Kit List - where can i reduce weight?

el manana

el manana

Thru Hiker
Google docs

Okay this is my Winter and 3 Season lists.

I'm happy with the base weight of my Summer list @ 5kg. But Winter 7.4kg and 3 Season 6.4kg - i would like to get down by half kilo minimum, preferably nearer 1kg reduction.

Am i taking too much crap that adds up? (as Mole commented recently)...Or to achieve this do i need to spend money? Or am i being too honest? (my list includes keys, money, map etc - some dont count these as pocket items)

How come Ross's winter kit is the same as mine including spikes and an axe?:confused:
 
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Shewie

Shewie

Chief Slackpacker
Staff member
A good honest list for a change ;) I've only looked at the winter one so far though.

Each to their own as there's quite a few things I'd drop, but I think a good chunk of the weight is in your big 3, and that usually means spending unless you happen to be a ninja with a Singer.
 
el manana

el manana

Thru Hiker
Thanks - I'd be interested in any opinions on what to ditch.
I would imagine the mono would come under scrutiny...but I don't take a camera, so I let myself off with that....I even used it to spot a path once....:D

I've got money to spend...there was a time when 1.5kg was good for a solo tent,.
 
Mole

Mole

Thru Hiker
I can save you a little bit on the winter list straightaway




















leave the Tic card at home - they aren't around in winter:D

If (as I've seen you state) you are mainly doing overnighters or 2 night trips, I'd lose the Anker
And all the belt pouch stuff apart from the compass.
I'd not take a convertatube or the LEDs.

And the bad news is:

You haven't included the Gas Canister weight.

MethsEsbit would be lighter for me for short trips


But, I'm heavier anyhow!:p
 
edh

edh

Thru Hiker
I save weight by lending your stuff :D

Phone consultation on Mallorca route for last 30 mins.... got me thinking, May anyone :p?
 
Teepee

Teepee

Thru Hiker
Nothing to add to what's been said already. I don't think that's lists too bad TBH. Swapping for gas, losing the charger and a better sleeping bag is a good chunk to lose.

My kit changes with every trip as I'm not short on winter gear but I doubt it's any lighter. If it is, I normally replace the weight saving with folding bottles full of Baileys and Whiskey.:rolleyes:

Don't know if you like quilts El, but a decent quilt will save much weight. A wearable quilt would potentially see the jacket ditched too.
 
Mole

Mole

Thru Hiker
think for winter I'd need to bump up the mat if I went to a quilt - so the weight saving would be negligible
 
Lady Grey

Lady Grey

Thru Hiker
So, el mañana, looks like you need a nice new sleeping bag to save more weight.......gonna' buy mine???
 
el manana

el manana

Thru Hiker
Mole said:
And the bad news is:

You haven't included the Gas Canister weight.

MethsEsbit would be lighter for me for short trips
Click to expand...

Are you saying I should include the weight of an empty gas canister in my base weight?...maybe my list is not that honest after all...:D

I switched the winter list to Gas just to make it a bit different from the 3 season, unless there was good reason I'd probably end up taking the tri-ti
 
Mole

Mole

Thru Hiker
el manana said:
Are you saying I should include the weight of an empty gas canister in my base weight?...
Click to expand...

well yes -you have to if playing the baseweight game?

Canister weight and the need to have a spare canister if not resupplying dead on the time when it runs out, means that for my style of 'cooking' , gas (excluding Jetboil Sol type stove) is not going to beat meths or esbit on weight over a trip.
 
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gixer

gixer

Thru Hiker
Nice list, as Shewie said it'd nice to see everything added.

Can't really offer any advice on saving weight, but if you don't mind i would like to offer a different viewpoint.


For me i've found that much over 12kg and i really start to feel it, both in distance, speed and aches and pains each night.
Much below 12kg and i don't seem to notice much of a difference physically.

I've found i can hike just as far and as fast with 8kg than i can with my daysack at around 4kg and i don't seem to ache any more each night.

I'm more guilty than most at buying distance, speed and comfort (which i find lighter weight kit gives) but there is a point for me personally that the weight saving doesn't really make much of a difference any more.

Sacrilegious i know.
But if you're able to cover the distances you want to do at the sort of speeds you want to do with 8kg and still feel ok at the end of each night then maybe you've found the holy grail (cue rabbit jokes)

As i say not really the question you asked, but hopefully something worth thinking about.
 
edh

edh

Thru Hiker
Snigger.

I notice most 'extra' pack weight.... but realistically at the moment 'me' weight far overrides that!
 
el manana

el manana

Thru Hiker
gixer said:
For me i've found that much over 12kg and i really start to feel it, both in distance, speed and aches and pains each night.
Much below 12kg and i don't seem to notice much of a difference physically.

I've found i can hike just as far and as fast with 8kg than i can with my daysack at around 4kg and i don't seem to ache any more each night.

