Ultralight vs Trad. Which one wins?

[@Chris66able]

This is nonsense, ultralight backpackers go without many different basic comforts, and if the guy in this is struggling with 20lbs he is seriously in bad shape.

[@Bill_tyler]

100%

[@gymbobjoe1091]

100% is he being serious!??

[@robertgarcia217]

Dude start lifting weights, ten lbs shouldnt leave you dying🤣

[@StephenOutside]

Lmao, 🤣 Some cardio would definitely help... This trail was also hard we climbed 4,000 ft in 6ish hours

[@timg7627]

People obsess far too much about weight. Most backpackers are out for a one or two night weekend trip so if a pack is 10 or 20 or 30 pounds it doesnt matter that much. For thru hikers, yes sure this can make a huge difference over time but the majority aren’t thru hiking anything and would be much happier, cozier and safer with a few extra pounds of gear.

[@StephenOutside]

Yeah I agree, it can easily get out of hand. I'm a thru hiker which is why my gear is so lightweight, so I probably wouldn't have gone this extreme otherwise. I will say that it is a pretty fun engineering problem trying to lower your base weight as much as possible

[@RenM908]

The next day look between them was obvious on who slept better 😂.

[@StephenOutside]

Lessons were learned lol

[@toryevanss4512]

My gear is all "traditional" gear from REI and my base weight is under 20 pounds. Granted it's summer, but even with warmer clothing I don't know how I'd get it to 35 pounds - unless I'm carrying my kids' gear (which I often am, but that's not a fair comparison).

[@Leone_510__]

It adds up fast if you're resupplied every 100 miles which is what I aim for, and a 20 mile water carry. It can easily get to 35, or 40 lbs.

[@Leone_510__]

I like to carry a fairly large strong pack. Then i carry ultralight gear inside. If i need to add a piece of gear, carry 8 liters of water, get a bear can, or want to carry 200 miles of food its not an issue. I can generall keep it under 20 lbs total but if i neet to carry 60 lbs (which is basically never) im well equipt to do so.

[@eaferstl]

My 3 season base weight is about 7.5lb but that includes a 25” nemo tensor. And a quilt cuz its more comfy(its lighter weight too). Point is you need the balance. 20lb base weight is certainly not the answer either

[@lukasmakarios4998]

If you have the skill & confidence to go with a tarp, save weight there. But you need to sleep well to enjoy the trail, so make yourself comfortable at night. All the rest, just determine what suits your needs. As for your pack, fewer "bells & whistles" means less weight to slow you down. Use clear zipper bags to sort your stuff. Multipurpose gear is best. Think ahead. As for the difference of 10 pounds, if this wasn't just a one day test, in a week or so, he would have stopped complaining.

[@StephenOutside]

I agree with you! Most backpackers are weekend warriors so I wanted to make a useful comparison for the average person (aka an overnighter). I just got a tarp and have used it a few times! I might use it for my next thru-hike

[@dmosier]

My last trip...10 days...pack weighed 73 pounds.... without water😮. Is he really suffering with a 20 lb pack. No.

[@StephenOutside]

these comments are killing me 😂 I didn't realize hiking was a competitive sport. 73 pounds is crazy heavy but for a 10 day trip that makes sense

[@Noonesassed]

What if you had 10 pounds in a traditional pack to see how it carry’s compared to a ultra light pack

[@StephenOutside]

Nice, that's not a bad idea!

[@Noonesassed]

@@StephenOutside thanks for the reply I have just subscribed

[@horsedog713]

20lbs vs 10lbs is not a good test!!

[@StephenOutside]

The average base weight is 20 lbs so I think it's pretty fair. I appreciate the feedback though

[@nojahlee5534]

@@StephenOutside personally I think the trad baseweight is more like 35-40 lbs

[@StephenOutside]

I bet every year it's getting lower with all the lighter gear on the market now. 35-40 sounds super high haha but I could see that being the total weight

[@billb5732]

Finally... the truth! You're the first KZbinrs to actually admit it. +1 Light gear is great, but compromising on pack and comfort never made sense to me. Tents should be 60" wide for two, IMO. Similar for bags and pads. If that costs an extra couple of pounds, then it's a good thing that my pack carries more comfortably than UL packs do. Do I walk a little slower? Yes. Does that matter IN ANY WAY? No!

[@christianb8228]

It does matter if you’re trying to cover long distances in a shorter amount of time

[@anonymousjay5674]

I think it depends on your goal. Covering more miles or having a more relaxing journey.

[@jenniferfisher530]

I wish my pack was 20 lbs!😂

[@ianstiehl1994]

Maybe it's a military mentality, but if moving from 10 to 20 lbs kills my speed...I'd probably rather focus on my fitness over lightening my pack

[@lukasmakarios4998]

If this wasn't just a one day test, in a week or so, he would have stopped complaining.

