It has taken me fifteen years to develop an efficient and lightweight camping gear that can be used in both summer and winter, for a wide range of activities. Meanwhile I have found an efficient way of packing, which enables easy grabbing of the gear in one single move, protection, and a balanced distribution of weight in a backpack.
It seemed there was no other option than to make some of the gear myself. You will find some of the equipment at the home made outdoor gear section.
Cooking gear
I use a Trangia stove, which is clean, windproof, light and safe. It burns on alcohol, which contains less energy for its weight than petrol or pressurized gas. I have never tried the pressurized gas system that is available for the Trangia. For one week, bring one liter of alcohol for each person. If you need to melt snow or ice, or carry food that needs a long time to be cooked (raw potato’s, rice), bring two or even three liters fuel.
Packing
Cutlery, grab and toothbrush are stored in a small shampoo bottle (home made). This together with plates and the stove, are packed in a small stuffsack, which is packed into a twenty liters bag together with four 1/2 liter bottles for water or fuel. Store the cooking stuff in the upper section of the backpack, because it will be used several times a day for making tea or coffee.
Cutlery, grab and toothbrush are stored in a small shampoo bottle (home made). This together with plates and the stove, are packed in a small stuffsack, which is packed into a twenty liters bag together with four 1/2 liter bottles for water or fuel. Store the cooking stuff in the upper section of the backpack, because it will be used several times a day for making tea or coffee.
Tips
- A very bitter taste is added to the burning alcohol, so do not mix a single drop with water or food!
- Use simple water bottles from the supermarket, to be used for water and fuel. They are cheap, light, and flexible which is an advantage in packing.
- Use simple water bottles from the supermarket, to be used for water and fuel. They are cheap, light, and flexible which is an advantage in packing.
- I bring at least one pan with Teflon to make pancakes’s without oil.
- Take three very lightweight plates: one to use as a plate, one for cutting and one to support the stove in the ocasional snow.
- After using the stove, pour the left over spirit back into the bottle, and shake the burner untill the fuel stops dripping. Wrap the burner in a handkerchief to be stored in the pans.
- In subzero temperatures it is hard to enlight the stove. You can use a little wooden branch to drown in the fuel, light it and ingnite the stove.
- In low temperatures or during kayak trips, bring a thermo bottle for hot water. It will save you lots of precious time.
- In low temperatures or during kayak trips, bring a thermo bottle for hot water. It will save you lots of precious time.
Hardware
You will probably bring 'hardware' items such as small bottles with soap, superglue, spare batteries and such. These items will mostly be used during cooking, washing, or at your camping place.
Packing
Because these little items are often hard to pack efficiently, I made two plastic racks with elastic cords to attachment the items. Wet items (wash cloth, brush for the dishes) are stored are carried in small plastic medicin bottles. Smaller items are stored in little square boxes from a hardware store. The racks are stored in a 5 liters bag with zipper.
Packing
Because these little items are often hard to pack efficiently, I made two plastic racks with elastic cords to attachment the items. Wet items (wash cloth, brush for the dishes) are stored are carried in small plastic medicin bottles. Smaller items are stored in little square boxes from a hardware store. The racks are stored in a 5 liters bag with zipper.
Tips
Use textile tape as a band-aid for blisters, or other wounds. Place a little piece of tape on the middle of the sticky strip, to spare the wound itself.
Quick grabs
While travelling you may want to easily reach equipment such as a camera, GPS, fishing gear, sunglasses and a map.
Packing
The items are stored in a five liters bag to carry in front of your belly. Ofcourse you can buy them in a shop, although I believe these bags to be too heavy, the reason to make it myself.
Survival gear
My survival package contains an emergency blanket, lighter, knife, copper thread, fishing gear, condom, needle, lamp, whistle and compass.
Tips
- Check at least once in a year if the gear is functioning properly and replace if necessary.
- Make shure you always carry the package with you on your wilderness trip.
Packing
The items are packed waterproof, in a little two - zipper bag (home made) that is worn around the neck, under the clothes.
Survival gear
My survival package contains an emergency blanket, lighter, knife, copper thread, fishing gear, condom, needle, lamp, whistle and compass.
Tips
- Check at least once in a year if the gear is functioning properly and replace if necessary.
- Make shure you always carry the package with you on your wilderness trip.
Packing
The items are packed waterproof, in a little two - zipper bag (home made) that is worn around the neck, under the clothes.
