Winter Backpacking

Often when I tell people that I am going to spend the night in the woods when it is the middle of a cold, snowy winter, I get surprised reactions.  Some people are shocked at the prospect of sleeping outdoors in the winter and/or below freezing, and some have even doubted that it's possible to have a good time or be comfortable.  But seriously, I would not go out there if it wasn't both fun and safe!  Nor would plenty of other devoted backpackers that also go out in cold weather conditions.  I just got back from an excellent trip last weekend, where there was some light snow, and temperatures of around -3C overnight.  

I went out in January as well, when it was -5C, and in the past I have slept out as far as about -15C overnight and -8C during the day.  My personal limit would be anything past -20C, not because I don't think it would be fun and/or safe, but because I don't have the funds to buy more extreme-cold weather gear.  Nor do I plan on buying extreme-cold weather gear, as this is an expensive investment for only a very small part of the year--and where I live, it is very rare that it drops below -20C even in the coldest part of winter.


So up to my personal limit of -20C, what I'll do is answer some frequently asked questions people have posed to me about the season that is often neglected, even by those that enjoy backpacking in the other 3 seasons.  I seem to have been asked more questions the past few months due to going out more this winter, and with more members joining my camping club at school.  


If you plan on backpacking in temperatures lower than -20C, I suggest you make sure to do your homework and research, prepare, and plan as much as possible.  You might want to read a few books covering more advanced winter camping, or go to camping forums and ask around for more advanced tips.  The colder it is out, the more consideration you must take on your trips outside, especially if you are going to be sleeping out there!


Here we go, and if there are any other questions you'd like answered, just email me and I would be happy to add it to this post.  There are lots of great articles out there that I will link in my answers for more details and information.

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Q: You're going out into the woods and sleeping in the middle of winter?!  Are you crazy!?


A:  Yes.  No.


Q: You're going to freeze to death!

A: No I'm not.  Shut up.  That's not even a question.


Q: What kind of clothing should I wear to go winter hiking/backpacking/camping?


A: Avoid cotton, first of all.  Synthetic fibers like polyester work well, as does wool.  Down feather clothing is ideal, but expensive.


Q: How do I layer clothing?


A: First a disclaimer: Everyone has different reactions to the cold.  Some people have high metabolisms or tolerance or for whatever reason can deal with the cold easier than others.  I will explain what works for me (and I tend to deal with the cold better than some).


Depends how cold it is, and how much you are moving.  Your upper body/torso is more important to keep insulated, because that is where your vital organs are.  I have found that I am comfortable around 0C with three (upper or torso) layers, down to -5C with four layers, and down to -10C with five layers.  Past -10C I will substitute certain thin layers with thicker, warmer ones to get down further.  If I am hiking or doing something active, I will simply remove a layer or two.


An example of what I use for when I have five torso layers are:  polyester long sleeve shirt, wool sweater, polyester fleece jacket, synthetic vest, water resistant jacket.  I will switch the jacket for a thicker winter overcoat if it dips below -10C.


For my lower body: polyester long tights, nylon hiking pants, and wool socks are usually all I need.  If it gets below -10C, I will also wear snow pants over my hiking pants.


First layer you wear is called a base layer.  These are often polyester or wool tights, wool (especially merino wool) being warmer but much more expensive.  Next you have your mid-layers, or insulating layers, such as a sweater, vest, or jacket.  There are lots of different kinds of combinations and types of insulating layers, and the price can range quite a bit.  A synthetic vest can be quite cheap, versus a high-end down-feather vest which can cost more than some people's entire backpack full of gear.  


The last layer is called the shell layer or outer layer.  This ought to be at least water resistant, if not water-proof.  High-end shell jackets that are water-proof and breathable can cost quite a bit, but there are lots of affordable water resistant jackets and coats.  You can also buy water-proofing sprays and waxes for your outer layer.  It should go without saying to have gloves (maybe even two pair), hat, and scarf.


Here is a good video on how to layer from an ultra-light perspective, though this system is not intended to be used too much further past freezing, as stated in the video, without some adjustments.


There are people that also use vapor barrier clothing to keep warm, but after a few experiments with it, I found it generally too uncomfortable for me, but here is a good (and long and very detailed) article about it.  It should be noted that some people, like the author (a professional who has backpacked around Alaska in VERY cold weather for months), swear by VB for being effective and good for saving weight on clothing.  


Q: Holy crap, good winter sleeping bags can cost a lot of money!  Any alternatives?


