First trip of my life: packing list FR Classic

Hi all,

next week my first trekking trip will start. I'll do the Kungsleden/FR Classic - a 110km / 68miles trail in north Sweden.

I won't be in a hurry and will do the trail in 5-7 days (why I do need to stress myself - I'm going there to take a break from work and to enjoy the nature )

Weather forecast: https://www.yr.no/place/Sweden/Norrbotten/Tarfala/
(I did chose a weather station between start and end of the trail.)

I would like to be a little lighter - but don't know where to save some weight.

Could someone please have a look at my packing list? https://lighterpack.com/r/bzjdhs
(tent, sleeping bag, pad, backpack & rainwear will stay as mentioned )



Thanks for your support!

Hi Phil, do you need a fleece as well as an insulating jacket as well as a long sleeved merino top? I’d get rid of the fleece. Also the kindle. Use the kindle app on your phone. Not as nice as a real kindle of course but an acceptable compromise.

No need for a filter, and you only need to carry half a litter of water, if any at all. Water is everywhere and the best you'll ever taste. I've just hiked from kebnekaise to Kvikkjokk.

Hi Philip.

I think you have done very well for a first pack. I'd echo the above.

If I were you, I'd aks myself if you really need those spare underclothes? This time of year and before the first frosts, it's rare to actually need long johns.T-shirts suck in bug country, a long sleeve stops the biting insects well and the sleeves can be rolled up. T-shirts mean more usage of bug repellant and sunscreen.

Do you need the trowel? Holes can be dug with sticks and hiking poles.

I'd take a spare form of ignition for the stove; lighters will and do break. I'd also take a windshied for the stove, it'll save a lot of gas with that pot.

With all this weight we have saved you, you can now pack a bit more whisky.


Enjoy...it's a stunning part of the world.

lovely area be back myself in setember..echo the long sleeves shirt/top over t shirt ..2nd lighter or bring a strike as back up,gas is easy to light with a strike ..windshield or cook in sheltered spot myself ..I don't suffer with them but a mixed box of compeed patches might help ? id loose a warm layer myself too ..id settle for a 600 ml pop bottle but would want a 2 litre bag for my camp water ..have a great time

It is way easier criticising someone else's list than creating your own and I wish I had your kit! Sounds like a great first trip.

FWIW I'd take out anything you have listed that includes the word spare. Wear the long sleeved Decathlon top instead of the spare T shirt, for example. Also are the Inov-8's worn or carried. If they are carried as spare/camp shoes they are way too heavy. OK if worn.

Those tent stakes???
Duplex tends to try and fly away when wind gets up
Anything longer esp if ground is soft and no rocks around to hunker down

On 2 months trips I take 2 of necessaries, no more
Alternate wash each day if possible
Hang on Pack or dab dry to help.
You arent out to impress!
No trousers ever if can help
Base layer with shorts over
Waterproofs on if get cold

I would swap the 500ml of water for another 500ml of Whiskey

Clare said:

Hi Phil, do you need a fleece as well as an insulating jacket as well as a long sleeved merino top? I’d get rid of the fleece. Also the kindle. Use the kindle app on your phone. Not as nice as a real kindle of course but an acceptable compromise.

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I'm not sure about this. It could be around freezin temperature. Aslong I'm moving it will be warm enough I guess. But during the breaks or in the evening it could get cold, or?
Kindle: do love to read on my vacations - but will try the App

Frank said:

No need for a filter, and you only need to carry half a litter of water, if any at all. Water is everywhere and the best you'll ever taste. I've just hiked from kebnekaise to Kvikkjokk.

Click to expand...

Thanks - removed 1L of water from my List. Will just bring the bottle to have enough for cooking etc. Filter: not sure if I'm brave enough...

Teepee said:

Hi Philip.

I think you have done very well for a first pack. I'd echo the above.

If I were you, I'd aks myself if you really need those spare underclothes? This time of year and before the first frosts, it's rare to actually need long johns.T-shirts suck in bug country, a long sleeve stops the biting insects well and the sleeves can be rolled up. T-shirts mean more usage of bug repellant and sunscreen.
Edited my clothes a litte.

Do you need the trowel? Holes can be dug with sticks and hiking poles.
Good point - will remove it.

I'd take a spare form of ignition for the stove; lighters will and do break. I'd also take a windshied for the stove, it'll save a lot of gas with that pot.
Will take 2 of them. Windshild will be added.

With all this weight we have saved you, you can now pack a bit more whisky.
I thought some tea with Whisky would be nice at the camp


Enjoy...it's a stunning part of the world.

Click to expand...

Thanks?

Munro277 said:

lovely area be back myself in setember..echo the long sleeves shirt/top over t shirt ..2nd lighter or bring a strike as back up,gas is easy to light with a strike ..windshield or cook in sheltered spot myself ..I don't suffer with them but a mixed box of compeed patches might help ? id loose a warm layer myself too ..id settle for a 600 ml pop bottle but would want a 2 litre bag for my camp water ..have a great time

Click to expand...

Thansk - pls. see my answers above.

PhilHo said:

It is way easier criticising someone else's list than creating your own and I wish I had your kit! Sounds like a great first trip.

FWIW I'd take out anything you have listed that includes the word spare. Wear the long sleeved Decathlon top instead of the spare T shirt, for example. Also are the Inov-8's worn or carried. If they are carried as spare/camp shoes they are way too heavy. OK if worn.

Click to expand...

The Inov-8 are my only shoes
What does you mean with: that includes the word spare? Don't get that, as I'm not a native speaker - sorry.

Franky said:

Those tent stakes???
Duplex tends to try and fly away when wind gets up
Anything longer esp if ground is soft and no rocks around to hunker down
Whats wrong with the stakes? Everyone recommented the MSR Groundhogs and they are the same dimensions.
https://www.trekking-lite-store.com/vargo-aluminium-hering-summit-6er-pack.html
Only different was that the package includes 8 instead of 6?
Which would you recomment?

On 2 months trips I take 2 of necessaries, no more
Alternate wash each day if possible
Hang on Pack or dab dry to help.
You arent out to impress!
No trousers ever if can help
Base layer with shorts over
Waterproofs on if get cold
That's sounds radical to me as a biginner But will think about it.

Click to expand...

THANKS!!!!

With regard to the word spare. If you want to reduce your pack weight don't take anything that you can describe as spare. For example yo have:

"Decathlon Merino T-Shirt 70% Merino (spare & fore the night) "

What I am suggesting is don't take this spare but wear your Merino Longsleeve instead.

Enjoy your trip, sounds grand. We're heading up to Hordaland region of Norway shortly.. My pack list will change every day between now and then lol. Hot, cold, rain, shine... Like going to Scotland

Take your whisky at cask strength (about 60% alcohol) and dilute to taste (normally 40% or a little lower). That way, you save a third of the weight over normal bottling strength.

There is a downside: the whiskies available at cask strength tend to be the best ones. Never mind, into every life a little rain must fall.

I think William C said it best, something like there's 2 reasons to buy lightweight gear, 1: to be as light as possible. 2: to be as comfortable as possible at a much lighter weight than was possible years ago. (or something along those lines)
I for one think your pack weight is alright, sure you can chuck things out but as you said you aren't looking to move fast so the only real question is can you carry the weight, cause that's what matters in the end, not how heavy or light it is imo.
Both my insulation jackets are around 8yrs old (1 just over the other just under), I tend not to wear them with a pack on cause I believe it shortens the life span of the insulation especially under the shoulder straps so I carry a fleece jacket aswell, but that's just my view.
The last few years I've started taking my montane prism trousers with me for all camps instead of just winter, as I can throw them on at camp or use them along with the montane fireball smock & fleece to beef up my +5 PHD summer quilt if needed.
(I don't even know what my pack weight is, but I know I can carry it)

A lot covered above but I'd say that only you know how you cope with rain, cold, etc. so any such advice has to be balanced with your personal experience. Clothing wise I would take one set of clothes to walk in and one for camp. It doesn't matter if the first gets wet or muddy but you do your absolute best to keep the camp clothes dry.

Not so much pre-trip weight saving as post-trip.

When you get back (enjoy yourself BTW) take your gear and make three piles. The first is stuff you are going to take whatever: First Aid Kit; repair kit. This will (should?) be pretty small. The second pile is all the kit you used. The third pile is all the kit you didn't use. Note down what's in each pile.

The next time you go on a similar trip don't take the stuff that went in to the third pile.

That's the simplistic approach. In reality there's often an element of luck: you might have had a forecast of 60% chance of rain but never actually got rained on and so never used the waterproofs. There's not many areas in northern europe I'd head out on a multi-day trip without waterproofs!

One thing not to forget is sunscreen. We've spent 3 weeks on the trail this year, and had a regular heatwave with (almost) nothing but sunshine. Shirt and hat also provides good protection against the sun, I wished I had brought a shirt.