I'd say probably the best thing to do to help with pack weight is to get stronger yourself via weight/resistance training. To make the pack feel/be lighter make yourself stronger as well.
That's exactly what I've been doing. I've been running with 25-40 pounds ruck to try help my body get used to my 14th summit in CO by the end of the year. Hopefully I'll work.
Good info. Thank you:) Ive spent thousands, lost track, getting to a 15-17lb pack. I wouldn't have been able to get there if it wasn't for all these great ideas we share here. I'm covered completely and efficiently under 20lb even if I'm carrying axe and knives
@@MattyOutdoors Yes and yours were very helpful:) I am carrying too many containers, that was what I got from this. even if its dyneema it all adds up and when I reflected to my pack with this info. I found room for improvement. we don't get that awesome pack weight without considering everything. well thanks again for that. I'll keep an eye on your videos:)
Im with you on 4 out of 5 of your points. I’m one of the dreaded water bladder lovers. I gotta say, I really hate having to contort myself to try to pull or replace a water bottle from a side pocket behind me. I find I just end up not drinking enough and dehydrate myself. I will gladly carry the extra 3.5 oz of weight (difference from you 2 smart bottles to my 3L bladder) to have the convenience of a hose and bite valve. That said, it’s a very rare day that I put more than 1-1.5L in my 3L bladder. It sure is nice to have the ability to fill it up when setting off across a long dry ridge walk on a hot day though.
I’ll often carry up to 4 litres of water but it goes around my waist at the front in an Ortlieb water bag, slightly modified so I have two straps around me. Works a treat and my back appreciates it.
I was guilty of all of those things. And at one point guilty of all of them all at the same time ...resulting in a 50lb pack for a 5 day backpack. The same 5 day trip is now a 25-30lb, fully loaded, pack. Learned so much that one trip :)
My water system of choice is the 2L Evernew with the Sawyer Squeeze, the Sawyer Coupling and a single 1L Smart Water bottle. A total of 3L of capacity but quite light at 151 grams total! Dirty water goes in the Evernew and then I filter right into the Smart bottle easy peasy
Nalgene bottles are great to drink from on your every day life but not out on a hiking trail - they are just so heavy! I'm not d'accord with saving weight by carrying less water in general - it's a difficult decision.. Yes water is heavy but I wouldn't recommend "reduce water to reduce weight". Only do that of you know the surroundings and if you know where to get new water. It happened to me several times that in summer a planned water source was dried out completely and I was very happy to have some more water with me. Sure if the next big ass lake is just a few kilometers away you don't need to carry as much water but please be careful with your amounts of water carried, especially when it's warm and you're hiking in dry/Mediterranean territory or such! Thank you very much for the things on drysacks - I'll try that out! ☺️
Ah yes, a guilty nalgene user here! I may not shed my attachment for the nalgene widemouth anytime soon, but have at least shaved 3oz using their high density polyethylene bottle instead of the usual tritan plastic.
First backpack I bought is the one im still using right now, a 36L for trips of about a week. First trip I was just making due, hanging the tent, mat, sometimes even sleeping bag on my backpack and kind of securing it. I’ve had loads of replies on that its small but it works amazing for me. Over the last 5 years I’ve been doing this and just been making constant changes and right now, im just hanging my mat at the front of the pack which works because of its lack of weight. Over the years I’ve dumped from my pack: Almost all of my clothing (just one extra shirt, 2 pairs of socks and 1 extra pack of underwear left) A shit tonne of water, went from 3L to 1L max. Yay for the lifestraw. All non efficient packing stuff like he showed in the vid, but also just all the small things: taperoll around playing cards, squishing toilet rolls, smaller cooking gear (the Jetboil is my worst enemy), type of non-perishable foods im bringing, small axe/shovel combo and using emergency blankets in combo with smallest sleeping mat I could find. But most importantly: I have created the perfect packing order which makes getting rid of all your stuff a one time thing, when you camp up. That in combination with using all available space makes it work great for me. Please note that in my travels I make sure to stock up at least one time, there is always been a place on my route that had possible replacement gear and foodstuffs ready, I make it a point on choosing which walk to route its either on my third or fourth day of travel.
I am not a lightweight backpacker but even I ditched all the stuffsacks/compression bags a few years ago. Cotton kills is largely a myth. When used properly in the proper outdoor application it kicks all synthetic materials to the curb. I wouldn't suggest a hard core backpacker wear just a cheap cotton shirt and underwear but the whole "cotton kills" irritates me.
@@MattyOutdoors modern cotton won't, I agree but traditional cottons dry amazingly well. Too bad we can't get real stuff anymore. Most of the issue lies in the weave and quality of the fabric. I know the old polycoton British DPM uniforms dry ridiculously fast and don't hold moisture. They also don't take a stink or feel slimy like most pure synthetics. Sadly instead of taking a tried and true principle clothing manufacturers would rather push the trend and perpetuate myths. I even remember when blue jeans didn't seem to stay wet for long!
Totally agree with the "cotton kills" bs. What did people wear before synthetic clothes were invented? Polyester and wool may make you more comfortable but cotton t-shirt is fine most of the time.
He's not saying cotton doesn't work but polyester can't be beat if you can afford specific sports clothing it should all be synthetic materials specifically polyester even Marino wool doesn't perform aswell and holds significantly more moisture. It's kinda like the hikking boot myths.
