How long have you been backpacking?
I have been backpacking since May, 2008. The longest trip I have taken was from April 13th, 2009 to July 21st, 2009. I hiked 1,400 miles along the Pacific Crest Trail. I started at the US / Mexico border on April 13th and ended at a small town called Old Station, just north of Lassen Volcanic National Park.
Brian's Backpacking Gear.jpg
2. When did you realize that you needed to reduce the amount of weight that you carried in your backpack?
3. What is the total weight of your big three: backpack, sleeping bag/pad, and shelter?
4. Do you own a scale for weighing your gear?
I do not own a scale for weighing my gear, I get my weights from manufacturer’s websites.
5. Where are you in the process of going lightweight?
I am definitely a lightweight backpacker, and ultralight for the summer. I went on a 7 day backpacking trip to do a yo-yo of the Trans Catalina Trail at the start of April, 2010. I was able to find a scale to stand on and found that my base weight was 9 lb, which in my opinion any base weight under 10 lb is ultralight. Buying a tarp over a tent was a massive weight reduction, and also buying a frameless backpack was too. On my 7 day trip out on Catalina I had no issues using my sleeping pad as the internal frame for my pack. The next gear item I plan on buying once I plan out another extended trip (fingers are crossed for the month of August) will be an ultralight down sleeping bag. The bag I have now is synthetic and I kept it dry the whole time on the PCT so I should have zero issues using a down bag and keeping it dry.
6. How much has cost constrained the rate in which you reduce your gear weight?
Cost has a an effect on my gear, but there are ways to get around it. Don’t get me wrong I would love to have a cuben fiber tarp, but they are expensive. Down bags are also more expensive, but having a good bag is worth it, but I definitely wouldn’t spend $400 on a down sleeping bag (Nunatak bags make my mouth water). In terms of keeping within my budget I find it easiest to buy one piece of gear at a time and they save up my money for the next piece of gear.
7. What was the largest amount of pack weight you dropped by replacing or eliminating a piece of gear?
The biggest decrease in weight came when I bought my new pack. My pack weight dropped by 28.5 oz when I bought the Mountain Laurel Designs 2010 Prophet Pack. Before that I had an Osprey Talon 44, which is the pack I used on the PCT, that weighs 2 lb 10 oz.
8. What’s your view on the trade-offs between the following types of backpacking gear,
Down vs. Synthetic sleeping bags?
I would definitely choose a down bag over a synthetic bag. I have no problems keeping my bag dry and also down is lighter, packs down smaller, and offers better warmth.
Backpacks with an external frame, internal frame, or no frame?
After hiking a yo-yo of the Trans-Catalina Trail with a frame-less pack I wouldn’t go back to an internal frame pack. I have never used an external frame, but I couldn’t imagine liking it.
Double walled shelters, single walled shelters, and tarps and bivies?
In terms of a shelter I love to cowboy camp so I would definitely use tarp/bivy combo. I like having views and seeing my surroundings.
Full size sleeping pads vs. torso sized?
I like to use a 3/4 length sleeping pad. I always sleep with my pack under my feet so there is no reason to have a pad under my feet.
Boots vs trail runners?
I have never used boots for hiking, always trail runners. I am a runner and am very use to trail runners and feel great in them and don’t see a reason to even give boots a chance.
9. What would you say are the biggest benefits of carrying less gear?
Carrying light gear allows me to enjoy my hiking experience more. If I’m carrying too heavy of a load then I start focusing at how uncomfortable I am instead of enjoying the experience. Also having lighter gear is safer. With a heavy pack I am more prone to falls, especially on super steep technical downhills. Having light gear makes bouldering easier too when I am doing off trail navigation, and also running from animals like bison, which I had that pleasurable experience on Catalina.
