Check out Good to Go meals. They have the best dehydrated meals. I use an MSR pocket rocket butane stove with a Sea to Summit collapsible kettle to boil the water. I could almost guarantee that set up will have a lower weight for a weeks work if food than one MRE.
https://goodto-go.com/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwwr6wBhBcEiwAfMEQs_OqaGztTu0FBdatj_1LyAJ3yCxcbAbVtgLadR_U2M5JdUWNfQ-eNxoCBlUQAvD_BwE
Whats your water plan? I don't see a water filtration system. Check out the Playpus gravity works system. I like it because it's lighter than a pump and can filter water passively, saving what energy you have left to make camp and get comfortable for the my night.
https://www.platy.com/filtration
I didn't see a sleeping pad. The pad is what keeps you warm as comfortable. While it's a matter of orefi, I like a big thick pad. I use a Big Agnes 3 season. Most comfortable nights on the trail since that upgrade.
Backpacking is a skill set learned over time. Each trip you will learn something new to dial your kit in. I have been backpacking for 30 years and I'm still learning, improving, and making the kit lighter and more comfortable. I'm at a point where comfort and weight are trade-off decisions and I'm starting to choose comfort and just get stronger to carry the weight. I now bring a folding camp chair. It weighs 2 lbs, but has made the time at camp way more enjoyable. To me, it's worth all that weight to not have to sit uncomfortably after a long day on the trail. But that's my priority, yours may be different and that ok.
This is my goto for any multi-day hike. Easy to carry and so good after a long day. Especially if it’s cold out or sitting around a fire. Basically make an herbal mint tea, add whiskey and then add the desired amount of apple cider sugar packet.
As long as my body can, I bring everything while backpacking. I like a luxurious experience. Some delicious hot dogs on a mountain peak and some freshly made coffee are the best. At the same time, I can hike for 12 hours with a water bottle, a handful of sour candy and a banana
That's valid honestly, Im sure I'll have tons of stuff to cut from the pack after this trip.
I knew I'd be able to take 26lbs 6 miles so I wasn't too worried about being overweight, but I'll definitely see if I can get sub 20 for the next trip using my osprey synchro
OP I would highly recommend unwrapping all the MRE’s in the future and either stashing it all in one lightweight bear proof container or use a big ziplock bag and hang your pack at night. Those MRE’s are already bulky by themselves and the outer packaging adds up. Don’t get me wrong, I love MRE’s especially for short trips like the one you’re taking, but their weight sometimes just isn’t worth it. You could easily pack some oats, grains, etc.. with a little cooking kit and it would probably weigh less than one MRE. Except you could carry like 4-5k calories worth of oats.
Edit: Forgot to mention also unwrap and discard whatever packaging reasonably possible that’s within the MRE to shed even more weight.
Hah mine too! Well, similar at least. Yeah, my ideas about what goes into a backpacking kit changed very quickly after one trip. Lots of things returned (thankfully) and I basically started over.
1000%
And then after even more experience those weight savings are used to justify a single luxury item (flask of whiskey, small instrument, lightweight chair)
Really depends, tbh. I stopped carrying a real compass years ago and mostly these days leave the maps at home in favor of Guthook (fuck you, FarOut!).
I still prefer a paper map for initial route planning and learning the terrain.
The big exception are Antigravity Gear’s pocket elevation profile guides. Those are handy quick reference pieces. I just wish they covered more trails.
Also depending on how old the mres are think of a backup plan in case the heaters don't work well. They are definitely edible without but heating them makes them 10 times better
So much truth to this. I get my MREs from an army surplus store, and maybe 20% of the heaters work in them lately. I've had to buy heaters separately to make sure my food is hot.
Trip is tomorrow - just go for it!
If you want even more specific advice - make a list of all the gear you have packed (add weights for extra points). Looking at the pictures alone it's hard to guess what's what.
What weather do you expect? How cold? Rain?
Quick assessment:
You could swap out the Nalgene for a lighter weight bottle. SmartWater bottles are popular because they work with the Sawyer filter - which it looks like you have. How do you plan to get clean water into your water bladder?
Do you have multiple flashlights? Could only 1 work?
You have multiple knives - do you need that many?
Is that yellow thing a pair of binoculars? Could you skip that?
Matches? Replace with a bic lighter.
I see the poop shovel - do you have TP? A bag to pack out used TP if required?
MRE's are not optimal for recreational wilderness backpacking. The 'ready to eat' part means they come with water inside. The best backpacking meals are dehydrated (dry). Water is heavy and it's better to get it on-site than to carry it inside your food on your back. They also have a bunch of trash you need to pack out. Lots of better options out there.
Is that a glass jar of instant coffee? Starbucks VIA would be better - but I realize coffee is really personal. Maybe you could re-package a bit for the 2 mornings.
Hard to tell what sleeping bag, sleeping pad, and tent/shelter you have packed. These are the biggest items in terms of cost / bulk / weight / comfort.
Is your sleeping bag / pad brand new? Have you set them up ever?
How do you plan to protect your food from animals/critters/insects at night? Sleep with it? Hang it? bear canister/box of some kind?
Guessing that pouch on the left is a first aid kit. It looks big - could you make it smaller?
Sleeping bag is a Kelty 32F, green bag in main is a Kammok mantis sleep system with bug net and tarp. I have extensive experience setting them up for car camping.
The coffee is now in a plastic baggie, it's coffee for me and my GF but you're right that I don't need that extra weight. Thanks for pointing it out!
Not pictured as it was zipped in the middle pouch is a bladder for the sawyer water filter I have, which is how we plan to get water into the bladder.
We also have inline sawyer filters as well.
I have a flashlight and a head lamp in the outer pouch, with a spare battery for the brighter light. Idea being I can use the brighter handheld light as a lantern by diffusing it with an empty water bottle from my GF's pack.
The rest of the toiletry is in her pack as well, including pack out bags for wet wipes
The multitool is more because I don't go anywhere without it in case I need to make a fix to my gear, but I can't use it for batoning firewood as it's not full tang hence the red knife
I really appreciate the time you took to write this, and I've definitely got a list ready to track how much I use each item!
