gear list (for Midwest Ed)

[alecto73]

Shoes were kind of the driver for cutting all the weight in the first place. I spared no expense on boots, Zamberlans, Asolos, etc. The same for socks and insoles. What that got me was nightmarish blisters on my heels no matter what, and this goes back to my days in the guard in the 90's. Moleskin never worked. Athletic tape would buy me a few miles but eventually it'd fail too. I figured if I got the weight down I could wear runners and that got me under ten in pretty short order since I'm a gear nerd anyway. I haven't had a blister since, and that's the real UL revelation for me.

Regarding the Sawyer setup, I only have a couple outings with it but beyond the weight, it is also very nice functionally as you can set it up like a base camp filter too. Add to that-no pumping. I keep thinking I'll come across some unique circumstance that will expose a major shortcoming in the system but I haven't yet.

[photosean]

For me going ultralight was the biggest factor in having longer successful trips. Knee pain (especially in the mountains), blisters and fatigue were my hurdles. A lighter pack and running shoes solved most of my problems. I won't touch trekking poles, now. I'm faster and more efficient without.
Training was the next component. Not just weight training and cardio, but the footwear. I workout and run in Vibram FiveFingers. The "toe shoes" taught me to use my muscles properly. Before I was running/hiking on my skeleton which resulted in knee and back pain.
For the fatigue, a good night's sleep. A lofty sleeping pad was okay, but once I learned to sleep in a hammock my problems with fatigue and soreness vanished. I have no problem sleeping 12 hours without waking up while in a hammock. The uninterrupted, truly restful sleep was what I needed most after a day on the trail.
Prior to ultralight, proper training and a good night's sleep, 10 miles would wipe me out. Now, 25 miles a day (in the mountains) is achievable and enjoyable. AND no pain the next day!

[alecto73]

If you ever do a trip to someplace close for both of us like Kettle North or South I'd like to hook up and check out the hammock thing. I get "enough" sleep but I rarely sleep through the night.

[photosean]

That sounds good. I have a few hammocks, varying in size and weight. You could even test one or more out. It does take a couple of nights to get used to a hammock, at least it did for me. But after a night or two, you'll know which type is for you.

By the way, I folded this morning. I bought the Sawyer Inline Filter (SP122). Luckily there was talk about a 20% coupon for REI in the forums.