UL Backpacking: A Thread for the Gram Counters

Parma said:
@WasatchWill what's included in your base weight?
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Everything but my food, fuel, and water. Off the top of my mind, you're looking at a pack with a 2 lb synthetic 40 degree sleeping bag (only good for relatively warm summer nights in the Wasatch and similar climates), a Klymit X-frame pad, that I pair with a car windshield reflector for added insulation, a Tyvek ground sheet, poncho tarp, bug net, stakes, guylines, sleeping clothes, down jacket, gloves, cook kit, toiletries, repair kit, first aid kit, multitool. Luxuries include a little old iPod nano + headphones, phone/camera mount accessories, pocket sized book for reading. What's not in/on the pack is food bag and water bottles.

In this case, i actually do have 2 ounces of fuel for my alky stove contained in my cook kit so that offset the weight of empty water bottles that I should have probably included. However, I'm not that nit-picky with those subtle details, but I guess I should be if this thread is for gram counters!;)
 
@WasatchWill I just finished packing my pack when I read your post. You inspired me to weigh my own pack, and it came in a lot lighter than I was expecting!

...and then I realized I had forgotten to pack my Tyvek. Thanks for saving me from puncturing my Neo-air, leaking air and money. Thanks!
 
And ........... what are you including in your base weight???? People need to know so we can compare apples to apples....
 
cool thread! Since i am heading on a week long trip in the Winds with andyjaggy in less than two weeks, i decided to upgrade some gear :)

Here is my gear list (for the most part)...

Gregory Denali 75 [99.2oz]
MSR Hubba Hubba [3.8lbs]
REI Flash 32 bag [26oz]
Sea to Summit comfort Plus [36oz]
total - 13.88lbs
**for sleeping pad, i have an Exped Synmat Hyperlight that weighs 14oz, but i JUST picked up a Sea to Summit Comfort Plus that is 1000x more comfortable; but it weighs 36oz. I am taking this one :)

my other equipment i am taking (bear vault, purifier, stove, headlamp, solar panel, trail shoes, ice trekkers fuel) weighs in at a little over 8.6lbs.
Funny thing is my camera, lens and a few batteries weighs a little over 5 lbs - but IT HAS to go with me.

I do have an REI pinnacle 35 pack (3lbs 13oz) i could do a 3 day trip with that would cut my weight by 3 lbs, and i usually take my exped pad. i never thought of weight before planning this trip. thanks for the links for seeing the weight :)
 
Bob said:
And ........... what are you including in your base weight???? People need to know so we can compare apples to apples....
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I guess I'm not understanding this question. My understanding of "baseweight" is the weight of everything contained in and strapped onto your pack, including the pack itself, minus consumables of food, fuel, and water. Also not counted is the clothing and accessories (sunglasses) I would be wearing on the trail. In this case, everything that I've included in this weight shown above is all I would sufficiently need for a summer weekend in the Wasatch or other locale with a similar climate. It's everything I'd need to be safe and comfortable, minus food, water, and trail clothes. If you are asking for an item by item list to compare with, I can definitely throw that up later.
 
No item by item..... people interpret base different.... I consider base weight.... pack, sleeping gear, tent. What you listed I'd consider as carry weight. Add consumables and it's total weight. i count water separate. Stuff you wear I don't count and extras are camera fishing gear etc.
 
You can always put things on lighterpack.com to give you an idea. Obviously some things may not be taken every time you go out or they change depending on where you go.

Edit: Looks like it already been mentioned. Sorry
 
Bob said:
No item by item..... people interpret base different.... I consider base weight.... pack, sleeping gear, tent. What you listed I'd consider as carry weight. Add consumables and it's total weight. i count water separate. Stuff you wear I don't count and extras are camera fishing gear etc.
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Fair enough. I was assuming that everyone subscribed to the following definition of Base Weight much like what Google gives you when you search the definition on the term:

Base Weight Definition
Base Weight is the total weight of your entire gear kit, excluding consumables which are food, water, and fuel. Consumables are not included because the amount varies by trip length and conditions.
​
After that, the definition and categorization of what makes a conventional backpacker vs a lightweight backpacker vs an ultralight backpacker really starts to vary. A Gossamer Gear post, from which Google extracts the above definition, would also have you believe that to reach ultralight status, you have to get your base weight under 10 lbs where as REI, as one might expect, is much more forgiving in classifying ultralight as anything under 20 lbs.

If consulting Wikipedia, you'll find that the more common consensus for achieving true Ultralight status, one's base weight does indeed need to weigh in under 10 lbs and base weight there is defined much the same as above:

Base pack weight (the weight of a backpack plus the gear inside & outside it, excluding consumables such as food, water, and fuel...
​
Skimming through dozens of other blog posts and forums discussing base weight describe it with much the same definition.
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Anyhow, that's where I was coming from when I posted a base weight rig of 13 lbs and some change. I'm certainly all new to this whole lightweight and ultralight philosophy and culture and just kind of experimenting with it for now to see how low I can affordably go and still be safe, relatively comfortable, and have an overall enjoyable trip. The whole philosophy behind it certainly makes sense for many types of trips. But if my objective is just to pack in a couple of miles, and then go fishing, or lounge around camp, or do some photography or whatever, ultimately spending more time around camp than on the trail, then I'm probably going to pack a long more optional luxuries and camp comforts for the sake of increasing comfort in camp as opposed to enjoying more comfort on the trail.
 
That's why I consider the big three as base ...because after that everyone prefers different things in clothes jackets stoves etc.....based on what their "comfort" level is. Also the weight can vary if you need small or XL things..... it boils down to a name game....I go with what I can comfortably carry tailored to each trip....
 
