Ultralight Hikers

[gevalia]

Yeah, ain't gonna happen in unfamiliar short-hike (local territory). Camera, say 3 lenses (90, 150, 300), CF tripod, 4 film holders min., pack itself, a few filters and holder, dark cloth, and a few bits. Take the camera off the tripod and put it in the pack. That's about as light as I can get. Now add in water, some rations, a small med kit, compass, extra socks, etc and you have a 20 pound pack.

You might be happy once with an ultralight pack for LF but it won't be a regular thing.

Heck, even when I'm in a local state park, I take more than that just because you never know.

Like someone up here said a while back "film is cheap, life is short".

[Drew Wiley]

My idea of an ultralight pack load would be 60lbs. I've gotten down to that weight only once in the past 35 years, at mid-altitude in warm weather. But at least I had enough sense not to carry a case of BOTTLED microbrew ale on that trip, like my friend did. Good thing... cause the creeks were about twelve miles apart. ... But I dunno about Mido holders. They save only about 30% wt, but take up only about half the space in a pack. Some trips, no problem, and others, a bit of light leak issues in the corners. The cat's meow were Quickloads. ... Packs. Well give me a real US mfg external frame pack, no one of these sack things. I think I have enough of em now to last me the duration. I got a brand new, unused Kelty Tioga (the import junk "Kelty" sells nowadays is no comparison), and traded up an utterly brand new Camp Trails pack for a half-empty qt of varnish at a local garage sale - another pack that cost around $200 back in the day. Then a few more for parts. When all that goes, I'll probably be in a walker anyway... possibly towing a stand camera.

[ROL]

Doing so in a sleeping bag per se would seem to be a guarantee of insanity once it comes to spotting.

Well, now you know!

[Kodachrome25]

If I walk out my front door, turn left & walk for about a block, I am at the trailhead of thousands of square miles of Sierra-like wilderness in my neighborhood central Rockies. Since I shoot in the backcountry for a living, I am well versed in not packing the house, day trip or week long excursion above treeline.

If I am not using my Hasselblad system, I will bring my Chamonix 45N2, 135 Apo Sironar S, Nikkor 200M or Fujinon 240A, two Kinematic 10 sheet holders and a medium CF tripod that weighs under 4 pounds with the head. That is if I need to *really* trim it down. Of course it can only go up from there, but that in an overnight pack with the Harrison Pup Tent still falls short of 45 pounds with food for 3-4 days and nights.

I also have a Lowepro AW 15L that I will fill a good bit more on some day trips with 3-5 lenses from my 8 lens toolkit and add a Horseman 6x12 back. At most my high altitude kit will weigh 22 pounds, easy-peasy. With years of experience, it is not that hard to get a system down. For example, unless I am using a photo-centric pack, I never use one-trick-ponies like lens or camera pouches. I instead use spare socks, fleeces and beanies to wrap gear in....I can't put a lens pouch on my foot if a sock gets wet. I learned this prioritizing from my friends who guide in the Himalaya, to make as many things as you can serve more than one purpose.

Lots of opinions will arise on this...but keep in mind that very few actually make a full time living shooting and *living* in the wilderness....

[Bill Burk]

You can put ultralight gear in a traditional pack. Leaves plenty of room for heavy camera gear. Count ounces carefully, then with the savings you gain by using lightweight options, you may be able to add a pound of camera gear, while carrying the same weight as before.

[ROL]

If I walk out my front door, turn left & walk for about a block, I am at the trailhead of thousands of square miles of Sierra-like wilderness in my neighborhood central Rockies.

Sure sounds like Sierra–envy to me.

[angusparker]

Another vote for Chamonix 4x5 either version, probably a two lens kit - 125mm and 180mm (Fujinons perhaps), and a Benro C0180T tripod (no longer made). Otherwise, if I was going really light and wanted film then it would be medium format Fuji GF670 - fantastic folding 6x7 with built in meter.

[Renato Tonelli]

Do those who use the MIDO holders think its worth the small savings in weight? For 4x5 at least? I reckon if I can achieve a dust-minimal changing solution down I'd be happy carry 4 or 5 standard film holders and a film box. I'd be interested in shooting with a 6x9 roll back occasionally too but those things definitely aren't the lightest things to begin with.

It is worth it to me because I usually carry 24 holders (the same composition for each holder). A Grafmatic is also worthwhile - not so much for the savings on the weight (they are pretty heavy), but for saving on bulk.

[Jac@stafford.net]

I was once very strong, but it all went away when I hit 66 years-old with some serious injuries.
Bummer. BUT I am wed to a very strong, young Irish woman. While she has no friggin clue
regarding my penchant for photography, she has respect, and more important she has
an astounding sense of humor, and patience.

That said, I do have one rural location where I lifted a seriously heavy tripod into the tree-tops
to use it again in the future. Nobody looks up.

[Drew Wiley]

Yeah... I had to sell my place up in the hills due to getting simply too worn out for all the heavy work involved with routine maintenance, but I could literally walk
across the road either direction and potentially enter hundreds of square miles of uninhabited true wilderness. But when you're talking about very steep canyons thousands of feet deep, you think twice about going down those untrailed places at my age, or really, any age. But as summer approached, I was in reasonably short driving distance of three Natl Parks and five large Wilderness areas. It was really early Spring in the lower canyons which I liked best, however, because nobody was around anywhere once the steep stuff was encountered. But from here on the coast it's just a three hour drive to the start of hills anyway, or four to the top of road passes like Sonora or Tioga, so an easy drive after work. I might hike a week at a time in the high country and only come back with two or three shots, so learned a long time ago not to waste film. But still I'd carry a dozen holders just in case. But that was when I was lugging a full Sinar system everywhere
too. Only do that on dayhikes now. I learned to live on one meal a day, or zero, depending on fishing luck. No more of that nonsense. Now I opt for a little Ebony
folder and a better equipped hotel/restaurant on my back. Haven't had much trouble with a 75lb pack up on the high places at all, but getting down around 7000
ft in the Sierra summers does cause me some concern because I've gotten a lot more sensitive to heat than in my younger days. Can't do it all anymore. But if I
do pull off a three-weeker this summer, a younger companion has volunteered to carry that third week of food wt for me, which will sure help. But it's still odd going around carrying double that wt of people half my age.