10. What advice would you give to someone else who wanted to start reducing the weight of their backpacking gear?
My advice for reducing pack weight would be to not shy away from the cottage backpacking companies, such as Gossamer Gear, Mountain Laurel Designs, Six Moon Designs, ULA-Equipment, Z-Packs, Titanium Goat, and Montbell. I shied away from them when I was getting gear to do my PCT hike because I couldn’t try gear on with them and see the gear in person, so I shopped where I could try gear on and see it in person. The cottage companies have super awesome customer service and if you are not happy with the gear you ordered they will make you happy. Just because they are small companies doesn’t mean they aren’t trustworthy.
| Base Weight | weight (oz) |
| Big 3 | |
| Gossamer Gear Spinn Twinn | 8.6 |
| Gossamer Gear Blue Stake Package | 2.6 |
| Gossamer Gear Aluminum Pole Set | 3.2 |
| Mountain Laurel Designs Prophet Pack | 13.5 |
| North Face Cat’s Meow Bag Long +20 | 46 |
| Gossamer Gear 1/8 Thin Light Pad | 2 |
| TOTAL | 75.9 oz |
| TOTAL IN POUNDS | 4lb 11.9 oz |
| Packed Gear | |
| Petzl e+LITE headlamp | 0.98 |
| Evernew 2L Water Bladder | 1.5 |
| MSR Pocket Rocket Stove | 3 |
| Plastic Spoon | 0.5 |
| Toothbrush | 0.3 |
| Sunscreen | 1 |
| Floss | 0.3 |
| Duct tape on pen | 3 |
| Compass | 1 |
| Olympus Stylus Tough Camera | 10 |
| Zip Lock Bag Wallet | 0.2 |
| TOTAL | 21.78 |
| TOTAL IN POUNDS | 1lb 5.78oz |
| Clothing | |
| Frogg Toggs Rain Jacket | 6 |
| Frogg Toggs Rain Pants | 6 |
| Baselayer top Champion Long Sleeve | 5 |
| Baselayer bottom Champion Pants | 5 |
| Insulated Jacket M65 Military Liner Jacket | 12 |
| Wool Knee Socks | 3.5 |
| Beanie | 2 |
| TOTAL | 39.5 |
| TOTAL IN POUNDS | 2lb 7.5oz |
| TOTAL OF ALL GEAR IN OZ | 137.18 |
| TOTAL OF ALL GEAR IN POUNDS | 8lb 9.18oz |
Note: Brian’s submitted this post in order to enter the Sectionhiker.com Gollte Ultralite Down Quilt Raffle. Make sure to get your entry in by April 30th, 2010. See link for full details.
Tags
- back backing gear
- backpacking gear
- backpacking gear list cats meaow
Hi Brian, Thanks for your story. I also have a cat's meow and wonder how do you get it to fit in your bag? Do you use a compression sack?
I use the compression sack that came with it. I have read that other people have had trouble fitting the sleeping bag into the compression sack. I have never had a problem getting it into the compression sack. Once in the compression sack I pull the compression straps as tight as I can. My sleeping bag is the first item I put in my pack, and I put it in horizontally. I put the sleeping bag at the bottom of my pack and then my sleeping pad on top, and use the sleeping pad as an internal frame. Let me know if you want any more details!
~Brian
Way to go. I used to think that 40 pounds for a weekend was light. Now I can't figure out how I used to have such heavy stuff.
Hi guys, A terrific post and excellent information. I REALLY have to start and get that pack weight down. Will be linking across here from our blog in a couple of days – valuable and really simple to understand information
Thanks
Mindfulness (enlightenment) starts with a scale. You can be more in the moment if you have less stuff.
Thanks again Brian for your story and comments. I purchased my cat's meow second hand so I have a granit gear compression sack, so it sounds like I am doing ok. Before your post I thought I would have to get a down bag, because that is what everyone talks about as the way to go. Knowing that you are doing ok with your bag, I will focus on other ways that are less $$ to lighten my weight. Thanks again.
~ Well done, Brian. Your narrative is responsive, reasonable, and personally generous. That makes it interesting and informative, even to those of us who cringe at the cowboy camping. ((No sound in the outdoors is sweeter to me than a tent zipper closing.))
~ I think you are right about the backpacking community being best served by cottage industry. It is a shame though, that we haven't seen more progress in synthetic insulation. I suspect that if it were made much more efficient, we would be stuck with far worse moisture problems.
Best wishes for further wilderness adventures.
Again, great stuff Brian and Philip – linked back here from: http://ourhikingblog.com.au/2010/04/light-weight-… – now to get my 44ib pack weight reduced….