Lately I have been observing an increase in "competitive" thinking in the ultralight community. The aim is to show of what kind of super-extra-über-ultralight-backpacker one is, doing trips with a
full skin-out weight of less than three kilogram and what-not. It seems the focus of some is going more and more on the gear instead of the outdoors.
While SUL/ XUL gearlists, like
this one from Adventure Alan or
this one from Laufbursche, are a great feat and show what is possible, I personally feel that in these kind of undertakings the focus is more on gear used instead of the landscape, skills and experience. Sure, they are part of the whole, but in the end you're likely just reading about "tarp performed as expected, quilt could go lighter, could take less fuel, etc." instead of how wonderful the flora and fauna was, how funny it was that most other walkers thought you'd be a on a day trip, and how relaxing it was watching the sun set over the lake. Gear obsessiveness ftw?
Another factor which disqualifies the majority of those gear centric trips for me is that the majority of such undertakings are taken on a lush summer weekend, where the weather forecast is excellent, and one stays on well maintained trails. I find the "Oh my me, look at with how less I can go out!" celebrations, well, questionable. If the counter-argument is "But I do have the skills, and cherish the experience in the outdoors!" then I question why one doesn't read about them more? It's about views of the nature, and in those one doesn't need to try to squeeze in a shot of the pitched tarp or whatever at every opportunity; and not every paragraph needs to read like you're a gear junkie.
Personally I feel might fine carrying five kilograms for a weekend trip, being warm, comfortable, and knowing that I'm safe if shit hits the fan. I don't see myself wearing the running tights which are being so
de rigueur in some circles, they're fine for trailrunning, but on trail I prefer my Arc'teryx Palisade Pants or BPL Thorofare and I can hit the Café after a trip in style. And while cuben is a mighty fine material, Spinnaker or Silnylon do the job just as well for a fraction of the price. Going light is fine. But don't make it a competition, where gear is number one.
In the end what counts for me is to go out, have a good time, be light, and comfortable, but let the gear be gear and concentrate on the surroundings and the experience in it. Because if it's the gear that counts, then one might as well go walking on a threadmill in a fitness centre.
Go out. Be light. But don't be blinded by gear.
edit 20.01.2011: Please read the comments, a great discussion going on there with a multitude of points of view.
To clarify my position a bit:
- I like gear
- I like ultralight gear
- I don't look down on SUL/ XUL folks, heaven forbid
- I think the focus shouldn't be only on gear (lots of great opinions on that in the comments)
- I think there shouldn't be a too competitive spirit and snobbery in our community
- Buy quality once instead of rubbish twice
Hope that helps. Everyone is free to what he likes, if ultraheavy traditional 30 kg backpacks are your thing, or 2 kg FSO strikes your fancy, be my guest. I am not judging anyone =)
Lately I have been observing an increase in "competitive" thinking in the ultralight community. The aim is to show of what kind of super-extra-über-ultralight-backpacker one is, doing trips with a
full skin-out weight of less than three kilogram and what-not. It seems the focus of some is going more and more on the gear instead of the outdoors.
While SUL/ XUL gearlists, like
this one from Adventure Alan or
this one from Laufbursche, are a great feat and show what is possible, I personally feel that in these kind of undertakings the focus is more on gear used instead of the landscape, skills and experience. Sure, they are part of the whole, but in the end you're likely just reading about "tarp performed as expected, quilt could go lighter, could take less fuel, etc." instead of how wonderful the flora and fauna was, how funny it was that most other walkers thought you'd be a on a day trip, and how relaxing it was watching the sun set over the lake. Gear obsessiveness ftw?
Another factor which disqualifies the majority of those gear centric trips for me is that the majority of such undertakings are taken on a lush summer weekend, where the weather forecast is excellent, and one stays on well maintained trails. I find the "Oh my me, look at with how less I can go out!" celebrations, well, questionable. If the counter-argument is "But I do have the skills, and cherish the experience in the outdoors!" then I question why one doesn't read about them more? It's about views of the nature, and in those one doesn't need to try to squeeze in a shot of the pitched tarp or whatever at every opportunity; and not every paragraph needs to read like you're a gear junkie.
Personally I feel might fine carrying five kilograms for a weekend trip, being warm, comfortable, and knowing that I'm safe if shit hits the fan. I don't see myself wearing the running tights which are being so
de rigueur in some circles, they're fine for trailrunning, but on trail I prefer my Arc'teryx Palisade Pants or BPL Thorofare and I can hit the Café after a trip in style. And while cuben is a mighty fine material, Spinnaker or Silnylon do the job just as well for a fraction of the price. Going light is fine. But don't make it a competition, where gear is number one.
In the end what counts for me is to go out, have a good time, be light, and comfortable, but let the gear be gear and concentrate on the surroundings and the experience in it. Because if it's the gear that counts, then one might as well go walking on a threadmill in a fitness centre.
