Reddit mentions: The best backpacking & camping stoves & grills

REI's Backpacking Tips for Beginners is a good place to start.

https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/backpacking-beginners.html

You'll notice the first section is "Find an Experienced Partner". While this sub and others can give you a lot of advice, it's not a substitute for a partner who knows what they're doing. That doesn't mean you can't just go out and "wing it"... if you do, don't bite off more than you can chew. Better to take a few shorter overnights just to get used to things before heading out into the backcountry and having an epic. And I think you need a permits for Yos/Mammoth, so better look into that.

The REI list discusses shared gear and personal gear. Most likely an experienced partner is going to already own a tent, stove, cookware... but if it's just two of you with no gear, you'll have to pick up both shared and personal gear. How you want to split the cost is up to you.

The checklists are nice... but before you go out and buy everything on the list, make sure you will actually need them. Start with the basics; tent, bag, pad, pack, headlamp, FAK, maps & compass, stove, pot, utensils, shoes and clothing... and then go from there.

Here's the REI backpacking checklist:

https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/backpacking-checklist.html

It's comprehensive, but remember you don't need everything on the list. It's pretty common for a beginner to go out and spend way too much money, and then start leaving stuff home as they find they don't need it on the trail.

REI is a great place to spend (a lot of) money. They've got very nice gear, and a great return policy if the gear doesn't work for you... but you'll pay full retail if you just walk in and buy the gear. With a membership, all full price items return 10% to you at the end of the year so it's not too bad, and they have seasonal 20% off coupons which do help. It's a good place to pick up a pack since they can help getting you one that fits, which goes a long way to a comfortable hike. Ditto with shoes, and you can try out mattress pads and see what's comfortable for you.

You can buy other things elsewhere like Amazon... but it's recommended that you go to a gear shop to try on packs (and buy it there to support the store).

Here are a few recommendations:

Pack - Gregory and Osprey are often recommended. For a beginner, 50L-60L is a good size. Don't get a 70L pack, you'll just end up bringing more gear than you need. Try the pack on, load it up with weights, and make sure it fits and carries well. Sometimes the REI packs will fit you better than others... if that's the case get the REI (and save a few bucks).

Tent - Huge range of products here. The Lynx is a decent starter tent for the cost. It'll probably last a few years, and by then hopefully you'll have more money and more experience and get something you like better.

Sleeping bag - If you can afford a down bag, that's great, they're lighter and pack smaller than synthetic bags. The Kelty Cosmic 20 is a good bag for the price.


Pad - Look at the basic inflatables (keep in mind the R-value if you're thinking of going later in the season) like the Thermarest ProLite. Some stick with foam pads like the Thermarest Z Lite pad to save money. Try them out and see what you like.

Stove - The MSR PocketRocket is ol' reliable. Lot of people have them, but the new MSR PocketRocket 2 is more compact and lighter. There are some cheap (< $15) stoves on Amazon, the Etekcity and BRS 3000T... people have been using them but they're small and more suited to people who are just boiling water for dehydrated meals rather than those who actually cook.

Cookset - Don't spend money on a 12 piece cookset...they're cool, but at some point you'll probably figure out you only need a shared pot and a mug for each person. And maybe a small fry pan. Depends on what you want to eat out there. Anodized aluminum is light and sturdy, but more expensive than other options. Titanium is super light, but doesn't disperse heat well so it's great for boiling water, but not so much for cooking non-liquid meals. Stainless steel is heavy but will last many years.

Spork - so many sporks out there... long handled spoons work better for getting food from the bottom of a packet.

Headlamp - Get a decent headlamp. Black Diamond Spot is a nice one, Petzl makes some nice ones as well.

Good luck!

It's Monday and I'm bored at work... so... here are links to all OP's items. It's a great list and this may give other CaH'ers more insight into what OP is carrying. Plus my random comments...

• Exped Lightning 60L Pack - never seen this pack, looks light and quality
  
• Exped Packliner UL 50 - dummy proof way to keep your gear dry
  
• Big Agnes Slater UL2+ - I'd prefer the 3+ design for 2 people, but a great tent all around
  
• Cumulus Quilt 150 - fill weight is on the low side, but this is a summer bag so I'm not knocking it
  
• Thermarest NeoAir XLite - my favorite pad
  
• Sea To Summit Ultralight Pillow - totally a personal piece of equipment here, I have other favorites but you've got to find what works for you. I consider a pillow mandatory - although sleeping on a bag filled with clothes does get the job done (when you actually have enough extra clothes to keep your head off the ground).
  
• TOAKS Ti Light 650mL Pot - I thought my SnowPeak Trek 700 was light at 4.8 ounces - 2.8 is a upgrade, nice choice.
  
• BRS 3000T Titanium Stove - fine choice, I'm committed to MSR (local shop and longtime fan) and their MicroRocket, but the BRS is half the weight (28 vs. 73 grams)
  
• Sea to Summit Long Spoon - the perfect utensil
  
• Alfoil Shield Windshield - I'd love to hear you say the word Aluminum!
  
• Sawyer Mini Water Filter - excellent light/cheap/functional filter, I switch between this and the Sawyer Squeeze (with chemicals for backup)
  
• 2L Sawyer bag - I prefer the Evernew bags as my dirty bag
  
• Platypus 1L Soft Bottle - versatile water carry option, for on-trail or in-camp
  
• Outdoor Research Helium II - love mine, although not for long lasting rain
  
• Patagonia Cap 4 Hoody - super warm and durable mid-layer
  
• Rab Aeon LS Tee - never worn this, but RAB is awesome and it looks comfy
  
• Merino Socks - gotta have good wool socks, Darn Tough and Point 6 are my current favorites
  
• Ex-Officio Boxers - everyone says they are the best, I agree. I switch between the give-n-go and give-n-go sport 6''
  
• Kathmandu Koruna LS Shirt - never heard of this brand, looks nice. ExOfficio also has travel shirts like this
  
• Montane Terra Short - I want these, but unfortunately Montane isn't popular in the US and I have no idea where I could go try them on. I typically wear lighter shorts
  
• Salomon XA Pro 3D Trail Runners - Salomon fit me really well, I've worn the Speedcross for a few seasons now. These look great too
  
• Leki Corklite Speedlock - my favorite. Used these for a LONG time (with a few warranty replacements)
  
• Original Buff - versatile $20, I take this everywhere
  
• Cap MD Trucker - I prefer 'performance' style hats like Headsweats but a trucker hat is classic
  
• Julbo Tensing Sunglasses - great mountain glasses
  
• Mini Bic lighter - best fire starter there is
  
• Leatherman Squirt Multitool - I prefer the style cs, but you really don't need much in this category
  
• Silva Starter Compass - top brand, super simple compass
  
• Map - I have a ton of GreenTrail maps for my area, CalTopo is great too
  
• Nexus 5 Phone - I use my smartphone as a camera, carry it in a Loksak or my Zpacks hipbelt pocket
  
• Black Diamond Spot - top quality option, the new version looks slick. The BD Ion is lighter if you want to shave weight
  
• Sony RX100 III - looks fancy, I'm no photographer
  
• Xiaomi Power Bank - cheap and easy way to get power, Duracell makes one I prefer
  
• TP - everyone poops, I pack extra ziplocs with my TP in case I have to pack it out
  
• FAK - make your own
  
• Small pack towel - Cascade Designs PakTowl makes great options
  
• Toothbrush - cut that handle off!
  
• Sun cream
  
• Alcohol Gel
  
• Trowel - I use the QiWiz, but the Duces of Spades is more popular (and cooler name)
  
• Food
  
• Water
  
• Fuel
  
  Gaiters for your trail runners?
  Coozy for reheating your dehydrated meals?
  
  EDIT: formatting

OK, here is a brain dump of whatever comes into my mind. Just hoping to spark your memory so don't get mad if I say a bunch of stuff you already know...

Put all the pieces into a lighterpack.com account and checkout r/Ultralight before you buy (head over there and burn down the sidebar reading list and the incomplete-wiki, it's worth it).

Is that Osprey really 70 L? That's huge. Probably weighs a ton, what are you bringing that fills up 70 L on a 3-5 day summer trip? A 50 L beer keg? Maybe you have some sweet luxury items that take up a lot of space in the pack, but I'd drop the volume on the pack to at least 50 L. If you can manage it, Try a Ultimate Direction Fastpack 30. But if you just can't get your volume that small, get what works. Weight is an issue too, in frameless packs the straps are uncomfortable over 30 lbs, sometimes less. But if you make some smart choices right now, you shouldn't bust 30 lbs. (It's also smart to get the rest of the gear first to get an idea of how much volume you'll need in your pack and if you'll need a frame.)

Research quilt vs sleeping bag. Quilts are big these days unless you are a crazy sleeper. Enlightened Equipment is the shiz. I've bought 4 quilts and made 3 DIY and EE are the best I've tried. EE also sells a synthetic quilt called the prodigy which I use in the summers or as a layer in the winters. I hear that Katabatic quilts are truly the best if the price tag doesn't scare you away. And a super cheap, but quality option though on aliexpress, it's buy at your own risk. Worked for me last time, doesn't mean it will next time.

Massdrop is selling a skinny UL static V (and the insulated verion) right now for cheap. (I own the insulated option and bought it from massdrop.) But there's a lighter not-as-skinny pad called a Thermorest Neoair Xlite. Also the sea to shining sea ultralight pad gets high marks. So look at those, see what other pads are popping on r/ultralight, the balance the weight and costs to your preference. (Assuming you know about r-values and what your needs will be in Maine/Vermont. I'm guessing spring is a little cold so maybe r=~4 in the early spring or high altitude?)

Nemo tents are great. If you're only camping spring/summer I'd get a much lighter weight tarp tent. Like 3 lbs or less including stakes/cords (and footprint if your tent has a bathtub floor).

11-14 oz MSR Whisperlite is awesome. Stoves are pretty personal, it's best to go with one you trust. MSR is probably the right choice for you. I use a tiny 2oz stove and a homemade windscreen. My stove is finicky and too small if you're cooking for 2 or more. However, there's a whole mess of stoves between the 2oz and 14 oz which might still cover you and save you a few ounces or half a pound. Like the Kovea Spider which I also have, and use in the cold (gas liquefies and fuel can must be inverted, so I need a freestanding stove with a tube). I'm personally biased against the jetboil because of how much space it takes in my pack, but I own 2. They are fast, good for groups. Again the MSR is NOT a bad choice.

You also need a cook pot. Titanium is a waste of money, find a cheap Aluminum one for the same results. Like the olicamp ones, or if you want a real lid, you'll have to spend more (the metal lids cost way more for some odd reason).

Water filtration. Everybody ravs over the Sawyer Squeeze and I guess I'm out of the loop having never tried it. Fretting about making sure my filter doesn't freeze seems like a source of anxiety. I'll try it eventually though. I like the hand pump water filters. I rock an MSR hyperflow. And if I'm in a big group, I'll break out my Katadyn 6L Gravity Filter.

Get a down jacket from costco or sams for 20$, if you're camping in it, you'll wear it out so no use spending a ton there. (Down packs small and won't take up nearly any pack space)

Get a headlamp, I prefer blackdiamond or Fenix. For BD this image sums it up very nicely. For fenix there's a variety but I am currently using the HL55 (900 lumens). Again look at the weights, but also look at the battery requirements and the longevity/efficiency. Find what you like.

Ok my brain is dumped. Hopefully I hit on something worth your time. If I were you, I'd go as cheap as possible, then put the savings into funding your travel for hiking or buying a kayak. Random, I know, but having blown tons of money on gear I feel like there's quality for a good price if you look for it. And using the extra money to break into a new hobby opens the door to a potentially mind altering experience. Especially a related hobby like kayaking, fishing, snowshoeing, rock climbing, diving (though this one is lots of money), or whatever's clever.

Facebook Hiking Gear Flea Market is a good place to start. You can put out feelers for gear you are looking for.

Gear Trade is also another good place for used gear.

Also, you can't be so vague if you want actual advice. Where do you live? How tall/weight? Where will you be doing most of your hiking/backpacking?

You're going to want lightweight gear if you're hiking/backpacking mostly, but don't get obsessed with the idea of lightweight until you understand what gear works for you. Here is a quick buffer off the top of my head.

Backpack - Size? How long will you be out? Best idea is to find an REI or sporting good place near you and try on some different packs. If you find one you like, look online for the best price.


Tent - Just you? Multiple People? Weather Conditions? Don't just buy the $50 Coleman because it's cheap, it also weighs 5x as much as something $50-$100 more. You might want to save the $, but your back will not be thanking you when you've been hiking as day with that dead weight. MSR, North Face, Big Agnes, TarpTent, Kelty, alps mountaineering, ETC. They all make quality tents, just look around for deals, yo.


Sleeping Bag - Down/Synthetic, what's the temp looking like? Too much variety here. Just remember, down will be lighter, but useless if wet. They make a lot of good down with water protection these days, but they can get $$$. Synthetic will be heavy, but can be trashed.


Mat - Need basic ground protection or something to also lock in warmth? Therm a Rest makes a variety of great mats. The SOlite and Z lite SOL are two great ones for the price. The more comfortable you want to be, the more $ you'll spend.


Cook Stove/Fuel - Will you be cooking? How much? Multi purpose eating utensil? Want something cheap, Amazon has these great Chinese made cook stoves with built in ignition that are super cheap They'll screw on to most mix fuel canisters that can be found at any sporting goods place.


Water - Reservoir (camelback), how much water will you need? Safe water sources? Filter/Aquamira? Dromedary if water is scarce? Sawyer Squeeze is becoming big and so are life straws. I personally use a Katadyn Hiker Pro, but its a bit bulky and heavy for lightweight backpacking.


Food - How long you going to be out? What is most energy/weight efficient? Packaging is bad, mmkkay. Break things down to conserve weight.


Clothing - No Cotton unless you want something nice to sleep in. Synthetic and blends. They wick and are light. Unless you're going to be out for an extended trip, embrace your backpacking lifestyle and leave the extras at home (Other than undies, bring an extra) Socks - Good socks are a must (Darn Tough, Smartwool are great brands). 2 pairs of socks, one to hike in, one to wear at camp or if others get ruined/too funky.

First Aid - Unless someone else is carrying one, always try to have one with you. You can make your own with simple bandages, aspirin, tape, wrap, etc. Or you can buy a pre assembled one online or at a store. New Skin is great for foot blisters, so is duct tape.

Random - Throw some paracord, karabiners, replacement clips and straps, a knife, bandana, compass (If you're in the backcountry), maps, whistle, and whatever you're favorite beverage may be (pack out, my friend.)

That's all I could think of in 10 minutes as a good bugger, hope it helps.

The 100% best solution is to have a propane burner along with a High Pressure Hose so that you can use normal propane tanks that you'd get for your grill. Then keep maybe 3 of those full and ready to go and that will maintain your ability to use your stocks for a good while. (Note: I didn't dig too deep into direct compatibility of those two items. I just listed them as an example so you could see what I was talking about.)

