I'd like to know what size pack you would/do use, and what you put in it - for your lightest camping backpack - lets say your trip is in the two or three day range - weather conditions - variable. One day could be sunny and 70 degrees, the next could be 40 and raining - or worse, the temps could plumet and wind up with an overnight freeze that puts a dusting of snow on the ground. Terrain would be hilly to mountainous, forrested.

Activities planned - fishing/hunting (or just shooting)/hiking during the day.

So lets hear it. This should be a good thread.

Going solo or with someone else?

This would be a solo camp.

It depends on what.

My lightest is a hydration bladder ultra light gear of 12 lbs. That's just food, water, space blanket, and poncho with the usual navigation, fire making, first aid, lights, etc. For fast move on this one I use just a steel cup to cook and triox/ebsit.

My comfort gear is a 3,800 cu/in frame pack that's 25 lbs in summer and 35 lbs in winter with tent, ground pad, sleeping bag, pack stove, and the usual navigation, fire making, first aid, lights, etc. This pack has both the steel cup and mess kit.

The ultralight no thrills is actually pretty easy to put together but the full pack with full comfort take a lot time typically It takes buying ultra light stuff a little here and little there and getting out there finding what you need and don't need thinning it out over time. Add food collection, which that weight has, a 3 day full comfort can easily be extended to a couple weeks. The ultra light minimalist really about three days and that's that especially in inclimate weather.

A key to reducing weight is water. Water weighs so don't carry it unless you have to. In my area, that no real problem. Water amount is typically the eqivalent of two Nalgenes/two canteens with a filter to replenish, squeeze filter bottle in the minimalist and full filter in the comfort pack. If spending the night, the idea is fill the water containers completely last water source before camp using water for the night so you start out with about the same amount you started out the day before. Its a pretty good method.

Tj

That makes it a little tougher, especially with wild weather swings. When I was younger and dumber I would camp alone quite a bit, especially in the winter in VA. I used a bivy tent that weighed 3 pounds and had a mummy sac rated to -20. Realisticly it was good to about 20 above. What goes under the sleeping bag is actually just as important as the bag itself and I used a self inflating pad, which worked best when it was over inflated a bit by mouth. I was limited in the camping gear I carried by the fact I was trapping at the time and had at 30-40 lbs of traps on the way out and the way back. Trips when I didn't have the traps I would carry a canvas tarp that I could use to make a lean to shelter, that was actually more comfy than the bivy sac as I could have a fire and get some warmth from it. Food was a bunch of the weight and I did lots of Oatmeal, Ramen noodles and jerky. Pemmican is also good for energy. Water was carried in as most of the trapping was higher on the mountains and water was nonexistent. My pack weighed 75 lbs max but like I said I was younger and dumber. Without traps you could easily pack 3 days worth and stay under 25 lbs if you can find water and don't have to carry it.

This post has been edited by MontanaLon: September 18th 2009 4:15 AM

ook for utmost comfy TJs got this all down to damned near a science. Me I don't mind packing weight in fact it helps with My knees for some damned reason I can't fathom, wife seems to think it's My angry old man factor, but I usually go with about 45lbs of gear. This includes the 3pc issue mummy bag with bivvy cover, a fleece blanket to get that bag comfortably warm against skin in a hurry or emergency, a fleece jacket and a gortex jacket and pants set (this covers my cold weather and wet weather clothing issues but if it gets real wet my backups in play and comin up later in this post), at least 1 change of complete clothing for every 2 days planned out, 3 stripped MREs for every day planned out, a hygiene kit bar of soap, travel shampoos, travel toothpaste and brush, and baby wipes for when ya just don't got access to water, firestarting implements for ease to me is a 9v battery and sos pads the metal type and an assortment of lighters(smokers advantage) and a flint type, flashlight, field knife, Gerber, entrenching tool (yeah I still carry one SFW), 550 cord for making a hooch and the good ol ponchos (two of em this way ya can make a nice hooch n keep you n everything else dry), I'm thinkin bout replacing the hooch with some kind of small tent but will still pack it for the ponchos primary use. I haven't carried firearms with me in a long time since hunting trips with Great Granddad but now prolly will be when I get back to states unless the wifey comes along in which case I'll likely be limited to a pistol but I doubt she'll camp with me her idea of that is a cabin or a trailer. One thing most people totally overlook is a fresh pair of boots for when those gets soaked. All of this gear goes into My fav pack so far Little GI Joes of Newport News VA n yeah I'll plug these guys website as they supported the hell outta me with all kinds of deals on equipment including some gimmes, I miss them and I love em, good stuff on their site

I got my poncho, 10'x10' tarp, foil blinket (dunno the name of it but its warm), two lighters, two packs of matches in baggie, buck knife, utlitiy knife with wood saw, small first aid kit, verizon cellphone, fishing line with hooks, 40' of rope, bug spray, lighter fluid (small), CO map, chocolate bar, a few snacks, bottle of water or two, then I got a ammo pack that straps onto my military pack, that currently has 50rnd of .45 hollow point, 150 rounds of .40, and 75 rounds of .270, extra mags, flashlight, and mirror.

For a tarp i highly recommend the Kelty Noahs tarp 12 or 16. Lots of tie outs even down the center. I used this tarp and a extendable walking staff i had got at REI for my pole. This tarp is very tough and only weighs a couple pounds, some para cord and your options are endless.