UL Backpacking: A Thread for the Gram Counters

[steve]

I've always counted the big three as my sleeping bag shelter, and pack.

Some people include sleeping pad weight, others don't.

If you can get each individual item below 3 lbs, that's a fantastic start. Below 2 lbs is starting to get ultralight.

 

[Blake Merrell]

Fuel smell, messy. Can't legally use them if USFS fire restrictions in place. Don't like alky stoves either.

Ah... yes. the smell and the sticky stuff on the bottom of the pot... yeah. i can see that...

 

[Nick]

Ah... yes. the smell and the sticky stuff on the bottom of the pot... yeah. i can see that...

How do you keep the sticky stuff from the pot from transferring to things in your pack? I was hoping the sticky stuff would stay on the stove (and in it's little sack).

 

[Bob]

Ha ....... Steve can't count, only listed two You are right, the 3 classes expensive to get.....

I guess cooking could be counted as 4th.... I always thru shelter in sleeping. Then my big three is less

Most don't count clothes, etc....... because one person may be really small, the other large....a lot of weight difference. On the other hand, the 'three' are pretty constant for size.....yeah, I know they make bags, packs and pads in R, L sizes.....

canister stoves NO sticky stuff (unless you spill food), NO leaky fuel.

 

[Bob]

Nick,

I am not smart enough to know how to do a screen capture...you'll have to tell me, Windows 7.

 

[Blake Merrell]

How do you keep the sticky stuff from the pot from transferring to things in your pack? I was hoping the sticky stuff would stay on the stove (and in it's little sack).

I use mine with a integrated cozy and pot, so the sticky stuff is contained in the cook system. But it is pretty easy to scrub of if you have water available.

 

[Nick]

Nick,

I am not smart enough to know how to do a screen capture...you'll have to tell me, Windows 7.

When it comes to Windows, neither am I!

Maybe this will help: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/take-screen-capture-print-screen

 

[Bob]

I've always counted the big three as my sleeping bag shelter, and pack.
If you can get each individual item below 3 lbs, that's a fantastic start. Below 2 lbs is starting to get ultralight.

below 2 is the realm of a gram weenie .....

Weighing needs to be the same, can't compare apples and oranges..... First we need to decide what is in the Big Three then compare everyone !!

 

[Nick]

Weighing needs to be the same, can't compare apples and oranges..... First we need to decide what is in the Big Three then compare everyone !!

That's why I think it should just be base weight. There is similar variance of weight in the size of clothes as there is in pads, sleeping bags, packs and even tents. I'm 6'4". I'd be fine buying a smaller/lighter tent if I didn't have to sleep in the fetal position in it! It's not as easy to find tents that make it easy for me to spread out in.

 

[Bob]

OK, Let's go with BASE WEIGHT as everything but consumables....NO water, food or fuel counted. That adds to TOTAL WEIGHT. Let's don't include cameras, fishing gear, etc. in it. That adds in as EXTRA WEIGHT. Then we all can compare equally.

 

[Parma]

For Windows 7 you can use the "snipping tool" to do a screen capture.
Click the start/windows button and it may be listed there. If not search snipping tool.
Then you drag a box over the desired area to capture, and save it.

 

[Nodust]

How do you keep the sticky stuff from the pot from transferring to things in your pack? I was hoping the sticky stuff would stay on the stove (and in it's little sack).

I use a reflectix cozy for my pot. Keeps the soot from getting on anything else. I use my pots over woods stoves also so they are really sooted up. I think the soot helps them boil faster also. Black surfaces tend to get hot and not reflect heat as much as shiny metal.

 

[Nodust]

OK, Let's go with BASE WEIGHT as everything but consumables....NO water, food or fuel counted. That adds to TOTAL WEIGHT. Let's don't include cameras, fishing gear, etc. in it. That adds in as EXTRA WEIGHT. Then we all can compare equally.

It also depends on temps you are going to encounter. Summer here in Louisiana I will have a very low weight. I normally use a "3-season" trip for comparing. Say lows right at or just below freezing for night time temps. I don't really weigh my pack anymore, just load what I need. I'll break out the scale when someone new is with me just to help them learn what they can change out to lighten up the load.

 

[Opi]

First we need to decide what is in the Big Three then compare everyone !!

For me my Big 3 are
Tent - Solong 6 w/ ground cloth and stakes 37 oz (next step cuben lose 17 oz) $300
Sleeping bag - Enlighten Equipment quilt 25 oz (20*long, extra wide) $275
Back - ULA Circuit 40 oz $225
Total = 6.4 lbs $ 800
Last year my base weight was at 12 lbs ish
Spread the purchases through out the year and waala

 

[WasatchWill]

I'm going to have to thank @mak1277 and @LarryBoy for pointing out the Tarptent Double Rainbow and Six Moon Designs Wild Oasis respectively. Looks like both brands have some other great offerings as well. I've now added both to my growing gear wishlist in addition to the Tarptent ProTrail. The Double Rainbow looks like it would be great for excursions with my wife or any of my children. The Tarptent ProTrail looks quite sturdy, yet lightweight and versatile for a full coverage shelter system for one. When I'm sleeping solo, I don't mind a front loader.

