ultralight anyone?

[clarthom]

for the benefit of everybody, lets stay on topic, most of the posts have been great and I am already shaving POUNDS, but the bickering can move to PMs or emails okay?

on topic:
starting to save some $ for my wilderness side arm, have $200 so far, also saving for a new pack, i figure if i can't backpack for a week in a 55L bag then i'm doing it wrong...commitment to ultralight

 

[clarthom]

looking at a new pack, Deuter ACT lite 50+10
Deuter ACT Lite 50+10 Backpack - 3650cu in from Backcountry.com
has great reviews all over the interwebs and you can't beat the price.

anyone own this pack?

 

[scooter]

I couldn't find a weight on the Deuter ACT lite. Do you know it's weight?

3lb 8oz.

 

[miletwo]

looking at a new pack, Deuter ACT lite 50+10 - anyone own this pack?

Don't own, but will comment on size. If you're truly thinking UL a 50L pack is probably overkill. Think smaller... a 40L pack will weigh a lot less and you'll be surprised how much you can fit it in once you trim weight everywhere else.

I use the REI Flash 50 and have done week trips in it and still feel like it's too big sometimes. Original weight is 2lbs 8oz and I pulled an additional 4oz off it by trimming straps and such once it was fitted. Very comfortable and durable as well. I've actually been shopping for a smaller pack for the same reason... just don't need that much when you're packing UL. I'll save the 50L for winter trips and use the 40L for summer.

 

[sadiesassy]

I tried the Deuter on and I liked it and can understand the review
Believe they had a General and an expedition pack ( larger volume)

Rei has a couple Deuter's on sale:
Lite 65 ( 65 liter) - $139
Futura Pro ( 42 liters - $119

However, My body is a little stocky .
So I ended up with the Gregory which fit me in the shoulders / chest area better.
Gregory also has a bigger expedition pack

If you can go down to someone who has it -- have them load 20 - 30 lbs in and walk around the store to see how it feels. I don ot who makes it - But it better feel right with weight in it.
Better yet - take your gear and see how it fits in the bag and walk around with it.
I found a couple where they sound nice but access is limited on many models

My next pack will probably be to go bacl to an exterior frame- Probably Kelty

 

[sadiesassy]

Several people have commented on stoves.

The one thing I did was get a multi fuel stove.
I can use a cannister - quick trip
Coleman fuel in a bottle.
There was two other fuels - I believe -- Just changes the nozzles out. ( Keroscene, unleaded gasoline, and diesal .
Reason - in some ares - access to coleman fuel( or equivalent) or cannisters is not easy to come by.

 

[clarthom]

I was considering a 50L but up here in NW Oregon, winter gear can be kinda cumbersome so i thought i would get a slightly larger pack so i could use it year round. also because it is a 50+10 pack, it shouldn't be too over sized if i'm only filling it 50L.

Don't own, but will comment on size. If you're truly thinking UL a 50L pack is probably overkill. Think smaller... a 40L pack will weigh a lot less and you'll be surprised how much you can fit it in once you trim weight everywhere else.

I use the REI Flash 50 and have done week trips in it and still feel like it's too big sometimes. Original weight is 2lbs 8oz and I pulled an additional 4oz off it by trimming straps and such once it was fitted. Very comfortable and durable as well. I've actually been shopping for a smaller pack for the same reason... just don't need that much when you're packing UL. I'll save the 50L for winter trips and use the 40L for summer.

 

[clarthom]

but it kind of defeats the point of ultra light backpacking...don't you think?

I think exterior frame packs are making a comeback. I really missed mine but it was wiped out after35 years. You can strap all sorts of things to it

 

[miletwo]

Just pointing out that this is an "ultralight" thread... not a "light enough" thread. I appreciate the conversation around utility of external frame packs but it is a bit off topic. That said, I'm not the original poster so I don't consider this "my thread" or anything... so whatever. Just saying.

Found this guy's site today: Bushcraft Northwest: Wilderness Survival Training and Gear. Has some cool videos on rigging a tarp system in place of typical tent setup as well as some other cool articles/videos.

Question: Anyone on here try hiking in Vibram's Five Finger trek sole shoes? I'm considering going ultralight/barefoot in my footwear as well and wondered if anyone has input there.

J

 

[clarthom]

the external packs weigh a couple pounds more than their internal frame counterparts...but i think its a worthwhile trade off...they pack up better, carry better, breathe better against my back, can be packed in more configurations...and if thrown the unforeseeable circumstance they can carry a heavier, more diverse load evenly, and like i mentioned before if you shoot an animal, one can remove the bag and use the frame to pack out your meat...ill carry the two extra lbs...just my .02

I agree that the utility of an external frame pack is greater than that of an internal frame pack...however, you said that an XFP will carry better, i don't want to start a debate but, that's wrong. an XFP (by design) removes the actual pack from your back, so this means the load if further away from you, that means it will feel heavier than if it were right up close to your back. i have used both XFP and IFP and i do prefer the XFP for hunting...but we are not talking about hunting, this is ultralight backpacking. and two pounds in ultralight back packing is A LOT, when we are talking about shaving ounces, pounds are a big deal. besides, what happened to carrying some twine to make a sled out of tree limbs for packing animals...that's my .02

Just pointing out that this is an "ultralight" thread... not a "light enough" thread. I appreciate the conversation around utility of external frame packs but it is a bit off topic. That said, I'm not the original poster so I don't consider this "my thread" or anything... so whatever. Just saying.

