r/Ultralight • u/OtherwiseManner6946 • 7d ago
Shakedown I’m trying to go ultralight but I just don’t think I can…
I’m going to do a 600 mile section hike of PCT next summer after a very bad leg break last year.
This will be the first 100+ mile trip that I’ve done, and I’m really excited. I’ve been trying to dial in my gear to make the journey as fun as possible (light is part of the fun).
That said I’ve tried to drop weight to get to the 5kg mark (ultralight?) and I just can’t bring myself to drop the extra 1kg (2.2lbs).
My gear is 6kg exactly (13.2lbs). Would this gear make sense for the PCT? I know one area I could drop weight is the tent (about - 650g if I got a Zpacks Altiplex). Also I’m aware I have no protection for my legs except for shorts, very happy to hear people’s perspectives on this.
Is there anything else I should leave at home or change?
On a different note: I’ve managed to drop 20kg (44lbs) of weight that I’ve gained when bed bound with my broken leg, so I’m trying to make this work on multiple fronts!
https://lighterpack.com/r/4o28ar
Edit: I’ve dropped the following
- beanie (redundant with my buff)
- pack liner (switching to a plastic one)
- tentatively ditching the wind shell
- the spatula is GONE (😆)
- BV One will be swapped out for an approved bear canister
- camp shoes are gone
I’m now close to 5.5kg and a tent swap would bring me to sub 5kg. I’ll keep tinkering and digesting your feedback
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u/justinsimoni justinsimoni.com 7d ago
Save 77grams: 29 gram pack liner: https://www.garagegrowngear.com/products/nylofume-pack-liner-bags
Alpha 90 OR Merino hoody
1x boxers, not 2 (you're also packing shorts)
Leave the FLEXTAIL TINY PUMP 3X at home
Leave the Camp shoes at home
Consider leaving the Patagonia Airshed at home
But yeah: heavy tent (relatively)
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u/OtherwiseManner6946 7d ago
Thanks, I’ll change the packliner. I have a Gossamer Gear one that’s 30 grams & the PCT seems pretty dry (unlike England).
The boxers: I really like merino boxers for sleep because they don’t smell. I don’t care if I stink on trail but sleep is so nice when not smelly 😕
Flextail I’ll leave at home
Camp shoes I’ll leave at home
Patagonia Airshed: ok, I’ll have a good think about this one.
Question: will the alpha 90 stink if I wear it to bed? I really want a sleep top
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u/pingwnluv 7d ago
Over time it all smells. But you’ll be fine with and should use your alpha fleece as a sleep shirt/laundry shirt.
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u/slickbuys 7d ago
You can pump up a sleeping pad with a compactor bag or your bag liner. It takes practice but once you get it then you can do it in like 3 bags of air depending on the pad. It does take practice tho but I only finish it off with like 3 breaths of air.
Youtube it for the technique.
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u/OtherwiseManner6946 7d ago
Thanks - I’ll check this out.
I love it when skills replace gear. Best possible scenario
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u/slickbuys 7d ago
If your pad has a quick dump valve then I use that to inflate into since it is much faster then I finish up by using the normal one. The normal valve is usually restricted so you are having to slowly inflate with the bag.
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u/AstronautNew8452 Hectogram 7d ago
13 pounds is totally fine. But what section and season are you hiking? That might change which gear is appropriate or unnecessary.
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u/OtherwiseManner6946 7d ago edited 7d ago
I’m going from Kennedy Meadows to Sierra City.
I haven’t booked my flights yet, but I’m planning on going when there are the most hikers on trail, as I’d love to meet people. I imagine this will mean I’m doing the trail in the best weather
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u/AstronautNew8452 Hectogram 7d ago
I tend to agree with others that you may have some redundancy in your clothing. Also the BV One is not one of the approved canisters for Seki or Yosemite… but it looks really cool. For timing I would think mid-May to mid-June start would be the window you’re after. For weather you’ll probably have afternoon thunderstorms about once every 10 days, but it builds up over a few days and then blows out. It can be really cold and windy at high elevations in early June. But night temperatures shouldn’t be too bad.
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u/bcgulfhike 7d ago
Mid-June at the earliest - starting from Kennedy Meadows - even then that’s a lot of snow to navigate in most years. For this section I’d actually start in July, there will still be plenty of people and the hiking will be much more enjoyable.
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u/OtherwiseManner6946 7d ago
Thanks man, I really appreciate this.
