BIG 4

[nickthetasmaniac]

Hmmm, I'm not so sure that the 'Big 4' listed are really the Big 4... For the work I do, boots, pack and waterproof jacket (in that order) are the Big 3 - tents and sleeping mats don't really get much use...

So, my Big 3:

Boots - Zamberlan Baltoro
Pack - OP McMillan
Jacket - Paddy Pallin (the model name has worn away)

And the 'Big 4'

Tent: HIlleberg Soulo or WE First Arrow
Sleeping Bag - Kathmandu Rumdoodle
Pack - OP as above
Mat - Something old from Thermarest

[tandata]

Hm, I hadn't really been looking at weights too intensely before I started buying random things for camping/hiking, but now I think I should have spent a bit more time doing it. I don't have a pack yet, but the OP ones I was looking at average about 3kg. So!

Tent- MSR Hubba Hubba @ 2.2kg (including footprint)
Bag- OP Bungle -7 @ 1.2kg (I don't like being cold!)
Pad- Cheap foam thing @ .35kg
Pack- Probably OP @ 3kg

Total @ 6.75 - 7kg, assuming my scales are correct. But I could opt for a kilo lighter pack.. the benefits of not having made a purchase already.

When we went hiking in scouts the aim was to have your pack under 25kg for a few days walking, which I think I can do with this. But I see that in reality it should be closer to 15kg, which I think I can also do with this.

Is there a thread with a breakdown of peoples entire gear lists and weights? I would like to see what a full pack is coming to with cooking gear, etc.

[ULWalkingPhil]

Yeah, that's not a bad idea, I to would like to see a post showing all equipment with weights. If anyone starts one, I will post my gear with weights.

[Strider]

Yeah, that's not a bad idea, I to would like to see a post showing all equipment with weights. If anyone starts one, I will post my gear with weights.

Do a search. There are several on here.

[kymboy]

There's an ipad/android app called Gram Weenie to keep track of the weight of your pack and contents.

MSR hubba
One Planet WBA
Thermarest Prolite (? Orange)
Bag - old down thing - need to upgrade

[Ent]

Hi

Check out the MSR Nook. Hilleberg Nallo size (but much smaller vestibule) and tips scales at 1.4-1.5 kilograms. Better tent than the Hubba Hubba or get the plus version if you can at 1.9 kilograms and better winter inner. Both are suitable for two normal adults but HH+ with twin vestibules better.

A OP Mungo is around 2.1 kilograms if you can fit into say 60 liters with lighter weight WBA options but this is not as tough.

Good checking out the weights before hand but do not miss the volume requirement either.

Cheers

[nq111]

Pack - Osprey Aether 85

Warm weather

Tent - Hennessey Deep Jungle (hammock) with Cuben fly
Pad - 1/8 CCF cut to size (less than 200g) or nothing
Bag - Mountain Designs warm weather synthetic opened as a quilt

4.71kg (incl. pack)

Cold weather / snow

Tent - North Face Mountain 25 (replaced Macpac Olympus)
Pad - Standard blue CCF + Exped synmat UL (replaced thermarest)
Bag - Marmot Plasma 15 (replaced Macpac Solstice - Plasma 15 is much lighter and much better design though i never complained for warmth in the big solstice)

8.55kg (incl. pack and pegs/snow pegs)

[Gippsmick]

2-3season
Tent: Terra Nova SilTarp 3 + guylines (500g) + Ground Sheet (80g) (580g)
Pack: ULA CDT (550g)
Bag: Western Mountaineering Summerlite (525g)
Pad: Closed cell blue mat cut down to ¾ (200g)
Total: 1855g

3+ season
Tent: Mountain Hardwear Sprit 1 (1570g) or Mont Bivvy (1040g) + Tarp (500g)
Pack, Bag, Pad – as above (1275g)
Total: 2845g

4 season/Snow
Tent: Mountain Designs model unknown (3000g)
Pack: One Planet Shadow Pack (1520g)
Bag: Mont Glacier (1500g)
Pad: Thermarest (600g)
Total 6620!!! Some work to do here.

