Below are gear lists from many of my past trips.

They do NOT necessarily represent what I would take today if I were to repeat the trip. In fact, it’s likely I’d make quite a few changes, especially in the case of gear lists from long ago (e.g. the Appalachian Trail in 2002), before I had really figured out how to backpack. I am continually learning from my experiences and improving my kit accordingly. I also incorporate the newest breakthroughs in product materials and design.

These gear lists are NOT suitable for all applications, conditions, people, or backcountry skill levels. You are responsible for determining their appropriateness in these regards, and for ultimately deciding what to carry into the backcountry. Backpacking can be dangerous; please be sure that your skills and equipment are adequate for the conditions you will encounter.

I provide these lists because they can be useful guides in developing your own gear kit. Learn from them, but please do not blindly follow them.

• Alaska-Yukon Expedition | March-September 2010
• Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic | July 2009
• Alaska Four-Range | June-July 2009
• Hayduke Trail & Grand Canyon Traverse | February-March 2009
• Iceland Traverse | July & August 2008
• Sierra High Route | July 2008
• Great Western Loop | April through November 2007
• Northern Minnesota | January 2007
• Unsupported Long Trail Yo-Yo | Sept-Oct 2006
• Yellowstone National Park | September 2006
• Unsupported Colorado Trail | August 2006
• Colorado Trail | July 2006
• Pacific Crest Trail – California | June & July 2006
• Sea-to-Sea Route: Northern Rockies & Northwest | Late-May through Early-July
• Sea-to-Sea Route: North Country | Jan-March 2005
• Sea-to-Sea Route: Atlantic Provinces & Northeast | Late-Summer & Fall 2004
• Colorado Trail | June 2004
• Appalachian Trail: Finishing | August 2002
• Appalachian Trail: Starting | May 2002

The post Gear lists from past trips appeared first on Andrew Skurka.

For some time I’ve been aware that my gear lists from past trips are not as useful as they could be. They are at least somewhat outdated due their age — my thoughts about gear are still evolving, and the gear actually available is constantly changing. Going forward, I intend to keep an updated set of recommended gear lists. Rather than include the same prefacing comments in each list (and making an already long page even longer), I’m going to publish them once here and link to them.

1. Philosophy. A backpacking trip consists of two contradictory and conflicting activities, hiking and camping. On some backpacking trips, I prioritize my hiking, and consider my camp to be merely an 8-hour recharge. I pack light and travel efficiently so that I can hike many miles with ease, though without compromising my safety or my ability to fully recover at night through quality sleep. Unless otherwise noted, my recommended gear lists are optimized for such trips. If your trip is more camping-driven, you may wish to pack different or additional items (e.g. fishing rod, larger camera, journal, binoculars, shelter with more interior volume) to support those static activities. Read more about backpacking philosophy.

2. Alternatives. I feel very confident in my recommendations, which have been refined during the course of hiking 30,000+ miles, guiding 40+ trips with 350+ clients, and writing a book about gear selection. If you follow closely what I recommend, I doubt you’ll be disappointed. However, I also recognize that there are viable alternatives to my selections, especially with specific items, and sometimes with the larger system choices. I’d encourage you to do additional research and experimentation in order to assemble a kit that best meets your needs, preferences, and budget.

3. Individual responsibility. It’s your responsibility to determine the relevancy of my recommendations. Your optimal kit may be different, depending on the location, time of year, duration, and objectives of your trip, plus your backpacking skills and experience.

4. Disclosure. I am given a lot of clothing and equipment to use and test, including items mentioned in these gear lists. But long-term it is in my bests interests to provide good information to you. So while my lists may be heavy with the brands with which I work mostly closely, please know that I will not recommend an item unless I genuinely believe in it.

5. More information. Brief explanations are given for my selections, but there is much more to say. For more in-depth discussions about product categories, materials and designs, and specific items, you should read my book, The Ultimate Hiker’s Gear Guide.

The post Gear list philosophy, disclaimers, disclosure, and additional resources appeared first on Andrew Skurka.

Dusy Basin from Knapsack Col in Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park

Introduction

Before scrolling any further down this page, first read prefacing remarks about my gear lists.

Every backpacking gear list should be optimized for a location, time of year, and duration. Needs change — sometimes subtly, sometimes wildly — depending on where, when, and how long the trip is. This particular list is designed for:

• California’s High Sierra
• Late-summer (normally August and September), when there are fewer bugs and snowfields
• A week-long trip or stretch between resupply points, over which time most average conditions will be experienced

The High Sierra encompasses Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park, Yosemite National Park, Sierra National Forest, and Inyo National Forest, plus well known long-distance trails and routes like the John Muir Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, High Sierra Trail, and Sierra High Route.

The relevancy of this list extends to other backcountry areas in California and the Mountain West. However, there are enough points of differentiation — notably, food storage regulations, climate, water availability, and average elevations — that I feel more comfortable with separate lists for those locations.

Environmental & Route Conditions

Before starting a trip, I make a point of being prepared with appropriate gear, supplies, and skills. But be prepared against what?

The worst answer would be, “I’m not exactly sure,” in which case I would need to assemble a catch-all kit to prepare myself for anything and everything. Unfortunately, the resulting load is very heavy and I won’t enjoy hiking with it. Moreover, if I didn’t think of everything, I still may not have what I need.

The wiser approach is to conduct an Environmental and Route Condition Assessment, in which I research the conditions that I will most likely experience on my trip. Indeed, the outdoors are not as predictable as our climate-controlled homes, domesticated animals, and paved sidewalks, but I can at least identify the most probable conditions and risks, and the extremes; I can also rule out the totally outlandish ones.

This gear list was designed with the following conditions in mind:

Temperatures. Average daytime highs in the 60′s and 70′s; average nighttime lows in the 30′s and 40′s; slightly warmer or cooler average temperatures at extreme elevations, e.g. Yosemite Valley and Mt. Whitney. Extreme temperatures will be 10-15 degrees warmer or cooler than average, but generally the High Sierra’s weather is extremely consistent.

Precipitation. The overwhelming bulk of California’s precipitation falls between October and April; it is very dry in the High Sierra during the summer, besides moisture that may be lingering still from the winter. A summer monsoon pattern produces regular thunderstorms, but they are usually short-lived and scattered; they occasionally become violent, with hail and possibly snow (that melts off very quickly).

Daylight. On August 1, there is about 15 hours of daylight and civil twilight; by September 30, there is about 12.5 hours. For most backpackers, this will be enough light to complete all hiking without artificial illumination. Note that cloud cover will decrease the amount of usable natural light, and that local topography will affect the beginning and/or end of civil twilight.

Ground cover. By August, trails will be almost entirely dry, and will remain that way until the first winter snowstorms in October. Snowfields may still linger on shady, north-facing slopes; after an exceptionally wet winter, they may not melt off entirely until snow begins to fall again. If a snowfield is obscuring a trail, there will be a well defined boot track across it.

Vegetation. Low elevations are home to the montane forest. Trees are usually spaced widely apart, resulting in a mix of shade and sunshine. South-facing slopes at the lowest elevations in this range are often covered in manzanita, a scratchy shrub. Above the montane forest is the sub-alpine zone. Trees are more scattered, tundra grass becomes common, and willows line the waterways. In the alpine, there are no trees, just grass and willows, or just rock at the highest elevations.

Navigational aids. Popular trails are well worn and signed; less popular trails demand more attention. Map-reading is generally easy due to a combination of distinct topographic features, excellent weather, and constant faraway views.

Sun exposure. While it’s worse earlier in the season — when the sun is higher in the sky and when there is more lingering snow to reflect sunshine — sun exposure is still intense due to the high elevations and ample sunshine.

Water availability. Creeks and lakes are found throughout the High Sierra. Even after exceptionally dry winters, mapped water sources should still be reliable.

Problematic wildlife. The High Sierra’s black bears are notoriously skilled at stealing food from visitors, in both the frontcountry and backcountry. Hard-sided bear resistant canisters are required throughout Yosemite National Park and in the more popular corridors in Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park and Inyo and Sierra National Forests. No other wildlife deserves mention.

Biting insects. The mosquito pressure is much reduced from its peak in late-June and July. Isolated pockets can remain into August, but can be avoided by planning wisely your daily schedule, route, and campsites. September is virtually bug-less.

Remoteness. At a minimum, the High Sierra is moderately remote. Even on a popular trail, you are usually far from the closest ranger station, trailhead, medical facility, or supply point; cell reception is non-existent, and blindly walking downhill is generally a very bad idea. An ambitious hiker willing to travel off-trail can find very remote terrain, even further from help and the next closest hiker.

Natural hazards. Acute mountain sickness is very common due to the High Sierra’s elevations, which range from about 5,000 to 14,000 feet. The afternoon monsoon thunderstorms can produce lightning. River levels are way down from their peak, and fords are easy. Black bear attacks on humans are extraordinarily rare.

Gear List

Jump to:

• Overview
• Clothing — Go Suit
• Clothing – Element Protection
• Clothing – Rest & Stop
• Clothing – Sleep
• Clothing – Backups
• Packing
• Sleeping & Shelter
• Hydration
• Kitchen
• Navigation
• First aid, emergency, & repair
• Personal care & items

Overview

• Clothing & Items Always Worn: 3.6 lbs, $160
• Base weight including food canister: 14.1 lbs, $3,104
• Total: 17.8 lbs, $3,264

Note that there are many viable alternative selections that are lighter or heavier, or more expensive or less expensive. I hope that my list is at least useful as a template for yours.

Clothing — Go Suit

Clothing — Element Protection

Clothing — Rest & Stop

Clothing — Sleep

Clothing — Backups

Packing

Sleeping & Shelter

Hydration

Kitchen

Navigation

First aid, emergency, & repair

Personal care & items

The post High Sierra — Late-Summer — Backpacking Gear List appeared first on Andrew Skurka.

October snowstorm in Colorado’s Gore Range during First Rifle elk season

Introduction

Before scrolling any further down this page, first read prefacing remarks about my gear lists.

In mid-October I’ll return to GMU 371 in Colorado’s Gore Range for the First Rifle elk season. Other hunters would describe me as a “backpack hunter,” in that I’m entirely self-sufficient and have a mobile camp; I don’t day-hike out of a wall tent or a truck. Before I even knew the term, this seemed like an obvious strategy to me — I can cover more ground and access more remote areas than if I were tethered to a camp or supply point. Plus, I like to hike and see new terrain, and this hunting style allows me to do both.

Below is my intended backpack hunting gear list. If the on-the-ground or forecasted conditions prove different than what I’m expecting, I may make a few last-minute tweaks, but overall it’s very accurate. The applicability of this list extends beyond just my elk hunt — it is also a suitable template for:

• Other big game, e.g. deer, pronghorn, moose, bear
• Second Season, and other seasons with comparable environmental conditions
• Other hunting locations, especially in the Rocky Mountains, e.g. New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana

I will also point out that this gear list closely resembles my non-hunting gear list for fall trips in the Mountain West. Obviously, I leave my hunting equipment at home; I also lighten up on my clothing since I can move more and move faster, thus generating more body heat.

Environmental & Route Conditions

Temperatures. The closest NOAA weather station is in Vail, at 8,220 feet and on the west side of the Gore Range. But the station atop Climax Pass is probably a better predictor of weather because its elevation (11,530 feet) is more similar to my hunting range of 9k-12k feet. Average high and low temperatures in October are 45 and 20 degrees; I’ll be prepared for 60 through 10.

Precipitation. The Climax weather station reports an average of 1.66 inches of precipitation during October. Daily snowfall averages about .25 inches on October 1 and .75 inches on October 31; the monthly average of .5 inches per day would result in about 15 inches of total snowfall by the end of the month, which would compact to about 10 inches on the ground (or more or less depending on wind and sun exposure).

Daylight. On October 1 in the nearby town of Frisco, civil twilight begins at 6:34 AM and ends at 7:14 PM, meaning there are about 12.75 hours of daylight. On October 31, civil twilight begins at 7:04 AM and ends at 6:32 PM, meaning there are only 11.5 hours of daylight. Cloud cover and topography could further reduce usable daylight. Legal hunting hours begin 30 minutes before sunrise and end 30 minutes after sunset. For October 11 in the Gore Range, that means 6:41 AM and 6:02 PM.

Ground cover. Hopefully, there will be some snow on the ground, which makes tracking easier; but not too much, which makes the hiking hard. Temperatures are cold enough in October that snowfall will normally stick on high and shady slopes into the winter. Below the snow, the ground is generally covered in low undergrowth, evergreen needles, and meadow or tundra grasses; there is extensive talus and scree at higher elevations. Trails are a mix of dirt and rocks.

Vegetation. Below 10,000 feet, the Gore Range is blanketed with lodgepole pines, many of which were killed by the mountain pine beetle and have been blown over. Avoid extensive off-trail travel through these areas — it’s heinous. Above 10,000 feet the forest consists mostly of dense sub-alpine firs and Engelmann spruce. The forest thins into sub-alpine starting around 11,000 feet, and timberline is another 500 feet higher.

Navigational aids. The Gore Range has distinct topographic features like dramatic peaks and deep valleys. Most trails are well worn and maintained due to heavy summer hiking traffic, but beware of low-traffic trails through beetle kill zones. Visibility is limited in forested areas and during stormy weather.

Sun exposure. In the summer, sun exposure is intense at these elevations. But by October, the sun is low in the sky and cloud cover is more likely. Beware of increased UV on sunny days when there is snow on the ground due to reflection.

Water availability. There are many creeks and lakes throughout the Gore Range; look at the topographic maps. Since the winter snowpack has long since melted off, stream flow volumes will depend mostly on summertime precipitation.

Problematic wildlife. There are bears in the Gore Range, but the Forest Service does not require or strongly recommend any precautions (e.g. bear spray or hard-sided food canisters). “Mini bears” may be a nuisance at heavily impacted campsites near trailheads or popular lakes.

Biting insects. The mosquito population fades quickly after the first frosts, which will have happened in September if not August. On a warm October day, there may be a very light and short-lived hatch, nothing that requires consideration.

Remoteness. For Colorado, the Gore Range is moderately remote. Cell phone reception is unreliable; recreation traffic is light at this time of year; the terrain is extremely rugged; and road access is very limited. However, the south end of the range is bordered by Interstate 70, along which there are multiple full-service communities like Frisco, Silverthorne, and Vail.

Natural hazards. Acute mountain sickness may affect those unaccustomed to high elevations. Hypothermia will be a concern in cold-and-wet weather.

Gear List

Jump to:

• Overview
• Clothing — Go Suit
• Clothing — Element Protection
• Clothing — Rest & Stop
• Clothing — Sleep
• Clothing — Backups
• Packing
• Sleeping & Shelter
• Hydration
• Kitchen
• Navigation
• First aid, emergency, & repair
• Personal care & items
• Hunting equipment

Overview

• Clothing & Items Always Worn: 5.4 lbs, $760
• Base weight: 18.1 lbs, $3,813
• Hunting equipment: 8.9 lbs, $1,366
• Total: 32.3 lbs, $5,939

Do these numbers discourage you, one way or the other? Don’t let them — there are many viable alternative selections that are lighter or heavier, or more expensive or less expensive. I hope that my list is at least a useful template for your own.

