What is a backpacking chair (for hiking and camping)?
To get the most out of your outdoor adventures, it is recommended that you use one of the best backpacking chairs. These pieces of camping gear are collapsible and they have built-in hooks, which allow you to attach them to your backpack for hands-free transportation.They are very versatile, and, therefore, can be used for watching kids’ sporting events or enjoying the sunset at the beach. Although they can be folded, top quality backpacking chairs are well made with sturdy materials and heavy-duty frames.it have a lot of choose such as1. Coleman Camping Quad Chair with 4-Can Cooler2. Kijaro Dual Lock Camping and Sports Chair3. ALPS Mountaineering King Kong Chair4. WildHorn Outfitters Terralite Camp Chair5. Trekology YIZI Go Portable Camping Chair6. GCI Outdoor Quick-E-Seat Folding Chair with Backrest7. KingCamp Oversized Quad Arm Chair8. ALPHA CAMP Quad Chair with Cup Holder9. Timber Ridge Camping Chair with Carry BagMore Detail here: The Best Backpacking Chair
What is your favorite backpacking kayak? What made you purchase it?
If you mean by “backpacking kayak”, a boat that can be used for back-country camping, I chose a canoe over a kayak. The model I chose was a Swift Keewaydin 15 solo canoe.It only weighs 28 lbs and is much easier to carry than a kayak and I can load it up with all sorts of gear. No need to stick to items that fit through a tiny hatch. Cooler? Check. Fishing gear? Check. Regular sized camp chairs? Check. Portable gas grill? Check. Large tarp for bad weather? Check. They all easily fit in the canoe without worrying about the size or weight of the items. I can easily bring a couple of hundred pounds of equipment without worrying about it all fitting in tiny hatches.I bought my Swift with a “pack seat” that allows me to sit on the floor, kayak style and use a double bladed kayak paddle. It is fast, light and a great backcountry paddling machine.
How do you sleep well in the wilderness?
My wife and I recently found out the hard way that you sleep well in the wilderness by using a sleeping pad of some kind.On our first over night trip we had forgotten our sleeping pads. Concerned about how comfortable the ground would be we picked rocks and sticks off the ground where we were going to set up the tent in order to not wake up with a stone in our side.Little did we know that the “comfort” part was going to be perfectly fine, it was the cold that was the problem. Overnight the temperature dropped to 3 C (about 38 F). Even in our sleeping bags, which were comfortable to about 3 C (38 F), we were chilled all night and couldn’t sleep for more than about an hour at a time because there’s no loft in the bag when you’re laying on it.Tips on sleeping well in the wilderness1 - Bring a sleeping padI honestly don’t worry about the “comfort” side of sleeping on the ground anymore, just the cold. A sleeping pad helps elevate you off the ground so it doesn’t leech the heat out of you.If a sleeping pad is unavailable, use a bed of leaves, grass, pine boughs, branches, or anything else you can to get some ground clearance. Its the air pockets between your body any the atmosphere that keep you warm, so make sure there’s a lot of them.2 - Keep your feet elevatedThis is a bit less about actually sleeping well and a bit more about improved recovery overnight. Keeping your feet elevated helps improve circulation to them, which improves recovery from soreness and swelling. This helps you keep up the miles over a long distance hike with less discomfort.I keep my feet elevated by putting my backpack under my calves. I end up almost in a sitting position while laying on my back. And remember, your feet do not need to be the highest point of elevation, they really just need to be above your torso..3 - Have an appropriate coveringWhile I mentioned using a pad to stay warm, you also need to make sure you don’t over heat. Getting covered in sweat will make your sleep system damp and uncomfortable, which also interferes with getting a good nights sleep.Make sure your covering suits how you sleep and the weather conditions. My wife and I have sleeping bags that are comfortable in the 3 to 8 C range (38 to 47 F) and survivable down to -9 C (16 F). This is great for spring and fall but definitely too much in the summer so we just use them like a blanket then.Hope those points help.
What are your favorite backpacking hacks or tricks?
