Ultralight Buys for a Buck

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99¢ Only Store — “Ultralight Depot”

One of the exciting aspects of ultralight backpacking is the on-going quest for light, small and cheap equipment.

Typically, “small and light” comes at a higher price, but what if I could show you how to buy ultralight items at an ultracool price of a dollar each? Continue reading

Backpack Quick List

How could anyone forget their shoes on a backpack! I did — but only once.

Have you ever been a few miles from the trailhead and forgot something, or had a feeling that you may have left an essential piece of gear at home? If so, chances are you were not using a checklist.

Big List vs. Small List

QuickListMost ultralight backpackers maintain a gear list. Some “gear wienies” like me, keep a list of each item on a spreadsheet and/or online, including their category and weight–down to the gram. Gear lists help keep track of what you have and help determine base weight, yet most of us don’t carry a gear list with us to the trailhead, and virtually no one carries it with them on the trip. Heck, a sheet of paper weighs 5 grams…, right?

I found a quick and easy way to Continue reading

How To Make a Freezer Bag Cozy

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Step-by-step video on how to make a cozy

If you are an ultralight backpacker, you probably already know the benefits of freezer bag cooking. For those looking for ways to save weight and simplify your back country meals, you may want to consider freezer bag cooking and making your own freezer bag cozy.

In this video, I show you step-by-step instructions on how to Continue reading

Shakedown and Cozy Building

Here I am explaining to the Scouts and parents the advantages of freezer bag cooking and cozy

We had a full house of scouts and parents as  we picked through each pack to help determine what gear is best for the upcoming backpack trip. I tell each Scout that I only make suggestions and leave it up to them to decide to take my advice or not.

I was proud to see that no scout showed up with more than 16 pounds of base weight. Granted, no shelters were handed out as of tonight, but weather permitting, we plan on bringing a few tarps and calling them “home” and “shelter.” Continue reading