2-3 day run/fastpack- help trim the fat! :)

[Art …]

Mike – I just strap my CCF to the outside of my pack and use other soft goods for internal padding.
if you trim it small enough it won't get in the way on the outside.
and if your days are long enough you barely need any pad at all to fall asleep.

[Mike M]

Art- how small are your trimming yours and what thickness? I've been spoiled by the inflatable, but thought I might get by w/ the 3/8" 20×57" pad, but it's just too big, too big to even strap to the back as I'm afraid it would catch on stuff

Mike

[Art …]

I think my CCF is 17 or 18 x 48, in Colorado right now with out it so can't measure.
anyway it never gets in the way on the trail, are you planning some bushwhacking ?

[Mike M]

yeah- a fair bit of my "running" is off trail-following ridge lines and such

I wonder if your pad is thinner too?

[Serge Giachetti]

I can see this thread is a little old, but there are some cool ideas here. The list looks great, mike, and short of suggesting buying new gear, I'd only suggest leaving behind the cap 4's, wind shirt, bivy and stove. I still only run some sections on backpacking trips, but on more running centric ones, I'm more willing to sacrifice 'camp comforts' like hot food. I also happen to enjoy beef jerky, peanuts and sweet potato chips for dinner or two, but I'm weird.

I'll just add a couple of my recent thoughts on fastpacking, since I'm after a similar system to yours. My friend has used his xtherm for literally hundreds of nights with no ground cloth with no leaks, save when he put it in a rental van in NZ. Similarly, I've bivied on mine exposed and on small angular rocks on mount adams (long story involving one scared and cold canine). I've been using an ex-light torso, which ain't half bad when I bring a CCF under it and get your backpack perfectly under your legs, but for a couple extra oz, a full length xtherm is more comfy, warm, and with a little diligence, probably not gonna pop in the field. Leaks are not hard to fix, either. Personally, I like the simplicity of this system, and I'm definitely gonna give it a try.

I'm with the others that a bigger tarp with no bivy is the way to go, but then I understand where your coming from about the convenience of an event bivy. Its also more adventurous. I'm sort of materially challenged, but when I'm going for efficiency, the simpler my setup, the better. Less faffing=more moving.

[Mike M]

Serge- thanks for the input! I was able to put things together for a nice two trip http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=95223

I did end up purchasing a MLD eVENT bivy which I"m very impressed w/- camp "setup" doesn't amount to much roll bivy out, blow up pad, fluff sleeping bag- done :)

funny you should mention the xtherm, on my trip it was really cold for September (lows mid 20's) so I brought a thin ccf pad to go w/ my neoair, I weighed my xtherm and I could have simply brought it and not had to worry about lashing the ccf pad to the pack

I can see possibly going stoveless if I was really pushing things (I'd have to really think on what to bring), but I have to tell you a hot meal in the evening, oatmeal and coffee in the morning was pretty darn nice :)

Mike

[Art …]

Mike – if night temps were in the 20's and it was shoulder season, I would probably bring a stove too.
and probably bring an enclosed shelter slightly beefier than a bivy … of course I'm not from Montana.
I have a slightly modified Nemo GoGo that weighs 1.7 lbs. yes a bit heavier than what SUL people like, but it makes me feel secure in blustery weather. not that much heavier than a bivy-tarp combo.

[Author]

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