Clothing — Go Suit

Clothing — Element Protection

Clothing — Rest & Stop

Clothing — Sleep

Clothing — Backups

Packing

Sleeping & Shelter

Hydration

Kitchen

Navigation

First aid, emergency, & repair

Personal care & items

Hunting Equipment

The post Backpack Hunting Gear List — Colorado Big Game — Early-Fall appeared first on Andrew Skurka.

Amanda and JB Benna splash through puddles during the wet 2012 race.

The North Face 50 Mile Championship is now just three days away. I began thinking about the clothing, footwear, and equipment that I would use months ago, giving me ample time to obtain, test, and familiarize myself with different options during my ultra running training. And now that I have a good sense for race day course conditions and weather, it’s time to finalize my gear list.

Conditions

The race starts at 5 AM on Saturday, December 6.

Weather

The point-forecast for the Marin Headlands from the National Weather Service  has been fairly consistent over the last few days:

Weather forecast for Marin Headlands, as of December 3rd 9am MST. From the National Weather Service.

Daylight

I retrieved sun and moon data from the US Naval Observatory for Mill Valley:

Civil twilight, which is about the time that you can see without another light source (e.g. headlamp, light pollution, moon), starts about 1:45 into the race, by which time I’ll be around Muir Beach (mi 12.7). The moon will be full, but I’m not planning to rely on it exclusively: there probably will be too much cloud cover and it does not throw enough light for efficient running anyway. Besides, race regulations require every runner to have an operating light until 1 hour after sunrise.

Race course

A series of recent storms have dropped inches of rain in the San Francisco Bay Area. In fact, on Tuesday the National Weather Service issued a regional flood advisory through today/Wednesday afternoon.

I’m expecting the course to be wet and muddy, with ample puddles and occasional standing water. Thankfully there is minimal clay in the soil and clumping is rarely a problem. The notable exception is just south of Muir Beach (Mi 12.7 and 39.9), where there is a slippery and sticky 400-foot descent on the way out and a 900-foot climb on the way back.

The course is mostly on wide jeep roads; the remainder is mostly singletrack.

My clothing, footwear, and equipment for The North Face 50 Mile Championship

Gear selection

Clothing

Top| Salomon Trail Tank. With temperatures in the 50′s and 60′s and high humidity, anything more than a singlet will be too warm when running at race pace, thus affecting my hydration. Polyester fabrics smell horribly, but they wick moisture and dry faster than wool, making them preferred for a done-in-a-day high-intensity effort like this one. Beware of “silky” polyesters — they cling when wet; look for a textured fabric. With any shirt, nipple chafing and bleeding can occur over 50 miles, so I’ll protect mine with some medical tape.

Bottoms| R-Gear Speed Pro Compression 7-in Shorts. For shorter runs, I normally wear conventional running shorts like The North Face Better Than Naked Shorts. But for longer outings, especially those during which my shorts will likely become saturated with perspiration or precipitation, I prefer compression shorts due to the lower risk of chafing. These “compression” shorts, like most, are really just short running tights; I think marketers must think men are scared by the category name of “tights.” My backup choice were the Under Armour Heatgear Sonic Compression Short but the Speed Pro have two backside pockets at the waistband, giving me some additional storage. Besides, they are slightly thicker and thus less revealing.

Headwear | Headsweats SuperVisor. A brim helps to keep sun and precipitation out of my eyes; I also clip my Fenix LD02 Flashlight to it. I prefer a visor over a cap because it ventilates better, though I don’t have to be concerned about sunburn up there.

Footwear

Shoes | Salomon Sense Pro. Despite its extreme vertical profile, the course is still highly runable since much of it is on wide, smooth jeep roads. The course does feature some technical singletrack and it will generally be wet and sloppy, but even so it favors strong road runners and fast trail runners over mountain runners. The Sense Pro fits this profile well: a minimal upper with a moderate outsole. Equally important, it’s proven to be compatible with my feet. I also may bring to California the Salomon Fellraiser, the aggressive outsole of which might be an advantage if the course is muddier than I expect.

Socks | DeFeet Wool-E-Ator. I have put tens of thousands of miles on these socks. They fit well and they are extraordinarily durable — some of the pairs in my drawer are from my Alaska-Yukon Expedition in 2010! I prefer the wool version over the polyester version because they are warmer when wet, smell less, and feel better when full of sand.

Equipment

Light | Fenix LD02 Flashlight. For nearly the first 2 hours of the race I will need a light. But I won’t need much: the early miles are not technically challenging; adjacent runners will help illuminate the trail; and there will be a full moon. The LD02 weighs just 1 oz (including 1 x AAA alkaline battery) and for over 4 hours can throw 25 lumens, which is just enough light for this application. If it’s not, on High mode it can throw 100 lumens for 30 minutes; maybe I’ll pack an extra battery.

Pack | Ultimate Direction Jurek Endure Hydration Waistpack. My average duration between aid stations will be less than 40 minutes, and the maximum will be about 60. In that hour, I only need 10-20 oz of water and 100-150 calories of food. The Endure has enough capacity for this race: 2 x 10-oz bottles plus two small pockets where I can keep calories, salt tablets, and caffeine. Consider too that my R-Gear compression shorts have additional pockets. Because of the favorable weather forecast, I expect to run start-to-finish in my shorts and singlet. If at the start I need my Smartwool Headband or DeFeet Wool Duragloves, I can temporarily store those in my shorts.

For races and training sessions with longer unsupported stretches and/or with harsher conditions demanding more equipment, I have been using the Ultimate Direction AK Race Hydration Vest. I’m sure a lot of other runners will be using it, but I think it’s overkill.

Watch | Suunto Ambit2 + Heart Rate Monitor. In a race setting, I don’t obsess too much about the readings on my watch — gut instinct is important. But especially early in the race it will be useful to know my pace and splits so that I can start to plan mid- and late-race moves. The heart rate monitor is new to me and I’m not yet sure if I will wear it, because its data doesn’t yet mean much to me. But I probably will — it weighs just 2 oz and it provides a lot of data that I can incorporate into my training.

The post Gear List — The North Face 50 Mile Championship appeared first on Andrew Skurka.

My backcountry Nordic touring ski setup excels on ungroomed or unbroken trails through rolling terrain. I used this type of setup during my Alaska-Yukon Expedition (see the video above), and it’s my preferred rig for ski trips in Colorado.

It does fine on the flats, but cross-country skis are lighter and will track and glide better. It’s even less optimized for groomed tracks, where I get lapped by skate skiers with far less aerobic fitness.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, I can get down moderately steep slopes. But don’t expect to see my ugly and slow descents featured soon in an upcoming Teton Gravity Research film. However, I figure the time I lose to an alpine touring system here is offset by being faster everywhere else.

Alaska’s northwest Arctic coast. Backcountry Nordic skis are overkill for packed snowmachine trails, but their weight, glide, and tracking are at least acceptable.

Eastern Alaska Range. A few hours earlier, I popped over the pass on the skyline at the head of the valley. This big mountain terrain is near the limits of backcountry Nordic skis, at least given my ski skills.

Indeed, a backcountry Nordic touring setup is imperfect, and has both limits and tradeoffs. But it’s perhaps the most versatile ski system out there, performing well in most conditions and scratching by in the others.

In comparison, skate skis can only be used on open, groomed trails, plus the rare days with a bulletproof crust. Cross-country skis sink in deep snow and struggle to turn. And alpine touring skis are miserably heavy, stiff, and slow on flat and rolling terrain. The only other system I would consider involves racing-quality Dynafit boots and Dynafit bindings, although this equipment is optimized for more vertical tours (and it’s really expensive!).

Unfortunately, backcountry Nordic touring seems like a dying niche, and applicable products are increasingly difficult to find. I hope that this gear list provides some ideas and insight.

Asnes Nansen skis with Voile 3-pin Cable bindings. If you notice a slight bend in the skis, that’s camera distortion, not the skis.

Skis || Asnes Nansen

My skis are 200 cm long, have some camber, measure 76-56-66 at tip-waist-tail, and feature metal edges and waxable bases.

With these skis, I can track fairly straight, kick-and-glide, make easy turns, break trail, and edge across crusty slopes. Skiers who are willing to give up some maneuverability and floatation for improved glide and tracking should consider the Fischer E99 Crown or similar. Skiers who want some additional sidecut and surface area should consider the Fischer S-Bound 88 or similar.

While there are decent options for backcountry skis of differing lengths and sidecuts, there is a dearth of backcountry touring skis with waxable bases. There are only a few outdoor speciality shops in the country that still carry them — thankfully including my local shop, Neptune Mountaineering — and there are a few more dealers online. Otherwise, waxless bases — the “fixed gear” of ski touring — prevail. More on that later.

Crispi Antarctic boots. Among 3-pin boots, these are are middle-of-the-road: not extremely heavy or light, or extremely nimble or stiff.

Boots || Crispi Antarctic

If my skis sounded “old school,” then my boots definitely are. They are decidedly low-tech: leather uppers, Thinsulate lining, Vibram outsoles, and compatibility with 75 mm 3-pin telemark bindings.

Leather boots are expensive and have a long “breaking in” period. But long-term they are a better investment than boots made with synthetic leather or other materials. To protect the leather and restore waterproofness, at least annually treat the boots with Tectron Beeswax. Keeping leather boots dry is critical — once they get wet, a lot of time and heat is required to get them dry. For this reason, even brand new or freshly Tectron-treated boots may be a bad choice in really wet conditions, e.g. soaking wet snow, river fords, and overflow on rivers.

As with the skis, there are other touring boots available with subtle performance differences. The Crispi Mountains are lighter and lower-cut, resulting in more comfort but less power transfer in turns. I used these on my Alaska trip, which had more horizontal terrain than I find in Colorado. Meanwhile, the Fishcer BCX 875 features two ratcheting buckles and a stiff, plastic ankle cuff.

For my purposes, I prefer boots that are compatible with 75 mm 3-pin bindings instead of NNN-BC bindings, which are a burlier version of the “New Nordic Norm” system used on cross-country and skate skis. Two reasons:

First, hiking in 3-pin boots feels natural. They are based on a mountaineering boot design and normally feature a sticky Vibram outsole. Moreover, there is no risk of critical damage to the boot/binding connection when hiking (i.e. no toe rod).

Second, the 3-pin system is more reliable. It is less likely to get jammed with ice. And there is redundancy: if my pins fail, I can rely on my cables to stay attached to my skis; if my cables fail, I can rely on my pins.

Ultimately, however, the boots must fit. Thankfully, I found 3-pin boots that do.

Voile 3-Pin Cable bindings and compatible 3-pin boots. Note the male pins on the binding and female pin holes on the boot. Eventually the pins will wear out the pin holes, especially if you don’t put the pins in the holes (as I clearly did at least once) but by then it’s probably time to replace the boots anyway.

Bindings || Voile 3-Pin Cable Telemark

My boots are only compatible with 3-pin bindings, not NNN-BC bindings. So the only binding decision to make was whether I wanted heel cables, which offer additional turning power.

The Voile cables are easily detachable. I only use them on noteable and/or sustained descents. On flat or rolling terrain, they stay in my pack.

If noteable and/or sustained descents are not part of your backcountry ski experience, consider the Voile 3-Pin HD Mountaineer, which consists of just a toe-piece with no cable option.

NNN-BC bindings jammed with ice. Snow and ice will fill 3-pin bindings, too, but it’s easy to remove with a finger, pole tip, or wax scraper.

For Colorado winter conditions, this 3-wax assembly is generally all that I need. Foam cork and wax scraper complete the kit.

Kick waxes || Swix Hardwax V (3x)

Depending on the temperature and texture of the snow, I apply different kick waxes to the “wax pocket” on the base of my skis, which is centered under the binding.

These waxes vary in hardness. For warm, old snowpack — which consists of rounded, soft snow crystals — I apply a soft wax like “Violet.” For cold, new snowpack — which consists of sharp, hard crystals — I apply a hard wax like “Green.” In Colorado at least, for everything inbetween we use Blue Extra.

If I waxed my skis correctly, the wax will grip the snow when I weight the ski, allowing me to kick forward. As I unweight the ski, the wax pocket lifts off the snow and I will glide forward. It’s a sublime feeling. However, ski waxing is an art, and a poor wax choice is quickly obvious. Snow will clump to the ski if a too-soft wax is used. And a too-hard wax will offer no grip.

Waxless skis, which feature “fish scale”-like patterns etched into the bases, are a simpler solution than waxes. However, these skis are typically slower because they do not glide as well.

Black Diamond Kicker Skins (top), which are universal; and Asnes Skin Lock Skins (bottom), which are only compatible with Asnes skis

Amanda’s skis (bottom) have waxless bases, whereas mine (top) are waxable. That fishscale pattern grips most types of snow, eliminating the need for waxes. However, it adversely affects glide.

Climbing skins || Black Diamond Mohair Mix Kicker and GlideLite Mohair Mix STS

There are three scenarios when I will use climbing skins, which offer superior grip but inferior glide versus kick waxes:

1. On moderate or steep climbs that require extra grip;

2. Breaking trail through deep, crust-capped snow, which causes the lead ski to pitch upwards at an angle that exceeds the gripping power of wax; and,

3. In the springtime as a substitute for klister, which is designed for warm and slushy snow and which is as sticky and messy as tree sap. Note: If my skis had waxable bases, I could probably forgo this purpose.

Because my backcountry Nordic touring skis do not excel in steep terrain, I typically avoid it. As such, I rarely need my full-length climbing skins — my kicker skins are adequate for most moderate slopes, especially if I position them more towards the front of the ski.

Two types of ski poles: adjustable and fixed. The latter are more versatile, but the former are stiffer, lighter, and less expensive.

Poles || Fischer BCX Variolite

All else being equal, fixed-length poles like the Swix Mountain Poles will be lighter, stiffer, and less expensive than a telescoping model. But for inconsistent snow and trail conditions, some adjustability is worth the tradeoff. For example, when touring on an open snowmachine trail I keep my poles at 145 cm. On a narrow skin track lined with deep powder, I will shorten them by about 10 cm. And when I work on my telemark turns at our local ski hill, Eldora, I bring my alpine ski poles, which measure 125 cm.

For Nordic touring, I prefer a cross-country-style handle (top) made out of cork or faux cork, and I keep the straps on. The snow baskets are a must for ungroomed trails. Carbon fiber shafts are lighter and stiffer than aluminum, but add cost.

What comments, questions, and criticisms do you have of my list and explanations?

The post Gear List — Backcountry Nordic Ski Touring appeared first on Andrew Skurka.

Alison skiing fresh powder in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. No wonder that that cross-country skiing may be our favorite shared outdoor activity.

