I’ve experimented the past few years with all kinds of electronic gadgets I thought I might make good trail companions. The iPod nano was a favorite: a little more than an ounce with a video camera and music. My iPhone 3 offered books to read after dark. Then my iPhone 4 provided the total package [...]
Blog are supposed to be a place to pour out your heart about things you love. I launched Lightbackpacking.com June 17, 2006 (hard to believe) with that in mind and have posted lots of information about gear, trips and tips for going light and ultralight on the trail. This year, mainly because of my work [...]
I own an Osprey Aether (no longer made) at 1 pound, nine ounces and an Osprey Atmos 35 (discontinued) at 2 pounds, 4 ounces and love both. The Atmos 35 is really solid with a frame, mesh net at your back and really stretchy pockets all around. You can go for a week or more [...]
I own three Therma-a-Rest pads (2.5 pounds, my original; 1 pound, four ounces (full size) and a 3/4 body version at 15 ounces) and a Downmat 7 (filled with down and really warm) that comes in at a little over two pounds. Of course, the 3/4 pad would be the first choice for the ultralight [...]
I’ve heard it said that if you were stranded on an island, aspirin would be the one essential drug in your first aid kid. You might say that duct tape plays a similar role for those of us who venture into the wilderness. You can use it to repair broken poles and patch tents, sleeping [...]
I just did a video on ultralight backpacking camp shoes — shoes that make steam crossings easier, give you more comfort around the campfire. A email from Backpacker Magazine highlights the new Teva Illums, $50 flip flops (a lot of money) with a light built in. Backpacker says they are “made with the outdoor enthusiast [...]
My hiking shoes are waterproof Keen “tennis” shoes. But after walking across too many streams barefoot on sharp rocks — and an achilles injury from new boots — I decided to carry a second pair of shoes. Extra shoes, of course, means extra weight. This video shoes three alternatives. I encourage you to share other [...]
I’ve completed many point-to-point backpacks but have come to prefer trips where we set up a basecamp, then day hike each day in different directions. But where do you find an ultralight day pack when every ounce counts. Check out the Kiva Tote. Be light. Be safe. Be one with the Pack.
If you’ve read my blog, you know that I love to find little stuff — call them quality of life items — that don’t cost much, don’t weigh much and yet can add a lot of comfort.My latest find are rubber finger protectors for cuts, burns, scrapes. They look like condoms for your finger and [...]
Yesterday afternoon on a flight from Atlanta to San Francisco, I flew over Mammoth Ski Resort and the John Muir/Ansel Adams Wilderness area. It was incredibly beautiful, but I can attest to the fact that no one will be getting onto these trails early this year. The entire Sierra is covered in thick snow — [...]
