Month: April 2013
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Choosing a backpack can be tricky, especially for someone who is just starting out. You need to know what you are carrying to choose the right pack, but if you are just starting out you don’t know what you are going to be carrying. I suggest start with trips you expect to take (duration &…
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Contents1 Remember the 3s2 Common Sense3 First Aid4 Signaling5 Starting Fire6 Avoiding Fires7 Warmth & Dry8 Water9 Food10 Weather11 Navigation Remember the 3s You need air in 3 minutes (and to stop severe bleeding), to get warmth in 3 hours, water in 3 days, and food in 3 weeks. The Wisdom of Abo Dude touches on most…
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My recommendations on the following pages originated with backpacking, but most of the observations are applicable to a variety of outdoor activities. Related: Packing for the Camino (or other other hostel-2-hostel pilgramages) plus notes about packing light for travel. I also keep a list of my “gear for life“. I have pages covering: Ultralight Approach Around 2000…
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Many people under estimate the value of a good night of sleep. If you don’t cherish your sleep, you might want to read The Problem of Sleep which does a good job of documenting the value of sleep, what interferes with good sleep, and what the negative consequences of not getting enough sleep. There is some gear…
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Sleeping pads provide comfort which can enable a good night of sleep. Waking up in the morning feeling worse than when you went to bed is no fun. Some people can sleep on the bare ground or maybe 1/8″ foam pads for some insulation. Glen suggests that a minimalist pad works great when you make…
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Sleeping bags and quilts can provide light-weight and compact insulation for a good nights sleep. I have found that you get what you pay for when it comes to sleeping bags and quilts. It’s also important to have insulation and comfortable surface to sleep on top of (pads for most, hammock – with an under-quilt in…
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Historically the three best choices are Down, Polarguard (especially 3D and Delta), and Primaloft, though Climashield sounds pretty good and will likely replace Polarguard as the most commonly use synthetic in the next few years. Each of these materials has different performance characteristics. You will need to decide the relative weighting of these characteristics to…
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Shaped tarps can be exceptionally light weight while providing excellent storm protection. The downside of many shaped tarps is that they way you pitch them is limited compared to a classic flat tarp. Shaped tarps come in a variety of sizes and shapes. I have a separate post about “flat” tarps. There are also a…
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Tarps are often the lightest shelter to provide protection from the environment, provides more space / weight than other options, and let you stay connected to your environment when pitched open. Tarps can often be set up in a number of ways so they can provide protection for a group of people cooking and eating…