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Ultra-light cat/rafting

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rafting
21K views 52 replies 31 participants last post by  dgoods 
#1 ·
I cant be the only one wanting to lighten their boat. Coolers are useless, partner stoves are junk. Poop tubes, and freezedried meals is where this sport should be heading!

In all seriousness I am curious if anyone is out there running minimalist style. I suppose this may be more geared towards people with small cats but I want to hear your ideas! How you rig, what you cook, and what you carry (or lack there of). Is anyone out there packing 5 day trips into a 60L drybag?
 
#2 ·
My first 2 years of running whitewater was alone in my JPW Cuthroat and I used a small action packer that I sealed with a glued on gasket and a 40L dry bag. I did carry one of those bucket toliets as it was affordable and I didn't know poop tubes where legal.

Food was whatever I wanted backpacking style as I had no cooler. The options are endless, especially if you have a dehydrator yourself. I wasn't a foodie back then so I just used whatever was available at local stores. Used a whisper light at the time but can't stand them now.

Ran the San Juan, the Dolores, Westwater (w/ friends), etc. Didn't last long with that setup as I was able to upgrade to an Ocelot. Would still be good for late season middle fork, maybe the Selway with the right crew, Deso. Debated Cat but would not want to row that on the lake as it wouldn't track as well as bigger boats.

Phillip
 
#3 ·
n all seriousness I am curious if anyone is out there running minimalist style. I suppose this may be more geared towards people with small cats but I want to hear your ideas! How you rig, what you cook, and what you carry (or lack there of). Is anyone out there packing 5 day trips into a 60L drybag?
Oh hey I think I got forwarded a message from st2eelpot from you. yeah anyway I have a sabertooth frameless cat that I actually run with a light raft frame. I can take all my stuff plus a pvc poop tube for a multi-day trip. this is pretty handy when you think you might need to carry the boat. for small groups of kayakers I can carry an oil pan/firepan and a 2 burner partner with a 5lb propane plus some booze. You can also go backpack stove style. good rivers for this setup are jarbidge/bruneau, owyhee, south fork salmon, upper animas, low water sewlay, etc.

for really light trips take a look at that new packraft. you could hike for days and then fire up some cool stuff.
 
#4 ·
I totally agree with the coolerless trips, and simple set-ups. Would rather spend less time in the kitchen and more time on the water and hikes. I've seen way to many mornings where rigging can take hours. Lighten the load and have more free time!
 
#7 ·
I do double duty with my hand wash station serving as a dish washing station, good for small group 2-3 with minimal dishes etc.

I carry an eco safe tank with footman belt loops mounted on top of tank with leak proof bolts and washers. Than I do not carry a rocket box for it just a strap to carry it with. It is a little less stable when in use but with a little care no problem. loops make it easy to tie in boat.

http://www.rei.com/product/777772/rei-bug-hut-pro-2-tent#descriptionTab
under 2 lbs

http://www.rei.com/product/870757/rei-camp-bed-35-self-inflating-sleeping-pad#specsTab
4 lbs 9 ozs.

http://www.stupidguidetricks.com/Cooking%20Pages/firepan.html
9 lbs

light beer of course
 
#10 ·
Always bringing the kitchen sink

I have been wanting to lighten up the load for years! I worked commercially for a number of years and my company never had a sweep boat, so all the gear would inevitably end up on the rafts. I have always rowed a fully loaded pig boat. I thought that would change when i bought my own and started doing more private trips. But it seems like i still have all the gear piled to the sky. The thing is I do a lot of 1 boat trips in my 16ft raft. I normally have the girlfriend or a buddy and i think i'm going light until i get to loading it all on and it's ridiculous! I suppose i could downsize from a paco to a backpacking pad and leave the chairs at home. The firepan always gets used but is heavy as shit and requires a 20mm ash/garbage can. Then there is the groover, i use a river bank, which for two people is way overkill and by the time I bring all the water jugs and all the beer i want there is barely enough room for a small kitchen box. Oh then there is propane and a stove and on and on..... The thing is I should know better i am really into ultralight backpacking and have my basepack down to 10lbs but just can't seem to translate some of those principles into rafting. Maybe someday i will learn :confused:
 
#12 ·
My hubby and I once did a six day trip in AK on an Aire Wildcat. We had a York dry box, one drybag, and a pin/repair kit. The fact that there were no regs on human waste really helped us pull that trip off on a small boat. We dug holes for solid waste. The weather was bad with wind, rain, and snow, and there really wasn't much in the way of wood, so we never started a fire but there were no regs on that either. At night We just ate a backpacker meal, split a snickers, nipped the whiskey, and retired to the tent. It was our honeymoon.




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#13 ·
I once went so light I brought no chair. That sucked. When I got home I went and brought an aluminum camp chair. Ultrlightweight gets less and less appealing as I age. It is a fine balance between weight and comfort.

