WEIGH each piece of gear

Litehiker

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Experienced backpackers have electronic digital postal scales. These usually have an upper weight limit of 5 pounds and can weigh in either pounds & ounces or kilos and grams by pushing a button. The nice thing about a digital postal scale is that they can be easily zeroed.

Weighing each piece of gear and keeping a gear list with the weights is important because it makes us more conscious of weight and makes us compare what we have to some shiny new piece of gear that attracts us.

GEAR SELECTION:
1st question - Do I (really) need it?
2nd question - How much does it weigh?
3rd question - Are there lighter alternatives that will do the job as well?
4th question - How do I get it past my wife/husband?

Anyway, most of you likely do weigh your gear. The rest of you trust the manufacturers' weight (don't) or just don't give a ****. If you are in that last category by the time you are 50 your knees will give a ****.

Eric B.
 
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Eric,
I do this on a spread sheet and update as my gear evolves. For me, (I'm 60) it's about keeping a healthy back and increasing stamina as staying lite, accomplishes both.
 
Cutback,
I hear you since I'm in my 70s. When I was much younger I carried a pack that weighed 7 1/2 pounds - empty!

Since then I've learned to go UL and found I don't need a huge, heavy, military grade pack. So now I carry an Osprey EXOS 58, solo Moment DW tent and WM down 3 season sleeping bag.

My wife got me a light (15 oz.) REI FLASH Insulated 3 season air mattress that's more comfortable than my Prolite and even 1 oz. lighter.

When I backpacked the Grand Canyon with Len Backus in 2017 (N. Rim to S. Rim) I used my Trail Designs Sidewinder stove with ESBIT fuel tablets and the companion 3 cup pot. Works great and weighs less than a canister setup.

And of course hiking poles to save our senior knees is all important. What many do not know is that it's important to begin using hiking poles in our teens on up.

Happy trails,
Eric B.
 
Looks like you have a great, light weight set-up.
I've wondered about the REI Flash... Good to hear some reliable feedback.
Currently, I'm running with a Marmot EOS 1P and Marmot Helium down 15*. Combined weight - 4lbs 3oz.
I just added an 1.5 ounces, from my previous mattress, as I gave the RidgeRest Sol a try @ 16 oz .
It was more comfortable than I thought, as mornings were 17*-21* (basecamp @ 8005') and the extra comfort was a blessing.
I still use my MSR stove, fuel and Titanium 3 cup pot for a total of 20.3 oz.
One of my ex hunting partners, just started using poles (he's 54) and swears by them....
Thanks for the heads up on the REI mattress. I think I'll give her another look.
 
I weighed all my gear and clothes around 15 years ago when I started traveling to Alaska to hunt and fish. It gave me a good excuse to update a lot of heavy/bulky gear. This not only made packing and hauling easier but also a lot cheaper on the airlines.

The first items I replaced/updated were the heaviest and bulkiest items on my list (backpack, tent, sleeping bag, rifle, spotting scope, tripod, etc). I also went through all of my clothes including raingear, boots, etc. I quickly found out it wasn't cheap and cost a pile of cash to replace them! I ended up selling quite a bit of gear on Craigslist and elsewhere that I didn't use to pay for many of the new items. It was amazing how much bulk and weight were lost when I did this. Now I'm pretty well set up with quality, light weight gear and clothes that ought to last for years!
 
Jim,

Like the Amish say, "We get too soon old and too late smart." ;o) I wish I would have lightened up my pack load sooner but truthfully back in 2004 when I began this quest UL backpacking gear was just getting going.

And yes, it can be spendy to lighten up but not as expensive as "credit card camping" in motels. That's my story and I'm sticking' to it.

Finally, while I like light I also like comfort. As OSPREY (the pack manufacturer) says, "Pain has its own weight." i.e a lighter but frameless pack is more painful to carry than a good internal frame pack with padded hip belt that weighs another 5 oz.. Transferring the load off your back (& spinal discs) to the largest bones and muscles of your body, your hips and legs, only makes sense.

When we can get both light weight and comfort in one item, like the REI FLASH or Sea to Summit air mattresses it's truly a win.

The SUL "gram weenies" who use frameless packs and strapless hiking poles are doing it much more for bragging rights than for comfort on the trail.

Eric B.
 
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