A: Yup.  Many backpackers have a summertime sleeping bag and a 3-season bag, or a few different kinds of sleeping bags, or maybe your boyfriend/girlfriend/mom/dad/etc. has an extra sleeping bag laying around.  Simply use two sleeping bags.  I have found that using my down feather 3-season bag inside of my wife's 3-season synthetic bag works great.  Just make sure to test out using both bags at home to see if they will work together, and it's also a good idea to take them outside (or maybe on your balcony if you live in an apartment) and see now they handle the cold.


Q: Good ground insulation (i.e. sleeping mats) can also cost a lot of money!  How about an easy fix for that?


A: No problem.  Again, most backpackers have a summertime mat and 3-season sleep mat, especially because of the low cost of foam mats.  Like the sleeping bags, you can use them both.  R value (a number given to how well something like sleeping mats insulates you from the ground and keeps you warm) stacks--for example, a summer mat has an R value of about 1 usually, and a 3-season mat has an R value of 2-3, so used together you have an R value of 3-4.  


Only have one sleeping mat?  Well, this ought to be a 3 season mat, so just buy a cheap foam mat to go with it, and now you have a mat for the summer too.  Also remember that you can use other gear to put under you for insulation too, like your backpack, sit pads, etc.  And you can also use natural material like dead grass/reeds and/or pine branches too, but please respect nature!


Q: I get cold so easy when I sleep!  Any other tips on how to keep warm?


A: Sure.  Sleep with all your layers on at night, and use everything you can put under you for insulation (see above).  


Take a space blanket with you (here in Sweden they only cost 30 SEK at Jula or Clas Ohlson) to use as either a vapor barrier inside of your sleeping bag, or a heat reflector on top of your sleeping bag.  If you use it on top of your sleeping bag, make sure to place it lightly on top of you, or hang it next to you (say on the wall of the shelter you are sleeping in, e.g. the side of your tent) so condensation does not gather on it and get you wet.  


Wear a different pair of sleeping socks to bed (or two pair of socks), along with gloves and a scarf.


Another good trick is to eat a rich late-night snack to make sure your body has enough energy to keep itself warm that is readily available, like a bar of chocolate or some salami and cheese.


You might want to consider buying a higher quality sleeping mat with a R value of 4-6 if you are a cold sleeper for winter camping.  There are even mats with down feathers in them that go up to as high as R value 9-10, but they ain't cheap or lightweight.


Q: How do I keep my water from freezing, and how do I gather more water?


A: Put your water bottle in your pocket or inside your jacket while you are walking, and/or inside your sleeping bag at night.  


To gather more water, find clean, untouched snow and fill your bottle, then put it in your pocket/jacket to melt.  Or you can melt the snow over a fire or stove.  While it might be hard to gather water from a lake that is frozen solid, you can break pieces of ice to melt with a rock or strong stick.  Or find moving water, like a stream--and many lakes have streams that feed them, just check your map.


Q: When is it safe to walk across a lake?


A: There is no easy answer for this to cover all situations, but if it has been below zero and stayed below zero for several weeks, the entire lake looks frozen, and the ice does not break after carefully testing it, it's usually safe.  Note: usually.  


There are many factors in how safe ice is to walk on, and as a general rule, there is no such thing as 100% safe ice to walk on because of this.  So use common sense, make as many observations of the environment as possible, talk to locals if possible, and test the ice first with some rocks or logs.  


Always carry your knife or keys where you can get to them quickly in case the ice breaks, so that you can use these as tools to pull yourself out of the ice.

Here is more information on the subject that is worth looking into if you want to hike or camp in the winter, especially if there are a lot of lakes in your area, like there are here in Sweden.

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Those are all of the questions I got recently off the top of my head.  I hope this helps some one to go out and enjoy the many wonderful aspects of winter camping.  No bugs, less people out, the beauty of snow and ice, and not to mention how fun snow and ice can be.  On our trip we cleared a spot of solid lake ice and had lots of fun and laughs running and sliding to see how far we could slide, not just on our feet, but on our bellies and backs and butts too.  Our club's next trip we will go sledding, if possible.  


Don't let the cold intimidate you!  With a little extra planning a whole new and exciting kind of backpacking awaits.

Backpacking on a Budget

Several fellow students have asked me for advice on how to go backpacking or camping economically.  I even got an email from some high school students that have heard of GUCK (my university's camping club that I founded/co-organize), and they asked me about this as well.  In short, it can be cheaper to buy a decent set of backpacking gear than it is for your average student pub crawl on a typical Friday night, as you will soon see.


