Must have back country items?

SSGH11B

New Member
Messages
4
Points
0
Location
Knoxville, TN
Im fairly new to backcountry camping. That being said, I've only done 4 overnight hikes in the Smokies. Everytime my pack weight ranges from 35 to 55 pounds. Im looking for tips to lighten the overall weight, and some absolute "Must-have" items.
 

oldsarge

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,764
Points
63
Welcome to OBC Staff! I'm sure you will get some great feedback soon. There are some highly skilled folks here with ton of experience. As an 11B I'm sure you've had enough of those heavy rucks...time to lighten up and enjoy the outdoors!
 

SSGH11B

New Member
Messages
4
Points
0
Location
Knoxville, TN
Thanks for the heads up, Im looking at lightening my overall load though. In the army we were always told what we needed to carry, and most of it was absolutely useless for the most part. In theater my body armor weighed 82lbs, and we just deal with it. SO folling my old grunt ways on my own personal hikes... I just tighten my shoes and drive on no matter how heavy. Unfortunately, my back and knees don't agree with that mentality anymore. Looking into ultralite techniques and decreasing my base weight to around 20lbs.
 

Grandpa

Well-Known Member
Messages
5,904
Points
113
Location
SE Idaho
All the people I backpack with develop "systems." Sleeping systems, eating systems, hydration systems, etc. This helps us to pare out all that stuff that doesn't fit in the system. An example is the sleep system. Tent? Hammock? Bare ground? Whatever system you decide on for that trip, leave the other stuff home. With minimal cash outlay, your sleep system should be under 9 lbs. With some better stuff, 6 lbs. I carry a 3 lb tent, 2 lb bag, and either a 1 lb insulated air core or a 1 1/2 lb thermarest.

Eating systems? I am a water boiler. That is all I cook. Heat water and add it to freeze dried or dehydrated foods. That includes drink mixes, coffee, food, everything. (In my case I do bring luxeries that are full weight such as trail mix and sandwich stuff) Others like better food than that so they have developed other meals that are lightweight but may require more cooking. All told, my eating system will run about 15 pounds for a ten day trip. A three day trip will be closer to 6 lbs because the stove and fuel still weigh in there. MRE's are way too heavy for backpacking.

Clothes add weight fast. You really need to watch this "system" to keep the weight down. Layering is the key. A moisture wicking base layer is the foundation, followed by fleece or some other lightweight insulation for the cooler evenings. For our high mountains I also carry a light down shirt for a third layer, and of course, a rain layer that also serves as the outer cold layer. Zip-off pants are extemely versatile as well. This serves me well down to 10 degrees. When packing, do you really need anything else? In my case yes, I like fresh clean socks each day. Merino wool of course, never cotton.

Hydration. How much water are you carrying? Do you need to carry that much? There is a plethora of good, light weight treatment methods available today. Filters, chemicals and ultraviolet methods that either kill or filter just about everything except the wet out of the water. I seldom carry more than 1 1/2 liters of water except in the desert. I carry several empty 1 liter pop bottles so when I make camp, I can filter enough water for that night thru the next days hike. Or if I have a long dry day ahead, I can load up for that. Checking with rangers about water conditions is a must when hiking a new area. The map might show a stream ahead but the map may be 20 years old and that stream dried up 10 years ago.

The "other stuff". A map and compass, a good knife, a backup fire starting method, a light source, and a first aid kit are essential, but only if you know how to use them. The "other stuff" is where weight sneaks in as well. Always carry the above stuff and if you don't know how to use them, learn fast or stay home. Personal medicine, hygiene, bear rope, bug juice are all important too but use wisdom in their selection. A cannister of Off is convenient but weighs a ton more than a puffer bottle of deet. A three cell D flashlight is a little overkill as well. You get the idea.

When you get home, check everything. Did you use it? Was it necessary? Or was I lucky I didn't have to use it so going to carry it anyway? Then throw out what wasn't necessary. What did you wish you had with? Did you really need it or just want it? Then weigh each piece of gear. Hmmmm my widget weights 3 pounds, Gear Gouger has a 2 pound widget on sale. Do I want to spend that much to get rid of a pound? Eventually you will reach a balance between what comforts you are willing to endure versus getting rid of more weight.

Hey, its a great sport. Even a fat old man like me enjoys every outing and spends all winter remeniscing about those trips. Above all, hike your own hike and enjoy.
 
Last edited:

Gondor

New Member
Messages
686
Points
0
Depending on your preferences you can add a lot of things if you are not critical and knowledgeable of what is really needed. What I usually do is always return to knife/firesteel basics, as I like to call them, which are the two most common things I will carry outside and then I go add from there.
 

DuctTape

New Member
Messages
106
Points
0
Location
Roch, NY
Have a gear list with the weight of every item. Stick to your list. Never use the phrase, "this weighs nothing", as it isn't true. Those small items add up, and quick. Use your list to pack so you don't just keep tossing in items "just in case", or "I might want this". The lightest gear is that which you don't take. As far as must have items, that will vary from person to person, is trip dependent and is environment specific.

Granpas systems suggestion is a good idea. One way to get started is to think of rooms in a house for the systems: Bedroom (sleep and clothes), kitchen(cooking and food), bathroom(hygiene), and living room(entertainment). The gear needed for those? I will quote George Washington Sears aka Nessmuk, "Go light, the lighter the better, so that you have the simplest material for health, comfort, and enjoyment." By the way, those are in a specific order for a reason. You need minimal gear just to be safe, a little more to be comfortable and then a bit more to make it fun.