Barring that... it's a question of shelf life vs cost. Obviously MRE's would be one of the better options, but they're pricey and it's best to store them in cool environments which may not be doable for everyone. Mainstay 2400 Bars are available at Walmart for $5 apiece and are fantastic for BOB's due to their hardiness, but surviving on those for any length of time would probably be miserable.

Dropping into normal foods... yeah, a well stocked and rotated pantry is the way to go.

• Peanut Butter is high calorie, flavorful, and a thing most people can use regularly anyway. If you have forewarning you can try to snag extra bread from the grocery store. Barring that, YouTube how to make bread and get busy in the days leading out to the outage. I think whole wheats tend to last a bit longer, and I think things like wrapping the loaf in cling wrap then sealing it in Tupperware can help, but I'm not a baker so I can't say for sure.
  
  
• Canned meats are a good call as the next in lineup. Tuna is obvious, but you can get canned chicken as well. Add some crackers into the mix and whatever seasoning you like (I'm a fiend for Lemon Pepper ) and those are meals on their own, though a bit pricey. Spam and tinned ham, while less pleasant uncooked, are also edible.
  
  
• The good canned soups are fine right out of the can. Obviously they're less pleasant not being warmed, but that's actually something you can probably remedy to a degree just by having tea candles under them. There are also several camping stoves that do not require propane, and you can of course just have some sterno on hand too.
  
  
• After that... well almost anything canned can work. Refried beans or Baked Beans cold out of the can are edible if not the most pleasant way to eat them. Good return on calories for those, and if you have a large family they are available in #10 Cans which will save you a lot on cost. Canned Veggies can be added in to other meals without heating, though the calorie returns on them make them inefficient. Canned/Jarred Fruit on the other hand can be a delicious morale lifter.
  
  
• Bars of Velveeta keep for a surprising amount of time in the pantry, and there are about 2240 calories per full bar of them. That's another great option for throwing on crackers. Crack open a jar of salsa and add a bit to each cracker and that's tasty eating.
  
  
• While it's not my favorite thing ever, Summer Sausage is around 1600 calories for a pounds of it and is shelf stable for a while when unopened I believe, though check the packaging to be safe. I believe Hickory Farms Cheese/Sausage lasts for months, though if you're not eating it regularly I don't know how feasible it is to have on hand consistently or in time for a disaster like this.
  
  
• While the ideas could probably keep going, I'll end with trail mix. It's easily obtainable at a lot of locations, includes nuts, candy, and fruit so it's palatable, and tends to have a fairly high caloric return. Add in other snack foods like beef jerky, chips, and candy/energy/protein bars (also available at a lot of locations) and it should be fairly easy to find enough ways to get your daily calories in in the short term without needing to heat things up.

Hey, you can also make quite a bit of your own gear if you're feeling up to the challenge. Check out /r/myog for more information about that.

Fancy, fold up cook kits can run you $20 to $70 or more, plus fuel, but you can also make your own cook kits real easily from soda cans, cat food cans, and grease pots. You can get one from Walmart for $7, and an aluminum pot handle from any outdoors store for a couple of bucks. Here's a basic one for $4, but you can find them for $2, too. You can also use a folded bit of aluminum foil as a wind break around your stove.

The best part about those is not only are they light and cheap to replace, but your can stove and your aluminum handle should fit neatly inside your grease pot. Depending on how tall you made your windbreak, you might be able to fit it inside your pot, too. If not, it's just aluminum foil; it'll fold up.

It really depends on what your budget and your conditions are. You can grab a cheap, fairly light tent for $50 or $60. (If you want to go crazy cheap, there are $20 tents that you can set up between two trees or support with trekking poles.)

I wouldn't suggest depending on a cheap tent for the long term, but use them as something you can test out, beat up, and not be too heartbroken over. They're just the basics.

Woot.com often has sales on camping gear, including backpacks, light blankets, sleeping bags, and hammocks. Decent backpacking hammocks usually run about $15 to $25 online, don't stress about getting one that's really expensive and has a lot of features. They're pretty much all parachute hammocks. Worry about investing in the expensive stuff later.

My advice, though? Don't stress about your gear at first. Get some cheap starter gear, read about it, test it, make a plan. Drop on by /r/trailmeals and find some simple recipes that you like. Find a nice state park nearby and look at their maps. Find a camp site and see what's there: Do you have trees available for hammocks? Is there a fire pit already set up? Do you have wood available for fuel? (You probably won't need much more than your cook pot and utensils if your campsite has a firepit with a grill, for example.)

Make your plan and execute it. Let people know where you're going, and what you're up to. Invite a friend if you can. Put your comfy shoes on, toss your crap in a backpack, go out for a weekend, and test your gear. Get some experience with your new stuff, see what works for you and what doesn't. Learn where you want to focus if you want to shed weight, and check your reviews. Go to places like REI: they'll often let you see or set up any tent you're interested in, in advance, so you can check out how easy or how difficult it might be on the trail, in the dark. That last part's important. You can have the fanciest tent in the world, but it doesn't mean a hill of beans if you can't set it up in the dark. (Because at some point, you will be setting up your tent in the dark, in the rain, in some sort of adverse conditions. It happens. Be prepared.)

Practice with your gear, learn your gear. Learn your limits and your preferences.
Knowledge is easy to acquire, useful to have, and doesn't weigh anything, so pack a lot of it.

You're gonna want to get that experience on your cheap stuff, so you can learn and make mistakes without ruining some high-end piece of kit that's really gonna cost you. Get your experience in and add the expensive, fancier stuff as you go. I like to focus on pack, shelter, and shoes. They're going to be your main sources of weight and your big comfort items. Bad shoes and ill-fitting packs hurt. Insufficient shelters suck. Upgrading those early on, or starting with some mid-tier gear if you can afford it, is handy.

And if you decide that maybe this isn't for you, that's okay, too. You can back out without having dropped several thousand dollars on all the latest gear. It's easy to spend hundreds on fancy gear. Try to avoid falling into that trap.

It's probably ultralight heresy, but I often bring a cheap paperback book with me. Sure, it's sort of heavy for a luxury item that I don't need, and if it falls in a creek then my book is destroyed; I get that. However, for me, you can't beat hanging out in a comfy hammock under the trees with a good book. That serenity is why I go hiking and backpacking in the first place.

I also tell myself that if things ever go incredibly sour, a cheap book or a trail journal is also a good source of tinder and toilet paper. Not that I would do such things, but if I was ever stranded somewhere and I had to, the option is there. Similarly, you can signal other hikers or other people in your party if you have a trail journal - just pull out a page and leave a note for them.

Oh, and it's also wise to bring a couple of trash bags along with you. Get the big, kitchen sized ones.

They're great for:

| | | |
|:--:|:--:|:--:|
| holding trash | separating wet clothes | good laundry bags |
| dirty shoe mat | tent hole repair | emergency ponchos |
| emergency pack covers | food bag | extra warmth |

------

Oh, and remember the simple principles:

Pack it in, pack it out. - Any gear (or people) you bring, you're responsible for getting it (or them) back out.

Leave no trace. - You have a responsibility to leave your campsite as you found it, or better than you found it. Any trash you bring, you pack it right back out with you. If someone before you has been an asshole and has left a bunch of trash all over the campsite, try to clean it up, even if you can't pack it all out.

Hike your own hike. - This means that you can have all the excellent advice in the world, but how you do your hike is up to you. No one else can tell you how to live your life, and if you want to carry a little extra weight for a luxury item, or if you prefer a bit of kit that isn't quite in vogue this season, or if you can't afford the high-end, cuben fiber this or that, don't stress about it. You're out there to enjoy yourself, focus on that.

Be prepared. - This is the Boy Scout motto. Things will happen that you're not going to expect. Don't go overboard and don't get too crazy about it, but have a plan and know how to execute it. Learn the area you'll be at and know what sorts of conditions to expect. If you get hurt, know who you can call. If you're in a state or national park, those phone numbers are always on the freebie trail maps they provide - grab one at the ranger station or the trail head and keep it with you or keep a photo of it on your phone. Are you going to need extra batteries? Is your phone going to have service? If you can, sign up for a first aid course or a trail-specific first aid course. That's information you'll want to know if you ever need it.

Backpacking is what I love above all else, happy to help.

Finding a local Facebook Group or forum is definitely great advice, they're usually the best resources for learning about places to go/conditions to expect/anything specific to your area, plus find some people to tag along with. Starting out with day hikes is also totally the right thing to do, it will help give you a feel for moving through the woods. You could also combine this with car camping to familiarize yourself with your gear and with cooking/sleeping/etc. outside with a little less commitment than a backpacking trip.

I'd recommend /r/Ultralight over BackpackingLight, which is not particularly active and of much poorer quality than it was a few years ago, IMO. /r/Ultralight is quite welcoming/helpful and pretty active these days. I don't always agree with him, but Andrew Skurka is a well known hiker/adventurer who is also a great resource (both his website and his book). I think he is more approachable for beginners than a lot of others.

I disagree with /u/ImAtleastTwelve, at least to a certain degree, on cost. It certainly is not a cheap hobby by any means (especially considering even in great outdoors cities you're still almost certainly going to need to drive decent distances), but having a fairly light setup with solid gear doesn't have to be exorbitantly expensive—at least relative to say, fashion or photography. I could write endlessly about all kinds of gear, but just taking the example of stoves. You can get a little stove that screws onto a gas cansiter and weighs about an ounce for under 20 bucks. Startup costs can be high because there is quite a bit of gear you need, but it doesn't have to be too crazy. Also, it's a popular activity—lots of used gear (I rarely buy anything new) and people to borrow from out there.

And like he said, it's totally possible to do any number of amazing trips with whatever gear you can scrape together. The gear is a means to an end with backpacking, and all you need is enough to survive somewhat comfortably before you're ready to go outside and enjoy yourself. Everything after that is either making it more comfortable or extending your limits.

No worries about the long reply!

Amazon sells a dual fuel single burner that looks pretty good. I'm probably gonna go for it. Nice to be able to use butane or propane. Maybe you'll like it:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HQRD8EO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_KK88ybC5Y09R6

For the shower I'm leaning on the Nemo Helio shower. Looks pretty sweet. I'll definitely look into the 12v should I get power in the future.

That's interesting, about ambient temperature and it's effects on inverters. Didn't know that, didn't think it mattered much. I'm happy I went with the cooler, the need for a power system was driven by the initial desire to have a fridge.

I'm a little concerned about the amount of space (or lack thereof) I'll have in the truck (Tacoma), but I don't have a lot of stuff, and also have an access cab which helps a ton. Gonna do a raised bed platform, and my shell is a high top. It's all in the attitude I think, and I'm SO thrilled to have gotten the ball rolling, after years of planning and research.

I appreciate you sharing your experience! Super helpful. I'd love to know how the roof vent works out for you too, if you go for it.

Nice post, thanks for sharing!

• I'm not a big fan of military style backpacks, but I don't know why everyone always brings up drawing attention. People prepare for a lot of things, like a car breaking down, not always a nefarious doomsday scenario. Also, if you're hurt and can't get to your bag it will be pretty obvious where to find your FAK or other emergency supplies. Either way I think function should be the first consideration when choosing a backpack that you could potentially need to wear for a very long time.
  
  
• Military style bags are heavy, durable, and come in drab colors that may increase camouflage in the woods and yet decrease it in the aforementioned urban havoc type situation. Overall I've never been convinced the extra weight is worth the usefulness with all the straps and what not, but hey I don't own one so that is really just an assumption.
  
  
• Super new lookin gear, yes indeed. I'd also be interested in a follow-up on what was used hiking/camping overnight and what wasn't.
  
  
• Since that stove is still in the wrapper, I would return it and buy something lighter like this: MSR PocketRocket Stove https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000A8C5QE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_U.E6xbTXJPCBN - Used it many times and it works great for not much added weight. Others may say remove the stove but a warm beverage or meal can be a life saver physically and mentally.
  
  
• What's the benefit of external pouches when your bag isn't full? You are adding a lot of extra weight at the expense of needing to get to smaller items quickly.
  
  
• How much does everything weigh? Some UL folks can hike ("go") for months at a time with a 15lb base-weight.
  
  Anyway, cheers to a good start! Everyone who is away from home a lot (most of the working population) should have a bag in their car to help get home or sustain.

It just so happened that a lot of Eureka stuff was on sale at the time I was shopping, so I look like something of a fanboy.

• [Eureka Apex 3XT Tent] (http://www.amazon.com/Eureka-Apex-3XT-Tent-sleeps/dp/B0043HM5RC) - It's a three man tent, but I'm a big guy and I wanted extra room. Camping off the bike makes the slightly heavier weight from a 3 man tent not a big deal, it compresses down pretty small anyway. Gives me plenty of room to bring all my gear inside the tent at night, and if the wife decides to go camp with me there will be room for us both without any problem.
  
  
• [Eureka Sandstone 45F Rectangular Sleeping Bag] (http://www.amazon.com/Eureka-Sandstone-45-Degree-Rectangular-Sleeping/dp/B006MQAWS6) - Synthetic bag, one for me and one for my wife. Nothing really fancy about it other than that they are mate-able to each other we want to get extra snuggle-y on a trip.
  
  
• [Eureka Camp Pillow] (http://www.amazon.com/Eureka-2641201-Camp-Pillow/dp/B004BZX7PK) - Some people say use a stuff sack with your dirty clothes, I say I don't want to smell funky multiple day old swamp ass while I'm trying to sleep. I guess I could use clean clothes, but meh..
  
  
• [Exped SynMat Basic 7] (http://www.amazon.com/Exped-SynMat-Sleeping-Terracotta-Long/dp/B0018MC976) - Air mattress. My theory is that if you don't get at least some restful sleep, you will be miserable the next day. Packs down very small, provides comfort and insulation from the ground.
  
  
• [Sea to Summit eVent 30L Compression Dry Sack] (http://www.amazon.com/Sea-Summit-eVent-Compression-Medium/dp/B000NQQ5A0) - I have multiples of this item. I pack the tent, rainfly and groundcover all in one, and it all compresses down to around 12x6 inches. Sleeping bag goes into another, compresses down to about 12x12 inches.
  
  
• [Kwik Tek Dry Pak 70L Waterproof Duffel Bag] (http://www.amazon.com/DP-D1BK-Waterproof-Duffel-Black-Large/dp/B00644OLLU) - Cooking gear, sleeping equipment, and other stuff I don't put in the panniers goes in here, and then the bag is strapped across the pillion seat with RocStraps. If it's a two up trip, the 52L Givi comes off the back of the bike, and the 70L Dry Pak is replaced by a 110L Dry Pak so there is enough room to stash the wife's gear as well.
  
  
• [Sea to Summit DryLite Towel] (http://www.amazon.com/Sea-to-Summit-DryLite-Towel/dp/B000OPPAQK) - Small and Extra Small. Great for drying off after getting caught in the rain, or after a shower at the campsite. They dry fast too.
  
