Is it worth packing a PLB and snake bandage for weight?

[Tortoise]

Hi Emma. A few thoughts:

I can squeak 10 days out of a 100gm gas bottle, but I switched to bars over porridge for that. So I only boil water for a coffee in the morning, and to rehydrate dinner. I don't get tempted by other people's evening drinks, as I much prefer not to have to get up during the night. I reckon you can do it as long as you protect the stove from the wind and don't have it cranked up. Be prepared to skip a morning coffee in dire circumstances. I had to do that once.

I've used a brolly now and then in more extreme heat, so I'd take it if there's that kind of forecast. But yes, it does tend to be windy in open areas of the OLT. I cover up with light, long sleeves and long pants and a good hat. A bit of sunscreen for reflected rays on face and neck when necessary. I don't think the brolly would actually make that any better. I pick somewhere shady for lunch if it's not cold.

I wash, love going to bed clean, but don't need a sink. Drop of eco-friendly 'soap' on a wet half chux. Other chux for towel. Repeat as necessary. Start with face!

Head net only 12 gm, but I've stopped bothering to ever take mine in Tassie.

Can't remember if you have access to a dehydrator. Toothpaste dots in a small ziplock bag, or a pinch of bicarb soda (also used for deodorant) should be lighter options.

I certainly have my own luxuries, that others would see as unnecessary. But I'll pop my 2c worth anyway, in favour of not needing the table. I do wonder how you'll fit everything in with the chair and table in a 45 l pack, but I'm sure you've thought about that! In case you haven't yet, it's worth loading up the pack with your expected weight, and walking a good long day with it, if you can't manage an overnighter. I love my Golite Pinnacle for travelling (hand luggage becomes a full size pack), but it just isn't comfy once I have more than about 10 kgs in it. I do much better taking my 1.6kg pack for multi-day walks.

I'd rethink the cotton bandana for pot (shake pot, and it's ok. Stove is in a zip lock bag, so no moisture gets in. Cotton takes too long to dry out. I use a chux for my tent, too, but see better option here: http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=28685&p=362771&hilit=wettex#p362771

Re weight of gaiters: I've used light and heavy ones, and I can't say I've ever noticed the increased weight when walking. Unlike shoes vs boots - where I've certainly noticed the difference. I now use shoes (achilles problem), which can be a nuisance in deep mud or off-track. But for the OLT, shoes would now be my choice anyway, unless I was expecting deep snow.

I confess that after some hypothermic episodes, I do carry a set of thermals to walk in that can get damp/wet on the bottoms, and a set of thermals for camp/night.

Large freezer bags or bread bags keep camp socks dry when you need to go outside.


PS Glad you're taking the PLB and bandage.

[emma_melbourne]

Thank you all so much for sharing your wisdom.

As I have a 2 year old (who dawdles and picks up twigs etc), I don't have opportunity to lots of practice hikes prior to going on my Overland Track. I've been doing plenty of walking, but not had opportunity to do big hikes / overnight hikes in the last few months. I am hoping to get out in 2 weeks time for a weekend hike as she'll be with her grandparents that weekend.

I'm going to load up a food bag with a close approximation of the food I plan to bring, and try loading it into each of the 2 pack options. (The Berghaus Fast Hike 45 L which weighs around 900 grams, and the Berghaus Wilderness 60+15 L which weighs close to 1.8 kg.)

However I've got a new solution running around my brain.... a new pack.

I think I've come to the conclusion that my personal style is Comfortable Lightweight, with a dash of luxuries to add real enjoyment to the trip.

I'm by no means "Ultralight" - I won't ever sacrifice my wide mat size to shave grams.

But nor am I "traditionalist" - I won't lug around a 20 kg pack full of heavy equipment which I stubbornly won't switch out, or unnecessary "just-in-case" items.

So I seem to fit somewhere in the middle of those two. I want my pack relatively light, with lightweight tent, lightweight sleeping mat, lightweight quilt, and prudent selection of clothing and survival items. And then to throw in a few luxuries which will add serious enjoyment but limit them to around 10% of my base weight.

So the pack I'm eyeing up, is the Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor.

