Hey Everyone! Hope you had a good week! Today we're going to talk about Sleep Systems, the 2nd part of the Big Three. This can be a very personal thing to pick out because everybody is different and they sleep differently. Some sleep on their backs, some sleep on their sides, and some flip-flop all over the place when they sleep. Again, I'll emphasize that going cheap here will cause you not to get a good night's sleep making your backpacking experience not at all fun.  The big three items are where you should make a good investment. You can skimp on things like a cooking kit, but in my opinion the big three and footwear you shouldn't skimp on.

The sleep system is comprised of two items if you're a tent dweller, which most of you will be at first. One, a sleeping pad, and two, a sleeping bag or quilt. First of all, weight will factor into your decision because you have to carry what you use. Let's start with the sleeping pad. There are many versions that can work for you, especially if you're a back sleeper. Sleeping pads are a must and not an option. If you sleep right on the ground, the heat from your body will be pulled out by the ground you're laying on.  A barrier of insulation of some sort will keep the heat in your body, even in the summer. Pads also are a comfort item to cushion you as you sleep on the hard ground. Closed-cell foam pads are one of the most economical and durable choices.  A yoga mat from Walmart will work if you're willing to carry the bulkiness of it.  A popular choice in the cell foam is the Therm-A-Rest RidgeRest Classic.  This pad folds like an accordion into a neat little bundle, and it is durable. I still have the first one I bought. There are many you can choose from that are sold from different companies, and I'm sure they are all great. These pads are lightweight and weigh about a pound. The price is good at around $40. The next type is the type that you blow up. They are usually 2 to 3 inches in depth and provide a good insulation value. These work best for side sleepers. They can weigh in the pound to pound-and-a-half range. These are not as durable as the cell foam and can get leaks in them. They usually come with repair kits, and you have to be careful where you put these so as not to get leaks. These are also more expensive, running from $100 to $250 depending on what you get. If you're a back sleeper, you're good to go with a cell foam at $40. But if you sleep any other way, I would suggest one of the blow-up kinds, and you will have to put more money out. I have slept on closed-cell foam ones as a side sleeper, and my hips were sore when I woke up. But if you sleep on one and are okay with it, that's what I would use. So try the cell foam first, and if it doesn't work you can get one of the blow-up ones. You'll only be out $40, and you can use them for seat cushions after cutting them into small sections. 

Sleeping Bag or Quilt.  This is what is going to keep you warm. The insulation in these is what is going to keep you warm. There are basically two types of insulation that are used in the construction of these bags: goose down or a synthetic type of insulation.  The down is lighter and warmer, but also more expensive, and when wet doesn't work.  The synthetic is cheaper and heavier, but when wet still works. I will always pick down over synthetic for the reason that it's warmer and packs down better than the other one does. Space matters. You're not going to get this wet unless you have had some sort of accident where your pack or tent failed. Also, a factor to take into consideration is what the bag or quilt is rated. Bags and quilts are rated to the degree you can survive in them.  A 20-degree bag means you can survive in 20-degree weather, but you're not going to be comfortable at 20 degrees. However, at 30 and 40 degrees, you're going to be toasty. My first bag would be rated to a 20-degree rating.  Later on, if you decide to do a lot of winter camping, you can get a bag that is rated for colder conditions than 20 degrees. You could also go the other way and get a 50-degree bag to use in the summer. The lower the rating the heavier the bag so a 20-degree bag is heavier than a 50-degree bag. You can spend a lot of money on these bags, especially if you're getting a down bag. Up to $800 for a real fancy one.  I would try to find something in the $200 to $300 range for your first one.  The goal is to try to get a 30-degree bag at around $300. You will have a good quality bag to keep you warm and not too heavy. Quilts are like sleeping bags but have no zippers in them. They may have clips or straps that give you a place to put your feet, but you're not all around covered up.  The reasoning for using a quilt over a bag is that when you sleep in your bag the part of the insulation that you lay on is squished and has no insulation value. So if you cut that part out, you will save weight which makes it lighter. So through-hikers like to use this kind of quilt.  I have not tried one, but it's on my list.

As you can see, there are lots of considerations to make when picking out a sleep system, so choose with care. This choice can make the difference between a great trip or a bad one. You can check out my gear by following this link Lighter Pack. You can see my gear loadout and how much it weighs between tent and hammock and summer and winter by clicking on the list on the left. Until next week, get out and enjoy the outdoors.

Hey Everyone! Hope today fines you in good health and happy! This week I want to talk about Backpacking and the Big Three!  What is the big three you say? The big three in backpacking is your Shelter, your Sleep System, and your Backpack.  These three things will be the most costly and probably the heaviest of the things you will cary.  To me they are gear that you shouldn't skimp on. My old saying still rings true "Buy Nice or Buy Twice"  All of the other stuff that you will have in your backpack will be fairly inexpensive or you may already have. These things will be specific to Backpacking .  You don't want to use a car camping sleeping bag you got for 40 bucks at Walmart to go backpacking with. While it may be great for car camping it will be too heavy and bulky to cary on a backpacking trip. In backpacking a true hard fact exist " Ounces equal Pounds and Pounds equal Pain!"  So weight is not the most important thing when picking out something to bring backpacking its high on the list. A cheap tent you get at Costco that weighs 7 lbs is going to be heavy on your back very quickly.  Durability is also something to take into consideration when picking out your Big Three.  

