[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
[at-l] Ultra-Light
Hi Folks,
Since attempting to lighten my load I've truly enjoyed the journey. Before
I carried 40 pounds for a weekend trip and now it's between 19 to 24 pounds
depending on what season we're in at the time.
I've found most retailers aren't familiar with the ultra-light approach to
backpacking. For myself I had to become open mined to this different
approach for backpacking. Once a sufficient number of potential customers
request equipment that lends toward ultra-light they will carry this
equipment. They will also become more knowledgeable to this style to suite
their customers. All of this will take time.
It's not that ultra-light is something that just arrived on the scene
recently. Grandma Gatewood followed this approach and did a thru-hike and
then some. From what I've heard about her she carried all her belongings in
a cotton sack thrown over her shoulder. Some of the gear she used was a
pair of US Keds sneakers and a old shower curtain for shelter. I never meet
her but she must have been one fisty lady. A story I heard about her went
something like this: While hiking the trail in her 70's rangers had to
force her off the trail to a more suitable location due to inclement
weather. I'm glad I wasn't one of those rangers.
Now folks if a grandmother in her 70's can survive backpacking ultra-light
don't you think us yougsters can do the same?
I'm begining to learn that the equipment I think I need and the equipment I
really need are two very different lists of equipment.
For the past few weekend trips I've made the decision not to eat hot meals.
This means no stove or fuel to carry a savings of about 1 1/2 pounds as I
used to carry a zip stove. My friend Michael past on some literature for a
homemade stove with fuel weighting around 2 ounces. Now I can have my
coffee in the morning or evening and still lighten the load by over a pound.
Maine Rose ate cold meals for a good portion of her thru-hike and lived to
tell about it. So far I don't find any uncomfortability in not cooking my
meals. An additional savings in weight I now don't carry a pot to cook in
just my titanium cup and spoon.
If in the future my mind changes I can always go back to cooking my meals
while backpacking.
Nothing that I do is set in concrete when it comes to backpacking. When I
read or talk to others who also backpack I absorbe anything I believe will
benifit my needs and forget the rest.
I truly believe I can survive a weekend trip trying any new approach to me
and then make a decision to continue with it, modify it or forget the whole
idea.
Using this approach I've stop carrying 20 pounds when I backpack. As time
goes on and different ideas are created or renewed maybe I can save myself
more pounds. The less I carry the more I enjoy my journey.
Take care,
John O
John O E-mail johno@mail.monmouth
Brick, New Jersey
60 miles north of Atlantic City 60 miles south of New York City
* From the Appalachian Trail Mailing List | For info http://www.hack.net/lists *
==============================================================================