Hi all new here, but been lurking for some time. Not at all new to the ultralight game in Mountaineering but never really did the minimalist thing backpacking (well minus the Marines....on personal gear)


So a friend took me to eagle creak in Oregon. We did just 12 miles total but got to the trailhead at 9pm after work and cruised set up a quick camp. Next morning went to the falls and hung out and cruised back. Most people on the trail had huge packs and thought we were day hiking. On our way out passed almost everyone. It was a great first backpacking trip and I really don't want to lighten anything more just yet

My pack on the left (north face verto 26 and my friends seasoned ultralight golight


me on the trail



our camp




and my pack and gear
I was wearing merino wool t-shirt and skivvies with nylon shorts. I had my TNF fire road running shoes on.

pack had
*The North Face Triumph anorak
*first aid kit
*North face beeline 30 deg bag 1lb 6oz
*thermarest prolight full length
*North face Messo 22 tent and foot print(split between me and my friend)
*Jetboil, spoon, and fuel
*drybag with hat, gloves, and spare socks
*softshell pants
*moonstone primaloft vest
*north face zepher primaloft anorak
*north face Verto jacket (to test out not really needed)
*north face mesh bag full of candy and bars
*TP

Looks good.

Just a quick question though, are you sponsored by North Face?

Daniel,

Sounds like a fun trip! Very nice kit, especially this early in your journey. Sounds like you were very comfortable. Fun, huh?

What did you use for h2O treatment, storage?

Thank you for sharing.

Todd

Looks like the forest was pretty green and, yeah, looks like you hit TNF gear pretty hard. They've got some good stuff but a similar Western Mountaineering bag (Made in the USA) could zap another 6 oz off your weight.

Nice! Though that trail sees anything but ultralight use this time of year :)

Not sponsored though I'm a manager at one of their stores. I'll have to check out that Western Mountaineering bag!

Some of my gear I really got on the cheap...
My softshell pants were less than $20 at sports authority
my dry bags are from wallmart but work great

as for water treatment my friend had a small water filter since we skirted the river the whole time. I used a 16oz sports drink bottle instead of my nalgene bottle to look the part (my friend said they were a no no)


I had a blast and loved it! I was really comfy too (did not use half the stuff)
What I learned is that carrying less you need less (food and water)


correct about that trial as some of the day hikers had bigger packs than us!

I'm thinking of getting a specific made pack maybe from cold cold world sewn in spectra grid ripstop. The pack that I used is nice but It could be lighter for hiking (it's designed as a summit pack/stuff sack so it has a bit of extra straps)

> it's designed as a summit pack/stuff sack so it has a bit of extra straps

Around here, we just do pack surgery. Take a knife to the pack and forget about going custom. Either that, or look at some of the SUL cottage manufacturers around here, like Zpacks or MLD.

You said "did not use half the stuff." That stuff you could easily not bring. The Verto Jacket is versatile enough that I use it more than anything else, honestly.

FWIW, why both a primaloft vest and anorak, instead of just one or the other?

Can't really tell what's in it, but your med kit looks kinda big.

Sounds like you had a great time though! Congrats!

the verto jacket will stay as it is very versatile


what would not stay is the primaloft vest , softshell pants, and maybe the jetboil as I did also have a mountain house in the pack that I never used. I just ate my cliff mojo bars and Target fruit snacks.



And as two why I had the primaloft vest and pullover....I packed too fast and it was a mistake...a 6oz mistake! I used the pullover but the vest not at all.


my first aid kit is the adventure medical kits .7 and is 8oz. good for the mountains but I felt over kill for this trip
it has per their website:


Bandage Materials
5 Bandage, Adhesive, Fabric, 1" x 3"
3 Bandage, Adhesive, Fabric, Knuckle
3 Bandage, Butterfly Closure
1 Bandage, Conforming Gauze, 2"
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
1 Moleskin, Pre-Cut & Shaped (11 pieces)

Duct Tape
1 Duct Tape, 2" x 26"

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)
1 Aspirin (325 mg), Pkg./2
3 Ibuprofen (200 mg), Pkg./2

Wound Care
4 After Cuts & Scrapes Antiseptic Wipe
3 Alcohol Swab
1 Tape, 1" x 10 Yards
1 Tincture of Benzoin Topical Adhesive
3 Triple Antibiotic Ointment, Single Use

I enjoy what you way about folks thinking you are day-hikers. I have a favorite memory
about meeting some fellow with a huge pack, chatting with him, then telling him I had
spent the night at a certain spot and him doing a huge double-take since he had figured
me for a day hiker.

And you could certainly drop more weight if you want to (and so could I, and I am
thinking about taking some steps). The main thing is that you are doing the trips
you want and enjoying it with a light load.

Wanted to ask you about the Verto as a Rain jacket. I found it on TNF website recently and was wondering how durable and waterproof it was and for some reason I'm not finding a lot about it online.

The Verto is a wind shell. I've used mine in intermittant light drizzle and mist -- it was fine for that purpose, but will wet through in sustained heavier rain. The fabric is quite thin (translucent), but so far has held up to a week of on-trail use in the White Mountains of NH being brushed by tree branches and rocks. No snags, rips, or tears...

Edited by jdw01776 on 07/12/2011 11:30:09 MDT.

Thanks! That helps!

I've got my verto 26 down to 9 ounces I removed the aist belt the sternum strap the straps on the back panel that make it a compression sack replaced the drawstring with a lighter one removed inner pocket I really like the durability of the pack