2025 crit

  •   Category Price Weight
  • Big 4 $0.00
    9.4 lb
  • Cozy Sleepers $0.00
    1.32 lb
  • Water/Kitchen $5.00
    3.25 lb
  • Ditty Bag $3.00
    0.65 lb
  • Poop kit $0.00
    0.09 lb
  • Other Gear $0.00
    1.42 lb
  • Clothing $35.00
    3.73 lb
  • Consumables $0.00
    4.47 lb
  • Total $43.00 24.33
    lb
    • oz
    • lb
    • g
    • kg
  • Consumable 4.47 lb
  • Worn 1.67 lb
  • Base Weight 18.19 lb

Hi hi! Pack shakedown, I've learned a bunch from poking around online and actually listing and weighing everything, and I'm just wondering where I'd best put money & attention towards new skills/acclimating to new comforts/etc. If I was going to spend $300, what would be the most benefit? Ideally, this would benefit shared trips and trips on my own; I'll usually backpack with a partner or family member, but I'm trying more solo trips this summer. There's some pieces that I'm poking at already (see below), but where else -- leaving groundsheets? Leaving raincoats? Replacing my fleece & raincoat with a puffy? I'm down to step into some UL practices, just maybe one at a time (i.e. decidedly staying in a tent and cooking hot food for now 💖)

In particular, I fully expect pillows to get called out -- I've tried to make inflatables work, but I tend to really enjoy sleeping on my stomach on the corner of a pillow, which makes every one I've tried pretty uncomfortable. I've landed on a thermarest compressible pillow, restuffed with normal pillow fill so it feels like my pillow at home, and that was enough to make me enjoy backpacking because I was actually rested ❤️ That, on my stomach, with a inflated bladder to prop up one side is a pared down version of my pillow nest at home. I'm also pretty confident that I need to dial my clothing in a bit more, but I'm also noting that's a space where I'm still looking to build expertise around warmth & conditions. Also, yes, my ditty bag is extensive -- I wouldn't bring all this for an overnight, but I'm trying to dial in what I'd bring for a 4-day trip.

Location: Generally 3 season, PNW; primarily summers, but I'm exploring more spring/fall this year too. BPW: I'd love to be closer to 15lb, I'm just cutting weight where I can for now :) Budget: ~$300, maybe a bit more. Looking for: things to upgrade, things to leave, generally ways I can cut weight. Solo or with another: Typically with a partner/friend, some solo -- I'd love reductions to work for both.

Ideas I've got already: - Switching to Zenbivy's uninsulated sheet (saves ~370g, $60) - Getting & restuffing a small thermarest pillow (saves 140g, $30) - Smaller battery pack (Nitecore 6k, saves ~100g, $40) - Leaving behind groundsheet (teeny worries here, saves 208g) - Maybe Durston Iceline Poles ($170, saves 265g) - 4oz fuel canister (free, saves 117g) it's enough fuel, I just need to sort out how to carry it in my pot so it doesn't make noise all the time