Methods, Lessons, Trades
Transcription
Methods, Lessons, Trades
Lightweight Backpacking Methods, Lessons, Trades Wind River Range, WY Richard Harris Boy Scout Troop 6 - Cincinnati Are you tired of carrying a 40 pound backpack? There is a solution. Introduction • Session Goals “Adventure Alan” 1. Share my ideas on how I reduced my “carry weight” 2. List some of the pro’s and con’s of lightweight backpacking • My history Ryan Jordan – 50+ years backpacking experience throughout US, mostly in Boy Scouts as a Scout & as an adult leader 8 pounds IPW, 4 days! • – – Maximum trip length: 14 days Used to carry 45+#, now carry ~20# As I get older, I can’t carry as much as I used to Nothing without a Cost • Reduced weight & volume may result in: BIG Tent – Less “camp comfort” • Everyone has their minimum comfort level for it to remain a “fun” adventure • Smaller tents, snug bags, less mattress, simpler food, etc. – Higher dollar cost • What is it worth to you to reduce a pound or two in an area? – E.g., ultra-light feather bags are not cheap – There are exceptions: e.g., alcohol stove, mattress, pack – Less margin for error (sudden winter storm, getting lost) – Easier hiking Extra “Stuff” • Carrying 10-20 pounds is exceptionally easier than 40-50 pounds, especially in mountains, at altitude, and when you are over 60 years old. It’s healthier and faster! – Easier means more fun References • Books – Ryan Jordan, “Lightweight Backpacking & Camping,” – “Lighten UP” DVD, $5, www.gossamergear.com • Ray Jardine Some Luminaries & Web Sites – – – – – – – – – – Backpacking Light: www.backpackinglight.com (The BEST) Gossamer Gear: www.gossamergear.com/ Ray Jardine: www.rayjardine.com Tarptent: www.tarptent.com/ Mountain Laurel Designs: www.mountainlaureldesigns.com Anti-gravity Gear: www.antigravitygear.com Trail Designs: www.traildesigns.com GoLite: www.golite.com REI: www.rei.com Hennessey Hammocks hennessyhammock.com Ryan Jordan Weight Nomenclature & Examples • • • • • Base Pack Consumables1 Initial Pack Worn or Carried Full Skin-Out Formula a b a+b=c d c+d=e 6-Day2 11.8 7.9 19.7 4.7 24.4 # Notes: 1 2 3 Food, fuel, & water: For me, includes 1 liter of water 6 days & nights, 32-40o nights w/ camera (5 oz), GPS (7 oz) 3 days & 2 nights, 50o nights 3-Day3 10.0 4.2 14.2 4.7 18.9# Where to start • Weigh everything on a digital scale • Prioritize & consider HEAVY items first: save pounds, then ounces later (tent, stove, sleeping bag, water filter) – Ounces add to pounds, and pounds add to discomfort! • Focus on weight, but also consider volume closely – size matters! Consider 3000 cu in pack • Do you really need that luxury item? – Book, cell phone, GPS, camp chair, etc. • Limit contingencies – Good trip planning & experience are the keys • Don’t just take “stuff,” build a “system” Identify HEAVIEST & LARGEST Example Item • Shelter: • Pack: • Summer Bag: • Stove: • Water Treatment: • Food: “Trip Wire” > 2 pounds > 1 pound > 1 pound > 3oz > 3oz > 1 pound/day Shelters • My History: North Face Tadpole 5# GoLite tarp 1#, mosquito netting extra 1# Big Agnes 3-wire bivy 1#12oz Hennessey Hammock 1#15oz • Considerations – Single wall construction • Condensation inside – Single person size • Less room: sides and height – Non-free-standing • Harder to pitch • Other Issues: – Tarps are great, but In buggy season, I take my mosquito netting inner tent as well – Hammocks are VERY COMFORTABLE Shelter Examples • Tarptent “Contrail”: 34.5 oz (everything), $200 www.tarptent.com/ • Gossamer Gear “The One”: 20-32 oz., $275 www.gossamergear.com • Six Moons Design “Luna Solo”: 23-29oz, $230 www.sixmoondesigns.com • Backpacking Light “Spin Tarp”: 5-17 oz., $100 www.backpackinglight.com • Hennessey Hammock Hyperlyte Asym – 25 oz, $249.95 www.Hennesseyhammocks.com 1. 2. 