Tell me about gear you thought would make a good lightweight substitution, but just didn't work out well.

Here are 2 of mine:
1. Down booties for around camp (I thought they could replace both my in-camp shoes and my dry wool socks...problem: the soles were too thin AND my feet slid around in them too much, making walking to the biffy unsafe).

2. Bottle cap bidet (I thought it would be a clever way to decrease toilet paper usage and keep me fresh/clean...problem: need to carry a separate bottle cause who in their right mind would use their actual drinking water bottle and meant taking time to prep it before running to the biffy, plus still need to dry your butt).

Sporks. You have Both. A crappy fork and a crappy spoon. Long handled spoon is the way to go

A small ultralight inflatable sleeping pad (forgot the brand). My feet dangled off the end and I was frequently sliding off the narrow pad overnight. After two trips where I slept very poorly, the ultralight pad was given away and replaced with a wide and extra long Nemo inflatable pad that was so much more comfortable to sleep on.

I totally agree with the spork comment!

straighthairedcurly: "Tell me about gear you thought would make a good lightweight substitution, but just didn't work out well.

Here are 2 of mine:
1. Down booties for around camp (I thought they could replace both my in-camp shoes and my dry wool socks...problem: the soles were too thin AND my feet slid around in them too much, making walking to the biffy unsafe).

2. Bottle cap bidet (I thought it would be a clever way to decrease toilet paper usage and keep me fresh/clean...problem: need to carry a separate bottle cause who in their right mind would use their actual drinking water bottle and meant taking time to prep it before running to the biffy, plus still need to dry your butt)."

I added a portable bidet (https://www.brondell.com/gospa-travel-bidet/) to my gear several years ago and it has been one of my favorite pieces of new camping gear. I did get one with a dedicated bottle for the obvious reason straighthairedcurly points out. It does require a brief moment of planning, but filling the bottle with water isn't too much of an issue on a canoe trip. I find it much more hygienic than just TP or wipes and it requires only nominal TP usage, better aligning with LNT. So YMMV on #2 ;)

Blatz: "Sporks. You have Both. A crappy fork and a crappy spoon. Long handled spoon is the way to go"

I trip with someone who, on his first trip, saw someone else breaking out their mess kit and said in a tone both incredulous and condescending: “a SPORK?!?”

“Spork” is now a go-to phrase of amusement for our crew.

PS: long spoon all the way.

Edit: PPS: the Spork guy still rocks his Spork.

A candle lantern - the one with the spring that presses the candle up continuously. Thought it would be great - add some ambiance, maybe warm a tent up if it was damp. I think had carried it on 3 trips and used it once.

Bivy Sack

I started backpacking in the 70s and I quickly became a minimalist looking for ways to reduce bulk and weight . I tried using a bivy sack for stand alone protection without a tent or tarp. I learned to manage condensation issues but I was unable to remain comfortable in rainy conditions.

So many upgrades.

In terms of abject failure? A Sawyer mini water filter. Total crap. Love me a Sawyer Squeeze, but the mini was terrible.

Titanium frying pan. If I am going light enough I can't justify a fry bake, then I don't bother bringing one.

On the other hand, if we are talking about massively successful upgrades: Banks Fry bake

Poncho

I once considered the versatility of a poncho. I imagined that I could use one as a rain jacket, tarp and bivy sack. I modified my poncho to maximize the performance. I determined that it was functional in the three configurations but fell well short of my personal requirement.

Most (including me) wouldn’t call this ULW but one trip I packed a lightweight (less than a pound) camera tripod. Total failure. It wasn’t sturdy enough to handle my SLR (another item I now leave behind) so it went in the garbage as soon as I got home.

3/4 Length Sleeping Pad

In an effort to reduce bulk and weight I tried using a 3/4 length sleeping pad but felt that the bulk and weight saving versus comfort level was not worth it.

with Tomcat about the 3/4 length sleeping pad. I tried it one trip and it was the worst sleeping on any trip. I gave it to my grandson, who quickly outgrew it and never used again.

saltdog: "with Tomcat about the 3/4 length sleeping pad. I tried it one trip and it was the worst sleeping on any trip. I gave it to my grandson, who quickly outgrew it and never used again."

Ours is now the dogs bed - it lays the short way at the bottom of the tent. Dog is happy and it keeps her off our bags!

Exo: "A candle lantern - the one with the spring that presses the candle up continuously. Thought it would be great - add some ambiance, maybe warm a tent up if it was damp. I think had carried it on 3 trips and used it once."

We used one for many years when we first started tripping. Then we discovered Luci lights! Now the candle lantern lives in our “extra “ gear tote.

Wire Cable Saw

I found wire cable saws to be both inexpensive and inefficient for camp fire wood processing.

Cheap chair feet off of Amazon that split apart and had the legs poke through and sink into the ground the first time I used them. That was frustrating.

Rain skirt to save a few ounces over rain pants. I didn’t like it for canoeing. I got tangled up in it when getting in and out of the canoe and it allowed a large puddle of rainwater to form in my lap while paddling. I think it’ll work okay for backpacking though so I’m going to hold on to it.

First “lightweight” bust, years ago, was a long handle Swing ax. I thought it would be the thing and I brought it once, and first time portaging it and using it I knew it would never be used again.

Second was Zpacks UL camp shoes. Worst purchase ever! Maybe for a kid that is light weight so stick don’t poke though, maybe for a level camp sight, and maybe for someone with much smaller feet. But the thought of throwing them in the fire (wouldn’t do in the bw) may or may not have crossed my mind. Did I say I didn’t like them? Just in case I DO NOT LIKE THEM!