  
• [Jetboil Zip] (http://www.amazon.com/Jetboil-Zip-Cooking-System-Black/dp/B004UVPDUM) cooking system - Boils 16oz of water in about 2.5 minutes. My breakfast is instant oatmeal and instant coffee/hot chocolate, so this takes care of both very quickly. The Jetboil also makes it super easy to make things like instant mashed potatoes for dinner.
  
  
• [Trangia 27-5] (http://www.trangia.se/english/2913.trangia_stoves.html) Ultralight Aluminium Cookset with add on 2.5L pot - Alcohol stove set with frying pan, two 1L pots and one 2.5 pot. For dinner I can cook up a steak, some soup or stew, pasta/rice sides (think of stuff like [this] (http://www.bearcreekcountrykitchens.com/index.php) and [this] (http://www.knorr.com/product/category/245876/pasta-sides). I don't worry about packing and carrying an entire trip's worth of food, I stop at a grocery store, and get a couple days worth of stuff. If I want fresh meat, I swing by a store immediately before hitting the campsite. Arrive, set up, cook.
  
  
• 12oz plastic cups - I carry a couple of [these] (http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___60048).
  
  
• Spork - Fork, spoon, and something resembling a knife [all in one] (http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___87620)
  
  
• Leatherman Blast - bring a multitool, you will be glad you did.
  
  
• A headlamp and a good flashlight are critical. I like [these small Black Diamond orbit lanterns] (http://www.rei.com/product/807910/black-diamond-orbit-lantern) too.
  

In the interest of disclosure, I am an REI retail employee.

Let's start with sleeping bags. The Marmot Tressels is probably your best bet under $100, but it's definitely on the heavy side for a backpacking bag. If you can bump up to the $150 range you can get into the Kelty Cosmic Down or Marmot Tressels Elite, which will be substantially lighter and more compact.

For pads, you've got pretty good options. The Big Agnes Insulated Air Core Ultra, the REI Flash or Stratus, various Therm-a-rests or Klymits...it's a pretty wide open field.

Good packs are hard to find for under $100 new, but are much more trustworthy used than bedding. Check out Ebay or Craigslist.

Failing that, the Kelty Redwing is a pretty respecable pack for the lower end of the price spectrum.

In terms of tents, there are plenty of good 3-person options under $300, the lightest of which I can think of off the bat is the Kelty TraiLogic.

For stoves...this is among the best camp stoves I've ever used. Does not need to be complicated.

For cooking, there are a fair few hard-anodized aluminum camp cook kits on Amazon for fairly cheap that will do just fine. For 3 people, look for the largest pot to be in the 1.5-2 liter range.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

DON'T TAKE AN ANIMAL TO VAN DWELL. Seriously, find someone to watch it. It will cause you major problems. What are you going to do with a cat 90% of the time? You can't leave it in the rig on a hot day.

First priority one everything has to be small to tiny. Simplify as much as possible.

Roof box - I like it. Can be a great way to add more storage.

Those setups seem neat but if you can cook at the rear hatch couldn't you cook anywhere? We just have small stadium chairs and cook outside the van on the ground. Like these:
https://kelty.com/lowdown-chair/

I'm using a butane and propane stove right now.
https://www.amazon.com/GS-3400P-Portable-Backpacking-Emergency-Preparedness/dp/B01HQRD8EO
Pretty cheap and good options for fuel. Also fairly compact and well packaged.

We also have a MSR Windburner Stove - good for fast and easy hot drinks. Most expensive fuel you can use though.

For water I find just do crystal geyser 1 gallon jugs are simple, disposable and easy to replace.

A poo kit is critical, for me that includes a folding shovel for digging cat holes when boodocked.
https://www.amazon.com/Gerber-Gorge-Folding-Shovel-22-41578/dp/B000WZCSTO

I like my rig to have an inflator kit and tire chains.

Leveling blocks are worth the space to me. We carry 4 which gives me 3 leveling options.
https://www.amazon.com/Camco-44505-Leveling-Blocks-pack/dp/B00480BWBE

You'll need a dishset and pots. I like vacuum mug for drink ware.

I'm a big fan on dedicated headlamps next to each persons sleep spot.

I like power bricks for cell phone charging.

Too small is a subjective matter. I've always been a fan of tight spaces and as a kid, loved to make forts and have a cozy little spot to call home for a while. (Feels kinda like a big kid fort that I also get to drive.) To an outsider's perspective, this space looks stupidly-small, but the reality is that I feel like I have plenty of space to live. I consider myself living in an "adventure-mobile" more so than a van-dweller. My dwelling is my truck, sure, but I spend most of my time outside of it. All of my storage can easily be stowed beneath my bed. (The blue box in the photo doesn't fit but I could get a smaller box if needed; plus it's got all my clothes in it so the accessibility is nice. There's additional space underneath that's not visible in this picture.)

How do I cook? I picked up one of these and keep a number of dry foods on hand.

Does it get too hot or cold? The answer is that it depends. My blankets keep me plenty warm; but out here in Southern Utah it is very warm. I keep a spray bottle fan at my side, as well as a cold bottle of water to keep cooled. I also sleep with my sunroof tilted up for ventilation, but that doesn't affect the temperature much. I read somewhere on here about a styrofoam cooler, dry ice, and a fan as a make-shift air conditioner and I'm trying to find more information on that. I don't want to die from inhalation. Might just muscle it out until I can buy something more practical.

Also, it's so easy to be stealth and discreet in here. I've posted in the past how I built my window blackout using Reflectix and a curtain behind the driver/passenger seats. Going to find a link to that post now and put in this comment.

Here's a link to the build process and the window panels.

The platform is 2" taller in this photo as I cut down the height after I got on the road.

I'd be happy to provide how I built the panels for anyone that's curious.

For that price you won't be getting ultralight on the big 3: backpack, sleeping bag, and tent. Unfortunately those are the largest, heaviest, and most difficult to go light weight on a budget. The majority of the other items are pretty good UL gear. You can, for example, get a lighter titanium stove. It'll save you about 2oz and double the cost. Eventually the 2oz there and a few more oz here and there on a number of pieces of gear really add up so you may want to swap it out as you upgrade your gear over time. But for right now one in the price/weight range I suggested is really good ultra light weight bang for your buck.

1. Alice Backpack $35 -- Watch some youtube videos on how to strap your tent/sleeping bag/sleeping pad to the pack safely and securely. Alternatively buy a used backpack off Craigslist for dirt cheap. This is the third thing I'd upgrade, once you have a lighter/smaller sleeping bag and tent.
   
2. Slumberjack 40 degree sleeping bag $98 -- Upgrade to down-filled rather than synthetic if you can, also make sure it's temperature appropriate for your trips. This is the first place I'd personally choose to upgrade.
   
3. Coleman Sundome $36 -- Any name brand dome tent is great for beginners. I picked a 2-person since you don't seem to know what you're doing (not an insult) I assume you'll be bringing a buddy! This is the 2nd thing I'd personally choose to upgrade to something that compacts down small enough to fit inside my backpack.
   
4. MSR Pocket Rocket butane stove $32 -- Not the greatest or the absolute lightest, but one of the more popular light weight stoves. A can of fuel is $5 at Wal-Mart or pretty much any sporting goods store.
   
5. Primus Litech 10oz kettle $25-- From this kit you really just want the pot and lid. You can leave the pan at home. According to the ad it is big enough to hold the 230g sized butane cannister previously mentioned. I suggest either eating things that require no cooking or just boiling water like any number of Mountain House or alternative meals available in the sporting goods section of Wal-Mart or any sporting goods store.
   
6. Stansport Back Packing Pad $10 -- One of the simplest items to upgrade, but "nicer" ones are $30-100+.
   
7. Titanium Spork $9 -- The only cookware you'll need for most those backpacking freeze-dried meals where you just add hot water and eat out of the pouch.
   
8. 4-pack of ponchos $4 -- These are stupid small and light. They're shit quality and rip easy so they're mostly one time use.. but at $1/ea you can pack one per day, who cares? Nice rain gear is hella expensive.
   
9. Base Layer -- If you don't already own it, buy some polyester/spandex "athletic" under-shirts and pants. They're stupid light, wick away your sweat, and add lots of warmth per ounce and cubic inch of pack space. I picked up a random set from Ross yesterday (bottoms and short sleeve top) for $20 combined. Generally speaking, avoid cotton for all clothing.
   
10. Rip-Stop/hiking/tactical pants $40/pair -- I can't pick these out for you because sizing/style preference, but the fairly cheap ones are about that price per pair.
    
11. AMK First Aid Kit $23 -- This is likely way more than you need and you could probably put together a decent one in a zip-loc baggy with stuff you have around the house. Don't forget to add any prescriptions you have or anything for special needs (allergies).
    
12. Survival Whistle $6 -- You can find cheaper ones at Wal-Mart maybe...
    
13. Signal Mirror $8 -- A woman's "compact" makeup mirror could get you this for free
    
14. Aquamira water treatment drops $14 -- You may also prefer iodine tablets or a filter. You can get a basic Sawyer filter from Wal-Mart for about $25.
    
    That totals out at $365 and covers most of your bases of things you'll need to buy. Most everything else is going to be like soap, toothbrush, etc. which I'm assuming you already have. I really like the HikeLight 3-day camping checklist. You won't be able to get most (any?) of the gear on this list at your price range, but just make sure you have a comparable replacement. Yours will likely just be bigger and/or heavier than their suggested ones. http://hikelight.com/gearlist.html
    
    Happy backpacking!

Prior to turning yourself in, please seek legal aid from a community legal aid service. I'm unfamiliar with the processes in the US but this service may suit your needs: http://www.lafla.org/

If anything they may be able to help you gain an understanding of the best way forward with the fines etc. If there's an opportunity to apply for a payment instalment plan for the fines then they should be able to point you in the right direction.

Don't face this issue alone as you really really don't want to end up in jail. 2-3 weeks sounds okay now but there are serious ramifications once you get out, especially in regards to employment. Your current employer isn't going to be happy for you to just take 3 weeks off to go to jail. You need to keep your job.

Also in regards to living in your car and buying fast food, you could probably save a whole lot of money if you bought a little butane camper stove for about $20 (the butane refills are cheap as), a cheap saucepan and bought some veges from a farmers market. Tinned food will also work well with the stove. Easy to boil up some water and make instant noodles too if you are in a pinch.

Honestly, this is too open ended to give appropriate advice. What are you cooking? Predominantly boiled water food, or more varied cooking? How many people are you cooking for? What climate do you live in? Will you be boiling water to purify it? Will you be using the cookset while car camping or on longer treks into the backcountry? What's your price range?

The absolute cheapest is going to be a diy alcohol stove (there are tons of different methods) and a diy can pot. The whole setup would be negligible in price and ultralight for backpacking but doesn't do much more than boil water.

Moving up are canister stoves which range from $10 for a simple stove to $100+ for a Jetboil or similar system. I have an MSR Pocket Rocket and the temperature control makes these systems better for cooking more complicated backcountry meals beyond boiling water. The downside is the canisters are not reusable and it's hard to tell exactly how much fuel you have left. Predictably, the Jetboil is very fast and efficient at boiling water but not great at more complicated cooking.

Stepping up from the diy cooking pots are any cheap aluminum pots. These can be dedicated camping pots, or just any general discount pot.

Moving beyond canister stoves you can look at liquid gas stoves like the MSR Whisperlite. These stoves cost $100-150 and depending on the model can use white gas, gasoline, kerosene, and some also have adapters for canisters. The nearly unlimited fuel source make these stoves fantastic for prepping and the refillable liquid fuel bottle allows you to always know how much fuel you have. They are larger and heavier than canister stoves (though about equivalent to a Jetboil) and don't have great heat control. I use my MSR Whisperlite as my go-to stove just because it's easier to use than wasting my canister fuel.

A step up from basic backpacking pots are titanium pots. At this point all you're paying for is less weight than your cheaper options.

You can also look at large, traditional dual burner coleman stoves. These essentially give you a normal stove-top while camping and the propane canisters are relatively cheap. Of course, these are not suitable for anything but home use and car camping.

Another option for bushcraft, depending on your climate, is to just use a campfire. Some people only take a steel water bottle and use it to boil water in the campfire for their cooking needs. This is usually too much hassle for me after a long day of hiking but I occasionally use this method depending on the trip and weather.

When you look at cooking sets, stay away from nice little kits with pots and plates and silverware and cups. All you really need is a pot and a spoon or spork. Sometimes I bring a cup and or bowl, but I think it's best to keep things simple and lightweight.

There are other options out there but I hope this answered your question. If I was to blindly recommend one complete budget-minded set right now, it would be the MSR Pocket Rocket - $40, this pot and cup combo - $11, and this spork -$3, plus a $10 isobutane canister.

Hey! I'm also looking to start NOBO 2017 around that same time. I have some backpacking experience. Mostly weekend overnight trips over the past 3 to 4 years. I just got back from finishing a 7 day shakedown hike on the Georgia section (Springer to Dicks Creek Gap). Once you start picking up some stuff, I would highly suggest at least trying a 2 or 3 night hike to get a feel for your gear.

I've been slowly upgrading to more lightweight items over the past few months ... after obsessively reading this sub as well as /r/ultralight. Here is what I'm currently using. Hope this helps!

• Packs - I have the ULA Circuit but I've heard nothing but good things about the Osprey Exos. Both are extremely popular packs on the trail. This is really dependent on your baseweight so it's recommended that you pick this up last. (Something I did not do lol)
  
  
• Sleeping Bags - What I ended up getting and what everyone here seems to recommend is a 20deg Enlightened Revelation Quilt. I don't have any complaints about it so far. Another popular (and cheaper) option I've seen around here is the Kelty Cosmic Down.
  
  
• Tents - You can pick up a Henry Shires Tarptent for around $200 to $300. I have the Notch but I almost went with the Rainbow.
  
  
• Trekking Poles - You don't need expensive carbon poles. I picked up a pair of Black Diamond Trail Ergo Cork poles for about $70 on amazon and I love them. These also double as my tent poles. I'd go cheaper here and use the cash saved somewhere else.
  
  
• Cooking System - I have the MSR Pocket Rocket canister stove and a GSI minimalist cookpot. However, I'm looking to upgrade the pot to a titanium cookpot before leaving for trail.

Hey!

Welcome to prepping and congratulations on taking the first steps!

I will say, a lot of food goes bad pretty quick. Remember to rotate that stuff.

Alternatively, you can get mountain house or another brand of long term storage food and a little camping stove, and then you dont have to worry about it going bad, and if you don't need it for like 10 years it will still be here.

The stoves and their fuel cans are popular for camping, but work great for cooking when the powers out too, and in a situation where its pretty cold, they can warm up a small room pretty well.