Clothes and boots
There is not much difference in clothing between a late summer hike into the mountains, or a winter trip in Scandinavia, apart from a thicker sweater, warmer thermo pants and snow goggles. As a matter of fact, cold rain and especially sleet are much more dangerous than dry powder snow. I usually bring breathable raintrousers, a lightweight windjacket, and gloves and a woolen cap if chilly weather can be expected. I prefer to wear high boots that are waterproof. In swampy northern regions rubber boots should be considered.
Packing
Rain trousers and jacket are stored in two home made waterproof bags of 20 liters (red coloured bags), which can be placed at each side of the backpack. Other clothes are stowed in a twenty liters bag (green coloured bag). A sweater can be stowed anywhere in the backpack.
Rain trousers and jacket are stored in two home made waterproof bags of 20 liters (red coloured bags), which can be placed at each side of the backpack. Other clothes are stowed in a twenty liters bag (green coloured bag). A sweater can be stowed anywhere in the backpack.
Tip
Use a lightweight extra T–shirt as a towel.
Tent
I use a classic A–shaped tent, which is home made. Considered its height and length, it is much lighter than a dome shaped tent because of the straight outline. Ski poles are used as tent poles. I have never used a tarp. A hammock I use sometimes, when a level spot is hard to find or in warm weather. The Hennessee hammock is covered with a little tarp against the rain, which can also be used for hanging your clothes to dry.
Tips
- Take your time to find a good camping spot. If you do not camp in a hole with water, or on thorny roses, you don’t need an extra layer of fabric to protect the inner tent. Find a place that is protected from the wind, and has sunlight in the morning.
- Personally I don't trust ultra lightweight tents in winds from 30 knots. Especially if the wind blows at the largest surface (sideways for most tents) I support the walls with my body and the poles with my hands. I favour one sleepless night in stead of a damaged tent.
- If the ground is frozen solid, bring one steel peg with you to hammer in the soil with a rock. Draw the peg out, and slide the aluminium (lightweight) peg into the hole. If there is a chance of deep snow, take the special pegs with you.
- If there is a chance of snow combined with strong winds, make shure your inner tent stops even the finest powder snow. In a blizzard your tent can completely disappear under the snow, so be warned.
- If the ground is frozen solid, bring one steel peg with you to hammer in the soil with a rock. Draw the peg out, and slide the aluminium (lightweight) peg into the hole. If there is a chance of deep snow, take the special pegs with you.
- If there is a chance of snow combined with strong winds, make shure your inner tent stops even the finest powder snow. In a blizzard your tent can completely disappear under the snow, so be warned.
Packing
- Storage in a lightweight stuffsack, lower in the backpack, as the tent is only used one time a day. The tent poles are stored outside the backpack.
- I store the pegs in shampoo bottle (home made) to prevent damage to the tent if packed tightly.
- Bring a waterproof plastic bag to stow a very wet tent, to prevent other gear to become soaked.
Sleeping bag
I use a down sleeping bag. The winter sleeping bag is still comfortable to minus 25, for other seasons I use one that goes to minus 5. Minus 5 is enough for mountain hikes in the summer. Down is much warmer for its weight than synthetic fibres. It is more durable and is still comfortable when it is warm. Because down is much more susceptable for moisture, it is nessecary to keep the sleeping bag dry. I use a vapour barrier liner in sub-zero temperatures (home made). Without it, the moisture from your body does not vaporise very easily, adding layers of ice to your sleeping bag after each night, reducing isolation and adding weight. I have heard of an expedition into Labrador a hundred years ago that went terribly wrong just because of this. Their down sleeping bag weighed over thirty kilograms after one month and they freezed to death.
Packing
Stow the sleeping bag in a lightweight water resistant sack (home made) at the bottem of the backpack.
Tips
- Never wash down in your washing machine!
- At home, store your sleeping bag loosely (at least four times the packing volume) to keep it ‘fluffy’ for many years
Matress
I use a down filled matress from Exped. It has very good insulation characteristics (works to -17 C) and fills with air by using an internal pump mechanism. Therefore little to no moisture will enter inside the matras.
Packing
Folded in four layers, tightly positioned between the frame and the backpack.
Folded in four layers, tightly positioned between the frame and the backpack.
Outdoor food
What food do you bring on your trip? On a trekking of a week or two, food supplies may be a little less than what your body needs. For a period of two months however one needs to be more exact when it comes to nutrition. I have made a list of the nutritious value of different kinds of food. Green areas show calories, vitamins and minerals required each day (above) and available (beneath). Shortages need attention. In between you will find the nutritious value of the food per 100 grams, and the food available each day on average. The list shows one thing for sure: you don’t need freeze dried food.
