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The Light and Fast Thread


Bill_Simpkins

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This thread is for packing light only! Techniques, tips, tricks, multifunctions, gear, questions and please NO SPRAY! This is not for discussion on whether light and fast is ok or not. This is for those who want to do it or already do it that are just looking to hone it in more or to help others do it. For those who DO obsess about weight and care about it. Why? Our packs are always too heavy!

 

We could start by posting how we pack, and what for, with weights and techniques and then go from there. Also welcome are personal reviews and experiences with light gear. My goal with this thread is so that someone that wants to pack lighter can come to this thread and get ideas.

Attaching Excel Spreadsheets may be helpful.

 

Again, please no spray and keep debating to a minimum to keep useful information easy to get.

Thanks.

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Golite Gust for the light trips. It's a bit big, but it only weighs 20 oz. The fabric is a lot tougher than even the best silnylon. If you add some compression straps and know how to pack it, you are left with a 24 oz pack that can carry a lot of weight comfortably (but a lot of weight isn't the point, now is it?).

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i have found that one way to really get in the light is right mindset is to start venturing into safe (relatively) areas with minimal gear. for instance, a couple of years ago i would hike/scramble the peaks around town (anchorage) with a pack and essentially just walk up in a resonable amount of time. some of the peaks that used to take many hours i now run up after work (and day light is going fast up here). the only gear i now carry is a key to the car and a mini-disc player. using this method i have linked multiple peaks in a shorter time than it would take me to just hike up one. this gets transposed into the "big' mountians when i need to really push it and get things done. cause if your going light you had best be going fast. i think that the mental aspect is a really important component, you have to learn how to keep on going while you are suffering.

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cut all the straps and buckles you don't need off your pack...sounds ridiculous, but if you add it all up you'll be surprised how much weight you'll be saving.

Also, buy a brunton crux or snowpeak gigapower stove instead of a white gas model for summer use. Old stove (himalaya varifuel = 440 grams, plus super heavy fuel canister and pump). Snowpeak = 74 grams, plus super light fuel canister.

Also, take a six pack of cans instead of a six pack of bottles bigdrink.gif

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This is good stuff people!

Yes the mental aspect is important.

 

I just got a Granite Gear Virga. 1 pound 5 oz and carries like a dream when packed right. If you pack all frameless packs with a 3/4 length sleeping pad rolled up on the inside and pack everything in that, you'll get good support and less stuff on the outside. I usually just put my sleeping bag inside my Marmot Alpine light bivy (1 pound) and cram it in the bottom. This method also works well with the Go-Lite Gust.

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The weight of your footwear is, IMO, a HUGE factor. The difference between Invernos with steel poons, and Trango S with aluminum poons is like night and day.

 

Mindset is everything.

 

Favorite light gear:

Trango superfly biners

Mammut 8mm dyneema slings

9.4 single ropes w/ 6 ot 7mm companion line

Sportiva Trango Extreme/Trango S boots

 

Methods: A shovel for a cave is the lightest bomber shelter for a team of 3. Don't underestimate the psychological boost that something like shake-n-warms can give you. They are "extra weight" sure, but the pysch factor can make up for the 1oz quickly.

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One vote here for the Serratus Genie pack. At 15 oz it is light and it carries very well. I have comfortably managed to use this pack on three day summer climbing trips. I did, however, add a sternum strap and compression straps, adding 2.5 oz. plus, the pack is cheap! $48 Cdn and durable.

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I have very light Deuter pack (35 lit) for day trips and most of ski trips around Vancouver, BC.

www.deuter.com

Using down superlight -5C sleeping bag, shells and synthetic jacket I managed to do many overnight trips where we beat the weather. My concern is now trekking or long ski traverses in near future.

Are all of you who exploring light and fast options just don't look into ski traverses and week long trips anymore?

Especially, I am looking to hear model of your BIG pack sitting in the corner collecting dust.

At the same time I am constantly applying light and fast tips for myself.

After doing that for a long time I am so stressed out when I see how heavy some packs are.

How about you?

Z

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get those new energizer super batteries, lithium i think. they are lighter and i only used 1aa in my mini-disc player on a 6 week expedition. i listened to music while carrying loads and in the tent evernight (often fell asleep to tunes) and while soloing. i would venture that it lasted for at least 60hrs of music. didn't replace the battery until i got back from the trip!

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I saved a bunch of weight on a couple trips this year by not bringing rock shoes. I used my tight-fitting Cinder Cones. They're not optimal on the hike in or on the hard climbing, but they work, and they're just right for med-hard ground, and especially great for climbs when you're frequently transitioning between rock and non-rock (snow, pine-needles, heather). I find less-weight to be especially critical when it's weight you need to carry while on the climb. Not having to carry boots or shoes in your pack while climbing rules!

