201 ultralight backpacking tips

A place to chat about gear and the philosphy of ultralight. Ultralight bushwalking or backpacking focuses on carrying the lightest and simplest kit. There is still a good focus on safety and skill.
Forum rules
Ultralight Bushwalking/backpacking is about more than just gear lists. Ultralight walkers carefully consider gear based on the environment they are entering, the weather forecast, their own skill, other people in the group. Gear and systems are tested and tweaked.
If you are new to this area then welcome - Please remember that although the same ultralight philosophy can be used in all environments that the specific gear and skill required will vary greatly. It is very dangerous to assume that you can just copy someone else's gear list, but you are encouraged to ask questions, learn and start reducing the pack weight and enjoying the freedom that comes.

Common words
Base pack backpacking the mass of the backpack and the gear inside - not including consumables such as food, water and fuel
light backpacking base weight less than 9.1kg
ultralight backpacking base weight less than 4.5kg
super-ultralight backpacking base weight less than 2.3kg
extreme-ultralight backpacking base weight less than 1.4kg

201 ultralight backpacking tips

Postby threshold » Thu 02 Mar, 2017 9:22 pm

Im not sure if I am allowed to post video links or if this guy has come up on the forum, but I thought I'd share it.

I was looking for ultralight tips on youtube and I came across Steve Green from hikelight.com, this guy is the ultralight god. Clear, simple and concise tips with well edited videos.

Part 1 https://youtu.be/fWbYnTRBfww
Part 2 https://youtu.be/JvPoqkQ94Is

In case you don't get enough ideas from these two videos he has about 100 or so more. Going from hygiene to gear reviews.
User avatar
threshold
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 182
Joined: Mon 02 Jan, 2017 1:59 pm
Region: South Australia
Gender: Male

Re: 201 ultralight backpacking tips

Postby biggbird » Sat 04 Mar, 2017 11:11 am

Seems like he would be a real laugh at parties.
biggbird
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
 
Posts: 776
Joined: Wed 25 Apr, 2012 10:43 am
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: 201 ultralight backpacking tips

Postby robbieb » Thu 27 Apr, 2017 3:35 pm

Lighten up and have more fun :shock:
robbieb
Nothofagus gunnii
Nothofagus gunnii
 
Posts: 46
Joined: Mon 07 Feb, 2011 10:00 am
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: 201 ultralight backpacking tips

Postby Neo » Thu 27 Apr, 2017 5:38 pm

Better than half the stuff on there! Its fun to see him blitz through a bunch of ideas. And he does it a bit tongue in cheek.

I think it was one of his videos had a good way to figure out what size pack you need, put all of your gear in a box to measure the volume of it.
Neo
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1887
Joined: Wed 31 Aug, 2016 4:53 pm
Location: Port Macquarie NSW
Region: New South Wales
Gender: Male

Re: 201 ultralight backpacking tips

Postby Mark F » Thu 27 Apr, 2017 7:53 pm

If you can find them, Mike Clelland does a wonderful set of ul tips as drawings and published as a couple of books. They used to appear on bpl.
"Perfection is attained not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to remove".
User avatar
Mark F
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 2332
Joined: Mon 19 Sep, 2011 8:14 pm
Region: Australian Capital Territory
Gender: Male

Re: 201 ultralight backpacking tips

Postby andrewa » Thu 27 Apr, 2017 11:42 pm

Hopefully he's had Botox to lose that much expression!

Interesting to watch. Personally didn't learn much, but It at least makes you think about items.

I think the turning point for me was looking at Roger Caffin's ?Bushwalking/FAQs - changed my whole concept of gear design (as I mostly make my own).

I also have a personal threshold of 300g for many items eg sleeping mat, insulated jacket, shirts, zip off pants, waterproof jackets/ over pants etc. I double it for tent/quilt/winter down jacket, but try to keep as close to 1-2 multiples of 300g where possible.

I also weigh everything - it amazed me years ago that a mid weight polar fleece jumper was about 750g, but a light down jacket was about 300g, and probably warmer. Same with rain jackets.

Anyway, it stimulates thought process.

A
andrewa
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1426
Joined: Sat 05 Mar, 2011 5:55 pm
ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS: None
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: 201 ultralight backpacking tips

Postby Orion » Fri 28 Apr, 2017 1:00 am

He almost smiled at the very end! :-)
Orion
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1963
Joined: Mon 02 Feb, 2009 12:33 pm
Region: Other Country

Re: 201 ultralight backpacking tips

Postby Orion » Fri 28 Apr, 2017 1:02 am

Pretty good stuff!

A few observations:

- Nuts are heavy? They're not. And he fails to mention how heavy packaged chicken is.
- Drilling out a spoon, toothbrush, or car key. A super bad idea. They break.
. You can still kind of use a spoon or toothbrush without a handle, but not a car key.
- Hollow style cotton swabs are lighter. Sure, but it must be a joke.
- Iodine pills in a dram bottle. That's my trick!

- Steak directly on the coals -- doesn't that get the meat kind of dirty?
Orion
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1963
Joined: Mon 02 Feb, 2009 12:33 pm
Region: Other Country

Re: 201 ultralight backpacking tips

Postby ribuck » Fri 28 Apr, 2017 5:35 am

Well Steve Green's video got me thinking. I have always weighed the things in my backpack, but I've never weighed my shoes.

My Dunlop Volleys, which I always think of as being reasonably lightweight, weigh in at 920g compared to my KT26s at 680g. That's quite a difference, and I can probably shave another three grams off the KT26s by shortening the laces :)

So I'll try bushwalking in the KT26s and see what I think.
User avatar
ribuck
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1883
Joined: Wed 15 May, 2013 3:47 am
Region: Other Country
Gender: Male

Re: 201 ultralight backpacking tips

Postby rcaffin » Sat 29 Apr, 2017 12:09 pm

Volleys are mandatory in canyons - for the grip.
KT26s are very good for 'easy' terrain. The soles were not rigid enough to handle light snow on granite boulders in Europe. They are sort-of OK in light snow like an accidental fall in autumn in KNP. Edging on steep slopes can be difficult too.

Cheers
Roger
User avatar
rcaffin
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1223
Joined: Thu 17 Jul, 2008 3:46 pm

Re: 201 ultralight backpacking tips

Postby ribuck » Sat 29 Apr, 2017 6:08 pm

rcaffin wrote:Volleys are mandatory in canyons - for the grip.

I've worn Volleys for their grip since 1982. Not just in canyons, but on any bushwalk in sandstone country. I tried KT26s, but the flared soles sometimes caught between two rocks, so I gave up on them.

Back then, Volleys had rubber soles and KT26s had synthetic soles. Last month I was checking the shoes in BigW, and was astonished to see that their KT26s had rubber soles and the Volleys had synthetic soles! And that the flaring on the soles of the KT26s wasn't as pronounced as it used to be. So I'm prepared to try KT26s again. Not for canyons, but the canyon season is over for the year anyway. A weight saving of 240g is not to be sneezed at.
User avatar
ribuck
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1883
Joined: Wed 15 May, 2013 3:47 am
Region: Other Country
Gender: Male


Return to Ultralight backpacking

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests

cron