My Gear Favs

Here are some of Blissful Hiking's favorite gear picks - I love this stuff...

As I tell others, some collect shoes and what-have-you - I collect gear!
(And I've got a series of great adventures on our National Scenic Trails!) 


Sea to Summit Ether Light Insulated Sleep Pad - Check out a full review of it on SectionHiker. Nice pad, very comfy, sleeps a bit cold though compared to Neoair X Lite in my opinion.

The Evernew water bottle. Compatible with the Sawyer squeeze filter (see below which has blown out my Platypus and a substitution for the Sawyer bags which also fail. Bombproof, works great.

Socks are a hiker's best friend, and it might as well be a pair that works great and lasts forever. Hence our fav pick is Darn Tough. They are pricey but a high-quality sock with an unlimited guarantee to boot. In fact, they dare you to wear out their socks! Pretty cool.

Assorted cuben fiber stuff sacks. Waterproof, durable, great for adding protection in your backpack or for keeping sleeping bags and clothes dry. We have used them in all shapes and sizes (they make a good hiker wallet too). The thicker the material, the more durable Z Packs has a great selection. Cuben fiber (now referred to as Dyneema) has also been used in ultralight tents and backpacks as well (but they are pricey).
Other gear websites: Mountain Laurel Designs, Hyperlite Mountain Gear

Basic rain gear is a must in a hiker's backpack. If only out for short jaunts, Frogg Toggs makes an ultralight and cheap means to stay dry with a jacket and pants for around $30 bucks (though be warned, they are NOT durable for lengthy ventures). We find the jacket also provides good warmth in windy weather. Another fav is the rain kilt or rain wrap that does a great job of protecting without the need for cumbersome and hot rain pants.
Some gear shops for a rain kilt:
Lightheart Gear,  ULA

The Sawyer Filter -  a fav for Appalachian Trail adventures. We use the bigger model that filters water much quicker than its smaller mini model for a mere ounce or two more (though some like to have the smaller Sawyer mini filter attached to a Smartwater bottle for quick drinking).

Of all the eating utensils, the simple titanium spoon is our fav. Unlike the Light My Fire sporks that seem to break on a whim (and we've gone through many), This has been on dozens of trips and remains tried and true (gets out gooey stuff like PB from a jar without breaking), and good also for scraping away food while cleaning the pot, too.

National Scenic Trail Adventures - for the Wanderer in All of Us!

To a backpacker who dreams of hiking the Appalachian Trail or just someone who wants to read a tale of adventure, especially with a mom and son, this one-of-a-kind book covers the trail north and south, including ideas from a teen son hiking with his mom, a solo adventure, and the spiritual aspects gleaned on a long distance adventure! Endorsed by long-distance hiker Jennifer Pharr Davis. Available on Kindle or paperback.

ORDER

So what's it like doing a long-distance hike in Florida of all places, among the palms and palmettos, and yeah, the gators, cotton mouths, and other critters? Check out Gators, Guts, and Glory! An adventure on the wild side!


ORDER

A Thanksgiving Recipe Trailside

When you are out hiking for days, weeks, even months on end, thoughts of food occupy your mind day and night. So it was on our adventure on the Appalachian Trail. Knowing you are burning upwards of 4-6,000 calories per day hiking, it's nearly impossible to carry that much food to satisfy your need for nutrition. And eating meals trailside, day after day, one looks for creative ways to get the calories you need and still eat a good meal. Check out this blog also for hiker food kinds of stuff.

Here is a typical day on the trail. We cooked over a tiny stove called a pocket rocket that ran on a canister. We made one pot meals to share. Since our pot came with a lid, I gave Paul Bunyan food in the lid and I ate out of the pot. The pot it made out of titanium, a great lightweight option for cooking. We liked the pocket rocket canister stove to cook our meals. A simple lexan spoon or a titanium spork ( a combo spoon with fork tines, my fav) works great as a utensil. 

Lobster trailside? Not quite, but I was invited to a hiker's home for the evening while I hiked the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The invite came as a total surprise, hence the name "trail magic." The hiker (or in this case, trail angel) rolled out the red carpet for me, including a dinner of lobster and wine. Wow, I was really living it up on the trail! Towns are a great place to resupply food needs and to get a good meal, especially if a hiker can nail an AYCE restaurant (all-you-can-eat).



Ready for a THANKSGIVING recipe? Yes, you can enjoy Thanksgiving dinner on the trail with this which Paul Bunyan and I enjoyed many times on the trail. It feeds two.

