Per Garlic's suggestion-face your fear in packing.

[MedicineMan]

Just finished a section hike of 165 miles--my longest yet. Broke it up into 3 parts for resupply, side trips etc.
On the very last leg of backpacking I took one of Garlic's suggestions and applied it--and lived
I left out the camp clothes--saved me two pounds!
I'd already set up the hammock, the top and underquilts, and the tarp. As soon as I started cooling off I got in the hammock. At first I only zipped it up and that holds in a bit of heat, and later pulled the top quilt on.
I was using an Exos 34 and the two pounds made a difference in the comfort level with that pack.
Next step is to tack on the no cook method...that would get me down to close to 16 pounds tot. weight including 2.5 days of food and good to 32F.
I still want to transition to the non cook way and am thinking one Esbit tab (the larger tab) and one of the smallest of the SnowPeak Ti cups...1/4 tab will heat up 3-4 ounces enough for hot coccoa I think.
Thanks Garlic~!

[garlic08]

You're welcome! Thanks for the feedback, and it's good to hear your trip went well.

Not only is it fun trying out a few new tricks, but you can learn something, too--mainly about yourself. The less you bring, the more you find.

[Spokes]

Interesting stuff guys but I have a question.......... What's the true weight savings between losing the camp clothes and having/needing to carry the top and underquilt for the hammock?

[MedicineMan]

Well since I use a hammock the under and top quilts are required....the camp clothes I'm learning are not.
Good news for hammockers though-the use of Insultex as bottom insulation is growing. The new MacIX double bottom weighs in at 8oz and should get me (cold sleeper) to the lower 40s.

[Seeker]

Interesting stuff guys but I have a question.......... What's the true weight savings between losing the camp clothes and having/needing to carry the top and underquilt for the hammock?

top quilt is the same. you carry SOMEthing to sleep under, right? a blanket, sleeping bag, or a quilt. same with a tarp. and you have to use something for shelter, be it tent, tarp, or blend. so they can't get included in the equation.

bottom quilt (20oz) and the hammock itself (my HH ULB Asym is 25oz) are 45oz. so yes, a person willing (or able) to sleep on the ground on a 9oz foam pad will gain 36 oz by hammocking. and when you consider that a typical 8 x 10 tarp weights 17-19oz tarp (with strings and several stakes) vs the Hennessys stock tarp's 8 oz (with strings and 2 stakes), it's really only a pound and a half 'extra'... however, for that weight, you get dry, bug/snake/critter-free, soft shelter and an excellent night's sleep. worth it to those of us who cannot sleep on a foam pad anymore...

[SGT Rock]

Medicine Man,

Try a Heineken Keg Can instead of a Sierra cup. Mine weighs 1.31 ounces. The stove I made for it weighs 0.39 ounces, and uses about 12 ml of alcohol to bring 16oz of water to coffee maker temp for coffee in the morning - plenty for your coco plan. You could lose about a gram off the stove and use it with esbit instead. I use a 4 ounce fuel bottle that weighs 0.49 ounces - and at one coco a day, it would last you over a week.

I added a plumbers cloth cozy to mine for about 20 grams (0.71 ounces) that stays on the can even when heating the water. Keeps my coffee hot in camp very well and I think it helps with the Keg Can's efficiency when heating water because it helps keep in all those BTUs while you are heating it.

[Tinker]

In mild weather you can get by in most cases by leaving the sleeping bag (or top quilt) at home and sleeping in your camp clothes (assuming you have something like a down jacket and pants). These, of course, also allow you to stay up later into the night talking with your fellow hikers, something that makes hiking much more fun for me most of the time, though I actually prefer to walk alone.

[SGT Rock]

I carry a set of wind clothing. Top is 3.21 ounces and the bottom is 2.43 ounces. JRB top quilt is 15.09 ounces and the bottom IX under quilt is 8.40 ounces. Still working out my bugs with the under quilt.

[MedicineMan]

Speaking of IX I've got high hopes at least for spring/summer/fall.
I've played several nights on the trail with a single layer version and Mac is sending me a double layer....only fear about the double is size when packing.

Thanks for the tip on the Heineken Keg Can...where did you buy the plumbers cloth? I assume Lowes has it.

[SGT Rock]

I think when I checked Lowes they didn't have it at my local store, but Home Depot had it. I'm still playing around with the system. It is another thing I plan to do a write up of once I finish ironing out the system.

[Wags]

medicine man. you can scoop up hardware cloth at an agway store or garden type shop.

[SGT Rock]

Here is a picture of it burning today.


I'm trying to use glue to secure the cozy to the can permanently.