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Ultralight Backpacking Gear (1 Viewer)

B

BoltBacker

Footballguy
With the unexpected free time I've had lately, and since I can't really go out hiking at the moment, I've been researching some ultralight backpacking equipment. This isn't really with the goal to become an ultralight backpacker, just to lighten my load a bit to enjoy the hikes even more once the NP's are opened back up. I'm really more of a section hiker than a through hiker so I'm looking for light and comfortable, and if it happens to be cheap all the better(so I can try several).

I feel like I have a pretty good handle on the different packs to choose from but if anyone has experience with the MLD Exodus, ZPacks Arc Blast, Osprey Levity 60, Granite Gear Virga, or the ULA Equipment CDT I'd love to hear your review. Feel free to chime in with other good/bad reviews from other models as well. Trying to keep my pack down to about a pound and a half or less(although that Osprey is a bit heavier I realize) that still holds 50L+. I don't ALWAYS need 50L but it would be nice to have the ability to carry 50L on longer stretches when you need to carry more food/water. In my experience the packs just feel better when they are slightly under packed. Also trying to stay closer to $150 than $300 if possible on the pack.

Am looking for any experience/advice on sleeping shelters for two people(since my better half won't be packing her own tent) and looking for sleep systems(only quilts no sleeping bags) that are relatively light but still sleep someone 6'1" with broad shoulders comfortably down to ~20deg F. This is the sleeping pad that I'm considering but haven't pulled the trigger.....

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LZWW2FD/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=darwionthe-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B01LZWW2FD&linkId=7f466defe405f13e4d8f457436a33b6c

Also feel like I have my cook system pretty dialed in but if you have any better/lighter suggestions let me know...

https://www.amazon.com/BRS-Outdoor-Camping-Portable-Ultralight/dp/B00NNMF70U/ref=psdc_3400951_t2_B01N5O7551

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009B98FGW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=darwionthe-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B009B98FGW&linkId=b23e9e9bd895bd04d6b1420884ce47a7

https://www.amazon.com/TOAKS-Titanium-Ultralight-Spork-SLV-04/dp/B00GLD3Q7O/ref=psdc_3400741_t3_B000AR2N76

https://www.amazon.com/BIC-Lot-Mini-Multi-colour-Lighter/dp/B00863XN4I/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=bic+mini&qid=1586635353&sr=8-2

 
get you a jetboil for food making purposes i use it for raman a lot when i hike and camp and i like it a lot take that to the bank bromigo

 
SWC said:
get you a jetboil for food making purposes i use it for raman a lot when i hike and camp and i like it a lot take that to the bank bromigo
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I had never considered JetBoil due to cost and weight but the reviews are pretty amazing! I may have to consider one in the future, thanks for the advice SWC.

 
  • Thanks
Reactions: SWC
Your cook system is fine.

What quilts are you looking at? I'm shopping for one too.

Assuming you use trekking poles here are some tent options to consider (in descending price point order): Zpacks Duplex, Drop X-mid 2P,  Lanshan 2

ETA: the X-mid two will have the most room. 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Pinkerton said:
Your cook system is fine.

What quilts are you looking at? I'm shopping for one too.

Assuming you use trekking poles here are some tent options to consider (in descending price point order): Zpacks Duplex, Drop X-mid 2P,  Lanshan 2

ETA: the X-mid two will have the most room. 
Click to expand...
I have two Enlightened Equipment quilts - both are the Revelation model, just in different temperatures - and love them.

 
krista4 said:
I have two Enlightened Equipment quilts - both are the Revelation model, just in different temperatures - and love them.
Click to expand...
What fill do you have in them? I'm a tall side sleeper so I need a big quilt and am considering the 900 fill to keep the weight down, but they get pricy quick.

 
On the subject of tents, I can also recommend the Big Agnes Copper Spur.  It has two doors and two vestibules giving great access with lots of space, has excellent rain-fly coverage and some handy interior pockets, and is the easiest tent to assemble I've ever seen.  

 
AAABatteries said:
I think I’m going to back out of this thread slowly before I start spending a lot of money.
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Yeah, I think I finally found the ideal tent upgrade for me, but it's a $600 1p tent. Not sure I can justify that expense given in just a weekend warrior and my son is about old enough to step up from just car camping with me.

 
krista4 said:
On the subject of tents, I can also recommend the Big Agnes Copper Spur.  It has two doors and two vestibules giving great access with lots of space, has excellent rain-fly coverage and some handy interior pockets, and is the easiest tent to assemble I've ever seen.  
Click to expand...
I really like big agnes tents they are pretty great stuff and light take that to the bank bromigos 

 
krista4 said:
On the subject of tents, I can also recommend the Big Agnes Copper Spur.  It has two doors and two vestibules giving great access with lots of space, has excellent rain-fly coverage and some handy interior pockets, and is the easiest tent to assemble I've ever seen.  
Click to expand...
That was near the top of the list for me and the assembly ease was one of the biggest reasons. I'm curious if the model you used was the UL 2 or the UL 3?

