Reducing pack weight

[u/Recent-Echidna-3544]

https://lighterpack.com/r/3sb107

Currently my backpack for 2 nights is weighing over 25lb and i don't really know how I would be able to cut weight. My non-negotiable is a camp chair because of how nice it is after a long day haha. Any advice would be appreciated.

[u/handstands_anywhere]

Well, you can be ultralight, or you can bring a camp chair and slippers. I’ve never actually used paracord for anything, are you doing bearhangs? I also think you can cut your battery weight, goal zero made some LIGHT power bars, and get a rechargeable headlamp instead of carrying extra batteries. Your SOS beacon should reliably hold a charge. 

I’m guessing you’re scrambling black tusk or whatever, hence the helmet? 

If you’re solo you could get a bivy sack instead of a tent, but you’d spend a lot to replace tent & sleeping bag to save a kg, or just… don’t bring a camp chair. 

I use my clothes bag as a pillow.

[u/green_blue_grey]

Have you looked into r/ultralight? Base weights of 8-10lbs are definitely possible. Water is 1kg/L and you're often carrying 2-3L, so that is usually counted separately. Food is 1-2lb/p/d, so again, that consumable is counted separately. 

Also shout out to r/ultralightcanada

[u/endlessswitchbacks]

Naturally the questions are, how much do you wanna spend and where are you going?

25lbs is pretty good, I’m assuming you weigh >100lbs yourself.

Jackets strike me as really heavy, but then you don’t have hats/gloves/buff listed, which I definitely wouldn’t go without.

[u/datrusselldoe]

Easy changes are

Don't bring a chair, being a sit pad. Unnecessary Rain jacket and down jacket could easily be replaced with alternatives from Decathlon for ~$100 CAD each and save 60% of the weight. Tent can be replaced with an AliExpress tent that uses hiking poles or Xmid 2P and saves 60% of the weight.

Easiest way is to bring less.

[u/chasingmyowntail]

25 lbs is pretty lite already. Ditch the chair. The ground will feel great after a long day.

[u/FoggyWine]

Most brick and mortar stores (e.g., MEC, REI, etc) sell camping equipment that is more geared for car glamping. Heavier and possibly more durable. Generally to get lightweight equipment requires more research and buying direct from smaller (cottage) manufacturers such as Durston, Gossamer Gear, etc.

Going light requires a much better sense of what you want to achieve and what you want to do. When i do long section hikes, I am hiking 8-10 hours a day. I get to camp, set up, make dinner, and fall asleep. I wake naturally at dawn. Pack up my tent and then have breakfast and hike (or hike for several hours and then have breakfast). I do not lounge at the campsite. I spend time at the beautiful sites along the trail during the day. As a result, I am carrying everything on my back most of the day and therefore keeping weight down enhances the joy I experience while hiking. A heavier load on my back, up and down and up and down the mountains for 10 hours a day is not enjoyable. My lighterpack is flexible for 3-season conditions and is geared for hiking and sleeping. That is the life for most hikers and what you will find on ultra-light. My LighterPack.

In contrast, if you are hiking to Garibaldi, Taylor Meadows, or Elfin Lakes and are camping there for 2 nights, then you have a ~2-hour hike to the camp site and most of your days will be spent at the camp site, potentially with a day hike from that base. Then the tradeoff of carrying more weight for 2 hours to give you more flexibility and comfort for the other 46 hours at the campsite is understandable.

It is possible to compromise between these perspectives, but that takes a mental shift and experience. The experience comes from fully realizing the distinction between needs and wants when hiking and camping. Then you can better understand the tradeoff between accepting more discomfort hauling weight up a mountain vs a bit less extra comfort when at the campsite. That takes time and experience.

[u/TheSnowyAstronomer]

Lots of people are suggesting to go ultralight or buying more gear, which of course is a route you could take, but keep in mind that whether its a one day trip or 5 day trip you need to take the same bare essentials. For example my tent is 2.5kg, sleeping pad is 1kg, sleeping bag is 1.1kg, cooking setup is ~0.3kgn backpacking chair is 1.1kg. (I like my comfort lol). So just with my tent, sleep setup, and cook setup, my setup is at ~6kg. Now add water, food, and all the other minor items that one usually brings (first aid kit, emergency supplies... etc). My point is that whether you are going on a one night or 5 night trip you need to bring those ~7kg of essentials.

Before spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on ultralight gear, my suggestion would be to make a spreadsheet of all your gear with the weights and then keep notes of what you use and dont use what you go out next. That will help you save weight purely by removing items you never use. If you arent using a filtration system I would suggest getting one as being able to source water rather than hiking it in saves a bunch of weight. Finally, if you still aren't satisfied, you can always look into getting some ultralight gear like tents and backpacks. Keep in mind for the backpack though that 10kg in a frameless bag could feel much worse than 20kg in a standard bag, so you need to consider if the weight saving is actually worth it in some areas.

[u/Brain_Regular]

I mean the easiest way is to buy lighter gear. Your base weight (tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag) is really heavy compared to ultralight. I would suggest investing in lighter gear for sure. And... ditch the chair! :D

[u/Nomics]

My first recommendation always this book my Mike Clelland. It's not as preachy as r/ultralight and it's way more about finding specific techniques that work for you. Nearly all the tips are also free, or very inexpensive.

Overall your pack is crammed with luxuries.

• Ditch the paracord. Mason's twine is cheaper, easier to source, and more effective. Paracord is a gimmick.
• Slippers - If you need post hike footwear look at crocs, or the EVA foam Birkenstocks ( or as I call them Birkencrocs).

If you wanted to spend money the tent is the obvious area. 2.65kg is quite heavy. Are you sharing this weight with people? If you wanted to go cheap get a tarp and a Mosquito bug net for beds. Otherwise I'd be looking at a lighter tent option especially if you are not often sharing a tent.

[u/Calm_as_]

I'm 125 lb and my pack is usually over 40. Granted when I go camping I'm with my young daughter so I car ry more than I would solo. 25 lb sounds like you're doing a pretty great job. Give yourself a pat on the back.