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Short pad (cut a piece off discarded sleep pads)
Put on outside of pack for easy access to sit ..resting on rocks and logs (especially when wet)
and pumping water.
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Loosen hip belt and shorten trekking poles uphill. Breathe from belly, bellows power..pause step.
Count steps..stop at fifty or whatever..no longer than five minutes...on to the top before pack off type rest.
Lengthen poles downhill. Adjust various straps often.
This advice for newbies. (You trekkers, obvious stuff)
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Pooping in woods after a few weeks becomes an event.
Well formed **** is satisfying for some weird reason. Go deep into woods and lay hiking stick down pointing in direction of trail. (very important).
Why use privies? Develop your technique early and save maintainers an unpleasant task.
We prefer you use privies where provided (that's why we have 'em). They are in high-impact areas, so unless you can hold it until you get away from that spot a fair distance, please do use the privies. Although perhaps you only meant don't wait until you get to a pricy, in which case you have a valid point.
Mike Goodman
02-15-2020, 14:04
Short pad (cut a piece off discarded sleep pads)
Put on outside of pack for easy access to sit ..resting on rocks and logs (especially when wet)
..Out in the Weminuche of CO with 5 kids, rain every day, nothing to sit on but wet rock, wet log, or wet ground ... I did this. Shortened the sleeping pads of the 3 smallest kids, by 6".
They thought their mom would be mad. I said she'll never notice.
Tipi Walter
02-15-2020, 14:16
MORE LO TECH
Go without a smartphone.
Bring a small notebook and pencil to keep a log. It’s always entertaining reading about some of the mistakes I’ve made over the years.
SoaknWet
02-15-2020, 18:07
Remember you DONT have to spend thousands of dollars to walk in the woods!
MORE LO TECH
Go without a smartphone.
Yes! As someone old enough to remember the friendly pre-phone era when long trailside conversations (sometimes leading to lifelong friendships) were normal, I wince when I approach a shelter or pass a hiker who is on the phone. Basically, after that I never feel like I can be close to those people, and often do not speak to them at all. They've already told me they weren't interested...
Tipi Walter
02-15-2020, 21:25
Yes! As someone old enough to remember the friendly pre-phone era when long trailside conversations (sometimes leading to lifelong friendships) were normal, I wince when I approach a shelter or pass a hiker who is on the phone. Basically, after that I never feel like I can be close to those people, and often do not speak to them at all. They've already told me they weren't interested...
Excellent reply since I totally agree.
Excellent reply since I totally agree.
Another essential...the lowly foam earplug.....(the snorers quickly become legend)
Slo-go'en
02-21-2020, 20:33
Remember you DONT have to spend thousands of dollars to walk in the woods!
Not for a walk in the woods, but for a thru hike or one of any significant length, you sure do!
Five Tango
02-21-2020, 20:49
Pooping in woods after a few weeks becomes an event.
Well formed **** is satisfying for some weird reason. Go deep into woods and lay hiking stick down pointing in direction of trail. (very important).
Why use privies? Develop your technique early and save maintainers an unpleasant task.
If you have concerns about finding your way back to the trail,just keep four pieces of flagging tape and tie them on something at 50 foot intervals on a compass heading so you will have walked a straight line.
Five Tango
02-21-2020, 20:54
put some reflective tape on your food bag and on your hiking sticks to help you find the bag in the morning or your campsite if you get up during the night.You can get turned around at night in the dark easily and a well marked pole will look like a navigational beacon in the gloom of night.
Midwest Mike
02-21-2020, 23:41
I must still be a newbie. I know to shorten polls but I’m wondering why you loosen the hip belt when ascending a hill.
Slo-go'en
02-22-2020, 01:28
I must still be a newbie. I know to shorten polls but I’m wondering why you loosen the hip belt when ascending a hill.
I don't know, maybe he thinks it helps with deep breathing? The only thing I do (if I remember) is to tighten the load lifter straps when going up hill to shift my center of gravity more forward and loosen them when going down hill for the opposite effect.
I don't know, maybe he thinks it helps with deep breathing? The only thing I do (if I remember) is to tighten the load lifter straps when going up hill to shift my center of gravity more forward and loosen them when going down hill for the opposite effect.
Bellows breath...from the belly full oxygen. Maybe it’s just me..but I found it a revelation. It powers your uphill.
Diaphragmatic gas exchange.
If you have concerns about finding your way back to the trail,just keep four pieces of flagging tape and tie them on something at 50 foot intervals on a compass heading so you will have walked a straight line.
Keeping it simple.....on one thru hike in Maine a woman actually got lost and died because she couldn’t find her way back. (‘Inchworm’ ‘13, I was in the area) just saying you can easily be disoriented after the squat.
colorado_rob
02-22-2020, 10:19
Excellent reply since I totally agree. A bit of hipocrisy? IS there a "tech" difference between an old flip-phone and a camera vs. a newer "smart" phone that does both functions as well or better and lighter? If you're buried in a camera looking at images and ignoring a fellow hiker why is that any different than being buried in a "smart" phone?
