Mule. Pack animal.
Llama. I’ve been called all of these
things. For years, backpacking partners
have laughed at my disgustingly heavy pack weights. I supposed I was a bit of a glutton for
punishment, but when folks needed something, like an ace wrap, an extra fuel
canister or a blueberry cheesecake, boy, were they ever glad I was along!
Part of the ability to stupidly carry half my body weight
harkens back to my days as a trail guide when rookie backpackers would struggle
with their cumbersome load and I would kindly relocate the contents of their
pack into mine. Looking back, I
resembled a Nepalese Sherpa carrying a large basket to basecamp, bent over by
my busting burden, schnoz to the ground, shoulders powering through the pain.
Those were the good old knee-destroying days! Thankfully my mule-like tendencies have been
replaced by the benefits of modern weight saving gear and clothing. Let’s face it; while I do love a good
blueberry cheesecake, carry a heavy pack leaves you feeling more beat up than
spooning with an angry porcupine.
This past summer, I went on a quest to make my pack as light
as possible and researched every piece of gear like a mad scientist. I went a little crazy buying things, weighing
them, examining them, testing them, then sending them back if they weren’t up
to my standards. By the end of my quest,
the contents of my pack only contained well-made quality items, all weighing in
at 14 pounds before food and water. Here
are a few pieces of gear that made the cut.
Big Agnes Fly
Creek 2 Platinum:
Scale Weight: 2
lbs, 2 oz.
Modifications: I
brought only 4 stakes and used my trekking poles, making it a taut pitch with 6
points of contact. I ditched the tents
stuff sacks. The above weight includes the footprint (ground cloth) that I
purchased separately but also carried.
I’m hard on my gear and wanted to be sure I didn’t rip my floor by
pitching it on a pine cone or tree root.
Retail Price:
$389.95
Pros: First, off,
let’s talk about weight! Can you stand
it? A free-standing tent with a strong,
lightweight single pole design weighing almost 2 pounds is almost unheard of in
today’s market. Yet this puppy delivers. In 9 nights of rainy squalls (don’t
backpack with me unless you want to get wet since I tend to attract darkening
clouds) we stayed completely dry. High
winds? Yep, we had those too. It was a miserable hike, but the tent took
the punishment like an old pro.
Cons: To call
this a two person tent is a bit of a stretch. You really have to love your tent
mate, snoring, sweaty and all because the size of this little beauty puts you
back-to-back and belly-to-belly day after day.
It’s a tough to sit up inside as the roof line tends to be a bit short
and getting dressed inside is a fiasco, so don’t even think about changing your
drawers. Lastly, it has only one door,
so if potty time calls, you might have to mambo around your sleeping partner to
get the door open and yourself outside. All of that whining said, it’s a tough
and well-built tent. It’s durable in bad
weather and the compromise of size and details is well worth the weight
savings, in my humble mumble.
Outdoor Research
Helium II Jacket:
Scale Weight: 5.4
oz
Modifications:
none
Price: $150.00
Pros: Are you seeing a pattern here? Weight, weight, weight! This little waterproof , breathable and
durable jacket is less than half the weight of other so-called lightweight
jackets on the market. Not only that, but after hiking for 10 consecutive days
in rain, it kept me dry and warm. Also,
it dries quickly after a good rain, so it’s ready for the next cloudburst!
Cons: The sleeve cuffs have elastic only halfway around
them. I assume the designers did this to
help with breathability and ventilation, but I found that when using trekking
poles, water dripped inside on the upswing.
I wore this coat all hiking season long, taking it in and out of
backpacks, leaving it compressed at times and letting it take a beating as a
sit pad occasionally. Being owned by me
is a hard life for any item! Through all of this, it maintained its
waterproofing even towards the end of the summer.
Exped- Air Pillow
UL
Scale Weight: 1.7 oz
Modifications: none
Price: $49.00
Pros: I know what you
are thinking. Why would you need a
pillow? Don’t all fast and light hikers go with a bundle of clothes stuffed
into a stuff sac? Sure. The only problem with that plan is that my
clothes continue to be lighter and less bulky and, I’ve eliminated most of the
stuff sacs I used to carry. Not only that, but because I’ve scaled down the
amount of clothes I bring, I’m usually dressed in my extras. Also, I might add,
getting a good nights sleep when you’ve logged a very long day, is to me, sweet
nectar. The Exped pillow deflates to a
tiny flat size, making it perfect to toss in the bottom of your pack. Additionally, the “medium”, is more than
sufficient for an average noggin’ and even fits, albeit tightly, in the mummy
head of my sleeping bag. Overall, I have less tossing and turning, a more
restful sleep and it weights next to nothing.
