Ultralight Backpackin' Tips 153 Amazing & Inexpensive Tips For Extremely Lightweight Camping

by Clelland, Mike

• ISBN13: 9780762763849
• ISBN10: 0762763841
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-05-03
• Publisher: NATIONAL BOOK NETWORK

Summary

Short, to-the-point, and humorously illustrated by famed outdoor illustrator Mike Clelland, this book presents everything hikers and backpackers need to be safe, comfortable, and well fed while carrying a very small and lightweight pack.

Author Biography

Mike Clelland is an instructor with the National Outdoor Leadership School and is an illustrator who studied Mad magazine rather than go to art school. He is the author or coauthor of numerous books, including Allen & Mike’s Telemark Tips and Allen & Mike’s Really Cool Backpackin’ Book (both FalconGuides). He lives in Idaho.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. ix
The Manifesto
Get a scale	p. 1
Comfortable and safe are vital!	p. 1
Scrutinize everything!	p. 1
Make your own stuff, and making it out of trash is always best!	p. 2
It's okay to be nerdy	p. 2
Try something new every time you go camping	p. 3
Simply take less stuff!	p. 3
Know the difference between wants and needs	p. 3
Cut stuff off your gear	p. 4
Document your gear	p. 4
Basic Starting Points
Know the lingo	p. 5
The MODEL TRIP, our example expedition	p. 6
Get Lighten Up! by Don Ladigin	p. 7
Don't expect specific gear recommendations	p. 8
Most of the pack weight is in a few items	p. 8
Never say, ôIt's only a couple of ouncesö	p. 9
Never EVER guess the weight of something	p. 9
Create a spreadsheet	p. 10
Some items weigh zero!	p. 12
There's no such thing as ôjust in caseö	p. 12
Think in Systems	p. 13
Learn to sew	p. 14
Teammates help lighten the load	p. 14
The All-important Mind-set
The human factor	p. 15
Appreciate the wilderness	p. 15
Take care of your equipment	p. 16
Don't lose anything!	p. 17
Define success	p. 17
Learn from your mistakes	p. 18
Is going ultralight more expensive?	p. 18
What does in camp really mean?	p. 18
Be present on the trail (a simple exercise)	p. 19
Ditch the watch, wallet, money, cell phone, iPod, and car keys!	p. 20
It's okay to stink!	p. 21
Make a friend of the night	p. 22
Sew your headlamp right onto your hat	p. 23
Mosquitoes and karma	p. 23
Take a little test trip	p. 24
Break the 5-pound base weight: going SUL (Ryan Jordan)	p. 25
Cross the line-go out too light	p. 26
Have a GO-box ready	p. 26
An overnighter doesn't have to be perfect	p. 27
Share your UL skills with friends	p. 27
Practice Leave No Trace (LNT) camping	p. 28
Pick up other people's trash	p. 28
Decision Making
Simplify decision making with the UL pack	p. 28
How to make decisions in teams	p. 29
Gear
Down vs. synthetic	p. 30
Upper-body clothing	p. 31
Lower-body clothing	p. 31
The humble bandana	p. 31
I went camping with no stuff sacks!	p. 32
What! No knife?	p. 32
Make your own toothpaste dots	p. 33
Prepare a simple first-aid kit	p. 33
Carry a simple repair kit	p. 34
Trim your maps	p. 34
Multitask with the mosquito head net	p. 35
Collect cute little bottles	p. 36
Select your luxury item	p. 36
Comprehensive Gear List
Everything you might ever need	p. 37
Backpack Tips
The backpack as a foundation	p. 42
Packing the backpack	p. 44
Pack up with a buddy	p. 45
Travel Techniques
Choose bold routes	p. 46
Trekking poles (Glen Van Peski)	p. 46
Find your traveling speed	p. 47
Start hikin' early!	p. 48
Quit hikin' late!	p. 48
Eat dinner on the trail	p. 49
Eat breakfast on the trail	p. 49
Napping is a skill	p. 50
Hike a 20-mile day	p. 50
Take a break!	p. 51
The art of off-trail travel	p. 52
Scrambling is much easier with a dinky pack	p. 52
Traveling on snow as a skill	p. 53
No car shuttle? Use your thumb!	p. 55
Feet
Wear lightweight hiking shoes	p. 55
Lace 'em nice 'n' loose	p. 56
Do you need gaiters?	p. 57
Prevent blisters before you need to treat 'em	p. 57
Thwart blisters with Hydropel	p. 58
Upgrade your foot beds	p. 59
How many socks?	p. 59
Sleeping socks	p. 60
It's okay to have wet feet!	p. 61
Wear neoprene socks for soggy hiking	p. 62
Plastic bags on your feet in wet conditions	p. 62
Camping Tips
The joys of the tarp & bivy combo	p. 63
Staking out your tarp	p. 65
Stealth camping as a skill	p. 66
Sleeping as a Skill
Find the ideal sleeping spot	p. 66
Employ the LATS technique of weather prediction	p. 68
It's okay to sleep under the stars	p. 69
Sleeping bags, quilts, & bivy sacks- what's the difference?	p. 70
The essential sleeping pad	p. 71
Sleep warm with minimal gear	p. 72
Wear it all to bed	p. 73
The humble pillow	p. 74
Water
How much water should be on your back?	p. 75
What's the lightest tool for carrying water?	p. 76
Filling a water bottle	p. 76
Add electrolytes when you need 'em	p. 77
Should you drink untreated water?	p. 77
How I use Aquamira	p. 79
Soggy Conditions
Don't stop hiking just because it's raining	p. 81
Waterproof your gear	p. 82
How to dry wet socks	p. 83
Rain skirts: the functional fashion statement	p. 83
Desert Travel
Desert travel skills	p. 84
Make the most of desert water sources	p. 85
Bears
Camping in bear country	p. 86
Hang your food at night	p. 87
Keep the bear spray handy	p. 89
Pooping in the Wilderness
Liberate yourself from toilet paper	p. 90
Clean your butt!	p. 96
Stoves
Stoves and cooking-keep it light!	p. 97
What size pot do you need?	p. 99
Make your own alcohol stove	p. 99
Calculate your alcohol fuel needs	p. 100
Minimize your stove's impact	p. 101
The humble Esbit tab	p. 103
Woodburning stoves mean no fuel weight	p. 103
The tried & true mini-BIC	p. 103
Advanced lighting techniques	p. 104
Carry a redundant fire starter	p. 106
Kitchen cleanup	p. 107
Coffee
Turkish and cowboy coffee	p. 107
Enjoy coffee on the trail	p. 108
Food
You CAN eat well in the backcountry	p. 109
Three initial steps to food planning	p. 109
How much food do you need per day?	p. 109
Food weights and glossary	p. 110
Create a food spreadsheet	p. 110
Determine the number of days	p. 111
Snacks vs. meals	p. 112
How many calories do you need?	p. 113
Factors that increase the need for food	p. 114
Trip duration influences food needs	p. 114
Stuff adds up over time	p. 115
Balance your food items	p. 115
Bag it all up	p. 116
Go stove free!	p. 117
What if you run out of food?	p. 117
Make an insulating cozy	p. 118
Recipes
Groovy-biotic recipes	p. 119
Dinners	p. 120
The magic of instant mashed potatoes	p. 122
Sauces	p. 122
Breakfasts	p. 126
Snacks	p. 127
Final Thoughts
Ultralight skills can simplify the rest of your life	p. l31
Suggested reading	p. 132
Resources	p. 133
About the Author	p. 134
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