Yeah the focus here is on backpacking. I am not nearly so aggressive for a Shasta trip for example. Still I have found that when my normal backpacking weight is so much lower that a good bit of that automatically carries over. I use the same lightweight sleeping bag and pad. No Nalgenes, and watch the number of layers and amount of food I bring.
I have gone without a shelter, but I have used the BetaLight. Lately I have switch to a bivy sac for most trips. I have a OR Alpine Bivy. A bit robust and 2.5 pounds but it is very comfy and great in high winds. I camped on the summit in a storm in it and slept perfectly. 2.5 pounds might be heavy for one person for some trips but on Shasta when it is only 3 miles and 3000 feet to camp it doesn't bother me at all. Take that, crampons, helmet, stove, sometimes glacier gear and a slightly larger pack to carry it all my pack is normally 20-28 pounds depending on the gear. Not an issue for the short ways to camp, but I see less fit folks trying to carry 35-45 pounds. Uggh!
Mosquitoes have never... ever... been an issue. A big part of it is that I camp to avoid them when they are active. Above treeline, near the snow, around sand or rock rather than vegetation. I usually don't have to use repellent but for a couple times a year within camp.
But when I do the mosquitoes still seem to only get in when the door is open. Heat rises and I don't think they skim along the ground too much. Never had any get in once the door is shut. Think about when you are in your tent and there are a few flying about that you kill off. Pretty much always they are on the walls or ceiling... never sitting on the floor.
I have camped in mosquito infested areas with no tent and no tarp. I have a large mosquito net from REI that I got originally for travel in Central America. It can fit over a sleeping person. Camping with a friend in August, we tied 3 trekking poles together in a tri-pod formation, set the trip-pod over our heads, and hung the net over the poles. We had the net covering our heads and extending down toward the middle of our sleeping bags. We tucked the edges of the net under our pads and pinned the rest down with rocks. It worked very well. We woke up the next morning with skeeters waiting outside for breakfast, but no bites that night.
And here I thought I'd be light if I could get my pack down to 40lbs.....thanks for completely screwing my expectations! ;) 40lbs feels feather weight compared to what I've carried in the past. Maybe that's good now, but on some of the heavier days I've suffered miserably. Getting a new tent and sleeping bag this winter.....those two upgrades alone are shaving 8lbs off my load weight. A previous convo I'd had about my pack weight really got me investigating.....couldn't believe how much some of this older gear weighed compared to newer stuff. Just an upgrade in carabiners on my rack would shave 2+ pounds. I highly recommend the Salewa Ravens if you're looking for a great all-around summer boot that works for glaciers and some ice as well. They're light, very comfy around the ankles, GoreTex but breathable syn uppers, have a blister free guarantee....I can't say enough about them. Put over 100 miles on them this summer and never had a single issue. Can climb up to 5.5-5.6 in them as well. Those things are bomb proof.
Yeah tent and sleeping bag are the big items. And definitely just weighing your existing gear and comparing it to potential options out there can be eye opening. Not too difficult to pick a couple areas and see where you might get the most bang for your buck when buying something new. Hope this helped a bit.
And thanks so much for the boot recommendation! I will take a serious look at those Ravens. They seem lighter than my existing pair and I am up for something new by next spring.
This is very helpful! Thank you.
I'd like to add (fwiw) that I bought a couple of Nalgene collapsible bottles and they leak as well (even when vertical). If there is sufficient pressure on them, water can leak up and out around the cap, even when screwed down tightly. I've gone the gatorade bottle option that you mentioned and I'm happy with. I also suspect that the electrolytes/sodium lower the freezing temp by a couple of degrees, great on cold summit climbs.
Thanks again! Awesome write up
The Platypus bottles have worked ok for me so far, haven't tried the Nalgenes. So maybe something to try if you needed something more than the Gatorade bottle. Usually the latter is enough for me though. Thanks for your feedback too!
Just used this product for the first time this week, and I was very impressed. This might make you change your mind about water filters. Weighs 0.10 lbs. on my digital scale.
Cool. I think would be a good option for an area where filters are needed... I'll keep it in mind if I visit a place like that, as I don't even own a filter of any sort right now. But in the Sierra Nevada it'll be ok without it.
I liked this review I ran across...
As soon as I got this thing in the mail I went straight to the nastiest, most contaminated thing I could find. There just happened to be a sink full of soaking dishes that worked just fine. Couldnt taste a thing. I even spit some of the water out and it was nice and clear. Im going hiking soon and going to test it on some stagnant water when we find it, and I've given instructions to lower this rating down to 1 star if I die.
Actually it seems like perhaps the best option out there from what I have seen. Thanks for highlighting it! I plan to update the article soon as I have cut a bit more weight and I may mention this and credit you for those that would benefit.
mrchad9 - Oct 14, 2013 1:37 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: for mountaineering?Yeah the focus here is on backpacking. I am not nearly so aggressive for a Shasta trip for example. Still I have found that when my normal backpacking weight is so much lower that a good bit of that automatically carries over. I use the same lightweight sleeping bag and pad. No Nalgenes, and watch the number of layers and amount of food I bring.