Here are some links

https://www.amazon.com/Mountain-House-Just-Case-Hour/dp/B001OPLW20

https://www.amazon.com/MSR-11774-Dragonfly-Stove/dp/B000BBGQ7O/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1500006032&sr=1-2&keywords=msr+stove

https://www.amazon.com/MSR-11792-PocketRocket-Stove/dp/B000A8C5QE/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1500006032&sr=1-1&keywords=msr+stove

Most of that stuff can also be bought locally at REI or Bass Pro Shop or the like.

Good job on the water.

My current setup is a BRS stove, a Snow Peak Ti-Mini Solo Combo 2, and a reflectix koozy.

The koozy and stuff sack weigh 47 grams, and the pot, cup, and lid weigh 143 grams. The stove (not counting the canister) weighs 25 grams. Everything fits inside the pot with extra room (I also keep a quarter of a scrubbing pad in there for cleaning).

I haven't gotten a chance to take the Snow Peak out yet, but I've been using the Mini Solo 1 for about 4 years now and love it. My only gripes are with the handle on the lid, and how small the handles on the cup are. Since both of these issues were fixed in the Mini Solo 2 I decided to upgrade. This seems to be idea for two people, as I can easily boil enough water for both of our meals (I use primarily dehydrated meals). My girlfriend doesn't have her own cup, so the past couple of trips I've given her the cup and ate out of the pot. For breakfast we eat first, then rinse the pot and make coffee (she's a slow mover in the morning so we're not in a rush to get moving).

Like I said I'm very happy with this system. While it could be lighter, I don't think its combined weight is unreasonable. I've been interested in giving an alcohol stove a go too, but I can never seem to get my fancee feast stove to work (the wick never seems to light).

Hope this helps!

In my opinion it's really nice to have hot food, even on short trips. I cook morning and evening most trips the Primus - Classic Trail Stove https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000RHCOP0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_peIgDbG2HNZ70

Its pretty big and heavy but it'll hold a good sized pot, which is nice if you're with a group but normally something smaller like the MSR pocket rocket does just fine. Since you can't always make a fire while hiking dry places like Colorado I'd encourage you to get a small propane stove like one of these.

This article has a bunch of good information on stoves in general for backpacking. https://backpackers.com/outdoor-guides/how-to-choose-the-best-backpacking-stove-for-you/

Over the past year I've been piecing together camping gear. I ultimately plan on doing backpacking trips once I become a more experienced camper, and graduate college. Growing up, I went camping frequently but never really did any backpacking or primitive camping where you have to hike to the campsite - my dad always took us to the campsites you can drive up to. My friend, who boasts about the camping etiquette and survival skills he learned in boy scouts, justly criticizes my experience camping - which is limited to campsites that don't require you to pack light and have easy access to water (and restrooms). For example, I've never had the opportunity of digging a hole to shit in. Do I just dig a hole with my hands? Do I need to bring a shovel? How much toilet paper do I need to bring for a 2-3 day trip? I know I have to bring the used paper with me, so how do you recommend carrying trash in general?

Things like this I figure I'd learn overtime. And I do plan on pacing myself; I'm going to work my way up from 1-2 day trips to 2-3 day trips to 4-5 day trips, and ultimately something like the Appalachian Trail. My favorite place to go camping is Big Bend National Park, and there's a 2-3 day trip I'd like to do sometime this year.

I guess my main questions are:

1. How would you recommend starting off? Would a couple of 2-3 day backpacking trips, with my friend, be a good place to start?
   
2. Is my gear sufficient? Is there anything I'm missing?
   
3. Any general tips, book or gear suggestions.
   
   Here's a list of my gear:
   
   

• REI Passage 2 Tent
  
• Osprey Volt 75 Backpack w/ bladder
  
• Marmot Trestles 30 Sleeping Bag and a sleeping pad
  
• Hammock (which I think, if i'm using a tent, would make for a great pillow when it's folded up)
  
• Mess Kit and utensils
  
• Fuel Tablet Camping Stove
  
• Rechargeable flashlight
  
• A small, rechargeable lantern
  
• 2 multi-tool pliers - one big, one small
  
• 2 knifes
  
• First aid kit
  
  Also, I plan on getting a pair of hiking boots this summer. Any suggestions?
  
  edit: grammar

I have a Byer Moskito Traveller hammock, the mosquito net is a bit fragile and it's not as feature-packed as a Hennessy, but I lived in it for a month on a road trip and it was pretty nice. I also have a Marmot Limelight 3 tent that's pretty nice, though the rain fly condensates like crazy. A lot of my friends have REI tents they swear by.

Unless you're doing alpine stuff or big walls or other weight-conscious climbing, one of the single-burner Coleman stoves that screws on top of a propane tank is probably all you need. I have a Snowpeak Gigapower stove, and it's nice to have something so small for those one or two times I've really needed it, but most of the time the expensive fuel is a waste.

If you want to go small and light, I like my Big Agnes Insulated Air Core ground pad because it packs down smaller than a Nalgene, though it's a bit of a pain to inflate, so if you're moving around a lot it could be more work than you want to do. Even on a long, mobile climbing trip I'll usually only inflate it once a week or so, so I don't mind. A few friends have Therm-A-Rest and REI self-inflating ground pads in the 1.75" range that they're quite happy with.

I'm a fan of the Mountain Hardwear Pinole sleeping bag, it's pretty cheap, packs fairly small for a synthetic bag, and is rather toasty. I don't usually feel like dealing with down, so I can't speak to many of those bags.

1. Answered adequately by others, no additional comment :)
   
   
2. Part of the game is not fighting the dust and just learning to accept it will get on everything. You don't need to ziplock everything to protect it - just get dusty my friend! I usually clean the tent out (shake the blankets outside etc) every couple days.
   
   
3. Answered adequately by others, no additional comment :)
   
   
4. Cooking is fine, and I'd go crazy if I couldn't make hot food! Get one of those small asian butane stoves. They are only like $15 or $20 and I've had the same one for almost a decade of burns. Army surplus stores or Asian markets are good places to buy locally. Cook a meal at home first with it to get the hang of it. Two or three butane canisters will last a week. (BUTANE - not propane). I cook inside my tent with lots of ventilation to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. (The wind makes it hard to cook if you are outside).
   
   
5. Best to read up the various threads about what foods to bring. It really depends what your cooler situation is and how dedicated you will be to buying ice. And I can't stress this enough: your food preferences and taste will change once on playa. Normally I like protein bars but on playa they are disgusting for example. Granola bars, however, are great. Salty food is good. Fresh veggies are great but take up a lot of precious room in the cooler and are likely to get smushed/bruised/damaged by other bulkier items.

Memberships at truck stops don't really get you anything except a couple perks like free coffee after you spend so much money etc. If you fill on diesel, they give you a free shower but no go on regular fuel. I got a commercial card from pilot just by walking thru the 'trucker' door on the side and asking for a shower and telling them i didnt have a card. She gave me a commercial driver card (never asked for cdl) and put a free shower on for me.

Every time since then ive gone in and asked for a shower (prepared to pay) and given them my card they have given me a free one as a courtesy (not at the same one). Sometimes they ask if i filled up my truck today which i honestly reply no, i haven't filled up a truck today.

I pretty much lived at a pilot for a year, it was the kind that had a restaurant attached to it. I wouldn't advise abusing it like that, but i became close with the people who managed it from its opening day. But you can stay at any of them a night or two and they wont say anything. Of course as with staying at walmart, the right thing to do is buy supplies or food there if you stay. I bought a giant refillable mug and got a soda with it each time for $1.39.

You do not have to be a member to use the wifi, power or even sit and watch tv in some. They don't care. Some smaller truck stops do but not pilot or flying J. I heard loves is similar but i dont go there usually.

As someone who was in a similar situation as you, id advise scraping or begging/credit carding whatever to get 100 watts of solar ($164 kit + $90 29DC walmart battery + $20inverter) and a cooking setup in your rig asap. Your cost of living will plummet like a meteor after you can store and eat actual groceries.

It really depends on how you want your food. Since its a longer trail and you want to save as much weight as you can and get the best value out of your ounce to calorie ratio going the dehydrated route works best. For that all you need to be able to do is boil water to re hydrate the food, so a pocket rocket stove or jetboil will do you best.

I however like having more control over my cooking and having "gourmet" options when I trail hike. The Pocket Stoves and the like are essentially a torch blasting strait up, and have hot spots in the middle. Food burns there, and even on a low simmer, it still would run way to hot. I like using the Primus because its still light weight, and has better heat distribution. It still boils water fast, and though isn't as fuel efficient as a Pocket Stove I'm willing to sacrifice it a bit to have better food. But if all you plan on doing is re hydrating food and don't mind a little bit getting burnt on the bottom, a little pocket stove will do you just fine.

This toatser has a setting for frozen bagels and that makes it my favorite. I love love keeping my bagels in the freezer because they last for so much longer. I buy a dozen at Panera, freeze them, and then have fresh tasting bagels every morning for weeks.

I love this "Now Showing" wall plaque for movie buffs. And I also love the home theatre sign!

I guess if I won this, and since rule 3 states to choose something, I would really, really want this $20 Coleman propane burner for camping.

Ehh I'd be wary. You can find gear for cheap, you just have to do some searching. Looks like you've got plenty of time to do that, too. If you're not willing to commit to backpacking as a hobby just yet, don't worry about buying the $300 sleeping bag. I have a $40 one I got on Amazon and it works amazing if you run hot. We have a "guest" backpack that we got from Costco for $25 (yeah it's not the best engineered pack, but perfect for someone who only goes once every few years). Costco is also great for cheap, non-cotton clothing and socks. They should be getting all of that stuff in in a few weeks.

REI gear sales are the way to go for headlamps, pads and tents. This is a good mid-level cooking set for two, and the Pocket Rocket is a good quality, low price stove option.

Basically, for the cost to rent, you could get mostly set-up with mid-range gear you can keep. You've got the time to find the good deals, why not take advantage of it?

Also, super jealous. I've always wanted to go to Glacier N.P.

The tent in this picture appears to be the kind that just has 3 flexible poles. This is an example. Really easy to set up. Camp in a campground. State parks are usually pretty nice. Your car will be right there. They often have pay phones and camp hosts if you run into problems. They usually sell firewood too. Make yourself some Fire Starters, this can be a fun activity by itself. Or buy some. Pack a cooler, something to cook on and something to cook in. Here is a good link to camping food. Check out this kid camping guide and maybe go over to r/camping. Have so much fun! Camping is amazing. I have been doing it my entire life, all of my kids and their spouses camp, so far my grandkids love it too. So many amazing memories to be had.

I've made many alcohol stoves and have found that the penny stove is the best overall design. You can pour unused fuel back into the bottle and it has pretty good heat output. If you don't mind a little more weight the Trangia stove is a good option-it's quite a bit more durable than the penny stove, and you can carry it with fuel in it without spilling.

I've made several quilts, both down and synthetic. Down is a bit of a PITA to deal with so take that into account. A climashield quilt is pretty easy on the other hand-quilt it with yarn and very easy to handle during construction. Not compressible though, unlike down. I do also have the EE Revelation in regular/regular/20 degree rating and am very happy with it. I was out with it the other night in Shenandoah-33 degrees with high humidity and was nice and warm sleeping in a base layer and underwear.

You can also get an Esbit version. They're nice because they can hold a fair bit of fuel in a pretty small package. It comes with a screw top and an O-ring, so you can fill it with fuel, put it out, and seal it back up with no wasted fuel. They're also lightweight, and you can use over the counter rubbing alcohol for fuel - although the BTUs on that sort of stuff might be inferior to other fuels. I don't know.

The only thing I WILL say about them, though, is that I'd recommend keeping it relatively warm in colder weather. I've found that my alcohol stove simply refuses to start if its too cold, and so the last time I went out I kept it in my sleeping bag with me while I slept, and it fired up without much trouble in the morning.

Also would recommend some sort of windscreen, just in case. Esbit does also make another UL stove that uses their fuel tablets, which the alcohol stove can fit into (but getting it lit requires a little extra effort either getting it into the slots, or lighting it while its in the slots).

Of course, there's also always these guys also by Esbit, which you can store the fuel cells in when its folded. The only thing I don't like about them (which take with a giant grain of salt, because I'm 100% an amateur to all of this) is that you're limited with the fuel cell and the length of burn. You don't end up wasting any excess fuel with the alcohol stove. Also, you do get the added benefit, if you're using rubbing alcohol for fuel, of having an antiseptic available in a pinch.

Finally, an option to keep the whole package on the small end, you have these little guys as pot stands. They work great to keep my pot elevated off the stove, but I will say that they do seem to get in the way of the burn a bit and inhibit some of the airflow, but not enough to be a huge issue. They fit into the Esbit alcohol stove perfectly, but again, you might be better off with something that lifts the pot up a bit more for a better burn. I think they're designed to be used with the their own brand of alcohol stove, though, so that's probably why they don't work great.

Whilst i spent a fair amount on my pack, sleeping bag and pad, and tent the rest i cheaped out on. Echoing what others have said but most clothing you can get cheap (any poly/.running t shirts and base layers, sleeping socks, gloves, hat, swimming trunks), trash bag for pack liner, cat can alcohol stove (or stoveless, if you prefer canister then there's always this for cheap and light http://www.amazon.com/BRS-Ultralight-Camping-Outdoor-Cooking/dp/B00NNMF70U ) , uniqlo UL down jacket (you can get them on ebay for at least half price to), frogg toggs for waterproofs. Darn tough socks might be expensive at first but the warranty would probably make them worth it in the case of a thru hike. Cascade Mountain Tech Carbon Fiber poles if you want to use hiking poles for $30. Depending on your budge the Six Moon Designs Scout tent is lightweight (34 oz) and only $125. CCF pads are much cheaper and fine for some, but i'd try and test one out first if you can.

Second hand gear is always a good way to go, i stalked eBay a fair bit getting gear together. As far as shoes go, trail runners are very popular but do tend to have shorter lives so i'd recommend approach shoes (such as Merrell Moab Vents) which tend to last a bit longer. The biggest way to save money though is to just not buy gear, which will also help keep your weight down. If you just embrace the fact you're going to stink and be dirty from the start then you don't need that second t shirt and trousers/trunks, less pairs of socks and underwear etc.

Not exactly. I have a typical, generic stir fry template (unless I'm trying to do something specific).

Heat a little oil till almost smoking, throw in some dried whole chiles and stir fry until they toasted and are smelling good.

Throw in the velveted meat, cooking till the color is right (need not be totally cooked through at this point), add some minced ginger and garlic and fry another 30 seconds or so until aromatic, then pull the meat and chiles and set aside.

Add whatever veggies and stir fry till just shy of tender-crisp (if you have a lid, another technique you can use--depending on the veggies involved--is adding a small bit of water and putting a lid to the wok to encourage steaming).

Add the meat back in along with whatever sauce is being used, and continue to cook until everything's happy.

My usual finishing sauce is a combination of soy sauce, water, sugar, rice wine, toasted sesame seed oil, corn starch.

