Reddit mentions: The best camping books

We were tagging three 4000 footers somewhat near Zealand falls... First night we night hiked and climbed Mt. Hale, then we continued night hiking til almost 3 am lol...there was almost a full moon and coming through the section of the AT where it meets the Zeacliff trail was epic at 1am with almost a full moon shining on the talus fields below Whitewall Mountain. We then camped for the night a little past that section after an exhausting bushwack looking for a legal spot off trail. We spent the next night at an overflow spot off of the AT and waited out most of the rain that day. The next day the weather cleared and we climbed Mt. Tom and Field. Was a great trip :D

Ya you should definitely give hammocks a try sometime! A few tips to ensure that you have a chance at good nights sleep in a hammock...make sure that you are using a hammock that is at least 10.5 feet long...11 foot is even better. Anything shorter than that is only really good for lounging in, not sleeping (in my and many other's opinion). You need a proper length hammock to get a good diagonal lay, which is the position that most people find the most comfortable. With a good diagonal lay, you can get your body almost completely flat (as opposed to laying in the hammock like a bananna, which is not comfortable for most folks). You will find that you have a dominant side that you like to position your body which usually corresponds to your dominant hand...so for example, I am left handed and I find it most comfortable to have my feet to the left and my head to the right. A lot of right handed people find that laying the opposite (feet right, head left) is more comfortable for them though. You just have to play around to figure out which position works for you.

Hang angle is also very important in achieving a comfortable position. Your suspension should typically be around 30 degrees to the tree, although I find I like my head end a few more degrees than that. Make lots of micro adjustments to find what is ideal for you. Also, most folks find it more comfortable to have the foot end slightly higher than the head end so that you are not slipping down towards the bottom of the hammock all night. I like to find trees that are spaced about 7 paces between them.

Some sort of bottom insulation is quite necessary to stay warm unless it's around 70 degrees or above. On the ground we lose heat due to conduction, but when hanging we lose heat due to convection. A simple CCF or inflatable pad will do the trick for sure but nothing beats an underquilt for comfort and simplicity...pads work but there is much more "fiddle factor" involved in getting them where you want them, and that process starts over when you get out and back in... but it's totally doable and not that bad... but an underquilt will forever spoil you after using one.

I highly recommend reading Derek Hansen's book The Ultimate Hang before embarking on a journey into the world of hammocks...it's a fun, easy read and will give you all of the essential info that you need.

Regarding the weight issue, while it is true that you will be probably be able to go the absolute lightest with a ground setup using something like a torso length GG CCF pad and minimalist tarp etc., you can go pretty darn light with hammock setups these days using something like a hammock made of the 1 ounce per yard fabrics like Hexon 1.0 with a partial bug net (a Dutchware Half-wit or an add on net like the HUG available at Arrowhead Equipment) , Dutch's new Dyneema 2.0 straps, whoopie slings and an 11 ounce partial length underquilt like a Hammock Gear Phoenix 40 degree. That is essentially my setup at the moment (with a few different tarps that I swap out depending on weather conditions). I've been rocking my whole setup in a GG Kumo with no hip belt and am usually right under a 10 pound baseweight for warm weather loadouts. The slight weight penalty that my hammock setup incurs over ground setup has been totally worth it to me because it has translated into a very consistent sleep experience and has really opened up so many new camping locations. I find that a hammock setup under a tarp is so much more enjoyable when having to ride out a storm as well...the hammock can be used a super comfortable seat to do all sorts of camp chores from. If you take one side of the hammock and fold it over on itself it makes super comfortable seat (you do this to avoid the feeling of the hammock pressing into behind your knee when sitting in it normally). Poor drainage is not as much of a concern as well in a hammock setup which is another huge plus.

My last tip would be expect that your first few trips using a hammock are going to be learning experiences and you may not get it right the first few times. It can take a few trips to get your setup dialed in, but once you do, it's amazing! I'd be happy to answer any questions that you have and I am sure that many of the other hammock users around here would as well. Happy hanging :D

Recreation ecologist here. I have both my Bachelor's and Master's degrees in forestry with a focus in recreation resource management. My Master's thesis work was in monitoring of impacts at backcountry campsites. I also have 10 seasons of experience as a backcountry ranger professionally, and have clocked over 1,000 nights spent camped in the backcountry in my lifetime to date.

There's some good and some not good responses in this thread. /u/TboneXXIV is sort of close, but the issue with food waste (and with soaps/detergents especially) is not so much that these things are directly harmful to aquatic organisms- but more so that as these materials start to break down they provide food for aquatic organisms (algae especially). The end result is that you get an increase in the algae population, which in turn results in what is called a trophic cascade, in which the ecological balances that help keep populations stable are offset. As the algae population increases, they consume more resources, resulting in a decrease in other organism populations that are also dependent on those same resources. This is why biodegradable soaps still aren't good to use in or near water sources (contrary to what many backpackers believe).

