My Sleeping System

My view on backpacking is to go as light as you can, while still being comfortable in the process. Backpacking is my idea of the perfect vacation, so a good night sleep is always a good thing for me. So here is my sleep system. I could go lighter; however, I don't think I could be any more comfortable. The PFS also is used as part of my backpack's frame and a sit pad. The Caribou is rated to 35 degrees F and with silk long underwear, sleeping socks, a wool Buff, and a WM Flight Vest I could easily take this sleep system down to 0 degrees F (yes I am a warm sleeper). The Caribou is a great sleeping bag for me at 6'4" and 230 lbs. and is great to use as a quilt too. The trash bag gives me an emergency bivy bag for protection if the weather gets really ugly.


WM Caribou MF Long           21.0 oz.
Padded Ground Sheet             2.2 oz
Padded Frame Sheet              2.8 oz
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir            18.0 oz
Ace Black Trash bag                1.0 oz
                                            ===========
                                                  45.0 oz       or 2.8 lb


That means that I will be under 6 lbs. for the Big Three: Pack, Shelter and Sleep System. That is about a pound to much for solo hiking, but remember that is a shelter for three and part of a sleep system for three too. I could easily put the girls head to head on the NeoAir and I would use the other two pads. 


I don't think the girls should carry more than 6 lbs total. That should be enough to include their pack, sleeping bag, half a liter of water, frame pad, cloths, and their essentials and snacks. You also have to remember that I would only be hiking a max of five miles a day with the girls.  


I could save weight by dumping the NeoAir and trade out the TrailStar Tarp for a solo tarp like the MLD Monk Tarp and save 28 oz total. Again this might be great idea for long solo hikes, and if the Trailstar is too small in storm mode for the three of us I could always add the Monk Tarp for added protection..

Johnny Cash Talked A Good Tune... But Could He Sing?

And Now for Something Completely Different and off the main trail...


Dave, my friend over at Homers, my favorite coffee shop, apparently is a Johnny Cash fan and I am not. Johnny Cash could not sing his way out of a paper sack in my opinion. He talked a good tune, but sing... well that is up for debate. Here is my proof for my side of the argument. I really could have picked anyone of his songs, to tell you the truth this was the first one I pulled up and I thought; wow, this or Ring of Fire or anything else would prove my point, so I stopped looking.





I personally will listen to just about any type of music. The two things that drive me nuts besides Elevator Music is Rap and whinny-complaining-nasally Country (I would rather listen to the sound of squealing brakes). My reaction to Rap is that all of it is Crap. Now I can go from Beethoven to Nine Inch Nails and anywhere between and never complain (well maybe a little).


Now I know there are a lot of Cash fans out in the world and in the spirit of Hike Your Own Hike I will let you enjoy the talkings of Johnny, but in the spirit of Hike Your Own Hike, please don't try to make the argument that he was a great singer.


By The Way Dave.... I think I came up with a possible name for our potential web-show. Reverberation

What is your favorite backpacking snack??? Jellybeans!

Everyone has their goto snack on the trail. I normally have a snack pack made up for everyday I am on the trail. That way I don't over eat one day and it also keeps me from contaminating my food supply. I like to have beef jerky, a couple of fireball jawbreakers, two pieces of peppermint gum and Starburst Jellybeans in my snack pouch. The Jellybeans are my goto snack on the trail and give you that extra burst of energy when you really need to get over that next ridge. They hold up well to the heat of the day and make your mouth water. All good things when you are on the trail. I save my Munch Bars for after lunch or dinner for desert. This combination of trail snacks keeps you focused on the trail and not on your stomach. So that is my goto snack; what is yours?

The Munch Bar-- A Great Trail Treat!

The Munch Bar made by Mars actually markets it using its wholesomeness as a selling point. I like it because it’s sturdy. You can expose it to higher temperatures without it losing its shape and taste.

The candy part of the bar is sweet and crunchy, not quite toffee and more solid than the usually slightly foamy peanut brittle candy. It’s buttery and has a light salty hit. The peanut flavor is, of course, the attraction. I love peanuts. There are 6 grams of protein in this bar, and at less than 1.5 ounces, that’s a lot of protein which makes it quite filling and satisfying. Although it is not a Chunky Bar, it is one of the best candy bars for backpacking. Save some weight and repackage your supply into a zip lock bag.