Go out. Be light. But don't be blinded by gear.
edit 20.01.2011: Please read the comments, a great discussion going on there with a multitude of points of view.
To clarify my position a bit:
- I like gear
- I like ultralight gear
- I don't look down on SUL/ XUL folks, heaven forbid
- I think the focus shouldn't be only on gear (lots of great opinions on that in the comments)
- I think there shouldn't be a too competitive spirit and snobbery in our community
- Buy quality once instead of rubbish twice
Hope that helps. Everyone is free to what he likes, if ultraheavy traditional 30 kg backpacks are your thing, or 2 kg FSO strikes your fancy, be my guest. I am not judging anyone =)
Who is the lightest of them all?
I'm not against competitive thinking, btw. I just think that in our niche the aim should be on smarter, lighter backpacking, though it shouldn't be the be all and end all of all things. If people enjoy going out with a GoLite Jam and a DD Hammocks tarp, let them.
ReplyDeleteEveryone can do what he wants. Don't think that your way is the only way. For the same, my way might not be the right way - though that is highly unlikely ;)
Thanks for the words, Hendrik.
ReplyDeleteI hope many people read this and you "set a [new] trend"
Hear hear! I'm totally with you, Hendrik, even though we both are part of the problem as preachers for the light side. :)
ReplyDeleteFunny that you mentioned the DD Tarp - I bought one this autumn. It's actually the only lightweight shelter I own, and it is probably adequate for two people in the majority of my outdoor situations.
My plan is to create a gear list that is not only lightweight, but also sensible and inexpensive.
I try to leave the gear obsessiveness at home when I go outside. When the pack is packed, it's just a pack. :)
Good post Hendrik. It's up to each individual to find the right balance between weight carried and comfort so that the outdoors can be enjoyed in care free way. If I went as light as some of these guys I would be worried about what happens if the weather turned nasty and wouldn't enjoy myself so much. Hike your own hike, as they say. I wouldn't expect others to take exactly the same equipment as I do.
ReplyDeleteI am 100% down with you on this topic and I also have a explanation why this is like the way it is but not sure if I can define it right...
ReplyDeleteThe one thing is about feelings and it is not easy to describe the feeling of a fine ridgewalk, a sunset, or fording a freezing stream on the internet. Or when you do for some reasons it just sounds cheesy..this feeling thing is also a very personal and I dont have to explain why I am doing this.
Talking about gear is "easy" there are the fabrics, there are gramms, there is this review and that review. So nearby everybody can talk about gear, without doing one single step on trail.
There might be people out there doing the greatest journeys without even having a blog! ;)
Its like with photography, they talk about pixels and bits and bytes and whatever. But most of them are not artists..
peace
Aye, well said. My own sentiments exactly.
ReplyDeleteI think I've reached a point where I've lightened my pack enough, and I don't feel the need to obsess over getting the lightest of them all. My pack weight is so significantly down from a few years ago I don't need to worry any more. And having less on my back allows me to enjoy nature more (at least, with less complaining).
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Martin - lightweight is all very well, but finding light gear that is easy on the pocket is even better. I shan't be shaving a few ounces off by getting the new GG cuben tarp, for example.
Light gear puts a spring in my step, and a smile on my face, and that's all that matters.
I prefer blogs where there is a balance going on, but the priority is on BEING out there, not CONSUMING the trail like it was another corporate milky coffee, with this thing and that thing. And there's the rub. An industry which 'needs' servicing, and some of us are complicit in that. Skills are not so easy to get hold of, shopping is easy.
ReplyDeleteI'm not UL at all, compared to most bloggers I read - I see it as a process, or an approach, something I'm very slowly inching towards, to make me more harmonious on the journeys I take.
Also, many bloggers are male, and we might find it more difficult to talk about the 'feeling' parts of the trip. Naff huh! Heaven forbid talking about things we misjudged - the fragility of the male ego!! Gear is safe, and panders to our OCD tendencies :p Although of course, blogging is the perfect opportunity to break with these stereotypes.
It is weird though - there's probably not a single reader who wouldn't agree with your post on some level...and yet we all devour each other kit reports. Go figure.
True.
ReplyDeleteWell said, but one question remains...
ReplyDeletewhat shelter would you recommend in a snow landscape like the one on the photos? ;)
Reluctantly I admit to having become a gear addict. I used to despise gear addicts, yet here I am. One reason for this is that I don't get out as much as I would have liked. Thinking about gear , and sometimes buying, becomes a substitute for the real thing. If I cannot hike, at least I can obtain some temporary satisfaction from a new piece of kit. The pleasure is often very short-lived however. I should probably invest my time and money in books instead and wait for better times.
ReplyDeleteAll gear blogs boar me to death. If a person does not get out in the outdoors and use it on multi day walks how can they really say it is any good. I mostly agree with you on this. Totally agree it is not about competitive thinking and the like. I am all for looking at the scenery. That is one reason I go walking. I go light and have been accused of being anti light weight! I do think being able to cover big miles in a day if going light is good as it can mean covering big distances with less food possible on say a TGO Challenge. Doing more hills in a day as well. But more importantly going light is for me uncomplicating my kit and focusing on the walk and hills and not the pain on my shoulders from the kit carried. I also have harped on for a long time the focus on skills needs to be there on blogs and not on kit. We all love new shiny kit. It is a bloke thing. But walk posts are the best. It is all about the scenery. Also I agree ULA evangelists need to try it out when the rain is pouring down and the wind is howling for a few days back to back. I expect they might pack more kit the next time.
ReplyDeleteSorry, but I can't agree with this post. Just because a writer may have concentrated on reporting an effort to lighten a pack doesn't mean they missed out on a full experience. I've had this allegation levelled at me in the past for climbing Munros and for walking more than 20 miles a day. As far as I am concerned, a light pack means more hours on my feet drinking in the experience, and doing it more safely.
ReplyDeleteEven when walkers deliberately set out to turn the hills into a racetrack (an old criticism), they can't fully succeed because the mountains inevitably find a way to impinge. Hill days are always widely rewarding.
But why should anyone else care? Does it matter what happens at the cutting edge? In the long run, I may benefit from their kit experiments. In the meantime, leave the SUL/XUL posse to it. Hate to say this, Hendrik, but this post seems a bit anti HYOH.
Insightful post as usual Hendrik!
ReplyDeleteGramme-counting is a facet of ultra-light that is impossible to ignore. The first most basic step of trying to cut weight and become UL, is to weight your gear. And from that action comes your 'score' in grammes. Having a number that you can chip away at is an irresistible target. I'm fortunate enough that I have no decent scales and so have hardly ever weighted anything, but I can completely commiserate with the problem of compulsively trying to lower the weight by ever decreasing increments. It's also very natural for those times when we are too busy to go hiking, to instead obsess over the next trip and obsess over what new gear would make the next trip better.
That gramme-counting part of UL can appear ugly in its compulsivity, it can be obsessive and also very wasteful. Nothing is weirder than hearing the tired UL line that UL is better for the environment, from people who buy a new backpack every few months it seems.
On the other hand the worthy thing about UL to me is that UL is not just concerned with weight, but is also inextricably linked to minimalism. The core message might well be 'Less is more', a message that fits in any hobby or aspect of life. This is where the focus of UL should be, not just in cold hard (and boring) weight numbers, but in the idea of minimising gear in order to focus on the trip, and not the toys.
Since I became interested in UL, I haven't weighted many items. However I *have* totally stripped down my gear-lists. My rucksack used to be full of a hundred little things that I might just need (but somehow never did), now it has around 10 items and every single one is used and used well. I feel too guilty to buy new gear just to save weight, so my 2 kg backpack is here to stay. But it required no purchases to cut my pack weight in half, just some self discipline.
And the more part of 'Less is more' is very accurate. Bringing less junk out on trips does make the hikes a lot more memorable. Easier to organise gear, easier to find and use and pack away gear, lighter bags and a much more focused trip. Only the gear that is needed is taken, and that gear is usually so basic it gets out of the way and leaves more room for enjoying the nature.
I can only speak for myself and say that I will pick these beautiful minimisation ideals of UL to adopt and will try and avoid the bizarre race to the bottom of the weighting scales.
Well put Hendrik.
ReplyDeleteWhile once the goal of UL kits was to remove the burden of heavy packs from the backcountry experience, you're right, now UL seems to have become a goal in and of itself.
Worse than that there is a culture of snobbery around it that periodically rears its ugly head.
That said gear is fun, and gives us a way to connect actively with outdoor adventures when we're not actually on them but I think we all get carried away sometimes.
Very interesting post. It has created lots of discussion, which is what is necessary. I find all people love to talk gear. Only after they have expressed how blown away they are about what they are seeing via mother nature.
ReplyDeleteGear heads lead the way for the rest of us enjoying lighter packs. Even those of us that are not gear heads can add to the lighter packs with unique ways of packing or finding things that will do double duty.
Klass talks gear all the time, yet I love his stuff. You have all kinds of stuff to do with gear, and all kinds of stuff to do with the beauty of nature. Love your stuff just as much.
Qblogger had a great idea, I thought, with regards to packing just in a 20L pack. Fun exercise. Plus it made me work in what are my needs vs what are my wants.
I guess I am saying everyone seems to have a different view of what is important. I enjoy all these different views and think that the world would be very boring if we all thought the same. Except for "Peace on Earth, good will towards mankind." All the world should think the same on that. :-)
Well said Master Hendrik. While I agree completely with John's sentiments of "to each their own" (or HYOH), for me, there needs to be a balance between weight cutting and comfort. For the last couple years I had been trying to cut pack weight, partially with lighter gear, and partially with conveniences/luxury items left at home. At some point this began to negatively impact my experience outdoors. Now I'll gladly carry an extra kilo or two if it means I'll enjoy my time outside.
