Originally Posted by
Rowan
The trade-off here is that the distances between possible accommodation such as campgrounds in many parts of Europe is not great. You can afford to carry a bit more and have shorter days. In parts of the US and Australia, for instance, the distances can become much, much larger, and the trade-off between weight and efficiency become more important.
I wild camp in all places, excepting poorer countries where I can get a real bed for the night. In Australia and parts of the US, I would still need to carry water and I don't want to do without my coffee. Or are you saying that carrying 19lbs for crossing Australia or barren parts of the US is something that will be more comfortable than carrying enough water and stuff for a shade, a double walled tent with a mosquito net/mesh?
[edit: What is it with people, that when they read I live in Copenhagen, they automatically think that that must be my only stomping grounds? I
have a passport, and I
do travel./edit]
And, from what I have seen in nun's posts in the Ultralightweight threads, he doesn't want for comfort given his level of desired amenity. As I said in my previous post, the amount a touring cyclist carries depends on quite a few factors. There are no wrongs and rights... although the one in a group who continually complains about riding alone and getting in late and being tired all the time, while toting 120lbs of stuff might need to take a good long look at what s/he is doing.
Yup, but as I said in the very post he responded to:
Originally Posted by SmallFront
I think you can go too ultralight. I personally don't want to fiddle with tarps, quilts, hammocks, or alcohol burners made from coke cans, nor havign to make do without proper tools and an extra tube. But on the other hand, I don't want to carry a canvas tent, iron stakes, and brass camp lights.