Sub-5lb 3 day 50mi Rugged Terrain

Jhaure,

How soon are you doing this hike? This is a very interesting gear list.

On the first of my two hikes in Georgia I used my G6. I had 17 pounds in it when I started. The Sternum Straps I added to it really helped with that weight. I really like my G6.

1. You list three upper body garments that “depending on weather” would weigh between 15.40 oz and 15.93 oz. It would seem that the right two garments should work.

2. You list three pairs of socks. Because of the size I would guess you will wear two pair when you sleep. If yes, there maybe a lighter way to keep your feet warm.

3. You list two different kinds of water treatment. I use Micropur Tablets a lot but need a knife of some sort to cut the foil with. I see no knife? OK, spell check found the knife and a good one. Do you really need two different kinds of water treatment stuff?

4. You list two different Photon LED’s and each takes a different battery. Why not just take two of the same color and one set of batteries? Did I miss a screw driver?Do you need a screw driver to unscrew the cover so you can replace the batteries if you have to?

5. For your Bear Bag system – is the Mylar Oven bag big enough to hold your food? Can you use the UrsaLite Micro Carabiner on the Suunto compass at night for the bear bag? Do you have enough cord from anything that you could use at night to replace the AirCore cord? How about using your pack as the Bear Bag?

6. Your Bivy – Just a thought – I used a ground cloth from GG and wondered how it might work as the bottom for a bivy. Full size it was 1.65 oz. Used with a light top material it should weigh less than your bivy. If a Climashield XP liner was added to it like I did mine you might be able to leave your Nanutak sleeping bag home. You have a lot of cloths you can wear in the bivy and only 4 degrees lower temp than I sleep out in my Bivy w/liner.

Bill,

Hey there, thanks for the comments, my reply below:

Hike is tomorrow am.

>>1. You list three upper body garments

Yes I only take two though, either the wool 2 or the capilene silk get taken, but not both. This time I think it will be the silk because it is so hot and I really like it in hot weather.

>>2. You list three pairs of socks.

Two are hiking socks, so I wear one and have one as a spare. They both fit tight despite being different sizes. The third is just a short fleece bootie, kinda like your toe cozies. They fit a little bigger and I wear them on the outside of which ever pair of hiking socks I wear to bed if it is cold enough.

You mention a lighter way, I assume something like your cozies? These are nice and I would make some had I the time before this hike. I could lighten up by ditching the spare pair of hiking socks. What are your thoughts on the spare pair necessity?

>>3. You list two different kinds of water treatment.

Yes, I use AM as the primary and have the tablets as back up in the survival kit. Only for use if the AM gets lost or contaminated (drop a bottle in the creek?). Their weight is so minute that I feel their inclusion is ok. What are your thoughts on this? I know SUL has a “no spare/backup/redundant” motto, but this is one item which might be worth it.

>>4. You list two different Photon LED’s

Yes, again the red is a backup. The red uses less power and lasts longer. I’m pretty sure the red can also take the same batteries as the white. They are the exact same lights with just a different bulb. I believe they use a single CR2032 in the red because it does not need as much juice. So using the spare CR2016 set would probably run the red for a very very long time. I’ll have to test this for next trip.

>>5. For your Bear Bag system

Good idea, carabiner swap over from compass, will do. Mylar bag is big enough but not odor proof. What do you think about the OP feature, necessary? Pack is big enough but used under my legs because I use a torso pad. Only other cord would be guyline cord (Aircore 2 and 1/16″ dacron) which is too thin for trees and may damage them.

>>6. Your Bivy – Just a thought

My thoughts exactly. Awhile back I spoke with Ron at MLD and asked if he had made any bivies with a removable/replaceable/disposable floor. He hadn’t. It makes so much sense to use a cheap easily replaceable material for the bottom of the bivy then we are not worried about $$cuben. Since the mylar/polycro would wear quicker than sil or cuben, it seems there would need to be some way of easily replacing it onto the current top material. Ripping out seams all day is not my idea of fun. Ron mentioned velcro dots, but with so many red ants here I depend on my bivy to be a bug shield and need a full seal around the perimeter. Anyway it’s good food for thought. This is definitely the direction I’ve been leaning in bivy use.

Regarding the quilt, I just got it and paid high $$, let’s wait till I can look at this subject more objectively before I go for a liner :)

As always Bill, you are sharp as a tack and provide great comments. Thanks!

Jhaura,

If you start tomorrow I wouldn’t make many changes now. You have it all thought out and now I would just get a good nights sleep. We are only talking a few ounces, yes, I know.

I do like to have a back up for major items. I keep my water treatment tablets in two different places.

We can talk about the bivy ideas when you get back. Have a great hike.

“00.17…..Space pen for trail surveys and notes on maps”

NASA developed the space pen so astronautes could write without gravity. Spend $ 1,000,000 or more on the project.

The russians took a pencil…….

Impressive list Jhaura, if I bought all the stuff on my wishlist I can also break the sub 5 barier, but i’m ammazed by how much items you actually carry. I’m not able yet to take so many stuff and still be sub 5.

Hope you have a great hike.

Eins

I’m back, broken and beat by a tremendous hike. Trip report asap.

Hey Einstein…

You might want to check up on your space pen story before passing along a bogus urban legend…

http://www.snopes.com/business/genius/spacepen.asp

David,

Thanx for the heads-up.
Interesting story.

Eins