Going lighter: this is the year!

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Wandering Daisy
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Re: Going lighter: this is the year!

Post by Wandering Daisy »

I walked to the store yesterday to pick up a gallon of milk, and carried it a mile back home. :eek: I then looked up the weight- 8.3 pounds! No wonder my arm was sore. Next I looked up the weight of a liter of water - 2.2 pounds! Well, there is the cheapest way to reduce pack weight. The most water I ever carry is 1 quart. If I take my Sawyer Squeeze, I do not carry water unless I know there are no water sources within a few hours.

Although I am a proponent of bear cans, it is a real psychological kick in the butt to additionally pay about $300 for a 2-pound bear can when you have invested thousands in getting down to a 10-15 pound pack weight. :( I am waiting for someone to figure out a lighter way to protect food from bears.
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John Harper
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Re: Going lighter: this is the year!

Post by John Harper »

Wandering Daisy wrote: Wed Jan 30, 2019 10:17 am Next I looked up the weight of a liter of water - 2.2 pounds!
1 Liter = 1000cc = 1000g = 2.2 pounds

Milk is just a bit denser than water, hence the slight additional weight. Next time, buy a gallon of alcohol, you'll save a pound and have more fun! \:D/

I've just been taking my Katadyn BeFree whenever I know water will be along the way. Fast and easy to filter.

John
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neil d
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Re: Going lighter: this is the year!

Post by neil d »

Yep, liquid is heavy! I am guilty of carrying quite a bit of water weight, so that I can sip continuously instead of tanking up at a source. I sweat pretty readily, so need to keep up on fluids. BUT, most of my go-to hiking (in Deso) has regular water sources. I'm going to ''go light' on the water this year...carry less water and tank up at the source.

WRT clothes, I have done pretty well there. I generally only carry one set of hiking clothes and one set of camp clothes. My favorite hiking shirt is an old LS cotton dress shirt...very cool and comfortable. I can get three days out of a pair of wool underwear (gross!). I do carry an extra pair of thick socks for sleeping. It is so easy to wash socks and underwear in the Sierra and have them dry in an hour.

I see lots of comments about bear cans being 'required in the Sierra'...unless I am missing something, this is not yet the case, at least in Desolation...although that day may be coming. I am determined to try and Ursack this year, both for Lost Coast and Desolation trips. I think the small one is 8 oz, IIRC. And i'm well-practiced in effective counterbalance food hangs. Kind of a PITA, but it is good knowing it is taken care of.
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balzaccom
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Re: Going lighter: this is the year!

Post by balzaccom »

Bear cans are required in the national parks in the Sierra. Notaional forest regulations may vary from forest to forest.
Check our our website: http://www.backpackthesierra.com/
Or just read a good mystery novel set in the Sierra; https://www.amazon.com/Danger-Falling-R ... 0984884963
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Re: Going lighter: this is the year!

Post by Wandering Daisy »

I did a late fall trip in Desolation in September and a notice was put on the board at the trailhead. Evidently a bear had been raiding campsites at Dicks Lake so they said bear cans were "required". I was not going to camp at Dicks Lake, so I just took my Ursack. The Tahoe side is also under the jurisdiction of some other blanket Tahoe entity (Greater Tahoe something??), with additional regulations and parking fees in some of the most used areas. It would be good to check on any bear can regulations before your trip.
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paul
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Re: Going lighter: this is the year!

Post by paul »

Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/ltbmu
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Satchel Buddah
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Re: Going lighter: this is the year!

Post by Satchel Buddah »

Yupp for me buying the bearikade was pretty much the final step in the quest for light - bang for buck is pretty poor in terms of weight saved per money spent, vs a bv 450 for example that can be had for 40 bucks on ebay so I delayed that for years. Still glad I did it but it's definitely a hard pill.
Probably the best bang for buck is in the backpack, where 200 ish dollars can save you 4 to 6 pounds, but keep in mind a lightweight backpack will not carry as comfortably as a traditional pack if your load is still above 40 pounds (the atmos is heavy, but very comfy for heavy loads).

And yes, carry only the water you need. From the ultralight backpacking tips book " if you are still carrying water when you reach the next water source, you made a mistake". Obviously have to temper that brave statement with comfort and pace - I'm happy to lug a half liter of water.
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Harlen
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Re: Going lighter: this is the year!

Post by Harlen »

I see a compromise here. Sell your kid's blood!
John.

Thanks for the thoughtful suggestion John, but now that they are in their late teens their blood may be compromised- at least on the weekends.

Thanks to HST suggestions, I now carry a small thermos for winter drinking- no need for anyone's blood to be spilt. ;)
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neil d
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Re: Going lighter: this is the year!

Post by neil d »

Thought I would post an update...my Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60 arrived last week, weighing in at a very sleek 31 oz. The pack looks very well thought-out and wears comfortably, at least around the house. I'm hoping to load it up and go snowshoeing this weekend.

I still need to spring for a new pad, and am eyeing the new Thermarest Uberlight...8.8 oz (!) but I am wary of the low R rating. I might buy it and use it locally for a night before Lost Coast in late April to make sure it is good down into the mid-40s.

After test-loading the pack and rounding out my gear spreadsheet, I am very confident that I will have a base weight below 15 lbs. And this includes my one luxury item, compact 8 x 24 binoculars that weigh 12 oz.

My next task will be to work on food, as I wish to avoid commercial freeze-dried meals on the April trip. My goal is 1.5 lbs food per day. Does that sound feasible? My go-to snacks have always been heavy stuff (hard cheese, salame, nuts, etc.)...trying to branch out from that a bit.

I'm also trying to formulate a plan around caloric needs, such as 3,000 calories per day, to really hone in on calorie-dense foods and minimize what I take. Kinda thinking about building a plan around a small jar of peanut butter. Anybody have experience with this? Maybe I'll post in the food forum.
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bobby49
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Re: Going lighter: this is the year!

Post by bobby49 »

My backpack is slightly smaller by volume, but it weighs half as much. My sleep pad weighs half as much. If you are afraid of a low R rating for a winter trip, then carry that one along with a second pad, maybe foam. For summer, you can carry just the one when R rating isn't so much of an issue.

I agree. I avoid commercial freeze-dried meals. I do purchase some grocery store ingredients like instant rice and instant soup, and I develop my own meals that way. I air dehydrate lots of stuff to add in. Summer sausage will keep pretty good on the trail, but I don't use much of it on a daily basis. Carnation Breakfast Essentials gets me started in the morning, along with peanut butter anything. My goal is generally 1.5 pounds per day, but I often finish the trip and I've eaten only 1.0 pound per day.

Peanut butter is good for a high calorie count. However, it isn't well balanced. I will take the small packets of peanut butter.
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