Equinox Ultralite Backpacking |
| Going Lighter is Going Better Most of us who venture into the woods on multi-day trips carry a lot of gear and shoulder packs the size of a small refrigerator. Is all this gear and related weight, (often in excess of 50lbs), really necessary? The appropriate, if uninspiring answer is: it depends; which means there are lots of variables, from resupply points to the weather. But on most trips, it seems quite clear, weight can be reduced, sometimes dramatically. Ok, How? Naturally, you can save weight by jettisoning the non-essential gear, and by cutting the essentials, including food, to the absolute core. When ultralite gear is added to this methodology, you can end up with a very light pack indeed -- something in the range of 30lbs and even less. This form of backpacking is becoming more and more popular and the speed and comfort with which one can traverse even rugged terrain with an ultralite pack is remarkable. Give up My Espresso? My Peach Cobbler? But most of us are not heading into the backcountry to set land speed records and we appreciate a few non-Spartan amenities in camp. A few gourmet hors d'oeurves, that pair of camp mocs, maybe a spirited libation to celebrate reaching camp -- these are things that you may not be anxious to give up. And going lighter doesn't mean you have to. With a bit of packing sense, (get rid of non-critical redundancies), and the adoption of Ultralite Gear where practical, you can knock eight or ten or even fifteen pounds out of your pack. So Why Bother? This enters the category of "you have to experience it to believe it," but reducing a forty or forty-five pound pack to twenty-five or thirty pounds makes a very big difference...and this may be an understatement. With a lighter pack you travel more comfortably, faster, and with less of your senses focused on aches and pains. You are better able to take in and enjoy the surroundings. Going lighter, one time, we predict will make a believer of anyone. How can we say it more simply: going lighter is going better. |
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