SILNYLON TARP!

[overrocked]

oK i FINALLY bought some lightweight gear. Having had episodes of foot and ankle problems, this was absolutely necessary. So... instead of going without tent, or with heavy tent, i have purchesed a Tacoma tarp.Does anyone else do the silnylon thing and go light? It's only 9.5 oz!!! ? I can't wait to try it out. I know I'll have to baby it against those prickly things, but I baby my old pup tent too. The weather is so perfect, I want to go on a 5 day hike, somewhere, anywhere....Thinking of going to the Rim, as I haven't done any hiking there, even though i pass by whenever we go to our cabin. Also got a wind jacket with hood. 3.5 oz. Will let y'all know how it works. I am getting so much better at going lighter, my overnight pack is down to 16 lbs now!
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Your life is dyed the color of your imagination

[maryphyl]

Goin' light is like gettin' religion -- the more you do it the better you like it. I have been working the weight down on my pack for a long time now.

I use my silnylon poncho when I am hiking alone and a tarp when there are two of us.

Now, buy yourself a scale. It does not have to be fancy--a kitchen scale will do. Weigh absolutely everything you own that ever goes in your pack and of course the pack too. If some things will not fit on the scale go down to your local post office of an evening when it is slow and use the scale there. I have weights written inside of all of my clothing and on my sleeping pad etc. I weigh my food.

Get rid of anything you keep on taking and never use and only take what you can use in the length of time you will be out. I use tiny zip bags for everything from toothpaste to bug goo.

The next two things will be your pack and your bag. Do your homework before purchasing these--you will have to live with your decisions for a long time. My pack is a discontinued one but it weighs 18 ounces--26 with the stays in. I have two sleeping bags. My WM highlight weighs one pound and is good late spring through early fall. My other one is a WM ultralight. It is rated to 25 degrees which is plenty for Arizona and it weighs one pound 12 ounces. The highlight can ne used as a liner inside of the ultralight for really cold weather.

I love hiking out of my canyon with perhaps 8 or 10 pounds left on my back. I also like talking and thinking about ways to find lightweight solutions. I am always open to suggestion.
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Shikekeh hozhoogo naasha.
I walk in beauty.