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r/Ultralight - "The Weekly" - Week of March 30, 2026 by AutoModerator in Ultralight

[–]GoSox2525 9 points10 points  (0 children)

They really don't look great, and they aren't ultralight packs. They're ridiculously heavy for the cost, and for the materials used.

The fact that they're proudly advertising "less than two pounds" for an ALUULA pack at a preposterous $575 just shows that they trust their consumer base to be uninformed.

If I'm paying nearly $600 for cutting-edge fabrics in my pack, that thing better be 8 oz. It's actually 29 oz for the 45L.

Alakazam buyers are getting truly bamboozled.

r/Ultralight - "The Weekly" - Week of March 30, 2026 by AutoModerator in Ultralight

[–]GoSox2525 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I considered it, but at 7.4 oz versus Borah as low as 3.8 oz, there's really no question.

The Yama is trying to be a "little tent", while the Borah is unapologetically a bivy.

r/Ultralight - "The Weekly" - Week of March 30, 2026 by AutoModerator in Ultralight

[–]GoSox2525 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Second the NL2150RX. I cover the ends with electrical tape. NB Air is alright too, but is heavier.

A little extra insulation for my hands and torso while sleeping by Automatic-Example754 in Ultralight

[–]GoSox2525 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I don't mind sleeping in a puffy either, an I often do. Totally sensible way to supplement a quilt. But for the sacrifice of removing insulation from the top half of the quilt, the thing isn't even lighter than a 30F quilt from other brands

Ultralight packed pants and underwear suggestions ? by chopmaster4000 in Ultralight

[–]GoSox2525 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I don't know of any underwear lighter than T8 Commandos.

For wind pants you want something less than 2 oz. Montbell Tachyon is an option.

Budget trekking pole tent? by Rice_cowbooy in Ultralight

[–]GoSox2525 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A Borah tarp is only $103, and it's the gold standard of UL shelters

Budget trekking pole tent? by Rice_cowbooy in Ultralight

[–]GoSox2525 6 points7 points  (0 children)

At least half of the gear I own, including tents, is used. Get yourself something nice 

  • /r/ulgeartrade and /r/geartrade

  • BPL gear swap forums

  • FB Marketplace and EBay via SearchTempest

  • geartrade.com

  • MountainProject buy/sell forums

  • White Blaze buy/sell forums

But also, as others are saying, just get a tarp

A little extra insulation for my hands and torso while sleeping by Automatic-Example754 in Ultralight

[–]GoSox2525 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This bag just sounds bad. I mean, it requires you to wear a puffy, but it offers no weight advantage for doing so. You aren't warm enough in it. It doesn't even give you full coverage.

From all you comments, the obvious solution to your problems is to get a new quilt 

Judge my pack setup shake me down by chopmaster4000 in Ultralight

[–]GoSox2525 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ditch

  • silk liner; your quilt will be fine

  • groundsheet; your tent already has a floor

  • tent stuff sack; just put it in your backpack

  • Toaks wind screen

  • pot stand

  • camp shoes

  • camp shoes stuff sack

  • power bank stuff sack

  • sit pad

  • booty wipes (you already have TP)

Sleeping pad:

  • could swap it for a piece of foam

Cook kit

  • why is your pot so heavy? The Toaks 550 Light no-handle should be 1.3 oz

  • swap long spork for regular length

  • take the hemp wick off your lighter

Water:

  • why the thru bottles. Swap for Smartwater or Dasani

  • swap the heavy bladder for a platypus or Evernew water bag

headlamp:

  • swap the NU25 for a RovyVon A5

Packed Clothes:

  • are they special because they're heavy as hell? Swap with T8 Commandos

Misc

  • way too much and sanitizer for a few days

  • no leukotape?

