Mountain climbing and weight. An inevitable connection. A balancing act between luxurious objects and backpack weight. Mild is quick, Extremely-light even sooner. No less than in idea.
Previously
Throughout my backpacking “profession”, I had a variety of packs and weights. From a 65L monster á la Cheryl Strayed totally filled with 10 days of meals in Sweden, to my 20L Trailrunning Vest with round 6kg for my 5-day fastpacking journey on the Peaks of the Balkans. In fact, gear and garments are all the time linked to the place you might be mountaineering. My Pacific Crest Path journey 2025 is not going to solely be the very first actual lengthy hike for me, however I´m utilizing this chance to go ultra-light FOR THE FIRST TIME.
I made my first dream ultra-light gear spreadsheet in 2011, earlier than getting my first items of mountaineering gear for my first multi-day hike in 2013. From the beginning, I used to be all the time fascinated by dependable technical gear and to extend the discomfort of via mountaineering by lowering every thing to a minimal.
My first gear was virtually completely from Decathlon. For many who have no idea Decathlon, it’s a French sporting items retailer, which produces below non-public labels in each sport for an entrance worth vary. As a pupil, I wanted to look at on my finances, and the large manufacturers had been positively manner out of scope. And to be trustworthy, I´m nonetheless shopping for at Decathlon. In fact, it’s not the best high quality, however particularly when you find yourself new to sure sports activities, you will get fundamental gear there and improve later, as you want. The Decathlon gear stands its floor and the R&D workforce is doing a implausible job equipping their gear with very thought-through options.
To be mentioned, you will get good gear for affordable costs. With virtually low finances, I may rely on my gear even in chilly, wind, and rain and used my first gear virtually to the utmost, partly till they fell aside.
As I´m doing this mountaineering stuff for a bit, I upgraded slowly merchandise by merchandise. For each longer hike one thing new. Trailrunning helped me to get into the technical element of the gear, too. So, what’s my gear about? Let´s begin the nerd speak… NOT 😀
I received´t go too particular into manufacturers and all the small print. This publish shouldn´t be a gear examine. I slightly wish to describe why my gear consists as it’s. Nonetheless laborious to maintain this publish quick, I can speak/write without end about this. #gearnerd 😀
Tent:
The second I made a decision to go to Canada, I knew that I´d want some new and upgraded gear as most of my previous stuff was completely worn out and thus, on the restrict of its sturdiness. The primary merchandise was my tent, my
house, shelter, and secure place once I´m mountaineering. I made a decision on a pyramid tent (Lunar Solo from Six Moons Design) that I can arrange with my trekking pole to save lots of weight. It´s very minimalistic however gives all of the area I want. I can sit in it, have sufficient area to get my pack inside and the air flow is nice. The doorway doesn’t go all the way down to the ground so you’ll be able to look exterior at floor degree each second. Nice for stressed nights, fearfully checking environment each time you “hear one thing” 😀
I´m very pleased with that alternative and examined this tent on a number of hikes in Canada. I´m very enthusiastic about my first wet night time within the tent as I sealed the seams myself, so time will inform if it was a neat job 😉
Sleeping Bag:
Since I often slept in sleeping luggage, I hated the mum form. I´m an energetic sleeper and awoke a number of occasions at night time. Twisted, the hood someplace, however positively not the place it’s alleged to be. Moreover, I sleep on my stomach with my arms below my head counteracting the primary anatomical perform of a sleeping bag. For Canada, and after some intense analysis, I made a decision to check out Quilts. Quilts are extra like blankets with out a hood and open on the again, solely closed within the foot field on the decrease finish. On the bottom, you’ll be able to connect straps round your sleeping pad to combine it into your insulation circle. That’s the reason it is very important have a great R-value (index of how good the insulation is) in your pad.
This wa
y, your quilt is extra like a blanket and you’ll transfer extra simply within the bag not with the ability to twist something. I prefer to maintain the underside a bit free to let some air inside or get a foot out, whether it is too heat. Sure, I´m principally heat once I´m sleeping and even with out a hood I put on at -5°C exterior solely shorts and a shirt for sleeping. In fact, one thing on my head to compensate for the lacking hood. And on chilly nights possibly a protracted sleeve for holding the arms a bit hotter, too. However thus far, I like this improve and it positively improves the standard of my sleep.
