While I have gone on a multi-year journey to lighten my gear, my husband has not shown interest. However, this year he finally got intrigued. While he has a LONG way to go, he did just upgrade his 50 year old fishing reels for ones that save about 16 oz. apiece, bought one lighter weight rod, and he approved getting new camp chairs that save us over 16 oz. apiece (I don't bring a chair on my solos so I never upgraded for me).

However, the one piece of clothing that I now will never let him swap out is his heavy wool sweater...though I still tease him about it. He is prone to hypothermia and that sweater has saved his life 2 times.

shc - Count me among the converts you have influenced to get light. It only makes sense. Since reading your posts and advice I have bought a new Nemo tent, a new sleeping pad and pillow, cut down on clothes etc. Can’t wait to check out the new tent on my June 4th trip. Thanks for sharing your wisdom, I consider you the lightweight guru.

Cheers, scat

Thanks scat for your kind words. It is taking longer to rub off on my hubby, but after this trip he is starting to see the benefits. We just did a deep dive on all his gear after this trip and identified part of the issue. He packs for every single possible contingency, no matter how unlikely and packs double (or triple) on a lot of things.

I also didn't realize how many cotton clothes he brings, yikes.

Next steps:
Lighter weight, quick dry pants
Lighter weight, quick dry long sleeve shirts
Cut out duplicates
Lighter sleeping pad that also has some insulation (we traded pads one night after he was still cold in a 15 degree sleeping bag and under a 20 degree quilt and discovered it was his pad)
Switch to a down sleeping bag (or quilt)
Lighter in-camp dry shoes


It was a shock to see that our base weight for the 2 of us is about 5 times higher than when I travel solo.

shc - Putting in Weds June 4th to 10th. I have all my gear but my clothes in my big pack and with the new lightweight gear it takes up like at least 60% less room in the pack and is at least that in weight. I bought an Osprey 12 liter dry sack for my clothes and am going and get them all in there, cutting down on cotton, no double items, etc. should fit perfect on top of what I have packed so far. It’s kind of amazing actually. I have half my big pack to use for hauling group stuff, I think cooking gear. My partner is opposite, he has more gadgets than McGiver only he doesn’t know how to use them - shh didn’t say that. Group is me and he his wife, her dtr & friend. Wish me luck, should be fun. Plus I get to play with all this new gear yay! Thx for sharing your knowledge, priceless, I think I know what I can use and not.
You might have to excuse hubbie for bringing his sweater that saved his life twice. I can see that without even knowing the story. Hey, I’m a bachelor I learned quick, don’t need undies, need sox.

Cheers, scat

The wool choice…can’t fault him for that. heavy but a solid time proven thread…now cotton? Oh boy…that defines “for better or for worse” LOL

Have fun!


T

Never been this organized. 5 days before this trip I was about there. Finalized & refined my fishing gear even. Then there is always that thing at 2 am, where is my headlamp. Oh there it is right where I left it, in the tray closest to my door. Yeah, that makes perfect sense… There is a danger tho, for having that much time to think, oh I need this. No you don’t it’s a canoe trip. But I think I will bring that hat I earned from working for the USPS for a short time. A winter hat with a built in headlamp. That’s gotta go, might be cold man, plus it’s cool, puts out blinding light, govt issue, could come in handy for a late nite run. I was the worst postman in the history of the USPS, that sucked actually, but I got a cool hat out of it and 8 weeks of paychecks and sometimes that’s all that matters.
But I digress..

Got all my clothes in this 12 liter Osprey dry sack. Amazing. And the rest of the gear is like a third of the size & weight I used to hump. Awesome. My big pack is lighter than my day pack with the fishing lures etc. I cut back there too, but could prob do better there, not yet tho, gotta try this out and how bout that haha.

Bringing less incrementally gives you confidence for the next trip.

I think my own single largest waste of space and weight is the clothing category.

Still don’t think I would be confident enough to backpack with the 8 pound kits some of these You-Tube ulta-light folks tout.

Mine is fishing tackle. I’m packed, and my little pack with the fishing stuff in it is twice as heavy as my big pack with the gear pictured. This trip will be an experiment, seeing what I will need for future trips. Prob 1/4 what I’m bringing this trip haha.

Exo: "Bringing less incrementally gives you confidence for the next trip.


I think my own single largest waste of space and weight is the clothing category.


Still don’t think I would be confident enough to backpack with the 8 pound kits some of these You-Tube ulta-light folks tout."

I definitely believe in always trying to lighten the load, but those extreme ultralight backpacking loads you see some folks touting on YouTube would absolutely destroy my love of hiking and backpacking. Cold soaked food everyday?? A shelter so small a 6 ft tall individual can't even sit up?? No thanks, I'll pass!!

My wife once slipped on a rock and was briefly submerged for the time it took me to react and pull her out. Under her Icelandic sweater, she was as dry as a bone.

scat: "Mine is fishing tackle. I’m packed, and my little pack with the fishing stuff in it is twice as heavy as my big pack with the gear pictured. This trip will be an experiment, seeing what I will need for future trips. Prob 1/4 what I’m bringing this trip haha. "

The fishing gear only totaled 4 lbs. (2 rods/reels, a lightweight net and a small zipper pouch of tackle). I can live with that, especially since it all gets attached inside the canoe and he likes to carry the canoe.

Sunburn: "

Exo: "Bringing less incrementally gives you confidence for the next trip.



I think my own single largest waste of space and weight is the clothing category.



Still don’t think I would be confident enough to backpack with the 8 pound kits some of these You-Tube ulta-light folks tout."

I definitely believe in always trying to lighten the load, but those extreme ultralight backpacking loads you see some folks touting on YouTube would absolutely destroy my love of hiking and backpacking. Cold soaked food everyday?? A shelter so small a 6 ft tall individual can't even sit up?? No thanks, I'll pass!!"

Yep, I would never go that light. I tried cold soak food only on one trip and decided not for me. A tent priority is definitely to be able to sit up and have room to roll around. A friend was just telling me about her son who tried out a bivy sack and just about suffocated, woke up gasping for air. Finally had to unzip it even though it was raining out.

I think people who have an 8 lb. baseweight are out for 2-3 days in a dry, warm climate where they don't have to worry about submersion in freezing water.