Title Ultralight Backpackin Tips

Author Mike Clelland

Year Published 2011

Kind of Book Backingpacking/Travel

How strongly I recommend it 9/10 

My Impressions This is mostly a book for backpacking in the woods, but some of his minimalists tips and philosophy carries over to any kind of travel or minimalist way of living

Date Read circa 2020

Practical Takeaways

  • Get a digital postal scale from office supply store $20

  • Scrutinize everything. Do not simply put stuff in your pack. Look at every single item, weigh it, document it, hold it in your hand, ponder it, brood over it, meditate over it

  • Ask Yourself

  1. “will I be fine without this?(yes or no? Not maybe)

  2. Is there a lighter option?

  3. Can this serve more then one purpose?

  4. Can I use something else and get the same result?

  • Cut stuff off your gear you don’t need (eg. water bottle rings,)

  • Trim things off your pack you don’t need

  • If you can’t answer why you need something. Don’t take it

  • Make a spreadsheet and write down how much every piece of gear weighs (Use lighterpack.com)

  • Write on the gear with a sharpie how much they weigh

  • (Thru-hiking). Resupply food every 5 days

  • Never guess the weight of something. Weight it on a scale

  • Always choose the lightest option

  • Get rid of 'just in case' items

  • Make your gear guarantee your comfort whatever the weather is

  • Take care of your equipment

  • Always do a thorough camp sweep before you begin hiking

  • Be present on the trail

  • Never look your camping partner in the eyes with a headlamp on

  • Use your headlight as little as possible.

  • Embrace darkness

  • Sew your headlamp into your beanie

  • Take off your pack before making a trip decision

  • Don’t underestimate Rock Paper Scissors as a decision making tool when making decisions as a group

  • Don’t let your down gear get wet

  • Take a wilderness first-responder first aid course

  • Repackage liquids into smaller vessels and bottles

  • Don’t ignore a developing blister

  • Use singing to check your pace (you should be able to sing comfortably at the pace you are walking)

  • Start hiking early in the morning

  • Use trekking poles for balance only

  • Have the right trekking pole touch at the exact time your left foot touches and vice versa

  • Time yourself to figure out how many miles per hour you're walking

  • Fill your water bottle before bedtime to have something to sip on

  • Don't let yourself feel defeated if you have to retreat in hazardous conditions

  • Make long diversions to avoid potential hazards

  • Verbalize your concerns out loud to your hiking partner or yourself

  • Expect your feet to get soaked

  • (to hitch hike) do it in a place where a car can safely pull over

  • (to hitch hike) always take off your sunglasses (people will trust you more)

  • Get hiking shoes that dry fast

  • Trim your toenails before hiking

  • Get hiking shoes 1/2 size larger than you normal wear

  • Wear your hiking shoes as loose as you can handle

  • Put hydropel on pruny feet

  • Replace your footbeds with rubber jelly insoles

  • Try out a bunch of different kinds of socks to find the right pair

  • Get a pair of wool blend, thick and roomy socks for sleeping

  • Before bed take a moment to clean and inspect your feet and put hydropel on them

  • Store your sleeping socks in your sleeping bag

  • When in doubt, get your feet wet (vs. jumping on wet rocks)

  • Put standard bread bags over your dry socks and then put your wet shoes back on

  • Be careful anytime you put something sharp in your backpack

  • Camp well away from trails, lakes, streams, or other camper's view

  • Lie down in your prospective camping spot to see if it is lumpy

  • Inspect your sleeping spot for sharp thorns and pointy rocks before setting it down

  • Camp a little bit uphill to avoid cool meadows that collect dew

  • Do sit ups in your sleeping bag to warm up your body temperature

  • Don't camp in low areas that could turn into a pond

  • Point yourself with your feet pointed into the oncoming wind

  • Eat a big dinner when hiking

  • Wear all your clothes to bed (and bring a light sleeping bag)

  • Keep all your rain gear in a soggy pile under your tarp

  • Pack an electrolyte additive

  • Dry clothes by wearing them

  • Don't complain when hiking

  • Don't use a pack cover

  • Line your bag with one trash compactor bag

  • Put the wet tarp in your pack first on the bottom

  • Separate wet and dry stuff in your pack. Wet stuff out side the trash bag. Dry stuff inside

  • Put your rain gear somewhere that is easily accessible

  • Ring out wet socks and then put them in your pocket to dry out. Don't hang them on your pack (the risk of losing one is too great)

  • If you clip something to your pack, make sure its really on there good

  • Use a rain skirt

  • Hike when the sun is setting (best hiking temperatures)

  • Plan for at least 5liters of water a day in the desert

  • Have electrolyte additives for desert hiking

  • Plan for a nap in the middle of the day when hiking in the desert

  • Camp in higher elevations to avoid bears and to get an expansive view/sunse

  • Don't run from a bear, even if it stands upright

  • Don't hike alone in bear country

  • Make noise, talk sing and occasionally shout, to warn bears you're coming

  • Have at least 45ft of paracord for bear hang

  • Keep bearspray on hipbelt where it can be deployed in nanoseconds

  • Dip cathole 6-8inches deep

  • Take stick to stir poop in and mark the spot, before covering with dirt

  • Wash hands with sanitizer after pooping in the woods

  • On a long trip, take time to wash your butt

Pooping protocol

  1. Pants off, squat down

  2. Pour liter of water down left arm doing the cleaning

  3. Use soap

  4. Rinse with nonsoapy water

  5. Wash hands well

  • Use a standard aluminum put lifter to touch hot pot when cooking

  • Have a 500ML cup for cooking for 1 person

  • Get a mic-BIC lighter (.4 Ounces) Get a bright color. Remove the childproof piece of plastic

  • Use your index finger (not thumb) to light Bic lighter

  • Bring a tiny paper book of matches too

  • Perform dishwashing away from your water source

  • Aim for 125 calories per ounce in food

  • Bring 22.2 oz of food per person per day in warm weather

  • Bring more food the colder it will be

  • Bring more snacks and less meals on the trail

  • Eat everything out of your mug. No leftovers

  • Between 2,500-3,000 calories per person per day on the low end

  • If you know you metabolism is higher than most people take more food

  • As you approach day 10 of your hike, plan on needing noticeably more food

  • Add more fat and protein for trips over 10 days

  • Eat carbs during the day for energy and fat and protein at night for muscle recovery and warmth

  • Use ziplock bags for your food

  • Eat crushed fritos (most calorie dense food)

  • Eat instant mashed potatoes

 

Unknown Terms

Traditional (pack): Base weight over 20pounds. Pack weight over 35pounds

Lightweight (pack): Baseweight below 20pounds.

Ultralight (pack): Baseweight under 10pounds

Sub-ultralight (pack): Baseweight below 5pounds

Baseweight: the weight of the pack itself with all the items that won’t change during the hike.

Consumables: Anything that will be used during the hike. Eaten, drunk, burned, rubbed on your face etc.

Pack weight: total weight of your pack. Base weight plus consumables