Your Shelter should be the first thing on this list that you acquire.  I know a lot of people say the pack but you don't know how large a pack until you get your shelter and sleep system.  What type of shelter are you going to use?  There are two camps on this to me. Tents or Hammocks. Tents are the more traditional choice and they cover anything from a Tarp Tent to a stand alone tent.  They can be set up almost anywhere.  There are Tents that use your trekking poles for the tent poles to save weight and there are stand alone tents that pop into shape when you insert the special poles that come with them.  Then there are Hammock systems.  I say systems because these tend to be more complicated to set up and you do need trees to use them.  Hammocks themselves are light weight but you also need a tarp to cover you incase it rains and you need extra insulation underneath the hammock to prevent heat loss even in summer.  My favorite is a Hammock system but its not right for all backpacking situations. If your in the desert where there are not trees. Or if your in the mountains above the tree line you have no where to put your hammock up at. I think they sleep better than tents but maybe I haven't got the right sleep pad yet.  I actually use either or depending on where I go backpacking. If your getting a tent which will probably be the safest bet for a beginner.  I would find one that is a one or two person tent. Don't be fooled by the two person option you'll have a hard time having another person in the tent because it will be very cramped . You really need to like the second person. I would look for one that is 2 lbs or lighter.  The lighter you go the more expensive it will be. The material makes a difference also. Most tents are made out of Silnylon. This is nylon that has been impregnated with silicone to make it water proof. Then there is Dyneema fabric that is as strong as steel , lightweight and waterproof.  Tents made out of Dyneema are the most expensive ones and the lightest. There are lots of options in the 2 lb range.  I personally have a few tents that meet this criteria.  I have a Big Agnes Fly Creek 2 UL that weighs in at around 2 lbs. Its a semi free standing tent that means you do have to use some stakes to make it stand up.  This tent was a standard quite a few years ago for through hikers. They still make versions of this tent at about 400 dollars .  I also have some cheaper options.  I got a backpacking tent that uses your trekking poles for tent poles off of amazon. The River Country Trekker 2 tent comes in at 2.8 lbs.  You have to stake this tent out and it takes some practice to get it down. It cost 49 dollars.  Its made of a material that feels like a plastic tarp you get from walmart. Its like the old pup tents that I used when I was in Scouts.  You crawl in through the front.  Its warm in the summer because it doesn't have much ventilation but it will work if your trying to save money.  I have one that's kind of in the middle its a Chineese tent that I got that uses trekking poles and its pretty roomy. I'd day it weighs about like the River trekking tent but its much larger and has better ventilation. Its called 3F Lanshan 2 tent and I got it off of Alliexpress the Chinesse version of Amazon. There are lots of options out there and you could spend up to 800 dollars on a good backpacking tent. This is a big purchase so I would try some tents out if you can.  If you can borrow someones tent great.  Go to REI they usually have some tents set up to look at and maybe try out. So my advice would be when getting your first backpacking tent  is to get a middle of the road one for a couple of hundred dollars .  If you decide you don't like backpacking you can still use it to car camp with.

Hammocks are harder to pick out.  Most of the hammock systems that can be bought are made by garage companies.  These are companies that may work out of their garage or small business.  These are handmade items and can usually be customized to you if you ask.  The quality on theses items is superior to anything you would buy in a big store.  I use these companies as much as I can.  The hammock community is almost cult like when they start to talk about hammocks, gear and gadgets to use on your hammock.  There are all shapes and sizes with burnets like a tent to just a hammock swinging in the wind. If you think picking out a tent was hard doing so with a hammock is even harder.  You can mix and match hammocks, Tarps, Under quilts, suspension systems with different companies to make your system special to you. Or you can do like I did and make your own.  My first hammock was bought from a garage company named "Butt in a Sling" hammocks.  I bought a hammock and suspension from them and got a tarp off of Amazon made for Hammock camping.  After using this a few times I decided to make my own and I went down the rabbit hole of design and making my system just for me.  You may have seen previous blogs talking about my home made hammocks and systems. I'm thinking and designing one in  my head now.  I would watch a lot of you tube videos  and read the book " The Ultimate Hang " by Derek Hansen .  He also has a book "The Ultimate Hang 2" Which is an updated version  with some DIY stuff in it. Either book is Fantastic and shows the do's and don't to Hammock Camping. Hammocks are made out of Nylon and are lightweight in their self.  But a Hammock system , (Hammock, Tarp, Stakes, suspension system, under quilt) are not as light weight when put all together.  I would say on a average that a Hammock system is heaver than a tent system.  But I would also say that it is more comfortable than a tent system .  Especially if you are up in years as I seem to be getting. LOL

As you can see this is a big decision and has many options . Do the research, watch videos, read the recommendations, ask friends and go and try out if you can before you make your decision. Next week I'll talk about my #2 of the Big Three the Sleep System. You can check out my gear by following this link Lighter Pack. You can see my gear load out and how much it weighs between tent and hammock and summer and winter by clicking on the list on the left. So until then be safe and get outside!