[Explorer_Sam]

At the moment, this is my big 4:

1.Shelter- Outer Limits Hike Dome Backpacker Tent
2.Sleeping Bag- Outer Limits MicroSmart 270
3.Pack- OZtrail Sirocco 50L
4.Mat- Kathmandu Self Inflating Mat- Full Length

Great thread by the way.

Explorer_Sam

[anotherwalker]

1. Shelter: Darche Hybrid 1 person Ultralight Hiking Tent Shelter 1.25 kg as I can use it with my hiking poles.

2. Sleeping Bag: Recon 0'C from SoldierShop includes mosquito netting in the head space, its Synthetic (900 grams, I don't bother with the stuff sack).

3. Pack: Aarn Back Pack Essential Rapport. I love the front pockets and how you can access your food, drink, maps, camera and first aid kit without ever having to take off your main pack.

4. Pad: I combine a 6 ft Yellow Foam Mat (250g) And a Denali TREK HIKE SHORT MAT (500g). I find as I get older I need a bit more comfort.

[Capt DropBear]

Some recent changes in the line-up are bringing the total weight down:

Tent: TarpTent Scarp 1: 1250g
Pack: Macpac Cascade 75: 3000g
Mat: Exped Synmat 7 UL M: 485g
Bag: MD Kashgar 75 or MD Ultra 500 + Thermolite Reactor: 1100 - 1150g
Total: 5885g

I dearly love my Cascade, but for overnighters (which are the majority of my treks) - it's overkill on the weight. There are a number of options available locally in the 40-45L range that would probably suffice, cutting the weight by ~1.5kg.

Also, a note on Mats. I'm onto my third now, from a 1kg Kathmandu self-inflating 3.8cm, to a MD 780g 3.8cm self-inflator to the Exped SynMat 7cm. I'm really kicking myself that I didn't spend the dollars on the Exped when they first came out, so light, so compact and being a side sleeper, infinitely more comfortable than any foam self-inflator.

[eaglehawk]

Hi, here's my big 4

Tent - Bibler Bombshelter, 4.2kg, but there are 4 of us (longing for a nallo4)
Pack - One Planet Elvis, 2.5kg
Bag - Mt Designs something or other, 1kg, but not nearly warm enough for Tassie, anyone got a bag to sell me??
Mat - Exped Synmat UL, my only lightweight bit of gear and also the only thing bought new!

And because there isn't much info on kids gear I thought I'd do the 1st kids big 4

Tent - yeah we let them sleep in the bombshelter with us, pity they can't help carry it!
Packs - cheap little Aldi toy packs that are just the right size and the straps stay on little shoulders. Will get better packs as they start to carry weight.
Bags - Mountain Hardwear Mountain Goat adjustable, synthetic, weigh around 1kg but good to minus 4. Can see these bags lasting a long time.
Mats - Pacific Outdoor Equipment kids mat, ok but they will outgrow them very soon and we will move to short adult mats. Probably should have done that from the start.

Some of you guys seem to upgrade rather frequently, hope it's not too contagious...
Eaglehawk

[Mountain Rocket]

Newest Big Four:
Pack - Hyperlite Mountain Gear (HMG) Porter. ~700g
Tent - Tarptent Scarp 1. ~1.4kg
Bag - One Planet custom Cocoon -5. ~700g
Pad - Thermarest NeoAir Xtherm. ~400g
TOTAL = ~3.2kg

The tent is the only place I could practically save weight, but even then I don't think I want to for Tassie.
I am really looking forward to getting out and about amongst it in the upcoming months.

[gayet]

Tent : TN Laser Comp 1 with Tyvek groundcover
Bag : Montbell Super Spiral Downhugger #0 or old Kathmandu down Navigator(?)
Pack : OP WBA 60l
Mat : Neoair Reg, looking at Exped Downmat UL 7.

