If you had 2 more lbs for free, what gear would you add?

[Kevin Burton]

So this year I'm about 15 lbs lighter thanks to lots of diet and exercise.

That's pretty much a whole pack and a week of food lighter!! So this is the best kind of ultralight ;)

Part of my goal was to feel better while on the trail but also so that I could add a *bit* more gear to improve my margin of safety and comfort.

I'm thinking of adding:

– personal locator beacon. This will be really helpful for some alaska trips and some longer wilderness trips.

– rain gear … even if it's calling for clear skies. This way in an emergency, like if my tarp is destroyed, I can still avoid hypothermia

– larger tarp with doors… it's a bit overkill but I was in a somewhat bad wind storm last year and a larger tarp with doors would mean I could be pretty comfortable.

– perhaps a full length under quilt. I tend to run a bit cold so this would give me a good margin of error.

… what else would you guys add? Even if I go up 2 lbs, I'm still 13 lbs lighter :) … so it's still a big win!!!

[J Mag]

I would probably add some nice camera gear and a book/kindle. Also a larger double walled and/or freestanding tent depending on the situation.

Congrats on the weight loss though. I have to admit that I always find it a bit silly there are so many guys obsessed with shaving every ounce who could stand to lose a few pounds. Especially since losing just a few ounces from your pack can cost $300 but losing it from your belly is free :)

Ironically weightlifting is my first love so I will likely never be under 200 lbs at 6'2 even when I am at my leanest :(

Then again I see plenty of guys on here who are 6ft plus and 160 lbs! Now THAT is dedication to UL backpacking!

Another case of HYOH. Sorry to get off topic, please carry on.

Edit: Also the PLB is a good one. I don't normally venture outside of VA but anywhere near Alaska I would be carrying a PLB at a minimum.

[Pete Staehling]

You worked hard to trim your list why dream up stuff to add. Add things if you need them or they add greatly to your enjoyment of the trip. If you feel you need the items you propose adding, take them. If something will greatly enhance your trip and the weight penalty is small enough take it.

I take what I think I need and if I add something extra it will be something like a fly rod or maybe a light musical instrument (I built a 7 ounce stick dulcimer for just that purpose). Those two combined are under a pound and I typically carry less food if I take the fly rod so it either saves weight or is a wash.

Edit:
I just reread your post and realized that you were talking about lost body weight not having trimmed your gear list. I find it strange to use that as a reason to carry more stuff.

BTW: Congrats and good work on the weight loss.

[Kevin Burton]

I'm probably going to do a writeup for the forum on how to easily trim up… that's what made it work for me. I made it almost brain dead simple.

[Kevin Burton]

Why? Because I want a margin of error. That's why I added rain gear for example. Same with the bigger tarp.

I want to see if I'm missing anything.

I'd rather not die in the wilderness :-P

[Justin Baker]

A high quality mid layer to keep you warm when you get stuck in a nasty storm and inevitably get wet… more of a shoulder season item though.

[Justin Baker]

What about a lightweight sitting chair?

[Pete Staehling]

Maybe you need and should take the items you propose. I just don't get what it has to do with your weight loss. If you need them, you probably needed them before you lost weight.

[Ian]

I get the spirit of the OP to mean, "If I could add 2lbs but for other reasons I won't notice the difference, what would it be?"

I'd like to and will eventually get back into hammocking. The few times I have, albeit with a kludgy system, the hammock had a narcotic effect on me when I was sleeping. Arguably some of the best sleep I've ever had… until it came time to reposition the mattress I was trying to use as bottom insulation. At some point I'll get an underquilt and I'm sure that'll make all the difference in the world for me.

[J Mag]

If you do write an article please let me know. I would be interested to read it.

After bodybuilding for the past 5 years I wouldn't call myself a weight loss "expert", but when cutting I drop my first 15 lbs in about 2 months or so :P

It is pretty simple… eat 500 calories less than your maintenance and lift heavy weight a few times a week.

[Ian]

"After bodybuilding for the past 5 years…"

Well I'm no expert but by looking at your avatar, I think you need to spend less time on your ears. And less time spent begging at the table… that's not very dignified.