Neat!
Do you also have a sleeping pad or underquilt? If the overnight temps are below 60F - you'll want some insulation under you in the hammock for warmth.
I do not at the moment, was looking to get one for the next trip. Currently planning on sleeping in some long pants, wool socks, thermal underwear, R1 fleece, a nano puff, the 32f sleeping bag, and a dog.
It's supposed to get down to about 45 so we will see how comfy it actually is, might need to spring for an underquilt for the next trip depending on how this goes.
FYI, sleeping in too many clothes can make your bag not work as well. Found this out the hard way one night when I wore both long underwear and pants and just about froze in a bag that should have been perfectly adequate for the temp. But I see you’ve got a dog warmer, so probably no worries:).
I slept in my camping hammock for the first time last year. It was 60f that night and I was still cold. Every portion of your body that holds your weight against the hammock will compress whatever insulation you have and get cold, particularly your butt and shoulder. It's not that bad, but I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't get warm enough to fall back to sleep
OP, definitely make a list of everything you’re bringing. When you get back, go through the list and check off all the things you actually used. You can use that list to better inform your packing for next time, so you can lose some of the carried weight.
Yooo that’s wack. You just be a thruhiker because Nalgene are a must for alpinism. You can’t put boiling water in a smart water bottle for overnight and the mouthpiece on bottles freezes up nearly instantly.
Personally I always keep 2 extra pairs of socks. Wet feet are a bad time, and can lead to wrecked feet and not being able to walk properly for days, if not longer.
Forgot to mention, total pack weight is 26lbs and I weigh 210. Hike is only 6 miles to the campsite.
Edit: The main pouch has a Kammok mantis hammock camping setup and the 3 packs are MREs.
The compression sack is a kelty 32f sleeping bag
I'm kinda baffled at everyone saying 26lbs is "a bit high" for a six-mile overnighter, sounds almost featherweight to me. My backcountry day-hike kit comes in a little over 20 when tanked, and I'm doing good if I can get my 10+ mile overnight bag under 40lbs lol. (TBF that usually includes some camera supplies and/or light canyoneering equipment, and I always over-pack a bit on food.)
> I'm doing good if I can get my 10+ mile overnight bag under 40lbs lol.
I did a 50 mile, 3 day hike and my pack was 32 pounds including water (only 1.2 litre, plentiful sources), food, fuel, stove, some changes of clothes (socks/underwear, which the OP pack doesn't seem to have), water filter, backup battery. I am not some ultralight purist, but I am aware of what I find is needed and what isn't. OPs pack is heavy (i have the same one, for urban/day use), MREs might be heavy i dont know, and the "gear" seems far over the top to me. It appears to be missing some stuff i listed that i would consider necessary.
All that said, everyone should hike their own hike, decide for themself what is necessary!
Yeah, my pack for wilderness is usually about 40lbs with food and water. I generally cover ten miles a day.
If anything I’m blown away that ops pack only weighs 26lbs with all that random stuff in it.
It's 29lbs with a full bladder, although I only have it halfway because I plan on filtering lake water once we arrive at the site.
It really is a lot lighter than it looks despite the lack of ultralight neon fabric, the ballistic nylon doesn't add more than a pound vs a thinner pack.
Thanks for the advice, it's definitely a bit heavy for what I get out of it but its a lot cheaper than figuring out a new meal system and spending money on a mess kit, and a new backpack.
I dunno, man, I’m retiring one of the oldest pieces of camping gear I still use; my GSI Stainless Steel Bottle Cup.
For like $13 purchased way back in 2007 it’s pretty fucking cheap amortized out.
Even my OG Hallulite Minimalist set and LiteMax stove, which not cheap on the front end, have become relatively cheap over the 15 years I’ve used them.
Hell of a lot cheaper than MREs and heaters would be
Yeah, I had a budget pocket-rocket setup using a stanley mess kit steel pot, a fuel bottle, and an amazon burner. Unfortunately, I found that my parents donated it while I was at university, and had to scramble to get stuff together for this trip. Hence the MREs lol
My parents were downsizing after my sister and I left the nest, presumably they were overwhelmed with all the stuff and didn't realize some of it was mine.
How is this heavy? Genuinely. He has heavy gear and it's under 30 pounds. Personally I'm impressed. And he even has a lot of extra stuff, which he will learn to leave at home.
That is very light, IMO. I'm 135lbs and I always train with 45-50lbs packs and never get under 40 for alpine trips. If you're in good shape you'll be fine
Yep...agree....all that strapped gear is going to move....may not seem alot to start with but will become very annoying over time....also....smaller packs aren't built to support too much extra weight strapped to it....larger packs have the weight capable support system for your back and shoulders, a more reinforced hip belt and straps that can compress your load to make it not move while walking
OP, we are cracking jokes because we all carried too much on our first trip.
I think you are doing great and will have a successful trip. Some people don’t mind carrying extra for the added convenience. Others go very light and take bigger risks/are less comfortable. There is no one right way to go.
looks like you're taking a sleeping bag and a hammock
do you have a tarp to protect you from rain? (and rain jacket/poncho, for that matter)
how cold do you expect it to be? I would think right now you will need insulation under (the sleeping bag will be flat between you and the hammock and provide nothing)
I've got a kammok mantis system which has a bug net and rain tarp with stakes.
I don't have an underquilt yet because they're pretty pricey, but I do have a bunch of insulated clothing and thermals I plan on wearing in the bag. Plus my dog will help keep me warm lol.
unpack enter ancient dull fuzzy complete lavish nutty mountainous rainstorm
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
You might want to consider a head lamp over the flashlight. Hands free and depending on which one you have, could be lighter. Either way, it's far more functional.
Bruh pls do yourself a favor and leave the binoculars at home. This isn’t 16th century uncharted territory, you can do the research online about what to expect. And the whole-ass flashlight we must discuss. Thing looks heavy, you gonna be 1-handedly waving it around while setting up your tent/dinner? Get a lightweight headlamp. Industrial Pliers?? My man what are plying - are you expecting to build a shelter from branches??
