summer sierra gear list

[Justin Baker]

I've been revising my gear in anticipation for some hiking in the sierras this summer. I seem to have my kit down and almost perfect now, but does anyone have any suggestions? This is mostly the same kit I carried last summer but with a couple changes.
I know I'm missing a few small items on the list that I need to add later.

I'm going cookless, that's why there is no pot or stove.
I would add a 2lb bear canister where necessary.

http://www.geargrams.com/list?id=18788

[Aaron Sorensen]

Okay, I'll chime in.

First of all, it would be nice to have your list default to ounces instead of having to change everything over from grams.

I have almost identical gear that you have and go in the Sierra's all the time.
The only difference is I manage easily with less than 5 pounds (as could you).

I just see a lot of excess and heavy gear on your list.
I see you have a wind shirt, rain jacket, and down jacket.
If it's not calling for rain, I bring my wind shirt and down jacket, (maybe just my down jacket).

Then you have a buff and a beanie and a bandana.
A very heavy knife, and lots of little items that could weigh 1/10th of what you carry (1.5 ounces of soap). Purification tabs- 1 ounce? 100 Purification tabs don't even weigh an ounce. There is almost nowhere in the sierra’s that you need to even purify water.

I just see that a lot of gear you have could be at least have the weight and still suit your needs. You could then go with a pack that weighs half the amount. The gear you carry is great. Tarping it and lighter than most. I just feel like your wife packed you gear for you to be "safe", yet I don't even see a 1st aid kit.
Funny, I don't take anything either. My gear is my 1st aid kit, poles clothing, ect.

I just think that if you go light enough to be comfortable in a tarp, than you could suffice without a lot less of what you bring?
The only difference between your list and mine is that I find gear that I can cut the weight in half and then find a way to cut it in half again.

So, love the gear items, but the list, not so much.

[Justin Baker]

Thanks Aaron.
I don't think the knife is heavy at all for what it is. I do A LOT of fishing and having a good fixed blade is a plus. Helps a lot with campfires in wet weather too. Some trips I just carry a tiny little swiss army knife or forget a knife entirely, depends on the trip.

I know the down jacket is a bit heavy and overkill for the sierras. I'm a cold sleeper and the summerlite doesn't always cut it, so I need the jacket.
However I'm going to try getting the down bag overstuffed by 2 ounces at the recommendation of some other members on here. Hopefully that will be enough by itself, if not then I could at least go with a super light down vest instead of a full on hoody. After a long day I got to sleep when it's dark, or sometimes build a fire, the point is evening insulation isn't that important in summer.

Need some lighter tights too, or ditch them depending on the time of year.

The buff is used balaclava style to protect me from the sun when wearing a ball cap. Works great.
I need a better beanie, problem is I have a big head and I've order 3 separate fleece beanies that didn't fit.

Rain jacket maybe, maybe not depends on the weather. I usually go without a rain jacket as well. Maybe even no shelter and just use my ground cloth burrito style or get a bivy, but only on a short trip.

The water purification tablets are the iodine tabs that come in a tiny glass container… is there a lighter option? I don't know if you can repackage them and have them not go bad.

I know I need a smaller pack than my ohm. At this point my ohm is a long trip pack, last summer I did 10 days with it.
I plan on getting something smaller for weekends. My hope is to squeeze my sierra kit down enough to fit another day or two of food in my pack.

Overall the list was hastily done, some of the small items had their weight guessed out of laziness, missing a few items like guy line. I put everything I might carry in any weather I could encounter june-september and not necessarily what I would carry in nice dry weather.

Thanks for the input, I have some more thinking and planning to do for this summer now.

[Aaron Sorensen]

Justin,

I would keep the down jacket.
I really like your gear items. I just don't see why you need a beanie when your jacket has a hood?

for water purification I use Katadyn Micropur Purification Tablets.

I'm just a weirdo that is so meticulous about weight because I have that option while making my own gear. I'll PM you a list to show you what I mean.

[Jeff Jeff]

Ditch the beacon. There are rangers everywhere in the Sierra (if you stick to trails).

Firesteel and tinder aren't necessary. Few areas allow campfires. When you have one, the bic will work fine.

[Bob Gross]

"There are rangers everywhere in the Sierra (if you stick to trails)."

That's interesting. I haven't seen any rangers in about four years now, and probably 95% of my backpacking is on trails. I've gone for a couple of days at a time without seeing any humans at all.

–B.G.–

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