There are few things better than gliding along fresh corduroy on a crisp morning in the splendor of New Hampshire’s White Mountains. While Alison and I enjoy backcountry skiing on un-groomed terrain, a grand tour on groomers in the Whites is sublime, and it’s no wonder that cross-country skiing may be our favorite shared outdoor activity.

Skiing on groomed trails may seem a surprising deviation from our usual ethos of rugged, off-trail backcountry trips, but not so. We have a fast and fun side, too. In warmer weather, for instance, we go on grand backroad bike tours using our carbon, aero-wheeled road racing bikes in order to cover the maximum amount of scenery in the minimum time. No encumbered, knobby-tired touring bikes with panniers for us.

In a similar vein, when we have paid for airfare and a car rental to get us from DC to New Hampshire, and then paid more for a trail pass, we want skis that are optimized for the groomed trails. For us, 70-80 percent of the time that will be skate skis.

For those unfamiliar with ski techniques, skate skiing is like speed skating over snow. The other cross-country ski technique, classic, is more like striding, or at low speeds, shuffling. Both techniques are excellent aerobic workouts. You have to love a sport in which racers collapse in a semi-conscious heap at the finish line. Since getting seriously into cross-country skiing, we have not ridden a chair lift — and we don’t miss it.

Skate skiing on fresh corduroy through a birch grove at the base of Mt. Washington in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. Assuming a pristine surface, it’s the fastest and most fun cross-country ski technique. One can cover vast distances in a day — it’s more like taking a long bike tour of an area rather than plodding along on a short hike.

Advantages of Skate Skiing

1. It is the fastest and most efficient way to move over pristine, groomed snow. Since Alison and I wax skis and buy passes the night before, and start skiing at trail opening time (or even a few minutes before) we are usually the first skiers on most trails — many times skiing unmarked corduroy until at least lunchtime — and we can cover over 30 kilometers of superb trails before noon.

2. Because skate skis do not have the grip issues of classic skis, they perform well in a broader range of temperatures and snow conditions, assuming decent grooming. Skate skis do especially well in warm spring-like conditions that give classic skiers wax pocket fits.

3. Waxing skate skis is fast and simple: simply put on one type of glide wax from nose to tail. There is no wax pocket, and there is no need to apply more than one wax. Less time worrying about and fiddling with skis = more time skiing.

4. The more rigid skate ski boots offer better control on steep downhills.

Classic skis do much better than skate skis when you get a slug of snow post-grooming. Alison is actually skiing on a trail that was “groomed” that morning. We had looked at the weather forecast and wisely chose to leave our skate skis in our cabin.

Disadvantages of Skate Skiing

1. As groomed surfaces deteriorate, skating becomes less efficient and less fun. So too does classic skiing, but to a lesser extent. If snow falls post-grooming, skating becomes an increasingly difficult chore with every additional inch of new snow.

2. Off of wide, hard-packed groomed trails, skate skis perform poorly and can be downright useless. The only exception is “crust skiing,” which occurs in special springtime conditions. In these (rare) circumstances, skate skiers can cover phenomenal backcountry distances in a day.

3. The skate skiing technique is arguably harder to to learn. It also requires a higher intensity effort on flats and uphills, whereas classic skiers can “walk” on these surfaces if they so choose.

4. Without good technique, steep uphills are a bitch on skate skis. And even for fit skiers with great technique, steep grades will raise heart rates to very high levels. I suppose if you are looking for a killer workout, this is actually a plus.

5. Cold, new snow — which consists of hard and sharp snowflakes — reduces glide, narrowing the advantage of skate skis over classic skis. Thankfully, in these conditions classic skiing is pure joy. Alison and I happily slap on our classic sticks and stride away!

Prefacing remarks on equipment purchases

While it is my personal choice for skate skiing, Fischer does not have a lock on the cross-country ski market. There are good to great skis, boots, bindings, and poles in about every price bracket. Before buying, it is worthwhile to consult with your local ski shop, or my favorite online cross-country ski retailer, Gear West.

Alternatively, consider renting for your first season. This will give you a good idea of your personal tastes and preferences before investing in your own gear. When I was getting more serious about cross-country skiing, I was able to take advantage of special demos of high-end ski equipment, which is not usually rented.

The try-before-you-buy strategy allows you to take advantage of end-of-season sales to purchase your personal gear. If you are not wedded to particular gear or the most current model, the discounts can be steep! Most of my gear was bought on closeout or at least late/post-season discount.

My skate skis, boots, and poles

Skis || Fischer Carbonlite Skate

I use a race-caliber skate ski because they are the fastest and most efficient on pristine groomed surfaces. My Fischer Carbonlite Skate Skis are 192 cm long, weigh just 980 grams, and have a narrow 41-44-44 arrow-shaped sidecut. They are optimized for my body weight (plus a day pack) and for the snow conditions and temperatures typical of a New England winter: they have a “stiff” 95kg flex rating for hard snow; and a custom stone-ground base, somewhere between a cold and plus base. My only gripe with these skis are the donut holes in the tips, which make them more delicate than I would like.

For warmer conditions, I also have much less expensive Fishcer RCS Skate Plus Skis. They have a softer flex and a Plus base for warmer snow. These are an excellent budget ski, hence their popularity among collegiate racers. Moreover, they have a more durable tip than the “hole-tip” Carbonlites.

Closeup view of my skate boots, skis, and bindings.

Boots || Fischer RCS Carbonlite Skate

For years, Salomon racing boots have arguably been the gold standard for both classic and skating techniques. Recently, that changed some with the Fischer RCS Carbonlite Skate Boots, which I find to be competitive with the Salomon boots. I demo’ed the Carbonlite Skate boots in a half size smaller than I would normally use (my size was out on another demo) and was surprised to find them comfortable during 2+ hours of hard skiing, while the snugger fit gave me a better connection with the skis. So I bought them.

In the last four years, my feet have been warm and comfortable on every outing in these boots. I also appreciate the snug fit and rigidity of the boot/binding connection for better control of my skis on steep descents of narrow, tree-lined trails where failure would have consequences.

Bindings || Fischer Xcelerator Super Skate Race NIS

These bindings are an integral part of the rigid ski/boot connection that adore. Also, these are the bindings that go with the Fischer Carbonlite boots — if you get those boots you will probably get these bindings.

The Xcelerator bindings have served me well in a variety of sub-optimal weather and conditions. The NIS plate adjustments allow me to easily fine tune my skis, replace a broken part (hasn’t happened yet), and remove completely the bindings (which I did recently prior to shipping them for a fresh stone-grind). My only gripe is that the plastic safety retainer clip for the binding release is hard to unclip with cold fingers.

These NIS (Nordic Integrated System) bindings are a variant of NNN (New Nordic Norm) bindings and are fully compatible with NNN boots. NIS bindings differ from NNN in that they mount to a NIS plate attached to the ski. This allows for tool-less binding installation and in-field binding adjustments, both of which I like.

The alternate boot/binding system is Salomon SNS (Salomon Nordic System), which is decidedly not compatible with NIS/NNN boots and bindings. If you purchase SNS boots or SNS bindings, then you must also buy SNS bindings or SNS boots, respectively. You can still use non-Salomon skis, but only models without an NIS plate.

NNN and SNS bindings (skate and classic) are both offered in race and sport/touring versions. Race bindings are usually lighter, and they feature a manual lever that requires bending over in order to lock/unlock the boot and ski. The advantage is a firmer and more reliable ski attachment. With sport/touring bindings, boots pop into a spring-loaded catch mechanism, and the bindings can be unlocked while standing up. This feature improves ease-of-use but sacrifices some rigidity between the boot and ski.

Poles || Swix Team TBS Premium Carbon

This is a durable race pole at a reasonable price. I bought these on closeout for $150, one-quarter the price of the current top-of-the-line Swix racing poles and much less than most full-on race poles. The Swix Team Poles are frequently used by collegiate racers, as well as by some pros in mass start races where pole breakage is a real possibility.

Per Swix: “The Team is a 100% carbon fiber pole with an amazing compromise of weight, stiffness, price and strength. It is slightly heavier and less stiff [than Swix’s top racing poles], but makes up for in strength — breaking less easily.” Mine have seen so much use that the the cork is worn enough that it might be time to re-grip the poles.

Non-fluorocarbon wax, left. Low fluorocarbon (LF) wax, right. We have a seperate set of tools and brushes for each wax type. We use at home the Swix T71 digital iron (left), and travel with the smaller Swix T75 iron (right).

Glide waxes || Toko (“S3″) NF, Swix LF, and Rex Blue

With skate skis it’s all about the glide wax. Most of the time we use economical and environmentally friendly non-fluorocarbon (NF) waxes. (Fluorocarbons are harmful to both human health and the environment). Typically we use Toko NF waxes (formerly known as “S3,” or “System 3”). We appreciate the simplicity of having only three wax choices. For us, the Toko NF blue and red waxes glide well enough in cold and middle temperature ranges, respectively. Rex Blue is a bit of an outlier, inexpensive but competitive with fluorocarbon waxes within its temperature range.

We only use low fluorocarbon Swix waxes (LF) when it’s warm. In these conditions, the LF waxes are better than NF waxes at breaking the “adhesion” between the ski bases and wet snow. We typically use LF10, LF8, and occasionally LF7. It is possible to still use Toko NF Yellow, but it will be noticeably slower as temperatures approach or exceed the freezing point.

At over $60 for a 180-gram block, the LF waxes are expensive compared to the NF waxes, which are $16 for a 120-gram block. But consider that high flurocarbon (HF) waxes can run $75 or more for a small 40 g block!

Waxing table setup in our basement. It is difficult to near-impossible to do an excellent job of hot waxing skis without the rigid support of a waxing table and ski profiles. Swix T00754 Economy Waxing Table, and T768 Ski Profile Set using the Swix T71 digital iron. (In the bottom of the picture is our Sportube Series 2 Double Ski Hard Case.)

Typically, we wax skis the night before flying. We just take our best guess on the wax for the next day’s conditions, and we usually get it right. Waxing at home allows us to drive from the airport directly to the ski area, get out of the car, buy trail passes, suit up and be skiing in less than 15 minutes. Even on our travel day, we can get in a fully afternoon of skiing by being on-trail by noon.

After skiing, and before heading back to the condo/motel, we re-wax our skis in the waxing room of the ski area (which has its own waxing tables). We also buy tickets for the next day. This allows us to be skiing when the trails first open, avoid crowds, and have the freshly groomed trails mostly to ourselves. Obviously, if you don’t ski locally, you can choose to wax at the ski area, using their waxing tables and avoiding the cost of a home waxing table. But these common waxing areas are often crowded in the morning and thus waiting for a table and then waxing could significantly delay your skiing start.

Typical day kit for the White Mountains

The Day Kit || REI Stoke 19 Pack + other stuff

Alison and I usually ski 3-5 hours and often 30+ kilometers at a shot without much stopping. As such we are often on remote trails, far from facilities and need to be self-reliant. Here’s some of what we take with us. Moving clockwise from the pack:

• REI Stoke 19 Pack || 19L volume, low profile, form fitting, minimal impairment to skiing
• 24-oz bike bottle with large screw top || Even though the wide-mouth helps prevent freeze-up, I usually keep it inside the pack in order to keep the water warm.
• Hand warmer packets
• Trail Map
• Sunscreen
• DeFeet Wool Duragloves || Spare pair
• Black Diamond Storm Headlamp || If we will be skiing late into the day
• Minimalist hooded parka with synthetic insulation || For long downhills or rest/snack stops, and for emergency if somebody gets hurt
• Pearl Izumi wind blocking balaclava
• RBH Designs VBL Ultralight Mitts
• Well ventilated glasses (low fogging) with interchangeable lenses for sun and low light
• Food: energy bar, bagel with almond butter, and occasionally a piece of fruit.

To keep from freezing on long, cold descents after a long, sweaty climb, we bring the balaclava, hooded jacket and VBL mitts. We find these items necessary, as it is difficult to re-heat our cores, and near impossible for us to warm up frozen hands. Hand warmer packets inside the VB mitts are our last resort to thaw frozen digits — the technique works!

Travel || Sportube Series 2 Double Ski Hard Case

We have no reliable snow where we live so we usually fly to the New Hampshire to ski (and occasionally to California or Colorado).

Our Sportube Series 2 Double Ski Hard Case provides a reliable and economical (one baggage charge) way to transport/protect all of our skis and poles in a single case. In the Sportube we can pack four pairs of nordic skis (skate and classic for both of us) and their accompanying poles. We just wrap our skis in a large bedsheet (protects skis from bumping on skis) and put the poles in along side them.

What comments, questions, and criticisms do you have of Alan’s list and explanations?

The post Gear List — Cross-Country Skate Ski System appeared first on Andrew Skurka.

With just a 13-item collection of hiking and backpacking clothes, is it possible to be comfortable here?

And with that very same kit, also here?

And here, too? I think it is.

Earlier this month I introduced the Core 13, a tight collection of hiking and backpacking clothing that can be mixed-and-matched to create appropriate systems for every set of 3-season conditions.

The Core 13 are meant to be specific products, not just product types, e.g. ExOfficio Give-N-Go Boxer Briefs, not just underwear, and not three pairs of underwear that each have an optimal niche use. While some of the Core 13 are perfectly represented by existing products, others highlight a void that is waiting to be addressed by an innovative designer. In those particular instances, there are functional products available, but no single item that performs without compromise in the full range of 3-season conditions.

In eight subsequent posts, I detailed my choices — their roles, ideal specs, and recommended products:

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve Shirt
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve Shirt
  • Item 3: Bug Shirt
  • Item 4: Running Shorts
  • Item 5: Trekking Pants
  • Item 6: Underwear
  • Item 7: Fleece Top
• Stop
  • Item 8: Insulated Jacket
  • Item 9: Insulated Pants
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain Jacket
  • Item 11: Rain Pants
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping Top
  • Item 13: Sleeping Bottoms

Clothing Lists & Systems for 3-Season Conditions

But a list of recommend products is only so useful. Yes, you can bring the full Core 13 on your next hiking or backpacking trip and you will fare very well. But rarely are all 13 clothing items needed on a single trip. For example, I need just 7 to push through the High Sierra in June on a Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike, and 9 for a packrafting trip in Alaska in August.

To complete the Core 13 series, then, I would like to offer specific clothing lists for different sets of 3-season conditions. While these systems are specific to popular backpacking trails and destinations, they will be very applicable — if not perfectly so — to other locations in similar climates and seasons. Based on the nuances of your route and a last-minute forecast, minor tweaking may be appropriate.

Bookmark this page and return whenever you need to assemble a clothing system for a trip in unfamiliar territory, or to reconsider your existing systems. As with all of my gear lists, several disclaimers and qualifiers apply.

If you have questions or comments about my recommended systems, please leave them at the bottom of the page — I’d be happy to hear your thoughts and to discuss mine.