I can forgive the entire jar of peanut butter, but you won’t catch me hauling that tub around. And bruhh, what is this military-fanboy esque backpack? Bruv wants the US army to invade space.
Aight bucko, consider yourself roasted!!
I used to have a homemade kit mess kit with a cheap burner from Amazon, a fuel container, and one of those Stanley mess kits that fits it all perfectly
Unfortunately, my parents threw it away when I was at university, and given that this trip was on shorter notice I didn't have the time or money to set it up again
I'll definitely be bringing some dry foods for rehydration next time with my mess kit back in the game
If you’re willing to cook food in a bag (either Mylar bagged dehydrated meals) or zip lock freezer bags, then a cook kit as basic as a BRS 3000T stove, an IMUSA .7 quart aluminum cup, tinfoil lid, and a plastic spoon could cost you as little as $24. That would work fine for that sort of meal prep if you’re on a tighter budget.
If you had a extra $17, Kuvik pots (available on Amazon) could be worth looking at. They are slightly heavier but also a bit cheaper than Toaks pots.
Thanks for the Kuvik recommendation! I've been looking for a cheap titanium pot instead of that heavy Stanley one I had before
I actually had a BRS-3000T in the kit my parents threw out, had long since forgotten the name though
Thanks for saving my ass from spending far more than I needed to! I'll definitely order those for next trip!
Cheap and titanium really aren't super compatible. That said, I committed to a few expensive but light items. bought the MSR titanium pot. Titanium spork.
That'll work with the BRS stove mentioned above. The heaviest thing is the fuel canister. Everything but the spork fits in the pot.
Make damn well sure your Sawyer water filter is flowing before you go. They're known to not work after storage, often takes a day or two of soaking, preferably in distilled water to get it flowing again.
I've learned the hard way.
Kind of figured it would go that way, people seem to hate on most stuff that they perceive as tactical I guess
At the end of the day it's still sub 30 with water and the hike out is less than 5 miles, it's not going to kill me lol
OP what MRE did you pack? Not sure they’re readily available but when I was in the army we had a “first strike” ration that was 3 meals worth of might be worth looking into for your next adventure.
Yeah MREs are designed to be shelf-stable forever and dropped from planes or floated in the ocean, and provide military folks with the fuel they need to keep on going. Not to taste good.
There’s definitely better and more fun options for trail food.
Absolutely. It's not the flex you think it is to bring MRE to anything you don't have to.
Mre are designed to make you not poop for days. They are so dry and low in fiber you need to carry extra water to use them and stay hydrated.
Mre uses about 16oz water minimum i see 3 so your expecting 48oz (1.42 litr)
And this doesn't include electrolytes pudding and other additional water uses, just the heater.
Hiking rule 1 gal (3.9litr) per day hydration 2 days (7.8litr)
More cause mre dehydrate you severely
More for sanitation if desired (let's round 3.9 to 4 and 1.42 to 1.45 to make even numbers)
Expect to need
9.45 litrs of water wich is about 2.5 galons of water. At 8.5lbs each 2.5 galons would be an extra 21lbs of just water.
Oh those MREs are gonna be interesting. They don’t do well with my stomach, but who knows. They make dehydrated meals in bags you just add boiling water to when you’re ready to eat.
I like rolling my own dry meals if I’m backpacking. If I’m out for 2-4 days, I don’t need the super-shelf-stability of an MRE or something similar. Lots of trash with an MRE, too.
Knife goes on your belt. You never know what happens to your back pack and suddenly you're lost without any gear. If you keep it on your person, you'll at least have a knife.
Survival rope/paracord?
Paracord is useful for many things. The survival rope is a composite rope (sometimes a wrist bangle). It contains a strand of wire, fishing gut, a waxed string that stays waterproof and can be used for fires.
A tarp can also come in handy. Space blanket too.
I actually do have some 550 cord I can throw in there, and the hammock sleep system comes with a tarp. Not a bad idea to bring some because of that lol, never know what you might need to tie.
More food, water filter if you don’t have a source of clean water. I would also put the knife on the inside of the pack since Moras are only held in the scabbard by light friction.
Excited for you!
Good stuff having a first aid kit and a knife. Did you pack a portable filter?
Not sure if I saw a sleeping pad, but would recommend one just in case ground is cold at night.
Stuff some toilet paper and hand sani in a ziplock to have it ready.
Also would recommend having a small gas stove, like a pocket rocket, and a small gas canister. Never know how the weather is gonna be.
Oh, and also bring an extra meal.
Have fun!
Hanklight 👍 👍
Get a protective case for that battery though.
Don't hang your water from the plastic cap connection, use the bag's intended through-holes.
Mora- good for feather sticks, not batoning.
Like others have said, take note of what you don't need and lighten up your pack.
When I was in the marines we would field strip our MREs when going out on long range, multi day patrols in Afghan. Throw away all the cardboard and extra bull shit, take just food parts in each meal (heater if you really want it) and wrap the packages with electrical tape. You’d be surprised how much weight that’ll cut.
Depends where you’re going. When I went traveling across Western Europe, I packed as light as possible, with mostly just clothes, because I knew I had several places I would not be able to drop my stuff and pick it up later, had to be able to carry everything with me the whole way, although I spent most of my time in town, so I ate in a lot of restaurants and cafes and my portable food needs were minimal.
Backpacking in northern Arizona was totally different. I had to take a small tent, a sleeping bag, a stove, a lot more food and less clothing, and I brought a water filtration system in case I ended up spending more time than planned in the wilderness. You don’t want to be outside long without water. Depending where you’re going, bear spray might also be a necessity.
Also, if traveling outside the US, I’d probably ditch the flag patch. The unfortunate reality is that to many people in many parts of the world that looks like a target for all kinds of fuckery.
If your really set on using mre's then pop em open and repackage as much as possible, toss what you know you won't eat. The more garbage you carry in the more garbage you got to carry out.
