Ultralight gear list – Help/Ideas?

[E. Smith]

Hey there, just making the usual posting on gear. This has a few contingency options, like a heavier tent instead of a tarp shelter, and the option for a sleeping liner or a heavier bag instead of my summer bag. Any ideas, pointers or extra inclusions you think are essential would be awesome. Here goes…[all weight in grams]

Basic Shelter:
1200 – Roman 'Snowy' pack [30L]
1000 – Outer Limits MS90 s'bag [40'F]
0600 – Outer Limits Hiker Fly [11.5 x 6.8ft, integrated guys]
0300 – 10mm closed cell sleeping mat
0250 – 2 x 4ft, 8.5mm fibreglass shock-corded poles
0120 – 8 lightweight pegs

3470 – Weight Subtotal [122.4oz]

Everything Else:
0200 – First Aid Kit
0200 – Gas Canister [96ml/4oz]
0165 – 3 x 700ml water bottles
0150 – Propane/isobutane stove
0130 – 800ml Aluminum Pot [with lid]
0100 – Toilet Roll
0050 – Toilet Trowel
0030 – Compass
0010 – 2 x LED keyrings
0010 – Knife, Fork & Spoon [Plastic, McD's]

1045 – Weight Subtotal [36.9oz]

4515 – Total Weight [159.3oz]

These items I would be taking if the weather was less than perfect:

2000 – Outer Limits Backpacker Tent [2 person double wall, replaces Hiker Fly +Pegs]
1800 – Outer Limits MS225J Bag [20'F, replaces MS90]
0370 – Sleeping Bag Liner [cotton, used with MS90 in >30'F weather]
0200 – Waterproof jacket shell
0200 – Thermal Top [long necked and sleeved]
0150 – Insulated beanie

2630 – Total Extra Weight* [93oz]
[once replaced items weight has been subtracted. *Using MS225J, leaving Liner + MS90 at home]

Anything I've forgotten? Again, ideas or inclusions would be awesome, thanks!

[Thomas Knighton]

Just a few things I'm seeing thus far, but you asked for help/ideas so here they are ;)

First, your stove looks a bit on the heavy side. 150 grams works out to a bit over 5.25 ounces. There are very many options that are much lighter. Besides the obvious alcohol or esbit options (which pretty much ALL weight less), there are a lot of canister stoves available in significantly lower weights. The Coleman F1 Ultralight is 2.7 ounces, the MSR Pocket Rocket is 3 ounces, the Snow Peak Giga Power stove is 3.25 ounces. At 5.25 ounces, I'm thinking that it might be an auto-ignite stove, which personally I'm not a big fan of. It's more weight, something else that can break, and you're probably still carrying something for starting a fire anyways. I mean, what's the point? ;)

Your cookpot just looks wrong to me, and please don't take that personally. It's just that 130 grams for only 800 mL just doesn't seem to be the best use of that weight. You can get larger Ti pots for the same weight, or just use a Ti or Aluminum mug like the Snow Peak 600. That mostly depends on the style of cooking you plan on doing on the trail.

I'm just curious why you want to take a cotton bag liner in your "less than perfect" situations. Cotton, at least IMHO, is a pretty big no-no for anything close to your skin. Besides, silk is lighter and will probably work better, depending on the intended application.

Is your "toilet roll" a full roll of toilet paper? If so, it seems a bit much unless you're maybe thru-hiking a long trail without resupply. If you could clarify that one for me, I'd appreciate it.

Also, why are you taking to keychain LED lights? One is all I figure I need, and therefore all I carry.

Hope this helps some.

Tom

[E. Smith]

Hi there, thanks for the feedback! Yeah, I know my stove isn't the lightest around, and it may be looking a bit vulnerable [sic?] at the moment what with its plastic base-shroud taken off to reduce weight. But I guess I just can't bring myself to spend cash on another one anytime soon unless it dies mid-trip – its been good to me for a while now :D And no, it doesnt have pizeo – its just a tad heavier than other stoves. Brilliant heat distribution though! Also, I'm looking towards getting a mini-trangia as a lightweight option to my 27-2 set.

Now onto the pot…130g for a pot with lid and bail-handle doesnt bother me…honestly I havent really seen anything better to temp me. Apart from the bonus of even heat distribution, its also only 12g heavier than MSR's 'Titan Kettle' of practically identical dimensions. It also cost bupkiss, haha, unlike the MSR.

Lighting is important for me, and I usually try and take a back-up scource of light. LED keychain-type lights are a godsend; they weight nothing, throw decent light, and have a respectable battery life. It also gives me the option to effectively cook after dark without any compromise…and the same with any other after-dark activities.

As for the bag liner, it ups the warmth of my summer bag fairly well, and fills the gap between my winter and summer bags [both in temperature and total weight]. I know if it gets wet I'm rogered, but thats a chance I'm willing to take. And yeah, my bags are synthetic – no cozy lightweight down bags for this colledge student :(

A side note – in good weather for trips up to 4 nights, I may take a military-style Hexamine stove. Its basically a small, light metal box that folds up to form a cookstove with pan supports and a flat base for the solid fuel tablets. It weighs 120g, and can hold enough fuel inside itself to boil just under 3 litres of water – enough for around 5 nights if you have a hot tea using half a litre each time [I'm a proponent of freeze-dried meals, but not the gormet type. Thats why I take a few spices and maybe a tin of tuna if I'm not worried about weight for that trip]. All up, it weighs ~480g with five nights fuel, the stove, and the aluminum pot. This total is reduced to 250g after fuel is used.

Thanks for the insights, it gave me some different perspectives on things and was generally helpful.

Cheers – boingk

[Thomas Knighton]

I'm curious what kind of stove do you have? I still have to recommend the F1 Ultralight. It's about half the weight and realtively inexpensive as backpacking stoves go, if you're set on a canister (which you seem to be).

As for the pot, I understand where you're coming from. Just keep in mind that there are lighter options available, though yours isn't to bad really. I used to be in love with the Titan Kettle myself, but then found lighter options anyways.

I'm still concerned about your cotton bag liner though. You say you carry it for poor weather conditions, but when I think of poor weather conditions, I think cold and wet, which is precisely the WORST weather for a cotton liner. Perhaps you might want to think about something like a fleece liner instead. It'll warm it up a bit more, work independently in warm weather, and work better when wet (though admittedly, nothing workds well when wet).

I think I know the type stove your talking about at the end of your post. I have one myself, and they work fairly well. I don't like the soot on the bottom of my pot, but that's a small price to pay as far as I'm concerned. I use my alcohol now though, same light weight, but cleaner burn. I understand your durability issues with them though, although I disagree. But hey, that's the great thing about this stuff…we don't HAVE to agree :D

Tom

[E. Smith]

My stove is a Coleman Outlander…or something. I dont think they make it anymore, but its like a cross between the F1 UltraLight and the Micro Backpack stove they offer now…basic canister stove, 3 fold-down serrated supportss, no piezo-ignition, and a simple turning knob for heat control. It burns brilliantly, boiling 500ml of water [with a breeze] in 5 minutes flat at ~30% heat [max efficiency]. Originally it weighed 165g, but removing a functionless plastic shroud reduced this to 150g. Heavy, but not so heavy that I'm going to buy a lighter one immediately. But it will happen.

Same deal with my bag liner…I figure that if it gets wet, then a)I'm totally ****ed anyway, and b)I should have taken the hint of rolling thunder in the distance early and made sure my shelter was waterproof. But a fleece liner would be nice :D

If only I had some more cash!

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