Ultra lighters bear canisters?
Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 11:30 am
When going UL I carry a Bear Boxer Contender for trips up to 4 days. At 25 ozs it is the lightest approved canister I could find. $40 online. For multi-week UL trips I use a Bearikade Weekender. It's about 31 ozs and has room for up to 8 days. $225 is pricey but they are available for rent based on trail days only. After a resupply at MTR on the JMT last summer I had enough food to make Whitney Portal for a cheeseburger.
I still enjoy going heavy (wetsuits, camp chairs, camp guitar, adult beverages, fishing gear) when hiking a few miles to a base camp then taking day trips. But I go UL (base weight under 10 lbs) because it is safer and more comfortable on long trips in the backcountry. Tripping over a rock is a minor deal with a lightweight pack, but that same incident could be life threatening while carrying 50+ lbs, potentially worse than any first aid kit could help.
As an example a buddy recently dislodged a loose boulder while we were hiking up Thunderbolt Pass. He wasn't being careless, it was the same boulder I had just used. Unfortunately he fell down a 6' drop but was able to stop himself from sliding any further. After cleaning up his scrapes we continued on without incident.
He was carrying a fully loaded UL pack (with a full sized neo-air and a double wall shelter). He would not have reasonably been able to stop his fall if carrying 50+ lbs.
I enjoy both UL and traditional backpacking and I respect that everyone enjoys the wilderness in their own way.
I still enjoy going heavy (wetsuits, camp chairs, camp guitar, adult beverages, fishing gear) when hiking a few miles to a base camp then taking day trips. But I go UL (base weight under 10 lbs) because it is safer and more comfortable on long trips in the backcountry. Tripping over a rock is a minor deal with a lightweight pack, but that same incident could be life threatening while carrying 50+ lbs, potentially worse than any first aid kit could help.
As an example a buddy recently dislodged a loose boulder while we were hiking up Thunderbolt Pass. He wasn't being careless, it was the same boulder I had just used. Unfortunately he fell down a 6' drop but was able to stop himself from sliding any further. After cleaning up his scrapes we continued on without incident.
He was carrying a fully loaded UL pack (with a full sized neo-air and a double wall shelter). He would not have reasonably been able to stop his fall if carrying 50+ lbs.
I enjoy both UL and traditional backpacking and I respect that everyone enjoys the wilderness in their own way.