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Is ultralight more expensive?
(lemmy.world)
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this post was submitted on 29 Jul 2023
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ultralight
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Overnight backcountry backpacking/hiking in the spirit of taking less and doing more. Ask yourself: do I really need that?
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Yes, I would say it generally costs more. But it doesn't have to.
For example, ultralight tents are expensive, so I embraced tarp life. My tarp and bivy are lighter than most UL tents and cost hundreds of dollars less.
My individual pieces of clothing cost more, but adopting an ultralight approach means I don't carry needless extras, so I don't buy as many clothes in the first place.
UL stoves can cost a lot, but the BRS stove or an alcohol stove are cheap and weigh less. Eating cold food is even lighter.
You get the idea. It costs exactly what you spend on it. It can be done affordabley if you are strict about what you are carrying and strategic with purchases. Leaving unneeded items at home will have a bigger impact on your base weight than any $700 tent.
well said. got a lighterpack handy? :)
I did at one point. Let me see if I can track it down. Fair warning, part of my UL motivation is saving weight for luxuries like a kindle and deodorant.
We had a baby in March so I haven't been on a trip since last fall. Hoping to do a few more sections of the MST this September.
Edit: I found my old lighterpack account, but the most recent packing list is from a few years ago. I should probably be responsible and make one for current trips. I'll send you another reply in a day or two with an update.
In the meantime here's my lighter pack from a lightweight hammock trip.. I've since decided I prefer the ground and switched to a quilt, pad, tarp, and bivy. I traded the pocket rocket for an alcohol stove (safe over here in the super damp southern US). I also cut some unnecessary weight from the FAC, cooking tools, ditty bag, etc.
This one is a good start, I'd be interested in seeing the updated one. I'm best in the northeastern US and have considered learning hammocking but am somewhat intimidated. Any good resources you know on getting started?
I found a lot of good resources on the UL hammocking subreddit. It can be a little tough to sort through because a lot of hamockers are not focused on weight.
I would avoid the "cloud" material I bought from dutchware. Mine never broke, but a lot of others have. They revised the weight limit downwards after I had bought mine, and now I don't trust it. If I could make that choice again I would choose the next level of durability.
You can get a hammock set up to be pretty light, but no matter what you do it will be heavier than an equivalent investment in ground equipment. After trying it for a while I decided I wasn't really sleeping any better, so I might as well get back on the ground and be lighter. My wife is still team hammock though.
I will say that nothing beats a hammock in the rain. The ground is so wet and cold, but the hammock is cozy.
Thanks for the response, some food for thought. I'm a bit worried about all the complexity needed to get it just right and then, yeah, maybe it doesn't work as well. It seems ideal for the woods but maybe not worth it. I'll have to think some more, thanks!