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[at-l] My Gear Part 2
- Subject: [at-l] My Gear Part 2
- From: kahley7 <kahley7@ptd.net>
- Date: Fri, 16 Jun 2000 12:26:53 -0400
Denise Hluhan wrote:
water filter, stove, first aid supplies, mess kit, fire starting
materials, hammock, book and water - but it weighs a lot.
As to water filters, the real weight savings comes from not taking one
and using chemicals. well that's not exactly true...you can save
a little by switching to a Pur Hiker if the one you are carrying
weighs more than 11 oz. Or switch to an inline filter which is
almost weightless. I'm a big fan of empty soda bottles rather
than nalgene cause they are so light..and FREE!!! with the purchase of
a soda. I know that some people don't trust them but I have the
highest confidence in Canada Dry empties. In fact, I'll offer a
five dollar reward for any one that fails in normal hiker use
(just kidding) but they are the best! If you carry a lot of water, you
could save some weight here.
As to stoves, WOW...do we fuss on stoves <g>. The lightest stoves
are also the cheapest, being made from empty cans and fueled with
alcohol,. I know some
url's for the newest generation of hand made stoves were posted
here this week. anyone still have it? anyone wanna make me one
<VVVBG>
I have this url for an earlier version
http://www.fulton-net.com/~sgraber/stove.htm
or else the esbit with a solid fuel tabs
http://www.campmor.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/CategoryDisplay?cgrfnbr=24198&cgmenbr=226
If you don't like those options there is always a zipstove. Smokey
and sooty their chief good point is they burn wood so there is no
fuel weight to carry.
http://www.campmor.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/CategoryDisplay?cgrfnbr=8123&cgmenbr=226
http://yahi.csustan.edu/~gcrawfor/zip/zipstove.html
And the new generation of canister stoves are incredibly light.
The Caddilac is probably the Snow Peak Gig Stove
http://snowpeak.net/WebStructure/StovesLanterns.htm
http://hometown.aol.com/paddysgear/myhomepage/index.html
I have a much cheaper and slightly heavier Primus model that
I found on sale at Wallmart for 30 bucks.
The actual stoves weigh like 6 oz and another 10oz for fuel (i think).
I also have a Zipstove and an Esbit stove. so which one do I use?
Depends on where and when and why. Winter means the zipstove cause
my winter pack is heavy enough without fuel weight and I use a LOT
of fuel in the winter....especially if I need to melt snow for water.
Since I hate the racket and smell of liquid gas stoves, I try to
be considerate of others who may hate the smoke of my zipstove so
if I think I may be sharing space with other hikers, I'd bring the
canister stove. Unless of course it was hot out and I wasn't
going to do much cooking anyway...then it's the esbit.
As to a mess kit...IMHO, they are a cruel waste of weight.
Really...all you need is a pot and a lid and a spoon. You
can get some really nifty titanium pots,
http://www.campmor.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=13651&prmenbr=226
but to be honest,
Wallmart has an aluminum pot that is very cheap and very
lightweight. It's lidless though so you either have to look
in yardsales for a light weight alum. lid, or fashion one
from a disposable pie pan and hold it on with a lid. Since
there are two of you, pack a couple ziplocks storage containers.
These are hard plastic bowls..not the bags <g>.
They come is a size for every appetite and IMHO were the best piece
of cheap gear suggested last year. Whoever it was who discovered
them I thank you!!
Figure about 6 oz for the pot, add another 2 0z for the lid, bowls and
spoons and then weigh your mess kits and you'll see why I think
mess kits are a bad idea. Don't forget a wind screen. That's
my best ever idea for cheap gear <g>...a disposable oven liner.
Find them in the grocery with the pie pans and cut it to the
size you need.
and about those metal mugs...anyone wanna buy one cheap? People
keep giving me them for presents..ack! They are sooo heavy!
I use a smaller wide mouth plastic bottle for my coffee or tea.
Weighs almost nothing plus has a lid that keeps the coffee in
when I inevitably kick it over. <g> In the winter, I use
a plastic insulated "mug" like you get at convenience store for
a buck withthe price of the coffee.
to be continued...
As to first aid kits....I carry a lot cause I go solo or rather
with two dogs so I can't save you there. On the AT, in season and
without my dogs, I wouldn't carry much either..
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