Wrap a length of duct tape around each trekking pole. You never know when you'll need it.Keep the area between your legs immaculately clean and dry to avoid chafing.Own a Packa™.Sleep with your microfilter if it's going to drop below freezing. Also consider sleeping with a water bag full of hot water.A finely woven bandanna can also filter larger precipitates from water.If your boots are frozen solid in the morning, slowly pour hot water over them.Always keep a change of clothes in a waterproof bag. Resist the temptation to wear them before you are ensconced inside a tent or shelter.A plastic bag with clothes in it makes a great pillow. So does a wadded-up fleece. But a plastic bag full of clothes tucked inside a fleece is best of all.Never pitch your tent on top of snow. Take the time to dig down to the warm earth.Carnation essentials with powdered milk and cappuccino powder makes a quick, easy, and filling breakfast shake that's easy to pack.If bear canisters are not legally required and you are in bear country, consider a Kevlar Ursack™.Knee pain? Come down that hill backwards!Sore, swollen feet? Try soaking them in a cold spring for a minute. And then apply naproxen sodium as needed.There are only three types of items in a pack: first aid and gear repair supplies, clothes, and things that you use every single day. Everything else is dead weight. Some items of the first three types might be dead weight too.Some things that are dead weight are worth bringing anyway. All such things are consumable. Don't put off consuming them. (In this category are water flavoring, alcohol, and fresh foods.)Spend the night at the bottom of the mountain rather than the top if possible. The camping is better, and uphill sections are easier after a good night's sleep.Don't ford a fast-moving stream that is more than knee-deep. Check conditions in advance.Don't ford any streams barefoot or in your camp shoes. Unless you don't plan on wearing your camp shoes in camp.You probably don't need camp shoes at all. Bring some extra socks and unlace your boots at night and walk around with the tongue pulled out and the sides spread wide.Eat as you go! You can eat while you walk if you bring the right snacks. Starburst, mini bagels, PowerBar energy blasts, Justin's nut butter, chocolate bars…. It's amazing that people think you have to wait until lunch time and stop and sit down to eat.
How do I pack a lighter camping backpack?
Four things will help:Start religiously keeping track of what everything weighs in grams. And just remember that grams add quickly. If you’re always looking to shed evena few grams here and there you’d be surprised how light your pack will get.Ditch low value comfort items. Things like hammocks, campchairs, speakers. None of these are essential to comfort. It’s much easier to train your mind to not need them then it is to buy ultralight versions. Things like pillows can be crafted from extra layers. Chairs can be replaced by sitting against trees.Be cautious with food. Freeze Dried Boil in a Bag is the easy way, but many foods ingredients can be found in dried, or powder format. Pasta is already dried. Beans. precooked rice and legumes are easy to find dried. Combine that with things like dried coconut milk, and a splash of red curry paste and you’ve got a lightweight meal. Dehydrating veggies is another great way to go.Buy Mike Clelland’s Ultralight Backpackin' Tips. It’s a superb read with heeps of excellent information on how to shave grams.
How much should I carry when hiking the Appalachian Trail?
It highly depends. The Army, not known to go light on its soldiers, recommends no more than 30% of body weight in carry. Keep in mind, also, that 1/2 lbs on your feet is 3 lbs on your back, so if you can get light shoes, that helps.On my NOBO I left with too much and arrived with just enough, meaning I spent a lot of time and money sending things back or throwing them into Trail Magic containers. The very same containers also helped me not to have to take as much with me, I could get some things on the trail without having to lug them from home.You can slim down tremendously by spending a little more on your tent and sleeping bag. The EE Revelation (Revelation) is a super light quilt that, in its -1°C version served me well all trip long, and is super light (400g). I had a Sea to Summit Specialist with ground cover, and an Exped Synmat Hyperlite L. All combined it's less than 3.5lbs.Add an ULA Circuit (CIRCUIT) Backpack, and you should remain below the thirty or so pounds that are comfortable and won't kill you along the 100 Mile Wilderness.Food is your second heaviest item. Carry things that need to be rehydrated (I ate mashed potatoes with olive oil pretty much every day, except for Zeroes and for a few days after stops), and made my own bread in the morning for the rest of the day. Bring a comfortable purifier and you can keep your water carry down as well. Just NEVER drink from a stream directly, clear as all that mountain water looks, there's no guarantee that there's not a deer rotting in it a half mile uphill. My hiking buddy Puncher got himself cleared at about half distance that way.I'd go with a coke can heater and a cozy large enough to keep stuff warm, saves a few grams over commercially available cookers. All that said, no matter how much you plan, you'll be replacing and tossing stuff anyways. Pack light, ask yourself for every item ten times "do I really need that?" and you should be fine.
Wilderness survival quiz?
