backpacking weight (again)

[wastickslinger]

30 LBS.IS LIGHT FOR A 5 DAY HUNT.A guy can spend some serious cash,trying to go light!!A good bag/bivy is a must for high,snow,rainy type hunts.I used to carry some heavy packs for our 9 day hunts,75#lbs+/-,I wish I WASN'T SO POOR!!!

I've been real lucky at finding at finding deals on my gear.

my pack,tent and sleeping bag cost me $60. buying all of it new would've cost me $600
pack is a badlands 2800
tent is a northface canyonlands (I will always be a tent guy, fire up the pocket rocket for about a minute before getting up makes it real comfy, plus it will keep a pretty good snow at bay)
bag is ?? but it weighs just a hair over 3lbs and keeps me warm down into the teens.

I added more food last night, I figured since my first day or twos camp will only be 5-7 miles without much uphill I might as well eat good. I packed some pre packaged, chicken, tuna, ham...
I really like food!!

does anybody take coffee? whiskey?

I always take a folgers coffee single for each day and a tiny bottle of whiskey to have a quick taste before bed. I know that they'll both work towards dehydration but It's worth it to me.

I added the previous mentioned food, another 20oz of water and a couple more batteries and I'm at 34lbs, I better just leave it alone now.

Leave it alone, ya right.   You know you will pack it and unpack it 5 more times.   The worst feeling ever is being 10 miles in and realize you forgot something. Like babywipes. I forgot them 2 years ago.   The are a must.

You getting excited yet?  

[BLUEBULLS]

baby wipes are for babys

I can stnad being pretty nasty, If I really need some, I'll be on a 7 mile hike

[wastickslinger]

baby wipes are for babys

I can stnad being pretty nasty, If I really need some, I'll be on a 7 mile hike

 

[halflife65]

my tent is a megalight minus the pole with ti stakes, bag is western mountaineering badger, stove is a micro primus, pad is a BA rem and I sport a mystery ranch....the pack iss not the lightest, but argueably the best. meals are mtn house and instant coffee. snickers for a snack

Which MR?  Still debating on MR, Kifaru, which model, etc.  I've been *censored* footing around with this decision for  a year.  One of these days I just need to take the plunge.  I think one of the other guys on here, Actionshooter, uses an MR.  He is a tall guy (I saw him at the Puyallup Sportsmans Show last year with his pack goats and he was way taller than me and I'm 6') and said that the NICE was too short for him so he has one of the internal fram packs.

Do you just use a trekking pole for that megalight?

[high country]

mine is a g 5000 nice, I would suggest you look at the military issue propper packs, they are a good bang for the buck. the MR will fit most people if you take the time to size it, some extremly long torsoed folk may have problems, but I imagine dana has a yoke for that too. the quality and design is great for me, and I have gone through a boat load of packs. I do not need all the fancy schmancy stuff the MR does, but I scored a deal on it and it has made my trips out of the woods with a camp and a buck mucho more comfy.

[halflife65]

my tent is a megalight minus the pole with ti stakes, bag is western mountaineering badger, stove is a micro primus, pad is a BA rem and I sport a mystery ranch....the pack iss not the lightest, but argueably the best. meals are mtn house and instant coffee. snickers for a snack

Which MR?  Still debating on MR, Kifaru, which model, etc.  I've been *censored* footing around with this decision for  a year.  One of these days I just need to take the plunge.  I think one of the other guys on here, Actionshooter, uses an MR.  He is a tall guy (I saw him at the Puyallup Sportsmans Show last year with his pack goats and he was way taller than me and I'm 6') and said that the NICE was too short for him so he has one of the internal fram packs.

Do you just use a trekking pole for that megalight?

Ah, I apologize for the need to censor...oops - not intentional.

[halflife65]

mine is a g 5000 nice, I would suggest you look at the military issue propper packs, they are a good bang for the buck. the MR will fit most people if you take the time to size it, some extremly long torsoed folk may have problems, but I imagine dana has a yoke for that too. the quality and design is great for me, and I have gone through a boat load of packs. I do not need all the fancy schmancy stuff the MR does, but I scored a deal on it and it has made my trips out of the woods with a camp and a buck mucho more comfy.

I really can't find anybody that has anything bad to say about an MR.  Even the Kifaru guys say that they're good.  Probably like trying to choose between Swaros and Leicas...I'm just about convinced to pull the trigger on one of those.

[actionshooter]

I like the G-5000 but I'm one of the guys who is too tall. I went with the monster   http://www.mysteryranch.com/s.nl/it.A/id.4281/.f?sc=8&category=1971
 I spoke with Dana at length before I ordered it, I wanted the NICE system, but it just isn't an option with my height.

 I just got home late last night from chasing muleys for 4 days with the smokepole, no luck, but at least my legs hurt  
 My pack weighed in at 49#, that included all my gear, spotter, tripod, food, muzzy stuff and a gallon of water
 I could cut a little weight, but I can't see going much lighter than that. Normally I wouldn't pack that much water, but I wasn't sure I would find any where I was going, but luckily I did.

[high country]

I love it when you pack too much water.....lol. I ran ot my first year of high hunt out of lake chelan with 5k to climb and only enough water for 2500, I then loaded at every chance and was up to my waist in water once at elevation.....go figure. it was worth not feeling like I was gonna die and turn to dust.

[carpsniperg2]

i hear you on the water. i am part camel  i pack a ton of water and always have some left over. My buddies give me crap untill they have cotton mouth

[JackOfAllTrades]

What's the lightest water bottle you've found?  I crumpled up a rinsed out 2L Pepsi bottle a couple weeks ago. Once I got near camp and the stream that is there I pulled out my filter and filled it. I had to blow into it when it was about half full to get all the wrinkles out. Didn't take much to have a functional bottle.

I was looking at tents and stakes the other day with TESTAR77.  He laughed at the tin, Ti and aluminum stake weight differences. 'Oh, not much difference to worry about.'  But as we shave off a few ounces here and there, all the sudden we've dropped a few pounds on the total weight. My tent has provision for twelve stakes. I can get away with six if it's not snowing and I tie off to a tree/root for key points.

I hate my sleeping pad. Unfortunately the better ones that are more comfortable and insulate well, weigh more.

-Steve

[BLUEBULLS]

I always pack 2 or 3 20oz water bottles and 2 or 3 litre bladder. I use the bottles for purifying, 1 tablet per bottle.

[halflife65]

Arrowhead water bottles.  They are a really thin plastic and seem to weight the least.

[actionshooter]

32oz gatorade bottles

[JackOfAllTrades]

I think a Eureka Solitaire is in my future.  2 pounds 8 ounces.

Gatorade bottles?  Can't crush'm thin like you can a 2L bottle.

-Steve