If you are already planning your next backpacking adventure, one thing is sure, the right gear can make your experience all the more pleasant. Picking the best backpacking tent is a great way to increase comfort and safety, but with all the options out there, you must be utterly confused as to which one is genuinely the right one, and how to decide.

What to look for when picking the right tent

As we said, gear can either make or break your backpacking trip, so you have to choose wisely. With the tons of options and specs to compare, we have extracted the most vital information to help you pick the best backpacking tent on the market.

Whether you like luxury, comfort, or you are after a budget model, the following information is worth noting.

Weight

We are talking about backpacking trips, so weight is one of the most important specs to look, since you will be carrying all that weight on your back, after all. Namely, here we will be talking about two-person models, and starting from the budget tents, you will find most tents on the market weighing around 5 pounds or more. That weight should be a mark because anything above simply isn’t practical. More expensive tents range from 2 to 3 pounds, however, one thing that attributes to this weight is the gear included. For instance, if you are using straight tent poles, it will weight a bit more in comparison to using lighter trekking poles for support.

Price vs. quality

If you already have a set budget, then this won’t help you as much, but if you are loose on the budget, then let’s talk price and quality. Think how often you plan on using your tent. Then consider the terrain on which you will be setting up your tent and the miles you will be passing each day. If your answers are very often and any type of terrain and dozens of miles each day, then opting for a more expensive tent will be absolutely worth it. After all, what’s the point of buying several cheap tents a year, when you can break the bank and buy one higher-quality to last for many years to come? Plus, as the price goes up, the weight and packed size go down, as well as proprietary gear and high-quality materials that will stand up to any weather. Makes sense? Great!

Space vs. packed size

We have touched base on the weight and packed size when comparing the prices and quality of tents, but since this is a crucial aspect (size does matter, after all!), let’s talk further.

Logically, the most space an open tent offers, the larger it will be when packed. There is a difference when buying a one-person tent or double, so we always recommend getting a solo tent since splitting up the weight is very helpful. One downside to choosing large space tents is their packed size making it difficult to be squeezed into a backpack or simply taking a lot of space in it.

You will notice that many tents offer pockets, vestibules, chunky pole hubs, or gear lofts, which ultimately add more bulk than weight. So, while having interior space is helpful and makes the trip more comfortable, remember that it is a tradeoff between comfort and weight.

Durability

The durability of a tent is primarily determined by its Denier rating stated by the manufacturer. This rating is for their fabric yarn’s weight. The numbers of the denier more commonly range from 15D to 70D, whereas the lower value indicates that the tent uses thinner and less durable fabric. In contrast, the higher denier indicates a more robust, durable fabric. We have found that the right balance between the two sides is a 30D mark, but you have to make that decision based on the terrain you mostly travel through since the floor of the tent in the most vulnerable.

Weather protection

Avid backpackers don’t let the weather stand in the way of their trips and adventures. If you’re one of those, then your tent needs a good rainfly. A rain-what? A rainfly is the first line of defense when bad weather strikes, and it is the outer floorless, waterproof layer of a double-wall tent. All those single-wall tents are made of the rainfly only with a floor attached to it.

So, if you are planning on backpacking through rainy months and cold temperatures, then go for a double-wall tent with a solid rainfly covering the body of the tent. It won’t only protect you from the rain but also strong winds and generally low temperatures.

Another aspect of an excellent weather-protecting tent is its structure. More robust tents offer poles, and pole systems that won’t bow during strong winds and with their strong body of fabric will provide increased weather resistance.

Ventilation

Ventilation is essential, especially for longer trips or backpacking in summer. See, to get a tent with a sound venting system, you have to pay attention to the amount of mesh on the body, especially with the combination of mesh and rainfly in the double-wall tent. If your tent has a lot of mesh, taking the rainfly off will enable proper ventilation even in hot weather (as long as the sun isn’t hitting you directly). However, having your rainfly on your double-wall tent during rain can make things a little thicker. So to get rid of this problem, there are tents with roof vents on the top of the rainfly which can vent the air and still protect you from the rain so long as it doesn’t rain sideways.

Mount and dismount

While mounting a tent in the past required some serious savvy skills, these days, the mounting and dismounting of a tent is significantly more effortless and time-saving. Search for a tent that has streamlined tent poles easy to come together.

See, most of the tents require setting up the footprint, staking out the corners, and attaching the poles to be mounted. The only thing left is spreading out the rainfly evenly for a process that takes less than several minutes.

Whatever the design may be, it’s always smart to set your new tent up at home first. This way, you can pinpoint all the issues you might have later when backpacking. You can also see if you have all the necessary components, and can contact the manufacturer for additional information or help with it.

Footprint

Speaking of setting up your tent, footprints are extremely helpful to have as protection of the floor of your tent. They are optional, though, and not every tent comes with one, so it is smart to ask the seller or simply buy one additionally. It will extend the life of your tent by protecting the lower layers from rocks, dirt, sharp tree sap, and the usual wear and tear that happens over time. Ultimately it all depends on the type of terrain you use your tent on and how often you go backpacking in general, but our recommendation is to have one at all times regardless.

