I have just converted to ultralight two years ago and I am still trying to get my perfect pack. All the weights listed below have either been taken from trustworthy websites or I have weighed them on my food scale which I believe to be fairly accurate. This is what I usually take on trips spanning from 2-5 days. I live in the southeast and I usually hike on the AT from summer to fall so sometimes it can be really hot and sometimes ice cold.

Clothing:
2 pairs of Liner socks-3oz
2 Pairs of thick socks-4oz
2 Shirts-9.6oz
Golite classic socks-1oz
Golite terrain shorts-4oz
Hiking Pants (for protection against thorns and poison ivy)-14 oz
Sweater Jacket-14 oz

Cooking Gear:
Lexan Silverware-.8 oz
Nalgene Bottle-6 oz
Bandana-1 oz
Esbit Stove with windscreen- 3.5 oz
Lighter- .4 oz
Snowpeak trek titanium bowl-1.7 oz
Bowl Lid (Conserve energy while boiling)-.3 oz

Hygiene:
Toothbrush,paste,soap etc.-3.6 oz
Tp-1 oz

Main Gear:
Henry Shires Virga2 (Love the easy setup and bug protection)-29.5 oz
Golite Jam(Won this pack from the owner of Golite)-21 oz
Pack Cover-4 oz
Slumber Jack Ultimate Sleeping bag-48 oz
Therma Rest Sleeping Pad-11 oz

Other:
1st Aid Kit-3.5 oz
2(1 Gallon Zip Lock Bags)-.6 oz
3 Sandwhich-.6 oz
3 trashbags-2 oz
Bug Dope in containter-1.5 oz
Aqua Mira in dropper bottles-1.1 oz
BRMS Plastic Trowel-1.9 oz
Compass-1 oz
Emergency Poncho-2 oz
Princeton Tec Aurora-2.8 oz
Rope-2 oz
Knife-.5 oz

reduce how many socks you carry. say, 2 pair total.. pick your sock thickness based on time of year, but carry only 2 pair. one for wearing, one thats washed and drying.

wear shorts with zip off pant legs instead of 1 pair of shorts and 1 pair of pants. Or just wear shorts and wear some gaiters.

Reuse a pepsi bottle rather than carry the Nalgene (I usually carry a Nalgene personally, and dont mind the few extra oz in exchange for proven durability)

Switch to an alcohol stove. lighter stove wieght, and fuel weighs less per meal cooked (in my usual conditions anyway, you may get a better return with the esbit fuel. run some tests for yourself)

Use a fingertip toothbrush, use tooth powder (not paste) and dont worry about soap. worried about smelling like a yeti? Use some purelle on your pits.

Dump the pack cover, and use a pack *liner* (one of those trash bags your carrying will do the job nicely), and replace your emergency poncho with a real one... wear the poncho over your backpack when it rains.

Consider a Down sleeping bag. I prefer synthetics, but for cutting the most weight with the least (usually no) loss of comfort on the trail, down wins. It looses its insulation if it gets wet, but keep it as dry as you can and save a pound (or two)

You *could* go with GossamerGears evazote pad, and save about 1/2 pound over the Thermarest.

Go with a smaller single bulb LED light system and save 2.5oz and go with spectra cord rather than "rope". Thatll save you some weight (and probably ADD strength) as well.

Just a few thoughts... Im sure others have plenty to add.

Hi, You might just use a titanium mug, say a Snowpeak 450 with aluminum foil as a lid. This way you have a mug for boiling water and to drink out of. Too many socks and shirts. Pair down to what you hike in and have something for camp. That is it. If you're concerned about smelling, do what my friends and I do, we wash out our hiking clothes at the end of the day and wear our camp clothes. You could also switch to a tarp and bivy combo for half the weight of your Tarptent. I own a tarptent but prefer the combo. Your sleeping bag might be another area of small concern. There are many high quality bags that weigh in at 24oz to 32oz. You could save more weight there too. Also the Nalgene? Switch to Platypus water bottles. They weigh in at an ounce or so and are fantastic! I have been using them for years. Maybe use one as a hydaration bladder. Just some suggestions. Good luck!!

Edited by kennyhel77 on 06/06/2005 16:19:36 MDT.

Thanks for the tips.
This site is in my opinion the best for getting light weight information.

Use a camel back.
It's light, takes up little room when empty, and you can drink while hiking.

Also, instead of a bugproof tent, use someting like the GoLite Cave or the BMW poncho/tent and wear bug netting.