 

Whiskey, not beer.

 

Carefully think about where you can get water. Carrying an extra liter of water is an unwieldy 2 lbs heavier than you need to be.

 

I got the Serratus Genie too, it's great. I was just out yesterday though and noted that it had a little key-clippy thing in the flap pocket. Extra 3 grams!! Time for that to go.

 

Also this super-light Wild-Things windshirt. It's especially good because you can shove into a large pants pocket on a long climb and not need a pack.

 

Pants with zip-off legs save a little bit of weight, and allow you to transition between long and short pants easily in the middle of a climb. Plus you don't need a pack to carry just the pant sleeves (nest them inside each other and clip 'em in somewhere, or stow them in a pocket).

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Check out the Jet Boil

15oz with pot. I love this thing! the fuel and stove fits in pot. Boils fast and takes up little room. No lighter needed.

 

Be wary of those piezo ignitions (in general). They are notorious for failure. I would definitely carry a lighter as a precaution.

 

One question: Would it be possible to use another fuel canister with these? It looks like sizing is made specifically so the windscreen thing rests on the canister for stability. Would using a larger, or another brand of canister cause problems with fit etc?

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I have a golite Hex 3. Great 4 season shelter. I use the floor, but not the nest. Not counting the trecking poles its less than 3 1/2 lbs and fits 2 with gear and room to spare.

 

Just picked up a Mountainsmith Auspex. Not ultralight, but over a pound lighter than my last pack and more comfortable to carry.

 

MSR Simmerlite

 

BD Zenix replaced my PT Yukon HL and I'm happy with it so far.

 

Lithium batteries come in both AA and AAA sizes now. They're very nice.

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Here are some tricks that would work with any gear.

-Role up TP off the roll.

-Cut off extra strapping and stuff from pack (as tlinn stated)

-rack gear on tied webbing you can use for rap sling.

-Fit shovel head to ice axe shaft (removable)

-Make cordellete with stuff you can cut up for rap slings.

-share nut tool.

-belay and rappell with munter hitch or army wraps on biner(rapping only) and leave ATC at home (if however doing lots of belay/raps, the 2 ozs of the ATC can save a lot of twisting)

-use ice axe for nut tool, us nut tool for self arresting (depends of course on terrain)

-remove the front half of strap-on crampons and secure the front half with really thin webbing.

-Cut sleeping pad down to 1/2-3/4 lengths and use your pack and/or rope for feet or head. (I even do this on snow)

-girth hitch slings to pro to save on biners.

-learn knots and safe methods for using less biners at belay stations.

-Use a bowine on a bite instead of a sling for anchoring to trees.

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I went through all my gear and created a database of my gear's weight in Backpacking Gear Weight Calculator Now I can sit here at work and click on different combinations of gear for an upcoming trip and it will tell me the total weight, and weights for subcategories, such as sleeping, climbing, clothing etc. I still carry way too much stuff, but this has helped me trim things down a bit and it's kinda fun to get everything packed while your at work! grin.gif

 

I'm just getting into this packing light stuff, but whoa, after years of getting ridiculed for sawing off the handle of my toothbrush, I realized that there is a lot of crap that I take just because I own it. Old habits die hard, but they die easier when you've got a buddy asking you "what the hell do you need that for? That's 7 ounces!" regarding everything you own.

 

I made a similar spreadsheet, but using a postal scale we have at home for baking and making soap. I weighed everything in about 1/2 hour, then made a similar spreadsheet that I can click on and pack for two people (or two scenarios to compare). I've cut my pack weight by at least a third.

 

Knowledge is power. I highly recommend this.

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One question: Would it be possible to use another fuel canister with these? It looks like sizing is made specifically so the windscreen thing rests on the canister for stability. Would using a larger, or another brand of canister cause problems with fit etc?

 

Yep, u can use the Snow peak GP-110 the 110 gram canister. the canister threads are “universal” so u can use Primus, MSR, Snow Peak, Colman and Burton. it is all depending on the size of the canister. the threads are all the same and interchangeable between all stoves and canisters.

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From the top of my head:

I use frameless packs with foam sleeping pads for support. One big tent for the group helps to save a lot of weight, better if singlewall e.g. Bibler Bombshelter. I can take lighter sleeping bag if I know that I can zip it together with somebody else. Another lightweight idea is to sleep in a jacket and a shortened sleeping bag e.g. Bask Aconcagua.

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