Backpacking weight spec made easy

While there is no set standard for measuring tent weights on the market, with all the vast amounts of information what it better and what’s not, weight specs can get a little confusing. However, the following are some general ideas and tips that will help you make sense of the numbers.

Packaged weight

This number indicates how much your tent weighs when packed with all the accessories, and it’s a number that most accurately presents your tent’s weight. After all, you will be carrying it with all its gear on your back.

Minimum Weight

The minimum weight of your tent is a number that you get when you exclude all the optional or unnecessary components for a trip. It’s not always genuinely calculated because it may exclude the rainfly or the poles, but you might need them depending on the type of trip. This number also excludes the tent stakes, guy lines, and stuff sacks too.

Measured Weight

The measured weight measures the body of the tent with some of the most necessary gear like rainfly, tent poles, tent stakes, and stuff sacks. These are the things that you will be likely carrying on your trip, regardless of when and where you are backpacking. This is why this number is sometimes more important than the minimum weight value.

Tent Poles and Stakes

Without getting into much detail on this, aluminum poles are proven to be better than any other type of poles. They are more flexible, don’t weigh as much, and are relatively affordable. Furthermore, another aspect of setting up your tent securely, are its stakes. Most tents come with six hook-style aluminum stakes as standard gear which is fine for a sunny, mildly windy weather. For storms, rain, and strong winds, you will need extra stakes that are sharp, light, but tough, and easy to put in the ground. The reason why we recommend upgrading is that most of the stakes included are hook-style aluminum stakes that bend when being hammered in and are too thick to sink into the ground easily.

Tent care

A little care goes a long way, so here are some general care tips that will save any tent.

• Use a ground cloth as an addition to the footprint under the tent no matter what the terrain is or how long you’re staying.
• Bring a cloth or a math to put near the entrance of the tent to wipe off muddy shoes and catch sand.
• Don’t enter your tent with shoes.
• Regularly sweep the floor to remove sharp stones.
• Don’t eat inside the tent and keep the food securely stored because critters and bugs are willing to chew through the tent fabric when hungry.

Our choices

Buy Now on Amazon

Our first pick is the Coleman Sundome Tent. It is a rather cheap option, and the only of our choices that doesn’t offer a single person option.

It is easy to assemble, in only 10min, and has everything you could ask for: included rainfly, optimised ventilation, and an e-port for easy electrical access. It also is very roomy with its 84x60in floor and 4ft center height.

Not meant for extreme weather, but the 75 Denier is actually pretty good, and the polyester build is sturdy and waterproof.

Buy Now on Amazon

Next we have the ALPS Mountaineering Lynx 1-Person Tent. Being the most expensive from this lot, it is also the most complete, lightweight and easiest to assemble of them all.

This tent is water resistant and has UV protection, 75D resistance, numerous pockets and lots of storage space, and its freestanding 2-pole design makes it really easy to put up. The base size has a lot of room, at 32x90in, with center height of 3ft and the total weight is only 4,1 lbs.

It comes with lifetime limited warranty.

Buy Now on Amazon

Our final pick is the Bessport Camping Tent. This has a nice quality/price racio and is also roomy (87,8×33,5in), lightweight (only 4,4lb total) and durable (68D polyester).

The micromesh fabric gives you plenty of air, but the included full-coverage rainfly will protect you from rain and wind. The easy setup will take only a couple of minutes.

Besides the rainfly, it includes the aluminium stakes, reflective guy line rope, and a carrying bag. They also give you a limited lifetime warraty.

Buy Now on Amazon

As stated before, most tents come with simple aluminium poles which won’t do much for you in worse than mild weather, so we suggest the Eurmax Galvanized Non-Rust Stakes, which are 10in galvalized steel stakes with pvc stoppers and come in a 10-pack with 4 bonus 10ft ropes.

Buy Now on Amazon

We also would like to suggest the REDCAMP Waterproof Camping Tarp. It comes in a number os sizes, so you can chose which best fits your tent, and will give the much needed protection for the base of your tent.

Final Word

All in all, we hope we have cleared any doubts and uncertainties when it comes to choosing the right backpacking tent. Now, all that’s left is picking your next adventure destination and enjoying the trip with your reliable gear.

Source

Whether going backpacking for a day or camping over the weekend, every trip in the wilderness requires proper tools. From the right shoes to the right axes or hatchets, you need to come prepared with suitable gear. For that, we have comprised a guide on buying the best backpacking axe or hatchet.

Firstly, axes and hatchets are tools every backpacker needs to carry. They come handy when wood and branches are needed to start a fire as well as a defense and in various other situations. That being said, it is easy to mistake one for another since they have a similar design. Namely, axes are larger of both tools and require both hands to be used while chopping. Hatchets are also known as one-hand axe because they can be used one-handedly because of the smaller size. On many occasions in the wilderness situation might arise when you need an axe or a hatchet due to their vast usage. Whether you need to hunt for food, set up a tent or an emergency shelter, chop some wood for fire or defend yourself, this tool will become your best friend.

Now that you understand why you need an axe or a hatchet and you know the difference between the two, you might think it’s easy to pick one, since they all look quite similar, right? Well, you’d be wrong. You see, although the design is the same, all hatchets and axes use a different set of material making them vary in weight and ergonomics. Those two factors alone can determine your success of using the tool, so with that in mind, we have created this extensive buying guide that will guide you through each advantage and disadvantages as well as every other aspect of picking the right tool.

Picking the perfect axe or hatchet

Choosing the best axe for backpacking or a hatchet depends largely on the type of trip you’re taking. For instance, when it comes to a day-long backpacking trip where you know you’ll be back by the evening, a hatchet comes in handy because of its lighter weight. It will still chop whatever you need, but you will be able to save some space for the rest of the gear and tools. On the other hand, multi-day camping requires an axe, since it won’t only chop wood but will be helpful in every other situation you find yourself in because of its size, weight, and strength.

That being said, each hatchet and axe have certain characteristics that make them different from one another. Use the following list as a guide on what you should be looking for in a tool of this kind.

Type of tool

Hatches and axes come in 3 different types depending on their design and usage. There’s a survival axe or a hatchet, a tactical, and camping type.

When it comes to survival axe or a hatchet, those are larger-scale tools for outdoor adventurers that want to get the most out of their trip. With a survival axe or a hatchet, you can chop larger pieces of wood, build shelters, break locks, and other heavy-duty activities.

The tactical axes and hatches differ by being thinner hence slightly lighter in weight and ideal for backpacking and shorter trips. These tools can be used for defense as well as chopping branches rather than larger pieces of wood.

Lastly, the camping axes and hatchets are mid-sized tools and pretty easy to handle whether a beginner or a seasoned camper. You can use them for activities like hammering in tent poles to splitting wood without any issue.

Steel

When it comes to the quality of hatches or axes, the type of steel largely determines how durable your tool will be. Namely, steel is a mixture of iron and carbon. With that, there are two types. Plain carbon steel that has no other elements added to it and alloy steel with Manganese, Nickel, Sulfur or Chromium added in the mixture. Now, in order to know what you can expect, the following are properties of the tool you should look for when buying.

• Initial sharpness: How sharp the axe/hatchet is initially produced which determines whether you have to sharpen it further or not before the first use
• Edge retention: This indicates how does the blade maintains its sharpness without sharpening it over and over again
• Toughness: How much shock the steel can absorb. The higher the better
• Hardness: The capacity of the steel to withstand deformation and hard usage. You will see numbers going from RC54 to RC62. This is the Rockwell Scale and the higher the number is the harder the material is, while the lower number correlates with softer steel
• Deterioration resistance: This is also shown on the Rockwell Scale with the same numbers that indicate its ability to withstand corrosion
• Ductility: This indicates how flexible the steel is

Handle

When picking the best axe for backpacking or camping, the handle material largely determines how well it serves you. We’ve talked about the types of steel and how to get a solid one, but the handle shouldn’t be forgotten. Namely, the three most common handle materials are wood, fiberglass, and leather.

Wood is the first material axes and hatchets used for production and despite the innovations and changes, to date, it stayed the most reliable handle material. It absorbs shock and withstands temperature changes well.

Fiberglass is also a pretty common handle material when it comes to hatchets and axes, it’s practical and absorbs shock well. One downside is that some folks don’t find it as comfortable to handle.

The leather, on the other hand, is very comfortable and gives you a good grip. When properly sanded and well-taken care of, it offers long-lasting usage.

Size

The size of the axe or the hatchet does not only indicates the weight but also how easy and precise it is. While the handles don’t add up in weight and are pretty much the same in length, head size is what you should pay attention to. A hatchet head of about 10-12 inches or 12-14 for an axe is pretty easy to use yet functional.

Weight

We already mentioned weight as a factor to be considered since you’re backpacking. While every hatchet and axe are different, when buying, try out several of them to see how they feel. Just remember that opting for the heavier doesn’t always mean highest quality because technique and experience are what matters. So, pick something lighter in weight that won’t weigh you down or tire you while swinging.

Balance

Last but not least, balance. The size and weight play a big role in using your hatchet or axe but the balance is something that will make all the difference at the end. Namely, your ideal axe handle should be the same weight as the head. To determine this take the axe where the head meets the handle and balance it on one finger. If it leans towards the head, indicating that the handle is slightly lighter, then you have a good tool.

How to carry your axe or hatchet

Now that we have determined the culprits of the best axe for backpacking, it is time we talk about transport. The best way to carry an axe when backpacking is by keeping it safe in a sheath. When buying your axe or hatchet, they should come with one, but you can also buy it separately. The sheath won’t only protect the blade of the tool but it’ll also protect the things around it from tearing. This is the safest way to handle this type of tool making it the best way to carry an axe when backpacking.

