Gear and Loathing
Or is it Fear and Clothing?
One of the first steps in becoming an ultralight hiker is taking control of your gear. Most backpacking gear and clothing is manufactured to appeal to as wide a market as possible, which seems like a reasonable business imperative, and at least to some extent, keeps consumer prices lower – better economies of scale. In doing this, there’s a tendency to add “features”, some utilitarian (but not necessarily useful for you) and some purely for fashion and marketing (they look cool).
There has been an ongoing trend for many (most?) of the big outdoor apparel and equipment manufacturers to slap “ultralight”, “featherweight” and similarly loaded adjectives onto entire lines of merchandise. Initially, some of these products weigh less than earlier offerings, but thereafter another trend takes over. Each season, the gear seems to get bigger, more robust, feature-packed, and HEAVIER! Memo to whoever you are – “This is not helping us, guys! (and gals!)”
Fortunately, a few clever companies persistently push (or should we say pull?) the envelope, developing products made with thoughtful, simple designs and technologically advanced materials. Companies like BackPackingLight, Gossamer Gear, and Mountain Laurel Designs continue to innovate with products their owners design to please themselves and then go test in the field. I love it when I check a company’s website and occasionally find a “Gone Hiking” notice. Because these companies are often small, owner-managed enterprises, they tend not to keep huge inventories or have large manufacturing runs, so if there’s something you’re interested in, get it quickly or be prepared to wait.
The point here, as elsewhere, is to plan ahead so you have time to research, consider, acquire, and as necessary, modify. Part of the essence of the long-distance trail is that you walk your own walk. Similarly, it’s worth keeping in mind that your kit is your kit. Once you buy a piece of gear or clothing, it’s yours, and you can do whatever you want with it. If it has features you don’t need, get rid of them.
Chopping up stuff, hacking off the superfluous, shedding the bogus, customizing – all become part of the process and fun of the experience. There’s an inevitable sense of competitive mission that takes over, which helps keep us focused on the goal. Once you start snipping off labels and excess strap webbing, you start to look for more (or is it less?). And you’ll find it everywhere as you assemble your checklist, learn ultralight technique and develop a longwalking mindset. The entertainment your strange new preoccupations will provide your friends and family is all just icing on the cake! “Hey, I know you have some “baggage” you need to get rid of, but this is ridiculous!”
Throughout this site, wherever possible, we’ll provide tips and techniques for shaving off grams here and ounces there, all the time making things less complicated and more directly functional. Read on for tips, techniques, tools and resources.
