What are some good tips/tricks/hacks to make my hiking backpack

>>1085084
Carry less shit

>>1085085
thanks, this helps a lot.
I carry as little as possible, but enough for comfort to ensure I have a good time. But there are probably more things I have not thought of yet.

Buy light gear instead of heavy gear. How hard is that? Oh wait, you want heavy gear that is lighter. Good luck retard

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>>1085084
>I don't wanna spend 9 million dolans on UltraLight flashy neon faggot gear,
wrong board, joey

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>>1085095
i know this is b8 but I just took it. you dont have do be a rishbish to be "ultralight". A flat tarp, even a nice silnylon one is way cheaper than a tent, like 40-60 bucks for a kit with lines and stakes. use a piece of clear window insulation film from homedepot as a ground sheet, whatever sleeping bag or quilt you want and maybe a bivvy. put that shit in whatever smaller sized packpack you already have along with a fleece jacket, a frogg toggs jacket and some food. As long as you dont bring a bunch of gadgety cook gear, tons of spare clothes, shovels, axes, or a bunch of pointless stuff stacks then ur pretty much guaranteed to be "ultralight" the poor way and arent a pretentious faggot about it.

packing heavy shit you dont need is for faggots. being able to be resourceful and have skils while /out/ and taking less is for real men.

alright here is what I bring on a 4 day solo hike.

Shelter:
- tent
- sleeping bag
- mat for the sleeping bag

Clothing:
- water/wind-proof jacket and pants
- one extra pair of socks, boxer shorts and t-shirt for every day I'm staying.
- hooded sweater and sweatpants
- mosquito net/hat

Cookware:
- 0.8L pot with a deep 0.2L lid
- stainless steel double walled primus coffee mug.
- 2 small propane canisters (1 is good for 3 days)
- small propane burner
- fork and spoon.

food:
- soups that only need added water
- instant noodles
- instant coffee
- 1 0.5L can of soda
- 1 0.6L water (get's refilled in the wild)
- bread that stays good for a week and cheese spread.
- 1 bag of salty chips/crisps

Misc:
- pack of bandaids
- toothbrush and toothpaste
- roll-on antiperspirant
- 2x3" plastic mirror
- bug spray
- tick remover tool
- a book
- pipe, tobacco, lighter and matches
- a few meters of parachord.
- small sharp knife

What I don't bring:
- big macho knife
- heavy axe
- full first aid kit
- map and compass (yes really)
- camelback
- firearms
- binoculars

>>1085102
Thanks. Not bait though! I can't stand the newer neon trends. Everything is too flashy and the prices are stupid high. I like darker green and brown colors for clothing and tent. But not camo, I'm not going to Nam.

>>1085084
https://macon.me/shoestring

>>1085107
niiice

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>>1085084
https://lighterpack.com/r/2gg0as
The only thing here that is flashy and UL is probably my quilt. If you don't want to invest in some nice UL gear then your alternative is get real minimal with what you are going to take.

>>1085115
>d. nitecap
that stuff is good but couldnt u light a campfire and sit next to it for essentially the same effect. :P

Make a list of your gear. Erase what toi didn't use during your last trip. Don't take those things next Time.

>>1085124
I'll use this!

>>1085120
I was really enjoying it until I discovered a novel way to reduce pack weight... Losing you luxury items. Dropped my pipe at some point on the trail. Super gutted, I had had the pipe in question for quite a while.

>>1085140
ouch! That hurts

>>1085103
Well...

Extra clothes for each Day - try having day (hiking) and night (sleeping) clothes.

Exchange the sweatshirt and pants for a down puffy and long John's.

Ditch the coffee cup, what do you think your pot is for

Switch out propane set up for alcohol. Two canisters is excessive.

Otherwise it's what you take specifically that matters. "A waterproof" can be anything from 200g to 2kg. I switched out my old waterproofs for a montane goretex active, alone that cut more than half a kilo.

Light items go on the bottom of your pack, heavy on top.
Adjust all the little straps so it sticks nice to you.(like shoulder width and shit)
You should be carrying your pack with your hips not your back.

>>1085103
No lid
No mug drink from the pot
Why the fuck do you need a spoon?
No mirror
roll-on antiperspirant - what the fuck
tick remover tool - just carry pliers a leatherman

>>1085144
I don't sleep with clothes on.
I wan replace the cup with a lighter one.
I cook meals in the pot and water for instant coffee in the lid. It's not usable to drink directly from the lid.
When using alcohol stoves I tend to use more fuel and that gettup is heavier in general. I could ditch the spare canisters and cook more meals on the camp fire.
My pants and jacket is probably in the 200-400g range.

