Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Lightweight Packing...

Gusto, all solid points. I agree with them all.

Tents: Henry Shires Tarptent, Big Sky International, Six Moon Designs, Go Lite. These companies have tents in the 2 lbs range and less. Big Agnes Seedhouse SL is quite light. I have the 3 person for ski touring and weighs in at 4 lbs. Their two person is at around 3 lbs. Go Lite has the Trig 2 that weighs in at less than 3 lbs. I use this when my wife goes with me. She is not a bug person so tarps are out. The one thing that is cool about the Trig is that you use your trekking poles to prop up the tent.

Packs: again, You have ULA which are made in Utah are fantastic. Brian is a phone call away for modifying your pack. I own the ULA P2 (no longer made), and a ULA Conduit for overnights. There is Gossamer Gear out of San Diego that makes packs, tarps, and some clothing and such. The alcohol stoves that they sell are Mo Go Torch stoves and I own two different sizes depending on where and who is coming with me. I also own a Gossamer Gear G5 Hyperlight pack for super fast overnighters in the coastal mountains of California.

Sleeping bags are one of the most important piece of gear that you will carry. Of course experience being #1. A good down bag will keep you warm. If it is too cold outside, then hit the bag and read or lie awake and look at the stars. Good down bags are expensive. This is one piece of gear that I will not skimp on. Western Mountaineering make great bags and are from my hometown of San Jose! Feathered Friends also make awesome bags. Mountain Laurel Designs make great tarps, bivies, and a sleeping bag that is rated 40 degrees that is great for 2 season camping. Bring along a Montbell Inner Down Jacket and you can stretch the bags boundaries a little. I have not bought this bag...yet but that will be my fast and light bag. Again there are some wonderful websites available to check out. www.backpackinglight.com is my favorite. It is run by Dr. Ryan Jordan. They sell loads of gear, and the site is a web magazine. You can buy a premium membership for $20 something and have premium access all year. Great articles, un biased reviews, and such. They even have produced some great how to books on lightweight backpacking. Another good book is Beyond Backpacking by Ray Jardine. Some are Ray "heads" and some are not. Me I fall in the middle. He basically is the grandfather of lightweight and helped to start Go Lite. He is no longer affiliated with the company and at odds with them now. Grumpy. Hope this helps

Agree that the weight savings on the feet is very important.

Four pairs of footwear go out most often now (I don't know the weights, but they are listed from heavy to light.): Teva Snowshoeing boots (that I'll even use on some winter multi-day trips), if I think I'll encounter snow (I get some funny looks from people when I wear these as they look like something a lift operator would wear, rather than a climber.); Spauding and Adidas Trailrunners; and some Nike running shoes. I can tell that I've been wearing a heavier pair of shoes at the end of a hike.

The reason that I put several pairs in the car is that they sometimes don't dry out from one day-hike to the next. (My feet sweat a lot!)

I wore the Adidas shoes on both my Horseshoe Meadows to Whitney and Onion Valley to Whitney Portal trips. They were comfortable even when scrambling up over the Whitney/Russell Col.

What about carrying nothing and going for a hike/adventure

Re: water containers. My standard for some time has been the lightweight plastic containers that Lipton Ice Tea or Diet Pepsi come in. They have wider mouths that make it easier to use. They are free, I've never had one leak over 8 years, they last a season, and weigh so little.

Nalgene weighs 4 oz. They are useful in winter.
two is a half-lb.

Note on duct tape: There are different qualities (as is true of most things). I've been happier since I've used a heavier model from Home Depot. Much more slippery surface. And agree, it must be changed seasonally.

I'm up in the Bay Area getting acquainted with my new grandson, so have logged in on my son's computer.

Good to see this thread. I have two comments. One is an anecdote on weight shaving: A couple of years ago a new sleeping bag came out that was 5 oz. less than my then-current one. Expensive, but I bought it anyway. Shortly after that, I found out that the Nalgene Lexan canteen weighs 6.5 oz. I then weighed a Gatorade bottle, and it was only about 1.5 oz. I thought, "I just spent $300 to save 5 oz and I could have just switched canteens!"

The second comment is on VBL socks. I discovered the value of them long ago for winter trips. At the time the only things available were bread sacks. Worn over a thin liner sock and under your regular wool sock, they prevent perspiration from getting your regular sock, and then your boot, wet. Wet means heavy, and it also means heat loss through conduction. So wearing VBL socks saves energy and keeps your feet warm. Some swear that they also prevent blisters. There are other issues in using VBLs; a few people sweat too much to be comfortable with them.

