Hi Mugs,
I too am a noob tourist. The idea of making every ounce count is interesting, though I wonder if over the long run a pound or two makes much difference when the weight is on the wheels instead of on your back.
Sean
I would think maybe not as much, but I am sure we all will agree that trying to pedal 50lbs up a hill vs only 15-20lbs is a lot more difficult. Plus one will have more control and stability over their bike when not having the center of gravity being so offset around corners and on decents. Even I don't expect to carry my A-typical pack weight...simply because I am not packing, I am riding. First off the panneires and rack weigh more then my whole hiking kit. But I can apply the same philosophy and transfer over a lot of the gear.
Where do you shave the most weight?
This is a very big question. But I will try to answer it in a few sentences. First off the biggest weight savers are also the most expensive to replace...Pack, Bag, Tent. But you can begin to pair down some things and get to a point to where that is the last plunge you have to take. When on a trip, instead of taking the whole 10 oz bottle of sunscreen, soap, or what ever, take a look at how much you actually use or have used in the past. Say it was only about 3 ounces or so or in some cases you never used it at all and can't remember the last time you did. Go out a find a smaller container (I have ones that are as small as 3ml's) and use that instead of the whole bottle.
After every trip take a real good look at what you used, how you used it, did you use it, how much you used etc. Begin to think about what way can I get multi use out of one item. I.E. Tent stake can be a potty trowel, a pot stand, a splint. The gear you take that never gets used, leave at home. The gear you think you might be able to not use, take it on the next trip and try not to use it. If after 2-3 times you find that you no longer need it leave it at home....Obvioulsy this will be different in the biking world. I may never use my tool kit on a trip, but I will take it every time. Hard to fix a bike w/o tools.
But for most stuff you can apply this theory and you will be suprised how much you can pair down.
You mentioned fuel so I assume you cook. What does your kitchen kit look like?
I do what they call the "freezer bag cooking method" All of my main course meals are dehydrated and just needs to be re-hydrated with boiling water. So All I ever need to do is boil water. This greatly reduces weight because you don't have to take a whole kitchen with you, and camp clean up is minimal (I hated doing camp dishes and fiddiling with so much stuff to just be able to eat). Some use an alcohal stove that weigh a few grams, to a light weight canister stove such as the Colman Ultraligth F1, which weighs about 3 ounces, sans the canister. My personal favourite and system I have been useing for abut 4 years now is esbit. I have a esbit stove that weighs 12grams and my SnowPeak 600 which comes in a little under 3 ounces, and home made windscreen that is only a few grams as well. Then its up to the amount of fuel I carry. Esbit tabs themselves weigh .5 ounces and I use about 1 and a half per day so I just figure accordingly and then thorw in a couple of extra. I am sure I may have to re-think this a bit though. Esbit may not be readily availible in every town when doing a trans style ride (a 2-3 day loop of course would be ok) but then again neither would a fuel canister so I may take a combination of the two. On a side note however, I might add that "alcy" can be found just about every where so I may have to go back to useing that method....
"Alcy" being denatured alcohal which can be found in any hardware store. And HEET in the yellow bottle, which can be found in about any car parts store. Also very strong liquor such as 100 proof or above would work.
Sleeping pad or no?
Yes unfortunatly my back can't take a foam pad any more so I use what is called a torso pad, it weighs 9 ounces. It goes from my shoulders to just under my butt (this also doubles as my pack frame) then I use a small 1/8 thick UL foam pad (that doubles as a sit pad) for my legs and feet and my pack gets stuffed with whatever clothes I have left (rain gear, extra socks, under wear, the clothes I was wearing) and is my pillow. Obvioulsy this won't be possible to do while biking so I will buy a longer 1/8 thick foam pad. I think it weighs about 1.5-2 ounces in total.
If hanging points can be found, would a hammock and tarp be more versatile and comfortable than a tent of equal weight?
I can't really answer your question, I am not a hammocker. I do most of my hiking in alpine and above tree line, or in low land dessert type settings. So tress are hard to come by per se'. But I have heard from my hammocking friends that once you have slept in a hammock you will never go back.
I can say this...I feel that a hommack and tarp is heavier/about the same as a traditional tent. Which is way hevier then anything I have, or would want to have. Which is why I have never tried hammacking. I think a good Hennisey hammack weighs in at about 2.5 pounds. And for me that would be taking a step back. Even my single man tent (that I take for certain occaisons or a known type of weather pattern I might face) only weighs 24 ounces, and yes it is fully enclosed. It has a floor, vestibule, a door, the works.
I hope this answered some of your questions. If you have any more please feel free to ask. I am sure it will be a learning process of what works and what doesn't for us newb's but if we head into with the right attitude and try to not even enter the "box" so we don't have to come out of it...we will be much farther a head.
Happy Pedaling
Mugs
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