Some folks posting here are correct in that the above is really only a potential problem at heavily used backcountry sites specifically- but there's a few additional reasons why you shouldn't ever wash your dishes in any surface water bodies, and why you should camp away (at least a few hundred feet) from water sources whenever possible (excepting perhaps at officially established/designated sites):

• Even a single round of dish washing can create a visible impact (food scraps, soap suds, gross drinking water) that is enough to lower the quality of a trip for other visitors. To put it simply: You can argue that a single round of dish washing will have an immeasurable impact on the ecosystem, and you might not necessarily be wrong- but would you still want to visit a beautiful backcountry lake or stream that has the remnants of someone's left over dinner floating by?
  
• One important reason for minimizing the amount of time you spend at a water source is that your presence alone on or near water bodies can be extremely disruptive to local wildlife (especially prey species). The presence of humans at this same water source may be enough to discourage those same species from drinking at all (this can be a huge issue during drought or in dry environments). In the case of water fowl, you also have to be careful about nesting sites (they often aren't obvious). Mother birds may abandon their nests entirely in the presence of hikers/backpackers spending too much time on the water nearby. Ergo, if you're washing your dishes away from the water (like you should be), your impact on local wildlife is going to be reduced as well.
  
• Many backcountry areas also show a significant correlation between recreational use adjacent to water bodies and the presence of human fecal bacterial colonies present within those same water bodies. In other words, if you're camped on a water body that has a lot of campsites on the shoreline, or even just has a popular trail that crosses upstream, then there's a strong likelihood that there are microscopic particles of human poop (and associated bacteria) floating around in that same water body. (I've helped with some of this data collection myself.) Accordingly, if you're washing your dishes using untreated water directly in the water source, there's a decent chance that you're probably washing your dishes with poop water.
  
• And if the above arguments don't sway you, keep in mind as well that washing your dishes directly in water sources is illegal on most (if not all) public lands. If a ranger catches you doing it, you can usually be issued a citation and fined for it.
  
  It's OK to spend some time enjoying water; waterfront views can be especially scenic and are often a large part of the desired experience that draws us to backcountry areas. But we need to be especially careful regarding the behaviors we choose to engage in, both on the water and within the riparian zone (the boundary between land and water, which can be particularly sensitive to camping impacts especially). Walking down to the shoreline from a campsite to gather water and enjoy the view is (usually) perfectly acceptable, but many of the "camping specific" activities (tenting, cooking, dish cleaning, human waste disposal) have a much greater potential to generate adverse impacts on shoreline and aquatic ecosystems than does simply enjoying the view. Accordingly, these activities are best conducted away from water sources where ever possible.
  
  With regards to dish washing, /u/lightscarred had pretty good, simple instructions in this thread. Generally speaking, you want to first endeavor to have as little food waste as possible- either by eating all of the food, or by bagging any left overs to be carried out. Once you've scraped your dishes as clean as you can get them, it's OK to to rinse them with water (and maybe the teeniest, tiniest bit of soap if needed), and then to disperse the gray water over as wide an area as possible, as far as possible from both your campsite and any water bodies (ideally at least 200 feet). Alternatively, if you don't use soap, you can just drink the grey water- which is great, because using this method you don't need to get up off your butt and leave camp to take care of the dishes (although admittedly the taste is a bit of an acquired one- but if I can get 8 teenage girls to do it on youth backpacking trips without complaint, then the average Redditor is capable of doing it too, I think).
  
  The trap that many fall into with regards to Leave No Trace ethics generally (which, by the way, are supported by an extensive amount of peer-reviewed scientific study) is thinking only "what is the impact if I do this?" and acting accordingly. The reality is that the consequences of our impacts on the backcountry are cumulative- and in many cases, there can even be an exponential increase in impacts as a function of use level if enough users are generating the same impacts in the same area. The proper question to ask (as some have indicated in this thread) is rather, "what is the impact if everyone does this?" and make our choices based on that question instead. The challenge here, of course, is that being able to make these determinations requires some understanding of Leave No Trace that goes beyond the knowledge and understanding of many in the backpacking community.
  
  It's OK to suggest that there's unique circumstances in which strict, blind adherence to LNT isn't feasible- but I sure hope that everyone who does has at least spent some time on the Leave No Trace website so as to gain knowledge and understanding that allows for informed decision making in these circumstance. I worry, though, that all too often members of the outdoors communities on Reddit like to use singular examples of unique (and frankly, not that common) situations in which strict adherence seemingly isn't feasible (or is even harmful) as evidence against the Leave No Trace philosophy as a whole- and these sorts of arguments aren't even close to valid. The reality of Leave No Trace is that the ethics are actually fairly fluid- and allow for a range of different methods in different circumstances (different ecosystems, different levels of use, etc.) so as to best tailor the individual methods for each situation. And while LNT isn't exactly rocket science, being able to make these choices does nevertheless require some understanding of Leave No Trace that goes beyond simply knowing that it is a thing that exists, or having read little more than a list of the 7 principles somewhere in a guidebook or on a map.
  