ReplyDeleteAnd for the record, I've never even been close to UL...
ReplyDeleteHendrik,having gotten back into hiking in the last two years, I look forward to your weekly summary Sunday nights. Mostly it's the pictures and accounts of journeys that challenge me to get out. That being said, I am with Martin and Tomas. I'm just happy to have a much lighter pack now than when I was younger. Things are tight. I won't be buying a 250USD cuben tarp or a 500USD top rated down bag. Instead my inexpensive down bag is less than 1/2 the weight and size of what I had before and I am inspired to forgo a heavier and more expensive tent for a lighter, less expensive tarp and a soda can burner. The experience of being able to stand up and enjoy the scenery, instead of stooping under a load, is so novel and exhilarating.
ReplyDeleteYears ago when I did a lot of photography I devoured magazines until one day I realized I had "photo magazine fatigue". The craft stuff is on an 18 month cycle and the new gear reviews just created envy and frustration. I think the same can be said for any gear. After a while I determine that I've seen enough, coveted enough, salivated enough and not a bit more makes me better at the craft or increases my enjoyment. That's when you stop, decide to be satisfied and just enjoy the walk.
Good post Hendrik!
ReplyDeleteAnd in the end when you've become exhausted of everything else, counting all the grams and gear, what remains? The nature remains:)
-Antti
Not being an ultra-lighter myself, I've often read your blog getting thoughts and feelings like you describe (in this post) to have yourself, Hendrik. Of course I realize an outdoors experience is more enjoyable if you're not pushed to the ground by a heavy load. At the same time I've had a hard time getting my head around counting grams for every single item brought along. Or always trying to find that newer, lighter piece of gear/clothing/whatnot to make the load just that little bit lighter, even though one already has a perfectly good shelter or backpack or whatever. And sometimes, not being an ultralighter, I've felt myself being sniggered at by the tone in the ultralight blogging community just because I haven't gone down that path (but hey, it's my own fault for keeping on reading the blogs).
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with John Davis. The SUL/XUL community is just taking what you're doing one step further. Pushing the envelope. Being revolutionary. Annoying people because they go that little bit further than what others feel necessary. Leading the way and thereby being frowned upon by those not wanting or willing to do the same.
Basically, they're carrying on the UL revolution that people like Ray Jardine started. And I'm fairly sure Ray didn't start his revolution by trying out his ideas in the middle of the harshest winter, but rather on nice summer days where one has a bit more security.
Just leave the SUL/XUL to do what they're doing. Read their blogs if you find them useful. Use their ideas if you find them good. But really, it's not fair to look down on them for taking an idea further than what you yourself find right.
/ Karl
Interesting post and discussion. Gear choice is personal. What works for one won't for another. I used to walk with a trad heavy pack and in my youth getting over the route "despite carying 20kg" was part of the fun. Now I want my gear to be as unobtrusive as possible. That's not just motivated by age and joints but by a desire to minimise anything that distracts from awareness of where I am. I've said this before but for me there is a magic boundary at around 10kg. Under 10kg and I can function unencumbered. It's a good thing to cut out any dead wood, (why carry stuff/weight you don't need?), and if for a trip I arive at a weight of 8kg I'm not going to start putting stuff back in my pack but I won't make too much effort to get the weight down (for instance by spending big money) if I'm already in my sweet spot.That's not to say that I'm against folk with a different focus. Whatver melts your butter...
ReplyDeleteon the subject of trip v's gear reports here are some hit stats for my posts jan 2010 to present:
Search Label Gear 522
Meths Stove Comparsion 456
Resolute mitts review 237(since jan 2011!)
Trip Report Oyer Fjell 78 (since Feb 2010)
If my motivation for blogging was hits (which it isn't, I rarely look at my stats these days) then I'd stick to gear. To my surprise my blog has evolved to being about trips first and foremost. On David L's point: My soul is exposed in posts like the Oyer posts, blogging is indeed a great medium for putting the soppy stuff out there, but folk even seem to be happier READING about grams of fuel burnt than about emotions felt. (not complaining by the way, would still blog for zero hits, just making an observation).
Hendrik, well done!
ReplyDeleteHas Shakespeare ever been asked what type of ink or pencil he used? I think gear is important, the more, the less you know about survival skills in the nature. I’ve done trips of several days without food and stove, lost about 1 kg per day, was still in a good mood and didn’t miss anything. As I have got up to 10 kg overweight, no problem. ;-) With a partner, an empty stomach is always a source for disharmony, so I would never ever hike with one or more people without food, never ever! And I would never leave civilization without a good knife. In my opinion just a razor blade is not enough. Some like fancy fire starting systems, I like a simple pocket lighter. With almost 50 years on my back I prefer to sleep soft and I rather don’t eat for one day then to sleep on a 150 g ultra thin Iso which causes a lot of pain to my bones. So what I actually want to say is, gear should be adapted to your very personal needs and of course should not be too heavy, unless you are walking with a horse or a donkey.
