maximpactphotography

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This combination of 11 items seems to work for me as the basis for traveling ultralight in 3+ seasons, when snowshoes are not required.

It includes a pack (I show both the HMG Windrider 2400 and ULA Catalyst as main choices), Thermarest Solar full size Ridge-style sleeping pad, Western Mtg Alpinlite +20F 850+ down bag, OR Helium II rain jacket, Mountain Hardwear P5 pile jacket, small sack containing Snowpeak 900ml titanium pot and Soto piezo micro-canister stove w small canister, firestarter=mini Bic, bear hanging sack, leather gloves from Petzl, and Steripen Classic 3 for water treatment. This entire setup weighs about 8.7 pounds.

My backup for fire is shown as an extra option (butane emergency type). Add a food bag and some snacks, and maybe a water bottle, and……go.

If I choose to take a shelter other than a Titanium Goat modified, 7 oz Ptarmigan biv sack I will most likely take either the BD Megalite silnylon ‘Mid (blue and silver here), or the Hyperlite Mountain Gear 8.5 ft Square tarp of cuben fiber. I hang the Megalite before staking it out, to ensure proper centering of its peak if not using an interior stick or trek pole combo.

For scale, I’ve included my HMG 1800 cu in Summit pack in an image.

PS: I may opt for a wood fire, in which case the 3 Amigos come into play- the 12 oz hatchet, Gerber folding saw (5 oz) and/or Gerber Basic knife (3.5 oz) for wood processing. Substitute Solo wood stove for the Soto, and carry no fuel.

Here’s my gear list in more detail, taken from my account at GearGrams.com:

https://www.geargrams.com/list?id=29109

I got this stove for ~$25 US from Illinois small shop supplier, online.

It worked very well today in a windscreen, using a 1 L Halulite GSI tea kettle and less than 1 fl oz of fuel….less than 0.5 oz weight.

I highly recommend it- but be careful loading with fuel from a non-nozzled bottle, and don’t overfill ! Its capacity is 30 ml = 1 fl oz.

Notes: It fits inside of an MSR Titan titanium kettle (as does the Vargo titanium alcohol stove  and the Whit Box stove) with a 4 oz jet-nozzle type fuel bottle , matches and a windscreen. You must supply the windscreen, just as with the other stoves listed. This provides a very compact and ultralight stove  system for 3 season + conditions.

It does not light easily using either a firesteel or a piezo-ignitor, but works very well with matches or a lighter.