Hammock backpacking gear list for a few days in the bush

[pig.slayer]

I loaded my pack up for the first hammock camping 2 day trip hunting next weekend. I’m new to the hammock backpacking thing so I weighed it to see where I was at.

The trip will be a hunting trip with a dawn departure from the car, trek off for two days spending one night in the bush and returning to the car around dark on the 2nd day. Terrain will be timbered mountains with elevation changes of around 700 meters. The weather this weekend in the same area has been from 3∘C to 26∘C.

The list doesn’t include hunting equipment like rifle, bino’s x 2, tripod, rangefinder, ammo, knife etc. My guess is that will add another 6-7 kg’s of gear.


Total weight for the following items was 9.5 kgs. (33.5 lbs)

Is that heavy or light for a few days in the bush ???
Reading online about sub 10 lbs backpackers, how do you achieve that ??, looking at what I need I already have 3 kgs (10lbs) of just water let alone all the other stuff like shelter, food, clothing etc.
I think I have the actual hammock gear down pretty light with what I have.
You look at all the gear by itself and you think, great that’s really light, add it all together and it’s a different story.



• Badlands Diablo pack (1900ci)
• 3 litre osprey hydraulics water bladder (with 2.5 litres in it).
• 500ml of water in a platypus soft bottle.
• Optimus Crux Lite cooker & pot set with 100gm fuel canister.
• 4 x freeze dried meals.
• Latte coffee sachets x 3 + some small sugar sachets.
• 4 x assorted energy type bars.
• 150 gram’s of mixed nuts and dried fruit (trail mix).
• Assorted first aid gear and basic hygiene stuff ie: small amount of toilet paper, 10 wet wipes, water purifying tablets, etc.
• Large Gore-Tex rain jacket/coat, thigh length.
• Merino thermal short and long sleeve tops, Merino long johns, spare undies and socks. (other clothes will be on me)
• Small micro fibre towel.
• WBBB 1.0 double with dynaglide whoopie’s and 6’ tree huggers.
• OES Standard SpinnUL tarp.
• Te Wa summer UQ.
• Te Wa summer TQ.
• Silk sleeping bag liner.
• 1/8” CCF foot pad.
• Cub Pillow.
• 6 x vargo titanium 6” tent pegs/nails.
• Small camera.
• Garmin GPS.
• Light walking poles x 2.

I’m sure there are some other things in there but off the top of my head that’s what I can remember being the main gear.

[dejoha]

Your pack weight is about average. The big three to reduce weight are your pack, your shelter, and your sleep system. If you want to go lightweight, check out SGT Rock. Other ideas, check out the gear lists from Andrew Skurka.

[Mister Dark]

That doesn't sound too bad, considering the temp range you describe. It is a little more water than I carry, but then again I live in a very wet climate, so resupply is quite easy. If you are in a dry area, by all means carry as much water as you need.

One credo of the ultralighters is "no duplicates", so for instance if I was shaving weight off the list you gave, I would lose one of the merino shirts, and just wear the rainjacket if I get chilled. Only a couple of ounces saved, but as you already know, it is amazing how the weight adds up. It also adds DOWN, with just a little work.

One thing I try to do is shave weight on my carry systems. A lot of stuffsacks and bags we use to sort our gear can be kinda heavy. I have gotten in the habit of using freezer bags for some of my kit - they are waterproof, lightweight, and can be used to carry water if the need arises. I tossed my sleeping bag stuffsack, I just put it in the pack early on, and cram gear in on top of it. Basically turning my pack into the stuff sack. Tricks like that can really add up in the long run.

Do you have time for a quick overnight test run? Even in the backyard, spending an afternoon and night out, just thinking thru each piece of gear, may help you decide what to bring, and whether there is anything you can leave out.

Have fun, and be sure to take pics!

[Trooper]

The list looks good. With Te-Wa's quilts and a spin tarp, it will be difficult to reduce weight without leaving things behind. My base weight is about 15 pounds, but my pack is 4.5 pounds itself. When I add food, water, camera, and other luxury items I'm just below 30 pounds. You've got some consumables (food, fuel, mixed in with your base gear, and separating those will give you a more exact weight.

One thing I notice is a hydration bladder. I gave up the Platy Hoser at 90 grams in favor of the Platy bottle at 17 grams--those hoses are apparently quite heavy.

[pig.slayer]

Thanks for the fast response.

