5 Day hunt- What does your pack weigh?

[Kevin Root]

I have tried the tablet stove thing, and it is kind of a bugger. Boil times are much longer, and windy conditions are tough with them. I saved some weight going for the standard Jetboil to the Jetboil SOL ti. It is pretty darn light, everything included. Mine scales out at less than ten ounces, canister included. I save a lot of weight but just taking one full Nalgene of water and Steripen treating as I go. This, of course, depends on the availability of water to sterilize.

I saw the tablet idea in South Cox's EBJ, backcountry. The weight caught my eye but the boil time did not sound very good nor did his comment kind of hard to start. 14 minutes average time to boil in looking up the specs on it. It would be interesting to compare water boiled per 100g fuel but I'm not sure how to calculate it. One could cut out the stove entirely and save weight using wood fires. That is if open fires are allowed. Some of the wilderness areas I go into don't allow them unless the fire is a self contained stove.

I boil water and use my stove only for my heated meals but I'm sticking to my Jetboil SOL ti for now too. Saving weight always is a good idea though and this is a good thread. Thanks everyone for the ideas.

[bz_711]

New to the forum - and great thread.

Being from IL, I only have two Elk hunts to my name so far and have yet to overnight in the backcountry with camp on my back...but hope to do in the coming years for Elk or Mulies...love the preparation involved with such a hunt.

Great info!

[crumy]

Last year I took several "practice" trips back into the snowys to prepare for this year as I am committed to going a little farther and I got it down to 40. but that was without a rifle and spotting scope. Only did 2 -3 day trips but packed enough food for 6 just because. I will be investing in a lighter sleeping bag and a good matt.

[dead river]

While i am green as can be on the western backpacking hunts, i have packed from coast to coast on extended trips (greater than 7 days) and in winter trips. My longest trek was a 20+ day trip where i went 11 days self supported untill we made it to a supply drop location. You learn to do without and you learn what you will not sacrifice. My typical pack weight is 27# or so in spring, summer and fall but it jumps to 38-50# on winter trips. Down sleeping bags, 4 season tents, etc, there is a lot you can do but there is only so much you can do in the climate and weather that some of you are facing. (IMO and stay safe)

This past November in NM was my first backpacking hunt. That changes the game a little...tripod, spotter and gun quickly added weight to my normal set up and there is not a lot of lightweight gear that i have not tried..my pack weight was 43 with water for the day and 2-3 days food and gear. I did have a little of my wifes gear but i think a 40# pack is where i will end up on my future trips our west with a gun. I even sprung for a 5.5# rifle because i am a believer in the saying that an ounce at dawn feels like a pound at dusk...hunting and packing has its own challenges and i am working on new issues myself.

On winter or mountaineering trips, we just accept that the weight is required and we cover less ground than we would in warmer weather.

It cost money to drop weight:
single wall tents would help but they are big $$ and often cut out the vestibule to shave weight
use higher temp rated bag and sleep in LOOSE fitting base layer to provide needed warmth - cuts about a pound
MSR ultralight stoves weigh in at nothing (pocket rocket is will tip a pot but it weighs 3 oz)...
water treatment tables vs. a filter
cut your fork or spoon in half
carry only one small pot - titanium
Orikaso folding bowls weigh 1 oz. i drink coffee from them and eat everything from them.

There is a whole ultralight packing culture out there with a wealth of info, but shaving weight means you sacrifice something.

I ordered a nikon 50ED as a part of my plan next year and will be replacing my bibler fitzroy tent with a new bibler HiLight tent and revisit the hunting clothes to cut out a few oz. It is a challenge in and of itself, so good luck working out what is best for you.



there is

[A3dhunter]

When I had the Kifaru EMR with 5 days was 58 lbs, but the pack alone was 12 lbs of that with the pouches and XTL lid.

Just packed up five days worth of gear and was at 45lbs with a kifaru timberline T1 and golite 5 man tipi.

Big improvement over last year.
Treeslayer