Have you ever noticed that hot dog buns come in packages of 8 and hot dogs usually come in packages of 10? So if you want to buy an equal amount of buns and hot dogs you need to buy 5 packages of buns and 4 packages of hot dogs. That’s 40 hotdogs! Do the math – there is no smaller combination. Continue reading Camping and the Hot Dog Conundrum
We just got back from a two-week camping trip a few days ago and the changes are plainly visible for Joyce and me – we are frequent campers. No, this isn’t a post about climate change. Over the past four years I have seen dramatic changes in the use of the campgrounds we frequent. Keep in mind that this is an unscientific perspective from my little corner of the world where people can and do camp all 12 months of the year.
I’ve had this shelter for 5 years; however it isn’t my “go to” shelter and it might not be the best shelter for you. So how did I get to this point (the Trailstar) and why. Continue reading If I Could Have Only One Shelter it Would be a MLD TrailStar
This shoe weighs 3.5 ounces in a men’s size 12. That’s 7 ounces for a pair of backpacking shoes! Continue reading The Lightest ‘backpacking shoe’ in the Universe
There are no “rules of thumb” or standards to determine what is needed for every individual to stay warm. Each of us is different and what sleep system will work varies by individual. Bottom line is trial and error is the path for determining what gear will work for each person. In addition, I have found that as I get older, I sleep colder. On my last trip I was somewhat cold. Not dangerously cold, but inconveniently cold – meaning I woke up several times each night due to the cold.
Temperatures at night were in the mid 30’s Fahrenheit, and my sleeping quilt was “rated” to 32F. I should have been warm, right? Wrong, the entire sleeping system has to be configured for the conditions. I did a couple things wrong, and it is always useful to analyze things when the outcome is less than desirable. Continue reading I Slept Cold on My Last Backpacking Trip: And This is Why