Lighten Your Load

[Eaglebait Ranch]

Ok, except for food, I can trail pound with a pack weighing 12-15 pounds, loaded with a week's worth of vitals, it can start out 23-25 pounds.

Consider what I am wearing to be half of what I carry: I am wearing a quick dry shirt, net briefs, quick dry rip stop shorts or boxer underwear, GOOD hiking socks. I have one of each of those in my pack to change into for the next day.

I also have a pair of rip stop pants with zippers to remove legs, bunting sweater, wool watch cap, waterproof and breathable shell jacket and pants (for rain), 1 pan to cook and eat out of, 1 insulated french press coffee mug, 1 spork, water filter, truly "basic" health and first aid:
1. Child's toothbrush w/handle shortened
2. Tooth powder - weighs less than paste and I take the amount I need w/powder
3. Chap stick and Corona Cream are carried in small plastic contact lens caps to save space and weight.
4. Single edge razor blade
5. 2-3 Lite Days mini pads (to cover puncture wounds)

(con't) emergency kit: sweing needle, thread, medium and small safety pin.
In camp flip flops, bandana, 3/8" thick role of TP, matches, nylon cord, water bottle, book. I think that is it.

I have my 1 person tent, down sleeping bag, and accordion folding sleeping pad (which I also use for a couch, lounge chair, and whatever).

I wrap about 2' of duct tape around each of my walking sticks and around my water bottle. Duct tape is for both emergency kit and first aid kit.

Have I forgotten anything?

Fanny pack, which I wear as a tummy pack, has camera, gps, Leatherman, comp**** and map/s.

For a pillow, I wrap my bunting jacket into one of the arms of the bunting jacket

Now, with the llama, what I take is a totally different story. He can carry 80-90 pounds. The most I have had him carry, was 65 pounds, and that was all of my gear, most of my wife's gear, and 5 days of food/fuel for two of us.

I hope this sparks some interest as to how to lighten the load you pack with. Any of you got any ideas on how to lighten your loads? Let's share them.

[Richard18]

I never thought about carrying a razor blade. I always keep a survival knife, but a razor would save a lot of room. I do always keep a good LED flashlight like this one. That and some extra batteries (although the reason I use LED is because they are bright and have a good battery life, you could also pack glow sticks). Even if you camp or just don't hike at all at night they are always great to have for emergencies.

[Eaglebait Ranch]

I actually carry two flashlights: One is a tiny single led light which uses a watch battery. I carry a couple extra batteries for that flashlight (about the size of a fat nickel). This "arrangement" is lightweight and takes up minimal space.

My "reading" light is a 3 led headlamp. I wish I could find one which uses "watch" batteries, it would make my pack that much lighter.

........"it would make my pack that much lighter" is a bit of a contradiction because as my thumbnail shows, I backpack with a llama.

[Bigdog57]

Get Billy Bob a headlight, and you could travel at night too!
And the bicycle riders have some neat 'clip on' "tail lights" that could clip onto his..... tail. :D

One thing I need to do is upgrade to a new digital camera - my old HP is barely 'pocket sized', takes four AA batteries, and is only 3.2 MegaPixels. My buddy has a new one a quarter the size with many times the memory, and is 12 MP! :eek:
I could save some major grams.......

[Eaglebait Ranch]

Get Billy Bob a headlight, and you could travel at night too!
And the bicycle riders have some neat 'clip on' "tail lights" that could clip onto his..... tail. :D

That's a good one! :D Hadn't thought of that! :D

I also take Avery file folder labels and wrap them around the batteries I take with me. When I have to replace a battery, I take the label off. That way I know if I see a battery in storage w/o a label, it is spent and not good. I save the labels I take off to help start camp and cook fires.