I could however wash clothes on the spot. But there is a very good chance that they won't dry. As there is a lot of humid weather.

>>1085150
dry over fire and remember to have good timbers going/no wet wood

.....never mind, all it'll take is EMERGENCY RUNS and all your clothes/expensive crap will be smoking and up in flames

>>1085150
>But there is a very good chance that they won't dry. As there is a lot of humid weather.
I hike in a lot damp places and only take two t shirts, one set of shorts and two pairs of socks. I wear most things dry. As long as they get clean I am happy. But to be honest I am a pretty dirty hiker and don't wash my shit nearly as often as I should...
>I don't sleep with clothes on.
That's situation dependent. If you are 100% certain it's never going to get cold at night then that's cool. My last hike I slept naked the vast majority of the time but there was a week when it got chilly and I was happy to have long johns, thermal top and balaclava to sleep in.
>When using alcohol stoves I tend to use more fuel and that gettup is heavier in general. I could ditch the spare canisters and cook more meals on the camp fire.
I normally use alcohol stoves but am thinking about testing out gas for a bit as I am bored of carrying bottles of spirits with me. On long hikes I always end up having to buy large bottles. The bottles are usually pretty shitty as well so I have to take precautions to stop them leaking which is getting annoying. On the gas canisters, I hiked with a Swiss for 10 days on my last thru and he carried one canister and was properly cooking each evening, like sweating onions etc and one lasted him the whole 10days with gas to spare, so one seems to be enough. Unless you are hiking somewhere really remote I am sure you will be able to refuel without a worry.

>>1085150
You sleep in your fucking sleeping bag ass naked? That's disgusting.

>>1085162
naked in a silk liner is luxury.

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This is all anyone needs and its six pounds
https://youtu.be/LHmtdtctzzc

>>1085217
<7lb packs are so spartan! I am always in awe of the dedication is discomfort!

>>1085106
>But not camo, I'm not going to Nam.
b-but animals use camo too

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>>1085217
>>1085363

>>1085354
>Carrying too much weight is comfy!

>>1085412
>too much
You can have a comfy pack that is still =<10lb. I'd hardly call that too much. Up to 15lb is an easy weight to carry.

>>1085413
I can't imagine carrying the burden of worrying about whether or not I cut all the tags off my gear.

But I suppose 4chan really brings out the crazy extremists.

Stop with the canvas bullshit LARPers are peddling. Dont be afraid of the bright colored gear.

Or you could just fuck off and buy molle compatible gear.

>>1085413
>>1085418
>I'm proud to carry extra stuff it makes me a smug douche

>>1085418
>crazy extremists
Spending days making lists, weight my gear, typing it all into lighterpack doesn't make me a crazy extremist. Right? RIGHT!>?!?!

>>1085422
15 lbs is not really heavy though.

t. another ultralight faggot

>>1085422
>>smug douche
Woah project much? I just like a light bag. I don't know who touched you in the wrong place to think that light bag=smug douche...

>>1085426
>15 lbs is not really heavy though.
Exactly! My base on the last hike was around the 14lb mark. Didn't notice the difference much from when it's around 10.

>>1085429
15 or less is always breddy gud. Of course it doesn't hurt to go lighter, and yeah it's even easier, but people should do whatever they want. As long as you're not physically hurting from wearing the pack you're doing good imo.

>>1085422
>I'm proud to carry extra stuff
I've got a 10lb base weight, actually. I just don't try to drive it down further than it needs to be for comfort. Not carrying a viking axe isn't the same as cutting the tags off your t-shirt.

>>1085425
lol.

>>1085433
>>1085432
>>1085429

Haha you are ultralight fags who spend 6 gorillian $ because your bodies and minds are millennial tier

>>1085450
>backpacking seems kind of pricey
It doesn't have to be. Most of us start out thinking that we have to buy all sorts of expensive gear, but by the time we get good, we're down to a few select items we either made ourselves or improvised.

You can get by with a $7 CCF pad, $5 fleece blanket (twin) and a bivvy made from (free) Tyvek and some duct tape as your bedroll. An old eye-dropper filled with unscented bleach will sterilize several tens of gallons of water (use soda bottles for storing water, rice, fuel). And while knowing how to use ferrocerium or steel is great knowledge to have, most of us carry BICs because reliability. Dollar store tin cups and aluminium beer bottles work great as small cook pots. And if that's all you're carrying, you don't even need a fancy backpack for pockets and support straps, because at that weight, you're already ultralight and it'll fit in a satchel or school bag. You could get everything you need for around $20 to do a week-long trip and be fine.

