Backpacking Gear and Techniques

[gromit]

Oh good to know. I'll probably just get a not very insulating pad for now, since I'm probably gonna stick to warmer months to start off with.

I definitely don't want to go above 25% of my body weight, that would not be pleasant... but I do like to drink water a lot. This leads to my next question: what do you do for water? I've heard of filters and pills. How much water do you carry at a time? On my 9 mile/7 hr hike last weekend I drank 3 litres... that is almost 7 lb, but I guess you only have that maximum for water at the beginning and it goes down from there.

 

[JAVO]

Oh good to know. I'll probably just get a not very insulating pad for now, since I'm probably gonna stick to warmer months to start off with.

I definitely don't want to go above 25% of my body weight, that would not be pleasant... but I do like to drink water a lot. This leads to my next question: what do you do for water? I've heard of filters and pills. How much water do you carry at a time? On my 9 mile/7 hr hike last weekend I drank 3 litres... that is almost 7 lb, but I guess you only have that maximum for water at the beginning and it goes down from there.

Just keep in mind that it's often 10-20 degrees cooler in the mountains.

I do a wide range of things for water. If it's from a wilderness spring or small creek/stream with good flow, I often drink it without doing anything. Otherwise, I use chlorine dioxide tablets or a First Need filter/purifier. I only take the filter/purifier along if I expect difficulty finding good water sources or if my kids are along.

The most likely pathogen in flowing water in US backpacking areas is protozoa, such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia. Iodine isn't good for you, and it doesn't work on everything. Chlorine dioxide drops or tablets barely work on some of these, taking up 4 hours if water is near freezing, but filters easily remove them. Most filters don't remove viruses, but those generally aren't a problem in US backpacking areas. Anything which also removes viruses is called a purifier. Filters are the only thing which removes worm eggs, but those aren't generally a problem either. Boiling is very effective, but fairly inefficient. I've been thinking about trying a Steripen UV light sterilizer, which seems fairly lightweight and easy.

Edit: Here's a good article on why it may not be necessary to treat water at all.

Edit 2: I try to carry no more than 1 liter at a time, but might carry 2-3 liters if I'm hiking up to a higher elevation to camp where there aren't any water sources.

 

[JAVO]

Water

I've recently decided to start using a filter instead of not treating the water or using chemical treatment. The reason is that I'm concerned about the small risk of parasitic worm eggs in the water. These are only removed by filtering, or inactivated by boiling. The risk of worm eggs is small, but some worms can do bad things like migrate to the brain and eat brain tissue.

One of the scariest is raccoon roundworm, which a majority of raccoons are infected with. The eggs are in their feces. Raccoons are often in and near streams where hikers get their water.

Most filters don't remove viruses, but these aren't likely to be an issue in US backcountry areas.

I now use this filter:

[YOUTUBE="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKWQjlq-uYA"].[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Anew Leaf]

I've recently decided to start using a filter instead of not treating the water or using chemical treatment. The reason is that I'm concerned about the small risk of parasitic worm eggs in the water. These are only removed by filtering, or inactivated by boiling. The risk of worm eggs is small, but some worms can do bad things like migrate to the brain and eat brain tissue.

One of the scariest is raccoon roundworm, which a majority of raccoons are infected with. The eggs are in their feces. Raccoons are often in and near streams where hikers get their water.

Most filters don't remove viruses, but these aren't likely to be an issue in US backcountry areas.

I now use this filter:

[YOUTUBE="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKWQjlq-uYA"].[/YOUTUBE]

I would be going along with the "let's pretend camp in the living room and drink non worm water from the fridge!!!"

 

[JAVO]

I would be going along with the "let's pretend camp in the living room and drink non worm water from the fridge!!!"

I call that "extreme slackpacking."

But would you have a campfire and filter the water?

Is your living room more scenic than this?

 

[Anew Leaf]

I call that "extreme slackpacking."

But would you have a campfire and filter the water?

Is your living room more scenic than this?

I have this new fangled invention called a "picture window". Combine that with a "backyard" that overlooks a small nature reserve area.... and voila! You have instant non-worm infested camping trip! I even have a fireplace I can roast marshmallows on!

*tosses gauntlet back at your feet*

Check.

Your turn!

 

[JAVO]

I have this new fangled invention called a "picture window". Combine that with a "backyard" that overlooks a small nature reserve area.... and voila! You have instant non-worm infested camping trip! I even have a fireplace I can roast marshmallows on!

*tosses gauntlet back at your feet*

Check.

Your turn!

It's backpacking chess!

My backyard overlooks a small nature reserve area too. Could it be the same one?

• I can't feel the breeze indoors.
• I don't hear as many night sounds indoors.
• Indoors, I'm isolated from the weather and other aesthetic aspects of nature.
• Water from wilderness springs and streams tastes much better than city water, and even most well water and bottled water. I am ze wateur connoisseur.

