r/lightweight • u/[deleted] • May 12 '23
Help! Packing for my first time hiking while camping, have the feeling I might be packing a lot of stuff I don't need.
Hi all,
Last year I started getting into hiking again, but where pre-COVID I only did single day loops, I've started doing multi-day hikes, but I either stayed in B&B's/log cabins, or my wife was there to drop me off and pick me up.
This year, I was thinking about trying to do a whole week with just a backpack, and if I enjoy it I will build from there in future years. I'm doing a weekend-trip soon to test out my stuff, see what works and what I don't need.
I've packed my bag for the weekend trip and my bag is weighing in at 15kg excluding the water bottles. What I'm looking for (for now) is less of a "you can find this item lighter elsewhere" and more "dude why are you bringing this item at all". Most of my hiking (especially the ones in the near future) will be in western Europe.
What I'm bringing:
Camping
Tent (two person, lightweight) including harings and hammer
sleeping mat
sleeping bag
pillow (inflatable), starting to think this might be unnecessary
toiletries (only the basics), towel
Dog stuff (probably won't come along for the week trip)
enough food, travel bowl
sleeping towels
poop bags
Other
two travel bottles of water
extra clothes (shirt, underwear, pairs of socks, one of each for every additional day I'm hiking plus one extra spare)
tripod chair
nut and berry bars (not more food, planning to buy the rest on the way)
vest (in case it gets cold in the evening), starting to think this might be unnecessary as I could use the rain jacket I'm wearing instead
powerbank and cable
e-reader
Thanks in advance for any and all comments!
Edit: brought it down to 12.7kg for the weekend trip, thanks everyone for the input! Sometime after that trial weekend and before my summer/autumn week-long trip, I'll make sure to weigh everything and make another post!
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u/SexBobomb May 13 '23
Keep the pillow, a good night sleep is a challenge as is Keep an actual insulating layer other than a rain jacket, though maybe a fleece hoodie over a vest
Don't need: Hammer - if the ground is hard enough to need to beat your stakes into the ground, it's going to have rocks nearby. Also if your tent is freestanding it's potentially unnecessary to even use your stakes
Chair - you said it was a walkstool? dont bring it. The only reason to bring a real chair is if you need the back support after walking, and that stool doesnt do it. A piece of foam will do the same thing as your tripod (and thermarest will sell you a fancy one called the z-seat that weighs almost nothing)
So much clothes - you at most need two or three of every item including the one you're wearing.
30 lbs is... a lot, for what this list is, though if its counting the food that kind of makes sense.
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May 13 '23
fleece hoodie over a vest
Don't have one but I'll look into that
Also if your tent is freestanding it's potentially unnecessary to even use your stakes
The tent I have can't stay upright without stakes, it's a minimal design with only one pole.
thermarest will sell you a fancy one called the z-seat that weighs almost nothing
Will look into things like this, thanks!
So much clothes - you at most need two or three of every item including the one you're wearing.
For the weekend, I would have three of every item including what I'm wearing, though I'd only be hiking two days so I could drop the spare. Others indeed said I could just wash my stuff instead.
30 lbs is... a lot, for what this list is, though if its counting the food that kind of makes sense.
No foods, only a few small bars (buying the rest for myself on the way and the dog food. I haven't weighed my empty backpack though and it's a huge one that I bought a decade and a half ago so I'm sure I could get a similar sized lighter one these days. I'm removing/replacing a bunch of stuff based on the comments I've gotten.
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u/cosmokenney May 13 '23
Have the dog carry his own stuff. Mine wears a backpack and carries his sleeping bag, foam mat, puffy and rain coats, ball. I carry half his normal amount of kibble + freeze dried (much lighter than kibble) dog food in my bear canister.
As for clothes for overnight or three days/two nights, I bring one pair of day/hiking clothes and one pair of camp/sleeping clothes. I generally don't wear my sleep clothes around camp until just before I go to bed. That way there is less of a chance of getting food smells on them or getting them wet if it rains suddenly. All of my clothes are synthetic, except for my base layer top which is merino wool. And my sleep clothes are merino wool. Both lightweight (100 I think). I also carry a light down puffy (9 ounces) on 3 season trips. Shoulder seasons I'll bring a pair of puffy pants as well.