This will be a guide to putting together a cheap and effective set of backpacking gear.  When you compare backpacking--even if you include band new, high-tech, ultra-light gear--to other outdoor activities (e.g. canoeing/kayaking, skiing/snowboarding, fly fishing, mountain climbing, etc.), it can be a relatively inexpensive hobby.  Once you get a solid set of gear, you don't have to buy anything else unless you need to replace something if it breaks or gets damaged, it should also be noted. There are no memberships or dues to pay, and you can do it all on your own.


So let's get started: the big three.


The big three in backpacking are the backpack, sleep system, and shelter.  I would say that the backpack and shelter are the easiest of the two to take care of, as well as the cheapest.  If there is any part of your gear that you should also spend a little extra money on, I would definitely say it's your sleep system.  But first let's knock out the two easy fixes.


One I have already written about in another post last year, so just check that out.  The short of it is that you can make a decent, wind and waterproof shelter out of cheap plastic sheeting and/or garbage bags.  Perhaps the cheapest and easiest solution you will find for any backpacking gear.


Now on to backpacks, a slightly more complicated gear choice.  Before anything, make sure to do your homework on what kind of backpack would be best for you.  How much volume, how much does it weigh, how much weight can it comfortably carry should all be taken into account before your quest begins.  For three season use, I happen to prefer backpacks that are around 40-50 liters of volume, are less than 1kg in weight, and can hold up to 10-15kg without issue.  In the summertime, however, I tend to take less weight and bulk, so a pack that is 20-30 liters, less than 500g, and can hold up to 8-9kg works great for me.


For the would-be backpacker with low funds, there are three solutions:


1.  Buy El Cheapo made-in-China special at your local department store (e.g. Walmart and K-mart in the USA, Jula and Clas Ohlsson here in Sweden).


2.  Buy a decent pack used, best bet being online (ebay, blocket, etc.), but if you are lucky and/or look hard, you can find one at 2nd hand stores or yard sales too.


3.  Make your own backpack, DIY baby!


Choice 1 is a gamble.  I have bought several of these kinds of bags in the past for very cheap, and some of them I had for years with little or no issues.  I have one that I use as my urban backpack (books, groceries, etc.) quite regularly that I have had for about 7 or 8 years and it is still going strong.  I paid 25 USD for it at an army base.  Then again, I bought my wife a different one several years ago here in Sweden and it broke down after about a year of occasional use, and only 3 or 4 normal backpacking trips.


Choice 2 is a safe bet, but takes more time and research.  It's best to read reviews, ask the seller questions (how many nights out has it been used total, for example), and shop around.  I recently, through a backpacking website's forum, got a pack that new would have cost me about 235 USD with shipping, for 135 USD with shipping.  There are good deals out there if you are patient or lucky.


Choice 3 is also a safe bet, but you have to work, of course.  It also calls for either you or someone that can help you to know how to use a sewing machine.  Last year I wanted an ultra-light backpack but lacked the funds, so I made my own with a simple idea in mind.  I bought a cheap Duffel bag from IKEA, cut a back of a ski bag off that I got as a gift (I don't ski, so not sure why this family member thought this was a good gift, but turned out to be put to good use), and then had my wife sew the two together for a surprisingly decent bag.  I would take my DIY bag below over plenty of fancy, expensive packs you find at specialty camping stores, and have taken it out on plenty of trips into the woods.

Before

After, packed with gear

Wearing it for the first time, it has since been modified for some slight improvements.  Note the basic hip straps.

Inside loaded with gear, easy to access opening, and the total weight of the bag is only 450g.

Almost done with the big three!  Now it's the sleeping system to take care of, perhaps the single most complicated and diverse gear choices in backpacking.  If you don't know the basics, I wrote a good deal on it in another post.  


Let's first cover sleeping mats, which should be the cheaper and easier part of the system to cover.  For the broke backpacker, you are pretty much limited to foam pads and bulkier, heavier versions of both self-inflating and inflatable mats.  In warmer temperatures, and when most broke backpackers like students go camping i.e. summer time, all you need is a foam pad.  

A lot of really good things can be said about foam pads, though, so don't worry.  They are lightweight, provide not-bad insulation and comfort, and are tough and can't deflate even if they do get damaged.  You can also use it in combination with another sleeping mat for more insulation when it is really cold out.  But if it is cooler out, or if you find foam pads uncomfortable, you are going to want something with air in it, which makes it both warmer (higher R value) and softer.  Here in Sweden I have seen generic self-inflating sleep mats for as low as 200 SEK (28 USD), which is not so bad.


