Photo from Time Out Dubai.

Quick - what do you think of when you hear about Dubai? Ridiculously large sky scrapers? Luxury shopping and resorts? Oil? Better add camping to the list because according to Time Out Dubai there are some amazing opportunities for desert camping just outside the city.

Desert camping outside Dubai sounds pretty awesome to me: spots where there is no light or noise pollution and no tire tracks (probably because they were erased by the wind the night before). There is plenty to see as well: sand monitor lizards, sand cats, and desert gazelle (if you’re lucky). Driving and hiking are some of the more popular pastimes for desert campers.

However, this warning from the article makes me think desert camping in the UAE may not be for everyone:

You should never journey into the desert without another vehicle – or another two if you’re going into Liwa. You must also be a competent desert driver and equipped with GPS. Be sure to check all fluid levels, tyres and the weather forecast before setting out.

It’s not really clear why you need multiple vehicles - breakdowns? hijackers? Clearly the tip on checking fluid levels and weather conditions is a good one for any type of desert camping or hiking excursion.

Finally, I want to share a camping tip this article reminded me of about staking a tent in the sand. While I was in the Air Force we often set up large canvas tents (called GP Mediums) in the sandy soil in Colorado and Florida and my NCOs taught me this trick: instead of pushing tent stakes straight into the sand, angle the stakes AWAY from the tent at a 45 degree angle. Of course this seems counterintuitive but it turns out the friction (or suction as some claimed) is what keeps your stakes secure from lateral movements caused by wind. A vertical tent stake will quickly be rocked back and forth until the hole is enlarged and releases your tent stake.

Now you’re ready to pitch your tent in the desert outside Dubai!

Every now and then we like to share weight-saving tips for backpacking here on the blog and today’s tip is a pretty simple one: ditch your bowls and plates. You may be tempted to bring a lightweight plastic bowl and plate or even a fancy collapsable silicon bowl on your overnight backpacking trip but if you think about it you don’t really need a bowl or plate at all.

When you cook in a metal pot on the trail it’s a no-brainer to just eat your food right out of the pot (I usually can’t wait anyway!). Many backpacking meals are single serving anyway so I like to use the single pot rule for all my meals. It cuts down on gear but also means fewer things to clean up after I eat.

Some backpacking meals like MREs can be prepared in their own pouch by simply adding hot water. These meals are the best because you don’t even need a pot - a small water kettle will do just fine - and there’s nothing to clean up!

When you’re on the trail it’s important to cut out weight wherever you can and tossing the plates and bowls not only saves weight but also saves time. We don’t expect you to be fancy while backpacking anyway

The Camping Blogger posted a good article on staying clean on while camping and shared some tips about using wet wipes and hand sanitizer. I have to say, hand sanitizer is great stuff - where was this product just a few years ago?

Anyway, one of my own minor annoyances about camping is coming home with smoky clothes and jackets. Smoky clothes I can deal with - just throw them into the washing machine and they’re fine. But jackets and other items like sleeping bags, chairs, etc. are another story. I know, I know, many campers (myself included) enjoy the smell of a campfire but it’s less endearing when I’m back at home wearing my jacket to the mall. Anyone have tips for removing campfire smoke smells from delicate fabrics without resorting to the dry cleaners?

Another area where campers need to avoid dirt and germs is dishwashing. It’s never convenient to wash dishes outdoors because you generally don’t have a source of warm running water with a sanitary drain nearby. Instead we’re often left to soaping pots and pans and giving them a good wipe with a paper towel before using them for cooking and eating again. As a Boy Scout we cleaned dishes using two pots - one filled with hot, soapy water and a second with boiling water for rinsing. Steel wool did a great job getting caked food off plates and cookware and the boiling water pretty much ensured our stuff was safe and clean.

Of course we still always ran pots and pans through the dishwasher at home upon our return from the great outdoors and that’s probably a good idea just to be safe. It seems like every serious backpacker has at least one story about contracting a food-borne illness and dirty cookware can often be the culprit. Staying clean in the campground or on the trail isn’t just a matter of propriety - it can keep you from getting sick as well!

Orange hunting vest from Cabela's

Fall is a great time to get out and enjoy hiking and camping outdoors but it’s also the start of hunting season so it’s important to stay safe on the trail. NewHampshire.com posted a good article this weekend with some safety tips to keep in mind when hiking during hunting season and I thought I’d reiterate some points here.