  There's a ton of resources available that can help backpackers to gain more and better understanding of how our actions can negatively impact backcountry resources. The LNT program sponsors a lot of short, informal "awareness sessions" with the assistance of local hiking clubs. If you're really interested, you can even get a certification as an LNT Master Educator (IMO, a "must have" for anyone who works as an outdoor recreation professional).
  
  There's also a bunch of resources in print. While it's a bit dated, the US Forest Service's Low Impact Recreational Practices for Wilderness and Backcountry (PDF Link) is more or less the bible of minimum-impact ethics, and was compiled by David N. Cole, who probably knows more on the subject of recreation ecology than anyone else. (Surprisingly, the Forest Service has done a lot more research in the field of recreation ecology than the National Park Service has.) There's also a few books on the subject that I highly recommend. Laura and Guy Waterman have written and published two: The Green Guide to Low Impact Hiking and Camping (which focuses mainly on physical impacts on backcountry resources) and Wilderness Ethics: Preserving the Spirit of Wildness (which focuses on social impacts on backcountry resources). The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) has also published a great book on the subject: Soft Paths: Enjoying the Wilderness Without Harming It.
  
  I hope this is helpful.

I'm very new to this, but I am paying my bills with book money, so I must be doing something right. I don't have a garage full of Lamborghinis, but I'm not destitute either. Here's what I did.

Self published my first book six months ago. It's been a wild ride every step of the way. And based on everything I've read, my experience is unusual, don't expect any of this. How the hell it's working for me I still don't know.

What to Write? For starters, my book is non fiction, so I didn't have to concern myself with world building or plot. The trade off was that I actually spent half a year living the experience I wrote about. Then I spent the next 10 months pounding it out.

Finding Time to Write Before work, during lunch, and often way past midnight I wrote. Eventually, the writing took over every waking thought, and grew to the point where I couldn't think about anything else. I was sleep deprived. My job suffered. I cracked up and quit. Yes, that's right, I did the number one big thing everyone tells every aspiring author not to do. I quit my day job so I could work full time on my manuscript. Do not do this!

Publishing! Oh, not yet? Shit. Okay. Despite my new found focus, I still finished the first draft months behind my self imposed deadline. After a while, I stopped having a deadline and spent weeks in limbo, banging on my keyboard, guzzling coffee and having no idea what the hell was happening in my life or the real world.

Editing Again, luck was on my side. One of my childhood friends is an actual editor, and a damn good one. We grew up together and know each other so well that our ideas for the finished product were already mostly aligned. What I learned from working with him was that editing is an intimate process, best executed with someone you trust and respect. His job was to shoot holes in my "masterpiece". Sometimes it hurt. A lot. I think that if we hadn't been friends at the start, we'd either be friends now, or hate each other. Choosing you editor is like choosing a mate. Don't go into it lightly.

Publishing! Wait. Another delay? Formatting? What else? Next up, I worked with a designer who knew more than just fonts and margins, mysterious things like widows and orphans and how to properly create an epub file that looks great on all e-readers. I needed a cover, back matter, ISBN, a bank account on the off chance that someone actually buys the damn thing. Holy crap, this is turning into a job.


Publishing! For real this time! I decided to self publish for many reasons. You probably have some of the same reasons. I'm impatient and don't want to wait a year to get forty rejection letters, so I'm taking my chances on my own. Full control and all that. I went with createspace for the paperback and amazon for the ebook. I enrolled in "Select" because I like the looks of 70% royalty over 35%. No research, just my gut. Since then, I've softened my stance on that, and may "go wide" soon. I'm just too busy right now to manage multiple markets on my own. I now see why people like traditional. Nevertheless, here's where I am.

What about a launch? Again, I'm an outlier, but here's how I did it. I kept a blog while I was on my adventure, and that attracted enough attention that I had a small audience when it came time to launch. I also ran a kickstarter campaign to cover the publication costs. (Pro editor + Pro formatter + Pro cover art + initial marketing costs = $Thousands.) All of my supporters received advance copies, so that the day I pushed the "Publish" button on amazon I already had ten honest reviews.

Initial Sales Because I already had a blog, a mailing list and a decent social media presence, I managed to get a couple hundred copies released that first weekend. The sales continued to trickle in at the rate of a copy or two each day until a couple weeks later, when that batch of initial readers started finishing the book and adding their reviews. This seemed to boost sales, and has created a cycle that hasn't stopped for the past five months. This engine is churning along nicely, but still at small numbers. On a really good day, I'll sell 15 copies. My lowest day so far has been 1, but no zeros yet.

Keeping it going This meager, but non-zero number of daily sales is not purely the result of my reviews. I have become a slave to marketing since release. For now I don't mind, but it's cutting into my time to work on the second book. Here's what I've been doing:

• Social Media - Less is more. It's important to be active, but do not spam your book. Everyone on your friends list and every one of your followers either (a) already knows you have a book or (b) doesn't care. Be interesting, engaging and sincere. Talk about things that people like. Be positive. Mention your book when you have a legit milestone to celebrate: Launch, an exception review, your movie deal, etc.
  
