After doing a weekend trip where I left the bear canister home, packed very little food, left the 2 pints of liquor at home, and only brought a few clothes, I could tell a big difference just getting my pack down into the 25 lb range, from 30 I usually carry.
I don't have any desire to become an ULer from a personality disorder standpoint, but damn, it sure is nice to carry less weight around. Gives me more weight with which to bring liquor, etc! lol
So, here is what I currently carry most trips that can be changed out:
Osprey Volt 60: 3lbs 13 oz
Big Agnes Deer Park 30: 3lbs 1 oz
Thermarest Trail Scout: 1lb 8oz
Big Agnes Jack Rabbit 2 without poles (wife carries the poles): guessing 3 lbs
Big Agnes Helinox Chair:: 2lbs
Bear Vault 450: 2lbs 1 oz
Roughly 15 1/2 lbs
So far, have decided to ditch the Bear Vault and hang or keep food in tent; am swapping out the Osprey Volt for a large REI Flash 45 (actually turns into a 50L in the large size), switch out the BA sleeping bag for an EE 20 degree Revelation x, and switch out the Helinox Chair for an Alite Monarch.
I calculate an approximate reduction in weight of about 5lbs from these few switches.
Anyway, I am probably the typical noob who sunk $1000+ into gear and then decided to replace a lot of it.
Future replacements are possible on the tent, such as switching to a TT Stratosphire 2 with liner, but that would be about it. The only way I would switch my pad is to get one that rolls up smaller, as I don't think you save a lot of weight on pads, and wouldn't want too light of one since I am going over to a quilt now.
Just thought I'd post to get a little discussion going on lightening up the load here and there, and what other people have done.
I don't have any desire to become an ULer from a personality disorder standpoint, but damn, it sure is nice to carry less weight around. Gives me more weight with which to bring liquor, etc! lol
So, here is what I currently carry most trips that can be changed out:
Osprey Volt 60: 3lbs 13 oz
Big Agnes Deer Park 30: 3lbs 1 oz
Thermarest Trail Scout: 1lb 8oz
Big Agnes Jack Rabbit 2 without poles (wife carries the poles): guessing 3 lbs
Big Agnes Helinox Chair:: 2lbs
Bear Vault 450: 2lbs 1 oz
Roughly 15 1/2 lbs
So far, have decided to ditch the Bear Vault and hang or keep food in tent; am swapping out the Osprey Volt for a large REI Flash 45 (actually turns into a 50L in the large size), switch out the BA sleeping bag for an EE 20 degree Revelation x, and switch out the Helinox Chair for an Alite Monarch.
I calculate an approximate reduction in weight of about 5lbs from these few switches.
Anyway, I am probably the typical noob who sunk $1000+ into gear and then decided to replace a lot of it.
Future replacements are possible on the tent, such as switching to a TT Stratosphire 2 with liner, but that would be about it. The only way I would switch my pad is to get one that rolls up smaller, as I don't think you save a lot of weight on pads, and wouldn't want too light of one since I am going over to a quilt now.
Just thought I'd post to get a little discussion going on lightening up the load here and there, and what other people have done.
First Law of Physics for Backpackers: What goes down must come up.