How light do you travel?

[CSG]

I tried to be careful to say that this topic wasn't a challenge or a criticism. I am simply curious about what people think they need when they travel. Obviously, it's going to be different depending on whether you're solo, with a group or your family, way out in the backcountry or camping at a campground for a few days, etc.

A couple of responses are defensive and I'm not sure why. I asked this as benignly as it can be asked. "Crap" is simply another word for "stuff". I guess it all depends on what we feel we need when we're getting away from it all. After doing this sort of thing for well over 40 years, I find I need less than more as I get older. I find I enjoy being in the outdoors with less stuff not more.

As far as my van, it's 17' long and travels light on the land. The fact that it has most everything built in is a good thing and there's nothing to set-up. I park and I'm done setting up camp.

However, when I camped out of my old pickup or if I camp out of my LLC I can do with much less. I also rarely spend more than one night in a location as I'm more about the journey than the destination. For me, less is more. If you're offended by my asking, I'm sorry. My wife hates camping so she doesn't go. We'd done RVing starting with a self-contained truck camper and moving up to fifth wheels after we had kids so that my wife would travel with me but as the rigs got larger and all the crap that she and then the kids required became more and more I finally said, enough. I'm selling the truck and fifth wheel as soon as I can because that's not the kind of travel I want to do. My boys are a bit more flexible.

There was a photo of an Aussie in one of the campsite photo threads sitting by his rig in front of a small campfire with a bivy and making billy tea saying it was all he needed. We share a similar philosophy.

[Desert Dan]

Fuel, Water and Firewood are the bulky items when I travel.

It seems the larger the rig I have the more stuff I carry. I keep meals simple but enjoy a nice breakfast and try to keep dinner to stuff I can BarBQ. I also bring no-cook types of food if the weather is nasty.

The more weight you carry the more likely you are to break things on your rig so it is best to travel light if possible.


Speaking of that I need to get an extra leaf in my rear spring pack

[CSG]

Well, I will admit to eating better when using the van what with having a 2.7 cf fridge and cooktop. It's also got a microwave but I've never used it. It's just a storage cabinet.
Even so, the fare is simple. One can eat pretty well without a fridge or even cooler for an outing of a couple, three days. Veggies, fruit, summer sausage, bread, certain cheese and summer sausage, tins of kippers, etc.

[efuentes]

I usually just take a towel, just in case I suddenly get beamed somewhere

[1leglance]

I also say it depends on the kind of person you are...
I bring extra medical gear since I have the training and experience to help others...
I bring extra recovery gear since I have the training and enjoy helping others...

I bring a portable propane fire pit & tank since I don't like some and we have many restricted areas in the southwest.
I bring a comfy chair and all the cheap ones cause me discomfort.
I can sleep on the ground but I am sore the next day and getting up from ground level is tough as an amputee....
I bring spare leg parts...but those don't wiegh much

The Disabled Explorers Sportsmobile is 10,000 plus when on the trail, but it will allow a quad to camp in comfort and that makes it all worthwhile.

My Boy Scout pack weighs under 40lbs for 4 days and I can go ultralight to under 30lbs if water is aval...but I am sore, dirty, eating freeze dried.....

I think the reason you got the responses you did is because how much a person takes is a personal thing...even when we have more than we know we should we don't want to hear about it from someone else...especially if that person doesn't operate under the same conditions.
Now if some guy can show me how to carry a pull pal in a manner that doesn't take up room & wieght that is cool...but unlikely as you can't change physic's.
I am more likely to listen to someone who find a new and creative way to meet the same conditions/standards as I am with less/lighter gear.....

[Cabrito]

For some reason whether we are on a weekender or a week long trip we carry most of the same crap. ( I don't mind if you call it crap) I think I carry a ton of stuff just because I can.

I have backpacked and done a bit of solo vehicle traveling and gone light and it was great. Now that I am with woman I tend to lean towards making sure she is comfortable so she will keep going. The kitchen to us is a necessity. Why bother cooking on my single burner backpacking stove if I have the space to have my dual burner camp stove?

It seems like the spare parts and recovery gear takes up a fair amount of space on their own, and then the water and spare fuel, tent, kitchen box, PETT toilet, chairs, Propane tank, firewood, ect. The list just goes on. Then there is the sleeping bag! What a space hog! Again, I say screw the backpacker mummy bag because there are two of us so we have a cheap double sized "van bag". We need to be warmer we throw on a blanket and use our bodies to keep warm. I only use my subzero bag when I am alone.

When I am alone I sleep in the truck so no tent, but when it's me her and the dog we have a pretty big tent. Back to my original point that If I have room in the SUV why should I just carry a small two person backpacker tent? She likes a tent that she can stand in and I like to give the dog her own space. Our tent is a little obnoxious, but it also has a dog door for the pooch.

I always try to go lighter but for some reason it just never works out. Set up is a breeze with two of us doing it and she knows where everything goes and in what order. We have it down. Setting up is part of the fun for me because it's a chance to use my toys.

And don't get me started on the ARB fridge. It just plain rocks and I hope to never go back to a cooler. I consider myself lucky to have found a cheap one on craigslist.

Bottom line is - "whatever floats your boat" or "to each his own" - It's all good! Just get out there!

[CSG]

Lance, you don't need to be so defensive! I'm only asking, not judging. Do you take me to be so thick-headed I can't fathom that different people have different needs, desires, expectations, etc.? Did I not preface my OP in such a manner as to recognize that?

Of course it's a personal thing, that's why I asked! I thought most responses didn't take it the way you seem to have so take it easy, we're all friends here. I'm not asking you to listen to *me* as to how *you* should camp, I'm asking all of you to tell me a little about what you carry and why. All I've said was I like to travel as light as possible and set up as small a camp as possible. That's *me*, not *you*.

[1leglance]

No worries...sorry if I am coming across defensive...it is just when a post uses a term like Crap and then talkes about being light and fast yet also talks about using a van with all the built in stuff......well it just sets a tone.
Again sorry that I came on strong...that is what suck about the web...as I was typing there was no anger or anything....just highlighting that your subject is a HUGE one and really there is no right or wrong.

Oh and one thing that is always with me no matter is a travel humidor...and we can all agree that is an vital bit of kit

[jeeppurz]

about this much...

[stevenmd]

Maybe it's getting older

Yeah, that about sums it up for me. It is more about comfort and enjoyment than about "roughing it". If I can't stand up straight in the morning why even bother? Maybe I should have been kinder and gentler to my body when I was younger... but those extreme mountain biking and skiing trips were sure a lot of fun!