But if you're able to cover the distances you want to do at the sort of speeds you want to do with 8kg and still feel ok at the end of each night then maybe you've found the holy grail
Click to expand...

When I put on my full summer pack I think ' that feels nice and light'. When I put on my winter pack I don't think that, i notice the difference. Its not a huge issue, its still a good carry weight, but when all is in, I'd just like it to be lighter.

Lady Grey said:
Are you a lanky 6 footer?
Click to expand...
:rolleyes:
 
E

EM - Ross

Thru Hiker
el manana said:
How come Ross winter kit is the same as mine including spikes and an ice?:confused:
Click to expand...

Came in at 7.266kg as I've added the car-key (never thought of that!) & I'd forgot the camera.

Got all my gear together.

I don't take much in the way of spare carried clothing or hygiene stuff for a weekend. Teeth can wait! I'm also only taking silk liner in summer as I'll be wearing clothes in winter. I've also gone back to a CCF mat. I also use Paramo 'shell' in winter so no waterproofs in pack.
 
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el manana

el manana

Thru Hiker
Okay, just to summarise...

Shewie - "easy, spend more money..." - -£800
Mole - "you're cheating, weigh your Gas can... - +200grams
Teepee - "Buy a quilt, and then take more whiskey..." - -£300 0g adjust
Gixer - "stop being a wuss, deal with it..." - 0grams
Lady Grey - "Do you want to buy a sleeping bag?.." - -£300
Ross - "My list is considerably lighter than yours :p..." - 0grams

Net result.... -£1400 +200grams.... thanks for nowt...:D
 
el manana

el manana

Thru Hiker
okay thankfully Ross list is in a similar format so its been quite easy to compare...

Map -80g, Gloves -66g would be worn or in pocket so thats -126g

Looking at the list again, its pretty much worse winter scenario i would do, so probably would be lighter for a lot of trips.

Others...
Toothbrush or chewing gum(not both) -15g
Silk Liner (wearing clothes or base layers in winter) -122g
Tentlight 27g instead of 10LEDs 80g(unless really long nights) -53g

If i take meths setup instead of Gas -74g, if really cold probably wont take the Sawyer Mini -64g

Spending money (if)...
Prism Mitts 45g instead of Buffalo 105g = -60g
Minimus Overmitts 50g instead of Extremities Tuffs 72g = -22g
Sleeping Bag 1003g - a lighter -10C bag? 850g? = -150g
PHD Winter Wafer Down Jacket 300g(?) instead of Anti Freeze 441g = -141g
Paramo VAL wear instead of carrying Air Jacket = -330g
Tent 1596g (all in) - lighter tent? 1200g? = -396g

and probably about another -200g elsewhere.

Its gave me a bit to think about.Cheers.
 
BlueTrain

BlueTrain

Trail Blazer
I would cheat and only count what the pack and contents weigh. Mostly my list is the same year round for what goes in the pack. Food may vary but not with the season so much. As I mentioned already somewhere, about the only real change is substitution of the sleeping bag with something else. The hot-weather substitute is a US Army poncho liner supplemented with a fleece baby blanket (a sort of half-blanket). But I have found that a hot and humid day does not always mean a warm night. The only cold-weather supplements include a down vest (waistcoat) and long johns. The long johns make the thinnest pants warm enough for the coldest weather, provided you don't like to roll in the snow. I have also decided that, which comfortable for cool temperatures, there are better things than wool pants for being outside in cold and windy weather but they aren't bad, just the same.

Basically, the only way I have ever been able to get the weight down is to not take much water. But to do that, you sort of need to be familiar with where you're going and what the conditions are like. One can also drink a lot of water before you set off on the trail but I couldn't say how much is too much.

I also notice that you can carry twice as much comfortably with one pack as you can with another pack and not really notice the weight, even though the pack itself even weights twice as much. On the other hand, using a larger pack, even if it is more comfortable, temps you to take more stuff.

I'll also add that you really need to be out for a couple of hours on the trail and having covered a few miles before you can decide what works, what doesn't and what is worth the effort. Of course, you never really make up your mind for good anyway.
 
S

Stuart

Section Hiker
But I think you have an inevitable truth Manana, significantly cutting weight beyond the point you're at involves spending lots of cash.
 
Quixoticgeek

Quixoticgeek

Section Hiker
A thought on the sawyer. When do you decide the cut off on carrying it? For me, if the temp is likely to drop below 5°C, I leave it at home. I'll either carry the water I need (i.e. just an over nighter), or I switch to Oasis water tablets. I don't want my sawyer to freeze and become useless. If it's on the boundary of the water temp, then I tend to carry the filter in my cleavage so that it won't freeze.

Obviously it becomes easier in the depths of winter when there is snow to melt. But it's that intermediate bit that I haven't solved properly yet.

Julia
 
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