How heavy are your packs and for how many days do you go out?

[Owl]

45# all in....optics and water are a killer!

 

[Owl]

I will say though....analyzing all of the gear is the fun part!

 

[Lukedc]

Lots of good advice here. The only thing I do a bit differently is leave the tent in favour of a large tent fly which I make into a lean-to, and my "stove" is a folding wind deflector with a lightweight grill over it. (I'm an old timer.) I can get away with this because I always camp in the thickest timber I can find. If I have to camp above timberline a tent and proper stove is a must. Internal "A" frame packs are the best in steep going but external frames are good in open rolling hills. Don't go lightweight on your boots and use heavy high quality socks with a pair of ultralight liners, (take an extra pair of liners). Leave your Bowie knife at home and take a one with replacement blades so you won't need a sharpener. Plan for success. Get some lessons on how to properly bone out and cape an animal. Lots of weight can be saved by bringing out only what is absolutely necessary. If there are two of you think about bringing a lightweight folding saw. Finally, it may seem superfluous but an ounce of super strong vodka mixed into your hot drink at the end of the day is a nice muscle relaxant.

Thanks for the word, I am very intrigued by your rain fly into a lean-to. I will have to test that this summer! I also plan on taking a backpacking flask with some of my favorite cuz I agree with your point there.

 

[Lukedc]

My pack for 5 days comes in at about 45 lbs if I take mostly freeze dried food. I could do a little better because I always seem to have an extra butane bottle. Their are times when I minimized the freeze dried food though. I don't like to drop 2000 feet to get water supply and freeze dried food requires a lot of water. I will usually pack some water up the hill before opening day but i can't seem to carry 5 days worth of water with all my gear if I have to rehydrate all my food. In that situation my pack starts out hevier but is lighter on vertical climb to elevation because i have to fill water containers be for I leave the creek. The extra gallons of water is brutal. I can also make it 1 small butane bottle when i have food that doesnt require boiling water.that system seams to work for me. If there is a spring on the mountain I'll take more freeze dried food.

I can see your reasoning. I could never make myself do that. I have scouted my hunting area thoroughly and have 3 good streams marked on my onX map system. I have my trusty gravity filter and will be getting water when I need it up there on the mountain!

 

[scorge30]

My daypack averages around 7 to 10 pounds, most of that being the Camelbak bladder. Being disabled, I can no longer hump a large, heavy pack or hike and backpack hunt in the backwoods.

My pack contains a few snacks, hunting necessities should I be foolish enough to shoot something, GPS, my medicine, snacks for my service dog, sniffle gear, and first aid kits for both man and dog.

 

[Don A Parsons]

Im giving the 15 1/2 lb ultralight pack system a try this summer...
I started off by researching the 9 lb idea,,, but I changed things up a bit to improve the quality of this test...

2 day stints at first...

 

[Danehunter]

One final point - I listed a 3 season down bag but that presumes you also take a down or synthetic insulated jacket and pants to ALSO wear in the bag if necessary. That will add a good 15 F.of warmth or more with a decent 3 season mattress with a rating of R 3.5 or better. Add to this a fleece balaclava for night or day.

This "sleeping in insulating layer clothes" saves weight B/C they can also be used on cold days and evenings. It follows the backpackers' mantra of dual duty gear. Zip up your parka or shell and put it over the foot of your sleeping bag for more warmth and to keep tent wall frost from melting on the foot of the bag. Put some clothes beneath your mattress for more insulation. Even before setting up your tent use dry leaves or cut evergreen boughs under your tent floor to insulate it from the ground. It works.

Eric B.

 

[Don A Parsons]

Thanks Eric,,, yes,,, more R value if its needed...

Good idea to be able to get a R5 for the just incase up here above the 49th parallel... deffinaly giving it a go this summer when its raining...

It seems to be the norm up here when i head into the Rocky Mountain Range

 

[Don A Parsons]

Pretty sure ill be packing a cheap light weight polyurethane foam,,, its fairly light,,, super warm, and comfortable for the old body...

Force it into my compression sack,,, cinch it tight to compress to the size of a football... same for my -22c sleeping bag...

Pictures to follow

 

[Danehunter]

Don, I have given two of my foam-filled self inflating Thermarest mattresses to my grandsons. Now I use either of two REI FLASH Insulated mattresses. The 3 Season version is R 3.5 and weighs 15 oz. The All Weather is R 5.3 for winter and weighs in at 18 oz. I inflate them with a compatible Sea to Summit dry bag inflator that also holds my clothes. Again, dual duty gear.
So these mattresses are 1. lighter for the warmth, 2. pack much smaller, and 3. more comfortable than the self inflating mattresses.
With more bulky clothing for colder seasons I need more space in my pack and the smaller packed mattress size really helps.