Jump to (in-page navigation):

• Appalachian Trail — Great Smoky National Park, NC/TN
• Appalachian Trail — Delaware Water Gap, NJ
• Appalachian Trail — White Mountains, NH
• Colorado Trail, Colorado
• Denali National Park, Alaska
• Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
• High Sierra, California
• North Cascades, Washington
• Superior Hiking Trail, Minnesota
• Wind River Range, Wyoming

Appalachian Trail — Great Smoky National Park, NC/TN

Early-Spring

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 40′s-50′s (up high), 50′s-60′s (down low)
• Nighttime temperatures: 20′s-30′s (up high), 40′s-50′s (down low)
• Precipitation: Regular and long-lasting
• Humidity: Moderate
• Off-trail travel: Dense
• Sun exposure: Low
• Biting insects: Light

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve Shirt || NO
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve Shirt || YES
  • Item 3: Bug Shirt || NO
  • Item 4: Running Shorts || YES
  • Item 5: Trekking Pants || YES, for cooler parts of day
  • Item 5: Underwear || NO
  • Item 7: Fleece Top || YES
• Stop
  • Item 8: Insulated Jacket || YES
  • Item 9: Insulated Pants || MAYBE, if planning long camps
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain Jacket || YES
  • Item 11: Rain Pants || YES
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping Top || YES
  • Item 13: Sleeping Bottoms || YES

Late-Spring + Summer + Early-Fall

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 60′s (up high), 70′s-80′s (down low)
• Nighttime temperatures: 40′s (up high), 50′s-60′s (down low)
• Precipitation: Regular and long-lasting
• Humidity: High
• Off-trail travel: Dense
• Sun exposure: Low
• Biting insects: Light

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve Shirt || YES
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve Shirt || NO
  • Item 3: Bug Shirt || NO
  • Item 4: Running Shorts || YES
  • Item 5: Trekking Pants || NO
  • Item 5: Underwear || NO
  • Item 7: Fleece Top || MAYBE, if forecast is cool-and-wet
• Stop
  • Item 8: Insulated Jacket || YES, just a light one
  • Item 9: Insulated Pants || NO
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain Jacket || YES, with emphasis on venting, not fabric breathability
  • Item 11: Rain Pants || MAYBE, if wet forecast + unseasonably cool
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping Top || YES
  • Item 13: Sleeping Bottoms || YES

Late-Fall

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 40′s-50′s (up high), 50′s-60′s (down low)
• Nighttime temperatures: 20′s-30′s (up high), 30′s-40′s (down low)
• Precipitation: Regular and long-lasting
• Humidity: Moderate
• Off-trail travel: Dense
• Sun exposure: Low
• Biting insects: Light

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve Shirt || NO
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve Shirt || YES
  • Item 3: Bug Shirt || NO
  • Item 4: Running Shorts || YES
  • Item 5: Trekking Pants || YES, for cooler parts of day
  • Item 5: Underwear || NO
  • Item 7: Fleece Top || MAYBE, if forecast is cool-and-wet
• Stop
  • Item 8: Insulated Jacket || YES
  • Item 9: Insulated Pants || NO
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain Jacket || YES
  • Item 11: Rain Pants || YES
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping Top || YES
  • Item 13: Sleeping Bottoms || YES

Appalachian Trail — Delaware Water Gap, NJ

Early-Spring

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 40′s-60′s
• Nighttime temperatures: 20′s-40′s
• Precipitation: Regular and long-lasting
• Humidity: Moderate
• Off-trail travel: Dense
• Sun exposure: Low
• Biting insects: Light

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve Shirt || NO
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve Shirt || YES
  • Item 3: Bug Shirt || NO
  • Item 4: Running Shorts || NO
  • Item 5: Trekking Pants || YES
  • Item 5: Underwear || YES
  • Item 7: Fleece Top || YES
• Stop
  • Item 8: Insulated Jacket || YES
  • Item 9: Insulated Pants || YES
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain Jacket || YES
  • Item 11: Rain Pants || YES
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping Top || YES
  • Item 13: Sleeping Bottoms || YES

Late-Spring + Summer + Early-Fall

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 70′s-80′s
• Nighttime temperatures: 50′s-60′s
• Precipitation: Regular and long-lasting
• Humidity: High
• Off-trail travel: Dense
• Sun exposure: Low
• Biting insects: Light, but considerable tick concern

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve Shirt || YES
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve Shirt || NO
  • Item 3: Bug Shirt || NO
  • Item 4: Running Shorts || YES, unless wearing pants full-time
  • Item 5: Trekking Pants || NO, but worth consideration in light of Lyme disease
  • Item 5: Underwear || NO, unless wearing pants full-time
  • Item 7: Fleece Top || NO
• Stop
  • Item 8: Insulated Jacket || MAYBE, just a light one, or just a fleece
  • Item 9: Insulated Pants || NO
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain Jacket || YES, with emphasis on venting, not fabric breathability
  • Item 11: Rain Pants || NO
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping Top || YES
  • Item 13: Sleeping Bottoms || YES

Late-Fall

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 50′s-60′s
• Nighttime temperatures: 20′s-40′s
• Precipitation: Regular and long-lasting
• Humidity: Moderate
• Off-trail travel: Dense
• Sun exposure: Low
• Biting insects: Light

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve Shirt || NO
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve Shirt || YES
  • Item 3: Bug Shirt || NO
  • Item 4: Running Shorts || NO
  • Item 5: Trekking Pants || YES
  • Item 5: Underwear || YES
  • Item 7: Fleece Top || YES
• Stop
  • Item 8: Insulated Jacket || YES
  • Item 9: Insulated Pants || NO
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain Jacket || YES
  • Item 11: Rain Pants || YES
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping Top || YES
  • Item 13: Sleeping Bottoms || YES

Appalachian Trail — White Mountains, NH + Superior Hiking Trail, Minnesota

Late-Spring

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 40′s-50′s (up high), 60′s-70′s (down low)
• Nighttime temperatures: 30′s-40′s (up high), 40′s-50′s (down low)
• Precipitation: Regular and long-lasting
• Humidity: Moderate
• Off-trail travel: Dense
• Sun exposure: Low, but perhaps considerable above treeline
• Biting insects: None

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve Shirt || NO, unless unseasonably warm
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve Shirt || YES
  • Item 3: Bug Shirt || NO
  • Item 4: Running Shorts || NO, unless unseasonably warm
  • Item 5: Trekking Pants || YES
  • Item 5: Underwear || YES
  • Item 7: Fleece Top || YES
• Stop
  • Item 8: Insulated Jacket || YES
  • Item 9: Insulated Pants || MAYBE, if expecting long camps
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain Jacket || YES
  • Item 11: Rain Pants || YES
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping Top || YES
  • Item 13: Sleeping Bottoms || YES

Early-Summer

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 50′s (up high), 70′s (down low)
• Nighttime temperatures: 40′s (up high), 50′s (down low)
• Precipitation: Regular and long-lasting
• Humidity: High
• Off-trail travel: Dense
• Sun exposure: Low, but perhaps considerable above treeline
• Biting insects: Intense and widespread

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve Shirt || NO
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve Shirt || NO, unless it is permethrin-treated
  • Item 3: Bug Shirt || YES
  • Item 4: Running Shorts || NO
  • Item 5: Trekking Pants || YES, permethrin-treated
  • Item 5: Underwear || YES
  • Item 7: Fleece Top || YES
• Stop
  • Item 8: Insulated Jacket || YES, but just a light one
  • Item 9: Insulated Pants || NO
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain Jacket || YES
  • Item 11: Rain Pants || MAYBE, but probably too warm for two pairs of pants
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping Top || YES
  • Item 13: Sleeping Bottoms || YES

Late-Summer and Early-Fall

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 40′s-50′s (up high), 60′s-70′s (down low)
• Nighttime temperatures: 30′s-40′s (up high), 40′s-50′s (down low)
• Precipitation: Regular and long-lasting
• Humidity: Moderate-High
• Off-trail travel: Dense
• Sun exposure: Low, but perhaps considerable above treeline
• Biting insects: Light by late-Summer

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve Shirt || YES
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve Shirt || NO
  • Item 3: Bug Shirt || NO
  • Item 4: Running Shorts || YES
  • Item 5: Trekking Pants || NO
  • Item 5: Underwear || NO
  • Item 7: Fleece Top || YES
• Stop
  • Item 8: Insulated Jacket || YES, but just a light one
  • Item 9: Insulated Pants || NO
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain Jacket || YES
  • Item 11: Rain Pants || YES
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping Top || YES
  • Item 13: Sleeping Bottoms || YES

Colorado Trail, Colorado

Late-Spring

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 50′s-60′s
• Nighttime temperatures: 20′s-30′s
• Precipitation: Fairly dry, but possible late winter storms or early monsoons
• Humidity: Low
• Off-trail travel: Mostly open
• Sun exposure: Extreme above treeline, moderate in open woodlands, low in thick timber
• Biting insects: None

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve Shirt || NO
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve Shirt || YES
  • Item 3: Bug Shirt || NO
  • Item 4: Running Shorts || YES, unless full-time pants
  • Item 5: Trekking Pants || YES, worn when cold or extremely sunny
  • Item 5: Underwear || NO, unless always wearing pants
  • Item 7: Fleece Top || YES
• Stop
  • Item 8: Insulated Jacket || YES
  • Item 9: Insulated Pants || MAYBE, if planning long camps
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain Jacket || YES
  • Item 11: Rain Pants || YES
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping Top || NO
  • Item 13: Sleeping Bottoms || NO

Early-Summer

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 60′s-70′s
• Nighttime temperatures: 30′s-40′s
• Precipitation: Torrential but short-lived afternoon monsoons
• Humidity: Low
• Off-trail travel: Mostly open
• Sun exposure: Intense above treeline, considerable in open woodlands, low in thick timber
• Biting insects: Thick isolated pockets near water

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve Shirt || NO
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve Shirt || YES, but may treat with permethrin
  • Item 3: Bug Shirt || NO
  • Item 4: Running Shorts || YES
  • Item 5: Trekking Pants || NO, unless dry forecast, then swap for rain pants
  • Item 5: Underwear || NO
  • Item 7: Fleece Top || YES
• Stop
  • Item 8: Insulated Jacket || YES
  • Item 9: Insulated Pants || NO
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain Jacket || YES
  • Item 11: Rain Pants || YES
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping Top || NO, unless monsoon is really active
  • Item 13: Sleeping Bottoms || NO, ditto

Late-Summer and early-Fall

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 50′s-60′s
• Nighttime temperatures: 20′s-30′s
• Precipitation: Less risk of monsoons, but early risk for winter storms
• Humidity: Low
• Off-trail travel: Mostly open
• Sun exposure: Considerable above treeline, moderate in open woodlands, low in thick timber
• Biting insects: None

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve Shirt || NO
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve Shirt || YES
  • Item 3: Bug Shirt || NO
  • Item 4: Running Shorts || YES
  • Item 5: Trekking Pants || YES, for cool parts of day
  • Item 5: Underwear || NO, unless full-time pants
  • Item 7: Fleece Top || YES
• Stop
  • Item 8: Insulated Jacket || YES
  • Item 9: Insulated Pants || MAYBE, if planning long camps
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain Jacket || YES
  • Item 11: Rain Pants || YES
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping Top || NO
  • Item 13: Sleeping Bottoms || NO

Denali National Park, Alaska

Late-Spring

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 40′s-50′s
• Nighttime temperatures: 20′s-30′s
• Precipitation: Regular and long-lasting
• Humidity: Moderate
• Off-trail travel: Dense
• Sun exposure: Low-Moderate
• Biting insects: None

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve Shirt || NO
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve Shirt || YES
  • Item 3: Bug Shirt || NO
  • Item 4: Running Shorts || NO
  • Item 5: Trekking Pants || YES
  • Item 5: Underwear || YES
  • Item 7: Fleece Top || YES
• Stop
  • Item 8: Insulated Jacket || YES
  • Item 9: Insulated Pants || YES
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain Jacket || YES
  • Item 11: Rain Pants || YES
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping Top || YES
  • Item 13: Sleeping Bottoms || YES

Early-Summer

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 50′s-60′s
• Nighttime temperatures: 30′s-40′s
• Precipitation: Regular and long-lasting
• Humidity: Moderate
• Off-trail travel: Dense
• Sun exposure: Moderate
• Biting insects: Intense and widespread

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve Shirt || NO
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve Shirt || NO
  • Item 3: Bug Shirt || YES
  • Item 4: Running Shorts || NO
  • Item 5: Trekking Pants || YES
  • Item 5: Underwear || YES
  • Item 7: Fleece Top || YES
• Stop
  • Item 8: Insulated Jacket || YES
  • Item 9: Insulated Pants || NO
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain Jacket || YES
  • Item 11: Rain Pants || YES
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping Top || YES
  • Item 13: Sleeping Bottoms || YES

Late-Summer and Early-Fall

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 50′s-60′s
• Nighttime temperatures: 30′s-40′s
• Precipitation: Regular and long-lasting
• Humidity: Moderate
• Off-trail travel: Dense
• Sun exposure: Moderate
• Biting insects: Gone by first frost in mid-August

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve Shirt || NO
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve Shirt || YES, permethrin-treated
  • Item 3: Bug Shirt || NO
  • Item 4: Running Shorts || NO
  • Item 5: Trekking Pants || YES
  • Item 5: Underwear || YES
  • Item 7: Fleece Top || YES
• Stop
  • Item 8: Insulated Jacket || YES
  • Item 9: Insulated Pants || MAYBE, if expecting long camps
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain Jacket || YES
  • Item 11: Rain Pants || YES
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping Top || YES
  • Item 13: Sleeping Bottoms || YES

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Spring

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 80′s-100′s (river), 50-70′s (rim)
• Nighttime temperatures: 50′s-70′s (river), 20-40′s (rim)
• Precipitation: Dry overall, wetter at rim, winter storms tapering off, monsoon not yet active, June is driest month
• Humidity: Low
• Off-trail travel: Open, but scratchy brush
• Sun exposure: Considerable
• Biting insects: None

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve shirt || NO
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve shirt|| YES
  • Item 3: Bug shirt || NO
  • Item 4: Running shorts || NO
  • Item 5: Pants || YES
  • Item 6: Underwear || YES
  • Item 7: Fleece top || NO
• Stop
  • Item 8: Insulated jacket || YES
  • Item 9: Insulated pants || MAYBE, if cooler end of range + long camps
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain jacket || YES, unless no precip in forecast
  • Item 11: Rain pants || NO, unless wet forecast
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping top || NO
  • Item 13: Sleeping bottoms || NO

Summer

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 70′s-80′s (rim), 100′s (river)
• Nighttime temperatures: 40′s-50′s (rim), 70′s (river)
• Precipitation: Cycles of short-lived afternoon monsoons
• Humidity: Low
• Off-trail travel: Open but scratchy
• Sun exposure: High
• Biting insects: None

