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What does UL packing look like for masters? 01 What is the contents of Arai Yusuke's carefully selected backpack?

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Written by Yasushi Hisatomi

One day last November, our website hosted the hugely popular "Outdoor Gearzine Trailhead Presents Arai Yusuke Packing Seminar 2016." We asked Arai to be the instructor, and while we were a bit loose with his request, "Please give us a talk that will be interesting for beginners who aren't so good at packing," that was a good or bad thing, as both the first and second sessions turned out to be over two hours of machine gun talk. The talk didn't just focus on packing, but also on recommended gear and truly useful mountaineering skills, making for a fulfilling event packed with tips and tricks only an expert can offer

What is Outdoor Gearzine Trailhead?

Outdoor Gearzine was held in November 2016 at a gallery near Yoyogi Park for two weeks under the theme of "Starting autumn mountain climbing with Outdoor Gearzine . There is an exhibition of recommended autumn mountain tools, a corner for purchasing tools, a store for valuable outdoor gear, a flea market for used mountain tools after the test, and a talk event with mountain photographer Arai Yusuke, and various projects are being held that can be enjoyed by people who want to climb the mountains or have recently started climbing the mountains. This event has been a huge hit with readers of this site and mountain enthusiasts who have come here casually. For more detailed plans, please see this past announcement page .

I had announced that I would be releasing a video of the talk, but it took longer than I expected to organize the topics that tend to fly around in the moment, which is typical of a live performance. I've also finally launched a YouTube channel

Now that we've finally put it all together, we'd like to share with you the details of the event in several posts, each with a different theme. Just to be safe, we'd like to warn you in advance that some of the topics introduced here are things that only people with experience and physical strength can put into practice, and not all of them can be imitated unconditionally by everyone. If you take that into consideration, these are all very useful and interesting stories, so please be sure to consider them carefully before using them!

Profile of Arai Yusuke

Mountain photographer. Head of SHARA PROJECT. Since his father's acquaintance was a traitor, he grew up in a deep, intimate nature from a young age. He has a deep knowledge of a wide range of fields, from traditional trekking to UL hiking, skiing, MTB, hunting and survival techniques, and outdoor gear, and is also well-versed in knives. Every year in autumn and winter, it is a bush crafter that clings to hunt, and then dismantles and cooks in the mountains.

table of contents

Packing tips for ultralight hiking: What's inside a backpack pared down through experience and calculation? 

In the first half of the talk, Arai-san showed us the contents of his latest backpack. By the way, in the video, Arai-san is on the left and I (Hisatomi) am on the right listening to him

Video transcription

Arai Yusuke : I usually work as a mountain photographer. The reason I became a mountain photographer was quite biased. I started taking photos of extreme sports while taking posters, catalogs, and promotional photos. That's how I got into the outdoors. *1 But now I do a lot of magazine photos, but that was when I was shooting in Yosemite and fell 20 meters. At the time, my family had grown, so we had a family meeting and "How many times a year do you fall?" lol. So I moved on to magazines.

My camera equipment consisted of two SLRs, three large medium-format cameras, about six lenses, a tripod, batteries, etc., so the total weight was over 60 kg, which meant that I inevitably started going in the direction of ultralight luggage. However, ultralight became too extreme, and for a while I went to sub-ultralight, which is just below ultralight, and the weight (base weight) minus clothes, food, water, and fuel was less than 4.5 kg. I decided that this was too much, so I've now settled on ultralight

For a week, four days to a week, that's probably about what most people take when they go into the mountains (pointing to a 40L pack on the wall). Oh, not enough? Well, let's assume it's a little more, but for me, a week's worth of GOLITE 20L is enough. I've got two shelters in there right now, so the lids won't close. Normally (after towels, small items, and string), I'd put my rain gear first, and this is my first tent. Then I'd put a cup, my second tent, my down jacket, my sleeping bag, and a change of clothes. That's about all I need for food and water . This is what it looks like without the mat (with the backpack crumpled up). There's no frame or anything inside, so I use a mat instead. By the way, this is just the upper half of my sleeping mat.

Hisatomi : Did you cut it yourself?

Arai Yusuke : Yes, I cut it. It was originally twice as long. When I sleep, I only use this part (the upper body). For the lower body, something else that goes from the heel to just below the knee is enough.

Hisatomi : Is it like that (hiking in places without snow) all year round?

Arai Yusuke : Yes, throughout the year. I'm currently doing a hobby called "bushcraft," and in the winter I carry a shotgun and hunt deer and bears as a substitute for meals . You might think that if I don't carry food then it'll be light, but first of all, a gun weighs about 5kg. And even if I catch prey, even if it's a bear that weighs about 100kg, no matter how much I butcher it, it's still only about 35kg. So I have to carry that all down the mountain. It's definitely not ultralight, haha.

So, I'll leave this tent (the first of two) over here. The other one is a poncho-type tent. It's like a cape. If I have this, I don't need rain gear (moves it to the side). That's all I have. This is all my equipment for about a week

Hisatomi : I'm sure some people will point out that there's no water bottle.