Old allen wrenches, being made of high-carbon tool steel work great as strikers and depending on the size, may be much lighter than comercially available ones. Just pick up chert (flint, quartz, granite, etc) when you need it, leaving it behind when you leave camp.

To all the weights being listed...I assume that doesn't include water?

I am still developing my pack but my main water supply is just such a large weight. I have a sawyer mini and bring small clear trash bags to use for a water bag to filter water if I need. However, I feel that bringing a decent water supply is always important and rather convenient as it allows you to camp wherever you like and/or not have to seek out water along the way and wait to filter.

Just curious what habits are being practiced.

>>1085103
I've been working on a strategy that you may find beneficial but it's experimental. I carry no extra clothes except for socks and a jacket and wash my clothes daily to keep em from getting dirty and uncomfortable.

For a tent I use a fabric tarp and light ground cover, barely the size of a pringles can and in theory would work for rain. I am an a newbie at rain but what I know about rain is you should be certain your gear is waterproof before knowingly going into rain. Tents older than 1 year will have seams that leak that need to be sealed with silicon seam sealer.

Cookware, I get away with just a fork and plastic mug. Friend usually brings an aluminum pot for boiling water/rice/beans/etc. Lack of condiments is the real beginner mistake that I have made many times. Eating just rice or just pasta gets old so bring salt, soy sauce, pasta sauce etc.

People who don't bring a map or compass is a sign that they aren't going all that far into the woods anyways. The items are so lightweight and cheap and it's the same functionality as google maps when you figure out how to use them correctly. Everyone assumes a compass "just points north" but if you're in sight of two mountains or other landmarks, you can intersect the angles and get a precision location on the map. Sometimes trails on a map also aren't clearly defined, some trails don't even have any visible footpaths or markers, stepping over fallen trees etc. This lets you go deeper and further into the wilderness in a safe way.

First aid: a few tiny pills of ibuprofen or flu meds can save your life.

>>1085463
Base weight doesn't include food or water, carry weight does.

>>1085450
My most expensive item was my quilt. £200. Kind of normal for a high end sleeping bag. A light set up doesn't have to cost the earth...
>>1085463
Base weights include no consumables (fuel, water or food) in that respect they are a little silly. As there is no point having a low base weight if you can't get your food right.
On the water topic. I carry two sawyer bags, they hold ~2L each, and a sawyer squeeze. Don't get the mini, loads of people complain about it's flow rate and it isn't much lighter than the squeeze. If I am hiking somewhere with plenty of water I only carry ~1 liter during the day as I know I can quickly and easily filter water from the many sources. If am camping at a dry site then I just fill both bags at the last water point before setting up camp. Sure it means I might have an hour or so carrying 4 liters but that's not too bad desu. Dry places can suck though, I was hiking in the South of France and at times had to carry ~6L of water. But you can get creative and spread the weight around so it isn't all in your bag.

>>1085450
You this guy? https://youtu.be/CDG_umxslxk

>>1085497
Wow. That is straight up retarded. I can see a few extra comfort items, but unless that bag is filled with packing peanuts, he's gonna destroy a disk.

>>1085497
Damn that dude is an elite athlete

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>>1085450
>he thinks being light weight and minimal is a millennial fad

>>1085573
It's not a fad, you have the bones of 80 year old women and can't carry more than ten pounds without a fracture

>>1085580
Being able and choosing not to are fairly different anon...

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>>1085084
ooooooooooohhhhh!

>>1085450
>My pack hurts so much, but I refuse to acknowledge why.

>>1085463
I carry two water bottles, one has an integrated water filter. I decant into the regular bottle and find 2 litres on hand to be adequate for my area. When I have hiked in arid locations I supplement with regular plastic bottles.

Base weight 6-9kg depending on gear plus consumables

>>1085084
I've got a pretty low base weight, under 15lbs summer, 20lbs winter. You can check out my gear list @ http://notreallyasurvivalblog.blogspot.com/2017/08/gearlist.html if you want some pointers.

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>>1085115
>https://lighterpack.com/r/2gg0as
Oh well I fucked up my lighterpack. That link is my end game.
My current pack is here: https://lighterpack.com/r/5z2usv

>>1085908
>https://lighterpack.com/r/5z2usv
How do you like the Stealth?

