Newbie 3 Season List – Advice b4 Purchase

[Richard Mccarver]

Hi everyone, this is my very first day on as a member and I wanted to get right to business. I am new to backpacking, up to this date I have never done more than car camp or sleep under a cheap tarp on a blanket. Being 40 I definitely wanted to go as light as I can. I have been researching a reading for over 5 years, after reading AWOL on the Appalachian.

I would have pulled the trigger sooner, but we ended up with twins 4 years ago. Now I have been pushed out of my job and removed my 401k to keep the family afloat and at my wife's goading, she convinced me it was time to reach for my dream. Below is just the purchases that I now own. I am missing some pieces, backpack, and base-layer (sleeping clothes also) Please tear this apart and left me know how I can do better or where I am setting up for disaster, (which team me would me something that would ruin my Young burgeoning love of back country backpacking. I set my self a $1500 limit and I am $300 under it at this time, but know that purchasing a pack, good base layer and down sweater will ae me over the mark, Oh and did I mention she is now state=in in certain areas I have to carry a Garnin GPS,,,great more weight. LOL.Ok on to the show…

http://www.geargrams.com/list?id=19828

Can I have everyone's honest opinions. I want the list to be ripped apart so I know where I may be making mistakes before I go and spend a lot of Money. This is a one shot deal for me.

*** Edit I will find me a button compass on AMAZON even if it mean me having to buy the big box of them. Hell, I guess I could hand them and Constitution pamphlets out to kids at Halloween, Nothings scarier than political America.

[Ian]

Looks like a nice conservative list. Ohm was my first lightweight backpack. There are lighter options out there but it can carry a bunch of gear and does a great job of transferring weight to the hips.

Base weight should be under 15lbs with this list I suspect. For a five day trip and carrying a single liter of water, that'll put your total pack weight somewhere near 27lbs which the Ohm can handle.

Not sure what your cooking style is but you can stand to lose several ozs if your coffee can weighs 13oz. You can find some affordable aluminum mugs for fairly cheap.

Moment looks awesome and I've debated buying one. My Hexamid Twin is palatial for one and large enough where I can share it with one of my kids. It weighs in a couple/few ozs over a lb including guy lines and stakes.

Welcome to BPL and congratulations on the twins!

[Richard Mccarver]

Thanks for the information. I was really trying to balance money with value. The cook set weighs in @ 4.2 oz. that's a 13 oz coffe can that weighs about 2 ozs. A bud light alcohol stove weighing in at under 1 oz. and a can for cup. All do not have the lining material in most cans so they are bpa free. (Got to not get cancer :-) thanks, twins have kept me young.

When you said conservative was that good or bad lol?

[Ian]

Oops! Misunderstood on the coffee can weight vs volume. 4ish oz is pretty good then.

"When you said conservative was that good or bad lol?"

Conservative good. Your equipment will appeal to a wide range of people and is very lightweight for someone brand new to backpacking. Your big three seem to be roughly six lbs so you'll probably come in well under 15lbs as long as you don't go too crazy with clothing and the little stuff which add up to big weight.

Tarps are not for everyone and the Moment has a bomber reputation. Even if you transition to tarps later one, I'd personally keep the Moment for trips where I thought I might get blasted with winter weather.

ULA Ohm 2.0 allows for awesome weight transfer to the hips similar to a traditional backpack. I will still use this pack when I'm hiking with my kids so I can carry extra stuff for them.

Both will hold their value if you ever want to sell them used.

[Doug Green]

A couple of ideas, mainly to save weight…

1.For a BACKUP flashlight, I use a clip on LED that weighs 15 grams and can clip onto the brim of a cap. The clip is also made to clip onto 3/4 in webbing. It will only light the area immediately in front of you but I have never had a headlamp fail as long as I check the batteries so I take advantage of the weight savings. Here is a video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6e24l0SMPA

2.The compass that you listed is fine and everyone should have a nice compass, but unless I am orienteering or am very unfamiliar with the territory I carry a button compass on a string lanyard with my whistle and a backup button compass that clips on a strap. Both together weigh under half an ounce. I went this way after so many trips where the good compass never came out of the pack.

[dirtbag]

I agree about the compass. Especially if you plan on hiking on trails. I use a small button compass that works great for N-S-W-E direction. Bring a map and small button compass and you are set. I glued one to my whistle and carry that around my neck. Now, if you plan on bushwhacking and traveling off trail then you may consider something different..like an orienting compass.

For a headlamp I would recommend checking out Ruta Locura. Great headlamp 1.15 ounces if I remember correctly. I don't bring a backup either. Spare batteries that's about it.

[Ito Jakuchu]

Good choices I think.
Only point I might consider is your sleeping system.
"2. Enlightened Equipment Revelation 40 degree (I figured I could combine a liner and clothes if I wanted to go colder.)"

Liners don't add a lot (if any) warmth, especially for the weight. A liner is great if you will be hot and not wear any clothes, or when you also sleep in huts/lodges (like you often do in Europe or Japan).
To protect your quilt or bag from body oils many people wear base layer bottoms and tops. If you think your base layers, or more insulated clothing would not be warm enough than I would consider going warmer with your quilt or bag. The added weight there will be a lot more efficient than adding liner weight.

I don't know your area or the conditions you will be playing around in, so it's the only thing that I thought you might consider a bit more. Your choice might be totally fine the way it is though.

Have fun out there.

[Ito Jakuchu]

I just got an Ohm 2.0
Think it is an amazingly well made pack.

If I would find myself a lot around or over 30lb I think I would consider a Circuit.
We don't have bear cans here so take it with a grain of salt, but I thought you might be able to pack your stuff inside, including your food, and then add the empty bear can on top. You might have to make a stuff sack or add some friction inducing straps on the can, but seems like it could be totally fine if you only need one every now and then.

[Richard Mccarver]

I just read this post, and its funny because before I ordered I did that very thing. I decided to not only go with the 30* but also went with the wide version. Very good advice though. I am in Kentucky. I live in Louisville, but as I learn to backpack and backcountry camp I will be doing so throughout KY, and only 3 season. So hopefully with good planning and decent weather forecasting I may only see lows down to 35-40.

[Ken Thompson]

I can fit a BV450 in my Ohm v1.0 just fine along with the rest of my three season kit. You would want a bigger pack if you want a bigger canister capability, or winter gear.

What kind of coffee can pot are you thinking of using? Never seen one that wasn't steel, plastic, or glass.

[Richard Mccarver]

Hey Ken. I got a Cafe Du Monde Coffee Can from Whole Foods. Its an aluminum body can. Its 13 oz in size and holds 3 cups of water perfectly with room to spare. It has ridges going up its side. If you fill to the first ridge its exactly 1 cup, then every 2 ridge lines after that is another cup. I used a side cutting can opener to cut the top off so that I could keep and use it as a lid. By itself it weighs in at 3.9 ounces.

[Richard Mccarver]

Ken, As an after thought I should mention, I use this with a Bud Light aluminum bottle alcohol stove I made. I have done several burn test using 1.5 ounces of denatured alcohol. I get consistent boil times of 7 minutes for 3 cups at the coldest tap temperature I can, and roughly 4.5 minutes boils on 2 cups. 1.5 ounces will continue on for 3 minutes after boil time, so i might be able to drop to 1 ounce.

These diameters of the stove to the can are married perfectly with 90% venting to the bottom and slight wall curl at the edges. because I am a man with a new toy, I have been making my tea fro it nightly. LOL

[Author]

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