There is a FANTASTIC youtube channel for American Chinese featuring an old hand that knows what the fuck he is doing. I will try to find it for when you I get home from work, and will edit it into this comment if I do.

EDIT - The chiles are totally optional. You can leave them out altogether, leave them in but eat around them, or, if you are a heat freak like me, eat them whole along with everything else on your plate. If you just want a kiss of heat, toast them in the oil, and then remove and discard before adding your meat. You can get big bags of the right kinda dried chile at any Asian grocery for cheap.

EDIT - Some links!

So in reviewing, this guy's channel has some American Chinese, but a lot of authentic Chinese recipes as well. If nothing else, watch some of his stir fry videos just to check his technique. Very solid fundamentals, but you'll need a proper wok and a decent gas burner to do what he does.

Here's the channel: Siu's Cooking

Not sure what your setup is, but these things are fantastic if you don't have access to a decent gas range: Portable Butane Burner. These are also available (along with fuel canisters) at pretty much any Asian grocery, usually less than $20.

Here's another solid channel to browse: Happy Wok

For cooking, it depends on what style of camping you're doing. The pocket rocket is great for backpacking because it compromises ease of use for size and weight. If you decide to go that route, you can get a similar stove for cheaper. They're also on eBay and sites like dealextreme, just search "3.9oz stove". But if you're car camping, where weight and size aren't big concerns, there are better stoves for that.

The standard Coleman 2-burner is great. The difference is that you get a more stable platform and two burners at the same time, to cook a more complex meal. Also, you don't have to be careful about shaking your pan or setting it down carefully (worrying about knocking over the a pocket rocket-style stove). The Coleman is expensive but anything like that would be good (something sturdy). You can also find them pretty often at garage sales, thrift stores, etc. That basic design has been around for decades, and they're simple and well built so they usually last.

Campfire cooking works, but it's hard to get the right heat in the right spot, control the heat level over time, fashion something to hold your pots/pans over it, etc.

The best way to use canisters in the snow is using a stove that has a preheat loop where you can invert the canister and push liquid fuel. Or get canisters that are a propane / butane mix. The jetboil branded canisters are a mix, MSR is a mix, and Coleman is a mix.

That said, warming the canister is smart. Know that the propane will burn off faster in cold temps leaving you with a butane canister eventually. :)

For a simple and fairly cheap remote stove with a preheat loop, check out the Kovea Spider - amazon

Good luck! Hiking, Skiing, or Snowshoeing in the cascades is AWESOME.

I am haul my 6.5" cast iron. I have a cook set with a pot but i needed a frying pan. I usually camp with my SO and we love to cook. We decided that the 6.5" pan would be worth bringing because we could cook two dishes at the same time (without bringing two stoves or extra fuel) one over the fire and one on the isobutane stove. This is our luxury item.

As far as what to cook that is entirely up to you. I love good food and if you plan your meals properly the sky is the limit. Everything you make at home can come with you if it is properly planned/packaged for the journey. Hard bread, hotdogs, pizza mix (transport sauce in a small bottle of dressing), bake cake in an orange, raw meat (if you freeze it the night before), pre-cook a steak very rare and finish cooking it when you arrive, fire roasted vegetables, stuffed peppers, pasta.

If you're near water (and it's legal to do so) fishing is a great way to pass the time. You don't need a fishing pole you can wind the line around your water bottle. Or make one with a stick and a few small eye screws like this. You could also use a slingshot to "cast".

I've got half a dozen different stoves and a soda can side-burner alcohol stove was still what I preferred to use on my last trip. The only real downside is that it consumes a decent volume of fuel. For a 3 day/2 night trip I bring a full 8 oz to cook 2 freeze dried dinners and hot drinks in the morning.

Another great budget alternative are these imported canister stoves. I bought two just in case they were unreliable, but so far, they've been absolutely great. No worse than a MSR Pocket Rocket or Snow Peak GigaPower.

An expedition stove with fuel bottle and pump - the kind you need to prime - I'll ONLY bring that for snow camping. It's just not worth the size, weight, and hassle to light.

My favorite thing about alcohol stoves is that they're so quiet and peaceful. There's really something to the name of the site zenstoves.net (by the way, for backpacking/boiling water, I recommend the supercat). If you get a chance, watch it burn at night. Looks amazing.

Two ain't so bad!


12.27 in my general wishlist, linked to the right one...pretty sure.


1.00 in under $5, it's cheaper than the default, but not the default, but I'm sure I linked it right.

Three's a crowd!

5.49 in food

6.89 in default wishlist, not cheapest but I think I linked the exact one.

.99 Whisper to a dream MP3, in mp3 wishlist

Hopefully, no crazy price swings! And thanks for all the gifting, this socking,y took less time than damnyoureloud's contest!

I may edit if I can find that one perfect gift?

And remember you can just bring the bits you need. I like mine better for the weight actually, and have 2 different kits:


https://www.reddit.com/r/CampingGear/comments/2h32ru/picked_these_up_at_the_store_for_1495_and_1995/

I reeally like them and when i go by myself i just take the small one, and when 3 people I take them all and 2 stoves. I have an older pocket Rocket clone but got this little baby a few months ago for $10 or 11 bucks:

https://www.amazon.com/BRS-Ultralight-Camping-Outdoor-Cooking/dp/B00NNMF70U

I just try to be cheap thrifty so I do tend to look for sales and "clones". My buddy just bought the whole kit he needed for JMT and is in over 3 grand. My kit is pretty good and I am in for maybe $500-600.

I can always go back and buy the super expensive gram saving thing if I find I want to loose more weight from my pack down the road. But i figure at this point a diet will do more for trail weight than fancy gear.

The REI Magma 850 Down Jacket is on sale for 50% off right now (13.75 oz) I got the same one without the hood when it was available and have loved it so far. This is nerdy as hell but you could get this dope glow in the dark multi purpose swiss army knife and save some weight. Get the BRS Stove and save a couple ounces. You could probably get by with the Anker 13000. Don't know what your sit pad is but the GG 1/8" Foam Pad is super light. I emailed GG and they said the pads would be available soon

I've met lots of people with dragonfly stoves - it presses home though why the whisperlite is named as such. the noise THE NOISE that a dragonfly makes..
this (control) is a real problem with whisperlites though - if i want to apply less heat than the lowest working setting (will vary with fuel type and quality), i tend to just hold the pan above the flame - practical enough when frying eggs, perhaps less so with more elaborate cuisine.

an inexpensive way to have a gentle simmer - buy (or better, make your own) spirit burner; very light and inexpensive so no biggie if you decide you don't like it. they don't have the grunt that petrol or gas stoves have, but i was impressed with how good they actually are. (something like www.amazon.co.uk/Trangia-Spirit-Burner-With-Screwcap/dp/B000AR7970 or home-made - http://www.instructables.com/id/Can-Stove/ ) a spirit stove is hardly an encumbrance, so you can simmer your dinner on it, while making tea AT THE SAME TIME. (my god, the luxury)
a small bottle of ethanol is useful to have in any event, for lots of things, not least cleanly priming your whisperlite, or getting the f*cker to light at all if you're using paraffin or diesel.

Yeah while you don't need a jet engine to stir-fry, I do think gas is preferable to electric. People make do, but I personally just can't stand electric ranges.

This's the burner we use, more or less. It seems slightly different (perhaps even a bit stronger? When I converted our stove's KwH to BTUs I got something a shade over 9k but that one says its 12k), but it's the same company and the same model name.

If you opt for something a shade stronger like this one, 15k BTUs is like literally exactly what a Chinese home kitchen stove is. Smack a wok ring on that for a nice large round bottomed wok and you got basically an ideal set-up imo.

A lot of people are going to suggest that you just build your own. It's pretty easy to do so out of a cat food tin or a soda/beer can. There's a ton of websites and YouTube videos with directions on how to do so, so a google search for instructions should easily yield results. Homemade alcohol stoves are also going to be lighter yet than any commercially produced models.

The only commercially produced brand of alcohol stove that I have any familiarity with is the Trangia Spirit Burner. They are pretty cheap (usually around $15) and while they are light, they are noticeably heavier than a soda can stove is. They are much more durable than most homemade models are, though.

The one thing that I like about the Trangia is that you can purchase it with a primer for it improves the stove's efficiency in cold weather. You could probably build one yourself to use with a homemade stove, too, though.

(Edited to add links.)

So... as a soylent consumer (I replace 1-2 meals per day with it), I would like to warn you about the awesome fiber and poop that it has. Not a big issue if you are camping at a place with a toilet... not so idea during a rain storm in a parking lot.

Another option is to carry some canned goods given that weight isn't as much of an issue. Canned soups and the like have a similar price to calorie and for most people will taste a lot better. If you want to splurge, a tub of mountain house freeze dried food would be lighter and taste pretty good. And on the cheap side, rice and beans is simple and filling.

For stove, depending on which type of canisters you want to deal with, there are some cheap stove options such as 1 and 2

We use a propane Camp Chef COven . Not only does it cook your food, but it’ll warm you van, too!

Warm belly full of lasagna, warm van, perfect to go to bed! LOL!

You look pretty solid, honestly.

How much night hiking do you do? Are you sure you need the headlamp? You could probably get away with something like this. It's the one I use, weighs like 9g

Also, how attached are you to your jetboil? Have you tried the BSR? Only weighs 25g, uses the same fuel. Your pot should fit as well.

This is my 10oz luxury kitchen

https://www.traildesigns.com/products/fissure-ti-tri

with wood burning insert and kojin stove

With Evernew 760 mug
EVERNEW 760FD Titanium Cup https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C6H8KX8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_qhRKDbDR8GG4E

and this lid
TOAKS Titanium Lid for TOAKS Cups... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072BTZ7RM?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

And this dry baking pan (yes you can!)
https://www.flatcatgear.com/shop/snow-leopard-baking-pan/

this esbit holder
https://www.flatcatgear.com/shop/epicurean-ul15-stove/

This alcohol stove
https://www.minibulldesign.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=301&idcategory=18

This silicone band to hold it all together (just one X band)
Grifiti Band Joes Cross Style 4, 6, 9, 12 Inch Assorted 20 Pack X Shape Wrist, Books, Cameras, Art, Cooking, Wrapping, Exercise, Bag Wraps, Dungies, Silicone Rubber https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018WQII2A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_YwRKDbP7626DD


Mug + cone + wood burning insert + esbit holder + baking pan + remote alcohol stove + mini bic lighter + tinder = 10.2 oz and it ALL fits inside the can (yep, all at the same time)


Yes, all up its pretty heavy but you’ll almost never need or want to have all the options on a single trip but you could. More importantly, with this one kit you can adapt for a trip in any environment with any fuel and you can bake stuff in it too

BONUS!
this mug will also fit a BRS 3000T stove, bic lighter, and a 100g butane canister inside (but not at the same time as all the other stuff)
BRS Only 25g BRS-3000T Ultra-Light Titanium Alloy Camping Stove Gas Stoves Outdoor Cooker Outdoor Stove Gas Stove Miniature Portable Picnic https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XNLSNFR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_LsRKDbZ47R6HQ

In that case, I'd recommend going as light-weight as you can. A set like the one in the photo will be fine for car camping, but too heavy for backpacking, especially multi-day. Here's what I take when backpacking:

Toaks titanium 700ml pot

BRS ultralight gas stove

Toaks titanium folding spork

And a 4 or 8oz gas canister like this one, depending on how long I'll be going for. Don't get the gas canisters online though, get them at a camping or outdoors store, they'll be cheaper.

Honestly, that's all I need for solo backpacking. If you're backpacking with other people, you would maybe need a bigger pot (like 800 or 900ml), but I prefer to use the smaller one and make batches of food if need be. If I'm going car camping, I can bring more stuff as needed (cups, mugs, bowls, etc).

You don't need to get the exact items I have, but basically just ask for a simple, ideally ultralight gas canister stove, cooking pot (ideally titanium, not stainless steel), and a lightweight spork.

I also don't think you need tupperware unless you're car camping. When I backpack, I bring primarily dried foods that require not much cooking (asian style noodles, oatmeal, couscous, etc), and augment with some packaged tuna or chicken (in a bag, not a can) and spices. You can browse through /r/trailmeals for inspiration on cooking while camping.

There are some great deals to be had on /r/geartrade and /r/ulgeartrade and as mentioned before whiteblaze.net used gear forum.

Look at youtube for videos on ultralight on a budget. Compare things and research. For example GSI's Microdualist cookset is $55 at REI - https://www.rei.com/product/830830/gsi-outdoors-halulite-microdualist-cookset?CAWELAID=120217890000796848&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=15724606000&CATCI=pla-133227615640&cm_mmc=PLA_Google|404_10153|8308300001|none|f679b86e-0c1a-4715-82c0-4c64ac953c04|pla-133227615640&lsft=cm_mmc:PLA_Google_LIA|404_10153|8308300001|none|f679b86e-0c1a-4715-82c0-4c64ac953c04|pla-133227615640&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsa7pmoiv1QIVCAVpCh197gVtEAQYASABEgKojPD_BwE Walmart sells the exact same set (I've got the GSI and I'm kicking myself after seeing this) for $15 - https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-10-Piece-Easy-Storing-Camp-Cook-Set/49332887 - I've compared them and they are identical except for the utensils!

Amazon for a great titanium stove - $16 - https://www.amazon.com/Titanium-Miniature-Ultra-light-Equipment-Supplies/dp/B01N5WRJ8A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501351142&sr=8-1&keywords=brs-3000t.

Look at tents from NatureHike - their BA Fly Creek knockoff is a bit heavier and gets fantastic reviews for $100-120ish on ebay or Aliexpress.

You can start out with stuff like this, be relatively light and upgrade from there!

C..

2. Keep all of your valuables (electronics, passport, wallet, etc.) in an easy-to-remove bag. I use a small ulock and try to lock my frame to something and then run a small cable lock through the handles of panniers. My wheels have anti-theft bolts on them, so they're not easy to steal. Keep in mind that most theaves are opportunists and want something quick and easy--so don't make your bike quick and easy. For grocery stores: some stores will let you roll your bike into the entrance area or leave it leaning near the cash register.
   
   
3. Personally, I like a warm meal / coffee especially when the weather is wet. If you're on the fence, I'd suggest buying a Trangia alcohol stove ($20!) and you can always ditch it if you're not using it. I use it in conjunction with the Vargo Hexagon Wood Stove but you can get a smaller/lighter pot holder. The stove is light, runs silently and the fuel is cheap and easy to find.
   
   
4. This time of year is a good time to get apparel on sale. Check out brands like Pearl Izumi or the house-brand at Mountain Equipment Co-op (if you're Canadian.) For touring you can usually skip a proper jersey and instead do a merino t-shirt, you don't really need the pockets since you've got bags with you.

I just recently went on my first backpacking trip. It was just an overnight trip, but I used this: http://www.amazon.com/Esbit-Ultralight-Folding-Pocket-Tablets/dp/B001C1UGVO

It was the cheapest (10 dollars including enough fuel for a day or two), smallest stove I could find, it was rated well and I got free shipping. After using it, I was very happy with it. I used it to boil water for coffee, and I cooked hotdogs and chili with it as well.