1. Stick to the trail. Most hunters avoid areas near popular hiking trails since humans tend to scare deer and other wildlife away so if you’re on a trail you’re generally safe. Stray away from the trail and you just might walk into someone’s hunting area - not a good idea during hunting season.

2. Wear brightly colored clothing. Dressing in orange is your best bet for autumn hikes since this makes you stand out from brown deer and turkeys in the eyes of distant hunters. The article mentions that white clothing, while bright, is not a good choice since some hunters may mistake a flash of white for a white tail deer. I’m thinking purple or blue would be pretty safe too but I won’t take my chances - orange it is.

3. Hike during the middle of the day. Many animals like deer appear around dawn and dusk hours and that’s when hunters are likely to be out in full force. Fortunately for us hikers mid-day is the warmest part of the day and a great time for a hike.

4. Stick to wilderness areas or National Parks where hunting is prohibited. If you’re super scared of encountering a hunter while hiking, eliminate your chances of an encounter by sticking to areas where hunters aren’t allowed to hunt. This also means avoiding the most popular hunting spots like designated hunting land. A little common sense goes a long way when it comes to avoiding hunters…

I was tempted to add a fifth tip recommending talking loudly to let hunters know you’re in the area but I’ve used that one myself with mixed results. It’s probably a good idea to fit your dog with a “bear bell” if he or she is prone to wandering during a hike but sometimes hunters can become angry with hikers who scare off local game. Once while I was on a trail I yelled out to a friend who was following behind only to hear a loud shotgun blast just above my head. I looked up to see a hunter in a stand above, clearly upset that I had ruined his spot. At least he saw me (but good thing he didn’t aim AT me!).

There’s no need to worry about hiking during hunting season as long as you use some common sense and follow these simple tips. See you on the trail!

If you’re looking to save some weight or space on your next backpacking trip or just want to simplify your camping equipment checklist, consider leaving your air mattress at home next time. It turns out nature is often pretty good at providing a replacement that costs nothing and requires zero heavy lifting!

Sleeping pads or more specifically camping air mattresses are designed to keep your back comfortable when laying on the ground and also provide insulation from the cold earth. The self-inflating air mattresses that many of us use are generally only an inch or two thick and really only protect us from minor rocks and twigs on the ground. By utilizing materials found around your campsite like pine straw, leaves, or moss you can create your own under tent padding of any thickness you want - the sky is the limit!

In terms of insulating value, natural materials generally won’t do as well as your Therma-Rest but as long as you have a sleeping bag that’s rated for temperatures at or above expected nighttime lows you should stay warm and comfortable without a sleeping pad. To add an extra layer of insulation (and padding!) try lining the bottom of your sleeping bag with extra clothes.

It’s important to choose wisely when creating a soft surface for your tent pad. Check any bedding materials for ants or other insects before grabbing a handful and make sure you aren’t using material that could be irritating to the skin (like poison oak). Give unfamiliar materials like moss or dry leaves a try before setting your tent on them to see how they feel laying down and to make sure there aren’t hidden “pokers” within.

If you’re looking to save weight or space on your next camping trip or if you’re a new camper looking to save a few bucks on equipment, consider building your own sleeping pad at your campsite before pitching your tent. You may be surprised at how well you’ll sleep!

Water purification tablets from Potable Aqua

Here’s another tip in our occasional series of weight and space saving backpacking tips: for short trips, leave your water filter at home. Instead of hauling your water filter for a short trip (say less than a week) you can get by with water purification tablets, available at most outdoor retailers and online. Just drop one or two tablets into a standard size water bottle and your water will be safe to drink.

The tablets use chemicals such as iodine to treat the water and because of this they have a somewhat unpleasant taste. According to the website for Potable Aqua, the company doesn’t recommend use beyond 6 weeks (!) but the fact that the product is marketed as “emergency treatment” makes me think it’s a good idea to use the product as sparingly as possible.

Still, for beginning backpackers the price is right (about $7 for enough tablets to treat 25-50 quarts of water) and the weight is light. As a beginning backpacker I relied on Potable Aqua tablets and today I carry them on trips where I plan to carry all the water I need anyway (like desert backpacking trips). Even if you don’t plan to rely on purification tablets in place of a water filter they’re a great addition to any first aid kit - you never know when your filter might break down!

Also be sure to check out our backpacking water filter reviews.