Living for days with only minimal gear and food carried on the back and obtaining water directly from its natural source allows one to:

• Exercise with variable intensity and ranges of motion not typically experienced on gym equipment or flat walking/running
• Temporarily remove ourselves from modern society, culture, technology, and even people if desired
• Encounter new experiences and challenges not encountered in everyday life
• Refocus on the essentials of life
• Understand the primitive ways of our ancestors and other cultures
• See firsthand how all of life depends on nature and the Earth
• Direct, personal interaction with nature teaches a respect for it in the same way which direct, personal interaction with another person enhances respect for that person

 

[giegs]

Interesting filter... I've used an MSR MiniWorks for years... a bit bulky but very durable and fairly fast. They can be broken, but proper use and maintenance makes this a bit of a challenge. The smaller Katadyn filters are quite a bit faster, but the handle design is just poor... very easy to break from repeated use, especially when it's cold. If you're going with large groups or otherwise need a ton of filtered water, the Katadyn Expedition is the way to go. They're terrible to carry but are amazingly well built and easy to service in the field. I've seen more passive filter systems recently, but haven't had a chance to use any.

Regarding pack weight: Carrying more than 2/3 of your body weight should definitely be avoided. Aside from being no fun at all, you can really hurt yourself hauling that much on rough terrain. Depending on what I'm doing, I almost always pack <1/3, generally closer to 1/6 all told. It's not impossible or always unreasonable to hump big loads, but you should use trekking poles and be really good at packing properly. I've had experiences where it was more worthwhile to pack 2 smaller loads than 1 big one because your speed is absolutely diminished with a ton of weight on your back. And remember the maxim that you'll always find a way to fill a bigger pack.

 

[JAVO]

[MENTION=14489]giegs[/MENTION]: Interesting to hear about the MSR MiniWorks. I haven't seen one. Just thinking about a pack 2/3 of my body weight hurts.

 

[JAVO]

West Virginia's Cranberry Wilderness is a fun place to hike, partially because not many go there, and the trails aren't well-marked or maintained. One backpacker has apparently been in there since May 23rd of this year. Despite a large search which included cadaver dogs, no one knows where he is. I backpacked solo there last May (2010), and I hiked on some of the same trails he did.

Here's a two-page article about the search.

Some highlights:

A note in his car specified he planned on coming out on May 27.

Family members have told police that Camellitti, 56, is experienced in hiking and caving, and unaccompanied trips have not been out of the ordinary.

One possibility is that he found an interesting cave to explore, and was lost or trapped in there. It's not a good idea to explore a cave solo.

the search and rescue teams covered 100 miles of trails but found no signs of Camellitti.

"Some of these trails are unmarked and washed out,"

Martin described the Cranberry woods as "a treacherous area," recalling wreckage from an airplane that took more than a decade to recover.

"It's a very densely wooded area. Because there are so many trees, even if we did use an aircraft to search, you wouldn't be able to spot anything," Martin said. "Options are very limited when dealing with something like this."

The recent searches illustrated some potential problems, he said.

"In some parts, the forest is so dense you can't see past the trail. So, if he's camping off-trail, we wouldn't know. One team reported a trail was so hard to walk on that they almost fell into the river. When we get a lot of rain, the river rises and it's dangerous,"

He he... I know exactly the spot they're talking about! I almost fell 10 feet into the river too.

 

[PeaceBaby]

Do you use one of these?

 

[giegs]

I've used the older model (only has "ok" "help" and "911") for work. Handy way of checking in or letting people know you're in trouble without the hassle of a satellite phone. Used it once to get a helicopter. They knew exactly where we were, it was just a matter of finding/making a suitable landing site.

On personal trips, I'll sometimes carry one, but have never used it to check in or anything. I've got mixed feelings about them. They could save your life if you get in a jam and they could help you make decisions you wouldn't otherwise. Mixed bag, especially when the point is to be "out there".

 

[JAVO]

Do you use one of these?

I've been seriously considering one of those, or renting a sat phone for trips.

 

[PeaceBaby]

^ I did some web contract work for a SAR agency - this or another PLB might be a good investment safety-wise. I know, it undermines the thrill of risk a little, but if faced with a dire situation (and hopefully, this will never be the case) but if, it would obviously be invaluable. Those SAR guys wish more people would take precautions I think.

And be careful out there!

 

[giegs]

I should have been more clear... The theme of reliance on technology resulting in accidents in outdoor settings is really noticeable in accident reporting. Rather than using good judgement and prudence, people use their gizmos as an excuse to be reckless. Knowing (or thinking, more accurately) that rescue is the press of a button away changes things massively.

Not that I'm fully against em, just don't like the way the things sometimes make people behave.

 

[PeaceBaby]

[MENTION=14489]giegs[/MENTION]yes, the flip side of the coin too - thanks for adding that, there are always pros and cons to technology, isn't there? I was thinking about that too as I typed my other post up ... I wonder how many accidents are happening because people are taking too great a risk, trusting technology to save them no matter what?

