In 2005 my son hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, a 2600 mile epic adventure. As he was preparing for the trip he adopted the ultralight approach. I was amazed at the impact of taking care to reduce the weight of every item that he took. This inspired me to rethink my camping gear.
I started by evaluating every piece of gear and clothing that I would normally take with me on a hiking trip. I placed each into one of three categories, must have, extra for just in case, don’t need. The must have pile was much smaller then I had expected. For this blog I am going to focus on the basic concept, in later ones I will provide more detail and some design and build ideas.
Looking at the gear I could see opportunities to use items for multiple purposes and thereby reduce bulk and weight. When I started I had the typical 3-4 pound -20 degree sleeping bag. Most of my hikes occur in weather that will be above 32 degree, so I purchased a new +20 degree bag that weighs about a pound. Now a +20 degree bag does not mean that you will be comfortable at freezing, so I regulate my temperature with the amount of clothing that I wear to sleep in. On one especially cold night I wore all of the layers that I had and was very toasty.
So what is the benefit of this? First I began to discover that by reducing weight and bulk I could get by with a smaller and lighter backpack. I went from a 4 pound pack to a 2 pound pack, thus further reducing the weight. Second, fully loaded with food and water my pack weights 25-30 pounds. This makes me much more agile and uphill climbs are much easier. I can hike all day and be ready to go when I get to camp.
Camping Gear – there are basic items that you need to take regardless of how long a trip you are taking, although some items are dependent on where and when you are going. My basic list includes:
Sleeping Bag Sleeping Pad Tent Cook Stove Cook Pots Cup Fork/spoon/knife Backpack Water Pump Water container Matches Dish Soap Towel Toilet Paper Dish cleaning pad Headlamp
Clothing:
This is an area that the new hi-tech materials really provides benefit and are worth the extra money. I use a layering approach and plan on washing clothing every day. I also pay close attention to the expected weather and adjust my clothing appropriately, no need for my puff coat if the temperatures day and night will be in the 60s and above. My general list include:
Socks - three pairs - I could get by with two but I believe that your feet health is critical so I take and extra, but I do wash one pair every day. Underwear - two pairs - I use hi-tech material that I can wash and it is dry in a few hours. Body layer tops - two pairs - hi-tech material that dries quickly Mid-weight Top layer Puff Jacket32 Rain Coat Rain Pants Long Underwear bottoms - I have three different weights so I take one or two pair dependent on expected weather. Stocking cap Hat - the type depends on expected weather, in really hot areas the wide brim is necessary. Camp shoes - I have gone to using Crocks, they are light and I can use them as water shoes.
Toiletries:
I keep what I take to the minimum; after all I am out camping. I use small travel size containers and keep it all in a Ziplock bag. I use commercially available bio-degradable soap for all washing – hair, face and dishes. One thing to watch out for is that the smell of some of these items can attract unwanted critters so while in camp keep you bag out of your pack.
Other:
I have added at least one luxury item, a camp chair. My chair is called a Swing Light Chair and is the envy of everyone at camp. The added weight, around a pound is worth it.