The ontheroad blog posted their list of the top 5 camping essentials and after reading it I was left scratching my head. I mean, sure they hit all the major items - sleeping bag, tent, flashlight, stove - but the first item on the list was an air mattress / foam pad, an item many might consider a luxury rather than an essential. As a Boy Scout and wilderness survival merit badge instructor I remembered a slightly different list and it goes something like this:

1. First aid. In any outdoor survival situation the first priority is to take care of life threatening situations whether it be bleeding, a broken bone, etc. Pack your first aid kid and you’ll be set to take care of many potential threats to your safety while camping.

2. Shelter. The ontheroad blog got this one right - bring a tent and a sleeping bag plus weather appropriate clothing. According to the Wikipedia humans cannot survive more than 3-hours when exposed to extreme low temperatures. Blazing summer heat can take its toll as well which leads us to essential #3:

3. Water. In many places you don’t need to bring your own water since it is available via spigots or natural springs. No matter where you go be sure to bring something to store and transport water like milk jugs or Nalgene bottles. If you’ll be relying on natural springs you’ll want some type of purification equipment as well - either tablets or a water filter (and no, a Brita pitcher doesn’t cut it).

4. Fire. The Boy Scouts put this priority before water which is a little questionable in my mind but fire is definitely important. It’s useful for signaling if you’re lost and can be used to purify water in an emergency situation. Fire also goes a long way to improving your state of mind and you can use it to cook any critters you might catch on your trip (see #5). Bring some matches AND a back-up fire starter (a lighter, flint & steel, etc.) and you’ll be set for camping.

5. Food. Man can survive for weeks without food but in my opinion a camping trip without food isn’t really all that fun Of course you need food but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll need to cook anything. Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) are available from military surplus stores and contain everything you need to prepare and enjoy them (including a heat source). Ok, so maybe enjoy is a strong word but you get the point. Crackers, Snickers bars, and Pop Tarts are all good camping food - no stove required!

So there you have it - the tripleblaze camping essentials list. Of course this list leaves a lot to be desired on the comfort scale so check out our camping checklist for a more detailed list of items to take on your next camping trip!

You’ve probably seen the signs or posters at campgrounds and National Forest areas that advise campers to “leave no trace.” But what does this mean in practice? Here are five quick tips to minimize your camping footprint.

1. Set your tent on a durable surface. In areas where there are no designated campsites, avoid pitching your tent on top of vegetation, particularly for trips lasting more than a single night. Find a clear spot with dry leaves or pine straw and you’ll be comfortable while minimizing your impact on nature. Avoid trampling vegetation while walking around your campsite as well - stick to established paths whenever possible.

2. Clear all traces of your campfire when you leave. One of the easiest ways to tell if someone has camped in an area is to look for a fire ring. While it’s important to line your fire ring with rocks or logs, consider dispersing your fire liner when you break camp. Scatter cool ashes to minimize traces of your fire and always make sure your fire is completely extinguished before leaving the area.

3. Pack out and dispose of waste properly. Sure, everyone knows it’s important to pack out trash but it’s also important to bury (or in some cases remove) human waste as well. Even smells can alert folks to the fact that someone camped in an area - proper waste disposal ensures that no trace is left.

4. Don’t take anything with you but take everything you brought. In most areas it’s illegal to remove any plants or minerals but even if it isn’t, removing natural items can have a big impact. On a related note, when gathering firewood it’s important to only use dead materials. Cutting down live plants and trees certainly leaves signs of human activity and it’s unfair to future campers.

5. Don’t feed wildlife. You may not realize it but feeding wildlife (either intentionally or unintentionally) leaves a huge impact on your natural surroundings. Animals used to human handouts become less wild and often evolve into nuisances.

The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics has even more tips and principles for being good environmental stewards while enjoying nature. The next time you’re out, try to view your campsite like a detective might and ask yourself: could anyone tell I camped here? Hopefully the answer is no…

eHow has a good article on keeping food cold in your cooler on extended camping trips. Although high summer temperatures are mostly gone for the season, it’s still important to keep certain foods cold to reduce the chances of food borne illnesses. This past Memorial Day we camped at Fort Mountain State Park and found ourselves buying a bag of ice each day just to keep our drinks and hot dogs cold - luckily there was a camp store in the park with plenty of ice.

So what does eHow recommend? First off, instead of using bags of ice the author prefers to freeze two-liter bottles full of water to use as large, inexpensive ice packs. The large block of ice takes longer to melt and it’s self-contained - no more messy leakage (aside from condensation) in your cooler! Freeze your pre-packed drinks like iced tea and lemonade and you’ll find your drinks will cool themselves!

