Here is a copy of my gear list that I took on my recent trip on the Pennine Way. Total weight with food was 10.6 kg (23 .3 lbs) and excluding food for 4 days and 3 nights was 8.8 kg (19.35 lbs). The big three items – shelter, pack and sleeping bag (+sleeping mat) came to 3.1 kg (6.82 lbs).
Areas where I could have cut weight was mainly the guide-book and maps where I could have photocopied and saved around 400 g. A lighter Swiss army knife – it weighed 153g and I suppose I could cut about 300g on my pack going for something like a Gossamer Gear Gorilla and say 250g on a Western Mountaineering Summerlite sleeping bag. I also carried for part of the way when not using the gilet option of the Paramo 3rd Element jacket, about an extra 500g of waterproof. However, I did not need to take a fleece or a light down vest, so the actual weight saving was probably about 300g . The Paramo came in very handy on Sunday with 5 hours of continuous heavy horizontal rain. It kept me superbly dry and not hint of condensation inside the jacket.
So I could probably cut say 1.25 kg (2.75 lbs) by additional spending of £400 or so – is it worth it I wonder ? – no sure
| Shelter & Sleeping | Weight in grammes (oz) | |
| Vaude Power Lizard UL tent | 1085 (2.3lbs) | |
| Alpkit Pipedream Sleeping bag | 750 (1.6lbs) | |
| POE Elite Peak AC Regular sleeping mat | 341 (12 oz) | |
| Exped inflatable pillow | 85 (3 oz) | |
| Petzl Tikka Plus 2 headlamp | 81 (2.8 oz) | |
| Pack | Golite Pinnacle | 935 (2 lbs) |
| OMM Trio Chest Pouch | 107 (3.7 oz) | |
| Sea to Summit Pack Liner | 79 (2.7 oz) | |
| 2 various sized Pod dry bags | 91 (3.2 oz) | |
| Kitchen | MSR Pocket Rocket stove | 85 (3 oz) |
| Primus 4 season gas cartridge | 200 (7 oz) | |
| Foil windshield | 61 (2 oz) | |
| Ti Mug | 56 (1.9 oz) | |
| Sea to Summit long spoon | 12 (0.4 oz) | |
| Matches & lighter | 33 (1 oz) | |
| Pot grab | 52 (1.8 oz) | |
| Food for 3 nights & 4 days | 1800 (3.9 lbs) | |
| Travel Tap bottle | 168 (3.9 oz) | |
| 1 litre Platypus | 30 (1.05 oz) | |
| 500 ml plastic bottle | 28 ( 1 oz) | |
| Clothing carried | Montane Lite speed windshirt | 165 (5.8 oz) |
| Montane Atomic DT Rain pants | 195 (6.8 oz) | |
| Seal Skinz socks | 73 (2.5 oz) | |
| Spare Smartwool socks | 70 (2.5 oz) | |
| 2 pair underpants | 154 (5.4) | |
| Rohan Ultra silver Teeshirt | 60 (2 oz) | |
| Paramo 3rd element jacket (carried part of the time) | 765 (27 oz) | |
| Extremities Goretex Gloves | 113 (4 oz) | |
| Trekmates Goretex hat | 50 (1.7 oz) | |
| Columbia sun hat | 87 (3 oz) | |
| Washing & Shaving Kit | Deodorant | 32 (1 oz) |
| Shaving foam & razor | 108 (3.8 oz) | |
| Shower gel | 45 (1.5 oz) | |
| Toothpaste & brush | 15 (0.5 oz) | |
| Life adventure soft fibre trek towel | 102 (3.7 oz) | |
| Toilet trowel | 53 (1.8 oz) | |
| Toilet paper | 26 ( 0.9 oz) | |
| Other Equipment | Swiss Army knife | 153 (5.4 oz) |
| Glasses with case | 166 (5.8 oz) | |
| Map & Guide book | 397 (14 oz) | |
| Paper back | 236 (8.3 oz) | |
| Sunscreen & DEET | 107 (3.8 oz) | |
| Garmin eTrex GPS Unit | 153 (5.4 oz) | |
| Silva Compass | 30 (1.05 oz) | |
| Spot 2 Messenger | 138 (4.8 oz) | |
| Power Monkey | 84 ( 3 oz) | |
| Iphone | 135 (4.7 oz) | |
| Ipod (for radio) | 46 (1.6 oz) | |
| Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ6 camera | 227 (8 oz) | |
| Spare batteries | 82 (2.8 oz) | |
| Aquapac waterproof bag | 67 (2.3 oz) | |
| Gaffa Tape | 19 (0.6 oz) | |
| Nylon twine | 5 (0.17 oz) | |
| Small tin of vaseline | 18 (0.6 oz) | |
| Adventure Medical kit UL No 3. | 68 ( 2.3 oz) | |
| Antiseptic wash | 65 (2.2 oz) | |
| Medicines | 143 (5 oz) | |
| Foot powder | 67 (2.3 oz) | |
| TOTAL WEIGHT CARRIED (excluding food) | 8,798 (19.35 lbs) |
|
| TOTAL WEIGHT CARRIED (including food) | 10,598 g (23.3 lbs) |
|
| Clothing & Equipment worn/used | Columbia Titanium Walking shirt | 218 (7.7 oz) |
| Montane Terra Pants | 320 (11.3 oz) | |
| Smart wool socks | 70 (2.5 oz) | |
| TNF Hedgehog trail shoes | 850 (1.9 lbs) | |
| Leki Makalu Treking Poles | 565 (1.2 lbs) | |
| TOTAL WEIGHT WORN/USED | 2,023 g (4.45 lbs) |