Tip for you, before you buy your pack get all your gear and put it in a box, measure the volume of the gear in the box and that’s the volume of pack you should get. Saves getting a bigger pack than you need ie weight.
This is a great idea for beginners. I've always suggested people just head to a store, and load a pack up with gear they feel is similar to their own, and that's always worked
@@MattyOutdoors feel free to use that tip it works I’ve used it for deciding which pack to take on any hike, I even have a box marked out with volume marks on the inside
I had one of those heavy Gregory Deva 70L packs. Sold it and bought a GG Mariposa 60L and saved 3 lbs. of pack weight! I'm almost 69, have a bad back and need to get my base weight down, which I did by going from a 25 lb. base weight to under 14 lbs.! Matty, you are spot on with hikers packing WAY too much clothing! I took a lot of weight from my pack by getting UL clothing gear (Merino wool Icebreaker base layer, UL wind pants & UL sandals). Unless you are going through the desert, taking one Essentia water bottle, a 2 L Cnoc and Sawyer Squeeze works great and cuts way down on your weight.
@@MattyOutdoors I would rather filter and camel up than carry the water the entire way on my back. I'm not through hiking so a few minutes is easier than having that heavy load on my back.
I think down sleeping bag and down jacket is good to put stuff bag because you can squeeze those smaller. I agree everything else. In colder conditions I have to take more clothes. My base weight is 8.5 kg.
they may pack down small, but you still end up with dead space around them. with a down topquilt and down underquilt, i better utilize the space in my pack by avoiding stuffsacks for each of them, and just stuffing rhem into my backpack.
@@MattyOutdoors I try to fill the bag like puzzle and avoid empty space around down bags. Usually I have managed to fill the empty space. I also try to give extra protection down gear from the water. This is the other reason for stuff bags.
@@MattyOutdoors I measured 5 stuff bags and it was around 200 grams. It is not so much weight if you want extra protection from water. You can have also very light stuff backs. Stuff bags are different. Lighter pack liner may easily get broken also. But everyone can do like what works best for them.
The water thing is a real "coastal" attitude. If you're anywhere west of the Rockies in the high desert drought states (Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, California, Utah) just assume there is no water, or it's so far away you're going to be in trouble well before you reach it.
i think its pretty common sense if you're hiking in a desert, you'll need more water. I'm also from Canada, where we dont have deserts or drought areas like that.
If you are new to hiking or new to desert/high altitude hiking, then I would recommend carrying more water than normal. At least until you determine how many miles per liter you can cover. When its 94 degrees with no shade and you are walking up hill for several hours your water consumption is much different than say a hike on a 75 degree day in the woods over a mostly flat trail. Altitude can also require a larger amount of water per mile than normal. Remember your last chance to turn back is likely before you have used half of your water. Know the signs of dehydration and heat stroke. The "Camel up" approach can also cause problems with your electrolytes, so be careful there. As my comment was not a tip on reducing pack weight I will give you this. Duel use is a core weight reducing concept. Instead of packing a just in case I need more capacity water container. You can use a dry bag as an extra/emergency water bag if needed (test yours first to make sure). Even if you just do the "line my pack with a contractor bag" thing, the contractor bag will hold more water than you can cary.
My kiddos tend to drink more water with their bladder, they only use 1.5l bladders though. Have been in a situation of limited water and was carrying 6l - not fun.
My usual water solution is a Katadyn BeFree stuffed in my pants pocket, whenever I hit a water source I fill and drink. I’ve used some pretty nasty sources, too! Stuff where you use your sweaty handkerchief to strain out the big bits so you didn’t clog the filter. Once I didn’t see the TONS of moose poop like 6 feet upstream of some spring runoff until after I drank 😂 At the last water stop before my campsite I fill the BeFree and drink, fill my 2 empty bottles from the BeFree, and then fill the BeFree to give me 3l for cooking & drinking overnight. Pre-hydrating is important, I start drinking more water than usual the night before and drink a few more bottles on my way to the trail. It does mean pee breaks like every 20 minutes when I first start hiking, though.
Is 35 a manageable total weight including food and water? My sleeping gear is heavy because I am having a zero degree sleeping bag plus a 45 degree quilt and I just can't afford another $200 to save 7 ounces on my quilt. I'm calculating this with 14 days of food because I can't afford to ship every week or buy local. At this point I'm planning one box every 2 weeks. Maybe I could cut my food in half and buy local but I'm scared that I won't get the same prices especially with inflation.
I'll keep carrying my 3l bladder on hikes. South Texas is an unforgiving mistress, summer nights get down to a cool 92°. You wake up dehydrated down here lol.
@@MattyOutdoors there is that but some people are gonna use a stuff sack anyways so might as well pass along the tip. Also you can play with the shape of the pump sack a bit more
I’ll live with a little wasted space to keep my sleeping bag dry (I use waterproof compression sacks for them.) The sleeping bag is really the one thing you absolutely NEED to stay dry in order to survive. Besides, you can shove stuff into the empty spaces around it - food, spare socks, gloves, hat, etc. Or just don’t compress it fully, just enough that it fits snugly at the bottom of your pack. This lets your other gear squish into it and reduce wasted space. I don’t like waterproof pack liners because they put all your eggs in one basket. Much better to limit any possible water damage to a single item. Then there’s the weight of the water in your clothing/gear.
