One other problem with "I'm young,used to it, so it's no problem." I suspect that it still puts wear and tear on joints,and therefore increases the chance of knee and back problems as one ages, or perhaps lowers the age of onset of such problems?
Try to resist the temptation a bit.. A couple of friends I've hiked with who are vets (Canadian, but hey, pretty much same gear) were looking at heavy gear when they got out and went to aquire a "civilian" rig - because they were "used to carrying a lot of weight and so it's no problem" - my answer was always "then if you pack light you'll just be able to go a lot further and enjoy it more".. Or put it this way, if a fat civilian computer nerd hikes 20 to 25 km in a day that way and enjoys it - you should be able to go a lot further
Most of the time when I sat down with them and showed them
1) Good dehydrated food and a small stove (you don't have to eat MRE's and they are heavy!) 2) had them think about how much weapon, ammo, grenades, commo, batteries, etc. they carried. 3) got them to think "how much did the rest weigh" (the answer to this is almost always "pretty darn little")
Once they got to thinking that, other than their actual fighting gear, they hiked pretty darn light when they were "in" - there just wasn't a lot of room for "extras" after all the ammo, etc. Then I had 'em look at what I take in my list and think and they did pretty good.
Good points. Right now I'm sitting at 33.77 lbs. I went out today and got a kitchen scale and weighed every thing. I still have some stuff to add (food mostly). and I also know I can off load some of that weight into other packs because I will be carrying some of the items they simply do not have. Ie food and fuel. Im for get the term I think it was FUD? meaning worried about everything or something. I don't think of my self as paranoid but I do live by the moto always prepared or never prepared. to that end I carry a good sized med kit. navigation and communications aids.
After reading the lists and comments others have posted i wanted to ask a few questions.
Cell Phones & GPS - I notice people seam to be very adverse to them. I wanted to throw out my justification and see what people thought.
I carry my Cell Phone, (iPhone because it serves more than one purpose. 1. Its a camera... and a dang good one. 2. It works as an communication device in a pinch. some times when you can't make a call connect you can get a text out. 3. Houses some good reference books for us beginner back packers. things like First aid, Edible plants... 4. Can function as a back up GPS but holy cow does the battery die in a hurry when using the GPS to hike. 5. Makes up <1% of my total pack weight and in airplane mode can last all weekend on one charge.
I carry a rather large Garmin Montana GPS. I have plans of getting a smaller one but I love to make tracks and post them on my groups site so others can see where I went, How far, and how high. it also house Topo, and Satellite map plus Waypoints. It has already proved invaluable on previous trips.
A Goal Zero Guide 10 Plus & Nomad 7M Solar Panel For recharging batteries for my head lamp, cell phone, spot tracker and GPS. To me having the ability to recharge batteries is far more important that packing in a boat load of batteries.
It total my "electronics" package weights in at 57 oz and includes 8xAA Batteries - 8oz iPhone 3S - 4.9oz iPhone Tripod - 2oz SPOT Tracker - 4.8oz Goal Zero Panel Kit -26oz Garmin GPS -10.5oz
I carry my Cell Phone, (iPhone because it serves more than one purpose. 1. Its a camera... and a dang good one. 2. It works as an communication device in a pinch. some times when you can't make a call connect you can get a text out. 3. Houses some good reference books for us beginner back packers. things like First aid, Edible plants... 4. Can function as a back up GPS but holy cow does the battery die in a hurry when using the GPS to hike. 5. Makes up <1% of my total pack weight and in airplane mode can last all weekend on one charge.
A good multipurpose phone is a lightweight conscious item and I see many people carry them.
Originally Posted By DieselTwitch
I carry a rather large Garmin Montana GPS. I have plans of getting a smaller one but I love to make tracks and post them on my groups site so others can see where I went, How far, and how high. it also house Topo, and Satellite map plus Waypoints. It has already proved invaluable on previous trips.
A Goal Zero Guide 10 Plus & Nomad 7M Solar Panel For recharging batteries for my head lamp, cell phone, spot tracker and GPS. To me having the ability to recharge batteries is far more important that packing in a boat load of batteries.
Why is the ability to recharge far more important? How many batteries would you need to to pack? My understanding with these chargers is that they have so little capacity when they are not continuously in direct sunlight that you can't charge anything while hiking around.
Would it really be that horrible if any of your electronics (except the SPOT) ran out of batteries? I put fresh batteries in my stuff before I leave. If those run out I do without.
The Iphone is probably a battery hog, so you may need some way to recharge it, but how many batteries could you pack to equal the weight of the solar charger?
Originally Posted By DieselTwitch
It total my "electronics" package weights in at 57 oz and includes 8xAA Batteries - 8oz iPhone 3S - 4.9oz iPhone Tripod - 2oz SPOT Tracker - 4.8oz Goal Zero Panel Kit -26oz Garmin GPS -10.5oz
Thoughts?
