Loving nature and the outdoors lightweight backpacking is my way of experiencing it. I attempt to hike in the backcountry at least once or twice a month mainly in the southern region of Sweden. Two to four day hikes are my preference. My base weight in the summer months floats around 4½ kg and in the colder months is normal at 6 kg not including my newly purchased photography kit.
I grew up in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia but I have lived in Denmark for some 25 years. As a teenager I did many “Boy Scout” hikes in south-east Queensland, Australia. My old Scout master was ex-army and we were put through all sorts of tests including night hikes through thick brush that had to be cut through with a machete whilst we were sucked on by huge leaches. In those days we slept straight on the ground in our heavy sleeping bags, using only a ground sheet; there was no such thing as air beds. Our shelters were open with no insect nets and no floors. You also had to find fallen trees in the bush and make a pole to support the shelter as it had no tent poles.
Medical background
I’m a little guy with back issues and I can not manage heavy loads. I have a severe, active and progressive rheumatoid arthritis in my spine and therefore take medicine for this. Once a week I inject a 50 mg solution of Benepali etanercept from a pre-filled syringe which helps reduce the rate of progression of joint damage.
Base weight
My base weight is normal to be around 5 kg and depending on the season 7 to 9 kg is an ideal total pack weight for me including consumables (food, water & fuel). That way I can enjoy my backpacking experience and still have all the essentials in my kit. The pack below is a Hyperlite Mountain Gear 2400 Windrider.
I love gear, especially good quality lightweight gear and I do my best to support small cottage companies. Below is my Tarptent Notch lightweight shelter purchased in Jan 2016.
Disclosure
Product(s) discussed above were purchased by myself from a retailer or manufacturer. I do not accept compensation or donated product in exchange for guaranteed media placement or product review coverage without clearly denoting such coverage as an “ADVERTISEMENT” or “SPONSORED CONTENT.”