When hiking with a group of people, would it be a good idea to have 1 person dedicated to carrying water for the group? That persons gear can be evenly distributed amongst the other members so all he has to worry about is just hiking with a few full water bladders. I have some friends that vacation in some very remote spots that involve a couple days of hiking and portaging with canoes before they get to the cabin site. They always talk about splitting up responsibilities when it comes to the gear that needs to be carried. Like 1 person is responsible for carrying the meats and food, and others are responsible for carrying the canoe between lakes and rivers, ect ect.
I've personally never been a fan of splitting up food and water carrying. The only time I do that, is with my fiance, I'll usually just carry the food but we carry our own water
I would be concerned that if anything adverse happened to them that the water or food would be lost if it was with that one dedicated carrier rather than evenly split between all parties. Better to split weight of sleeping gear and shelter than water in my opinion.
Good stuff. Water carrying capacity is a tricky one. If your trip has a single long water carry, you will need the extra bottle or bag but as long as water sources are close by, those can remain empty. 🦑
This is an issue I really struggle with due to the amount of sweat I produce. It’s compounded by the fact that I live/backpack down here in the Southern Appalachians (originally from flat land Michigan, it’s freakin’ hot down here!). Despite having an abundance of water sources, it isn’t all that unusual for me to carry 4L of water, and go through 75 to 100 % between water sources. All this to say that I think I would be doubly served to lose some weight around my mid-section, and maybe that would help reduce the water I need to carry.
Tip: If you MUST carry extra water do not store it water in a bladder. Reason: If or when your bag leaks your gear inside your pack will get soaked and worse you’ll be out of water. Store your extra water in separate smart water bottles instead.
Good advice, but I have to say something about water. Disposable bottles are a no go. Why produce waste where it's not necessary? You can suffer a few grams more. Secondly, one should always take more food and water than estimated need so I don't have a problem with unspent water in bladders. Also, you don't have to fill the bladder to the top if you don't need so much water. Problem solved. Furthermore, I don't want to stop to drink water so bladders are a must. About the sources of water, I gotta say I haven't seen much sources of water when I hike. Hiking trails here in Europe usually follow favourable terrain, without regard to features such as water sources. If I know there'll be sources, fine. For 5-6 hour hikes, I'd normally take 2,5 liters of water. Depending on the difficulty and weather, of course. I once took 4 liters. I almost died from the weight of my pack. With other things, it was somewhere around 14 kg. When we say hiking here in Europe, we mean climbing peaks, often located far from civilization, and not walking on even terrain. You gotta be prepared when on the mountain. Food, water, clothing, first aid, ropes, carabiners, batteries, light, tools are the minimum. I'm gonna bay a scale to measure all this. I have no idea how much it weighs.
@@MattyOutdoors what are these smart bottles? I thought they were bottles with some features or something. I googled it even after you told me this. But you showed a disposable water bottle in the video. In addition to the bladder, I use a Nalgene wide mouth bottle. Because it's awkward to drink from a bladder when you lower your backpack.
@@theoriginalLP they are just smart water branded disposable bottles. But if you continue to use them, clearly they arent disposed of. Much lighter then a nalgene. Water alone is heavy enough, not necessary to add a heavy water bottle to carry heavy water.
@@MattyOutdoors don't get me wrong, I recognise this advantage, but I'd never use these disposable bottles more than a few times. In the lack of a better word, plastic in these bottle sheds and deteriorates. You don't wanna use them as much.
Food, water and extra clothes are killers when it comes to weight. Those things add up quickly. It kills me to see people hiking with 3 liters of water and they cross five streams in ten miles. I heard a saying, the only good water you are carrying is in your belly. However, it is much better for you to sip water throughout the day than to camel up at water sources. Happy Hiking
water is soooo heavy.. it often pains me seeing my friends load up the 3L bladders and bottles to start the day, when they know we're hiking along a river all day
@@MattyOutdoors I trail run with almost nothing but water. All my shell layers stuff down into a pants pocket. I don't even own a cookset, and if I was sleeping in the woods...well. Something went wrong and I'll be in the clothes on my back. I can cover 13+ miles in under 3 hours.
Good video! Ultra light is good but pick the correct gear for the task at hand as ultra light pack last 3 days in the jungle so do the home work and pick wisely. What works best for jungles is 1000D pack construction to last. Pick the Proper tool for the job. 60+ old Explorer all environments. Get the best gear you can and get out there don't spend all your money on gear and never use it because you broke and the card is maxed out. The world is a wonderful place enjoy.
ive done tons of bushwhacking in very dense forrests up in the rockies, and the UL gear holds up just fine. It is significantly more durable then folks who don't use it seem to think
I recently only carried 33lbs with a osprey atmos 65 ag for three day trip. With fly fishing gear. Shouldn't be hard to get to 25 without the fishing gear and without a lightweight pack.
