Heres what I've got so far (weights might not be exact, as I used a kitchen food scale)

Granite Gear VT - 35oz

Tarptent Conrtail, 6 stakes, pole - 29oz

Rei Sub Kilo 20 - 27oz
Prolite 3 short - 13oz

MSR titan kettle, mini bic - 5oz
MYOG alcohol stove - 1oz
Alcohol (heet) - ?

Adventure Medical Kit - 7oz

Bronners - 2oz
Face Wash - 1oz
Toothbrush, toothpaste - 1oz
AquaMira liquid - 3oz
2 Deerpark 1L bottles - 2oz
chamois water absorber - 1oz
2 Bandannas - 2oz

Petzl e-lite - 1oz

Poncho - 8oz
Toboggan - 3oz

Mountain Hardwear canyon pants - worn


I don't really have any clothing nor shoes except for the pants. I've been looking for a winshirt such as the ether or wisp. I think that is all I will need because I don't plan on going when temps are below 35 in the evening. I have a fleece that I will take if temps are around that. I don't want to invest in a down sweater yet. Do you have any suggestions to add or take from my pack. I know the first thing suggested will be the medkit, but I'd like to keep it. There are probably a few other things that I am missing, let me know what they are (including clothing and gear) also if you could supply examples that would be great!

Thanks everyone

The list looks good so far.

You don't have to drop the medkit, but you should list out the contents so they can be evaulated. 7oz isn't bad, but that's what my kit was at before I started reading advice here. Now it's at 3.5, and I feel pretty comfortable with what I have in it.

Also, liquids like Bronners could be repackaged into .25 oz bottles and cut down to a .5oz weight. The stuff's concentrated for a reason. Face wash in addition to bronners seems redundant.

Someone might ask you to justify 2 bandanas + a chamois cloth.

Definitely go with trail runners and not boots if you haven't got footwear yet, unless you have ankle problems.

I would think you will want a windscreen for your stove if it doesn't have one as part of the design.

How long are you planning your trips? You only need a little dr bronners (if any) and less aquamira if you're only going weekends.

Heres whats in the first aid kit

Bandage Materials
4 Bandage, Adhesive, Fabric, 1" x 3"
3 Bandage, Adhesive, Fabric, Knuckle
3 Bandage, Butterfly Closure
1 Bandage, Conforming Gauze, 3"
2 Dressing, Gauze, Sterile, 2" x 2", Pkg./2
2 Dressing, Gauze, Sterile, 3" x 3", Pkg./2
2 Dressing, Non-Adherent, Sterile, 3" x 4"

Bleeding
1 Gloves, Nitrile (Pair), Hand Wipe

Blister / Burn
11 Moleskin, Pre-Cut & Shaped

Duct Tape
1 Duct Tape, 2" x 100"

Fracture / Sprain
1 Bandage, Elastic with Velcro, 2"

Instrument
3 Safety Pins
1 Splinter Picker/Tick Remover Forceps

Medication
2 After Bite Wipe
2 Antihistamine (Diphenhydramine 25 mg)
4 Ibuprofen (200 mg), Pkg./2

Other
2 Aloksak Waterproof Bag, 6.75" X 6"

Wound Care
5 After Cuts & Scrapes Anethestic/Antiseptic Wipe
1 Tape, 1" x 10 Yards
1 Tincture of Benzoin Topical Adhesive, Vial
3 Triple Antibiotic Ointment, 1/32 oz


I will probably only be going on weekend trips for now. I need face wash because my face breaks out if i dont wash it twice a day with non-comedogenic soap or my face breaks out. I will definitely look into repackaging my liquids into the dropper bottles, as I should be able to save some weight. Same with the aquamira also; however i plan on going to tablets as soon as i use up all the liquid.

As for the bandannas, i think 2 was good just because they weigh next to nothing, and I can keep a dirty and clean one. And the chamois, i got from back when I swam. It weighs nothing, but absorbs a lot of water unlike the cotton bandannas. So after I wipe of with soap or whatever, I can use it to get the water off. I still might get rid of one though, because it does seem a little redundant.

If this is a kit for weekend trips only, then you have to think about how many you need of each thing. I know each weighs nothing individually, but they add up. I think I started out with exactly the same kit as you, and cut it in half, and could probably make it 2oz if I was more ruthless. 3-4 oz isn't much in the grand scheme, so if it makes you comfortable, keep it all. But why bring a 1oz stove and then fall off the UL wagon in your 1st aid kit?

On a weekend trip, you're presumably only a half-day hike or so from your car. So if something happens, you only need the amount of supples to get you back to your car. Would that be 4 1"x3" bandages, 2 butterfly closures? Maybe if you took a really bad fall, I guess. Do you need medical tape when you have duct tape? Be thinking about dual use. A big bandage can be cut into 2 small bandages, so why bring both. One of your bandanas can be cut up. And I think over 8' of duct tape is a lot for a weekend, or more than a weekend. I bring 2'-3' feet for under .25oz. Also the gloves; those are necessary to protect you from other people's blood, not your own. If you think you might be providing first aid to others, keep 'em I guess, but otherwise, that's a .5 oz savings. A smaller kit can fit in one aloksak, so there's more savings.

Just remember, on a short trip, you aren't far from your car. Just bring what you need to get you back there, and leave the rest in your glove compartment.

