shc - I have read enough of your posts and tried to soak up your wisdom along the way to know you are like the BWCA master tripper. I know you single portage & have your gear & food down to the micro ounce haha. I’m pretty sure I can’t copy your style at this stage of my game so to speak, but I am curious what your gear list looks like, I’m quite sure you have a meticulous list. I don’t want you to give away your secrets if you don’t want to but I’m sure a lot of people would be curious how you do it. I know I am.

Cheers, scat

Indeed!

Perhaps this is the call to arms where the powers that be start the new Ultralight subforum….

Great question and I look forward to seeing the response if offered! And, I too appreciate the awesome amount of quality info SHC has posted for our benefit!

Here's my stuff with a 14lb base weight. It includes a chair. A book usually doesn't come with

Blatz: " Here's my stuff with a 14lb base weight. It includes a chair. A book usually doesn't come with "

Entirely too much TP

I carry more weight in whiskey & weed than that bundle - teehee

Just kidding - that’s awesome

Blatz: " Here's my stuff with a 14lb base weight. It includes a chair. A book usually doesn't come with "

Wait a hot minute - I realize your 14# baseweight is not all fairy dust and unobtainium...

I thought my ~20# number was as good as I could do and your 14# was just completely out of reach. Like you, I take a couple luxuries like a chair.

But my 20# base also includes two paddles, a PFD, map case and fishing gear!

Which happen to weigh about 6#.

Feeling much better, thank you very much.

14 pounds? My repair kit weighs more than that! I’d post a picture, but this forum doesn’t have the bandwidth to handle its sheer magnificence. Translated by AI.

Blatz: " Here's my stuff with a 14lb base weight. It includes a chair. A book usually doesn't come with "

Looks right. All you need to live right there. Everything else is a luxury.

Sorry I haven't been on for a few days. Always happy to share what I've done.

This is my complete list from the Border Route Challenge in 2023.
SHC lighter pack gear list

My food actually weighed closer to 9 lbs. that trip but for simplicity I just kept the same food weight from a previous year.

On that trip I only did no-cook food, but when I'm not on the Challenge, I also carry a small homemade alcohol stove (0.8 oz.), alcohol fuel (8 oz. consumable), and a deck of travel size cards (2.6 oz.) as a luxury item . Sometimes I'll also bring a book (weight varies). However, I only carry the spotlight flashlight on the Challenge so probably evens out.

Unfortunately, the Enlightened Equipment raincoats are no longer available. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that raincoat and will be very sad when it eventually wears out. By far the most comfortable and effective raincoat I've ever owned. But the other Enlightened Equipment gear was well worth it...packs small and light and very well made. I shop their seconds to get good pricing.

sns: "

Blatz: " Here's my stuff with a 14lb base weight. It includes a chair. A book usually doesn't come with "

Wait a hot minute - I realize your 14# baseweight is not all fairy dust and unobtainium...


I thought my ~20# number was as good as I could do and your 14# was just completely out of reach. Like you, I take a couple luxuries like a chair.


But my 20# base also includes two paddles, a PFD, map case and fishing gear!


Which happen to weigh about 6#.


Feeling much better, thank you very much."

I’m in the same boat. Everything including shoe, hat, clothes I’m wearing, pdf, and paddle (not including food and canoe) is about 30lbs.

I feel not so far away now.

Thanks for your Border Route Challenge gear list - very informative.

sns: "

Blatz: " Here's my stuff with a 14lb base weight. It includes a chair. A book usually doesn't come with "

Wait a hot minute - I realize your 14# baseweight is not all fairy dust and unobtainium...


I thought my ~20# number was as good as I could do and your 14# was just completely out of reach. Like you, I take a couple luxuries like a chair.


But my 20# base also includes two paddles, a PFD, map case and fishing gear!


Which happen to weigh about 6#.


Feeling much better, thank you very much."

My 2 paddles weigh 25 oz total, no fishing gear, not sure what my PFD weighs.

EddyTurn: "14 pounds? My repair kit weighs more than that! I’d post a picture, but this forum doesn’t have the bandwidth to handle its sheer magnificence. Translated by AI."

So Al, this got me thinking about my repair kit...just added this micro-epoxy (16g). Plus some gear tape, DCF tape, needles & thread and Gorilla Tape.

