dilettante
Newly Enlightened
I guess I would consider myself an ultralight hiker. It's just another facet of the "gear freak" tendencies that bring me hear.
It's nothing new--just read Camping and Woodcraft by Kephart and/or Woodcraft and Camping by Nessmuk (George Sears). They had unbelievably light pack loads before 1920.
It is all about minimalism, which often meand low-tech. It can also be expensive, but does not have to be. Here's my summer gear list from memory:
Pack: Golite Day Pack. Frameless. Weighs less than a pound.
Shelter: Tarp with bug netting. See www.tarptent.com Less than 2 pounds with stakes and ground cloth.
Sleeping bag: Western Mountaineering MegaLite. Down. Cost too much. 1 pound 9 ounces.
Sleeping pad: Blue foam pad cut into four 10" x 20" pieces and taped together so it can be folded into a "frame" for my pack. Less than 8 ounces.
Clothes: Merino wool longjohn top and bottoms, wool socks, puffy synthetic jacket, windshirt and windpants and poncho (summer) or waterproof breathable shell (winter), hats, gloves, and footwear suitable for the weather.
Stove: Solid fuel stove if I'm just boiling water. About 4 ounces with fuel for an overnighter. Canister stove if I'm really cooking. White gas stove if I'm snow camping.
Pot and spoon: I have a couple Titanium pots, but there are plenty of super light Aluminum ones available, including the famous (among ultralighters) WalMart Grease Pot.
Water: I carry a platypus. I drink out of that and eat out of my pot.
Misc. Knife (Vic. Outrider), headlamp or flashlight (used to use a Tikka, but I'm going to play with my LSH-P and KL1 and E1e and E2e this year), map, compass, etc.
I've gone on three day summer trips with less than 25 pounds including water, fuel and food (based on my weight on my bathroom scale with and without my pack).
As you can see you have to give up a lot to get your pack really light. I heard someone say there are campers and there are hikers. If you love to camp, then ultralight hiking is probably not for you. If you love to hike, then the extra range may be worth the sacrifice in comfort and luxuries.
P.S. I've never mooched of another hiker, but then I like to get off the beaten path and usually don't see any /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
P.P.S. My outfit has evolved to this over 20+ years and I alter it based on the season, my destination and the weather I can expect. I agree you want keep safety in mind anduse your judgment when experimenting with new gear. You don't want to end up wet on a cold night when there are no other tents to knock on /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif
It's nothing new--just read Camping and Woodcraft by Kephart and/or Woodcraft and Camping by Nessmuk (George Sears). They had unbelievably light pack loads before 1920.
It is all about minimalism, which often meand low-tech. It can also be expensive, but does not have to be. Here's my summer gear list from memory:
Pack: Golite Day Pack. Frameless. Weighs less than a pound.
Shelter: Tarp with bug netting. See www.tarptent.com Less than 2 pounds with stakes and ground cloth.
Sleeping bag: Western Mountaineering MegaLite. Down. Cost too much. 1 pound 9 ounces.
Sleeping pad: Blue foam pad cut into four 10" x 20" pieces and taped together so it can be folded into a "frame" for my pack. Less than 8 ounces.
Clothes: Merino wool longjohn top and bottoms, wool socks, puffy synthetic jacket, windshirt and windpants and poncho (summer) or waterproof breathable shell (winter), hats, gloves, and footwear suitable for the weather.
Stove: Solid fuel stove if I'm just boiling water. About 4 ounces with fuel for an overnighter. Canister stove if I'm really cooking. White gas stove if I'm snow camping.
Pot and spoon: I have a couple Titanium pots, but there are plenty of super light Aluminum ones available, including the famous (among ultralighters) WalMart Grease Pot.
Water: I carry a platypus. I drink out of that and eat out of my pot.
Misc. Knife (Vic. Outrider), headlamp or flashlight (used to use a Tikka, but I'm going to play with my LSH-P and KL1 and E1e and E2e this year), map, compass, etc.
I've gone on three day summer trips with less than 25 pounds including water, fuel and food (based on my weight on my bathroom scale with and without my pack).
As you can see you have to give up a lot to get your pack really light. I heard someone say there are campers and there are hikers. If you love to camp, then ultralight hiking is probably not for you. If you love to hike, then the extra range may be worth the sacrifice in comfort and luxuries.
P.S. I've never mooched of another hiker, but then I like to get off the beaten path and usually don't see any /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
P.P.S. My outfit has evolved to this over 20+ years and I alter it based on the season, my destination and the weather I can expect. I agree you want keep safety in mind anduse your judgment when experimenting with new gear. You don't want to end up wet on a cold night when there are no other tents to knock on /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif