Anywhere obvious to save some weight?

[dovidola]

I'm just going off what the guys who make the stuff suggested. I'd find it hard to argue with how they are 'designing' them to be drunk for best flavour

That is reasonable in relation to standard Scotch as bottled at 40%. The higher cask strength bottlings (usually only available for the best whiskies, which may or may not be a good thing!) are designed to be diluted by the drinker. Not compulsory of course.

 

[dovidola]

I'll not be parted from my Ti hipflask. For one thing, looking at the price here, it's appreciating in value!

200ml Pocket Hip Flask Liquor Bottle Pot Flagon Drinkware Travel Party BBQ | eBay

1 Piece Hip Flask. We'd like to settle any problem in a friendly manner. Well designed, compressive strength, corrosion resistant. It's just take you 1 minute. Because the unpaid dispute will not be closed automatically, and we may ignore it.

www.ebay.co.uk

I wouldn't be parted from my piano, but I don't take it hiking.

 

[midlifewhatnow]

Trick is to have 1 or 2 of the first drinks the best quality you can afford, then after that go for the supermarket's own brand after losing the taste buds...

same works for wine too. Have the expensive bottle first and save the cheap plonk last.

My 'best' is a 19yr old Rosebank, that's staying in the bottle except for special occasions. The Dalwhinnie is an easy drinking every-day single malt imho

Rosebank Single Malt Scotch Whisky : The Whisky Exchange

Generally considered to be the best of the closed Lowland single malt distilleries, whiskies from Rosebank are increasingly scarce. A lost classic.

www.thewhiskyexchange.com

 

[dovidola]

you will never get a straight answer from any whisky drinker, but its hilarious sitting in Bothy's miles from anywhere watching grown men arguing over the subject, especially when they are worst for wear & have to get up early in the morning

I've not had that pleasure, but I can certainly believe it. It's very much each to their own of course, and I prefer most of mine at close to 40% (as I suspect do you). Adding just a drop (literally a drop) or two of water to a standard-strength bottling just prior to drinking makes a positive difference, according to many. Nobody drinks it at distilled strength (typically 70% in the case of the pot stills used in most high-quality malt production) because it's practically unavailable. Thus it's all watered down (or 'cut' as the industry calls it), making the debate you refer to as pointless and/or as hilarious as you like. I don't imagine the term 'Added Water' on the bottle's label would help sell the product!

Interestingly (perhaps), the UK's Wine & Spirits Education Trust (considered something of an authority in these matters) teaches that to best appreciate the flavours of a whisky it should be diluted with equal parts water. Maybe there's a difference between 'appreciate' and 'enjoy'.

 

[Seòrsa]

I've not had that pleasure, but I can certainly believe it.

Dovidola, Its funny as hell I can assure you, of course its each to their own but the leg pulling is half the enjoyment of drinking a good scotch.

You'd better get your gun out and shoot every single producer of Scottish malt then. For your info matey, if you buy yours at the standard 40% bottle strength, it has already been watered down from cask strength by the manufacturer. Just sayin'

hence my argument no whisky needs diluting any further

Im quite fortunate that I have family connections in the whisky industry working for formerly Ballantines (Dumbarton) now Chivas Brothers for over 50 years, its where I met my wife 35 years ago & my sister in law is still employed there which as a whisky drinker has its benefits also a walking partner back in Scotland who works in the Macallan Distillery ( Lovely tipple if you haven't tried it)

a couple of my favourites.

 

[dovidola]

Im on holiday till 20th July but i dont sell drinks bags anyhow

Dead right - my mistake. I'm mixing you up with Gary Green at Speedster (another excellent smaller UK supplier). Here's the correct link for @midlifewhatnow :

350ml Drink Pouch - speedsterstoves

speedsterstoves.co.uk

 

[Alf Outdoors]

I can spot an easy 1349g of savings, by simply changing the following:
Replace your stuff sacks with U/L DCF versions from either Treadlite Gear or Wild Sky Gear (as little as 3g, up to 10g.)
Make your own full length side sleeper mat from 5-6x 7mm thick WWAGO mats (150g).
Swap your backpack and "Balance Pod" with a Bonfus Iterus 38L in DCF...It will be waterproof so no need for a pack cover either. With the 1" hip belt fitted it weighs about 320g.
Swap your MSR Trailshot for a Sawyer Mini, inc. 600ml folding bottle (63g).
Swap the coffee sachets for lighter coffee bags (10g each).
Swap your waterproofs for much lighter ones made of Pertex Shield 2.5, like the Rab Phantom Pull On and the Marmot Bantamweight Pants (97g each in large and medium respectively).
Get rid of the Buff, the camp slippers and the undies (go commando).
Swap your cap for the Salomon XA Compact Cap. (27g)
Swap your head torch for the Nitecore NU25 with strap mod. (32g)
You can save even more weight by swapping your stove for the BRS3000T (26g), your long handled Spork for the Forclaz folding plastic spork from Decathlon (12g) as well as other items of clothing that could be lighter.