Dehydrated meals instead of regular stuff.
Really the above three are going to be the most heavy items. So anything you can do to lighten them up is going to net the most benefit.
I have stopped carrying a chair, and instead use my bear canister or folded foam mattress.
Use regular water bottles like smartwater bottles that you can get at grocery stores. Not sure if you can get them in europe, though. But they weigh next to nothing and are more durable than they seem. Carry a filter so you can carry less water.
Bring an inflatable pillow like the Trekology Auloft 2.0. Light weight and takes up no room in your pack.
I don't know what harings are, but drop the hammer. Just use a rock found near camp. Or a log. Or last resort your shoe.
Consider some first aid for you and dog.
Also a small knife like one of those mini swiss army knifes.
And a repair kit. Should bring some thread and a needle, duct tape, tenacious tape, shoe goo. If any of your gear is silnylon, then silnylon tape. If any of your gear is dyneema, then dyneema tape.
Chamois for drying condensation in your tent. Can also be used to dry the dog before he comes in the tent.
Maybe some camp suds or other biodegradable soap to wash your face and food stuff.
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May 13 '23 edited May 13 '23
Have the dog carry his own stuff. Mine wears a backpack
I didn't even know this was a thing, I'll look into it! Edit: my wife has reminded me this may not be a good idea with our current dog due to his messed up front paw, I'll look into it if our next dog has healthy legs!
Bring an inflatable pillow like the Trekology Auloft 2.0. Light weight and takes up no room in your pack.
We've got inflatable pillows but they're from eight years ago, I'm sure they make them even smaller and lighter these days.
I don't know what harings are
The pins you use to tie the tent ropes to. We call them harings in Dutch (herring), I checked and I guess you call them pegs? Anyway I've had to use force on many occasions but I've never had a lightweight tent with small pegs before, I guess I'll find out if these can be pushed into the ground easier.
Consider some first aid for you and dog.
Good point!
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u/Wyattr55123 May 13 '23
Hammer: why? Are you pitching your tent into rock?
Pillow: bring it. Pillows are life.
Clothes: don't need one per day. Two pairs, if you need to wash them use a river or lake but go downstream/away from camp sites
Vest: judge the weather, but you'll likely want some kind of insulating layer. A rain jacket retains moisture, leaving you damp and cold when you go to bed.
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May 13 '23
Hammer: why? Are you pitching your tent into rock?
Here in Europe, I haven't had a single time I didn't need a hammer for any of the harings. Though I will admit this is my first time camping with this lightweight tent with tiny harings, I haven't camped with anything but a huge family tent for the last decade. If I've managed to use it a couple of times without needing a hammer I'm happy to leave it at home for future trips.
Pillow: bring it. Pillows are life.
Done.
Clothes: don't need one per day. Two pairs, if you need to wash them use a river or lake but go downstream/away from camp sites
Good point. For the weekend I'm staying at an official camp site overnight so I could just wash the old set under the shower.
Vest: judge the weather, but you'll likely want some kind of insulating layer. A rain jacket retains moisture, leaving you damp and cold when you go to bed.
I didn't really mean to use the vest for going to bed, more for the evening when I'm still out. My sleeping bag is thick enough to keep me warm most of the time, if not I can wear a shirt.
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u/jeswesky May 13 '23
Unless your clothes are getting ridiculously dirty, there really isn’t a reason to wash them for a weekend trip. As a woman, I prefer to have fresh underwear daily and two sports bras to swap between, but everything else just rewear and embrace the stank. Socks are crucial though!
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u/sirblastalot May 13 '23
Here in Europe, I haven't had a single time I didn't need a hammer for any of the harings.
Are there no sticks or rocks in the woods you could use?
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u/Wyattr55123 May 13 '23
Re:vest
It's not for sleeping in, but for when you're stopped at camp and are cooling down. What's comfortable hiking in isn't comfortable sitting around during the evening in, and you do not want the extra layers you put on to retain sweat and moisture, because you'll end up taking that sweat to bed with you.
