Overheard two guys at a trailhead in Oregon comparing gear lists

I was getting my boots laced up at the Eagle Creek trailhead last Saturday and caught these two dudes going back and forth about their pack weights. One guy said he cut his base weight down to 11 pounds just by ditching his tent and going with a bivy and tarp setup. Honestly, it got me thinking about how much extra stuff I lug around on multi day trips. Has anyone else tried switching to a minimalist shelter and actually stuck with it?

2 comments

2 Comments

seth_green852d ago

Dude that's wild about the 11 pounds base weight. I made the switch to a tarp and bivy last summer and honestly haven't looked back. First few nights were rough getting the hang of site selection and tarp angles but once it clicked it felt so freeing. The weight savings is real and I sleep way better under the stars than I ever did in a stuffy tent. Plus setting up camp in like five minutes means more time for actual hiking or just sitting around. Totally worth the learning curve if you ask me.

parker_campbell2d ago

The 5 minute setup is no joke, I timed myself last weekend and had my tarp pitched and my stuff inside the bivy in 4 minutes flat. That speed really changes how you plan your day on trail because you dont have to worry about finding a perfect flat spot for a tent. More time sitting around watching the sunset instead of fumbling with poles and rainflys is always a win in my book.