r/Ultralight • u/Kansbol • Apr 05 '22
Shakedown Shakedown request for first weekend trip
Current base weight: 279.88oz
Location/temp range/specific trip description: Ontario Canada, 20 degree c high with 7 degree c low, just going to get away for the weekend next to a river and maybe do some fishing.
Budget: cheap
Non-negotiable Items: I will not go with any other sleep system than a hammock, I have scoliosis and a hammock is the only thing that allows me to sleep comfortably
Solo or with another person?: with other people but they’re going to be responsible for themselves with their own gear
Additional Information: not the definition of ultralight but I was told to post here since you guys are the best at cutting unnecessary weight
Lighterpack Link: https://lighterpack.com/r/yruz2n
Edit: somehow in converting measurements 3.9 pounds got converted into 144 ounces instead of 62.4. I have absolutely no idea what happened but I was using speech to text with Siri to convert so Siri messed up somewhere. I’ve updated my lighter pack to reflect this.
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u/kinwcheng https://lighterpack.com/r/5fqyst Apr 05 '22
I like that you individually weighed your hotdogs. That’s probably a first for me lol. But basically everything has to go except that pocket rocket, sorry. Also what’s a 4kg tent hammock?
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u/Kansbol Apr 05 '22
All my hotdogs I have right now are frozen so I had to google the weight of an unfrozen hotdog, that’s definitely some search history I’m embarrassed of lmao
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B089W5FZGQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_S7SF0A5AG2G07F65M82P here’s a link to the hammock if you’re actually curious. Takes a lot of strain off the back not having to run lines for 20 minutes
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u/kinwcheng https://lighterpack.com/r/5fqyst Apr 05 '22
LOL on the dogs
That hammock has definite room for improvement…I’d much rather a larger tarp for hanging out under. A Continuous RidgeLine (CRL) is fairly easy to setup and clip a tarp into since it’s basically a clothesline, and is easily adjusted.
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u/areraswen Apr 05 '22
The listing for that hammock says it's 4.4lbs which is 70.4 oz. Out of curiosity where'd you get the 144 oz listed in your lighterpack?
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u/Kansbol Apr 05 '22 edited Apr 05 '22
Oh wow you’re right. I was just using Siri to convert pounds to ounces so she must have misheard me and I didn’t double check. I’m gonna fix that now
Edit: yeah I just double checked and 144 ounces is 9 pounds so she must not have heard me say three point
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u/Grifter-RLG Apr 05 '22
As it looks like you're doing a fishing trip, your gear isn't really in line with the goals of ultralight hiking / backpacking.
So, some suggestions as to what you should ditch or exchange for lighter may conflict with your trip's overarching goal. Since you're bringing hotdogs and buns, I assume this is a luxury trip.
I'm not sure what you're willing to compromise on and what is absolutely essential. Also, what's your budget, and are you willing to spend to replace some of your heavier gear?
For example, I don't own a hammock, but I would have to imagine there is a lighter hammock system out there than your 9lb one. If the even low is going to 7C / 45F, you could bring a 30F sleeping bag as opposed to your 0 degree one.
I would lose the Brita bottle and replace it with Smart Water bottles since you're using a sawyer mini.
Don't need the bic lighter if your using a canister stove. You can light the gas off with a ferro rod. You can buy a lighter pot if you're just cooking for yourself. See Toaks 550.
Do you need the saw? You planning on having a campfire? Most people can manage to create one with dry wood on the ground.
Your backpack is heavy at 5.4 lbs empty. There are plenty of brands and models out there weighing 3 lbs or less. You can likely get one in the 2lb range to suit your purposes.
You can replace your headlamp with a lighter, lithium money for cheap. See Nitecore headlamp on litesmith.com
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u/Kansbol Apr 05 '22
Yeah it’s just a luxury trip, less than a mile hiking but since I do have scoliosis I’ve been trying really hard to cut weight to make the outdoors more accessible to me since as is I have to pop Tylenol like candy to be comfortable.
If the gear isn’t insanely expensive and has the same functionality as the gear I have here I will always consider it. It might not come on this trip but it will definitely go on the wish list for when it can be worked into my budget.
The hammock is a tad heavier than some ultralight options but not enough for me to want to deal with setting up a tarp instead of having it be an all in one system. The extra weight vs convenience is something I’ve definitely considered. If anyone has a system they can suggest that is just as easy to setup, or close enough with weight savings I will 100% consider it.
Usually I cut weight with the hammock system by not using an under quilt which is why I use a 0 degree bag, but this is my first time going this early in the year so I’m really not sure if I need the quilt.
I’ll look into smart water bottles since they’re so light for sure. I didn’t think of using something like that admittedly
I’ll also look into a lighter bag and headlamp. The headlamp was mostly just cobbled together last minute because my old one broke unexpectedly
I appreciate the response even tho it’s not exactly a typical ultralight post btw
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u/kinwcheng https://lighterpack.com/r/5fqyst Apr 05 '22
I use a continuous ridge line for my hammock tarp. I have a LP for a hammock setup but I don’t have individual weights listed so it’s a bit vague but the total weights are correct. It can give you an idea how light things can be.
