Talusdancers

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These are my personal opinions based on more than 3 1/2 decades of backcountry travel. However, I am not any sort of “official expert” so you should consult the many available books written by experts before you set out, and/or find someone with experience to introduce you to backpacking techniques and skills. Although it is my personal belief that the risks of backcountry travel are small and acceptable for me, there are risks, including but not limited to the weather, sickness and injury, animals, and many other things that you may or may not want to think about. Consequences can be serious, costly, painful, and/or fatal. Be aware that your ability to use equipment safely and effectively depends on experience and understanding of the equipment and the country you travel through, and that this is not something that you can pick up by reading a few web pages – especially mine!

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I was recently thinking about how backpacking has changed and improved since I crossed Rockbound Pass into Desolation Wilderness on my first pack trip in the late 1960s. Consider:

• ***Tube tents
  provided shelter. Many people have never heard of these today – a tube tent is a tube of cheap plastic perhaps 10 feet long. You would run a line though the tube and between a couple of trees and then weight the corners to form a sort of funky A-frame shape, open at both ends. The tube tent had the advantages of light weight, simplicity, and cheap cost – and not much else. Condensation was terrible, especially if you blocked the ends in rain; and if you didn’t the storm would blow right in.
• ***Wool
  was the primary form of insulating clothing a few decades ago. I owned pairs of surplus army wool pants, wool long underwear, wool shirts, wool sweaters, wool gloves and mittens. In fairness, a lot of this equipment was beautiful stuff – I still cannot bring myself to part with a beautiful old Woolrich shirt that I used to carry, and Dachstein boiled-wool mittens are some of the best-designed and most-functional outdoor gear ever made. But the new stuff is better…
• ***Down jackets and vests
  used to be the norm. In fact, they were something of a badge among outdoors-people and those who wanted to look like they were. A good hooded down jacket is still a great piece of equipment in really cold conditions – it is warm and much lighter and more compressible than pile or fleece alternatives. However, down clothing is fragile and needs to be babied and kept dry.
• ***Food has improved
  but not just because backpacking food manufacturers do a better job. The real improvement is due to a trend in American eating habits that is unfortunate for general health, but advantageous for backpackers. There is so much interest in “instant meals” today on the part of people whose lives are too busy that every grocery store sells lots of stuff that makes decent backpacking food. You could do all of your backpacking food shopping at the right grocery store.
• ***Wilderness permits were not needed
  – in fact, they didn’t exist. You got out of the car at the trailhead and started walking. I still have not come to terms with the idea that one should make advance reservations for backpacking. It seems completely counter to the spirit of the activity to have to plan a careful itinerary ahead of time and then get permission from the authorities. I remember when the transition to permits took place. At first permits were sort of “recommended.” Then they were sort of “required” – though there was no penalty for going without. Then I remember one trip where I was asked for a permit on the trail (I did not have one) and the polite ranger warned me that in the future not having one would cost me…
• ***We assumed that water was drinkable
  - at least in most cases in the Sierra. We carried the ubiquitous Sierra Cup, either attached to our belts or looped through the cross-bars of our external-frame packs, and simply dipped water straight from the nearest running stream. I kept doing this for some time after others began to use filters but finally got a filter when I took my young kids backpacking. (To be honest, I would not hesitate to drink the water in some parts of the Sierra even today…)
• ***Plastic ponchos
  served as rain gear. Hard to imagine this today, but we would carry large ponchos modified to fit over loaded external frame packs and try to convince ourselves that they protected us. In reality they sort of protected one from rain from about the thighs up, as long as you ignored the rotten hood, the wind and rain coming in the opening between the side snaps, and the tropical condensation anywhere the rain didn’t get in. Gore-Tex was a revolution! With a GT parka and pants one can actually operate efficiently in wind and rain.
• ***External-frame packs ruled
  and were the only type that “real backpackers” used. My first was an alloy Camp Trails model with a bright orange sack. I later owned the classic Kelty Tioga pack – a giant pack that handled my giant two-week loads of 70lbs. or more. Yeah, I was younger then.
• ***Internal frame packs sucked
  – though some of us tried to convince ourselves otherwise. My first internal frame pack was a Lowe Expedition. Although I told myself that this pack let me travel more efficiently in alpine terrain, in truth it carried like a 100-pound monkey on my back. (Note: Lowe currently makes great equipment including packs, one of which I own.) Current internal frame models have, fortunately, far surpassed these early attempts – and today most “real backpackers” (whatever that means…) have switched to internal frame models.

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For a long time my gear tended towards expeditionary weight, at first because I favored annual longish (two-weeks) High Sierra trips – sometimes alone – and later because I did a lot of backpacking with my kids when they were quite young.

More recently I have become interested in using lighter (and less) equipment. The first time I tried this was on a trip I do at least once each year – in fact it is my traditional “last trip of the season” – from Tuolumne Meadows to Fletcher Lake. Typically, in the past I would arrive at Fletcher pretty well worn-out. (Which always seemed bizarre since it is only 1700′ of climbing and a bit more than 7 miles…) On this first “light” trip I used light shoes, took no stove, and left a lot of gear behind. I got to Fletcher Lake and felt so good that I climbed to a nearby pass to enjoy the view after setting up camp.

Compared to the weights I would have carried on similar trips in years past, I’m convinced that I saved at least 10 pounds or more of pack weight on a weeklong Pioneer Basin 2003 trip I took with the Talusdancers.

The following is a summary of some of my current thinking about equipment in light of this new approach.

Clothing

When I go for the fast and light approach I tend to modify the full-on clothing list above in two ways:

• Rather than taking extra gear “just in case” I take just enough to remain comfortable in likely conditions. I do not go so light as to risk my health or safety, but I do think carefully about how less gear can be used more effectively. If you never have to wear everything you carry, you are probably carrying too much clothing. (New backpackers should err on the side of being over-equipped.)
• I have replaced some of the heavy-duty equipment that I used to carry (and still do in certain conditions – e.g. winter) with lighter alternatives.

Here are some highlights:

• Replace Gore-Tex mountaineering parka (Marmot) and full-zip pants (REI) with with Marmot Precip jacket and pants. This probably saves 1 pound.
• Replace heavy fleece jacket (Sierra Designs or Marmot) with very light Windstopper vest (REI) and light fleece half-zip top (REI) or an Arc’teryx Delta jacket or, more recently, my 11 ounce Western Mountaineering down Flight Jacket. This results in at least a half pound savings.
• Replace heavy mountaineering boots with either ankle-height lightweight boots (Merrell Torrent Mid) or, more recently, running shoe-style Merrell Reflex shoes or similar. This can save between 2 and 3 pounds.
• Replace long pants with (Moonstone) cycling-style tights worn under shorts. Augment with slightly heavier (The North Face) tights if necessary or, better yet, just put Gore-Tex pants on over them. Another half-pound saved here. Alternatively, use a pair of zip-off-leg hiking pants plus light long underwear.
• Climb in the sleeping bag if it gets too cold!