But don’t expect the drinks to do all the work for you - consider freezing your food beforehand as well. Frozen hot dogs will stay cold much longer in your cooler and they’ll also serve to keep everything around them cold as well. Sure, freezing drinks and food beforehand takes some extra planning but the results are well worth it.

Keeping your cooler packed tightly and located in a shady spot can also go a long way toward keeping food cold longer. Storing your cooler on the ground (as opposed to on a picnic table) provides added insulation that can extend your cool power by up to 15%.

For extra long trips you’ll probably need to add bags of ice at some point and it’s important to drain out any liquid that’s accumulated in the bottom of your cooler before adding the frozen stuff. Also make sure your food isn’t in direct contact with the water itself as this can introduce contamination from uncooked meat and other items.

Keeping your cooler cooler is simple with a little deliberate planning. Next year see how long you can go without adding ice to your cooler during a camping trip!

Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska posted some useful camping safety tips on their website this month and while many tips are focused on the unique conditions found in Alaska, most of the tips are applicable no matter where you venture outdoors. Here are some of my favorites:

· Avoid wildlife. Remember in Alaska you are not the top of the food chain.
· If you are a beginning camper, use a camping check list or speak with experienced campers.
· Instruct family members especially children that if they get separated or lost to stay put.

We actually posted a camping checklist this summer that you can use right now; also, read here to find out what to do if you find yourself lost in the wilderness.

Staying safe on your camping or hiking adventure is a key part of enjoying yourself outdoors this summer and fall - just be prepared!

Over the years I’ve heard of some interesting fire starters and I thought I would share some of the more ingenious materials you can use to start a fire.

One interesting material you can use is dryer lint. Dryer lint is lightweight and honestly, what else are you going to use it for? You can even dip it in melted candle wax to create a great waterproof fire starter that is great for backpacking or camping.

Another method for starting a fire involves steel wool and a 9-volt battery. This was my favorite as a kid because it is such a fast and unexpected way to get a fire started. Simply touch the contacts of your 9-volt battery to a piece of steel wool and step back. Make sure the steel wool is on the ground and in position before you make contact with the battery; this fire will take off very quickly!

You may have been exposed to the teamwork exercise where your group has to agree on the most important items to scavange from the wrecked plane that just dumped you in the Alaska wilderness. The point of the exercise is to compare the items you would have picked if you were alone versus the group’s consensus choices and to see that two (or three, etc.) heads are better than one. The survival scenario is generally chosen since it’s unlikely that anyone in your group is a survial expert (even if they are, it is difficult for them to convince the group to follow their advice since many of the decisions are counterintuitive). Anyway, next time you do this exercise, you’ll be ready because this tip will give you a way to prioritize what you need to survive in the wilderness.

1. Positive Mental Attitude
2. First Aid
3. Shelter
4. Fire
5. Signaling
6. Water
7. Food

If you find yourself lost in the wilderness (or even if you just can’t find your car at the mall), this simple acronym will help you survive the experience: STOP.

STOP is an acronym we used in Boy Scouts and it stands for Stop, Think, Observe, and Plan. First off, stop and relax to get your bearings. If you’re flustered or panicked, you may make bad decisions or hurt yourself as you try to find your way.

Next, think. You may be able to retrace your steps if you remember how you got where you are or you may recognize a simple way out.

Now, observe. Note the position of the sun: if the sun is setting, the sun is in the west, if it’s rising, it should be toward the east. Can you see your footsteps in the dew or soft earth? Can you hear people or dogs barking? If so, follow the sounds to help.

Finally, make sure you plan. Don’t just set off in a particular direction without a plan. If you’re near a stream, you can plan to follow it down toward a larger body of water where you are more likely to find help. Most of all, once you’ve decided on a plan, don’t give up or deviate from the plan. If you set off then decide to turn around, you’ll find yourself even more lost and worried than when you started out. At the very least you can plan to stay where you are to make it more likely that a rescue team can find you (a stationary person is easier to find than one that is moving from place to place).

We’ve developed a checklist you can use when you pack for your next camping trip. Print out a fresh copy of this checklist each time you get ready for a trip to make sure you have everything. Did we forget something? Let us know!

Note: Requirements for a backpacking or canoe trip may vary significantly.

