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Thread: Stupid Light

  1. #21
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  2. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sarcasm the elf View Post
    I Back when I was in boyscouts I used to bring a 3 D-Cell Maglight on campouts.

    Boy was that a stupid light.

    That was the perfect comment.

  3. #23
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    I am not ultralite but I am often in awe of folks who are willing to do that. I have never thought a 15 pound or 20 pound or 17 or 22 has any noticeable difference to my hiking. It is a bother when an ultralite asks to borrow my thingy that he saved an ounce by not carrying but I don't say no.
    Everything is in Walking Distance

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  5. #25
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    There's fully equipped UL, and not so fully equipped UL. I've personally never had to ask to borrow anything, so I consider myself in the former category...

    That all being said, I have noticed that below a certain threshold, I basically stop noticing my pack, therefore any lighter has very limited benefit. This is somewhere around 20 pounds (total pack weight) for myself, and I'm sure this threshold varies a bunch for various body types. So, with a 5 day, 8 pound food supply, along with a 2 pound quart of water, this equates to a 10 pound base weight for the 20 pound total. Any lower would provide such minimal benefit, I don't bother trying. And a 10 pound summer base weight with top quality (but expensive!) UL gear means you can carry all sorts of "extra" stuff well beyond what is needed for safety. I'm just repeating what others have already said.

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    It is a bother when an ultralite asks to borrow my thingy that he saved an ounce by not carrying but I don't say no.


    I'm UL and I feel the same way — and that's bad form no matter what size load someone chooses to carry. However let's hope it is a single point on the learning curve for the offender and that it won't be repeated.

    I had to melt snow for water for someone because his stove was poorly maintained (bad o-ring in a WG... no spare, of course) and it cut into my fuel supply (butane) more than I would have liked. We could have built a fire but it would have been super inconvenient. And I would've made him collect the wood, that's for sure, lol.

  7. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by Engine View Post
    Sure, it could be something that extreme, or it could simply be a very uncomfortable night. The point is, there are diminishing returns and eventually untoward consequences for continually trying to get lighter.
    my example: (others have different results)

    when I eliminated the ability to heat water, my average daily pack weight was more - and it virtually eliminated the possibility of using shipped resupply, so at some points on the trail added a significant time / inconvenience penalty for resupply

  8. #28

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    Quote Originally Posted by Franco View Post
    Ouch
    My wife having washed many times my merino Tees also washed my Possum Down/Merino hat.
    I had to sell my 15 year old cat to buy that one. Let's say that it isn't what it used to be. (the hat not the cat)
    Can cat fur be made into hats? Let's take recycling and reclaimed materials to the next level.

  9. #29

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tipi Walter View Post
    This is probably for one night.
    Hope the avocados aren't being squished.

    You know I'm going to rag on you for all the avocados you hauled story. In good fun though - always when at your expense.

  10. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dogwood View Post
    Can cat fur be made into hats? Let's take recycling and reclaimed materials to the next level.
    I have a Turkish Angora cat that, aged 9 ,adopted me.He is now 11(did not like his previous owner)
    He has a very fine fur. I might try that.
    Sunny-and-driver-2.jpg

  11. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by cmoulder View Post
    Is that a splitting maul strapped to his pack???
    AT: 695.7 mi
    Benton MacKaye Trail '20
    Pinhoti Trail '18-19'
    @leonidasonthetrail https://www.youtube.com/c/LeonidasontheTrail

  12. #32

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    Where is the sink???

    Sent from my LG-H830 using Tapatalk

  13. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by cmoulder View Post
    I Always liked this one

    image.jpeg
    Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.

  14. #34
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    Quote Originally Posted by JC13 View Post
    Is that a splitting maul strapped to his pack???
    I thought it was the Sword of Elendil. TW is totally the guy who would be packing that thing now.


    "...and the sword of Elendil filled Orcs and Men with fear, for it shone with the light of the sun and of the moon, and it was named Narsil."
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    Our Long Trail journal

  15. #35

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    Quote Originally Posted by bamboo bob View Post
    I am not ultralite but I am often in awe of folks who are willing to do that. I have never thought a 15 pound or 20 pound or 17 or 22 has any noticeable difference to my hiking. It is a bother when an ultralite asks to borrow my thingy that he saved an ounce by not carrying but I don't say no.
    Boamboo bob,

    The really different is when you get to a point, you no longer notice a pack is on your back. If your hiking with less than 10 total pounds on your back. A hiker over 200 pounds, is not going to even notice he/she is carrying a pack. It give you a sense of new freedom to just hike and be part of nature. Where some hikers like to mix-up UL with irresponsible backpacking, is being prepared. A true UL should not be asking to borrow equipment or begging for food. It is up to every hiker to be full prepared.

    Wolf

  16. #36
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    Quote Originally Posted by cmoulder View Post
    I'm UL and I feel the same way — and that's bad form no matter what size load someone chooses to carry. However let's hope it is a single point on the learning curve for the offender and that it won't be repeated.

    I had to melt snow for water for someone because his stove was poorly maintained (bad o-ring in a WG... no spare, of course) and it cut into my fuel supply (butane) more than I would have liked. We could have built a fire but it would have been super inconvenient. And I would've made him collect the wood, that's for sure, lol. [/COLOR]
    Agreed. If someone needs to use something I have because their gear malfunctioned, broke, was stolen, or lost for some reason other than carelessness, no problem. But if it's due to poor decision making, they'll get to use it in return for hearing my opinion on making good choices in the backcountry.
    “He is richest who is content with the least, for content is the wealth of nature.” –Socrates

  17. #37

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    Quote Originally Posted by cspan View Post
    Ask yourself, though: have you ever heard a complaint out of someone who lost their life by going stupid light?
    I do know somebody for whom going both too light and stupid cheap played a part in his death.

  18. #38
    Registered User egilbe's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Patrickjd9 View Post
    I do know somebody for whom going both too light and stupid cheap played a part in his death.
    But, you didnt hear him complain about it, did you?

  19. #39
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    Quote Originally Posted by Patrickjd9 View Post
    I do know somebody for whom going both too light and stupid cheap played a part in his death.
    Well, "did"....

    And then there's "unsafe at any speed" .... would still end up badly even with 75lbs of gear.

  20. #40

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    I can relate to going too far in the ultralight quest. How so? When I am wearing everything I have in my pack and am still a bit chilly in my sleeping bag, I know that I cut it too close. I am now ultralight(+). The (+) is safety and/or comfort gear that is worth the extra weight.
    Find the LIGHT STUFF at QiWiz.net

    The lightest cathole trowels, wood burning stoves, windscreens, spatulas,
    cooking options, titanium and aluminum pots, and buck saws on the planet



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