Other accessories and proper maintenance

After choosing your best backpacking axe or hatchet you should take other accessories into account. Namely, apart from the sheath that will provide safety when carrying, you should get a solid sharpening stone to keep the blade sharp. Eye-protection glasses are also recommended when chopping wood because the chips that fly out might hurt you.
As for the maintenance, you need:

• Wood oil
• Gun oil
• Bee’s wax
• Paper towel
• Fine grit sandpaper
• Leather better

Maintaining the wood handle of the axe is recommended once a year, but if you live in a more wet area or you keep your axe in such, then oiling should be done more frequently. Leather handles should be oiled and left to absorb the oil for a few hours in the sun, while the wooden handles require a bit more care. Below are 6 simple steps to maintaining each part of your axe or hatchet properly.

1. Prepare the wooden handle by cleaning it with a damp cloth. Use the fine-grit sandpaper to remove any dirt.
2. Wrap the handle in a paper towel and pour the oil on it until the paper is soaked in oil. Make sure you put oil on the bottom of the handle and the top where it is surrounded by the steel.
3. Leave the wrapped handle for 2 hours in the sun or in any warm area because the wood absorbs more oil in warmth.
4. After wiping the excess oil off the handle, apply bee’s wax to improve the grip.
5. Spray gun oil to the blade generously and leave it head down to dry off for 2 hours. Do not wipe the excess but simply leave it on until next use.
6. The sheath should be wiped with Leather better paste. Apply the paste as long as the leather absorbs it.

Now your axes and hatchets are ready for new adventures.

Our Choices

Buy Now on Amazon

We’ll start with a classic: Estwing Sportsman’s Axe. It is forged in one piece, and made to last, being the perfect tool for all the wood-related activities, from splitting firewood to shopping down small trees. The leather grip offers a durable and confortable finnish, paired with the heavy duty sheath, included, which provides the optimal protection from that sharp sharp edge.

Buy Now on Amazon

Now for a little bit of fun, we present you the SOG Tomahawk Pack of 3. These little hatchets, or tomahawks, as they are called, are made for throwing: very light, well balanced, and rather small. They won’t be able to cut any thick branches, but they come with a very sharp blade, excellent for taking with you when hiking or backpacking. They are very low maintenance, just need to be cleaned after use, and SOG will make repairs and replace demaged parts for life, if used and maintained correctly. The come in a 3-unit set, so triple the fun! and with a triple pocket sheath. Also have removable paracord handles. Now all you need is to watch some tutorials on how to throw, and you are all set!

Buy Now on Amazon

The LIANTRAL Camping Survival Axe is a multipurpouse tool, which includes a compass, a flashlight, a pointed hammer head, a flint with whistle and a knife with saw blade, all bluit-in in the detachable handle. Its axe head that doubles as a hammer is made of stainless steel, and the handle has adjustable length, to better suit your needs.

Buy Now on Amazon

If you want something really compact, we suggest the Gerber Bear Grylls Survival Hatchet. This is a survival hatchet, made of stainless steel, with non-slip ergonomic rubber grip. Also comes with a sheath and is Bear Grylls approved, which is nice! Because of its size, it is really lightweight as well, and perfect for your backpacking and hiking trips.

Buy Now on Amazon

And finally not a blade, but something to keep your blade sharp: the Smith’s 50582 Axe and Machete Sharpener. I’s easy to use, and will sharpen any dull axe, hatchet or machete. Its design allows you tu use it with gloves and has a large safety guard. Comes with a cleaning brush. So now you have everything you need to go ahead and use your brand new axe or hatchet for a long time!

Final word

Even if you’ve never done it before, choosing the best backpacking axe or hatchet is not all that hard if you follow the guidelines above. Pay attention to size, weight and how the tool feels in your hands, but most of all, remember that safety while using and proper maintenance are the most important things. Take good care of your tools and they will do all the work for you.

Source

Having a specific towel for when you go backpacking is very important. Don’t use a home towel that you’d normally use around the house for your backpacking adventure. Travel towels are made from a different microfibre material compared to a regular towel. Packing a regular towel will only take up too much space in that backpack filled with other important necessities. You’ll also find that having your own hand towel will help you carry less weight on your back. Ckeck these helpful tips about finding the best towel to use for backpacking trips.

Picking the Perfect Towel

Here’s what you should know about when considering the best body towel: own your own backpacking towel instead of constantly having to rent one for each trip you take. Consider the size, materials, pricing, and weight. Yes, it is possible to spend an entire day browsing at the store, but to make your search easier and quicker, do your research beforehand and ask around for different opinions.

Remind yourself that the towel does not have to stand out compared to other people’s backpacking towels. It’s not a competition. All you’re doing is preparing yourself for a nice backpacking trip. And think about what kind of trip it is. Long or short; easy or hard; single day or overnight. The weather is also important, because if it’s raining or really humid outside, on a long trip, it will be really hard to dry out your towel if you don’t choose the correct material.