That seems like an awful lot of extra weight to me. Are you packing extra batteries and a solar panel?
The solar panel actually charges a 4 pack of batteries. that four pack of batteries is used to charge the phone. other than that is just a general battery charger.
the GPS uses 3x AA the head lamp uses 4x AA The SPOT uses 3x AAA (That the solar charger can also carry) Goal Zero Guide 10 Plus (used to charge the phone) 4x AA
Normally when I trek out (winter or summer) I carry a 100% extra load of batteries. So if I carried enough batteries for everything I would have 25 oz of batteries
I should explain that i do a lot of deep woods winter trips where the sun is not up long, and the time from danger to death is short.
Im on the fence as to if I should carry half the weight and be limited to what i bring or have the ability to charge over and over? Also with this setup I can take care of other people in my group with head lamp batteries, phone charging. and in return I can off load some weight on them.
As for the charging of the panel. by using the 4x AA in the Guide 10 Plus it allows the panel to charge in low light conditions.. just not as fast. Also I like to hike heavy into a spot then trek out in different directions. So i could leave the panel out to charge a set and stay light for my different trips.
It wouldn't be horrible is things died... the GPS, sad yes but I've never had a situation where the GPS has saved my life... made things easier for sure but never saved me. However, this could change this winter as Im getting more into cold camping. Here in Colorado at 10,000' storms come in quick and having a gps to keep me heading in the right direction could be a life saver. The spot really doesn't even need an extra pack of batteries as it only comes on to transmit a message or send an SOS then goes off. its not a constant ON type device. The phone sits in standby 90% of the time, unless I see a picture or want to reference something I see. but I would notice if it did die and not being able to take some pictures would just be disappointing but not trip ending.
You make valid points and I appreciate them! I often think things over 100's of times
[quote=phat] I carry my Cell Phone, (iPhone because it serves more than one purpose. 1. Its a camera... and a dang good one. 2. It works as an communication device in a pinch. some times when you can't make a call connect you can get a text out. 3. Houses some good reference books for us beginner back packers. things like First aid, Edible plants... 4. Can function as a back up GPS but holy cow does the battery die in a hurry when using the GPS to hike. 5. Makes up <1% of my total pack weight and in airplane mode can last all weekend on one charge.
Ya don't need to justify yourself here amigo. I carry mine - it's in airplane mode the whole time, and so the battery lasts forever, and serves as my e-reader at night. It's lighter than the paperback novels I used to carry, and can serve as a backup camera, gps, and god forbid, when I get to the trailhead, in the rare instances I have coverage, a phone. In airplane mode the thing lasts for like oh, over a week or more on the trail as a reader and alarm clock. I think I've done 8 bag nights without a charger with it.
I also often carry a gps.
*but* I turn it on, let it find its' marbles, find what I need, and turn it off. that basically means I get 3-4 days out of a set of AA batteries. I ususally carry two in it, and two extras. Make sure you turn it off when not in use.
Quote:
It total my "electronics" package weights in at 57 oz and includes 8xAA Batteries - 8oz iPhone 3S - 4.9oz iPhone Tripod - 2oz SPOT Tracker - 4.8oz Goal Zero Panel Kit -26oz Garmin GPS -10.5oz Thoughts ?
ditch the tripod and the charger, turn your gps off when not in use. maybe take one set of extra batts for your gps, or just make sure you turn it off when not in use. Get something like a petzl e-lite (that lasts an entire two hiking seasons for me on two cr2032 lithium batts) instead of your battery hogging headlamp - Honestly, with an iphone ereader (so I don't need headlamp to read at night) I use my headlamp to take a leak. that's about it. You have other backup sources of night light - (your phone, your gps, your lighter, etc. etc.)
Basically your devices, while light, are making you a slave to over a pound of battery charging crap. you have your 26 oz of charger - you could be carrying 28 more AAA batteries for that weight... you can turn off your gps, and I'll bet money if you get an LED headlamp you'll have a very hard time running it out. This isn't your red dot on your weapon.. the world will not be a very crappy place without AA's
Keep the spot, consider selectively ditching the gps if you're somewhere familiar and marked, (and take a map and compass - doesn't need batteries - I do consider my GPS a "luxury" - one that can be taken away by electronics, trees, or the whims of a foreign government. so if I know I need it I have a map an compass.. doesn't mean I don't like my GPS
Ya don't need to justify yourself here amigo. I carry mine - it's in airplane mode the whole time, and so the battery lasts forever, and serves as my e-reader at night. It's lighter than the paperback novels I used to carry, and can serve as a backup camera, gps, and god forbid, when I get to the trailhead, in the rare instances I have coverage, a phone. In airplane mode the thing lasts for like oh, over a week or more on the trail as a reader and alarm clock. I think I've done 8 bag nights without a charger with it.
I also often carry a gps.
*but* I turn it on, let it find its' marbles, find what I need, and turn it off. that basically means I get 3-4 days out of a set of AA batteries. I ususally carry two in it, and two extras. Make sure you turn it off when not in use.
