I am taking the leap from canoe/kayak camping/day hiking to backpacking. Here is my virtual list. Please feel free to rip it up. Many of the items have yet to be purchased.
items worn or carried weight in oz.
plb 5 (I solo a lot)
gps 4
compass 1.5
knife 1.3 I haven't found the .7 one
bear spray 12
whistle .5
id/cards/map 1.8
1 trek pole 8
camera 8
socks 2
liners 1
boots 34 (bought for Big Bend trip, will go lighter)
shirt 7
glasses with shades .8
pants 10
cap 2
undies 1.5
mini LED .3
lipbalm .5
subtotal 100.7/6.3 lbs

Pack ULA Ohm 21
Items packed
WBBB hammock 20
tarp 11
tq 20
uq 12.9
cutdown pad for feet/sit pad 2

clothes
buff .5
convert. pants 10
ss shirt 3
ls shirt 7
wool socks 2
liners 1
wind jacket 2.5
midwt capilene set 12
rain jacket 12
rain pants 9
campshoes 10 alternatives?
warm cap 3
conv. gloves 3
liners 1
down jacket 6.3
kitchen
OP Sack 1
tit. pot 3.7
minibic.4
spork .3
stove tit. esbit wing .4
windscreen .4
scrubby .1
bandana 1
Misc
headlamp 1
toiletries 4
F/A kit 6 need to pare down?
tp/zipbag 1
towel 1
4lith batt. 1.1
mp3 2 for books
bug net (summer) .4
para cord 2
trash bags 1
2zip locks 1
bug dope/sunscreen 2 (haven't actually measured this yet)
hydration
2 platy 2L 2.6
soda btl to collect water 1
subtotal 205.5/ 12.8 lbs
consumables
food 102
water 70
fuel 5
chlorine tabs 1
subtotal 178/11.1 lbs
Total 484.2 30.2lbs

Thanks,
leigh

- The GPS could be left at home, a map and compass is all you really need, and even then you will only need those off-trail.
- Bear spray: Nix
- Trekking pole is a little heavy-- there are a few options out there that are 7-8oz for a pair.
- Boots-- look at trail runners and save around 8oz.
- Nix the spare pair of pants, save 10oz
- Mini LED, for what purpose? Nix.
- Surely you do not need 4 shirts? (Shirt, ss shirt, ls shirt & midwt Capilene shirt). You could get by with just one or two shirts.
- Nix the campshoes and just untie your boots or trail runners in camp. Save 10oz
- Nix the scrubby-- use your bandana or nature's own.
- FAK and toiletries are heavy (10oz total)-- I am sure you could throw things out and get the total down to 3oz.
- Nix the towel.
- What are the batteries for? You could just use new batteries in your devices before you leave and that should last for a typical 3-4 day trip. Any longer and you may as well just leave the electronics at home.
- MP3 - I would nix, but it is a personal call.
- TP- Personal preference.

I solo a lot too and while it's a personal preference and I don't know the region you'll be in and at what exposure level I personally would take neither a plb or a gps. You should always leave a trip plan with someone trustworthy and really that should suffice. I try to take as little as possible with me that could fail.

<<
plb 5 (I solo a lot) < Leave
gps 4 < Leave
compass 1.5 < Lighter Option shoot for less than an ounce
knife 1.3 I haven't found the .7 one < some people use only a razorblade. Unless it's serving a lot of multipurposes I would look for something < .5
bear spray 12 < Personal Prefrence and region specific I say leave
whistle .5 < I would personally spring for a sternum strap that has a whistle 8 bux from MLD
id/cards/map 1.8
1 trek pole 8 < you shouldn't need this for your hammock setup, I would leave it.
camera 8 < find a lighter camera
socks 2
liners 1 < If you have trail runners you don't need liners
boots 34 (bought for Big Bend trip, will go lighter) < definitely get some trail runners
shirt 7 < lightweight synthetic
glasses with shades .8
pants 10
cap 2
undies 1.5
mini LED .3 < unless you're night hiking I would suggest keeping this one and dumping the head lamp. I like the impulse or equivalent.
lipbalm .5
subtotal 100.7/6.3 lbs revised losing items not trading out would be 70.2 oz / 4.38 lbs My worn weight last weekend with expected lows in the 20s at night was 3 lbs 7 oz

Pack ULA Ohm 21
Items packed
WBBB hammock 20
tarp 11
tq 20
uq 12.9
cutdown pad for feet/sit pad 2 < I personally don't believe in sit pads, and most hammock users use their hammock to sit in once they get to camp.

clothes
buff .5
convert. pants 10 < no need for second pair of pants
ss shirt 3 < ditch
ls shirt 7 < ditch
wool socks 2
liners 1 < ditch
wind jacket 2.5
midwt capilene set 12
rain jacket 12
rain pants 9
campshoes 10 alternatives? < ditch
warm cap 3
conv. gloves 3 < unless it's really cold 1 pair of liners should be sufficient.
liners 1
down jacket 6.3
kitchen
OP Sack 1
tit. pot 3.7
minibic.4
spork .3
stove tit. esbit wing .4
windscreen .4
scrubby .1 < you could ditch this but .1 oz I think is ok
bandana 1
Misc
headlamp 1 < as I said if you night hike then keep this, otherwise ditch
toiletries 4 < too much use sandwich bag to store.
F/A kit 6 need to pare down? < need to pare down a lot
tp/zipbag 1
towel 1 < ditch that's why you have a bandana
4lith batt. 1.1 < ditch use fresh batteries
mp3 2 for books < luxury item
bug net (summer) .4
para cord 2
trash bags 1
2zip locks 1
bug dope/sunscreen 2 (haven't actually measured this yet)
hydration
2 platy 2L 2.6
soda btl to collect water 1
subtotal 205.5/ 12.8 lbs < after losing items and not paring down any 171.5 / 10.71 lbs < good baseweight for a hammock user, and by paring down you could still be under 10 lbs.
consumables
food 102
water 70
fuel 5 < how much esbit are you taking? that should be 10 tablets, a lot of cooking. How long a trip are you planning for? 102 oz should be a little over 3 days? can't imagine using more than a 5 to 6 esbit tablets in that time.
subtotal 178/11.1 lbs
Total 484.2 30.2lbs
>>
So by just removing some items you can lose a little over 4 lbs, that's without getting some of the items pared down as discussed. 26 lbs is a lot more comfortable than 30


Just my thoughts and you should go with what's comfortable to you. My level of comfort and safety may be significantly different than yours.

