The validity of going lightweight for shorter trips

I tend to taking more for single overnights.

Why I am not sure….but for a couple of days the 'mission creep' kicks in and a few extra (excess) items find their way into the pack.

I think I consider short trips as 'recreation' and my backpacks I regard as more 'serious' – often as I have a bit of an 'agenda' elevation gain, terrain, and distance-wise.

That said I'nm reconsidering this for my next single overnight – a fast push through easy (but lengthy) Scottish Glens; perhaps that is dictated by my new light shelter….why did I buy it if not to make the most of the weight reduction!

I like going SUL on weekend/overnights for simplicity's sake so that I have less gear to tinker with and tie up my time on trail. It's much easier to keep out extras if you use a low volume pack, and only take the few things you'll -actually- use during that short time (shelter/sleep kit/food stuff, rain gear if needed).

Depend on the goal in mind.
Overnight 20+ miles, just the basics.
Overnight 8-10 miles, fresh food and luxuries.
As long as it feels like hiking and not hauling, your'e doing fine.

"It's only for a few days that you have to suffer the weight."

I think that says it all. I don't have to suffer the weight at all because I'm carrying far less of it. My trips (all 1-3 day trips) I go lightweight (I'm not UL or SUL by BPL standards, and I'm quite fine with that). The rest of your post explains it quite well.

"I suggest that it may be even more important to go lightweight for shorter trips than for say thru hikes."

I carry nearly the exact gear for an overnighter as I did for a thru hike. I do often carry less efficient food. I would completely disagree with your statement above though. The effect of an extra lb. will be felt for your entire multi-month hike. Even if you are capable of carrying the extra weight after a few weeks, there is much better weight to carry, like more food.

That's a good point. My focus was on time and energy constraints for those of us that cram a lot of activity into a very fun and active overnighter or weekender. With thru hikes there is can be more flexibility, because there is more time. Also keep in mind that you can mail stuff to yourself too that you might not need at a certain portion of the trip. Then again, I guess you could hike back to your car or to a town and pick things up there that you stashed, but that might not be as fun or convenient as mailing.

I carry lightweight either way. The little luxuries differ though. For a long solo hike a book and a journal is a nice thing to have. For a short trip, I'm loving having two sleeping quilts and a cup of coffee in the morning. I might experiment more with gear, food or footwear on shorter trips, too.

I don't think you have to feel apologetic or inferior for doing short hikes. I get a huge amount of satisfaction from my shorter hikes. On the week long hikes I've done on the PCT I've been really happy knowing I don't have to stay out there when the weather is turning nasty. It's also fun to have hikes to look forward to, to plan and anticipate, even if they're only one or two nights. When it's your daily life it eventually feels like just another job.

I concur with Greg that UL is more important for a thru hike because any base-weight pound you trim, saves you from carrying that pound for 2000 miles.

I like the OPs thought that UL on short trips leaves you with energy to do more miles or activities. I'd also point out that you can fine-tune your UL system on short trips with little risk or discomfort should something not work out. Then you'll be in a much better position due to that grater experience, when you are able to thru hike.

"I suggest that it may be even more important to go lightweight for shorter trips than for say thru hikes."

I'm with you – even if I had the time, my personality is geared towards fast 4 day trips. Maybe it's the lifelong surfing – a good swell event lasts only 2-3 days max. So you screw around for an hour or so a few days a week in mush, in order to try & stay in shape while waiting for the day(s) that you put all your energy on the line.

I treat my solo hiking the same way. We do enjoy car camping where it's fun to hang out, drink beers, BBQ, etc. But when I'm solo I'm moving all day – I mean, what's the point of stopping and sitting around by yourself without a fire? (I stick to the high Sierra where fires aren't allowed above 10k.)

I've got limited time, but I want to see as much as possible in that time when the Sierra are "on" – you know, those glory days. In essence, I treat it like an extended day hike. That means all I take are things necessary to make it through the night: something to sleep in/on and something to protect against rain. Add the cookless, baseline food, and I'm good to go.

My typical pack weight is 12.5 lbs going in and 8 lbs coming out (ie 4.5 lbs food). Deduct 2 lbs for the bear can, and my base weight is 6 lbs. This includes pack, quilt, tarp, vest, etc. For those who are in the SUL range, they know you can really motor @ that weight.

@Piper: Good point about not having to deal with bad weather, on a thru hike you have to suck it up. Glad to hear I am not the only short tripper :) It's not that I feel apologetic or inferior, it's just that I crave more. I even go out in bad weather just to test myself, and plus, there is something very beautiful about a walk in the woods while it is dumping rain. The day backpacking feels like another job is the day I go home right away!

