Extreme Light Gear List… Try to make even lighter!

[Jordan Calicott]

Gear- for an overnight, summer outing in the southeast

•Fanatic fringe alpine trail 7 oz (7 oz)
•Dancing light gear silnylon small stuff sack- essentials (.25 oz)
•Granite gear airbag #4- bag (.69 oz)
•Dancing light gear silnylon small stuff sack- clothes (.25 oz)
•Dancing light gear silnylon small stuff sack- shelter (.25 oz)
•Bozeman mountain works spintarp x-lite (4.5 oz)
Gossamer Gear spinsheet ground cloth- single (2 oz)
•Vargo ti stakes- 6 (1.68 oz)
•Bozeman mountain works aircore spectra 1- 40’ (.16 oz)
•Western mountaineering highlite (16 oz)
•Brasslite turbo f- alcohol (.8 oz)
•8 oz alcohol squirt bottle w/ alcohol
•Lighter (1 oz)
•Snow peak trek 700 (4.8 oz)
•Snow peak spork (.6 oz)
•Adventure medical kits u.l. .3 (2.21 oz)
•Deet in small dropper bottle (.5 oz)
•2 micro photon lights (.5 oz)
•2 platypus 2L bottles (2 oz)
•Aqua mira in small dropper bottles (.5 oz)
•Small knife (1 oz)
•1 pair golite classic socks (1 oz)
•Gossamer gear driducks rain jacket (5.5 oz)
•Possumdown hat (1 oz)
•Possumdown gloves (1.2 oz)

Total weight: 54.89 oz = 3.4 lbs (minus food, water & fuel)

I can use some outdoor skills and go without using a sleeping pad.
Also, if it rains, I don’t care if my legs get wet.

[Matt LP]

I wanted to make sure that I let you know that the owners of Dancing Light Gear hike all summer long and close their shipments for the summer. Their last day to take orders is tomorrow so if you want the ditty bags or stuff sacks (they have both; check them out), you will have to order by tomorrow. The list looks really great. Mine is actually very similar, I just carry a Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo Enhanced (many bugs and some serious rain) instead of a tarp (23 oz.) plus a bear bag for the black bears and other critters here in PA. Other than that, our lists are pretty close. One more question: you can save an ounce by going for the Alpine Trail with no see um instead of mesh for the pockets. It also has a silnylon top. This would add $10 but bring the weight down to six ounces. You can save a MINUTE amount of weight by turning the DLG ditty bags inside out and trimming the excess material from where the two sides are sewn together. Hey, it saves a little.:) Good job!

[douglas ray]

One way to save a bit of weight is with the new Snowpeak Titanium bowl. It holds 600 ml and weighs 1.7 oz and would probably make a dandy little pot with a foil lid and a .5 oz pot lifter made from a piece of aluminmum bar. Total weight would probably be about 2.5 oz. Saving you 2.3 oz. (it also wouldn’t cost much, I think the bowl is about twelve bucks).

[Jordan Calicott]

Ya’lls comments are GREAT!!! I will upgrade the FF pack to the 6 oz model. Also, I think that the SP Bowel is a great idea. And hey, its only 12 bucks! I’am definatly going to adjust my gear list to ya’lls comments. Thanks a lot!

[Jordan Calicott]

Gear- for an overnight, summer outing in the southeast

•Fanatic fringe alpine trail 6 oz (6 oz)
•Dancing light gear silnylon small stuff sack- essentials (.25 oz)
•Granite gear airbag #4- bag (.69 oz)
•Dancing light gear silnylon small stuff sack- clothes (.25 oz)
•Dancing light gear silnylon small stuff sack- shelter (.25 oz)
•Bozeman mountain works spintarp x-lite (4.5 oz)
Gossamer Gear spinsheet ground cloth- single (2 oz)
•Vargo ti stakes- 6 (1.68 oz)
•Bozeman mountain works aircore spectra 1- 40’ (.16 oz)
•Western mountaineering highlite (16 oz)
•Brasslite turbo f- alcohol (.8 oz)
•8 oz alcohol squirt bottle w/ alcohol
•Lighter (1 oz)
•Snow peak titanium bowl (1.6 oz)
MSR Lite-Lifters pot grabber (1 oz)
•Boston Market spoon (.1 oz)
•Adventure medical kits u.l. .3 (2.21 oz)
•Deet in small dropper bottle (.5 oz)
•2 micro photon lights (.5 oz)
•2 platypus 2L bottles (2 oz)
•Aqua mira in small dropper bottles (.5 oz)
•Small knife (1 oz)
•1 pair golite classic socks (1 oz)
•Gossamer gear driducks rain jacket (5.5 oz)
•Possumdown hat (1 oz)
•Possumdown gloves (1.2 oz)

Total weight: 52.19 oz = 3.2 lbs (minus food, water & fuel)

[Matt LP]

You could drop another .5 by getting a cheap plastic spork at a fast food joint. Not as cool or tough as the titanium one but lighter and good enough if you aren’t mixing something like crazy. Check out Boston Market or a place like that. They weigh about .1.