How to figure it out? Take an overnight trip. When you get back empty your pack and everything you used goes pack in the pack and everything else doesn't unless it is a necessary safety item (not a "just in case" or redundancy item). Keep going on short trips and you will eventually level out to what you need for your own health, comfort and enjoyment. Just like Granpa said.
 

Pathfinder1

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,716
Points
48
Location
Liberty, N.Y. Lower Catskill Mountains.
All the people I backpack with develop "systems." Sleeping systems, eating systems, hydration systems, etc. This helps us to pare out all that stuff that doesn't fit in the system. An example is the sleep system. Tent? Hammock? Bare ground? Whatever system you decide on for that trip, leave the other stuff home. With minimal cash outlay, your sleep system should be under 9 lbs. With some better stuff, 6 lbs. I carry a 3 lb tent, 2 lb bag, and either a 1 lb insulated air core or a 1 1/2 lb thermarest.

Eating systems? I am a water boiler. That is all I cook. Heat water and add it to freeze dried or dehydrated foods. That includes drink mixes, coffee, food, everything. (In my case I do bring luxeries that are full weight such as trail mix and sandwich stuff) Others like better food than that so they have developed other meals that are lightweight but may require more cooking. All told, my eating system will run about 15 pounds for a ten day trip. A three day trip will be closer to 6 lbs because the stove and fuel still weigh in there. MRE's are way too heavy for backpacking.

Clothes add weight fast. You really need to watch this "system" to keep the weight down. Layering is the key. A moisture wicking base layer is the foundation, followed by fleece or some other lightweight insulation for the cooler evenings. For our high mountains I also carry a light down shirt for a third layer, and of course, a rain layer that also serves as the outer cold layer. Zip-off pants are extemely versatile as well. This serves me well down to 10 degrees. When packing, do you really need anything else? In my case yes, I like fresh clean socks each day. Merino wool of course, never cotton.

Hydration. How much water are you carrying? Do you need to carry that much? There is a plethora of good, light weight treatment methods available today. Filters, chemicals and ultraviolet methods that either kill or filter just about everything except the wet out of the water. I seldom carry more than 1 1/2 liters of water except in the desert. I carry several empty 1 liter pop bottles so when I make camp, I can filter enough water for that night thru the next days hike. Or if I have a long dry day ahead, I can load up for that. Checking with rangers about water conditions is a must when hiking a new area. The map might show a stream ahead but the map may be 20 years old and that stream dried up 10 years ago.

The "other stuff". A map and compass, a good knife, a backup fire starting method, a light source, and a first aid kit are essential, but only if you know how to use them. The "other stuff" is where weight sneaks in as well. Always carry the above stuff and if you don't know how to use them, learn fast or stay home. Personal medicine, hygiene, bear rope, bug juice are all important too but use wisdom in their selection. A cannister of Off is convenient but weighs a ton more than a puffer bottle of deet. A three cell D flashlight is a little overkill as well. You get the idea.


Hey, its a great sport. Even a fat old man like me enjoys every outing and spends all winter remeniscing about those trips. Above all, hike your own hike and enjoy.


Hi...


EXCELLENT...!!
 

ppine

Forester
Messages
3,931
Points
113
Location
Minden, NV
No equipment is absolutely essential for being in the outdoors. All that is required is a strong desire to be out there and some thought about what you are going to need.

A good example is a sleeping bag that many would say is essential. For thousands of years people used blankets or quilts. It is possible to stay warm in the winter with warm clothes and a fire and no blankets. Experience is the greatest teacher about what to bring.

I go backpacking every year with a good friend of almost 30 years. His Dad was from New England and they went camping with wool blankets, a frying pan, a fishing rod and little else.
 

Grandpa

Well-Known Member
Messages
5,904
Points
113
Location
SE Idaho
No equipment is absolutely essential for being in the outdoors. All that is required is a strong desire to be out there and some thought about what you are going to need.

A good example is a sleeping bag that many would say is essential. For thousands of years people used blankets or quilts. It is possible to stay warm in the winter with warm clothes and a fire and no blankets. Experience is the greatest teacher about what to bring.

I go backpacking every year with a good friend of almost 30 years. His Dad was from New England and they went camping with wool blankets, a frying pan, a fishing rod and little else.
There are still a lot of people that go minimalist Ppine. We hear about some of them on the news quite often.
 

Johnny

New Member
Messages
106
Points
0
Some people just love the nature and don't think a lot about gear. A lot of friends of mine actually won't talk at all about gear before the trip. They just pack a hatchet, firesteel, tent, sleeping bag and rations.
 

carmen

Active Member
Messages
1,051
Points
38
Location
In a house with a tin roof
No matter what trip of trip you are taking sometimes you take more, sometimes you take less. Until you get into your own routine it will take a bit before you figure out all of your own must have's. I know for me I still re-do a pack once before I head or just to make sure we are not taking more than we need.
 

tramp

Member
Messages
63
Points
8
Location
alabama
Light = money
Ultra light = more money
Stupid light = your life

light weight backpacking has different levels. if you plan on a 5 day hike on the AT doing 8 miles a day or more, and doing that often then invest in the best you can get. if you are just backpacking a few miles on the weekend every so often then maybe you can get away with some cheaper gear.
like...kelty cosmic down 20 deg sleeping bag. 2 lb 12 oz. less than $ 100. or marmot helium 15 deg bag. 1 .5 lbs. $ 300 +
the best gear list i have found is eric the blacks 5 day backpacking gear list. showes item, weight and cost.
like some others have said, there is a LOT you just dont need to carry.
 
Top