Equipment

• I started using a bivy sack (Moonstone Mountaineering) recently and I now use this instead of a tent if the weather does not look too threatening.
• When traveling alone and expecting “interesting” weather I take a small one-person tent (Walrus Zoid 1.0 – an excellent backpacking tent for one).
• I often carry an Integral Designs Siltarp to augment the bivy sack. Compared to the tent, there is a slight weight advantage (perhaps 1/2 pound) and this gear packs smaller.
• My smaller Mountainsmith Auspex pack (4000 cu. in and 3 1/2 or 4 pounds) is about half as heavy as my traditional Crestone II pack. Even if I augment the Auspex with the Boogeyman pack (1000 cu. in and 1 pound) my load is still several pounds lighter. I have gone out for more than a week with this combination. On shorter trips I carry a very light and slightly smaller Gregory pack.
• I frequently carry a very light Marmot Arroyo 850-fill down bag that weighs about a pound and a half and is rated (perhaps optimistically) to 30 degrees. By wearing some extra clothes in the sleeping I find that I’m never too cold in summer Sierra conditions. In colder conditions I use the excellent Marmot Hydrogen bag.

Food/Cooking

I’m usually terrible about calculating how much food I’ll need. I always used to return from a trip with enough food in my pack to go out for another couple of days – even on two-day trips! So, my main weight-saving trick is, quite frankly, to try to leave the extras behind. I can save at least a couple of pounds this way – more on longer trips.

(On my summer 2004 9-day South Lake to Onion Valley trip I calculated very carefully. At the end of the trip I had not eaten a Balance bar, a small bag of awful-tasting dried tropical fruit, and one fig bar.)

Another option that can save a significant amount of weight on short trips is to forego using a stove. Even my smallest stove with minimal fuel, a small pot, assorted other cooking items, and a cup and a spoon will weigh at least a few pounds. Eliminate these and eat foods that require no preparation: Energy bar(s) for breakfast; the same stuff as always for lunch and snacks; more lunch/snack foods for dinner. The tradeoff here is that this kind of food probably weighs more per day, so it only makes sense on short trips where the weight saved by leaving the cooking equipment at home is greater than the extra weight of the food. (Note: This diet sounds worse than it turns out to be in actual practice… though I sure wouldn’t want to eat this way at home!)

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Many people are quite paranoid about backcountry encounters with Sierra bears. Partly this is probably a normal reaction to the idea of meeting a powerful mammal that is larger than you, but part of it is due to mythology that has been built up around these animals. In their effort to protect park visitors from their ignorance (e.g. – offering snacks to the bears) park rangers seem to create a greater level of panic than is probably necessary. For example, while I know that bears can and do break into cars I have never actually seen it happen in 35 years of backpacking. (Though I am very careful to not leave food in my car and to place items out of sight.)

Some people imagine that the bears may be stalking them in the backcountry. In my experience, bears are not really interested in people at all – just in the goodies that people may leave in their camps. Bears are opportunists: if you leave food where they can get it (or figure out how to get it) they will take it – but they bear no malice towards you and they really are not interested in eating you! So, be careful about food storage, don’t harass bears if you see them – and enjoy the opportunity to view these magnificent animals if you are lucky enough to encounter them.

(These are my personal opinions based primarily on experience with Sierra Nevada black bears. I am not an expert on animal behavior. Some experienced people will disagree with some of my opinions. Please read my disclaimer and consult real experts on bear behavior to ensure that you understand official policies on dealing with bears and other animals in the wild.)

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I favor simplicity – sometimes at the expense of variety and quality. I’m not in the backcountry to eat – I’ll go to a good restaurant on the way home!

There are situations in which I don’t follow my primitive regimen.

• On short trips I get lazy and often carry more food than I really need, and I’ll toss a few treats in the pack.
• When I travelled with young kids I made sure to carry food that they would like. I brought along treats as rewards for getting through difficult hikes – you’d be amazed at what they can accomplish with a bit of encouragement. “Hey, let’s stop at that clump of trees half way up the climb for M&M’s and some lemonade!” (Basic rule for backpacking with children: “The highest goal is to have a good time.” If they don’t enjoy the experience, you won’t either; nor will they be likely to continue to backpack with you as they get older.)

I have also travelled once or twice without carrying a stove. Although I’ve seen people do this for longer periods, for me this works best on a fast and light 2 or 3 day trip. It may seem barbaric to those who are used to hot meals but in actual practice it isn’t really a big deal. Breakfast stays about the same for me: granola with dried milk. Lunch and dinner turn into largish snacks, using mostly the same foods listed below but with perhaps more cheese, bread, jerky, and so on. I often think I’m going to be dissatisfied with this kind of dinner, but in actual practice it turns out to be just fine.

Breakfast

• ***Granola
  premixed with dry milk. Pour it in the Sierra cup and add water. This has been my standard breakfast for years – but see below.
• ***Quick-cooking (not instant!) oatmeal
  augmented with a bit of brown sugar, some cinnamon, and nuts and raisins. I never used to cook breakfast, but a couple of years ago while preparing for a long trip it occurred to me that oatmeal is lighter and packs smaller than granola. The “packs smaller” issue was most important since I was concerned about getting food for a 9 day trip into a bear canister. While one cannot ignore the additional fuel’s weight and mass, at least it doesn’t have to go into the canister.
• ***Drink mix
  – I used to carry Tang, but don’t bother any more – Sierra water is just fine!
• ***Coffee maker
  – I have been carrying a mini-espresso maker for a few years, but I’ve begun leaving that at home recently as well.
• ***Instant hot drinks
  – When I leave the espresso-maker at home I may carry instant coffee (yuck!) or, more likely, tea bags and instant hot chocolate or cider mixes. True barbarians don’t cook breakfast or fix hot drinks. (However, I am reconsidering this idea now that I have realized that oatmeal is lighter and packs smaller than granola on long trips. Since I’m heating water anyway, why not enjoy a cup of tea?)
• ***Energy bars
  (Clif, Powerbars, etc.) can make a decent quick breakfast, especially if you are trying to get up and on the trail quickly.

Lunch/Snacks

The boundary between lunch and snacks is somewhat nebulous for me. I tend to snack throughout the day; lunch on the trail just seems like a larger snack. I carry a variety of things, but not usually everything you see listed here.

