So I'm beginning the process of critically evaluating all of the gear I have and thinking about how I can lighten things up for some more aggressive trips. I am a hiker as well as a canoe camper and as a result I'd like some gear that can work for both. I'll take any tips that you have for how I can do that.

Most specifically I'm interested in lightening up my tent. I don't have a ton of money to spend. What do you recommend?

I suggest you look at Tarptent tents. Light tents for the money. Very well designed.

Yes those are nice. Do you have one and if so do you like it?

Joe-
Check some of the hiking websites like Andrew Skurka, Adventure Alan, Sectionhiker, etc.


Here's Sectionhiker's review of the Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo, which is not very expensive.


Good luck! There are so many [good] options . . .

Others have pointed you in the right direction.

One aspect you need to consider - do you want/need a freestanding tent, or would one built to use trekking poles fit your style? (You can get pretty light poles that you can use instead of trekking poles as an option.)

Big Agnes has a few models to look at as well...they are freestanding.

Light shelter, lighten up cook gear and food, sleeping gear, pack. Take your pick of order and need. I like self supporting shelters and went with a Big Sky International Chinook solo, I do have a BA Fly Creek Platinum 2 I may part with, it's 2 pounds. Food and cooking are multi-assets and dependent on various choices. High loft down quilts or bags and light pads will save pounds. The pack can be another weight saver, especially if you use a big canvas or waterproofed-hydro pack. And smaller size mandates a lighter load.
Here are some of my carry gear,
shelter tent and tarp and rigging 6 pounds
sleeping system bag and pad 5 pounds
pack 3 pounds
food and cook gear for 1 week 8 pounds

I don't claim to be ultra just light enough for my taste and budget. The changes are not inexpensive and need to be planned and accomplished over several seasons.

butthead

Gear

This will also be of great interest.

SaganagaJoe
Most specifically I'm interested in lightening up my tent. I don't have a ton of money to spend. What do you recommend?"

Hi Joe,

It's hard to give specific recommendations without a little more guidance on what you're looking for. Do you want a solo tent, two person, or larger for example.

The suggestion to look at Tarptent is good. They have solid designs and if looking at nylon , rather than their new Dyneema tents, the prices are not bad. You had asked SevenONine if he had one. I don't know if he does, but I have owned a Tarptent Moment (this was the old single wall design) since 2011 and have nothing but good things to say about it, though I don't use it as much now as when I first bought it since I now have lighter options. Still a very good tent with a lot of space for the weight and I still take it from time to time.

Lots of good lightweight gear on the market now. Big Sky, that Butthead mentioned, makes elegant gear, I like Gossamer Gear's tents and have heard good things about Six Moon Designs. Many others that I'm sure are just as good and maybe better for your specific needs that I'm not familiar with.

If price is a major concern, and it is a significant concern for me, I'd suggest thinking about looking for a used tent. Lots of lightly used gear out there if your patient. I've picked up both of my Zpacks tents this way and paid about 1/2 of the new price.

I like getting new light gear, but have to say that the best (and cheapest) way to save weight is to take less stuff. Since you're a backpacker you already know this, but I felt compelled to throw it out anyway. Good luck with your search and if you buy something let us know what you get and how it works for you.

To me, ultra light weight gear on a budget screams "learn to sew". An ultralight tent or hammock, tarp, and quilt can all be had for some effort and cost of materials which is a fraction of retail costs. Youtube has tons of DIY through hiker types showing how they did their stuff. And with silnylon or silpoly at $6.00 a yard or less, a few bucks can go a long way. Ripstop by the Roll specializes in DIY stuff for through hikers, and even has kits if you need. Sewing machines are always on CL, and usually there are perfectly decent machines for $50-100, sometimes less. I got mine for $20 and have made all sorts of stuff. After if you want you could sell the machine for what you paid for it, or keep it for doing any sort of repairs. Sewing is just tying lots of little knots, and the machine does most of the work. There's even a DIY sub-forum here on bwca.com. And the mula you save by making your own shelter/sleeping system can go toward titanium or other light weight stuff.

One good way to reduce weight is to switch from a sleeping bag to a topquilt, for ground sleeping and hammocking. I have a pretty decent Mountain Hardwear Lamina Z 30F synthetic bag that weighs 35oz, but I just ordered a 30F Economy Burrow topquilt from Hammock Gear which weighs 20oz with 800 fill power down and extra width for ground sleeping for $170 (pretty great deal if you ask me). That's a whole pound!! I normally sleep warm, have a good warm pad (Therm-a-rest NeoAir X-Therm, highly recommend), and I don't camp much on shoulder season extremes (like 20F) and use my sleeping bag as more of a blanket anyway, so a topquilt was a no brainer especially since I started hammocking. You can save 1-2lb on your setup by switching to a hammock as well but that's its own can of worms involving $$.

