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Lightening The Load !

WildWood1965

WildWood1965

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Interesting article for those of us who are perhaps looking to take less with us on our adventures in order to give our poor backs a break !

http://paulkirtley.co.uk/2015/lightening-the-load-pt-1-tarp-bivvy-sleep-systems/

I hope that you find it of some use but I have no doubt that it will promote much discussion on the less weight equals more cost side of things.

Perhaps finding a balance between the two is the answer especially if you are hiking in to your chosen camping spot. The only other way for the majority of us would be the 2nd-hand route or a lottery win. :rolleyes:

All the best,

Neil.
 
This an area I rambled on about recently, although my main area of moaning was about buying too much kit I think it boils down to the same thing at the end of the days. Modern materials do, albeit at a cost, reduce both weight and volume and, I guess, that starts with clothing where a modern jacket might weigh a fraction of some of the older style clothing (especially when wet).

I guess buried in here is also a kit preference issue, I am quite happy with many modern materials, but a lot of folks prefer a more "purist" approach with good reason :)

Certainly struggling to a site on foot with a fifty pound pack is not helping ones back in the long term ;)
 
WildWood1965 said:
Interesting article for those of us who are perhaps looking to take less with us on our adventures in order to give our poor backs a break !

http://paulkirtley.co.uk/2015/lightening-the-load-pt-1-tarp-bivvy-sleep-systems/

I hope that you find it of some use but I have no doubt that it will promote much discussion on the less weight equals more cost side of things.

Perhaps finding a balance between the two is the answer especially if you are hiking in to your chosen camping spot. The only other way for the majority of us would be the 2nd-hand route or a lottery win. :rolleyes:

All the best,

Neil.
Click to expand...
Going Light
Typically my 30 litre Mollie pack weighs just over 5 kilos when I've got everything loaded

Kukri
Hultafors
Yuzet 3m x 3m tarp
100 feet para cord
Lint from the tumble dryer (tinder)
2 tealight candles
Trangia cooker and meths
Small bottle of mouth was (when empty recycled to hold meths)
Lighters x 2
Spare socks
Torch with a couple of feet of gaffer tape wrapped round it
Small first aid kit
8 x alloy tent pegs
Small stainless steel dog bowl
Small folding saw
2 x compasses
Small container of water
Oxo cubes and packet soups
Note book and pencils (you can't sharpen a pen if it runs out)
Spare torch batteries

Plus all the bits that are usually in my pockets and that lot probably cost me under 30 Quid
 
I was reminded of the guy on that "hunted" TV programme, he packed so much stuff he couldn't even get the pack on his back! in the end he HAD to dump about two thirds of it just to be able to move.
 
lonewolf said:
I was reminded of the guy on that "hunted" TV programme, he packed so much stuff he couldn't even get the pack on his back! in the end he HAD to dump about two thirds of it just to be able to move.
Click to expand...
I see them pretty much every day when they're walking the South Downs Way
 
I used to backpack on Dartmoor for weeks at a time, and I still didn't carry half what they do these days.
 
Joecole said:
Hultafors make craft knives Bob, a third less to buy than a Mora but actually using the same blade
Click to expand...

Do a search for Axminster tools, cheap as chips in there :)

lonewolf said:
I was reminded of the guy on that "hunted" TV programme, he packed so much stuff he couldn't even get the pack on his back! in the end he HAD to dump about two thirds of it just to be able to move.
Click to expand...

Yeah I remember thinking " he ain't going far " lol
 
They're fine, I prefer my mora clipper (which cost £9) but they at perfectly adequate. More of a finger guard which is handy as they are the knives children use.

38
 
Hit the boot fairs guys there's lots of old wood tools to be had.
 
Talking of lightening the load...the Silnylon Trailstar is a good shout.
Especially if your hiking and moving around rather than being in a static camp situation.
The cover and protection this thing offers is brilliant....plenty of room and tough as old boots.
Weighs next to nothing and packs down very well.
They also do a carbon version.

http://www.keithfoskett.com/watching-tv-reversing-the-car-the-mld-trailstar-review/
 
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