1. . Will you drive to your campsite or will you need to hike or canoe there?
2. Let a friend or relative know where you plan to go and when you plan to return.
3. Things to bring:
   1. Sleeping gear
      1. Sleeping Bag
      2. Tent with stakes
      3. Ground cloth
      4. Air mattress
      5. Pillow
   2. Cooking gear
      1. Stove or grill
      2. Cookware (pots and pans)
      3. Spatula, tongs, etc.
      4. Plates and silverware
      5. Cups
      6. Cooler
      7. Paper towels
      8. Tin foil
      9. Trash bags
      10. Charcoal
   3. Clothing
      1. Rain gear or poncho
      2. Cold weather gear (jacket, wool hat, wool socks, etc.)
   4. Bug repellant
   5. Sunscreen
   6. Chairs
   7. Water filter
   8. Fire wood and fire starter
   9. Pocket knife
   10. Lantern
   11. Flashlight and batteries
   12. Matches

When going camping, there really is no limit to the variety and scale of the meals you can enjoy. For many of us, practical considerations may dictate more simple meals but don’t let guide limit you!

Here are some easy clean up, easy packing meals you can consider for your next trip to the great outdoors:

Breakfast

• Hot oatmeal
• Cold cereal (don’t forget the milk!)
• Pop-tarts
• Eggs & bacon

Lunch/Dinner

• Hamburgers/Hot Dogs
• Sandwiches
• Steak & baked potatoes

I’ll continue to add to this list as the inspiration hits me. For now, bon apetit!

Most people may not realize it but there is actually a science behind building a campfire. For one of my Boy Scout merit badges I can remember having to start a campfire using just 2 matches, (or was it one?) a difficult task for anyone who has tried.

The key to starting a good campfire is to laying out your kindling and wood in an organized manner. There are two layouts that are fairly common, each of which is described below.

Note: In the photos here I have not placed the fire layout in a proper fire ring. I set these fire layouts up for demonstration purposes only and did not actually light them. If I had intended on lighting them, I would have selected a proper fire ring built on ground free of flammable material and ideally ringed with rocks or other material.

Tee-Pee

The teepee method is probably my favorite because it is generally the most reliable method for starting a great fire. Start by gathering alot of wood (more than you think you’ll need) and grading the wood by size: twigs, finger sized, and log/arm sized pieces. Lay out some kind of fire starter - pine straw, crumpled paper, leaves, or even some form of homemade or commercial fire starter (more on this in another tip). This will serve as the base for your tee-pee.

Now, start with the twigs and begin stacking the twigs together in the shape of a tee-pee. Work your way around the circle to make sure the layout is even. Once you’ve covered the tee-pee in twigs, move onto the finger sized wood. Cover the layout all the way around again, and finally move on to the arm-sized pieces in the same manner.

Now all you have to do is light the fire! Place your match as close to the bottom and center of the layout as possible (long stick matches work well for this). Add larger logs to the outside of the layout as the fire grows.

Dry wood works the best obviously but it is critical that your fire starter (at a minimum) is as dry as possible. As you move outside the tee-pee dryness becomes less important as even large wet logs will eventually burn if your fire is hot enough.

Log Cabin

The log cabin starts much the same way as the tee-pee with fire starter at the center of the layout. Twigs (kindling), branches, and logs are arranged in a square like a log cabin (as shown in the last photo here). This layout is simple to set up and the kids will enjoy building a log cabin out of sticks. This layout is not nearly as efficient as the tee-pee outlined above but a legitimate method for laying out a fire.

So you probably already know how to set up your dome tent, even if you never even cracked open the instructions that came with your tent. Almost every dome tent is the same with two main poles that cross in the center and a shorter single pole that stretches out the rain fly. Here are some instructions and pointers in case you’re feeling a bit rusty.

1. Get out your tent and ground cloth. What’s a ground cloth? Well, most tents don’t actually come with one of these but if you want to keep the bottom of your tent dry and free of rips and tears, you’re going to want to use a ground cloth. Most tent manufacturers will try to sell you a ground cloth separately to exactly match your tent’s footprint (I recently paid more than $30 for a ground cloth to fit my North Face Tadpole, a real rip off). Instead of forking over the big bucks, pick up a plastic tarp at Wal-Mart for about $5 or so.

2. Unfold your ground cloth and roll out your tent. Get the pole bag out of the way and unfold the tent completely. Set the rain fly aside.

