Category Archives: Backpacking Gear

Senior Moments – Declining Eyesight (or how I returned my vision to normal)

Backpacking Gear, Senior Moments, , ,

A question that gets asked often in backpacking circles is, “How do I deal with my glasses/contacts on backpacking trips?” It’s a great question, especially for those who are new to backpacking or those who just got their first pair of glasses or contact lenses. 

The bad news is there isn’t a good answer. This is one of those things you just have to figure out for yourself. 

In this post, I’ll share my personal experiences. Probably best if you don’t expect an “ah ha” moment. On the other hand, I might share something you haven’t thought about or tried. For those who don’t need vision correction, you might want to read this anyway because the odds are you will need vision correction in the future.

Continue reading Senior Moments – Declining Eyesight (or how I returned my vision to normal) →

The “Top Ten Lists” – Can You Trust Them?

Backpacking Gear, Camping, Hiking, Shelters, Tents, , , , , , ,

It sounds counter intuitive, but I spend much less time on the Internet since I retired, even though all my time is free time, that is, I can do whatever I like, as long as Joyce is happy. I keep myself busy around the house with many tasks, plus we camp more often, not to mention my time spent backpacking.

One thing I am seeing more and more on the Internet are Top Ten Lists for all kinds of consumer goods. Given a good portion of my readers are backpackers, this begs the question, “Can you trust these reviews?” The short, quick answer is, “No.” If it is, “No,” then where can one find good quality trusted reviews?

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Preventing Blisters with Leukotape: a 10+ year review

Backpacking, Backpacking Gear, Hiking

A common ailment for hikers are foot blisters, and I would imagine more backpacking trips are cut short due to blisters than any other cause. 

Typically I want to use a product for at least 10 years before recommending it. Leukotape not only meets this standard but it is an amazing product – the best I have ever used for preventing and treating blisters.

Continue reading Preventing Blisters with Leukotape: a 10+ year review →

Katadyn BeFree Water Filter

Backpacking Gear

This is not a Product Review

I just bought a Katadyn BeFree Filter. It came with a 1.0 liter soft-sided water bottle.

Back in 2013 I wrote about water filters and how they weren’t on my radar as something to purchase. So why did I buy this thing? Am I compromising perceived convenience for more weight and more hassle? Or am I open to considering things that just make sense? Continue reading Katadyn BeFree Water Filter →

How to Polish a Titanium Backpacking Spoon

Backpacking Gear, , , , ,

Why would one want to polish a backpacking spoon?

Sea to Summit Alpha Long Handled Spoon

For many years my favorite spoon was a Sea to Summit Alpha Long Handled Spoon. Made from anodized aluminum, it was perfect for eating meals from a freezer bag. Most of the time I “cook” my meals in a freezer bag (see Freezer Bag Cooking).  Back in February I lost my spoon on the last day of a backpacking trip (the last meal of the day).

My friend, Doug, gave me a titanium long handle spoon, which was identical in size and shape as the one I lost. Both the anodized aluminum and the titanium spoon had one quality that about drove me nuts. Continue reading How to Polish a Titanium Backpacking Spoon →

Platypus Soft Water Bottle: Ten Year Review

Backpacking Gear

I’ve been using these for 10 years, so we can call this a real gear review, based on extensive field use.

Platypus 1 liter soft bottles in a zPacks Zero backpack.

Over the past 10 years I’ve taken them on almost every backpacking trip I’ve done. On some trips they are the only bottles I use, especially when I need the absolutely lightest pack possible, as in the picture above.

Other times I bring them as extra water storage for my night camp, when I use Gatorade bottles for drinking water as I hike during the day. I recently wrote about this in this post  where I will just roll up the Platypus soft bottles and store them in my pack where they take up little space. They Platypus bottles are light and durable, but they are far from perfect.  Continue reading Platypus Soft Water Bottle: Ten Year Review →

The “Best” Water Bottle (backpacking & hiking) is Free

Backpacking Gear,

This is a 20+ Year Product Review

When I started backpacking there was no such thing as “specialized” water bottles. We just used canteens. At first heavy aluminum ones then these plastic ones below – all found at Army-Navy surplus stores for really cheap!

Today, we have so many specialized water bottles available to us, which is kind of crazy. Do we need to purchase hiking specific bottles just to walk, when we can get free ones?

If you do a search for “water bottles” on www.rei.com   the result lists 222 items!

So which is “best?” If you do a Google search for “backpacking water bottles” many of the search links will include “best backpacking water bottles.” 

Best is what works for you. For me, most of the time, best is a re-purposed (recycled) Gatorade bottle.

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Update Your Old Kelty External Frame Backpack

Backpacking Gear, ,

There has been a lot of interest in this post on Vintage Kelty External Frame Backpacks.  Seems many folks have figured out these backpacks are fairly light and extremely durable, not to mention several companies are starting to bring new versions of external frame backpacks to market. Yes, as things often go, the old stuff works and marketing people think they have come up with something extra-ordinary, when in fact, they are just re-inventing the wheel. Although I mostly use a couple of internal frame backpacks most of the time theses day, I still use my old Kelty external frame backpacks. They just work and are fun to hike with. Often these old Kelty packs can be found pretty cheap in thrift stores and on eBay.

One problem with these old Kelty packs is the foam in the shoulder straps and hipbelts get rock-hard after several decades. Several folks have told me they would have bought a used one, but the foam was too hard.

Now there is a solution. 

In fact the solution has been around for a long time! Order a replacement shoulder strap set and hipbelt for Kelty’s current Trekker 65 external frame backpack. In this post I will show you how to install them on an old-school Kelty backpack.

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