Lightweight Backpacking for Paddling later on.........

[oldsparkey]

On my quest for lighter camping equipment I have stuck gold , so to speak.
It appears that the complete package is finally done , anyway I hope it is. One thing for sure , my wallet is a lot lighter. :lol:

A camp stool at 14 oz by Camp Time , it is a roll up camping stool 17 inches high and virtually eliminates all those deep knee crunches when filtering water or cooking. It rolls up to a package 22.5 inches by 2.5 inches. Plus it can be carried on the side or the inside of my backpack.
From campmor #41192-R for $26.99

Then to replace the stainless mug double wall mug and even the Sierra cup ( it is the lightest of the two at 6oz ) with a stack able polyethylene cup at 1.8 oz and 14.2oz capacity by GSI for $2.95. Heck it even has the graduate scale on the one side for measuring liquids. Campmor has the mug but it is not in there book , have to find it on there web site.

For digging a cat hole a backpackers trowel at 2oz and $2.99.

Then some candles for my candle lantern and some lexan spoons ( only take one at a time ) for eating.

Two Nalgene wide mouth bottles ( BPA Free) my old ones aren't BPA Free. 4.4 0z each and $5.99 each.

For getting there in comfort some Wigwam Iron-man Thunder Pro Socks which are 56% dry release , 25% nylon , 17% X20 acrylic and 2% stretch polyester. They are quick drying in case of wet feet and wick moisture away for a dryer foot and no blisters. $12.00 each pair. From Campmor.
The reason for the quick drying socks is because I hike in a pair of Merrell Moab Ventilators and they will let the water in (not waterproof) but keep everything else out. I found them at Dillards and they weight 1lb 8oz per pair. There is a saying...a pound on the feet when backpacking is 5 pounds on the back at nighttime. My old hiking shoes were over 3 pounds per pair. I cut that weight by 50% so I could add the camping stool for camp comfort and still save some weight.

Plus I located a 11oz self inflating ( therm-a-rest ) sleeping pad at a reduced cost ( 25% reduction ) from a different web site ( Moosjaw ) , reducing the weight ( by 33% ) and size difference from my old sleeping pad.

Also been doing some experimenting with breakfast here at home for when I am out in the woods carrying everything and not using a canoe. The food and water are the two really heavy items and additional weight over the basic items. It is not counted in the basic weight since it's weight varies all the time.

For a filling breakfast and easy to make ....one pack of the Quaker Instant Cinnamon and Spice Oatmeal l with one pack of the Cinnabon instant Cream of Wheat. Each requires a 1/2 cup of boiling water so with one full cup of boiling water the two can be transformed into a hot , easy , breakfast and a one pot meal. Use some of the dried ( instant ) milk with the water for a creamer breakfast.
For a snack on the trail.... Quaker Oatmeal to Go , Brown Sugar and Cinnamon ones , they are a square bar of flavored oatmeal. They are more like a small cake then oatmeal and they are really good.

After eating (to clean the pot ) , put more water in the same pot and boil it for a cup of tea , if some cinnamon and cereal is left in there it will add flavor to the tea.

Can you tell I like Cinnamon. :lol:

 

[jdupre']

Good thinking there, Chuck. To save weight, you have to look at every piece of your equipment.


Oh...if you eat all that oatmeal, you'll be a-needin' that 2oz. trowel. :mrgreen:

Joey

 

[oldsparkey]

Good thinking there, Chuck. To save weight, you have to look at every piece of your equipment.


Oh...if you eat all that oatmeal, you'll be a-needin' that 2oz. trowel. :mrgreen:

Joey

Ha ,Ha, Ha...... That trowel will help to conceal a real large weight loss. Especially if I pack a small bag of dried Prunes as a snack in the food bag and I do like to snack on them.

 

[Kayak Jack]

Cinnamon is good for us geezers. And, it tastes good too. Samo samo for oatmeal. And for tea. My stool is very similar. I didn't see a camp stove on there; are you cooking on a fire? Fire starters?
Your oatmeal and stuff is similar to my power bars, nutritious, filling, and emptying all at the same time. :wink:

 

[oldsparkey]

"O"oop's....I didn't mention it since the stove was listed in one of the above posts ...it is the Trainga burner with there West-wind stove (burner holder ) and one aluminum pot and a pot lifter , 10 oz. Everything fits together in one really small package.

It's jig saw puzzle the 1st time you try to put it together but after a couple of times it gets easier. :lol: The trianga burner in the west wind stove.
This is close to a life time size of the outfit.