• ***Pita bread, crackers, small french bread rolls, or (my favorite) schwarzbrot
  – these both keep fairly well and the pita bread tends to not get squished in the pack. Crackers keep better than bread on longer trips. One 7 ounce package of Whole Foods Markets crostini lasts me a week.
• ***Cheese/Peanut butter/turkey jerky
  – I’ve always carried a tube of peanut butter, often with the jelly premixed. However, I think I have finally admitted to myself that I hate peanut butter from a tube, and I’ll leave it home in the future. I prefer some combination of hard (sometimes smoked) cheese and turkey jerky (favorites are the really spicy kind and the teriyaki version). Pick hard cheeses and they will keep for quite a long time in the pack. Current favorites – for flavor and storage – include dry jack and Fiscalini cheddar.
• ***Nuts
  – mixed nuts are great for munching. Peanuts run a close second. Tamari almonds are a treat.
• ***Dried fruit
  – I like dates and dried pineapple
• ***Energy bars
  – I know they taste awful at home. But they are good quick and compact snacks on the trail. For a long time Clif Bars and Powerbars were pretty much the best options. Recently I’ve become fond of Mojo Bars from the same folks who make Clif Bars. I’ll occasionally carry some of the energy gel products like GU, etc. I find that I generally eat fewer than one bar per day so I might take 4-5 of them on a week-long trip.
• ***Fig bars
  – one per day.
• ***Drink mixes
  – I used to carry instant drink mixes (lemonade, etc.) though I rarely bother any more.

Dinner

• ***Freeze-dried dinners
  – I know that many people don’t like them, but I like the fact that I can boil water, pour it in the bag, and eat a few minutes later. This really saves on stove fuel and clean-up. I rely entirely on these meals on some trips. (However, on longer trips I remove them from packaging to save space and prepare them directly in a small pot.
• ***Grocery store food
  – Besides the old standby macaroni and cheese there are a number of excellent rice dinners that don’t take too much cooking. You can do pretty well with some of the instant meal cups, and save space by repackaging them.
• ***Instant Soups
  - The ubiquitous “cup o’ soup” style soups in the small paper cups can easily be repackaged as dinners. For me, two of the soup packages make a decent trail dinner. They are simple to fix (just add boiling water and wait 5-8 minutes) and many of them taste pretty good. Some are more substantial that others, so you may want to try them out before relying on them in the backcountry. If weight isn’t a great concern on a shorter trip, I may toss in one or two of these in case discover that I want a more substantial dinner.

• ***Bulk food bin mixes
  – My local Whole Foods Store is a great source. Some of my favorites are their Potato Corn Chowder, Split Pea Soup, Lentil Curry Soup, and refried bean mixes.

• ***Burritos
  – Mix up some dried refried beans, bring along some grated cheese, warm some flour tortillas
• ***Powdered hummus mix with pita bread
  makes a quick and delicious no-cook dinner.
• ***Make-your-own dinners
  – Years ago I used to make my own dried meals – even going so far as to grow my own vegetables and dry them myself. I have taken trips as long as two weeks this way. I don’t do this anymore but if you are interested look for a Sierra Club book called “Simple Foods for the Pack.” Try the lentil chili – I know it sounds improbable but it is really good. (Pre-soak beans in a small water bottle as you hike to reduce cooking time. But don’t presoak pasta…
• ***Dessert
  – When I started backpacking we would often take pudding mixes and even cheesecake mixes! I pretty much gave this up when I realized how much weight (and trouble) I could avoid. Now I may treat myself to a small bar of good chocolate in the evening.

Protecting the food from the critters

The critter of greatest concern in the Sierra is, of course, the black bear – especially when traveling in popular places. However, don’t forget that other beasties can, and will, also get into your food. Particularly watch out for small rodents such as mice who will sneak into unprotected food at night and nibble on lots of items and leave a trail of droppings in your food bag. Yuck.

Current wisdom (and, in some areas, the law) suggests carrying food canisters such as the plastic Garcia models that the parks service rents. These are awkward and bulky and add a couple of pounds of weight to your pack; they also force you to select and pack your food carefully to avoid carrying extra canisters. On the other hand, they provide virtually complete peace of mind – and they do make comfortable camp stools.

There is an art to packing your canister, and careful planning will let you cram a week or more worth of food (for one person) into a single canister. Paying attention to the following issues is important.

• Plan food needs carefully. If I’m not careful I can end up carrying a couple of days worth of extra food. When trying to maximize the number of days of food that I can fit into a canister it is critical to determine exact food needs day-by-day and meal-by-meal. (Though do bring a bit extra, just in case.)
• Repackage commercially packed meals, especially dinners. I remove the contents of any backpacking dinners from the foil packaging and repack the food in small ziploc bags. I add a small note to each bag listing the amount of water needed and the cooking time.
• Jam repackaged dinners and breakfast cereals into the bottom of the canister. You’ll be amazed at how small they can be.
• Consider cooked cereal for breakfast. Although I prefer the simplicity of cold cereal (granola with a bit of dried milk premixed in the bag) quick-cooking oatmeal is lighter and takes less space, at the expense of the small amount of fuel required to cook it. Quick-cooking (not instant) oatmeal only needs to cook for a couple of minutes and you can improve it by adding fruit, nuts, sugar, etc.)
• Carefully calculate lunch and snack food needs. This is my major downfall – I find it very difficult to predict exact needs since I carry a variety of foods in this category. One approach that works for me is to organize these foods into multi-day portions. For example, I’ll buy a small piece of cheese that I know will last 3 days; on a six-day trip I may pack three small 2-day portions of nuts, etc.
• Remember that you won’t have to put first-day meals in the canister. Eat your largest meals first.

On my recent South Lake to Onion Valley 2004 trip I carried food for 9 trail days in one canister. I’m confident that I could squeeze in food for a 10-12 day trip with careful planning. (But don’t forget to leave a bit of room for toothpaste, etc., which must also be stored in the canister at night.)

A few other food-storage issues…

• As mentioned above, some non-food items also need to be protected at night or when you are away from camp. These probably include toothpaste and any other smelly items.
• While canisters are extremely reliable, they are heavy and awkward. There are situations in which I don’t need one. Sometimes I travel to a place where there are metal food lockers in place, such as Fletcher Lake in Yosemite.
• When I travel to a relatively isolated and high place where I’m less concerned about bears (Mt. Shasta, for example) I take a Kevlar Ursack, which keeps out the small critters and – supposedly – at least slows down bears.
• The traditional counterbalance method of hanging food still can work in areas where the bears are less “civilized” than those in, say, Yosemite. But don’t use your pack for your food bag – if a bear does get it you may lose your pack. Use stuff sacks (or Ursacks) or even plastic bags.
• If I found myself in Sierra Nevada black bear country without enough space in my canister I might consider alternatives. One possibility is to put some food that you could live without or which could survive in-bag bear-munching into an Ursack. You could also take your chances and counter-balance a few food items that you can’t fit in the canister. Another possiblity (that some will find controversial and others may regard as just plain stupid) is to keep some factory-sealed foil-wrapped food with you at night. Possibilities include some of the Powerbar-like food bars and freeze-dried dinners in their original packaging. I’m confident that bears will not be able to detect these by smell – but that they will find them if you leave them outside without protection, at which point they are going to get eaten.

