Need a lighter load!

[The Clock Doctor]

I just went on my first backpacking trip this weekend at 50 years old. I have 4x4 camped and motorcycle camped for ages. Just got into hammock camping last year. I just can't sleep on the ground anymore. My problem was I ended up carrying a 60lb pack. When we got home my buddy and I went through my gear and were able to shave 10 lbs. I took a switchback hammock with incubator uq and burrow tq and oldman winter tarp. Strap suspension. It got down to 35degrees and snowed 4" on us on Sat Night. Feet were a little cold. What I'm wondering is if anyone has any sugestions on cutting down weight in the hammock gear department. I know I can buy a backpack that could be 2-3 lbs. lighter, and maybe shave some weight in other areas. Thanks for reading the long post and any help.

[JollyGreen]

What pack are you using? Maybe whoopies instead of straps and buckles? How many days and how much food and water did you pack? How about your cook kit? Could you provide us with a gear list? I'm sure you'll get a good amout of responses here if we had a little more info, thanks.

[JollyGreen]

Maybe Caveman can chime in, he gets all his gear in a fanny pack.

[Caveman]

I think there is a bit of a learning curve when you are getting into backpack (especially when you're coming from car camping). As JollyGreen mentioned, we need a bit more info on what you had in your pack. At 60lbs, I'm sure you can probably cut that in half and still be comfortable.

[FireInMyBones]

Darby's Switchback is supper cozy, but it does weigh a bit compared to other hammocks. What is your price point? Can you afford a cuben tarp?

I used to carry 60lbs all the time, but I prefer to go with ~10lbs of gear in the winter (Southern Appalachians).

Do you have a full gear list? Perhaps if I were able to see what each item was, I'd be able to help more.

A quick tip would be to switch out your hammock suspension to a whoopie sling or UCR style suspension.

[rhjanes]

I'm surprised Caveman didn't send you the gear grams link
http://www.geargrams.com/

Steps for us to assist (I'm in the process of tweaking to further reduce weight also).
1) give us a list of your major items
2) Go to Office Max or someplace and get a digital postal scale that can weigh up to say 10 pounds. I got one that you can also like place something on (a container), zero it out. Then you can say put on an empty sack, zero it out. Put your unwieldy hammock in the sack and weigh again (giving just the weight of the hammock).
3) start weighing everything and record it on Gear Grams (or a spread sheet)

Share with us.

[The Clock Doctor]

Other gear included Kovea spider stove with 8oz. gas cannister, I know 4oz. would have been fine. REI mess kit minus cup and bowl. Sea to summit collapsable plate, bowl and cup. I know I only need cup. Two nalgene bottles, both full of water, only need 1. Sawyer water filter with all 3 bags. Flashlight, headlamp,too many spare batteries, garmin 60csx gps, map, compass, clothes in dry bag, too mush extra cordage, I also took a full extra set of webbing suspension due to the girth of trees in the high sierras. I was hanging one nite from a tree that a 12' strap would not make it around.

[The Clock Doctor]

Pack is a REI MARS 80. Around 5.75 lbs. Extra clothes seemed heavy, full raingear a little heavy but was very useful in storm.

[Xristos]

Man, you can lose almost all of that stuff you just mentioned. Nalgene bottles weigh 6.5oz each +. 3 bladders. You had over a pound in water storage.

You just need to learn what you "need" as opposed to what you "think" you need. Car camping forms bad backpacking habits

+1 on gear grams. Get it all down and we can help you pick it apart

[Red Cinema]

Other gear included Kovea spider stove with 8oz. gas cannister, I know 4oz. would have been fine. REI mess kit minus cup and bowl. Sea to summit collapsable plate, bowl and cup. I know I only need cup. Two nalgene bottles, both full of water, only need 1. Sawyer water filter with all 3 bags. Flashlight, headlamp,too many spare batteries, garmin 60csx gps, map, compass, clothes in dry bag, too mush extra cordage, I also took a full extra set of webbing suspension due to the girth of trees in the high sierras. I was hanging one nite from a tree that a 12' strap would not make it around.

Trade your nalgene bottles for ordinary water bottles. I forget the weights but I think nalgenes are 4-6 oz each and a typical water bottle is about 1oz. Adds up fast. . .

Caution: the "hot water bottle" stay warm at night trick is best used with a nalgene. . . .