(Part 3) Top products from r/CampingandHiking

Over the past year I've been piecing together camping gear. I ultimately plan on doing backpacking trips once I become a more experienced camper, and graduate college. Growing up, I went camping frequently but never really did any backpacking or primitive camping where you have to hike to the campsite - my dad always took us to the campsites you can drive up to. My friend, who boasts about the camping etiquette and survival skills he learned in boy scouts, justly criticizes my experience camping - which is limited to campsites that don't require you to pack light and have easy access to water (and restrooms). For example, I've never had the opportunity of digging a hole to shit in. Do I just dig a hole with my hands? Do I need to bring a shovel? How much toilet paper do I need to bring for a 2-3 day trip? I know I have to bring the used paper with me, so how do you recommend carrying trash in general?

Things like this I figure I'd learn overtime. And I do plan on pacing myself; I'm going to work my way up from 1-2 day trips to 2-3 day trips to 4-5 day trips, and ultimately something like the Appalachian Trail. My favorite place to go camping is Big Bend National Park, and there's a 2-3 day trip I'd like to do sometime this year.

I guess my main questions are:

1. How would you recommend starting off? Would a couple of 2-3 day backpacking trips, with my friend, be a good place to start?
   
2. Is my gear sufficient? Is there anything I'm missing?
   
3. Any general tips, book or gear suggestions.
   
   Here's a list of my gear:
   
   

• REI Passage 2 Tent
  
• Osprey Volt 75 Backpack w/ bladder
  
• Marmot Trestles 30 Sleeping Bag and a sleeping pad
  
• Hammock (which I think, if i'm using a tent, would make for a great pillow when it's folded up)
  
• Mess Kit and utensils
  
• Fuel Tablet Camping Stove
  
• Rechargeable flashlight
  
• A small, rechargeable lantern
  
• 2 multi-tool pliers - one big, one small
  
• 2 knifes
  
• First aid kit
  
  Also, I plan on getting a pair of hiking boots this summer. Any suggestions?
  
  edit: grammar

You may want to check out the "Dummies" or "Idiot's" books. Not to say you are either, just that they really are good books... it's unfortunate that there's a stigma attached to them. You might want to go to B&N or your local library and just read through them rather than ask someone to buy them.

Camping for Dummies

https://www.amazon.com/Camping-Dummies-Michael-Hodgson/dp/076455221X

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Backpacking and Hiking

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-Backpacking-Lifestyle-Paperback/dp/1592579604

The Backpacker's Handbook has been recommended, but I haven't read it myself.

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/007175489X

The Complete Walker; I read this 30 years ago(?) A great reference.

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Walker-IV-Colin-Fletcher/dp/0375703233

And of course Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills

https://www.amazon.com/Mountaineering-Freedom-Hills-Mountaineers/dp/1680510045

M:FotH is a comprehensive tome, which may be a bit advanced for someone who is starting out with some car camping. As the name implies, it's aimed towards mountaineers, with sections on rock climbing, belaying, first aid, mountain safety... as a beginner you might pick up some invaluable information, but most of it may be far beyond what you need, it might be a bit overwhelming. Though you may be the type that just loves to soak up everything you, in which case it's a great reference.

If you want to check it out, the Kindle version of the 8th edition has a "Look Inside" which lists the sections and chapters, and has a bit of the first chapter. The latest 9th ed doesn't have the "Look Inside" yet.

https://www.amazon.com/Mountaineering-Freedom-Hills-Mountaineers-ebook/dp/B0049P1ZTC

As someone who has enjoyed the pleasures of his lovely above the tree line many times, I suggest the following:

1. A condom is a pain in the arse. If that is not your normal BC don't worry about it. See below.
   
   
2. Bring some hypoallergenic (fragrance free and flushable) baby wipes. Have both of you clean up BEFORE and AFTER. Advantages to this:
   
   A. You can enjoy the oral manifestations of the situation
   B. Baby wipes can be used to clean up in general, clean the face, hands etc.
   C. To get rid of them you just throw them in the fire or bury them like toilet paper.
   