 

[Dr Zarkov]

 

[craige]

There's quite a bit of weight to be saved if you want to spend. You could easily shave 500g from your pack with a light frameless option. Gossamer gear kumo, atompacks atom etc. A plastic liner is cheap and super light too, saving more weight.
I'm not really sure what the sleeping bag is but a quick Google says it's climasheild. Down is lighter for the warmth provided, down quilts are lighter still.
If you're not expecting midges, then ditch the inner for a polycryo sheet which will weigh less than 50g.
You have a lot of spare/sleep clothes. I usually have leggings or windpants for camp and go commando (at night).
The slippers ARE a luxury. Just wander around barefoot or take bread bags to put your feet into wet shoes at night. I hear you though, the last thing you wanna do after a 30 mile day is put smelly wet shoes on again but unless it's close to freezing, barefoot at camp is actually really nice unless you spend ages standing around on cold rocks or bothy floors and let's your feet breath.
BRS 3000 is the lightest stove afaik, cheap and less than 30g. But if you're only out for one night, do you need hot food? Also, you canister weighs 100g, the fuel is consumable.
Ditch the GPS. My phone has never led me awry, and should really only be a backup to your paper maps anyway.
Swap the petzl for a nitecore nu25 and make a new headband with some shockcord for a 55g saving.
Do you need gloves and wp mitts? Genuine question, some people get cold hands. I take a pair of liner gloves and almost never wear them unless it snows.
Your FAK is heavy, a couple of alcohol wipes, small plasters, steristrips, a couple ibuprofen, a needle and a tick twister is all you really need imo. I put my fak in a coin bag from the bank.
Water filter. Isn't a trailshot a pita to use? Sawyer, platypus quickdraw, katadyn befree are all great options and lighter.

I'm still not really sure what fast packing is. Is it backpacking with some running? Is it just walking a good distance each day? I don't run but frequently do anywhere from 20-40 miles per day. Am I a fast packer or just walking/hiking/backpacking relatively big miles.

 

[Tread-Lite-Gear]

There's quite a bit of weight to be saved if you want to spend. You could easily shave 500g from your pack with a light frameless option. Gossamer gear kumo, atompacks atom etc. A plastic liner is cheap and super light too, saving more weight.
I'm not really sure what the sleeping bag is but a quick Google says it's climasheild. Down is lighter for the warmth provided, down quilts are lighter still.
If you're not expecting midges, then ditch the inner for a polycryo sheet which will weigh less than 50g.
You have a lot of spare/sleep clothes. I usually have leggings or windpants for camp and go commando (at night).
The slippers ARE a luxury. Just wander around barefoot or take bread bags to put your feet into wet shoes at night. I hear you though, the last thing you wanna do after a 30 mile day is put smelly wet shoes on again but unless it's close to freezing, barefoot at camp is actually really nice unless you spend ages standing around on cold rocks or bothy floors and let's your feet breath.
BRS 3000 is the lightest stove afaik, cheap and less than 30g. But if you're only out for one night, do you need hot food? Also, you canister weighs 100g, the fuel is consumable.
Ditch the GPS. My phone has never led me awry, and should really only be a backup to your paper maps anyway.
Swap the petzl for a nitecore nu25 and make a new headband with some shockcord for a 55g saving.
Do you need gloves and wp mitts? Genuine question, some people get cold hands. I take a pair of liner gloves and almost never wear them unless it snows.
Your FAK is heavy, a couple of alcohol wipes, small plasters, steristrips, a couple ibuprofen, a needle and a tick twister is all you really need imo. I put my fak in a coin bag from the bank.
Water filter. Isn't a trailshot a pita to use? Sawyer, platypus quickdraw, katadyn befree are all great options and lighter.

I'm still not really sure what fast packing is. Is it backpacking with some running? Is it just walking a good distance each day? I don't run but frequently do anywhere from 20-40 miles per day. Am I a fast packer or just walking/hiking/backpacking relatively big miles.

