How I made my Gear Ultralight under 10 pounds | Appalachian Trail Thru Hike minimum essentials
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- čas přidán 9. 09. 2024
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If you’re hiking spring and summer, it’s easy to be ultralight.
I put the extra sawyer 0-rings in the extra water bottle cap. Keeps them from getting lost.
.. You need good sleep,, in the cold months stay with the reaction liner as it warms up change to a silk liner ,,,not only for added warmth but to keep your sleeping bag cleaner ,, liners can be thrown in the wash with clothes .. I'm a hiker that won't do water crossings in my expensive hiking boots ,,, I use neoprene water boots(used for fly fishing ) ...but they make some called water socks , generally worn on beaches ... Don't sacrifice any first aid items that care for infections ...as you said ,some things can be picked up along the trail ..
Absolutely! Thank you for the advice
Yes, you made it! A difficult set of decisions to make, but you are in a better position than most to make them: experience talks. The Crocs were the first thing that caught my eye. Your basics (backpack, tent, sleeping stuff) were already there, difficult (and very expensive) to make improvements there.
Very true
Outstanding presentation my friend, you elaborated and presented this whole video so nicely! Love it!
Thank you very much!
Road runner, Great video and good choices but consider replacing the gear with lighter versions instead of removing them. I like the Crocs but they make pool shoes with rubber soles for half the weight and one quarter the bulkiness. Thats what I use after I saw someone else using them on trail. I think my shoes are 'bare run' brand. Also the lueko tape I replaced with a few KT tape strips for a weight savings. Ive always felt replace is better than remove. Be comfortable while having fun lol.
Good advice
This was very useful. I carry quite a few items of clothing "just in case" but I really never use them.
Awesome
This was incredibly helpful. I am always paring down my loadout and I liked seeing your overview and thoughts on getting rid of things. Thank you
Glad to hear it!
As they say; ounces make pounds. Should you ever find yourself needing a bag liner again, give silk a try. My Cocoon brand liner weighs just over 4 oz and provides some additional warmth that I personally find worth the added weight. The fact that a liner helps keep your bag/quilt clean is a worthwhile benefit, as well.
I’ll look into a silk liner
Seconded. I have a silk liner with a stretchy panel so I don't shred it, and for me it's had multiple uses, including pinning it into a kilt while I wash everything.
It was good to see your inventory and the item-by-item reduction with thought process included. And I liked the backpack balancing! Next time, try balancing it on your chin. 😁
Thank you iPlod
Great video. Still working my way through your AT video. Really digging it.
Awesome, thank you!
I love it. Congrats on your Thru and congrats on the new low base weight!
Thanks so much! Thanks for coming to my live
@@hikingdancer you’re very welcome and I enjoyed it!
Make your own camp shoes. Buy an OTC insole, punch a few holes, run some cord thru to mimic slippers style (flip flops) and you’re good.
I’ll look at that
Thanks for sharing this!
My pleasure!
Some tough but good choices on what to leave behind. Nothing to seriously effect your hiking experience or endanger yourself. Gives me thought on what I might do to lighten my pack weight… perhaps my tent?!? - Jiffy Pop
What tent do you have?
@@hikingdancer NatureHike Cloud Up 2 Great tent but 3.5 lbs. so room to lighten my load there.
@@cwesi1 oh yeah a bit heavy. The Zpacks is 19 ounces but I really enjoy the Nemo Hornet which is a bit heavier.
@@hikingdancer For a free standing tent it works terrific and, for now, the one pound difference from other similar tents doesn’t really bother me. It is essentially the Big Agnes Fly Creek 2 but has better water resistance (20D vs. 10D) and includes the footprint weight as well. The Nemo Hornet is a great tent as well. When I’m serious about upgrading my tent, I’ll certainly will look at the trekking pole Dyneema tents offered by ZPacks, Hyperlite, Durston, etc. Perhaps that will be sometime soon. - Jiffy Pop
Thanks!
No problem!
Thank youuuuu
Pretty darn good job I'd say so long as you could be cool with the fewer items.