   
3. Other than that, just make sure you are in a remote camp site.
   
   If you are camping (as in car camping) just bring blankets and forget the sleeping bag. Blankets will absorb the moisture without getting gross and you can just wash them. If you are hiking in and camping, e.g; backpacking then bring some lightweight camp towells and just wipe down when done.
   
   Coffee while camping is easy just get one of these:
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Finum-63-421-50-00-Brewing-Basket/dp/B000I68NCS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1368721513&sr=8-3&keywords=tea+filter
   
   Morning meal? Bring some freeze dried peppers, eggs, onions and potato slices and make a kick ass omelette.

What is the material of the window? Depending upon how important it is to you, replacing it isn't that big a deal if you know how to sew. Measure it out, add a 1 inch width to the edges for the seam, and then rip the seam open with a seam ripper, carefully and slowly, and then sew the replacement in reconstructing the seam as you go. Myself, I'd simply replace it with a piece of 2.2 oz nylon ripstop, or perhaps a piece of silnylon and forget about using it as a window. It would take me at best an hour or two to do it, but I am pretty experienced with a sewing machine and general fabric repairs. If you don't know how to do it, and am pressed for time then the next best thing is to tape it up or if it's really shredded make a patch that overlays the whole thing and tape that down around the edges. Tenacious tape is the absolute best stuff for this kind of repair, since it sticks to nearly anything but can be removed cleanly afterwards.

As to using a tarp instead, that depends upon the weather/where you're going/etc, but a short time repair of the fly would be my first thing to try. Check craigslist, the classifieds, and the like to find a seamstress in your area to get the fly repaired for the long term.

Don't waste your money on a course. First thing I would do get a book or two for about $15 each. This and this look like two good books. I'm Swedish so the books I use wouldn't be much use to you.

Next is to get a backpack and some gear. Once you have the gear pack it up in the backpack and go car camping for a couple of weekends. Only use what you have in the backpack.

Then you can progress to going on overnight trips. You should be able to find organized groups that go on backpacking trips. Start with simple overnights and progress from there. Or you can just go with friends.

Then go with the MSR Whisperlite that /u/gcranston recommends. However, it doesn't use ISO-Butane as suggested. It uses white gas. It is very easy to get a hold of here in the US. I have had one for almost 20 years and it still works wonderfully.

You have to purchase the bottle separately, but they aren't that expensive. Just make sure that you use a windscreen. It improves the cooking time significantly. You can easily make one.

I've used the Esbit (http://amzn.com/B001C1UGVO) stoves before too and they work. They don't work super fast, but if you are cooking something for one, you can't really get any cheaper. If you are only cooking for yourself or just heating things up, these little stoves work well. Every time I have used one, I have had people tell me that it will never work, how silly I look with them and how cheap I am, but they are small and cheap. Again, you need a windscreen for these to work.

• A good MAP
  
• A MUCH better first aid kit. If you get a cut/wound the first day you will need 2-3 weeks worth of medical attention for that wound alone.
  
• Weather Radio with Alert setting. Midland HH50 is a bare bones very small radio that only receives Weather Band Radio.
  
• Sponge/scrubby pad for dishes
  
• Extra batteries Energizer lithium are more powerful and lighter in weight.
  
• Cordage
  
• Toilet paper, pocket shower?, poop hole trowel?
  
• A book to read.
  
• Fishing tackle?
  

Well first, I said he was claiming that running away was safe, I noticed that he advocated standing your ground.

But second, the question is, why not run in this case? The two main reasons bears attack are self defence and because they see something as prey. In a bear encounter, you have to balance your activity so that you appear as neither. If running away doesn't make you view the bear as prey, it sure doesn't make them view you as a threat. So it would seem to be by far the best course of action if it were true.

And third, it's false. Running will cause a bear to chase you, as demonstrated by a good number of incidents. I'll try to remember to edit this to cite a few of them when I get back home to my book, which I would incidentally advise for anyone interested in the subject.

These 2 Teton backpacks have great reviews on Amazon (my friend has one and loves it too): Teton Sports 5200 (75L) for $54 and Teton Sports Scout 3400 (55L) for $47

I would believe the best protection and comfort would be to wear nylon pants protected with permethrin

Deet would be a second layer of protection applied to the skin and dont forget about the upper body being protected.

