Backpacking - tents, bags, and 4x5's.

[Heroique]

When space and weight are critical, I’ll carry my down bag in lieu of my synthetic one.

It’s lighter, packs tiny – plus it’s more comfortable to me. Just don’t get it wet!

In any case, if you’re going to feel like a beast of burden, don’t forget a good walking stick. Besides improving balance on uneven or slippery ground, or when crossing streams, it also eliminates a significant portion of your trip from your knees.

(I belong to the external frame camp for many personal reasons – but the enhanced ventilation on my back is reason enough to win me over, hot weather or cold.)

[Drew Wiley]

Heroique - I invested in a Goretex covered down slpg bag from Feathered Friends.
Pricey, but won't get wet from dew or mild mist (I always sleep outside unless an actual storm demands the tent being set up). Comfortable in the summer months above timberline in the high Sierra, but not for fall or winter, and too hot for down in
the woods. I use spring-loaded walking poles, which are wonderful for the knees, and
now use the ice axe only when I anticpate glacier travel or similar icey conditions.

[jeroldharter]

I have 3 Photobackpacker packs but the the ones based on Kelty 3100 and P1/2 packs are not really up to task for backpacking with camping.

If you look more closely at the photobackpacker site, he does sell more traditional backpacking packs but I have not seen or used them.

http://www.photobackpacker.com/mm5/m...ory_Code=RPT04
http://www.photobackpacker.com/mm5/m...ory_Code=RPT04

They might be large enough to accommodate your gear in one pack and still be accessible enough to use as a 1 pack system. Otherwise, the two pack system that others mention might be better because of improved access to gear and the ability to offload the camping gear for photo walks etc.

[Heroique]

...I use spring-loaded walking poles, which are wonderful for the knees...

Sounds like technology has passed me by! I’m still using a tough branch of rhododendron that I found near a stream in the Smoky Mountains about 25 years ago. Of course, in view of the rocky Cascade mountains I now climb w/ my LF gear, it would be best if my knees were spring-loaded like your walking poles.

[Rakesh Malik]

I carry my LF gear around the Cascdes also

To reduce weight I've been researching ultralight backpacking gear, so I've reduced my pack weight quite a bit.

I use an internal frame pack by McHale -- I can guarantee that you'd get a good fit with a McHale because Dan will make a custom pack to fit you... but that's not a cheap proposition I had mine made in full Dyneema, which is an expensive option but brought the weight down to around 3-4 pounds for an 80-liter pack.

The camera gear goes in the top, the camping gear goes in the bottom, except for the tarp and poles which go in one of the bottle pockets for easy access in case of inclement weather.

A Cuben catenary cut tarp is insanely light (Owareusa.com, mldgear.com) and gives you lots of sheltered space in case of unpleasant weather. The catch is that Cuben is an expensive fabric.

[Jerry Bodine]

I use spring-loaded walking poles, which are wonderful for the knees, and
now use the ice axe only when I anticpate glacier travel or similar icey conditions.

Drew, I realize that this is on the edge of discussion here, but if you don't have an ice axe what do you use to dig a latrene 6" deep for TP etc? Burial is a MUST.

[domaz]

To each his own,
but the real reason internal frame packs are dominant nowadays is simply that they're
a lot cheaper to make, and especially to outsource.

All the External Frame packs I've seen have been cheaper to comparable Internal frame models so I don't think that's the case. It's worth considering where you are backpacking though. In dry, warm California an external frame pack might make a lot of sense- up here in the wet, cold, brushy Cascades a pack that is fully enclosed and can keep all your stuff dry easily and keeps you a little warmer has advantages.

[Drew Wiley]

Domaz - most of the external frame Kelty packs you see at places like REI are relatively cheap because they're now made-in-China flimsy crap. But so are most of the internal frame packs. Internal frames are largely injection-molded plastic, with a lot
more potential bidders or subs. The markup on these kinds of goods is astronomical at
the importer level, so don't be fooled by the retail price structure, even by so-called
discounters. Just like cordura camera bags, which are often marked up over 1000% at
time of import (not at point retail sale). Actually, some of this stuff is now coming in
from VietNam, to get even lower sweatshop rates! North Face makes a very good ext
frame pack with certain balance features like the best internal frame models, but it's
hard to find and very expensive. I've acquired several older well-built external packs, which should be adequate until I'm too old to backpack with LF. I've taken these all
over the country, including the NW, and in all kinds of weather. It's pretty wet and brushy here on the coast too, where I live. I've crawled through a helluva lot of dense
brush with an external frame pack - no problem. It's usually the Ries tripod which gets
hung up on things.

[Drew Wiley]

Jerry - ice axes are rarely used in the Sierra at all, except for short ones for technical
routes. The remaining glaciers are mostly in high cirques, so the primary use for axes
would be early season. I used an axe for many years, but it's just one more bit of weight to lug around, where Leki style sticks are often a lighter and better alternative.
There are plenty of other ways to dig a hole. Some people carry a little plastic trowel.

[Robert Oliver]

I'm in agreement with Drew... external frame is a more comfortable way to carry heavier loads over longer distances. I can't imagine doing too much scrambling with a 100 pound pack.

I have a Kelty Super Tioga 5500 external frame. I was able to keep my weight around 60 pounds, including water, by using some ultralight methods. Instead of a tent, I carried a poncho that was also a tarp and a tent. i could easily get that weight down by following Ray Jardine's ideas, but I like a few of the other luxuries like an inflatable insulated sleeping pad. I have had a couple of spine surgeries so this luxury is actually more of a necessity. My pack without camera and water was under 40 pounds.

For my camera bag, I took the free little backpack that came with the LowePro Super Trekker. I lightened it up as much as possible. I made lens cases out of cheap foam sleeping pad material and a hot glue gun. My camera weight with everything was around 20 pounds including the Feisol Tripod.