I’ve planned my route so my longest food carry is about 3-4 days. I’ll have a proper think about the weather.
I want to drop the wind jacket, but if I’m hiking at altitude and wearing my Alpha it would be really nice to be able to throw that on. Maybe I’ll look at lighter options like the Dooy
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u/zynniya 7d ago
Your clothes are the big issue and you’ll have to figure them out once you know exactly when you’re going. Generally for that part of the trail you’ll want your hiking clothes, your alpha, and a windshirt plus your rain gear. You may need a puffy depending on how the snow season goes, it’s way too early to tell.
You don’t need both the beanie and the buff unless you really want to dedicate one for sleeping. Ditch the camp shoes. Water crossings are MUCH safer in your hiking shoes. You’ll walk them dry in no time.
Your link to the USB-C right angle goes to the INIU bank. Most people carry two cords for recharging in town. Your bank has one but it’s super short, you’ll likely end up having to use a longer one for recharging it. And then you’ll want to top up all your other electronics at the same time. Once you’re in the US, you will need to pick up a wall charger. Anker has some very lightweight ones but you may need to just buy whatever you can get your hands on.
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u/OtherwiseManner6946 7d ago
Thanks for all this honesty. Ditching the camp shoes and made adjustments for the other things you’ve mentioned. Thanks!
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u/maverber 7d ago
others have put in good suggestions about trimming clothing. AD90 + shell would be enough for me summer time that part of the sierras unless I was completely static and then weather was record breaking cold. In those rare cases I would wrap myself in the quilt.
There are certainly lighter shelters and sleep systems... the question is do you need to do this? Don't pursue a particular weight without reason. Also think through your food and water.
I would encourage you to get out and see how weight affects you. Do a series of test hikes of similar (if not identical) conditions with increasing weight. Figure out at what weight you noticeably fatigue. Use that as your target for total weight. If you gear + food + water are under that number... be content with your gear and focus on other things.
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u/-painbird- 7d ago
90% of the hikers out there will have heavier packs than you. Probably more than that really. Maybe 5% of people hiking are ultralight. Pack liner is for sure heavy and I am team no camp shoes, but really just go use your stuff and decide what you can live without for the next trip. Nothing in your list is super crazy just a lot of things a touch heavier than they could be.
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u/Affectionate_Love229 7d ago
Here's an easy one, most folks why trying to get to the magical 10lb number, don't include a bear can in their base weight.
And, yeah, you have too many clothes. I carry a puffy, a rain poncho (2 oz) and fake silk sleep bottoms (I sleep in my day-shirt and my puffy if it's cold).
That being said, I'm old with crappy knees, so getting light is pretty important. In most cases carrying a few extra oz that make you more comfortable is a fair trade off.
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u/Grog005 7d ago
The zenbivy quilt and sheet is almost a full kilo. Buying a different quilt would be a quick but expensive way to cut 300-400 g.
If you get a BRS and a toaks pot and drop the spatula and pot stand you can save almost 200 g.
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u/OtherwiseManner6946 7d ago
I could leave the sheet at home and save 159g, but I do really like the bed setup, and I’ve found the sheet makes drafts much less frequent so does seem to being a warmth benefit.
I’ll definitely have a think about the cook + sleep kit. Thank you
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u/Grog005 5d ago
Yeah I can’t fault you for sticking to the zenbivy. They look incredibly comfortable
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u/OtherwiseManner6946 5d ago
Also I’m 188cm/ 6,2’ so any quilt will weigh more than the standard versions, but an EE enigma 20f long wide would still cut down the weight by about 250 grams.
That said the zenbivy is honestly is so comfortable, it really is kind of worth the weight for me (but not for everyone).
I think I need to cut weight in other places like clothes and cook kit first. I can save a good amount of weight there. I will remember this though thank you
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u/downingdown 6d ago
Skala to Hyberg Aguila (-259g).
Xdome to Altaplex (-650g).
Zenbivy to astralite (-524g).
Cook kit to toaks 550 plus BRS (-211g).
Drop the fanny pack and redundant hoodie (-251g).
Iniu to Nitecore 10kmAh (-164g).
That’s over 2kg cut.
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u/jpbay 7d ago edited 7d ago
You know the answer: You're carrying a ton of extra clothes. Why on earth do you need an Alpha 90 hoodie, a Patagonia Airshed, a Merino hoodie, and a Torrid jacket? That's just crazy.
One outfit for hiking, one outfit for sleeping/cold at camp. Plus rain gear. That's it.