[Jordan Calicott]

Thanks a lot Matthew! Your comments are great and each one helps me drop more and more ounces. If you have anymore comments on what to add or take out, please share them with me.

[Matt LP]

Wow, this is getting harder.:) Maybe you could go lighter on the ground cloth by going to gossamergear.com and picking up Polycryo groundsheets. The small weighs 1.3 ounces. I use them with my Lunar Solo , and they are incredibly gossamer, yet put something between you and the ground. They do help with abrasion and are waterproof. You get two for $3.95. I love mine!
Do you really need a clothes stuff sack since you are carrying a rainjacket, hat, socks and gloves?
I am using a pepsi can stove which weighs .4 ounces and am considering an “Elite” stove from minibulldesigns.com which weighs only 8 grams. Maybe they would work for you? Just more thoughts…:)

[Matt LP]

Do you mind not having a pad under you at night? I use one in the summer, not for the comfort, but for the insulation and to provide a “frame” for my pack. If you have not tried this yet, you may want to check it out in your yard. Sleeping bags will give you no warmth on the bottom since you compress the insulation. If the ground has any chill, you will feel it. In addition, frameless packs like those from Fanatic Fringe, Gossamer Gear, etc., that don’t have frames are designed to be used with a pad to give them structure and to transfer the load’s (even a light one) weight. Again this is something to try out. An unsupported load may handle like a loose, floppy sack on your back. I don’t know how yours will be, but it is something to check out. If you decide on a pad, look at the Gossamer Gear Nightlite short or Thermarest Z-Lite torso. The Nightlite is lighter, but I have not tried it out. I have the 30″ Z-lite and like it but may try out the GG. Just more things to reflect on. Great list.:)

[jacob thompson]

This is a good list. Makes me want to cut more stuff out of my gear. The polycro is a good ground sheet. If you were daring you could modify this to be rain protection as well. Get the chinese utensil thats an easy weight loss.

I have 3 of the minbull designs stoves. Theyre all good, I’m thinking of getting another 1 or 2. They’re lighter than I can make them here and the price is just right.

Keep going, I just realised that I can cut nearly another 10oz from my pack quite easily and this will bring it down to 2.8lbs!! Is it just me or is this just getting crazy?

[Jordan Calicott]

Gear- for an overnight, summer outing in the southeast

•Fanatic fringe alpine trail 6 oz (6 oz)
• Nanoseeum mesh kitchen bag- homemade (.2 oz)
•Granite gear airbag #4- bag (.69 oz)
•Dancing light gear silnylon small stuff sack- shelter (.25 oz)
•Bozeman mountain works spintarp x-lite (4.5 oz)
•Gossamer Gear polycryo ground cloth- small (1.3 oz)
•Vargo ti stakes- 6 (1.68 oz)
•Bozeman mountain works aircore spectra 1- 40’ (.16 oz)
•Western mountaineering highlite (16 oz)
•Mini bull designs stealth alcohol stove(.23 oz)
•8 oz alcohol squirt bottle w/ alcohol
•Lighter (1 oz)
•Snow peak titanium bowl (1.6 oz)
•MSR Lite-Lifters pot grabber (1 oz)
•Boston Market spoon (.1 oz)
•Adventure medical kits u.l. .3 (2.21 oz)
•Deet in small dropper bottle (.5 oz)
•Gossamer Gear thinlight insulation pad (1.9 oz)
•2 platypus 2L bottles (2 oz)
•Aqua mira in small dropper bottles (.5 oz)
•1 pair golite classic socks (1 oz)
•Gossamer gear driducks rain jacket (5.5 oz)
•Possumdown hat (1 oz)
•Possumdown gloves (1.2 oz)

Total weight: 50.52 oz = 3.1 lbs (minus food, water & fuel)

Items Worn on Body:
•2 photon micro lights (.5 oz)*
•Small pocket knife (1 oz)*
•Teva mesh hat (1.5 oz)
•Golite c-thru s/s shirt (4 oz)
•Golite mens boulder shorts (5 oz)
•Golite classic socks (1 oz)
•Saloman gcs pro hiking shoes (32 oz)

* – items on lanyard

This is truely insane!!! Can this list get any lighter?