  
• Promotions - I put my name and face "out there" every chance I get. I post in the weekly promo threads whenever something relevant happens. I have seen great results from countdown deals. I paid $30 for a targeted facebook ad and saw a noticeable bump in sales that week. I participate in discussions relevant to my topic and link to my book sparingly. People will tag you as a shill if you come on too strong.
  
  
• Talks - I make appearances. Because my book is non-fiction, I have been able to craft a talk that goes along with it, and I've been inviting myself to enough speaking gigs, that I'm starting to get invited to speaking gigs without having to invite myself. Every time I get in front of a room (20-40 people usually... once, I managed a 300 person gig, but that's my outlier) I sell anywhere from one to twenty copies. Still no zeros.
  
  
• Getting on shelves - The same way I invited myself to speaking gigs, I invited myself into some local book stores. I told them it was selling like hotcakes before it actually was. Actually getting on shelves helped make that happen. Now when I tell a bookstore owner that it's selling well, I can actually mean it. One problem I do have now, that I'm not sure how to fix is that a major retailer has shown interest, but they were unhappy with Createspace's discount and bailed. Still working on that.
  
  
• Paid advertising - My friends and family, and "word of mouth" only goes so far. So, just like I hear the pros do, I purchased ad space on a popular website relevant to my audience. I had my cover art guy make an ad that matched my branding and ran it for a month. This was without a doubt my highest earning month so far, enough to cover the ad cost and pay my rent. If there's any takeaway from this entire experience, it seems to be that investing in my work really pays off.
  
  
• Make an audio book - Everything I've read says that the additional revenue is almost always worth the time and effort. ACX is a great place to start. They have a "matchmaking" service that pairs authors and narrators. I have voice experience, access to a studio and editing skills, so I did my own (you can too!) which means I don't have to split royalties with a producer. I just released my first one last week, so I can't personally vouch for this, but it's looking good.
  
  I have more to say, no doubt - this has been an incredibly rewarding and terrifying experience. And I'm loving every minute of it.
  
  
  EDIT: All that marketing advice, and I still forgot to link to my book.
  
  Here's the thing I made. http://www.amazon.com/Wheres-Next-Shelter-Gary-Sizer-ebook/dp/B017QCTR2G/
  
  
  

When I crossed over, my parents bought me a lot of outdoor gear. It was all exciting and cool and I loved it, but most of it was heavy, designed for car camping, and ended up going unused, like the snakebite kit and bright red fanny pack and campfire toaster. I’d encourage you to help support your new Scouts to go backpacking and go lighter - give them tools and knowledge and inspiration.

• A good-quality map of a backcountry area near you to help them plan an adventure, $20-$30.
  
  
• A pair of Darn Tough wool socks - they don’t stink, keep feet dry and warm in winter and cool in summer, and come with a lifetime guarantee, $15-$20.
  
  
• An annual pass to your local state park system, $20-$30.
  
  
• A practical how-to lightweight backpacking book, such as one by Mike Cleland, $10. (https://www.amazon.com/Ultralight-Backpackin-Tips-Inexpensive-Lightweight/dp/0762763841/ref=nodl_) Ray Jardine’s Trail Life is great as well, but may be a little advanced for some.
  
  
• A lightweight cathole trowel, like the Deuce of Spades, $20.
  
  
• Sewing lessons and some fabric to start with. Seriously. Get them on the path to making their own gear and they’ll be set for life. (h/t to /r/myog).
  
  
• A good wool watch cap from your local surplus store, $10.
  
  
• A wool Buff, $13-$22.
  
  
• A lightweight packable daypack, like REI’s Travel Stuff Daypack, $30. It’s boring-looking but larger, lighter and cheaper than its more popular cousin the Flash 18.
  
  
• A digital kitchen scale for weighing their gear, $10.
  
  
• A hammock is a great idea. Even if they have troop tents, hammocks add versatility and flexibility. You can find serviceable ones for $20 (don’t forget to add straps).

I'm currently away from my maps, so these areas will unfortunately be general, and the first things I come up with off the top of my head. If you'll be staying in the area longtime, there is a guidebook/map pack you can buy that is Bible for hiking in the Whites.

https://www.amazon.com/White-Mountain-Guide-Comprehensive-National/dp/1934028851/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=white+mountain+guide+book&qid=1566347864&s=gateway&sr=8-1

1. The Mahoosucs in Maine are considered the hardest part of the Appalachian Trail. I haven't done them myself, but I hear there's some boulder scrambling, rugged trails, and few people. I hear the views aren't that great though.
   
2. There are a variety of great itineraries in the Northern Presidentials, and the hiking there is some of my favorite in the world (King Ravine, Castle Ravine, Six Husbands Trail). The key is to stay off the AT on the main ridge, as that's the most heavily trafficked. If you can stay at Crag Camp, you'll likely have some other guests with you, but that is my favorite hut in the Northeast. Some of those steeper ravines I mentioned aren't fit for hiking with an overnight pack, so read some trail descriptions and make your own judgement. That being said, King Ravine is my favorite hike, and absolutely worth the day hike. You could probably do a really good loop from Rte 2, over and south into the Great Gulf Wilderness, back up and over the ridge to Rte 2.
   