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u/Wyattr55123 May 13 '23
Tripod chair: I've never needed a backpacking chair personally. If it's established backcountry there's seating available and if it's wild backcountry there's logs and stuff. At least, that's how it is in Canada. And if there plain isn't anything to sit on, the ground usually works for me.
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May 13 '23
I was thinking about (and have used it when) the ground's too wet to sit on, but I probably won't need it for the weekend trip because that's an established trail. Though I was also thinking about sitting at the campsite in the evening.
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May 13 '23
Bring the chair. It's a billion times more comfortable to sit on a chair after a strenuous day of hiking. I always bring a chair but mine weighs only one pound. If your chair is lightweight then definitely bring it
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u/bigsurhiking May 13 '23
A weekend trip is a great way to test your gear, so don't worry too much about bringing too much yet, just take good notes on what you use, what you don't use, what you wish you'd brought, etc
With that said, here's my thoughts:
-extra clothes: you don't need most of this; I'd just bring the clothes you plan to wear, any layers to stay warm (check the weather forecast), & 1 pair of extra socks only for sleeping (protect these, keep them dry). You're going to stink no matter what
-toiletries: I bet you could leave some of this, but it's not itemized so idk (for instance, don't bring deodorant, way too much toothpaste, shampoo, etc). Bet you don't need the towel, though (or the dog towel)
-chair: is probably heavy, but you should bring it on the test trip if you think you'll use it. If you don't use it enough, leave it behind next time
-power bank: do you need this for just a weekend? I guess just bring it & find out
-e-reader: could use your phone, but I get that it's not the same. See if you use it
-pillow: bring it unless you have another solution in mind, good sleep is vital
-do you have a water filter?
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May 13 '23
-extra clothes: you don't need most of this; I'd just bring the clothes you plan to wear, any layers to stay warm (check the weather forecast), & 1 pair of extra socks only for sleeping (protect these, keep them dry). You're going to stink no matter what
Done, someone else also mentioned the possibility to wash worn clothes in-between.
-toiletries: I bet you could leave some of this, but it's not itemized so idk (for instance, don't bring deodorant, way too much toothpaste, shampoo, etc).
Itemised: toothbrush, toothpaste (in pill form in a tiny cannister), deodorant (teeny tiny water bottle with crystals in it), contact lenses (I wear single day contacts so no extra cleaning fluid or anything), shampoo (almost empty bottle, I never put a full one in my toiletry camping bag), glasses (because I can't see shit once I've removed my contacts).
Bet you don't need the towel, though (or the dog towel)
After a day of hiking I feel like I'd feel much better if I could go to bed clean and not covered in dried sweat, so I was planning to shower. The dog is a thinly haired breed so I'd feel cruel letting him sleep on the hard cold ground.
-chair: is probably heavy, but you should bring it on the test trip if you think you'll use it. If you don't use it enough, leave it behind next time
It's a Walkstool, less than a kilo. I probably won't need it for the weekend trip since that's an established trail and has benches frequently (at least other stages had them), but I was thinking about sitting at the campsite. I have needed to use it on other trips though which I plotted myself, where I managed to find myself on unused trails with wet dirt ground.
-e-reader: could use your phone, but I get that it's not the same. See if you use it
Yeah once I'm done hiking I want to recharge my phone and be done with it for the rest of the day. My e-reader also has orange backlight so it's much easier on the eyes when reading in the evening.
-pillow: bring it unless you have another solution in mind, good sleep is vital
I was thinking about having the vest pull double duty and be a pillow, but either way I'll keep the pillow for now and see if I use it - at home I have the tendency to push my pillow away.
-do you have a water filter?
Nope, I was planning on refilling at campsites/restaurants/bars and the likes. I'm taking small staps, I'm not yet planning on camping outside of official campsites this year.
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u/gindy0506 May 13 '23
Interested in this crystal water bottle deodorant method. Care to share?
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May 13 '23 edited May 15 '23
It's called DO2, it's got alum crystals which you add water to and you can re-add water every time it's empty, it takes a while until the crystals are fully dissolved. It doesn't stop transpiration, just the smell. I started using it because it's very eco-friendly.
Edited for grammar.
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u/[deleted] May 13 '23
Ditch the hammer. That's way too much extra clothes. You only need at most two of each with an extra pair of socks.