You’ll need your towel to clean your sweat when it’s really hot, or to help you freshen up by a river or a spring. So how to pick your backpacking towel?

Material

• Linen: consider linen over microfiber towels. While most backpackers choose microfiber towels, some have said that they have a tougher time drying the sweat off with them. Linen works better and it prevents odors
• Cotton: it can take a long time to dry out, if you use a cotton towel for a full day. And most of them are heavier than other options
• Bamboo: dries easily, but is a bit more expensive compared to other camping towel material
• Microfiber: microfiber towels are the most readily available towels in the market. If you were to have ONE towel, go with an high quality, medium size, microfiber. They are the most manageable out of anything, thinner than a regular towel, dry quickly, have high absorbency and it’s like you won’t even know they’re in your backpack while on a trip, they are so light
• Other Synthetic Options: Pricing varies on other synthetic towel options. However, while easily dryable, most synthetic options tend to carry odor and sweat

Size

When talking about backpacking, size matters. You’ll want to pick a towel big enough for your needs, but not too big to take up too much space. Check the dimensions of each towel you look at in the store and are considering buying. It’s never a good idea to pick the first towel that meets the eye just to find out that due to its extra large size, won’t fit in your pack and turns out it is not really the towel you’re looking for.

Weight

Weight is one of the most important characteristics to pay attention to, if not the most important. Going on a backpacking trip is already strenuous because you’re hiking up rocky hills and walking under the hot sun. Carrying more than what you need over your shoulders will most definitely wear you out. Choose a towel that is very light and can fit inside your backpacking at a reach you can easily grab.

Anti-Bacterial Treatment

Some towel brands offer an anti-bacterial option, and this might be an important factor to consider. These antimicrobial treatments will prevent odors and mold to develop on your towels. They can be very durable if washed correctly and without fabric softeners, but eventually, after a few years of use, these microfiber towels will lose their anti-bacterial coating.

How to Take Care of Your Towel

Always wash your backpacking towel after a trip. Use warm or hot water and never use any fabric softeners, as they will entrap the odours in the fabric and remove any anti-bacterial coating they might have. Microfiber towels are tougher to handwash.

How about drying your backpacking towel while on a trip? The best way to dry your towel while backpacking is to place it out in the sun to let it soak out. Hang it up on the branch of a tree or on a rock, preferable using its hang loop if it has one. The microfiber towels will dry out in a heartbeat, faster than cotton ones.

Packing your towel nicely folded not only makes it as small as possible, but is also the best way to make it last longer. It would be better to have it inside your backpack, but if you know you’ll be needing it frequently, you can also attach a loop on the outside of the backpack and place the towel there. That way, you can grab the towel a lot easier instead of having to come to a full stop, put everything down, and dig through the bag messing up your organization.

More Tips

If you’re not going on hiking trips every week, make good use of your backpacking towel on the day to day life. I like to use mine for showering after a swim, for example.

Take them when you’re traveling, you never know when you’ll need one and they take almost no space at all. Camping? Use your towel as a pillow or a light blanket, it also fits perfect for a camping towel. Going to the beach? Also a good option, as they dry out so fast and most material won’t let the sand stick and it is also a perfect fit as a beach towel.

Our choices

With all the different materials and other specs to consider, which is after all the best backpacking towel? We’ll share with you our three best options, in linen, cotton and microfiber.

Buy Now on Amazon

First we have the Handmade Washed Organic Bath Towel, made of 100% linen. Because it is a natural fiber, it doesn’t smell and the waffle weave makes it strong, durable and quick drying. It is also highly absorvent and lightweight. Being a bit on the expensive side, makes up for it with its durability, lasting longer and always in great condition. Actually, it becomes softner as it is washed more times.

Buy Now on Amazon

Our second choice is Prewashed, Soft Original Turkish Cotton Peshtemal Towel, made of 100% turkish cotton, special because of its long fibers. These towels are machine washable up to 30º and, like the linen towel above, become softer every time. Thay are very thin and lightweight, and also superabsorbent and quick dry. It is a great option for you backpacking or hiking trips, as well as for other daily uses. It is also way cheaper than the linen towel.

Buy Now on Amazon

Our final, and best choice for backpacking towel is actually a pack of 3 Size Set of Microfiber Towels, made of 100% microfiber, and as so are the fastest to dry, while being super absorbent and ultra compact. Lightweight, these microfiber towels can absorb 3-4 tomes their weight and dry 10 times faster than cotton towels. They also have an antimicrobial and antibacterial treatment, so you don’t have to wash them so often, and they leave no odours behind. It is a great option and still a very soft fabric, with slip-resistant hypoallergenic surface.

Final Word

There are multiple things one has to pay attention to when chosing the best backpacking towel. To find the best travel towel for backpacking, think about all your options, and what you want and need in terms of material, weight, size, and anti-bacterial treatment. It is very important to have a specific towel when youâ€re going on a backpacking expedition, and, most importantly, take proper care of your backpacking towel.

Source

Ready to exchange your tent for a backpacking hammock? It might be the best trade in you’ve ever done.