The plan would be to order it from Backcountry Edge in USA, with 20% discount, and once it arrives, assuming it fits me well and is everything I hoped it to be, I would sell my other 2 packs. And just do everything with the 1 Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor pack.

The reason why this pack, is the Flex Capacitor it is approx 1.17 kg in the size S-M, and goes from 39 - 56 Litres by expanding out. (That's the S-M size. The M-L size goes 40-50L as it's a bit longer on the back).

The maximum weight capacity on it is advertised as 35 - 50 pounds, which is 15.8 kg - 22.6 kg.

My base weight is likely to be around 7.5 kg for this trip, the Overland Track, if I had my way without any compromises. That's taking snake bandage, PLB, for added safety; as well as the 2 sets of thermals - one base thermals and the other thicker for sleeping in etc. Taking my Helinox Zero chair, etc.

And on other hikes range from 6.5 kg (if doing multi-day hike with most of trip hiking and not around camp), through to around 10 kg (if going with my daughter, or on a hike-in with base camping so lugging in all the fun stuff and gear for my daughter.)

So the Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor backpack would be adaptable to that style of approach to backpacking, and I'd have the one bag that could do it all. For my particular style of hiking.

The only "con" I really see with that pack, is that it's Unisex and may not fit a woman as well. The straps may not go around boobs as well, etc.

I do love my Berghaus backpacks, both of them are brilliant, but I've come to feel that realistically my Berghaus Fast Hike 45 may be a bit to small for my style of multi-day hiking, and my Berghaus Wilderness 60+15 is a bit large and bulky and heavy.

Hence the spanner in the works, an Option C - Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor - and aim for it to do all my multi-day hikes.

So I will try out those experiments, and let you all know how I go.

Best,


Emma

[Tortoise]

Interesting. I had a quick check - looks like my go-to pack is the model before yours - Berghaus womens 60 l at 1.6 kg, a weight penalty that has really been worth it. Might be worth looking at Osprey packs if you haven't already. I have lots of friends with various models, and they're all happy. Lighter weight than mine for the volume. The only reason I haven't got one is that at the time, the only hip strap types didn't work for one of my dodgy joints.

[north-north-west]

That was interesting - I just had a gander at that Sierra Designs pack and it looks wonderful. Nice curvy shoulder straps on it so I don't think the male/female thing will be an issue. And being able to carry over 20kg is unusual in a relatively lightweight pack. SD do design good gear and this pack has just hit the top of my "want" list. Thanks for that (I think).

[warnabrother]

you wont need the chair or the table as many have mentioned..
IF you REALLY need something soft to sit on, get a z-seat

[wayno]

once apon a time there were no PLB's and helicopters . once apon a time a lot more people died in the bush.... and there was a lot more effort and suffering to get people out of the bush when they needed stretchering out..
everyone should be made to carry a stretcher through the bush and really realise what miracles beacons and helicopters are.
i had to stretcher carry down a very rough streambed once, a few hours i'm not in a hurry to complete... it sorts the wheat from the chaff...

[gayet]

you wont need the chair or the table as many have mentioned.. ....

There is more to carrying a chair than simply something soft to sit on. It may be necessary for some people, to ensure they can walk, or stand or carry a pack. And I am speaking for myself in that.

Do not assume a chair is always and only a luxury item.

[Lord Backcountry]

Take the chair and table.

Use the Flex Capacitor to drop them back if not required...

Tell us how you go with them.

cheers

LBC

[warnabrother]

you wont need the chair or the table as many have mentioned.. ....

There is more to carrying a chair than simply something soft to sit on. It may be necessary for some people, to ensure they can walk, or stand or carry a pack. And I am speaking for myself in that.

Do not assume a chair is always and only a luxury item.

Listed in luxury items in her list..