Trash bags. A hang bag for food at night. I would put all electronics or moisture sensitive components in zip locs or water tight container as well as sleeping gear (dedicated socks, base layer, etc.) I never trust pack covers. Enjoy!
A short trip like yours will be safe and endurable enough, unless the weather says otherwise. Check and prepare.
FYI - there is a lot of space and weight to MRE's. GI's strip them down before going out to the field. Thru hikers tend to use dedicated food bags. Keep these in mind when you do "lessons learned", they might be useful notions.
For 2 days youd probably be fine with a warm layer and water. So I wouldn't sweat it too much, especially for 6 miles. At worst you can just walk back out.
Seeing we took <6 kg base weight, and max 10 kg with food+drink for 5 days without supermarkets on the way on our 8 week trip through the Pyrenees I suggest: skip all you don't really need, otherwise carrying that thing will be a bloody pain.
I'd field strip the MREs for both weight and space. We never went to the field with them like that unless they were issued in the field. You can reduce the volume by half if you get rid of all the extraneous packaging on the inside. I would also triage what you have with each meal to make sure it's stuff you want to eat. Some of the snacks used to suck, but it's been a minute since I ate one.
This is about how I packed on my first multi night trip and I hated myself for it about 3 hours in. So heavy. You don't need a camel back. They just get warm and are a pain in the ass to refill/put in your bag. Use a large Smart water bottle. They slide in your bag no problem.
absolutely not.
but you'll learn. learning by doing is the best way to learn when you're new to backpacking.
please offer my condolences to your back and shoulders.
We have no idea what's in that bag or those pouches.
[LighterPack](https://lighterpack.com/) is a great tool for tracking/weighing your gear. It's much easier for others to read a list than look at a few photos and try to guess what's in the various stuff sacks.
You have shelter and food so you probably won't die.
If you want a generic list of essential gear there are many:
https://www.backpacker.com/gear/the-ultimate-backpacking-checklist/
https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/backpacking-checklist.html
https://www.switchbacktravel.com/backpacking-checklist
Are you also wearing combat boots? I get the idea to use what you have, but all that tacti-cool molle stuff is heavy and unnecessary. We get it, you're a patriot.
As one gets experience the question often changes from "what am I missing" to "what can I get by without" to get faster and lighter
OP should make a post after his trip and show what he never took out of his bag
I'll do that on Sunday
In the military, we strip down MREs. There is a lot of extra junk in there that you won't use.
GF and I just did that after a few more people recommended it, freed up a lot of room
I couldn't eat 3 MREs in 2 days myself. 1 is a full day of grazing for me and then maybe some hot oatmeal.
You know it's a rough time when you need the TP in your MRE.
Check out Good to Go meals. They have the best dehydrated meals. I use an MSR pocket rocket butane stove with a Sea to Summit collapsible kettle to boil the water. I could almost guarantee that set up will have a lower weight for a weeks work if food than one MRE. https://goodto-go.com/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwwr6wBhBcEiwAfMEQs_OqaGztTu0FBdatj_1LyAJ3yCxcbAbVtgLadR_U2M5JdUWNfQ-eNxoCBlUQAvD_BwE Whats your water plan? I don't see a water filtration system. Check out the Playpus gravity works system. I like it because it's lighter than a pump and can filter water passively, saving what energy you have left to make camp and get comfortable for the my night. https://www.platy.com/filtration I didn't see a sleeping pad. The pad is what keeps you warm as comfortable. While it's a matter of orefi, I like a big thick pad. I use a Big Agnes 3 season. Most comfortable nights on the trail since that upgrade. Backpacking is a skill set learned over time. Each trip you will learn something new to dial your kit in. I have been backpacking for 30 years and I'm still learning, improving, and making the kit lighter and more comfortable. I'm at a point where comfort and weight are trade-off decisions and I'm starting to choose comfort and just get stronger to carry the weight. I now bring a folding camp chair. It weighs 2 lbs, but has made the time at camp way more enjoyable. To me, it's worth all that weight to not have to sit uncomfortably after a long day on the trail. But that's my priority, yours may be different and that ok.
Came here hoping someone had beat me to “rat f***ing” the MREs, that wasted space was bugging me.
I'm here for it
Yep… ounces lead to pounds and pounds lead to pain
And pain leads you to drinking those beer cans you brought, which leads you to bliss.
Edibles are much lighter than beer ;)
Mushrooms are much lighter 🗿
Acid man.
This is the answer to OP's question
Keep the forest clean, hike on uppers.
🤣
My tripping in the woods days seem behind me
Couple beers and some tabs is my favorite way to backpack. No more than 2 beers though. The weight is to much
That’s how legendary hiker “Otter” died https://karlfmoffatt.blogspot.com/2016/12/otter-olshansky-lonely-death-on-new.html
Whiskey, with tea and hot apple cider powder mix.
Is that actually a thing? I am intrigued.
This is my goto for any multi-day hike. Easy to carry and so good after a long day. Especially if it’s cold out or sitting around a fire. Basically make an herbal mint tea, add whiskey and then add the desired amount of apple cider sugar packet.
As long as my body can, I bring everything while backpacking. I like a luxurious experience. Some delicious hot dogs on a mountain peak and some freshly made coffee are the best. At the same time, I can hike for 12 hours with a water bottle, a handful of sour candy and a banana
That's valid honestly, Im sure I'll have tons of stuff to cut from the pack after this trip. I knew I'd be able to take 26lbs 6 miles so I wasn't too worried about being overweight, but I'll definitely see if I can get sub 20 for the next trip using my osprey synchro
OP I would highly recommend unwrapping all the MRE’s in the future and either stashing it all in one lightweight bear proof container or use a big ziplock bag and hang your pack at night. Those MRE’s are already bulky by themselves and the outer packaging adds up. Don’t get me wrong, I love MRE’s especially for short trips like the one you’re taking, but their weight sometimes just isn’t worth it. You could easily pack some oats, grains, etc.. with a little cooking kit and it would probably weigh less than one MRE. Except you could carry like 4-5k calories worth of oats. Edit: Forgot to mention also unwrap and discard whatever packaging reasonably possible that’s within the MRE to shed even more weight.