3. Honestly, Maine is much less trafficked almost everywhere between the NH border and Mt Katahdin. Could be worth the trip, if you can do some more research. I'm personally less familiar with the area.
   
   Hope that helps!

I think that $2.50/gallon average fuel cost is low. Canada, Mexico, and much of the west coast USA is more.

Traveling in Mexico with a trailer will make you anxious, guaranteed. You will want to travel on the toll highways (autopista) because they usually give you a wider lane width as well as (usually) a better quality road surface. Tolls can get expensive. The "libre" (free) roads are much slower, much more interesting, but can be VERY rough on your suspension and tires (Mexican mechanics are very talented at suspension work and tire repair though). You need to plan your routes carefully through towns because many roads become VERY narrow (be prepared to back up on occasion, it's happened to me several times in a full size truck even without a trailer). The payoff is that Mexico is an awesome and incredibly beautiful place to visit and people are genuinely happy that you are enjoying their country. Another advantage is that Mexico is very inexpensive if you travel outside of the tourist areas, especially when buying food at local markets (though there are also plenty of inexpensive super market chains as well as Walmart and Costco). You won't meet many other American campers, but you will definitely meet European and South American campers. Download the ioverlander app and buy the most recent edition of Mexico Camping by Church & Church that you can find.

Central America is also incredible, but I wouldn't drive it while towing a trailer. Roads are very narrow and often very steep. I saw very few full sized pickup trucks in Central America, let alone travel trailers. I have a full size Chevy truck with pop-up camper and was too wide for some streets, which is nerve-wracking when you have to back up in traffic (luckily locals were always helpful in getting me out).

You will need to pay a temporary import tax (TIP) on your vehicles when you enter Mexico, and will get this refunded when you exit. You also need to buy Mexican vehicle liability insurance, shop for this online, it's not expensive.

I had a similar conversion about 10 years ago, also after a long hiatus (due to injury). Hauling big weight really starts to lose its charm as you age.

I used a scattershot approach (and it was rather hit and miss) until I got Mike Clelland's book, "Ultralight Backpackin' Tips", which had just been published. It's the smartest $14 I ever spent on backpacking gear, and it dropped weight from my BPW faster and better than I could have believed. He gives you a comprehensive approach that is not just about gear but also about mindset and technique. It showed me how to evaluate every single item in my pack from the perspective of a very experienced UL backpacker.

I was able to drop my BPW in half rather quickly -- without doing a lot of gear buying -- and then chip away at it one piece of gear at a time, picking and choosing what was next in a logical progression. Just about everyone one in transition finds that they achieve a "plateau" BPW that is not bad at all (well under 20 pounds) fairly quickly, and then it takes work to approach the "magical" 10 pound BPW.

It looks like you've already made some good choices. Keep up the good work.

A note on your pack; some years ago, UL backpackers often used packs that are considered to be "high volume" today -- about 60L, like your GG pack. You pack your bag/quilt, down puffies, and soft insulated items uncompressed, and that way they fill up the volume of the pack. It preserves the optimal shape of the pack for the best carrying behavior, it makes the entire pack soft and slightly squishy, and hence very comfortable to carry, and it makes packing up in the morning quick and easy. As a bonus, it makes your insulated gear last much longer; extreme compression is tough on gear, be it down or synthetic.

There are loads of hiking trails in the White region, and several primitive camp areas. I highly recommend one of these books to get started. They will tell you the hiking difficulty and have very good maps.

White Mountain Guide: AMC’s Comprehensive Guide to Hiking Trails in the White Mountain National Forest https://www.amazon.com/dp/1934028851/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_qd1-BbG5WQQB9

AMC's Best Day Hikes in the White Mountains: Four-season Guide to 60 of the Best Trails in the White Mountain National Forest https://www.amazon.com/dp/1628420286/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ee1-BbKJAZCXB

Also this website has some great info and resources: https://www.visitwhitemountains.com/attractions/hiking-the-whites

My favorite short hike is Mt Willard. The summit has a beautifully stunning view of the notch and the highway below. It’s the best bang for the lowest amount of effort.

Please do not underestimate the weather in the Whites. Even in the summer the high peaks can get very cold and experience sudden weather changes. If you see signs at a trail head warning to be prepared, make sure you are. People require rescue every year.

That being said, enjoy yourself and good luck

I found a lot of great stuff in Ultralight Backpackin' Tips by Mike Clelland. The nice thing about a book is that it has a comprehensive set of information from a single point of view. That's also the bad thing about a book! I found it to be a really great complement to all the info that's available online. Plus it has funny cartoons.

