Trekking
Posted by -Lithics@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 28 comments
I assume most people here also enjoy going outdoors for a camp. What are your light weight setups. Water, food, clothes, entertainment, gear and any general advice you bring
mediocre_remnants@reddit
Check out /r/ultralight, spend some time reading that sub and you'll learn all you need to know about lightweight backpacking.
Frosty_Ostrich7724@reddit
be careful tho because there is a rabbit hole that sucks you in and you end up cutting your tooth brush in half to save a gram.
Junque_Viejo@reddit
Ummm, 1.1 grams actually... Totally worth it!
econ_knower@reddit
for a weekend camp? backpack, tent, sleeping bag, tarp, some clothes (extra socks), some food, first aid kit, portable fuel kit, plastic bags, wearing hiking boots, some light source, a battery pack. bear spray and food canister if near bears.
this is one of those things you have to try yourself, and after you get back, see what you used and what you didnt use.
you can also bring more things if you're car camping, like a Coleman grill and a foldable chair
dglaw@reddit
How light do you want to go? How far do you want to go and how long to youbwant to stay out there?
-Lithics@reddit (OP)
Unsure of weight just looking for good generalised ideas. Probably a good 3 - 5 days for now
dglaw@reddit
No better way to figure this out than just going for it. Start with your 10 essentials and go from there. You don't have to go out and spend hundreds right off the bat, look for used gear when you can. Walmart actually has some decent gear, they have a new lightweight/backpacking line of sleeping bags and pads that's getting good ratings. Getting a good stove is worth spending a bit more, I like the jet boils. For water, get a grayl purifier. They even offer a metal cup that fits on the outside. Shelter depends. If I'm expecting weather, I carry a 2 person tent (linked below) so I can keep my gear dry. If I expect good weather, I just make a lean-to with my poncho ( linked below) and sleep under the stars. Eliminating the tent makes a HUGE difference so I do this as often as possible. A bivvy bag is a must to keep the bugs out, I like my USMC improved coyote bivvy. Now, food. Freeze dried is easiest, I like the breakfast skillet, southwest chicken, and beef stroganoff. Always go high protein when you can. You also want to have assorted protein bars, nuts, dried fruit (i really like mango), jerky, and other snacks. just gotta get out there and give it a go, there really is no other way to master it. More reps the better!
https://a.co/d/9s1NLIG https://a.co/d/6mzgOfu
Bowgal@reddit
I'm one of those "gram weenies" who happens to be an off gridder, and a long distance hiker. 60 yr F...but here's a list of what I carried on the Appalachian Trail last year. Just under 15lbs without food and water. I usually can stay out 4-5 days comfortably.
https://lighterpack.com/r/jzw3fa
I will note, lot of my gear is high end...but lots of stuff is very affordable: BRS stove off Amazon, Sawyer water filter (don't buy the mini...but the full size one), Anker 10k battery pack,
Decent-Apple9772@reddit
The mini works amazing
fluffy-duck-apple@reddit
The kula p pad is pure gold. Used mine in Mongolia in some pretty bad conditions.
Bowgal@reddit
Kula pads are great. As I live off grid with a compost toilet, to save on how much toilet paper gets tossed in daily, I have 14 Kula. New one every day....wash them all twice a month.
Decent-Apple9772@reddit
The lanshan 1 or 2 tents are great if you use treking poles. They have an ultralight version too but you might get more condensation and you need to seam seal it.
Brs3000t stove with a cheap titanium pot.
Thermarest x-therm pad (wide!)
Sawyer mini water filter
Smart-water disposable water bottles. No Nalgene!
Peak refuel meals. If it is cold out bring butter patties wrapped in foil.
Bavarian Meats Landjaeger (not the little ones)
Chocolate covered raisins or cranberries or mango if you eat sugar.
Cashews/pistachios/peanuts
Portawipes compressed toilet paper tablets.
You can buy sunscreen, toothpaste and bug repellent in little disposable packets like ketchup packets at a fast food restaurant.
Lekrii@reddit
My lightweight setup, 12 pound weight (less food, water, fuel): https://lighterpack.com/r/gxe8io
I've lived easily for weeks out of this. I can comfortably take 10 days of food before I have to start strapping things to the outside of the pack
CapGirl80@reddit
I'm interested, please and thank you!
Lekrii@reddit
I'll put a reply together in the next few days, when I have more time
CapGirl80@reddit
Thank you so much
OtherwiseAlbatross14@reddit
I'd be interested to see what models of all the other items you have to go with the $500 tarp. This stuff is really intriguing
Lekrii@reddit
I'll put a reply together in the next few days, when I have more time. some of my stuff is insanely expensive (like the tarp), other gear I duct taped together from things I bought at wal-mart. It's the end of probably two decades of tweaking the setup during/after trips
DaveyAllenCountry@reddit
I have a 24L bag that has a bladder bag in it, and I will fill another surplus camelbak and strap it to the front.
