Outdoor hiking activities, choosing the right lightweight equipment needs attention

Outdoor hiking activities, choosing the right lightweight equipment needs attention
The lighter you carry, the farther you go

What is lightweight walking, or what kind of walking can be called lightweight?
Lightweight here means that only necessary equipment is carried without affecting safety, and each equipment is as light as possible.
Since there is 'quantification', let's quantify how many kilograms of weight is considered a lightweight hike?
After walking the Appalachian Trail, Chris Cage, the author of the book 'How to Cross the Appalachian Trail,' divides the hiking load into a basis weight and a consumable weight. Basis weight (fixed equipment) refers to equipment that needs to be carried during the trip, such as backpacks, tents, and sleeping bags. Consumable weight (variable equipment) refers to equipment that changes with factors such as travel time and weather conditions, such as food and water. To distinguish whether a piece of equipment belongs to fixed equipment or consumables, it mainly depends on: 1. Is it outside the weight of the backpack? 2. Does the weight change during the stroke? Obviously, clothing, shoes, and fuel are consumables, while stoves and water bags are fixed equipment.
Chris Cage's personal estimate of basis weight is:
Regular walking = 15 kg of basic equipment
Lightweight walking = 10 kg of basic equipment
Ultra-light hike = 5 kg basic equipment
Extremely light weight = 2.5 kg of basic equipment
Total load = basic equipment + consumables
Of course, light weight refers to the light weight of the total load. Consumables and fixed equipment are closely related.
What is the purpose of lightweight walking? If your backpacking purpose is to spend more time in the camp, you can of course bring 'luxuries' such as coffee pots, playing cards, and speakers. If you want to walk 20-30 kilometers of mountain trails with a backpack every day, you will consider which equipment you really need to put in your backpack.
The three most famous long-distance backpacking trails in North America: Appalachian Trail (AT), Continental Divide Trail (CDT), Pacific Ridge Trail (PCT), which are more than 3,000 kilometers to more than 5,000 kilometers in length, and can walk the entire journey in one breath All the backpackers who came down were experts in lightweight hiking.
The purpose of lightweight walking is: to go further, to walk faster, to walk easier, and to walk more efficiently.

With the advancement of technology, the outdoor equipment on the market is much lighter than the products 20 years ago. As long as you are willing to spend money, you can always find lighter equipment. But before you start to read the following types of lightweight equipment, I hope you can understand that you should pay attention to lightweight hiking:
1. Know the route and the equipment. No piece of equipment can cope with all outdoor environments. Please fully understand the various situations on the hiking route and choose from the equipment you are familiar with.
2. Don't lighten for the sake of lightening. There is a limit to lightweighting, and the lighter the equipment is not the better. Don't turn lightweight hiking into extreme wild survival.
3. Lightweight and comfort are a contradiction. Please be prepared to endure hardships, and your wallet will shrink quickly.
1. Backpack
The lightweight development of large backpacks and camping equipment has made lightweight hiking increasingly common. Not to mention, a 3-5 day trekking trip ten years ago, boys should use a backpack of at least 65 liters, which weighs about 2 kg, otherwise the equipment for several days will not fit. At present, the weight of the backpack chosen by lightweight hikers generally does not exceed 900 grams, and the maximum weight does not exceed 1.4 kg; the capacity is 40-65 liters (50-55 liters is a good range); the load generally does not exceed 15 kg, 20 Kilograms are overweight.
Many experts who travel the three long routes through the backpacking route believe that the ideal backpack capacity is 45 liters, but packing all the equipment in a 45 liter bag is definitely a challenge, especially when you carry extra warm clothes and food for several days.

When it comes to ultra-light backpacks, one cannot fail to mention Dyneema materials. Dyneema (Chinese name Dyneema, formerly Cubin fiber) is a super strong fiber, available in black and white colors. It is made of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). The ultra-long molecular chain makes the load more effective. To the polymer backbone. This physical property allows Dyneema fiber to achieve higher strength with the same quality than other fibers, and lighter weight with the same strength. Dyneema has a specific gravity of 0.98, which is lighter than water, 30% lighter than nylon and polyester, and 45% lighter than aramid. Now, Dyneema composite materials are being used in outdoor products, such as flat belts, quick hangers, seat belts, etc. in climbing equipment, ultra-light backpacks and tents. c
When it comes to backpacks made of Dyneema material, one cannot fail to mention Hyperlite Mountain Gear (HMG), a lightweight equipment brand. HMG is suitable for weekend hikes and long-term crossings with frequent replenishment points on the way. The 2400 Southwest white version is made of 50D Dyneema composite fabric. 40 liters weighs only 852 grams; the larger 3400, 55 liter black version with 150D fabric weighs only 991 grams.
There is also an ultra-light backpack fabric LiteSkin LS07, which is made of non-woven resin nylon and other multi-layer laminates. The Swift X 45-liter backpack of Six Moon Designs using this fabric also weighs only 1 kg.
Lightweight hiking does not require too much load, so the carrying system of ultra-light backpacks is not as important as traditional backpacks. It requires complex and strong frames and padding, but emphasizes simplicity and breathability.
Ultra-light backpacks are mostly open-top access equipment. Side openings will add extra zipper weight and it is not easy to maintain the highest load.
You can go further by carrying a lighter back. The backpack is listed at the top, hoping to choose a smaller backpack, to force you to choose lighter and smaller other equipment first.
2. Shelter
The tent is the heaviest item in the weight of backpackers. For lightweight hikers, tents weighing more than one or two kilograms should be left at home. Canopies that do not require poles or are supported by canes, tower A/pyramid tents are the first choice for lightweight hiking, and their weight is generally under 700 grams. Therefore, the title of this part of the content is not a tent, but a Shelter shelter.
Compared with ordinary tents, building a canopy or A-tower tent requires more skills and experience. Pay special attention to the problem of ventilation. If you build a closed A-tower tent overnight on a damp ground, condensation on the tent wall will be more serious.