Tips
- In stead of bread I carry flour, milkpowder and such, to make pancakes. To knead the dough I use a transparant Ortlieb bag. Just add water and use your hands, or knees if the water is cold.
- Cheese is a perishable food. I learned from a Russian (with thanks to Dimitri from Severobaikalsk!) to wrap the cheese in a cloth that is soaked with lots of salt and a little water. You should be able to preserve the cheese for about a month, even in warm weather. It is nessecary to inspect the food every two or three weeks. You should rub the saucage with oil as soon as a white colour appears.
Packing
The smaller food items (thea, coffee, soup) are stored in a lightweight bag of 2 liters with zipper. The larger food intems (flour, milkpowder, potato powder) are stored in transparant waterproof Ortlieb bags, carried in a lightweight bag of twenty liters with zippers.
Oddities
The 'left over' category: travel documents, sit mat, large knife, umbrella and wading shoes. An umbrella is usefull in persistant wet weather and in baking sunshine as well. Wading shoes are essential if you have to cross rivers.
Packing
Travel documents are stored somewhere in the backpack, the other items are stored outside.
Backpack
I use a sturdy frame backpack, combined with a waterproof bag of 70 liters. The backpack (an Orlieb bag) works so well that after two weeks of rainy days your gear is still crispy dry. I have even used the system as a floatation device to cross a river. The bag is attached to the frame with adjustable straps (home made) to carry any bag with appropriate size. You can also attach side bags, showed above. And ofcourse the bag can be placed directly into a canoe or kayak.
Tip
Put rubber bands around your hipbelt, for more grip around your hips.
Packing
The picture beneath shows how to organise the equipment.
Packlist
In the lists below you will find a summary of the camping equipment. The amounts of food are derived from the food list. I used one week of food and reserves as a standard. With these supplies I can make a hike of about ten days.
In the lists below you will find a summary of the camping equipment. The amounts of food are derived from the food list. I used one week of food and reserves as a standard. With these supplies I can make a hike of about ten days.
LONGER JOURNEYS
For longer yourneys you might have to bring some additional equipment, such as a means to charge batteries, a sattelite phone, and of course the extra food. But how to transport all this gear if the backpack is only large enough to contain supplies for one week or ten days maximum? My first experience with longer expeditions was in 1992, in Swedish Lappland in March. I covered three hundreds kilometers in ten days, using skies and a pulka, a little sledge to carry the equipment. In 2009 (also in Sweden) and 2010 (Russia) I used a kayak to transport the extra supplies.
For longer yourneys you might have to bring some additional equipment, such as a means to charge batteries, a sattelite phone, and of course the extra food. But how to transport all this gear if the backpack is only large enough to contain supplies for one week or ten days maximum? My first experience with longer expeditions was in 1992, in Swedish Lappland in March. I covered three hundreds kilometers in ten days, using skies and a pulka, a little sledge to carry the equipment. In 2009 (also in Sweden) and 2010 (Russia) I used a kayak to transport the extra supplies.
Sustainable energy
How do you charge your electrical gear? Well, you will probably need a solar panel if you plan to use a camera and a satellite telephone. I use a 12 volts flexible and foldable solar panel to charge a Go Pro headcam, a Sony Cybershot and a Motorola 9050 satellite phone. To keep the amount of charging devices as low as possible, I still use batteries for the headlamp and the GPS.
Tips and packing
- I have made a waterproof system to charge the electrical devices even in the most wet conditions.
- It is good to bring a chargable battery for charging your devices and batteries later on, during cloudy days or in the sheltered environment of a tent (for example the satellite phone).
- In case of breakdown of the powerbank, it should be possible to charge your devices straight from the solar panel.
- I have organised the chargers and cables in such a way, that it is very easy to switch between the indirect and direct charging method. Both methods use different bags, both with a cable to connect to the solar panel. Within the bags all the cables are already inserted as much as possible, kept in place on plastic racks with elastic cords (see the picture). Both bags are stored in a lightweight nylon bag with two zippers.
Other gear
For the extra food, check the food list mentioned earlier. You also need extra toilet paper, soap, mosquito repellent, etcetera. And ofcourse the extra set of warm clean clothes: a heavenly refreshment after several weeks.
Packing
In two or three waterproof Orlieb bags of 30 liters. For one month, two of these bags should be enough.
Overview
In the list below you will find an overview of the extra gear and supplies I take on a longer travel.