Here are some links for the product in the above comment for different countries:

Amazon Smile Link: this zero degree queen sized mummy bag


|Country|Link|Charity Links|
|:-----------|:------------|:------------|
|USA|smile.amazon.com|EFF|
|UK|www.amazon.co.uk|Macmillan|
|Japan|www.amazon.co.jp||
|Canada|www.amazon.ca||




To help add charity links, please have a look at this thread.

This bot is currently in testing so let me know what you think by voting (or commenting). The thread for feature requests can be found here.

You're actually better off getting a pack that's 'too small' - It forces you to be a little more disciplined in what you pack. I would suggest nothing larger than 50 Litres. I highly recommend reading 'The Ultimate Hikers Gear Guide by Andrew Skurka' - Your body will be thankful. It's seriously worth the investment. Guaranteed your backpack will be more than 10lbs lighter after reading it.

Book 1 is good.
Try these as well

Book3

Book 4

Book 5 - I have not read this book but I trust the author

Yeah if the manufacturer won't fix it for free, just take it to a local shoe hospital or leather shop and they can fix it.

The stitch-awl tool that /u/jason22internet linked is a good one to have around the house anyway..I do leatherwork so I have something similar. You can use it on about anything to make sewing repairs on heavy gear.
EDIT: fixed typo

I don't have any personal experience with this stove, but the review on Amazon are generally very favorable.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/reviews/B007DBD3IU/ref=mw_dp_cr

http://www.amazon.com/G-I-Style-Poncho-Liner-Camouflage/dp/B000FK8XQ8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342391553&sr=8-1&keywords=poncho+liner

I just spent the night in the bed of my pickup during the heatwave in New Jersey with this liner. Early morning temps at ~72f and this liner was just the perfect weight. If anything, this liner is too light. It's definitely not too heavy. Just my 2 cents.

Everyone keeps saying aeropress, but I think that's overkill. Here's a really good review of a lot of the options: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/coffee_beautiful_cup.html#.U1E-2fldWSo

I just started using the MSR filter basket. I just make cowboy coffee and filter out the grounds. It takes a little practice to get it exactly how you like it, but it makes really good coffee for basically no size or weight penalty.

So you might just want to get him one of these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000I68NCS/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I don't have one, or know anyone who does. Sorry. My first impression is that this is very cool tech, but I wonder about the weight for backpacking. Two pounds is a lot. The advantage, of course, is that one does not need to carry fuel for the stove, sticks and twigs are available everywhere.

How much will the lack of fuel matter to weight? A trangia or similar alcohol stove like this Solo Alcohol stove is much, much lighter, only 3.5 oz. and fuel is only a couple of ounces.

A Solo Stove weighs 9 ounces, but lacks the fan that makes the fire burn more quickly, and it doesn't charge your phone. For the cost of the Biolite, and the weight, I'd go with other options.

Sounds like he should just treat all his stuff with Permethrin.

http://www.amazon.com/Sawyer-Premium-Permethrin-Clothing-Repellent/dp/B007VCRX2S

I have one that is similar to this design and it boils water in about the same time as a small butane stove. Not needing any fuel (to carry) is great.

Solar panels are generally not recommended for wilderness backpacking. Unless you'll be in 1 sunny spot for extended times - they don't work well enough for the cost/weight/hassle. Not practical for the type of hiking/camping that backpackers do.

Instead - it's more optimal to carry a battery bank. You can get a large capacity Anker bank for $26, and light too.

• https://www.amazon.com/Anker-PowerCore-Ultra-Compact-High-speed-Technology/dp/B0194WDVHI

I actually used this Shakespeare travel rod a few weeks ago on a 3-day backpacking/fishing trip in the White Mountains, NH. It is a 6'6" rod which breaks into 6 pieces, costs less than $15, and comes with a lightweight plastic rod tube. All you need is a cheap reel (<$20) and you're all set.

I am on a budget myself and purchased this from Amazon. My fuel canister and stove fit inside and it works great. Being aluminum it isn't ultralight but it is light enough for me.

I think pour through is superior

Melitta

I was looking at these for water treatment maybe instead of the sawyer, just to save some money
Potable Aqua Water Purification Tablets (50 Tablets) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001949TKS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_-MttzbVDZ4CZQ

That's nearly a pound! You may end up wanting something more like this, which is nearly 10oz lighter.

