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How much did it weigh, 1984? In 1984 John Bouchard wrote of his and Titione's, six day, January ascent of the S. Face of Aconcagua with a total of.....".no more than 10# of clothing and 25# packs".  The details are reprinted above.

I added up a similar and very specific list a few days ago.   The price of this full kit list today could easily make a grown man weep to get it under 10#.

Total is 8.9#

* 2 pair of socks liner and a med weight
5.25 oz/ 150g

* boots/inner boots
2# 8 oz/ 1134g  Scarpa Phantom 6000 with Baruntse liner

*Long john bottom
166g/ 5.8oz wool blend 166g /5.8oz

602g/ 21oz bib in Polartec's Neoshell/ Power Shield Pro/ grid fleece interior

*t shirt
220g / 8oz Patagonia lwt fleece zip T

340g/ 12oz Westcomb Shift 12oz

(or combine the two with a Arcteryx Venta MX 22oz / 628g and save 1oz. )

*insulation/ wind shell layer
RAB Xenon Hoody 311g / 11oz

*Belay jacket
Mtn H Nilas 631g/ 22.2oz

Mtn Hydra 262g / 9.25oz

Arc. Rho beanie
36g / 1.25 oz

Petzl Meteor
224/ 7.9oz

Lots of different combos available.  This is the best I could do for the warmth involved and a systems approach.   How does your gear's weight measure up to 1984 standards?  And the more specific question I think, "how much better/warmer is it?"

Posted by Dane at 11:28 PM 
What on earth is a hollow biner?? Yikes!

December 18, 2012 at 12:16 PM 
State of the art bitd. The best wire gates beat them for weight now.

December 18, 2012 at 12:48 PM 
Sorry, they aren't in production yet. I have a pair made from the same Polartec Neoshell Marmot is using for the Zion and a pair from the Neoshell laminated to the same material Patagonia is using for the Northwall jacket and pants.

Both rock. I have high hopes for the Northwall version. Weights are virtually the same. You'll see some side by side comparisons here soon.

December 18, 2012 at 3:25 PM 
any commercially available equivalent? i really need to replace my old patagonia softshell pants. any recommendations?

December 18, 2012 at 5:55 PM 
Patagonia Northwall pants..•Polartec Power Shield Pro with a Regulator high-loft grid fleece interior. Amazing fabric.

December 18, 2012 at 8:42 PM