My 1st pack ( Many , Many years ago ) was a Kelty External frame pack when empty was about 6 pounds. Today my packs Basic Weight ( no consumables ) is between 7 to 8 pounds. A 38 liter pack that weighs less the a pound helps a lot. I take what I need , not what I want. Early on I found that Human Nature being what it is a large pack just cries ( Begs , Demands ) to be loaded. Especially with everything you can get your hands on. Why not , there is a empty space right there and I might want this later on and so in it goes. The remedy is simple , If you take it and don't use it , leave it at home the next trip. Then as time goes by and items need to be replaced go with lighter gear. In my case it's been almost 60 years.
a few of my friends use steri pens, and luckily for them the rest of us use squeeze or gravity filters, because theirs seem to always run into problems. The batteries never seem to last, and are pricey.. And they are notorious for getting turned on inside packs
I am going to hike 210 km (two weeks hike) in Finland's Lapland and North Norway. I have to carry food for two weeks. Starting with total weight 22 kg (food and gas 13 kg). 😅
Disagree a bit. I use 1 compression sack for clothes and quilt. Really not interested in stuffing quilt into pack and taking chance of ripping it or getting it wet. Ill take the weight penalty to have my stuff organized. Have 1 compression sack then a sack for food, a bag for electronics a rope bag to hang food and one for my stakes.
I line my whole pack with a trash compactor bag, to avoid anything getting wet. I think you'd be just as likely to rip something stuffing into a tight stuff sack as you would the bottom of a backpack
I watched a video yesterday where this guy said he carried 2 liters for a 20 mile water gap on a hike I want to do next year. He said he knew people who carried a 1 liter bottle that wasn't even full. Screw him.
@@MattyOutdoors The best I've ever done is 16 miles in a day, and I used 7 or 8 liters. A 20 mile gap means I'd probably need to bring my 10 liter Dromedary bag.
I did enough of that dehydration shit in the army, doing 12 mile road marches with body armor, web gear/load bearing vest, helmet, rifle, and 60-70lb pack in the Georgia summer. A slow time was 2 hrs 30 min, we were usually closer to 2 hours because we ran most of it. We had 2 1qt canteens and that was it. I’ll drink 2l on a 3 mile uphill hike now just because I can.
A tip to save weight and volume: collapsible water bottles. They're not everyone's favorite and some consider them a nuisanse, but for me the sawyer bottles have worked out very well and weight less than smartwater bottles. As a bonus, you can rig them to use them as reservoirs with a bladder hose.
Best tip for me is to not pack food or water even for one's pet unless absolutely necessary. If you are on a trail that has honesty boxes, shops and water sources then you can get supplies as you go along. This saves you packing several pounds of water and food. Therefore work out where you can resupply along the trail you are hiking/backpacking.
I learned the hard way that village shops that are there according to guide books or online route descriptions can suddenly be gone. (Owner pensioned, or went broke) So I always carry at least one dried meal with me. It can be just powdered mashed potatoes, but at least that you don't stay awake because you are hungry
Can confirm, zero tears were shed in the making of this video. But, I'll be crying tears of joy when my next ad revenue payment comes in. Thanks for watching, and contributing to that!
@@MattyOutdoors it's funny people think because 30 years ago 30lbs was "ultralight" people should still hual 50lbs for 3 day trips. 30 years ago you couldn't hike with a full gear load out 50 kms a day in the rockies and today you bet you can especially if you could get to sub 20 lbs I bet
If thats the best you've got, your insults suck. Best remember, you're the one who clicked on the video, so thank you for the watch time, and ad revenue.
Thanks!
any time!
I'd say probably the best thing to do to help with pack weight is to get stronger yourself via weight/resistance training. To make the pack feel/be lighter make yourself stronger as well.
Nothing wrong with physical fitness, but strategically lowering pack weight by not carrying things you really don't need isn't a bad thing
That's exactly what I've been doing. I've been running with 25-40 pounds ruck to try help my body get used to my 14th summit in CO by the end of the year. Hopefully I'll work.
Do that AND go lighter, you’ll have an even easier time.
Good info. Thank you:) Ive spent thousands, lost track, getting to a 15-17lb pack. I wouldn't have been able to get there if it wasn't for all these great ideas we share here. I'm covered completely and efficiently under 20lb even if I'm carrying axe and knives
tips help us all
@@MattyOutdoors Yes and yours were very helpful:) I am carrying too many containers, that was what I got from this. even if its dyneema it all adds up and when I reflected to my pack with this info. I found room for improvement. we don't get that awesome pack weight without considering everything. well thanks again for that. I'll keep an eye on your videos:)
Im with you on 4 out of 5 of your points. I’m one of the dreaded water bladder lovers. I gotta say, I really hate having to contort myself to try to pull or replace a water bottle from a side pocket behind me. I find I just end up not drinking enough and dehydrate myself. I will gladly carry the extra 3.5 oz of weight (difference from you 2 smart bottles to my 3L bladder) to have the convenience of a hose and bite valve. That said, it’s a very rare day that I put more than 1-1.5L in my 3L bladder. It sure is nice to have the ability to fill it up when setting off across a long dry ridge walk on a hot day though.
Water Bladder makes more sense to use in really hot weather. I live near the equator, a cycling tour day can comsume up to 10 litres.
It's actually not difficult to get a bottle in and out on some modern packs
maybe ive been lucky with my packs, but i find the bottles easy to get in and out.
Doing the AZT this fall. Water carry is an issue.
In spots like that, yes
I’ll often carry up to 4 litres of water but it goes around my waist at the front in an Ortlieb water bag, slightly modified so I have two straps around me. Works a treat and my back appreciates it.
Long stretches with no water? that sounds like a lot of weight
@@MattyOutdoors But as it’s round my waist, I hardly notice it.