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#14 ·
As long as I can re flip my cat, I am light. Being light enough to re flip should make me light enough to make the move... I hope. I use this fire pan http://www.webstaurantstore.com/4-d...s-steel-steam-table-hotel-pan/922STP1004.html. The fire pan only lasts a 3-4 seasons, but it is cheap so no big deal. Sometimes I don't know if I can re flip until I am on the water, so it is a constant quest. I use way bags and a bucket for a light pooper. Yeah, I poop in a bucket, we pee in the stream...catchy tune. Oh yeah, eat steak on a light weight trip, you won't be sorry.


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#15 ·
I like ultra-light for a couple of reasons. Lighter keeps the performance up epically on a cat. Les gear the lower profile your rig will have when you flip + you can keep your tunnel wide open Take out: My local river the Tuolumne has a bitch of a take out, after that carry you wish you would have learned how to roll a kayak. I am a reformed commercial guide so I was use to taking A LOT of gear. Less is better you won’t lose so much. Think like a backpacker: Tarp instead of tent, water filter and small bottles, whiskey instead of beer. We use wag bags for waste. Lots of places to reduce the load.
I wish I would have gotten single chamber tubes on my cat. Could have shaved allot of weight off with that.
 
#22 ·
I am curious some of the ways people rig their cats with gear but keep the "tunnel" part of a cat open. I was wondering if anyone has tried to fit their gear into zippered bags on each tube or do you just strap your drybags straight to the tube? It seems like the hardest part of doing lightweight trips is finding others who are game to cut some of the comforts out of a trip.
 
#16 ·
Talk with some ultralight backpackers and pick their brains about how they pack, what they bring, etc. It certainly can be done. Many of them don't use tents. They use hammocks & tarps for sleep. They carry small stoves and minimal cook kits. They make their own freeze dried food, and they minimize on weight and size of gear wherever they can.

However, there will always be things that boaters have to bring, that backpackers don't.....more repair & safety stuff, groover, fire pan, ash can, shovel, etc. I still have my 10 foot Outcast mini-cat, and I've started kayak touring, so I've been switching my mindset to UL alternatives.
 
#18 ·
Consider too putting the weight where you have to. For remote class 4/5 water I always carry a well stocked wrap kit, first aid, maps of the area w/access points, emergency lightweight food...For groups of 4 or more I do like to bring my 2 burner partner stove w/break-apart hinges and a small, light propane tank.

Aside from that, use a jetboil, a mega-mid/ultralight shelter, dehydrated food and substitute your beer for good quality whiskey. A lightweight crazy creek chair, ultralight insulated air mattress. I have an Engle 30qt drybox/cooler combo box I occasionally bring for any perishables.

Just like a backpack, all the grams add up. Get the best quality gear you can rely on and shave weight where you can. I'd be leery of using single chamber cat tubes, but some consider the weight savings worth the potential risk.
 
#19 ·
Here's the chair I got for kayak touring. It's a Travelchair Joey. Similar to the Big Agnes Heliox, just a bit taller. Easy for me to get in & out of with a bum knee, comfy, and packs down super small.

+1 on the Partner two burner with take apart hinge. I love mine. Small, but you can separate the sides and still get a bigger pot on it.
 
#23 ·
Here's the chair I got for kayak touring. It's a Travelchair Joey. Similar to the Big Agnes Heliox, just a bit taller. Easy for me to get in & out of with a bum knee, comfy, and packs down super small.

+1 on the Partner two burner with take apart hinge. I love mine. Small, but you can separate the sides and still get a bigger pot on it.

I LOVE my helinox chair...so freakin comfy and small/lightweight enough that it is my backpacking chair too. With that and my hammock I could stay in the woods forever. Otherwise my back starts acting up too much.

I'm a bit of a weight nazi when it comes to other people's gear. A lot of times I tell them bring clothes for x days, bedding and a *small* shelter. I'll bring and plan the rest. Otherwise they end up bringing entire cast iron cook sets and a 20'x14' canvas outfitter tent. Alot of the take outs I use are less than convenient, so I always have an eye out for weight reduction. Thats one of several reasons I love my NRS Revolution (urethane).

My external frame pack usually weighs in at about 26lbs w/o food or water when backpacking. But I carry some heavier comfort items including that chair ^, pump filter, chacos (wear boots or vice versa), gun etc...

I always think how easy it would be to boat camp this way, but then I think of all the space I can fill with cold beer.
 
#21 ·
Ladies and Gents,

One of the main reason I went from ultra light kayak tripping to rafting, was comfort, Dutch Oven Cooking and really plush cot / pad setup.

Ultra light is fine for a specialized trip, but one of the best attractions of rafting is the comfort and good food they allow!!!!
 
#25 ·
Lightweight adventures

Something that has yet to be mentioned is group size...

Stoves, fire pans, fuel, etc weight the same whether it's a single boat trip or for 5+ people. As Mania can attest it's easy to do a lightweight trip with steak and a few beers and a paco pad when there are several like minded people packing light, even with port ages and carrying cats.

