1. Ultra Light Backpacking Gear
ACT IV Training – BSA
October 17, 2009
Presented by Bill Watson
“The man with too much gear” says his wife.
Q: How many tents should a guy own? Answer: one more
Q: How many packs should a guy own? Answer: one more
Q: How many sleeping bags should a guy own? Answer: one more

2. Learning Objective
Tired of carry that heavy pack on weekend and week long backpacking trips. This presentation will present some lightweight alternatives to using more typical heavy back packing equipment.

3. Ultra Light Backpacking Gear is
Not for the Beginning Backpacker
More fragile than heavier gear
Not for Winter outings
Sometimes more expensive than normal gear

4. Which pack would you rather carry on a 50 miler?
Troop 474
Macho
Leader lb
Troop 474 Eagle Scout
30 lbs

5. Equipment Weight
Most weights given in this presentation are weighed on a scale to the nearest .1 oz. Manufacturer’s weights are quite often incorrect.
A few of the weights are manufacturer's weights and so noted.

6. Sierra Designs Stretch Dome 4- Season Tent
9 lb 5.0 oz

7. Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight CD
3 season Tent 5lb 6.2 oz

8. Tarptent Sqall 2- 3 season tent
2 lb 3.0 oz

9. Tarptent Squall 2 from back

10. Tarptent Rainbow Free standing
2 lb 0 oz (per manufacturer) $215

11. DuoMid by Mountain Laurel Designs
15.5 oz (per manufacturer $205
Sheds Wind from all Directions

12. Mountain Laurel Designs
MLD Mid Inner Nets
Duo oz (per Manufacturer) $165

13. Golite Cave 2 Shelter 1 lb 3.0 oz with stakes
Not Shown: Golite Nest 2 Bug Tent (Mosquito netting and
floor to hang under Cave 2 shlelter 1lb 3.1 oz

14. 9 lb 5.0 oz
Stretch Dome
5 lb 6.2 oz
Clip Flashlight CD
2 lb 3.0 oz
Tarptent Squall

15. Golite Cave 2 Shelter
1 lb 3.0oz with stakes
Golite Nest 2 Bug Tent
1 lb 3.1 oz

16. Nylon Tarp with Ropes
3 lb 3.3 oz

17. Lightweight Campmor Backpacking Tarp with ropes
1 lb 9.4 oz

18. 1 lb 9.4 oz
3 lb 3.3 oz

20. Conventional External Frame and Internal Frame Backpacks

21. Heavy packs on a 50 miler

22. Left (on bench): ULA-P2 Pack 3 lb 8 oz 35 lb load for week (40 max)
Right: Gossamer G4 Pack 16 oz 25 lb load for week (30 lb max)

23. Kelty Super Tioga Frame Pack 6 lb 9.7 oz

24. Arcteryx Bora 95 Internal Frame 8 lb 13.0 oz

25. Lowe Alpine Contour Classic 90 + 15 Internal frame 5 lb 15.3 oz

26. ULA –P2 Lightweight 3 lb 8.0 oz

27. Go lite Jam Pack 3100 cubic inches 22 oz (per manufacturer)

28. Gossamer G4 Pack 16.3 oz 30 lb load max
Uses Z rest sleeping pad to stiffen pack and for padding

29. Gossamer G4 Pack oz

30. Merrell Liberty Ridge
5 lb 3.8 oz
Merrell Low Top
2 lb oz
Zamberlan GT Ciretta II
4 lb 0.2 oz

31. Thermarest Short
1” thick 1 lb 7.6 oz
Thermarest ProLite 3
Short ¾” thick oz
Thermarest Full Length
3” thick 3 lb oz
Not Shown: Thermarest Z rest ensolite minus two sections 7 oz

32. Thermorest Z Rest ensolite pad
Pad has 2 sections cut off and acts as G4 pack padding
8.3 oz

33. Marmot Hoydogen
Down
30 deg lb 10.1oz
Marmot Helium
Down
15 deg 2 lb 8.7 oz
X2O (GI Joe’s)
Hollow fill
40 deg 4 lb 8.2 oz

34. 1 lb oz
$ deg
2 lb 8.7 oz
$ deg
4 lb 8.2 oz
$ deg

35. Marmot Pull Over
And Full zip pants
1 lb 6.0 oz
Moonstone Gortex Coat
And Full zip bibs
3 lb 7.8 oz

36. Colman Peak One
No Fuel
1 lb 9.0 oz
MSR XG
No Fuel
1 lb 4.9 oz
Pop Can Alcohol
No Fuel
1 oz

37. MSR XG No Fuel 1 lb 7.2 oz

38. Colman Peak One
No Fuel
1 lb 9.0 oz

39. MSR Dragonfly 1 lb 7.3 oz No Fuel

40. Pop Can Alcohol No Fuel 1 oz Can buy similar from Gossamer Web – see Fire Fly stove $30

41. White box alcohol stove 2.2 oz with wind screen and heat shield

42. Evernew Titanium
0.9 quart with lid
4.9 oz
Sigg two pots, one lid/fry pan
Aluminum
15.1 oz

43. Pop Can Alcohol Stove and Evernew Titanium
0.9 quart with lid in use

44. Take two or three disposable lighters
0.7 oz each

45. Swiss Army Knife
3.0 oz
1 blade Gerber 400
1.2 oz
Leatherman + Case
9.1 oz

46. Sweetwater
Chlorine drops
2.1 oz
MSR Filter
1 lb oz

48. Plastic 1 qt
Water Bottle
3.9 oz
Lexan 1 qt
Water bottle
6.2 oz
Platypus 1qt
Water bag
3.4 oz

49. Petzl 2 AAA cell
LED Headlamp
2.5 oz
Petzl 3 C cell
Halogen Headlamp
1 lb 0.1 oz
Petzl 2 AA cell
Headlamp
5.3 oz

50. 10x zoom digital camera
With Case, chip extra
Battery 1 lb 0.1 oz
Small Digital Camera
With Case, extra battery and chip
10.6 oz

51. 10x optical zoom Digital with case, extra battery
and chip lb oz

52. Small 3x optical zoom Digital with case, extra battery and chip 10
Small 3x optical zoom Digital with case, extra battery and chip oz

55. Light weight Gear Web Sites
Ultralight Pack Use sleeping pad as padding
How to make your own stove
Shangri-LA 2 Shelter
and Nest 2 bug net and
Lightweight Packs
Squall Shelter, Rainbow Tent
Catalyst Lightweight Pack
DuoMid Tent and MLD Mid
InnerNets