3. Assembling the tent poles is perhaps the most exciting part of putting up your dome tent. In most dome tents the poles are attached via elastic strings and often you can simply shake the pole sections into place (just make sure no one is within a 10 foot radius of you as they might get whacked!). Go ahead and put all the poles together at once.

4. This step is probably the most frustrating part of many tent pitchers’ experience. Slide the poles through the pole sleeves starting at one corner and ending at the opposite corner. Be sure to push the poles through as pulling usually causes the pole sections to separate inside the tent sleeve. Thread both poles through without attaching them into the corner pockets.

5. Now you’re ready for the real action: a standing structure. Place the end of one of the poles into the corner pocket. Have a friend help you insert the opposite end of the pole into the pocket on the opposite corner of the tent. You’ll need to bow the tent pole at this point: this is what gives the dome tent its shape. Repeat this procedure for the second pole as well.

6. If you’re camping in a warm climate and no rain is expected overnight (and you’re not concerned about your privacy) you can skip the next step, installing the rain fly.

7. The rain fly typically involves a single pole and is assembled in much the same way the tent itself is assembled. Slide the fly pole into its sleeve and place each end into its pocket. Center the fly with the pole extending across the center of the tent entrance. Attach the fly clips to the corners of the tent.

8. Now, turn your attention to your ground cloth. If you’re using a tarp that hasn’t been custom fitted to your tent, you’ll probably have some excess material sticking out from underneath your tent. It is important to tuck this excess underneath the tent, especially if you expect it to rain. During a downpour, water will run off the roof of your tent and if your ground cloth is hanging out beyond the roof of your tent, it will collect all the runoff water and send it straight to the floor of your tent. Roll or fold the edges for a neat result.

If do a good bit of camping and don’t expect to multi-task with your tarp, you might want to consider trimming your tarp to create a custom groundcloth for your tent. Just set up your tent up to step 7 and trace around the tent onto the tarp using a magic marker. Take the ground cloth out, cut along the lines you’ve marked, and you have a custom ground cover!

Some have found Tyvek to be a great ground cover material for use in camping. Tyvek is puncture and tear-resistant and is semi-permeable, although it is best used with tents that already have water proof bottoms built in. See Goodling Outdoor for more information.

9. At this point you could consider yourself done with tent setup and if you have alot of gear you’ll be keeping in your tent or if the wind is calm you might be right. But most tents come with ground stakes for a reason and you should use them particularly if it is windy in your location or if your tent will be empty during the day (and more liable to be blown away). Push stakes in with your hands in the corners and in any other location on your tent where you find stake holders.

10. Place your stake, pole, and tent bags somewhere you won’t lose them while you’re camping. I like to put mine in the pouch inside the tent so I have them when it’s time to pack up (and so they don’t end up inside a backpack or the car where I can’t find them).

11. Taking the tent down is the same process as above but in reverse. Make sure to shake any condensation off your tent materials (rain fly included) and ideally wait for your tent to dry before rolling it back up. If you must pack up a wet tent, be sure to reopen it as soon as you get home to let it air dry (otherwise you may get mildew or worse). I prefer to store my camping gear (tent included) in the attic where things are relatively dry and hot as opposed to the damp cool basement.

And there you have it, a few tips on putting up your dome tent for your next camping trip.

Sometimes you have to forget about weight and size when it comes to convenience and safety. Carrying a lighter instead of matches is a smart choice when backpacking because a lighter will work even when your stuff gets soaked. If you insist on carrying matches, make sure you pack them in a water-tight ziplock bag so they don’t get wet. Sure a lighter might weigh a little more than a sleek box of matches but you’ll be glad you have it after a cold, wet day of hiking in the rain.

One way to cut down on your pack weight significantly is to leave out the tent altogether. There are several options for keeping yourself dry on the trail without even bringing a tent along!

One alternative to the tent is a hammock. Hammocks are generally light and you can bring a tarp to hang above it to keep you dry in case of rain. Plus with a hammock you won’t have a need for your air mattress so you’ll save even more weight!

Some trails like the Appalachian Trail have shelters or Adirondacks located every 10 miles or so. If you plan your trip well you should be able to hike from shelter to shelter without a problem. But beware: if it’s raining or you’re in a popular location, you may find yourself out in the cold if you arrive too late as shelters can fill up with other hikers.

In packing clothes for backpacking, there is little you can do to save on weight but you can do a great deal in terms of organization, compaction, and watersealing. How can you do all this? Three words: zip lock bags.