After a great weekend in the wet weather, my friends have had a chance to upload the pictures they took (at least a good handful of them) to their flickr accounts. Molly and I decided to leave our DSLR’s at the house being that there was another DSLR and a Point&Shoot already packed with the other guys’ stuff.

For the most part we followed the itinerary I outlined in the “Planning for a Backpacking Trip” post. Though, because we purposely didn’t take watches or cell phones we didn’t exactly stick to a schedule which meant we had to cut a couple of the bigger hikes out of the day(s). Part of it may have also been due to the literal downpour we received on Friday evening and Saturday morning. We’ll go back later one or two weekends to finish up the Cloudland Canyon trails.

With the successful trip, I’m going to be planning a “car camping” trip for sometime in Mid-December or Early/Mid-January so more of my friends can come along, and enjoy some better camp-cuisine. I’ll have a couple of posts related to that coming up soon enough.

View the full post for the pics from this weekend. (more…)

Thanks to StumbleUpon, I have managed to come across multiple plans for DIY Lightweight Alcohol Burning stove. I finally decided to combine the knowledge I gathered from each of the articles and put one together myself.

After getting my first one together I modified the plans a bit and made a second one with the goal to have it hold a bit more fuel (for the longer cooking time). Version 2, as I’ll call it, was able to produce a 7-minute boil time, and a 20-minute run time before dropping down to a simmer. I used a windscreen and Heet as my fuel source.

Instructions after the jump! (more…)

Here’s a quickly thrown together checklist of gear, with notes, that anyone should be mindful of when going backpacking. I tried to be as complete as possible, though I’m sure I’m missing something…

Packs & Sleeping

Tent, poles, stakes, groundcloth
Sleeping bag
Sleeping pad
Backpack
Day pack (small school backpack)
Rain cover for backpack (trashbags work well)

Essentials

Water Bottle (32oz or more)
First Aid Kit
Sun Protection
Bear Bag
Rope
Knife
Flashlight
Rain gear (poncho or light wind-breaking rain jacket)

Clothing

Ziplock freezer bags (to pack clothes in to stay dry)
Boots or trail shoes (ankle support)
Camp shoes
Socks (pack an extra pair)
Underwear
Light Pants
Light Shorts
Light Shirt(s)
Light Jacket or Long Sleeve Shirt(for warmth)
Cap or hat

Cooking & Food

Pot (1 per group of 4-6)
Cooking Utencils
Camp Suds (environmentally safe soap)
Dish Cloth
Cup
Stove
Fuel
Lighter
Water Container (for cooking, etc)
Breakfasts (Oatmeal, fried potatoes, cereal, protein bars)
Lunches
Dinners
Snacks (peanuts, raisins, oysters, crackers, jerky)
Spices (Salt, Pepper, Garlic, Cayenne)
Drink Mix (Gatorade, CapriSun, Tang, Hot Chocolate)

Optional Items

Camping pillow (a ball of clean clothes works well too)
Insect Repellant
GPS
Camera
Extra Batteries
Binoculars
Camp Chair
Fishing gear
Cards + games
Hiking Stave or Poles

Selected Slumberjack Sleeping Bags

Sleeping bags are arguably one of the top 5 most important items to take with you on any overnight expedition in the outdoors. So when you head to the store searching for a sleeping bag for the first time you may be surprised to find how many options you have. As with all gear guides I have or will be publishing I’ll apply my thoughts and knowledge to the topic and let you decide for yourself by getting informed. The goal of this article is that you find that the multiple options you are presented with to be less than overwhelming, and to select the right piece of equipment for the right application.

There are a handful of things to think about when selecting what bag is right for the job:

1. Design Type (Rectangular, Mummy, Mate-able)
2. Insulation (Synthetic, Down, Cotton/Wool)
3. Temperature Rating
4. Craftsmanship and Material (zipper, drawstring, fabric)

Design Type Considerations

Rectangular sleeping bags are probably the most recognizable design type to the unfamiliar shopper. It is most simply described as a filled/insulated blanket that can be folded in half and zipped on two sides to create a pocket for you to sleep in. Though they can be used in cold weather, the opening at the top of the pocket in most rectangular bags allows for a significant leak in the insulated warmth the bag provides and will allow cold air drafts to enter the bag. (more…)

Appy Trails Mark V

When you go backpacking, the number one goal is to keep your equipment minimal and light in weight. Doing so will increase your maneuverability, speed, and stamina on the trail. You also need to consider the kind of weather you should be preparing for. Ideally, you’ll have that perfect fall (or spring) breeze but the likelihood of actually getting the ideal situation is minimal at best, see Murphy’s law. Shelters are usually rated for the number of seasons they are intended to be used to help you take the guesswork out of what it will be able to shelter you from. A note for readers: for the purposes of writing this article, I am assuming you are only planning on a shelter for 1-2 people.

1-2 Season Shelters:

These shelters are great for warm-month camping or any area that doesn’t get much colder than 50 degrees (Fahrenheit) or receive much precipitation. These shelters’ primary goal is only to keep the rain/dew off of you during the night. They might include some netting to keep the bugs off of you. They are really light, pack small, and typically provide shelter for 1-6 people. (more…)