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve shirt || NO
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve shirt|| YES
  • Item 3: Bug shirt || NO
  • Item 4: Running shorts || NO
  • Item 5: Pants || YES
  • Item 6: Underwear || YES
  • Item 7: Fleece top || NO
• Stop
  • Item 8: Insulated jacket || YES, just a light one
  • Item 9: Insulated pants || NO
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain jacket || MAYBE, if wet forecast
  • Item 11: Rain pants || NO
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping top || NO
  • Item 13: Sleeping bottoms || NO

Fall

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 40′s-60′s (rim), 60′s-90′s (river)
• Nighttime temperatures: 20′s-40′s (rim), 40′s-60′s (river)
• Precipitation: Monsoons taper off, winter storms pick up
• Humidity: Low
• Off-trail travel: Open but scratchy
• Sun exposure: High
• Biting insects: None

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve shirt || NO
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve shirt || YES
  • Item 3: Bug shirt|| NO
  • Item 4: Running shorts|| NO
  • Item 5: Pants || YES
  • Item 6: Underwear || YES
  • Item 7: Fleece top || NO
• Stop
  • Item 8. Insulated jacket || YES
  • Item 9. Insulated pants || MAYBE, if planning long camps
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain jacket || YES, if wet forecast
  • Item 11: Rain pants || NO
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping top || NO
  • Item 13: Sleeping bottoms || NO

High Sierra, California

Late-Spring

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 50′s (high elevations), 60′s-70′s (low elevations)
• Nighttime temperatures: 20′s-30′s (high elevations), 30′s-40′s (low elevations)
• Precipitation: Low risk of late winter storm or early monsoon
• Humidity: Low
• Off-trail travel: Open, unless below about 7,000 feet
• Sun exposure: Extreme in alpine, and moderate in timber
• Biting insects: None

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve shirt || NO
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve shirt|| YES
  • Item 3: Bug shirt || NO
  • Item 4: Running shorts || YES, unless wearing pants full-time
  • Item 5: Pants || YES, possibly full-time for extended alpine travel
  • Item 6: Underwear || NO, unless wearing full-time pants
  • Item 7: Fleece top || YES
• Stop
  • Item 8: Insulated jacket || YES
  • Item 9: Insulated pants || MAYBE, if expecting long camps
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain jacket || YES
  • Item 11: Rain pants || MAYBE, depending on forecast
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping top || NO
  • Item 13: Sleeping bottoms || NO

Early-Summer

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 60′s (high elevations), 70′s (low elevations)
• Nighttime temperatures: 30′s (high elevations), 40′s (low elevations)
• Precipitation: Cycles of short-lived afternoon monsoons
• Humidity: Low
• Off-trail travel: Open, unless below about 7,000 feet
• Sun exposure: Considerable in alpine, and moderate in timber
• Biting insects: Intense pressure in July

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve shirt || NO
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve shirt|| NO
  • Item 3: Bug shirt || YES, or permethrin-treated L/S shirt
  • Item 4: Running shorts || NO
  • Item 5: Pants || YES, permethrin-treated
  • Item 6: Underwear || YES
  • Item 7: Fleece top || YES, unless forecast is warm + dry
• Stop
  • Item 8: Insulated jacket || YES
  • Item 9: Insulated pants || NO
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain jacket || YES
  • Item 11: Rain pants || MAYBE, depending on forecast
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping top || NO
  • Item 13: Sleeping bottoms || NO

Late-summer/early-Fall

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 50′s-60′s (high elevations), 50′s-70′s (low elevations)
• Nighttime temperatures: 20′s-40′s (high elevations), 30′s-40′s (low elevations)
• Precipitation: Monsoons taper down, risk of early winter storms increases
• Humidity: Low
• Off-trail travel: Open, unless below about 7,000 feet
• Sun exposure: Considerable in alpine, and moderate in timber
• Biting insects: None

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve shirt || NO
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve shirt || YES
  • Item 3: Bug shirt|| NO
  • Item 4: Running shorts|| YES
  • Item 5: Pants || MAYBE, for bushwhacks or if not bringing rain pants
  • Item 6: Underwear || NO, unless wearing pants full-time
  • Item 7: Fleece top || YES
• Stop
  • Item 8. Insulated jacket || YES
  • Item 9. Insulated pants || MAYBE, especially in early-Fall
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain jacket || YES
  • Item 11: Rain pants || MAYBE, if forecast is wet
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping top || NO
  • Item 13: Sleeping bottoms || NO

North Cascades, Washington

Late-Spring

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 50′s
• Nighttime temperatures: 30′s
• Precipitation: Regular and long-lasting
• Humidity: Moderate
• Off-trail travel: Dense
• Sun exposure: Extreme if on snow and it’s sunny; if in timber, low
• Biting insects: None

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve Shirt || NO
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve Shirt || YES
  • Item 3: Bug Shirt || NO
  • Item 4: Running Shorts || NO
  • Item 5: Trekking Pants || YES
  • Item 5: Underwear || YES
  • Item 7: Fleece Top || YES
• Stop
  • Item 8: Insulated Jacket || YES
  • Item 9: Insulated Pants || MAYBE
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain Jacket || YES
  • Item 11: Rain Pants || YES
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping Top || YES
  • Item 13: Sleeping Bottoms || YES

Early-Summer

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 50′s-60′s
• Nighttime temperatures: 30′s-40′s
• Precipitation: July & August are driest months, yet expect precip
• Humidity: Moderate
• Off-trail travel: Dense
• Sun exposure: Low in timber, high if above treeline on sunny day
• Biting insects: Thick

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve Shirt || NO
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve Shirt || NO
  • Item 3: Bug Shirt || YES
  • Item 4: Running Shorts || NO
  • Item 5: Trekking Pants || YES, permethrin-treated
  • Item 5: Underwear || YES
  • Item 7: Fleece Top || YES
• Stop
  • Item 8: Insulated Jacket || YES
  • Item 9: Insulated Pants || NO
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain Jacket || YES
  • Item 11: Rain Pants || MAYBE, if wet forecast
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping Top || MAYBE, if wet forecast
  • Item 13: Sleeping Bottoms || MAYBE, ditto

Late-Summer + Early-Fall

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 40′s-60′s
• Nighttime temperatures: 30′s-40′s
• Precipitation: August is one of driest months, increasingly wet into September and October
• Humidity: Moderate
• Off-trail travel: Dense
• Sun exposure: Low in timber, high if above treeline on sunny day
• Biting insects: Light, and gone by September

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve Shirt || NO
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve Shirt || YES
  • Item 3: Bug Shirt || NO
  • Item 4: Running Shorts || YES, unless mostly in alpine or off-trail, then pants + underwear
  • Item 5: Trekking Pants || MAYBE, for cool camps, alpine travel, off-trail
  • Item 5: Underwear || NO
  • Item 7: Fleece Top || YES
• Stop
  • Item 8: Insulated Jacket || YES
  • Item 9: Insulated Pants || NO
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain Jacket || YES
  • Item 11: Rain Pants || YES
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping Top || YES
  • Item 13: Sleeping Bottoms || YES

Wind River Range, Wyoming

Late-Spring

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 50′s-60′s (low elevations), less 10-15 for higher elevations
• Nighttime temperatures: 20-30′s (low elevations), less 10-15 for higher elevations
• Precipitation: Risk of late winter storms, inactive monsoon
• Humidity: Low
• Off-trail travel: Open
• Sun exposure: Intense above treeline, considerable in timber
• Biting insects: None

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve Shirt || NO
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve Shirt || YES
  • Item 3: Bug Shirt || NO
  • Item 4: Running Shorts || NO
  • Item 5: Trekking Pants || YES
  • Item 5: Underwear || YES
  • Item 7: Fleece Top || YES
• Stop
  • Item 8: Insulated Jacket || YES
  • Item 9: Insulated Pants || MAYBE, if planning long camps
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain Jacket || YES
  • Item 11: Rain Pants || YES
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping Top || NO
  • Item 13: Sleeping Bottoms || NO

Early-Summer

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 60′s-70′s (low elevations), less 10-15 for higher elevations
• Nighttime temperatures: 30′s (low elevations), less 10-15 for higher elevations
• Precipitation: Mostly afternoon monsoon thunderstorms
• Humidity: Low
• Off-trail travel: Open
• Sun exposure: High above treeline, considerable in timber
• Biting insects: Thick and widespread

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve Shirt || NO
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve Shirt || NO
  • Item 3: Bug Shirt || YES
  • Item 4: Running Shorts || NO
  • Item 5: Trekking Pants || YES, permethrin-treated
  • Item 5: Underwear || YES
  • Item 7: Fleece Top || YES
• Stop
  • Item 8: Insulated Jacket || YES
  • Item 9: Insulated Pants || NO
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain Jacket || YES
  • Item 11: Rain Pants || MAYBE, if wet forecast
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping Top || NO
  • Item 13: Sleeping Bottoms || NO

Late-Summer and early-Fall

Average conditions

• Daytime temperatures: 40′s-60′s (low elevations), less 10-15 for higher elevations
• Nighttime temperatures: 20′s-30′s (low elevations), less 10-15 for higher elevations
• Precipitation: Monsoon tapers down in September and risk of winter storms increases
• Humidity: Low
• Off-trail travel: Open
• Sun exposure: Considerable above treeline, moderate in timber
• Biting insects: Light by mid-August, gone by September

Selections

• Go Suit
  • Item 1: Short-sleeve Shirt || NO
  • Item 2: Long-sleeve Shirt || YES
  • Item 3: Bug Shirt || NO
  • Item 4: Running Shorts || YES
  • Item 5: Trekking Pants || MAYBE, if not bringing rain pants, full-time if extensive alpine travel
  • Item 5: Underwear || NO, unless wearing pants full-time
  • Item 7: Fleece Top || YES
• Stop
  • Item 8: Insulated Jacket || YES
  • Item 9: Insulated Pants || MAYBE, starting in September
• Storm
  • Item 10: Rain Jacket || YES
  • Item 11: Rain Pants || YES, unless dry forecast
• Sleep
  • Item 12: Sleeping Top || NO
  • Item 13: Sleeping Bottoms || NO

The post Core Clothing || Lists & systems for 3-season conditions appeared first on Andrew Skurka.

What I carry in my backpack is not a substitute for what’s between my ears. This is especially true with first aid kits and emergency communications when hiking and backpacking in the wilderness: rather than thinking of this collection of items as a get-out-of-jail-free card, I’m much better served by having researched beforehand the environmental and route conditions I will likely encounter, and then using common sense in the field: identifying risks, respecting the limits of my group, and making conservative decisions.

On each trip, I hope to never have a medical or emergency situation. In the instances when I have, I’ve been humbled by how few things I can fully treat in the field — minor cuts, burns, and scrapes; overuse aches and pains; minor allergic reactions, diarrhea, and acute mountain sickness; plus a few other things. For anything more, I’m looking at a self-rescue or an assisted evacuation.

Medical training

A first aid kit and an emergency communication device does not translate into medical know-how. For that, consider some training — at least CPR certification, but ideally Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder (especially for trip leaders and avid soloists) through organizations like WMI (NOLS), WMAI, and SOLO.

DIY or commercial first aid kits?

Commercial first aid kits like the AMK Ultralight are convenient, but I’d recommend assembling your own. A DIY kit will be less expensive (at least for what you get, especially in the long run as you need to replenish items) and it can be better tailored to the unique medical needs of your group, activities, and environment.

Solo versus group kit

On a group trip, medical situations are more likely and more diverse in nature, simply due to there being more people, each with a unique medical history. Appropriately, then, my group first aid kit is more robust than what I carry when solo — I bring more items and greater quantities of each item.

My solo kit is a slimmed-down version of my group kit. For example, I leave behind aspirin (which I don’t need, but which I might give to an older group member with symptoms of a heart attack) and disposable gloves (since it’s okay for me to be in contact with my own body fluids), and I bring a smaller utility tool because I likely will not need it as often or as much.

** The full contents of my group first aid kit are listed below. Items that I include in my solo kit are marked with two asterisks, **.

Amounts

The amount of each item I carry is a function of the trip duration, group size, and my sense of its importance. My philosophy is this: If I really need an item, I want to have enough to address fully the medical event. For example, if I come down with iliotibial tendentious (“runner’s knee”) I want enough anti-inflammatory medications so that I can take full dosage until I exit or arrive at the next town with a drugstore. And if I were to badly cut myself, I want enough wound dressings and tape to treat it properly.

Kit weight

I have never weighed my first aid kit. If you do, you are welcome to share what you get. But frankly its weight is irrelevant: my kit has what I need and not much extra (or any extra), and knowing its weight would not prompt me to reconsider its contents.

Disclosure: For your shopping and web browsing convenience, I have linked many of the items to a retailer. If you wish to support my efforts to bring you great content, please use these vendors, as I receive a small commission on subsequent sales.

Over-the-couter medications

Ibuprofen** (Advil) | Fast-acting pain relief and anti-inflammatory, fever and headache reducer

Naproxen (Aleve) | Superior long-term pain relief and anti-inflammatory, best for strains and overuse aches/injuries

Acetaminophen** (Tylenol) | Pain reliever, and fever and headache reducer. Not redundant with naproxen or ibuprofen, which are both NSAIDs.

Aspirin | Heart attack prevention

Loperamide** (Imodium) | Anti-diarrhea

Diphenhydramine** (Benadryl) | For acute allergic reactions. Also a sleep aid.

Loratadine** (Claritin) or cetirizine (Zyrtec) | Seasonal allergies, non-drowsy

Uppers and downers | Caffeine (No-Doz) and Diphenhydramine (Sleep Aid)

Wounds

Adhesive bandages** (Band-Aids) | More convenient than DIY bandages for run-of-the-mill cuts and scrapes.

• Assorted sizes
• Fingers and knuckles

Skin closures** (Steri-Strips) | A field substitute for stitches, which require special medical training

Sawyer ChitoSAM Active Dressing | Fast-acting blood clotter a helpful complement to direct pressure

Roll gauze** | For dressing or DIY bandages. 2-in width is a good balance of usefulness and compactness. More versatile than gauze patches.

Irrigation syringe | Clean out debris

Triple antibiotic** (Neosporin) | Anti infection

Nitrile disposable gloves | Prevent body fluid transmission and wound contamination

Leukotape** | Prefer over medical tape due to superior adhesivness. Also a core part of foot care kit.

• Make easy-to-use strips with mailing label backer paper
• On group trips, carry an entire roll

Benzoin** | To supplement adhesiveness of bandages and tapes in wet and/or humid conditions. Stored in a dropper bottle.

Tools

Scissors | To cut tapes, gauze, clothing, utility cord, and more

• Group kit: Fiskars Blunt Tip Scissors, 5-inch
• Solo kit: Victorinox Classic Knife**

Tweezers** | For splinters, ticks, cactus needles, etc. A high quality pair is a must.

3mm Utility Cord | Much more often used to pitch shelters, and conduct knot-tying clinics. But cord would be helpful in making splints and slings, too.

