How to Lighten Your Backpack (Without Regretting It!) 

Camp chair = Chair, place to put your gear while unloading pack, table for gear while in hammock, fan for fire, wind screen for fire, firewood carrying device, and so much more!!

I'm surprised you didn't mention the SmartWater bottles. Light AND cheap and works with a Sawyer filter all by itself.

One's heaviest weights are normally water, backpack, quilt/sleeping bag and tent. You can't get away from needing water, but the tent and backpack selection is another story. My DIY 4.05 ounce Dyneema floorless tent is 4 ft W x 8.5 ft L and 3.5 ft H. My DIY 4.7ounce Dyneema floorless tent is 4.4 ft W x 9.15 ft L and 3.5 ft H. Either tent sits in the palm of my hand. My two person DIY 6.32 ounce Dyneema floorless tent is 5 ft W x 9 ft L x 4.4 ft at the' length and 3.74 ft H. All three have a waterproof entry/exit zipper and hooded waterproof zippered vent with mosquito netting. I use all glue construction. A loop at the peak of each tent permits hanging them from above by 9 or more methods or pole usage. Being floorless I decide what material and amount of floor area for a ground sheet or inexpensive interior net tent. For a backpack, I don't. I use a belt for storing my tent, food, survival, cooking, wood processing gear, etc.. Quickly needed and miscellaneous gear are located in a chest pack with my DIY heat reflective Anorak and over-pants, both breathable, wind & water repellent/proofed, combined weight 6.5 ounces located below - great freedom of motion and warmth as needed. Water is stored in a mesh hydration sack at the center of my spine with my quilt and sleeping pad in DIY Dyneema sacks mounted either side thereof. Using this non-backpack method I've developed a way to eliminate the five to eight bio-mechanical inefficiencies and weight of a backpack that produces about a 20% efficiency performance loss in speed, endurance, comfort, generating fatigue. The grouping of gear at waist belt and chest pack is still in progress. Weight placed forward and at the back is designed to provide a semi-balanced loading system.

I'd definitely recommend folk check out the gear lists in "Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills" or, in the UK, "Hillwalking". It's ok to carry more than the lists but ask yourself why. See what the local search and rescue recommend. My tip would be to carry a bit more warm clothing, a bit more sunscreen, a bit more water than you think - and leave the camp chair, Bowie knife, and four piece cookery set at home.

Headed out on my first solo two night backpacking trip tomorrow. Great video for last minute tips!

Great video Eric, would recommend trekking pole tents if they suit your style and purpose. No poles to carry as you are already using them. Also, certainly here in damp Northern Europe, denim is a big no-no, not so much for weight but the hyperthermia risk when it gets wet. Safe journeys all.

Love the Grayl Bottle. So easy to use.

duuuuuuude. Dude. Camp chair is a must. Dude.

Awesome video! Great work! 👍

If weight is the primary concern, the katadyn 1L filter is the optimal product for filtering. The bladder is easy to drink straight out of, the flow rate is excellent, and is significantly lighter to any hard-sided bottle. Ditto with smartwater bottles vs nalgenes, except in winter.

It's make me exiting for this adventure thanks eric,this weight help in climbing too,do you have any advice about food like some kind of species.

Me: Morning coffee sitting in my camp chair in the living room. Eric: You don't need no stinkin camp chair! Me: Dude! Too late. I took it and found out the hard way.

Hey Eric I really enjoy your videos, so thanks a lot for making them en providing us with all this cool and useful info. I do have one tip for you: it would be very useful for A LOT of people around the world to include the metric system conversion of weight (in grams/kilograms) and size (metres and centimetres) when discussing gear and pack weight. Could you please do that? Thanks in advance!

Im laughing at myself about the med kit. First trip ever i brought a whole IFAK which handles everything from puncture, scrapes, cuts, gun shots ect. Realized quickly i really dont need all that stuff for hiking..just went on my second trip with an actual hiking pack and better shoes which made a world of difference. Its a learning experience when out of the blue you said"you know what? I want to hike some mountains" with no idea what the best gear is, havent done any research at all about hiking. Survival skills i have that knowledge. Next upgrades are tent,pads and bags.

If u live in Canada and have to poo in a bag and pack it out....u can save that weight and leave no trace by sticking it in your buddies pack while he's not looking

1L weighs 2.2pounds or (if you're not using an archaic measuring system) 1kg.

Man you are but Ultra Light for sure!!

I would love to see how to lighten your pack when going into the snow. I am carrying 22-25 kg. There has got to be a better way.

Just buy a 45L pack from the get go and you wont develop any bad habits. For food, dont focus on pounds, focus on picking things that are 100+ calories per ounce, and plan out your menu for each day

Bring only one set of clothes for hiking and one set of clothes for sleeping. You do not need a change of clothes for every day you are out there.

Isn't a tent that ways less the fabric is thinner easier to rip

Lightening your backpack and your wallet too! Nice!

Best way to reduce weight is body fat reduction and strength training.

the synthetic bag you showed is not typical at all.. the are many syntheic bags that are just as small and low weight as down

I think I’ll get a camel to carry myself

Lighten up while you still can.....

That pack is way too heavy.

Rich people only eh?