Hello All!

I am just starting to switch my gear over to the Ultralight side of things and have come up w/ two purchases that are fairly substantial and was curious as to y'alls inputs.


I have an approach 2 tent and am looking to pick up a Tarp Tent Notch as well as Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork trekking poles.


These are two of my initial purchases while venturing into UL backpacking, I already have a Trad Kit established and am just transitioning from Trad to UL. W/ switching to the TT I am saving about 2ish pounds (need a better scale for measuring large items). I will be upgrading my sleeping bag and backpack next, looking at getting a DIY kit to make a quilt, thoughts on that?


Here is the link to my Gear List

http://www.geargrams.com/list?id=8581

Thanks!

Simon

Edited by NitroPsycho on 07/01/2012 09:31:49 MDT.

As others will say, hold off on the backpack until you have a baseweight on the skinny side of 10lbs. You'll be surprised how much your volume changes and until all the internal gear is pared down, you won't REALLY know what kind of pack you want or need. If you don't have a good scale, I'd make that your first purchase ;)

If you have the time, you should post your gear list to the gear list forum! Just label EVERY piece of gear you bring on a normal trip. List the environment, climate, and season you use the list in and then local gurus will help you pare down everything to a svelte kit with still a decent amount of comfort.

Really the most effective way to go about it is to do a cost benefit analysis. Simply divide the weight saved by $$ spent (Oz/$). The TT sounds like a pretty effective weight saving for the cost, the poles probably not so much since you carry them in your hands and not your back anyway. A DIY quilt is also usually a great savings in weight and money, and the MYOG can be very frustrating but rewarding in the end.

don't worry too much about numbers people give for baseweights, I can't really get mine under 12 unless I'm going overnight or it's really hot, just work on the big items. Most non ultralighters would consider my pack weight ultralight, and they are right. The notch is a good start if you use trekking poles, not sure I could get much enthusiasm for carbon fiber trekking poles, that would be about the last place I'd look to save weight, cracking poles isn't my idea of fun.

Check out packs if you have a backpacking store near by, like REI, and just look at them to get an idea of the volume.

I found about 35 liters is decent for a nice light setup, pack that is. 50 liters is big enough for anything, particularly a bear cannister, if you need one. If I used a bear cannister my base weight would be about 14 pounds, give or take.

Once you are between 15 and 12 pounds base weight you can sort of see what you like, and what you think is worth it. Having spent a lot of time in a tent in the rain, I find the notion of a bivy in that circumstance comical, or painful, for example, I'd never do that.

So just take what people here say with grain of salt, ultralight has a lot of variations, and you can figure out which work for you. In summer a myog synthetic quilt would be a fun project, to use in summer I mean, but it all comes down to your time vs the little bit of money you might have saved making it. Depends on you, what you like to do. And your sewing/learning ability. Price something like enlightenment quilts, they are made by a guy here, and his prices are more than fair. If you like projects and enjoy the process of making things, make it, but as I've learned, really, I have spent far more experimenting on materials and designs than I saved, but it's a lot more fun making the stuff so I've come out ahead.

One neat ultralight trick is to store your sleeping bag in a turkey baster bag, then cram it all on the bottom of the pack, no stuff sack that is. Not that the turkey baster bag saves you much weight over a light stuff sack, it doesn't, but it does fill in the bottom of your pack really nicely, and it keeps the sleeping bag from getting over compressed.

Depends on how many days and what conditions you are wanting to go for too.

Edited by hhope on 07/01/2012 00:27:17 MDT.

So I have a confession to make... I don't actually have trekking poles, and kind of decided on the BD CF poles based mostly on the fact that they look cool. I know, horrible logic, especially for something that most likely won't be seen by anybody, let alone on deciding where to spend 150$.


So with that being said, any ideas for a superior alternative to the BD's?


Thanks For The Responses!


Simon

check these out.

you used to be able to find them for $50 and they're lighter than the BD ones you put.

These are really nice, if you never use the foam grip part, you can cut it off and save a bit of weight per pole.

flick locks are stronger and more reliable than twisty thingies, the mechanism is simpler and far cleaner, same rough idea as bike wheel quick releases.

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/mountain/trekking-poles/trail-ergo-cork-trekking-pole/

these were on sale a few months ago for only 50, I got mine for 70. So if you keep your eye on sales online you can easily get better price than list.

Leki's are good too but I suspect harder to find their comparable model on sale.

But I think most flick locks will be reasonably durable, although an REI guy warned me away from the REI brand, which is Komperdell or whatever, for some very good reasons whiich I started to understand the more I used my BD.

Edited by hhope on 07/01/2012 14:49:32 MDT.

i think the bd alpine corks are about the best balance of weight & durability out there. I even used mine skiing 2-3 times a week this winter & spring & they held up great.

I'd go with a tarp. Consdering you are ready to drop some money, get something like a zpacks hexamid. You will be a happier hiker & no less happy a camper.

Actually the best peice of advise I could give you would be to just read Andrew Skurkas book. Few people (if any) have a better understanding of effective UL.

Hmmmm, so I have thought about going Tarp, but w/ also needing a bivy, I kinda figured going with a tarp tent would be superior.

I understand the tarp/bivy is the lighter option, I am still doing research and have not decided on anything for sure yet.

I updated my first post with a simple and uncomplete Gear list that I made listing most of my major pieces of equipment.


Thanks!

Edited by NitroPsycho on 07/02/2012 02:17:10 MDT.

If I had the funds and didn't have a tarp, I'd buy a TT Notch. With the removable inner, you have an airy, open (two door!) shaped tarp that only weighs 17 oz. You can bring the inner for bug season. It's an excellent transition shelter too, because you don't lose anything compared to traditional tents except weight. If you haven't done the tarp thing before, try it with a cheap hardware store tarp before committing to something expensive.

The rest of the group has pretty well nailed it. Enlightened Equipment makes awesome quilts, or you can find older GoLites on sale in Gear Swap (I'd just go with Tim's stuff--it's customizable and he is great to work with. I plan on joining the cult this fall.) Definitely wait on the pack. I also find it helpful to have two packs--one for shorter trips in the summer and one for longer or shoulder season trips. Either that, or make sure yours can compress well. You'll want to know what kind of trips you take before you jump in on this one.

I didn't realize you could seperate the inner from the TT to make it a tarp. Not a bad option.

I prefer not to use a bivy with my tarp. I dont think bivies offer up much functionality for the weight. Just use a tarp with enough coverage. I also bring a .5 oz headnet in case its buggy.

Buy Skurka's book and read it.

MYOG quilts are fine, but Enlightened Equipment makes first-quality products at just a steal of a price.

A 30-35L pack will force you to go lighter.

Stay simple.

Buy Skurka's book and read it.