Hey Everyone! I hope everything is great with you today.  Today we are  continuing Backpacking theme. This weeks question "Where can I backpack at?"  This is a good question with lots of answers. I'm going to treat this series as if I'm talking to someone that is new to backpacking.  If your new to backpacking everything is going to feel strange.  If you have never camped before just setting up your tent or hammock will be a chore.  My first bit of advice is to get used to all of your equipment before you go on any backpacking trip.  You can work your way up to a bona fide backpacking trip. The first place I would start is your backyard.  Learn how to set up your tent.  Find a good spot in your backyard and practice setting up your tent. Depending on your tent learn how to stake it out how to put on the rain fly.  Do it a few times so it becomes easy for you.  You don't want to be learning how in the woods after a long hike to your campsite.  Blow up your sleeping pad and put out your sleeping bag just as you would or think you would while out in the woods.  Learn how to use your camp stove and how to make your dinner, coffee or whatever you're going to eat out there. This will be important because if you mess this up while out there there is no fridge to raid , you just get hungry.   Make sure you know how to use your water filtration system and how to refill your water bottles.  Hydration is very important. Hiking with a full pack on your back is hard work and you will sweat! Water is heavy! This is a number that you will remember each liter of water weighs 2.2 lbs. So if you have 2 liters of water 4.4 lbs.  This is on top of all of the other stuff that you will be carrying .  But you can't skimp on water it is a must have while in the wilderness so knowing how to filter it is essential.  The next thing is to sleep outside.  Learn how to get comfortable in your tent. It is a different sleeping experience than in your cosy bed.  I know all of this seems silly but it is learning that has to be done somewhere and in your backyard is a great place to start.  If you have kids they will have fun camping with you. You also have a bathroom near-by.  Using the bathroom is not a skill to learn at home your neighbors will not appreciate this. LOL  Thats a skill you will have to learn in the wilderness. After you get the backyard camping and all of your gear figured out its time to step it up.

The next place I would go to backpack is State Parks. State Parks are great resources to learn backpacking. I live near a state park and its where I try out new gear.  Practice hiking with a full pack on and have car camped several times.  Many State parks have back country camping which means that you have to hike in to a specific spot that you usually have to reserve.  I have had a ball at some of these parks and they can be a great place to learn how to backpack.  The sites can be from very sparse to sites with a picnic table and fire ring. Most of them do have some sort of pit toilet near by so using the bathroom in the woods isn't allowed here to protect the environment . (leave no trace has been discussed in a former blog).  This will seem like an big adventure the first couple of times you do it and it is!  You won't have running water many of the places don't have cell coverage so no phone.  They don't have lights so when the sun goes down lights out!  No trash cans so you haul your trash out with you. Its a very new experience.  At night there is no noise of civilization just the noise of the forest!  And its loud! Bring ear plugs.  A squirrel scampering across the forest floor sounds like an elephant to ears that haven't heard them before. But you won't hear a deer who may be sleeping 50 foot from you.  Around 2:00 am in the morning everything gets quiet.  All the animals have gone to sleep.  When you wake up in the morning its still quiet except for a couple of birds chirping.  I tell you about this because on your first night backpacking its different from car camping or in your backyard.  This is where you'll feel like you're in the wilderness.

National Parks and National Forest are the next places I would venture out to backpack. This is where I am in my backpacking.  I still like to go to some State Parks and go to places I haven't been yet but National Parks and Forest are where I do most of my backpacking.  National Parks and National Forest are larger and wide open spaces.  National Parks have rules and regulations and permitting that have to be adhered to because so many people go and we want to protect this wonderful resource and environment.  They usually have specific camping spots in the wilderness that you camp at. But these places are beautiful and have spectacular views that's why they became National Parks in the first place to protect the beauty.  There are thousands and thousands of trails in the National Parks system.   People from all over the world come to the US just to go to our parks.  In the back country there are less amenities than the state parks.  Usually no bathroom so you will have to learn how and where to poop in the woods.  Leave no Trace is a big deal in these area's because we want to leave this great resource for our grandchildren and theirs to enjoy like we do.  In some National Parks and most of the National Forrest there is what's called dispersed camping . Which means you can camp anywhere you like along the trail.  These sites will not have any amenities except maybe a man made fire ring that someone before you made from stones that they gathered.  This year I'm exploring the National Forest of North Carolina and am getting ready for my first backpacking trip of the year. It will be a small one because I still have my Covid weight on and I am out of shape but I'm looking forward to my time in the woods again.

Backpacking is a wonderful experience and way of life really.  Until next week keep exploring and keep shooting . Get Outside!