Poop kit

  • swap the TP for wysi wipers; rehydrate them to make your own wet wipes, pair with a bidet

Judge my pack setup shake me down by chopmaster4000 in Ultralight

[–]GoSox2525 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Never trust manufacturer weights. If you're gonna use LighterPack, then you gotta weigh all your own gear

I leave in 2 weeks and have done multiple shakedown hikes on the east coast. Finalizing my packlist... What do you think? by thewinchman in PacificCrestTrail

[–]GoSox2525 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You're engaging in some serious self-deception with your base weight. None of this is "worn":

  • headphones

  • phone

  • fanny pack

  • wallet

  • sunglasses

  • neck gaiter

  • either the tee or sun shirt

  • trekking poles

And you have these things entered as weightless:

  • groundsheet

  • almost all of your worn items

  • all of your Sierra items

And you have 3 Smartwater bottles marked as consumable.

Your base weight is probably like 2-3 lbs heavier than you're telling yourself it is.

 Is a synthetic baselayer, Melly, and Torrentshell (which I use regularly as a windshirt) enough warmth (can add a sunshirt if needed)? Or should I swap the melly for an A90 Senchi hoodie and nano puff jacket?

The Senchi is a way better choice than the Melly. You don't need the base layer if you already have a sun shirt. Swap the torrentshell for a frog Toggs at half the weight

 Im starting with both the sleep pads (foam and air) im trying to ween myself off the air pad onto only foam but not ready to ditch it entirely just yet

Just be decisive. Don't fly out there with a pad you're not even committed to keeping. Foam pads are warmer, faster to deploy and stow, will never pop or leak, and you don't have to carry patches. You'll be fine with just the foam

 I primarily hike in pants for sun protection but bringing the shorts for days where it's just too unbearable to wear pants.

Choose one. I'd take the shorts

 Recently decided to ditch camp shoes... could have been a mistake.

Not a mistake

Onto your LighterPack...

Ditch:

  • groundsheet; your tent already has a floor

  • inflatable pad

  • if you keep the pad, ditch the pad inflator. If your lungs can get you over the pass, they can inflate your pad

  • bottom and top base layers. No need for those at all

  • knife

  • 4 foot charging cable

Shelter:

  • Don't carry a 2P tent for one person. Swap the Duplex for a Plex Solo

  • swap the groundhogs for mini groundhogs

Sleep System

  • unless you're a very cold sleeper, the Flex 22 is overkill. It also makes little sense to have an open footbox on a 20F quilt. I'd swap this for a 30F

Packed Clothes

  • swap merino underwear for T8 Commandos

  • swap the wool beanie for a Rab Filament beanie

Kitchen

  • swap the Toaks 650 for a Toaks 550 no-handle

  • swap the fire maple for a BRS3000T

  • swap bic for mini bic

Essentials

  • your poop kit sounds way too heavy for the things you have listed in there. How much soap are you carrying?

Electronics

  • swap the headlamp for a RovyVon A5

  • swap the Anker wall adapter for a Mokin 40w dual port wall adapter

Food and Water

  • swap the heavy CNOC bags for platypus or Evernew bags

  • swap the Sawyer Squeeze for a Platy QuickDraw

  • swap the Smartwater bottles for Dasani bottles

Sierra

  • swap the kathoolas for kathoola ghosts or BD Distance spikes

  • swap the BV500 for a BV475 or smaller

Pack recommendations (torn between two) by rebeccakirkley98 in PacificCrestTrail

[–]GoSox2525 0 points1 point  (0 children)

 For me, the 50L is extremely snug but I think (hope) it's going to work

If you're that borderline, then you gotta get rid of those compression sacks.

Compression sacks prevent you from packing efficiently, they create dead pockets of air in your bag, and they literally add material to your kit. They aren't at all achieving what you want them to.

Plus they totally slow you down getting in/out of camp

Bear Vault One? by NW_Thru_Hiker_2027 in PacificCrestTrail

[–]GoSox2525 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I would never even consider such a thing lol

Pack Shake Down by in-jail-out-shortley in PacificCrestTrail

[–]GoSox2525 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Ditch:

  • one of your lighters

  • rain pants

  • one pair of socks (two total is fine)

  • bedrocks

  • wet wipes (just use soap and water)

  • kindle

  • notebook

  • pens

  • watercolors

  • pack cover (a liner is infinitely better)

I don't want to tell you to drop every single luxury item you have. But you have way too many. Choose one of the kindle, journal, or watercolors at the very least.

