Camping and Backpacking GEAR thread

Recommendations for a water purification setup?

 

A few friends, sister and I are going to camp/hike the North Rim of the GrandCanyon, mid-May. It will be the first time we hike that type of terrain.
Any suggestions or advice on camping gear that we might need, specifically for the GC? Gear that we might overlook? Anyone with previous experience with camping/hiking the NorthRim?
Thanks.

 

Sawyer Squeeze.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=kat...ceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#idx=0&pie=plaji-i

 

I did the South Kaibab trail down to Bright Angel campground last year and I'm planning to do rim to rim this fall. I can't think of anything out of the ordinary that you would need. Are you backpacking down into the canyon or just staying on the rim?

 

I am planning for a night stay in the canyon. I will be going with 3 first-time hikers/campers, so we will most likely camp up on the rim and take day hikes, until they get more comfortable with their surroundings.

We're doing the NorthRim, btw.

 

Yes, yes, and yes. Best and easiest filter on the market. Light, reliable, no moving parts, fits on soda/water bottles, and has great flow. Will last a lifetime if properly taken care of.

Just get this filter and a couple of Smartwater bottles and you can do whatever you need. Need to haul more water? Just get a 2 or 3 liter hydration bladder like a Platypus Big Zip (easy to fill) and you're good to go for miles.

Oh god, no. Those things are heavy, slow, bulky, expensive, and have so many breakable parts that I lost count. I still have a new one in the box that I need to sell.

 

+1 on everything Seabass said. The Sawyer squeeze also has a bunch of extra dirty bags that I fill up and filter later if I need extra water. Hasnt failed me. Funny thing is I wanted to try the smaller one and lose some weight since I was trying to get under a certain pack weight, not worth it. The original sawyer squeeze FTW.

 

No. Just. No.

 

Get them in shape NOW, especially if they are first-time backpackers and they plan to actually go down into the canyon and plan to come back up on their own power. As far as gear... go as light as you can. They are likely to be miserable when it comes time to sleep, so make sure they have good sleeping bags and pads, as well as some sort of pillow (stuff sack with clothes). Nights are still going to be pretty cold up there, so plan on nights down to freezing temps. That means at least a 32 degree sleeping bag AND layers of clothing to sleep in. Have them split the weight up of things like tents, cooking gear, etc.

Recommended terrain-specific gear for that area? Small pliers to pull cactus spines out of your clothing/skin. Sunscreen. Hat. Shoes with good rock traction. Water filtering/carrying gear. Anything to keep you cool during the day but warm at night. You'll likely see 50 degree temp swings between night/day.

Good luck. You're braver than me for taking 3 newbies.

 

Don't get the Mini. Yes, it does the job - but the flow SUCKS on it. You'll be backflushing it daily to keep decent flow. The Squeeze is worth the extra ounce just in flow rate alone, not to mention the 10x overall lifetime capacity increase.

I did see recently though that the Mini is now available with threading on both ends. Nice move, Sawyer. But damn, that flow rate though...

 

Yeah way too slow. I already get irritated sitting there while trying to flow the 64oz bag lol.

 

We have one and use it multiple times a year for backpacking and camping. Had it for 5 years now. Never had a single issue. But we only fill up 32 oz nalgenes at a time. I guess if youre pumping and carrying multiple gallons at a time i could see how the flow rate and the 8oz it weighs would be an issue...

 

I ran across this video today, and at first got a big laugh out of it. So much so that I watched a couple of his other videos for even more laughs. But as the day went on, I thought to myself "what a good lesson in what NOT to do" for those who are new to backpacking and haven't learned these lessons yet.

Hey, hike your own hike and bring whatever you want but he's got 3 knives in this kit, at least 4 ways to start a fire, redundant duplicates of items he doesn't even need, no list of clothing for this alleged cold weather hike, and he's missing critical gear. He brags about carrying 53 lbs of gear for a 2 night trip like it's a badge of honor, claiming in his comments that he works out enough that 50+ lbs doesn't bother him. He fails to recognize that he increases his chance for injury significantly with a load like that for such a short trip. He's also greatly complicating his camp chores with so many pieces of gear to have to figure out and also keep track of. I notice he has almost all new gear, so he's going to be using most of those items for the first time in the field which means he's probably going to learn some hard lessons.

I think the only real reason this guy is packing a firearm is to look cool next to his sleeve of tattoos. I know I'll get some argument on that, but I just don't believe there's a true need to carry a firearm on a standard backpacking trip unless you're in some real shit like banjo country and you're walking around naked with vasoline smeared all over your butt and whistling "sooo-eeeyyy!". If you don't already know how to mitigate predators in your region without the use of a firearm or weapons, you need to stay home and learn some more before you go into the wilderness. Also be aware of your surroundings and learn how to travel and camp where bad people won't reach you without you knowing that they're coming.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vaNvnz8Kdw

 

That's great that it works for you. Keep using it. When you're tired of sitting there pumping water even just one bottle at a time, or when you're tired of ponying up $$$ for replacement filters and elements, then consider the Sawyer products. You'll cut your weight and your water chores in thirds.

*edit*

I'm calling BS on this. Anyone that uses a pump style filter like this "multiple times a year for backpacking and camping" had long since gotten rid of it for something easier. You've used it, at MOST, 3 times.

 

Everyone is different I think. Some people think they can call off a predator with their magical predator dance, or fight whatever it may be with their own fists and their eyes closed. I always try to carry a firearm when I am out in the wilderness, because I'm comfortable with it and trust my life with it. Unfortunately, you just never know when something might happen out in the wilderness (especially by yourself) and you need to do whats necessary to make sure you're safe. He could be a douche with tats and a gun to "look cool", but I wouldn't go as far as to say there is no need to carry a firearm when backpacking or camping. Again though, everyone is different.

 

I'd say that's probably true in most places. Though I remember Les Stroud saying that it was recommended to him by locals in Alaska and parts of British Columbia (I think) that he carry a rifle.

I don't really like carrying a hatchet. Batoning through a log is pretty easy and there is less chance I'll slip and put an edge into my shin. If I can't baton through it then it is either way too big for a small camp fire or I just throw the whole thing on the fire. I really can't think of good uses for a hatchet other chopping wood that a sturdy knife doesn't accomplish just as well.

 

Like I mentioned, I am going to get some pushback on that viewpoint. Look, I carried many many types of guns for over 30 years on all wilderness trips, and I am very pro-firearm. Mostly it was because we were actually hunting, and later it was because I felt I needed it for safety in the woods. If you want the weight, go for it. Better yet, find ways to defend yourself without a firearm. I see too many dudes carry firearms for machismo (including in town as open-carry), and I just laugh. Those who are smart about carrying keep that shit discrete. Learn how to handle yourself without a gun, and learn how to manipulate your environment to your benefit. Learn how to hang a bear bag and how to camp away from game trails. Go places that avoid idiots that want to harm you.

 

Well, grizzly country is an entirely different situation, of course. It's not the location of the common American backpacker.

 

Yeah I hear you. It can be easy to understand why that debate gets overplayed. I have seen a few cases myself with folks carrying just for the fun of it and for ego reasons. Not cool at all. I totally see what you're coming from though, and in most cases, even something like a hatchet or knife is plenty.