Hammocks are more comfortable, typically lighter, and safer than tents as well. They let you dispense with lots of superfluous gear—think pillow, sleeping pad, even sleeping bag in summer—and still have the potential to give you a better night’s sleep than you’d have even if you’d lugged all that stuff around.

So here are 5 benefits of using a backpackinh hammock:

1. Being off the ground keeps you warmer in cold weather. This happens because it’s much easier to transfer your body heat to a cold solid surface – the ground – than to the air, making you feel colder.
2. Being off the ground keeps you off sticks, stones, rocks, and whatever else might be in your terrain. And sometimes it isn’t easy to find a spot leveled enough or large enough to lay down to sleep.
3. No more worries about the damp, boggy ground: you’re well above it. It seems that the humidity can always find its way inside and make you feel cold.
4. Stay out of the way of small four-footers, as well as many creepy crawlies. Always a good thing not to wake up with a new friend on your face.
5. Carry a lighter backpack. This is probably the best reason for using a backpacking hammock, as all of the problems mentioned above can be more or less solved with extra equipment, and, as a result, more weight.

So which hammock is the best? Opinions differ, but here we’ll look at three high-quality hammocks that are particularly well suited for backpacking adventures,

The Ready to Use

The Grand Trunk Double Parachute Nylon Print Hammock is a roomy, lightweight hammock that makes sleeping on the trail super comfortable. It is made of 100% nylon silk, the kind used for parachutes, which means that although it is thin and light, it is also very durable. It is rated for 400 pounds; so you can even get in with a friend.

At 10’6″ by 6’6″, it gives you plenty of sleeping space and lots of extra fabric that you can even use to close yourself in if you like sleeping that way. At the same time it stuffs small in a little stuff sack, and weighs 28 ounces.  This hammock comes ready to use, with attached ropes and carabineers, so you can go straight outdoors, hang it up, and have a nice peaceful nap. 

The Tiny (When Packed)

The Eagles Nest Outfitters DoubleNest Hammock is another very good option.  This one also weighs 19 ounces and is rated up to 400 pounds. When you put it in its stuff stack, however, it compresses down to grapefruit size.

It is also a little smaller than the previous hammock, with 9′ by 6’6″. The nylon silk it is made of is advertised as breathable and quick-drying.  It comes with metal carabineers; no straps, so you’ll have to buy them separately. 

The Cheap

The Wise Owl Outfitters Hammock Camping Double & Single with Tree Straps is the cheapest of the lot, but still very much reliable. If you’re not sure if hammocks are your thing, this is the perfect starter, and you will probably become a fan.

It comes in single or double mode, and is made of heavy duty 210T parachute nylon. It isn’t the most lightweight hammock there is, as the single weighs 19 ounces and the double 30, but their sizes are really nice, with 9′ long by 4′ 6″ wide for the single model, packing to the size of a grapefruit, and 10′ long by 6′ 6″ for the double, packing to the size of an eggplant

The straps are included, and there is no need for any knots, so setting it up will also be an easy job.

The All Weather

The Hennessy Hammock – Expedition Series is a little more expensive and a little heavier than the others, and come in three different models: the Expedition Classic, the Expedition Zip and the Jungle Expedition Zip. The main differences between the three are the entry type, where classic has velcro and the other two a zip closing, and the layers of bug protection, as having “Jungle” in the name indicates. The Expedition Zip is the one we recommend, if you’re not planning on going into any jungle nearby.

The 44 ounces in weight are a little on the heavy side, but as a trade-off it gives you some very good all-weather protection: you can sleep in this hammock no matter what it’s like outside. It may also be more durable, though it’s only rated to 250 pounds. It’s pretty much a tent and a hammock mixed into one—a hanging tent, one could say. Wind, rain, mosquitos, and all that comes with those—that built in tarp and no-see-um netting should keep you dry and comfortable. If the weather is really bad, you may want to use a light sleeping pad to help insulate your underside and keep you warmer. 

Summary

Have fun backpacking, and let tossing and turning on rocks and stones be history! Compare these four hammocks and choose the one to take with you on your next trip.

Source

Time for backpacking stove reviews! Here we’ll give you three backpacking stove reviews, looking at three very different backpacking stoves: one budget friendly option, one strong and sturdy, and one particularly lightweight. 

The cheap: Etekcity Ultralight Portable Camping Stove

If you don’t have much to spend on backpacking gear you’re probably looking for a stove that won’t cost you a fortune, and the Etekcity Ultralight Portable Outdoor Backpacking Camping Stove with Piezo Ignition certainly meets that criteria.

It is made of aluminum alloy and stainless steel and is a cheap backpacking stove that performs as well as other stoves that cost a whole lot more. It burns butane or butane-propane mixed fuel, and is compatible with a large number of fuel canisters: all those with threaded 7/16 NS Lindal Valves. It is collapsible, but also easy to set up, The output is 1.680 kilocalories, and it can accommodate a pan with diameter of up to seven inches, though smaller may be more effective. When folded up, it only has three inches tall and two inches wide. It weighs just under five ounces, so won’t be much weight for the trail. 