1. Body heat is more than adequate to heat a small tent and you have a sleeping bag. Don't waste the candle. 2. What's with the candle? It's getting light at like 5am in August. Chances are unless you rise super early, it will be light so you don't need the candle for light. There may still be embers so try to get the fire going again. If you're in the woods, birch bark and fireweed fuzz make the best fire starter around. 3. Always keep the gun at hand for BEARS. Wolves aren't likely to attack humans without being seen first. 4. Clean and dress the wound then asses your situation. It it is minor, rest then continue. Otherwise, you would need to put in your own stitches and rest. Beef Jerky won't replace lost blood. You would need to stay hydrated to avoid shock in severe bite/blood loss situation. 5. You don't want to leave raw meat in your pack to attract bears. There really isn't much meat on a wolf. It's mostly skin, bones. It takes days to properly tan a hide. Leave it. 6. c 7. a. Done this many times. Wolves are aggressive to people most of the time. 8. Berry pick. You'll need more than just game meat to survive. 9. Stew will keep you hydrated. 10. Snow makes a great insulation. You don't want to get wet because that can lead to hypothermia. Candle may use up oxygen in the tent. Use flashlight for light. 11. How deep and fast is it? This summer we played in a river that was waist deep. 12. You need to get dry fast to prevent hypothermia so build a fire. Then eat and collect wood. 13. c 14. Do not eat. You want to starve the stomach bugs. Eating will only make it worse. Pine trees don't grow in most of Alaska. Our conifers are spruce (black or white) and tamarak. 15. a Realistically, the best thing to do is STAY PUT. Stay where you are when you first figured out you were lost. Searchers begin close to where you left then widen the search so the closer you are to where you started, the better your chances of being found sooner.
What are some other wilderness expedition programs like Outward Bound, but possibly less expensive?
Have you looked into companies like Black Feather or the Madawaska Kanu Centre ? I've not priced things out, but both have been around quite a while so one can feel relatively safe that they know what they are doing. On a much cheaper scale, I know folks who have traveled to a new location (city or country) and done activities with the local clubs. For example, traveled to Australia but a couple of months in advance contacted the local hiking clubs and arranged to do some activities with them. Not everything works out, and it's often just day trips, but it's much more authentic. On a lower key, I've traveled to Europe for biking and hiking trips. Check out Bike and Barge in the Netherlands, or Headwater. Algonquin Park (in Ontario Canada) have winterized yurts for rent. It's a great way for a group of friends to go xc-skiing, snow-shoe'ing, and winter hiking (if global warming continues to play havoc with out weather). They are really affordable (ignoring travel costs) and if you don't figure out the heating controls, can be quite an adventure ! Also the out-houses in -30C in the dead of night are a real treat. So, where-ever you end up, don't forget the duct tape :)
Can you use a gun to protect yourself from wolves when hiking?
Do you know that wolves are not a real threat to humans?I lived in the Canadian Arctic for years, as well as some of the southern areas of Canada with the highest populations of mountain lions and grizzly bears. I never bothered with firearms in the south, and though I carried a rifle (a Lee-Enfield .303) in the Arctic for a while, I soon stopped and instead brought along an amazing Labrador Retriever named Clyde instead.I loved to spend whole days hiking in the wilderness without anyone else around. I have encountered wolves, bears, and other large animals quite often but I never felt really threatened. I never once even saw a mountain lion, those creatures are extremely shy around humans. I once encountered a polar bear at a fairly close distance, which really did trigger the old pucker factor, but even in that case I don’t believe I would have had enough time to draw, aim and fire if the bear had decided that I was on the dinner menu.The average wolf encounter on the tundra was almost scripted. A wolf pack would catch my scent and start following me at a distance of about 1.5 kilometers. Every few hours one wolf would approach until it was about 50–100 meters away, and then he would watch me closely and sniff the air for several minutes after which he would rejoin the pack.The wolves were not trying to hunt me, they just knew that humans often killed caribou or musk ox and then left most of the animal behind, so an easy meal. The wolves were also following in case I died from exposure or sickness, in which case my corpse was fair game.Can you use a gun to protect yourself from wolves when hiking? Yes, if it’s legal in your jurisdiction.Should you? That’s kind of up to you, but if you are just hiking do you need several extra pounds of weight to carry?Do you need to? Probably not. Wolves have been known to eat lost hikers, but in virtually every known case the hiker had already died of exposure. I don’t begrudge the wolves for their eating habits, they don’t prey on us but all bets are off after we’re dead. Seems fair to me.