Lighter Pack Repository
I admit it. I am a gram weenie. One of the things I do is create a lighterpack list in preparation for nearly every trip. Sometimes more than one. I do this to play "what if" games and to really scrutinize each and every item I bring, to dial it in to the specifics of the trip. Am I overanalyzing? Of course. But it has helped me refine my kit and make my trips more comfortable and enjoyable. it also allows me to compile lessons learned and reflect back after the fact on specific decisions I made in preparation for a trip.
One of the things I have done is study other folks' packing lists to see how they did/do things. I've learned a lot by observing others. For this reason, I publish here a list of links to my various packing lists so that you may benefit. I will present them sequentially in terms of the planned or actual trips taken, with some brief introduction explaining what each one was for and if there are any key takeaways.
One of the things that will be obvious if you look at a few of these is that within Lighterpack I have built an database of items, and weighed them all down the the very last gram. Over time I have upgraded equipment, so I no longer own everything within the database.
Also worth understanding is that I use a "kit" strategy. By that I mean that I have Lighterpack lists referenced on other Lighterpack lists. Like a first aid kit. Or a water filtration kit. Or a poop kit. Those "kits" have their own lists, so that I can just list the "kit" and not all the contents each time.
Kits
Wilderness and Remote First Aid (WRFA) kit. This is a kit that I put together after taking the BSA's WRFA class. I did this before I really got into the UL kick, and was more focused on just making sure I had the items necessary for a back country emergency. I refined this kit in preparation for going to Philmont in 2023 and made a UL version. This UL version was supplemented by a set of items that I handed out to each Philmont attendee to add to their personal FAKs.
Repair Kit. I don't always take this entire thing, but here's what I've got in it.
Poop Kit. One thing not listed in here is the toilet paper. I list that separately as a consumable.
Water Filtration kit. I've actually got different kits here. This one is based on a Sawyer Squeeze. I have another one based on a Platypus Quickdraw.
Basic First Aid Kit. These are the minimal FAK supplies I usually take. One thing that's not listed is Leuko Tape because I always have that wrapped around my trekking poles.
Charger Kit. I mix and match the pieces of this depending on the trip specifics.
Cook Kit. Again, I mix and match depending on trip specifics. I even have a UL version of this based on using an Esbit stove, and another one based on using a Soto Windmaster.
Tent Kits.
These are kits based on specific tents that I might take. Some of these I no longe3r own, or were "what if" games (i.e., I never owned them.)
Durston Xmid-2P
Durston Xmid-2Pro
Durston Xmid-1Pro
UL Tarp/Bivy setup. Another flavor of the same thing here.
Generic reference lists
Biggest Bang for the Buck list.
My favorite backpacking meals
Generic trip lists.
These are "what if" or generic lists for unspecified trips.
3-season list for a 7-day trip.
Stupid-light UL list. The name says it all. This is stupid light - i.e. very risky.
XUL. For when UL isn't light enough! Here's another. And another.
Lists for specific trips, planned or actually taken
Guadalupe Mountains National Park, 2020. This was the first trip I took where I used Lighterpack.
Memorial Day 2021 trip to Lake Georgetown
Lone Star Trail 2021 trip (November). Shared gear (beween Brian and Tina) for that trip.
Big Bend National Park 2021 - the Outer Mountain Loop trip. I did a "what if" list for that trip as well. Here is the final list of what I actually took on that trip.
Colorado Trail. These are lists for a future trip. One built on a Durston pack, and one built on a Dandee pack.
Appalachian trail Bearcan Challenge. This is a list I put together to show a workable UL solution for hiking the AT with a bear can, keeping the weight under 10 pounds.
Lake Georgetown, February 2022. This was my first actual UL trip taking/testing several new bits of gear.
Lone Star Trail, March 2022. This was a UL 3-day trip with a Chris Spears.
Lost Maples, March 2022. This was the infamous weekend where it got down to 13 degrees one night!
Lost Maples April 2022. This was the windy follow-up to the frigid March trip.
Big Bend National Park April 2022. This was a 1-night overnighter with Chris and Maxine to see if Maxine could handle climbs.
Elk Creek Loop July 2022. This was a trip with Chris and Maxine in preparation for the 4-pass loop.
4-Pass Loop August 2022. First time taking the Durston pack out!
Superior Hiking Trail September 2022. I did this one with Tina.
Lone Star Trail 50-Miler November 2022. This was with T485.
Lost Maples March 2023. This was Tina and I celebrating the 1-year anniversary of getting engaged.
Ouachita Trail 2023. This is a list for a potential hike of the OT in 2023. This did not end up happening.
Great Smokey Mountains NP 2023. This is a list for a trip that Chris and Maxine went on, but I skipped due to injury in 2023.
Philmont 2023. This is the list of what I took. That was preceded by this "what if" list. I also put together this list for group gear at Phimont, a repair kit, and this list for basic Philmont gear for Scouts and Parents to use.
Grand Teton National Park. I put together two lists for a trip that I didn't end up going on in 2023. This first list is UL. This second list is not.
Appalachian Trail Vermont and New Hampshire 2023. As you can see, I weighed several options in 2023 for where to spend my vacation time. For various reasons, I didn't go to GSMNP or GTNP. I did end up going to hike a section of the AT in VT-NH. I started that hike with a different list than I ended it with.