BACKPACKER LIGHTWEIGHT

at The Lightweight Backpacker

What's new in the Lightweight Gear Store ? HERE !

7/04/05  Celebrating retirement from a large aircraft company by engaging in a long overdue project - upgrade the website and its associates. We gave a wee bit of a facelift to the TLB Backcountry Forums and moved them to a new (and much, much faster) database server. We also totally redesigned the website homepage. In order to retain excellent search engine placement, however, we did not change the existing content of the old page, we just redesigned the underlying architecture and presentation as well as repackaged the content. We did add a new section to highlight the excellent "Make Your Own Gear" projects that we publish here at the www.homemadegear.com site. Much more update to come in the near future as well as new reviews and such. :)

3/27/05  Announcing BackpackerFood.com. We have created a new website focused primarily on providing a single source of higher quality packaged food products for the backcountry. Along with backpacking food products, there are many accessories for both preparing (e.g. dehydrators for home preparation and stoves, etc. for trail preparation). We've also included a source of hard-to-find, small-packaged condiments and sauces. Please checkout our new store and we invite you to make suggestions and keep sending in those recipes. By the way, you can post those recipes in the TLB Forums, in the Lite Food Talk forum. Thanks!!! Also, notice that nifty little icon that appears when you save the BackpackerFood.com page in your favorites :)

3/14/05  Recently acquired a new domain name for our popular Make Your Own Gear website. It can now be accessed at HomeMadeGear.com. Recently have added a number of new Home Made Gear projects. Today, added a new Cat Stove, Wood-burning Stove and Sleeping Bag. Also, added a new Climbing Gear section to the Gear Store.

2/19/05  Spent considerable amount of time restoring and updating the TLB Polls Page. Toward the latter part of last year, the polls database became corrupted and we had no backup. It's been on my plate of things to do to restore the page and I'm pleased to say, the polls are back in action.

8/22/04  Update on website. Due to recent surgery and other major life changes, the TLB staff (me) has not had ample time to make significant contribution to the site. We have big plans to add new features and content this Autumn, so stay tuned. We don't want the site to become "old" any more than you do, so the plan is to upgrade and keep it fresh. In the meantime, I'm working on relocating my family - maybe to Corvallis Oregon - and that's taking almost all my time. Stay tuned. Just thought you might like to know :-)

3/8/04  Lots of new stuff. Added a new section of the website, especially for parents with children - named, "Hiking with Kids". This section contains instruction, experiences, equipment and a discussion forum that will help parents who want to take their children along hiking and overnight backpacking. We also added the Cottage Gear Store which recognizes the contributions of small-business gear manufacturers and gives them a cost-effective way to advertise their products and gain the visibility and recognition they deserve. The Cottage Gear Store also has its own "Ask the Gear Makers" discussion forum wherein participating gear makers have the option of running their own discussion forum to interact with existing and prospective customers.

1/23-1/26/04  After not upgrading for over two years, during which time there were 17 upgrades of the forums software that we are using, we finally upgraded our forums. Man, was it a lot of work but it went pretty much as planned and now the forums are back to normal. Check it out - pretty cool, a multitude of new fun and useful features. Also added a new storefront - Wilderness Dining. Check it out using the gearshop link at the top of this list.

1/20/04  After several years worth of procrastinating - all links pages have been updated. Next step is to add new links which we have stockpiled in anticipation of the day when we were no longer procrastinating. Also, existing links pages will be consolidated into a new page - soon, unless we begin procrastinating, again.

1/16/04  By popular request, we have begun to collect recipes in preparation for creating a Trail Food Cookbook page, similar to the "Make Your Own Gear" page, wherein we organize and publish trail food recipes. You will be able to submit recipes in several ways - but for the time being, please post them in the Lite Food Talk discussion forum in the POST TRAIL FOOD RECIPES HERE ! message thread.

12/23/03  Many thanks to Dave Jarvis (Guaje) who took it upon himself -- much to our shock & glee -- to reinvent the TLB Hiker Dude. In other words, Dave created and donated a new logo for TLB. We like the new "Hiker Dude" so much, we've given him his own piece of the website, accessible from the homepage, entitled "Tips from Hiker Dude".

12/08/03  We have now updated much of the backpacker lightweight website. Today we posted a new Featured Article on the front page entitled "Lightening the Load" submitted by trailblazer. Yesterday, we posted the comparative review of the Feathered Friends Hyperion ultralight down vest and the Western Mountaineering Flight ultralight down vest. This review was also posted on the website front page. I believe a new "backpacking poll" was also posted on the front page. Nice looking front page, huh? We've also been very busy updating the Lightweight Gear Store contents. Updating links and adding new product links.

11/21/03  Added the TLB Backpacking Opinion Poll Page where one or more polls will be featured each month. The page will include an archive of all completed backpacking polls. Should be fun. One of the polls will also be featured on the website home page.