[@Bill_tyler]

@@lukasmakarios4998😂

[@user-hestb9e]

The truth is somehere in the middle. The idea to pack less is not bad, but cut down on the right stuff. Concentrate on a light pack, but with a good inflatable matress, and an inflatable pillow. Then you will be happy.

[@sunnyreds41]

My pack is typically 30 pounds. I once did a month trip with a 50 pound pack

[@zebibytes]

after hiking with the lighter gear😁 after sleep with the lighter gear 😤

[@МаксимЕремин-я6т]

This is very true. Sleep system should be max comfort. Cut the weight on other staff you carry. But I thought you are going to tell the difference in the Backpacks specifically.

[@StephenOutside]

Good sleep is so important! I made a longer video which highlighted some of the differences between these setups

[@johnvine5731]

I can't afford the stuff in the 10lb pack!

[@StephenOutside]

There are some good videos about budget ultralight setups from other KZbinrs! Some lists are high quality and don't compromise either

[@Bill_tyler]

Plenty of good options that creators but more importantly, UL weenies seem to turn their nose up at “eww, budget gear” I enjoy the nature and views around me as I hike and enjoy the moment

[@Learningthetruth7]

I agree. I'd rather hike slower and be comfortable. After trying ultralight it felt like a sufferfest

[@StephenOutside]

UL is a pretty drastic comfort difference. Hiking slower is great! Taking extra time to enjoy the views and whatnot is what makes hiking fun for me

[@rocketdog117]

I’m at 32 lbs fully loaded; my Osprey Atmos carries the load well, my shoulders are fine at the end of the day and I’m much older than this gentleman. Different strokes….

[@StephenOutside]

The Osprey Atmos is a solid backpack. I'm surprised how well it carries weight!

[@larissa4608]

It's just makes me happy how people are so chill and having fun together especially with a partner. AND in nature. God watching this gave me some kind of relief I can't explain how. As an average student who needs really good grades can sum up my life. 😅 Thanks for the refreshing video and poping up in my shorts all of a sudden.

[@johnclark2149]

20 pounds is ultra light!

[@StephenOutside]

You should try 10 lbs, it's like carrying a bag of air

[@Leone_510__]

10 is generally considered ultralight, but you can easily get it up to 20 with food and water depending on the terrain, and resupply points.

[@SunkenCitiesMusic]

20lbs is your heavy? Dang I shoot for 30… I also carry 6 Tallboys of beer and camera equipment though…

[@jyc313]

20 is not traditional. Still considered lightweight. I also get weight is subjective. One may feel 20 is heavy, others maybe not so much. Everyone has a sweet spot and your pack system contributes to the overall distribution and “feel”. That being said…bro you might wanna work out a bit, you’re struggling there a bit with 20..

[@linebk40]

People are so weak…..

[@sebohoffes5399]

Er ist mit nem 10 kilo Rucksack komplett am limit? Was stimmt denn mit dem nicht? Nicht euer ernst

[@goranhikl1180]

Really??

[@CharlesBlank]

Well kinda. There are sleep systems that weigh very little and are ultralight. However they are expensive as fuggg.

[@StephenOutside]

Yeah I started looking into them and it's gonna hurt haha

[@timonix2]

What? 10 lbs shouldn't make that much of a difference. Maybe the day after or the day after that. But on the first day?

[@StephenOutside]

Every pound matters, and 10 pounds is a ton of weight. You should try it!

[@Just_Hike]

So.... how is the husband and how is the wife?

[@StephenOutside]

I still prefer lightness over comfort except on shorter trips, and my wife would like to upgrade her gear to shed a few pounds but remain full comfort.

[@smellybearc7411]

20lbs is pretty light tho. Is that the base weight or fully loaded

[@StephenOutside]

10lbs and 20lbs are both the base weights. I was surprised that the average base weight for a thru hike is around 20 lbs

[@omalley5005]

Your wife just proved to all of us she is the stronger hiker. She can carry more weight on her shoulders than you can. An gets a better night's rest. Just an observation. OoRah!?

[@StephenOutside]

I mean yeah, no doubt she's stronger than me, she's a personal trainer. Why would I be ashamed of that?

[@omalley5005]

@@StephenOutside wasn't making shame on you. Just an observation. If you feel that way sorry. Maybe this will make you feel better. There are around 12000 female Marines in our country that can out perform most men in the US. I know from working along side them. No hard feelings

[@FabledFinds]

I wish my pack only weighed 20 lbs

[@MrMatt3046]

We all know he always carries her stuff.

[@StephenOutside]

Lol, my pack is too small for that!