Newbie List, looking for input

[Sebastian O]

Hello friends,

New at buying good and moderately light gear. Was looking for your thoughts, and advise on my current list which is what I have bought so far, very much a beginners work in progress. Im a little burned out from all the buying stuff because I had nothing. Want to get out soon for some trips and stop shopping. Nothing epic, weekends, 1-2 week trips, not even sure where, nothing uber cold for now since I dont have that gear. I live in Georgia but I hope to go to the southwest, California, and abroad and Georgia too.

My current base weight is at 21 lbs which is too much of course. Looking for ideas to trim it down.

Let me know what you think. I have comments and questions need to some items.

Click here for my list link

Thank you.

[Link .]

Hi Sebastian, To start you have some items listed several times and some things have no weight at all and some comments that are odd to me so I will post a list of good articles and videos for you to look at to get an idea of getting your pack weight down, it doesn’t have to be expensive. Some of my links are on going cheap and a lot of times it is just carrying too much and it is free to leave stuff home.

General info for you to look at SUGGESTED GEAR LIST ETIQUETTE
Mike Clelland(NOLs instructor and author, his books are very good),he has some great free videos on lightening up be sure to watch(his clothing system,the entire contents of his pack,water treatment and part 1 and 2 on the dinky stuff for ideas),this is pmagsBackpacking: A Beginners Primer, Lightweight Backpacking 101, Jack of All Trades gear and The Frugal Backpacker – The $300 Gear Challenge alsoThe Budget Backpacking Kit.These are some other articles and videos for you to check out

MY 11 LB GEAR LIST FOR $207 TOTAL

LIGHTWEIGHT BACKPACKING, WAL-MART STYLE

Backpacking for Cheap: Gear for the Gearless

Backpacking Checklist (Gear List): 3-Season, 3-Day

Lightweight Backpacking 101: An Introductory Manual for Lightening Your Load Today (1st Edition – August 2001)

Cheap Ultralight Gear List

You Can Get An Ultralight Backpacking Kit At REI!

Oregon Field Guide: Ultralight Hiking

Lightweight Testimony: Lighter, Farther, Faster
Jamie Shortt talks about his progression and shows his gear list for each stage,Lightweight Testimony: My Journey into Lightweight Backpacking
CleverHiker Light weight Basics
CleverHiker Trail Skills

Andrew Skurka has a very good website with trips and gear lists for you to check out, here is a talk he gave at google
Ultimate Hiking Gear & Skills Clinic
His book is worth checking out also
The Ultimate Hiker’s Gear Guide: Tools & Techniques to Hit the Trail

Why “waterproof” shoes will not keep your feet dry

Minimizing the effects and aftermath of wet feet

LAYERING FOR BEGINNERS

THE BEST CLOTHING COMBINATIONS FOR BACKPACKING OR HIKING?

A NEW PARADIGM FOR UNDERSTANDING GARMENT WARMTH

Andrew Skurka’s Core 13 Backpacking Clothing

Dave Chenault’s response to Skurka’s Core 13

On hiking in winter

Dave’s All about insulation

Dave’s 30s and raining: some suggestions
You can get little repackaging containers(like the ones you see in Mike Clelland uses in his videos) many places including your local stores and pharmacy but here are some examples
USPLASTICS
USPLASTICS
Ultralight Designs
GossamerGear
MountainLaurelDesigns
You could make toothpaste dots like Mike C. shows or there are Archtek Toothpaste Tablets so only bring exactly what you need in a snack size bag for any given trip instead of a whole tube and THESE are good for little thing like pills, toothpaste tablets ect. so you are not packing a whole bottle(you can also get them very cheap at most pharmacies) .

[Ken Thompson]

A+ Link!

Ditch the snake bite kit, seriously. Get out, use what you have assembled already. You will learn what you like and don’t like. What items need improvement. Start with simple overnights and make a single change at a time to your system. Take advantage of GearSwap. And do read the links given above. But have fun.

[Gator Paddler]

It looks like you’ve gotten a good start. Have you been out with this gear setup before? One thing that you will probably see if you do is that you won’t need a bunch of the stuff on your list. Your hygiene kit is 21 oz and reads like a list for someone going on a hotel-based vacation. Do you really need face cream, body spray, bug spray and sun screen?  No one but you can say what you’ll be comfortable leaving home, but I think you could cut the hygiene list in half. I don’t wear glasses, but my wife does NOT bring contacts into the backcountry.

Do you need three jackets where you will be hiking? For moderate weather, I would leave either the fleece or down jacket at home.