To me true class IV and V adventure boating is not lapping road side rivers with 10 people, but a small solid group in a wilderness setting where proper planning and group selection is more important then cooler selection or oar discussions. I'd rather sip whiskey on a rock in the middle of nowhere than drink my 12th pbr from a camp chair on a river where boating is a social mastabatory sport.

Luckily most rafters like luxury camping meaning some of us can explore remote runs where YouTube scouting is not an option. I love cooler and Dutch oven threads- it means I won't see these folks on my next lightweight trip. Now if I could afford a madcatr frame I'd be much happier and lighter. :)
 
#26 ·
UT,

Good Thread. Packing light is a fundamental tenet of my rafting style. I usually look at rigs and say, "What do they even find to put in there!?!?"

But, it's still rafting and often the impetus to optimize for weight just isn't there. I mostly hate spending my vacation packing and un-packing. I'd much rather throw everything in two small drybags, strap one to each tube, and go boating. Also, you can actually get things too light for on-water performance, particularly in big water hole-punching situations. Just sayin'. This threshold is different for every boat/oarsperson.

Here's how I roll based on trip type...

Light for fun/easy multidays up to a week, Class IV+ or less, no portaging:
IN: Chair, Rolltop, Firepan/grill/blanket, 2 brnr Partner stove with LiteCylinder (my guy still fills), croquet, small engel, small drybox.
OUT: Handwashing, extra groover supply box, tents, showers, DO,

Extra-Light for super easy mid-current reflip, portages less than 1 mile, Class V-
IN: Chair, Rolltop, Croquet, Fire stuff, Jetboil
OUT: Cooler, Drybox, Partner stove

Ultra-Light for long portages and technical Class V.
IN: Light Grill, Jetboil, not much else
OUT: Croquet, Chair, table,

Some things that have to be dealt with:

Groovers -- Forget the expensive ones. Use ammo cans and optimize size for the needs of the trip. WAG bag it too.

Repair -- Amazing what you can get done with a speedy stitch and tear aid. Worst case is really to leave a boat and have to come in again with appropriate equipment for your specific problem How bad is that? ANOTHER RIVER TRIP!!! Great excuse for the boss....

Pin-kits -- If your boat is light then it is easier to un-pin. I have un-pinned a lot of boats with the throw bag I already carry, a pulley and two ti-bloks (petzl) the pulley, tiblocks, lockers and anchor live in my lifejacket. Seriously, if your boat is light it is less likely to pin in the first place

Cooking: Jetboil for coffee and heating water. Super light grill and some aluminum foil for cooking everything else.
 
#28 ·
We do week long trips in our mini-me's and have room for a small chair, full cook set,small cooler, wine, small dog. Semi backpacking style. I've done 10 Alaska 16 day trips in home made pack rafts before you could buy them. That was full backpack style. Having a fabrication shop lets me make my own equipment.
 
#30 ·
We really don't leave any comforts at home. It's about leaving what you don't need at home and packing well. There a lot of rivers with poor access that a smaller boat and light weight gear are the best way to go. I think people get out more with smaller boats where it's not a big hassle to get on a river.
 
#33 ·
There are times to go decadent (most of the time?!) And times to go minimal. Tough runs with bad portages and difficult access is what true expedition boating is all about. Expedition boating still really turns my crank. Not for most, thank God! My expedition boat of choice now is my 11x22 Legend, single chamber. Yes there is a risk with single, but weighing in at 18 lbs per tube is worth it...to me. I took it down Camas creek into the MF a few years back, probably a mile of portaging not counting numerous logs. With a light setup you just do a one person drag, or take gear in one load and two man the boat in the next trip for the long portages. Every pound starts to matter.

So some of my best gear discoveries, some already mentioned:

Sleeping bag 30 degree down RAB
chair: rei flexlite (similar to cataraftgirl's)
Thermarest neo lite air pad
Tyvek for ground cloth or emergency tarp if unexpected rain.
Shelters: megamid or msr twin brothers (both floorless sylnylon) for multipeople, or msr AC bivy bag (1 lb) and or msr Ewing (1 lb) for single person. One Noah's tarp works well too.
Fire pan use oil pan like Dana does
Whiskey/vodka. Or on camas creek gator bites (Everclear and powdered Gatorade woot woot). Powdered mix.
Plastic paint can for groover and ash bucket, but marginal legal on some rivers
I love steak but sometimes you just gotta go Mt House. Mixed nuts, jerky, Met-RX meal replacement bars..depends how long...fishing pole for survival.
Water: filter into msr dromedary bags..super light and easy to strap on.
Watershed dry bags. Even lighter is Sea-To-Summit Big River 35l bags but roll top only.

Will try to post a pic of my solo marsh/MF setup tomorrow.
 
#40 ·
Nah, you didn't waste my time, was just pointing it out. I thought nrs was doing inner tube as well. I've tried to get SOTAR to offer a center baffle but they say their construction process on the 3 panel design does not allow for it. It would only have to be mostly airtight to make me happy...if it bled air over a matter of minutes that would be enough time to get off most rivers.
 
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