Tipi Walter
02-22-2020, 11:05
A bit of hipocrisy? IS there a "tech" difference between an old flip-phone and a camera vs. a newer "smart" phone that does both functions as well or better and lighter? If you're buried in a camera looking at images and ignoring a fellow hiker why is that any different than being buried in a "smart" phone?
Look around America---everybody's drooling and glued into their Smartphones. How many people were glued into their digital cameras 20 years ago? And so this "gluing" translates to backpackers on trails.
And of course there's a giant difference between my old Nokia call/text phone and a modern Smartphone. My phone is not a camera and can't take pics, can't pull up GPS and certainly will never get online and check Facebook.
The OP started this thread on Low Tech options for backpackers. I recommended going without a Smartphone---no sweat. Personally, I want absolutely no opportunity to get on the Internet with a phone on my backpacking trips. And I don't need a phone to pull up Waypoints or Maps or anything else. Certainly don't need Live Streaming of my trip.
Carrying a small "laptop" computer on a backpacking trip---and getting Online---is not something I ever want to do. My opinion only.
Then again, most of my gear is not low tech---certainly not my spectra fabric backpack or my Trail Pro sleeping pad or my MSR Simmerlite stove etc. Or my camera or little radio. But when I'm out there's no chance I'll ever connect to the world wide web---thank god.
What's neat is there's a high school in Michigan---the Cranbrook School---which for 50 years has taken many kids out on an annual 11 day wilderness backpacking trip and trip leaders do not allow the students to carry smartphones---for one reason---they want the kids to be immersed in the outdoor experience within their separate groups---and not have any connection to the outdoor world thru smartphone use. No texts from parents, no checking in with distant friends, no scrolling thru old messages, no possible online chats or distractions. Amen, brother.
The last thing they want is to have kids sitting around in a group looking at their separate phones---it ruins the group bonding experience. Instead the leaders want the kids to study their paper maps and plan the day's route.
Here's a pic of some of the kids---
https://photos.smugmug.com/Backpack-2016-Trips-171/17-Days-with-the-Cranberries/i-QQ7RXXf/0/686e3357/XL/TRIP%20173%20229-XL.jpg
Here's some other takes on the Smartphone---
https://thriveglobal.com/stories/smartphones-killing-travel/
https://www.loveexploring.com/news/74422/how-smartphones-have-ruined-the-joys-of-backpacking
Look around America---everybody's drooling and glued into their Smartphones. How many people were glued into their digital cameras 20 years ago? And so this "gluing" translates to backpackers on trails.
And of course there's a giant difference between my old Nokia call/text phone and a modern Smartphone. My phone is not a camera and can't take pics, can't pull up GPS and certainly will never get online and check Facebook.
The OP started this thread on Low Tech options for backpackers. I recommended going without a Smartphone---no sweat. Personally, I want absolutely no opportunity to get on the Internet with a phone on my backpacking trips. And I don't need a phone to pull up Waypoints or Maps or anything else. Certainly don't need Live Streaming of my trip.
Carrying a small "laptop" computer on a backpacking trip---and getting Online---is not something I ever want to do. My opinion only.
Then again, most of my gear is not low tech---certainly not my spectra fabric backpack or my Trail Pro sleeping pad or my MSR Simmerlite stove etc. Or my camera or little radio. But when I'm out there's no chance I'll ever connect to the world wide web---thank god.
What's neat is there's a high school in Michigan---the Cranbrook School---which for 50 years has taken many kids out on an annual 11 day wilderness backpacking trip and trip leaders do not allow the students to carry smartphones---for one reason---they want the kids to be immersed in the outdoor experience within their separate groups---and not have any connection to the outdoor world thru smartphone use. No texts from parents, no checking in with distant friends, no scrolling thru old messages, no possible online chats or distractions. Amen, brother.
The last thing they want is to have kids sitting around in a group looking at their separate phones---it ruins the group bonding experience. Instead the leaders want the kids to study their paper maps and plan the day's route.
Here's a pic of some of the kids---
https://photos.smugmug.com/Backpack-2016-Trips-171/17-Days-with-the-Cranberries/i-QQ7RXXf/0/686e3357/XL/TRIP%20173%20229-XL.jpg
Here's some other takes on the Smartphone---
https://thriveglobal.com/stories/smartphones-killing-travel/
https://www.loveexploring.com/news/74422/how-smartphones-have-ruined-the-joys-of-backpacking
Internet porn will destroy your thru...maybe a good lesson in physical weakness factor. Guys need to deal with this...conditions are frustrating and tough ..temptation to dopamine rush ready at hand.
New challenge.
Tipi Walter
02-22-2020, 18:44
Internet porn will destroy your thru...maybe a good lesson in physical weakness factor. Guys need to deal with this...conditions are frustrating and tough ..temptation to dopamine rush ready at hand.
New challenge.
"Dopamine rush ready at hand" about says it all. It's the elephant in the room no one talks about. New challenge? No challenge if you ditch the smartphone and bring some books . . . preferably not erotica.