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• ***Book
  – The best are paperbacks with many pages of small, dense type – more words per ounce.
• ***Notepad/diary/pencil
  – I have kept a diary of every trip I’ve taken for nearly 30 years. Cool! It is also useful for leaving notes in emergencies or when trying to meet up with others in the backcountry.
• ***Toilet paper and small foldable trowel
  – partial rolls stored in Ziploc bags. Better too much than too little…
• ***Toothpaste/toothbrush
• ***Comb
• ***Watch
  – though it can be nice to leave it home and use the sun to track your progress
• ***Knife
  – cheap pocket knife
• ***Sunscreen
  – at least SPF 30, repacked in smaller containers. Reapply during the day.
• ***First aid kit
  – I carry a fairly substantial kit from REI. I don’t trust the “mini-kits” for real emergencies. (And, yes, I have had to put it to use – for example, when a hiking partner put an ice-axe though the palm of his hand.)
• ***Medications
• ***Gaitors
  – generally only in the early season when snow is still plentiful
• ***Chapstick
  – with sunscreen
• ***Bug juice
  – though I used one of those over-the-hat screens on an Alaska trip and now think they make a good alternative in bug-infested hells if it isn’t too warm. Be careful with DEET insect repellants. Although DEET seems to be the only reliable repellant, it is also a poison that is absorbed through the skin. Don’t ingest it by accident, as I once did. I can report that it will make you ill.
• ***Belt pocket
  – to carry items that need to be near at hand while hiking.
• ***Day pack
  - to carry smaller amounts of gear on short excursions away from camp, such as peak-bagging. I would use (and I own) other packs for use strictly on day trips.
  • My Mountainsmith Crestone II has a detachable top flap pocket that turns into a nice fanny pack. This is one thing I miss when I take one of my smaller, lighter packs.
  • The top pocket of my small Gregory and Mountainsmith (Auspex) packs are removable, but not designed to convert to fanny packs. However, with a length of webbing you can improvise a shoulder bag that works fairly well with light loads.
  • My Mountainsmith Boogeyman day pack only weighs one pound and is designed to strap onto the back of the Auspex pack.
  • Some people carry along a small fanny pack.
  • Others empty their backpack and use it to carry light loads on basecamp excursions.
• ***Moleskin
• ***Sewing/repair kit
  – includes glue, thread and needles, assorted small buckles, rip-stop tape, duct tape, etc.
• ***Trekking poles
  – I resisted for a long time, even though many of my friends use them. They liked them so much that I finally got a pair of extra-light poles – and carried them on quite a few trips without using them much at all. More recently I have used them more often, especially on uphill sections. I also use them to support my Siltarp. To be honest, I have been converted from a big-time skeptic to a big-time advocate. Maybe it is my aging knees…
• ***CD player, mp3 player
  – NOT! Even though I teach music for living I never bring this stuff with me. (However, the drive to and from the mountains is an entirely different story!)

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• ***Pack
  – I am a confirmed internal frame pack user these days.

  When I started backpacking in the 1960s (!) virtually everyone used aluminum external frame packs. The best were from Kelty and Jansport and they were fine packs and generally regarded as a great step forward compared to previous alternatives – none of which I ever used. My Kelty Tioga pack was a true classic and served for years. I could – and unfortunately did – carry huge loads in this pack. On two long trips when I had more youth than brains (I possess less youth now, if not more brains) I carried loads as heavy as 75 pounds, with sleeping bag, pad, and other gear at the bottom and tent and ground cloth attached to the top.

  Nearly everyone I’ve met regards modern internal frame packs as a tremendous improvement, especially now that manufacturers are focusing on getting the weight down. (For awhile the good packs weighed upwards of 7 pounds – way too much, and mostly due to design overkill.) They are almost infinitely adjustable. Those new to these packs may find that annoying at first, but once you learn your pack you can quickly fine tune it to different loads, different terrain, and the effects of your recent overeating.

  More than with the old external frame packs, the fit of the particular pack you select can make a tremendous difference. When I acquired my Crestone II I had been looking at another pack by the same manufacturer. I was very disappointed in the fit and carry of that pack and almost didn’t try the Crestone. However, once I loaded it up and tried it on I realized that it was a completely different pack – and one that fit me very well. So, think of fitting an internal frame pack more like you might think of fitting a pair of hiking boots. Certain brands and models have a particular fit that may or may not be right for you.

  The recent trend toward reducing pack weight has brought welcome changes. While my Crestone II probably weights about 7+ pounds, my current main pack (see below – the Auspex) weighs in at just more than half as much at four pounds. Yet is is a very comfortable pack. Most of the weight loss comes from using lighter materials, thinner foam, and fewer zippers and attachments.

  In the last few years ultralight packs have come on the market. I have one (though I haven’t tried it as of this writing) that weighs less than 3 pounds, and some of my friends use even lighter models. I think they offer some very interesting possibilities but I’m still a bit leery of the very lightest models. One ripped out seam at the wrong time and your trip could turn out to be very miserable.