CPR mask | To protect rescuer during CPR from patient body fluids. Bulky but lightweight, so normally take as a very low-chance, just-in-case item.

Cleaning | For hands, tools, and possibly wounds. Decanted into smaller bottles.

• Hand sanitizer** (Purell)
• Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Soap**
• Denatured alcohol** | Stove fuel

Personal items

Bonnie’s Balm** | For chafing, but not a substitute for butt-washing. Also a critical part of my foot care kit, for maceration.

Lithium AAA batteries** | For headlamps and SPOT Gen 3. Lithium more expensive than alkaline, but more cost efficient in the long run.

Group extras | Easy-to-lose items that are difficult or impossible to improvise in the field

• Platypus Soft Bottles caps
• Soup spoon
• Insect repellent
• Mosquito headnet

Fire starting

Bic Lighter** | More user-friendly and longer-lasting than matches or emergency matches. On extended outings, I normally will carry two in my pack, stored in different places.

Mylar-backed food wrappers** | Excellent tinder; plastic bags and food wrappers without mylar do not work as well. The best part: you probably have some in your trash.

Coghlan’s Fire Sticks** | A helpful cheat in wetter environments: they burn longer than a weather-resistant match or trick candle, and unlike a lighter can be abandoned inside the fire. Pack a half-stick per fire, or a full stick for really challenging circumstances.

Communication

Two-way radios | If the group splits up, these enable ongoing communication

Whistle** | No louder than a yell, but more sustainable

Cell phone** (not in photograph) | Often reliable in the frontcountry, though not always. Check the phone company’s coverage map. Due to security, I don’t leave my phone in the car anyway.

Satellite communication

These devices work almost anywhere, including far away from the closest cell tower. Heavy tree cover and deep canyons can be problematic, however, so consider when to operate them if you have flexibility.

Personal locator beacon (PLB), e.g. ACR ResQLink (not in photograph) | Emergency use only, no messaging, no service contract

Satellite messengers** | The sweetspot for most backpackers: an emergency beacon if needed, but otherwise it’s peace-of-mind for loved ones back home. Two basic options:

• SPOT Gen3 | Four messages (OK, Help, SOS, and custom) plus location tracking; cannot receive messages. Annual service fee.
• DeLorme inReach SE and inReach Explorer | Preset or custom messages, plus location tracking; receives messages, too. Monthly or annual service fees.

Satellite phone, e.g. SPOT Global Phone | The ultimate in wilderness communication, highly recommended for any group trip or high-risk solo adventure

Recharging

On low-risk outings, become familiar with the power consumption of your communication devices. The SPOT Gen3, for example, seems to last me an entire summer when used for nightly check-ins, but my cell phone needs a charge every few days when I occasionally use it as a GPS.

Tip: Do not accidentally leave behind your recharging cables.

Extra batteries | Ideal for devices with removable batteries

Portable power packs, e.g. Goal Zero Flip 10** | Best for on-the-go itineraries. Rapid recharging.

Solar panels, e.g. Goal Zero Nomad 13 | Suitable only for car-campring or base camping, due to long charging times

The post My Backpacking First Aid Kit & Emergency Communication Checklist appeared first on Andrew Skurka.

Melting snow for water is a necessary time- and fuel-consuming aspect of winter backpacking. In a group setting, it’s worth creating a comfortable kitchen with cooking and sitting areas.

To have water for drinking and cooking when backpacking in the winter, I use a stove system that can efficiently melt snow. My gear list:

My winter backpacking stove system

Relevant conditions

I pack my winter stove system when I have no or unreliable access to natural water sources — i.e. less than several times per day, and not necessarily near or at camp — due to the freezing up or freezing over of springs, creeks, and lakes.

If these conditions are not met, I may continue to use my 3-season stove system, even if the calendar says that technically it’s winter. However, I’ve learned not to underestimate the value of a more powerful stove during the coldest and shortest days of the year, especially on trips when pack weight is not a paramount concern. Such a stove more quickly and more efficiently heats water for cooking and hot drinks, which are a morale booster and an effective source for sustained warmth; and it provides the option of melting snow if that becomes necessary or convenient.

Key differences versus a 3-season stove system

• Hotter flame
• Operational in much colder temperatures
• Fuel has more potential energy per weight
• More fuel capacity, per day
• More pot volume, per person
• Required pot grabber
• Heavier and less compact
• More expensive

Additional discussion and alternatives

In addition to my remarks in the gear list, I’d like to add some additional nuance to my selections, and to comment on alternative systems.

If your canister stove can be run on liquid-feed (via the inverted gas canister), which is an option exclusive to “remote” canister models (not “upright”) and if it has a pre-heat tube (so that liquid gas is vaporized before spewing from the stove jets), then it’s winter-worthy. Otherwise, it will be less reliable and fussier in cold conditions.

Stove

Only remote canister stoves with a pre-heat tube are winter-worthy. Upright models like the Soto OD-1RX WindMaster and all JetBoil stoves can be used in the winter, but not as reliably and not without some degree of fuss. For instance, fuel canisters must be warmed before use — which requires keeping them inside a jacket or a sleeping bag at night — and it’s necessary to have a multi-canister rotation because the canister pressure gets too low in cold winter temperatures. More reading. Without a pre-heat tube, the stove cannot be run on a liquid-feed.

While I prefer a remote canister stove for winter use, I’ve used much more extensively liquid fuel stoves like the famed MSR Whisperlite International, which can burn gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and — ideally and sometimes exclusively — white gas, aka Coleman fuel. Why? Because fuel canisters with the EN471 valve are not widely available, whereas liquid fuels are. In addition, since liquid fuels are not under pressure, storage containers need not be as robust, which makes it a more efficient fuel source when transported in large volumes, e.g. for Himalayan base camps and polar expeditions.

A liquid fuel stove system looks very similar to the canister stove system outlined above. Simply swap out the canister stove for a liquid fuel stove, and the fuel canister for a fuel bottle. Do not forget the fuel pump.

A liquid fuel stove can run on gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and white gas. This flexibility makes it a better choice for long and remote expeditions, when specialty fuel canisters are impossible or difficult to find. Unfortunately, canisters can not be easily shipped via ground or air.

Stove base

When I only need to cook and melt snow for myself, the MSR Solid Heat Reflector is an adequate stove base, so long as it’s sitting on level and consolidated snow. For group use, however, when a stove may run for an hour before all stomachs and water bottles are full, it’s beneficial to have a stove base that is larger, more rigid, less slippery base, and more insulative. Otherwise, the stove sinks slowly and unevenly into the snow, increasing the risk of a spill.

I like Paul Manganti’s DIY platform. But for those wanting a 1-click solution, try the MSR Trillium Stove Base.

The author ignites a stove sitting on Paul Magnanti’s DIY platform. Note, too, the platform of consolidated snow that we stamped out with our skis.

Cook pot

Snow is typically 5-15 percent water by volume. To get one liter of water, then, it’s necessary to melt 6.5-20 liters of snow! Small pots may be lighter and more compact, but they are wickedly inefficient for winter use. I plan 2L of pot capacity per person, and one cook system per two people, paired with a 1-gallon pot like the Trangia Aluminium Cook Pot.

Titanium is the ultimate cookware material: all things being equal, it’s lighter and more durable than aluminum and stainless steel. But it’s also considerably more expensive, so I’d recommend it only for backpackers who (1) expect extensive use and (2) are willing to pay for it.

Disclosure. This post contains affiliate links, whereby I receive a small commission for sales-generating referral traffic. There is no cost to readers (e.g. prices are the same), and it helps to support my efforts to develop great content.

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A backpacking gear list template + checklist, with sample selections (green columns) as an example.

As part of the Planning Curriculum for my guided backpacking trips, every client was required to complete a gear list. It was a hugely beneficial assignment, but it involved significant administrative time: in a 5-year period, I created sample gear list spreadsheets for 55+ trips and reviewed the selections of 400+ clients.

To make the process more efficient, I began developing a standardized gear list template, which I’ve tweaked further and which I’m sharing now. The template is applicable for every trip and every backpacker:

• All 3-seasons: spring, summer, fall
• All North American backpacking locations — and, by extension, most parts of the world
• All trip lengths: overnights, long weekends, one-weekers, and thru-hikes
• Male or female
• All abilities: beginner, intermediate, advanced
• Individual preferences: gear systems and backpacking styles, e.g. “lightweight”

Ironically, such generic templates run the risk of being irrelevant. In trying to be universally useful, they lose their usefulness. They read like a REI inventory stock list, and offer minimal guidance in assembling a complete and coherent kit.

So I strived to keep the gear list user-friendly. For example, included product types are streamlined, and organized into intuitive categories. Explanations and examples are provided. It calculates pack weight, of course. There is room for the inclusion of pre- and post-hike insights, which make it a more helpful reference for future trips. And it functions as a checklist during the final pack-up. Plus a few other things.

Edit the Template + Checklist

To use this file as a spreadsheet template, you must have your own copy. Three options:

• Google Sheets
  • Sign into Google, if you’re not already
  • The link above will open my file, which is read-only. For your own version, select “Make a copy” under the File menu. It will be saved in your Drive account.
• Microsoft Excel
  • Download via link above
  • Some formatting will be lost
• PDF
  • Read-only
  • Checklist only

Of these options, I have a strong preference for Sheets, a free cloud-based spreadsheet package that is part of the larger Google Drive platform. Especially for groups, it’s a no-brainer: files can be shared, edited by multiple parties in real time, and accessed from any device.

View the Template + Checklist in a larger window.

Instructions after download

Erase sample cells

In cells F3:P10, I included sample information to demonstrate how the template should be used. Erase these cells and fill them back in with your own selections.

I suppose you could erase cells B1:E121, too, but I think most users will find them to be a useful reference. If they are in your way, it may be better to hide these columns instead.

Think twice before adding rows

This template has been extensively vetted, and it should have space already for any reasonable selection. If a product category is missing, I probably deemed it unnecessary or redundant, even under rare circumstances. That said, if you believe that a worthy product category was omitted, add one in your own version; please leave me a comment below, too — I’m open to additional edits.

If rows are rearranged, the weight calculators must be redone

With basic spreadsheet know-how, this is straightforward. If the SUM function means nothing to you, however, my recommendation is to leave the template organized as-is.

IMPORTANT: Don’t pack everything on the list!

Gear selection should be dictated by:

• Your backpacking style, i.e. ratio of hiking versus camping; and,
• When, where, and for how long you are going, i.e. environmental and route conditions.

So that this template is broadly applicable, it includes many items that would be optional or completely unnecessary for your specific trip — but critical for others. For example, for a summertime Appalachian Trail section-hike, you don’t need insulated pants or an ice axe, but you may want both for a John Muir Trail thru-hike in June.

To determine the relevance of each product category, research the likely conditions, review trip-specific gear lists, and seek commentary on your selections.

Column Definitions

Pre-filled Columns

Item | A broad product category

Ranking | My assessment of an item’s general importance, as measured mostly by the safety and comfort that it provides.

• Critical: Essential for every conceivable backpacking trip
• Suggested: Not critical and perhaps subject to personal preference, but will serve you well in nearly all cases.
• Optional: Take it or leave it, depending on personal preferences and needs
• Depends: Its importance hinges on the exact environmental and route conditions. It may be critical for some trips, but optional or unnecessary for others.

Description or Purpose | An explanation of its role or its usual specifications

Example | A real product that typifies the product category

More Info | Links to related reading and viewing on my website

Blank Columns

Rank | Your determination of the importance of a product type

Selection | The exact item that you have selected

Weight | A postal scale is an excellent investment for any backpacker

Pre-Hike Comments | Justify your selection, include key product specs, express your concerns, etc.

Certain? | Have you made a final decision, or are you still on the fence?

Alternate | Your secondary or backup option

Weighed? | Manufacturer specs are unreliable, especially if products are made in different sizes

In-hand? | Do you own this item already? Is it on order? Or do you need to buy, rent, or borrow it?

Packed? | When doing your final pack-up, use this column as a checklist to ensure that you have everything you need.

Other Notes | For information for which there is no dedicated space

How can I make this template + checklist more useful for you? Share your ideas, and tell me what you think of it.

Disclosure. This post contains affiliate links, whereby I receive a small commission for sales-generating referral traffic. There is no cost to readers (e.g. prices are the same), and it helps to support my efforts to develop great content.

The post Backpacking Gear List Template + 3-season Checklist appeared first on Andrew Skurka.

A camp during my Kings Canyon High Basin Route thru-hike, with the Cadillac Stove System

In this four-post series, I detail my three go-to backpacking stove systems for 3-season conditions:

• The Dirtbag, an inexpensive DIY alcohol stove system for soloists
• The Cadillac, a highly engineered alcohol stove system for 1-2 people
• Hot & Heavy, a canister stove system that is ideal for casual group trips

This is not meant to be a definitive list of viable stove systems. There are literally hundreds of worthy stoves, pots, utensils, and other kitchen components that can be mixed-and-matched. But I hope that my gear lists can serve as a useful template for your own system(s), and that my discussions can help you navigate the options with more insight and perspective.

Comparison Chart

How do the three stove systems compare?

System Summaries

The Dirtbag

This was my go-to setup between 2007 and 2015, and I have cooked hundreds of meals with it. It’s very inexpensive and lightweight, and its major flaws — notably, pot instability, susceptibility to wind, and sub-par fuel efficiency — can be worked around or overlooked. Note that for this system to really go the distance, I recommend upgrading the pot.

The Dirtbag

The Cadillac

If an alcohol stove can be made in 10 minutes for just a few bucks, you may ask, “Is it worth buying one?” That’s a personal decision, but I can confirm that The Cadillac is a much more user-friendly system than The Dirtbag: it’s more fuel efficient, especially in windy conditions; it’s very stable, with almost no tipping hazard; and it’s much more durable, though probably still not more economical in the long run. I swapped to this system earlier this year and don’t see myself going back.

The Cadillac Stove System

Hot & Heavy

For casual group trips — like when Amanda and I hiked the Aspen Four Pass Loop during our anniversary weekend — gram-counting is generally trumped by convenience and comfort. With this system’s powerful stove and big pot, I can quickly prepare meals and hot drinks for a group. It beats waiting on an alcohol stove, which produces much less heat, or having a group eat and drink at different times, as would be the case if using a small-volume pot.

With a few tweaks, Hot & Heavy is the basis for my Winter Backpacking Stove System, too.

Hot & Heavy Stove System

Shared selections

The core components of my stove systems — e.g. the stove and pot — are different for each system, and I discuss the selection rationale in each dedicated post. Several smaller items are shared across the three systems, however, and I’ll explain the rationale once here, to avoid redundancy.

Pot lifter

I don’t care for pot handles: they interfere with windscreens, and the rubber/silicone coatings can catch fire. Instead, I prefer handle-less pots and a pot lifter.