You have some other minor stuff that seems repetitive, such as a pack cover and trash compacter bag.

Obviously, there are a few items you have that are on the heavy side, but there’s nothing egregious. You could replace your pack and shelter and save 3-4 lbs. Your cook system could be lightened with a lighter stove and pot.

All that said, however, my advice would be to start taking your kit out for weekend hikes. It’s reasonable enough as it is. You’ll find out pretty quick what you don’t need and what works/doesn’t work for you.

[Link .]

there are several knives listed almost 2lbs for cooking and drinking, 2 potty trowels listed ect., the 1 swiss army classic knife like THIS ONE is plenty and it contains tweezers and then you have some listed  separately in your hygiene kit, do you need a 2 person tent? there are lighter and cheaper options but I don’t know your criteria. Not many people around here bring camp shoes especially if you are wearing comfortable trail runners to hike in thats another 9.1oz lost, of course your pack is pretty heavy but if you like it then keep it. You can get good cheap trekking poles like Cascade Mountain Tech Quick Lock Trekking Poles for $30 at costco and they weigh 14.1 ounces for the pair, or you can get them off AMAZON for $45 if you don’t live close to a Costco or directly from the company  CASCADE MOUNTAIN TECH . you can assemble a lightweight cheap bear bagging system like in THIS VIDEO. A 6oz foot print for your tent is unnecessary, there are a lot lighter and cheaper options if you want to carry one. I have run out of time and have to go but I can list some more later but I am sure a lot more people will chime in in the mean with their expertise. But as the others so far have said go out have fun and figure out what you really need, and of course look over all my links above.

 

 

[Sebastian O]

Thanks all.

There are no duplicated items. The list is repeated twice, 1st draft, then 2nd draft (removing items, making it lighter than 1st draft).

Items with no weight either I havent bought or dont need for now.

I have revised this.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bQYPfvUrxjSLeRT12nsxOFbntvhFXDFmzwQedtCKUSM/edit?usp=sharing

 

[Link .]

so what you are saying is your list is 21 lbs for just the stuff you have weighed and have but the weight will go up once you have everything? You could use some help with your cook set up but what kind of food or cooking do you do, full on cooking or boiling water to rehydrate  meals. Your water bladder is awfully heavy you could save weight there, I don’t think you will find many people hear who wear heavy waterproof boots

Why “waterproof” shoes will not keep your feet dry

Minimizing the effects and aftermath of wet feet

A good video for you to watch

Ultimate Hiking Gear & Skills Clinic

I don’t know what kind of temperatures you are expecting but a down jacket and a 17oz fleece jacket seems like an awful lot. If you get cold easily and you don’t think your combined clothes will be enough get a light weight fleece pull over for half the weight Mike’s   free videos has one on 3 season clothing systems(#3 down on his list of videos and #4 is everything he carries in his pack), or are you doing full on winter and snow camping

LAYERING FOR BEGINNERS

THE BEST CLOTHING COMBINATIONS FOR BACKPACKING OR HIKING?

A NEW PARADIGM FOR UNDERSTANDING GARMENT WARMTH

Andrew Skurka’s Core 13 Backpacking Clothing

Dave Chenault’s response to Skurka’s Core 13

On hiking in winter

Dave’s All about insulation

and again for your toiletries watch Mike’s   free videos  #5 and #6 down on his list of videos

You can get little repackaging containers(like the ones you see in Mike Clelland uses in his videos) many places including your local stores and pharmacy but here are some examples
USPLASTICS
USPLASTICS
Ultralight Designs
GossamerGear
MountainLaurelDesigns
You could make toothpaste dots like Mike C. shows or there are Archtek Toothpaste Tablets so only bring exactly what you need in a snack size bag for any given trip instead of a whole tube and THESE are good for little thing like pills, toothpaste tablets ect. so you are not packing a whole bottle(you can also get them very cheap at most pharmacies)

all these links are in my first post( + more) I just broke it down a little bit in this post.

 

[Sebastian O]

Thanks for all the info Link! My boots are not waterproof, not sure where you read that.

No, I wont take all the other items that are un-weighed. This is my 1st list so next time I will do one trip specific.

[Link .]

I read that they were waterproof on  the VASQUE web site, it shows the inhaler boots as being GTX and the inhaler LOW as not being waterproof but since you said boot and not inhaler low I took it to mean they have goretex so that is where I got my information, it says the lows are 1 lb 11 oz and the boots weigh 1 lb 14 oz which are both pretty heavy, you could definitely  loose some weight there.