Downsides? The workmanship on this stove isn’t the best; although it works, it feels a little flimsy and has a tendency to leak gas when you’re screwing it on. The flame does not have a very wide surface area. All that said, it’s  worth what you pay for it.

The sturdy: MSR Reactor Stove System

Have you got the extra cash for a nice stove? Consider the MSR Reactor 1.7L Stove System. Here’s a stove (and high-efficiency pot) you can use for your solo backpacking adventures but also to cook for as many as three team-mates.

It is a sturdy, high quality stove, and works well even in cold and windy climates. Since pot and stove fit together seamlessly, your fire will burn away happily no matter what is going on outside. That same pot/stove integration is responsible for this stove’s high fuel efficiency. Water boils very fast; one liter in three minutes is the norm. As an added perk, when you put it away, both the stove and the fuel go into the pot for optimal portability.

What are the downsides? Well, it’s not as light as it could be; that high-efficiency pot certainly adds to the weight little over 1 pound all told. Then there’s no piezo igniter, you will have to carry your own matches or lighter separately, or else strike something with flint and steel.

Still, 1.09lb isn’t that heavy, and waterproof matches might be a good thing to carry around with you anyway. If you are a serious backpacker who camps in cold, windy conditions and is often with a friend (or two), this stove is definitely a worthwhile purchase. 

The lightweight: MSR PocketRocket 2 Ultralight Stove

Want something that is really light? If you are not worried about cooking in the wind the MSR PocketRocket 2 Ultralight Backpacking, Camping, and Travel Stove is a quality stove that weighs only 2.6 ounces and measures 3.1 by 1.7 inches.

It is a simple little thing, and it includes a piezo igniter, so no worries if you forgot the matches. You will need to have your own pot.  It’s not as fuel efficient as, say, the Reactor, but it does come with WindClip wind protection and the focused burner pushes a persistent, solid flame. For ultra light backpacking and short trips where you don’t want to take something heavy, this little thing is pretty cool.  It’s fast, too: it boils a liter of water in 3.5 minutes.

Summary

There you’ve got it: three backpacking stove reviews for three very different products.  You can compare their specs in the table below, and choose the one that better fits your needs.

Source

The Backpacker’s Field Manual: A Comprehensive Guide to Mastering Backcountry Skills, by Rick Curtis, now with a revised and updated edition, is a small, handy-sized, but information-rich paperback book that is so full of useful information that it has been used as a training manual for outdoor leaders for several years. Here’s why it’s on our list of recommended backpacking books.

Written by the director of Princeton University’s very successful Outdoor Action program, this little book will astound you with the huge amount of practical advice for planning and carrying out your next backpacking trip.

Whether you are a backpacking beginner or an experienced backpacker, you will learn and benefit from this book. Don’t be fooled by the low price — reading this book is like taking a training course in how to plan and successfully lead a backpacking trip.

The 10 chapters cover the following topics:

1. Trip Planning
2. Equipment
3. Cooking and Nutrition
4. Hygiene and Water Purification
5. Leave No Trace Hiking and Camping
6. Wilderness Travel
7. Weather and Nature
8. Safety and Emergency Procedures
9. First Aid and Emergency Care
10. Outdoor Leadership

Why you should own The Backpacker’s Field Manual

First, Rick Curtis has invested over 30 years into leading groups of college students in adventurous outdoor programs, so his approach to the subject of planning and carrying out a safe backpacking trip comes from that perspective. This fact alone makes this book ideal for anyone planning a backpacking trip for a group, such as Boy Scout leaders.

The chapter on outdoor leadership is particularly important for a group of any size, even just a few friends planning a trip, because the principles of leadership and decision-making can make the difference between life and death in emergency situations.

Likewise, the extensive chapters on safety and first aid include practical tips for leadership and decision-making and “closing the circle” by analyzing what has happened. These are essential principles that should be clearly understood by everyone participating in a backpacking trip.

Second, the chapter on First Aid and Emergency Care (Chapter 9) is 130 pages long and covers literally everything you might encounter, from snake bites, to dehydration, to other life-threatening injuries. This chapter alone is worth more than the price of the book!

Third, every chapter contains multiple useful tips, reference charts, explanations and illustrations, plus you get an appendix full of planning forms that will insure that you don’t miss anything in your planning process.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Without any reservations, we can state enthusiastically that this book belongs on your short list of must-have backpacking books.

GREAT GIFT IDEA: This book makes a fabulous gift for Scout leaders or key Scouts in a leadership position in the troop.

Source

At the top of the small list of backpacking books we like and recommend, is The Complete Walker IV  by Colin Fletcher and Chip Rawlins. Here’s why we like it so much.

This book will draw you in to its chapters with a fabulous combination of field-tested backpacking tips and advice, engaging real-life stories, and an authenticity that comes from the elder statesman of backpacking, Colin Flether, telling it like it is, nothing held back, but laced with earthy humor (occasionally blunt or “salty” but generally very entertaining).