https://www.bigagnes.com/Copper-Spur-HV-UL2-2020

https://www.bigagnes.com/Copper-Spur-HV-UL3-2020

The reason I ask is I'll likely be hiking with my wife 30-50% of the time and I was curious if you think the "2 person" version is REALLY a 2 person tent or would you consider it smarter to carry the "3 person" if we are both packing enough for section hikes? Obviously I'd love to carry the lighter one(~12oz difference), but a good nights rest on these trips is priceless so I'm completely willing to carry slightly more weight when it comes to shelter and sleep systems.

Thanks for the advice!

 
BoltBacker said:
That was near the top of the list for me and the assembly ease was one of the biggest reasons. I'm curious if the model you used was the UL 2 or the UL 3?

https://www.bigagnes.com/Copper-Spur-HV-UL2-2020

https://www.bigagnes.com/Copper-Spur-HV-UL3-2020

The reason I ask is I'll likely be hiking with my wife 30-50% of the time and I was curious if you think the "2 person" version is REALLY a 2 person tent or would you consider it smarter to carry the "3 person" if we are both packing enough for section hikes? Obviously I'd love to carry the lighter one(~12oz difference), but a good nights rest on these trips is priceless so I'm completely willing to carry slightly more weight when it comes to shelter and sleep systems.

Thanks for the advice!
Click to expand...
2p will fit two people, but it will be very cozy and will depend on how wide your sleeping pads are. If you will mostly be using it solo, and only having your partner in there occasionally, you will be able to make it work if you find the right one... saving weight seems important in that use case.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
BoltBacker said:
That was near the top of the list for me and the assembly ease was one of the biggest reasons. I'm curious if the model you used was the UL 2 or the UL 3?

https://www.bigagnes.com/Copper-Spur-HV-UL2-2020

https://www.bigagnes.com/Copper-Spur-HV-UL3-2020

The reason I ask is I'll likely be hiking with my wife 30-50% of the time and I was curious if you think the "2 person" version is REALLY a 2 person tent or would you consider it smarter to carry the "3 person" if we are both packing enough for section hikes? Obviously I'd love to carry the lighter one(~12oz difference), but a good nights rest on these trips is priceless so I'm completely willing to carry slightly more weight when it comes to shelter and sleep systems.

Thanks for the advice!
Click to expand...
I have the 2 person. Actually have the bikepacking version, which just has shortened pole lengths - otherwise the same. It feels like a large 1 person. My wife and I certainly could snuggle up in there, but if I was doing any extended hikes I would want the 3 person version.

It is a great tent though. I am happy to see the recomendations in here for Enlightened Equipment and Big Agnes. Two great products.

 
Pinkerton said:
Drop X-mid 2P, 

ETA: the X-mid two will have the most room. 
Click to expand...
Thanks for pointing this one out to me, it wasn't even on my radar. Have you used this particular tent? If so.....

- What do you feel about the setup time?

- How is the venting?

These are two of the factors that had me interested in the Big Agnes products but I'm intrigued by the inner peak height and the floor area of the Drop X-mid 2P.

 
BoltBacker said:
That was near the top of the list for me and the assembly ease was one of the biggest reasons. I'm curious if the model you used was the UL 2 or the UL 3?

https://www.bigagnes.com/Copper-Spur-HV-UL2-2020

https://www.bigagnes.com/Copper-Spur-HV-UL3-2020

The reason I ask is I'll likely be hiking with my wife 30-50% of the time and I was curious if you think the "2 person" version is REALLY a 2 person tent or would you consider it smarter to carry the "3 person" if we are both packing enough for section hikes? Obviously I'd love to carry the lighter one(~12oz difference), but a good nights rest on these trips is priceless so I'm completely willing to carry slightly more weight when it comes to shelter and sleep systems.

Thanks for the advice!
Click to expand...
I see you've gotten a lot of advice on this already, but yes, I should have mentioned we got the three-person.  I suppose the two-person would be doable for two, assuming you're not gigantic people and you don't move around a ton when sleeping.  Mr krista is a kicker in his sleep so I wanted the extra space.