 

[Randomnity]

Living for days with only minimal gear and food carried on the back and obtaining water directly from its natural source allows one to:

• Exercise with variable intensity and ranges of motion not typically experienced on gym equipment or flat walking/running
• Temporarily remove ourselves from modern society, culture, technology, and even people if desired
• Encounter new experiences and challenges not encountered in everyday life
• Refocus on the essentials of life
• Understand the primitive ways of our ancestors and other cultures
• See firsthand how all of life depends on nature and the Earth
• Direct, personal interaction with nature teaches a respect for it in the same way which direct, personal interaction with another person enhances respect for that person
• Ingest worms that "can do bad things like migrate to the brain and eat brain tissue."

Fixed your post.

*stays far,far away from wilderness areas*

 

[JAVO]

^ I did some web contract work for a SAR agency - this or another PLB might be a good investment safety-wise. I know, it undermines the thrill of risk a little, but if faced with a dire situation (and hopefully, this will never be the case) but if, it would obviously be invaluable. Those SAR guys wish more people would take precautions I think.

I don't see it as eliminating the thrill of risk because if something happens that causes me to push the SOS button, things are probably pretty bad. If lost and uninjured in the areas I hike in, I'd be able to find my way to a frequently-traveled road or phone, if not back to the trailhead I started from. That would be different in a few places out west, Alaska, or Canada which are more vast and remote. A Spot or similar device would be great if I were critically injured though, or if I encountered someone else who was. My friends and family would enjoy the Google Maps progress tracking, although I'd probably turn it on briefly every 1-2 hours to conserve power.

That's another good point about using SAR resources and adding risk and burden to them when a simple device would allow them to nearly skip the search phase. I know about that well because I was on a ground SAR team as a cadet in the Civil Air Patrol when I was a teen. My main focus was SAR and survival training.

I should have been more clear... The theme of reliance on technology resulting in accidents in outdoor settings is really noticeable in accident reporting. Rather than using good judgement and prudence, people use their gizmos as an excuse to be reckless. Knowing (or thinking, more accurately) that rescue is the press of a button away changes things massively.

Not that I'm fully against em, just don't like the way the things sometimes make people behave.

Great point. I've always had that perspective too. Just a few weeks ago I was with a group backpacking in a wilderness area, and one person hiked far ahead of the group (mistake 1). He made a wrong turn (mistake 2). His only map was the one on his phone (mistake 3), which ran out of battery power. He tried to charge it with a solar charger, but couldn't because of the forest and the cloudy day. The trip leader distributed paper maps at the beginning of the trip, but he didn't take one. He ended up coming out at the wrong trailhead out of 5 possible trailheads. We were at the right one, so we sent a car to look for him at the most likely one. He wasn't there, and a couple who had just come out there hadn't seen him. He headed back in the direction he had came from, but had no idea which way to go. Fortunately, he sat down to wait and think about the situation. Other hikers with a map came along and told him which way to go. Three of us walked back in without packs hoping to find him, but we encountered him walking our way already about 1 mile in. If we had been unable to find him after walking back to the trail junction where he made a wrong turn, we planned to notify the rangers of the missing hiker and leave it up to them.

Fixed your post.

*stays far,far away from wilderness areas*

 

[giegs]

I don't see it as eliminating the thrill of risk because if something happens that causes me to push the SOS button, things are probably pretty bad. If lost and uninjured in the areas I hike in, I'd be able to find my way to a frequently-traveled road or phone, if not back to the trailhead I started from. That would be different in a few places out west, Alaska, or Canada which are more vast and remote. A Spot or similar device would be great if I were critically injured though, or if I encountered someone else who was. My friends and family would enjoy the Google Maps progress tracking, although I'd probably turn it on briefly every 1-2 hours to conserve power.

But it really can diminish the thrill. Every single piece of technology you bring into the wilds has this capability.

Reinhold Messner - The Murder of the Impossible

 

[JAVO]

But it really can diminish the thrill. Every single piece of technology you bring into the wilds has this capability.

Reinhold Messner - The Murder of the Impossible

I think it's a subjective thing which varies in individual preferences. Navigating using a GPS diminishes the thrill for me, but others view it as if it were a simple map. For me, something which weighs as much as a small digital camera, and can be ignored, yet bring a quick rescue is worth the tiny technological imposition. I bring at least a small digital camera too, if not even larger camera equipment.


Here's an account of two SPOTs failing after a fatal climbing accident. Very bad timing.

I'm also considering a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB). It doesn't have the status updates, but it uses the government satellites, which are more numerous than the commercial ones SPOT uses. Here's a brief overview of the differences. This looks like a great PLB. SPOT's status updates make things more complicated and introduce a possibility of miscommunication when someone interprets the lack of OK messages as a sign of needing rescue.