This. Why carry in packaging you then have to carry out?
Definitely gotta field strip those MREs, but don’t forget to keep the CHARMS!
Does it have a hipbelt? That's a lot of weight to go on your shoulders.
Yep! It's tucked away but it does indeed have a padded hip belt
What is the bag on the front with the binoculars in it?
It's on Amazon under Wynex Molle Admin Panel Also those aren't binoculars, it's a 15000mah submersible battery for my phone since it's my nav
Fa sho
Yeah, OP’s pack looks about what mine did my first time out. A hike or two with that and the mini mansion in a bag mentality will end quickly.
Hah mine too! Well, similar at least. Yeah, my ideas about what goes into a backpacking kit changed very quickly after one trip. Lots of things returned (thankfully) and I basically started over.
Bingo.
It's more like a long picnic. After a few trips out you will be dropping a LOT of the gear you have packed now.
1000% And then after even more experience those weight savings are used to justify a single luxury item (flask of whiskey, small instrument, lightweight chair)
I was here for the, “You’re carrying a lot of stuff,“ comment.
No map?
Really depends, tbh. I stopped carrying a real compass years ago and mostly these days leave the maps at home in favor of Guthook (fuck you, FarOut!). I still prefer a paper map for initial route planning and learning the terrain. The big exception are Antigravity Gear’s pocket elevation profile guides. Those are handy quick reference pieces. I just wish they covered more trails.
I always bring a map as a backup
You will learn man take what you have and have fun.
Maybe a small tin cup to heat water for the coffee/tea in the MREs?
Oh thanks for the reminder, I have a 450ml titanium cup I bought years ago that I completely forgot about!
Also depending on how old the mres are think of a backup plan in case the heaters don't work well. They are definitely edible without but heating them makes them 10 times better
So much truth to this. I get my MREs from an army surplus store, and maybe 20% of the heaters work in them lately. I've had to buy heaters separately to make sure my food is hot.
Eh. It’s fine. It’s only six miles, you’ll learn.
Maybe a third knife in case you lose your first two? What the heck, make it four knives.
OP listen to this advice. You never know when four knives might come in handy.
And one giant axe. Well maybe also throw in a saw.
In all honesty, maybe a small hatchet and belt holster like Rick in the Walking Dead?
And a .44 magnum of course, in case anyone dead or alive comes knocking on your campsite at night. 🤠
An my bow
3 pack of thowing stars
More metal flashlights
Hey, love to see a Hanklight though
My pack is now all knives, my katana, and one frozen burrito. Am I good to go?
Depends. Is the burrito secretly also a knife?
You bastard. How did you know about my backup knife?
I wear four on a glove. worn weight!
And how about a fourth pack of dude wipes too
This guy poops
Four knives, Jeremy? Four? That’s insane!
Literally OP: https://imgflip.com/i/8lndrj
I’m in this comment and I don’t like it
And my axe
Lol the red knife is a cheap full tang for batoning firewood at the campsite, the multi tool is just a multi tool Idk where the third one is though!
Trip is tomorrow - just go for it! If you want even more specific advice - make a list of all the gear you have packed (add weights for extra points). Looking at the pictures alone it's hard to guess what's what. What weather do you expect? How cold? Rain? Quick assessment: You could swap out the Nalgene for a lighter weight bottle. SmartWater bottles are popular because they work with the Sawyer filter - which it looks like you have. How do you plan to get clean water into your water bladder? Do you have multiple flashlights? Could only 1 work? You have multiple knives - do you need that many? Is that yellow thing a pair of binoculars? Could you skip that? Matches? Replace with a bic lighter. I see the poop shovel - do you have TP? A bag to pack out used TP if required? MRE's are not optimal for recreational wilderness backpacking. The 'ready to eat' part means they come with water inside. The best backpacking meals are dehydrated (dry). Water is heavy and it's better to get it on-site than to carry it inside your food on your back. They also have a bunch of trash you need to pack out. Lots of better options out there. Is that a glass jar of instant coffee? Starbucks VIA would be better - but I realize coffee is really personal. Maybe you could re-package a bit for the 2 mornings. Hard to tell what sleeping bag, sleeping pad, and tent/shelter you have packed. These are the biggest items in terms of cost / bulk / weight / comfort. Is your sleeping bag / pad brand new? Have you set them up ever? How do you plan to protect your food from animals/critters/insects at night? Sleep with it? Hang it? bear canister/box of some kind? Guessing that pouch on the left is a first aid kit. It looks big - could you make it smaller?
Sleeping bag is a Kelty 32F, green bag in main is a Kammok mantis sleep system with bug net and tarp. I have extensive experience setting them up for car camping. The coffee is now in a plastic baggie, it's coffee for me and my GF but you're right that I don't need that extra weight. Thanks for pointing it out! Not pictured as it was zipped in the middle pouch is a bladder for the sawyer water filter I have, which is how we plan to get water into the bladder. We also have inline sawyer filters as well. I have a flashlight and a head lamp in the outer pouch, with a spare battery for the brighter light. Idea being I can use the brighter handheld light as a lantern by diffusing it with an empty water bottle from my GF's pack. The rest of the toiletry is in her pack as well, including pack out bags for wet wipes The multitool is more because I don't go anywhere without it in case I need to make a fix to my gear, but I can't use it for batoning firewood as it's not full tang hence the red knife I really appreciate the time you took to write this, and I've definitely got a list ready to track how much I use each item!
Neat! Do you also have a sleeping pad or underquilt? If the overnight temps are below 60F - you'll want some insulation under you in the hammock for warmth.
I do not at the moment, was looking to get one for the next trip. Currently planning on sleeping in some long pants, wool socks, thermal underwear, R1 fleece, a nano puff, the 32f sleeping bag, and a dog. It's supposed to get down to about 45 so we will see how comfy it actually is, might need to spring for an underquilt for the next trip depending on how this goes.