The west wind is three pieces of aluminum that fit together , forming a triangle , to hold the stove. The stove fits in a recessed area for it. The pot sits on the raised portion of that triangle above the burner giving the flame some room. It is really a neat setup for cooking.
The whole outfit weighs that 10oz and with a small bottle of alcohol it will heat things up for me quite well.

It's the same one that I used when Mac and I were camping at Hontoon Island. Just set it up on the table and had some hot soup. In the mornings some hot tea or coffee depending on which was desired.

The fuel bottle is a cough medicine , plastic syrup , bottle I got from the pharmacy at the Publix supermarket , ( where I get my prescriptions filled ) and will hold 6oz of alcohol when filled up. One ounce of alcohol will boil the water and have left over alcohol in the burner so it can be snuffed out and then capped and keep in the burner for future use.

Trianga made the burners so they can be capped (sealed) with a leak proof lid and then used later on without adding more alcohol unless it is necessary.

 

[tx river rat]

Sparky
You are going to get your gear so light that you will be loading rocks in your canoe for balast
Ron

 

[Kayak Jack]

I like that stove set up. Simple. Could use aluminum foil if a simple wind screen is needed.
How thick is your new sleeping pad? I got addicted to a 1 1/2" (advertised as 2") pad. Used to sleep on 3/8" thick pad - no more.
I prefer the First Needs water purifier. But, I guess that if I were really counting ounces, a SteriPen kit, Campmor# 69487, or just the pen #69494 may be a good item?

 

[islandpiper]

Here's a tip: take al the buttons off that flannel shirt you carry, and that'll save an ounce. Put them in the right chest pocket and you won't be losing them when you put your reading glasses in and out. piper

 

[oldsparkey]

The mattress is one inch but in the hammock even not that much is needed , only if I end up having to use the tent ( Tarp Tent Moment ).
Example => hiking the dike around lake Okeechobee ( 113 miles ) , there isn't really anyplace to hang a hammock. So a person has to have a tent or sleep out under the stars , a trap might work but the Swamp Angles ( Skeeteres) would carry you off.
The hammock is my preferred item for camping. A person is up off the ground and away from the critters and creepy crawleys plus it is dam comfortable sleeping.

I have the First Need for water purification but found something lighter and easier.
Around here good drinking water can be found so a purification process is not really needed , especially for just a weekend ( a two day outing ).
A weekend trip two Nalgene bottles is half of a gallon of water and for two days , one night , that should be plenty. If there is a question about the amount of water needed ( lets say , hot weather ) then I have a back up system. A KATADYN MYBOTTLE PURIFIER. Just take the top off the bottle , fill it from the water source , put the top back on and drink. If the water is really dirty then put a bandanna over the opening when filling it , or a coffee filter. It will treat up to 26 gallons before the internal filter and purifier needs to be replaced. The empty bottle weighs 8oz ( half the weight of the First need ) and will hold 24oz of water when filled.
Campmor 59999-R
An empty ( emergency ) water bottle in the pack that you know will provide filtered/purified water for your use gives me some piece of mind in case a water problems come up while out on a trail. It's a small weight in the pack to have for that comfort in knowing there is something to fall back on.
I checked out the reports on the Steri-Pens and they can/will break plus some folks reported them not working and they had to go back to the standard filtration items. They sure seamed like a good way of doing it but they do not remove any chemicals ( pesticides ) or particles (foreign matter ) that are in the water.

I don't recommend doing this but it has been done..................Johnny Mallory walked the 1,100. miles of the Florida Trail .( His Book ...Hiking the Florida Trail , 1,100 miles ,Two pair of boots and one heck of an adventure ). He drank the water by just dipping his bottle in it and then drinking it. He said that he would fill his bottle and then add a powdered/instant drink mix ( sometime tea ) to mask the flavor of the water and drink it. He would also boil water in the morning and evening for his coffee . On one trip some of the guys when we paddled the Suwanee river would fill there bottles at the springs while going down stream.

Piper.........
As far as the buttons , most of my shirts are the pull over kind without any buttons but I guess I could take one with buttons in case I ran out of water , then I could do like the cowboys did out in the desert with the pebbles when they could not locate water. Just put a few buttons in my mouth and suck on them till I hit an oasis and got some water. :lol: :lol: :lol: Just JOKING FOLKS.

 

[oldsparkey]

As a continuation of the above post............

Regarding the First Need portable water purifier.
I have the First Need XL portable water purifier for over a year and a half. Weight 16oz.
Is good for 150 gallons of drinking water.

It has a fast flow rate , is lightweight (16oz) and best of all it has a Hands Free Gravity filter so you don't have to pump the water if you get lazy. Otherwise you just pump the water threw it.
It does not use chemicals so there is no Iodine taste to the drinking water.
It removes the Pathogenic Cysts , Disease Bacteria , Viruses , Chemical Contaminates (Pesticides , herbicides , toxic chemicals )
It also removes the fowl taste , order ,color ,dirt and sediment in the water.