Questions for Leigh,
Where are you camping? What is the weather? What time of year? What elevation? How long of a trip? What kind of milage???

By simply NIXING items you''' be fine without, I managed to subtract approx. 57 ounces from your pack, saving 3.5 pounds!

====================================

plb 5 (I solo a lot) ------ [easilly NIXED]
gps 4 ------ [easilly NIXED]
knife 1.3 I haven't found the .7 one ------ [easilly NIXED] - - - take a 0.1 oz single edge razor blade
bear spray 12 - - - - Where are you camping? In Big Bend Texas? If so, this could be NIXED.
id/cards 1 ------ [easilly NIXED]

WBBB hammock 20 ------ [easilly NIXED] Add a sleeping pad, approx 9 oz.
tq 20 (does this mean TOP quilt?)
uq 12.9 (does this mean BOTTOM quilt?)
cutdown pad for feet/sit pad 2 ------ [easilly NIXED]



Question about clothes. I am a little bit confused about what you'll be wearing and what you'll be carring inside your pack.
(is this the entire list of CARRIED clothes shown below?)
=====================================
buff .5
convert. pants 10 - - - - - You list PANTS in your WORN items. No need for both.
ss shirt 3 - - - - - You list a SHIRT in your WORN items. Do you need both?
ls shirt 7- - - - - You list a SHIRT in your WORN items. Do you need both?
wool socks 2
liners 1
wind jacket 2.5
midwt capilene set 12 - - - What do you mean by "set" ?
rain jacket 12
rain pants 9 ------ [easilly NIXED] - - - - Nylon hiking pants dry quickly.
campshoes 10 ------ [easilly NIXED] - - - - The alternatives is wear your hiking shoes, meaning ZERO weight for camp shoes.
warm cap 3
conv. gloves 3
liners 1
down jacket 6.3
=====================================

scrubby .1 ------ [easilly NIXED]

headlamp 1 - - - you list a mini LED .3 above, no need to take two.
toiletries 4 - - - - that seems high
F/A kit 6 need to pare down? - - - - 6 ounces is a bit high for a short trip. cut it down to approx 4.
tp/zipbag 1 ------ [easilly NIXED]
towel 1 ------ [easilly NIXED]
4lith batt. 1.1 ------ [easilly NIXED]
mp3 2 for books ------ [easilly NIXED]
trash bags 1 - - - - for what? A pack liner as waterprooving?
2zip locks 1 - - - - for what? Make sure to explain each item's use

soda btl to collect water 1 ------ [easilly NIXED]

food 102 - - - - - For how long of a trip???
water 70 - - - - - - Approx 2 liters, right?
fuel 5 - - - - - For how long of a trip???

Edited by mikeclelland on 03/08/2010 12:29:54 MST.

"tq 20
uq 12.9
cutdown pad for feet/sit pad 2 < I personally don't believe in sit pads, and most hammock users use their hammock to sit in once they get to camp."

Note the weight of the underquilt - he's using it to cut the weight by letting him use a 3/4 or 1/2 length underquilt instead of a full one that also weighs 20. So it's more than a sit pad.

First, sorry I didn't state that the list was a 5 day trip list, time of year Oct-April,so I built in temps to just below freezing, hiking areas TX Hill Country, Ozarks, Big Bend, so far. Mileage 7-10 mpd..just starting out, and I'm not into covering ground for its own sake. I'm female 130 lbs, 5'5" pretty small boned, not a lot of padding,and cold-natured.
I spent some time at lunch today and nixed several of the same items you all suggested. I agree on nixing the GPS,MP3, batteries,paring down the FAK and toiletries,going with razor blade in place of knife,losing the towel. Agree with nixing camp shoes.The camera is my "lighter one" LOL

I guess I haven't made the leap to where I don't have any backups yet, especially in cold weather, but I do agree I could lose a shirt or two. The capilene thermals (top and bottom) are the pair I referred to, coupled with nylon pants for warmth when needed and to sleep in. The mini led,at .5 seemed like a good back up if headlamp died. TP much lighter than another bandana. I reallllly love my Lowa hiking boots, but agree that for carrying a load this wt. I can do without them.

Hammock is non-negotiable...no more sleeping on the ground for me, unless I'm in the desert...did I mention I'm 55? The pad is not for a sitpad but for insulation for feet/legs, as Lori pointed out. Could be used to break for lunch or rest if wet weather. Also I mis-stated the wt of the underquilt, it's 11 oz not 12.9. As for rain pants, in summer yes nylon would dry fast, but in winter these could serve as extra warmth. For me the PLB is non-negotiable, had a friend of a friend last fall whose life was literally saved by his SPOT. The bear spray is probably not necessary, but it gives me a little peace of mind:)
I realize I have to change my mindset from canoe camping where weight isn't an issue to what I can carry on my back.

Thanks again, you did just what I needed, made me think about each item carefully.I have printed out your responses so I can keep chiseling away.
Thanks,
Leigh