I was literally just using it on the ground (and I only brought a small lantern and some glow-sticks with me for light. I was able to cook on it in the dark nonetheless. Super easy and effective.

If I decide to go on longer trips, I might get something bigger, but then again I might not. It's pretty awesome.

The only downside is that the fuel has a bad odor, and you have to wash your hands (or wear gloves) when handling it. Simple problem to fix though. Just don't sit downwind of it and keep your food covered if possible.

A few items that look heavy:

• compressible pillow @ 9oz is super heavy, but if it's the only thing that will help you sleep that's ok (-6oz for inflatable)
  
• could use a BRS stove that's lighter, but the pocket rocket is fine (-2oz)
  
• could go to a smaller power bank (6700mAh around 4oz) to save 2oz or so
  
  Also, as I reiterate to everyone, lyme disease is VERY rampant in the northeast. Don't by shy about packing more DEET or picaridin. Soak all of your clothes in permethrin before the trip, particularly socks.

I bring a folding table like this one. I have a 2-burner Coleman stove that runs off propane and a single-burner butane stove. I'll bring one or the other depending on how many fuel canisters I find while packing. I always bring gear for cooking (pan/pot, spatula, tongs, ladle, hot pads, seasonings, etc.) but the most common stove use is boiling water in a kettle (for making coffee in an Aeropress or french press). I'm one of those "it's better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it" people who brings EVERYTHING!

I usually camp with a large group. We try to plan so that everyone (or every couple) brings one meal to share to reduce the overall prep work and expense. Sometimes we have electric available at camp and I will do a slow-cooker recipe on site. Other times I make a dish at home, freeze it so it will keep in the cooler, then re-heat it on the stove. A 'one pot' dish like soup or jambalaya is easy to re-heat and serve and doesn't generate a huge mess to clean. Tip: add dish soap to a small scrubby sponge (or cut a larger sponge into a more manageable size) and keep it in a ziploc. The reduces the chances of a soap spill/disaster and it can be thrown away if no longer usable at the end of the fest.

I bring a few snacks and something to eat in the mornings (plus coffee - never go without a reliable caffeine source!) in addition to my group meal contribution. I rely on the vendors for everything else.

Stove: Check out this little guy: http://www.amazon.ca/Esbit-0-4-Ounce-Ultralight-Folding-Titanium/dp/B002AQET2C/ref=sr_1_7?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1405465089&sr=1-7&keywords=esbit+stove

I just got one for myself. I got it because it has stands that you can put a water bottle on top of, and it weighs something hideous like 12 grams.
I know MEC has a little titanium hockey puck-sized stove you fill with alcohol. I decided to stick to solid fuel because it won't leak, it's compact, and you can replace it with stuff you find in the field in a pinch.
MEC also has a neat folding wood stove. It's a titanium hexagon with folding leaves. I thought about that but it's pricey.


Food: I don't know if 120 calories per gram is even possible. That might be calories per ounce.
I have a few clif bars and some bounce energy balls. They're about 4 calories per gram.
Don't stress too much about about energy density. I'd say as long as it's in that neighbourhood and it will last a year, put it in. I was even considering a wheel of preserved brie and some crackers to class it up a bit, but realized it might not do so well in the hot trunk of a car.

Water: Every thread here that mentions the LifeStraw has at least one person chime in and say a Sawyer mini filter will do a better job for less. I have experience with neither, but I've got a Sawyer on the way from Amazon.

There are a bunch of gear tips and recommendations in the wiki:

https://www.reddit.com/r/CampingandHiking/wiki/index/gear

Probably worth reading through the whole wiki if you haven't been out in a while, there's some good stuff in there that'll get you on the right track.

I'm a fan of Gossamer Gear packs for light loads, they make a nice day pack, too:

http://gossamergear.com/packs.html

The Pocket Rocket is a pretty tried and true backpacking stove, and there are a ton of cheap clones on Amazon.

Get you're self one these super light and solid stoves only $17. I've had one going for over a year now with no issues, I know folks who have had them for longer. Then find a titanium pot and spork. I really like this one. There are cheaper ones but titanium is the way to go. Save money with the cheap stove and get the light weight pot instead. This set up is all you need and will save you weight and allow you to carry more camera gear.

Olicamp mug/pot $12, 4oz weight, 20oz capacity

BRS 3000T Burner $15, 25g. It really is an amazing little micro stove.

Jetboil Flash LID This lid fits the Olicamp mug/pot perfectly! $6, plus shipping. About 1oz

A 100g canister fits perfectly inside, plus the BRS and a bic. The jetboil lid fits securely and keeps everything together.

Ditch the canteen.. carry your water in 1L and/or 750ml smartwater/lifewater bottles. Seriously. It’s durable, and weighs significantly less.

I probably wont be doing much until the weather warms up and I can afford to deck it out. My plans are to get a Fantastic fan, some solar panels, batteries and wire it all up. After that I am thinking of mounting a propane tank underneath where one of the fuel tanks was as well as a fresh water tank. It will have a very small kitchenette with a propane powered stove with oven. Not sure if I will go with a minifridge or just use a cooler. Also there will be a toilet. Sounds like a lot to cram in there once I write it all down, but I think it will be great. Keep an eye on the sub, Ill definitely post pictures when I do make progress.

Cat food can stove, denatured alcohol and ramen. Cost a fraction and provides sufficient calories. Add a few snickers in there for variation.


This is the best suggestion. Ramen can be eaten without cooking too. Throw in a few sauce packs from restaurants like soya, chili sauce, mayo, Vary up the Snickers with Tiger bars, granola bars, Cliff bars etc. A few packs of tuna and chicken in the foil packs. A few tins of Vienna sausage. 20-30 dollars should get you an awesome and compact 72 hour food kit. People tend to over think this.

Here is a better stove for 15 bucks ( I use 90% rubbing alcohol -- available at any pharmacy -- a lot for less than five dollars):

Trangia Spirit Burner

1. crash pad
   
   
2. shoes
   
3. chalk
   
4. brushes
   
5. 6 changes of clothes pair of shorts, pair of pants, 2 t-shirts, light jacket, sweatshirt/sweater, 2 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of underwear. You should be wearing about half of this going out. Just air out the clothes you aren't wearing, even better is to wash them in a stream.
   
6. toiletries Bar of soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, toilet paper, deodorant if you must
   
7. harness
   
8. belay device
   
9. warm hat and gloves not sure what the weather will be like but I reserve these for when it may snow
   
10. lots of socks
    
11. lounging shoes, hiking shoes running shoes are good for hiking if your pack isn't heavy >30lbs
    
12. sleeping bag
    
13. tent
    
14. pillow use your clothes
    
15. few 1 bowl
    
16. good calorie dense snacks such as nuts, jerky, dried fruit.
    
17. spork tool
    
18. pocket knife
    
19. phone charger. Is this solar or what? You're probably better off picking up a couple spare extended batteries and charging them up before you go, turn your phone off for most of the trip.
    
20. backpack, is this an additional pack? Or what all of this is in?
    
21. rain jacket $1 poncho
    
22. camera
    
23. book
    
    My additions:
    
    
24. headlamp and extra batteries
    
25. finger nail clippers, ibuprofin, antihistamines, wetnaps, purification tabs, bug spray
    
26. Ultralight towel
    
27. Ground mat
    
28. Camping pot
    
29. Water bottle, like the platypus
    
30. Medical tape
    
31. Firestarting kit: cotton balls soaked in vasoline, lighter, flint/steel
    
32. Whiskey
    
33. Dehydrated food of some sort.
    
    Bonus:
    
    
34. Weather radio
    
35. Camping stove
    
36. Hammock instead of a tent
    
    
    All in all I think you should keep your pack under 30lbs, especially if you are going to be doing some hiking.

I just purchased one of these little guys for $5 at a Sportsman's Warehouse in WY last week.

I tried two of the Coghlan's tablets (2@7g=14g) and it just made it to boiling. Haven't tried esbit yet, it may be worth the higher price.

I tried 14g of alcohol in a few of my diy stoves and they didn't even come close to a boil.

To me, that says solid is the UL choice.

This little stove is pretty amazing, yet simple. It's folding arms hold my 700ml Ti cup rock solid and the distance from the burner to the cup is perfect. At $5 and 14g, plus 14g/boil you can't go wrong.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002AQET2C?pc_redir=1397188849&robot_redir=1

Can you think of any reason why this would not work with creating starters? I'm trying to think of a way to safely support a 5L flask on their too. It looks like it would balance well enough

Edit: Actually, I may go this route instead...looks like it would balance better. Or this

Maybe this

Regulating the temperature on an electric burner element is tricky. If you want to experience the joy of gas cooking, try a butane burner like this.

I have a gas range, but I also have a single burner induction cooktop I use occasionally when I don't want to heat up the house or for overflow cooking, and that also actually does a pretty great job of controlling temperature. It does require either cast iron or tri-ply cookware though.

Ahh, awesome! I've made that recipe once and it was indeed delicious. If you haven't tried the chicken thigh version, IMO it's better: https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2015/04/pressure-cooker-fast-and-easy-chicken-chile-verde-recipe.html

edit to add: Have you considered a smaller burner like one of these? https://www.amazon.com/Iwatani-Corporation-America-ZA-3HP-Portable/dp/B006H42TVG/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=portable+gas+cooktop&qid=1566313614&s=gateway&sr=8-3

For 3 season, mostly fair weather, UK & European camping I am totally happy using my Duplex, so I would go with that. You just have to accept that condensation is a mostly daily management issue - no biggie!

I would look at halving your combined rainwear weight - the Montbell Versalite jacket and pants are good options that will get you under 300g for the both of them.

I would also look at the 2018/19 Montbell Exlite Anorak (if you can still get hold of one) - despite having a hood it is lighter than the Ghost Whisperer hoodless and it’s warmer by most accounts than the hooded GW too.

Personally I would go with an Evernew 900ml tall pot with lid at 95g (lighter than the Toaks and you can boil enough for 2 people’s dehydrated meals when you need to). I would also go against this sub’s Windmaster-love and choose instead a Firemaple stove for half the weight, or even a BRS at 1/4 the weight. There are lighter ways to master the wind than an 85g stove! (Use your tent vestibule or arrange your pack and some rocks as a wind-break)

Evernew 900

Firemaple FMS300T

Firemaple FMS116T

BRS 3000T

Edit: if you are interested in the Nitecore NU25 you can do a version of the Litesmith Mod yourself, as per this video:
NU25 Headband Mod

http://www.amazon.com/Ultralight-Backpacking-Canister-Stove-Ignition/dp/B00ENDROMW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1454174592&sr=8-4&keywords=Cannister+stove

Super cheap and works pretty well.

http://www.amazon.com/BRS-Ultralight-Camping-Outdoor-Cooking/dp/B00NNMF70U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1454175219&sr=8-1&keywords=Brs-25

I picked up a brs-25 earlier this week (when it was shipping from the US instead of China) and it's a cool 0.9 oz stove that runs $10-$18 if you can find it in stock (or are willing to wait for shipping from china.)

Massdrop has nice deals on klymit insulated static v lite pads every month or so. Usually around $55 shipped and 19 oz with a decent r rating.

Then go with the MSR Whisperlite that /u/gcranston recommends. However, it doesn't use ISO-Butane as suggested. It uses white gas. It is very easy to get a hold of here in the US. I have had one for almost 20 years and it still works wonderfully.

You have to purchase the bottle separately, but they aren't that expensive. Just make sure that you use a windscreen. It improves the cooking time significantly. You can easily make one.

I've used the Esbit (http://amzn.com/B001C1UGVO) stoves before too and they work. They don't work super fast, but if you are cooking something for one, you can't really get any cheaper. If you are only cooking for yourself or just heating things up, these little stoves work well. Every time I have used one, I have had people tell me that it will never work, how silly I look with them and how cheap I am, but they are small and cheap. Again, you need a windscreen for these to work.

No, but are we talking about you want something practical on the trail or do you just want to give someone a gift for gift givings sake?

For gift givings sake cause they're all basically toys and useless, get him the most popular one on the market, the Solo Stove

Okay, that helps. When it comes to stoves, the choices are canister gas (generally propane or butane) or liquid fuel (naphtha, gasoline, or similar). Would a bottle of liquid fuel be better, or would you have access to some sort of liquid fuel out in the field?

The smallest setup that’s reliable would probably be canisters; either an MSR PocketRocket with fuel canister or the Jetboil system.

You could go with liquid fuel and use an Optimus Nova. The ideal fuel for that stove is white gas (aka naphtha or Coleman fuel). However, in a pinch it can run on gasoline, kero, JP8, diesel, and other fuels. Just be aware that diesel burns a bit dirty. Only run it with good pressure and at maximum output if you use heavier fuel like that.

The Solo Lite is pretty compact, and burns biomass (sticks and such, collected from the field). Depending on the location, that may or may not be an option.

You could get something like this. Easy to store and you can get the tanks for pretty cheap. Just make sure you get a strong mesh that won't melt from the heat to rest the coals on.

> Fancy Feast stove

That's what Andrew Skurka uses. He says that he has tried various other builds, but none of them saved him enough fuel (vs the FF stove) to be worth the bother.

Personally, I like my Trangia, but I'm not an ultra-lighter. It's still pretty damn light, though, and very strong, since it's made of brass.

Firstly for the sleeping bag what temperatures are you looking at needing it for? also have you considered the possibility of a quilt?

How much water depends on the availability of it where you're hiking, but generally 2-4L as a start is usually good. For purification I bring a Sawyer Mini with a 2L bag and aquamira as a backup.

I prefer baby wipes as they can be used for other things but make sure you get biodegradable ones as well

My stove is a MSR Pocket Rocket but as a cheaper option [this] (http://www.amazon.com/Ultralight-Backpacking-Canister-Ignition-silvery/dp/B00ENDRORM/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1411302345&sr=1-2&keywords=msr+pocket+rocket) stove works well too. You also have the option of small alcohol stoves and other liquid fueled types.

Wow. Yea I can see that.

Someone should write a book; a street survival nutrition guide. It's not easy to buy the kind of food that works best in those situations from regular grocery stores.

Edit: we've been fly fishing out in the middle of nowhere for so long I can cook a surprising amount of stuff on this little stove the size of a pack of cigarettes, called an Esbit stove. Once you have the little stove, moreover, which costs about $10, the solid fuel pellets are really cheap. I could write an Esbit stove healthy field cooking cookbook.

This is also a great little stove for super cheap that's also super light. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N5WRJ8A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_GBBMAbNJGEDAC

For your stove, I would swap out the Pocket Rocket for the BRS 3000 titanium stove. I've used this stove for almost a year of casual backpacking and my buddy has used hers for almost a year of hard use (almost every day for 3 months). I love this stove! Price:$13-$20 on Amazon. Weight saved: 2oz
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06XNLSNFR/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511720626&sr=8-1-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=brs+titanium+stove&psc=1&smid=AYV8D5JVC1UF2

Definately use the smaller canister for your fuel. I went on a 6 day trip where I cooked breakfast and dinner every day, and I had fuel left over at the end of it.