45 will be chilly with no underquilt. It's worth trading out a pair of binoculars/ multi-tool
FYI, sleeping in too many clothes can make your bag not work as well. Found this out the hard way one night when I wore both long underwear and pants and just about froze in a bag that should have been perfectly adequate for the temp. But I see you’ve got a dog warmer, so probably no worries:).
I slept in my camping hammock for the first time last year. It was 60f that night and I was still cold. Every portion of your body that holds your weight against the hammock will compress whatever insulation you have and get cold, particularly your butt and shoulder. It's not that bad, but I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't get warm enough to fall back to sleep
Use the hide of the grizzly you easily clubbed to death with that big ass first aid kit to provide some additional warmth. Or Bring an underquilt.
OP, definitely make a list of everything you’re bringing. When you get back, go through the list and check off all the things you actually used. You can use that list to better inform your packing for next time, so you can lose some of the carried weight.
Serious question: what is a poop shovel? Anecdotal question: is it like the three seashells?
Heh. A small shovel to dig a hole so you can poop in it. Burying poop is the recommended practice in many wilderness area.
Yooo that’s wack. You just be a thruhiker because Nalgene are a must for alpinism. You can’t put boiling water in a smart water bottle for overnight and the mouthpiece on bottles freezes up nearly instantly.
OP is camping where their low temp is 45 degrees, not sure they're worried about freezing alpine conditions.
Definently an extra pair of socks. One to wear, one to keep/let dry. Dry feet are top priority.
Personally I always keep 2 extra pairs of socks. Wet feet are a bad time, and can lead to wrecked feet and not being able to walk properly for days, if not longer.
Gotta field strip/rat fuck those MREs.
OP, listen to this guy. Find a YT video on this and save yourself a bunch of weight and space in your pack.
You have TP in there ?
My first thought was “this dude plays Tarkov.” Saw your post history and yep.
Forgot to mention, total pack weight is 26lbs and I weigh 210. Hike is only 6 miles to the campsite. Edit: The main pouch has a Kammok mantis hammock camping setup and the 3 packs are MREs. The compression sack is a kelty 32f sleeping bag
I'm kinda baffled at everyone saying 26lbs is "a bit high" for a six-mile overnighter, sounds almost featherweight to me. My backcountry day-hike kit comes in a little over 20 when tanked, and I'm doing good if I can get my 10+ mile overnight bag under 40lbs lol. (TBF that usually includes some camera supplies and/or light canyoneering equipment, and I always over-pack a bit on food.)
> I'm doing good if I can get my 10+ mile overnight bag under 40lbs lol. I did a 50 mile, 3 day hike and my pack was 32 pounds including water (only 1.2 litre, plentiful sources), food, fuel, stove, some changes of clothes (socks/underwear, which the OP pack doesn't seem to have), water filter, backup battery. I am not some ultralight purist, but I am aware of what I find is needed and what isn't. OPs pack is heavy (i have the same one, for urban/day use), MREs might be heavy i dont know, and the "gear" seems far over the top to me. It appears to be missing some stuff i listed that i would consider necessary. All that said, everyone should hike their own hike, decide for themself what is necessary!
Yeah, my pack for wilderness is usually about 40lbs with food and water. I generally cover ten miles a day. If anything I’m blown away that ops pack only weighs 26lbs with all that random stuff in it.
Right? It \*looks\* so heavy.
I assume that 26 lb is without water. Add say 6 lb or so for 3 liters of water.
It's 29lbs with a full bladder, although I only have it halfway because I plan on filtering lake water once we arrive at the site. It really is a lot lighter than it looks despite the lack of ultralight neon fabric, the ballistic nylon doesn't add more than a pound vs a thinner pack.
a little heavy for farther distances or serious elevation, but good enough for your use
Thanks for the advice, it's definitely a bit heavy for what I get out of it but its a lot cheaper than figuring out a new meal system and spending money on a mess kit, and a new backpack.
I dunno, man, I’m retiring one of the oldest pieces of camping gear I still use; my GSI Stainless Steel Bottle Cup. For like $13 purchased way back in 2007 it’s pretty fucking cheap amortized out. Even my OG Hallulite Minimalist set and LiteMax stove, which not cheap on the front end, have become relatively cheap over the 15 years I’ve used them. Hell of a lot cheaper than MREs and heaters would be
The word "amortised" should appear more often in hiking posts.
Clearly the wounds inflicted upon me by my first career run deep.
Yeah, I had a budget pocket-rocket setup using a stanley mess kit steel pot, a fuel bottle, and an amazon burner. Unfortunately, I found that my parents donated it while I was at university, and had to scramble to get stuff together for this trip. Hence the MREs lol
My parents are the opposite. I know for a fact they have the old M1942 army surplus mess tin I used as a Scout in their basement still. 😂🤣
My parents were downsizing after my sister and I left the nest, presumably they were overwhelmed with all the stuff and didn't realize some of it was mine.
How is this heavy? Genuinely. He has heavy gear and it's under 30 pounds. Personally I'm impressed. And he even has a lot of extra stuff, which he will learn to leave at home.
That is very light, IMO. I'm 135lbs and I always train with 45-50lbs packs and never get under 40 for alpine trips. If you're in good shape you'll be fine
You need a big and better pack. Strapping everything onto a little bag makes for a very painful hiking trip.
Yep...agree....all that strapped gear is going to move....may not seem alot to start with but will become very annoying over time....also....smaller packs aren't built to support too much extra weight strapped to it....larger packs have the weight capable support system for your back and shoulders, a more reinforced hip belt and straps that can compress your load to make it not move while walking
Field strip those MREs to save more space
OP, we are cracking jokes because we all carried too much on our first trip. I think you are doing great and will have a successful trip. Some people don’t mind carrying extra for the added convenience. Others go very light and take bigger risks/are less comfortable. There is no one right way to go.
Awesome advice!
Damn brother you really need all that stuff??