Even if you already have a medium size camp tarp made out of heavy-ish material, consider making/buying one with thinner silnylon or silpoly. Making one can be extremely cost-effective if you have the tools and knowledge to do it (I intend to learn in the next year or two).

I don't have any cheap light tent recommendations for you, but my Kelty TN2 (roomy 1p/tight 2p) is ~4.5lbs which is not particularly light, but it could be heavier for sure. Most of the tent itself is mesh. Great tent overall though! I will probably upgrade to a Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL3 when it is at least $100 off for a solid 2p tent that still weighs less (~3.5lbs) than my TN2 (~4.5lbs).

I hope this helps!!

Consider using a twig burning stove. You will save weight and pack space by not having to carry in fuel. I have never had a campsite or weather conditions that have prevented me from being able to use one, including heavy snow and downpours.

The Zpacks Duplex has great reviews and is popular for thru-hikers.

user0317: "Consider using a twig burning stove. You will save weight and pack space by not having to carry in fuel. I have never had a campsite or weather conditions that have prevented me from being able to use one, including heavy snow and downpours. "

I agree that weather and sites will seldom prevent the use of twig stoves, but our 2018 Quetico entry was under a fire ban, which included twig stoves.

I have a tarptent Hogback which is their 4 person model. It may not be the one you want but I can say that they are well designed and made and that you save significant weight by giving up freestanding design. We’ve had no problems with pitching it in the BW.

I also agree that you can save weight and packing size by going to a quilt or a sleeping bag like the Big Agnes ones that have no insulation beneath you. The pad keeps you warm from below.

What sort of budget are you talking Joe? Everyone likes to save, but a set-point is something to work on. Used and second hand have a big impact in budget territory.

butthead

SevenofNine: "I suggest you look at Tarptent tents. Light tents for the money. Very well designed."

+1 have the Bowfin 1

Blatz: "

SevenofNine: "I suggest you look at Tarptent tents. Light tents for the money. Very well designed."

+1 have the Bowfin 1"

+2 I have a double rainbow and a cloudburst 3. Both excellent tents and the double rainbow has been through the wringer and is still in great condition.

Also someone else mentioned learning to sew if you're on a budget, I also highly recommend this. As one example making a top quilt is a fantastic place to start as it's pretty easy and will save you a bunch of weight and money. It's also a great winter project. If you want a really easy one to start with make a top quilt with climashield apex as you don't even have to worry about baffles or quilting (look up youtube videos and you'll see how easy it is).

I haven't looked at this until today - let me give all of this some thought and I'll see if I have any follow up questions. Thanks to everyone who has responded so far - good stuff.

Well, Joe, if you go with a good down bag, it packs small and is very light. And if you care for it, it will LITERALLY last a lifetime. My Northface Superlight is still in use, and I purchased it in 1976.

On a budget, a good thing to do is to regularly attend the REI garage sales. Very good deals, and lots of fun if you stay out overnight as you’ll meet plenty of kindred spirits. You won’t get the absolute lightest gear this way. But if you know several acceptable models of each item you want to buy, over time you’ll end up ok. The key to REI garage sales, is to mentally prepare to walk away with nothing. There will be lots of good deals on stuff you dont need. You need to learn to pass that up.

Just about everybody who spends $500 to save a pound on an ultralight tent, walks out of the woods with 2 pounds of food in their pack that they didn’t need, or a huge gut (my problem). The cheapest way to lighten your pack is to stop bringing too much food, and too much other stuff that you don’t need. Packing for a trip is just like going to the REI garage sale. All these things you think you “need” but just don’t. The key here I think here is preparation and thought. Make lists for different types of trips, and keep them on your phone, and try to really think about what you dont need. Premake a few first aid or repair kits that are rightsized for various trips. Practice making no cook or one pot meals at home that are calorie dense. Practice going without. Buy clothes that are warm and that dry easy, so you need minimal backup clothes on a trip - or no backups. Don’t get fat :/

NotLight hit my philosophy on my head, that's the way to go including other used suppliers. Been sourcing light weight gear from used sources for a long time. An occasional hiccup but very few for me. Generally resulting in 50% and more savings over new stock. Some of my purchase examples,

Big Agnes Copper Spur solo, $145 at an REI Garage Sale 2 pounds

MSR Simmerlight, $30 at 6.5 ounces for stove 24 ounces for fuel bottle filled, windscreen, and pump Ebay

Big Agnes Platinum Flycreek 2, $300 and weighs packed for travel 2 pounds 2 once, backpacker acquaintance whose knees gave up on him

Big Agnes Horse-thief sleeping bag, $200 1 pound 14 ounces 3 season use, clearance sale

Mountain Hardware Stiletto solo tent, $125 side entry 2 pole hoop tent 2 pound 4 ounces, Ebay

Camp Trails Torrid 2 backpack, sold here by another member $60 not light weight but still comfortable and going strong

Sierra Designs Backcountry bed, 800 fill down from Ebay for $170 supposed to be less than 2 1/2 pounds and EN rated to 30 degrees F.

butthead

I have a suggestion that is FREE to drop weight, in your pack. Weigh everything!