Later, I started wearing them also in summer. Don't need the warmth then, but appreciate the weight saving--and no problem with drying out overnight.

I will be coming home today; hope to see some of you on the trail this weekend.

Bob R

Thanks Bob.

I don't think I want to wear my VBL's in summer, but I think I'll try the bread bag trick to see if I can keep my shoes dry on my next hike.

I traded in my 4 plus pound La Sportiva Makalus for a pair of (heavily waterproofed) Trango Guides at under 2 pounds for an early season trip up Mt. Langley this year. I got a little water through them kicking steps with crampons, but cutting the weight on my feet more than in half was great, and they provide much more ankle support and inspire more confidence on class 3 routes than trail runners.

You see, trail runner have no business near mountaineering. It is cool though that you noticed how much easier a lighter pair of boots made for you. Kicking steps, using crampons, and generally being in the snow, is something for boots. I have kicked step in snow with trail runners and it is rather difficult to do.

For lightweight mountaineering boots I like these:

http://www.sportiva.com/products/prod/274

La Sportiva Trango S EVO GTX

Haven't had a chance to wear a pair yet, but have read a bunch of reviews and talked with numerous people whom I've seen on the trail. Anyone know of a lighter equivalent boot?

Richard,

Saw your name in the Occidental Peak (San Gabriels) summit register today (3/1/06??). I remember it saying something about Sea to Summit or something... Turns out there's only been about 4 or 5 people on that peak since then! Crazy. Did 3 1/2 other peaks in that vicinity today. Phew!

As for kicking steps with sneakers, that's what I had to do when I went up the Mountaineer's Route on Whitney. Kind of funny really. I liked the snow a lot more than the scree!

Glad someone mentioned the Gatorade bottle for a water container. If I'm taking a water bladder, I'll usually take an empty Gatorade bottle for back-up and for refilling (rather than submersing the water bladder).

Gusto

Gusto,

Being in my late 50's I try to travel as light as possible. Though running shoes (Mizuno Aero and Phantom) serve me well over 90% of the time in the backcountry, I have used the La Sportiva Trango S EVO GTX on some of the more vigorous paths and have been pleased with the boot (size 46, 4 lb 2oz including orthotics).

Typical examples of recent use include:
(1) Mt Whitney-late spring
(2) Thunderbolt-summer (La Sportiva Mythos for summit block)
(3) North Palisades-summer-Trango used throughout.

The Grivel G 12 crampon (by no means light) fits this boot well.

Before buying this boot I looked to find an equivalent boot that was significantly lighter and had no success. (I live in the Sacramento area and did not consider boots I could not try on with my hiking socks and walk around the store some first before buying.)

So far I have had the boot for nearly two years and they are mostly intact. By the way, I always carry duct tape, just in case!

Jim

My wife and I decided this year would be the last we carried standard backpacking equipment. Next year we are going light. I was at REI yesterday talking to someone about what you eat when you go light. He said he eats corn pasta with seasonings and dehydrated green beans. It didn't sound very appetizing. On our trip, we ate Natural High, Backpacker Pantry, etc. dehydrated dinners. Some actually tasted quite good. The only problem is that they took up a lot of space in our bear cannisters, not to mention weight. What do people eat when they backpack light? We want to eat well without breaking our backs.

LIghtweight also means cutting the weight of food. This can be done by selecting foods with a high calorie to weight ratio, such as a minimum of 100 calories per ounce.

I take a lot of ramen noodles and couscous, as they can be prepared by just boiling water, and can both be dressed up with dried meats, veggies, and sauces. Snickers bars are very popular as well.

Rightstar -- You may already be doing it, but standard practice is to repackage just about any packaged foods into plastic bags. Getting rid of the commercial packaging cuts down a lot on both weight and volume.

Rightstar,

On a typical hike in the High Sierras I shed many pounds by using the large rugged Golite Gust pack (1 lb 4 oz), a 10x12 ft tarp (1 lb 6 oz) instead of a tent, and no water filter (but select water sources wisely). The resultant weight savings from these choices alone permit me to carry considerably MORE FOOD PER MEAL, while still carrying the lighest load in our party. That is, WORK LESS, EAT MORE = FEEL BETTER = ENJOY THE SIERRAS MORE. For example, this allows one to enjoy a good margarita before dinner while waiting for the remainder of the party carrying traditional equipment to struggle exhausted into camp.

As for food selection and packaging, some good tips are contained in the Inyo National Forest handout entitled "Bear Resistent Food Storage."