Eric B.

 

[Don A Parsons]

I hear yha brother...

I'm searching for a frameless 55 ot 60 L backpack this week...

Hopeful the compressed foam roll can fasten on top of the pack out of the way...

Keep the tent,,, sleeping bag,,, roll of thin plastic and food stuff in the pack its self...

Rain cover over foam roll or jam it into the light weight compression bag to keep things in a less bulky...

I used the 9 lb ultralite pack idea as my base plan,,, then allowed my self to add a few extra ounces here and there for a """bit""" more comforts...

Its challenging staying under the 16 lb mark up here in the North since its pretty darn chilly up here in the mornings along the Rocky Mountain Range... nothing worse than a July or August Snow storm rolling threw... Ha...

One does not want to get caught in that situation ever... seen it once and its not nice.

 

[Danehunter]

Don,
You want a frameless 60 L pack?? How do you propose to transfer the pack weight to your padded hip belt without a frame? 60 L. is a decent sized pack, good for a 5 day trip. That could be upwards of 45 pounds - without a frame??
But wait, you mentioned 16 pounds. How can you do 16 lbs. of shoulder season gear for say, even a 3 night trip?

Please list your gear, all of it, and the weight for each item. I'll be waiting with great interest B/C for me, with a light Osprey EXOS 58 (61 L.) pack, Western Mountaineering Megalite overstuffed 20 F. down bag, REI Insulated R3.7 air mattress (15 oz.) and Tarptent Moment DW solo tent (2 lbs. 2 oz.) and Trail Designs cone stove using ESBIT tablets plus my clothing, food, water and other necessaries I'm still at 28 pounds. And then there's my scoped, loaded rifle.

Eric B.

 

[Don A Parsons]

I'll post the weigths once I get things sorted...

I used Alan's 9 lb idea,,, then adjusted the things I need to make the outting more comfortable...

I hope i can stay under the 15.86 lbs,,, or 16 mark at the trail head...
Thats not including the cloths i have on or the rifle and extras that go with it...

Alan has 50 ish years backing the world,,, about 22 years of that in the ultra light pack system...

Heres and link to his write-ups...

Adventure Alan | Lightweight, Ultralight, Backpacking and Hiking https://www.adventurealan.com/

Ive been following the PALS System as well since im not a fan of being cold,,, ive been frozen many a times in Northern Canada,,, Territories,,, and once in Alaska... frozen sucks Goats milk... ha...

My first ultra light pack trip will be this summer along with Eastren Slopes of the Rocky Mountain Range,,, hopefully it doesn't snow that week in August,,, ha...

The Mountains are very unforgiving... been there done that...

I'll tally up my weights asap now that I have most of my gear spread out in our work shop,,, good thing for the up stairs mezzanine of 900 square feet... a great place to figure things out since its still winter time up here for a few more months...

Don

 

[Don A Parsons]

Backpack only,,, drop rigging at camp spot,,, then fill hip pack for the hunting circle loop around,,, I don't want to be more than 6 to 7 kms 1 way from my main set-up...

Ive traveled this area many times over the years,,, thats why I hunt this area... normally I don't have to walk that far to fill my tag,,, its more about being out there these days... ha... the hunting thing is just part of the mix """if""" i pull the trigger... most of the time its the adventures of just being there...

This ultra light back pack idea is to give it a try,,, either it works or it doesn't,,, I know one thing,,, I won't be to far from my support unit if things go south,,, not on the first test runs...

A light weight hunting adventure will be good for me to try,,, I'm looking forward to it...

The reason for the 45 to 60L back pack is for volume,,, not weight """if""" I can pull it off...

The heaviest things might the cloths ill be wearing,,, and boots I have on,,, rifle,,, ammo,,, knife and hunting extras... This stuff gets heavy fast...

Hopefully the volume of the back pack can accommodate some of the cloths if I dont need to wear when Im walking in...

Thin hunting pants and shirt for me when walking since Im hot blooded... ha...
I use to make the mistake of dressing to warm on my walks,,, hopefully I have learned my lesson...

Again,,, this will be a learning curve for me,,, my body cant do the heavy packs,,, a worn out back,,, middle age knees,,, lungs that need to rest... and brain power that is not as sharp as it was 33 years ago...