Found this guy's site today: Bushcraft Northwest: Wilderness Survival Training and Gear. Has some cool videos on rigging a tarp system in place of typical tent setup as well as some other cool articles/videos.

Question: Anyone on here try hiking in Vibram's Five Finger trek sole shoes? I'm considering going ultralight/barefoot in my footwear as well and wondered if anyone has input there.

J

i looked at those shoes and i don't think I would personally use them for much more than a canoe trip

 

[sadiesassy]

Vibram five fingers are not meant for hiking. Although I would use them for a camp shoe and crossing streams. May work in cases like Canyoneering.

On the External BAckpack - IN relation to ultralight back packing - true it is heavier.
But it really goes back to the scope of what you are doing. Ultra light means different things.
If you are going out for a weekend ultralight trip- probably not.

If you are going for 10 -14 days in a region with longer distances between water - I will take the extra weight - since I could haul the required food and water. Just better utility of the external frame

 

[miletwo]

Vibram five fingers are not meant for hiking.

True... but after reading reviews (like this one on REI) I'm inclined to think they might be great for ultralight hikers. Given that my pack, with food and water for a full 5 day trip is sub 20#, I could easily do long distances with less footwear on board.

If you are going for 10 -14 days in a region with longer distances between water - I will take the extra weight - since I could haul the required food and water. Just better utility of the external frame

Yikes! I'd rather lighten up so that I can travel the longer distances between waters stops in less time. Lighter == faster. I can easily do 20 miles + per day on easy terrain and at least 15 on tough terrain. I can't imagine planning a trip with water stops greater than that. Even for a two week trip my system would only be another 8lbs with the extra food so I'm looking at 30lbs max with double food and double water.

Either way... still sneakerable in my book depending on terrain. If I were going for two weeks on tough terrain, I'd probably wear boots to increase stability with the 30# load, but I'd be bringing along sneakers or something as I reduce pack weight.

 

[sadiesassy]

Miletwo
You need to look at the population or numbers of people.
The "barefoot " movement has been around for 4-5 years. Not alot of people doing it. Relatively. Most of it is on easy trails.
But there are doctor offices full of people who tried it and suffering the consequences

On the Ultra light - How you structure your gear depends on your environment. Doing ultralight in the Northwest is alot different than an environment where water is scarce and it is hot.

There have been many good suggestions on gear - Tarp vs tent, minimizing gear, lighter packs

Rather than focus purely on ultralight weight - Focus on the scope and do not become a statistic

I use to rescue / recover people out of the desert because in oregon they could walk 20 mi and not need much water. Where as in the area I was in carrying 1-2 gallons of water can be typical for a short hike. In fact there was a person down from Alaska - use to going out running / no water- Died after 4 hours - dehydrated

Rather than be narowly focused on "Ultralight " focus on reality.. While it is good to minimize weight - Do not do it to the extent it could impact your life

I can walk about 15- 20 miles on a good trail without a lot of elevation gain. Change that to an 8000 ft elevation gain on a ton of switch backs in the heat and you have a different story.
Being older ( 60) and wiser I would rather have carried extra water / weight than to suffer the effects of dehydration and heat.
Nothing feels worse than hoping there is water around the next corner.

 

[clarthom]

ARG!!!!! ok folks, utility is important, food is important, water is important, toilet paper is important, but When I am backpacking in the pacific northwest, I can count on a water source at least every 10 miles (that's how i plan my trips...cause planing is just as important as gear) so I don't need a gallon of water with me at all times, I WILL NOT be packing a dear out on my backpack frame (i'm backpacking not hunting), i can still strap things onto my internal frame pack (just not as much...but that is the point).

there is no weight requirement to be considered "ultralight" (that would just be stupid) but the idea is to cut as much weight as possible to increase your experience in the outdoors. at the same time you are not aiming to short yourself in any way, instead you are trying to find lighter weight replacements for necessities (around here instead of carrying a gallon of water around, bring a filter and top off whenever you have a chance). If i were survival camping i would not worry about weight so much, but i would not be trying to cover 20 miles in one day either.

These are simple concepts, that is the whole point, minimize and simplify, not take everything you need and some sh!t you might need and some other cr@p that could be handy of you decided to build a lodge while you're out there. MINIMIZE.

 

[clarthom]

also, if you are considering trying the ultralight thing, know your own limits of what YOU need to survive and what kind of work YOU can realistically do in one day. The worst thing to do is to jump in without any experience and end up over extending yourself, then you will be in trouble.