No
looks like you're taking a sleeping bag and a hammock do you have a tarp to protect you from rain? (and rain jacket/poncho, for that matter) how cold do you expect it to be? I would think right now you will need insulation under (the sleeping bag will be flat between you and the hammock and provide nothing)
I've got a kammok mantis system which has a bug net and rain tarp with stakes. I don't have an underquilt yet because they're pretty pricey, but I do have a bunch of insulated clothing and thermals I plan on wearing in the bag. Plus my dog will help keep me warm lol.
don't discount how much air moving under your hammock will cool you down you can get fairly cheap underquilts; or use a sleeping pad in the hammock
unpack enter ancient dull fuzzy complete lavish nutty mountainous rainstorm *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Imagine electively eating MREs 🙄
You might want to consider a head lamp over the flashlight. Hands free and depending on which one you have, could be lighter. Either way, it's far more functional.
Bruh pls do yourself a favor and leave the binoculars at home. This isn’t 16th century uncharted territory, you can do the research online about what to expect. And the whole-ass flashlight we must discuss. Thing looks heavy, you gonna be 1-handedly waving it around while setting up your tent/dinner? Get a lightweight headlamp. Industrial Pliers?? My man what are plying - are you expecting to build a shelter from branches?? I can forgive the entire jar of peanut butter, but you won’t catch me hauling that tub around. And bruhh, what is this military-fanboy esque backpack? Bruv wants the US army to invade space. Aight bucko, consider yourself roasted!!
Binoculars are a must for me.. gotta check out all the neat birds I see.
I wish I had binoculars so I could stare at the eclipse 😭
Judging by the MRE’s they might just be in the military and using what they have.
I used to have a homemade kit mess kit with a cheap burner from Amazon, a fuel container, and one of those Stanley mess kits that fits it all perfectly Unfortunately, my parents threw it away when I was at university, and given that this trip was on shorter notice I didn't have the time or money to set it up again I'll definitely be bringing some dry foods for rehydration next time with my mess kit back in the game
If you’re willing to cook food in a bag (either Mylar bagged dehydrated meals) or zip lock freezer bags, then a cook kit as basic as a BRS 3000T stove, an IMUSA .7 quart aluminum cup, tinfoil lid, and a plastic spoon could cost you as little as $24. That would work fine for that sort of meal prep if you’re on a tighter budget. If you had a extra $17, Kuvik pots (available on Amazon) could be worth looking at. They are slightly heavier but also a bit cheaper than Toaks pots.
Thanks for the Kuvik recommendation! I've been looking for a cheap titanium pot instead of that heavy Stanley one I had before I actually had a BRS-3000T in the kit my parents threw out, had long since forgotten the name though Thanks for saving my ass from spending far more than I needed to! I'll definitely order those for next trip!
Cheap and titanium really aren't super compatible. That said, I committed to a few expensive but light items. bought the MSR titanium pot. Titanium spork. That'll work with the BRS stove mentioned above. The heaviest thing is the fuel canister. Everything but the spork fits in the pot.
Make damn well sure your Sawyer water filter is flowing before you go. They're known to not work after storage, often takes a day or two of soaking, preferably in distilled water to get it flowing again. I've learned the hard way.
I've got one as does my GF, we tested with both of them before packing them in The older one needed to soak before loosening up
Put together your packing list. Check off things you use, write things you wish you had. If you didn't use it this time, leave it home next time.
Ditch the full bore multitool and flashlight, take a knife and a headlamp. Extra socks. Rain gear. Sunscreen.
I’ve gotta admit, I love posts like this just for the wild comment that inevitably pop up.
Kind of figured it would go that way, people seem to hate on most stuff that they perceive as tactical I guess At the end of the day it's still sub 30 with water and the hike out is less than 5 miles, it's not going to kill me lol
Find out what you’re missing when you need it most. Be a Man.
OP what MRE did you pack? Not sure they’re readily available but when I was in the army we had a “first strike” ration that was 3 meals worth of might be worth looking into for your next adventure.
A Glock 19…
They make trail food that is better, lighter, smaller, and cheaper than MRE. Do yourself a favor and leave those at home.
Yeah MREs are designed to be shelf-stable forever and dropped from planes or floated in the ocean, and provide military folks with the fuel they need to keep on going. Not to taste good. There’s definitely better and more fun options for trail food.
Absolutely. It's not the flex you think it is to bring MRE to anything you don't have to. Mre are designed to make you not poop for days. They are so dry and low in fiber you need to carry extra water to use them and stay hydrated. Mre uses about 16oz water minimum i see 3 so your expecting 48oz (1.42 litr) And this doesn't include electrolytes pudding and other additional water uses, just the heater. Hiking rule 1 gal (3.9litr) per day hydration 2 days (7.8litr) More cause mre dehydrate you severely More for sanitation if desired (let's round 3.9 to 4 and 1.42 to 1.45 to make even numbers) Expect to need 9.45 litrs of water wich is about 2.5 galons of water. At 8.5lbs each 2.5 galons would be an extra 21lbs of just water.
Bear spray?
My advice is always keep the leatherman on your person.
Get rid of the MRE's. Get dehydrated backpacking meals
MH Pad Thai is great... backpacking meals have come so far!
Oh those MREs are gonna be interesting. They don’t do well with my stomach, but who knows. They make dehydrated meals in bags you just add boiling water to when you’re ready to eat.
I like rolling my own dry meals if I’m backpacking. If I’m out for 2-4 days, I don’t need the super-shelf-stability of an MRE or something similar. Lots of trash with an MRE, too.
Knife goes on your belt. You never know what happens to your back pack and suddenly you're lost without any gear. If you keep it on your person, you'll at least have a knife.
Keep your morakniv somewhere on your chest or the backpack strap so it's in easy access for YOU and not some crazed stabber.
I like tactical backpacks because they are not good for anything you want a backpack to be good for.
Survival rope/paracord? Paracord is useful for many things. The survival rope is a composite rope (sometimes a wrist bangle). It contains a strand of wire, fishing gut, a waxed string that stays waterproof and can be used for fires. A tarp can also come in handy. Space blanket too.