[Empacitator]

Newest Big Four:
Pack - Hyperlite Mountain Gear (HMG) Porter. ~700g
Tent - Tarptent Scarp 1. ~1.4kg
Bag - One Planet custom Cocoon -5. ~700g
Pad - Thermarest NeoAir Xtherm. ~400g
TOTAL = ~3.2kg

The tent is the only place I could practically save weight, but even then I don't think I want to for Tassie.
I am really looking forward to getting out and about amongst it in the upcoming months.

Hey Robert, how do you find the Porter? It's on my shortlist with the 2012 GG Gorilla...

[Mountain Rocket]

Hey Robert, how do you find the Porter?

To be honest I have not yet received it. It is a bit of an experiment for me (first lightweight 'frameless' pack as well as my first experience with cuben fibre), but the 15% off coupon they had last month made the decision easier. I will report back when I receive it

[John Sheridan]

1. Shelter: Gatewood Cape, 6 Moon Designs + Serenity Net tent+Pegs+Cordage+Tyvek Ground Sheet.

2. Sleeping Bag: Western Mountaineering HighLite.

3. Osprey Exos 46, Large.

4. Pad: Neo Air X-Lite Regular.

Total Weight= 3.3 Kg.

I think that's nice and light, can be used as a four season kit as long as it don't snow


Cheers.

[ULWalkingPhil]

Shelter: Warbonnet Blackbird Hammock, Warbonnet Superfly Tarp. Ropes and pegs.
1.6 kg


Sleeping: Warbonnet 3-season Yeti Underquilt
Hammock Gear -5 Burrow Top Quilt
1 kg


Pack: Gossamer Gear Mariposa 2012 backpack
765 grams

Total: 3.36 kg

[Jeff78]

Shelter: Sea to Summit Specialist Solo Extremely Lightweight Tent incl. pegs only, walking sticks as poles (500g)
Pack: Osprey Hornet 46 (700g)
Bag: Sea to Summit McIII (650g)
Pad: Neo Air (540g)

Total: 2.4kg

[bushwalker zane]

Shelter: Sea to Summit Specialist Solo Extremely Lightweight Tent incl. pegs only, walking sticks as poles (500g)

How does this thing go out and about? I have seen it in the shops and thought it looks like a piece of paper keeping you between wet and dry. I have yet to meet anyone that owns one, so I was wondering if you could shed light on how well it performs?

[DB24]

Warmer weather:
Shelter: Tarptent Sublite (525g)
Pack: Osprey Atmos 50 (1580g)
Bag: Enlightened Equipment 4C Quilt (570g)
Pad: Exped Synmat UL7 (465g)
3.14kg

For colder weather sub in:
Tarptent Scarp (1400g)
Marmot Helium (1070g)
Totals to 4.52kg

Pretty happy with everything, might look at a lighter pack someday

[RSD]

For Tassie

Shelter: Black Diamond Squall (Black Diamond Stormtrack if going solo)
Pack: Deuter Air Contact 75 + 10
Bag: Marmot Lithium in winter, Marmot Helium for rest of the year
Pad: Thermarest NeoAir All Season

Don't think I will win the lightest gear arms race.

[Onestepmore]

This has been a great thread to read, and i've spent some happy late night hours sitting here with a nice red, fire going, researcing some of the gear you knowlegeable people have mentioned - many thanks!

I'm a novice overnight backpacker, and have a way to go it seems

Mat: Standard Kathmandu compact 595g
Bag: Kathmandu Altai 50L 1350g
Tent: Alps Zephyr II (2 person with fly) 2200g
Sleeping bag: unknown 25 year old down 1800g This seems to be the killer - was bought from Paddy Pallin when I was a uni student - i think I ate rice and tomato sauce for a month to buy it!

Total: 5.945kg

Mind you, hubby carries the tent so brings me down to 3.74kg - seems I could easy reduce this by 1100g or so with a sleeping bag upgrade!
We're going down into the Nattai again to walk the beginning of Starlight's Trail to camp overnight at Macarthur's Flat this weekend, so we'll see how efficiently we can get the two kids packed as well, and split the 2nd tent between us.

