Alta Outdoors

Video: Fire Burning in a Titanium Stove inside a Hot Tent

2024-02-05T22:27:00.034-05:00

This is probably one of the most satisfying views: fire burning inside a camp stove inside a hot tent when camping in cold and inclement weather.

Photography: Hot Camping with a Wood-Burning Stove

2024-02-05T22:19:00.003-05:00

When you are camping in cold and inclement weather the fire burning in the camp stove inside your tent is the most satisfying picture and feeling. It provides warmth, ambience, hot food and a sense of safety. I spent many hours in my tent next to my titanium wood-burning stove and I invite you to share the same enjoyment by viewing some pictures of a fire in the stove inside a hot tent.

Trip Report: Dolly Sods 3 Days Fall Backpacing Trip

2022-11-30T14:13:00.442-05:00

Dolly Sods Wilderness in West Virginia, USA is a very popular destination among casual backpackers because it is public, a real wilderness with good scenery yet relatively accessible, challenging but still doable for beginners, and most importantly has a great trail network that can be planned for just a day hike or a multi-night trip. We specifically like the fall season due to its colours, mostly clear skies, no bugs, and hopefully less crowd. The last time we were here was in November 2016 and it was definitely the time to revisit.

So, we planned a trip in October 2022 on a Canadian Thanksgiving Holiday long weekend. Silly us, but we totally forgot that the same weekend is Columbus Day in the USA. As 2022 was the first year after the long COVID isolation period people we eager to get outside and when we arrived on a sunny afternoon on a Saturday, October 8, the parking lot at Bear Rocks trailhead was fully packed and the cars were parked on both sides of the wilderness boundary road for as far as we could see. To say that were surprised and disappointed with such a huge crowd would be an understatement. We travelled over 6 hours from Canada and it was not an option to turn back or try and find somewhere else to go on short notice. An additional worry was that this time we were an extended group with a few friends who wanted to try "real backpacking" and we wanted them to have a good first-time experience.

Per our plan we were supposed to start from the Blackbird knob trailhead so we drove down there and were lucky enough to find a parking spot a couple hundred meters south of the trailhead. By the time we started hiking, it was already past 3pm and we only had a few hours left before the sunset at about 7pm.

Day 1: From Blackbird knob TH to Red Creek camp area

Distance: ~5.2 km
Challenge: short daylight period

As this was a short day we planned to camp in a Red Creek camp area on TR 514 Red Creek trail. It was a relatively short hike of just over 5 km first west on TR 511 from the trailhead to the junction with TR 514 and then south on TR 514.

Day 1 terrain profile from the TH on the left to the camp on the right

The Read Creek camp area is a relatively large flat area on the east side of the Red Creek with great tree coverage, easy access to the creek for water and supposedly enough space for multiple campsites. We weren't that lucky, however, and the entire area was fully packed on both sides of the creek with tents standing very close to each other.

The sun was already setting down and we did not have time to hike to the next camping spot for another hour so after a short deliberation we set the camp right on a flat rocky west side of the creek. Two of our tents were free-standing, but my personal setup involved a small tarp that I could not set in that location so my only option was to try a cowboy camping that night.

On top of the unexpected crowdedness, the temperature suddenly dropped to 0℃ which was also a surprise not based on the weather forecast that we looked up before. Long story short, the major problem of a cowboy-style sleeping on the side of the creek is a lot of humidity and mist in the air. My down sleeping quilt was all wet as I could not protect it with the tarp as planned, but survived the night. However, I needed to take time the next day to dry it out during the stops.

Breaking camp on the Red Creek shore

Day 2: From Red Creek to Stonecoal Run

Distance: ~9 km
Challenge: slow and exhausting Rocky Point trail section
Sightseeing: Lion Head mountain

The second day was the longest in terms of distance and hiking time and included one mid-day lunch break at the foot of the Lion Head mountain.

Day 2 terrain profile from Red Creek on the left to Stonecoal Run camp on the right

After we had our breakfast at Red Creek we continued south on TR 514 for about 2.5 km until the junction with TR 554 Rocky Point trail and then another 1.8 km on the TR 554 until the foot of the Lion Head mountain where we took a break for a snack and slo to climb up to the Lion Head for a picture shot. The Rocky Pomt trail is not an easy trail to hike as it is completely covered with pointy rocks and stones and the hike is very slow and exhausting, especially for the beginners. So not surprisingly, only part of the group was up to a climbing exercise.

