Hey, this is about us

[Gary Pikovsky]

Really makes you (re)think. Well written.

http://indefinitelywild.gizmodo.com/when-ultralight-isnt-right-or-how-to-slow-down-and-enj-1645687292

[Owen McMurrey]

Too funny that he wants to get away from the rules and judgment of other people, yet is all worried over what anyone else does different from him.

[Ike Jutkowitz]

I'll paraphrase this article in the words of p mags, "Hike my hike, damnit"
This author puts up the usual straw argument of how uncomfortable UL hiking is, and how it's proponents must therefore only do it for bragging rights. All should convert to the one true way of backpacking (ie. The author's way)

No thanks

Minimalism in hiking is a beautiful thing. Traveling lightly across the earth without leaving a trace.

[John S.]

If you look around the site, he is a prepper type and some have issues with not carrying mil spec gear ; ).

[Ken Thompson]

No it's not.

[spelt with a t]

I suppose we should get off his lawn while we're at it.

What a bunch of strawman, purist tripe.

[JP]

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[Kattt]

….that pack hanging back, with stuff hanging even further back…irregardless of weight he ought to learn how to pack and how to carry/ wear the pack.

[M B]

No its not.

Posting links to such drivel only helps propagate it.

Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one. That doesn't mean everyone wants to see all of them.

[Tipi Walter]

Any backpacker article which starts out "When Ultralight Isn't Right . . ." is bound to get the panties of ULers in a wad.

Gary says it's well written, though. Owen says it's too funny. Ike says straw argument and says it's an example of Hike My Hike, Damnit. Update for Ike: Traveling lightly (or heavily) across the earth without leaving a trace can also be done with a traditional load.

Spelt says it's a bunch of strawman purist tripe. Here we go with straw again. He forgets the word "elitist" too.

JP says some of us like to go faster and farther but Wes Siler's point is to go slower and shorter. A whole discussion could be started on the Fast & Light mindset so popular nowadays. Even Cascade Designs has a Fast & Light corporate motif.

MB is in pure UL defensive mode, calling Siler's opinion drivel and "like an asshole . . ."

Of course, this is a website populated with ultralighters and they can be a defensive bunch.

I like this old quote from BPL member Scott Waldrop (now misfit mystic) on an old thread:

“I've been here awhile; my experience is that many folk are over-zealous when they first begin ascribing to lightweight principles. They often tend to proselytize about their relatively new philosophy, and can come off as being pretty arrogant. Many of these folks don't have enough knowledge or experience to realistically critique their own gearlist for a given trip in given conditions, much less someone elses'. So they preach away about how there are better options for everything in your pack based solely on weight, not because they have experience with some certain piece of gear, but because they can read the spec sheet. Ignore these people.”

Who knows, but maybe this "arrogance" is what Wes Siler is talking about??

See
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=72520&disable_pagination=1

[JP]

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[HkNewman]

Have to agree with Ken. The author seems to be talking about going significantly off-trail to enjoy his backpacking (vs. the conga line at bright angel during Spring Break or up Half Dome in summer).

That said, he could probably switch to a custom all dyneema grid backpack….

[Tipi Walter]

Oh Tipi, not again please.

See what I mean.

[JP]

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[Kevin Buggie]

The comments below his post were even more funny. He's never heard of fast packing! Ha. I guess that judgement will come later.

Also the tone kinda reminded me of early M– writings; like I hope he knows he can unscrew cannisters from his stove between uses;)

[John Higgins]

was going to comment but all you can really do is HYOH, and share your experiences. just seems like a lot more people out there judge, and think that there way is the only way. sad

[Frank T]

"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

The blogger could have made the same argument with little or no reference to ultralight.

[BlackHatGuy]

I feel like I read a different article than many of the rest of you. Nowhere in the article I read did the author advocate heavier backpacking – in fact he devotes an entire paragraph (in a relatively short opinion piece, labeled as such) to how lighter gear has improved tremendously and is well considered for a backpacking trip. He doesn't mention how far he travels on his weekend jaunts, that's not the point of his piece.

In fact, he simply advocates what others on BPL have advocated – enjoy the scenery and solitude around you.