I made a decision on the Sea to Summit Ember III quilt, the proper alternative with solely 750g and an superior heat/weight ratio, toasty heat even at -°C.#
Sleeping pad:
Possibly the one merchandise in my pack that might be lighter. Possibly, I’ll change it through the hike if I wish to minimize weight. It´s the Large Agnes Rapide SL in large. And it’s an excellent comfortable mattress with the outer tubes a bit increased to stop rolling off the pad through the night time. 650g and doubtless among the best pads available on the market. However yeah, there are lighter ones available on the market. However for the second I´m very pleased with that.
Phew, it´s getting fairly a protracted publish already. Let´s shorten this up now a bit.
Extra into my philosophy:
Total, ultra-light means to reduce your belongings on the path. Or, to make them as mild as potential. Fortunately, resulting from my Path operating historical past, I already acquired some mild stuff. However in preps for the PCT, I diminished a good quantity of weight on the next objects:
– Range (70g), Pot (70g), Knife (38g), Headlamp (38g), Backpack (800g)
– Footwear (Trailrunners as a substitute of heavy and stiff mountaineering boots)
You m
ay assume I´m loopy counting grams, however ultra-light is a rabbit gap. When you´ve entered it, you see how “ridiculous” heavy your pack is. Then you definately begin pondering 😉
Finally, you conclude, that weight discount ends in some unspecified time in the future. Due to this fact, elimination is the simplest technique to cut back weight, proper. 😀
Realizing, that I´ll positively cut back the luxurious I had on different hikes and that I cannot be as ready for all of the “what-ifs” as on earlier hikes.vOk, intimately: What is going to I eradicate for my Pacific Crest Path hike what often can be in my pack on longer hikes?
– Towel: If I want a towel to dry myself, it will likely be a shirt or my bandana. As I bathe in cities solely, I´ll assume I can get towels there.
– Digital camera: I began images three years in the past, and if I had a alternative I´d carry my digital camera on each hike. However this can be a dead-end. My Sony is certainly journey dimension, however: Digital camera, Tripod, Lenses, Batteries,… NO! I acquired a cellular with a wonderful digital camera and that’s it. A bit of Tripod will assist me for positive 😉. An motion cam isn’t deliberate but, however this could be one thing I add afterward.
– Camp Footwear: The superb feeling of a unique pair of footwear after one lengthy day of mountaineering: Priceless, and generally helpful for river crossings, too. And I believe I´ll miss camp footwear probably the most. However, I´ll begin with out them. I believe I’ll get used to that. If not, I can all the time think about getting some afterward. The hike is lengthy sufficient for adapting gear, however the 300g I needed to chop.
– Spare Garments: Sure, my garments can be soiled and pungent tremendous rapidly, however you understand what? Carrying kg of spare garments is not going to make it higher, as a result of they´ll be pungent and soiled quickly, too. So, I´ll make the few I’ve much more pungent and soiled :D. I virtually acquired every thing I´ll tackle the path in Merino and this cotton is superb and can do nice for this objective. An summary of what I take with me:
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- On physique: Solar Hoodie, Shorts, Underwear, Socks
- In Pack: Spare/sleep shirt, Spare shorts, Spare underwear/sleep bottoms, Spare Socks, Rain Jacket and Pants, Puff Jacket, Beanie, Bandana, Gloves, and possibly a Fleece for the Excessive-Alpine sections.
That´s it. And it even can get extra minimalistic, however spare garments for the night time are a luxurious I wish to have, and (for now) I believe, I´ll gladly carry that additional weight. In the long run, it’s a security facet, too, and will certainly adapt when the climate modifications.
What else?
Other than that, you attempt to cut back the burden of every thing potential. To hold solely the quantity you assume you want (even for emergencies). Higher having e.g. painkillers, dietary supplements, toothpaste, sunscreen, and so forth. in each resupply field to hold an quantity you by no means deplete. Right here, logistics change into an important and fascinating half.
Don´t get me mistaken. I nonetheless wish to and can be ready for what-ifs, and I´ll not go on the bottom minimal. The concept of not counting on that many luxurious objects appeals to me in a manner I´ll change into extra snug with discomfort, which is a desired “side-quest” of this journey. Possibly I´ll discover new limits right here, thrilling occasions forward 😉
I hope you loved my “little” intro to my ultra-light transformation. Please go away a remark.
59 days left – wow!
Thanks for studying,
Simon
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