From Oct. 13-15 I will be backpacking around 40 miles in Wisconsons Kettle Moraine State Park on the Ice Age Trail. The temps will be around Freezing at night and the weather channel is forcasting possible snow one night. Pick apart my list, I want to make sure that I stay warm enough but I don't want to bring to much. I don't really have any money to buy any new gear before this trip so Let me know if you think I need more/less. What ways can I make it lighter with little cost at this point.


Gossamer Gear G6 Whisper Uberlight Pack 6.0 oz
Western Mountainering Pod 30 - 18.8 oz
BPL Nano stuff sack for bag - 0.29 oz
Gossamer Gear Night Light Sleeping pad (torso) 3.4 oz
Insulmat Uber sleeping pad(legs)3.3 oz
Golite Hut 1 tarp -15.3 oz
Golite Hut 1 stuff sack - 0.3 oz
Gossamer Poylcryo ground sheet 4.6 oz
Gossamer Tite Lite stakes (9) 1.8 oz
Gossamer pack liner 1.3 oz
total = 55.09 oz 3lb 7.09 oz

Purification and hydration and Cooking
Aquamira in Bozeman droppers 1.1 oz
Platypus hydrations - 3.5 oz
Super Cat stove - 0.3 oz
Aluminum wind screen - 0.8 oz
Platypus Little Nippler with BPL nipple (for fuel) 0.7 oz
Snow Peak bowl - 1.8 oz
Aluminum foil top - 0.1 oz
LightMyFire Spork - 0.3 oz
Matches 0.3 oz
BPL Fire starter in zip lock - 0.3 oz
MSR ultralight pack towel - 0.7 oz
total = 9.9 oz

Misc Gear

Photon freedom headlamp 0.4 oz
Gossamer finger tooth brush 0.05 oz
Dr. Bronners soap in Bozeman Dropper 0.5 oz
Purrel in Bozeman Dropper 0.3 oz
Deet in Bozeman Dropper 0.5 oz
ARC emergency whistle - 0.2 oz
First Aid Kit - 2.0 oz
Leatherman Micra - 1.8 oz
Suunto Gem micro compass - 0.3 oz
total = 6.05 oz

Cloths

Drop stoppers rain jacket - 6.6 oz
Drop stoppers rain pants - 4.4 oz
Montbell U.L. Thermwrap 10.0 oz
Golite C-thru long underwear - 5.1 oz
Golite wisp wind shirt - 3.0 oz
Smartwool hikers (for sleeping) 2.9 oz
Mountain Hardwear power stretch balaclava - 1.5 oz
Possum Down gloves - 1.4 oz
Marmot shell gloves - 3.6 oz
BPL Nano stuff sack (for clothes)0.29
total = 38.79 oz 2lbs 6.79 oz

Total in pack weight = 109.83 oz / 6lb 13.83 oz

Wearing
Smartwool Lightweight wool long sleeve Zip-T - 9.0 oz
Underarmour boxer briefs - 3.7 oz
Columbia covertibles - 10.6 oz
Smartwool Trail Runners - 1.6 oz
Baseball hat - 3.2 oz
Montail Continental Divides - 33.6 oz
Leki ultralight TI Airgo - 15.8 oz
HighGear Axis altimeter watch - 1.9 oz
Total weight worn = 79.4 oz / 4lb 15.4oz

I also have a pair of Merrel Chamaleon GTX shoes, would those be a better choice or will my trail runners be ok?

Thanks for all your help and wisdom.

Jon

You are going to have a great time, your gear list is excellent.
The only tips to save weight are the multi purpose compromise items like poncho tarp instead of raingear/shelter & sleeping bag/insulating clothing combo item...both of which require investment $$.
One inexpensive combo item worth a look is the combo headlight and baseball cap available at "Lowe's"(home improvement store), it is called "Panther". Dual LED lights built into the rim of a baseball hat, with the battery pack - same size as a photon light - at the back of the hat. You may not save any weight, but with your already excellent gear list, your best changes will be towards simplification and item count reduction.

Why did you decide on the HUT 1 instead of the Gossamer Gear Spinnshelter? I use a Spinntwin tarp, but understand the full coverage issue.

Great list! Is the Deet necessary this time of year? That will save you a whopping 0.5 oz :). Now for the more questionable ideas. You could save a little by cooking with Esbit. A Heineken bear can pot weighs 1 oz but may not be as efficient as your pot. Yours is wider.

The reason I went with the Hut 1 is that when I go with my wife (she is small) so we can both use it and for the added rain protection. It really is complete coverage.

Do you all think I should use my montails or Gor-tex merrels? Possible rain/snow on fri and sun. I would perfers to wear my montrails but I dont want my feet to freeze either.

Jon, I have used Montrails with the Goretex XCR liner and they are pretty waterproof, but they are warm. I found my feet would get warm and moist due to their lack of breathability. I was hiking up Mt. Massive a couple weeks agon in my Montrail Vitesse trail runners and I was careless and slipped while crossing a partially frozen creek/waterfall. My right foot got soaked. Since it was about 30 degrees out, I stopped, wrung out my socks, dried my foot, and spent a minute or 2 trying to dry my shoe. Then, I put shoe and socks back on and hit the trail. The material and breathability of the shoes were great and never caused me any problems. My feet stayed warm and no hot spots. I would not hesitate to wear trail runners if the snow was going to be dry. If it is forecast to be wet snow, I might think about the Merrells with XCR. Good luck

Jon - Excellent looking list. It's good to know there's others up here in the North Country who're practicing lightweight techniques.

I can't imagine that the amount of snow we'd get up here in the Midwest (if any) at this time of year would make it necessary to have waterproof/breathable shoes. If we get any snow it'll be gone before 9 am in all probability.

Fortunately you're only doing 40 miles and it's on the Ice Age so you'll have lots of possibilities to "escape" if need be.

And to comment on a previous post: No, deet is certainly not necessary at this time of year.

Since that list is in the gram weenie weight range .... A size medium Gossamer Poylcryo ground sheet would save 3oz over the large.

I've been OK with a small ... medium would be luxurious and I'm not a small person. (MN's Superior Hiking Trail, a week later than your trip)