On top of the Lion Head

After stopping at the Lion Head we continued west on TR 554 until the junction with TR 513 Stonecoal Run trail and further north on TR 513 until our next camping spot about 4.5 km from the Lion Head mountain. This day campsite was a large relatively flat area surrounded by rhododendron bushes on the west side of a little creek that we also used as a water source. The campsite also had a fire ring so we made a small fire for warmth and ambience.

Day 2 campsite. My blue sleeping quilt d

Day 2 campfire

Day 3: From Stonecoal Run to Blackbird knob trailhead

Distance: ~9.2 km
Challenge: the longest and steepest ascend and a creek crossing
Sightseeing: open views from the Blackbird knob trail

Day 3 terrain profile from Stonecoal Run on the left to Blackbird knob TH on the right

Day 3 was the last leg of the loop and the most hiking intensive as we needed to cover the longest leg before 2 pm in pretty much a single go. We had prepared some snacks for a short mid-hike break but that was all the indulgence that was planned.

We broke camp and after breakfast continued north on TR 513 until the junction with the TR 511 Blackbird knob trail. As you can see from the terrain profile that was the longest and steepest ascend of the entire loop which was also made difficult because the trail coincided with the stormwater path and was all covered in rocks and tree roots. Eventually, we reached the TR 511 and continued east towards the trailhead and the parking spot.

The TR 511 Blackbird knob trail is also the highest elevation of the wilderness and we were rewarded with the open sky, sun, and a lot of views. We made a quick snack break somewhere between the Left Fork creek crossing and the Blackbird knob mountain and after that continued to the car without stopping.

Left Fork creek crossing

Open views from the Blackbird knob trail

Afterwords

Better planning should have been done to accommodate a large crowd on the Columbus Day long weekend, and warmer clothes would be useful for an unexpected temperature drop. As for the cowboy-style camping, a bivy bag would be very helpful for a night on the Red Creek shore. I used my UL Granite Gear 50L backpack and it was totally enough for my stuff and my share of the group's load.

Gear Review: Ultralight Titanium Wood Stove for Hot Tenting

2020-01-12T12:39:00.004-05:00

★★★★★

Winter camping may not be that popular due to cold weather, special skills requirements and overall hardship perception. But if you learn how to enjoy the outdoors in winter there are a lot of benefits: no crowds, unique winter silence, the special feeling of being able to enjoy the cold, a sense of accomplishment, etc. One of the required skills is staying warm in cold weather and one of the techniques that becomes more and more popular is hot tenting.

Hot tenting is a technique of heating up the inner space of your tent so you can warm up after being long enough in a cold environment. Hot tenting requires a source of heat and a tent that is compatible with a chosen source of heat. There are a few requirements to understand when choosing a particular way of hot tenting:

How portable a source of heat is;
What type of fuel does it require, and
How available the fuel around the camping destination

If a source of heat is heavy and also requires fuel that cannot be obtained locally, for example, a propane-powered heat radiator, that limits how far one can hike carrying the added weight of a heater a fuel, and how long one can stay outdoors depending on the available amount of fuel.

This is why wood-burning tent stoves have been one of the most popular heating choices for hot tenting, even though they are not lightweight but use locally found fuel and can be used for a long time.

Now that titanium has become a much more affordable choice for building outdoor equipment, lightweight titanium wood-burning tent stoves provide great opportunities and many benefits for winter hot tenting. Let's review a very recent product, an ultralight titanium wooden tent stove available at Ali Express.

Conclusion

★★★★★

✅ Approved and recommended.

Video: Paddling Noganosh Lake Trailer

2019-09-15T12:07:00.022-04:00

Northern Ontario Canada is a land of lakes and a paddling paradise. Alta Outdoors team loves paddling crystal clear Canadian waters, especially in summer, exploring beautiful nature, and rich wildlife and simply enjoying the great Canadian outdoors. One of our recent favourite destinations is the Noganosh Lake system. We invite you to watch a short video trailer of one of our paddling trips there.

Video: Mount Rainier National Park in One day

2018-06-01T11:37:00.002-04:00

In May 2018 Alta Outdoors team had a chance to visit the Mount Rainier National Park while staying in Seattle for work. We did not have much time but we tried to maximize our experience by exploring the park as much as we could. Pleas join us in this short one day video excursion as we explore the Mt Rainier NP.

