My first SUL overnight trip

[Cesar Valdez]

Pack – generic cloth backpack, 340g
Sleep system – summer syth bag, syth vest, space blanket, beanie, socks, 790g
FAK/mini sewing kit – 99g
Dinky stuff ziplock – toothbrush, toothpaste, biod. soap, towel, lip balm, bug repellent, whistle, LED flashlight, pen w/duct tape wrapped around end, paper, tissues, string, 283g
Water container – Platypus 1l, 25g
Water container – generic .5l, 15g
Knife/sheath – Mora Bushcraft Forest, 143g
Shelter – homemade clear plastic hobo tent, rope, ground cover, 284g
Mess kit – Titanium pot, tin foil lid, plastic mug, sponge, 132g
Food stuff sack – 20g

Total = 2131g or about 4.67lbs

I had originally planned on using a 78g gym bag that everything fit into, but after trying it on, it was not very comfortable, so I switched it out with a cheapo cloth backpack with surprisingly comfy shoulder straps.

After I get back I will write a full trip report on my blog and post a link in this thread.

Looking forward to it, and welcome any comments, questions, feedback :)

[Troy Ammons]

Just goes to show you dont have to spend a fortune to go SUL.

[Cesar Valdez]

Yeah, this was pretty reasonable as far as cost goes. The sleeping bag is a higher-end one and was a bit pricey (about 140 bucks), but I wanted to get a nice one to last me and wanted to use in combination with another bag in other season. The titanium pot was a gift, but I was told it was only about 40 bucks. Those are the most expensive pieces of gear. The shelter was about 2 or 3 bucks total, the ground cover is just a garbage bag. The thing is, where I live I think I can only go SUL in the summertime, UL in spring and fall, and LW in winter or if I take more dangerous trips (out in the middle of nowhere in very isolated woods, need to have more "just in case" things). Yet I keeping my mind open to getting weight down year round, but I think a lot of it has to do with not how open my mind is but how light my wallet is.

Oh! Just noticed I forgot to note my fire starting items in the list, but the weight is accounted for. Mini bic in my FAK (backup) and firesteel in my pocket. I intend on using wood fire to cook my food/boil water. However if it rains, I will have to take my alcohol stove (80g), fuel bottle (20g), and rain poncho (50g). Then I will switch out a few things, like trade firesteel for matches, trade the bigger Mora blade for a smaller one (big one I use a lot for batoning to split wood), so it will still be SUL and I will note any changes when I write my trip report.

Going on Saturday and can't wait!

[Cesar Valdez]

Lots of pics, a few small changes to weight but still SUL, check it out: http://cesarandthewoods.blogspot.com/2011/07/first-official-super-ultralight.html

Feedback welcomed :)

[Ben C]

No pad at all?

[Cesar Valdez]

Nope. Just a garbage bag for a ground cover. I picked a really nice spot with lots of soft moss to sleep on, and I slept very well. There are pics of my shelter and me sleeping in it on my blog which I put a link to above.

[Nick Truax]

Excellent Cesar. I just recently put together a sub-5 that I am in the process of documenting and/or editing and I think that your set-up, your write-up, and your realistic approach to the sul school is great.

On a side note: I wish that I could get away w/out a sleeping mat in my neck of the woods! Maybe I'm just not being creative enough…or tough enough :)

[Cesar Valdez]

Thanks for the kind words, and I wish you well on your SUL list and trip. I look forward to reading about it, let me know when you do the report.

I am lucky about my neck of the woods and the abundance of natural resources available to use here in Sweden. Lots of wood, lots of moss, lots of useful plants and fungi. Sleeping on a nice, thick bed of moss is just as soft as a regular bed if you find just the right spot.

If I had to bring a sleeping pad, I know I would be able to and still go SUL. I did this in Spain on an accidental/unofficial SUL overnighter, where I did not bring a mess kit (ate all no-cook foods) and several other things. Here in Sweden however, I could make a few minor changes and bring a nice 2/3rds foam pad I have that is only 250g.

If you can switch out the cheapo plastic for a nice cuben shelter, that will also cut back on weight, so then a sleep pad should not be an issue.

I am going on another SUL trip in a few weeks, but it is kind of "cheating", as I am going to a permanent shelter built out in the woods, and it is water proof and has a wooden floor. If the weather is nice or if you sleep in a pre-existing shelter, it makes SUL much, much easier–no need to worry about tarp, rain gear, bivy, etc. This is only possible for overnighters or weekenders, of course. I have a feeling I probably annoy a lot of thru-hikers on here that are out there for weeks or months at a time, but we break even at my envy of said people for being able to go out for so long, as I am only able to go out for at most 3 days due to family obligations.

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