There have been other things that I have upgraded or just never used much, but as far as Bust items these would be the only two. Typing that out makes me feel like I haven’t done so bad.

Edit: I just remembered one more, those UL tooth brushes that clip onto your titanium spoon or spork, first use and I thought to myself, “did up wash my hand when I use the spork?” (Yes I am a long handle spork guys but the Brautigame Expedition Works Spork is the best there is!

CanoeViking: "the Brautigame Expedition Works Spork is the best there is!"

Straight up cult. I think there is even a secret handshake.

CanoeViking: "Edit: I just remembered one more, those UL tooth brushes that clip onto your titanium spoon or spork,

This reminded me of another bust. I tried one of these also and just didn’t like it at all. Too bulky for brushing teeth and seemed too hard to keep the brush clean. It didn’t even make it out on a trip!

Exo: "

CanoeViking: "the Brautigame Expedition Works Spork is the best there is!"

Straight up cult. I think there is even a secret handshake."

Since I’m part of the Durston cult too I guess I’m attracted to them. Can someone recommend a good therapist?

CanoeViking: "Since I’m part of the Durston cult too I guess I’m attracted to them. Can someone recommend a good therapist?"

Why fight it? Both Brautigame (I am interested in those titanium tongs!) & Durston are at least based on something real! :-) Besides, some titanium and/or DCF bling is way cheaper than therapy.

Two other lightweight flops for me:
Tenkara rod (4oz). Taken it a bunch (as a backup) and rarely use it. It's not the right tool for the job. I've caught exactly one fish with it in canoe country.

2.3oz Cascade Wild Table is another. Wanted to like it but just did not find it functional enough; after a couple attempts it stayed in the pack the rest of the trip, and it never went on a second.

Sage. IYKYK.

The rod - I’d much prefer a short 2 or even 3-piece ultralight rod and tiny almost ice fishing type of reel and take the weight penalty. I’m not sure how the Tenkara rod is popular. I few YouTuber’s maybe?

I have an aluminum folding table for zero-portage trips - still has limited use and most stuff ends up on the ground anyways…

sns: "

CanoeViking: "Since I’m part of the Durston cult too I guess I’m attracted to them. Can someone recommend a good therapist?"

Why fight it? Both Brautigame (I am interested in those titanium tongs!) & Durston are at least based on something real! :-) Besides, some titanium and/or DCF bling is way cheaper than therapy.


Two other lightweight flops for me:
Tenkara rod (4oz). Taken it a bunch (as a backup) and rarely use it. It's not the right tool for the job. I've caught exactly one fish with it in canoe country.


2.3oz Cascade Wild Table is another. Wanted to like it but just did not find it functional enough; after a couple attempts it stayed in the pack the rest of the trip, and it never went on a second."

Exo: "Sage. IYKYK.”

There’s the secret code!

Exo: "I’m not sure how the Tenkara rod is popular. I few YouTuber’s maybe?"

For Canoe country? I'm unaware that anyone (other than me) uses them.

I have several Tenkara rods and have caught many dozens of cutthroat, rainbow, brook and brown trout in the Rockies (lengthy backpacking trips) and the Driftless with them. Especially when backpacking they have been excellent.

Again, wrong tool for the job in this use case. I do hope to one day catch a bigger pike on a Tenkara rod. That might be fun.

Blatz: "Sporks. You have Both. A crappy fork and a crappy spoon. Long handled spoon is the way to go"

The spork craze definitely confuses me.

straighthairedcurly: "

Blatz: "Sporks. You have Both. A crappy fork and a crappy spoon. Long handled spoon is the way to go"

The spork craze definitely confuses me. "

I like my stupid snow peak titanium spork.

A Mini is all I've ever used, and it's worked fine for me. My last large group trip we were filtering 5 gallons at a time. But I have recently read that the other brands flow better, will be trying something else whenever it's time to replace it.

+1 on the travel bidet. Mine’s not super lightweight, but it folds up like an accordion and does its job almost as good as my home bidet. I’ve forgotten to pack it for a couple trips and everyone was bummed out…pun intended!

Tony

Sunburn: "

straighthairedcurly: "Tell me about gear you thought would make a good lightweight substitution, but just didn't work out well.


Here are 2 of mine:
1. Down booties for around camp (I thought they could replace both my in-camp shoes and my dry wool socks...problem: the soles were too thin AND my feet slid around in them too much, making walking to the biffy unsafe).


2. Bottle cap bidet (I thought it would be a clever way to decrease toilet paper usage and keep me fresh/clean...problem: need to carry a separate bottle cause who in their right mind would use their actual drinking water bottle and meant taking time to prep it before running to the biffy, plus still need to dry your butt)."

I added a portable bidet (https://www.brondell.com/gospa-travel-bidet/) to my gear several years ago and it has been one of my favorite pieces of new camping gear. I did get one with a dedicated bottle for the obvious reason straighthairedcurly points out. It does require a brief moment of planning, but filling the bottle with water isn't too much of an issue on a canoe trip. I find it much more hygienic than just TP or wipes and it requires only nominal TP usage, better aligning with LNT. So YMMV on #2 ;)"

Taking smaller and lighter pillow replacements. Much better sleep with my actual home pillow. No crooked necks in the morning. Well worth the weight and volume for me, especially now with base camping only.