Pack Weight Thoughts

[the_camera_poser]

This whole exercise is quite interesting in a way (a painful way).

If I went "ultralight", with the following gear I could get my pack to around 9 kilos, Helen's to 8 kilos, not including food (cost around $2,200)

3 Marmot Helium Sleeping Bags (1 Std, 2 Womens) (2.5kg)
1 WE Echo Ultralight Pack (1.7kg)
Big Agnes Copper Spur UL 3+ Season tent (2.2kg)
Clothes for Laura (5) and I, raingear for Laura and I.
Base weight, less food: 8-9kg

If I went semi-ultralight (Cost around $1500)

3 Marmot Helium Sleeping Bags (2.5kg)
1 WE Karijini Pack (3.2 kg)
1 Coleman Phad Tent (3.8kg)
Clothes and Raingear

Base weight, less food, around 13 kg

If I went cheap (likely, given my cheapness- around $1000)

3 LL Bean Climashield Mummy Bags (4kg)
1 WE Karijini Pack (3.2 kg)
1 Coleman Phad Tent (3.8kg)
Clothes and raingear

Base weight, less food, around 14.5 kg

If I went really cheap- following my original plans (Around $600)

2 Mountain Designs Wanderer 300 Bags (3.8 kg)
1 Mountain Designs Wanderer 300 Bags (1.2 kg)
1 WE Karijini Pack (3.2 kg)
1 coleman Phad Tent (3.8 kg)
Clothes and Raingear

Base Weight, less food, around 15.5 kg.

Any one step doesn't seem worth the money- 400-500 for a kilo of weight. But the difference between the ultralight and the ultracheap is huge- $1600 for a whopping savings of SEVEN kilos is pretty significant. The shift from needing a full-load carrying 20+ kg pack to a ultralight pack makes a big difference, but I wouldn't feel safe doing this with heavier gear.