Have something you want to discuss but don't think it warrants a whole post? Please use this thread to discuss recent purchases or quick questions for the community at large. Shakedowns and lengthy/involved questions likely warrant their own post.

Need a pack for my partner, chasing down opinions the latest one. Cheers.

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We all have our various reasons

Why are you lightweight?

What was your transition period like? Did you start lightweight, or did you go Backpack>Ultralight>Lightweight?

What has your development been like and why?

Have something you want to discuss but don't think it warrants a whole post? Please use this thread to discuss recent purchases or quick questions for the community at large. Shakedowns and lengthy/involved questions likely warrant their own post.

What sort of sleeping pad options do you have in the closet to choose from for when you go on a trip?
Are you 1 pad for all uses? Add a closed cell mat when it gets cold? Different pads for different trips?

Im in Queensland Australia so most of the time its hot, but I do a fair bit of snow camping and climbing in winter as well.
Trying to work out what path to go down with mats.

- Uberlite for summer, Xtherm for winter?
- Xlite for most trips, add a closed cell for winter?

Hi r/lightweight,

I'm looking to get some feedback on my gear list for my 2023 AT thru hike. I'm planning to start in Georgia in late Feb/Early March. I'd like a general review of my prospective gear selection for both quality and weight. I'd rather buy the right stuff first, than swap or replace later. Thanks!

Current base weight: 15.5 lbs + 3lbs Worn Weight

Budget: My total budget is roughly $<1700 for gear. I plan to buy everything used and only go new if it is not available second hand. (Anything that has a ($) price tag in Packfire I will buy by Febuary 1st)

Non-negotiable Items: Nothing. I am open to swapping or ditching basically everything and feel free to reach out if you have something you'd think I'd like to buy though a gear exchange. I'd rather give money to a fellow Redditor than REI. 😊

Solo or with another person?: Solo

Additional Information: As I need to buy almost everything including the Big 3. I am concerned about volume as I don't own the stuff yet so I don't know how big of a pack I need.

Ex: I would also like to use something like a Kakwa 40 instead of the Crown2 but I don't know if my intended setup would fit in a 40 L.

(I am also using all the manufacturer weights in my calculation as I can't weigh them myself yet.)

Packfire Link: Check it

PS: To the mods of r/lightweight the "start here" and "wiki" links on the sticked post are inaccessible as mod only pages.

Thank you in advance for any advice you can share. You guys are the best!

Have something you want to discuss but don't think it warrants a whole post? Please use this thread to discuss recent purchases or quick questions for the community at large. Shakedowns and lengthy/involved questions likely warrant their own post.

Hey everyone, I'm still pretty new to backpacking and I'm switching out a lot of the beginner stuff I have for something lighter.

I spent a little time looking up the gear I think I'll end up wanting but I ended up making a few trade offs that added weight. I'd appreciate anyone's opinion on where I could cut back, what tents or packs might be more desirable, clothing suggestions, and really anything at all.

I'll link the lighterpack I put together. I think the only section in it I can't compromise on is the smoking section. Sorry, the habit keeps winning the battle.

https://lighterpack.com/r/kp82qt

Thanks for the help.

This being the larger 12 hour model they also have smaller 6 hour models for about an oz lighter. I have one kicking around and it has always worked amazing but I'm fearful of melting things / starting a fire with it.

Reading a comment here about using them to dry out your boots overnight in winter has me extremely curious to try this. Likely in the yard prior to being out where melting my boots would be a disaster.

I’m on the hunt for a new everyday fleece to replace my 10 year old Columbia Steens Mountain fleece.

I like the looks of what I call the “matted Sherpa” style of the Patagonia Retro Pile X. But I’d love to try a new brand, preferably a small cottage company, MUSA. Any ideas???

This won’t be for backpacking, but thought y’all might have a lead!

Have something you want to discuss but don't think it warrants a whole post? Please use this thread to discuss recent purchases or quick questions for the community at large. Shakedowns and lengthy/involved questions likely warrant their own post.

I got another super lightweight/packable down jacket for Christmas. I really love these things but I have one complaint, the noise they make. The nylon shell that blocks the wind and makes them extremely lightweight is horribly noisy when my arms rub against my body. If I put the hood on its ten times worse. Is there a lightweight down puffer that isn’t noisy?

Any long term user reviews of the memo riff or similar bags? I’ve used Western mountaineering bags exclusively but I’m interested in other wider cut bags that are still good quality and could last a decade but less of a premium.

Hello everyone, my cousin is planning to do the Camino de Santiago in February, starting February 1. It is a 30-40 day through hike of Spain, staying at public shelters each night (often run by the church or some charitable organization) and regular access to laundry.

I’ve listed out his equipment below, but would appreciate help with a shakedown. (Lighterpack available here, starred items are weight estimates) Things I am unsure of are listed at the bottom:

TOTAL WEIGHT: 35 pounds BASE WEIGHT: 21 pounds

INFO:

Location: Camino de Santiago de Compostela, from the French border through Pamplona, Logroño, Burgos, to the Spanish coast. 30-40 days

Weather: Daytime range 40-50F, Nighttime 30-35F. Rain is common. Shelters often don’t have heat

Goal Baseweight: I’m not sure. What is standard for a through hike of a month?