Sky curtain fabrics are mostly nylon/polyester fabrics with waterproof coatings below 20D, and the weight is generally about 300 grams. There are many mosquitoes in the wild. With a full gauze net supported by a walking stick, the 10D micro-mesh nylon has an excellent anti-mosquito effect, and the weight is more than 300 grams. If there is no precipitation in the expected itinerary, just bring a full gauze net and you will have the fun of stargazing.
MSR's Thru-Hiker 70 Wing canopy weighs 380 grams, and the minimum weight of the Thru-Hiker Mesh House gauze net tents for 1, 2, and 3 people are 280 grams, 410 grams, and 460 grams respectively.

In winter, tents are not light in all seasons. If there are a lot of people in the team, MSR’s new Front Range Ultralight Tarp Shelter plus the matching inner tent weighs only 1.6 kg. This pyramid tent has strong weather protection performance and can accommodate 4 people in the tent. On average, each person is only divided. 400 grams weight.
Of course, the traditional double-layer trekking tent also has products that are as light as the canopy and tower A. Like MSR's Carbon Reflex double-layer tent, the minimum weight is 660 grams for 1 person and 840 grams for 2 people. With 7D fabric tents and carbon fiber tent poles, the space inside the tent can be larger than that of Tower A tent.
Similar to the situation of ultra-light backpacks, HMG, Zpacks, Big Agnes and other brands in the canopy, tower A, and tent markets have launched products using Dyneema composite fabrics, and the price is absolutely not close to the people. Dyneema fabric is used on the outside tents and the bottom of the tent, which can allow welding construction to eliminate the need for seams and seam glue. In view of the puncture resistance of Dyneema fabric, it is recommended to bring a repair kit.
The vast majority of outdoor enthusiasts in China cannot accept the claustrophobic feeling brought by the use of camping bags, although this category of products can reduce the weight of shelters to the extreme.
If there are woods in the campsite during the trip, you can use a hammock. Therm-a-Rest single hammock + suspension cable weighs only 826 grams. The experience is definitely different from sleeping on the ground. A matching rain cloth and mosquito net are available.
Let's talk about the cane that propped up the sky and the A tower. We can't just consider the weight, but also balance the strength, so we choose aluminum folding rods (note that you can't choose long models). Like the Distance FLZ of Black Diamond, the 95-110 cm weighs 415 g/pair, and the 105-125 cm weighs 445 g/pair. Pay attention to see if the length of the walking stick matches the height of your A tower.
3. Sleeping equipment
Sleeping bags and sleeping pads are generally not the heaviest in a backpack, but they tend to occupy the most volume. On the basis of meeting the required insulation requirements, high compressibility is essential.

For sleeping bags, high compressibility is filled with goose down with high bulkiness. 650 fluffiness is not enough. All sleeping bag brands now have 900 fluffy products. Sleeping bags with a comfortable temperature scale of 5°C are not difficult to control the weight below 500 grams. Lightweight sleeping bags are not recommended to be filled with various chemical fiber thermal insulation materials, because their high compressibility is much worse than goose down.
Choose water-repellent goose down as much as possible. They will generally absorb 90% less water than untreated goose down, dry 3 times faster, and maintain bulkiness 60 times stronger. They are very suitable for wet environments or long-term crossing Used in.
Want to be lighter and smaller? Choose a sleeping bag style without a hood, which can be tens of grams lighter. Wear a hat on your head at night to reduce heat loss.
There is no need to carry pillows, just use waterproof bags, sleeping bags, compression bags, or even clean garbage bags to roll up the clothes you took off during sleep and stuff them in.
Many long-term backpackers like to carry Therm-a-Rest's Z Lite series of foam pads. In fact, the air pads are already durable enough, so it's a big deal to bring an instant patch. The NeoAir UberLite launched by Therm-a-Rest last year has an average weight of only 250 grams. After compression and packaging, it is only as big as a can of cans. It is the smallest air cushion on the market with an R value of 2.3. There is no problem in three seasons.

