Author Topic: Trying to lighten my load!  (Read 5013 times)

gunwharfman

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Trying to lighten my load!
« on: 17:01:20, 03/03/19 »
I'm sitting in front of my PC, horrible wet and windy outside and thinking, can I save even more carry weight? I'm stuck with the weight of my rucksack, my sleeping quilt, tent, footprint, mattress and a few other but smaller items and water so where could I save?

I stopped using my 'heavy' Paramo Alta 2 and waterproof trousers and moved to my single skin Marmot Precip and rain skirt and now have almost have stepped using using them in favour of my Poncho. For me, still not good enough.

I would like to buy a long length lightweight waterproof coat (all other waterproof items could be then left at home, except for my Lowe peaked cap) but at the moment the only one I can find, is on the Rohan site, but it costs £250! I'm just not prepared to pay out such a sum for one item.

I would like the coat to have buttons, or a zip only down to my waist. A long zip would hinder me whilst trying to step over boulders and so on. It needs to be made of a good waterproof material, the type that modern hiking jackets are already made from. I want long sleeves but not to be elasticated at the wrists. It needs a hood, obviously a couple of well placed pockets and to be a single skin, lightweight and rolls up to a small size. I've tried a couple of hunting, shooting and fishing on line shops but no luck so far. I would appreciate if anyone knows of a particular site that might help me in my quest?

How much weight would I save? I have no idea yet.

sussamb

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Re: Trying to lighten my load!
« Reply #1 on: 17:22:30, 03/03/19 »
Easiest way I find to lose a few kgs before I do a multi day walk is a quick diet, for a day walk I never fuss  O0
Where there's a will ...

fernman

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Re: Trying to lighten my load!
« Reply #2 on: 17:51:35, 03/03/19 »
Join the club, Gunwharfman!
I have reached the point where I can no longer save any more weight without spending hundreds of pounds which I haven't got on a new rucksack, tent, sleeping bag and ground mat. What I do have are the lightest I could buy within my budget.
I've spent the last three to four years repeatedly going through my equipment list, one item at a time, and both racking my brains and searching online to see if I could find something lighter.
Last year I was replacing perfectly satisfactory items for no other reason than I'd found something lighter.
There are some things I prefer to continue with rather than something lighter, such as my Steripen Adventurer instead of chlorine or iodine tablets.
Now I can go no further, short of leaving out things that make my trip more comfortable, such as lantern, and shaver, for example, or risking going without mittens or gaiters.
 
« Last Edit: 18:00:23, 03/03/19 by fernman »

richardh1905

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Re: Trying to lighten my load!
« Reply #3 on: 18:03:26, 03/03/19 »

It's a case of diminishing returns. Do away with any superfluous gear, buy the lightest essential gear that your budget can reasonably justify, and just get out there and do it! No point in worrying about saving a few hundred grams - it really is NOT going to make any difference.


..and as sussamb suggests - my biggest weight saving potential is in my belly! If I was determined, I could probably lose 10kg, and be the better for it!  :)
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

Owen

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Re: Trying to lighten my load!
« Reply #4 on: 18:25:27, 03/03/19 »
Easiest way I find to lose a few kgs before I do a multi day walk is a quick diet, for a day walk I never fuss  O0


Strangely, the only was I can lose weight is to go on a long multi-day walk. I usually carry around 1800 - 2000 kcals per day but burn off double that. The waistline soon starts to shrink.

BuzyG

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Re: Trying to lighten my load!
« Reply #5 on: 19:37:02, 03/03/19 »
I was having this conversation with a member of our walking group today, as we enjoyed storm Freya in the middle of Dartmoor ;D .  Any way we both agreed that compared to body weight and water most of the stuff we were wearing/ carrying was pretty light weight.  The difference with modern kit between mid brands and top end is just not worth the weight saving.  But I guess If you build it up over time and can afford ultra light then why not.

On the jacket front, I noted that the my mid layer was bone dry, at the end of a day of continuous rain and 70 mph gusts. So can thoroughly recommend Gortex Pro.  It's expensivve, yes.  But very lightweight very waterproof and worth every penny.
« Last Edit: 19:44:34, 03/03/19 by BuzyG »

Islandplodder

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Re: Trying to lighten my load!
« Reply #6 on: 20:08:20, 03/03/19 »

I usually manage to lose a bit on a long distance walk as well.  It is one of the things I enjoy about them, that feeling of being leaner and fitter by the end.
But I remember once as I climbed up some hill that reflecting that I should be puffing and panting a bit less, because in the previous couple of years I had managed to lose the equivalent of the weight of the rucksack I was carrying.  In some ways, it was a truly revolting thought!

alan de enfield

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Re: Trying to lighten my load!
« Reply #7 on: 20:18:21, 03/03/19 »
I have actually started to 'go the other way'.

Weight saving eventually starts to impinge on 'something'.

Starting with a 'coffin' 1-man tent at 1.6kgs,I changed over to a 1.6kg 'front-loader 2-man tent. I have now swapped-out this tent & increased my 2-man tent weight from 1.6ks to 2.1kgs but have increased the 'comfort factor' by a large amount. The new tent is higher (can be sat-up in) is slightly wider and is a 'side entry' (either side) making getting in and out much easier.