[QldHike]

Hope I'm not too late to add my big 4

Tent: Tarptent Contrail 850g
Pack: ULA ohm 650g
Mat: Thermarest Neo Air Trekker Torso size 450g
Sleeping Bag: Golite Ultra 550g

[paddlpop]

No BPL here !

Exped Sirius extreme
macpac sanctuary 1000 XL bag
Marmot Muir 75l pack
Mont warmlite XL mat

[ULWalkingPhil]

Shelter: Warbonnet Blackbird Hammock, Warbonnet Superfly Tarp. Ropes and pegs.
1.6 kg


Sleeping: Warbonnet 3-season Yeti Underquilt
Hammock Gear -5 Burrow Top Quilt
1 kg


Pack: Gossamer Gear Mariposa 2012 backpack
765 grams

Total: 3.36 kg

Update:
Shelter.... Warbonnet blackbird hammock. Cuben tarp. Ropes and pegs... 1.2kg
Sleep......Warbonnet yeti and hammock gear burrow quilt... 1kg
Pack......Gossamer gear mariposa 2012 pack...765 grams

TOTAL... 2.96 kg

[SPNRCastiel]

This is how I roll

tent - Tarptent Scarp 1
bag - Exped Dreamwalker 250
pack - Osprey Kestriel 68
mat - Exped Synamat UL 7M

[doogs]

With 5,037,431 new threads started on the equipment sub forum asking which this, that etc should I buy, being spring the gear acquisitions have obviously started in earnest! I thought it may be helpful to restart this old thread so people can peruse what others are using at the moment. My gear has pretty much changed since I last posted on this thread so here are my outdoor fashion accessories for this summer:

Mountain Designs Dedos 525 sleeping bag 1.1kg
Exped Synmat 0.45kg
Lightwave T10 Ultra XT tent 1.9kg
Macpac Glissade Pack 3kg

[stepbystep]

Tent - Scarp1 or Mountain Hardwear Light Wedge2
Pack - Mont Flyte 75+10
Bag - Denali 800 loft down(cheap, heavy, but warm)
Pad - Neo Air Regular

Good idea doogs! I've changed my set up a bit also. Perhaps some short notes on the items will help people also.

Tent - Scarp1 (1.5 or 1.9kg depending on setup) or Mountain Hardwear Light Wedge2 (2.4kg)
Pack - One Planet Mungo(2.5kg) or Macpac Cascade(3.6kg)
Bag - Rab Neutrino Endurance 400 = 900gms
Pad - Exped Synmat 7 UL = 450gms

I really like the look of Doogs' tent, will be very interested how it holds up after a year or so. I still like the Scarp but are coming around to the idea of a well designed tunnel tent. My Mountain Hardwear tent I wouldn't recommend given the choices available.

Their are well discussed issues with the Mungo in rugged conditions so I use the Cascade for those trips. I'm not 100% happy with the Cascade either. The Mungo is a fantastic pack for track walking.

My sleep system is near perfect now. I'm really happy with the Rab bag and the Synmat is far more comfortable than the neoair, which is still a great pad.

[photohiker]

Tent Version:
-TENT Tarptent Notch 840g
-PACK Gossammer Gear Mariposa Plus 680g
-BAG ZPacks LW 30F overfill 440g
-MAT Neo-air regular 410g
Total 2.37Kg

Hammock Version:
-HAMMOCK JRB BMB UL Hammock 900g
-TARP Zpacks Cuben 300g
-PACK Gossammer Gear Mariposa Plus 680g
-BAG ZPacks LW 30F overfill 440g
-UQ Leighlo's 380g
Total 2.7 Kg

Depending on trip and season, I may dip into my supply of alternatives, my trusty Scarp1, WM Ultralite, and/or my Aarn or Exos pack. Of course, these weights pale in comparison to the photo gear, but the whole catastrophe is at least getting lighter...