The Chunky Bar-- Best Candy Bar Ever!!!!

The Chunky bar is the most underrated candy bar of all time, and my all time favorite!

Let’s start with the basics: a Chunky Bar, (which got its cringe-worthy name in the 1930s, after inventor Philip Silvershein decided to name the bar after his granddaughter, who apparently was also called “Chunky” – for obvious reasons), is a slab of creamy Nestle milk chocolate, raisins, and peanuts. It’s a bit like a giant Raisinet/Goober hybrid, as if someone left a box of Goobers and Raisinets to melt atop each other and then re-harden into a trapezoid candy bar that is just awesome.

Now you can argue all you want, but before you say a word about the glorious Chunky Bar go buy your favorite candy bar and a Chunky Bar. Take a bite of yours and then take a bite of that glorious Chunky Bar and then tell me I am wrong. Bet you can't do it!!!

Gear Hunting Made Easy

If you're like me, you've probably spent countless hours online looking for good gear deals.  Now, Gearburger does the work for you.  It just doesn't get any easier than this.  Select the type of gear you're interested in, and Gearburger will scour dozens of sites like REI, Altrec, Moosejaw, etc. and alert you by email when it's found a deal on what you're interested in.  You can specify which brands you're interested in too so if you're not a fan of a particular brand, you can deselect it.  You can even tell it the minimum discount you want.  So if you're only interested in mega deals, just set your minimum to 75% off, sit back, and wait! No more hearing about an awesome deal from someone on the forums after it's too late!

The site is still relatively new but definitely growing.  I think it is going to turn into something big and if you're an early adopter like me, you will see the potential here.

So instead of checking Steep and Cheap 50 times a day, you might want to give Gearburger a try.  I have no idea what their name means or what the heck that logo is supposed to be, but I think Gearburger is a great idea and is going to soon become a gear addict's best friend.  Oh yeah, did I mention it's free?

Shelter--Trailstar Tarp from MLD

The Trailstar tarp from MLD is going to be my new shelter at 24 oz including guide lines, stakes, and seam sealed. Now, that may be a ton for solo hiking but a steal for a shelter for three. This will be one area that I may decide to have a lighter option for solo hikes. I like the pitching options that you get with the Trailstar. This tarp gives you a nice airy shelter for nice weather and can be pitched a number of different ways to make it a very nice storm proof shelter. Might be a little tight for me and the girls in storm mode, but I think it will work out. As soon as I get one I will write up a review of it. My big issue is what color to go with. I like the stealth colors best, but like the idea of having the bright yellow if I ever need to be located in an emergency situation. I will have to think about that.

Backpack--Gossamer Gear Gorilla

I already own an old GVP G4 and love it. Mine weighs in at just 14 oz. with padding and I will keep it around but I think the Gorilla pack is going to be my new pack. I like the features although it does weigh some 10 oz. more.

The Gorilla™ is a durable smaller volume pack that is loaded with new fabrics and features. This pack carries a slimmer profile makes for a very controlled load that doesn't move around on your back but still allows 5 days worth of food and gear to be carried comfortably. The main pack fabric is a 210 denier double wall ripstop and we're using an all new power-stretch mesh for the pockets making the Gorilla™ one tough little beast. The pad holder pocket on this pack is made from the same lighter weight wicking 3D mesh that is used on the straps to help out on those hot summer climbs. The Gorilla™ also includes our curved stay set for optimal load transfer and comfort, and one webbing compression strap on each side. There are still plenty of grosgrain loops and shock cord and cord locks included for further compression options. The ample outer pockets make this a deceptively big "small" pack and the rear pocket is large enough for a tarp, leaving that much more room inside for your more weather sensitive items.

New Gear Kit

Well my youngest daughter asked me when we can go camping, so it is time to start putting together a new kit. The goal of this kit is two fold. I would like to have a kit that comes in under 10 lbs. for a base pack weight and can be utilized for both solo backpacking trips and trips with the girls. The other goal is to have a kit that doesn't require me to change a lot of gear regardless of a solo hike or hiking with the girls. So stay tunned as I put together this new kit. I have been thinking a lot about this so I have most of it picked out. The hope is that I will only change out the cooking pot depending on the trip and the girls will only be carrying their sleeping gear and extra cloths and I will be the pack mule for everything else.