Comes in under 14#.

To be fair, I have over 100 feet of cord that's another 2-3 ounces.

I revere straighthairedcurly and her info so much that if we ever meet in person I might try and hoist her on to my shoulders like the champion she is.

shc - That list is so cool.

I’m glad I started this cuz there may be many more that want to journey down the light as possible path. We must worship straighthairedcurly for her awesomeness - plus she has the 2nd best screen name sides me.
Cheers, scat

Damn, this is starting to get embarassing...

Don’t be embarrassed, I have a tendency towards hyperbole
and I embarrass myself at times. I am sure a lot of trippers are interested in your gear list thanks for sharing. Totally cool.

Thank you, straighthairedcurly for sharing your list. One item that surprised me was the Merrell Moab 2 Vent at 36 oz—I used to wear them, and yes, they are heavy. Besides, that’s just the dry weight; they’ll soak up almost a pound when wet. The Astral Rassler 2.0 shoes weighs 21 oz (in size 11) and gain less than half a pound when wet. Mine are still in good shape after two months of rocky trails and heavy loads.
Translated by AI.

P.S. From what I've read, weight carried on the feet requires 4–5 times as much effort as the same weight carried on the shoulders.

@sns - besides those on you picture, I have used the following items for critical repairs: zip ties, some screws, Speedy Stitcher (heavy but worth it for repairing straps under significant load, e.g. tent corner webbing), multitool, a shoe lace (or thick cord). Also - spare maps!

EddyTurn: "Thank you, straighthairedcurly for sharing your list. One item that surprised me was the Merrell Moab 2 Vent at 36 oz—I used to wear them, and yes, they are heavy. Besides, that’s just the dry weight; they’ll soak up almost a pound when wet. The Astral Rassler 2.0 shoes weighs 21 oz (in size 11) and gain less than half a pound when wet. Mine are still in good shape after two months of rocky trails and heavy loads.
Translated by AI.

P.S. From what I've read, weight carried on the feet requires 4–5 times as much effort as the same weight carried on the shoulders.
"

Yes, they are heavy. However, my feet are very particular and Merrills are the only shoe or boot I can wear for walking or hiking. Even all my work shoes and dress shoes are a model of Merrill. Anything else and I have a flare up of plantar fasciitis. They give me the support I really need to stay injury free (I've broken my ankle in the past). I can walk on the sharpest rocks and never feel any discomfort. Lastly, they are bombproof and have never failed me in the 15 years I've been using this brand.

The Astrals are zero drop, right? I can't wear zero drop shoes. The cut away heel would also make me crazy. There are lots of choices that others love that I just cannot wear. I've tried, but I will be in Merrill Moabs until they stop making them.

EddyTurn: "@sns - besides those on you picture, I have used the following items for critical repairs: zip ties, some screws, Speedy Stitcher (heavy but worth it for repairing straps under significant load, e.g. tent corner webbing), multitool, a shoe lace (or thick cord). Also - spare maps!"

Thanks - the zip ties are a god idea.

Also: One of my sewing needle is a big S-curve, chisel-point needle that eliminates the need for an Awl.

I forgot that this year I've added a couple spare fishing rod tips (just had not put them in the repair kit yet).

What do you repair with the spare maps? :-)

Awl is more than a thick needle. How you operate chisel-point needle on heavy material, like pack straps, in the field?

Spare maps are kept somewhere never open to the winds and rain, e.g. in repair kit. Winds could blow a map away and rain can ruin it even if printed on "waterproof" paper and kept in a "waterproof" case.

EddyTurn: "Awl is more than a thick needle. How you operate chisel-point needle on heavy material, like pack straps, in the field?


Spare maps are kept somewhere never open to the winds and rain, e.g. in repair kit. Winds could blow a map away and rain can ruin it even if printed on "waterproof" paper and kept in a "waterproof" case."

The chisel point goes through anything - it cuts. Photo is me repairing the dog's PFD (heavy material) last July in WCPP.

Obviously, just giving you a hard time on the maps. I have a smaller map in a ziplock in my PFD that goes unopened and unseen every trip. Until some day when it is needed.

I put zip-ties in my repair kit today...thanks!