[Scott Engles]

About the pack cover on your list: Being out in the N Cascades (wet 8 months a year) one of the best tips I ever got was using a trash compactor bag to line my pack instead of just a pack cover. There are times I’m breaking down camp and I need a place to pack wet stuff (tent fly) and keep it away from my dry stuff (food, sleeping clothes) and the outside pocket of my pack is a perfect place. In the snow this is even a safety issue. Using the trash compactor bag means the main compartment stays dry. Trash compactor bags are tough enough to last for weeks or months and can do different jobs depending on the conditions.

[Sebastian O]

-So if I use the trash compactor bag inside, nothing on the outside of the pack? Return the Osprey cover to REI? (havent used it)

-Any recommendations for lighter not expensive stove and pot? How will I drink coffee; no need for additional coffee cup of sorts? My GSI pot with lid and cup I bought at REI but havent used weighs 9.2 oz. Im guessing I will do some bagged meals and some easy cooking. Occassional 2nd person.

-Do I need 50 ft of paracord?

 

 

 

[Jennifer Mitol]

-So if I use the trash compactor bag inside, nothing on the outside of the pack? Return the Osprey cover to REI? (havent used it)

Correct.  Just make sure all the important (i.e. insulating) stuff is INSIDE the trash compactor bag, then let everything else get wet.  Because it will.

-Any recommendations for lighter not expensive stove and pot? How will I drink coffee; no need for additional coffee cup of sorts? My GSI pot with lid and cup I bought at REI but havent used weighs 9.2 oz. Im guessing I will do some bagged meals and some easy cooking. Occassional 2nd person.

LOTS of ideas about lighter pots and such.  A Kmart grease pot is a favorite around here, an Open Country 3 cup aluminum pot is another…all quite inexpensive.  The lightest stove is this little $15 number from China: BRS-3000   I’ve used it a handful of times and it works just fine.  I’m more of an alcohol stove gal at this point, and that’s even cheaper!

-Do I need 50 ft of paracord?

WHY?

 

The main approach to lightening your load is figuring out what you NEED, and why.  If you don’t even know what the paracord is for, why bring it?

As others have suggested, take small weekend overnighters, packing what you think you need/want…then when you get home, take a SERIOUS look at what you actually used.  Do that quite a few times and pretty soon you realize that you never even bothered with the face cream, or the paracord, or whatever.  The cheapest – but I think the hardest – way to make your pack lighter is to NOT bring things.  And that doesn’t mean leaving your insulation at home (but do make it the lightest you can – and this can also be cheap – Academy has Mountain Hardware 100wt fleece on sale right now for $20), or your maps…but instead of the ENTIRE ROLL of duct tape for a 2-nighter, how about a few strips wrapped around a trekking pole?  Instead of the WHOLE ROLL of toilet paper, just bring what you need.

Good luck!  And welcome to the Dark Side….

[Sebastian O]

Thank you Jennifer. The paracord to hang food bag from a tree?

I have a weekend trip in April. So in the meantime, Im returning stuff I dont need/taking it out.

I also need to lighten my hydration pack…suggests?

What do you all put your hardware in, a ditty sack? (lighter, knife, compass, utilities in general)

I was gonna buy an Enlightened Equipment quilt at around $300. Weighs 1.5 lbs. Any cheaper options? Haven’t found any…

 

[Nick Gatel]

Get out, use what you have assembled already. You will learn what you like and don’t like. What items need improvement. Start with simple overnights and make a single change at a time to your system. Take advantage of GearSwap. And do read the links given above. But have fun.

I agree with Ken. You have been asking a lot of questions about specific gear — and there is nothing wrong with that, but you will probably get 6 different answers from 6 different people on every gear item. Best to head out with what you have and then figure out what works for you and what doesn’t. Good way to save a lot of money :)

Also, changing too many different pieces of gear at one time gets to be overwhelming. Refine one at a time.

[Sebastian O]

I have done a lot of revisions already. Just bought a cat can!

Next trip is 4/16, overnighter.

[Jennifer Mitol]

so my recommendation is to take what you have on that overnighter – make a comprehensive list of EVERYTHING you take, especially all that dinky stuff that you think doesn’t matter.  Because it does…

Enjoy your trip.

Then when you get home, look critically at what you used, what you never even bothered to touch, what you could have lived without, what you wished worked better, etc etc.  That’s the best way to get your kit dialed in……

Good luck and most of all, have a great time!

 

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