[Amahb]

Hi Emma,

My wife and I have recently got back into hiking after time out for 3 kids, now aged 8, 10 and 12.
We carry for our 2 daughters and my oldest can carry for himself.
Over the last few months we have smashed our pack weights and are looking to do more. Most of our weight saving is a success, with backpacks being one of them.
My wife and I both bought HMG Southwest 4400 with 4 pods each. We are still carrying around 19kg and 16kg each for 6 days including food and couple of litres of water. Both packs have been great coming from 20 yr old WE packs. They carry well and are large enough for the extra child’s gear and a lot of food. Terribly expensive, however possibly a great option for you as solo and with your daughter.
The other pack we bought was the 60lt Osprey lumina for my 12 year old son. We bought the ladies version as he needs a smaller size. This pack is amazing. It is incredibly comfortable and he carried 11.5 kg recently as we needed an extra 6lts of water for a walk. The weight didn’t phase him at all as the pack is so comfortable. This would be another great option and very cheap to buy. It would carry your load for the OLT.
Regards,
Andrew.

[emma_melbourne]

Goodness I am so appreciative of the wealth of wisdom and generosity of sharing on this forum. Thank you everyone.

On chair and luxury topic, everyone is going to have a different perspective on whether it's worth taking a luxury item (or items) or not, for the weight. By way of context and background to my own decision, I've spent some years "punishing myself" in various ways, dealing with grief of my father's death, pushing myself to do a Masters degree at a top UK university while working full-time to support it. Looking after a newborn baby, and shortly diagnosed with cancer and undergoing surgery without proper post-surgery pain relief as I was nursing her and wasn't allowed to have painkillers in my bloodstream. Running myself ragged while writing a book, and there was something in the pain. My father was a marathon runner, before he pulled a hamstring and later died of cancer. There's something in my biology as best I can explain it, to take physical pain while going through emotional pain, and punishing myself somehow for it.

In any case, I am now having a year of going the other way, of spoiling myself. Of being kind on myself. Nurturing of myself.

Now obviously in hiking, one pays for one's luxuries with the weight and discomfort of carrying them.

If someone is thru-hiking, and their entire day is taken up with hiking more or less from dawn to dusk, to "make miles" as it were, I think the lighter the pack - the better. You're basically pitching your tent, eating a quick meal, and crashing shortly after from exhaustion, and the darkness and its effect on circadian rhythm.

But if one is hiking say 4 hours a day, then there's a lot of time potentially spent in camp. There's more time for stopping during the day, for taking a long lunch in a pleasant spot, or getting to the end of the day and relaxing back. And then I think it's worthwhile considering taking a Helinox Zero chair at roughly 500 grams. There's a video on that view also here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPCvXaFRN_k

It's a case of "hike your own hike" though. The ultralighters will not agree to take a chair. The traditionalists won't think it terrible to take one. For me, it's worth it. I see it as being kind to myself, nurturing of myself, a luxury I think worthwhile to take.

Interestingly, in an historical article I read about a Victorian's man advice on camping, he cited the #1 most enjoyed luxuries by himself and his men while camping. And you guessed it, up the top of that list was a portable chair. Actually I shall dig out that original article as post it as it might be amusing to some of you to read.

@Amahb I know of that Hyperlight Mountain Gear pack from dyneema, and it looks great! Good on you, hiking with 3 kids - fabulous.

I've already ordered the Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor pack, while has got good load-carrying capacity, so I'll let you know how I go with that.

I think the Osprey Lumina looks great but needs a bit more delicate treatment, from what I've read.

With my 2.5 year old, I think the Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor will be good, and will be big enough for the type of trips we do. I used to have a WE Wildchild also for her, but she won't sit happily in the carrier anymore, and she's also got so heavy to carry plus adding gear to the child carrier as well. When she's old enough I'll introduce her to carrying a small amount of weight in a mini backpack. (Like I'm talking 0.5 kg, and then 1 kg etc, as she grows older, before anyone chastises me.) I tend to take more car-camping / base camping at the current age. We did a lovely trip to Fitzroy Island near Cannes, and small hikes out from base camp. We have a lovely Sierra Designs Flash 3 tent for base camping which is 3 kg, and a lighter version Sierra Designs Flash 2 FL which is 1.8 kg and very comfortable.

I'm going to wait for the new pack to arrive, before listing my existing Berghaus packs for sale. (If it does indeed fit perfect, and do the job of my 2 packs.)

Best,

Emma