Cons: You have to
inflate it, which isn’t a big deal. Only
about three puffs and your done!
Montbell EX Light
Down Jacket
Scale Weight: 4.5 ounces
Modificatons: none
Price: $199.00
Pros: The weight-to-warm-and-cozy ratio is out of
control. For a girl who is always cold,
it was pure bliss having this warmie on during chilly nights and nasty
weather. The compressibility was such
that it almost disappeared inside my pack when I squished it down, which gave
me plenty of room for the other things which were also light and
compressible. Did I mention my pack
turned out to be too large? (I was using
an REI Flash 52) Knock me over with a down feather! Anyway, I digress. This jacket is the perfect companion for
travelling too. Think warm, think
compressible, think light, think….love!
Cons: To be honest, I can’t say I’m crazy about how it looks
on me because the neck is short unlike most goose down jackets, and I end up
looking a bit like a giraffe. Come to
think of it, I did get some whistles from marmots, so I guess, I did rock it
pretty well. Goose down fails in wet
weather, so it’s a great piece for layering under the Helium Jacket in rain. Lastly,
there is no drawstring on the bottom, which works for us hip-py types, but not
for those with straw-like figures. It’s nothing that can’t be fixed with a diet
of nonstop donuts.
Big Agnes Q-Core
SL
Scale Weight: 15.8 oz
Modifications: none
Price: $159.95
Pros: Big Agnes has always made well-crafted products and
the Q-Core SL (assumedly for Super Sight) is no exception. Not only is the R-Value (a fancy term for
insulation) a stellar 4.5 (warm- to the layman), but it is shocking
comfortable, even on hard surfaces. One rainy miserable night, we snuck under
the eves of an off-season ski resort and camped on a deserted concrete
patio. The durable inflation valve
allows you to huff and puff it full with little air loss. So, think…warm, comfortable, and
lightweight. Ideal for weekend and long
trips alike!
Cons: Blowing anything up at the end of a long day is taxing.
However, the idea of inflating your bed in an effort to catch some well-earned
zzz’s allows you to puff with a mission!
Altera Lone Peak 1.5
Scale Weight: 8.9 oz
Modifications: SofSole Arch inserts
Price: $115.00
Pros: Yep, I was
skeptical at first. Every manufacturer, it seemed, was coming out with a minimalist running shoe; *sigh* another marketing trend.
Then, I tried them. Perhaps no piece of footwear has ever been more life
changing to this professional hiker as these simple trail runners. The
lightweight, innovative design touts a concept of "zero drop" or lack
of elevated heel to ensure a more natural foot strike. Add to that, the
Ronald McDonald-style giant toe box and your piggies spread out blissfully, screaming freedom. Designed for trail runners and fast packers, the durable StoneGuard system
allows the shoes gently ride over pointy rocks and uneven surfaces eliminating
foot paint. The trail mileage that these shoes allow is night and day
over other shoes/boots; my feet simply take forever to fatigue! They
have reduced not only my foot fatigue, but ankle tweaks, forefoot pain, and grouchy
knees. I could shout it from the mountain tops; I'm a believer and I don’t know
what I would do without them!
Cons: They look a
touch like clown shoes and inspire you to hide your feet when you wear them out
in public. I’m a recovering plantar fasciitis patient from years back and I
found that the flat insert inside them is just a bit too flat for me. That said, I shopped high and low looking for
the perfect “bump” that would give me a touch of arch support without
compromising the zero drop. Substituting the manufacturers inserts with
SofSole’s Arch inserts solved the issue! As with all new footwear, they take some getting used to, so
train in them before you take them on an epic journey. If you’re planning on
wearing low shoes, such as these, you should be certain you are carrying a
light load. I also highly recommend using trekking poles. Because your feet spread out so much, order them 1/2 size larger than normal. Lastly, they are not waterproof. Instead, the mesh lets them breath like a snorting elk, preventing blisters and encouraging ventilation in hot summer months. In wet weather, I use a pair of GoreTex socks,which completely keep my feet dry; problem solved. Now grab your unicycle, the big-top
awaits.