You might also check out Ray Jardine's books. I haven't read them, but he's a really important figure in the recent history of ultralight backpacking and he has a lot of strong opinions that you can learn from even if you don't agree! (Just ignore anything that doesn't actually have to do with backpacking like his weird blood cleaner stuff).

I also enjoy reading/watching other people's trips that don't necessarily focus on gear or techniques. On YouTube I really like John Zahorian and Neemor's World. Book-wise, I loved "Thru-hiking Will Break Your Heart" by Carrot Quinn. This may not be exactly what you're looking for in terms of information, but if you're looking for some vicarious hiking to get you trough the winter it's good stuff!

My girlfriend and I are in the middle of a year-long RV trip (with, apparently, a six month gap while we winter in Savannah).

I think your first step has to be deciding what it is you want to see. Make a wishlist of all the places you want to visit. You won't hit them all (and you shouldn't even try), but having a list helps you plan your route. (I used and use Google maps to plot where we've been and the places we'd like to go.)

Once you've plotted all the things you'd like to do on a map, you can start thinking about rough routes. (I'd encourage you though to keep your plans fluid. One of the best parts about traveling by RV is that you can change your itinerary on the fly.)

Not sure why you'd want to rent an RV in North Dakota (or anywhere) else and then drive it to the Northwest. Start in the place you want to explore, otherwise you'll waste days getting to your destination.

Finding places to park isn't tough. There are tons of RV parks, obviously. Plus, the West is filled with public lands where you can park. We spent $15 to buy this catalog of low-cost campgrounds and we've used it tons. Highly recommended.

The best way to figure out how much space you need and what kind of RV is to get hands-on experience. Go to an RV show. Go to an RV dealership. (Or several.) Browse around. See what's different about different models. If you can, borrow one from a friend and spend the night somewhere near your home. I have no idea what kinds of motorhomes are available to rent (there are links to rental sites in the sidebar to this subreddit), but we were glad we did so much hands-on experimentation before we bought.

Most of all, have fun!

Well, ultralight backpacking is a little different than "REI" backpacking. The larger portion of the backpacking industry has tried to fulfill their customer's (legitimate) desire for comfort in the backwoods, while neglecting to remember that people actually have to carry that stuff. You have a (ballpark) 6 lb backpack, 3 lb. sleeping pad, 2 lb. stove kit, 4 lb. sleeping bag, 1 lb. first aid kit, 5 lb. tent, etc. etc. and the comfiest backpack in the world can't solve a 50 lb. pack weight.

I recently got into ultralight (less than 10 lbs. base pack weight) backpacking, and really enjoy it and have only gained comfort in the backwoods from a much more pleasant hiking experience (which is what we're doing out there for 80% of the day). Pretty much all the same amenities, just doing them a little smarter with different products and more pre-planning. I'd suggest this excellent book as a good starting place, if you're interested.

For the machete a Cold Steel kukri is an excellent option.

Field strip the MREs: here's how.

Get the Chinese military shovel instead, it's really awesome. Here's one link to buy it.

Would advise a Camelbak or other mini-backpack style hydration bladder, much better for mobility.

For the rope: get milspec 550 paracord.

Gorilla brand duct tape is advised.

For the multitool either SOG or Leatherman are excellent choices. A couple of good picks from each: SOG PowerAssist and PowerLock as well as the Leatherman MUT and the Charge TTi.

Check out 4Sevens for excellent quality flashlights - really these guys are among the best in the flashlight market.

For the gun I would advise a Ruger 10/22 with a folding stock for compactness. Add some 32 round interlocking magazines and a box or two of ammo (.22LR is cheap, they come in boxes of 500 or so).

I would also recommend a Red Cross multifunction solar/crank radio.

The SAS Survival Handbook and of course the Zombie Survival Guide would make good additions.

You may want to check out the "Dummies" or "Idiot's" books. Not to say you are either, just that they really are good books... it's unfortunate that there's a stigma attached to them. You might want to go to B&N or your local library and just read through them rather than ask someone to buy them.

Camping for Dummies

https://www.amazon.com/Camping-Dummies-Michael-Hodgson/dp/076455221X

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Backpacking and Hiking

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-Backpacking-Lifestyle-Paperback/dp/1592579604

The Backpacker's Handbook has been recommended, but I haven't read it myself.

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/007175489X

The Complete Walker; I read this 30 years ago(?) A great reference.

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Walker-IV-Colin-Fletcher/dp/0375703233

And of course Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills

https://www.amazon.com/Mountaineering-Freedom-Hills-Mountaineers/dp/1680510045

M:FotH is a comprehensive tome, which may be a bit advanced for someone who is starting out with some car camping. As the name implies, it's aimed towards mountaineers, with sections on rock climbing, belaying, first aid, mountain safety... as a beginner you might pick up some invaluable information, but most of it may be far beyond what you need, it might be a bit overwhelming. Though you may be the type that just loves to soak up everything you, in which case it's a great reference.