Admittedly, from time to time circumstances will make one question whether one has been perhaps been too minimalist in one's equipment selection. But in my experience this has been overshadowed by the thrill of sleeping under the stars (perhaps even with a magical full moon), feeling well and strong ( as opposed to exhausted from carrying heavy loads ), drinking God's finest waters, and knowing that often being able to move quickly increases safety.

See you in the High Sierras, Jim

As far as mountaineering boots go I highly reccommend the La Sportiva Trango S EVO GTX. They are extremely comfortable for my narrow feet, (I don't have to wear my orthotics with this boot), They are light and they stick well for climbing. This summer I did some climbs with a class that were up to 5.6 - 5.8 and the boots worked very well. They are about the same weight of my Vasque Zephyr hiking boot and way more comfortable. I would wear them as a daily hiker but the boots are expensive and I don't want to wear them out. I personally can't do trailrunners since my ankles tend to roll I need the support of a boot.

Rafael...

I like Jim F's approach. There are some easy ways to cut weight in gear, and use these first few pounds to improve my food supply. I also don't mind a heavy pack, though I do mind unnecessary weight. I'll carry a few extra pounds of weight in stuff like Tasty Bites for the first night or two because that food is way more appealing to me than dehydrated stuff. Liking your food (at least to me) is critical at altitude, and a good meal in a fantastic setting is part of the reward for all that work. The Gust pack is great, though pretty minimalist. I won't use it on every trip, especially trips where I carry a lot of climbing gear. There's no good way to strap a snow shovel on the back, for example. And it isn't real stable, especially if heavily loaded.

Steve makes a good point. For winter mountaineering and/or alpine climbing, I haven't found a way to get my pack under 40 pounds, which necissitates a sturdier (read "heavier") pack.

I've mentioned it before many times, but for trail food I use Gu, which gives you 100 calories per 1.1oz. Easily digestable and palatable, which are two key factors for me on the trail at elevation.

I like Jim's idea of carrying good food in place of heavier items. Depending on how long you are traveling, food that you don't have to rehydrate is sometimes great, but can be much heavier. Sometimes on dayhikes I'll bring leftover pizza.....yummie....

Also, I believe it's Mountain House that makes individual serving for freeze-dried foods now. Depending on what you get, most I've seen are right around 100 calories per ounce. If you're heading out for multiple days, it's hard to beat the weight savings of freeze dried meals.

Gusto

I like to go lightweight too, it makes trips much more enjoyable for me. However, when bringing less stuff you do have to be a bit more careful.

As an example, I bought a Marmot Atom sleeping bag last year. It's a one pound bag rated to 40' that all in all, I really like. However, last weekend, when sleeping at over 12,000 at Shepard’s Pass, the temperature dropped below freezing! Since the walk to Mt. Tyndall is a pretty long one, I packed quite light. To stay warm, I ended up wearing everything I brought and stuffed all my lose gear (stuff sacks, socks, etc) and a friend’s jacket into my sleeping bag. I was warm enough…, but it made me think to check the weather next time!

I think one of my biggest weight savings over the last couple years has been food. Now, before my trips, I lay it out on my living room floor and really think what it is that I will need and actually eat. For breakfast I usually bring a small pack of granola and a small box of raisins with coffee and hot chocolate. For lunches, I usually eat cheese from a block, sliced salami and tortias (150 calories each, easy to carry). For dinner, often ramen, sometimes dehydrated meals. For snacks, snickers bars and the new Clif Blocks!

Happy Trails

Wearing everything you have while sleeping is a standard ultralite practice, actually. What's the point of carrying a warm down jacket when you only wear it an hour in the morning? Carry a lighter sleeping bag and know you can put on your long johns, down, and rain gear if needed on the unusually cold nights.

Important: Don't make the first thing you buy ultralight your pack. It doesn't work if you try going light by putting all the heavy old gear in a pack only meant to carry 25 pounds.

Going back to the duct tape side-topic for just a moment, I was just now reading the journal of a PCT thru-hiker by the handle of "Ladybug", and upon reading her journal entry for May 15, 2006 (excerpt below), noticed an additional use for duct tape:

"Toward the end of my hike [for that day], I took a break at a stream with the others and when I got up to hike, I brushed a stinging nettle plant. Yow-ee! My arm reacted instantly from the acid of the plant. White bumps formed and stung for most of the day. I learned if this happens again that I should use any base to neutralize the acid. My hiking buddies (???) suggested I use horse poop. I didn't buy into that one. But...at bedtime, I did use good 'ole duct tape on my arm which eased the stinging." [Emphasis added]

CaT