I’m an ARMY Veteran of 13.5 years. I spent the years mostly in combat oriented jobs, mainly Infantry, which gave me a chance to see the world. That was my introduction to backpacking of a sort. Through my Military career, I backpacked more than 10,000 miles. Now I go simply because I love it. I also mountain bike, rock climb, kayak, and do nature photography. I wouldn’t call my self an ultra-lighter per say, but my base weight is just below 12 lbs.