You will be surprised how much weight you can eliminate by a process of knowing what it weighs combined with the do I really need it question. Very quickly a few ounces here and there become a few pounds eliminate.
I know I was surprised when I started doing this when back packing especially.

Agree with focusing beyond gear to food and reducing “extras”. I purchased most of my ultralight system over a decade ago and could probably do even better now if I started replacing. Most of my weekend backpacking trips in the mountains of SE Arizona had a lot of vertical (3,000 to 5,000 feet of vertical was normal), so weight really mattered. My pack was usually around 20 pounds before water. Now my BWCA fishing gear weighs more than that.

One of the key components was food. Nothing got to go unless it had at least 100 calories per ounce with the exception of coffee, which is necessary despite no calories. Only “cooking” was boiling water for freeze-dry meals, oatmeal, etc. GSI aluminum tea kettle is slightly heavier than titanium but way less cost. Aluminum also has good heat conductivity. There are better systems now, but I still use that kettle. Used a folding plastic bowl, a plastic long handle spoon (designed for freeze-dry pouches), and a plastic (lexan?) coffee cup. Food gear including a Pocket Rocket and mini fuel canister was not much over a pound while still delivering warm breakfast and supper. Lunch was always cold on the trail. Settled into a typical lunch of shelf stable sausage and cheese with crackers. The Laughing Cow foil wedge cheese is often in the refrigerator case at the store, but it is actually shelf stable. Similar for many hard salami options including the Hormel salami slices. Meat/cheese with crackers takes several lunches before I get bored.

I don’t go ultralight in BWCA, but I appreciate bringing the luxuries after years of ultralight back country adventures. Good luck!

NotLight: "
The cheapest way to lighten your pack is to stop bringing too much food, and too much other stuff that you don’t need. Packing for a trip is just like going to the REI garage sale. All these things you think you “need” but just don’t. The key here I think here is preparation and thought. Make lists for different types of trips, and keep them on your phone, and try to really think about what you dont need. Premake a few first aid or repair kits that are rightsized for various trips. Practice making no cook or one pot meals at home that are calorie dense. Practice going without. Buy clothes that are warm and that dry easy, so you need minimal backup clothes on a trip - or no backups. Don’t get fat :/

"

Thoreau that said that at Walden Pond he drove life into a corner and stripped it down to its simplest terms. I think this ultimately will be the first strategy I take.

BH - thanks for the gear recommendations. Part of the budget process will be to think about what I already have, and where spending some money will lighten my pack.

Jaywalker: "To me, ultra light weight gear on a budget screams "learn to sew". An ultralight tent or hammock, tarp, and quilt can all be had for some effort and cost of materials which is a fraction of retail costs. Youtube has tons of DIY through hiker types showing how they did their stuff. And with silnylon or silpoly at $6.00 a yard or less, a few bucks can go a long way. Ripstop by the Roll specializes in DIY stuff for through hikers, and even has kits if you need. Sewing machines are always on CL, and usually there are perfectly decent machines for $50-100, sometimes less. I got mine for $20 and have made all sorts of stuff. After if you want you could sell the machine for what you paid for it, or keep it for doing any sort of repairs. Sewing is just tying lots of little knots, and the machine does most of the work. There's even a DIY sub-forum here on bwca.com. And the mula you save by making your own shelter/sleeping system can go toward titanium or other light weight stuff. "

This is really helpful to me too. Thanks!

Thanks everyone for your help - and continue to chime in if you have something to share.

While no big fan of Thoreau "drove life into a corner and stripped it down to its simplest terms" is good. Also the recommendations to weigh stuff, DIY, and reconsidering choices. A very simple and effective method is to use smaller packs working within a specific size. For me that's 3200 ci capacity.
Another update on bargain light gear, the BCB arrived today, $172 shipped ordered Jan 16th.
32 ounces EN rated 29-39 degrees 800 fill DryDown.

Thing looks unused!

butthead

Gear at bargain prices

butthead: "While no big fan of Thoreau "drove life into a corner and stripped it down to its simplest terms" is good. Also the recommendations to weigh stuff, DIY, and reconsidering choices. A very simple and effective method is to use smaller packs working within a specific size. For me that's 3200 ci capacity.
Another update on bargain light gear, the BCB arrived today, $172 shipped ordered Jan 16th.
32 ounces EN rated 29-39 degrees 800 fill DryDown.

Thing looks unused!


butthead"

I use that very bag in my hammock. The keyhole entry combined with lacking a zipper make for easy entry and exit. I use a light under quilt, and have slept soundly down to around 24.