Colin Fletcher, now deceased, was almost 80 years old when this 4th edition of his classic book was published in 2002. This edition is updated and enlarged, mostly due to the efforts and contributions of Fletcher’s co-author, Chip Rawlins.

In the preface, Fletcher states his hope that the book will live on past the end of his earthly life: “Perhaps I should admit my fragrant hope that by handing the walking staff over to Chip — partially this time, totally later, if all goes well — I’ve given the book a chance to live on, post-Fletcher.”

In our opinion, their collaboration was a great success, making this new edition ofThe Complete Walker IV a must-have for every hiker and backpacker.

Why you should read The Complete Walker IV

First, the contents of this book reflect the years of experience in “walking” — what we now call backpacking — by the man who years ago walked the length of the Grand Canyon and then wrote about it in a series of books, launching the modern-day backpacking movement.

Fletcher describes in detail everything from how to pack your backpack for crossing a river, to what snacks are best to take with you, to measuring humidity, to calculating the right mix of food for the energy output you need, to real-life example of the dangers of dehydration.

Second, Fletcher’s sometimes brutal reviews of the latest backpacking equipment don’t just give a simple Yes or No review, but actually go deep in discussions about the science of the fabrics and technologies used.

Sometimes, where the two authors disagree, you’ll find each of their opinions labeled with their names, and the back and forth dialogue is simply fascinating and very educational.

Third, we know of no other book on the subject of backpacking that is so in-depth and also so full of practical advice and examples from real-life treks as The Complete Walker IV.

We guarantee that you’ll find this book loaded with very helpful information if you can set aside some time to read it. At over 800 pages, you won’t finish it in a day or two, but you’ll find yourself coming back to it again and again, and it’s great for reading several months ahead of a major backpacking trip.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! If you can buy only one backpacking book, make it this one.

Source

• R factor: A number which tells you exactly how much insulation the mat provides; numbers range from 1 to 9.5;  if you’re doing cold-weather backpacking, you’ll want a mat with a nice high number, but you don’t want to carry an elephant around either.
• Weight: How much the sleeping mat weighs. When you’ve got something on your back hour after hour, mile after mile, you want as light-weight an item as possible. 
• Packed Size: How much room will the thing take in your backpack, when it’s all deflated and sealed up in it’s pouch? Since you’ve only got one pack and a long list of things to fit inside, this is an important one too. 
• Dimensions: Will the mat fit you lengthwise, and offer enough width? For serious backpacking you don’t actually want an air mattress, which is a relatively large, bulky bed meant for car-camping ; the backpacking air mattress is more correctly termed a air pad or sleeping pad and is much smaller. Standard width is 20 inches, though there are wider models. Standard length is 72 inches; though you can find both long sleeping pads (75-78 inches) as well as ¾ or short sleeping pads (47-48 inches).

Now that you know what those number in specs sheets mean, check out our review for the Klymit Insulated Static V Lite Sleeping Pad.

Source

The Klymit Insulated Static V is a good all-purpose backpacking air mattress: a  quality sleeping mat loved by many backpackers, though it is neither the lightest nor the best insulated model available on the market. 

As explained in our previous post about air mattress specifications, there are four important specs to consider.

First, check the R factor. This is listed as 4.4; pretty well perfect for most moderate-climate backpacking, spring, summer, autumn, or winter. It might not be ideal for your Siberian backpacking trip, however.

Next, we look at the packed weight. 19.6 ounces, or 556 grams; no feather, but not bad either.

Then comes packed size. This is given 5 by 8 inches, and the product description notes that a stuff sack is included, which means you should have no trouble compacting the sleeping pad to the manufacturer’s stated dimensions.

How much room will you have to sleep? That’s fourth on our list, and here we see the Klymit is reasonably generous: 23 inches in width, 72 inches in length, and 2.5 inches tall when inflated. Not a twin sized bed by any means, but it does tack several inches onto the basic sleeping pad standards for a tiny bit of extra comfort and night-time maneuverability.

Other things an experienced backpacker will notice about this product: there’s a repair kit included, so a puncture can be fixed without any trips to the store. The V-structured cells look as though they’d be comfortable to sleep on, and inflation is supposed to be easy: 12 breaths will bring it from packed state to a ready-to-sleep-on bed. Deflating and folding it up is just as simple.

Source

ANSWER: If you’re in an area that is secure and you’re not at risk of having someone steal your pack, you can just lean the backpack up against a tree and pull your waterproof pack cover over it (you do have a lightweight pack cover for your backpack, don’t you?).

Although some people suggest keeping your pack in your tent, we always recommend keeping your backpack some distance away from your tent due to the danger of attracting wild animals, such as bears.

And remember to put anything with a strong smell into a bear bag hung high above ground. For more suggestions related to bear safety considerations for placing your food and backpack, you might want to read our Backpacking Q&A: Food And Bears.

Source