His opinion (and gawd knows there's plenty of those on BPL, even in this thread) is that he thinks the folks out trying to break speed records through beautiful backcountry are missing something, and he doesn't quite get them. He doesn't call them names, and he isn't anywhere near as derogatory toward them as some of you are toward him. He doesn't even, in any meaningful way, criticize lightweight backpackers overall, his piece is about "its goals-based proponents." In offering this opinion, he doesn't come close to approaching some of the nastiness directed toward him in this thread.

There are other threads on BPL where this same discussion has taken place – the folks who don't 'get' people who rush through the wilderness in pursuit of some goal at odds with the folks who do. Nobody's right in those threads, or everybody's right, depending on your viewpoint.

So, in short (too late!) I don't get the hate toward this guy. He expressed an opinion, and it's an opinion held by others on this site (judging from previous threads). And, actually, he expressed it pretty well, so I agree with the OP that's it is well written for what it is.

And, actually, from what I got from his piece, I'm closer in backpacking philosophy to this guy than I am to the record seekers. Where I seem to differ is that I can appreciate the effort and time and commitment that goes into breaking records, i just don't have any inclination to follow suit.

[Billy Ray]

Well said Doug I.

Billy

[Jerry Adams]

The first comment, from the author Wes, says he's got his baseweight down to 15 pounds and does the same trips he used to with 50 pounds baseweight, except now he enjoys it more

That sounds pretty consistent with BPL

I talked to someone in Trinity Alps. He said he didn't like websites like BPL because the people are too arrogant and extreme. I thought he was missing the whole point – there are just a bunch of ideas, some of which can be useful to you. I did not get through to him at all, but that's okay…

[JP]

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[spelt with a t]

Doug, my objection is that his treatment of the subject matter is poorly argued and shallow. He provides no justification for his way being superior other than the implication of intrinsic value in slowness. He creates a strawman of ultralighters using the most extreme outliers of the group and then throws in a dig at the twitter generation.

The threads on BPL provide much better reading on the topic, imo.

[Ian]

"Nowhere in the article I read did the author advocate heavier backpacking"

No he said:

"Such trips give people a sense of accomplishment and the ability to brag about themselves, but doing it that way doesn't even come close to providing that "tonic of wildness" that Henry David Thoreau wrote about."

"Just like sitting down and enjoying a conversation has become a lost art, so too has the ability to escape the modern world and its approach to life, even while outside. But hey, that list of summits and miles sure will sound impressive to your Facebook friends. Man, I sound old."

The author is speaking from a position of ignorance and by the title and the underlying message, implies that there's a positive relationship between gear/weight and enjoyment. Carrying a 15lb total weight backpack doesn't prevent me from lounging around in the backcountry the way he does.

It seems his larger objections are to high mileage days, not UL backpacking.

I think Skurka covered this topic perfectly in his book. Are you ultimately a hiker or a camper? Both? Nothing wrong with either one. UL gear allow for me to do both. If I want to average 20 miles and 5000' of climbing on the Wonderland, I can do that with my 17lb ruck where I was destroyed after hiking 10 miles and climbing 1500' with my >50lb pack.

And yes, some of us have jobs and other responsibilities which limit how much time we can spend in the wilderness. So not having to take 2+ weeks of leave to cover the Wonderland is a real blessing. Three day weekend? Great! 50 mile loop with time for a burger and beer and the several hours of driving to get to and return from the trailhead.

Also, I see more wildlife hiking than I do in camp. I saw four bears in six days on the Wonderland. Three of them were well before 8 am. It's difficult for me to put in to words why but I really enjoy night hiking too.

I don't really find his article to be well written or interesting. For him make these proclamations would be as absurd as me condemning those who ride the divide every year from Banff to Mexico. The only opinion I could offer on this would be from what I've seen from the internet, much like his opinion of UL and high mileage days.

[Kattt]

"When I'm out backpacking I get people asking me about my gear and wishing they had less to carry. Never is it the other way around where they wish they had more to carry."

But some of us might wish we had brought _fill in the blanks_ and been warmer, more comfy, better fed. That does happen.

[JP]

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[Author]

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