How to Choose Lightweight Backpacking Gear: A Process Model Based on Core Needs, Functional Systems, and Equipment Components

[Emylene VanderVelden]

Companion forum thread to: How to Choose Lightweight Backpacking Gear: A Process Model Based on Core Needs, Functional Systems, and Equipment Components

[Emylene VanderVelden]

James, these are excellent points. I completely understand the back injury stuff. My back feels better backpacking than it does sitting or lying around, provided I keep my pack weight down. I have L5 disk damage with a cracked vertebrae. Walking takes pressure off but adding a backpack adds pressure. I have all my camera equipment on the front attached to my pack straps, it makes for a nice balance being as my camera equipment weights in around 3lbs.

This winter I will be researching ways to drop my pack weight about three pounds to get my pack weight to a solid 8-11 lbs with the camera in. Should be an entertaining experiment.

[John L Collins]

Kudos on an excellent article that drew me right in.

Unfortunately Emylene I suffer at the other end of the weight spectrum as most of my stuff is currently 2XL. Weights listed for each size would be helpful but unrealistic. I use Skurka’s 13 Core Items philosophy myself and have taught it to my relatively un-entitled Boy Scout Troop.  ;-)

As a gentleman of, ahem, a portly stature, my nod to comfort is that I hammock camp whenever and wherever I can. I know that won’t ever take me into the UL realm, but I am enjoying tweaking my systems to get lighter and smarter every trip.

Keep up the excellent work and discourse!

John

[Emylene VanderVelden]

I have a couple of contacts with some gear manufacturers and have suggested listing the weight of each size. I think that will come, it’s just a matter of time. I’m tempted to try hammocking but the weight and my back give me pause on the idea.

I like the 13 Core as well, excellent teaching material for scouts. Much like the ten essentials has been for the mountaineering clubs. All very valid methods. In someways this article is about tayloring your own method more than a concrete ‘pack this’ gear list. The case studies give some insight into the style of UL you might like and people who do that style of packing.

[HiLight]

In some ways this article is about tailoring your own method more than a concrete ‘pack this’ gear list.

I can see that.

Backpacking certainly isn’t (or shouldn’t be) ruled by a set of edicts. If you read some of the negative reviews and associated comments on Amazon about MC’s book, it’s clear that for some, rules are very important. On BPL, I think it’s more common to see how people challenge whatever limitations are placed before them, and study the solutions they find to work around them.

[John L Collins]

Emylene,

It is specifically because of my back problems that I hammock. I can’t sleep more than 6 hours on my back without waking up with horrible pain and stiffness in my lower back. As I wear a CPAP at home and haven’t invested in a smaller, lighter one for camping yet, ground camping is more hassle than I like.

As a case in point, at summer camp this year I started in a wall tent on a cot with my Alps inflatable lightweight pad. Two nights of tossing and turning and I went from afternoon naps only in my ENO Doublenest with whoopie slings and ENO Dri-Fly to sleeping every night in it and spent the rest of camp blissfully slumbering with minimal snoring and a much less achy back.

I will ground camp if necessary, but hanging is my absolutely preferred way. I highly recommend Shug Emory’s YouTube channel for excellent and humorous videos on the subject.

I’ve also introduced the Scouts to BPL and Mike Clelland! with varying degrees of success.

Give it a whirl and see if it works for you.

John

[Ken Thompson]

No pressure points in a hammock. Try it, you might never go back.

 

[James Marco]

KT, I * have* tried it. Nope, it doesn’t seem to work for me. Diagonal sleeping was the best by far, but it still woke me up with a cranky back. The slight curve was enough to bother my back.

Wow, Emylene! Trying to get down to 11 pounds in winter was something I could never do. My lightest base weight was just under 15 pounds in winter without camera equipment. Good Luck! ‘Corse I always planed on -20F as the low. I am guessing you live in a warmer area. Snowshoes alone were almost 3 pounds. And a 2 person, two skin tent was 4#11. I guess anything under 20# is good, though.

[Emylene VanderVelden]

James and KT good to hear both your thoughtson hammocks. I’ve been running with an Exped Down mat which has been an excellent experience.

Haha and James I meant I would be doing my gear research for shoulder and peak season this winter. I live near the Canadian Rockies -22 to – 40 F are normal lows. The nice thing about winter is I don’t bother packing DSLR cameras. It’s too bulky in the cold, most of the time my batteries die before I even get to use them. I pack a decent little Sony Cybershot in my chest pocket in the winter.

I haven’t done a winter trip since my accident and this year isn’t looking good. I dislocated my knee a couple weeks back. Doctors are saying I need to let it rest and heal for another two to five months before I strap on snowshoes or skis. Sigh….. Gonna be a long winter for me. An ACL staying in one piece is likely worth it though.

I can’t say as I push light too much in winter or at least I haven’t. I ditch the tent for a bivy, a shovel, candle lantern and a snow cave.  It’s warmer so I don’t carry as heavy of layers. I know my base weight is decently light in winter but it’s not as well thought out (or well used) as my summer and shoulder season gear. I’m looking forward to tinkering with my gear and seeing what I can do with it but winter safety is the prime decision making factor. Ok and I hate being cold. Anyone have some good winter systems?

[James Marco]

Yeah, ACL problems never really heal. The pain just goes away and what is left gets a bit stronger. My daughter blew part of her ACL in Maine and it still bothers her after a long day of hiking.

Shoulder seasons can be difficult. I usually just take my 10F bag, wear my chukaras with an extra pair of wool socks, and an extra set of heavy marino wool long johns. ‘Corse, I am wearing those, so they really don’t count as base weight. I hate getting stuck in snow storms. But for the few times it actually happens (less than a 10% chance) I just put up with the spindrift.

The same system you are using to lighten you pack now, still works in winter, as HkNewman mentioned. It is just a different temperature parameter.

[Kristin Tennessen]

Great article! I’m definitely a minimalist.

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