Originally Posted by
reppans
I think BA fibs a bit... they spec 2lbs 5oz total for my FC UL2, but somehow my sample weighs 5oz more, then add another 5oz for the OEM footprint and it’s 47oz. My pyramid, inner net tent, polycryo footprint, and stakes weighs 25oz, is more versatile and comfortable (for me), and it all packs into a 2.5L stuff sack. Free-standing poles are the big difference in bulk and weight.
Of course, to pack within 30L, you need minimalist gear, AND you need to heavily multitask. For example, I use Everclear for stove fuel, and with powdered ice tea mix, make Vodka Sweet Tea drinks (my ‘bar’); an Evernew/Sawyer bladder with spare cap w/holes drilled in is my daily ’astronaut’ (<1L of water) ‘shower’.
Pictures are worth a 1000 words:
5lb/10L of core camping gear and the
creature comforts of that gear; add 14L for changes of clothing, camp sandals, 4 days food, and 1 gal water for backpacking out of a
Deuter Trail 24L ..... or
ADVMoto touring. This is the
fan w/ timer set-up... optional depending upon weather forecast.
.
There are a couple of things missing from your pictures. One is food. That’s the bulk of my volume. My off-road tours are very remote with zero opportunity for resupply. If I don’t carry it, I’m not eating it. The other item missing is clothing. My off-road tours also tend to be high which means that I have to be prepared for cold weather no matter what the calendar. Clothing has to be able to layer and be able to be ridden in (no long coats).
Another reason for my higher volume is also related the cold. I have a 45°F bag but I have never used it here in the Rockies. I might use it out on the plains but never high. Morning temperatures can be below freezing so I always carry a heavier 20° bag which also requires more volume.
Finally, I would never trust a frameless tent. Colorado weather is changeable and volatile. Wind gusts of 80 to 90 mph are not unknown. A tent held up by a stick is a tent that isn’t going to be tent shaped for long. My latest camping trip was accompanied by winds strong enough to nearly wrap my tent around me
with a frame. I wouldn’t relish the idea of setting up a tent in the middle of the night.