How to lighten your pack. (Backpacking)

Here's how to lighten the load of your backpacking pack, from what I've learned through my experience backpacking.
Hope they help some of you, and they wont all be "buy really expensive stuff".

Step 1 Split it up:

One of the things we always do while backpacking is split up any shared gear. Tent partners split the tent and each carry half. One will have the stove while the other has their water purifier.

Comments

[mhustad]

As an Ultra-lite backpacker, looking through this instructable and through the comments it amazes me how much some people carry.
My 3-season base weight (everything but food, water and fuel) is 10lbs. It's even hard for me to wrap my head around those cans. I'm not sure which side of the scale is crazier, but you guys are definitely manlier. Ha ha.

[crzymom]

I think a water filter is super important. Water is so heavy! This is probably a given, but wasn't listed.

[dkop1]

Yeah, it's a given. however, you still need to have the capacity to carry enough water if you find out that there won't be a water source. At philmont we all had the capacity to carry one and a half gallons, but would only carry three liters on average. Only when we would be going into a dry-camp, or not have a reliable water source nearby would we carry all 6 liters. As well, if you'll be able to boil water, a purifier isn't necessary. Water purification tablets are far lighter than a filter, but you have to wait for them to work. What you carry depends on where you're packing, and what you plan on doing.

[rickharris]

I don't like to carry much more than about 30 Kg (60 pounds) and can easily go for a week with 20 Kg (40 pounds). light weight clothing you can layer is better than heavy warm jumpers.

A fleece and a plastic garbage bag for rain cover works fine - why carry a water proof jacket that will only weigh you down and make you sweat.

2 man tent rip stop nylon and a plastic cover sheet for painting sheet for a fly sheet - totally water proof and very light. If you going to be around trees even the tent poles can be replaced by a length of para cord between trees.

I know several walkers who only carry a tarp to make a bivi rather than a tent. even you survival bag will keep you dry and warm with a decent sleeping bag.

A friend carries a vacuum pump to store his sleeping bag in a plastic bag suck the air out and you will be surprised how small it can get.

I never never carry tins. Dried food and lots of trail rations Nuts dried fruit and chocolate both bars and to drink much better than coffee and warming as well as nourishing.

[dkop1]

On the rare occasions I tent solo, I use a US military gore-tex bivy cover. Super light, 100% waterproof, and breathable.

[bertus52x11]

The trick that helps for me is to sneak some of my gear into some elses backpack!
;-)

[Logan D]

You're making me ache for Philmont, there's just nothing like standing on Baldy.