Bob said:
That's why I consider the big three as base ...because after that everyone prefers different things in clothes jackets stoves etc.....based on what their "comfort" level is. Also the weight can vary if you need small or XL things..... it boils down to a name game....I go with what I can comfortably carry tailored to each trip....
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Let me take things a little farther even. Some people hike in pants ((presumably wearing running shorts as underwear), while other people hike in the running shorts and carry pants. They're both carrying the exactly same gear list, but because one guys carries and one guy wears, their "base weights" are different.

And good point about sizing - I'm 5'7" and use smaller clothes than a guy who's 6'2". First off, it's easier for me to hit a 7lb baseweight than it is for him, or whatever. Second, 7 pounds for me is like 4 pounds for him!

Weighing stuff was a good vehicle to get myself to where I wanted to be, packweight-wise... but once I hit that goal, the scale went out the window (incidentally, the same principle applies when it comes to body weight and personal health/fitness) :D
 
WasatchWill said:
I just wanted to see if I could do it. Sub 15 lb base weight. 13.69 with some small luxuries. If I tossed those luxuries out, subbed my Klymit X Frame for a thin foam pad, and pulled out the pack's polyethylene board that serves as its structural support frame, I could probably get it well south of 12 lbs. Not sure I could get it under 10 without throwing down some big cash at this point. I could probably get real close though if I tossed my cook kit and went with a no-cook diet.

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Your garage looks like mine. I can spot a gear nut a mile away...
 
Pretty cool discussion. From the looks of it, as I have found everywhere, the UL definition has some grey area. Some of the folks I backpack with for sure are true to the definition you'll find on UL backpacking sites. But they always seem to be short food or something that they end up needing while we are out there. I am not getting any younger, and a heavy pack over five miles is just brutal on my body. I used to be consistent 25-35 lbs with a heavy pack as base weight, which I consider to be "two way weight" meaning you are carrying that in and out. You never loose that weight. Consumables like food and booze is "one way weight." I do not count one way weight because your load is gonna lighten after you empty out the food bag and drink your adult beverages. I was fortunate to win a Crown VC 60 from Granite Gear last year and it has been a game changer. My base weight depending on which tripod I bring is now 17 to 19 lbs. So with food and beers, I'll head in sitting in the 20's, come out in the teens. Even lighter if I am packing in just rye whiskey to sip on.

The new pack for sure made me be creative about packing, and helped me knock out those unnecessary items that you don't need when you are out there. Now I have it down to a science, and I am one of the lightest in our group. I have noticed how much faster I hike, and how many fewer breaks I take heading into areas now. Quitting cigs four years ago certainly helped that as well. I used to have to sit and take breaks with my old Deuter 55+10. On our way in Friday evening, everyone had to stop, drop the packs, and take breaks. I never sat down once, nor did I take my pack off once until we got to camp. Bonus is I am not as worn out when I get to camp, having more energy to get things set up and to take pictures. I will probably never achieve the true definition of UL shooting with a DSLR. Yeah I hear it all the time, "go mirror less," ect. But I have seen how much battery life those things chew up. My friend Collin has the Sony AR7. I used 1 1/2 batteries on our five day into Garnder Fork, he used five batteries and had to recharge them while we were out there. Also he carried in a 20,000 MAH cell to recharge his camera batteries. It shoots great images, but seems to be really inefficient in the power usage department. So lighter camera body plus more batteries, and a power cell to charge them, or a bit heavier DSLR with longer lasting batteries? Seems to be a null argument. if your camera body is lighter, but if you have to carry more batteries, did you actually lighten anything up?

I think my favorite thing about lightening up my load is it moved me one step closer to what backpacking is about to me. Leaving behind all this junk and stuff to get back to basics out there. Backpacking to me is an experiment in minimalism. How far can you go and how long can you stay out there with the very basics? I know I probably will never get to the UL definition weight that you see on many sites. I am ok with that. Getting to the weight I am currently at has been a four year project. Winning that pack last year finished the job. Last thing on my radar is a lighter fly reel. Then I will be at the weight I want to be. Here is a pic of my current set up. I am for sure a happier camper with the lighter load.



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Just packed for 6 days in Glacier...18.4 LBS base weight. :( Don't have to carry much water at all and will be splitting my tent, so should be < 30 Lbs total weight.

Was aiming for 13-15, but I kept adding luxuries (plastic flask of whiskey, small speaker, battery pack, extra layer of warm clothes, more socks than I normally bring). I'm not sure I'm every going to be an ultralight guy since I get cold AF at anything below 40*F, but am definitely focused on lightweight. Not as low as I had hoped, and I think my first aid kit is probably over-stuffed since I'm a quasi-trip leader and expect my buddies to forget essentials. The "Be Prepared" Eagle Scout in me always overtakes the wannabe ultralight guy I strive to be!

What is in your UL first aid kit?
Any good options on an UL parka/fleece?
 
Jimmy said:
What is in your UL first aid kit?
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Assorted band aids, Aleve and ibuprofen, medical tape, gauze pads, small ace bandage, salon paas (camphor pads for aching muscles), chap stick, small container of vaseline lip therapy, antibiotic ointment packets, alcohol pred pads, q-tips, mole skin pre cut in different sizes, all in a ziplock sandwich bag. Weighs nothing but has everything you need for small injuries, sprains, and sore muscles. Medical tape is in there so I can set a splint if I had to. Also helps keep gauze where you need it till you can evacuate.
 
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