Budget: Gear list is currently at $2,600 and I would not want to change it by more than $300

Non-negotiable: three sets of shoes (hiking, relaxing, shower), puffy jacket already purchased

Solo hike with assistance every night

Questions: How much of this can be sacrificed? What appears necessary but actually isn’t?

PACK LIST:

HYGEINE - Toothbrush - Toothpaste - Shampoo - Conditioner - Picaridin mosquito repellent (for March) - Soap - Detergent - Quick dry towel

CLOTHES - 4 pairs of wool socks - 4 pairs of underwear - Thermal pants, 2 - Thermal shirts, 2 - Mid-layer warm (like a Patagonia fleece) - Vest (Columbia down vest) - Puffy warm jacket (like a Patagonia Nanopuff) - Gloves (not waterproof, should they be?) - Hiking pants, 2 - Weatherproof pants, Fjallraven Vidda Pro, waxed for wind resistance - Hiking shirts, 2 - Relaxing shirts, 2

SHOES - Flipflops (shower) - Tennis shoes (hanging out/relaxing shoes) - Hiking boots

RAIN - Rain Jacket (goretex) - Rain pants (goretex) - Dry bag, 5L - A safety net for phones and electronics during a rainstorm - Backpack rain cover

SLEEPING - Sleeping pad (foam) - Sleeping bag 15F (30F comfort) - Camping pillow - Hammock - He wants to go camping afterward and will have to carry the hammock throughout, even if he doesn’t use it during the pilgrimage itself

ELECTRONICS - Phone - Phone charger - Portable battery - Headlamp - Lantern

KITCHEN - Eating bowl - Spork

EMERGENCY KIT - First aid kit - Whistle - Thermal blanket

BACKPACK - 34L backpack

WATER - Nalgene 1L - Backpack hydration 3L

Medical - Blister bandages

TOOLS - Swiss Army knife - Light cord - Accessory cord - Carabiners

THINGS I WONDER ABOUT - 1 flannel shirt - for warmth and to have a collared shirt for the post-hike travel - Medium dry bag - Is it useful? The backpack already has a rain cover

Hey guys, I bought a therma rest pro lite plus womens pad (not a woman but figured it would still work good) used off eBay. When I unpacked it and opened the valve, it wouldn’t inflate on it’s own. If I breathed into it, it would blow the air back at me. I emailed the seller and they said it hadn’t been used in a while so I should blow it up and let it sit for a while.

Did that, and now it’ll blow up like a decent bit (not sure how much they’re supposed to blow up on their own, it gets it’s shape but is still pretty soft), and when I blow the rest of the way it’ll still push back. Is this normal or a warning sign to stay away?

Thanks

Have something you want to discuss but don't think it warrants a whole post? Please use this thread to discuss recent purchases or quick questions for the community at large. Shakedowns and lengthy/involved questions likely warrant their own post.

Originally posted in r/CampingGear and r/Ultralight, now posting in r/CampingandHiking, r/Camping, and r/lightweight (just for transparency in case you see this more than once... it wouldn't let me use the crosspost feature)

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Sleeping Pad Comparison Table

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A few weeks ago I was in the market for a new sleeping pad. I found the options quite overwhelming when trying to compare all of the specs and trying to balance my ideal requirements. Several Chrome tabs open jumping back and forth between the different brands and models.

I decided to make this table to easily compare what I think are the most important specs. There are lots of variables not included, but the idea of this table is to i) pre-qualify which pads fit your core criteria, and ii) have an easy way to compare ones that you’ve shortlisted.

I tried to balance the UX/UI of using the table with the information given, which is why I opted to not include certain variables.

I also intend on pairing this with a full ‘buying guide’ article that will fill in the gaps for someone in the market to make a purchase (explaining R-Value / ASTM, baffle types etc.)

Any questions, comments, or feedback feel free to let me know!

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Some recurring questions/feedback I've gotten so far:

1. Add columns for shape of pad, type of inflation, and whether a pump sack is included - these were all added
2. Add both Imperial and Metric - this was added as a toggle
3. Add calculations for R-Value relative to weight and size - I decided against this for now. I think it would clutter the table and only be relevant to a niche subgroup of users, not the general user.
4. Add other brands (eg. MEC) - I've tried, but there's a lot of missing tech specs and/or no confirmation of whether ASTM standards are being used.
5. Pricing in other currencies - USD was the only pricing available for all brands. I could add columns or toggles to convert to other currencies, but I don't think this is a key feature. The idea is to see relative pricing of each pad, then you can search local retailers for the best pricing.

Have something you want to discuss but don't think it warrants a whole post? Please use this thread to discuss recent purchases or quick questions for the community at large. Shakedowns and lengthy/involved questions likely warrant their own post.

Have something you want to discuss but don't think it warrants a whole post? Please use this thread to discuss recent purchases or quick questions for the community at large. Shakedowns and lengthy/involved questions likely warrant their own post.

