Gear list

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

If I choose the MYOG Senchi fleece and summer quilt = 5.61lbs

If I choose the Timmermade jacket and 10 degree bag = 5.99lbs

I could probably thru-hike most of a western long distance trail with this list.

[Sam Haraldson]

Diane, did you intend to include a list somewhere for reference?

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

Oops! https://lighterpack.com/r/s5ffk1

[Monte Masterson]

No bug protection or rain gear?

[Thom]

Stinking west coaster ! Ha ha

thom

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

If I go out this weekend there aren’t any bugs. It could rain but I could wait it out under my tarp.

[jscott]

electronics…1.26 pounds.

hmm….

in the old days, I’d consider losing a pound of weight to be major. Of course I bring a headlamp with me  on hikes.  Phone? and all the apparatus? Nah. UNLESS, I was hiking in winter or in very obscure terrain. Everyone else is carrying emergency electronics these days. If I’m on trail, and assume that others will show up sometime within a day or two…and the chances of my getting into trouble are  minimal, based on 20 years or more of  experience…save the damn weight, if we’re  considering a long hike.

On the other  hand…if  we’re talking about a weekend hike,  then yes I’d bring the phone and all the rest. Base weight would already be low, so why not?

[AK Granola]

If you get injured more than a scratch, with only a bandana as first aid, then do you get off trail? Is your navigation all on your phone? I sure can’t see anything to cut!

 

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

I forgot that I have a bunch of cheap Amazon ponchos with sleeves that are surprisingly durable. I used one on the AZT.

Now with a poncho the weights are: 5.71 / 6.08

If I add a bug net that I made: 5.94 / 6.4

Sometimes I think people with 4lbs gear lists aren’t actually putting all their gear on their list.

The number 1 place I can’t really reduce weight easily is the electronics because they weigh what they weigh. They total a pound and a quarter. For an overnight I wouldn’t really need the battery but if it became 2 nights I would. And for a local overnight I wouldn’t need the Zoleo because I could just walk home until I either got service or got home.

Now I have a new problem. I bought a Gossamer Gear pad thinking its gray color might be more stealth than the yellow Zlite that I have. Most pads, including this one and my Zlite, are 20″ wide. Here are pictures of the problem:

https://imgur.com/a/34SIpSh – All the pictures.

I think I’m going to have to bring a blow-up pad instead which is too bad because I like foam pads. Or maybe I should just not care too much that it looks ridiculous with a giant piece of foam bigger than my pack.

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

I like to bring my phone so I can listen to books and audio. I wish they’d bring back something like the ipod shuffle that you can load up with books and podcasts. Generally if I do a local trip my boyfriend drops me off somewhere and then I call him to pick me up so the phone + Zoleo lets me send him a text even if there’s no service. If I do a longer trip I need the phone to buy a plane ticket at the end, plus all the other things phones do. And now that I’m living the life I am, I guess I would need the phone to manage my f-ing taxes and prescriptions and modern shit like that.

[Dan]

Very impressive. To me, your gear list is remarkably minimalist and I’m sure it makes the hiking much more pleasant. Personally, I could not get to such a low base weight without giving up some things that I value too much for comfort and convenience.

[AK Granola]

The foam pad can’t be folded and used to support the back of your pack, inside?

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

Inside it stands up pretty tall and makes it hard to roll over the top. Maybe because the pad is new and stiff, but after some effort I was able to get it to line the bottom and fold 90 degrees to line the back panel, too. Sure takes up a lot of interior space though. I guess I’ll just strap it on top because that’s easiest and then I can use it during the day. It just seems oddly large like that.

Anyway, the Gossamer Gear pad and 4 panels of zlite is a little lighter than 10 panels of zlite cut to a 16″ width, although it’s also shorter.

I want to have a super light kit so I can do this crazy adventure where I just walk out my door, hike up and over the mountains near my house, sleep somewhere and walk home. I want to walk until after sunset so if I get further than the campsite I’ll just stealth camp somewhere. Sort of a fastpacking trip without the running or speed because I’m slow, fat and old. I’m pretty sure I won’t even need the tarp but I’ll bring it.

[HkNewman]

new problem. I bought a Gossamer Gear pad thinking its gray color might be more stealth than the yellow Zlite that I have. Most pads, including this one and my Zlite, are 20″ wide

Saw a hiker resting at Crater Lake Lodge’s patio with a MLD Hell pack (27L) … carrying a 1/8th thin pad rolled up in the exterior pocket like some sort of yoga mat. Fwiw he and an accompanying woman hiker looked to be going SOBO on the PCT though not sure if they were planning to go into the Sierra and it’s bear can requirement, but some may try the  BV 425.

stealth

Think when packs are at or below the full Jansport daypack volume (32L) with nothing dangling off it, hikers start getting that stealth effect.

Also ..  Xlite feels better, but especially with a 1/8” thin pad below it.

[Craig]

That pad is exposed – hope you are not walking scrub like we do in NZ and australia or itll get chewed up.  did you think about a different combo where pad lines the pack rolled in a cylinder (actually less overall hieght)?

may wish to think about the sleep-shelter combo as a system rather than individually  if looking for weight and volume savings, and trade off on the overall system based on level of comfort/safety of the system.

Pack lists are always so subjective, its a window into what someone values and sees as important. take what you get with a grain of salt – better to try and refine.
For example, I’m at the othe other end – I’m old and have lived a lot. As a result I do value comfort now, but dont mind living with less and grew up with far less than many of the readers of this forum are used to.

eg i do need some padding for sleeping now. But happy to sleep in wet in the rain though, as long as not too cold. A tarp is a luxury.  Food is nice but we can do without for a while, quite a while. Colds do, hots are for home. electronics are nice for connection, but a map does the trick for navs, and you are actually practically on your own in the wilds, own it.  I read all the time on my iphone kindle app when back at home, but not on trips as dont take it.

[Author]

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