There is also the option of buying used, but make sure to be careful on this one!  You don't want to buy a defective, leaky mat and then not be able to get your money back.  A defective backpack you can spot easier, and fix easier as well, by contrast.


Next is often the wallet breaker in the world of backpacking: a good sleeping bag.  Again, if you don't know much about them, read the article I wrote that is linked above before you even think about buying anything.  Down feather sleeping bags are going to be more expensive, so unless you buy used, the broke backpacker is stuck with synthetic sleeping bags.  This ain't so bad, nor should it prevent you from getting out there and camping.  But synthetic bags are nearly always heavier and bulkier.  They can be pretty cheap, at least, and I have seen sales here in Sweden for bags as low as 100 SEK (14 USD).


After you buy a sleeping bag, it's a good idea (especially if it's of questionable quality) to test it out before you go out and adventure with it.  Ratings are hard to measure, and are often even harder to measure with mass-produced generic products from companies that just want you to buy it, so they will bump the temperature ratings up to make it seem like a better deal than it really might be.  If you test your bag outside (like in your backyard) and you are even slightly cold with it, it's probably going to be worse out in the woods.  Either get a better bag or take extra layers like a thick wool sweater and/or socks to make up for it.


So there!  The big three is out of the way.  If done right, here in Sweden you really could take care of the big three with as little as say 550 SEK (78 USD) total; with 250 spent on backpack (or materials to make one), 250 spent on a synthetic bag on sale plus a foam pad, and 50 on a roll of duct tape, garbage bags, and some rope for your DIY shelter.


The rest is detail work, filling in the gaps of what your preferences are when you go backpacking.  Here are some important examples one ought to take care of, but of course there is plenty more you may want or need to take:


A first aid kit is an easy fix, they have pre-made ones for sale at many different stores and even supermarkets, and should always be accounted for.  You can also put together your own.  Here is mine:

This covers many first aid and safety concerns, is only about 100g, and cost little.

Cooking, many people forgot, is actually optional.  You don't have to take a stove or pots, and just eat non-cook foods or foods you can grill over a campfire with sticks.  If you want or need (if it is raining or no wood around for a fire) a stove, then get a cheap pot/tea kettle (camping store has cheap little aluminum ones, or 2nd hand store), and then make your own stove out of a can of cat food.  Below is a picture of my cat food can stove, windscreen, and small tin pan (heat reflector/ground protector/primer).  

It only weighs about 30g total for all three parts, and works pretty damn good.  Here is a video how to make the stove, and here is one on how to make a wind screen for your stove.  


A good knife I would highly recommend, though there are some ultra-light zealots that insist that a razor blade is all you need.  A Mora knife is very cheap and of surprisingly good quality for the price, about 30-200 SEK depending on the model.  


A compass can be easily found for 50-100 SEK at camping stores, or for free on your fancy telephone if you have one (don't run out of batteries and get lost, though).  Maps can be downloaded from the internet for free and printed for cheap most of the time.  To waterproof a map, just buy a roll of clear tape and tape it up.  


Rain gear is also easy to find and cheap.  A rain poncho can also double as your backpack rain cover by wearing it over both you and your pack.


You never have to buy a water bottle.  Take some plastic bottles out of your recycling bin, clean them out, and there you go.  My current favorite are Imsdal bottles, which cost 15 SEK (plus you get nice Norwegian spring water) for 700ml and only 30g in weight.

Most of all with the rest of the details and filling gaps in your gear, it is best to just get out there and learn by doing.  If you go on your own, take notes while you are out there on what could be brought with you next time or how to change things or a good improvisation you came up with.  If you go with others, ask lots of questions about how they do things, you will be surprised what you will find out about how other people do things while backpacking.  So go out and get yourself a set of good, cheap gear, try it out, have fun, and in the mean time you can always save up money for nicer replacement gear and/or backpacking luxuries.


In the future I will go over my current ultra-light set up.  It wasn't cheap, though it was not that expensive either, when considering other interests--like say high end fashion and stylish, band name clothing, of which I own none (I am a cheap jeans and t-shirt kind of guy).  But backpacking and camping is what I am passionate about.  It's my thing, and I love it and take it seriously.  So once you get out there and put in night after night out in the woods, every season, maybe even every month of the year, then things start getting serious and you want serious gear to deal with it better, faster, lighter, stronger, etc.  