 

[sadiesassy]

Exactly -
Add Intelligence before you do anything - Know your limits, Know your conditions you will be in ( Lots of us hike in many areas of the country) , Gain as much intelligence on the region as possible, Plan accordingly.
Travel as lightly as you safely can.

 

[gunslinger1911]

so I think I'm putting this in survival because some times backpacking is just trying to survive.

Today I took a hard look at my backpacking gear and I have decided to go ultralight. When I say ultralight I mean I will cut my gear down to bare essentials and lighten my load for an outdoor experience less interrupted by a heavy pack.

My goal is to get two weeks worth of gear into a 50-55L pack and keep it under 25lbs. This will include my boots. actually I'm going to ditch the boots and just use a light pair of cross trainers.

My main concerns will be Tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, cookware, and water. these are some of the heaviest items but also the most important so I will need to get creative on how to cut weight from these items.

Does anyone else do ultralight/minimalist backpacking? If so I could use some suggestions for getting started.

thanks.

big agnes fly creel ul1...north face beeline sleeping bag...z lite pad...REI Ti ware pot .9 liters = 4lb 9oz...or ditch the tent and sub a 8x10 siltarp for a total = 3lb 4oz

 

[sadiesassy]

The OP made this comment below- which explains the directions this has taken. Goal a 25 lb pack

It seems appropriate to put in this section - What better way to try to understand what the issues may be than to test run on back packing trips. Then you get a better understanding of what you need.
AS noted - Surviving for a long period is much different than a couple weeks
The one topic not covered - was - Food ? living off the land, what plants are edible, etc. Which is really the big survival issue and weight issue ( Along with water). So either being knowledgable or having a book is very useful.

My comments were based on trying the survival issue a couple times (10 - 14 days) - hence my comments were focused more on experience and different environments ( From Desert, to High Plateau, to dry Forest -) . You learn things like - carrying 1-2 gal collapsable water containers - fillup and bury half way to the next available water source. So you have some water to drink.
And As I said - If you are going to be in survival mode for an extended period- it is much easier with a couple comfort items.

OP Comments
"so I think I'm putting this in survival because some times backpacking is just trying to survive.

Today I took a hard look at my backpacking gear and I have decided to go ultralight. When I say ultralight I mean I will cut my gear down to bare essentials and lighten my load for an outdoor experience less interrupted by a heavy pack.

My goal is to get two weeks worth of gear into a 50-55L pack and keep it under 25lbs. This will include my boots. actually I'm going to ditch the boots and just use a light pair of cross trainers........"

 

[Thebastidge]

Understood, but the topic drift is understandable and probably inevitable given that it's a survival forum.

 

[clarthom]

The OP made this comment below- which explains the directions this has taken. Goal a 25 lb pack

It seems appropriate to put in this section - What better way to try to understand what the issues may be than to test run on back packing trips. Then you get a better understanding of what you need.
AS noted - Surviving for a long period is much different than a couple weeks
The one topic not covered - was - Food ? living off the land, what plants are edible, etc. Which is really the big survival issue and weight issue ( Along with water). So either being knowledgable or having a book is very useful.

My comments were based on trying the survival issue a couple times (10 - 14 days) - hence my comments were focused more on experience and different environments ( From Desert, to High Plateau, to dry Forest -) . You learn things like - carrying 1-2 gal collapsable water containers - fillup and bury half way to the next available water source. So you have some water to drink.
And As I said - If you are going to be in survival mode for an extended period- it is much easier with a couple comfort items.

OP Comments
"so I think I'm putting this in survival because some times backpacking is just trying to survive.

Today I took a hard look at my backpacking gear and I have decided to go ultralight. When I say ultralight I mean I will cut my gear down to bare essentials and lighten my load for an outdoor experience less interrupted by a heavy pack.

My goal is to get two weeks worth of gear into a 50-55L pack and keep it under 25lbs. This will include my boots. actually I'm going to ditch the boots and just use a light pair of cross trainers........"

yes this is what i am trying to do, 2 weeks in a 50-60 L bag, it is not impossible, in fact it is quite possible and will lead to more enjoyable trip.

Understood, but the topic drift is understandable and probably inevitable given that it's a survival forum.

This may be a "survival" forum, but I couldn't find a better place to put this. I didn't want it to get lost in off topic forum. I just thought that maybe some of the people on this board would enjoy some discussion on the subject of ultralight backpacking. maybe i was wrong. or maybe you just can't read. this might be a "survival forum" but, the name of this thread is "ultralight backpacking" if you want to talk zombie apocalypse, i would do it in a zombie apocalypse thread. likewise, if you want to talk about taking to the hills and going mountain man for an extended period of time because you are afraid of what has happened to society, then you should probably not post in a ultralight backpacking thread. why don't you go start your own thread about carrying a really heavy pack and being uncomfortable and packing dear around with you just because you can...wait i already know the answer, you won't because you are too stubborn to stop cr@pping on my thread.