2 oz/pair for crew length but they're also toesocks so have a bit more material.

Good job on the no TP, but I still don't see soap or sanitizer on your list. How are you cleaning your hands after bowel movements and before eating?

That's a very minimalist FAK alright. What do you use if you get a blister?

[Ethan Schuler]

Convenient, I'll be there in two weeks <.<

I'm not going to lie, I got the socks at Sam's Club, a 3 pack for 15 dollars, Merino Wool. I thought that was pretty good as a starter pack :D

Why the toe-socks? More comfortable, or just personal preference?

Yea, the soap was a forgotten… That'll be added…

As far as blisters, I should be safe, I do close to 40 miles a day, in the shoes I'm wearing with the same socks, everytime I go to work, no pack sadly, but everything is well broken in. Also I'm barefoot when not at work for 5-7 months out of the year. On the off chance I have trouble though, there is always duct-tape :D

[Michael Ray]

> I got the socks at Sam's Club, a 3 pack for 15 dollars, Merino Wool.

Ah. Not a bad price and I'm surprised they aren't hot but then my feet sweat pretty easy. I think mine run about $7-8/pair. While I've never had an issue with blisters, I read toesocks help. They do fit snugly. They feel pretty good, but I'm not too picky about socks. I wear sandals most of the year.

I didn't see duct tape on your list either. ;)

This being the first hiking trip for our Scouts, the SM wants to break them in very easy so he's only going to let the boys day hike. The plan is to do a loop Fri afternoon, another Sat morning and another Sat Afternoon. Not sure which campground will be the base. I am by far the most radical hiker in the Troop (including the Scouts) and I've only done 2 major trips so far. Wouldn't mind trying to find you so I can see what all this hammock fuss is about. :)

[Ethan Schuler]

Ahh. Well that's what I get for typing my list up early in the morning. I've got a few feet of duct tape wrapped around my water bottle. Its not in the bottle weight though. I was sure I had typed that in the message. Guess not.

I might try a pair of the toe socks when I get some lighter weight ones. Wouldn't hurt.

Also we're going tues to thurs. So it looks like we wont be there at the same time. My email is forever.imp@gmail if you live anywhere near me I'll let you try it out sometime n

[Larry Dyer]

Yes quilts can be a lot lighter than the bag you're carrying. My Golite weighs 19 ounces but some of the MYOG creations are getting even lighter that that!

Also, what are the zipties for in the Misc kit? And is the emergency bivy part of your layering at night or just a backup plan for what ifs?

[Ethan Schuler]

The bivvy, like the knife. Stuff I'm bringing for "backup" that in reality I don't need, where my next two trips are, I could pack out in easily less than a day if things actually got bad. I might take out the bivvy. It's unneeded weight.

The zip ties, I guess nothing really, I just always put them in the same category as duct tape, but ive never used them. Huh, they're out now too.

I tend to move alot in my sleep, but I'll definintly be looking into a quilt.

Edit: I've updated my gear list, with the upgrades I did to my HH, and also what people suggested. I'm now officially an ultra-lighter, I've got a base weight of under 10 pounds. :D and I did it, with a 3 pound pack *laughs*

[Larry Dyer]

Reminds me of my first lightweight kit… 12 pounds with a large Alice pack.

Unlike a lot of people here I find a good lightweight knife of a couple inches to be worthwhile. I guess it's my luxury item but it's also what I carry everyday anyway so whatever. Mostly I just hate trying to make a new stake for my tarp with a tiny knife if I lose one. Plus it's the lightest emergency backup I could come up with.

[Michael Ray]

So how did your trip go? It was quite dry and dusty on the trails.

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