Re: [at-l] Tuckerizing

["David F. Addleton" <dfaddleton@mindspring.com>]

>Call it the Be Prepared way:

Those were the days, my friend, we thought they'd never end!

>Call it the 'REI Way' <g>: (pronounced 'Ray', of course)

Don't know about Ray, but I did it myyyyyyyyyy waaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy!

REI et alia have some good stuff, but:

>tent and tarp and ground sheet

I use hammock and tarp, both from Kmart or Wally World ... Ray STILL hasn't figured out a good hammock & tarp to sell

>20-degree synthetic sleeping bag and liner and stuff sack and trash bag

hey, I'm right proud of my two hand-me-[NOT Goose]-down sleeping bags; both cost me nothing.
Cat's Meow w/2lbs PolarGuardHV from the late 80's or early 90's, don't know fer sure; and this way too big probably 30 year old Slumberjack. Haven't used the North Face yet, but I'm betting it'll be nicer than slumberjack to carry and to sleep in. You GOTTA have a compression sack for slumberjack to fit it in your back pack, so I'm GLAD I can ditch that item for the Cat's Meow and just go with a trash bag. 

As for liner, I don't use make-up on my eyes in the city or on the trail.

>thermarest and patch kit and foam pad

closed cell ridge rest, again a hand-me-down, but only in winter, cause the hammock netting lets in some cold I don't particularly care for when sleeping. 

>chair kit

I used to carry a tripod stool ($6 @ Wallyworld); but the nylon seat broke; so I fitted a homemade top, turning it into a table/stool and carried it for a while. I've pretty much given up that luxury now. I wonder at what weight savings ... The hammock makes a nice chair; and setting up on a good slope lets the ground rise up for a nice table ...

>candle lantern and minimag lite and spare candles

Wally world has a $7 triple-A, waterproof flashlight with a clip from Underwater Research or some such place that I simply love for the power of the light vs weight ratio ... fits on hats and straps with ease ... drop it in the creek or use it in a rainstorm -- no problem. Where to find titanium triple-A batteries????

I carried an REI candle lantern on several trips ... there's something about that candle light at night which I do enjoy ...  Coleman's come out with this way cheaper and much lighter tea-candle alternative, so I've replaced Ray's candle-lantern.  Thanks again, Wallyworld ... ($4-6, if I remember right vs about $30 at Ray's).

>whisperlite and 32-ounce fuel bottle and repair kit

Here's where I need to focus some attention ... I can ditch the Peak Multi-Fuel now that I have a hand-me-down (free) Whisperlight Internationale. And I intend to at least rise to the challenge of learning to light the thing before I ditch it for the denatured alcohol ultra-lite alternative, which I really do want to learn more about. Send info please!

>2 pots and frying pan and lids and bowls and forks, all titanium

I REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY want those fold-up titanium chop sticks!!

My kid left some mac'n'cheese in my aluminium billy can (Wallyworld, again!) and the cheese has some minimal amount of acid which put this fine hole in the billy can. I don't carry it any more!

Same kid left half (that's right half!) of my stainless mess kit on Cumberland Island. I'm carrying what's left, a combination shallow pot / fry pan with this wire handle that folds over the lid. Serves as cooking pot and bowl. Free plastic spork from KFC, a piece of bark, or sunglasses works fine to move food from pot to mouth. Spatula is a zen-zone-ish bamboo rice paddle from Japan, part of a sushi kit. I use it as a spoon, too. Still have the cup from the mess kit, and use it. I'd like to have the pot/fry pan and cup in titanium, but haven't found a rich hander-downer yet.

>2 pound goretex jacket plus windshirt plus goretex pants

Kmart&Wallyworld to the rescue again!  Lightweight polyester long johns top and bottom for most cold night situations; double'em for really cold nights. Windbreaker of nylon/polyester from same source. Between them: Ray's nylon convertible pants wore out really really fast; I replaced them with Ex Officio trousers and haven't had any real problems with them. Ray's nylon shirts are great.
Rain? Nylon and Poly shed water really really fast, especially in a breeze or with a good wind on a ridge.

>enough fleece to stuff an elephant

Why stuff an elephant? ... they're mighty pack animals ... if you want to travel in Victorian style! You'll find THAT experience mainly in south asia; camels in the middle east and central asia.  But Victorian style trekking has something to recommend it, mainly in the chefs you can bring along, and these cavernous canvas tents. But I do carry one fleece sweater when expecting below freezing weather.

>GPS, 2-way radio, cell phone, palm pilot, digital compass
I've taken a cell phone a couple times, but don't carry it any more.
I use the 2-way radio when hearding kids through the wilderness ... one at the front and one at the rear. I've yet to find a need for even an old fashioned compass except when orienteering off trails ... and there's not a whole heap of opportunity for that in the east or on the AT  ...  last time I did any orienterring was in the boundary waters area in northern Wisconsin, and Michigan's UP between highschool and college ... long long time ago in a galaxy far far away ...

>camelback, 

don't knock it 'till you've tried it ... camel back is THE way to go across a desert ... Went on one three-day hike into the Suleiman mountains in Western Pakistan back in highschool days ... and came back out on camel back ... had we been smarter we'd've gone camel back both ways!

>spare water bottles

condoms work great and have other uses!

>filter, extra cartridge

after my HATT hike, I'm ditching my sweet water except when hiking with kids ...

>enough repair kits to fix a downed airplane

Herodotus will tell you all you need to know!


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