I’m not hiking, because there is some gear, I do have some gear, because I want to hike and enjoy my life. Like my father always used to say, it is not the kitchen, it is the cook.
Keep well Ulli
As an outdoor blogger, and evangelist for lightwight backpacking, I write a lot of gear reviews. But I always make sure that they contain a "lesson" about lightweight backpacking or outdoor skills and the safety trade-offs, compensating skills, or knowledge of local conditions required to use them.
ReplyDeleteEditorially, I have been aiming my blog more downmarket to less experienced hikers and backpackers over the past few months and will continue to do so. I have never been UL or very interested in the UL frenzy, preferring a lightweight existence.
2/3 of my posts are not about gear at all, but about trips and hikes, and the joys and hardships of living simply. Gear really isn't the focus, but an enabler.
But pop up a second. I have a large enough audience, that I get feedback from people who say that I inspire them to go hiking and to learn more skills. This is really my driving motivation - to counter the interrupt, mobile phone frenzy that people are trapped in and get them outdoors! If talking about gear opens their minds to new possibilities, I think it's a worthwhile thing part of the editorial formula.
Great replies and maybe the post itself did its job by provoking some good conversation? I found the post to be a bit suprising to be written by some one who has previously classified himself as an "ultalight evangelista"... ;)
ReplyDeleteI agree especially with Matthias, Gustav Boström and John Davis. Gear becomes easily a substitute for the real thing, but it should be just means to an end. Be it what ever you want to experience and accomplish.
And this raises the question that has been bugging me for a while: Is there any reason to look down the ultra heavy approach? If they go out and enjoy the nature and themselves, who is an UL hiker to judge them?
BTW. I jused to be "Lightening up..." but I think it is not that important itself, so from this on I plan going with my trail name instead. Blog is under costruction but should be online soon.
BTW. There seems to be a problem using wordpress OpenID...
Hm Hendrik, I have been actually counting *you* among people you are describing! >:-] Let's not be rude to say "gear freaks", but more neutrally "gear fans" :) 100 years back people had no ultralight gear at all, but probably enjoyed nature more than most do now.
ReplyDeleteI often refrain from buying yet another piece of gear - be it ultralight, or ultrastrong, or whatever way better than what I have - by the reason that it hurts the nature. If everyone buys a new (ultralightest) tent each year - it may cost us all yet more shrinkage of what this tent is made for. Of course outdoor gear production is not the first source of pollution and natural resource exhaustion, but by NOT buying yet another product which I do not (honestly) need, *I* might do something to save it.
--Konstantin (thinking on a ski overnighter from Tampere to Hämeenlinna along Pyhäjärvi sometime)
The difference between lightweight backpacking and 'normal' backpacking is obviously the gear. To become a lightweight or UL backpacker you carry less and/or lighter gear. Without the focus on gear it's an experiential backpacking blog, surely?
ReplyDeleteA certain European I know that writes about "lightweight & ultralight backpacking, environmentalism and other stuff" has a wonderful gear review section on their blog listing three pages devoted to "Gear that worked and gear that didn't" on trips. I love these round ups - they show techniques specific to UL backpacking that many people wouldn't be able to (or don't want to) experiment with themselves. I can't see a problem with this, but I also don't like seafood and millions of people do. In the same way that I shun sushi, if there's a blog post I don't like in the big Yo Sushi that is the Internet I simply don't read it - it's not as if I paid anything for it. Some people like squid.
Blogs are a way for consumers to subvert the manufacturer marketing spiel - if nobody pushed things a little (or a lot) we'd never know the limits of our equipment, having to trust that when the manufacturer says "the most breathable fabric in the world" it wasn't tested at 30 degrees C in a lab.
Long live the SUL/XUL bloggers - I'm commissioning a cuben thong/hunting catapult right now, but I'll probably not blog about it in case someone doesn't like it....
Ultraheavy Backpacking ;)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODcuSOOD9s4
You know what if it makes 'em happy... but I doubt anyone can feel a significant difference between a 10kg or 12kg backpack. And if you do then maybe it's time to get some exercise.
ReplyDeleteHonestly I more impressed by someone who can carry a 20kg back up the mountains. There is no skill involved in buying expensive ultra light gear, just a big wallet.
I trend I've noticed is that bloggers who were considered lightweigh 2 years ago have been overtaken by those still pushing the boundries or by those who've adopted a lightweight approach more recently. We've all arrived at our comfort level thanks to the gear talk, that we don't wish to make further sacrifices does not mean that everyone else should do the same. I think some people feel bad that they've been overtaken and where previously 'light as possible' was their mantra now their opinion has changed. Is that any different to the folks who kitted out 10 years ago and are still happy with their packweight? those are the people who were considered dinosaurs and mocked for carrying packs of between 15-20kg by those who were carrying 5kg less, those who continued to choose boots rather than shoes or tents rather than tarps.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't sound right to me if on the one hand people are criticised for carrying more weight yet on the other hand those who carry less are also criticised, that sounds hypocritical.