Whatever filter you end up going with, I would STRONGLY recommend keeping some iodine or similar tablets with you. (I use this brand.) Any filter can fail or get contaminated, and a small pack of purification tablets costs <$10, lasts four years unopened or one year opened, and weighs ~2oz, so there's very little reason to not carry some as a backup.

Do be aware that not every purification method gets every kind of contaminant - most purification tablets don't get Cryptosporidium, for example, so it's often a good idea to think about what's in the areas you plan to be hiking in. Crypto, for example, mostly comes off of farm animal runoff, so I don't worry about it when I'm in the mountains collecting water from snowmelt or springs with no farming upstream.

new, http://www.amazon.com/G-I-Style-Poncho-Liner-Camouflage/dp/B000FK8XQ8/

used are here, http://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Military-Weather-Poncho-Blanket/dp/B001L0VX2W/ under the "used" section obviously

There are various modifications you can do too, like turn them into an underquilt for a hammock, or you can cut them down to smaller sizes.
http://theultimatehang.com/2013/01/diy-poncho-liner-under-quilt-pluq-sew-and-no-sew/

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=51006

some forum-based info, https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=53398
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?4466-Army-Poncho-Liner-as-summer-bag-!-!!

We got this zero degree queen sized mummy bag a couple years ago. It's so warm that it's probably overkill.

It fits perfectly in our camper (queen size beds) but it's kinda large (even compressed) for hiking with.

Worth a read, just don't freak yourself out. https://www.amazon.com/Bear-Attacks-Causes-Avoidance-revised/dp/158574557X/

This one from Shakespeare works really well for me. You can't beat the price either.

If you want the same exact design, here are two brands who make the same thing.

NuoYa001 or the Optimus Terra Weekend HE .95L Pot

I own this and love it.
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B00FQZEYWE/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1511926435&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Camping+pot&dpPl=1&dpID=41c8oo9DstL&ref=plSrch

I use this Sawyer one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001ANQVYU/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1466291591&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=sawyer+permethrin&dpPl=1&dpID=41hzr4kK6uL&ref=plSrch

https://www.amazon.com/Sports-Internal-Backpack-Backpacking-Camping/dp/B001KBYPIG/ref=sr_1_3?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1511433630&sr=1-3&keywords=teton+sports+scout+3400+internal+frame+backpack

Couple that with some Permethrin on your cloths and gear and you're set.

Dude, get one of these.

Boil water, and you have drip coffee, with very little extra weight. I've carried mine for thousands of miles.

Permethrin -http://www.amazon.com/Sawyer-Premium-Permethrin-Clothing-Repellent/dp/B007VCRX2S

So I was drafting a blog post on books this weekend. Copypasta:

Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide - Andrew Skurka

Ultralight Backpacking Tips - Mike Clelland

Lightweight Backpacking and Camping - Ryan Jordan

Trail Life: Ray Jardine's Lighweight Bapackpacking

Beyond Backpacking: Ray Jardine's Guide to Lightweight Hiking

I'd first talk to the seller. Then I'd try to work with the manufacturer. After all else fails, I'd go to town with one of these. Alternatively, find a local shoe/boot repair store; it's basically all these guys do is to repair and resole shoes. I imagine they'd fix you up easily.

The Anker 10000 is the standard backpacking recommendation, and is also the lightest in its class. These things are not perfectly efficient, but I would expect around 4 full charges of an iPhone 7/6.

https://www.amazon.com/Anker-PowerCore-Ultra-Compact-High-speed-Technology/dp/B0194WDVHI

This would essentially allow you to use your phone at will. You could probably get by with a smaller one if you charge it every 48 hours.

No problem. Go into any hardware, paint, or big box store and buy a can of Denatured Alcohol. Another option is HEET antifreeze, which is sold at gas stations, hardware stores, etc. You should get the YELLOW bottle of HEET, and not the red one, which doesn't burn as cleanly.

I have a tiny portable weather radio.

It only cost 15 bucks, weighs almost nothing, gets reception in a lot of places that cell phones don't, and has saved me on more than one occasion from nasty weather on the trail.