Video: Ice Climbing Introduction

2018-04-17T17:17:00.001-04:00

Join Alta Outdoors on this fun introduction to ice climbing with master climber Yury Lakt. Watch how much fun ice climbing is, learn a few tips and tricks and enjoy the beautiful winter day in great Canadian outdoors.

Video: Wildlife Series: Blue Heron Hunting

2017-08-14T18:49:00.000-04:00

While visiting the outdoors we observe a lot of wildlife. Join us while we watch a blue heron hunting on a lake in its natural environment.

Video: Wildlife Series: Common Snapping Turtle Underwater

2017-06-20T19:07:00.000-04:00

While visiting the outdoors we observe a lot of wildlife. One lovely summer morning during our weekend kayak camping trip we've been visited by a local. Join us while we watch a very curious common snapping turtle underwater in its natural habitat.

Gear List: Tools for Backpacking

2017-05-28T15:08:00.000-04:00

This is a list of tools that we always have on any backpacking trip. It's short and simple and covers the following areas:

cutting (knives and a multi-tool)
fire making (a Light My fire knife has a ferro rod and a 90 degree spine, a mini-fan)
grooming (a multi-tool)
medical help (a multi-tool)
hygiene (a multi-tool and a trowel)
small repairs (a multi-tool)
animal protection and signalling (a flare)
mattress inflation (a mini-fan)

The list includes:

A neck knife Enzo Necker (this is Tatiana's knife) 94 gr / 3.3 oz
A fixed blade knife Mora Light My Fire (this is Alex's knife) 111 gr / 3.9 oz
A small multi-tool Leatherman Squirt PS4 56 gr / 1.9 oz
A titanium trowel Deuce Scoop from DutchWare 24 gr / 0.85 oz
TruFlare Bear Banger 50 gr / 1.7 oz
Themarest NeoAir mini-fan with batteries 73 gr / 2.6 oz

Total weight 408 gr / 14.4 oz. Some may feel that this is too much, but we prefer to be prepared and equipped.

The main criteria of how the items get on this list are: compact and lightweight, durable and functional, affordable.

Feel free to ask questions or share your own experience in the comments below.

Video: Kayak Camping at East Long Lake

2017-05-26T18:31:00.001-04:00

An overnight kayak camping trip to the Long East Lake at Haliburton Highlands. Join us in this short paddling adventure and enjoy nice weather and beautiful scenery.

Photography: Best Views along the La Cloche Silhouette Trail

2017-05-23T17:04:00.000-04:00

The La Cloche Silhouette backpacking trail in the Killarney provincial park travels along some of the most picturesque places in the park. Please enjoy the best views we have collected while backpacking the trail in May 2017.

Sun light reflections.

Lake view from the edge of the mountain range.

Still reflection in the water.

Rugged and beautiful.

The forest's native.

Mountains and lakes.

The Fall.

Space and freedom.

Beautiful lake.

The Crack!

Trip Report: La Cloche Silhouette Trail in 5 Days

2017-05-22T17:38:00.004-04:00

After considering our next spring backpacking trip we decided to take on the La Cloche Silhouette loop in Killarney Provincial park. This route has been on our list for quite a while but due to its length and high level of difficulty it has been postpone multiple times before. The opportunity opened up for us on the third week of May 2017 and we could not resist.

Even though the official guidelines suggest to complete the loop in 7 to 10 days we only had 5 full days to complete the route. Below is our schedule.

Day 1: George Lake campground to H8 camp site

Started a 12:50 pm and finished at H8 campsite around 7:30 pm.

Distance: ~14 km.
Challenges of the day: late start, numerous creek crossings and hiking through the "Pig's portage", extremely rocky and the tallest portage path of the Killarney park.

Day 1 terrain profile. The second peak is the top of "The Pig Portage".
Total ascend 1237 ft/381 m, total descend 1217 ft/375 m.

Day 2: from H8 camp site to H21 camp site

Started at 10 am and finished around 5:30 pm. Distance is roughly the same as on the Day 1 but much higher temperature and strenuous terrain required longer time.

Distance: ~14.5 km.
Challenges of the day: continuous up/down hill, very hot day with air temperature rising up to 28*C. On the positive side, bathing in the Threenarrows Lake was very refreshing.

Day 2 terrain profile. Continuous up and down wears you out.
Total ascend 837 ft/258 m, total descend 846 ft/260 m.

Day 3: from H21 camp site to H33 camp site

Started at 9:15 am and finished at 7:10 pm (was almost dark because of the overcast).

Distance: 13.5 km.
Challenges of the day: the biggest daily ascend/descend of the entire trail, torrential rainstorm in the afternoon, and the temperature drop from 20*C to 4*C. Started with a very steep descend on mile 1 (see below), ascend on the wet slippery "Falls" granite rock, the most challenging ascend via the Moose Pass (the highest peak below) and, on top of all that, the rainstorm set us back 3 hours and required to camp at the site H33 instead of the H35 as it was originally planned. Lesson: always factor weather conditions into a schedule.

Day 3 terrain profile. Moose Pass starts after the site H23.
Total ascend 2034 ft/626 m, total descend 1890 ft/582 m.

Day 4: from H33 camp site to H45 camp site

Started at 9:15 and finished around 6 pm.

Distance: ~16.5 km compensating for the previous day's rainstorm.
Challenges of the day: second biggest daily elevation change of the trail, the long "dry" 5 km Silver Peak segment (between the mile 1 and 5) with no water access. In addition, we had to cover longer distance from the previous day but relatively it was feeling like less work. Temperature dropped significantly after the rainstorm which also made hiking a bit less strenuous.

Day 4 terrain profile. "The Silhouette" trail is quite steep in the beginning and the end.
Total ascend 1821 ft/560 m, total descend 1768 ft/544 m.

Day 5: from H45 camp site to H50 camp site

Started at 9:15 am and finished at 5 pm.

Distance: ~12.7 km.
Challenges of the day: the last most winding segment of the "Silver Peak" segment with very poor trail marking, very crowded "The Crack" because of the weekend visitors. On the positive side this was the last "uphill" day on the trail. Further on, most of the path descends to the George lake.

Day 5 terrain profile. Slow descend at "The Crack" because of a large crowd.
Total ascend 1388 ft/427 m, total descend 1562 ft/481 m.

Day 6: from H50 camp site back to George Lake campground

Started at 9:30 am and finished around 11:45 am. This last leg of the trail took about 2 hours and, if absolutely necessary, could have been completed on the previous day making the entire trip shorter than 5 days.

Distance: ~6.8 km including about 1.5 km of crossing the campground.
Challenges of the day: all time raining, beaver dam crossing between sites H51 and H52, multiple steep ascends and descends on very wet and slippery granite boulders. On the positive side, there was a hot shower in the campground.

Last day terrain profile. Total ascend 430 ft/142 m, total descend 446 ft/137 m.

Gear list

When packing gear, it's important to consider temperature changes and weather conditions.
For colder nights the warmer sleeping bag and spare warm clothes may be necessary.
When trying to make a tight schedule also add some spare food in case of a set back.
The challenge is to keep the weight down while carrying everything necessary for a long trip (5+ days is a long trip). Because the terrain is so strenuous, all the "luxury" items must be left behind: choose the lightest first.
In our case, the heaviest in the "base weight" was warm clothes, and the heaviest among everything was the food for two people for 5 days with a spare.

Trip Report: Appalachian Trail Loop in Grayson Highlands

2017-04-20T13:46:00.000-04:00

Starting a new backpacking season in the spring is always tricky: you need to consider weather, seasonal attractions, bug reports, sunrise and sunset times, and distance, of course. Also, you want to start a season with something really memorable. This season, such a destination for us became the Grayson Highlands State Park where we hiked a ~35 km / 22 miles loop on the Appalachian Trail (AT) in three days arranged around the Easter long weekend in Canada.

Overview

The main attraction of the location is wild ponies that live there unattended. While hiking there, one will experience many encounters with that lovely animal. The second interest point is Mount Rogers, the highest peak in Virginia with summit elevation of 1,746 m / 5,729 feet. The third on the checklist is the Appalachian Trail itself, with its unforgettable experience. If all the above is not enough, there are countless beautiful views along the route that will make a lot of memorable pictures.

One of the conveniences of the location is the Grayson Highlands State Park itself with an overnight parking lot (requires payment) and some amenities that could be welcome at the end of the trip. So, the parking lot is where the trip starts.

The route itself can be done in two days distance-wise, but the ascend/descend could be a hard work and also we wanted to spend a bit more time in that area so we planned it for three days. Depending on where you'll be coming from, please add additional time for traveling to and from. The timing of the route represents the fact that we have started in the evening so the first camping site is only two hours away from the parking lot.

Day 1

Distance: 5 km / 3.1 mi with a day's elevation of 370 m / 1201 ft. Camp along the AT 15 minutes before the Thomas Knob shelter. If you prefer, reach the shelter and stay there. Note, that if you don't go to the shelter there is no water source on the first day segment, so carry some water with you.

Day 1 terrain profile. Continuous ascend towards the Thomas Knob shelter on the southbound AT.

Day 2

Distance: 15.8 km / 9.8 mi with a day's ascend of 583 m / 1893 ft and total descend of 1013 m / 3291 ft. This day's highlights are visiting the Mount Rogers summit in the morning and then descending down for almost one kilometer for the best part of the day. There are multiple water sources along the trail during the day. Camp around the Old Orchard shelter. This is a lovely area with a source of water and some view and, if you are lucky, you may hear coyotes howling at night.

Day 2 terrain profile. Mount Rogers summit in the morning and long descend the rest of the day.

Day 3

Distance: 10.4 km / 6.5 mi with a day's elevation of 489 m / 1588 ft and descend of 320 m / 1037 ft. There will be a change of scenery around mid day as you climb through the forested area and reach the open views where you are likely to meet more ponies. This day's camp is close to another AT shelter at the Massie Gap along the Wilburn Ridge right before the state park border. Please note, that you cannot camp in the park territory without a park camping permit and that's why the camp location is still on the AT. This is a very popular rendezvous point at the AT and you are likely to meet many AT though-hikers in the evening.

Day 3 terrain profile. Ascend in the morning through the forested section and reach the open views.

Day 4

Distance: the last leg of 2.3 km / 1.4 mi to return to your car with a bit of an elevation of 153 m / 499 ft and some downhill of 157 m / 509 ft. If you wanted to complete the route a day before it's totally possible. You will hike along the ridge so there will be some picture opportunities.

Last leg of the trip. Hike uphill to the ridge and then descend to the parking lot.

Gear and Preparations

Consider the weather forecast and bugs activity when choosing your clothes. No issues with finding water along the trail and setting up a tent even not-freestanding.

Gear Review: Ultralight Butane Canister Stove

2017-04-19T00:29:00.000-04:00

★★★★★
The most lightweight and the most compact yet powerful backpacking butane canister stove is the only stove one needs for three season backpacking trips. It only weighs 25 grams, yes, this is true, and takes virtually no space yet brings 2 cups of water to hard boil in less then 3 minutes, and all those features for a very affordable price. If you can use butane canister fuel in your conditions, you can use this stove.

Usage

This stove is best suitable for lightweight backpacking when weight and size are more important than other features. The stove is very compact. It's so small it literally requires no space in a backpack as it easily fits inside of a cooking pot.

Pros	Cons
Ultra lightweight 25 g and very compact Powerful: generates 2700 W Boils water quickly Comes with a high visibility pouch Very inexpensive	Short pot support legs Feels a little flimsy Short control knob Short connection threads

Overview

Using this stove is very easy and intuitive. Open support legs, screw on your canister, open valve and fire on with an external flame source. A few things to note:

The connection thread is on a short side so the stove may not fit perfectly on every canister. I mostly use Primus canisters and it fits on them snugly.
The control knob is short and when used with a wind screen may be hard to reach.
The stove is small so you need to fire it before setting a pot on or it will be hard to reach the burner area.
The pot support legs are short so if using a larger pot make sure your canister is very stable on the surface.

All the notes above are direct results of the stove small size. If you feel like it's too inconvenient you need a larger stove.

We have used this stove for over a year in all seasons and it behaves consistently with no problems noticed. No maintenance required whatsoever and when used with a pot equipped with a heat exchanger this stove is one of the most fuel efficient stove that I have ever used.

Power and Fuel Efficiency

As stated by the manufacturer the stove produces 2700 W on a full flame which roughly corresponds to 9200 BTU/hr. In comparison, the Primus Express generates 8900 BTU/hr and the Primus ClassicTrail - 10000 BTU/hr. So despite its small size the stove is quite powerful.

Based on our averaged experience the stove brings 2 cups (~0.5 L) of water from a natural source (~15C/52F) to hard boil in about 2.5 minutes depending on air temperature, water temperature and wind.

How much fuel is required to bring water to a boil directly depends on how much time it will take: the longer the time the more fuel is burnt. We have collected a lot of statistics during our trips, including short overnight and multi-day trips.

Considering an average consumption of 4 cups of hot water for two persons per a single food break this stove used about 10.5 grams of butane gas fuel per a food break with a slightly modified JetBoil SOL Titanium pot with a heat exchanger, a lid and a small titanium wind screen. This is quite efficient and allows not to over-provision the fuel. For example, a short overnight backpacking trip with 4 food breaks would only require ~45 grams of butane. During our recent 5 days backpacking trip to La Cloche trail we have consumed ~146 grams for 14 food breaks.

Conclusion

★★★★★

✅ Approved and recommended.

Gear Review: Survivor Filter PRO

2017-04-18T23:50:00.000-04:00

★★★★
No doubt, water supply is the number one priority on any backcountry trip. Among all different ways of water purification, filtration is our preferred choice for three-season trips as being the most convenient, safe, and suitable for both backpacking and paddling trips.

Survivor Filter PRO is a pump water filtration system that achieves the industry highest level of filtration via three-step process that includes 0.1 micron pre-filter, activated carbon middle filter and the 0.01 micron main filter. All three filters are replaceable on demand, but the 0.1 micron pre-filter and 0.01 micron final filter are also washable and reusable for very long term.

The highest level of filtration is not the only attractive quality of the Survivor PRO. It is also compact, lightweight and relatively fast, which makes it a great choice especially for backpacking trips when size and weight may be critical.

Pros	Cons
Highest level of filtration 0.01 micron Lightweight and compact Fast pumping action Three-step filtration with replaceable filters	Ergonomics is not ideal Not compatible with Camelbak standards

Speed

Survivor PRO is a pump action and normally you'd be able to do about one full action per second and require between 60 to 80 actions to filter about 32 ounces or 1 L of water. This is about 1.5 -2 minutes per a liter and comparing to a Sawyer Mini is quite fast.

Capacity

The manufacturer rates the main filter capacity at 1,000 liters before replacing filter elements, which is quite a lot considering that on a regular overnight trip I would filter about 10 liters of water for two people. So about a 100 overnight trips per single filter replacement cycle? Not bad at all. Besides the filter is completely washable so this usage could be even longer.

Important to notice that if filter gets clogged quickly it becomes less and less usable. And that is precisely what I like about Survivor PRO vs Sawyer Mini: Survivor does not get clogged as easily as the Sawyer Mini. In fact, during our last backpacking season it did not get clogged at all. But I do wash it after the trip the same way I do the Sawyer Mini.

Ease of use

Very easy: I keep the filter in a zip lock bag fully assembled and I just grab it from my backpack with a water container, walk to the water and pump how much I need. Walk back and I am ready to go.

Features

Can be easily disassembled for cleaning
Three-step filtration with individually replaceable filters is the safest
Back washable both pre- and main filters
Compatible with Sawyer washing syringe

Construction and durability

It's made from lightweight, hard, and seemingly strong plastic. After a year of use in different conditions it holds up well. Filters are individually replaceable and easy to buy on Amazon, which makes maintenance simple and inexpensive. In the entire construction there is nothing that seem to be breakable or require any repair. It's made in China but is distributed and covered by a U.S. company that also has an office in Canada that is very responsive.

Final conclusion

★★★★ ✅ Recommended.

Survivor PRO setup is lightweight, has much better filtration level and faster and easier to use than a Sawyer Mini filter.

Photography: Outdoor Fireplaces

2017-04-10T19:03:00.000-04:00

Building a fire and spending some quality time around it whether alone or with friends is an essential experience in the outdoors. Fire provides us with warmth, food, safety and creates a general feeling of ambiance rooted deep into our DNA. Enjoy some beautiful pictures of the fire in the outdoors and share your comments.

DIY: Little Tweaks to Improve Cooking Set Fuel Efficiency

2017-04-10T16:43:00.000-04:00

Fuel efficiency of your cooking set is very important because it directly defines how much fuel you carry in your backpack and how long it will take to prepare your food. Weight and time, right? So, it makes total sense to improve the efficiency especially when all it takes is a very little investment of time and money.

What you need for this project

1. A piece of Reflectix material (buy a small DIY package in your local hardware store)
2. A piece of a titanium foil (cut from a titanium windscreen if you have one and it's large enough or buy a small roll on Amazon or eBay)
3. A piece of aluminum duct tape (buy in your local hardware store)
4. Scissors
5. A Sharpie pen

What we are going to do

1. Improve your pot thermal efficiency by increasing its insulation with a a piece of Reflectix material.

Measure a pot circumference by rolling it 360 degrees along a length of Reflectix.
Cut a piece of Reflectix of the pot's circumference in length and the pot's height less one centimeter in width. The shorter width is required so the Reflectix does not burn when the pot is on a stove.
Put the Reflectix wrap under a pot's neoprene sleeve (see the picture above) or, if you don't have one, wrap a length of the aluminum duct tape around it.

2. Improve pot lid thermal efficiency by replacing it with a DIY Reflectix lid.

Set a pot upside down on a piece of Reflectix and draw a circle around its edge using a Sharpie pen.
Visually assess how thick the pot's top edge
Cut a circle from the piece of Reflectix along the drawn line slightly smaller so the circle would tightly fit into the pot's edge. Try and correct if necessary.
Cut a small piece of an aluminum duct tape and attach it to the center of the lid as a lifting handle.

3. Improve the stove's heat efficiency by installing a titanium foil ring beneath the burner. This improvement reflects some heat from the flame back to a pot and protects a fuel canister from overheating.

Acquire a piece of titanium foil first. Most likely you'll need to buy it on the Internet. Once you have it, use a small butane canister bottom edge circumference as a cutting template and cut the circle from the foil. This size will ensure that the ring fits inside a pot where a butane canister can fit.
Next, find a center of the titanium circle and punch a whole there. Use small scissors to cut a small of the diameter of the stove center post right below the burner head.
Cut across a radius to the center. Now you can install the foil ring below the burner and it will hold there even when warped by heat.

4. This step is optional and only applicable if you have a pot with a heat exchanger (see picture above).

Make a ring of the pot's heat exchanger dimensions and use it when setting a pot on top of your stove for increased support.

The Result

Here are all the components that we made.

Together they weigh about 12 grams and improve fuel efficiency/decrease boiling time by ~25% as experimentally measured by Alta Outdoors team during our trips. That efficiency increase produces roughly 3 grams of fuel saving per a food break which accounts for 12 grams on a single overnight trip but on a 5 days trip would come to about 50 grams of fuel which is almost a half of a small butane canister. Over multiple trips you'll save a lot of fuel as well as some weight in your backpack and cook your food a bit faster.

Gear Review: Comparison of Lightweight Trowels

2017-04-05T19:12:00.000-04:00

A trowel is a digging tool that one would most likely need on a backcountry trip for hygienic purpose and sometimes to harvest edible plants and/or help protect a camp site from water. A trowel is in the Alta Outdoors tools list that we always bring to our trips. Here we collected information about most popular lightweight trowels currently available for purchasing the help you make an informed decision about a trowel to add to your backcountry toolkit.

	Deuce Scoop*	Big Dig	Tark Ultralight	Deuce of Spades
Material	Titanium	Titanium	Titanium	Aluminum
Weight	22 gr / 0.8 oz	17 gr / 0.6 oz	13 gr / 0.5 oz	17 gr /0.6 oz
Dimensions (HxW)	7" x 2"	7.5"	7" x 2"	6.8" x 2.6"
Manufacturer	Dutchware Gear	QiWiz	Suluk 46	The Tent Lab
Price	$20**	$36**	$35**	$19.50**
Url	Dutchware	QiWiz	Suluk 46	The Tent Lab
Picture

* This trowel is the Alta Outdoors choice
** All prices are in USD

Disclaimer. No manufacturer has contacted Alta Outdoors for this review nor provided samples. Alta Outdoors does not endorse any of the above mentioned products.

Photography: Sunsets at Backcountry Lakes

2017-04-01T13:56:00.000-04:00

Backcountry lakes are some of the most beautiful places to watch summer sunsets. Enjoy the pictures below and share your comments.

Video: Freshwater Fish Underwater

2017-03-15T19:09:00.000-04:00

While visiting the outdoors we observe a lot of wildlife. Join us while we are watching freshwater fish feeding underwater.