Mark's walking blog 
In my opinion, if you are happy carrying the current weight (no knee problems etc.), there is no need to try reducing more weight. I see no point in weight reduction in itself – although I think reducing weight can be a means to achieve something (more enjoyable walking, faster walking, …). So I’d spend those £400 to something else 🙂
I think, I am starting to get to the limit of how much more weight I can reduce. I still like a bit of comfort :0)
Mark
I think there’s plently of scope for further weight reduction , but as you say we all have different comfort levels.
In my case due to the creaks of advancing age and some back trouble I am trying to keep total carried weight( not including food/water to a max 0f 6.00 kg.
To this end I am awaiting my new Gossamer Gear Gorilla rucksack which is around 680 gr.This is comming via WinWood and I ordered it 2 months ago.They are the only UK distributor , and Gos Gear being a cottage type manufacturer are taking a while to cope with the large order . Winwood currently only have the small sack in stock and being 6ft 1″ I need the large , as I guess a lot of people will.
I am in the process of upgrading all my kit from the nineties – an expensive endeavour !
By the way ,how are you getting on with your Vaude Power Lizard ? Space and weight appear excellent , but
concerns are flapping in the wind/condensation. Any experiences to share yet on your trips with it ?
Charles, I did a further draft list, I would need to spend quite a lot of money but I got it down to a base weight of around 6 – 6.5 kg. I included the GG Gorilla or at the bottom end of the weight scale, a Murmur. It can be done, just as you say takes quite a bit of money. As regards the Lizard – extremely spacious for one. I have not had any more condensation than any other 2 skin tent of this weight. I think it is the same for most tents – still cold nights – condensation. A bit of a breeze – none. As regards the flapping – some but this may be the issue with single hoop tents. It helps by doing a few mods like replacing the fixed guylines with dyneema guys with line-locks and by using 2 titanium v pegs for the end guys.
Mark
I think this will have to go on the long list awaiting an award from the Lottery Fund. (still waiting )
I have been using a Phoenix Phreerunner single skin gortex tent for over 20 years. Best tent I have owned. Good winter tent – very strong guying system , and the material is quite thick.Ground sheet is sewn in. So it is all one piece. No draughts. Always warm inside and no condensation.
BUT – quite heavy at 2kg. Have thourght of ordering a carbon fibre pole from the USA, but even with
lighter pegs it will still come in at around 1.7kg. According to the original sales info from 1990 somebody used one at 23,000ft on Everest. That’s probably pushing it a bit I think !
There was an article by Eddie Meechan ? a few months ago in the TGO re going lightweight.
He went out on a trip using his gear from the nineties, and then another one geared up with his current ultralight equipment. Carefully monitoring the food he used on each trip he found with his heavier gear he had to consume twice the amount of food to cope with hauling the heavier weight
over the same distance in comparison to that used with the lighter kit.
Ineresting eh ? So not all in vain.
Charles, I think it is quite good to go as light as possible, but I do like to take into account both safety and comfort. My winter tent is 2kg, which is seen as heavy these days, but it will stand up to practically anything including 15 inches of snow on the roof last winter .That article in the TGO was interesting. I would say I am getting there in weight terms, but some way to go yet.
Mark , You are right. I am still feeling my way with the weight thing.
Safety and of course, comfort , are paramount. There are some things I just won’t leave
behind. Sooner or later I will arrive at the benchmark to adhere to , and that’s it !
Charles if you want to post your gear list on this blog, please do so, it would be interesting to see.
Mark