I was guilty of all of those things. And at one point guilty of all of them all at the same time ...resulting in a 50lb pack for a 5 day backpack. The same 5 day trip is now a 25-30lb, fully loaded, pack. Learned so much that one trip :)
so much more enjoyable when you're not constantly hurting
My water system of choice is the 2L Evernew with the Sawyer Squeeze, the Sawyer Coupling and a single 1L Smart Water bottle. A total of 3L of capacity but quite light at 151 grams total! Dirty water goes in the Evernew and then I filter right into the Smart bottle easy peasy
efficient system!
Nalgene bottles are great to drink from on your every day life but not out on a hiking trail - they are just so heavy!
I'm not d'accord with saving weight by carrying less water in general - it's a difficult decision.. Yes water is heavy but I wouldn't recommend "reduce water to reduce weight". Only do that of you know the surroundings and if you know where to get new water. It happened to me several times that in summer a planned water source was dried out completely and I was very happy to have some more water with me. Sure if the next big ass lake is just a few kilometers away you don't need to carry as much water but please be careful with your amounts of water carried, especially when it's warm and you're hiking in dry/Mediterranean territory or such!
Thank you very much for the things on drysacks - I'll try that out! ☺️
Ah yes, a guilty nalgene user here! I may not shed my attachment for the nalgene widemouth anytime soon, but have at least shaved 3oz using their high density polyethylene bottle instead of the usual tritan plastic.
First backpack I bought is the one im still using right now, a 36L for trips of about a week. First trip I was just making due, hanging the tent, mat, sometimes even sleeping bag on my backpack and kind of securing it. I’ve had loads of replies on that its small but it works amazing for me. Over the last 5 years I’ve been doing this and just been making constant changes and right now, im just hanging my mat at the front of the pack which works because of its lack of weight.
Over the years I’ve dumped from my pack:
Almost all of my clothing (just one extra shirt, 2 pairs of socks and 1 extra pack of underwear left)
A shit tonne of water, went from 3L to 1L max. Yay for the lifestraw.
All non efficient packing stuff like he showed in the vid, but also just all the small things: taperoll around playing cards, squishing toilet rolls, smaller cooking gear (the Jetboil is my worst enemy), type of non-perishable foods im bringing, small axe/shovel combo and using emergency blankets in combo with smallest sleeping mat I could find.
But most importantly: I have created the perfect packing order which makes getting rid of all your stuff a one time thing, when you camp up. That in combination with using all available space makes it work great for me.
Please note that in my travels I make sure to stock up at least one time, there is always been a place on my route that had possible replacement gear and foodstuffs ready, I make it a point on choosing which walk to route its either on my third or fourth day of travel.
extra clothes is where so many folks end up carrying too much
I am not a lightweight backpacker but even I ditched all the stuffsacks/compression bags a few years ago. Cotton kills is largely a myth. When used properly in the proper outdoor application it kicks all synthetic materials to the curb. I wouldn't suggest a hard core backpacker wear just a cheap cotton shirt and underwear but the whole "cotton kills" irritates me.
Cotton will never dry nearly as fast as synthetics will, which is why I'll always suggest synthetics over cotton
@@MattyOutdoors modern cotton won't, I agree but traditional cottons dry amazingly well. Too bad we can't get real stuff anymore. Most of the issue lies in the weave and quality of the fabric. I know the old polycoton British DPM uniforms dry ridiculously fast and don't hold moisture. They also don't take a stink or feel slimy like most pure synthetics. Sadly instead of taking a tried and true principle clothing manufacturers would rather push the trend and perpetuate myths.
I even remember when blue jeans didn't seem to stay wet for long!
Totally agree with the "cotton kills" bs. What did people wear before synthetic clothes were invented? Polyester and wool may make you more comfortable but cotton t-shirt is fine most of the time.
@@vincentvega5686 well traditionally wool and linen pre cotton. Both are actually pretty good fabrics.
He's not saying cotton doesn't work but polyester can't be beat if you can afford specific sports clothing it should all be synthetic materials specifically polyester even Marino wool doesn't perform aswell and holds significantly more moisture. It's kinda like the hikking boot myths.
Tip for you, before you buy your pack get all your gear and put it in a box, measure the volume of the gear in the box and that’s the volume of pack you should get. Saves getting a bigger pack than you need ie weight.
This is a great idea for beginners. I've always suggested people just head to a store, and load a pack up with gear they feel is similar to their own, and that's always worked
@@MattyOutdoors feel free to use that tip it works I’ve used it for deciding which pack to take on any hike, I even have a box marked out with volume marks on the inside
I had one of those heavy Gregory Deva 70L packs. Sold it and bought a GG Mariposa 60L and saved 3 lbs. of pack weight! I'm almost 69, have a bad back and need to get my base weight down, which I did by going from a 25 lb. base weight to under 14 lbs.! Matty, you are spot on with hikers packing WAY too much clothing! I took a lot of weight from my pack by getting UL clothing gear (Merino wool Icebreaker base layer, UL wind pants & UL sandals). Unless you are going through the desert, taking one Essentia water bottle, a 2 L Cnoc and Sawyer Squeeze works great and cuts way down on your weight.