(This recipe is adapted from the The Appalachian Trail Food Planner by Lu Adsmond, published by the ATC)

1 can chicken, dehydrated (canned chicken dehydrates really well, believe it or not. Don't use real chicken, it's too tough to rehydrate).
1/2 packet chicken gravy mix (I like the organic variety without msg)
1/4 tsp salt (carry more for taste)
dash of pepper
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
(put these ingredients in one snack size ziploc bag)

1 cup stuffing mix (I like Pepperidge Farm)
1 cup unseasoned potato flakes
(put these ingredients into another Ziploc bag)

When you get to camp, let pkg 1 sit in your pot filled with approx 3 cups of water to rehydrate as you make camp. Let it come to a boil, boil for 10 minutes. Put the pot in a pot cozy to keep warm. Add package number 2. Let stand a few minutes. Adjust seasoning and liquid to taste and consistency,
Wa la, Thanksgiving dinner on the trail!


Check out my 4,000 mile Appalachian Trail Adventure on Kindle and in paperback! Find out what a teen thinks about hiking with Mom and what it's like to be a solo adventurer! Makes a GREAT gift, too.  

   

Lightening that Backpacking Load

One of the things I love to do as a hiker advocate, educator, and ridgerunner is helping hikers eliminate unnecessary weight from their packs in what's called a pack shakedown. I had the opportunity to do this many times, and with good results. In one shakedown, the young hiker was dead tired after only four miles and ready to quit. Not only was that hiker carrying heavy items like a seven pound tent and a chair, but the backpack did not fit correctly either, and the hiker carried all the weight on the shoulders.

Make the right choices to lighten the load

Definitely a painful ordeal.

So what can you take out of your pack?

Most hikers tend to overkill in the area of food, toiletries, first aid,

etc. They take every part of a cook set rather than just the tools they need. Sometimes half the medicine chest is in the first aid kit. This hiker I helped had two 8 oz. fuel canisters for three days. Also many lightweight items can quickly add up to pounds. Eliminating these in rapid fashion decreases the weight and makes a hike more comfortable.

So let’s take a few of the above.

Food. A good rule of thumb is approx. 1 ½ lbs. of food per day. No need for cans. Check my blog on hiker food ideas to give you nutritious meals without the weight. Most hikers tend to take too much thinking they will be hungry with the exercise and fresh air. Many times the exact opposite happens. Unless one has been out long distance hiking, it takes time for the appetite to really kick in. Plan accordingly.

Toiletries. No need for deodorant, brush, shampoo. Ladies – you don't need makeup. If you are hiking long distance, chances are very good that hostels and motels have shampoo and soap. A few baby wipes can make you feel refreshed in camp (but pack them out!!). I have never felt the need to take a brush or comb.

Take only what you need for trail first aid. No need for splints, lots of big bandages, etc. 

Cooking. Many hikers take an overabundance of cooking gear to make simple meals. Honestly, all one needs for most meals is one pot and one Spork. No need for a plate, frying pan, or extra pots. And don’t forget a simple stove, like a pocket rocket version (there’s a cheap one on Amazon some have said works good) or a jetboil to cook. I’ve seen hikers struggle to cook meals over a fire with wet wood and go hungry. Substitute Smartwater or Lifewater bottles for a Nalgene bottle which saves some good ounces.  

Lifewater bottles have some cool designs

Lots of heavy bags, stuff sacks etc. can add extra ounces that add up to pounds. Simple, good quality Ziplocs make organization easy and you can see through the bags to help determine what you have. Cuben fiber is a great option for lightening the load. But do carry a good waterproof food bag for bear bagging. And make sure your clothing and sleeping bag are in good waterproof bags.

Electronics can get heavy. Bring only what you need. A phone in many instances can serve as a camera, music player, etc.  

Check your pack. Do you REALLY need that huge book? That chair?  Try cutting an old blue foam pad or ridgerest and plop it next to a tree. Or I use the Thermarest seat lite pad. Leave out the heavy knife, ax, and egg container. If you don’t think you will use it, don’t bring it.

Lastly, make sure your pack fits you right and you have packed it correctly. Make sure also you are using the waistbelt correctly.

Some links for each:

Packing a backpack along with a video

Fitting a backpack

Just few ideas to lighten the load and make for a happier, less painful trip.  

Campfire Talk

Okay, let's talk campfire lingo. Snap. Spark. Heat. Glow. Entertainment. S'mores. People-pleaser.

