Camping and Backpacking GEAR thread

Consider wrapping some reflective tape around the bin. If a bear ever swats it away from camp and it rolls down a hill in the dark, you'll be able to find your food stash a lot easier with the tape than looking for a brown bin in a sea of brown and green.

 

That's a great idea. That's actually what was one of our concerns! Luckily we were able to avoid any bears but I'm definitely gonna do that now in case that does happen. Thanks man.

 

My buddy has a line of the silver reflective tape and another of orange reflective tape, so it's even more distinguishable. With car camping it's not as dire to miss your food storage, perhaps. But thought it was a great idea.

 

Yeah dude totally a great idea! Thanks again.

 

Hm.
I'll have to put Inspector Google on the case, then.


Mine wasn't difficult to make; I just cut out a piece of sheet metal, notched it, polished it up, and bent it a little. Not a big brain challenge, but polishing it was time consuming.

 

The wife thought it was from Cabela's. I found it at Campmor. I believe they are made by UCO the maker of Candlelantern.

http://www.campmor.com/Product___80670

 

Picked up some old school tech today - a multifuel Coleman!

 

Love mine. I've had it about 15 years and it still works like brand new. Same for the multifuel tabletop and single burner stoves I bought around the same time. I almost exclusively burn white gas in them, but I have had to use gasoline a couple of times on trips where we ran out of white gas, and it had no problems with the swap.

 

I have never found myself, within the context of camping and backpacking, in a situation where I needed a machete...much less a hatchet or axe. I don't know you or your beliefs, don't propose to be more knowledgeable or experienced than you, and I don't want to get in to an ethical debate, but my overarching advice would be to be considerate...to yourself, your group, other groups, and the environment (front or backcountry).

 

Cool thread, I did a quick search and nothing came up but does anybody have any experience with the http://www.kellykettleusa.com
I've been eyeing it for a while now.

 

Shrug. Not an ethical issue, really. Different parts of the country have different requirements. Where OK's a Plains State I'm not surprised you've never needed an axe, hatchet, or machete for most of it. You've probably never had much need for snowshoes when you're winter camping/hiking in that part of the country either, but they're indispensable here between December and April.
Around here, the trees send out new growth in the spring that can extend up to two feet in a single year. That can clog a trail in a hurry, and when you figure in windfalls/deadfalls from over the winter a cutting/chopping tool comes in very handy very frequently. They organize trail parties around here every spring JUST to cut back growth/falls from the previous year, but Maine is such a large, heavily-wooded state that they can't get every single trail, especially the ones that are way out there.

 

This thread is interesting...

Within the past year I have ditched tents and went to hammock camping to get ready for the AT. This was me and a friend testing them one night in cold weather at 32 degrees. Super comfy.

For reference, they are Hennessey Hammock Explorer zip with the Typhoon rainfly.

Any one else hammock camp on TW?

 

I have a hammock and loved it. Not sure what to do with it now that I have a dog. I'd imagine her be alright sleeping directly below me if I dug him a hole to keep the wind off.

 

Been searching through this thread for a while and had stumbled upon some great info for the non experienced back country camper that I am. No one has really mentioned food, anyone got any suggestions on food for a 4 day hike/camp?

 

Mountain House will be your friend. Bring some Clif Bars along too for some snacks. And some electrolyte energy chews.

 

Hell yeah! I just got into hammocks last year for weight/space saving. I settled on a Grand Trunk Skeeter Beeter Pro (side zip no-see-um mesh top), and sprung for the Hennessy big tarp. I wanted the extra coverage from wind/rain especially in colder weather trips. It's going with me on the JMT this summer.

I love how much setup/takedown time they save. I have the hammock and the rainfly both in their own Snakeskins (XL) so I just pull the snakeskins over them, unclip from my tree straps, and shove everything in my bag. I'm set up in 3 minutes, and I'm packed up in 2. Off the ground, no real need for an air mattress for comfort (I carry a Klymit pad for insulation though), away from flooded tent bottoms, and away from the creepy crawlies. The Snakeskins really keep the bugs out when you fold them back over the hammock cord, and they act as great rain wicking preventers on the cordage as well.

I use the hammock as my chair, too. Even when I'm still in the middle of a hike and want to take a break, I have the time to still hang the hammock and rest in it, then pack it up and not lose a beat.

 

Check out Backpacker's Pantry. I like their flavoring and options better, and at an outfitter close to me, they're cheaper than Mountain House.

Instant oatmeal packets make a lightweight easy breakfast. Boil water, pour it in a bowl with the oatmeal, and eat. I like to get a good flavored granola from the bulk bins at our local Sprouts store and use that instead of the cheap packaged stuff. It's a little chewier, but much more hardy with better flavor. Add some powdered milk to cream it up.

Limit your cooking to no more than 2 meals a day (1 is preferred) just for minimizing your dish doing and hassle. I usually save my hot meal for a good satisfying dinner. Those dehydrated meals are usually 2 servings, and I almost always eat both servings to get full, especially when you're burning calories hiking.

Lunch is combined into trail snacking. Get whatever trail mixes you like, but avoid ones with the tasty chocolate chips or other things that will melt are are mostly valueless sugar. Stick with nuts and dried fruit, and mix it up with some that are sweet and some that are salty. Your body will be hunting for salt if you are sweating. Clif bars and all those are good fuel, for the most part. I try to find the varieties with the highest protein content (9+ grams of protein per serving is what you're looking for). Higher protein is good for body repair, and it keeps you feeling fuller. High carbs will burn off fast and you'll be left wanting to eat more and more. It's fine for hiking energy, but try to get healthy carbs like whole grain granolas with flax, some nuts, and meat protein snacks like jerky. However, the more protein you eat, the more water you need to consume. If water isn't an issue, eat away.

Eat a good breakfast. Snack throughout the day and rest for lunch, then cook a good hot dinner. It will taste like the best food you ever ate.

Pro tip: depending on how many miles you hike, how much exertion you endure, and how high the temps are, carry electrolyte tablets of some kind. They replace lost salts from sweat and exertion, keep body functions balanced, and prevent cramping and muscle fatigue. Long distance runners use them commonly, sometimes taking one every half hour or more.

 

Also consider getting a food dehydrator. In the long run this $60 investment will save u tons of money. I dehydrate nearly all my food for the backcountry to nearly nothing. An entire ba of frozen veggies dehydrates to a 1/3 sandwich Baggie.

I still take a mtn house meal hear and there. But they are really expensive considering what you get.

 

Ahhhh food. The never ending topic for endless debate You can search this topic and find tons and tons of info. Honestly though the best way to learn, find some things that look interesting and try them out at home.

My food really depends on how long ill be out.

One thing i have gotten into enjoying recently is "seal-a-meal" freezed meals. Basically cook up a meal, toss it in one of those seal-a-meal bags, suck the air out and seal it, then freeze it. Ive done breakfast and dinners this way. You have two ways of cooking it, either just boil it or open the bag and cook normally in a pan. Boiling i usually just get it "warm" and not frozen to save on fuel. Plus this way you get some boiled water to use in the morning for drinking (or for hot cocoa after dinner).

I usually end up doing a burrito dinner and then a breakfast burrito breakfast. Then have a few shells left over for just snacking on during the day.

As for other options....the "1 minute rice" bags plus some bagged tuna or salmon make for a tasty dinner.

My goals when im backpacking is to have easy and quick. Something i can be cooking/heating up and eatting in 5 minutes or less.




get a food dehydrator as well (as mentioned above). great for making jerky or drying out berries for oatmeal