Adventure Medical Kit - 7oz (Downsize, man. all you really need is blister care and meds)

Bronners - 2oz (nix!)
Toothbrush, toothpaste - 1oz
AquaMira liquid - 3oz
2 Deerpark 1L bottles - 2oz
chamois water absorber - 1oz (nix)
2 Bandannas - 2oz

Petzl e-lite - 1oz (good)

overall, a pretty light and simplistic list. good job.

cheers

Edited by edude on 04/11/2009 00:37:11 MDT.

Clay here is my run at you first aid kit-
Then your list below,

Bandage Materials
4 Bandage, Adhesive, Fabric, 1" x 3"--- no need
3 Bandage, Adhesive, Fabric, Knuckle--- need 1
3 Bandage, Butterfly Closure--- keep
1 Bandage, Conforming Gauze, 3"--- maybe
2 Dressing, Gauze, Sterile, 2" x 2", Pkg./2--- no need redundant
2 Dressing, Gauze, Sterile, 3" x 3", Pkg./2--- no need redundant
2 Dressing, Non-Adherent, Sterile, 3" x 4"--- no need redundant

Bleeding
1 Gloves, Nitrile (Pair), Hand Wipe--- no need, a lot of hype about the need for gloves, especially in the wilds. Why do you need gloves for yourself? If for someone else use their gloves!

Blister / Burn
11 Moleskin, Pre-Cut & Shaped--- 1 or 2 maybe- trail runners solve this problem

Duct Tape
1 Duct Tape, 2" x 100"--- way to much- you don't need 8 ft of it, maybe 2 - 3 feet max

Fracture / Sprain
1 Bandage, Elastic with Velcro, 2"--- use your bandanna's for this, or your t-shirt and duct tape

Instrument
3 Safety Pins--- maybe 1 or 2
1 Splinter Picker/Tick Remover Forceps--- the .7 oz swiss army classic has treezers! You had no knife on your first list add this one!

Medication
2 After Bite Wipe--- use mud
2 Antihistamine (Diphenhydramine 25 mg)--- keep
4 Ibuprofen (200 mg), Pkg./2--- keep

Other
2 Aloksak Waterproof Bag, 6.75" X 6"--- only one is needed if you pair down

Wound Care
5 After Cuts & Scrapes Anethestic/Antiseptic Wipe--- you are carrying Bonners soap leave this out
1 Tape, 1" x 10 Yards--- you already have duct tape, leave
1 Tincture of Benzoin Topical Adhesive, Vial--- You have Bonners already
3 Triple Antibiotic Ointment, 1/32 oz--- 1 maybe but you have Bonners. Use 1 put the bandaid on then don't take it off- no need for more.





Granite Gear VT - 35oz--- keep

Tarptent Conrtail, 6 stakes, pole - 29oz--- keep, no need for a ground cloth with the tarp tent, good job

Rei Sub Kilo 20 - 27oz--- keep
Prolite 3 short - 13oz--- keep

MSR titan kettle, mini bic - 5oz
MYOG alcohol stove - 1oz
Alcohol (heet) - I think denatured alcohol is cheaper the heet, look at Home Depot or other paint dept.

Adventure Medical Kit - 7oz- see above- you can get this to about 2.5 oz and still have more then you will need.

Bronners - 2oz--- maybe repackage depending on the trip
Face Wash - 1oz--- I needed it at your age also
Toothbrush, toothpaste - 1oz--- try baking soda repackaged
AquaMira liquid - 3oz--- repackage
2 Deerpark 1L bottles - 2oz--- keep
chamois water absorber - 1oz--- no need, use bandanna
2 Bandannas - 2oz--- why 2 get one bigger one

Petzl e-lite - 1oz--- keep

Poncho - 8oz--- keep
Toboggan - 3oz--- am I missing something here?

Mountain Hardwear canyon pants - worn

I don't see fire starting items; navigation items- compass, map; Sun protection; Insulation- clothing, etc.

Overall good list, not the ultralightest, but very workable.

Lots of good advice already.

I always enjoy reading Tad's remarks :)

"Why do you need gloves for yourself? If for someone else use their gloves!" - LOL!!

"the .7 oz swiss army classic has treezers! You had no knife on your first list add this one!" - Agree

Actually Heet at AutoZone is pretty cheap @ 16.5 cents per ounce. A quart at H Depot goes for 21 cents an ounce, and a Gallon @ 12 cents an ounce. Heet bottles are the easiest to pour. I would look at the differences in performance. I did some quick tests a while back, and they seemed similar... but upon further reading, that may not be the case. So I shall do some careful testing soon. The alcohol is probably going to be more efficient.

I think his Toboggan is a knit cap, not a sled ;)

"I don't see fire starting items; navigation items- compass, map; Sun protection; Insulation- clothing, etc."

- Clay?

Thanks for everyones help so far. I will defiantly work on my med kit, as you all are right, it can be trimmed down.
Do I need fire starting items if I have a bic? and if so do I need like matches or the magnesium?
I still need to get a compass. I will probably try to find one around the $20 range for now.
I forgot to include sunscreen and a baseball style cap that I will be wearing.

I do not have any insulation clothing yet. Right now I don't plan on going in temps below 30-40 so if I take my fleece, I feel that I will be comfortable
I forgot to include my base layer too - its omni wool(i think its like 80 percent polyester 20 percent wool, not the lightest base layer but very affordable)

Thanks for everyone else, I am also thinking about going to a jam2, just to try one out if I can get a good buy on it, because during summer trips, i wont be taking much at all. Should i get a ridgerest and cut it just to make a tube in a jam2 then use it to extend my prolite short or will my prolite work fine making the frame?