For me, the question is, "how many more ounces of whiskey can you bring along now that you'll eliminated non-essential weight from your pack"?
replaced camera case with bubble wrap + ductape case
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...mera_case.html
replaced top platy bag with cuben amigo style bag for gravity filter
ditched heavy insulated gloves for vapor barrier latex gloves + MLD waterproof mits+ yet to be determined light insulating glove.
Bought a food dehydrator and began making my own meals for hiking(saved alot!).
working on replacing liquid fuel for alcohol stove with beeswax tack cloth(burns 6+ min, see thread under non-hammock gear..)
cut extra straps off pack
bought this 1oz FULL TANG knife to replace large knife:
http://www.amazon.com/Columbia-River...39D2H4PJB324PJ
replaces all containers with coghlans UL ultra cheap contain-alls
only bring enough tothpaste/hygiene accessores that i need instead of the whole bottle(usually fill up one half of a contact lense case with toothpaste for 3 days to week long excursion)
Gonna make scruffy's 4z rain pants to save weight on rain pants
REplaced goinggear groundhog stakes with titanium shepherd hook stakes(not as good of a grip in the ground, but require a little positioning/weighting to make them just as good)
Cut all tags off everything
Grind extra material off katahdyn filter and cut hose shorter for gravity sytem
switched to inov8 13oz roclite 390's for winter and roclite 315's for summer.
thats just what i can think of off the top of my head
I still have alot of luxuries(aarn pack, quickclot, gps, etc) and am extremely comfortable. But my goal is to maximize comfort and ability while minimizing weight. I haven't weighed my full summer and winter bag skin out weight yet, but i woudl guess summer is under 25 lbs and winter is under 30 for a week long trip.
In a few months when i can save up some money i wanna lay down my maccat deluxe in the garage, trace it and cut a clone out of cuben, copy eveything.
Last edited by ikemouser; 03-20-2010 at 13:04.
MSR Miniworks for a Steripen - about 12 ounce savings.
Ruger Alaskan .44 for a Glock Model 29 - about 20 ounces.
Deuter 75+15 for a GoLite Pinnacle - about 3 3/4 pounds savings.
Ride mountain bike 3 times a week - about 15 pounds savings.
Lots of ways to get there. Now if I could just find a UL version of The Ashley Book of Knots!
I am not one to try to get lighter just to get that low number....normally However there are times to really go light and really go minimalist. For those times I have 10 ounce DIY ruck sack. A sewn through quilt that I haven't gotten to use yet and a 6 ounce Cuben Fiber hammock with whoopies. I also have my 3/4 summer UQ and a foot pad. All home made gear and about as light as I can go. I haven't had the chance to use this setup yet, but the weather is getting much better around here.
Peace Dutch
GA>ME 2003
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I have used a gathered end cuben H for several years, works just like any other H. I have never had condensation probs. but then I don't sweat much! I just tie an overhand knot in each end and hang from that. I do use a a structural ridgeline too. it requires no hemming or sewing of any kind, dead simple for us DIY'ers. gnome
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