3. Watch weight advertisements: Needs to include with all stakes, poles, ground cloth, ropes, seam sealing, & stuff sack! Do you always carry hiking poles? Decide before buying a tent. Min. +12oz What’s your tolerance for bugs and water? Packs • My history: Gregory DenaliPro 7#12oz GoLite Speed 2#10oz, 3000 cu in GoLite Jam 1#12oz, 2867 cu in • Considerations – “Frameless” pack design is feasible • Must have very light loads (<20#) • Use mattress as stiffener – Lighter material used in construction • Take care to not tear – Smaller capacity is mandatory • Reduce your weight & VOLUME (3000 cu in or so) – Make sure you can carry items inside the pack! Light Pack Examples • Gossamer Gear “G5”: 3800 in3, 10.7oz., $115 www.gossamergear.com • Mountain Laurel Designs: 3200 in3, 13 oz, $160 www.mountainlaureldesigns.com/ • GoLite Jam 50L 1#14oz, 3050 cu in GoLite Jam 70L 1#15oz, 4270 cu in www.golite.com 1. Watch capacities: what’s inside and what’s out? 2. Watch weights: includes belt, padding, etc.? 3. Some people cut off unneeded accessories Sleeping Bags • My History: North Face “Cat’s Meow” 2#10oz Western Mountaineering “Ultralite” 20° 1#13oz • Considerations: – Snug fit for reduced weight • Must tolerate tighter-fitting bags – Consider only down fills (≥850) • Synthetics can’t match weights ratios Typical Mummy Bag – Use your clothing too • Wear clothing at night to supplement/regulate bag warmth Light Bag Examples • Western Mountaineering “Highlite” 15.7oz, 35o, 3 ½”, $260 www.westernmountaineering.com • Feathered Friends “Merlin” 23oz, 30o, 4”, $314 www.featheredfriends.com 1. Watch loft height: it’s everything! 2. Watch stuff sack weight and size Other Items in your Base Pack • Big 3 (tent, pack, bag): Covered to this point – But, what else is in your pack? Extra “Stuff” • Ask Three Key Questions 1. Do I really need it? 2. Is it worth the extra weight? 3. Can I lighten it up? Mattress • My history: – Therm-a-Rest Ultralite ¾ (14oz) – Therm-a-Rest Ridge Rest ¾ length (8 oz) • Comfort versus Weight & Volume – “Big air” versus closed foam • Air more comfortable and smaller size • Air mattress used alone: can puncture! • Closed foam can be used as form for pack – Full length versus partial – Mummy versus rectangular – “R-value” is important Foam + Air Cook Stove • My History: WhisperLite gas (15oz) alcohol (1oz) (3.4oz w/ pot, screen, bag) • Considerations: – Fuels: Gas, alcohol, canister, tablets, none • Coke-can/alcohol is lightest stove option – Fuel container size & weight – Simmer versus full-blast (boil only) • Objective: “cook” meals or boil water • Examples – – – – Vargo Triad 1.06oz + foil, $30 Brasslite TurboF, .85oz + foil Ion Kit, .46oz + foil, $22 Make your own Cooking Utensils • My history: 2-Pot Aluminum Kit (24oz) Titanium pot (2.7oz) • Considerations: – Simple versus complex meals • • • • Freeze-dried dinner in cooking bag Small pot/cup to boil water (1-2 cups) Single spoon is ample for simple meals Cold meals for breakfast and/or lunch • Some examples – Titanium Pot, 4oz (w/o top) $40 www.rei.com – Titanium Spoon 0.4oz, $12 www.backpackinglight.com Water Containers • History: Nalgene, 3.5oz, $6 > Gatorade, 1.5oz, free • Nalgene: is out, “drink” bottles are in – Essentially free – Dispose, don’t sanitize • My Strategy – 1 Qt Gatorade (1.5oz) or aluminum spun bottle – 2 Qt Platypus rollup (1.5) Water purification • History: MSR pump (15oz) AquaMira (chlorine dioxide) (3oz) (15-30gal) SteriPEN • Lightweight Options: – AquaMira Chlorine Dioxide Liquid • 3oz, $13, 60-120 qts, 15 min – Katadyn Chlorine Dioxide Tablets • .5oz, $10, 20 tablets & qts, 30min – Potable Aqua Iodine Tablets • 3oz, $8, 30 qt, 15min – SteriPEN UV Rays • 3.6oz w/batteries, $100, 90sec Food Protection Options: 1. Do Nothing: attract critters and bears – poor alternative 2. Bear Canister: Excellent, except for weight (2.5#) and volume (700in3) • BearVault BV500, $80 – • www.rei.com 3. Hanging Bag: Best alternative, except when hiking above tree-line UrsaLite Bear Bag System, 2oz, 4in3 (plus food volume) – www.backpackinglight.com PS: Some places require a canister be used First Aid Kit • History: Every contingency (1.5#) minimum contingency (3.7oz) • My minimums – Pills (Benadryl, Advil, Imodium, GasX), Band-Aids, antibiotic, antiseptic, tick remover, mole skin, pads, duct tape – Put contents in zip-loc bag • Considerations: – – – – Alone or with others? Within a day of civilization? Cell phone coverage available? Your level of training? Heavy Alternative Extra Shoes (Camp, Water) • History: Extra Running Shoes (2#) None • Considerations: – Camp shoes are nice • Dry, comfortable, backup – Water shoes are nice • Crocs are excellent (13oz) – Sandals for everything • Teva or Keen Sandals example (29oz) – Replace your boots with this lightweight alternative – Camp shoes + Water shoes = 0 oz Lights • History: large headlamp, 