I'll have a look again at what I might be able to take out.
The two merino tops are dual usage, The tee shirt I will have on when I start out as a base layer. Probably strip off mid morning when it warms up.
The long sleeve top is just to wear to bed or if it cools right down.
I'm guessing what I have on for the day will be a bit feral and damp from sweat etc so it will be good to have a clean layer for bed. I only ever wear ultra light, very thin hunting clothes as I prefur to add layers underneath opposed to on top. My only "heavy" outer layer is the goretex coat which has proved invaluble in the past.
I've looked at lighter rain coats etc but the terrain and bushes in the area's I'm in would tear them to bits in 10 minutes as a lot of the time i'm bush wacking.

Water can be a pain, due to the mountains I tend to have to cart it all up there, hunt, then camp up high, only coming back down the day after, There is not a lot of water up there that is easy to get at or what you would drink.

I agree that the bladder is a bit weighty but the pro's to having the bladder are to many for hunting in Aus. Because of the terrain and steep hills I consume a fair amount of water, especially if it warms up or I'm running around chasing things. If i'm just hiking, sure the bladder could go but to strip of the bino's, rifle then pack each time for a drink might be more trouble than it's worth. Something to consider though and I'll see how often I need to suck on the tube during the trip, could be a good place to loose some weight.

Thanks again.

[TinaLouise]

Water can be a pain, due to the mountains I tend to have to cart it all up there, hunt, then camp up high, only coming back down the day after, There is not a lot of water up there that is easy to get at or what you would drink.

Is there water there that you could treat and then drink?

Another thought would be if you can prestage some water up at your camp site?? Diffinately, leave some at your vehical so when you get back you've got some to drink. That way if you're a bit light on water on the hike back, you'll at least know that you've got some water waiting at the end.

TinaLouise

[Bunk]

Is there water there that you could treat and then drink?

Another thought would be if you can prestage some water up at your camp site?? Diffinately, leave some at your vehical so when you get back you've got some to drink. That way if you're a bit light on water on the hike back, you'll at least know that you've got some water waiting at the end.

TinaLouise

That's what I was thinking. If there is any water around where you are going, I would bring a light weight filter and a small/medium sized water bottle to carry while walking.

I did a solo canoe trip last year on a river in Quebec. I passed two canoeists who were lugging around what must have been 10-20 liters of water for a 7 day trip! They were portaging this massive thing up cliff faces and extremely rough terrain...with the technology now available I would opt to filter your own water if possible.

The new small hand pumps are very good these days. I like the simple Pur one you can get for less than $100...it's light, inexpensive, reliable, and will last a long time...I've had one last for 14 years (changing filters as needed) and the only reason I still don't have it is because I lost it on a trip.

[Bunk]

I should have also added that you could opt for a gravity filter which would be even lighter then a hand pump but I've had these fail in the field in the past with very little use...they tend to work better in very clean sediment free water. I've clogged my MSR Gravity Filter many times while canoeing rivers with lots of sand on the bottom.

Good luck!

[saupacker]

Pigslayer, saupacker here which translates from German into English into pretty much the same thing so I highly sympathize with your "prey of coice"!
Anyhow, your list looks juts about complete, only three - albeit essential - things are missing:
- firelightning: Go redudant here, I always carry a firesteel and strike-anywhere-matches in a watertight container. Forget lighters, they are too unreliable.
- torch/headlamp: Use a the Petzl type especially when hunting and hammocking, your hands might be tied up doing something else.
- spork: What do you shovel your food in with? You have a knife on you anyhow, so that is covered. Bring a combo spoon / fork a.k.a spork. In my book stay away from the plastic ones, they might well melt when close to the fire. There are some nice metal, even titanium ones.
Apart from that your load looks good, weight is about right. However, considering the temperature you might want to pack fleece gloves and a wool cap.

Enjoy your hunt and "Waidmannsheil", saupacker

[ZMad2000]

I just came back from an over night trip using my DIY hammock and am also looking to lower the weight of my pack.

Looking at your list here is what i could recommend:
Go for a Heiny cook system or a woodgas stove
My whole system weighs around 1lbs with enough fuel for a dinner, snack and breakfast.
If you are buying those prepared freeze dried meals try making your own. That will lighten your consumables.
For 2 days i would say dont bring extra clothing. Only socks maybe. Wear synthetic it will dry fast.
No towel just bring a bandana.
Skip the pillow and put the jacket in a stuff sac and use that as a pillow

dont bring stakes make your own. Bushcraft.co.uk has a tuturial on that.

Comfort weights alot on the trail. You just need to see what works for you and your style of camping