So for the more devoted backpacker, or to see what a devoted backpacker's gear looks like, you can read a complete breakdown of what are my current "best" gear solutions I could put together for my wants and needs.

Long Break and Answering One Important Question

Okay, so it has been a long time (half a year!) since I have posted a blog.  At least I have good excuses with a new baby, graduate school, and family drama and such.  And then of course there is my camping club GUCK and actually getting out into the woods!  Just went last weekend to a lovely spot I never camped at before with my club, and it was amazing.  A few friends made some requests for blog articles quite some time ago, and I finally will get around to them sometime soon (a week or so).  Just thought I would get this obligatory disclaimer out of the way first before jumping back into things.

The topics for the next three blogs I have planned will be:

1.  A Guide to Buying/Building a Very Cheap, Effective, and Comfortable Set of 3-Season Backpacking Gear

2.  A Guide to a Serious/Passionate Ultra-Light Backpacker's 3-Season Backpacking Gear

3.  A General Guide to Winter Backpacking (Temperatures Below Freezing)

Now however, I want to answer one very important question a friend and professional philosopher asked me that I think I can answer somewhat quickly.  Joakim asked me what the best things to talk around the campfire are with friends.

I really enjoy discussing politics and religion, but some people are a bit sensitive about these subjects.  One fun and easy question I like to ask people is what they would do with a million Euros as an icebreaker if camping with people I don't know as well.  Mafia is also a fun game, but it requires a larger group.  But once I get to know people a bit more, I like to play a little game I call the "what if" game, and can be played with only two people.  With close friends, this game can get really crazy and hilarious, I might add, because of details that intimate relationships offer that can be used in game.

It's a pretty simple concept, you have to pick between two choices.  They can either be pleasant or unpleasant choices, but I have found the trend is to stick with more unpleasant choices for some odd reason.  I think it is because this produces funnier reactions from people.  To make the game more concrete, and to keep people from sneaking out of a given "what if" choice, here is a hypothetical I like to use:

Imagine you are kidnapped by a crazy billionaire.  This rich person for whatever insane reason wants to present you with two choices and you must pick one of them.  You simply must answer the question, or else the crazy billionaire will will make not only you suffer, but all of your family and friends and even your pets.  You can't run away, you can't resist, you can't kill yourself, all you can do is tell the crazy billionaire which of the two choices presented you would prefer.

An mild example of a pleasant "what if" is to pick between a fancy sports car or a yacht as a gift, both worth about 1 million Euros brand new.  This of course begs other questions afterwards, like would you keep the gift or sell it, and if so, which would be easier to sell?

A mild example of an unpleasant "what if" is to pick between being permanently blind or deaf, and why.

You go around in a circle at the campfire and let everyone come up with their own set of choices and everyone must answer.  An optional rule is that if everyone agrees on a choice, that choice is retired, and another one is set up against the choice that no one picked.  For example, if everyone chooses to be deaf rather than be blind, the next choice could then be say, between being permanently blind or to lose both your legs from the knee down.

It makes for an interesting game, and some pretty unique and funny choices and reactions to these choices inevitably come up.

Hope this answers your question, Joakim.  I will hopefully have another post up soon to answer my friend Nico's question on how to camp for cheap.

Stuck at Home: Planning, Inventory, Maintenance, and Packing

When I am not able to get away into the woods--due to say, having a 8.5 month pregnant wife! :)--there are still a lot of things I can do at home that are related to backpacking and camping, and that will improve my next experience.  The things I do at home before my next trip is usually the biggest reason if a trip is a success or a failure, fun or not, etc.


And if you are blessed/cursed to be the type of person that is nerdy and loves the many details, both big and small, of a given hobby, then like me you will actually enjoy the pre-adventure rituals.  I break them down into four stages, with each stage having its own dynamics.


1.  Planning.  Perhaps my favorite phase of the pre-adventure state!  This also has the most aspects, and because of this often takes up the most amount of time, money, and energy.


So I decide I want to go out into the woods and spend the night (or two, or however long I can get away with).  What is easy for me is picking a date, because I don't care about waiting for nice weather (I don't mind hiking/camping in the rain or snow), and and also because I don't mind going solo if my friends or family can't make it.  Then I pick a location I want to explore, check it out on Google maps, and perhaps go and buy a map (if I don't already have one) of the area.