The Katadyn Mybottle Purifier Weight 8oz.
Is good for 26 gallons of drinking water when using the purification sysytem.

The Katadyn Mybottle Purifier Bottle lets you drink directly from local water sources! The bottle holds 24 oz. of water and the filter can be used 155 times before replacement is needed ( 26 gallons ) . Remove Giardia, crypto, viruses, protazoa and bacteria from water but uses iodine to complete that.
If you are not familiar with it here is a short film about it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVJcNNsWz_Q

Plus it can be used as a personal water bottle with ( treated city water) processed water and without the purification system in it.... Such as the normal water bottle used everyday by a person.

 

[catfish]

thanks chuck lot of good info. i don,t have one yet but i,m gona invest in one real soon . i like the bottle thats on the vidio. is real simple my kind of thing. i guess the first need would be for more volume of water if needed?

 

[Kayak Jack]

Does anyone here have experience with the MSR Miox Water Purifier, Campmor Item #: 87855? It looks interesting and light weight, but I can't figure the container. It must use a larger container that is not included?

 

[oldsparkey]

Does anyone here have experience with the MSR Miox Water Purifier, Campmor Item #: 87855? It looks interesting and light weight, but I can't figure the container. It must use a larger container that is not included?

Jack........

You need batteries with it plus you have to use rock salt and if you are a retired chemist you would like using it. Figure on from 30 to 45 minutes before you can drink the water , Prep time using it is around 5 minutes and then a 30 minute to 4 hour wait depending on the water conditions before drinking the treated water. Plus they don't say anything about removing any harmful chemicals , pesticides or poisons.
You also drink from the container you used to get the water so the lip of it is contaminated with the bad water.

The guy in this film makes a statement I don't agree with him about filters not removing the critters from the water....read the comments below his picture.

The guy
This is a 9 minute film , he does like to talk.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtHuV0mPXYQ

A gal........
Condensed version. 4 minutes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goyXWqX9 ... re=related

A pack of water purification tablets ( they require about the same waiting time before drinking ) to treat the water would do the same thing and weigh a lot less plus cost a whole lot less then the $140.00 they want for one of the units.

 

[oldsparkey]

I added one more (comfort ) item to my camping arsenal for the lightweight camping.

I picked up one of the MacCat Four Season Tarps (Outdoor Equipment Supplier ) made with the silnylon cloth in the Forest Green. The 10 x 12 one at 1 pound and 3 oz.
Even with it the basic weight of my pack is still under 10 pounds.
http://outdoorequipmentsupplier.com/4_season_tarps.php

NOW....Let It Rain , I have a shelter to get under for relaxing and cooking besides the rain fly on the hammock. A couple of days in the same camp it is nice to have an additional covered area to enjoy especially since the rains manage to locate me ... Now and Then. :lol: :roll:

Here is what they say about it..................
* Specially designed tarps for 4-season hammocking and camping
* Catenary cut perimeter edges keep tarp taught and quiet in all weather conditions
* Unique end panels for blocking torrential rain and snow & cold winter wind
* Doors can either be deployed inwards for wind blocking or straight out for maximum ground protection
* Sleeps three people comfortably underneath, a palace for one!
* Ridgeline pull tabs can use hiking poles for tree-less setup
* Current colors include Forest Green, Black, Royal Blue and Stealth-Gray.

To make it easier to put up and take down I hung it in the backyard and using an old pair of Tom Hennesseys Snake Skins they slide over the whole tarp encasing it for storage and transportation. The Snake Skins , the tarp , 6 ground spikes and 100 feet of parachute cord fits in the stuff sack and is about the size of a standard loaf of bread.

Chuck.........

 

[Kayak Jack]

Looks nice, Chuck. KInda similar to a Cooke Custom Sewing one with a few less tie down points http://www.pdfdownload.org/pdf2html/vie ... psetup.pdf

Will it keep out the crawling critters? Or, will your hammock/tent do that job? I don't know how light you are going. (I like a truck following along behind to carry the supplements for my lightweight backpack )

 

[oldsparkey]

Will it keep out the crawling critters? Or, will your hammock/tent do that job? I don't know how light you are going. (I like a truck following along behind to carry the supplements for my lightweight backpack )

It will not keep out the creepy crawlers as any tarp can't do that by itself.
The hammock or the tent will keep them out without any problems.
The Tarp Tent ( Moment ) as you know is a single wall tent and only made for one person to be in , comfortably. It is not a tent I would want to spend all day in with it raining and wanting a hot beverage or a meal. I figured that the tarp would act as protection or as a rain fly if it would be necessary , same with the hammock if the rain fly for them would get damaged. If it is not needed for that then I have an sheltered area to enjoy separate from the tent or hammock or set them up injunction for one big area.

