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Rinji
97
Jun 28, 2016
Thanks to all, those are some great suggestions! Really nice to see the variety of what people are using. @JerkyKen, regarding cheap and light, when I re-started out backpacking again as an adult (I went some as a kid, then didn’t go for a while), I used the same pack I had when I was younger, wore plastic bags in my tennis shoes to keep my feet dry, and had old fleece to keep warm. That was indeed ultralight (sort of) and ultracheap, but the backpack eventually ripped apart and I wanted something a little more comfortable and durable. @NewGuy, yes, I just got a hanging luggage scale. It can’t weigh my toothbrush, but it seems more accurate than I expected and I can hang most of my gear on it… good enough for my ‘aspiring, sort-of-lightish style’ I think.
@DannyMilks, thanks for your detailed response! I have made alcohol stoves in the past and never found them to work very well, especially in colder weather, but maybe the factory-made ones are better now. I like a double-walled tent for when I am in wet climates, and had actually looked at the Double Rainbow before. I've tried sleeping under a poncho, and in a bivy, but got wet under the poncho and was just camping with friends in the snow when I used the bivy. Neither quite fit my needs anymore.
@raptelan, @prismatica, and @Newguy, thanks for laying out the exact gear you use. Looks like some nice gear and well put together combos... and ultralight. I should have mentioned before, I have a pair of basic Black Diamond trekking poles and a Mountainsmith PCT 45 pack somewhere, but both seemed to have walked off with friends or family, to return at some unknown future date. Plus, my sleeping bag didn’t fit in that pack, so I couldn’t use it for overnights anyways. @Newguy, I'm about 1.72 m, and like a little bit of headroom, not a palace, but not completely cramped either. Thanks for the advice you already gave, those look like some nice options.
At everyone, I just took out my sleeping bag (see the pic), and realized it is much larger than I remember. That will probably be the first thing I upgrade for warm weather. I borrowed a friend’s quilt recently (actually, one sold on MassDrop) and that made a big difference. I am not looking to spend that much money (ideally less than a few hundred USD total, so will likely be shying away from Cuben fiber and other exotic materials. Sounds like a quilt and pad (something like the Klymit Static V Lite (Insulated) would be a good start. At some point in the future, perhaps I will then upgrade to a Double Rainbow or Big Agnes Scout, or whatever else is cheap(er) and light at that moment.
Picture (L back to R front): JanSport Big Bear 82, 3/4-length ridgerest (originally belonged to my dad, still going strong), REI QuarterDome UL, Stoic 750 mL pot, Kovea Supalite stove, and a massive Mountain Hardware Lyell -15 C/-26 F sleeping bag folded in half, with stuff sack on left.
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Edog
18
Jul 3, 2016
RinjiAh, as for the alcohol stove, a little trick with guiding, bring a tea candle and use it to heat up the metho, or whatever you use, or make sure the fuel is warm and in the center of your pack. not the best idea, but if you are like me and only use alcohol stoves (there are times i will change to white gas for extreme weather), thats your best bet. but yes, it more of a hassle and depends on what you really want out of it. cheers! more tips please!
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