Check out the Yama Mountain Gear pogies. They are cheap, and are definately gonna ventilate better than the rain mitts. (I've never used them, but I'm gonna get some)
https://www.yamamountaingear.com/pogies-rain/

The only other thing I might suggest would be to use the Anker 1300. You'd gain a little weight, but it gives you an extra phone charge. This is really only necessary if you'll be using your phone for maps or pictures.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00Z9QVE4Q/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1511720683&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=anker+13000&dpPl=1&dpID=314Zy5LrQ7L&ref=plSrch

This really depends on your gear. The biggest weight savers are firstly bringing less (such as getting rid of extra clothes, knives, tablets etc) but then getting a lighter tent, sleeping bag, and pack. If you're good on those or can't lose weight there, next up could definitely be the cookset. A cheap light titanium pot and a light stove can make a big difference. Far down the list is tent stakes, imho. If you have cheap heavy stakes, sure swap them out. But there are bigger fish to fry if you're a novice.

I'm looking at this [oven](https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0013LLSZG/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&psc=1&linkCode=sl1&tag=just015f-20&linkId=5d06b42f999620646db0fdf39389dadf) on Amazon as a potential option. Would it be safe in a oven and what kind of precautions should I take? Are there better options? Cooking in an oven is important to me as I enjoy cooking and baking.

You could use the campfire, or you can use one of these too: http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-2000004124-PefectFlow-1-Burner-Stove/dp/B0009PUR5E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394047763&sr=8-1&keywords=coleman+single+burner


As for best quicklights, most people will tend to agree that 3 Kings are the best Ql's

I have one of these mil surplus sets, the stand works perfectly as a windscreen & pot holder, I use it with a trangia burner and this snow peak cookset. I bought an extra silicon bowl and a few cups and can stuff 2 bowls and 4 cups in the cookset & it still fits in the nylon mesh bag it comes with.

For the trangia stove, it boils water quite fast with this setup, you can adjust the flame, and it has a screw on lid so you can save unused fuel, well worth the $15.

I've had good luck with Toaks products. You can hold the handle without it being too hot, even with boiling water. This should fill your requirements:

https://www.toaksoutdoor.com/collections/pot95/products/pot-550-l

For a stove I use this popular item:

https://www.amazon.com/BRS-Outdoor-Camping-Portable-Ultralight/dp/B00NNMF70U

Super light, heats water up just fine.

We have a portable butane stove we can put on the dinner table like this. (This is also really handy for picnics and cookouts...or if you like hot pot, or shabu shabu, or fondue...very handy to have around)

And then we have something like this or this to put on the stove. Personally, I'd go to a korean grocery, as they'll probably sell something like this at a cheaper price.

You probably can get away with using a small pan too.

I wouldn't buy bottled marinade. The sauce is really easy to make, and there are plenty of recipes online.

Edit: note also that if you're planning on doing this inside there's going to be a bit of smoke. You may have to open windows! The 'smokeless' pan above isn't as smokeless as one would like.

Hope you like it! Sorry it's not more organized. If you're stir frying often, maybe consider getting one of these. Every Asian household has one and most Asian grocery stores sell them. They run on butane cans that are pretty cheap. Cooking on gas is next level even compared to induction. You can set a wok ring over it for some pretty serious stir fry capability for not that much money.

So is propane the best for weight right now besides alcohol? I love my white gas! Is this the stove you have for solo? https://www.amazon.ca/BRS-Ultralight-Camping-Outdoor-Cooking/dp/B00NNMF70U

I'm leaving for my solo wct in two days, Tuesday May 7!

• Isobutane/n-butane/propane (aka "LPG" liquid petroleum gas) tanks are not universally available, though common in urban areas in First World countries.
  
  
• For long trips, methyl-alcohol is very common. (HEET in the yellow bottle is found in gas stations, "liquid chafing dish fuel" at supermarkets, nevermind camp-specific stuff)
  
  For general use, get an alcohol stove with Caldera cone:
  
  http://andrewskurka.com/2015/gear-list-3-season-backpacking-stove-the-cadillac/
  
  Buy a kit with a titanium pot set which you can use with any other stove you own.
  
  For ultra cold, very long, and/or high altitude: Optimus Polaris Optifuel. Burns anything except alcohol (LPG, white gas, kerosene, diesel, gasoline, jet fuel, car gas) all without changing jets. The Whisperlite is primitive compared to this one.
  
  To comment on your suggested stoves:
  
  
• Forget the Whisperlite; you have to change jets to switch fuels. (annoying, easily lost parts)
  
  
• I'm fairly sure the Windburner is for boiling water only; you can't cook or melt snow with it. Too limited and it's a proprietary system like buying into the Apple ecosystem.
  
  
• Canister stoves like the Microrocket are a dime a dozen. The Optimus Crux folds smaller and boils water faster but the BRS Titanium stove is the best bargain at $13 on Amazon or GearBest.
  

Check out the Windpro II. It has a wide flame, so it is good for "real" cooking. And a remote canister, which means that it is shorter (more stable) and you can fully enclose it with a windscreen.

http://www.cascadedesigns.com/msr/stoves/gourmet-cooking/windpro-ii/product

If the Windpro II is too pricey, check out the Kovea Spider. The flame isn't as wide as the Windpro, but it is still pretty good for a canister stove.

https://www.amazon.com/Kovea-Spider-Stove-Small-Silver/dp/B00CFPIPKA/

-I would start with finding a lighter tent first. If you don’t have the cash for new check craigslist or eBay.
-10 lbs of clothes also seems excessive (think layers and the only items I would ever consider varying more than one would be socks/underwear)
-Im not sure what your plans on food are but freeze dried/dehydrated meals and a lightweight stove would be my recommendation. One of these (https://www.amazon.com/MSR-11792-PocketRocket-Stove/dp/B000A8C5QE) and a lightweight pot to boil in would save you a lot weight.
-Your sleeping bag is also pretty heavy and depending on what the temperatures are you can find lightweight down bags that aren’t very expensive as long as the temperature won’t be under 30 degrees.
-You may want to consider a water filter if you’re backpacking in an area that has water readily available.

I have the BSR one off Amazon. I actually got mine from BuyGeek flash sale for $9.99, free shipping. Took 2 weeks to get here from a China. It's been a pretty good stove for me.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00NNMF70U/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522032785&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=bsr+stove&dpPl=1&dpID=318GiUmpQkL&ref=plSrch

Does anyone have recommendations on the best pot(s) to bring backpacking? I'm looking for something that is light weight, durable, and will fit easily on my Coleman single burner propane stove
Edit: Coleman Bottle Top Propane Stove https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009PUR5E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_kLcjzbZCYHCDA

Coleman Bottle Top Propane Stove,Green,6.62" H x 7.81" W x 7.75" L https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009PUR5E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_hZxQBb3YGJQA2

This is what I have and it works great. Can be a bit of a pain (top heavy) with my huge cast iron but it's do-able. Works perfectly fine with my smaller more standard size cast iron. For the money it's hard to beat.

I know you wanted the rubberized handles, but that limits your options significantly. I'd say apply the rubber yourself with a tool handle dip.
BRS Stove - $16
Snow Peak Trek 900 - $45
Rustoleum Grip Dip $17.50

That leaves a solid $10. You can have them pick you up a canister or two!
I've been using both the BRS Stove and Snow Peak Trek 900 and they both work great. Now, if you have a windy situation, you may need to build a windscreen or get a MSR Pocket Rocket.

​

Here is from the budget backpacker:

Stove: esbit is 6.3 oz with 6 fuel cubes (weight includes fuel) for <$11.00: http://www.amazon.com/Esbit-Ultralight-Folding-Pocket-Tablets/dp/B001C1UGVO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462135828&sr=8-1&keywords=esbit+stove

Pot: GSI stainless weighs 5 oz for <$10.50 http://www.amazon.com/GSI-Outdoors-Glacier-Stainless-Bottle/dp/B001LF3IB6/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1453225574&sr=8-6&keywords=backpacking+pot

Utensil: I use a standard aluminum fork and spoon because they weigh less than an ounce each, but you can also look at this:

Toaks titanium spork weighs 0.6 oz for <$9.00 http://www.amazon.com/TOAKS-SLV-01-Titanium-Spork/dp/B009AO19MK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462136083&sr=8-1&keywords=toaks+titanium+spork

Once again, not 100% ultralight, but pretty light weight and a good starting place for a beginner.

Head over to /r/Ultralight

It's a super active sub, and while you say ultra light isn't a necessity, there's a ton of good reviews and pack loadouts you can check out. I recently picked up SnowPeak LightMax.. Others have been using the cheap BRS-3000T

Get a $35 Butane/propane cooktop.

https://www.amazon.com/GS-3400P-Portable-Backpacking-Emergency-Preparedness/dp/B01HQRD8EO/ref=sr_1_3?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1540204781&sr=1-3&keywords=butane+propane+stove

They are much more versatile, the fuel is so cheap that you never recover the amount you invest in your electrical system.

Yes you can use them inside. No they don't produce much poison (on Butane) .

Further you can take the stove outside to a picnic bench when you got good weather and have friends over. With the induction cooktop you are always inside.

​

The microwave should be OK to run from the alternator. I'm running a 700w coffeemaker from a 1000w inverter 215ah battery and 200w solar. Every day and my alternator charges the battery always when I'm driving

Yes and no. Denatured alcohol from the paint section is your best bet. Rubbing alcohol has too much water in it usually, unless you find some 99%. It will work, but not as well. A quart of denatured is $5. Rubbing alcohol is about twice that price.

Heet costs more and there's little difference. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOLoLx5lF6U

Here's the one I use. (fixed, thanks breadpad) You can put it out and it screws closed to save the fuel. In practice, this sounds better than it works. Just don't overfill, and burn it till it's dry. Comes with a simmer ring. I fooled around with the can ones. My friend's monster can stove is nice. Soda can stoves don't hold enough fuel.

If your budget gets a little tight, here are a few suggestions to save a few bucks (yes, I'm a member of /r/frugal, here are a few tips:

• Buy a used backpack off eBay or Craigslist. Backpacking is a hobby that a lot of people think they want to get into, they buy an expensive pack, and it sits in their closet for 4 years. They use it once. Then they sell it -- this is how I have purchased both my backpacks. Here is an ad in your general area for a Gregory 80 L pack, lightly used. Retails for high $300's, you can get it for $120 or less.
  
• Don't buy specialized camping clothes. The only exception to this is socks (get wool ones, I like Darn Tough), and maybe underwear. I wear light gym shorts, an Under Armor shirt, a baseball hat with bandanna, and some crosstraining shoes/trail runners. Unless you have bad ankles, you are probably fine without the expensive hiking shoes. Do make sure you have solid raingear.
  
• For your first stove, go simple. This is a great starter.. The MSR Pocket Rocket is a little flashier but not a bad option either.
  
• Take a look at sierratradingpost.com, they occasionally have some very nice deals on there.

I use two stoves very similar to these for camping. Fuel is a little hard to find, but cheap, easy to handle and lasts quite a while. They seem to put out more concentrated heat than the gas stove in my house, so water boils faster, and still have enough control to not burn food in a pan. The ignition works flawless, too.

I'm unsure about their indoor safety, mostly because of the warning printed on them. They state that they are approved for camping use outdoors and commercial indoor use only. No idea if thats just regulatory, or if commercial structures have standards for ventilation.

This is the exact model I have:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RA8V1S

Sounds like you probably don't NEED the Whisperlite as you're not really taking advantage of its features and carrying all the extra weight of a Whisperlite.


There are tons of cheap canister stoves on Amazon. Since your friends use a Jetboil, it sounds like you can buy canister fuel. I currently use this stove. https://www.amazon.com/BRS-Outdoor-Camping-Portable-Ultralight/dp/B00NNMF70U/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1510073163&sr=1-1&keywords=bsr+stove&dpID=41J7KacqzpL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch I do find it is loud, but I bet it's much quieter than the Whisperlite which IIRC is very loud.


I've never understood the advantage to the Jetboil systems. IMO, they add a lot of extra weight to gain the fuel efficiency advantage of having a heat exchanger added into it. To me, they are simply not worth the extra expense and weight penalty.

A pack stove is what you're looking for. They run on solid, liquid, or gas fuel and span a wide range of prices. Jetboil is a popular but pricey brand with many models. This means you will be carrying the stove, the fuel, and another container for the water.

If you're talking about a day hike then your best option is to get a good thermos just fill it up before you leave. It will be a lot less hassle, weigh less, and take up less space.

A good starter peak to camp on is Timber Mountain. There is a broad flat area just North-East of the summit that is perfect for camping. It's a shorter hike than Cucamonga but starts at the same trailhead (Icehouse Canyon).

Columbine Spring used to be reliable but last time I was there (a few months ago) it was barely a trickle. So you would likely need to pack all your water with you.

As for a stove I've been using the same cheap $7 backpacking stove from Amazon for years. I recommend it to anyone just starting out since it is cheap and you can start to get a feel for what you want to cook when you backpack. Then later you can always upgrade to a JetBoil or Pocket Rocket and keep your first stove as a backup.

Purchases so far:

• Esbit stove. Haven't had a chance to use it yet.
  
  
• Solar 5 Battery/Charger First use last weekend. Really love it so far.
  
  
• LMF "Spork"
  
  On the to-buy list, I'm hoping to get into ultralight + hammock camping for the summer:
  
  
• Exos 48 Pack
  
  
• Hennessy Hammock Expedition
  
  Also do you guys have any recommendations for a warm-weather sleeping bag? I live in GA so past April, the lows only get into the 60-70 range on a "cold" night. I'm almost leaning towards Hammock + just a warm camp blanket. Any thoughts?

Solid fuel stoves aren't anything new. The one you link there is insanely expensive. As an example, here's one for under $10.

As for other suitable camp stoves, there are plenty out there. I have a Jetboil Flash system that I've been quite happy with. It boils water extremely quickly and is nearly foolproof to use. The downside is that it's not the lightest stove out there.

I also own a MSR Pocket Rocket stove. It's less full-featured than other stoves, but it's very small and light. You also must have a pot to use with it.

Just to throw out some general outdoors stuff that he may enjoy/not already own: a headlamp if he enjoys camping or being outside at night, a Leatherman or other general purpose multi-tool, a decent set of hiking boots, a Camelbak or similar hydration backpack.

I picked up a Pocket Rocket last year and its pretty solid if you dont mind carrying around fuel. I have a Dualist cook set that this folds up and fits inside of to save some space. The fuel canisters for it are small enough where I'm not worried about it taking up much room in my pack or adding to the weight I carry.

