The list of essentials seems to expand and contract, but conventional wisdom a long time ago figured out “must haves” for survival and / or comfort. One is a pocket knife.
If you’ve read any of my posts you know I big on looking for alternatives, especially lightweight or ultralight weight versions.
I have two beautiful Swiss […]
In a post I wrote last year, I reviewed backpacking stoves and made what I think is a key observation: most stoves now are small and ultralight. But what adds the weight is the fuel. The Esbit fuel stove is my favorite (I also have propane and alcohol stoves) and works great at high […]
A light daypack is an essential piece of equipment for the light backpacker.
I’ve taken many, many three-day loop trips that involve two overnights and 8-10 miles of day hiking wearing your pack. That’s great except for one thing: you’re wearing your pack the whole time. Even an ultralight pack is still a weight on your […]
The little things make a big difference on the trail. Bathing (getting the trail dust off) is one them — even though I don’t do too much bathing when on short (two-day) backpacks.
Diving into a lake or splashing your face in a cool stream are two of the more refreshing ways to get the dust […]
I remember showing up on my first backpack in 1998 with a 45-pound pack stuffed with every conceivable backpacking gadget and implement - such things as those orange spades used to dig toilet holes.
The shear pain of all that weight, plus having so many different items in my pack sent me in search of a […]
In my last post I discusssed how a Personal Locator Beacon could be a life saver — if you are out by yourself or with a group and someone gets seriously injured, trapped by poor weather or gets lost in the wilderness.
The three climbers rescued from Mt. Hood on President’s Day credited their beacon with […]
Paper Soap for Ultralight backpacking, camping and hiking
