Comments on: Ultra-light but not ultra-precise

By: Paul Mags

Paul Mags — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 20:00:29 +0000

In reply to DouchePacker. Not sure what era we are in, but kinda in the "good enough for me" phase at this point for my backpacking. :)

By: DouchePacker

DouchePacker — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 17:00:38 +0000

We’re in the post-ultralight era of backpacking and it feels so good.

By: Philip Werner

Philip Werner — Sun, 09 Mar 2014 12:42:59 +0000

Gear is not that heavy, unless you go overboard with camp chairs and double-walled tents and dutch ovens. The heaviest stuff in your pack is food and it does pay to weigh that so you know how many days worth you have and so you don’t carry too much needlessly. Plus sometimes you need to carry a lot of extra water. Most of the gear I now carry is stuff that I’ve had for years but is so good at what it does functionally, that I consider it irreplaceable by lighterweight fabrics. Like you, weight is far less relevant to me than ever before, but it can be a useful dimension to exploit when you are pushing the envelope, whatever your envelope may be.

By: digger

digger — Sun, 09 Mar 2014 10:12:13 +0000

well said! sometimes propaganda gets the better of inexperienced backpackers and they spend money foolishly. pack weight is important, but it’s relative to your abilities , the season , your budget, and durability. I’m a pack stuffer. I know what I need and have good gear, so when the time comes I usually grab and go. although I usually have a ready to go pack in my hatch

By: Ron Moak

Ron Moak — Sat, 08 Mar 2014 16:14:20 +0000

If you were a sub-mariner your pack weight would be best described as having reached the point of neutral buoyancy. It’s neither too light to compromise safety or comfort, nor too heavy to impede your enjoyment. Which is, as they say, the whole point of UL.

By: Tom Murphy

Tom Murphy — Sat, 08 Mar 2014 10:31:48 +0000

I appreciate the caution that weight does matter when you are first beginning the transition to light weight hiking. Pack weight is also a function of the hiking style. I hike in, set up a base camp and then do day hikes from there. So I do like a few luxuries.

By: Dogwood

Dogwood — Sat, 08 Mar 2014 01:15:19 +0000

I feel ya. It feels good to know at this stage in my hiking I don’t always have to be on the UL merry-go-round going round and round chasing a destination that I never seemed to fully arrive at or be at for long. That UL Nirvana carrot had me pulling someone else’s cart for a long time. I’m not ready to abandon the digital scale yet though. I wonder if there’s an UL Anonymous meeting being held tonite in my area?

By: chadstickpoindexter

chadstickpoindexter — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 22:27:39 +0000

Well said, and I agree! Thanks for the article… 🙂