Depending on how much time, money, and energy I might have during a given planning phase, the next thing I will do is consider the probable conditions and hazards before diving in to research different kinds of gear.  I have a pretty solid collection of gear of course, but as time goes on some gear needs to be replaced.  Sometimes gear is replaced because it is worn out, sometimes because I have found a better solution given the context of my needs and the trip in question.  As time goes on, technology never stops surprising me with its innovations, and backpacking and camping gear is no exception.


So I will check out new products, sometimes buy some brand new gear, often buy the same tried and true old gear.  As a full time student and father of one (soon to be two), funds are of course pretty tight, so I take this part of planning pretty seriously.  For example, for over a decade I have been using cheap yet effective hardware store bought plastic tarps to use as shelters.  In the past half year or so I have been researching other options, and to my surprise I find out about an amazing new material called Cuben fiber.  Now I am a pretty hardcore skeptic, but after reading many reviews and forum discussions from other nerds, I have to try it out for myself--especially after learning that it is much lighter and stronger than regular plastic tarps.

I now anxiously await a cuben fiber tarp (see above) along with some titanium stakes, which will probably replace my other tarps much of the time.  I look forward to testing it out!


So it helps to try and keep you finger on the pulse of not just backpacking/camping, but any hobby so that you can improve, modify, and overall evolve how you go about what you love to do. But of course this is not to say that older, tried and tested pieces of gear should all be thrown away.  Or that you have to replace all your gear, or even that it has to cost that much to make replacements.  The best thing to do is get as much information you can on a given piece of gear you are looking to improve, and then figure out if it is worth it to you and if you are able to go for it.




2.  Inventory.  Okay, so you know where you are going to go, what the conditions are going to be like, and you have a rough idea of what you are going to take.  Now is time to step things up and get organized.  The more organized you are, the better, and there are a lot of wonderful new tools available thanks again to technology and the internet.  


A website I also recently found out about is www.geargrams.com, and it makes the older pen-paper-calculator method of getting all your gear organized pretty obsolete.  There is a video on the site that explains how it works, but to see a sample of what you can do with it, here is a gear list I recently made after doing some modifications/improvements for fun: http://www.geargrams.com/list?id=4109 


Once you can see a list of everything you plan on taking, you can then double check to make sure if the particular combination you put together is exactly what you need/want.  You may have forgotten something that you need to add, maybe you can get rid of something you don't think you will need anymore.  It is a good idea to just sit and reflect on your plans and your inventory to make sure as much as possible is accounted for so that you can have the best possible adventure possible.


3.  Maintenance.  Okay, this part of the process is perhaps not so fun sometimes--but it needs to be done.  Knives need sharpening/oiling, sleeping bags need cleaning/airing out, clothing/shoes/backpacks might need repairs, etc.  Not much to say here, you just have to go through your gear and make sure it is in good shape.


4.  Packing.  The last step that can (so long as you did a good job with planning and inventory) often only take several minutes right before you go on your adventure.  Make sure, however, that if you have a new backpack or new pieces of gear to try packing all your gear the night before to make sure everything fits and also try on your pack to make sure it is comfortable. 


When packing, also keep in mind that this process is a whole art and science as well.  It is like playing Tetris getting everything to fit properly, but you also want to have important things such as first aid easy to access.  Another thing that is good to have easy access is rain gear, should an unexpected downpour happen.




That's about it for now.  Once some new gear that is in the mail gets to me, I will post lots of pictures of a few different combinations of gear with my updated inventory.


As always, I welcome any questions, concerns, or feedback, and I hope this post was helpful :)

When to go Lightweight, Ultralight, or Super-Ultralight?

This is going to be a rather wordy post, and is more directed at those that want to learn more about lightweight backpacking theory and implementation.  In the future, I am going to post lots of pictures of several of my updated backpack systems to give the readers a more concrete idea of what exactly it is I am writing about.  For now, the focus will be more abstract, and as such, I feel pictures may take away from this post.  If you are already schooled in lightweight backpacking or need to have pictures to read long blog posts, you may want to move on.


You have been warned, wall-o-text to follow!


If you have been following my blog, or if you are a backpacker, you already know about lightweight backpacking and what the different terms mean.  But for those that might not know, let me explain again.


The goal of the lightweight backpacker is to get under a certain weight in order to have less to carry while out hiking.  The weight guidelines are arbitrary of course, but a useful tool in achieving the goal of going lightweight.  Why go lightweight?  Hauling around a heavy load on your back is exhausting, and the energy you spend on this weight can take away from other goals and activities of the avid backpacker/camper.  For example, two people of the same physical condition, height, weight, etc. with two different backpacks will have a finite amount of kilometers they can hike, but the one with the lighter load will be able (all things being equal) to go further.


