Backpacking TLS

[Dave Barter]

I’m off backpacking into the Scottish Highlands this weekend. I badly need a wilderness fix and the logistics of getting the bike up there would have reduced my time in the wild.

I’ve got my pack down to 9kg with 6 days of food. I’m pretty chuffed with that but is it any good? I have zero benchmarks apart from my days camping with a metal framed rucksack which probably weighed 9kg on its own.

[Shewie]

I’m off backpacking into the Scottish Highlands this weekend. I badly need a wilderness fix and the logistics of getting the bike up there would have reduced my time in the wild.

I’ve got my pack down to 9kg with 6 days of food. I’m pretty chuffed with that but is it any good? I have zero benchmarks apart from my days camping with a metal framed rucksack which probably weighed 9kg on its own.

Can't argue with that really, 3 season kit and plenty of food

[fatbikephil]

Bottle of whisky?

[slarge]

That’s pretty good Dave. Without food I’d expect 5-6kg then a few kg of food on top

[GregMay]

Pretty good Dave. My kit for two day mountain marathons is usually about 4.5kg including food - but dry weight. Usually another 2kg kit wise if I'm going "comfort" multi day walking - rest in food on top of that sounds right.

Gian is the chap to ask - he does a lot of multi day walks.

[benp1]

Yeah that's good Dave

I find bikepacking kit to be very good for backpacking, as it's usually both light and low volume

I find it easier to take comforts when backpacking as I've often got more room

Big fan of backpacking, I try to pick routes I can't bike pack (either because bikes aren't allowed or its too technical)

[Alpinum]

I’m off backpacking into the Scottish Highlands this weekend. I badly need a wilderness fix and the logistics of getting the bike up there would have reduced my time in the wild.

I’ve got my pack down to 9kg with 6 days of food. I’m pretty chuffed with that but is it any good? I have zero benchmarks apart from my days camping with a metal framed rucksack which probably weighed 9kg on its own.

Backpacking across some ridges in the Highlands is very liberating. Such wonderful places to be out and the slower pace (opposed to riding) magnifies the details.

6 days of food for hiking in my books is 550 - 650 g/day = 3300 - 3900 g, which would give me a roughly 5 kg heavy rucksack (baseweight - non consumables).
This is close to what is known as 'ultralight backpacking' - a baseweight of 4.5 kg.
I could write a page filling essay about the origins of the ultralight backpacking designation, but will leave it as it stands.
It's light.
You'll be right.

Pretty good Dave. My kit for two day mountain marathons is usually about 4.5kg including food - but dry weight. Usually another 2kg kit wise if I'm going "comfort" multi day walking - rest in food on top of that sounds right.

Gian is the chap to ask - he does a lot of multi day walks.

Pretty much the same here. Sub 3 kg baseweight when on my own, without my 'proper' camera gear and pushing comfort a little, like my 666 g shelter (modded SMD Deschutes with self made inner, incl. pegs) rather than the 900 g one (Locus gear Khufu with self made inner, incl. pegs) and a Therm-a-rest XLite short rather than the Exped Synmat HL in LW version.
For multi week hikes in the Alps or Rockies etc. during summer my girlfriends baseweight would be about 4 kg and mine about 5 kg including 0.6 kg of camera equipment. Add 1 kg each if we're in the Scandinavian mountain in Autumn and onther 2 kg when we go skimountaineering in the wintry Alps.
If I plan to photograph wildlife the camera gear becomes 1.5 - 2 kg. The rest it pretty static (3 season Alps, Scandies, Rockies or Highlands) and always between 4 and 5 kg.

Also, the longer the trip, the more emphasis on going as light as possible.

There's a lot to appreciate in light weight gear. Just as with bikepacking, it makes you more efficient to what you came out for. Enjoy nature, free and flexible.

[GregMay]

[AndreR]

Some say that the whole ultra light weight movement was started by an American fellow by the name of Ray Jardine. He wrote a number of books on how he does things and is also supposedly one of the first people to use a "quilt" rather than a full sleeping bag. He also almost never uses a tent even in the winter. I have his Ray-Way tarp book which is interesting reading. He sells kits so you can sew your own tarp and net tent and I think does a DIY quilt kit as well. People who follow his lead are sometimes referred to as the "JardiNazis" by the less weight conscious members of the backpacking community.

Very interesting guy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Jardine http://www.rayjardine.com/index.shtml

[benp1]

I have the Beyond Backpacking book he wrote

I also have a very well used Golite Jam (and another Golite pack because I'm a rucksack fiend). They were designed with Ray Jardine I believe. Great packs