If you want to check it out, the Kindle version of the 8th edition has a "Look Inside" which lists the sections and chapters, and has a bit of the first chapter. The latest 9th ed doesn't have the "Look Inside" yet.

https://www.amazon.com/Mountaineering-Freedom-Hills-Mountaineers-ebook/dp/B0049P1ZTC

I'd recommend picking up a few books. Ultralight Backpackin' Tips by Mike Clelland, and Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide by Andrew Skurka for starters. These will help you a ton.

Then, what was just said, ask yourself with each item, "Am I packing my fears?" "Do I really need this?" and "What would realistically happen if I left this at home?" I'm seeing a ton of unnecessary and/or redundant stuff, not to mention all the heavy stuff.

For example, paracord, multitool, lantern, lots of heavy stuff sacks, an ultra-heavy water reservoir, full bottle of soap (you only need a few drops of that stuff), 3 heavy knives (a tiny swiss army classic or even a razor blade would do the trick), tons of excessive, heavy and redundant clothing (use a simple, versatile layering system with no redundancy), etc. Your first aid kit weighs almost 13oz! You can easily make a good one for under 3. You have a space blanket and two redundant fire starters (emergency only items) when you are carrying a gas stove and a sleeping bag (actual versions of the things your survival kit is supposed to improvise). The list is quite long.

Also, I'd take a serious look at some of the UL/SUL hammock guys on YouTube and get some ideas from their videos on how to dramatically simplify and lighten your hammock system. It seems incredibly complicated and heavy to me, esp. based on what I've seen online from other Hammock guys. For instance, a +6oz gear pouch? A suspension system that weighs more than your actual hammock? Yikes. Definitely take a look at lots of the lighterpack links you see in people's flairs on here too and just get some ideas for how to simplify, reduce, and eliminate items in your gear list. YouTube is your friend. There are tons of UL and SUL guys on there who camp in Hammocks. Learn from their experience and save yourself from having to re-live their mistakes.

Good luck and have fun! I know it probably seems overwhelming now, but just whittle down one thing at a time and you'll get there. You're already off to a good start with having all your gear in a list online to create accountability and show you the true weights of everything. It's fun to see how light you can go with your gear list and your back will thank you for it!

I've spent hundreds of nights on the trail, including some long hikes and working on trail maintenance crews, but I still appreciate some books.

A common standby is The Complete Walker. It covers a lot of material and is pretty general.

I like Trail Life. I don't recommend trying to do things exactly the way Ray did. You'll probably have a bad time if you do. I think it's the best book around for trying to think creatively about how to reduce pack weight. He also has some very good things to say about campsite selection.

You asked for some book recommendations, and I've given you a couple, but you still need time to learn how to use your gear, and more importantly, how to use your body. It takes a while to learn how to manage your energy, manage your time so you can do lots of miles even if you walk slowly, stay warm in the rain, avoid sun burn, and more. You can actually get pretty familiar with your gear at home, and really should practice using all of your gear before you hit the trail, but I also realize that this is easy for me to say and do because I have the experience to know what I expect of my gear. At the very least you should learn how to set up your tent so that it's tight, and practice using all the guylines even if you think they're optional. Practice using your water treatment gear too, especially filters so that you aren't stuck miles down a trail with a brand new broken filter or even a good filter that you don't know how to use correctly.

Reading Trail Journals is always nice because you're getting a day by day account of how hiking operates rather than a stylized narrative. Just at cursory glance, I saw few guys I hiked with who should have pretty accurate journals:

RodNReel

Frankenstein - I hiked around him for a good portion of the hike. Pretty detailed and should give you a good idea of life on the trail.

Affirm

Blue

That's not to say a stylized narrative isn't pleasing to read and get's you hyped for your trip. A Walk in the Woods gets some shit from thru-hikers but it's a book about the Appalachian Trail for people who are not thru-hikers-so you!

Ray Jardine's Trail Life is indispensable for preparation. Even if you don't agree with all of his points, he gets you thinking and presents the organization of gear in a straight forward fashion. It was so hard to get a direct answer out of anyone online in regards to gear; every question was greeted with "just do what works for you!" I had no hiking experience and wanted something of a base to start from. Trail Life at least gives you a starting point to experiment with. I would say this is the most important book for practical preparation you need to make.


Honestly, not much you can read is going to help a ton, the AT doesn't need that much prep work. Here's a pre-hike check list that I would suggest.

• Save up $4500 - You can do it on much less but hurting for money on the trail is no fun. It's not that I wish I had more money on my hike, living with an overwhelming lack of funds gave me one of my most poignant learning experiences, but it allows you more freedom-you can be on the trail longer and actually replace your shoes instead of wearing them until you find a newish pair in the hiker box.
  
  
• Go on weekend test hikes once you have enough gear to go backpacking - There where little details I didn't like about pieces of my gear that I would never have noticed unless I used them for an extended period of time. Find out now that ENO straps sink you to the ground or that your sleeping pad doesn't insulate enough for a March start.
  