Now, perhaps walking a long distance through the woods it not a goal of yours (it is for me, I should add).  There are other things to consider.  What if you want to go swimming?  Or fishing?  Or harvest wild food like berries and mushrooms?  These are all things I enjoy, and these things take time and energy.  Even when I don't hike that far, I still want to have the time and energy to devote to fun things other than hiking and carrying a heavy pack.  Then there is the issue of wear and tear on your body.  The less you strain your joints, for example, with a heavy load, the better off your joints will be in the long term.


However if you are not hiking very far, and don't intend on doing devoting much time and energy to other things (perhaps you just want to set up camp, and sit comfortably by a fire, which is fine) then lightweight backpacking is not for you.  Just throw as much gear as you want in your car and in a huge backpack, and have fun at the edges of the woods.  You must accept the limitations inherent in this style of camping, however, and because the edges of the woods are easier to get to, don't be surprised when you find say, a loud group of drunken teenagers there too to keep you company.


But for those of us that want to go deeper into the woods, be able to see and do more, and avoid the crowds at the edges, then lightweight backpacking is a logical and very worthwhile endeavor.  Lightweight backpacking was pioneered and made more popular largely in the USA, so unfortunately for those of us that prefer the consistent and more logical metric system, the weight guidelines for the different types of lightweight backpacking are defined using pounds.  Lightweight (LW) is under 20lbs (about 9kg), Ultralight is under 10lbs (4.5kg), and Super-Ultralight is under 5lbs (2.27kg).  These weights refer to base weight, which means all gear without food, water, or fuel--those consumable items always change.


I feel like I have had to explain the above guidelines about a million times in the past year since I have been getting more and more into lightweight backpacking, which tells me that this sub-type of camping is still at least somewhat obscure and less accessible.  But don't let this, or the weight guidelines, intimidate you if you are new to camping/backpacking!  After reading up a few texts (like this one!), maybe watching a few videos, and doing a bit of research on gear, LW and even UL are relatively easy to get into and accomplish if you have an open mind.  SUL is more challenging, I must admit, so be prepared for a challenge there--you will have to give thought to every little gram, and it is only for the more devoted backpacker and not the novice camper.


I have to say that for me one of the biggest challenges was making the jump from traditional (over 20lbs) to LW.  I was so set in my ways after about a decade and a half of backpacking/camping, it was hard to change.  I love a good challenge, however, and as a skeptic, I also believe it is very important to question everything, even things you already think you have all figured out.  There is always room for improvement, and change can be a positive thing, provided that a change is not made in "bad faith", but let's not digress and get all existential.


Once I went LW, going UL was easy, fun, and made a huge overall improvement to my experience in the woods.  Another possible hindrance that ought to be noted is price.  It is true that quite a lot of specialized UL and SUL gear can come with a big price tag on it, but there are many good, cheap alternatives (some of which I have documented on my blog already, and there will be more to come), especially if you are inclined to DIY/MYOG projects.  Going SUL took more planning and thought, but it was also fun, and under certain circumstances also makes a significant improvement to time and energy spent outdoors.


All this begs the question I pose in the title of when to go under the weight guidelines in question.  A disclaimer before I attempt to answer said question: I give no objective, 100% accurate formula on how to figure out what system of backpacking is right for all situations and all people.  This is obviously a very subjective thing we are dealing with, with virtually an infinite number of variables.  All I can give you are answers based on my experiences, and hopefully they will be helpful to you.


I started to get into lightweight backpacking last year, and out of around 20 camping trips I took, I would say half of them were LW and perhaps a few were UL.  I have gone camping 14 times this year, and the majority of them have been UL.  For me, UL is my go-to system of choice, with LW and SUL being good options should less likely variables present themselves.  Due to being a full-time university student, a new father, and other family obligations, I am only able to go on 1-3 day trips.  Shorter trips usually facilitate a more lightweight set of gear.  Yet even among lightweight backpackers that are able to go on longer, more involved hikes that take weeks or even months and cover hundreds or even thousands of kilometers, there is a debate as to which method is best.  What is not as hot a topic, however, is that SUL requires more knowledge and experience from the backpacker, and SUL remains on the fringes of the community (though it is quite a significant fringe group).


For me, a big factor in determining how light to go is the temperature and weather outside.  In the winter and late fall/early spring when it can be quite cold, I go generally go LW, as things that keep you warmer tend to weigh more.  Thicker sleeping bags, sleeping mats, and clothing need to be added to keep warm.  This added weight also has and effect on what kind of backpack to take, because generally the lower weight a backpack is, the less volume and weight allowance it has.  So heavier and bulkier gear means a heavier/bigger backpack.