It confuses me too. But then im always ginna be more fat knacker than fast packer

 

[midlifewhatnow]

I'm still not really sure what fast packing is. Is it backpacking with some running? Is it just walking a good distance each day? I don't run but frequently do anywhere from 20-40 miles per day. Am I a fast packer or just walking/hiking/backpacking relatively big miles.

Fastpacking is a cross between backpacking and trail-running. Usually run on the flats and (easy) downhills, walk the uphills. It's one of the reasons I prefer the pack I'm using as it's more comfortable and balanced when running, with less bouncing about.

 

[niblue]

Fastpacking is a cross between backpacking and trail-running. Usually run on the flats and (easy) downhills, walk the uphills. It's one of the reasons I prefer the pack I'm using as it's more comfortable and balanced when running, with less bouncing about.

When I first looked at your list my first thought was that the backpack was pretty heavy for its size, but I did think it might be because it was a running pack rather than a backpacking one. Even with that in mind it does seem pretty heavy though, at 934g for 28L (including the front pod).

I use a lot of OMM kit and they've got options which are quite a lot lighter e.g.;
- Classic 32L is listed at a minimum weight of 420g. I have an older version of that, which I have sometimes run with, and mine is 560g
- Classic 25L is listed at a minimum weight of 365g
- Phantom 25 at 505g
All of those are designed for mountain marathon type events and the Phantom 25 looks like it is specifically designed for running (and is quite expensive).

OMM also do a 4L chest pod which is listed at 95g. I've got an earlier version of that although can't recall what mine weighs.

 

[midlifewhatnow]

The Raidlight is quite new, so I'm loathe to replace it just yet
Bear in mind that the weight includes the two bottles. Granted they aren't the lightest either, but they are also convenient with the drinking straws built in so right there at your mouth almost. I've got some Salomon soft flasks which are lighter. I'm going to see if I can rig something up with the drink pockets on the Raidlight as they are too wide to hold thew soft-flasks without them collapsing down inside. If I can fit some sort of tightening system (maybe elastic, maybe a drawcord and sprung toggle) then I could replace the bottles with the Salomon soft-flasks, and if I do that, I could fit them with the Salomon filter and drop the Trailshot too.

I've also got the Salomon Adv Skin 12 and the Skin 5 for shorter distances where I don't need to carry as much e.g. marathon

If I was do do something like the Montane Spine Race or DragonBack, it's a toss-up between the Adv Skin 12 and the Raidlight. It would depend on conditions I suppose.

it's all money tho!

 

[Quixoticgeek]

Your base weight is under 6kg. The only way of getting it lighter is going to either mean spending a lot of money on a new shelter or pack. Or leaving behind things which enhance comfort. While you might chase a few grams with a sawyer mini, or swapping the stove to meths, having reached such a respectable base weight, don't worry about buying new lighter kit until you've broken what you have, and instead use the money on a nicer Eurostar and an inter rail pass for a week in the Alps.

Oh, and contrary to everyone else, I'd actually add weight with a second buff. Having one for the neck, and one for your head is very useful. I also use them as a blindfold so I can sleep easier when it's still light. You can probably reclaim the extra 30g, by stopping regularly to clean the mud off your shoes.

J

Ps sorry if this is the second blasphemous post in quick succession.

 

[Enzo]

Looks a good list to me been looking at the raidlight pack myself. From a ul backpacking perspective it's very heavy for the volume, but that's apples and oranges comparison.

I'm playing with the idea of fastpacking, but reckon I could cover more ground walking ATM ?!?

 

[Allsquare]

Have a look at the Salomon XA25. IMHO much better (and lighter) than your Raidlight. Also ditch the alcohol (wish I'd had the sense to stop decades ago). Looking after your health will keep you faster and for longer - and will save weight.

 

[Alfie]

Ee recon has a big mesh panel and gable ends so its very roomy but locus gear do a full inner for 260g so 595g for double skin. Its very much a proper tent. Ive been out in hideous wind and weather and its rock solid.

Hi
Do you have a link for Ee recon and locus gear full inner

 

[Tread-Lite-Gear]

Hi
Do you have a link for Ee recon and locus gear full inner

Don't think EE make the recon anymore. Khufu full inner

Khufu Full Mesh - LOCUS GEAR

Khufu Full Mesh Length 230cm x Width 135cm x Height 130cm 1-2 People 15D Ripstop Hybrid Floor：350g (incl.stuff Sack), Seam taped ¥25,800. 30D Silnylon Floor：400g (incl.stuff Sack) Bathtub Floor Color choice: Aspen Gold, Alpine Green, Bronze Mist, Black, White ¥25,800. Full mesh with...

locusgear.com