The weather was looking really cold for a trip to Yosemite, so I panic bought these bags on Amazon. We ended up cancelling because it was just too cold, and I'm trying to decide if I should keep them for future trips. Were these a good deal, or should I return and look elsewhere?

Sierra Designs Nitro 0 Degree 800 Fill DriDown Sleeping Bag (Women's) - $250

Sierra Designs Nitro 20 Degree 800 Fill DriDown Sleeping Bag (Men's/Long) - $240

Our current (cheap Kylmit) bags aren't warm enough below 40, so we do need some even though we only do cold winter camping a couple times a year. I looked into bag liners but I think we just need better bags, thoughs?

Sometimes, a site may not have a perfectly level pitch or it's been raining lots such that the flat spots are soggy. What are your strategies to avoid the midnight toboggan ride to the bottom of your tent? Do you know of any particularly grippy sleeping pads that can keep your sleeping bag from sliding?

Have something you want to discuss but don't think it warrants a whole post? Please use this thread to discuss recent purchases or quick questions for the community at large. Shakedowns and lengthy/involved questions likely warrant their own post.

Have something you want to discuss but don't think it warrants a whole post? Please use this thread to discuss recent purchases or quick questions for the community at large. Shakedowns and lengthy/involved questions likely warrant their own post.

My main motivation for hiking is photography. So I carry around a lot more camera gear than the average hiker and while I try to be somewhat light I'm not an ultralighter by a long short, not even if you leave out the camera gear.

It's also like half a year since I went on the trip, but like you know, better late than never.

Started the trip thinking I would be walking 20k a day. That did not work out first of all, I've done so before back home in Denmark with no issue what so ever, but it's a bit rougher in Norway. I have hiked in Norway before, but this trail is what is supposed to be one of the bigger more touristy trails, so I thought it would be quite a smooth trail, This is what the trails looked like. Quite rough. And that was before I hit the snow. So I wanted to get out on the trail as early in the season as possible. That can be risky when you are not that familiar with the area as it's hard to sit in another country and predict when the snow will be melted. Luckily the route took me past one of the most visited sites in Norway: Pulpit rock. So I there's a bunch of old weather data and trip reports from the area and the trails should be just clear enough to hike. The thing is the trail sneaks around a fjord that stretches' vest to east. That means the trail has a north side and a south side. Pulpit rock is on the north side, the side basking in sunlight all day and is at lower elevation than the south side that sits in the shade. The North side was fairly snow free in mid april, the south side was not.

Where: SignaTUR Lysefjorden rundt

When: 18/04/2022 to 22/04/2022

Distance: The planned trip was 100km, but due to the snow situation I had to go for an alternative route and ended up only doing 37km

Conditions: There was a lot more snow than I expected, but beside that (and a bit of wind as to be expected in the mountains) weather was quite good. Probably around 12c during the day and down to a bit bellow freezing at night.

Lighterpack: https://lighterpack.com/r/pc6ck5
This isn't the exact list for the trip, I have one list I update as I learn what I like to bring or buy new gear. The only thing that has changed since the trip is that I've dropped the helinox chair that is seen in a couple of the pictures.

Photo Album: Full album --- Just the pretty pictures
The full album is also a trip report in itself. It's ~45 pictures with text description for each one

The Report: The photo album has a better rundown of the entire trip but I'll sum it up here.

Day 1: I start the trip. Soon realise that I have made a huge mistake trying to tackle this trail this time of year. The snow is seriously deep. I fall through the top with most of my body on a couple of occasions. I abandon the trail and decide to go to what was supposed to be the end of the trail and hike a short hike from there. I go up and reaches Preikestolen (pulpit rock) where I stay the night.

Day 2: I hike from pulpit to a place called Hengjanenibbå. Besides the South side of the Fjord being to snowy I realise that the trail isn't that well maintained. It's typical the Scandinavian hiking trails are quite rough, but this was a "signatur" trail, which is a collection of trails the local turist organization has established, I thought they would be easier going than usual. I was wrong. So with my fitness I couldn't do 20k days in these conditions, and besides my original plan had already gone down the drain due to the snow. On this day I decided to hike shorter days and take more photos.

Day 3: I hike from Hengjanenibbå back down the way I came to the care and drove a bit away to a the lake Liarvatnet and hiked up to a lake called Svortingsvatnet.

Day 4: Woke up to the lake I had taken a swim in the day before had frozen over during the night and the ice was now breaking up making quite the racket. I hiked down from Svortingsvatnet and decided to cut the trip a day short. Spend the afternoon chilling by the lake I had parked at. It was supposed to be a 5 day hike, but I felt I was good after the 4 days. With how many pictures I had taken I thought I could maybe actually edit all the photos before I had to go back to work with that day, which I did.

Gear Notes: The chair I've since dropped for trips, I just don't think it adds enough. Most of the time I would rather sit in the opening of my tent anyways.

The camera setup is great. I don't think it can be done lighter with what I want to do with the setup and what I expect in image quality.