So, i plan on hitting the road this summer, go to this years national rainbow gathering, and go wherever the spirits guide me. Ive compiled a list of the bare-nececities of what i will bring. On my travels i will likely be camping, both legal and covert. I think i will just need a tarp and light sleeping bag. Whilst on the road, i will have one foot in civilization and another in the wild. Again, im only bringing what i really need. And i am wondering what kind of pack will suit my list best. Ive think a rucksack will work, or even a external frame pack, but id like to see what you seasoned travelers think. The list: Tarp or light tent Sleeping bag Super cat stove (tuna can and fuel) cooking pot, bowl, cup, fork, spoon, knife Set of clothes, underwear, etc Hand sanitizer, tooth paste, toliet paper Small shovel Food book, notebook, pen, crayons first aid kit ductape swiss army kniffe matches and lighter toothbrush water purification rain poncho compass hatchet thanks
What kind of Bag? Down or Synthetic? What kind of water purifier? What specific pack do you have or are you looking at? Are you trying to keep weight down or volume down?
the material doesnt matter, just need suggestions. Weight is my primary concern. Water purification: whatever i can get :\ Again, i just need some suggestions and opinions.
First, watch yourbig three. Pack, Sleepingbag, Shelter. OK, you should be ok with a synthetic bag. Down is much better insulation and is much lighter but is more expensive and if it gets wet, you're screwed. I carry a 20F synth mummy bag and a fleece mummy. With sleeping clothes, that covers me down to about 10F. With a single wall tent, about 0F. If weight is your primary concern, ditch all the cookware except the stove, pot and spoon. You can cook and eat right out of the pot. I use an aluminum grease pot from Kmart, holds one quart, weighs almost nothing, costs $6 and I put my stove, spoon, a bandanna to act as a potholder and lighter in it. It fits into the top of my food bag. Cook in it, eat out of it, pack it up and done. Chlorine dioxide is the safer water purification tablet, better tasting and better for you thaniodine crystals or drops, but it's expensive. $10 for 10 tabs. In some places you can easily drink 5 liters per day. I use Katadyn Hiker Pro pump filter with an eyedropper of household blech as a backup. You get about 2000 gallons out of one filter cartridge, $30 to replace and you can buy them at most sporting goods stores. Packs are easy. I use internal frame. My current favorite is the REI UL45. I got it from a guy on Whiteblaze.net for $45 plus $10 shipping. Very light, very comfy, lots of gadgets, plenty of space. Want to save a lot of $$ and make your own? Google Ray-Way or G-4 pack. Other thanthose Golite makes some nice packs, but you'll pay for them. Ultralight packs take special care, too. I am making my own shelter, it's a tarptent, can sleep one and a dog, weighs about one pound and packs to the size of a one liter water bottle. Again google Ray-Way or thruhiker.com. Or tarptent.com First aid kit: Are you a doctor? probablynot. So outside of a small roll of gauze, some anti-bacterial ointment in little individual packets and maybe some ibuprofen /aspirin, you probably wouldn't need more and wouldn't know what to do with it anyway. You don't even need medical tape since you alredy have duct tape (which you can wrap 20 feet around a hiking pole or staff). Other things you can do to reduce weight: empty Gatorade bottles instead of nalgene titanium or aluminum cookware lighter clothing: No cotton! Nylons and polyesters. dump the boots for pair of running shoes with good tread, just know they wear out. extra socks, extra socks, extra socks! Dehydrated foods (and remember high fats, high carbs, low proteins). Dr Bronner's liquid soap, you can do anything withthe peppermint. Shampoo, body wash, dishsoap, mouthwash, whatever. The key to lightweight hiking is to get rid of the crap you won't use BEFORE you go. That way it doesn't end up as litter someplace. And dual-use. Hiking poles double as tent poles. Duct tape repairs everything, including you. iodine sanities water and sterilizes scrapes. Camp soap washes you and your cookpot. the less you carry, the less you NEED. Goodluck! (and pm me if you need a cook pot, I buy KMart out once a month).