[D G]

I’m not sure how cold it gets in the Southeast in the summer, but if it’s not too cold (especially since you are talking about an overnighter where you can predict the weather) it seems like you could drop the possum down gloves and beanie (your WM highlile has a hood).

[J R]

For a Summer overnight in the southeast…

going with commercially available gear, Id carry a…

Personal Kit (mine currently wieghs about 10oz and has a compass, FAK, and basic map, and very spartan survival kit inside a very small SilNylon ditty bag)
Montbell Breeze Dry-Tec U.L. Sleeping Bag Cover (6.4oz)
Montbell Down Sleeping Bag (probably go with the #7 at 1.1lbs, though the 3/4 sheet can be used when its real warm at 4.6oz)
Montbell UL Wind Jacket (2.6oz)
Montbell UL Wind Pants (2.4oz)
32oz Soft Drink bottle w/Spectra cord lanyard (1 oz)
Water purification tabs (measured out by expected water needs/stops. Weight approx .25oz max)
and some spectra cord (.1oz at most)
Waist length peice of 1in tubular strap w/ fastex clips (approx 3oz depending on length and thickness)

Worn on body
1 photon micro light (.25 oz)*
Small pocket knife (1 oz)*
Montbell UL Field Cap (.7oz)
Golite c-thru s/s shirt (4 oz)
Golite mens Baseline shorts (8 oz)
Golite classic socks (1 oz)
Saloman gcs pro hiking shoes (32 oz)

* – items on spetcra lanyard

Put your sleeping bag inside the bivy, and put the two inside the stuff sack. Tie the stuffsack to the back of your belt (tubular webbing) with the spectra cord.

Put the UL Windshirt and pants in a pocket of the shorts or tied to the belt (use the bivy sacks stuff sack to bundle them together). Tie the Personal kit down as well. Food can be put in pockets or in the small amount of spare space in the sleeping bag stuff sack. (It IS only an overnight, does not need to be “hot food”, and food can be extremely spartan, even non-existant.)

That provides a “packweight” of 42.75oz (2.67lbs) at the most, 30.35oz (1.9lbs) at the least, items worn add up to 46.95oz (2.9lbs) and an FSO weight of 5.6 to 4.8 pounds respectivly.

This list of course assumes a certain level of field improvisational ability in the event things become “uncomfortable”.

[Ryan Jordan]

You guys are studs. Keep it up! I wanna hear about your post trip experiences here!

[Jordan Calicott]

Before I go on an outing, I’am considering switching my backpack from the FF Alpine Trail 6 oz to the GG G6 Whisper pack. I’am just curious, if I just set the GG G6 on the ground, will it scrap or tear the pack cloth? Also, exactly how durable is the GG G6?

[paul johnson]

I don’t have a G6, but i do have & regularly use a G5 (over 200 miles on it now).

They are both made of the identical materials & also use the heavier packcloth near the bottom of the pack. So, my experiences may be directly applicable to ans. your ques.

I find this pack durable enough for on-trail use. I have, on occasion, had branches scrape the pack’s side pockets (if I were using a G6, the branches might have scraped the pack’s body, or missed entirely since the G6 is narrower). In these instances the spinnaker fabric has held up well w/o any punctures or tears.

I regularly set the pack down on the ground. I lower it & set it gently on dirt or rocks. I try not to set it down on branches, but do lean it up against, or set it down on the trunks of fallen trees. The packcloth has held up quite well and is totally intact.

My feeling is that unless I take a bad tumble down a hill, really make hard contact with the pointed end of broken branch that doesn’t bend/flex any upon contact, or slip & slide on some rocks, the pack material will hold up fine for some time to come – both the spinnaker portions, as well as the packcloth.

Also, I have carried up to 19+ lbs in the pack (though 12-15 is more typical for shorter excursions). At this point, all seams & stiching appears to be in perfect condition.

I do however, carry duct tape with me for repairs if req’d. Thus far, no repairs have been req’d.

Hope this info helps.

[Jordan Calicott]

Thank’s very much for your advice. I will buy the GG G6 to use instead of the FF Alpine Trail. This will save me 2.3 oz. Now I know that when I set the G6 down on the ground, it will not tear or get scraped up. Thank’s again!

