Trimming Pack Weight.

[anotherwalker]

Hi guys,

I was just wondering if anyone has ever trimmed their pack with scissors to lighten their load ?

I've been reading an article on ultralight backpacking where the author got a 4 pound pack and proceeded to cut 1 pound of scrap off it, as he viewed it wasn't needed.

Shortening straps, getting rid of compartmental dividers, ice-axe loops etc.

I was wondering if anyone on this site has done it ? If so what was the weight saving ? Did it help much ? was there any bad sides to doing it ?

Thanks
AnotherWalker

[Lindsay]

I think this sort of extreme behaviour is pretty pointless for most people. There are far better ways to lighten your load through gear choices before reaching the point where the only weight left to save is the straps on your backpack. Anyway, replacing your 4 pound backpack with an ultralight model would be far more effective than cutting bits off.

[forest]

replacing your 4 pound backpack with an ultralight model would be far more effective than cutting bits off.

+ 1

I trimmed the straps off my osprey exos 46 just cause they anoyed me dangling around. Just weighed the offcuts as I kept them, most are only around 6-10" long and the mini straps on the exos are tiny.
Shaved a hole 76 grams off !!
On a pack with larger 1" webbing straps it might make more of a dent ??

You'd have to do a serious trim to shave a pound.

[sthughes]

If a pack had a pound of excess crap hanging off it to begin with I wouldn't buy it! My Zepton has a couple of straps (for attaching a blue mat?) I could hack off and save probably 25-50g - yay. Apart from that there is nothing on any of my packs I don't find usefull.

But if I had a pack that 25% of which was useless crap yeah I'd go for it, hack it up! Don't forget the manufacturers logo and the zipper pullers either. Perhaps using a hole punch to lighten the pack fabric might be a goer as well.

[wayno]

four pounds isnt overly heavy to start with for a pack, i wonder just what was left of it after he finished cutting? you wouldnt want to botch it up,,

[ninjapuppet]

Don't forget that many small cottage shops do custom work.

After trying so many good packs that were just a notch short of being great, you have an idea of what you want and dont want. I'm currently in the process of designing an alpine pack with features i want from cold cold world. CCW custom packs are really cheap starting at $115 based on the valdez, which is a nice surprise after I've owned several packs upwards of the $500 mark with heavy features I didn't need.

Its much harder selling a $500 for $400, than it is to sell a $115 pack for $15

[icemancometh]

do it

lots of exttraneous straps on most packs

I don't do it for the weight but the annoyance factor

@ninjapuppet, what features are you getting on your CCW?

Hi guys,

I was just wondering if anyone has ever trimmed their pack with scissors to lighten their load ?

I've been reading an article on ultralight backpacking where the author got a 4 pound pack and proceeded to cut 1 pound of scrap off it, as he viewed it wasn't needed.

Shortening straps, getting rid of compartmental dividers, ice-axe loops etc.

I was wondering if anyone on this site has done it ? If so what was the weight saving ? Did it help much ? was there any bad sides to doing it ?

Thanks
AnotherWalker

[Kinsayder]

It reminds me of people that cut off the handle from their toothbrush. I'm all for lightweight, but I'd be inclined to agree with the notion of buying a lightweight pack to start with.

[Strider]

It reminds me of people that cut off the handle from their toothbrush. I'm all for lightweight, but I'd be inclined to agree with the notion of buying a lightweight pack to start with.

Even lightweight packs can benefit from some trimming to save further weight. My Golite Quest (1410g) has a lot of straps etc that I have never used, and probably never will - e.g. compression straps that reach right across the front of the pack for carrying snowshoes etc.

[ninjapuppet]

Many people cut off the toothbrush handle, but certainly not for weight savings. Half a toothbrush just seems to pack so much better with the rest of the hygiene gear.

i'm still in the process of exchanging emails with Randy for the CCW pack, but basically i prefer an icetool attachment rather than iceaxe loops, a more cheerful colour than its ugly black/blue (brighter colours turn out better in snow photos), a crampon pouch, some gear loops on the hip belt, possibly another less burly fabric and a few other small things. I just hope i'm not taking any features out that I'd really need when out in the field.

