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Most recent tripping kit subtraction?

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I subtracted my water filter years ago to save weight. I now use 2 part aqua mira drops with no regrets.
 
sweeper said:
Even cheaper, more for less

https://www.amazon.com/Sawyer-Products-SP128-Filtration-System/dp/B00FA2RLX2/ref=cm_wl_huc_item
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Sweeper, thanks.

19 bucks for the Sawyer mini and a couple extraneous pieces, 40 bucks for the larger Sawyer filter in the water bottle version. Also 40 bucks for a replacement Platypus GravityWorks filter.

I hesitate in picking a Sawyer cartridge only because a friend used the Sawyer Mini to DIY a small bag gravity filter system for long desert backpacking trips, and became disenchanted with the increasing frequency it required backflushing to maintain any flow rate.

Of course my usual water sources are not his silt and dust laden potholes and pourovers.

Acknowledging unknown differences in water quality, a question for folks using the Sawyer filters with a dromedary bag system. How frequently has the Mini needed to be back flushed? Alan, or others, same question about the larger Sawyer filter?

I do not mind that simple maintenance, but I would like to get at least 10 liters at a go even with some past use wear on the filter, enough at least to fill my large dromedary bag.
 

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I have been jettisoning things for the past 10 years at least. Comfort to me now means less to carry. I have given up (for serious solo trips) fishing gear, cameras, never used filters much anyway. Don't need anywhere near as much food anymore and keep it simple, simple, simple. I've always been minimalist on clothing, using the layer system Alan mentioned. The trangia and one plastic spoon about does it for cooking/eating.

My new piece of equipment, still untested, is a waterproof day pack for the things needed for the day, that sits in front of me, so I don' t have to go searching through packs for what I need.

Erica
 
+1 for the Jetboil coffee press. Ground coffee supply now weighs far more than coffee making equipment.

Paring my fishing gear down to one 3600 series flat and one 1 liter wide mouth bottle for tackle, two rods with reels, one extra spool of mono, one net and one burlap leech trap.

Maybe adding my new Deeper sonar transducer for a May BWCA fishing trip. The unit itself only weighs 4 oz and I bring a screen along already for Kindle, fishing maps and just-in-case GPS. BUT the 26800mAh battery pack to keep them both charged for a week weighs a full pound.

The emergency\survival\repair department is being completely eliminated and replaced by Gorilla tape and two needles. Goodbye survival fishing kit, sewing kit, fiberglass, epoxy, zip ties, third and fourth firestarters, second compass, second space blanket and (second) GPS.

Most of my other gear does not get "subtracted" as often as it gets "upgraded." This year I bought a new OneTigris 10x10 tarp. Every year I try to justify spending the big bucks at CCS, Kifaru or SeekOutside but can't convince myself to spend hundreds on what a hardware store sells for less than $20. This OneTigris at $40 packs to a quarter the size of a cheapo 10x10 at least. Biggest tarping compliment ever - Last May in the BWCA I actually had a group paddle up (on a windy day, no less) to ask what brand our shelter was, in all of it's blue glory.

Often neglected and forgotten, I try to remember to inspect and restock the medical kit while going through gear this time of the year.

Zac
 
I went from adding more stuff every year to exchanging items (light for heavy). Now, as I am getting older and no longer want to put up with, for instance, sleeping on the ground, I find myself exchanging some light items for heavier ones again. Simply because many of the heavy(er) items are often better made and/or more comfortable. For example, I went from an old military type canvas cot (cheap at the time, but heavy) to a high-tech mini cot (light but not comfortable or easy to get up from), back to an aluminum field cot like the Teton Sports Somnia Lightweight Camp Cot. And don't get me started on sleeping bags. I just love the feel of flannel vs. nylon, and I feel claustrophobic in any sleeping bag less than 80x35.

I suppose I am just not the minimalist I once thought I could be. A thought I have contemplated many times while falling asleep, warm and comfy in my oversized flannel sleeping bag on top of my cot and sleeping pad, inside my standing hight canvas cabin tent...
 
Dagger said:
I went from adding more stuff every year to exchanging items (light for heavy). Now, as I am getting older and no longer want to put up with, for instance, sleeping on the ground, I find myself exchanging some light items for heavier ones again. Simply because many of the heavy(er) items are often better made and/or more comfortable. For example, I went from an old military type canvas cot (cheap at the time, but heavy) to a high-tech mini cot (light but not comfortable or easy to get up from), back to an aluminum field cot like the Teton Sports Somnia Lightweight Camp Cot. And don't get me started on sleeping bags. I just love the feel of flannel vs. nylon, and I feel claustrophobic in any sleeping bag less than 80x35.

I suppose I am just not the minimalist I once thought I could be. A thought I have contemplated many times while falling asleep, warm and comfy in my oversized flannel sleeping bag on top of my cot and sleeping pad, inside my standing hight canvas cabin tent...
Click to expand...

