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#201081 - 06/04/18 03:16 AM Required light gear for backpacking
Billy02 Offline
newbie

Registered: 05/18/18
Posts: 9
Loc: Dallas, TX, USA.
Hi, i am travelling to asia and was thinking to pack light so it is easy to carry and travel, i would like to know, what gear should i carry, like what type of knife, what type of flash etc, thank you.

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#201158 - 06/10/18 04:22 PM Re: Required light gear for backpacking [Re: Billy02]
OregonMouse Online   content
member

Registered: 02/03/06
Posts: 6799
Loc: Gateway to Columbia Gorge
Billy, this isn't a travel forum but about American style backpacking, which is wilderness trekking. I'd suggest a travel forum like Lonely Planet or others.

Also, remember that if you plan to take a knife when traveling by plane, it has to go in checked luggage. If you plan to travel light and avoid checked luggage, you'll have to do without a knife.
_________________________
May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view--E. Abbey

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#201321 - 07/02/18 09:13 AM Re: Required light gear for backpacking [Re: OregonMouse]
Billy02 Offline
newbie

Registered: 05/18/18
Posts: 9
Loc: Dallas, TX, USA.
i am thinking to take a knife and that too in luggage, not in hand carry. "Survival Knife" will this be okay??


Edited by aimless (07/02/18 12:09 PM)
Edit Reason: removed commercial link

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#201323 - 07/02/18 10:43 AM Re: Required light gear for backpacking [Re: Billy02]
4evrplan Offline
member

Registered: 01/16/13
Posts: 913
Loc: Nacogdoches, TX, USA
There's nothing light about that knife. Keep in mind that wilderness backpacking and survivalism are two completely different things. Many BPers don't even carry a knife, maybe just a tiny pair of scissors to open food packages. It's fine if you want to carry one (assuming there are no legal issues where you will be traveling); it's just that for a properly prepared BPer, it's usually unnecessary and not worth the weight (to them). If you decide to bring a knife anyway, then I'd suggest you learn to use it properly before your trip, Otherwise, what's the point? The only reason I could think of to carry a knife that big is if you're going to be batoning wood, the necessity of which is debated even among survivalists and knife aficionados. Even then, a blade length of 4-6 inches should be sufficient, less if you will only be splitting smaller sticks.

For the record, I do carry a small knife. The blade is about 2.5 inches, fixed blade, full tang, made from a sawzall blade, but with a comfortable wooden handle pinned and epoxied on. It weighs just a smidge over 1oz. Even that is, admittedly, unnecessary. I could get by just fine without it, but between that and the tiny scissors on my keychain multi-tool, I'm all set for cutting tools. I'm relying less on that for getting me out of survival situations and more on prevention. If I were to get into a bad situation, I've got shelter and insulation on my back, and ways to carry and sterilize water. Even in the case of complete loss or failure of my gear, there are usually options that don't require a giant knife.


Edited by 4evrplan (07/03/18 10:29 AM)
_________________________
The journey is more important than the destination.

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#201370 - 07/09/18 01:30 PM Re: Required light gear for backpacking [Re: Billy02]
OregonMouse Online   content
member

Registered: 02/03/06
Posts: 6799
Loc: Gateway to Columbia Gorge
Please do check the legal issues where you're going--some countries/local jurisdictions do not allow knife carry. As mentioned by the other posters here, you don't really need a knife. Lots of folks take a single edge razor blade, well wrapped, instead of a knife. I personally wouldn't want to try to manicure finger and toe nails with a razor blade, but I have relatively unsteady hands.
_________________________
May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view--E. Abbey

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#201676 - 09/09/18 11:22 PM Re: Required light gear for backpacking [Re: Billy02]
wildnfree Offline
member

Registered: 09/29/17
Posts: 25
Loc: Phoenix, Az
You can pack a knife if you want your luggage to be carefully examined. If you want to pack light below 7 kilograms, just bring some clothes and essential items like charger, towel, toothbrush, etc..

If you want to bring more things or buying products, you need to buy more weight.

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