[frenchy_84]

Even lightweight packs can benefit from some trimming to save further weight. My Golite Quest (1410g) has a lot of straps etc that I have never used, and probably never will - e.g. compression straps that reach right across the front of the pack for carrying snowshoes etc.

But whats the point? I highly doubt you could cut 50gms off a 1410g pack without affecting is use. But even if you were able to remove 100gms your not going to be able to notice it anyway.

[Bluegum Mic]

I recently trimmed two straps off the bottom of my osprey exos but I didn't do it for weight savings, I did it for safety. There are plenty of other attachment straps on the pack and I can honestly say I've never attached anything to the bottom of my pack and I don't intend to. So I've snipped them off so they don't catch on anything if bum shuffling down rock/over a fallen tree etc as they were very long and thin. Other than that I tend to agree with better off buying a pack that suits your purposes in the weight range your after

[Strider]

Even lightweight packs can benefit from some trimming to save further weight. My Golite Quest (1410g) has a lot of straps etc that I have never used, and probably never will - e.g. compression straps that reach right across the front of the pack for carrying snowshoes etc.

But whats the point? I highly doubt you could cut 50gms off a 1410g pack without affecting is use. But even if you were able to remove 100gms your not going to be able to notice it anyway.

Just saying that if I wanted to, I could probably find something to cut off

Firstly, removing the lid would save me 94g. And I could easily save another 100g by ripping out the hydration bladder pocket and shortening some straps. Whether it is noticeable or not is arguable, every little bit counts. Remember the straw that broke the camels back?

[John Sheridan]

4 pounds is not overly heavy,LOL, I consider anything over 1 kg to be heavy for a pack, my Exos 46 is 1.1 kg, but Let that slide because it has a frame

If you get a lightpack,tent,sleeping bag and sleeping mat, you wont have any reason to cut straps off your pack, in most cases you will have plenty of room and will probably struggle to get the pack to a weight that will bother you, you will be able to carry more than before for less weight.

More food more gear and still eight much less than yur old pack and gear, WIN WIN WIN

Cheers.

[Dale]

Getting rid of the 100g in isolation won't make much difference. But it all adds up - which is the core idea behind reducing pack weight. So yeah if your pack has a bunch of crap on it you don't need than scissor away... I believe it can be therapeutic as well

[forest]

Getting rid of the 100g in isolation won't make much difference. But it all adds up - which is the core idea behind reducing pack weight

+ 1, Yep it all adds up. 100g here and there will soon = 1/2 a kg, next 1 kg, then 3 kg. Obviously not in pack straps but it's all part of the deal with lightening baseweight.

It's the path to lite weight, sad as it seems.

[photohiker]

Certainly every bit counts, and they have a habit of adding up and sneaking up on you.

I did another trip on the Heysen Trail last week, out for 4 nights/5 days. Like all good LNT walkers, I pack out my rubbish. Usually I stop anywhere there is a bin and dump it, but for some reason I kept forgetting this trip. Weighed it all when I got home: 460g! All just wrappings, dehy packs and plastic bags etc.

[Lindsay]

I must say that I did cut out the pointless bum bag arrangement in the lid of my Osprey Aether. Had I not got myself a GG Mariposa Plus I would probably have taken to some of the myriad other straps as well.

[icemancometh]

I used to trim the straps more cos they were excessive and annoying
the fact it lightened the pack was just a bonus.

[Rob A]

Cut em off completely. Carry it under your arm.

[Dale]

I like how you're thinking Rob. There are frameless backpacks why not strapless ?

[north-north-west]

And the very latest in lightweight gear: the packless pack!

[Dale]

Getting off topic here... A friend who I haven't seen for years spent a lot of time learning bush 'survival' to the extent he could stay out there with a knife, maybe some cord and what not for long periods. It struck me he was the ultimate lightweight backpacker - he had enough knowledge that he didn't need the gear.

[Kinsayder]

Aside from the jokes (very funny guys!), I'm relatively new to striving for lightweight hiking but had thought that ideas like strap trimming was pure zealotry, but the arguments offered here have sold it to me. I'm going to reassess how I go about it all.