Real wilderness camping tips
Discussion
HI
I am about to jump in with both feet the world of camping!
Having only done an overnighter car camping before I have signed up for a weeks camping in the Yukon wilderness for 7 days.
Now this is actually primarily a photographic focus, but where we are going there are no roads, no trails, in fact its highly unlikely that anyone has been there before.
So, anyone out there can give me some tips on stuff that is fairly light but can make your trip more comfortable would be welcome!
plus any clothing tips/ brands that give good bang for the buck.
Talking of bucks, im actually in NYC so local (English) brands wont help much.
If anyone has experience with REI gear and if it is reasonable quality that would be great.
the link if your interested
http://beautysurroundsyou.com/yukon-conservation-e...
I am about to jump in with both feet the world of camping!
Having only done an overnighter car camping before I have signed up for a weeks camping in the Yukon wilderness for 7 days.
Now this is actually primarily a photographic focus, but where we are going there are no roads, no trails, in fact its highly unlikely that anyone has been there before.
So, anyone out there can give me some tips on stuff that is fairly light but can make your trip more comfortable would be welcome!
plus any clothing tips/ brands that give good bang for the buck.
Talking of bucks, im actually in NYC so local (English) brands wont help much.
If anyone has experience with REI gear and if it is reasonable quality that would be great.
the link if your interested
http://beautysurroundsyou.com/yukon-conservation-e...
Sod that.
I take a simple, very lightweight (17g) Gerber with me when I wild camp. One blade, no toys. It gets used for opening food packaging and occasionally chopping cord to length; I don't see the point in unnecessary weight when I'm carrying it all on my back. I'll save the corkscrew, ability to rewire a laptop or skin an alligator for others.
I take a simple, very lightweight (17g) Gerber with me when I wild camp. One blade, no toys. It gets used for opening food packaging and occasionally chopping cord to length; I don't see the point in unnecessary weight when I'm carrying it all on my back. I'll save the corkscrew, ability to rewire a laptop or skin an alligator for others.
We have a weight limit as we fly in via float plane, but we do have a guide to sort food out and keep us from being eaten by bears:-)
That said we will be moving base camp at least once so it will need to all fit in a 90 liter back and I will have to carry it all, along with my photography equipment.
I guess tips on small things that make life better plus clothing tips really
A leather an will part of my pack for sure!
That said we will be moving base camp at least once so it will need to all fit in a 90 liter back and I will have to carry it all, along with my photography equipment.
I guess tips on small things that make life better plus clothing tips really
A leather an will part of my pack for sure!
Right, go lightweight then. If you're going to have to carry it plus 5-10kg of camera gear, trim the fat where you can. The only place from your camera gear I'd recommend is the tripod, find a decent lightweight one that'll still be stable. The rest of the weight savings come from your other kit.
Matress - Thermarest NeoAir XLite. Warm, thick, incredibly light. Pick the shortie if you can live with your lower legs hanging off the end or the womens version for extra warmth. Very comfortable and very light.
Sleeping bag. That's a bit personal as some people sleep colder than others, but look at a down bag and look at a good one. Down compresses smaller taking up less space in your bag and synthetic insulation can't beat down on a weight for weight basis. Rab are a UK company that sell well over the pond, so one of the Ascent bags should do you. There are alternatives of course - check out OutdoorGearLab, a reviews site for that side of the pond that'll give you a good idea.
On that subject - two points from my own experiences of camping up high, including winter time and above the snow level:
1. You warm the bag. The sleeping bag traps the heat you generate. High carb snack before bedtime, some star jumps or physical activity and/or a hot choc before you get into the bag will get your body pumping out heat. The bag will trap that heat.
2. There's an argument that sleeping naked helps your body heat get trapped in the bag. Without waffling, IMO it's rubbish. Insulation is insulation. It's a perception based argument rather than a physics based one. If you're cold, put another layer on inside the bag. Hat, gloves and snood can be a great way to do this.
Down jacket. I've waffled on for half a page already, find a decent warm down jacket. You'll be sitting around lots not generating any body heat - you need good insulation. And vaguely related, merino wool based clothing has anti-odour properties so you can wear baselayers/underwear for several days without smelling, and retains warmth when wet. A bit of a wonder fabric.