From alot of the responses, and emails I've gotten, I guess a lot of folks don't like stopping to filter up water
@@MattyOutdoors I would rather filter and camel up than carry the water the entire way on my back. I'm not through hiking so a few minutes is easier than having that heavy load on my back.
I think down sleeping bag and down jacket is good to put stuff bag because you can squeeze those smaller. I agree everything else. In colder conditions I have to take more clothes. My base weight is 8.5 kg.
they may pack down small, but you still end up with dead space around them. with a down topquilt and down underquilt, i better utilize the space in my pack by avoiding stuffsacks for each of them, and just stuffing rhem into my backpack.
@@MattyOutdoors I try to fill the bag like puzzle and avoid empty space around down bags. Usually I have managed to fill the empty space. I also try to give extra protection down gear from the water. This is the other reason for stuff bags.
@@jlkartvideos9887 one pack liner solves the water issue
@@MattyOutdoors I measured 5 stuff bags and it was around 200 grams. It is not so much weight if you want extra protection from water. You can have also very light stuff backs. Stuff bags are different. Lighter pack liner may easily get broken also. But everyone can do like what works best for them.
The water thing is a real "coastal" attitude. If you're anywhere west of the Rockies in the high desert drought states (Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, California, Utah) just assume there is no water, or it's so far away you're going to be in trouble well before you reach it.
i think its pretty common sense if you're hiking in a desert, you'll need more water. I'm also from Canada, where we dont have deserts or drought areas like that.
I love the way you explain things!
I very much appreciate that!
Water is king carry more, carry more than you think . When things go wrong you will understand
Obviously, only limit how mucj water you carry if you know the trail you're on
If you are new to hiking or new to desert/high altitude hiking, then I would recommend carrying more water than normal. At least until you determine how many miles per liter you can cover. When its 94 degrees with no shade and you are walking up hill for several hours your water consumption is much different than say a hike on a 75 degree day in the woods over a mostly flat trail. Altitude can also require a larger amount of water per mile than normal. Remember your last chance to turn back is likely before you have used half of your water. Know the signs of dehydration and heat stroke. The "Camel up" approach can also cause problems with your electrolytes, so be careful there.
As my comment was not a tip on reducing pack weight I will give you this. Duel use is a core weight reducing concept. Instead of packing a just in case I need more capacity water container. You can use a dry bag as an extra/emergency water bag if needed (test yours first to make sure). Even if you just do the "line my pack with a contractor bag" thing, the contractor bag will hold more water than you can cary.
imo, if someone is hiking at extremely high altitude, without knowledge of how much water they go through, theyve got big problems..
My kiddos tend to drink more water with their bladder, they only use 1.5l bladders though. Have been in a situation of limited water and was carrying 6l - not fun.
My usual water solution is a Katadyn BeFree stuffed in my pants pocket, whenever I hit a water source I fill and drink. I’ve used some pretty nasty sources, too! Stuff where you use your sweaty handkerchief to strain out the big bits so you didn’t clog the filter. Once I didn’t see the TONS of moose poop like 6 feet upstream of some spring runoff until after I drank 😂 At the last water stop before my campsite I fill the BeFree and drink, fill my 2 empty bottles from the BeFree, and then fill the BeFree to give me 3l for cooking & drinking overnight.
Pre-hydrating is important, I start drinking more water than usual the night before and drink a few more bottles on my way to the trail. It does mean pee breaks like every 20 minutes when I first start hiking, though.
Is 35 a manageable total weight including food and water? My sleeping gear is heavy because I am having a zero degree sleeping bag plus a 45 degree quilt and I just can't afford another $200 to save 7 ounces on my quilt. I'm calculating this with 14 days of food because I can't afford to ship every week or buy local. At this point I'm planning one box every 2 weeks. Maybe I could cut my food in half and buy local but I'm scared that I won't get the same prices especially with inflation.
35lbs is totally manageable, and pretty much where I'd be for a 14 day food carry
I'll keep carrying my 3l bladder on hikes. South Texas is an unforgiving mistress, summer nights get down to a cool 92°. You wake up dehydrated down here lol.
thats fair
Depending on what you are using the pump sack from your air pad can be a great compression sack for your sleeping bag
doesn't help the less efficient space being taken up in your pack tho
@@MattyOutdoors there is that but some people are gonna use a stuff sack anyways so might as well pass along the tip.
Also you can play with the shape of the pump sack a bit more
@@shawnr6117 fair!
I’ll live with a little wasted space to keep my sleeping bag dry (I use waterproof compression sacks for them.) The sleeping bag is really the one thing you absolutely NEED to stay dry in order to survive. Besides, you can shove stuff into the empty spaces around it - food, spare socks, gloves, hat, etc. Or just don’t compress it fully, just enough that it fits snugly at the bottom of your pack. This lets your other gear squish into it and reduce wasted space.
I don’t like waterproof pack liners because they put all your eggs in one basket. Much better to limit any possible water damage to a single item. Then there’s the weight of the water in your clothing/gear.
As to water weight i carry a 2 litre on my front straps, it helps balance your pack weight nicely.
I tried those front water bottle pockets and wasn't a fab
When hiking with a group of people, would it be a good idea to have 1 person dedicated to carrying water for the group? That persons gear can be evenly distributed amongst the other members so all he has to worry about is just hiking with a few full water bladders. I have some friends that vacation in some very remote spots that involve a couple days of hiking and portaging with canoes before they get to the cabin site. They always talk about splitting up responsibilities when it comes to the gear that needs to be carried. Like 1 person is responsible for carrying the meats and food, and others are responsible for carrying the canoe between lakes and rivers, ect ect.
