But the fanny pack was an additional 3.2 lbs. Combined total base pack weight--and I think it's only fair to combine them--is 19.0 lbs. Not exactly ultralight, but certainly lightweight compared to the crazy pack weights we used to haul around as teenagers. I'm not unhappy. I had estimated a total of 16.5 lbs, but I added a few minor items, and ended up using small bungee cords to hold the sleeping pad in place. I could have cut off some paracord and saved some weight there, but it's not worth the effort.
I could also shave a little weight by getting rid of a few things--the fanny pack could be repackaged inside the backpack, saving the fanny pack weight. I could ditch the SteriPEN and camera cases. I could probably ditch the tarp.
But frankly, I think the fanny pack concept is too convenient. So what if it adds a pound or so? Totally worth it to have stuff readily and easily available without having to stop, take my pack off and dig through the side pockets.
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| The corner of my room looking a bit more organized... |
I also went to my "improved gear list" tab and tallied up my estimated weight there. I'd have a net gain of about 2.75 lbs., although that's mostly made up of the Jetboil stove and fuel cannister and a handful of other items that I don't currently have. Otherwise, I'd be replacing what I have now with something of equal or lighter weight (tent, for example, saves me a pound or two.) With a stove and set-up for one, I'd be over 20 lbs pretty easy, but not a lot. If I continued cookless but got the lighter tent, I'd be about 17-17.5 lbs.
ReplyDeleteI'm actually quite happy with the results, even though it's a few pounds higher than my estimate. This is still a good result, I think, in terms of weight reduction compared to what I'm used to. And I'm willing to take on a few pounds (easily less than five) for the convenience of my set-up, to say nothing of the cost compared to expensive ultralight options.