With some extra care and skill, all three stove systems can be operated successfully without a pot lifter. However, I’d recommend that one be carried by backpackers new to The Dirtbag, since the Supercat stove is generally unstable and has a hot, non-adjustable flame. I typically pack one with Hot & Heavy, too, so that I can more easily manage heavy pots of boiling water.

Utensil

My best backpacking breakfast and dinner recipes are most efficiently consumed with a spoon. I never bring a fork or knife, and I don’t try to be cute with a spork.

My favorite utensil is the REI Campware Soup Spoon. It’s cheap, ultralight, and durable. Its handle can be easily shortened so that it fits inside my pot. And unlike metal utensils, it does not get cold to the touch.

On group trips, I pack a back-up spoon in the event that someone loses theirs. It’s a difficult item to improvise in the field.

Ignition

A book of matches weighs less, but it’s much less reliable than a lighter: limited strikes, and poor performance in wind and/or when damp or wet. Furthermore, a lighter is far superior when starting a campfire. For this application, I have always been satisfied with the standard Bic Lighter or Mini Bic Lighter. Consider packing a second one as back-up, but do not store it with your primary lighter.

The post Gear List || 3-Season Stoves || Systems Overview appeared first on Andrew Skurka.

An oceanside kitchen on Alaska’s Lost Coast, using my Dirtbag stove system. The bugs were intense, hence the smoky hobo fire and the headnet.

Before I upgraded this year, the Dirtbag had been my go-to 3-season backpacking stove system. I used it for the length of the Great Western Loop, during the non-winter portions of the Alaska-Yukon Expedition, and for hundreds of nights on shorter outings and guided trips.

This stove system is not perfect, but trust me on this one: It will get the job done.

Gear List

The exact components in my kit:

The case for alcohol

I’ve been a longtime fan of alcohol stoves, as are many other backpackers despite alcohol stoves having almost no presence in the US outdoor retail market, e.g. REI. The advantages:

Easy and inexpensive DIY projects. The Supercat, for instance, costs about $2 and takes 10 minutes. Commercial alcohol stoves are more expensive, but still inexpensive relative to canister and liquid fuel models.

Inexpensive and widely available fuel. A gallon of denatured alcohol costs $15-20 at a hardware store (look in the paint department), or about $.15 per meal. It’s also available at auto parts stores and gas stations, in the form of HEET (yellow bottle).

No offensive odor. Unlike liquid fuel (e.g. white gas), alcohol does not have a wretched odor. In fact, I sometimes use it to clean my hands, and regularly use it to clean my sunglasses.

Carry no more than you need. Unlike canisters, the fuel can be decanted into a smaller container so that only the exact amount of fuel needed is packed. I recommend rescuing from the recycling bin a 8-, 12, 16-, or 20-oz plastic disposable bottle. Such a bottle also weighs considerably less (1 oz for 5 oz, empty).

Peaceful. The stove operation is nearly silent, which helps to preserve the tranquility of a backcountry campsite and to allow for conversation over dinner. In contrast, liquid fuel stoves and canister stoves sound like jet engines.

What about solid fuel, canister, liquid fuel, and wood stoves?

Solid fuel stoves like the Esbit Pocket Stove share many of the same advantages as alcohol stoves. The main difference is the availability of fuel — unlike alcohol, solid fuel is hard to find. Without the assistance of mail drops, this makes solid fuel a poor choice for long-distance backpacking.

Canister stoves like the Snowpeak GigaPower (“upright”) and MSR Windpro II (“remote”) are faster and hotter than alcohol stoves, but they are heavier and the fuel is not widely available. They are best for groups of 2+.

Liquid fuel stoves like the MSR Whisperlite International burn as hot as canister stoves, but operation involves more fuss and an offensively smelling petrol-based fuel. They have a single advantage over canister stoves: more economical operation, hence their popularity among institutional groups (e.g. NOLS).

Wood stoves like the Solo Stove Compact are romantic but not user-friendly. They are not as clean-burning (and can be downright smoky); they require constant feeding of fuel during operation; they can be a challenge in wet and/or windy conditions; and cookware becomes covered in soot.

The complete Dirtbag stove system. A DIY alcohol stove + aluminum foil windscreen, an aluminum pot, plus a number of other inexpensive components. The entire system weighs about 9 oz and costs $30.

Selection discussion & alternatives

Stove

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of DIY alcohol stove designs. I ran with the Supercat because it:

• Is among the easiest and least expensive to make;
• Needs no additional pot stand, since the pot sits directly on the stove; and,
• Seems to be as fuel-efficient as more complicated designs, or at least close enough to be insignificant for solo use.

Earlier this year I wrote an extended post about the Supercat’s flaws. Before you adopt this design, read it.

Windscreen

Without a windscreen, alcohol stoves are very inefficient — too much heat escapes, especially if there is even a mild breeze. I landed on the DIY aluminum foil windscreen because it is:

• Extremely compact (i.e. it folds flat) so it can be stored inside my pot
• Cheap,
• Ultralight,
• Easy to make and replace.

There are two major flaws with it, however. First, it lacks structural integrity, so it will be blown around by a moderate breeze. Second, it lasts 10-15 meals before needing replacement — it gets beat up by folding/unfolding and by direct contact with the stove flame. For a beefier — albeit heavier and less compact — windscreen, make one of aluminum tooling foil.

With the leftover volume in my pot, I normally add a bag of food in order to prevent pieces from clanging around.

Cookpot

Squatty pots (short and wide) are more fuel efficient than deep pots (tall and narrow) like the Snow Peak Trek 900, especially when partnered with a side-burning alcohol stove like the Supercat. If you already own a deep pot and are looking for a stove, find a center-flame design like Roy Robinson’s Cat Stove. If you want to use the Supercat but don’t yet own a pot, buy wisely.

Avoid stainless steel cookware — it is inexpensive but very heavy. For example, the 1100 ml MSR Stowaway Pot weighs nearly 16 oz, or about 4x the weight of aluminum or titanium pots.

At a minimum, go with aluminum. Pure aluminum pots like the Trangia Minitrangia Saucepan are ultralight and inexpensive. For marginally more cost and weight, hard-anodized aluminum like the Open Country 3-Cup Pot will be more durable.

The ultimate pot material, however, is titanium. It’s about as light as pure aluminum, but it’s substantially more durable. Consider that I’ve been using the Evernew Ultralight 900 ml since 2004 — since which I have spent probably one-thousand nights in the backcountry — and that I’m currently on only my second one. For the Dirtbag stove system to really go the distance, I would recommend this upgrade — in one season of extensive use, an aluminum pot will get annoyingly dinged and bent even by a careful user.

Hot drink container

This is an optional item, but those who enjoy a hot drink with their meal will appreciate the experience and convenience provided by a dedicated hot drink container. Without one, two boils are necessary, which requires more time and fuel than a single boil.

There are many lightweight, durable, and inexpensive mugs made of plastic or aluminum, including the classic GSI Outdoors Baked Enamelware 12-oz Cup.

Pot lifter, utensil, and ignition

These components have already been addressed. Read the Systems Overview, if you have not already.

Can this system be used for groups of 2+?

The Dirtbag can be used for groups of 2+. But it’s not optimal: its relatively slow boil times and inefficient design become more noticeable, and other stove systems (notably, alcohol and canister) start looking more attractive. In the third and fourth installment of this series, I will discuss some of these systems.

I would not use the Dirtbag for 2+ backpackers with large appetites, nor for 2+ backpackers who want to consume a meal and a hot drink simultaneously. In those situations, pack two solo alcohol kits or one group kit that is hotter, more fuel efficient, and has more volume.

If you wish to extend the Dirtbag into group use, I would at least recommend upgrading to a larger pot like the Trangia 25 Saucepan (aluminum, $10) or the Vargo 1.3 Liter Pot (titanium, $70) to minimize spillage risk, and adding a pot stand to improve the stability of this larger pot.

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The Cadillac Stove System

This is the third of a 4-part series about my trail-tested backpacking stoves for 3-season conditions. Read the Introduction to start from the beginning.

Between 2006 and April 2015, I made over one-thousand meals and hot drinks with The Dirtbag. Clearly, that system works.

But it’s also imperfect. I was particularly tired of its poor performance in non-calm air; its unreliable stability was not a winning quality, either. So I upgraded to The Cadillac, and I don’t foresee going back.

The Cadillac is not cheap, especially for an alcohol stove system. What do you get for nearly $200?

1. Ultralight. The entire kit weighs 8.4 oz. Drop another 1.5-2.0 oz by leaving behind the mug and measuring cup, and by using a Mini Bic lighter instead of the full-size version.

2. Durability. The pot, mug, and Caldera Cone are all made of titanium. At comparable weights, aluminum and stainless steel will bend and dent much more easily. For comparable durability, these components would have to be heavier.

3. Fuel efficiency. I budget just 0.5 oz of fuel (15 ml) per meal and .3 oz (10 ml) per hot drink, and expect some leftover. Because of the Caldera Cone, fuel efficiency is relatively unaffected by wind. And I never waste fuel, because the Zelph stove absorbs up to 1 oz of unused fuel and will not leak between uses.

Gear List

More economical options

Not ready to spend $192, or maybe a little bit less if you can find these items on sale? I hear you. To create a Cadillac-like system for less, you’ll need to give up most or all of the titanium. Aluminum and stainless steel are much more budget-friendly, though heavier or less durable. A few specific ideas:

• Open Country 3-Cup Pot: $40 savings
• GSI Outdoors Baked Enamelware 12-oz Cup: $30 savings
• Original aluminum Caldera Cone: $45 savings

The cumulative cost-savings of these three changes is $115, dropping the out-of-pocket cost to $77. Versus The Cadillac, this system would be a few ounces heavier, less packable (it will not all fit inside the pot), and less durable. But if you’re on a budget and/or not an avid backpacker, these compromises may be acceptable.

For even a less expensive system, consider The Dirtbag, which costs about $30.

The Sidewinder cone and Zelph stove are sufficiently compact to fit inside my 900 ml pot. The measuring cup nests inside the wrapped-up cone, as can the 4-oz fuel bottle that is bundled with the Sidewinder. The same cannot be said about the original Caldera Cone or the 12-10 stove.

A Cadillac for two+

In the configuration detailed above, The Cadillac is optimized for a soloist. But it can be modified into a worthy 2-person system. Buy a larger pot like the Evernew Ultralite 1.3L, or even the Ultralight 1.9L for two hungry hikers. When ordering the Sidewinder, select its size accordingly. Also, double-up on mugs, spoons, and fuel.

In-depth selection discussion

Stove

The Sidewinder Ti-Tri is bundled with Trail Designs’ 12-10 alcohol stove, but I recommend upgrading to the Zelph Modified StarLyte for an extra $12.

The 12-10 is less packable and will not fit inside most solo cookpots: it’s made of 12-oz soda cans, has a wide primer pan, and comes with an even larger protective case. The 12-10 also requires the pot to sit higher inside the Sidewinder, which is achieved by sliding two titanium skewer stakes horizontally through holes in the cone and then resting the pot atop the stakes. It’s not a terrible inconvenience, but I prefer to avoid such fuss when possible.

The Modified StarLyte is a fuel-miser, optimizing every potential BTU. However, it is slow. To avoid mealtime frustration, I typically start the stove before I am done with other camp chores (e.g. shelter set-up, bed-making, map study, end-of-day footcare), and return to the stove after about 5 minutes, checking more periodically thereafter.

If you are willing to sacrifice some fuel-efficiency for improved cook times, purchase the original non-modified StarLyte directly from Zelph. I would highly recommend this option when regularly cooking with very cold water (e.g. fresh snowmelt, near or sub-freezing daytime temperatures), which seems to make the Modified StarLyte intolerably slow.

Pot

Unlike the Supercat stove, which is part of The Dirtbag system, a short-and-wide pot is less imperative when using the Sidewinder or Caldera Cone. However, it will still be more fuel efficient than a deep pot.

The Evernew Ultralite 900 ml has been my go-to pot since 2004. I’ve replaced it just once. And I’ve done little experimentation with other pots, because I’ve never been compelled to. Do you need more of an endorsement?

For those with a smaller appetite, the Ultralite 600 ml may be sufficient, though you’ll be giving up the option to simultaneously heat up water for both a meal and a hot drink. The Evernew Ultralite 1.3L is suitable for 2-person cook groups, or for solo hikers with really big appetites and/or who want a 2-person option.

Sidewinder Cone

The original Caldera Cone is made of aluminum and costs $35. I think it’s worth an extra $45 for the Sidewinder: its titanium is more durable, and it is sufficiently compact to be stored inside my 900 ml pot. Plus, because of extensive use I can generally justify more expensive backpacking equipment.

The Sidewinder comes with a solid fuel stove, and with some additional accessories — the Inferno and titanium floor — can be used as a wood-burning stove. I have not used either, as I have a strong preference for alcohol fuel. Read why.

Mug

To consume a meal and a hot drink simultaneously, you’ll need a mug. Obviously, it can be left at home or not included in your kit, but I think this component is a must-have for most backpackers.

Mugs are not complicated and there are many that will do the job satisfactorily. Personally, I prefer a single-wall mug so that I can warm my hands. Handles are unnecessary, but are an appreciated warm-weather feature. I don’t need a cover or cozy — I prefer to finish my coffee quickly and get moving, versus milking it for an hour in camp.

Other components

In the Introduction for this 4-part series, I discuss the components that are universally shared among my trail-tested 3-season backpacking stove systems: pot lifter, utensil, and ignition.

Disclosure. This post contains affiliate links. I have no financial interest in Trail Designs, which provided me with a Sidewinder and Zelph stove. But I do have a significant interest in giving readers insightful and trustworthy information about backpacker gear, among other things.

What comments or questions do you have about The Cadillac? If you use a different Cadillac-worthy system, please share the details.

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The Hot & Heavy Stove System, configured for 2 people

This is the fourth of a 4-part series about my time-tested backpacking stoves for 3-season conditions. To start from the beginning, read the Introduction. 

With a few tweaks, my favorite solo backpacking stove system, The Cadillac, is a viable 2-person setup. But it’s a good solution only for those who are highly weight-conscious and/or who have unreliable access to pressurized gas canisters.

Otherwise, my Hot & Heavy system is probably a better choice. Yes, it does weigh 1-1.25 pounds more, but with its powerful stove and extra pot capacity I can heat up large amounts of water much more quickly. I have used Hot & Heavy to prepare breakfasts and dinners for five adult males on 7-day trips, and to indulge Amanda with near instantaneous cups of coffee and with hot wash-water before bed.

Gear List

This list assumes a 2-person cook group. For each additional person, add an eating bowl, drinking container, and utensil. With these particular selections, each extra person adds about 5.5 oz and $20.

Canister versus liquid fuel

When I need or want a stove with significant firepower, I don’t look to alcohol, solid fuel, or wood. There are really only two viable options: canister gas or liquid fuel.

Of these, I have a strong preference for canister stoves. They are easier to assemble, prepare, and operate; and there is no risk of soiling me or my gear with noxious white gas, gasoline, or diesel.