  • My main pack has been a great Mountainsmith Crestone II – no longer made. It is large, comfortable, well-designed and built, but rather heavy by today’s standards.
  • I also have a smaller Gregory pack with about 3000+ cu. in. capacity. I’ve used it for trips of up to 3 or 4 days.
  • My current first-line pack is a newer, lighter, and slightly smaller (compared to the Crestone II) Mountainsmith Auspex which has a 4000 cu. in capacity and weights about 4 pounds. I have used the Auspex on a number of trips including 2-day ski-camping trip; a week-long canoe/backpack trip in British Columbia; and a 9-day Sierra backpack and more – and I continue to be very happy with this pack. It is comfortable and rides well and can easily manage at least a 5-6 day load.
  • With the addition of the small Mountainsmith Boogeyman (1 pound, 1000 cu. in) pack strapped to the Auspex, I have carried up to nine days of gear and could probably squeeze in up two 14 days worth if necessary.
  • Gear nerd that I am, I just acquired a
    ***Gregory G-Pack
    at about half price. This is a smallish (3000+ cu. in) pack that weights less than three pounds. Although the suspension is fairly conventional the pack material is a very light nylon and the pack bag design is quite basic. I had the opportunity to use this pack on a couple of short trips during the summer of 2005. I can report that it performed very well even though I was likely carrying more than the recommended weight. It is a very comfortable pack, it is reasonably easy to load and unload, and the external pouches are useful. On the downside, the lightweight material is, as I anticipated, less durable than that used on heavier packs. I picked up some small rips (but not big enough to case a major problem) on the heavier material at the back of the pouch where I store my tripod. I will continue to use this pack on trips where I’m comfortable using a bit of extra care in order to save some weight.
• ***Pack cover
  – no pack is waterproof so I carry a cover. I augment the cover with plastic trash compactor bags in camp. The cover and/or trash bags are useful for keeping things organized and protected in camp even when it is not raining.
• ***Tent
  – having been caught in real storms a few times I often like to carry a real tent. Over the years I have collected quite a few:
  • I have a Sierra Designs Tiros tent for serious conditions, such as winter camping. It is a very solid little two-person, but really a bit heavy for backpacking.
  • I picked up a The North Face Coriolis a few years ago. It is a smallish three-season tent, but it has a great fly/vestibule system and is very stable in wind.
  • Since I solo backpack at least once each season I also have a Walrus Zoid 1.0 tent. This is a wonderful little tent with a nice vestibule. (Though my old – and now worn-out – Sierra Designs Divine Light GoreTex tent still sets the standard for me.)
  • This is not a complete list. A friend and I have an informal contest to see who could outfit the largest number of people for backpacking. If I include all of my tents – including some that are officially retired – I think I could house at least 15 people…
• ***Tent alternatives
  - Despite what I said above, I sometimes forego the tent in the interest of simplicity and light weight.
• I use a Moonstone bivy sack on some trips and I have become more fond of this approach recently. (Note: I won’t claim that this specific bivy is the best on the market – partly because it no longer is on the market and partly because it is a very basic model. For example, it has no side zipper, making entrance and exit a bit of a squirm – but saving a bit of weight.)
• (5′ x 8′) Integral Designs Siltarp. During the summer of 2003 I combined the Siltarp with my bivy sack. It worked well on a week-long trip to the Pioneer Basin in the Sierra Nevada. I did not encounter real rain – just some light sprinkles – but the Siltarp can be set up in so many ways that I think I’ll continue this experiment. (If nothing else, devising new and different ways to set it up provides hours of campsite entertainment…) Update: I used this setup in heavy afternoon Sierra thunderstorms during the summer of 2004 and I can report that it works quite well – if you don’t mind the claustrophobic feeling of parking yourself in the bivy for a few hours. Photo: Siltarp set up as a windbreak at Fourth Recess Lake.
• On very short trips when I am absolutely, positively, bet-my-life certain that it will not rain I may simply take a ground cloth and sleep in the open. Of all the options, this one is the best.
• ***Ground cloth
  • Cheap plastic cut from rolls at the hardware store works well and can easily be customized. On short fair-weather trips I use these sheets under my sleeping bag and leave the tent at the trailhead.
  • Tent footprints are a good option when I can find them on sale. (They are a lot more expensive than plastic sheeting.) I use a footprint under my bivy sack since gravel and branches could easily puncture the bottom.
• ***Sleeping bag
  – I have three.
  • My smaller and lighter Marmot Arroyo is a 30 degree bag that weighs around 2 pounds and packs very small. Buttressed by extra clothing, this bag has been sufficient for Sierra summer trips, even when the temperature falls to below freezing. (Update August 2005: I think I have discovered a downside to using marginally warm bags like the Arroyo. As such bags age – at least in the case of the Arroyo – the down loses some of its resiliency and the bag is not quite as warm as when it was new. When the bag’s temperature rating is very close to the actual temperatures in which you use it, eventually it seems that the bag is no longer quite warm enough. While this may not dissuade some from using such a light bag, it is good to be aware of this.)
  • The older one is a Marmot Never Summer bag which is supposedly good down to near 0 degrees. Sleeping bag temperature ratings are inexact, and I find myself a bit cold near the lower end of this bag’s range. Sometimes (e.g. – winter) I’ll also bring along the Arroyo bag to buttress the Never Summer bag.
  • During August 2005 I finally decided that my Arroyo was losing loft to the point that I was cold a bit too often at altitude. I found a great deal on the Marmot Helium, a 1 pound 13 ounce, 900 fill bag that is made lighter by using lightweight fabric and only a half-length zipper. It is rated to 15 degrees and looks like it should work at that temperature, and it weighs virtually the same as the Arroyo and packs almost as small. I used it for the first time on a late-August 2005 trip into the Yosemite backcountry and I’m quite impressed with this bag.
• ***Pad
  – the lightest 3/4-length Cascade Designs Thermarest pad I can find – except in snow conditions when I take a thicker, full-length pad. In real snow conditions (read “winter”) I’ll take both.
• ***Flashlight
  - Newer LED lights have, at the risk of overstating the case, revolutionized evening activities in camp. Rather than carefully hoarding battery power by shutting off the flashlight whenever possible, people now often just leave the darn things on for hours since they can last 30-100 hours (or more!) on a set of batteries. Of course, as in all things, there is a downside to this “improvement” – artificial light cuts you off from the beautiful mountain night. I like to turn headlamps off and enjoy the darkness.
  • I long used a Petzl Zoom headlamp. It is large and weighs nearly a half pound, due to the burly construction and the large battery. However, it does cast a bright beam that can light the trail/route far ahead.
  • A few years ago I tried out a Princeton Tec Solo headlamp. This small unit uses a couple of AA batteries and includes two reflectors; one that casts a more focused beam. Eventually a LED bulb/reflector unit became available as an option and I found myself using this almost all the time.
  • My main light is now a Petzl Tekka Plus LED unit. It is very small and weighs something like 2.5 ounces and, as with all LED units, it burns forever on AAA batteries. I have never actually used up the batteries, although I change them annually just to be on the safe side. To increase battery life it provides three output settings, the longest of which supposedly provides several hundred hours of battery life.
  • I also picked up a Black Diamond Gemini headlamp on sale recently. This lightweight unit runs on AA batteries and combines a traditional bulb with two LED bulbs. I bought it when I knew I was going to start an October 2003 hike at sunset; I wanted the bright light for route-finding but the LEDs for longer battery life around camp.
• ***Candle lantern
  – largely supplanted by the LED headlamp these days, except in winter when the candle lantern slightly but perceptibly warms a tent. (Update: I think it is safe to say that I no longer use a candle lantern.)
• ***Nylon cord
  – useful for many things; replacement boot laces, clothesline, etc.
• ***Clothespins
• ***Backpacker’s chair
  – sometimes I take one of those lightweight jobs that uses the Cascade Designs Thermarest pad, but not so often now that I’m striving for a lighter pack.
• ***Compass
  – though I rarely need it. (I haven’t found a good reason yet to purchase a GPS unit.)
• ***Topo maps
  – though don’t make map-reading the focus of your travels. Look around and use your senses to find your way when possible, especially when traveling cross-country.
• ***Bear-proof food canister
  – I resisted carrying them for many years, but they do provide almost complete peace of mind in bear country. They are now required in certain parts of the Sierra. On the plus side, they do make great camp stools.
  • I have used the Garcia models since the beginning. I own two so that I have one to share on longer trips. These are fine, though there are more recent models that may be better. The opening on the Garcia models is a double-edged sword. It is pretty fool-proof and I can’t imagine how a bear could possibly get one open. On the other hand, opening requires a tool such as a knife or a coin. In addition, the small size of the opening can make loading the canister a bit tricky.
  • I own the small version (model BV-250) of the BearVault canister. This unit is about 2/3 the size of the normal canisters and weighs less than 2 pounds. It uses a different lid that unscrews. I was overjoyed when this canister was introduced; it is a great piece of gear, especially for solo backpackers or those who travel with others on very short trips. The standard bear canisters are quite large and bulky, especially when you try to squeeze them into smaller light or ultra-light packs. This model is enough smaller that it doesn’t create a problem. A solo backpacker who packs carefully should be able to squeeze up to one week’s worth of food into this canister. Be careful to avoid screwing the lid down too tightly – it can be a “bear” (groan…) to unscrew it.
  • Other models are available, including some in the same low price range and others that are extremely expensive but which may save a few ounces.
• ***Large plastic trash-compacter bags
  – useful for many things; wet stuff in the tent, protecting pack and other gear outside the tent, etc.