Yes to this. In many instances in my life I have held up models of life choices as the ones to follow, only to wonder why following those don't really do it for me. As has been suggested in another thread about tubby plastic yaks it is all about whatever floats yer boat. Good advice and guidelines are fine, but stepping off the best route to meander down an alternate path can be just as rewarding, it's just a matter of choice. I'm still trying to figure this out for myself. Still experimenting and exploring.

"Conformity is a type of social influence involving a change in belief or behavior in order to fit in with a group. This change is in response to real (involving the physical presence of others) or imagined (involving the pressure of social norms / expectations) group pressure."
 
I hear you guys. I like my comfort for sure. A tent I can stand up in would be swelll and a cot even better but I have an issue with not being able to lug all of that with me. I find the whole ultra light thing to be rather gimmicky and fussy. Also the older I get the less inclined I am to be swayed by anyone else's ideas. I have probably tried and discarded most of them at one time already.
When in doubt ask yourself...what would YC do? Lol. I dare say she has all the tshirts a couple of times over by now.

Christy
 
yellowcanoe said:
Very true...about the clothes.. In 1967 I would bring a whole garbage bag full of clothes. You know 30 gallons. Now I am down to 20 liters max for two weeks.
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Same long past clothes packing experience, despite coming into canoe tripping from a backpacker perspective. That volume reduction is in part that is because I now carry much better quality clothing than my Army Surplus 1970s selections.

Packing clothes with young kids was even more of a challenge. I was not buying them quick dry stuff they would outgrow in a year, and on one inattentive bad parenting trip they managed to soak two sets of clothing before we hauled the canoes to waters edge.

No worries, we always started off with a clean fresh set of dud apiece, left in the van to put on when we came out, a post trip idea I still hold with.

I really appreciate a compression stuff bag for clothing storage, especially for fleece and down and Capilene and thick wool socks. Few things except sleeping bags smush down as well in a compression sack as thick fluffy duds.

Alan Gage said:
Last trip I eliminated a spare pair of pants. Just used the pair I wore on day They dry quick and if still wet when I want to go in the tent I just slip on my long underwear and hang the pants. There were a few days where it would have been nice to have an spare pair but overall it was fine.

I try to take enough clothes to keep me warm but no extra. It's all about layers. An extra t-shirt, one real light weight long sleeve, a little heavier weight long sleeve, and if, like my last trip, I expect some real cold weather (days in the 30's/40's) one heavy fleece. If needed I have my rain jacket to go over it all. Each successive layer is sized to fit what's underneath. A lightweight down sweater or jacket would be much lighter and compact than the heavy fleece but I already have the fleece. Other than the rain jacket and heavy fleece (if needed) my clothes bag is about the size of a softball.
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For shoulder season trip I do much the same, though not quite yet down to softball size. Regulation football maybe.

Long underwear tops and bottoms, lightweight quick dry UV shirt and pants for warmer sunnier days, fleece shirt and pants for cooler days or late nights lingering in camp, and rain gear tops and bottoms give me multiple layering possibilities. The rain gear with select under garb make an excellent wind barrier.

I have dang its cold worn all of those torso layers at once in unenergetic camp repose. Fully clad and immobile I have the profile of the Michelin Man.

Even on warmer weather trips my rule of thumb is to pack for one season cooler than I anticipate. I have been happy with that axiom, and often comforted having packed the down vest or extra torso layer when a cold front moved through and the wind kicked up.

I am good with 2 pair of liner socks plus 2 pair of wool socks, rinsing and drying them when they become foot stank stiffened stand up on their own. The one area I do still splurge a bit is underwear, especially on tidal trips where washing out utrou becomes a cleaner but saltier experience.

No salt starch in my tidy whities please.
 
I'll probably ditch my sail rig unless it's a coastal paddle. A lot of things, such as coolers, have parted from my list but I sometimes bring them if others are, because I'll end up carrying them at some point anyway. Stove is a Pocket Rocket, good for boiling water. Recent addition is a reflector oven - I suddenly realized that a nice cranberry orange scone tops off dinner nicely, and cooks while I'm rehydrating and eating my Mountain House.
 
Well, I have made a promise during last weekend's trip, under threats of tent mayhem in the dark of night, to ditch my 25 year-old A-frame tent for something new and modern.
 
I eliminated a couple of snot-nosed kids. Unfortunately they grew up, got bigger and started bringing their boyfriends. So that backfired.
 
Paddlinhal said:
I eliminated a couple of snot-nosed kids. Unfortunately they grew up, got bigger and started bringing their boyfriends. So that backfired.
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Hahahahaha, I understand completely ! My oldest just finished her 1st year of college and wants to bring her boyfriend along. I still have time on daughter #2, she's only 9.
Jason
 
Steve in Idaho said:
Well, I have made a promise during last weekend's trip, under threats of tent mayhem in the dark of night, to ditch my 25 year-old A-frame tent for something new and modern.
Click to expand...

Steve, did you buy a new modern tent yet? What did you get?
 
Mike McCrea said:
Steve, did you buy a new modern tent yet? What did you get?
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Well, I don't have any trip coming up that requires a tent for a while (I like to use a hammock when there are trees), so what I got was a folding cot for the pickup bed/cap. ;)

Still scratching my head on what tent to get.
 
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