6oz Princeton Tec 0.28oz • Considerations – May consider taking no light in the summer – Many lightweight lights out there Food • Set a goal for weight/day and focus on it < 1 pound/day? • Simple-to-fix or complex-to-fix meals? – My typical simple-to-fix breakfast: • Cold cereal, powdered milk, sugar – all in zip-loc bag • Just add cold water to zip-loc bag! No cook, no clean-up! • Alternatives: – Granola, oatmeal or grits – just heat up a little water – My typical simple-to-fix lunch: • No actual “lunch period”, just occasional eat trail snacks – power bar, granola bar, Toasty crackers, peanut butter • Peanuts, snacks, candy, power bars -- all are great – My typical simple-to-fix dinner: • Dehydrated meals prepared at home • Vacuum sealed • Pour in hot water, mix, eat from bag, no clean-up – My typical allowance: 1#/day Water • 2.1 pounds/quart! WATCH THIS AREA! • Don’t carry more than you need to get to the next water source, with an “insurance policy” in some situations – If you get to the next source with water in your pack, you probably carried too much! • Drink your fill at each water source, and then carry less to the next source Alcohol Fuel • Carry only what needed for trip length – Plus, one extra day for “insurance” • My typical trip: 1 oz (weight) /day is more than sufficient to boil 2 cups of water at one time – One hot meal/day (at dinner) • My plastic fuel bottle: 8 oz-liquid bottle = 1.1oz wt. – That equals 8-day supply of fuel at 1oz/day • What works best – Heet 99+% Methyl Alcohol (yellow bottle!), 12oz, $1.50 • Other – OK: Ethyl rubbing alcohol (70%), 16oz, $2 – Bad: Isopropyl antiseptic alcohol (70-91%), 16oz, $2 “Worn or Carried” Weight • Why important? – You legs can’t tell the difference! – It’s all carried up, and down, that hill! • Pay attention to what’s not in you pack – Boots – Poles – Clothing – Camera, Bear spray, etc. Boots/Shoes • Light packs enable lighter foot ware! – Less support needed • Running shoes, trail runners, sandals, Crocs, etc. • Old saying: 1# on foot = 5# on back • Choices – – – – – – Leather boots: 64oz Mid Boots: 46oz Trailrunners: 41.6oz Running shoes: 26.6oz Keen Water Sandals: 29oz Crocs: 13.4oz Trekking Poles • Poles add weight – But is this offset by advantages? • • • • Pushing up hills Braking down hills Stabilizing creek crossings and difficult terrain Use as tent poles – Some people don’t use poles • Examples – Lightweight: REI Peak Shock Carbon 13.5oz/pair Leki Aergon Carbonite Anti-shock - 14oz/pair – Average poles: Black Diamond Shock 20oz/pair Clothing • Lightweight Philosophy – – – – – – Layers, layers, layers No duplicates, except socks and underwear “Snug fits” are lighter & warmer Buy lightest fabrics, and use down in jackets Fleece does not pack as well Weigh everything! • Watch Your Raingear! – How much is really needed? • Jacket probably, pants may not be needed in summer • Shop for the lightest possible items – rain gear tends to be made of heavy materials! – Examples • GoLite Squall breathable jacket, 9oz • GoLite Reed breathable pants: 4.6oz Camera • What are your trip objectives? – If photography is an objective, then take that big 2-4# rig – Otherwise, a small digital at 5oz will do – Look for a waterproof shockproof camera such as Olympus Stylus 770SW – Maybe “no camera” is acceptable Personal Protection • Pepper Spray needed? (I have never taken it on any trip, seen lots of bears) – Are problem-bears in the area? • E.g., hiking alone in National parks – Are people a potential threat? • E.g., camping close to population centers & trailheads? – Are you hiking alone? • E.g., are you a woman hiking alone? – What’s your “fear factor” level • Counter Assault canister with belt holder: 13.5oz (heavy….) Summary! Ryan Jordan • • • • • Formula Base Pack Weight a Consumables Weight1 b Initial Pack Weight a+b=c Worn or Carried Weight d Full Skin-Out Weight c+d=e 6-Day 11.8 7.9 19.7 4.7 24.4 # 3-Day 10.0 4.2 14.2 4.7 18.9# Base Pack Weights of 8-12# are very reasonable for anyone – My old Gregory pack weighted over 7# by itself! • • • Light weight: 12-20# Base Pack Weight (BPW) Ultra-light weight: 6-11# Base Pack Weight Ridiculously-light weight: <=5# Base Pack Weight Go light and enjoy your next backpacking adventure even more! Thanks for your time! Contact Information Rick Harris [email protected]