Backpacker Magazine emailed me a link this morning to its review of a “field tested” backpacking coffee. It’s instant! Ugggh! My choice is fresh ground Peet’s French Roast or Thanksgiving’s Mirembe Kawomera (Delicious Peace) coffee in a one-cup filter (lightweight and as good tasting as home). To read Backpacker’s review of the instant they are [...]
Corn feeds us and fuels us. Now, utensils are being made of it. My wife, Gerry, found a set of six Italian-made, corn-based spoon/forks (sporks) that last six uses and then completely compost in 45-60 days. Less than one ounce each. At about 65 cents each (6 for $3.99) a package. Order from Karla@hausfortuna.com. Be [...]
Backpacking companions Wild Bill, the Duke and I share meal prep duties. If we’re out for a typical three night trip, each of us brings a dinner. I usually bring a half pound of linguini, broken so it fits into a sandwich bag, a four-ounce plastic bottle with garlic, red pepper flakes and olive oil [...]
My regular readers know I’m a gearhound. And I’m always looking for the latest and greatest ultralight backpacking “thing” to include in my pack. My latest find is the MiniTissue. Comes eight in a pack for $1 (1 ounce total weight). Individually wrapped like peppermint candies, you splash them with water making them instantly rehydrate, [...]
One of my readers said he was getting into backpacking with his family — there are three of them total — and wanted to know the best choice of a lightweight cooking pot. I’m sure you’ll get lots of opinions on this. But I purchased a pot set four years ago that works great for [...]
I love discovering new ultralight backpacking gadgets — anything that has multiple uses and is really light. I was at the local outdoor store, looking for a birthday present for one of my backpacking pals, when I discovered a plastic knife-spoon-fork utensil from “Light My Fire Spork.” It weighs less than a half ounce and [...]
My backpacking pal Wild Bill always brings big bars of dark chocolate and shares them at lunch and dinner. He claims it is good you. Full of anti-oxidants. I’m not sure about that, but I am sure it tastes great. Sound good? Well I’ve got something better. Mix Hershey’s Good Night Kisses Hot Chocolate (99.9% [...]
At the end of the day on the trail just about anything tastes good. But I love pasta. The spicier the better. One of my favorites is capellini with smoked tuna. This is really simple: -Get a plastic bottle. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil, some red pepper flakes and garlic (you can chop it [...]
There are all kinds of ways to save weight on your backcountry kitchen. You can transfer food such as cookies, crackers, trail mix and pasta to zip lock plastic bags. Or you can take less food. But what fun is that? My wife, Gerry, just brought home samples of Justin’s Nut Butter Jr.’s — organic [...]
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 altitude [...]