11/10/03  Redesigned TLB front page and updated many page links throughout the website. Lots of new, exciting features and updates on the way in the next several months. More later.....

08/01/03  a personal note (and rare, recent picture) from the chief executive officer (and the only employee) at the Lightweight Backpacker: HERE ! .

02/17/03  We've recently had many inquiries (and offers) to purchase The Lightweight Backpacker business. For the time being, anyway, the website is NOT FOR SALE!.

01/12/03  Added "Feetcare" page to the Lightweight Gear Shop and added more Knowledge Nuggets and other contributions HERE.

10/14/02  Added new brand names to the Gearshop (see link above). Added more Knowledge Nuggets and other contributions HERE.

7/05/02  Added new brand names to the Gearshop (see link above). Added more Knowledge Nuggets and other contributions HERE.

6/23/02  Hot off the press!! The long-awaited, comparative sleeping bag review has been completed and published. This review scrutinizes 11 high-end, lightweight sleeping bags. You can access it HERE in the "Gear Reviews by The Lightweight Backpacker" section.

6/08/02  TLB was featured in the this past weekend. Don't forget to periodically check the Contributions section for new Knowledge Nuggets and Gear Reviews.

5/27/02  Added 2 new homemade backpacker gear projects to the Make Your Own Gear page.

Convex-top Coke Stove
Modified Trangia Stove
Also added several new Knowledge Nuggets and gear reviews in the Contributions forum. The comparative sleeping bag review is due to be published on or before June 15th.

5/10/02  Added 2 new homemade backpacker gear projects to the Make Your Own Gear page.

Pot Cozy
Modified Esbit Stove
Also, for those wondering - the status on the sleeping bag comparative review is coming along fine. We've been logging many nights in the bags and compiling lots of data, some of which you can always access by going out to the gear reviews section or by clicking here.

4/28/02  Added a new section off the homepage called Hot New Gear. This section is intended to showcase promising lightweight gear recently introduced to the market. If you know of "hot new gear", let us know so we can look at it and possibly showcase it for the benefit of others.

4/15/02  A hearty welcome to Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics, Inc. -- our new sponsor for the Make Your Own Gear site.

4/03/02  Added 4 new homemade hiker gear projects to the Make Your Own Gear page.

SGT Rock's Stove Windscreen
SGT Rock's Ruck
SGT Rock's Simmering Soda Stove
SGT Rock's Turbo V8 Stove

3/31/02  Added 4 new homemade hiking gear projects to the Make Your Own Gear page.

Jeff's Sleeping Bag
Jeff's Sleeping Bag Liner
Jeff's Ultralight Backpack
the Jones Tent

3/13/02  Added two new TLB gear reviews "in work" -- Hilleberg Akto (2002) and Hilleberg Bivanorak -- at the Contributions forum. Also, added instruction guide and new picture to the L.E.D. Headlamp project at the Make Your Own Gear page. In addition, updated the TLB gear for sale page.

3/10/02  Redesigned the "Lightweight Backpacking Community" section of the website. Originally we had set up three separate sets of forums, each with its own userid/password login. This was cumbersome so we redesigned in order to have just two separate areas. One is the Lightweight Forum for discussion on a myriad of topics and the second one is for our Contributions (Knowledge, Gear Reviews, Make Your Own Gear). Also, added 1 new homemade hiking gear project to the Make Your Own Gear page.

L.E.D. Headlamp

3/02/02  Updated the gear review by TLB on the Granite Gear Alpine Light backpack (added another photo to the photo page). Also, to the gear reviews by TLB, I added a "Reviews Being Worked" section to keep everyone updated on what I'm working on. I also noticed new Knowledge Nuggets in the Knowledge section and new gear reviews in the Reviews section. Added 1 new homemade backpacking gear project to the Make Your Own Gear page.

Ben's Tarp Tent

2/23/02  Added 1 gear review by TLB on the Western Mountaineering Down Jacket.

2/22/02  Added 1 gear review by TLB on the Granite Gear Alpine Light backpack. Also added 1 new homemade outdoor gear project to the Make Your Own Gear page.

DJ's 2-Pound Bivy Tent

2/17/02  Added 3 new homemade backpacker gear projects to the Make Your Own Gear page.

DJ's Frame Pack
Haluk's Artic Tent
Vinyl Tarp Hammock

2/16/02  Added this page. Now that the site rehost/redesign is mostly complete, I'll be working on some new gear reviews. I'll report them here when they are published.

1/05/02  Flipped the switch -- that is, transferred the Lightweight Backpacker website over to its new host (pair.com) and newly redesigned format. Also, added a new set of discussion forums based on Infopop's UBBThreads software (one installation each for the Knowledge, Gear Reviews and Discussion Forums sections. Added new forums -- requested by members -- to the Discussion Forums section and -- also by popular demand -- a "Weights Only" section to the Gear Reviews area.

Tip: Did you know that you can click on the main graphic on the TLB homepage and it will take you to the discussion forums.