First UL Kit

[William T]

I am an ultra trail runner and soon to be in the deep end of a training block leading up to a 120 mile event with 28000 feet of elevation gain.

My plan for training is to do several two night fast pack excursions in the area of the course as well as the local mountains. I am in North Vancouver, BC. No plans to do anything longer than three nights maximum this year.

Nights will likely be spent at elevation and could approach freezing temp although unlikely. More likely minimum of 5-10C at night. Insects definitely present.

I already own a Salomon S-Lab Peak 20L pack – although open to replacing it if it ends up being too small.

I have been poring over the various websites, reading and watching reviews etc. etc.

I do plan on using hiking poles in this event although I haven’t typically very much in the past. Whatever tent I get I would want the optional poles in case I don’t want to bring trekking poles on a given excursion.

As of now, I think I would be going with the following key items:

Tarptent Moment DW tent, Western Mountaineering Summerlite sleeping bag, Thermarest Neo-Air X-lite, Jetboil Flash.

The item I am wrestling with the most is the tent. I could afford a Zpacks Solplex, Tarptent Notch Li etc., but not sure for my very first kit I should be laying out those dollars for minimal gains in weight.

I like the look of the Notch, the Bowfin, and also the SMD Lunar Solo. I have read about the differences between single and double wall, but don’t know how much I should be weighing those considerations.

I feel like I need to learn a lot and in doing so will develop my preferences just as I have with the rest of my ultra-running kit. So going all out for most expensive stuff right away seems like a mistake.

Looking to drink in any and all comments, jokes, and dressing down of the noobie that I may find here!

Thanks!

Wing

[Michael Gillenwater]

Low hanging fruit would be

switch to a tarp. Big volume and weight savings. I use Zpacks pocket tarp.

Switch to alcohol or esbit stove. Or go no cook, which is what I do for fast pack trips.

[William T]

Thanks, Michael.

I can definitely see going “no cook”.

But I’m fairly certain I want a tent rather than a tarp mainly for shelter from insects – but that ZPacks pocket tarp does look good.

 

[Monte Masterson]

Your choice of pack, bag and pad looks good for fastpacking, but the tent (Moment DW) and cook kit you have in mind are way too heavy.

When it comes to protection per weight the ZPacks Solo Hexamid is the best.The Soplex weighs nearly the same, however, it costs more and requires another pole. The Hexamid also sets up faster which is important for racing.  If you want a cheaper silnylon tent the Big Sky International Wisp is the lightest at around 20 oz. Carbon fiber poles are available from ZPacks.

As far as cook kit, Esbit fuel cubes are the most efficient. Hexamine provides more BTU’s per weight than anything else. An Esbit ti tri stand (0.4 oz) and a simple windscreen paired with an Evernew EBY-265 400 ml ti cup (1.7 oz) and you are as light as you can get.

[Matthew / BPL]

No cook or Esbit do seem like good options of your use case. I will recommend you look at 550ml mugs (Toaks) or 600ml pots (Evernew) if you actually want to cook dinner. The 400ml mug seems like a better idea if you just want warm coffee/tea.

Be aware that most Tarptent models have built in Pitchlock struts that restrict packing options because the force you to end up with a tent that is about 14-16” long in the stuffsack unless you remove all four of them from the tent before packing. The TT Protrail does not have any struts so you can pack that in any shape. I think it would be the best choice from their line if you don’t want to go with a DCF tent for now. I’m not crazy about the front entry when climbing out of the tent first thing in the morning but it’s a very livable setup otherwise.

[Rob]

Zpacks Pocket Tarp (4 oz.) plus Sea to Summit Nano Mosquito Pyramid Net Shelter (2.9 oz.)

http://www.seatosummitusa.com/product/?item=Nano+Mosquito+Pyramid+Net+Shelter&o1=0&o2=0&o3=131

[William T]

Thanks all for the comments.

Definitely appreciate the Esbit info. Looks perfect.

As for tarp vs. tent quandry – so far would be leaning toward the Pro Trail based on the above and further reading. I don’t know why but my gut is telling me that the more minimalist tarp or tarp plus net approach isn’t for me – but of course I don’t know what I don’t know yet. In my mind I keep thinking that 10-12 oz is not that big a deal – I’m sure I’ll laugh that I typed that some time later this season.

 

The Six Moon Design Lunar Solo is even a bit lighter than the Pro Trail (24 oz v. 26 oz) – looks interesting but also appears to be sold out at the moment.

ZPacks Solplex seems to come in around 10-12 oz less for double the money.

If I am fixated on a tent rather than a tarp/net, is 10-12 oz going to be worth $250? I guess it would depend on the amount of use I get out of it and the length of my days (long).

By my calculations my kit will be 6lbs or under (not including food/water) even with the Pro Trail – which seems really light to me…

 

EDIT – Gossamer Gear “The One” seems like another good option. Even lighter and seems to pack quite small.

[Author]

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