 
 
wilked said:
Good price here on BigAgnes

https://www.backcountry.com/big-agnes-copper-spur-ul3-classic-tent-3-person-3-season?CMP_SKU=BAG00D7&MER=0406&skid=BAG00D7-IVO-ONESIZ&mr:trackingCode=C35D73F4-5118-E811-8102-005056944E17&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=m&mr:adType=plaonline&iv_=__iv_p_1_g_20750486797_c_92885923957_w_aud-603159017437:pla-885891692040_n_g_d_m_v__l__t__r__x_pla_y_7811_f_online_o_BAG00D7-IVO-ONESIZ_z_US_i_en_j_885891692040_s__e__h_9002017_ii__vi__&CMP_ID=PLA_GMm001&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=PLA&k_clickid=_k_CjwKCAjw7e_0BRB7EiwAlH-goPFpbF1doWr3rFdhMYZQ4bIN8q5NSu9wVHm_l6sofatifuKdylGBURoCpqUQAvD_BwE_k_&gclid=CjwKCAjw7e_0BRB7EiwAlH-goPFpbF1doWr3rFdhMYZQ4bIN8q5NSu9wVHm_l6sofatifuKdylGBURoCpqUQAvD_BwE
Click to expand...
That is a screaming good deal. Great deal on the 2 person as well - 315 bucks

 
BoltBacker said:
Thanks for pointing this one out to me, it wasn't even on my radar. Have you used this particular tent? If so.....

- What do you feel about the setup time?

- How is the venting?

These are two of the factors that had me interested in the Big Agnes products but I'm intrigued by the inner peak height and the floor area of the Drop X-mid 2P.
Click to expand...
I have not used it.  Check out this video though: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZLb8F7Zm5c

Took him about 6 minutes to set up, but if he would have had the mesh attached to the fly ahead of time, it would have saved some time. Can not speak to the venting, but it does not look like condensation will be an issue with the space between the mesh and the fly. It also shows 2 adults in it with their pads.

This one is near the top of my list for a solo tent with my son sharing it with me in the future at some point. 

 
Pinkerton said:
Great price on the Copper Spur HV UL2
Click to expand...
I recently read an article about photography equipment being one of the products hit the most hard by this pandemic(cameras more so than lenses). 

Camping equipment made the list at #58 with a drop of 39% so maybe there will be some great deals on ultralight equipment especially if this lockdown lingers into the summer. I'm not wishing this on anyone as many of the best ultralight equipment manufacturers are small outfits but these could be lean times for everyone.

As I said, I found this reading about photography but the included list might be interesting to some people...

https://petapixel.com/2020/04/21/us-camera-sales-dropped-by-64-last-month-only-luggage-is-doing-worse/

..... if you ever wanted to buy some new luggage NOW might be the time! Luggage business down 77%. Yeesh.

 
BoltBacker said:
I recently read an article about photography equipment being one of the products hit the most hard by this pandemic(cameras more so than lenses). 

Camping equipment made the list at #58 with a drop of 39% so maybe there will be some great deals on ultralight equipment especially if this lockdown lingers into the summer. I'm not wishing this on anyone as many of the best ultralight equipment manufacturers are small outfits but these could be lean times for everyone.

As I said, I found this reading about photography but the included list might be interesting to some people...

https://petapixel.com/2020/04/21/us-camera-sales-dropped-by-64-last-month-only-luggage-is-doing-worse/

..... if you ever wanted to buy some new luggage NOW might be the time! Luggage business down 77%. Yeesh.
Click to expand...
send out a smoke signal if you come across a great deal on something like the Sigma 70-200 f2.8

 
Pinkerton said:
send out a smoke signal if you come across a great deal on something like the Sigma 70-200 f2.8
Click to expand...
I'm not sure what mount you plan to be using but back at the end of the March they had both the Canon/Nikon mount for that Sigma under $1,000(free shipping) from a reputable dealer(B&H Photo) so I definitely wouldn't pay more than that.

If you are brand agnostic you also might try one of the used sites that generally do a good job of grading lenses.....

 https://www.mpb.com/en-us/used-equipment/used-photo-and-video/used-lenses/

https://www.adorama.com/l/Used/Photography/Lenses

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/SLR-Interchangeable-Lenses/ci/10209/N/4036297804

https://www.keh.com/shop/lenses/slr.html

I have used all of these and been very happy with LENSES. Had a few "quirks" with bodies, but the lenses and grading have been close to spot on.

This economic thing is going to linger so I would expect dSLR equipment to be some of the first things people part with. This pandemic is going to really gut the wedding photographers out there so there is probably some well cared for pro equipment about to hit the market. Some people had planned on parting with dSLR equipment anyway as both Canon and Nikon are just now introducing "REAL" pro mirrorless competitors to Sony and Fuji.

Getting back to ultralight backpacking, I'm definitely going to keep my out for some micro 4/3rd bargains in the coming months whether they are new or used. Sometimes I carry a Panasonic superzoom point-and-shoot when I hike, but if I'm outside the country at a spot I'll likely never return I try to carry a micro 4/3rd setup.

 
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