To be honest I'm surprised by your view on this, you use a superlight tarp but it costs $490 (would a shelter costing half as much but weighing more have made the trips any less enjoyable?)and have posted on the 343 principle, if weight is only a means to an end does it matter if it's 343, 344 or 345?
I tend to agree with Phil (among others) evolution doesn't stop just because we've reached a level that we like. It's all a bit similar to arguments about history/enviornment, we all want to stop time at a point of our choosing.
Must admit that I am also slighty surprised by this post. I enjoy your blog a lot. However, you definetely come across as someone with a gear obsession (not necessarily a bad thing, it helps those of us, who have to settle for only one item from each category a lot). Lars
ReplyDeleteThanks for all your comments - I wasn't sure if this is a topic that will find a positive resonance, so I am very happy to see that the majority agree that it is about the experience, and not the gear. Instead of addressing everyone in turn, I will pick up on some comments - I appreciate all your comments, though, so a big "Kiitos!" for that!
ReplyDeleteMartin, you are absolutely correct. Of course we are part of the "problem", as the majority of our posts are about gear. I liked your final sentence, wise words.
Matthias, a great explanation. I can buy into that - that people are taking the "easy" route, concentrating on gear instead of the sunset. Though then you have people like Miguel, Chris and Dave who write very personal and touching posts about their experiences, and still attract a large audience. I hope more will follow their examples =)
David, very good points you bring up there, it illuminates what I wrote above very well from a different angle which I didn't look at. I'd write more, though I now need to go and check out some more gear reports ;)
thrush, I'd say the DD Hammocks 3x3 tarp would be perfect for those conditions. Being a gear nerd myself, I of course take something made from cuben ;)
Gustav, welcome to the club. It is not like I don't enjoy writing about gear, though I like to bring up something that I saw, and it seems a lot of people feel the same. That doesn't mean being a gear nerd is bad, it just shouldn't be the end of all things. Books are a great alternative - knowledge is lighter than gear.
John, as I said above: To each his own. Do as you like. Hike your own hike. I thought to make that clear. It of course might appear to many being a hypocrite, I was aware of that possibility when writing the above piece - after all I have a fair share of gear reviews here, with more coming. But it is not the only thing, and that Is what counts. There's nothing wrong with SUL/ XUL - Laufbursche is a good friend, for example. I just wanted to point out that there's more to grams and cuben fibre ;)
A good point you brought up there, Tomas, buying a new pack/ shelter/ x every few months, just to shave off another few gram ain't very light for the environment. I also can connect to your message of "less is more" (& minimalism) instead of grams.
chrisbear, thanks for stopping by & commenting. I haven't yet experienced the snobbery and ugly head (well, not from ULers at least) though I imagine that it happens here and there (the anonymity of the internet is the troll's playground!).
Another good point, Tom. The gearheads lead the way for us. I concur with you that the world would be a boring place if all would think the same (except that peace thing ;)!
Padawan Brian, we shall work on making you a disciple of XUL till next summer!
Keith, nice to read from you! I concur with the sentiments of Martin & Tomas, that light doesn't need to be expensive. That would make for a fine goof-off Thursday post, I think!
ReplyDeleteKiitos Antti, great looking blog you have! Nature ftw, as we geeks say :D
Karl, you put John's thoughts in an even better perspective for me to understand, thank you. You also helped me to see XUL/ SUL in a new way - I benefit from their "craziness". And just for the record - I am not looking down on them. I just find the gear-centricity sometimes annoying, especially if it is all gear and no trips.
Dave, those stats will look similar on 95% of all blogs and sites. Gear brings in readers. I love your trip reports, they're personal, which makes them great. Add in great photos, fun happenings (Norwegian women on skis!) and you have a class ! trip report.
Ulli, nicely put. What you did sounds quite extreme, I wouldn't be able to do that (I'm quite slim =).
Korpijaakko, I'm still an UL evangelist. I am also full of surprises and paradoxes ;) Nice new name, looking forward to the blog - when is it ready?! Provoking thinking & conversation was not on my mind as I wrote this - I am surprised by the amount of feedback, to be honest. I just wanted to say that gear is "just a means to an end" and shouldn't be the main focus.
Konstantin, I might be well n that field which I criticize - it depends on who you ask! When is your trip planned? I was thinking Tampere - Valkeakoski on skis on the Pirkan Taival - interested?
Phil, please order two of those things - you know my size - it is for my field study on XUL in summer.
Richard & Lars, as I said above, yes, it might seem like a surprise to many (some). I am also not looking down on people. Let the gear be gear, please write in all detail about it, but also tell about your experience in nature.
Puh. That was one lengthy reply.