Fires seem to be the mainstay of an evening sojourn in the woods. Done properly and with care, they can add to an evening. Who doesn't like to share tales around the embers? Or roast marshmellows? Or take the chill out of a cool evening?

Unfortunately, more often than not, campfires are tools of abuse. There are an overabundance of campfire pits and rings built in the woods. Sometimes they scar the beauty of rocks at an overlook or are scattered all over the forest floor. They surround a single tent platform at such close proximity, I often wonder why the occupants' tent hasn't burned. I've seen woods totally devoid of downed limbs used to replenish the soil of the woods because it's used to feed the hungry flames of a large fire.

But more often than not, campfire rings are used as garbage containers in the wild. As a ridgerunner, I have cleaned out burnt cans, paper, numerous "hobo" meal wrappers - IE foil, from the pits. Some just leave whole garbage bags in them. Some have tried to burn their trash, only to have the burnt remains littering the pit and sinking in ash. I see lots of tn cans left in there. Why do folks think a tin can burns? Others toss used toilet paper and other unsavory items into the ring. And fire pits consistently used as an ashtray where hikers leave their cigarette butts.

So if we are to salvage anything good out of having a campfire - please do the following:

- Do NOT burn any garbage!! Not a scrap. Pack it all out. If you can carry in the food wrappers, you can pack out the empty ones!! That includes the foil from the "hobo" campfire meals. Pack it ALL out.  

- Don't build new campfire rings. There are plenty to be found in preexisting campfire rings out there. Share a ring with a neighbor. Or gather around the principle campfire ring at the shelters or established campsites. Who knows - you may develop friendships for life and save the woods from another scarred campfire ring.

- When you have a campfire, keep it small. Huge bonfires risk the vegetation, can cause a forest fire if they get out of hand, sterilize and damage the surrounding soil, and eat more of the wood in the area needed to replenish the soil. Huge fires also cast annoying light and smoke on other fellow hikers and campers who may want to sleep or who don't care to light a fire. Respect your neighbors.

- Some like campfire cooking. I'm not sure I like the idea of a blackened pot to stow away in my pack. I find a canister stove works very well. I've used a pocket rocket for 7,000 miles of hiking. But if it works for you, go for it.

- The flames of a fire can be entertaining but I've seen hikers use other methods. Like a candle lantern. I saw two hikers do it and were perfectly content.

If you choose a campfire, please be responsible so others can enjoy the beauty of our woods. And be sure to put out the fire completely. DO not leave it smoldering when you go to bed at night or leave in the AM.

With care and consideration campfires can be an enjoyable part of the hiking experience.    

Related Blogs:

Plan and Prepare for that Trip

Town Etiquette for Hikers

Blissful's Gear Picks

I see that Backpacker Magazine has out in their March issue its picks for 2012. I thought I'd throw in a few of my own that have worked well for me in the past.


Backpack Choice - ULA Catalyst

Superior pack. Lots of room. Lightweight. Carries well. And a company that knows hikers' needs and cares about them. The most popular brand out on the trail.






Sleeping Bag Choice - MontBell Spiral Series

The MontBell bag is an excellent performer, especially with its elastic in the fabric which allows for much more freedom of movement. The down compresses well and the outer layer sheds water. It dries in a snap. You can also find it on sale at times, unlike the Western Mountaineering of which an outfitter plainly told me on the phone they do not allow anyone, no way, no how, to ever put their bags on sale. Nor do I find contact info on the WM web site anywhere for customer service and questions. Strange business ethics, imo. Which is fine. I'll stick to MontBell.

 
Sleeping pad liner - Thermarest Neoair series

I had been a huge Big Agnes insulated air core kind of user, being a side sleeper. But when Thermarest came out with their Neoair series, I was sold. I like the horizontal cushioning and the lightweight design. With care, I kept it going through most of my southbound Appalachian Trail hike (unlike BA that had to be replaced several times). Worth the money.
UPDATE - I just bought the new NeoAir Ultra Light version that just came out this year, so will let you know what I think.








Stove - Snowpeak LiteMax canister stove

The Litemax is a fine canister stove, though I had no problems at all with the MSR Pocket Rocket and also recommend it. The only reason I put this on here is because it is lighter weight than the pocket rocket. But it does the same thing and is a proven performer on the trail. If you want to save a few ounces, check it out.

Cookset - Snowpeak Trek Series - titanium is the way to go. Ultra light, holds up well, packs well. Need I say more?

Utensil - one simple lexan spork. Cheap, functional, no problems on long distances. Forget the Light My Fire spork. Dig into a jar of peanut butter and you'll see why you might curse it.