I've personally never been a fan of splitting up food and water carrying. The only time I do that, is with my fiance, I'll usually just carry the food but we carry our own water
I would be concerned that if anything adverse happened to them that the water or food would be lost if it was with that one dedicated carrier rather than evenly split between all parties. Better to split weight of sleeping gear and shelter than water in my opinion.
Everyone should cary the 10 essentials, one of which is water.
Good stuff. Water carrying capacity is a tricky one. If your trip has a single long water carry, you will need the extra bottle or bag but as long as water sources are close by, those can remain empty. 🦑
100%!
This is an issue I really struggle with due to the amount of sweat I produce. It’s compounded by the fact that I live/backpack down here in the Southern Appalachians (originally from flat land Michigan, it’s freakin’ hot down here!). Despite having an abundance of water sources, it isn’t all that unusual for me to carry 4L of water, and go through 75 to 100 % between water sources. All this to say that I think I would be doubly served to lose some weight around my mid-section, and maybe that would help reduce the water I need to carry.
Tip: If you MUST carry extra water do not store it water in a bladder. Reason: If or when your bag leaks your gear inside your pack will get soaked and worse you’ll be out of water. Store your extra water in separate smart water bottles instead.
have seen this happen, it sucks.
And if your kiddos drink more water with a bladder, make sure you use a waterproof pack liner and fold the top away from the bladder.
As much as I love the convenience of a bladder, I’ve had one leak in my pack the first time I used it. Never again.
Good advice, but I have to say something about water. Disposable bottles are a no go. Why produce waste where it's not necessary? You can suffer a few grams more. Secondly, one should always take more food and water than estimated need so I don't have a problem with unspent water in bladders. Also, you don't have to fill the bladder to the top if you don't need so much water. Problem solved. Furthermore, I don't want to stop to drink water so bladders are a must. About the sources of water, I gotta say I haven't seen much sources of water when I hike. Hiking trails here in Europe usually follow favourable terrain, without regard to features such as water sources. If I know there'll be sources, fine. For 5-6 hour hikes, I'd normally take 2,5 liters of water. Depending on the difficulty and weather, of course. I once took 4 liters. I almost died from the weight of my pack. With other things, it was somewhere around 14 kg. When we say hiking here in Europe, we mean climbing peaks, often located far from civilization, and not walking on even terrain. You gotta be prepared when on the mountain. Food, water, clothing, first aid, ropes, carabiners, batteries, light, tools are the minimum. I'm gonna bay a scale to measure all this. I have no idea how much it weighs.
I've been using the same set of smart bottles for 3 years, so there hasn't been any waste.
@@MattyOutdoors what are these smart bottles? I thought they were bottles with some features or something. I googled it even after you told me this. But you showed a disposable water bottle in the video. In addition to the bladder, I use a Nalgene wide mouth bottle. Because it's awkward to drink from a bladder when you lower your backpack.
@@theoriginalLP they are just smart water branded disposable bottles. But if you continue to use them, clearly they arent disposed of. Much lighter then a nalgene. Water alone is heavy enough, not necessary to add a heavy water bottle to carry heavy water.
@@MattyOutdoors don't get me wrong, I recognise this advantage, but I'd never use these disposable bottles more than a few times. In the lack of a better word, plastic in these bottle sheds and deteriorates. You don't wanna use them as much.
Food, water and extra clothes are killers when it comes to weight. Those things add up quickly. It kills me to see people hiking with 3 liters of water and they cross five streams in ten miles. I heard a saying, the only good water you are carrying is in your belly. However, it is much better for you to sip water throughout the day than to camel up at water sources. Happy Hiking
water is soooo heavy.. it often pains me seeing my friends load up the 3L bladders and bottles to start the day, when they know we're hiking along a river all day
@@MattyOutdoors I trail run with almost nothing but water. All my shell layers stuff down into a pants pocket. I don't even own a cookset, and if I was sleeping in the woods...well. Something went wrong and I'll be in the clothes on my back. I can cover 13+ miles in under 3 hours.
@@lh3540 trail running is a little different then backpacking
Good video! Ultra light is good but pick the correct gear for the task at hand as ultra light pack last 3 days in the jungle so do the home work and pick wisely. What works best for jungles is 1000D pack construction to last. Pick the Proper tool for the job. 60+ old Explorer all environments. Get the best gear you can and get out there don't spend all your money on gear and never use it because you broke and the card is maxed out. The world is a wonderful place enjoy.
ive done tons of bushwhacking in very dense forrests up in the rockies, and the UL gear holds up just fine. It is significantly more durable then folks who don't use it seem to think
What is so special about these smart water bottles? Seem like normal PET bottles to me.
the shape of them make for a great fit in most backpacks, and they're a bit more durable then a dasani type bottle
I'm happy to reduce gear weight so that I can carry as much water as I like
why not just carry a filter, and avoid 2lbs per litre?
I recently only carried 33lbs with a osprey atmos 65 ag for three day trip. With fly fishing gear. Shouldn't be hard to get to 25 without the fishing gear and without a lightweight pack.
Yikes that is heavy. My average is half that and that's with luxuries.