Henrik, love you blog mate but you just shot yourself in the food as you've been a very big part of driving the expensive-ul-gear-thing forward. Arc'teryx Palisade Pants OR the BPL Thorofare? Porche or BMW? I got both.
ReplyDeleteWow, you really got them going with this post!
ReplyDeleteMy journey to ultralight, and I call it a journey because it takes a lot of time, experience, and consideration, has been an enjoyable one. When I'm not on the trail, I love to challenge myself to better my gear. When I'm out on the trail, the experience isn't at all about gear because I've really done my homework. I think my blog posts of the two types read completely differently.
My personal gear obsession is no longer about going lighter, because I'm happy with the weight of my kit. It is about making my gear as SIMPLE and DURABLE as possible. The less stuff I take, the less my trip is about gear. And the more durable my gear is, the less I have to be careful with it, i.e. making it less about the gear.
Cuben Fiber has become a bit of an obsession with me, but not necessarily a hugely expensive one. I made my own 5oz backpack with $30 worth of cuben, for a total cost of less than $50 USD. It's much tougher than the silnylon packs that are on the market, and I got to customize it and make it exactly the way I wanted it.
Now I really enjoy helping others with (hopefully) innovative and inexpensive ideas of how to shed pack weight and at the same time improve their kits. Look at all the gear you are taking and start removing the "extra" stuff as you gain confidence from your outdoor experiences.
That's what ultralight means to me...not a 4 letter word. John :~)>
Well said. And I hear ya. Being a new hiker I am in the process of upgrading all of my gear, and I have been a little sucked in so I will admit that I have spent a good amount of time on the computer and staring at detailed gear lists wondering how can I cut it lighter. And I don't think this is a bad thing, but I can see how easily it would be to get really get caught up in it...
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I am trying to find my sweet spot. Much of my new gear is really lining up with that spot and I am very happy with the result. But I must admit, it is a little easier to enjoy the world around me when my pack is 20 pounds as opposed to nearly 60...
Agree. New gear is nice every now and then, but it's not the most important thing! Or let's put it this way: I have gear to be able to hike, I don't hike just to be able to get new gear :)
ReplyDeleteBen, the Thorofare was bought used from GearSwap, the Palisade a loan. The idea of "Buy quality once instead of rubbish twice" holds also still true.
ReplyDeleteYeah John, its like on put a stick in a wasp nest =) Your approach of Simple and Durable is excellent, and your way of the cuben fibre stuff sacks is a lot more affordable (and fun, I'd reckon) than buying them for 15$ a pop.
Stick, nothing wrong with that, studying gear and making smart decisions when buying. That allows one to enjoy the trip a lot more than.
-maria- - also a very nice way of putting it, I like it: "I have gear to be able to hike, I don't hike just to be able to get new gear".
3-season, what does it even mean? I think it varies so much where do you hike.
ReplyDeleteI think we should talk about more temperature tolerance than seasons.
See Sodankylä (northern finland) from this site:
http://en.ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/normal-period-1971-2000
So in northern finland (to be comfortable in bad conditions):
-Summer time (jun-aug) you should have gear that can tolerate +0c (+5c)
-early fall (sep-(oct)) -10c
-spring (apr-may) -20c
(and at winter temp can go well down -40c (but rarely of course))
So instead of 3-season (or 4) gear pack, we should list what we take for a trip where we can except:
(+10c), 0c, -10c, -20c, (-30c), -40c
So I'm just saying, if you talk about gear list, you should always mention what kind of temp you are ready to tolerate.
And more important how did your gear worked in real life. So when the weather gets really nasty,its great! Get out and find out your gear limits!
-light but comfy-
Hi,
ReplyDeleteIt was nice to read this kind of posting from you. I almost stopped readind this blog as gear and "ideology" issues seemed to be quite dominant here, so then it was a right decision to stay on line :). Personally trip reports and writings about certain phenomenons are the things I like, because you are great writer with great sense of humour. Gear related topics are at much less importance for me, unless i'm just considering to buy that particular stuff. As a more "traditional" hiker this is, I must admit, rarely a case.
Personally nicest trips i have made as a kid, when gear included grandfathers old SA-INT(the Finnish army) ruggsack (not too comfortable for a kid!), all-cotton clothes, 2 numbers too big rubber boots, pvc-raincoat, a tent which needed additional plactic sheet to keep water outside etc... I don't say I particularly miss those gear and their inconvenience, but it's the right adventurous spirit what really matters, not the gear. Of cource, good gear may give confidence and it makes certain things possible, which would otherwise be, if not impossible, but at least extremely uncomfortable.
However, the feeling of true adventure is novadays harder to achieve and if possible, quite hard to describe properly. Instead, in an efficiency- and competition-driven society kilometers and hours walked, calories needed, €uros spent, grams carried etc, offer something concrete, something without modern people doesn't just seem to cope without.