[Bill Fornshell]

I have a new G6, got it last week. The pack has a heavier Black ripstop material that runs down part of the (“back” shoulder strap back) of the pack but stops just short of the bottom of the curve. The very bottom of the pack is the same light weight – blue material the rest of the pack is made out of.

The G6 in the 360 Degree Interactive Views almost shows what I am talking about.

[paul johnson]

same on G5 as i stated in my original post, viz. “near the bottom of the pack” – the operative word being “near”.

that’s why when i set it down, i lean it so that it rests on the packcloth vs. the spinnaker. this precaution, while not specifically stated prev.- though, perhaps, should have been, is undoubtedly obvious to anyone who owns the G5.

hope this clears up any confusion the wording of my original post caused for anyone who didn’t read it carefully.

[Bill Fornshell]

Here are a few pictures of my G6.

[Tony Burnett]

What is the material on the back side of the shoulder straps? Is it the same material on the lower back side of the pack? Is it a coated material? Would items stuffed into the strap pockets get soaked with sweat?

[EndoftheTrail]

Jordan:

For an overnight, do you need to bring an 8 oz. bottle for your alcohol? I think a 2oz bottle is enough.

In lieu of Boston Market spoon, get an equally light but much more versatile plastic Taco Bell spork!

[paul johnson]

I don’t use anything that I would need to take out at the end of the day or if the weather changed.

So, I place portions of my med kit, e.g. gauze, bandages, and any other soft items in sandwich bags & close the opening of the bag. Hopefully, I’ll never need to use any of these – even for blisters (rarely get hotspots or blisters when using light footwear).

The bags prevent the gauze/bandages from getting wet/sweat soaked & also prevents the hook&loop fabric which closes the shoulder straps (& the waist belt on the G5) from “snagging” anything.

It doesn’t take much to spread out the shoulder straps (&hip belt on the G5), causing them to distribute the weight of the pack over a larger area. For the light weight the G6 & G5 are intended to carry, this seems to be all of the “padding” one really needs.

[Kim Skaarup]

Here are some comments and ideas:

---

•Vargo ti stakes- 6 (1.68 oz)
•Brasslite turbo f- alcohol (.8 oz)
•8 oz alcohol squirt bottle w/ alcohol
•Lighter (1 oz)
•Snow peak titanium bowl (1.6 oz)
MSR Lite-Lifters pot grabber (1 oz)
•Boston Market spoon (.1 oz)

---

2 stakes across some stones or a small hole in the ground would hold a pot. Underneat it light up an Esbit fueltab.
Actually weightless as you have the stakes.
Mini Bic lighters are only 0.5 oz. A small kit with stormmatches, half birthday candle etc is only 0.2 – 0.3 oZ
Snowpeak do have pots with handles in the 2-3 oZ range. The lid on the 700 is actually steel and rather heavy.

---

•Adventure medical kits u.l. .3 (2.21 oz)
This kit contain a roll of tape 0.75 oZ this is to heavy. A small roll of medicore tape is only 0.15 oZ This kit can be reduced to less than 1.5 oZ. If you build your own 1 oZ is possible.

---

•Deet in small dropper bottle (.5 oz)
Use BMW microdropper at 0.05 oZ and 40 drops of 100% pure DEET total = 0.12 oZ. Put 5-6 drops of water in your hand and add 1 drop of 100% deet. Grind this field lotion between your hand and then in your face and hair etc.

---

•2 micro photon lights (.5 oz)
Backup.?!! Start with a new batts and carry only one photon. The new freedom is actually really amazing.!

---

•2 platypus 2L bottles (2 oz)
= 4 liters of water. Would you carry this? Else one is enough.

---

•Aqua mira in small dropper bottles (.5 oz)
Use Katadyn M1 tablets. Only weight of tablets and thats actually consumabels!!

---

•Small knife (1 oz)
Gerber micro LST = 0.3 oZ and the Spyder Ladybug is 0.5 oZ and that knife is really handsome. Get it from prolitegear.com

---

•Gossamer gear driducks rain jacket (5.5 oz)
Consider poncho instead of tarp and rain jacket.
I use a poncho from Integral Design which I have reworked from 10 oZ down to 8.57 oZ
(Same size but much lighter elastic cords etc.)

Best regards

[nathan matthews]

Regarding the comment about carring two 2L platy’s–I don’t know about others, but while I never hike with 4L of water, I carry extra capacity so that I can tank up on water and treat it all in one go at camp. Works especially well if I’m bedding down away from water sources (important in the buggy country I often find myself in).

[Author]

Posts