/// Wild Tracks - Landscape Photography by Eduardo Gallo

WILD TRACKS

Passion for Landscape Photography

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PACK WEIGHT (2/8)

ESSENTIALS

The first category corresponds to what I call essentials, which represents the basics of my backpacking system: the pack itself, the shelter, the sleeping bag, and the sleeping pad. It is most likely the heaviest category, and hence the one with the most potential to save weight. But being too aggressive here can have severe consequences not only in comfort but also in terms of safety.

  • Backpack ⇒ REI XT85 (body plus lid). Cordura nylon plus aluminum. I require such a big pack to properly carry the weight and volume of my photo equipment plus food for seven days or more. This one fits to my body shape, provides stability, and places the load on my hips. The lid becomes a day pack for my side trips, when I fill it up with water, snacks, and some extra clothing. Previously I had used the similarly sized REI Valhalla backpack (2001 model) until it broke down from overuse in 2014.

    2461

  • Tent ⇒ Hilleberg Enan. Siliconed nylon (20D for fly, 10D for body top, 50D for body floor) plus aluminum 9mm poles. A very high quality three season tent built to withstand strong wind storms, as I have had the pleasure to verify myself. Quite light, easy to set up although not free standing, it is possible to set it up in the rain without getting the interior wet. The downside is the poor ventilation and associated condensation. I take with me the rainfly, the body, the single pole, eight stakes, and stuff sacks for the tent and the stakes. I bought it to replace the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL1 (nylon, aluminum, plus some polyester in the body, free standing, eight stakes), which weights the same (1265 grams), because of its lack of guylines and hence compromised wind resistance. In the process I gained peace of mind when on exposed terrain, spent a significant amount of money, and lost livability because of the condensation. The end result is that I take the former when going above tree line if nasty weather is a possibility, and the later the rest of the time. Always looking to save some weight, I am already looking at other options that hopefully will provide the best of both worlds.

    1261

  • Sleeping Bag & Liner ⇒ Marmot Pinnacle Long 15F. 800 fill down. It always surprises me how much of a cold sleeper I am, so I need to take this excellent but not so light bag, which I safeguard with a SeaToSummit eVent M nylon compression dry sack. I complement it with a SeaToSummit Reactor polyester liner to add a few extra degrees of warmth.

    1645

  • Sleeping Pad ⇒ Thermarest Pro Plus Small open cell foam pad (within its nylon stuff sack) onto which I place my upper body, providing some comfort and ground insulation at a limited weight. I put my legs on top of my empty backpack.

    445

  • ESSENTIALS Total Weight (grams):

    5812

    Essentials - Clothes on Body - Clothes in Pack - Accessories - Photography - Food - Other Items