@@GMiller75 you will have a hard time getting below 25 where I live safely
with food and water, for a 3 day trip without bringing my dog, im around 15lbs all in
@@MattyOutdoors I should mention I had two kids so I have a few group items
@@MattyOutdoors and I also had a dog
But you don't look very old school gangsta when you wear a down puffy thing instead of a good old Hoodie 💁🏻♀️☝🏻😋
My 1st pack ( Many , Many years ago ) was a Kelty External frame pack when empty was about 6 pounds. Today my packs Basic Weight ( no consumables ) is between 7 to 8 pounds. A 38 liter pack that weighs less the a pound helps a lot. I take what I need , not what I want. Early on I found that Human Nature being what it is a large pack just cries ( Begs , Demands ) to be loaded. Especially with everything you can get your hands on. Why not , there is a empty space right there and I might want this later on and so in it goes. The remedy is simple , If you take it and don't use it , leave it at home the next trip. Then as time goes by and items need to be replaced go with lighter gear. In my case it's been almost 60 years.
taking what you need is the key
Bread bags, light and waterproof
Prefer to go somewhere with access to moving clear water. If that’s the case, steri pen adventurer.
a few of my friends use steri pens, and luckily for them the rest of us use squeeze or gravity filters, because theirs seem to always run into problems. The batteries never seem to last, and are pricey.. And they are notorious for getting turned on inside packs
I'm definitely guilty of carrying 9lbs of liquid 😂😅. 3l in a water bladder and 1l of electrolyte in a Nalgene... How predictable
i used to be that way too
My base weight is down to 11 pounds… but my wallet is empty now 😂… Being in my 40s my knees appreciate the light pack so much though!
100% feel you on that. My knees, hip, and back are all in pretty rough shape, from snowboarding, hockey, and a car accident
8 lb base weight with a bear canister
20lb with 5 days of supplies and water
you must hike somewhere warm to have that light a setup
I am going to hike 210 km (two weeks hike) in Finland's Lapland and North Norway. I have to carry food for two weeks. Starting with total weight 22 kg (food and gas 13 kg). 😅
@@jlkartvideos9887 , wow. No way to cash or resupply?
@@KillroyX99 Just wilderness everywhere. But that's what I like.
Disagree a bit. I use 1 compression sack for clothes and quilt. Really not interested in stuffing quilt into pack and taking chance of ripping it or getting it wet. Ill take the weight penalty to have my stuff organized. Have 1 compression sack then a sack for food, a bag for electronics a rope bag to hang food and one for my stakes.
I line my whole pack with a trash compactor bag, to avoid anything getting wet. I think you'd be just as likely to rip something stuffing into a tight stuff sack as you would the bottom of a backpack
I watched a video yesterday where this guy said he carried 2 liters for a 20 mile water gap on a hike I want to do next year. He said he knew people who carried a 1 liter bottle that wasn't even full. Screw him.
if I had a 20 mile stretch without water, id be carrying both my bottles full for sure
@@MattyOutdoors The best I've ever done is 16 miles in a day, and I used 7 or 8 liters. A 20 mile gap means I'd probably need to bring my 10 liter Dromedary bag.
I did enough of that dehydration shit in the army, doing 12 mile road marches with body armor, web gear/load bearing vest, helmet, rifle, and 60-70lb pack in the Georgia summer. A slow time was 2 hrs 30 min, we were usually closer to 2 hours because we ran most of it. We had 2 1qt canteens and that was it. I’ll drink 2l on a 3 mile uphill hike now just because I can.
Here's a tip: drill holes in your toothbrush handle.
(yes, I am kidding.)
can confirm, this does make it lighter
Pluck out every other bristle too.
Zpacks is always the answer to a lighter pack. 😁😁😁
they do make some.crazy light stuff
A tip to save weight and volume: collapsible water bottles. They're not everyone's favorite and some consider them a nuisanse, but for me the sawyer bottles have worked out very well and weight less than smartwater bottles. As a bonus, you can rig them to use them as reservoirs with a bladder hose.
tried em, personally hate em..
Best tip for me is to not pack food or water even for one's pet unless absolutely necessary. If you are on a trail that has honesty boxes, shops and water sources then you can get supplies as you go along. This saves you packing several pounds of water and food. Therefore work out where you can resupply along the trail you are hiking/backpacking.
good stuff!
I learned the hard way that village shops that are there according to guide books or online route descriptions can suddenly be gone. (Owner pensioned, or went broke) So I always carry at least one dried meal with me. It can be just powdered mashed potatoes, but at least that you don't stay awake because you are hungry
Jeez hikers are weak babies these days, cry cry cry lol
Can confirm, zero tears were shed in the making of this video. But, I'll be crying tears of joy when my next ad revenue payment comes in. Thanks for watching, and contributing to that!
@@MattyOutdoors it's funny people think because 30 years ago 30lbs was "ultralight" people should still hual 50lbs for 3 day trips. 30 years ago you couldn't hike with a full gear load out 50 kms a day in the rockies and today you bet you can especially if you could get to sub 20 lbs I bet
Another long-haired kitten crying about weigh of his pack. How many pull-ups are you able to perform? 3-4 I guess?
If thats the best you've got, your insults suck. Best remember, you're the one who clicked on the video, so thank you for the watch time, and ad revenue.