Thank you
Congrats on cutting so much weight. Your TRT base weight will go up with the addition of microspikes or maybe another item or two depending on the snow conditions, but you may not need anything else. As for Neosporin, you can pick up a couple of individually packaged Neosporin wipes to use in cases where a cut or burn could become infected (I put Neosporin on cotton balls and seal them in drinking straws to use for infections or emergency fire staters).
Oh, there's also the weight of your neck knife and phone with tripod to count!
Absolutely
Great video and congrats on the new UL status, lol. Happy trails.🤟🏻🥾🏔
Thank you! It’s only an experiment. I’m. It really planning to be that light. I enjoy some things too much to give up.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Weight is so important. Wunderbar liebchen !
Dankeschön
@@hikingdancer bitte !
Great video. Very informative
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent video!! I’m trying to do the same thing before I start the CT in August! 🥾🥾🌈
Thanks you so much Whiskers. I’m a bit envious of your CT hike. Super cool. Hope you vlog it.
@@hikingdancer definitely will! 🥾🥾🌈
Great Video and great posts. I followed you the whole way! I have a Suggestion for something that has proven to be very helpful over my 6000 AT miles: wrap about 3 feet of glow-in-the-dark duct tape (which is the stickiest, btw) just below the handle of each hiking pole and wrap some on your water bottle. Great for tent, bag, pack, repairs, ankles, toes, fingers, etc. Also, it makes it really easy to spot your poles and bottle at night. How about Flip-flops instead of crocs? Good luck and hike safe.
I think I like the crocs as they somewhat protect the toes. Flip flops don’t 😩
Excellent job getting rid of the weight.
Thanks
If it is cold and your tights and socks get wet- the sleeping tights and socks could keep you from becoming hypothermic - maybe look at lighter options rather than a total discard
Absolutely
Good decisions on what you took out of your pack. I loved Crocs but the last time I didn't take them and it worked out ok. Glad you put in the qualification of "for the AT" because it will change quite a bit for the PCT. Mosquitoes are really bad in the Sierras but I was rarely bitten on the AT. How are the winter mosquitoes in Florida? Glad you mentioned the umbrella because I wondered about that. Really enjoying your updates and thoughts.
Thanks 👍
That's easy weight to carry
I can't get down to ultralight, but happy with weight at 15 lbs!!
Yeah this was a good experiment for me. I like my general 13 pound base honestly
@@hikingdancer 13 lbs is awesome. I can't get there. I have to have my Kindle, and since I'm vegan and don't use down, my sleep system is just heavier. No way around it. I cut where I can but am happy with 17 lbs.
Great video, love the concept and execution of showing your thought process. Been there done that.
You can get shorter cords. I have 3 inch cords from Amazon, more about saving space and less clutter in my Fanny pack than it is about weight.
Yes, lighter crocs or lighter, less bulky shoes are possible if you go that route. Or no camp shoes.
You don’t include your Fanny pack in your video?! Or did I miss it? Fanny pack and its (non-food) contents are base weight. Your Fanny pack probably takes you over 10.0 lbs. but Fanny packs are great.
Toothpaste tabs instead of toothpaste also saves weight and space. Easy to get without fluoride.
You can cut off straps on your bag and tags of everything. Lighter tooth brush too- they got tiny ones on Garage Gear. And perhaps get a smaller lubricant instead of the body glide. Small chap stick works fine for me. But I rarely chafe.
Great video and will be interesting to see what further changes you’ll make.
I’ll check out toothpaste tabs. Thanks
@@hikingdancerare you bringing a Fanny pack and if so was it included in your base weight?
Such a crush on her:) 😊
Thanks
Nooooo not the crocs! LOL! How much weight do you think it adds when food is added for say 5 days in the Wilderness.
I think the general rule is 2pounds per day. So 10 pounds for 5 days. It would probably be more for me as I enjoy carrying heavier foods that are mosre nutritious
I wrap sections of leukotape around an old credit card and it seems to work. Not sure how much you'd have to be going through to need to carry the whole roll
I wrap a couple times around my trekking poles. Works out great.