Some individual gear: Mess kit Matches in sealing container Phosphorous bar (backup firestarter) Protein bars in ziplock Canned foods Vintage ecko skeleton can opener 1 person tent Columbia outdoor blanket Estwing hatchet (the one thing heft is worth) Expandable pole Single ply stainless steel jug/kettle Filtet knife Full tang bush knife Tooth brush & paste Extra socks and underwear
First aid kit: Anti biotic gel Liquid bandage Calamine lotion Ace wrap Velcro ankle brace Surplus tourniquet Gauze suture thread and needle Tweezers Chap stick Benadryl, Ibuprofin, glucosamine, milti
For fun: Harmonica Waterproof playing cards
Poppy-Chew-Low@reddit
Osprey Exos packs are a great hybrid of a comfy ultralight pack that can haul high pack weights.
Any 2P ultralight tent.
Down sleeping bags (or quilts) back down smaller and lighter than synthetic but synthetic is probably a safer bet in an emergency scenario because they will keep you warm even if they get wet (down won’t).
Water filter and know how to use it.
Dehydrated meals. You can DIY these to save money, have higher quality.
treycartier91@reddit
A yo-yo
Always fun. And even if people don't know how to use it, it's a fun ice breaker teaching them.
Frosty_Ostrich7724@reddit
tracking pole tent or tarp and hammock, sleeping quilt, cold soaking food, Sawyer squeeze filtration system, nemo tensor sleeping pad
Tfrom675@reddit
And a bug net. I opted for katydin gravity filter for my 3 liter camelback and a sawyer squeeze and collapsible soft bottle for a backup. Love my tarp for hammock or ground camping. A bivy probably makes more sense though.
winston_smith1977@reddit
Moving to the tiny rechargeable $20 Rovyvon flashlight saved me some ounces. Runs a long time, has a bright strobe, clips onto the bill of my ball cap and fits in the watch pocket.
nakedonmygoat@reddit
Google resources for thru-hiking and backpacking for more detail than I'm giving here, which is long enough! You may already know most of this OP, but others might not, so the main concepts are:
Pack light. Except for high-energy snacks, pack freeze-dried foods and something to heat water in. If you won't be able to build a fire along the way, you'll need a lightweight camp stove and fuel for it. If you'll be able to make a fire, make sure you know how to do it safely.
Have a headlamp and extra batteries.
First aid kit. Be sure you also have KT tape and a knife or scissors in case you sprain an ankle or break a bone.
Have at least one bandana. These are amazingly useful in more ways than I can enumerate here.
You'll want a mylar emergency blanket if your overnights will get cold.
Know the predators where you'll be hiking and plan accordingly, whether it's mosquitoes, mountain lions, or bears. Never hike alone listening to music unless it's a very busy trail. You need to be aware of your surroundings.
Pack water, but also know where the water sources will be along your trail. Get a LifeStraw so you can drink from uncertain sources.
If your trail isn't clearly marked at frequent intervals, mark it in some way as you go. This can be small cairns or branches laid in an X or a triangle. You can even use something lightweight to tie around trees, as long as you retrieve it on your way back. The trail back always looks different from how it did going out.
Ways to contact people in an emergency. Not just a satellite phone, but a mirror, a whistle, and chemical glow sticks. There are two things not often found in nature: repeated sets of three, and perfect circles. With a mirror or whistle, you signal three times, pause, then three times again, etc. At night, if you're in a clear area and have reason to believe there are helicopters looking for you, run a string or shoelace through the loop in the top of a glow stick and start whirling it around like a lasso. These are things I learned in a wilderness survival class taught by a highly experienced mountaineer.
Before heading out, give friends an ETA and also leave a note in your vehicle as to your intended route, and a foil imprint of your shoe so rescuers will know your footprint when they try to track you if you don't return on time. I learned this last one in my survival class, too. I also took a tracking class, and you want your specific footprints to be obvious.
Anything can happen when you're out there solo, especially if it's not a highly populated trail. You need to do everything you can to make it easy for people to find you if you get lost or injured.
But once you've prepared for the worst, you can relax and enjoy the best, so happy trails, OP!
winston_smith1977@reddit
First aid kit is important. If you hike/hunt where it's cold, a few caffeine pills can help you stay awake at night if you're working your way back to the car with a lower limb sprain or fracture. Move in the morning, sleep in the comparatively warm afternoon, stay awake and tend your fire at night. I also keep low dose ibu and acetaminophen to use in combination.
LukaEntropySurvival@reddit
Bring a basic survival kit just in case. Food & water rations, flashlight, knife, multi tool, mylar poncho, etc. Build your own or buy one from My Patriot Supply, Entropy Survival, etc. Something lightweight you can insert in or attach to your hiking backpack.
PuddleOfStix@reddit
I just got some new gear which I may break in on a hike. Depending on the weight of my set-up, I might go for around 4 hours