I have gone without a shelter, but I have used the BetaLight. Lately I have switch to a bivy sac for most trips. I have a OR Alpine Bivy. A bit robust and 2.5 pounds but it is very comfy and great in high winds. I camped on the summit in a storm in it and slept perfectly. 2.5 pounds might be heavy for one person for some trips but on Shasta when it is only 3 miles and 3000 feet to camp it doesn't bother me at all. Take that, crampons, helmet, stove, sometimes glacier gear and a slightly larger pack to carry it all my pack is normally 20-28 pounds depending on the gear. Not an issue for the short ways to camp, but I see less fit folks trying to carry 35-45 pounds. Uggh!
WyomingSummits - Oct 11, 2013 9:35 pm - Hasn't voted
Floorless tentWhat do you do about mosquitoes with a floorless tent?
mrchad9 - Oct 14, 2013 1:41 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Floorless tentMosquitoes have never... ever... been an issue. A big part of it is that I camp to avoid them when they are active. Above treeline, near the snow, around sand or rock rather than vegetation. I usually don't have to use repellent but for a couple times a year within camp.
But when I do the mosquitoes still seem to only get in when the door is open. Heat rises and I don't think they skim along the ground too much. Never had any get in once the door is shut. Think about when you are in your tent and there are a few flying about that you kill off. Pretty much always they are on the walls or ceiling... never sitting on the floor.
mountainsandsound - Oct 15, 2013 9:27 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Floorless tentI have camped in mosquito infested areas with no tent and no tarp. I have a large mosquito net from REI that I got originally for travel in Central America. It can fit over a sleeping person. Camping with a friend in August, we tied 3 trekking poles together in a tri-pod formation, set the trip-pod over our heads, and hung the net over the poles. We had the net covering our heads and extending down toward the middle of our sleeping bags. We tucked the edges of the net under our pads and pinned the rest down with rocks. It worked very well. We woke up the next morning with skeeters waiting outside for breakfast, but no bites that night.
WyomingSummits - Oct 19, 2013 2:04 am - Hasn't voted
A goalAnd here I thought I'd be light if I could get my pack down to 40lbs.....thanks for completely screwing my expectations! ;) 40lbs feels feather weight compared to what I've carried in the past. Maybe that's good now, but on some of the heavier days I've suffered miserably. Getting a new tent and sleeping bag this winter.....those two upgrades alone are shaving 8lbs off my load weight. A previous convo I'd had about my pack weight really got me investigating.....couldn't believe how much some of this older gear weighed compared to newer stuff. Just an upgrade in carabiners on my rack would shave 2+ pounds. I highly recommend the Salewa Ravens if you're looking for a great all-around summer boot that works for glaciers and some ice as well. They're light, very comfy around the ankles, GoreTex but breathable syn uppers, have a blister free guarantee....I can't say enough about them. Put over 100 miles on them this summer and never had a single issue. Can climb up to 5.5-5.6 in them as well. Those things are bomb proof.
mrchad9 - Oct 21, 2013 12:57 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: A goalYeah tent and sleeping bag are the big items. And definitely just weighing your existing gear and comparing it to potential options out there can be eye opening. Not too difficult to pick a couple areas and see where you might get the most bang for your buck when buying something new. Hope this helped a bit.
And thanks so much for the boot recommendation! I will take a serious look at those Ravens. They seem lighter than my existing pair and I am up for something new by next spring.
Jarpup - Oct 20, 2013 11:41 pm - Voted 10/10
Great article!This is very helpful! Thank you.
I'd like to add (fwiw) that I bought a couple of Nalgene collapsible bottles and they leak as well (even when vertical). If there is sufficient pressure on them, water can leak up and out around the cap, even when screwed down tightly. I've gone the gatorade bottle option that you mentioned and I'm happy with. I also suspect that the electrolytes/sodium lower the freezing temp by a couple of degrees, great on cold summit climbs.
Thanks again! Awesome write up
mrchad9 - Oct 21, 2013 2:23 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Great article!Great Jarpup. Glad you liked it!
The Platypus bottles have worked ok for me so far, haven't tried the Nalgenes. So maybe something to try if you needed something more than the Gatorade bottle. Usually the latter is enough for me though. Thanks for your feedback too!
mtneering - Oct 21, 2013 3:54 pm - Hasn't voted
ThanksBook marked this one
kevinsa - Sep 9, 2014 4:10 pm - Voted 10/10
Lightweight filterJust used this product for the first time this week, and I was very impressed. This might make you change your mind about water filters. Weighs 0.10 lbs. on my digital scale.
http://www.amazon.com/LifeStraw-LSPHF017-Personal-Water-Filter/dp/B006QF3TW4
mrchad9 - Sep 9, 2014 6:55 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Lightweight filterCool. I think would be a good option for an area where filters are needed... I'll keep it in mind if I visit a place like that, as I don't even own a filter of any sort right now. But in the Sierra Nevada it'll be ok without it.
I liked this review I ran across...
As soon as I got this thing in the mail I went straight to the nastiest, most contaminated thing I could find. There just happened to be a sink full of soaking dishes that worked just fine. Couldnt taste a thing. I even spit some of the water out and it was nice and clear. Im going hiking soon and going to test it on some stagnant water when we find it, and I've given instructions to lower this rating down to 1 star if I die.
Actually it seems like perhaps the best option out there from what I have seen. Thanks for highlighting it! I plan to update the article soon as I have cut a bit more weight and I may mention this and credit you for those that would benefit.