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>>1085911
Love it! Packs small, weighs little, and is very reasonably priced for a tent of this quality. The only reason I am going to start playing with a straight up tarp is curiosity. I am really interested in the flexibility of a flat tarp and the potential weight saving it offers. My only main gripe with the Stealth is that it is pretty small, especially down in the foot end. I am hoping a tarp would mean that, if the conditions allow, I can pitch in a way that gives me a bit more living space.
Whole bunch of pics over in >>>1085171

>>1085084
Carry less shit.

Don't bring a stove, cookware, or axe/hatchet.

Pack food that can be eaten without cooking based on calories/kg (generally: nuts, chocolate, candy, cheese, and some protein). Tea and coffee can be brewed cold.

Don't bring "entertainment" (cards, books, phone, etc).

Pack a lighter tent, or a bivvy or a tarp.

Carry lighter sleeping padding and sleeping bag (except in winter). Sleep in your clothes for extra warmth.

Carry fewer clothes - in warm weather clothes can be recycled for long outings by rinsing them in water. Socks should generally be fresh every day (either a new pair, or a previously washed pair), everything else for at least a week.

>>1085916
>Pack food that can be eaten without cooking based on calories/kg (generally: nuts, chocolate, candy, cheese, and some protein). Tea and coffee can be brewed cold.
Oh man the only reason I carry a stove is to make hot drinks. They are too comfy to give up on.
>Don't bring "entertainment" (cards, books, phone, etc).
This only works on shorter trips. If am going on a long hike I at least need some music/audio books to listen to.

>>1085914
I've always mostly been a tarp guy. I've been using a DD superlight solo tarp for the last couple of years (cheap, dodgy quality but works pretty good for the price). I love the flexibility, but it takes some experimentation to get proper technique. Also if you've packed it away with guylines set up for one configuration, and the conditions demand that you use another, it can be a bit annoying fiddling with guylines in bad weather.

The Stealth intriques me I must admit. It seems pretty good for most conditions. I wonder how entering and exiting works in bad weather though.

If I'm lucky, I'll get a second-hand MLD Trailstar next month. It looks like the tarp I've been searching for all these years. As well as something I can use safely pretty much everywhere.

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>>1085922
I've stayed away from the trailstar just due to it's fairly huge footprint! I tend to camp in a wide range of area, including dense-ish forest. But is does look awesome and has a great rep.
> I wonder how entering and exiting works in bad weather though.
This is kind of why I shied away from the bug net inner and just used the bath tub/polycro sheet. In bad weather I can pitch the outer then half pitch or half unroll the ground sheet and sit in there while I chill and eat. But it isn't luxurious. It is a bit of a sleep shelter rather than a living shelter if you get what I mean. You also have a little flexibility in how you pitch it. By setting the poles to different heights can you give yourself a little more space at the door end to do your chores. Or if it's going to be real windy but you know the rain isn't likely to come you can pitch the door end lower to shed some wind. Like in pic. But I tend to keep the doors open when pitched low and in high wind. Having said that it is rock solid in the standard pitch.

>>1085931
The Trailstar is huge for sure. In my country most (legal) places where you can camp are pretty open. We also have woodlands/forests/etc designated for what's called "free-tenting" meaning you can camp anywhere you'd like within those areas.
Another reason I like the trailstar is that it can house my buddies who'd like to camping with but don have/can't afford their own gear. I've also got a bunch of gear that I mainly keep around to lend to friends (no excuses for not going camping). I can also use it with my GF (we aren't really cuddlers, unless it's really cold, so the mid-pole doesn't worry me), and children when we get any.
Also, I hate zippers.
But if I'm going solo in an area where I know the pitches are going to be cramped, I'll probably stick with a small flat-tarp.

Yeah, I can see how that wouldn't really be a problem if you're not using the net-inner. Didn't know that it could be pitched so low, that's pretty cool.

>>1085949
I don't know which version of the trailstar you were looking at but I have heard some people say they prefer the trailstar and cricket in silnylon rather then cuben fiber as the stretch in the silnylon gives you a give more flexibility in pitching.

>>1085969
Silnylon. Cuben is too expensive, and even if I could justify it, I would still prefer the flexibility you mentioned. The cricket is cool too, and I've also considered it, but I figured it wouldn't be a huge improvement over my solo flat-tarp.

>>1085103
dont forget ur ipad

>>1086047
>ur ipad
nice. golf clap/10

>>1085147
>Why the fuck do you need a fork?
ftfy

>>1085147
>>1086102
Wasn't the spork invented to solve this exact problem?

>>1085103
>one t-shirt a day
>sweatpants
>heavy hoodie
>antiperspirant
>mirror
>can of soda
Are you autistic and absolutely have to be clean?