I may have to try that. Do you know of any lower power GPS's that would allow me to maintain a "track" for download later with out having to run all the time like my garmin montana?
Originally Posted By phat
ditch the tripod and the charger, turn your gps off when not in use. maybe take one set of extra batts for your gps, or just make sure you turn it off when not in use. Get something like a petzl e-lite (that lasts an entire two hiking seasons for me on two cr2032 lithium batts) instead of your battery hogging headlamp - Honestly, with an iphone ereader (so I don't need headlamp to read at night) I use my headlamp to take a leak. that's about it. You have other backup sources of night light - (your phone, your gps, your lighter, etc. etc.)
Basically your devices, while light, are making you a slave to over a pound of battery charging crap. you have your 26 oz of charger - you could be carrying 28 more AAA batteries for that weight... you can turn off your gps, and I'll bet money if you get an LED headlamp you'll have a very hard time running it out. This isn't your red dot on your weapon.. the world will not be a very crappy place without AA's
Keep the spot, consider selectively ditching the gps if you're somewhere familiar and marked, (and take a map and compass - doesn't need batteries - I do consider my GPS a "luxury" - one that can be taken away by electronics, trees, or the whims of a foreign government. so if I know I need it I have a map an compass.. doesn't mean I don't like my GPS
I use this tripod:
at only 2 oz it makes for doing group, HDR and self photos super easy. Also my name isn't "diesel twitch" for no reason. I have a shake in my hands that makes taking good photos hard. having a quick light tripod is awesome! lol
I also carry a map and compass. I just print the map on a 11"x17" piece of paper and put it in a zip lock bag. and the spot are items I cary on every trip, every time with out fail.
THe only thing about turning the GPS on and off is that I really enjoy seeing the track of where I went. While I know this is not "needed" its does add to the enjoyment. that and my google earth is covered in all my tracks and that is awesome to see!
You're right on the fact that I could carry a lot more batteries for the same weight. Kind of making me regretting buying the kit.
I really like my head lamp. I often hike even at night, some times its much easier to stay cool and hike longer in the dark. I've seen the Petzl ones and just didn't like the output. The headlamp i have is actually an LED lamp, its just a massive diode. at full power it will suck the battery dry in 2hours, at lower power it will last 30hours.
Maybe I should strap on helium balloons to my pack.. hahaha if only i could....
Perspective When I read the gear lists from vets it makes me think we are going off on patrol and we will need everything in case we get into a firefight and get pinned down for a few days before we can get air support.
When we only occasionally go camping we have a lot of time to over prepare for "anything that might happen". I learned a long time ago that if you are really prepared for everything you won't be able to pick up your pack.
So though I go the list and stuff when I backpack, I live in the mountains and I might go for a "hike" to the same place that I "backpack" only I might only carry a lighter and a bottle of water for my "hike". Obviously I have a great span between what I would carry to the same place depending on whether I call it a hike or backpacking.
I could go backpacking to that spot with just my hiking gear, but once I was in camp I might get hungry and want to be warm for the night. A candy bar and sleeping bag would fix that, so EVERYTHING else in my backpack is for my comfort only.
Think about that night you and your buddies went out on your graduation "infiltration" sneak into some town near your military base. You had what? nothing but you base uniform and one guy carried a radio. Think "survival camping" and your pack will be lighter - if you carry one.
Jim
_________________________
These are my own opinions based on wisdom earned through many wrong decisions. Your mileage may vary.
As a reply to kievalina: One thing the good folks here who live in the mountains left out.
Aspirin or other pain reliever will be needed for the first couple of days to help with the headache you'll be getting from altitude "sickness". Just be sure to hydrate. If you feel thirsty in the mountains you're already way to dehydrated.
Also, make sure the sunscreen you take has a moisturizing element as well. It's very dry at altitude, and will seem great compared to Detroit, but will dry your skin and lips out quickly. Also, you should take saline solution for your nose. Doesn't need to be a great big bottle, but at least 6 oz.
Tums works far batter for getting ride of the headache than Aspirin will! About 5 min and the headache is gone. The headache is from lactic acid build up in the blood stream. normally at lower altitudes there is enough air that you can expel it from your body via your lungs but at altitude you are "anaerobic" and it collects, the tums being an anti-acid neutralizes this and gets rid of the headache.
Also be careful not to drink water to try and get ride of the headache or you can quickly run through you supply of water. People I hike with are always running out of water where I can hike all day (10 hours) to 14,000' and spend 80% above 12,000' and I may use 1.5 to 2 liters of water...
Right tools for the job!
I dont seam to have a problem with the dryness at altitude like some do. the only thing I take is stuff for my chapped lips. sun screen is good too but the moisturizer and saline solution seam a bit over kill to me. Peoples noses get dry because they breath too much through their nose and not enough though their mouths, the nose get dry and bleeds.
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