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You should know that my backcountry cooking practices have veered increasingly in the direction of the barbaric. I like to keep it simple. If I have to do more than boil water and pour it into a bag, it is too much – better if I don’t have to heat the water. Oddly enough, I sometimes yield to my caffeine addiction and bring along a very small espresso maker and a demitasse.

• ***Sierra cup
  – when traveling alone I replace this with a very small pot for cooking and eating.
• ***Spoon
  – plastic, though I covet one of those cool, but expensive, titanium sporks.
• ***Foldable plastic wash basin
  – only on longer trips and more for washing clothes than anything else. A friend brings one of the larger models so that he can carry water to camp for filtering.
• ***Soap
  – small bottle of the backpackers soap from REI. For dishes, clothes, hair, etc.
• ***Water bottles or bags
  – I carry at least one two liter Cascade Designs Platypus bag with a drinking tube, and I usually toss an extra 1 liter bag in the pack “just in case.” With two bags I can generally filter water once when I get to camp and I’ll have enough to fix dinner and breakfast and to start the next day’s hike.
• ***Water filter
  – the old Pur Hiker model. It is simple and lightweight and fairly compact.
• ***Stove
  – I have an old MSR Whisperlite that is becoming increasingly cranky. I just gave in to temptation and bought a MSR Simmerlite; about 8 oz., very quiet, yet plenty hot. After using it this season (summer 2003) I can report is is a very reliable stove.
• ***Stove fuel
  – I can usually go for days on the smallest MSR fuel bottle since I don’t do a lot of heavy duty cooking.
• ***Scrubber
  – one of those little sponges with the abrasive backing, though I rarely actually use it.
• ***Pots
  – When traveling alone I carry one very small pot that doubles as my “bowl/plate” – and I leave the Sierra cup at home. Currently I have the smallest stainless steel MSR pot, though eventually I’ll probably spring for one of those cool titanium models. UPDATE (6/6/04): I just used part of my REI divident to purchase a titanium solo cooking kit with a small pot and cup. I’ll update after trying this out over the summer.
• ***Espresso maker
  – I sometimes – though much less often recently – carry a small single-cup espresso maker. When I do carry it is is almost as much for the novelty as it is for the coffee…
• ***Salt & pepper shaker
  – can rescue bland dinners
• ***Extra plastic bags
  – for garbage, covering gear in the rain, broken bags, etc.
• ***Small towel
• ***Cigarette lighters
  – I carry two of the cheap disposable models to start my stove. They work fine even at altitude but I don’t trust their quality enough to rely on only one. Since they use a flint to ignite the gas I figure that I might still be able to start a fire even if I can’t get a flame out of the lighter, although I have not had to test this theory. At one point I purchased a fancy backcountry lighter from REI at a “scratch and dent” sale. Turns out it doesn’t even work above about 8,000 or 9,000 feet!

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My clothing preferences have changed over the years and continue to change today – as products improve, as my backpacking style evolves, and as the old gear wears out. When I started I relied on wool gear for warmth, believe it or not, along with down and cotton/nylon blends. It worked well, but these days – with exceptions I’ll describe below – synthetic materials rule.

While you can get by, at least at first, with gear that you might already have for other purposes, the best backpacking gear is not likely to be stuff you would want to be seen in elsewhere. Take a look at the photo at right. I rest my case.

Photo at right: Traveling light on a windy ridge above Pioneer Basin. Gear includes The North Face shorts over Moonstone tights, Asolo boots, Marmot Windshirt, Nordic Gear hat, Mountainsmith Boogeyman pack.

If I were starting to acquire new gear from scratch, I think I might work from outside to inside and from bottom to top. Outside because your shell is perhaps your most critical layer in challenging weather – get wet and you’ll be in a heap of trouble. Bottom up because good footwear can make or break any trip.

At first you might want to acquire gear that could serve more than one purpose. For example, you might consider a heavier Goretex shell so that you could use it around town and for skiing. With boots you might err a bit on the heavy side so that you would not find yourself under-equipped on a longer or more rugged trip. Eventually, as you fill out your basic kit, you can go back and start to acquire more specialized equipment; in particular, some of the lighter and more fragile ultra-light gear.

***Main Layer

• ***Poly T-Shirt
  – I carry 2 unless the trip is very short. One of my friends carries an extra light shirt to sleep in, thereby keeping his sleeping bag cleaner – or should I say “less filthy.” Some people use cotton but I stick to poly t-shirts. I agree that cotton is more comfortable (poly has a tendency to hold a static charge and to get smelly) but a cotton shirt is a liability in wet conditions. I hold out for decent shirts even if they cost a bit more.
  • I picked up some nice The North Face shirts at a great price from one of their outlet stores some years ago. I used to swear that I’d never pay that much for a t-shirt, but they really last, they fit well, and they are durable.

  REI also sells some decent ones at a reasonable price.