I actually do have some 550 cord I can throw in there, and the hammock sleep system comes with a tarp. Not a bad idea to bring some because of that lol, never know what you might need to tie.
Is that an Emisar torch i see there?
D4V2 baby! Plan on using it as sort of a lantern by shining it up into my rain tarp for diffusal, hence the spare battery
I see you Kammok mantis in there! I just upgraded from the double roo. So much better.
More food, water filter if you don’t have a source of clean water. I would also put the knife on the inside of the pack since Moras are only held in the scabbard by light friction.
Excited for you! Good stuff having a first aid kit and a knife. Did you pack a portable filter? Not sure if I saw a sleeping pad, but would recommend one just in case ground is cold at night. Stuff some toilet paper and hand sani in a ziplock to have it ready. Also would recommend having a small gas stove, like a pocket rocket, and a small gas canister. Never know how the weather is gonna be. Oh, and also bring an extra meal. Have fun!
It doesn't seem like you're missing anything. You got your dad vibes, though? Can't be leaving those behind.
Always, drives the GF crazy lol
Hanklight 👍 👍 Get a protective case for that battery though. Don't hang your water from the plastic cap connection, use the bag's intended through-holes. Mora- good for feather sticks, not batoning. Like others have said, take note of what you don't need and lighten up your pack.
wet wipes
Don’t forget some type of slippers for the tent site - always a treat
Nail clippers... more underrated tool ever
When I was in the marines we would field strip our MREs when going out on long range, multi day patrols in Afghan. Throw away all the cardboard and extra bull shit, take just food parts in each meal (heater if you really want it) and wrap the packages with electrical tape. You’d be surprised how much weight that’ll cut.
Depends where you’re going. When I went traveling across Western Europe, I packed as light as possible, with mostly just clothes, because I knew I had several places I would not be able to drop my stuff and pick it up later, had to be able to carry everything with me the whole way, although I spent most of my time in town, so I ate in a lot of restaurants and cafes and my portable food needs were minimal. Backpacking in northern Arizona was totally different. I had to take a small tent, a sleeping bag, a stove, a lot more food and less clothing, and I brought a water filtration system in case I ended up spending more time than planned in the wilderness. You don’t want to be outside long without water. Depending where you’re going, bear spray might also be a necessity. Also, if traveling outside the US, I’d probably ditch the flag patch. The unfortunate reality is that to many people in many parts of the world that looks like a target for all kinds of fuckery.
If your really set on using mre's then pop em open and repackage as much as possible, toss what you know you won't eat. The more garbage you carry in the more garbage you got to carry out.
Good rule. You need 1/4 of what you pack
Toothbrush?
This all looks super heavy.
Trash bags. A hang bag for food at night. I would put all electronics or moisture sensitive components in zip locs or water tight container as well as sleeping gear (dedicated socks, base layer, etc.) I never trust pack covers. Enjoy!
Small hatchet for firewood and matches.
A short trip like yours will be safe and endurable enough, unless the weather says otherwise. Check and prepare. FYI - there is a lot of space and weight to MRE's. GI's strip them down before going out to the field. Thru hikers tend to use dedicated food bags. Keep these in mind when you do "lessons learned", they might be useful notions.
Can’t interfere, this is a cannon event for every backpacker
Love the set up
Bactine (first aid spray), band aids, and a nail file. A 6 pack of granola bars. If you can, a Swiss Army knife.
For 2 days youd probably be fine with a warm layer and water. So I wouldn't sweat it too much, especially for 6 miles. At worst you can just walk back out.
field strip your MREs get rid of the extra stuff you don’t need. did it all the time in the army. keep the heavy stuff on the top of your ruck.
More Molle
Seeing we took <6 kg base weight, and max 10 kg with food+drink for 5 days without supermarkets on the way on our 8 week trip through the Pyrenees I suggest: skip all you don't really need, otherwise carrying that thing will be a bloody pain.
I'd field strip the MREs for both weight and space. We never went to the field with them like that unless they were issued in the field. You can reduce the volume by half if you get rid of all the extraneous packaging on the inside. I would also triage what you have with each meal to make sure it's stuff you want to eat. Some of the snacks used to suck, but it's been a minute since I ate one.
I don't know where you are hiking, and maybe I didn't see it, but rain gear?
I suggest a larger water receptacle than a jogging bottle
John Muir went out with a baguette and tea…really all you need.
This is about how I packed on my first multi night trip and I hated myself for it about 3 hours in. So heavy. You don't need a camel back. They just get warm and are a pain in the ass to refill/put in your bag. Use a large Smart water bottle. They slide in your bag no problem.
absolutely not. but you'll learn. learning by doing is the best way to learn when you're new to backpacking. please offer my condolences to your back and shoulders.
Just because you have space and pockets doesn’t mean you have to fill it.
Pounds equal Pain
We have no idea what's in that bag or those pouches. [LighterPack](https://lighterpack.com/) is a great tool for tracking/weighing your gear. It's much easier for others to read a list than look at a few photos and try to guess what's in the various stuff sacks.
Kammok mantis hammock camping tent and the 3 tan packs are MREs in the main pouch The compression sack is a 32f sleeping bag
You have shelter and food so you probably won't die. If you want a generic list of essential gear there are many: https://www.backpacker.com/gear/the-ultimate-backpacking-checklist/ https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/backpacking-checklist.html https://www.switchbacktravel.com/backpacking-checklist
Just remember, the goal is to never fill the bag unless its more food, water, or medical.
…the kitchen sink?
A punisher patch
.308 with extra mags
A Glock 40…10mm will kill just about anything you encounter.
Only thing missing is the kitchen sink.
What part of Cuba are you invading?
MURICA LOL thai poop scoop tho
I would switch the MREs to something lighter, like mountain house.
Are you also wearing combat boots? I get the idea to use what you have, but all that tacti-cool molle stuff is heavy and unnecessary. We get it, you're a patriot.