Ultralight “luxury” vs “spartan”

Just to add not sure if it’s ok to post someone else’s lighterpack link w/o their permission, so having to type their major items .. Rab sleeping bag (14 oz), Bonfus Iterus DCF pack w/1” hipbelt slight mods (12.59oz), folding foam off-brand sleeping pad, and 0.67 (camo) DCF pyramid (at 11oz).  This along with many 0.67 DCF camo stuff sacks for many items above and below.

BRS stove w/windscreen (fwiw think I’d replace with simply a MSR Pkt Rkt 2), decent FAK, etc..

What to me are luxury items S2S pillow, Helios UL chair (16oz), DIY supports (3oz), and Cascade Wild table (2.9oz) .. sound pretty good honestly.

OMM clothes, 0.67 DCF (for stealth?), and small 2.5L food bag (overnight?) has me thinking this is a British gear list.   Easy enough to bring more food..

Anyways, after trying to cut an oz here and there for a spartan 7 to 8 oz load out, wondering if I missed the boat not being able to use just a 1/8” thinpad, … it’s kind of refreshing to see just a little more weight could lend itself to some

GG Whisper DCF, just announced today might fit.

The Zpacks Hexamid Pocket Tarp is .55 DCF with a claimed weight of 6.1 oz.

GG Whisper

I’ve used the similar SMD Deshultes + and it can be a spacious shelter.  Gotta have a large groundcloth or it can be dusty.   Interestingly the only other hikers I’ve seen use the Deschutes + were from the UK, both with std tvvek “floors”.

Zpacks Hex

Keep thinking about it, but most reviews say 5’10” is the limit.  There’s also an “Ounce Designs” cat cut trapezoid mid at about the Hex’s size/a smidge heavier when considering it takes only 4 stakes for a regular pitch out there.  It’s selling out at Garage Grown gear.  Seen a review where it’s paired with a bug bivy though a perimeter tarp like the shelters above could work.  The trapezoid shape is said to accommodate hikers up to 6’4” if laying diagonally, though may not be luxurious.   Thinking slant the pole and get a MYOG inner..

Here is a review on their Ounce Design DCF tarp.

https://www.garagegrowngear.com/blogs/gear-reviews/ounce-design-dcf-tarp

If you’re strong enough to backpack at all, surely you can carry 10 pounds base? I don’t find messing with gear fun though, so I’d rather have a few more pounds and the efficiency of no-fuss gear, i.e., not having to “mod” anything, quickly pitching tent, making my bed, heating and eating my food. More time to explore and enjoy.

A table never seems necessary to me; there’s always a rock or stump available. After 2 days on trail, I no longer miss chairs, although I will say I enjoy one when it’s there. A warm sleeping bag is an absolute must in endless chilly rainy days.

The tarp though – that might be worth adding weight for! having a tarp over the cooking/eating area is a godsend. Said on a 40F day with constant drizzle and fog.

Re: ” It’s selling out at Garage Grown gear. ”

So went there, searched for tarps and tents, and the first item shown was made of a 10D nylon fabric that sagged badly under cold rain, and the second item was made of fabric that leaked badly with moderate hand pressure.  This forum may be becoming far too mercantile.  Can read ads anywhere for zero $ if junk gear is the goal.

At the risk of further derail, I think it’s a big leap to suggest that the goal of forums here is junk gear.

As an attempt to focus back on the OP, I feel like I have read many times that the typical arc of many UL backpackers is to pare things down to a sub 10# baseweight and then realize that they are just as comfortable hiking with an extra pound or two so they decide to bring a chair, fishing rod, French press, or whatever. If bringing a chair or table makes someone have an enjoyable trip I’m all for it. I particularly enjoy seeing novel solutions that are inexpensive, compact, DIY, multi-use, etc.

novel solutions that are inexpensive, compact, DIY, multi-use, etc.

^– This.

I will never care about base weight; it’s not even a good metric when it encourages anemic packs as fashion over function(*). I do care that my stuff is either lightweight or sufficiently functional to justify its weight. Lighter stuff means that I can carry more of it, right? ;)

(*) (If your SUL pack is functional for your use case, then fill yer boots. I’m just irritated by social media “influencers” promoting expensive junk to people who don’t know better. That’s what I love about BPL… I can usually find the truth here. It is a feature rather than a bug that there are multiple truths for many topics.)

Garage Grown Gear has moved out of the garage. Cottage industries are manufacturing globally. They sell globally. A few still have enough interest in their products that they stay active on the boards and will give personal attention to all who ask. Their products sell out, yet they come here to sell one tent at a time.
As a future customer, a past customer, or even a competitor’s customer, my questions are answered. I get the best gear from the best people. For the DIY, the information is free for the asking.

What has been lost is the innovation from what were once cottage industries. The ultralight industry has been established. All that is left are the luxury items. It’s like I could never find a place to sit before.

“At the risk of further derail, I think it’s a big leap to suggest that the goal of forums here is junk gear.”

Matthew:  My attempt was not to suggest the goal of the forums; but rather, concern about trends that could lead to self-serving promotion of junk gear.  And I’m glad to see that some others share that concern.  After dozens of years enjoying the BPL forums, and the valuable commentary, it would be a shame if they were to become dominated by posting from undisclosed promoters.  While I’ve no objection to promotional content from those who are open about their associations; such as Dan D’s and Franco D’s valuable posts, I would hate to see the forums become buried in promotional junk.  Anyone who spends time watching TV commercials, even without owning a computer, should get the reason for my concerns, as I don’t want to see BPL go down that road.  It would make the forums a waste of time and probably lead to the demise of BPL and the loss of a valuable service.  Indeed, I will protest when I see things headed in that direction.

If you’re strong enough to backpack at all, surely you can carry 10 pounds base?

Yeah, but it depends on the objective.   If trying to eeek out every marginal extra mile into and maybe past the setting sun, lower baseweight (and lower total weight) will help.   If stopping by a lake, pulling out a journal, and cooking some serious gourmet food, some true comfort items may be appealing.  Thing is I saw the lighter pack with “luxury” items still coming under 10 lbs and it got me thinking about weights.  Even the big box players are getting more lightweight afterall.

. If bringing a chair or table makes someone have an enjoyable trip I’m all for it.

Similar to goals above, is the setting.  After writing my original posts, it’d be one thing to sit on an alpine lake shore soaking up the camping vs the typical desert camp.  In the sand, a chair won’t be much improvement over a square of foam.

junk gear

They’ve got more than that (LiteAF, HMG, Katabatic .. then a lot of Gossamer Gear), though more inexpensive items than straight from manufacturer websites.  Part is (having talked to former retailer SuperDave when he was open at Mt Laguna) a number of well-regarded cottage shops won’t sell via retail, but some do.  Every shop is different but as a retailer it helps keeping customers on your website.

Of course in line at REI, customers typically go through a serpentine of mostly NiteEze carabiners not suitable for climbing.. and chalky energy bars.