First off, your clothes/shoes won't dry inside a plastic bag. They need somewhere to transfer the moisture to. Keeping them loose in your sleeping bag is an absolutely awful idea. The moisture will transfer from your clothes to the synthetic/down insulation of the bag - effectively ruining its insulating power until it dries. If you are serious about going light, check out the quilts made by hammockgear.com. They are a good price and very light. Your stove options are either a light canister stove ( I use this baby at only seven bucks ) or to make your own denatured alcohol stove out of a soda/catfood can. Both work, and the stoves are easy to make. That will save you buku weight. For a tent, you need to look no farther than a Henry Shires tarptent. I personally like the notch and the contrail. Both are well under your budget, are incredibly well made and are less than 2 lbs.

https://www.amazon.com/GS-3400P-Portable-Backpacking-Emergency-Preparedness/dp/B01HQRD8EO/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1550037735&sr=8-1-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=dual+fuel+stove&psc=1#

These take the same fuel, but also butane cans which is more elegant and available at grocery stores, plus it's shorter and more stable.

Sounds to me like a normal Pyrex beaker would work just fine.

If you don't have a Bunsen burner available--not good practice to go heating chemicals on your stove--you can either get a small hot plate, or some kind of small gas burner, like a backpacker's stove (what I use).

You also want a propane bottle-top stove and a coffee can for boiling water for coffee/tea/ramen. http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-2000004124-PefectFlow-1-Burner-Stove/dp/B0009PUR5E/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1405985344&sr=8-3&keywords=propane+camping+burners

It'll fit in your saddlebag easy, and will make mornings a LOT easier.

The stove is a campchef that can be found here Camp Chef Camping Outdoor Oven with 2 Burner Camping Stove https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0013LLSZG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_lH80BbV4NPPG2
Works a treat :)
It's the short Wheelbase and the bed is lengthwise, I'm 6'3".
This setup is the max space efficient without sacrificing usability of the kitchen.

Ok you need a first aid kit because YOU NEVER KNOW and rocks are sharp.

You could also use FOOD, either in dehydrated form to cook with water on a camp burner, or in bar form.

HAVE FUN!

small camping stove

because being able to cook and boil water when the power goes out is amazing.

I have this one, which I recommend if you want to spend the extra $

sorry for huuuuuge links wtf edit: Thank you helpful mod!

I like these a bit better for this. You can build one out of a soda can too. My thought here is that you can run it on bottles of yellow HEET (fuel line defroster) which you can get at any gas station, hardware store or grocery store. For someone living on the streets it's a bit easier to get a hold of than a canister of fuel for a stove.

You can buy it here, off Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0013LLSZG?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_pd_title

I was looking for these specifically for RVs and the appropriate ones are over $1000!! I'm not spending that kind money for a stove so I got this camp stove which is exactly the same design as the professional ones.
I've added a safety valve so I close the gas evertime I'm not cooking.
Besides I will open the windows and emergency exit on the roof when I am.

Haven't used it yet just works like a charm from my quick test run.
See here for my IG story on it:
https://www.instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE3OTk1Nzc3ODU1MDkxMzUx/?utm_source=ig_story_highlights_share&igshid=s8coijb8138r

My wife and I started with a Trangia alcohol stove. It is great because you can store unused alcohol in the screw lid container, and it's very robust. The "simmer ring" isn't all that useful-except as a good way to snuff out your stove. The cons are it is heavier than other alcohol stoves.

Generally, alcohol stoves take longer to boil water than a canister stove. There is also the added risk of open fuel that is quite flammable. I've seen many a fireball happen from people with more than questionable alcohol stoves.

Ultimately we changed to a MicroRocket canister stove. The convenience of the canister stove just outweighed any additional weight (honestly, after a 1000 miles of hiking, the tiny difference in weight really doesn't matter). It cooked so much faster, was way quicker to set up, and we were not nearly as leery about cooking in our vestibule on some crappy days. At the end of long days all I want is to shovel as much food into my mouth as fast as possible.

Availability of canisters is abundant. Canister stoves are extremely popular on the trail and the outfitters know that. Practically all of the outfitters carry canisters. Finding denatured alcohol is quite easy as well. Either outfitters give it away, sell it by the ounce, or there is a local store to get a bottle of HEET (yellow bottle).

You will have to refuel more frequently with an alcohol stove. Probably on the order of once a week you will be looking for resupply. With a canister it's more like once a month (8oz.). We went ~500 miles on one canister, cooking 1 meal a day for 2 people. Others I know completed the entire trail in 4-5 canisters.

Some people have had canisters mail-dropped in, because they found cheap deals on the canisters. They are supposed to be packaged accordingly to USPS hazardous material standards, but I have seen people receive them in their regular mail drops. Do so at your own risk and all that.

In my opinion, I would recommend a canister stove. If I were to thru hike again I would take my canister stove, hands down.

I believe Kovea has a stove with a remote canister. More importantly, it has a preheater that allows the remote canister to be flipped over.

If you can spend more money, there's a new version of the Whisperlite that supports remote isobutane canisters as well as gas and kerosene, and can probably do those heavy green propane canisters with a Kovea adapter.

Edit: Found the stove. It's the Kovea Spider. In case you don't already know, the benefit of using a stove with an inverted canister is that you can burn the liquid butane first while retaining the propane in the canister to provide pressure.

I bought this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Camp-Chef-Camping-Outdoor-Burner/dp/B0013LLSZG/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1501074495&sr=1-2&keywords=camp+chef+oven
because I live on nachos and frozen pizzas and really wanted an oven. The van isn't finished yet but I've been using it in my house for the last few weeks and I love it.

For cooking issues in a real crisis, I made one of these burns very little wood, small sticks/twigs/woodchips. I made mine out of an old computer case, but any sturdy sheet metal will do. I also have a trangia which runs on alcohol. And a dutch oven which can be used over a campfire or buried with coals. For home heat, I have built a rocket mass heater before, they work great and stay warm long after the fire is out, but I rent now, so I have a small woodstove I can quickly hook up to the chimney if need be. Not that you asked about any of that =]

Does this mean something like this won't be allowed? Is butane a flammable liquid? Sorry if this is a really stupid question, but I don't want to bring a huge grill for just my friend and I.

Get a small propane cooker. They're cheap and heat water quickly, also good for cooking... whatever. Just be sure to crack a window or use it outside. Something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-2000004124-PefectFlow-1-Burner-Stove/dp/B0009PUR5E/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1398189942&sr=8-7&keywords=propane

Pretty sure this is a portable camp stove. You would maybe soak that pad in alcohol and set a pot on top. Something similar to this: https://www.amazon.com/Esbit-Ultralight-Folding-Pocket-Tablets/dp/B001C1UGVO/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1539965937&sr=8-14&keywords=camp+stove+folding

This might be designed for backpacking, but the flame control is great and the fuels lasts for a brick. It's my go to hiking/camping stove.
https://www.amazon.com/MSR-PocketRocket-Stove-One-Size/dp/B01N5O7551/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499308812&sr=8-1&keywords=Rocket+stove+2

Just as a counterpoint, in places like Japan they use those little butane cartridge burners indoors all the frickin time.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006H42TVG/

Like this. I don't know that there's any fundamental difference between that stove and yours, I can't imagine that there is, especially if it looks like that.

A regular gas stove with a blue flame produces nearly nil CO until you put a cold pan onto the flame. Once you do that, they all produce CO, even the ones built into kitchens. It's not very much and it reduces once the pan warms up.

I think the people in this thread so far are being absolutely overly paranoid.

Another option is the Solo Stove, which can burn wood (similar to a rocket stove), a fuel tab, or (if you get the burner) alcohol/Heet. It can fit a Trangia burner or Solo makes it's own burner, which is very similar.

For my situation, I am wary of having to rely exclusively on liquid fuels, which can easily run out, and would prefer having the option of burning twigs efficiently to boil water.

I don't have any personal experience with this stove, but the review on Amazon are generally very favorable.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/reviews/B007DBD3IU/ref=mw_dp_cr

Food. These things are delicious. You just boil 2 cups of water and pour it in. let it sit for about 8-10 minutes and feast. I take them backpacking with a jetboil to boil the water and I eat like a king.

edit: formatting.

You can always get something like this for fairly cheap. They're easy to store when you don't need it.
http://www.amazon.com/Iwatani-Corporation-America-ZA-3HP-Portable/dp/B006H42TVG

Not as high BTU as the commercial gas stove in the video, of course, but it'll be tons better at maintaining the frying pan at a consistent high temp when compared with an electric stove.

Jet Boil Zip is $39.99 plus shipping on amazon! Just got one for myself, it came out to ~$45 total which is way better than the $70 I was gonna to pay for it. :)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XNLSNFR/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_wii7AbZXTEPG0

This stove is great. I’ve been using it for a few months now. It weighs almost nothing and performs quite well boiling 2 cups of water in under 3 minutes. Plus, it’s cheap. If it isn’t for you, then you’re only out $20.

My husband asked for a Jet Boil so he can heat water while in the field. (Military.) It was on sale at Amazon for $63 so done and done! I also got him an ON puffer vest since I absolutely love mine. :D

Edit: it's $60 now.

Why not a portable butane stove burner? Top it with a Korean BBQ rack for tabletop grilling excellence.

I find the portable butane burners to be unbearably under powered and the butane canisters seem to get used up really quickly.

I would go with a propane cooktop that you can hook a 20lb propane tank up to. And find a place you can fill the propane tank, instead of exchanging it. It's often like 1/2 the cost to refill.

EDIT: One of these would be even more fun.

These things are cool and I've made a few but I've never had one that lasted long. I found a Trangia alcohol stove and it works the same but is made much stronger and has lasted me on all my hiking and camping trips for the last 5 years.

I think it would be worth it to spend a few dollars and have something that is durable and lasts as opposed to something that will fall apart quickly.

Propane torch*
And it is something like this. I think if you only cared about the sear, a searzall propone torch attachment would be better, but I do a lot of my general cast iron cooking outside now, to avoid the smoke in the house as I don't have a fume hood style kitchen.

It would be similar to a gas style stove top, though I get more flames out of it I think.

Coleman Bottle Top Propane Stove https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009PUR5E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_EK4xzbJ426JWH

This ultralight canister stove has been making the rounds lately, I've been pretty impressed with it. http://www.amazon.com/BRS-Ultralight-Camping-Outdoor-Cooking/dp/B00NNMF70U

I have a BRS stove. SUPER light weight and CHEAP!

​

https://www.amazon.com/BRS-BRS-3000T-Ultra-Light-Titanium-Miniature/dp/B06XNLSNFR/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=BD6QKQZEU2S7&keywords=brs+stove&qid=1563482800&s=sporting-goods&sprefix=BRS+%2Csporting%2C135&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1

My grandma has one of these and absolutely loves it. Uses it all the time, combines burners with the ability to bake things.

http://www.amazon.com/Camp-Chef-Camping-Outdoor-Burner/dp/B0013LLSZG/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Honestly, if weight is priority, I would just grab a BRS stove. Test it a couple of times, and if there are issues, buy another.


I'm not keen on the waste of doing this, but I've got one and it has been working perfectly over the course of half a year or so. Just keep in mind that it won't perform as well in wind relative to your candidates. But boy is it tiny.

[This](http://www.GAS.com/ ONE Propane or Butane Stove GS-3400P Dual Fuel Portable Camping and Backpacking Gas Stove Burner with Carrying Case Great for Emergency Preparedness Kit (GOLD) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HQRD8EO/) is the one I have and it works great. $45

I bought on of [these](http://www.Icetek.com/ Sports Ultralight Backpacking Canister Camp Stove with Piezo Ignition, 3.9 oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00V2PIWIY/) for backpacking.

If you only need to boil water the second option is SUPER compact and affordable. The big Coleman stoves are gonna be more pricy but unless you cook a lot at camp it's probably overkill

As a backpacker I think I'm a lifer with the Kovea Spider. Small, light and powerful with great simmer control. It's also a remote canister stove. Works great at elevation and sub-freezing temps. Turn the canister over and it burns liquid instead of gas. You do need a windscreen but you can make one out of an aluminum baking pan for about a buck.

https://www.amazon.com/Kovea-Spider-Stove-Small-Silver/dp/B00CFPIPKA

Thank you for replying!

So one like this would be allowed right? It’s a dual one

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01HQRD8EO/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1523151975&sr=8-7&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=propane%2Bportable%2Bstove&dpPl=1&dpID=51OeolmuH1L&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1

I have also heard great things about the $18 stove on Amazon from BRS

Way too heavy. My cooker is something like this (it might even be the same thing) https://www.amazon.com/BRS-Outdoor-Camping-Portable-Ultralight/dp/B00NNMF70U

It weights 45g. You don't need a case for it either, I just put it inside my pot and make sure there are some socks or a buff around it so it doesn't stab a hole in my pack/other stuff.

I'll go ahead and do the math for you.

Toaks 550 pot $30: http://www.amazon.com/TOAKS-Titanium-550ml-Pot/dp/B00CYA26BU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421708767&sr=8-1&keywords=toaks+550

Esbit stove $13.91: http://www.amazon.com/Esbit-Ultralight-Folding-Titanium-Tablets/dp/B002AQET2C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1421708767&sr=8-2&keywords=toaks+550

Toaks spork $11: http://www.amazon.com/TOAKS-Titanium-Folding-Spork/dp/B00GLD8SYA/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1421708837&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=toaks+spork

Toaks windscreen $10.95: http://toaksoutdoor.com/windscreen.aspx

GRAND TOTAL WITHOUT SHIPPING: $65.86

SAVINGS: $65.86 - $48.99 = $16.87

Now let me ask you this. Would you be willing to light $16.87 on fire? If not, you do see the value here.

Just get one of these for $35.
http://www.amazon.com/MSR-11792-Pocket-Rocket-Stove/dp/B000A8C5QE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345917655&sr=8-1&keywords=msr+pocket+rocket

Then order some 8oz fuel cans to your work. We fed 8 people off 2 cans for 8 days on our last camping trip. I'm guessing you could do 10-12 meals per can pretty easily.

http://www.austinkayak.com/products/5667/MSR-IsoPro-Fuel-8-oz.html was the cheapest i could find it online.

You could in the can cook any soup, stew or veggies in less than 10 minutes on this thing. I've even done steaks on it.

I use the MSR Pocket Rocket. I've had it for several years and it can take one hell of a beating. If the temperature gets around freezing you'll have to sleep with the fuel can to keep it warm, though.

I personally use Mountain House- just tastes the best to me. An easy alternative is to walk down the ethnic food isle at your grocery store and look for boil-and-pour simple meals (rice/pasta dishes particularly). Instant mashed potatoes are good too. The tradeoff is for the non-backpacking meals you usually have to use a dish to make the food, which is something you'll have to clean up and hang with the rest of your kitchen supplies.

I recommend an aluminum pot with a bail handle like this Open Country Non-Stick Covered Kettle, 2-Quart but something bigger would be better, maybe the Trangia

And for a stove a Kovea Spider or something similar with a detached fuel tank.