Backpacking - Theory and information on light weight packing

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MISCELLANEOUS

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The knife can be a small light weight but strong folding pocketknife with a wide rather than narrow lock open blade. The knife is used for cooking, fish cleaning and all other uses.

ROPE:

The rope is essential for hanging food. A complete discussion of the rope can be accessed by clicking here.

SHOVEL:

A shovel may not seem high on the list of priorities for the light back packer. But its primary purpose is for the digging of holes to bury urinary waste. The shovel is also good for dousing a fire with dirt and also is convenient for general fire pit safety. The shovel is excellent for trenching around tents, in the event of rain, to prevent rainwater from running under the tent. It is also good for preparing the ground underneath a tent floor, leveling, smoothing down humps and taking out rocks.

This is not only to prevent the possibility of gear inside the tent from getting wet, but to keep the ground underneath as dry as possible. Wet ground will reduce the temperature inside the tent. The shovel can be used to bury fish entrails and scales and can also be used to dig holes for the disposal of waste dish or clothes water. If soap is used it should be as organic as possible. A good soap for this purpose is Baby Castle Soap. Of course it is universally recommended by all forestry agencies, that all burial for whatever the reason as urinary, soap and dishwater or fish remains should be buried at least one hundred feet from any water source such as spring, stream or lake. All garbage should not be buried but carried out. Some kind of implement for the burying of feces and waste water should be carried. The shovel is discussed in greater detail on the shovel page which be accessed from the title bar on the Home Page or by pressing here.

TOILET KIT:

The toilet kit may be contained in a plastic freezer bag. It contains things like toilet paper, toothbrush, tooth paste, fingernail clippers, dental floss or a light weight hair brush. The kind of toilet paper used should be of thin ply such that it will degrade easily in the ground. Feces and toilet paper should be buried in the ground as deep as possible and then covered with a rock helping to prevent animals from digging it up. Tooth paste can be carried in a very small plastic container. Fingernail clippers are good in case one tears a nail. Soap should be biodegradable and liquid non-scented soap is good. This soap can be carried in a very small container in the cook kit and used for dishes as well as personal soap and clothes. Non-scented soap is more natural and is a must for bear country. Bears are attracted to scents so scentless soap is prudent.

FIRST AID KIT:

The First Aid Kit can include band aides, gauze, aspirin, golden seal capsules, or other necessary medicines. These can all be carried in a small plastic container. One can also carry in separate containers, a tiny bottle of hydrogen peroxide as an antiseptic, and Aloe Vera Gel for burns.

SEWING KIT:

The sewing kit can be carried in a small plastic container. It may include thread, needles, buttons, safety pins, razor blade, or a needle threader, the purpose of which to make repairs in the field. It can be especially necessary for the repair of something like a broken backpack strap. Thread can be wrapped around something like a wooden match stick for only a minimum of what is needed.

FLASHLIGHT:

A flashlight may be necessary especially if one attempts to cook after dark. A miniature 3 inch waterproof Mag Light with one AAA type of battery that is waterproof is all that is really necessary. An extra battery might also be prudently included in the Utility kit.

DAY PACK:

One may want a pack for day hiking in order to carry things like lunch, water, snacks, or extra socks, fishing gear, jacket or rain gear. If one does not want to carry water, a water pump can be carried in lieu. A fanny pack might be desirable as a relief from the stress of the backpack. The day pack should be light and compact. The day pack can be hung on the outside of the pack and used as an extra carrying pocket.

PJar:

For a man anyway, who would find having to pee in the middle of the night by going outside, so that falling back to sleep might be difficult to say nothing of the hassle, a PJar might save the night. It is simply a plastic jar with a leak proof twist top. If not alone, a jar of dark color to disguise the contents might be prudent.

BINOCULARS:

Binoculars of course are optional. If they are carried while backpacking, they can be rigged onto the pack waist belt with something like a Velcro strap, and the weight is not in the pack

FISHING GEAR:

The most convenient type fishing rod is a good telescoping pole which is easy to carry even in a day pack and is less subject to breakage. For lightness both the rod and the reel is best made from graphite which is the lightest material available. A minimum of hooks and lures minimizes weight. If one can find 6 or 7 foot telescoping pole one can use it as a fly rod. Fly line may be wrapped around a home made balsa wood holder and weigh almost nothing. The holder is on the ground or in the water while casting. A telescoping pole used as a fly rod may need one or two extra 'line guide eyes' to keep the fly line from wrapping around the pole. Eyes can be found at some sporting goods stores, rod building supply houses or taken off an old pole. The pole will not collapse with them on so they must affixed on site. They can be taped on with some thin strips of duck tape, that can be individually wrapped around something like wooden matchsticks.

UTILITY:

This includes miscellaneous items such as a couple of 10 gallon plastic bags for rain protection and heat insulator and small plastic garbage bags. Other things might include such things as rubber bands, string, extra flashlight batteries, repair tools and parts for stove and water pump, also mosquitoes repellent, sunglasses, sun burn lotion and the all important water proofed matches. Other things that might be taken are fire permit, maps, driver's license, credit cards. Coin money because of its weight would be better left in the car, as would keys except the one needed to get home.

Trail head parking is usually but not always safe. Anything not taken on the hike may be hidden in the car like the physical but empty wallet. In bear country, if any food or cooler is left in the car, it should be completely hidden from view and disguised. Bears will in some places break into cars if they detect food inside. There are also rare cases of especially porcupines chewing through rubber parts such as radiator hoses and brake lines. When entering into unfamiliar territory it might be prudent to check in at a ranger station for appropriate information. The weight of all these items should not come to more than a few ounces.

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