Don't like alky stoves either.

I'm with ya on that. I'm going to try esbit just to see how I like it. My favorite stove is no stove which I often do, depending on the trip.

What bad experience has there been with alky stoves when not in USFS restricted areas? Is it just the risk of leaky fuel? I'm pretty careful about how, what, and where I store my fuel on my pack. I love that I can pre-measure out exactly what I plan to use and return with only the weight of the empty container, in which I either use a small kid size water bottle for longer trips or even smaller container for overnight trips. While I've toyed with making and testing some various pop-can stoves, which are fun, it's tough to beat the weight of the tried and true cat can stove, or libby can as I used (about 10 grams). Burns quiet and clean with no residue on pot or kettle. Only down side I can think of is that it requires a windshield that adds just a few more grams (when made from heavy duty foil) and takes a few extra seconds to set up, takes a minute or two more to bring water to a boil, and of course they can be banned in some areas with certain fire restrictions. If cooking for more than myself where I need to heat up more water, it's winter time, or restrictions apply, I take a SnowPeak and canister.

I've always counted the big three as my sleeping bag shelter, and pack.

Some people include sleeping pad weight, others don't.

If you can get each individual item below 3 lbs, that's a fantastic start. Below 2 lbs is starting to get ultralight.

Turns out both of my packs miss the 3lb mark by ounces, one a few more than the other. My full hammock setup also missed the mark, coming in at 3.5 lbs or so. Depending on season, my synthetic 20 bag comes in right at 3 lbs, and 40 bag comes in at 2 lbs. So I'm hovering right around 9-10 lbs total for my big 3 for spring to fall. Depending on the type of trip and location, I could go tarp only to drop a couple lbs. To get a big 3 collection at 5-6 lbs total that's reliable and comfortable enough would be awesome. It'll take some time to afford it all, but I'll be saving up.

 

[Nick]

What bad experience has there been with alky stoves when not in USFS restricted areas?

Just judging off of personal experience camping with others using them. It never went smoothly for them. Problems such as not it not priming right, trying to refill it when a sneaky invisible flame was still in there (oops), sloooooow cooking, burnt food, inability to turn it off reliably and spillage resulting in stuff burning that should not be burning. I'm sure it can and does get done more effectively and efficiently, but based on watching the circus it's been for others, I don't want to use one.

 

[WasatchWill]

Just judging off of personal experience camping with others using them. It never went smoothly for them. Problems such as not it not priming right, trying to refill it when a sneaky invisible flame was still in there (oops), sloooooow cooking, burnt food, inability to turn it off reliably and spillage resulting in stuff burning that should not be burning. I'm sure it can and does get done more effectively and efficiently, but based on watching the circus it's been for others, I don't want to use one.

Ha ha! That would be fun to watch and irritating for them. There is a bit of a science to it. When I light, I listen for a little sound effect and then hold my hand high up over it to make sure there is heat coming up. Sometimes I will light the tip of a little twig and use that as sort of a long match to light it too. I give the cat can about 15 seconds or whenever I see the alcohol bubbling and then I know that it's ready for the pot. I've also started to carry a small sheet of foil or mini foil pie tin to place that it fits right into to prevent unwanted consequences of spillage and add a measure of extra reflectiveness. Since I only use it to heat water for rehydrating food, I don't worry about burning food, and if I measure right, both water and alcohol, the alcohol will burn out right about the time the water is hot enough to be useable. If using Heet for fuel, it is super cheap and available at just about any gas station, auto part shop, and many supermarkets (you can even get a dollar store brand of it at the dollar store, well, for a dollar per bottle, 12 oz).

 

[Nick]

I think it was more irritating to watch then it was fun! Sounds like you've got your technique down. To me it still feels kinda like using linux - it's cheap, you can get really good at it, it's highly customizable and you can make your own easily, but a Mac is just easier if you're too lazy for all that. Haha!

 

[WasatchWill]

I think it was more irritating to watch then it was fun! Sounds like you've got your technique down. To me it still feels kinda like using linux - it's cheap, you can get really good at it, it's highly customizable and you can make your own easily, but a Mac is just easier if you're too lazy for all that. Haha!

Great analogy! Though when it comes to computers, I know nothing about using Linux but am very happy using a Mac. Windows must be a Coleman propane camp stove or the Whisper"lite".

 

[Nick]

Windows is your grandpa's 1971 coleman stove with a leaky gas valve. The table sets on fire now and then - no big deal.