The sleeping pad can be lighter. Instead of choosing one size, choose a small size. For example, the NeoAir UberLite small size weighs 170 grams and the size is 51x119 cm. When using it, put the sleeping pad under the head and torso and the empty backpack under the legs. That's it.
At present, the major sleeping pad brands entering the North American market have unified the R-value standard, and each brand of sleeping pads can directly compare the degree of insulation.
There is another equipment indispensable for camping at night-headlights. Lightweight walking will not carry camp lights, one headlight can do all the lighting functions. The Black Diamond Spot recommended here is 325 lumens and weighs only 86 grams.
Four, stove tableware
In terms of weight, efficiency, volume and other comprehensive trade-offs, light-weight walking is still recommended to use gas stoves. The volume of the oil furnace is too large, otherwise it would be able to use its 'long endurance capability' in the long-term crossing with few supplies.
Stove system or stove set, which integrates stove, pots, bowls, and tableware. From cooking to dining, one set is done, and there is even room for another gas tank. Lightweight walking will not carry food that requires complicated cooking methods, so there is no need to choose a burner with a large burning plate and various sets of pots.
Lightweight walking for single person, it is recommended to use MSR's PocketRocket 2 stove and Titan Kettle titanium pot. Pocket Rocket 2 burner only weighs 73 grams, 850ml titanium pot weighs 118 grams, and is equipped with a 18-gram folding titanium fork. The spoon constitutes an extremely lightweight cooking tableware set weighing only 210 grams. There is no need for a single person to have an extra bowl, just eat it in the pot.

For two persons, we recommend the MSR PocketRocket Deluxe Stove Kit, which weighs 371 grams. The burner of the Pocket Rocket Deluxe Edition burner is enlarged, equipped with a piezoelectric igniter and a gas tank pressure regulator. The boiling time is increased to 3 minutes and 20 seconds to boil 1 liter of water. , It performs better in low temperature and high altitude environments.
The cooking method and the itinerary environment determine the fuel consumption. Please calculate the number of gas tanks required before departure.
Five, drinking water
Unless you are hiking in arid desert areas, do not carry heavy loads on your back.
Before departure, learn about the places on the route that can be supplemented with water according to the guide. Keep up to 1 to 2 liters of water in your backpack. After reaching the water supplement point, filter the water source to supplement. Therefore, the common drinking equipment in lightweight hiking is 1 liter water bottle + micro water purifier.

Recommended here is another combination of water storage + filtration: Platypus Big Zip EVO Reservoir 2.0L + MSR Thru-Link In-Line Microfilter, the total weight is only 242 grams. The classic Platypus large-opening water bag does not take up your hands while walking, so you can replenish water at any time. MSR's newly launched Thru-Link In-Line Microfilter water purifier this year is directly connected to the water bag for filtering, and drinking while walking; after arriving at the camp, hang the water bag on a high place, and the whole system becomes a gravity water filter No need to worry about putting the pots under the suction nozzle of the water bag. You can use this time to set up a tent. Thru-Link In-Line Microfilter adopts double filter element, 200 nanometer hollow fiber filter element to filter impurities and bacteria, activated carbon filter element to absorb water taste.
Six, shoes and clothing
Walk down one day, don't worry about body smell. Unless you are sure that there is a place to wash your clothes on the route, you still only wear one set of clothes, and you can have an extra pair of socks.

The key to reducing odor troubles lies in the body layer, so you must choose Merino wool products. Merino wool has its own antibacterial and deodorant properties, and does not produce odors like synthetic fabrics; it can also absorb sweat from the body surface in time, allowing you to stay comfortable and dry at any time during exercise, and refuse to be stuffy. Merino wool socks are breathable and moisture-repellent, warm and comfortable, and can also absorb shock and cushion.
The three-layer outdoor dressing principle is still applicable to lightweight walking, but light and thin styles should be selected as much as possible.
Almost all lightweight hikers have given up on heavy-duty hiking shoes. The common choice is a pair of trail running shoes, but they are not designed for long-term hiking. If your leg and foot muscles are not strong enough, the load reaches 15 kg, and the road is rugged and muddy. At that time, choose a pair of mid-cut hiking shoes.
Seven, food
According to body size, metabolism and daily mileage, backpackers should generally consume 3000-4000 calories a day. You need to accurately plan a complete food list and choose high-density foods rich in fat and protein to reduce weight. The water content in food should not be high, so as not to increase the weight. Avoid choosing foods that boil for a long time or use more water, otherwise it will increase fuel consumption.

If you are not used to eating various energy bars in Europe and the United States, you can try the freeze-dried fast foods of Mountain House, which come in various flavors, 70 grams per meal per person, and only need to load 200 grams for three meals a day. The self-heating food on Taobao tastes more suitable for Chinese people, but it contains heating materials and water, which is not suitable for lightweight walking.
Okay, go buy a scale that is accurate to the gram weight, weigh all the outdoor equipment at home, make a table, and plan your lightweight hiking equipment.

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