Rucksack. Don't take recommendations from reviews, fitting is more important than features. Just like boots. Get into a decent retailers, ask for advice and try some on. Osprey, Berghaus, Montane, Deuter, Lowe Alpine...all great brands. Try some, find one you like. If it's light-ish great, but a touch more weight for a lot more comfort is worth it. Load the rucks up (the shops should have preloaded weight bags) and see what works for you. 65L should do you space wise though (it does me, with food, shelter, water, everything else and 1 camera body, 3 lenses, filters, niff naff camera trivia etc.)
Almost all should be hydration bladder compatible. Tip: get a bigger bladder than you need. a 3L bladder with 2L water and the air squeezed out fits around other gear in a full pack much better than a bulging 2L bladder at capacity.
Headtorch. If you're going to be wandering around a night doing astro, a good headtorch will make a difference. My last trip I wandered 100 yards and became completely lost at night; having some reach helps. Look at reputable manufacturers rather than Chinese lumens. LED Lenser, Olight, Fenix, Zebralight, all are good brands. My choice is the Lenser H7.2. Have an emergency backup too, something less powerful and light that you can keep with you - I've got a Ring Cybalite but there are loads of others. And plenty of spare batteries. I also take a couple of Nitecore Tube's camping - small, USB rechargeable emergency keyfob lights.
I've made my views on knives clear already, something simple like the Gerber Ultralight LST is all I take with me into the hills.
Little bits: Tenacious tape will do everything from repairing a tent or ripped bag to help secure a bandage. It's light and takes up no space.
Alcohol handwash. Baby wipes (no need for a full pack.) A basic waterproof dry bag with a down jacket inside and just the right amount of air makes a great pillow. Have a lightweight pair of liner gloves for astro.
And a personal thing, but if you've got something like the f-stop inserts that their bags come with you're more flexible. I use a padded insert and take one of these with me for carrying gear about over short distances once I've set up camp:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sea-Summit-Ultra-Sil-Day-P...
You may decide to take your own camera bag however; I don't know what will be best or most practical for you, just what works for me.
Do they provide tents? There are loads you can pick up over there if not, that's almost a thread in itself but Outdoor Gear Lab can probably help there.
To reiterate my main point, if you're carrying your own gear you're going to have a lot more stuff than most walkers because of your camera gear. Be militant about whether you need stuff - 'just in case,' additions will soon stack up. There's an Android app called Checking Brick that's handy for keeping track of how quickly that weight is adding up.
Matress - Thermarest NeoAir XLite. Warm, thick, incredibly light. Pick the shortie if you can live with your lower legs hanging off the end or the womens version for extra warmth. Very comfortable and very light.
Sleeping bag. That's a bit personal as some people sleep colder than others, but look at a down bag and look at a good one. Down compresses smaller taking up less space in your bag and synthetic insulation can't beat down on a weight for weight basis. Rab are a UK company that sell well over the pond, so one of the Ascent bags should do you. There are alternatives of course - check out OutdoorGearLab, a reviews site for that side of the pond that'll give you a good idea.
On that subject - two points from my own experiences of camping up high, including winter time and above the snow level:
1. You warm the bag. The sleeping bag traps the heat you generate. High carb snack before bedtime, some star jumps or physical activity and/or a hot choc before you get into the bag will get your body pumping out heat. The bag will trap that heat.
2. There's an argument that sleeping naked helps your body heat get trapped in the bag. Without waffling, IMO it's rubbish. Insulation is insulation. It's a perception based argument rather than a physics based one. If you're cold, put another layer on inside the bag. Hat, gloves and snood can be a great way to do this.
Down jacket. I've waffled on for half a page already, find a decent warm down jacket. You'll be sitting around lots not generating any body heat - you need good insulation. And vaguely related, merino wool based clothing has anti-odour properties so you can wear baselayers/underwear for several days without smelling, and retains warmth when wet. A bit of a wonder fabric.