@David: Yeah, Greg is right, just thought the whole philosophy of doing LW/UL/SUL shorter trips should be explored. My current 3 season set up is about 8.5lbs, and that's if there is a high chance of rain. I imagine my thru hike set up would be similar, but I might throw in a few extra precautions. I doubt I would go over the 10lb mark, though. There is a shorter trial in the part of Sweden I live that is about a 3 to 4 week trip, which is like half a thru hike perhaps, and that is the first thru hike I'd like to do. I am seriously consider doing it SUL too, because I could time it in the middle of the warmest part of the year in the summer and save lots of weight that way.

Oh and thanks for the kind words, glad you liked the point of my OP :)

12.5 total pack weight is pretty sweet, you really can move. I have done overnighters with total pack weight of not quite 10lbs and it was awesome. I bushwack a lot, so it's nice to be able to jump down off rocks and small hills with no problem–you forget the pack is there almost.

Sucks about the bear can! Glad I never have to deal with them, haha! Wait… I would like to do the PCT one day… so… crap! Well at least I don't have to worry about that here.

So even if you had the time, 4 day trips are your limit? That's cool, I can respect that and know what you mean. Who knows, maybe I will hate my first thru hike, but I doubt it. I can't remember the last trip I had where I thought it was too long… has not happened here in Sweden at least, and I have lived here for 6 years now.

The issue about facing harsh weather in short vs long trips is twofold. On one side, as it's been said, a long hike will make you go through bad weather sooner or later, not necessarily on a short one. On the other side, on a long hike you usually have the option to take it easier in bad weather, wait the weather. On a weekend trip, you have to take it as it comes if you don't want to dramatically change the whole trip.

I take the same pack whether the trip is one night or ten. I really don't need or want anything more than I regularly carry!

An overnighter gives the option to take fresh food, or a beer or two, while keeping total pack weight at a reasonable level (say the weight of a three or four day trip). However, I almost always have home-dehydrated meals to try out, and I prefer to save the beer for when I get home. YMMV!

While going farther/faster is not really an option at my age (it's more that if I weren't lightweight, I couldn't go at all), it certainly is important for a lot of people.

Besides, why carry any more than you have to? IMHO, comfort on the trail is just as important as comfort in camp. Maybe more so!

I look at UL as most beneficial on a weekend trip. Many regular 20-25lb BW hikers I know hike around 10 miles per day while backpacking. That gives you a range of 15 miles before you have to turn around. This limits the number of trails you can do or if you aren't going as far the time spent at your destination. With a 10lb BW it seems to take half of the effort and I can hike at just under my day hike speed. A 20 mile day with moderate elevation becomes only 8 hrs of hiking. You add 50% to 100% to the maximum distance you can cover.

The biggest thing though is that you don't lose any comfort with a 10lb base weight. I am not sure what I would add back in other than heavy food and alchohol. There just isn't much fucntional difference between a 10lb BW and a 25lb BW.

Since I rarely get out for more than weekend trips these days having a lighter pack allows me to go much further than I could otherwise and take trips that many people need a week to take. I am also now pushing myself to get a better shape so I hike faster on the ups and run the flats expanding the range even further.

"Anyhow, do you go lighter or heavier for overnighters and other shorter trips? Why or why not?"

Normally much lighter, unless I need to carry a lot of water, then a heavier pack is in order. Often I don't bring a shelter or rain gear on overnight trips if the weather is predicted to be good. Not unusual in spring or summer to be around 2 lbs base for a 2 or 3 day trip for mild weather a reliable water sources.

I prefer going UL even for day hikes. I like heading out prepared for whatever the day may bring. Often it is cold in the morning in late winter, early spring, it might rain or it might jump up to 70deg. I don;t want to head home because the weather changed and I may wish to linger in the woods all day and draw or read or enjoy a cup of tea and just think. Going UL lets me take a full day's needs and still carry a pack that well, does not feel like I am carrying a pack at all. An 8oz GG Murmur, a super light soft shell or polyfill puffy layer, a super light rain or wind shell, a Ti cup and Gram Weenie stove, lunch and 2L of water and the pack still feels empty and because it all pack so small I feel pretty streamlined. I have room for a sketchbook, watercolors, a camera, a Kindle or whatever the day's mood decides.

I've done the same with a bulky, heavy 3lb pack, a heavier bulky fleece, a hard shell for rain, etc….. and the weight is double as well as the bulk. yeah, the weight is still very small but walking feeling unladen is just so much nicer.

I am more comfortable when well prepared but hate to carry a lot of weight. It is fun to spend the day without ever feeling the pack on my back.

Tony

Cesar, the terrible secret of long distance hiking is that it doesn't make it feel like you've gotten "enough." If anything, it makes you want even more. Some friends of mine are heading out tomorrow to hike the CDT. I'm so green with envy. My little weekend of hypothermia didn't even bring me to my senses.

