Category Archives: Backpacking Gear

Money, Andrew Skurka, and Me

My Website Now Has Ads

adsJust got back from an extended camping trip in the desert in Nevada and my website had a bunch of “ping-backs” from this post by Andrew Skurka.

A ping-back is when another website refers a reader via a link. Andrew was very complementary about this website and Dave Chenault’s Bedrock and Paradox as blogs with some quality content, although not a lot of content, and both sites are not monetized; that is they do not generate income.

I want to clarify this and state again as I did on October 16th, that popupbackpacker.com now incorporates affiliate marketing, which generates a small amount of income for me.

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How to Choose Backpacking Water and Camp Shoes

Yes, I am happy because the sun is out
Look down. We are going to discuss these shoes!

Ostensibly it is pretty common for backpackers to bring an extra pair of shoes for crossing streams and/or to use at the campsite after a long day of walking. So I thought I would share how I do this. This does not apply to winter hiking, which I shall define as daytime temperatures below freezing and lots of snow. For those trips, this is my shoe system.

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Backpacking Gear I Use (updated)

Updated: 10/24/2016

I want to point out that unlike camping and camper stuff that have a longevity in production, backpacking gear changes quickly. Old models are discontinued often, especially clothing and footwear. If I find a garment or shoe that I like and want to use long term, I usually buy several of each item, because if it is good the manufacturer will probably soon discontinue it and replace it with a “new and improved” model that is mostly marketing hype or worse — simply discontinue it.

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Camp Stoves, Wind, and a Stove Mod

Camp Chef Pro 60 stove
Camp Chef Pro 60 stove

Cooking in Wind

Obviously when backpacking all cooking is done outside. The number one challenge with outdoor cooking is windy conditions. Although this post will focus on the modifications I made to our Camp Chef Pro 60 stove, the same principles apply to backpacking stoves.

Snow Peak Giga Power backpacking stove during a bike touring trip
Snow Peak Giga Power backpacking stove during a bike touring trip

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My Favorite Backpacking Chairs

Yesterday I wrote about the Best Camping Chair Ever.

Today I’ll take a look at some of my favorite backpacking chairs.

mt-san-jacinto-05-16-2015-4

“Wait a minute,” you may be thinking and you will probably want to point out I consistently

Advocate taking the lightest gear possible to stay warm, dry, and safe. This mindset would preclude anything not absolutely necessary and such things as a backpacking chair are superfluous extra weight.

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