The quest to lighten up the load you carry into the backcountry is seemingly never ending! At Packrafting Queenstown, we’re constantly looking for incremental improvements for our overnight set ups. Typically I’ve never been a “Weight Weiner”. I work in the backcountry and I have a duty of care meaning I often carry extra gear for the group be it on the river or in the mountains somewhere. If my bag was too heavy, I just wasn’t fit enough was my approach.
However, getting into Packrafting made me change my approach. As much as the Alpacka Packrafts that we use are not heavy by any stretch of the imagination, the addition of a raft, a pfd, a paddle, a dry suit, a helmet, a throw bag etc…. it all quickly adds up. You can either compromise on what you take on the water with you, or you can focus really hard on the rest of your set up. Seeing as I know the river is more than capable of whooping my ass if it sees fit, I know it’s more prudent to compromise not the rest of my kit. This isn’t going to be exhaustive, but here’s what I’ve been looking at as ways to significantly reduce my packrafting base weight.
YOUR PACK
This is an excellent place to start as it’s not uncommon for traditional Tramping packs (or backpacks if you’re not in NZ) to be pretty damn heavy in and of itself. Your bag can easily be over 1kg, especially if it’s big enough to fit all of your gear (70-90litres?) and it has a traditional metal frame in it. Going frameless and using more modern materials can definitely make a huge weight saving. Some folks swear by Cuban Fibre or Dyneema. Personally, having guided with a dyneema bag for a couple of years, I don’t love some of the leading brands. The pockets were too small to fit a phone or keys or wallet… or anything really come to think of it, the outer side pockets were too narrow for a paddle blade and they cost an absolute fortune. Our guide team and guests have used the ULA Catalyst for years and I think they are super practical, hard wearing and amazing value for money. Can’t fault them. I am, however super keen to also try the Sockdolager Equipment Bad Larry pack too, it looks amazing and it’s unusual as it’s actually designed for packrafters rather than just adopted by them!
YOUR SHELTER
I’ve tried a few different set ups over the years. My early expedition river running saw me cowboy camping on beaches with a divvy bag, I’ve tried Tarps, heavier free standing tents, fancy pants Hyperlight pyramid tents and even some home made sil-nilon offerings. The person who made the homemade tent said he’d never build another one again as it was too much work… and ultimately the Sil-Nilon trekking pole tents on “The People’s Republic of Ali” were every bit as good if you know which ones to get. So that was me converted. The Lanshan and Lanshan 2 (pro versions) are cult classics in the ultra light world. I’ve done some stormy nights in them and they’ve been pretty good… not perfect, but for the money and weight, they’ve far exceeded all reasonable expectations. There’s definitely a bit of skill required in the pitching of your trekking pole tent to reduce condensation and make it wind resistant, but once you’ve got that dialled you’re onto a winner. The Lanshan’s are also a rarity in that they are not only light and high performing, but also cheap. More often than not, going more lightweight means paying a pretty penny. Just ask any biker. It’s super unusual to find a better, more practical solution than the market leaders that is also significantly cheaper. Again, I’d be willing to have my mind changed by the Durston X-Mid 2 which looks so so well designed, but my Lanshan has certainly seen me through some pretty challenging seasons with consummate ease and comfort.
YOUR SLEEPING SET UP
Join the quilt revolution. You know it makes sense. The side of your sleeping bag you are lying on will not loft and will offer very little additional warmth. Why not convert to a sleeping “bag” that doesn’t have a side you lie on. Quilts are brilliant. I couple mine up with a down filled sleeping pad (not the lightest, but sleep is so so valuable, this is not an area I wanted to compromise on). It’s a Gucci set up. Super small, takes up very little room and comfortable even in winter.
YOUR COOKING SET UP
This is a bit more complicated as there’s a bit to consider here. The lightest option by far is Cold Soaking. This is where you have your food soaking in cold water for a few hours as you hike to get it rehydrated and ready to eat when you hit camp. Obviously this is light. All you need is a sturdy plastic jar to soak stuff. Whilst this is super light, it is likely to strip you on 89% of your happiness when you jealously watch others eating warm food. A stove, therefore, for most people is a good option. Solid fuel stoves can be light, although I’ve never tried one and the most efficient stoves are the ones based on the Jetfoil heat transfer system. Heat transfer efficiency is important as it means you can take less fuel and save weight that way. But I’m rarely taking more than 1 gas can anyway so for me the weight and size are the metrics that matter the most. Enter the legendary BRS-3000. Another unicorn that costs so little but is also absolutely epic. Mostly made of titanium and weighing less than some farts, this thing is a packrafters best friend. Again, buying from the People’s Republic represents a bit of a gamble as you’re never quite sure if what you receive will be what you hope you’ve ordered…. but thankfully we’ve done the research so you don’t have to. We bring in boxes of 20 or 30 at a time from the right suppliers and these things absolutely rock!
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