-Haukikala
PS. In your profile you mention fishing as your interest. So do you keep your fishing sessions separate from your your hiking trips? ;). If aim is travel light and far, I understand this, because "severe" fishing inevitably means some additional gear.
Hi Henrik,
ReplyDeleteI recently found this blog and through Henriks reading lists several other great blogs. I like the gear reviews (with reservations) I love the idea of having a lighter pack but am conflicted by the resources that are required to achieve them. The vast majority of our gear is derived from oil in some form or another. I have been trying wherever possible to elimiminate my reliance on products derived from non-renewable resources. I am concerned that in our quest to be ever lighter, to enjoy more of the world out there, that we put an even greater pressure on that resource inadvertantly.
I do love the photos, feelings, experiences and adventures written here without reservation. If we looked at the world we experience with the detail we put to gear reviews, a gear review of our environment, so to speak, we might have a bettter chance to keep the places that we love to explore intact.
Jenn
Anonymous, wrong article? I concur with you, though, as I gave a guideline of0°C as a comfort level =)
ReplyDeleteHaukikala, glad that I didn't lose you then. The limited time (work, school, personal life) mean at the moment fewer trips, and hence the gear and ideology posts. I hope this changes soon, though there will be these posts still coming - have patience! Re: Fishing, yes, it is another hobby of mine =) I keep the gear addiction there to a minimum, having two rods and reels and one tenkara rod for fly fishing. The latter is coming along on some hiking trips, though I am looking at a new, small rod and reel for spinn fishing on trips in the summer. I'd fancy a Spro RedArc and a Berkley Skeletor rod, those have got very favourable reviews - just hard to get in Suomi and fairly expensive.
Hi Jenn, a good point you're bring up, and something that I am currently working on in an article as well (so materials used in outdoor garments). I also concur with your 2nd paragraph, though I feel that is a topic which is difficult to discuss and feelings quickly rise to boiling point - climate change/ global warming is still something that the majority can't comprehend and hence ignore, and even are hostile against. Even if they enjoy go walking in the outdoors. Go figure!
Hi Hendrik
ReplyDeletejust stumbled in here, a bit late ;)
Some of the answers give the impression that this post is about criticism - well, I understand it foremost as a self-reflection from Hendrik, position-fixing and where do I want to go - this in exchange with others in a published form.
In the "gear-departement" reside some different people and interests, sometimes mixed-up: reducing weight as mean to an end, then gear is no more interesting when comfort on the trail and in the camp is achieved; others love the
game and competition (I have to say that I see it as a gender-question - guess ;) ) in reducing weight as the fun and a mean in itself. Between these to extremes everybody can take a position and jump from here to there ...
Interesting post.
ReplyDeleteWhile I go light, I consider myself more a minimalist...
Something I wrote:
"I do not consider myself an ultralighter. To me that term employs too much gear wonkery. Where the emphasis is on gear and not enjoying the trail. While gear is important, I think it is the LEAST important part of hiking.I use gear to hike…not hike to use gear.
Rather, I think of myself as minimalist. I take enough gear for what I consider to be my own personal safety, comfort and fun levels."
http://www.pmags.com/dirt-bagging
See also:
http://www.pmags.com/the-new-gear-fetish
I'm much more interested in lightweight kit that is also durable! There's no point in my honest opinion in saving 500g on a shelter, if you have to buy the same tent every year cause it's made out of flypaper. I'd be very interested in a post on the most durable, lightweight kit. To my knowledge this doesn't exist, and it's beyond my experience.
ReplyDeletesabi, one can't be late! The gender-question certainly is a good point, I guess we male homo sapiens are a tad more competitive as the females of our species.
ReplyDeleteEiran, lightweight kit is durable. Dyneema X Gridstop and Cuben are both very durable materials, and stand a lot of abuse.
A little late to this discussion and maybe won't be heard (or listened to), but gear ought to be the means to the end, not the end itself. Too much gear-focus can get in the way of the experience just as too much gear can.
ReplyDeleteAn appropriate light-philosophy ought to tune gear with knowledge and anticipated outcome. At least that's what I do. I went light when our kids were young so I could carry their gear. And most always, I take more with my wife than with my mates, and if solo I might test myself with nearly nothing -- at least there's nobody round to hear my whinging.
Just as too much gear can wall us off from the wildness we seek, too little in inexperienced hands can as well, since the wilderness we seek is a challenging but not lethal one.
Hi Hendrik
ReplyDeletejust stumbled in here, a bit late ;)
Some of the answers give the impression that this post is about criticism - well, I understand it foremost as a self-reflection from Hendrik, position-fixing and where do I want to go - this in exchange with others in a published form.
In the "gear-departement" reside some different people and interests, sometimes mixed-up: reducing weight as mean to an end, then gear is no more interesting when comfort on the trail and in the camp is achieved; others love the
game and competition (I have to say that I see it as a gender-question - guess ;) ) in reducing weight as the fun and a mean in itself. Between these to extremes everybody can take a position and jump from here to there ...