[Dena Kelley]

PLB's are good. I carry one for my hikes in Alaska. Hope to never use it…and that reminds me I am supposed to renew my registration for it.

I've added weight back to my gear in the past year, primarily for comfort.
-I went from a very light 1-1/2" x 20" mummy air mattress to a 4' x 25" air mattress- far more cushy.
-I added a camp chair. Sitting on the ground just wasn't comfortable and logs and large flat rocks required luck to find in the right spots.
-I added my Nook tablet. My backpacking mates often hit the hay earlier than I am ready for, so I spend time reading before going to sleep.

[Glenn S]

Yeh, I get the idea fo adding a little redundancy and buffer with the new found "free weight". But…

Personally, I'd reserve a few ounces of that for a strictly "reward" item for the weight loss effort. Something like a Tenkara fishing rig, or a Kindle, or yes, even a *gasp* chair!

I think it's important for any kind of loss/quit program to have some kind of non-essential reward involved, even if it ends up being just temporary.

[J Mag]

The ears were a real weakpoint when I started but you're right I probably went a little overboard there.

And begging is one of my vices but it helps me get my squats in so I let it slide.

[David Chenault]

A big ribeye and a couple beers.

In all seriousness, none of that stuff will make you safer. Knowledge and experience will make you safer.

[Valerie E]

Sometimes I do take — gasp — a chair (my lightest free-standing one, from REI, is just under 2 lbs). Wrestling about whether to add one for the JMT (probably not, because of the *&^#% bear barrel).

Now that you're slimmer and fitter, I agree that you can probably carry a couple of extra luxuries without too much effort/fatigue, and if that's what you feel like doing, I say "great"!

[Roger Caffin]

> … what else would you guys add?
Chocolate maybe?

Cheers

[Tim Zen]

+1 on the chair.

2 lbs — Quart of beer. Or maybe one pound of chocolate and a pint of beer.

Or bacon.

ah this is a great post!

first, huge congratz Kevin! I spent three years getting rid of 115 pounds – the goal I set for myself. Now I am trying to lose another 15-20!

So, if I could add two pounds of gear to my backpack, magically without having to actually carry those two pounds of gear, what would I take?? Hmmmmmmm…. fun question!

a taller tent – something I could stand up inside of and move around… a Perkins' Tent maybe :-D

oh, I know… water… like… I wanna carry 8 liters of water… that does not actually weigh 17.6 pounds!!

[Kevin Burton]

> In all seriousness, none of that stuff will make you safer. Knowledge and experience will make you safer

How about that stuff AND knowledge and experience.

If you fall and break your leg and you're 400 miles away from civilization an emergency rescue sounds a lot better to me than JUST knowledge and experience. :)

[Kevin Burton]

I use a hammock which is far far far more comfortable than any chair :) … it's literally just as comfortable as my office chair. Maybe more as I can sleep on it.

The ONE downside is that I don't eat in it… I'm afraid of spills which would mean having to pick up camp or in the worst case, having to throw out my hammock due to some permanent odor.

It would be nice to have a 'chair' hammock that's literally just enough material to sit in..

[JCH]

I recently found myself in the same situation…after many years, I finally had trimmed both my pack and big arse down. Realized I could afford a few small luxuries. Here is how I splurged.
1. A larger tent – the Zpacks Duplex is a palace for 1, especially in the rain :) I actually saved 4 ounces going for this so…maybe it doesn't count.
2. An Xlite Large. Can't believe I made due for years with the regular size which really was just too small for me.
3. A Helinox Chair One. I don't always pack it, but on certain trips it is so damned luxurious I can barely stand it. Downside is having to fight off my hiking mates who didn't bring a chair.

[M B]

I wouldnt add anything because I perceive I have "room to". I take what I need. Ive never found myself longing for any luxuries.

[Ken Thompson]

The in thing, a hatchet.

not.

[Daryl and Daryl]

Kevin,

"going to do a writeup for the forum on how to easily trim up"

I'd like that.

I could use some info and motivation.

[Author]

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