@@ironhorsealpha I tried that but found that the leukotape doesn't hold up well if exposed to any amount of rain, and I live in four season upstate NY. I keep 100 MPH tape on my poles for gear that need a quick repair, while the leukotape is more or less for repairing myself......
Agreed, this didnt work for me either.
I’ll try the credit card thing
Admittedly, I haven’t done a lot of hiking in the rain. So I appreciate the insight.
Get rid of the brolly. Use a wide-brim sunhat instead.
For the PCT I am actually planning on that
...for the PCT more hikers go for the umbrella through the desert for the added sun protection which also drops the felt temp ..
The only way I lose my Crocs knockoffs is when they peel them outta my cold, dead hands! BTW, knockoff Crocs are lighter-weight than the real thing. :-) I think I save 2 oz.
I had knockoffs when I started and then Mountain Laurel bought me real Crocs for my birthday
@@hikingdancer But they're heavier LOL! My knockoffs have been great, both as camp shoes and for river crossin's. I did learn the hard way not to get them too close to the fire LOL . There is a little melted area on the bottom of one. But they still work!
I think it’s more impressive that you can carry all the extra stuff and only be at 13lbs then actually being ultra light
You think so huh?
May I ask, did you use a sharpy to draw on your pack?
Yes I did
@@hikingdancer Thanks, I love that idea.
One suggestion for thru hikers. How about posting once a week instead of every day? Cover anything important without the pressure of constant content creation.
You think once a week is good enough?
Seen lots of videos, that "darn tough socks" always comes up.😅
Because they are the bomb diggity
@@hikingdancer don't get me wrong.i have em too.😁
How many times did you have to use the tick removal tool? I have never seen one before. Didn't know it was a thing.
Whenever she gets ticked off.
I never had to use it. A friend used a pair of tweezers to remove a tick that was imbedded on my foot. I still wouldn’t go without the tick removal tool
Where did you buy that scale at ? Thanks
Well I bought both scales at amazon
Toothpaste tabs!
Definitely looked into those now
Yes, you know me kid, l had told you before that I enjoy your vlogs but all those electronics are a lot of extra weight.
Lol indeed
🥾🥾🥾
🌄
If anyone hikes with me I'll carry all your extra gear. I like some weight. Makes me feel like I'm doing something. Think of me like your pack mule
That’s so nice of you to do for your hiking partner. I’m sure they appreciate it a lot.
@@hikingdancer unfortunately I can't find too many people to hike with. No one likes to hike for the day. So I hike alone. My buddy in my profile pic is no longer with me either.
Forgive an old creepy man but that is one very sexy thumbnail.
Ok thank you
Ahhhh gimme crypto holds the pants on purpose
Wut?
You don’t like toothpaste with “fluoride”? You mean the active ingredient that makes your teeth strong? Lmaoo. I’m out. You lost me here. Hopefully you brought tinfoil to wrap around your head as well 😂
Buh bye boy!
You miss the trail don't ya? Maybe you should do it again in about 25 months with me😂 imagine that! You miss the trail! Worries me that I will be the same way..... your still super awsome. Love the videos.
I do miss the trail
@HikingDancer ok hike it with me....duh.....I'm so excited to retire from fire service at less than 50.....however I will probably have to go find another stupid ignorant disgusting job because I'm to young to hang it up. But appalachian trail is happenning...........don't be scared .....lol
Your awsome
I still have not found anything better for (River Crossing) than Crocs, but lm open. Smaller cook kettle lately saved me 2 ozs. And the brs stove saved me an oz. There is always a way to shave weight. It's nice to see that you are not a know it all and adamant that you have it all figured out. Gear gets lighter and we evolve with experience. I never thought that a tarp could get lighter than sylnylon but l could spend 200.00 $ and get a lighter version now. Damn that technology 🥹
I need to find some camp shoes that are less bulky
This is funny. And awsome. Its crazy. I guess everyone could listen to you but it's everyone's hike right? Don't get me wrong I'm listening.....I'm paying attention. I do like to have a cocktail at the bonfire.....can you go just to bring that stuff?
Yes you can 😀
Thanks!
Thank youuuuu