Canister stoves aren’t without tradeoffs, of course. The primary problem is the canister: they are difficult to find outside of speciality outdoor stores; they can be recycled, but not refilled or reused; and they are relatively expensive, which increases the system’s operating costs.

Managing Hot & Heavy in Colorado’s Maroon Bells Wilderness. With its powerful stove and big pot, I can quickly heat up water for groups of 2+.

Other options

If I did not already own the MSR WindPro as part of my winter backpacking stove system, I might have selected a different canister stove to use on large group trips and on casual trips with 2+ people.

An upright canister stove like the classic Snow Peak GigaPower Auto is a few ounces lighter and $50 less than the WindPro. It’s less stable, but otherwise performance is about the same.

Integrated stoves like the JetBoil Sumo are superbly fast and efficient, and their operation is even easier than a non-integrated system. However, not all integrated stoves are appropriate for group use: some do not simmer well, and others lack adequate water capacity.

Finally, MSR offers the Whisperlite Universal, which can be powered by both canister gas and liquid fuel. The $40 premium may prove worthwhile if you will sometimes need a liquid fuel stove (e.g. winter thru-hike with limited access to canisters) and/or if you will want the option of using a more economical fuel source.

Mid-morning breakfast and coffee for two while on the Aspen Four Pass Loop, which I was able to prepare in about 10 minutes from start to finish thanks to the firepower and large pot capacity.

In-depth discussion

Stove

The WindPro is a solid choice from the most trusted name in backpacking stoves, MSR. It performs well year-round; it’s stable and strong enough for big pots; and it’s reasonably light. As an alternative, consider the Optimus Vega, which is more compact; I’m not as familiar with it, otherwise.

There are lighter and less expensive remote canisters stoves available, like the Kovea Spider ($65), but these cannot run on a liquid feed and thus are not appropriate for regular winter use.

Pot

Plan .75-1L of water capacity per person, with some consideration for appetites and cooking styles. I find that a 2-liter pot is ideal for Amanda and me: in one shot, I can heat enough water for hot drinks and meals. My 2L titanium MSR pot has been discontinued; instead, consider the comparable Evernew Ultralight 2.6L ($90) or the more economical GSI Halulite 2L ($35).

Because the extra weight of a larger pot is relatively minimal, it is counterproductive to save weight by skimping on pot volume. My largest pot is the Open Country 4-Quart, which is good for groups up to about 5-6 people; for a similarly economical option, consider the Trangia 4.5L Cook Pot ($28). In both cases, expect them to get dinged and to bend. For better durability, go with the aforementioned GSI Halulite (in 3.2L or 4.7L) or a hard-to-find 1-gallon titanium pot.

For cook groups of more than 5-6, I bring a second Hot & Heavy system. A 1.5-gallon or 2-gallon pot would not fit well inside any of my backpacks. And the relatively slow boil times begin to test my patience.

Eating containers

Each person in my group is given an individual meal ration. The group pot is for heating water only; the “cooking” happens in each person’s individual eating container, into which we decant water from the group pot.

Because several of my favorite breakfast and dinner recipes benefit from a short simmer, I insist that every member of the cook group have a metal container that can be put directly on the stove. Most members bring their pot from their solo stove system, which probably looks like The Dirtbag or The Cadillac. Shot-and-wide pots are best; with a side-burning stove like the WindPro, narrow pots waste fuel.

Fuel container

Budget .25 oz of fuel per 16 oz of boiling water. Unlike liquid fuel stoves, little fuel is wasted when starting a canister stove.

Fuel canisters are available in 4-, 8-, and 12-oz sizes; the fuel canister weighs another 3-8 oz. I generally buy the 12-oz size, which are the most economical. I’m generally not concerned with the extra weight: I’m probably the most fit member of the group, and our itinerary is probably not too ambitious.

Other components

In the other posts in this series, I have already discussed at length other system components: drinking containers, pot lifters, utensils, and ignition. I won’t repeat myself here.

Disclosure. This post contains affiliate links. 

What comments or questions do you have about Hot & Heavy? If you use a different stove for groups of 2+, share it and explain why.

The post Gear List || 3-Season Stoves || System 3: Hot & Heavy appeared first on Andrew Skurka.

This year my website audience grew 68% from 2014. The big spike in late-winter/early-spring 2015 was driven by the Core 13 Clothing series, which was hugely popular.

To close out 2015, I’d like to share my most popular posts. My method in creating the list was only partially scientific — I started with total page views for 2015 in Google Analytics, and then I loosely accounted for publishing dates, since posts released earlier in the year have had more time to be viewed than those released later in the year. The data was pretty clear and a more exact method (e.g. pro-rating traffic) would not have changed much.

The most popular articles are really strong — they are all worth a read, and maybe a bookmark for future reference, too. But the list omits several posts that I’m more attached to, so I created another list of favorite articles as well.

Happy reading and Happy New Year.

Most popular

1. Core Backpacking Clothing: Systems & Checklists for 3-season Conditions

This was the capstone article of my Core 13 Clothing series, in which I detailed thirteen pieces of clothing that can be mixed-and-matched to create appropriate clothing systems for all variations of 3-season conditions. The series was hugely popular, generating seven out of my ten most popular posts. Read the full series.

2. First Aid Kit & Emergency Communication Checklist

Would you like to know exactly what I carry on a backpacking trip in order to treat minor and major medical situations — and why? Here you go.

3. Dinner Recipe: Beans & Rice with Fritos & Cheese

It’s no surprise that this is most popular recipe on my website — it’s also the most popular with clients on my guided trips. As good as it is, though, you’ll want a few other go-to recipes — here are six more favorites.

4. Gear List Template + Checklist

This is the most useful backpacking gear list template and checklist on the web. It achieves a fine balance of being universally applicable (i.e. backpackers of all styles and experience levels, and trips in all locations and seasons, and of all lengths) while still being approachable and instructive.

5. Trip Planning Checklist: To do before you go

If you do something enough, you get really good at it. I’ve planned a lot of backpacking trips — hundreds, including 50+ in which individuals were paying me to plan the trip for them — and, well, I’m really good at it. In this post, I listed all of the tasks that I must do (or confirm that I don’t have to do) before walking out the door.

Honorable mention

• SD LIVE video series
• Essential Backpacking Maps: Types, sources, and formats
• Gear List: Backcountry Nordic Ski Touring
• Pros, cons, & my picks: PLB’s, satellite messengers, & phones
• Gear Lists: 3-Season Backpacking Stove Systems

Personal favorites

1. Short is the new long: My next “big” adventure

Now 34 years-old, with a wife, house, small business, and four-legged fur child, I can’t get out as much as I used to — and I don’t want to, either. The adventures that better fit my lifestyle now are shorter, but more intense, more risky, and more consistently awesome. The new theme is working out well — read my 2015 Year in Review.

2. Is it wrong to “profit” from your passion? Not at all.

Do your livelihood and your lifestyle overlap, like mine do? Congratulations, but expect some criticism from trolls and cynics.

3. Giving up a dream job: Why I’m not guiding trips in 2016

When I launched my guiding business in 2011, I hoped — but did not expect — that it would become as successful as it did. It was a great experience, with client relationships being the biggest reward. But in 2016 (at least), it’s time for a change.

4. Designing a better way with Sierra Designs

Sierra Designs is a 50 year-old brand that lost its way and became irrelevant. But that’s changing, and I’m delighted to be part of the brand reawakening. This year watch for the release of the first two (at least) products that we’ve co-developed from scratch: a double-wall mid shelter and a suspension backpack.

The post My most popular & favorite posts of 2015 appeared first on Andrew Skurka.

The pack that walks like a man. At the start of my Appalachian Trail thru-hike in 2002, I was way overloaded. On its own, my stove system weighed over 4 pounds, or about 8x the weight of my current setup.

For a reason I’ll share at a later point, last night I looked up the stove system with which I started my Appalachian Trail thru-hike in 2002. It was my second backpacking trip ever and I didn’t know much — and it shows.

The entire kit weighed more than four pounds. In addition, I also started with 16 oz of white gas (a full 20-oz bottle), not knowing that this amount would last for 3-4 weeks.

My AT kit is laughably heavy (8x!) versus my current stove system, The Cadillac. Ironically, it’s also $40 more expensive than what I consider to be the finest solo backpacking stove on the market. As a college student with limited funds, in retrospect I would have been better off with The Dirtbag, which can be assembled for just $30.

If you review the starting gear list, you’ll notice many other bad choices and regrettable omissions, too, like a pump water filter and the absence of real rain gear. (At the time, I did not understand the difference between “water-resistant” and “waterproof.”) My finishing gear list looks almost nothing alike.

Here is my stove system, for some Monday morning laughs:

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On a trip planning checklist, what’s the most time-consuming task? Making travel plans, preparing food, selecting a route — yes, they can all rank up there. But gear selection probably tops the list, especially for new backpackers and for veteran backpackers without experience in a particular location or season.

A gear list will make this process much easier, for current and future trips. In its most basic form, it’s a grocery list of equipment that is either worn or carried. But with some additional organization and columns, it can be much more.

(If you’ve never created a gear list before or if you simply want a better one, consider using my backpacking gear list template. It is user-friendly, comprehensive, and downloadable.)

Virtual packing

An explosion of gear may not be well received if you do not have a spare room or man cave. In contrast, a spreadsheet takes up no space, is accessible with a cloud-synced device from anywhere (e.g. home office, commuter train), and can be edited quickly.

A gear explosion in Amanda’s 600 square foot apartment. It did not go over well when she arrived home from work.

Systems organizer

Even a stripped-down kit will have 50+ individual items in it, and 75 to 1oo is probably the norm. By categorizing the gear into distinct systems — e.g. Clothing, Footwear, Shelter, Sleep, Packing, Tools & Utility, Personal Items, etc. — the task at hand seems more manageable. It is easier to concentrate on 5 to 10 items than ten times that amount.

Pack weight calculator

Little can be done at the trailhead if your pack is uncomfortably heavy. Weigh all your gear beforehand using the AWS Table Top Postal Scale (or similar) and tally these weights in the gear list. To reduce pack weight, eliminate unnecessary items, or replace necessary items with lighter alternatives.

12.5 pounds for a 3-day/2-night trip in the UP’s Porcupine Mountains, nice!

Track, budget, and fix gear

Mark items that must be purchased, that have been ordered but that have not yet arrived, and that need to be repaired before field use. Add the expected cost, to help compile a budget.

Collaborate with group members

By sharing a virtual spreadsheet — like via Google Drive or Microsoft Office 360 — you can collaborate with group members. This allows you to monitor others’ progress, to compare selections, and to create lists of shared systems like for shelter, stove, and navigation.

A check list

During the final pack-up, use the gear list as a check list to confirm that you have everything. It’s frustrating to discover on the trail that you forgot to put back your liner gloves after using them earlier in the week on brisk morning run, or that your spouse needed some of your OTC medications.

A final pack-up, using the gear list (on my computer) as a check list.

Justify your selections, and create a reference for future trips

Unless you enjoy making the same mistakes twice, take notes of why you selected a particular item and how that item actually performed in the field. When you’re preparing for your next trip, you’ll have a record of whether it excelled or failed, or was critical or unnecessary.

The post A backpacking gear list: Its importance and core functions appeared first on Andrew Skurka.

My group foot care kit for hiking and backpacking. For solo trips, I carry fewer items and less of each item. Missing from this photo: Krazy Glue and toe caps.

How many hiking and backpacking trips have been set back, or even ruined, by blisters, maceration, and other podiatric problems? Quite a few — including some of mine, unfortunately.

To minimize these issues, I carry a dedicated foot care kit. I consider it a separate entity than my backpacking first aid kit. It contains several unique items, and I use the dual-purpose items much more often for foot care than for first aid.

Naturally, foot care know-how is as important (probably more so) than a foot care kit. Be preventative and resourceful. And study up, like by reading Fixing your Feet, by John Vonhof.

A fallen-off toenail, due to trauma incurred several weeks earlier during an Ironman. Such an issue is best addressed with a rubber toe cap or with a combination of tape and moleskin. Also, try to keep your feet clean, although that’s hard when packrafting glacier-fed rivers in Alaska.

Gear list: Foot care kit for hiking and backpacking

This list has been tested and refined by 30,000+ miles of personal backpacking experience, as well as 55+ guided trips.

Prevention & resourcefulness

Even with a proper foot care kit, it may be impossible to entirely cure a foot problem. In many situations, time and rest are the only guaranteed solutions.

So, prevention is the best approach. For example:

• Test shoes and socks on short, low-risk trips;
• Stop as soon as a hotspot is noticed;
• During extended rest stops, remove shoes and socks so that your feet can breathe and dry out.

If prevention fails, and if the issue cannot be managed with the foot care kit, then get resourceful. I have removed and cut insoles, spliced heel cups, cut holes in the sides of shoes (to relieve pressure), and modified lacing systems, among other less conventional tactics. Keep experimenting until something works, or at least until the situation becomes tolerable.

Preventative taping using Leukotape, to manage several developing hot spots. Notice that I rounded the edges to prevent the corners from pulling up. I also applied benzoin to improve its stickiness, since this is a very high-stress area.

Solo versus group kit

My solo foot care kit is designed to treat my most common problems. In particular, my feet get macerated when wet, and I am prone to blisters on my heels on routes with extreme vertical relief. Your foot care kit should reflect your unique foot care needs.

My group foot care kit is more robust. I need to be prepared for more and more unexpected foot problems. So my kit contains more items and greater quantities.

Native conditions

The unique particularities of feet can create issues in the field. Examples: high arches or flat feet, bunions, hammer toes, heel spurs, and severe pronation. Fungal outbreaks can become painful, and be exacerbated in wet conditions. And long toenails are vulnerable to getting and causing blisters.

Once in the field, options for treating such conditions are relatively limited. Buy well fitting footwear and test it beforehand. Trim toenails. And treat fungal infections.

Well fitting footwear is critical — options are relatively limited once in the field. If you have unconventionally shaped feet, such as a very wide forefoot and narrow heel, with a low arch, finding good shoes can be a challenge.

Blisters

A blister is a fluid-filled void left by the separation of dermal layers. To treat them, it’s critical to understand the root cause, which may include:

• Heat,
• Moisture, and/or
• Friction.

Some friction-induced blisters are due to calluses. This thick and hard patch of skin moves as a solitary unit, putting undue pressure on the softer skin around its edges and underneath it.

Two classic heel blisters, resulting from friction between the skin and the stiff heel cup of the hiking boots. Blist-o-bans are ideal for heel blisters, combined with some benzoin or a Leukotape patch for additional adhesive.

Maceration

When skin is exposed to moisture for extended periods, the skin becomes macerated, or pruned. The skin becomes itchy, soft, and maybe painful. It is prone to blistering and to cracking as it dries out.

Learn to minimize the effects and aftermath of wet feet through techniques and Bonnie’s Balm.

Badly macerated feet after the Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic

Disclosure: I hope this gear list has been helpful. It contains affiliate links, to help support this website.

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