• ***Long-sleeve button shirt
  - In 2006 I finally gave in and purchased one of these lightweight long-sleeve shirts designed for hiking, and often advertised for their sun protection capabilities. They are available from many manufacturers – I looked at versions from Mountain Hardwear, The North Face, and REI before finding one from Ex Officio on sale.
  • Somewhat to my surprise, I find that this shirt is not too hot (the light fabric and loose fit help here) and that the adaptibility of the shirt is excellent. Sleeves roll up, collars are adjustable for more or less sun protection, etc. In August 2006 this was my normal outer layer on a pack trip to the Big Pine Creek area of the Sierra. I like all of my gear to integrate well (perfectly, actually) – I want to be able to combine any and all layers as needed – but I haven’t quite figured out how to do that with this shirt yet. Adding a lightweight polypro long-sleeve t-shirt adds warmth not provided by the button shirt alone. However, unlike my lightweight zip turtlenecks from The North Face, this shirt doesn’t fit well between an inner and outer layers. I’m working on that…
• ***Poly long sleeve top
  - In recent years I have tended to wear a light long sleeve shirt most of the time, largely to protect myself from high altitude sun – a more real concern as one gets older.
  • Originally I carried long underwear tops – the old poly ones that look terrible and quickly developed a permanent funky smell.
  • Later I switched a very light El Cap zip turtle-neck from The North Face.
  • More recently I picked up a Mountain Hardwear long sleeve shirt made of what I’d describe as cycling jersey fabric. It has ripstop at strategic points: in back against the pack and on portions of the arms.
• ***Poly zip turtleneck or windshirt
  • Until recently I used a mid-weight zip turtleneck from The North Face. It is a great piece of gear, though other alternatives have proven a bit more effective for backpacking.
  • A Marmot windshirt has largely replaced this layer. It is just as warm and more versatile, especially for trips away from camp where it provides adequate wind protection.
  • In late 2003 I found a cheap price on a Mountain Hardware Conduit SL waterproof/breathable windshirt on the closeout rack at REI. It is a great piece and is sufficiently waterproof for day hikes – though it won’t replace a waterproof shell for backpacking.
• ***Long Pants
  • I used to take army surplus wool pants. They are cheap and work well. However, they are heavy and they tend to smell, well, wooly. (They also have the advantage – or disadvantage, depending upon circumstance – of making you look like a ranger, especially if you wear button-down work shirts. People regularly offered to let me check their wilderness permits in the days when I wore wool pants and a khaki work shirt.)
  • More recently I have tended toward a pair of very light cycling-style tights worn under shorts (for sun protection as much as warmth) and a slightly warmer pair of tights for evenings and cold weather.
  • I now have a pair of Cloudveil soft-shell pants that I got on sale – they use Scholler “extreme” fabric that is stretchy, warm, wind and water resistant. They are wonderful for fall and winter but I don’t generally take them on summer trips since they are a bit heavier than I need.
  • I also own a pair of lightweight REI soft-shell pants. They are good for summer situations where I am likely to wear long pants most of the time, though I find the material a bit scratchy. Unless you insist on wearing shorts – and I do less and less – a pair of lightweight softshell pants plus a set of light long underwear should work in most conditions.
  • In December 2004 I picked up a pair of Caber Hybrid pants from The North Face on sale. These high-tech multi-fabric pants fit somewhere between “normal” pants and breathable/waterproof shells (see below) and are most useful worn over long underwear for skiing and similar winter activities. In other words, they are rarely practical for backpacking.
  • I now wear the ubiquitous convertible pants with the zip-off legs that seem so popular on the trail alternating between versions from REI and Mountain Hardwear. Being more concerned about sun protection these days, I rarely remove the legs to turn them into shorts – but this feature is also useful for getting pants legs out of the way when I have to wade creeks.
• ***Short Pants
  – I used to always hike in shorts, but these days I’m more likely to wear long pants. Chalk it up to aging skin that is less tolerant of high altitude sun.
  • I used to use baggy Gramicci cotton shorts. They are pretty durable and extremely comfortable.
  • When I use shorts these days I take baggy and very lightweight poly shorts from The North Face. I may even toss them in the pack “just in case” since they are so light – and they give me something to wear on laundry days.

***Inner Layer

• ***Underwear
  – poly fabric. Boxers or briefs? That is a question only you can answer. Fortunately, backpacking provides plenty of time for pondering such weighty imponderables. Update 2006: OK, I’ve pondered long enough. For backpacking I use the boxer-like (though they fit more like cycling shorts) polypro underwear from REI. I’ve found that they reduce the chance of chaffing under long pants – and, trust me, that is a Good Thing on a long pack trip.
• ***Long underwear
  - Bottoms only (though see my notes above regarding long sleeve poly shirts.) In the Sierra Nevada, during summer at least, many people may not need long underwear at all. However, I often bring a light set to reinforce lightweight long pants in the evening chill or, more critically, to stretch the lower temperature limit of a lightweight sleeping bag. This may may also help keep your sleeping bag a bit cleaner. The heavy weight versions are overkill in typical backpacking conditions.

***Outer Layer

• ***Jacket
  – there are so many choices here that it is hard to pick one… so I don’t pick one – I have a number of choices:
  • I have frequently taken an Arc’teryx Delta lightweight fleece jacket. It has a well-executed basic design without a lot of frills. I like it a lot.
  • Sometimes I add a very light fleece vest (currently a basic one from REI) if the weather will be cool.
  • I also have a heavier Marmot fleece jacket with all the extras: lots of pockets, pit-zips, etc. Because of the extra weight and larger stuffed size I’m afraid I have relegated it to The Closet Of Gear For Loan.
  • I surrendered to gear lust recently and bought the softshell Vector Thermal Jacket from The North Face. This is really pretty much a cold weather jacket since it is heavier than “normal” fleece, but it is quite water and wind repellent – a great jacket for skiing, but too heavy and bulky for backpacking.
  • I have an old Sierra Designs pile jacket that is very nice – though not likely available anymore. It has reinforced shoulders but is otherwise pretty basic. Pile seems to loft more than fleece per unit of weight, so might use it under a shell in winter conditions.
  • In really cold weather I have used my ancient Sierra Designs down jacket with detachable hood. Nothing beats down for light weight, insulation, and compressibility. (The durability of this jacket is a double-edged sword. While the long useful life of this peice of equipment is testimony to the value of buying quailty gear, I’m beginning to wish the darn thing would wear out so that I could justify getting something newer. This jacket has lasted nearly 30 years!)
  • Recently (fall 2004) I succumbed (yet again) to an acute case of gear lust (and gave up waiting for the death of the Sierra Designs jacket). I purchased the Western Mountaineering Flight Jacket. This minimalist down jacket weighs only 10 ounces (!) – and replaces the light fleece jacket and light fleece vest and wind shirt I often carry. It is astonishingly light but demands extra care since the material is so thin. Update 2006: In practice this is an excellent piece of gear. Most of the time I don’t need it, but it is great for cool fall evenings and for getting up at 5:00 a.m. to photograph the (freezing) dawn.
  • I now also own the Patagonia Micro Puff jacket. What a great piece of gear! It packs small, is more tolerant of moisture than down, and provides decent warmth – though not as much as my down jacket. I use it mostly on day hikes, though it could replace the light down jacket for pack trips – a friend of mine uses it for just that purpose and is quite pleased with it.
• ***Vest
  • Many years ago I owned a Frostline goose down vest. (If you recognize that brand, welcome to the ranks of backpacking geezers!) Some people still use down vests, but they aren’t for me. They seem like too much insulation for something that doesn’t warm your arms at all. In addition I treat vests very casually and I’m afraid that the down version wouldn’t stand up to my abuse. However, there is a Western Mountaineering vest version of my Flight Jacket that is extremely light.
  • I have a rather thin but wind-resistant REI fleece vest that is about the right combination of light weight and a bit of extra warmth – and it is cheap and durable. I find it useful to add just a bit of torso warmth without adding a lot of weight or bulk.
  • The Patagonia Puffball and the more recent Micro Puff vests look interesting. They use a synthetic fill and weigh about the same as the lightest down vests. The Micro Puff saves weight by foregoing “frills” like a zipper and pockets. Update: At some point I saw a Puffball vest on sale – I have an eye for these things – and picked it up. Another great piece of Patagonia gear! (I don’t own a lot of Patagonia stuff, but I have to say that every piece I have acquired has been well designed, well constructed, and functional.)
• ***Breathable/waterproof shell parka
  – Over the years I have acquired several:
  • I have a pretty serious Marmot parka made of triple-laminate GoreTex material. It is a great piece of gear, but generally a bit heavier than necessary given some of the more recent lightweight offerings. I use it in the winter or when I know I’m going to deal with significant rain.
  • I also own a lighter – but less protective – Sierra Designs Peakbagger jacket. It performed well on several trips, though I feel like I have to be more careful of its lightweight fabric. In addition, I feel that the fabric is not quite fully waterproof; it has became damp inside during heavy rain – and, no, it was not sweat. (A reminder that “waterproof” is something of an imprecise term?)
  • In 2005 my colleagues at De Anza College marked (celebrated?) the end of my term as Academic Senate President by getting me a Marmot Precip jacket. I’ve had a few chances to use this excellent and very light piece of gear (combined with the matching pants) since that time. It is a well constructed jacket, is very light, provides good coverage, and packs small. It seems more waterproof than the older Peakbagger, though I think it breathes less.
• *** Breathable/waterproof pants
  – I have multiple pairs:
  • I have a pair of full-zip Gore-Tex pants from REI. Full-zip pants have the advantage of allowing me tp put them on and remove them while wearing boots. They have the disadvantage of extra weight. (Some people claim leakage through the zippers, but this has not been a problem for me.) I rarely use these for backpacking any more, since I prefer to eliminate the extra weight of the full-zip pants. I do use them on day hikes and for some winter trips.
  • I also own a pair of very light Sierra Designs Peakbagger pants which use a GoreTex-like material. They have short zippers and are made of somewhat fragile fabric, but they are very lightweight and they stuff small.
  • As of 2006 my first-line rain pants are the Marmot pants that match my Precip jacket. (Why didn’t they put a second, inside pull on the rear pocket? One can just barely stuff the pants into the pocket, but then can’t really close the zipper due to its single pull.)
  • I also have a pair of The North Face Caber Hybrid Pants, as mentioned above – useful in snow but too heavy for backpacking with the exception perhaps of true winter conditions.
• ***Light gloves
  - There are several different thoughts on gloves for backpacking.
  • A few people don’t carry them – I didn’t when I was much younger. There are still many trips on which I carry them but don’t put them on.
  • I used to carry an extremely light pair of “liner gloves.” They were just barely warm enough to take the edge off of the cold.
  • Somewhat warmer and barely heavier are inexpensive fleece gloves. Pay a bit more and get better material and better (even leather) grip surfaces.
  • Mittens are probably warmer for unit of weight, but this advantage is outweighed by the clumsiness factor for summer backpacking. They are great for winter.
  • I own a pair of very lightweight Mountain Hardwear conduit fabric gloves which provide some degree of waterproofing at a very light weight.
  • I have a pair of REI One Gloves. These well designed gloves are made of soft-shell fabric and have high-quality lightweight leather palms. I occasionally take them on pack trips, though I think the Mountain Hardwear gloves described above are better for real rain.