Arai Yusuke : A water bottle like this (a plastic bottle) is fine. I also have a hydration pack. It's the kind that pulls a hose. The only things I have left over are a wool shirt, wool tights, and a fleece jacket . I only change them once a week. The reason is that wool is a material that doesn't easily grow bacteria, so it doesn't smell (hygienic). It's also comfortable because it doesn't make you cold even when wet. Layering with these kinds of materials will do the trick. If you prefer quick-drying materials, synthetic fibers are a good choice. However, quick drying also means it's colder, so body heat is lost through evaporative cooling. In that case, layering (with wool as the base) with a synthetic fleece as the middle layer will allow the fleece to wick away moisture . It's okay if the outer layer smells a little, but what you wear underneath, what you wear while you're out and about—T-shirts are the most common from spring to fall—is wool, I recommend.

However, wool does have its drawbacks. (When you stretch the fabric) your hands are slightly visible through it, and holes form easily. If you carry something heavy for a long time, the shoulder area becomes thinner. That's the only drawback. Also, it's more expensive than synthetic fibers 

*1 As an acquaintance of his father was a matagi hunter, he naturally acquired matagi-style survival techniques from an early age. It was this background that allowed him to transition to an outdoor job

Video explanation

I'm sure you sensed it right away, but there was a strong whiff of something fishy going on right from the start. When it comes to outdoor extreme sports, free climbing is just the beginning. Other extreme sports, like speed climbing ice walls at insanely high and difficult heights, or base jumping from heights in wingsuits like flying squirrels, are beyond entertainment and require a person who is physically and mentally insane to even compete. And when it comes to filming with a heavy camera, you need the same physical ability and skill as an athlete. What's more, Arai is a professional hunter, so the scale of his story is clearly different from that of ordinary people. First of all, keep in mind that this is the case of such a person

List of contents in Arai's backpack

Here's a summary of what Arai packed for a week of tent-camping hiking in the snow-free season (mainly autumn):
*Detailed items are still being checked, so there may be some adjustments in the future.

I've included product links for each item to the best of my knowledge, but there are clear reasons and many useful stories behind each one. Also, from what I've heard, it's highly unlikely that commercially available products are being used as is, and it seems that some modifications have been made in places, so I'll introduce these to the best of my knowledge in individual topics that will be released in the future

This would hold the clothes you're wearing, water, food, and fuel (alcohol and solid fuel), and you could go hiking for 5-6 nights. From personal experience, there's not much difference between 2 nights and 5 nights, but 20L is just not possible for a solo tent camping trip, lol. It wouldn't be strange to have more than double the capacity

Of course, there are countless different ways to enjoy things and different ways of thinking, so this style isn't particularly impressive or anything, and it's impossible to imitate it even if you wanted to, but it's always inspiring to learn about the lived experiences of people who have gone as far as they can and the philosophy behind them

"Dual-use" is not only UL, but also the first step to moving beyond being a packing beginner

I think there are three main things that make Arai's gear list so great

One of the reasons is, of course, all equipment is consistent and simple, lightweight . This is something that I, as someone who can't stand equipment that is just light but uncomfortable, can't understand at all, but it's not just a matter of personal belief; it's also undeniable that it requires physical strength and perseverance that can't be shaken by even a little discomfort. In that sense, there's no doubt that physical strength and experience are essential to mastering UL.

Another thing is that , in addition to tools that might be "convenient to have," he boldly cuts out tools that can be dispensed with by acquiring knowledge and skills . By thoroughly understanding how to set up a shelter and its weaknesses, he often only brings a tent and does not bring a sleeping bag cover. Having also participated in mountain rescue operations and having extensive knowledge of emergency medical care, Arai also minimizes the amount of emergency medical equipment he needs. In another part of the talk, Arai also said, "I don't bring anything I haven't used after taking it three times." By repeatedly entering the mountains, he expands his collection of various items, sharpening his judgment of which tools he will and won't use on future trips and allowing him to carefully select the bare minimum of equipment.

Finally, one idea that I found very helpful was the idea of ​​"combining tools that can be used for multiple purposes ." While using a frame and mat for both purposes is a basic principle, choosing a stove that can be used for both shelter and rain gear, and one that can also be used as a windbreaker, one towel, a quilted down sleeping bag that can also be used as down pants, and carrying extra-long thin cord or tape slings that can be used as shelter guy lines, spare shoelaces, and emergency slings, etc. With a little ingenuity, there are many ways to simplify and consolidate various complicated tools. It may seem like a small thing, but there are still many things I can do if I make an effort to combine things, such as a towel for when I'm out and a towel for when I'm down the mountain, a change of clothes and cold weather gear, or an emergency sheet and a tent.

This concludes the introduction to the contents of Arai's backpack during his one-week hike

We are still in the very early stages of our talk. From next time onwards, we will be introducing the topics that have been expanded upon in the list above in smaller parts, so please look forward to it!

   

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What does UL packing look like for masters? 05 Tips for good packing and how to choose a smart backpack
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What does UL packing look like for masters? 02 The secret to packing is how you use the stuff sack.
What does UL packing look like for masters? 04 Tips for choosing shoes and how to tie shoelaces that don't easily loosen