“Take much less. Do extra,” we are saying! “However, how?” you would possibly ask. And we’re so glad you probably did. Welcome again to our new sequence on backpacking baseweights, the place we chat with backcountry vacationers about how they’ve lightened their load over time. We kicked off the sequence in August 2024 with an summary from our founder Glen Van Peski and his 5-pound baseweight.
As a reminder: A backpacking baseweight is the entire weight of your pack earlier than including consumables, like water, meals, and gas, as this stuff will get lighter all through your journey as you employ them. Your baseweight is actually the lightest your pack will ever be on path with what you’ve chosen to carry alongside. This makes it a simple focus for shedding weight over time. With considerate selections and the precise gear, you may scale back your baseweight and, you understand, “take much less. do extra.”
In our newest interview for the sequence, we speak with model ambassador Emily “Squishy” Schrick. Based mostly within the San Francisco Bay Space, Emily is a thru-hiker turned weekend warrior and accomplished the Pacific Crest Path in 2018, John Muir Path in 2020, and Colorado Path in 2021.
Beneath, she shares what makes up her present baseweight, how that has modified over time, and her recommendation for lightening your individual load. We hope her insights encourage you by yourself quest to take much less and do extra.
Break down your baseweight for us! What’s your general weight and what objects kind that?
My baseweight is correct round 10.5 kilos, together with the next:
- Gossamer Gear Gorilla 50 Ultralight Backpack with a nylofume pack liner & GG shoulder pocket – 32 oz
- Gossamer Gear The One tent and stakes – 19.4 oz
- Katabatic Gear Alsek 22 Sleeping Quilt – 19.7 oz
- Thermarest NeoAir Xlite Common Brief – 12 oz
- Pillow – 2.5 oz
- Prepare dinner Set – 12.5 oz (together with the “empty” gas canister)
- Water Filtering & Carrying – 7 oz
- Packed Clothes – 28 oz
- First Support & Toiletries – 8.5 oz
- Electronics (together with telephone) – 20.5 oz
Are there occasions when your baseweight fluctuates? What issues do you make on a per-trip foundation that influence weight?
It varies A LOT. Primarily based mostly on if I’m required to hold a bear canister and the way a lot images gear I’m hauling out on my journey! For instance, if I’m going into the Sierra particularly for astrophotography (my heaviest digital camera arrange), my baseweight goes as much as 18.5 kilos—the value I pay for carrying a full digital camera and tripod arrange and a small bear can.
Some journeys may also name for barely totally different packed clothes relying on the climate. Generally I swap in a 4 oz fleece as a substitute of my 8 oz puffy, or generally I carry each! Different journeys could have a rain skirt or pants added in, and on longer journeys I’ll often add in 5 oz camp sandals.
How have you ever been capable of make cuts to your baseweight over time? What adjustments have you ever made? How lengthy have you ever been tinkering with it?
Baseweight is one thing I’ve been enjoying with since 2017 once I discovered about ultralight gear. My pack listing appears fairly totally different now than once I thru-hiked the PCT again in 2018. For instance, I now have a smaller one-person tent for my solo adventures, and my new Garmin inReach mini is half the burden of my prior one.
Nevertheless, some issues truly weigh extra, like my quilt and deciding to truly carry a cookset versus chilly soaking.
However, general, the core of my system has stayed the identical. I’ve a tough time deciding to chop one thing out of my gear listing versus simply looking for one thing that weighs much less! I attempt to strike a stability between weight and luxury as a lot as potential.
Do you at all times take any particular objects that some would possibly contemplate a luxurious? What makes these vital to you on path?
Most likely many issues I carry are thought-about luxurious objects: my pillow, an inflatable sleeping pad, physique wipes, “sacred” sleeping-only socks, and camp sneakers are seemingly the largest luxurious objects apart from digital camera gear.
What recommendation do you could have for somebody trying to lighten their baseweight?
Do that months earlier than your subsequent backpacking journey—or instantly after a visit when you have all of your gear out!
Faux such as you’re packing for a traditional backpacking journey and lay out every bit of substances, similar to you see on these gear structure movies and footage. Lay issues out in classes: Massive Three, toiletries, electronics, clothes, and many others.
Enter each single merchandise right into a spreadsheet or use a device like LighterPack, whichever is extra user-friendly to you. Then, seize a scale (kitchen, hanging) and weigh each single merchandise there and add these weights into your database.
Check out the entire weight. Now, with a discerning eye, take a look at each merchandise you could have laid out and take into consideration when you used that merchandise in your final backpacking journey (and to what extent) or whether it is a vital security merchandise (a non-negotiable).
Should you didn’t use the merchandise, or suppose you may have one other merchandise do double obligation (e.g., Do you want a fleece AND a puffy jacket? Do you want a bandana AND a buff?), transfer it to the facet and transfer it off of your listing. Now, recalculate your whole weight.
Should you’re proud of that quantity, nice! Go on a visit with simply these objects and take discover of the way it feels and the way your journey goes with that gear.
Should you’re nonetheless not joyful, it’s in all probability time to start out taking a look at lighter gear to exchange your heavier objects, equivalent to a single-wall tent or tarp, or a quilt versus a sleeping bag. I’d focus in your heaviest objects first, like your Massive Three, then your garments and your cooking and water-filtering set-up.
Study to Decrease Your Backpacking Baseweight for Mild Ft and Longer Mileage
Emily’s insights are an ideal reminder that your baseweight can and will look totally different over time. Whether or not you need to middle images in your subsequent journey or go for some further layers for heat, a rise isn’t at all times a foul factor. What’s vital is taking an sincere take a look at your set-up and figuring out whether or not you’re feeling glad with the place it’s at.
You could find extra about Emily’s adventures on Instagram and her web site.
Have tales or recommendations on the way you’ve lightened your baseweight over time? Share your ideas with us by tagging Gossamer Gear on social media (@gossamergear) and utilizing the hashtag #takelessdomore. All in favour of being featured in a future baseweight interview? Pitch your story to korrin@gossamergear.com.
Should you’re hungry for extra out of doors inspiration, try different articles on the Mild Ft weblog:
