Team Geared Up

I originally posted this over at my site, Outdoorness, but thought that I would pass it along to everyone that reads Geared Up!

Ultra light Backpacking and Hiking

Within this post, you will find some ultra light backpacking and hiking tips and information. Most of the information will be related to long-distance and multi-day travel in the backcountry.

Carry Appropriate Quality Gear
Determine the gear that you need to maintain your personal level of security and then seek out the smallest, lightest, highest-quality manifestation of that gear. The quality and functionality of a good portion of today’s technical, commercial gear, is excellent.

Boots/Shoes
You don’t mention the use of running shoes- especially trail running shoes- instead of boots. I have used them extensively outdoors and off trail and, as long as there is not a lot of snow, I have found them to be superb. The Adidas Trailrunner (not the Lite version—although that could be an option—it is not as sturdy) is excellent, lasts for ages, and can be waterproofed.

It especially excels in wet, canyoneering situations where swimming with a pack is an issue because runners are synthetic and dry much more quickly that leather boots. I have found that, in about 90% of hiking situations, running shoes are supportive enough, lightweight enough, sturdy enough, and comfortable enough to outperform most boots any day of the week.

First Aid Kits
When you are miles away from medical attention, you are it! Take your standard purchased kit and remove 60% of it. Keep a few items of each that are included: bandaids, anti-biotic ointment, etc, etc. Then, go see your doctor and explain what you are setting up and trying to accomplish with your kit.
Must have items:
1. At least two sets of sutures, needles, and thread
2. At least two 4×4 and one 8×8 dressings
3. One large roll of wide-cling gauze
4. Some type of strong pain pill
5. One tube of triple anti-biotic cream
6. One tube of burn cream
7. Some packets of anti-septic wipes
8. One wide roll of cloth tape

The object of the first aid kit is to control the situation until you can get the proper medical attention that you need.

Water Treatment
There may be a lighter alternative to all those filters. Have you had a chance to try Aqua Pure? It’s a little glass bottle that’s filled with iodine crystals. The bottle is filled with water which creates an iodine solution. The solution is added to “dirty” water at a prescribed rate (by the capful), then you wait 30 minutes and drink. The system is almost infallible and it’s a whole lot lighter than a filter.

As well, you can use Polar Pure. The same type idea as Aqua Pure, for each Nalgene bottle, you add 2 cap full’s of polar pure, the Polar Pure bottle caps that is, not the Nalgene bottle caps.