***Head Gear

• ***Hat
  – wide brim to protect from high-altitude sun. As I get older, the brim gets wider.
  • In my 20s I never wore a hat.
  • In my 30′s I wore a cap – usually a cycling cap. I still sometimes carry such a hat to keep the rain off my glasses while relying on my parka hood in the rain.
  • In my 40s I began to wear a REI backpacking hat – one of those embarrasing army-style khacki models. While somewhat effective you couldn’t pick a less attractive hat. I’m currently using a wide brimmed cotton hat from Nordic Gear (see photo at right) which provides great sun protection. (Yeah, I’m older than 40 now… Although it is a bit on the heavy side, being constructed of heavyweight cotton material, it also survives abuse including being rolled up inside my pack at times. Its wide brim is a bit longer in back and it drops down to provide extra neck protection. It has a long adjustable chin strap that can be tossed behind my head when I want it out of the way, or tightened down securely in windy conditions. If I have one quibble about this hat, besides the weight, it is that I can’t really wear it under the hood of my parka to keep rain off of my glasses.
  • I also own an OR Seattle Sombrero Goretex hat. (Photo at right.) This is a very well designed and useful piece of gear. In light to medium rain I prefer it over using a parka hood since it does not restrict vision or movement. The sides of the had can be velcroed up “Aussie-style” though I rarely bother. As nice as this hat is, I would rarely carry it on a pack trip unless I was expecting rain – as I was on a trip over Chilkoot Pass in Alaska a few years back. In summer Sierra conditions – meaning warm to hot – it falls short as an all-round hat because it isn’t breathable enough.
• ***Stocking cap or fleece cap
  • I like my Gore Windstopper fleece cap. My current favorite is the infamous Dome Perginon model from Mountain Hardwear.
  • I have also used a The North Face model that has ear flaps and a neck strap for extra warmth.
  • Recently I picked up a very lightweight Mountain Hardwear cap that will save a bit of weight in my pack.

***Footwear

• ***Shoes
  – I have changed my tune here recently:
  • I have long used (and still use when appropriate) heavy “mountain boots” that can handle anything but weigh a ton. My current pair are from Vasque and are designed to take crampons. But I finally have to admit that they are not very comfortable for normal backpacking. So…
  • During the last couple of seasons I have tried running shoe-type footwear with great results on shorter trips. Since they do not provide a lot of support or waterproofness, I restrict their use to shorter, less-rough trips in weather that is likely to stay dry. Current favorites are Merrell Reflex shoes. I’ve managed to use up a few pairs of the low-top model, and I now also own a pair of the mid-height Goretex version. I find the low ones more comfortable – the mid height model has a bit of a sloppy fit, at least for my particular feet. I use them in the winter, however, for day hiking. Compared to “normal” hikng boots, this type of shoe wears out considerably faster. (I once finally had to simply throw out an old pair of leather Pivetta boots that refused to die.) I rarely get more than a season of use out of this type of shoe. The tread pattern is first to go and eventually some part of the stitching often gives out. Still, it is much more comfortable to hike in this type of lightweight footwear in less-severe conditions.
  • I recently acquired a pair of lightweight Asolo Gore-tex-lined boots. These are a great compromise; they combine extra stability and water-proofing with fairly light weight. They are my current first-line backpacking shoes.
• ***Heavy Socks
  – I like Smartwool brand. When I use the lighter shoes I go with shorter and lighter socks.
• ***Light Socks
  – I wear liner socks even with the lighter shoes. Cycling socks make decent liners when using shorter hiking socks.
• ***Extra Shoes for camp
  – currently a well-beaten pair of sandals. I generally only take them on longer trips, especially if I’m wearing my heavy boots. On short trips with lighter footgear I save weight by leaving them home. I’m more inclined to take them if I know I’ll be crossing streams. Recently I picked up a pair of inexpensive Teva footwear designed for use in creeks.

***Other Stuff

• ***Swimsuit
  – or not, or wear shorts.
• ***Dark glasses
  - you’d be crazy not to take them on high altitude trips.
• ***Extra glasses
  – I don’t want to be caught without prescription glasses so I carry an old pair as a backup.
• ***Glasses cases
  – hard cases

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***Better late than never
- Dan’s report on the October Fletcher Lake trip is below.

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