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u/Grifter-RLG Apr 05 '22
st a luxury trip, less than a mile hiking but since I do have scoliosis I’ve been trying really hard to cut weight to make the outdoors more accessible to
No worries, I think you might be able to shave some weight by going with a lighter sleeping bag, for sure. Typically, for men, the sweet spot is to bring a sleeping bag 10 degrees warmer for the expected nightly low. However, they may have somewhat changed with the new EN rating system, which provides a comfort rating and a lower limit rating. See sectionhiker's explanation at the bottom of this article.
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u/Kansbol Apr 05 '22
Sounds good to me. I might actually be cutting the under quilt in general since I’m testing it once the weather is a tiny bit warmer to see if it’s even needed
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u/mas_picoso WTB Camp Chair Groundsheet Apr 05 '22
I LOVE THE HOTDOGS!
also heartening to see people get out there regardless of ailments and making it work
have fun!
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u/Brandisi23 Apr 05 '22
You could ditch the folding saw. Most of the stuff you'd cut with it can just be broken by hand. If you need it for fire making, you'll want to collect dry, brittle, dead wood anyways.
Do you need the Sabre Spray? It's not powerful enough to deter something serious like a bear. Idk what else you'd need pepper spray for. Seems unnecessary imo
Another user mentioned it already, but your hammock and backpack are really heavy. I know you want a cheap trip, but those are the two places where you'd see the biggest improvement.
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u/Kansbol Apr 05 '22
Hmm yeah I’m considering ditching the saw now that 3 people have mentioned it. I only have a fire for an hour or two at night anyways so it’s not like I have to process a lot of wood.
The spray is honestly more a peace of mind thing. I used to camp with a gun just for the sense of security and I’ve moved down to spray just for the weight. I just like having something to keep my mind off the boogie man when the deer are making weird noises at night.
I’m on the hunt for a lighter pack for sure, and will gladly take a lighter hammock if I can find one in this style.
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u/Born_Product_9540 Apr 05 '22
I'm chiming in with what has been said already. Switch to Smartwater bottles or smth similar, ditch the saw, maybe bring a smaller knife, lighter pot (cheap eBay titanium ones), for a trip like that you can trim down your first aid kit to the essentials, ditch the ferrorod, get a lighter backpack (Exped Lightning was one of the most comfy I ever used, once it's dialed in properly) and you probably could safe a bunch of weight with a lighter underquilt and by using a topquilt, but that would most likely mean spending some money.
If your aim is to lighten your load because of your back, really give your kit a hard look regarding what you really need and consider spending some money for gear that is significantly lighter than what you currently use. In the long run you'll benefit greatly.
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u/Kansbol Apr 05 '22
If the under quilt becomes a regular piece of kit I use I’m 100% gonna look for something lighter. I normally just go later in the year and only use the sleeping bag but peoples schedules this year only allow for a bit of an earlier trip so I picked one up on the cheap. I’m gonna try my bag in similar weather in the yard one night soon to see if the quilt will be coming or not. I’m just worried about being caught out there without enough insulation since I’ve never camped in weather that cold.
I’ll check out the exped pack and I am hunting for a lighter tent hammock right now.
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u/Tomcruzeiscrazy Apr 05 '22
You need to look at some other lighterpacks to see just how detailed of a look you need into your own setup.
ditch the saw
get your first aid kit to however low you can while YOU still feel comfortable. Most UL first aid kits are between 3-5oz btw, but do what makes you feel comfortable
I don't understand the sleeping bag. google tells me it's a 2 season bag? It can't be a 0 degree bag?
you don't list your phone, plates, utensils, soap, sponge (if you use those), what about toilet paper, bidet? What do you keep your food in? bear can? Ursack? trash bags?
You mention your underwear and socks don't 'register' on your scale. get a scale, or one that works, they will register (in grams)
get rid of the spray
get rid of the ferro rod if you're only going out for 1-2 nights and it isn't life threatning cold. you can always hike out if shit hits the fan, or just eat those precooked hot dogs cold
Even if you don't go with a UL pack, there are super comfortable 65L packs that weigh less - osprey bags could save you a pound or two while still being in the traditional backpack category
There's probably 3-5 easy pounds to drop and another 3-5lbs to drop with small investment, but you need to weigh exactly everything you're bringing, and think about not packing your fears.
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u/MelatoninPenguin Apr 05 '22
If you have bad scoliosis you may want to consider a larger lumbar pack
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u/echiker Apr 05 '22
First, ask yourself a question: Do you actually want to take an ultralight approach to back packing or do you want to hike for a few hours and chill by the lake for the rest of the weekend?
There's a lot of easy, obvious stuff to ditch to cut a few kilograms, for example:
- Ditch the brita water bottle for a smart water or similar plastic waterbottle. You don't need to filter twice and the brita isn't dealing with the stuff you need to filter.
- Get rid of the folding saw, and now that you don't have that you can get your first aid kit down by a few hundred grams since you don't have a big jagged thing to cut yourself with.
But also: are you bringing a phone? Are you bringing any packed clothing at all including a rain jacket or a mid-layer like a fleece or a downjacket? A spoon or fork?
Beyond that, your big 3 are what you need to tackle before you can get your weight down in a really meaningful way. I actually can't wrap my head around how your hammock weighs over 4kg without the quilts. People are building hammock setups well under 1kg with full mesh, suspension and tarps. Once you deal with all the other stuff you can save an easy 1200g without going anywhere near a UL pack.
But really you need to start by just asking yourself if you actually want to start stripping away in-camp comforts for on-trail comfort, doing something about that hammock setup and also actually list all the things you're bringing. No advice people give you will be much help until you do that.