When I acquired my first full set of hiking gear (ie: not borrowing from family members, friends, etc.) my base weight was around 25 lbs or so. I was happy with that, because I could carry it for 7-10 (shelter to shelter on the AT) miles a day on a 4-5 night trip, no problem. Since then, my base weight has dropped to right at about 10 lbs for a 3 season hike, and on shorter trips, I look forward to just going as far as I can each day vs. making a plan ahead of time. I am planning on thru hiking the AT in 2014 (tried in 2011, had to get off just past Pearisburg, VA for a family emergency) and I don't see myself making too many changes to my gear. If anything, I will try to shed a few more pounds between now and then.

Hobbes: Seriously? 6lb base weight? I'm brand new to this forum and pretty new to backpacking in general so I am only starting to have SUL/UL come into view, but 12.5lbs for a 4-day trip is kind of mind boggling.

Would you mine running through a quick list of what you're carrying and general weights? I mean, I had no concept of UL when I started buying gear so nothing I have is optimum, but I'm almost at like 7lbs for just my pack (Kelty Redwing 3100) and bag (Mountain Hardware Extralamina 20)!

Pop

Pop,
Spend some time surfing this site if you want to get your mind around a 6lb base weight. And (to channel my inner Anna O'Leary here) take a look at the videos and info on this site: http://ultralightbackpackintips.blogspot.com/ It ain't hard to find a boat load of amazing information to make your backpacking experience safe, fun, comfortable…and lightweight.
The year before I found BPL I tripped with 40-50lbs on my back. My total pack weight now is under 23lbs. I personally don't care to meet the strict definition of what constitutes Ultralight, but I do think what one can learn from the impassioned here can (and does) fundamentally transform backpacking and hiking as an outdoor activity. People who enjoy "standard" or "traditional" backpacking today need to hear about it, so get reading and spread the word! :)
N

this thread is a pretty good visual.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=13855

I think the real beauty of light gear on short trips is the options it gives you. If you want your 3-day trip to be lots of miles, you stay light. If you want your 3-day trip to be lots of relaxing, having a low baseweight means you can bring a bunch of luxuries if you want and still not be lugging a big load when you are on the trail. If a low baseweight means delicious fresh food for three days instead of dehydrated mush, thne ther is certainly a value in that.

My lightest base weights are on my short trips, largely because I can get a more clear idea of expected weather and temperatures, which in turn lets me fine tune gear choices to the least heavy option. I enjoy the hike all the more when I carry less.

Here are a few to look at Pop J(now Kevin J)

Joe Valesko

http://www.zpacks.com/about/pct_gear.shtml

http://www.zpacks.com/about/cdt_gear.shtml

http://www.adventurealan.com/2-4_index.htm

http://www.adventurealan.com/4-7_index.htm

http://www.adventurealan.com/oly2008/

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/00138.html

http://lytw8.com/Gear_Lists.html

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=45663

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=47753

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B1Vf7AbzrPbQZDkwZDk2ZjgtODg2Ny00NzA4LWI0MTgtY2M2YjE4Yzk2OTg4/edit?pli=1

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=54819

http://hikelighter.com/2011/12/29/sulxul-enclosed-shelter-comparisons/

http://www.suluk46.com/adventure%20-%20Zion%20National%20Park.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95BDQyw2kpg

Warner Springs Monty
http://www.pcta.org/planning/before_trip/resources/mentors.asp
http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=296588&back=1
http://gossamergear.com/wp/tribal/trail-ambassadors/warner-spring-monty
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/6548967/Gear-List-2305-%28Warner-Springs%29-Monty-Tam-metam01earthlink
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/lw_testimony_fun_goes_up.html
Krudmeister did the PCT in 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR6KLYZ4-9U
http://krudmeister.blogspot.com/

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=8899&skip_to_post=64009

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/profile.html?u=brian79

http://www.amcmaine.org/ultralight-maine-hiker-yo-yos-the-at/

http://www.fjaderlatt.se/2011/01/brian-doble-triple-crowner.html

http://www.wcsh6.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=94570

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=39663

http://matthewkirk.blogspot.com/2011/01/fastpack-gear.html

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=8899&skip_to_post=64009

http://francistapon.com/Travels/Appalachian-Trail/AT-Gear-List

http://francistapon.com/Travels/Continental-Divide-Trail/CDT-Gear-List

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/superultralight_backpacking_hiking_canyoneering.html

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/peace_pilgrim_minimalist_trekker_for_world_peace.html

http://www.peacepilgrim.org/htmfiles/mdppbio.htm

need to be a member to read these

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/super_ultralight_cascades_sub_4_backpacking.html

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/superultralight_grand_gulch_utah.html

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/00138.html

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/superultralight_hiking_backpacking_flagstaff_peaks_arizona.html

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/superultralight_favorites_gear_list_2006.html