I had gone from  1kg+ self inflating mattress to a 2" thickness lightweight (400g) simple air-inflatable but now gone back to a 900g version. Down filled 3" thick with a built in air-pump and rated down to -24*C. It rolls up to little more than the 400g version but the extra 1" of 'inflated' thickness and the addition of down filling makes it like comparing chalk & cheese.

These 2 items have put my pack weight 'back-up' by 1kg, but the improved comfort factor and having a good nights sleep is immeasurable.

GnP

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Re: Trying to lighten my load!
« Reply #8 on: 20:31:17, 03/03/19 »



I had gone from  1kg+ self inflating mattress to a 2" thickness lightweight (400g) simple air-inflatable but now gone back to a 900g version. Down filled 3" thick with a built in air-pump and rated down to -24*C. It rolls up to little more than the 400g version but the extra 1" of 'inflated' thickness and the addition of down filling makes it like comparing chalk & cheese.


Im in the market for a comfy mattress..what brand is it?
A night under silnylon. Doesn't have the same ring to it.

alan de enfield

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Re: Trying to lighten my load!
« Reply #9 on: 20:32:48, 03/03/19 »

But I remember once as I climbed up some hill that reflecting that I should be puffing and panting a bit less, because in the previous couple of years I had managed to lose the equivalent of the weight of the rucksack I was carrying.  In some ways, it was a truly revolting thought!



Interesting.
Jan 2015 I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes with a blood-sugar level of 36 (which is very bad), my Cholesterol levels were verging on 'why aren't you dead - you will be within 12 months - LOSE WEIGHT. I weighed 17st 13 lbs.


By walking 4-6 miles EVERY day and a better diet I was down to 12st 13 lbs by May (5 stone lost in 5 months) I worked on the basis that for every pound I lost I would add a pound into the rucksack at the end I was carrying a 70lb rucksack.


I was then too thin and had no padding, it was extremely uncomfortable to sit in the bath or on a 'hard' chair, my 'bum-bones' really hurt.
I allowed my weight to increase to 14 stone and was much more comfortable.


After 2 years I was told I was no longer a diabetic and taken off medication, my Cholesterol level was down to 2 (from 12).


My weight has slowly crept up and now (another 2 years later) weigh 14st 5lbs and my Rucksack is now down to a more comfortable 30lbs.


I walk between 4 and 10 miles most days (at least 5 days per week) and now have the odd Pizza, Chinese and Pie & Chips.

alan de enfield

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Re: Trying to lighten my load!
« Reply #10 on: 20:34:42, 03/03/19 »
Im in the market for a comfy mattress..what brand is it?



Exped DownMat 7M


Plenty of UK sellers but this is the American website.
http://www.exped.com/usa/en/product-category/mats/downmat-7-m



Owen

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Re: Trying to lighten my load!
« Reply #11 on: 21:33:49, 03/03/19 »





 my Rucksack is now down to a more comfortable 30lbs.


What's in those 30lbs? To me a 30lbs pack would be kit plus food and fuel for about one week.

gunwharfman

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Re: Trying to lighten my load!
« Reply #12 on: 21:48:36, 03/03/19 »
My comfy mattress is a Thermarest Neoair, very light, rolls up to the size of a Coka Cola bottle.

I've never been above 72 kilos in my life, I always seem to hover just below no matter what I eat or drink. When I hike, within about 3 to 4 days, I quickly drop to about 68-69 kilos and then stabilise even though I tend to 'pub' it every night. What I do like about my small weight loss is that I always seem to lose it around my waist first, I'm forever tightening my belt. The downside is, once home I quickly get back up to about 70 -71 Kilos and it always ends up on my waist again.

I'm sure if I can change my wet weather gear I think I will carry a bit lighter, but I bet its no more than a couple of ounces. To really notice a carry weight loss I would have to go on a spending binge, new rucksack, new tent, new this and new that. I won't of course, in reality I don't think there's enough real gain in doing such a big spend.


fernman

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Re: Trying to lighten my load!
« Reply #13 on: 22:14:42, 03/03/19 »
Body weight has never been an issue for me as I only fluctuate between 12 st 3 lb / 171 lb / 77.6 kg during increased summer activity to 12 st 9 lb / 177 lb / 80.3 kg due to winter slothfulness.

What is a problem for me personally is the relationship between ageing legs and the weight carried in a backpack, even with the aid of walking poles, hence my constant quest to lighten my load.

Although body weight has been discussed in previous posts, I completely fail to see any link between this and pack weight, and I hope people will be kind enough to enlighten me, preferably backed up with some hard facts.

alan de enfield

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Re: Trying to lighten my load!
« Reply #14 on: 22:26:26, 03/03/19 »

What's in those 30lbs? To me a 30lbs pack would be kit plus food and fuel for about one week.



That's about it.
Everything for 7 days+ except just 3 days of food rations, T-bags, etc etc (1700g) and 1.5 litres of water (1500g), Water filter kit.
The rest is tent, sleeping bag, mattress, seat pad, pillow (4000g)
Cooking pots, stove, gas, mug, windbreak, bits and pieces, (1100g)
Clothes, trowel, washing kit (2000g)
Satmap GPS, Solar panel, headlight, torch, spare glasses, knife, 1st aid kit, bits & bobs (1500g)


Rucksack (empty) (1700g)


Not all needed for a 'day-hike' but I'd rather carry that than a 'bag of sand'.
At least it makes it worthwhile and the pack is there and ready for the odd multi-day hike.

 

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