That being said, there are people that are able to go UL in colder temperatures, but I have yet to read a trip report of anyone going SUL in colder temperatures (I am sure that some crazy person out there has done it, though).


Then there is rain.  If there is a high chance of rain, rain gear is a good thing to have.  There are some lighter options of rain gear than others, but in the end it will still put a dent in your weight allowance even if it is a fancy poncho/tarp or the most high-tech and expensive rain jacket on the market.  If you are going on a longer trip, then you simply have to bring rain gear, because we can only predict the weather so far in advance, and even still weather reports are wrong about tomorrow's weather.


So an ideal situation to go SUL is in warm weather with little to no chance of rain.  If you live in a warmer, dryer place, then it will perhaps be easier to go SUL.  Don't let rain stress you too much--all my gear set ups, be it LW, UL, or SUL, always have some kind of rain gear.  So no matter how low you go with weight there are solutions for dealing with rain, and you may be surprised how effective a cheap plastic poncho is at only around 50g.


Another factor is what you want to do outdoors.  If you only want to hike/explore, then going UL or SUL is more for you.  If you want to do things other than hike, however, then you will probably want to take more things with you.  Say you want to go fishing, that will also put a dent in your weight totals, even with the most basic of fishing gear.  Or like several friends of mine that have gone camping with me, perhaps you are into photography, and this can put a pretty sizable chunk of weight into your bag.  


Depending on how devoted you are to these other hobbies that you want to include in your camping trip, this can really effect your total weight.  My friend Johan, for example, is very into photography, and always takes his big camera and lenses with him.  This costs him about 1.5kg he told me.  Obviously Johan is then limited to going LW most of the time, though I have seen him go UL at times.


One thing that I really like about going lightweight that should be mentioned is that it promotes creativity.  You look at your gear in a whole new way and think of more than one use for each piece of gear to get the most out of less.  My underwear becomes my swimwear too, my pot a sink to wash up in, socks can become gloves or pot holders while cooking, and on and on.  You become better at improvising and problem solving as an added benefit of becoming a lightweight backpacker.


Last, safety and comfort should also be taken into consideration.  Of course safety comes first, but keep in mind that comfort can promote safety.  Being warmer while you sleep at night is comfortable, sure, but more importantly keeps you from dying of hypothermia.  Getting a good night's sleep is cozy, but also allows you to be well rested to hike the next day, and more alert in the event of an emergency.  So if you need to have a pillow to sleep well, take it--and remember there are lightweight options for pillows.  I made my own very comfy little pillow that only weighs 47g.


If you are going into a very remote area with civilization far away, and doing more adventure style backpacking, the lightweight police are not going to arrest you for taking a few extra pieces of gear "just in case".  Yet there are some people out there with enough experience and training that are able to go UL or even SUL way out in the middle of nowhere, but odds are you are not one of these people, so don't sacrifice a piece of gear that might be the difference between life or death depending on where you are going, for how long, and how much survival training you have under your belt.  Some people can get away with walking into the woods with just a knife and the clothing on their back for a month, but most people can't.  Know your own limitations and plan accordingly.


I hope this gives some kind of guide towards these three lightweight paths.  I am not going to be able to cover all the aspects of why and how to choose each path, but this ought to give a rough idea on what goes into my decision making process when I go backpacking.  It has a lot to do with what the conditions are outside, how far I am hiking, how long I will be going, what I want to do while I am out there, and that I am safe and comfortable.  


What is perhaps most important is the connected issues of safety and comfort, which will vary from person to person depending on a variety of factors.  What is safe and comfortable for me may not be for another person, and there are people with even more advanced skill sets of backpacking and/or survival that I may not be safe or comfortable if I packed like they do.  


In short, most of the time this is how my choices look like:


LW - Winter/late fall/early spring, if traveling through more isolated/challenging areas, my own personal safety and comfort are an issue, doing a lot of fishing (large fishing kit)


UL - My go-to style of backpacking most of the time, doing some fishing (basic fishing kit)


SUL - Summer, traveling through familiar terrain, no fishing




An example of one of my UL gear lists can be found here on my blog, and my first official SUL gear list and trip I documented in great detail if you have not read these posts yet and are interested to know more about how I roll.  Just check out the archives, and I hope this big, long-winded post was useful for you!