The Mac Cat 10 x 12 is lighter then the Cooke Tarp by a few ounces and most of the others without getting in the really big bucks for a tarp. Heck , Brian even makes one lighter out of some new material but the price sure went up for one of them. I did get some extra panel pulls put on mine so if I wanted to set it up like a "A" Frame tent the sides can be pulled out for extra room. Plus he seams seals all the seams before sending the tarp out to the customer , I did not have to seal a single seam.

Right now my pack is under 10 pounds , between 8 and 9 depending on which item ( Clark hammock or the Moment Tent ) plus this is everything except for the food and water which the weight of would change everyday.
I want to keep the weight down when I am the mule packing it , in the canoe it is , load it up. :wink:

 

[Kayak Jack]

On my Moment. I'm thinking of rigging the fly with one end running right along the center ridge pole. Then, extend it out in front of the tent. Like you, I like a covered patio for lounging & eating.

 

[oldsparkey]

On my Moment. I'm thinking of rigging the fly with one end running right along the center ridge pole. Then, extend it out in front of the tent. Like you, I like a covered patio for lounging & eating.

like your thought of along the center ridge line of the tent..................
The single wall tents are notoriously famous for condensation when closed up and the person is inside. That had me thinking that a tarp over a part of it would let the camper have the entrance wide oped ( not closed ) for ventilation if it was raining.

Considering the ventilation all around the sides of the tent , if the entrance was open ( bug net closed ) during the night then there would be plenty of ventilation to stop the condensation , plus offering a really dry sitting area and entry / exit.

Call it an extended rain and patio fly.

 

[Kayak Jack]

I want a covered entry into the tent. I don't like getting in/out with rain on me. Sitting there in an evening, or lounging on a slow morning, is a lot of what camping is about for me, sometimes.
I test rigged mine like that out on the side lawn, seemed to work OK. Course, I may need to take that tree from the lawn along with me on trips ......

 

[oldsparkey]

The camping trip with Mac this week taught me something.... Getting older is NO FUN especially just after getting over a bummed up knee.

Walking is no problem but getting up and down sure is. :roll:
I thought I would try the Moment tent since the weather was good for camping and I had not spent any time in it camping.

This is a picture from there web site.......... http://www.tarptent.com/

We got to the campsite and set up camp , I put up the Moment and it went up in a hurry. Then we put the McCat tarp over it in case of rain. It is a single walled tent.
The tent and tarp system work's really nice. With the tarp over the tent I could leave the fly over the door all the way up for good ventilation. A lot of folks were complaining about condensation on the inside of there Moment but in the morning there was none with the way I had it set up.
The tent does offer plenty of ventilation is a person wanted to set it up for ventilation ( which I did ). Our days were hot and humid with the nights cooling down.

The down side is that the tent is narrow and just room for one person with some extra room at the head and feet. But it is a solo backpacking tent.
The way the ends angle in and down a person could get claustrophobic since it is close quarters in the tent at the ends. The stretching room is next to none especially to the sides and even over the chest if you decide to raise your arms to get rid of a cramped arm or back mussel.

Also getting in and out is a trick since the door way is rather low and small , I basically had to crawl to get in or out. This is no fun with a knee that reminds you it does not like a lot of pressure on the knee cap. :wink: That's my fault and not the tents.

The bathtub floor of the tent is really slick and the air mattress slid around on it like a skater on ice during the night. A person would need to run some seam sealer across the floor in spots to keep there mattress from sliding around. Something the manufacture suggests but I did not do when sealing the seams.
Someday I will listen to what the manufactures suggest in there instructions.

Considering all of that it would be a good tent for someone who likes tents and wanted a light weight one for hiking especially one that takes very little space in there backpack.
I would recommend the center pole section , over the top since it makes the tent Free Standing and can be moved without any trouble. I could pick the whole tent up with one hand and move it around without any problems. Even with the air mattress , camping pillow , flashlight and sleeping bag inside it.

After that trial run , I packed the tent in the morning then went and set up the Clark , Tropical , Hammock and sleep in it. I am a hammock camper , especially where there are trees for the hammock and we had a lot of trees.

By the way , we had a good time , the Owls hooted at night , practically all nigh long. The mosquitoes did visit in the morning and evenings but the Thermacell keep they away from the fire where we did a couple of steaks. The days were hot and humid but the evenings and nights cooled down.