Entries Tagged as 'Getting Started'

Thursday, June 18th, 2009

Don’t Sacrifice Comfort to Get Ultralight

In the latest issue of Backpacker Magazine are 33 tips for lightening your load. One I have pointed out before, but it is worth mentioning again: don’t leave behind items that can make your trip comfortable and/or satisfying. Example: I have three sleeping pads: 14 ounces, 20 0unces and 36 ounces. Two are self inflatables: [...]

Monday, July 7th, 2008

First Aid: New Skin Liquid Bandage

A must in every ultralight backpack is some form of first aid. I usually take duct tape (you can use to make a liquid in a 1.5 ounce and 2 3/4 inch high bottle (heavy compared with Bandaids) that you brush on: NEW SKIN LIQUID BANDAGE BOTTLE. In less than a minute the New Skin [...]

Monday, May 12th, 2008

An Ultralight Backpack Doesn’t Need to be a Marathon

The basic goal of ultralight backpacking is to go light, fast and far in total comfort with the least amount of effort … be one with the pack … Maximize your enjoyment and reduce the possibility of injury. Ray Jardine, the father of ultralight backpacking, assembled a pack under 10 pounds to comfortably trek the [...]

Sunday, February 3rd, 2008

Big Sky’s Convertible an Ultralight Winner in the Backpacker Magazine Gear Guide Freestanding Tent Category

In the Backpacker Magazine 2008 Gear Guide is this year’s winner for lightest freestanding tent: the Big Sky International convertible 1-person tent at 1 pound, 12 ounces with tent, outer shell, and carbon fiber poles. Of course, the carbon fiber poles are an extra $100 and you need to add 2.7 ounces for stakes, 3.0 [...]

Saturday, February 2nd, 2008

Backpacker Magazine 2008 Gear Guide Lists 363 Tents; Few Meet the 2-15 Rule

Kudos to the editors at Backpacker Magazine who once again have created a must-have annual gear guide. This year, they review 621 packs, 483 boots, 363 tents, 480 sleeping bags and more. As a gearhead and ultralight backpacking hawk, it’s nice to have so much of what’s available out there listed in one place. In [...]

Saturday, July 28th, 2007

Choosing Your First Backpack – Let Weight Guide You

I’m a member of and frequent shopper at REI. They have a good selection of goods and for the most part knowledgeable folks working there. I can walk around for hours touching, poking, feeling, examining and exploring. It’s actually a treat to spend two hours there even if I don’t buy something since I live [...]