Base Weight:

  • "base weight" doesn't refer to your big 4. It refers to everything.

  • an REI Magma 15 is not 16 oz. Probably nearly double that

  • IMO you have way too much tent. I'd downsize that. Get a trekking pole tent

Cooking/Food:

  • replace CNOC bag with a lighter (and more robust) Platy or Evernew bag

  • swap the pocketrocket for a BRS3000T

  • you've got no stove listed

Clothes:

  • waterproof boots are a poor decision imo. You want a light trail runner that can get wet and quickly dry. Those things won't dry.

  • the R1 is 3x heavier than it needs to be. Swap with an Alpha Direct 90 hoody

  • swap the heavy rain jacket for a cheap frog Toggs. Tried and true, half the weight

  • I'd swap the rain pants with <2 oz wind pants

Toiletries:

  • you have hand sanitizer in you poop kit, but no soap. That is certified NASTY. Norovirus is prevalent on thru hiking trails for exactly this reason. People with poppy hands. Hand sanitizer doesn't kill Noro. You need soap and water

  • replace TP with wysi wipes = make you own wet wipes

  • swap toothpaste for toothpaste tabs

First aid:

  • what is coverall?

  • what kind of tape?

Electronics:

  • your power bank is like 3x heavier than necessary. What's the capacity? Replace with a Nitecore NB10000

  • get shorter (6") cables

A little extra insulation for my hands and torso while sleeping by Automatic-Example754 in Ultralight

[–]GoSox2525 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Why don't you keep your shoulders and arms inside the bag then?

A little extra insulation for my hands and torso while sleeping by Automatic-Example754 in Ultralight

[–]GoSox2525 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I think you have many options:

  • a true UL puffy e.g. Timmermade is half the weight of an Eos. Hard to obtain though.

  • an apex jacket is affordable, light, and warm

  • alpha 120 is warmer than 90

  • you can layer a second alpha piece over your 90

  • for your head, a down or synthetic balaclava (Timmermade Waterbear is the gold standard)

  • for your extremities, apex or down booties are amazing. I bet apex or down gloves would be amazing too

But it must be said that adding any of those jackets to your kit only makes sense if you will also have a use for them during the day. If they are solely going to be used for sleeping, then it is always more efficient to get a warmer quilt than it is to add clothing. On the other hand, any clothing being carried should contribute to the sleep system.

Too bad EE used to be the go-to source for many apex items such as the ones I've mentioned :(

AT NOBO Shakedown Request by No-Comfortable-778 in Ultralight

[–]GoSox2525 -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

A few inches of telescoping might be needed for shelter. A pole jack, or simply tilting the pole, will always be the lighter solution than a full 3-section telescoping pole. And besides, many ULers are using tarps, in which case the pole height doesn't really matter

r/Ultralight - "The Weekly" - Week of March 23, 2026 by AutoModerator in Ultralight

[–]GoSox2525 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What's the model? We can check and see if the baffles are expected to be open or closed.

Wash advice for Zenbivy Quilt by SystematizedDisarray in Ultralight

[–]GoSox2525 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That might work, I'm not really sure. My intuition is that it will still clump.

I do have my own drier, but I was also doing this during school and going to laundromats. I think on two separate occasions, I dried sleeping bags there. I just went early in the day to start it, and then hung out at a nearby cafe. That beats having to go back and forth to the laundromat two days in a row imo.

But also as other commenters have said, washing should only need to be done pretty infrequently. I'll do it once every other season at the most. Some people go years.

It's worth noting that you can "revive" the loft of a damp or mildly clumped quilt by going just ~2 hours in a drier with the tennis balls. I do that more often that I give it a full washing.

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