Rucksack. Don't take recommendations from reviews, fitting is more important than features. Just like boots. Get into a decent retailers, ask for advice and try some on. Osprey, Berghaus, Montane, Deuter, Lowe Alpine...all great brands. Try some, find one you like. If it's light-ish great, but a touch more weight for a lot more comfort is worth it. Load the rucks up (the shops should have preloaded weight bags) and see what works for you. 65L should do you space wise though (it does me, with food, shelter, water, everything else and 1 camera body, 3 lenses, filters, niff naff camera trivia etc.)
Almost all should be hydration bladder compatible. Tip: get a bigger bladder than you need. a 3L bladder with 2L water and the air squeezed out fits around other gear in a full pack much better than a bulging 2L bladder at capacity.
Headtorch. If you're going to be wandering around a night doing astro, a good headtorch will make a difference. My last trip I wandered 100 yards and became completely lost at night; having some reach helps. Look at reputable manufacturers rather than Chinese lumens. LED Lenser, Olight, Fenix, Zebralight, all are good brands. My choice is the Lenser H7.2. Have an emergency backup too, something less powerful and light that you can keep with you - I've got a Ring Cybalite but there are loads of others. And plenty of spare batteries. I also take a couple of Nitecore Tube's camping - small, USB rechargeable emergency keyfob lights.
- If it's cold, keep your batteries in your pockets close to your body - cold rinses the charge. Especially true with your DSLR batteries. If you forget this, I've managed to eek out enough power for a few long exposure shots by holding the batteries inside my gloves, the body heat does something and you'll get a smidge of extra juice.**
I've made my views on knives clear already, something simple like the Gerber Ultralight LST is all I take with me into the hills.
Little bits: Tenacious tape will do everything from repairing a tent or ripped bag to help secure a bandage. It's light and takes up no space.
Alcohol handwash. Baby wipes (no need for a full pack.) A basic waterproof dry bag with a down jacket inside and just the right amount of air makes a great pillow. Have a lightweight pair of liner gloves for astro.
And a personal thing, but if you've got something like the f-stop inserts that their bags come with you're more flexible. I use a padded insert and take one of these with me for carrying gear about over short distances once I've set up camp:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sea-Summit-Ultra-Sil-Day-P...
You may decide to take your own camera bag however; I don't know what will be best or most practical for you, just what works for me.
Do they provide tents? There are loads you can pick up over there if not, that's almost a thread in itself but Outdoor Gear Lab can probably help there.
To reiterate my main point, if you're carrying your own gear you're going to have a lot more stuff than most walkers because of your camera gear. Be militant about whether you need stuff - 'just in case,' additions will soon stack up. There's an Android app called Checking Brick that's handy for keeping track of how quickly that weight is adding up.
Edited by tenohfive on Monday 10th August 23:43
Great reply thanks
I have bought most the stuff now, at considerable expense, who said camping is cheap!
Bought good quality clothes (all marino wool) as I know I will appreciate the extra warmth and comfort they should bring and now I think just about everything I have is there.
Just waiting on some ND filters to be delivered by post , cutting fine I fly out on Friday!
The good news is nothing came up in your post that I was obviously missing, so its packing time tonight and see if I fall over on my back like a turtle and cant get up again!
I have bought most the stuff now, at considerable expense, who said camping is cheap!
Bought good quality clothes (all marino wool) as I know I will appreciate the extra warmth and comfort they should bring and now I think just about everything I have is there.
Just waiting on some ND filters to be delivered by post , cutting fine I fly out on Friday!
The good news is nothing came up in your post that I was obviously missing, so its packing time tonight and see if I fall over on my back like a turtle and cant get up again!
Pack everything, then unpack, leave out about 25% of what you packed first time and then you are good to go.
Make sure your rucksack isn't more than one third of your body weight.
Heavy stuff gets packed high in the sack and close to your back.
No boxes or rigid containers wherever possible. small bags and squashable stuff.
Take something obviously luxurious, like a bottle of brandy or scotch. You can trade a lot of stuff / favours with you fellow campers if you are carrying something for relaxation.
(eg everyone on the trip will have bog roll, soap, toothpaste etc... but you'll have a bottle of brandy !)
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