  
• Go through your guide book and circle things you think might be interesting - I compulsively looked through my guidebook when I was bored and checked a lot of things I didn't want to miss. It's nice to open up to a town and already have the buffet circled and the cheapest resupply marked down.
  
  Be prepared for the AT to be very different than you expect. Be confident and social with everyone you meet. Meet Ms. Janet! Immerse yourself in the whole experience and don't think too much about home.

If you like hiking, do the Presque Isle falls loop. It starts out crossing a really cool swinging bridge, you’ll hike down one side of the Presque Isle River then cross back over to the side you started on and hike back. You get great views of several falls on the way and you’ll see some amazingly huge white pines.
In Ontonagon: If you want to go somewhere to enjoy a beer and a truly “unique U.P. experience”, go to Stubb’s Museum Bar.” It will be the weirdest, creepiest (decor)and cheapest bar experience of your life. And you can get local beers for way to cheap. If you go , you have to check out the “grotesques” in the glass cases at each end of the bar. Another really neat U.P. bar is in Rockland (15 minutes from Ontonagon, 30 from the entrance to the state park). It’s called Henry’s Never Inn. Such a neat place, and if the owner is in they’ll have great food specials, if not it’s typical bar food but good. We love to get the local experience so we go to these places at least once while we’re there on those nights it’s raining or we don’t want to cook over the campfire cause we’ve been hiking all day. They only take cash at Henry’s, we had to drive quite far to get an ATM after we had drinks and food, when we walked back in the bartender yelled, “I knew ‘yous’ would come back.”
You really can’t go wrong with any of the hikes there. We utilize this book constantly when we’re there. It’s super comprehensive regarding the trails to choose from, it may be available at the park headquarters, though I’m not sure.

https://www.amazon.com/Porcupine-Mountains-Wilderness-State-Park/dp/1933272163

I would also pick up this one for the waterfalls:

https://www.amazon.com/Waterfalls-Michigan-Collection-Phil-Stagg/dp/099713464X

He gives great details about each waterfall, and the length/degree of difficulty to get to each one so you can prioritize and even map you’re route on the way there in order to check some of them out.

This is something I've thought about a lot. I've only managed it for overnight trips, I like clean underwear too much. But if nothing else, it is a fun thought experiment and helps you get the bag even lighter. Your list of things that you absolutely must bring gets a lot shorter if it's all going in your pockets.

You might find some interesting info in the world of ultralight backpacking. It's very different, but oddly the same.

These are people who go wilderness camping with a 10lb or less base pack weight. (Base weight = not including the food and water you'll consume during the trip.) You don't need to bring food, bedding and shelter, so you're a step ahead.

One ultralight trick is to repackage toiletries, to bring just enough toothpaste, deodorant, hair gel, etc., for the trip. Small bottles and contact lens cases are great for this.

The best book I've read on it is Ultralight Backpackin' Tips. It's fun and funny but is also full of cool ideas.

I really enjoyed Backpacking Light. The articles are okay but the forums are absolute GOLD. All of the users are super passionate about backpacking, especially about backpacking "lightweight." Aka, trying to carry as little as possible so you can walk faster and further/save your knees in the process.

It's a bit daunting to get into, I'll give you that. I also found this book to be super helpful.

Congratulations! I think it's very cool that you're going to be setting out to do this. I've thought about it. I don't think very many people have thru hiked this trail. There's a book about a couple who did it that might be worth trying to hunt down. The name escapes me, but it obviously has "Bruce Trail" in the title.

I would really suggest trying to go light weight with gear. Check out r/ultralight. I've found it MUCH tougher to go ultralight with gear from Canada than the States. I suggest giving this book a read for consideration:

http://www.amazon.com/Ultralight-Backpackin-Tips-Inexpensive-Lightweight/dp/0762763841

Also, here's an interesting article about someone who thru hiked it:

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/2258732-walking-the-bruce-trail-end-to-end-in-30-days/

SO much more, but good luck!

SAS Survival Handbook

Wilderness Medicine

Where There Is No Doctor

First Aid For Dogs

These are the ones I have. The SAS Survival guide is great for general survival know-how. Wilderness Medicine and Where There Is No Doctor are both great resources on field medicine and first aid. I got First Aid For Dogs because I probably wouldn't go anywhere without my dog and I want to be able to take care of him like he's part of the family.

If you buy all these off Amazon, then they will give you many more suggestions on good resource books. These are just the ones I keep ready and good overviews of many different scenarios.

I'm a big hammock fan, so I'm sorry if I get long winded. Been through a few hammocks in search of perfection (never worn one out). I started with this one, have the most experience with this one, most recently started using this one. Used hammocks to cover the south half of Wisconsin's state parks in 2013 on a CB750 wearing this backpack.

Finding trees the right distance was (impressively) never a problem for me. I've been thinking there should be a way to hang one side on the motorcycle should the need arise, but haven't yet had to test it. I'd really like to be able to hang from the motorcycle on one side and the frame on that pack on the other side, but don't know if the pack will support a person (hasn't been warm enough to test since I thought of this).

In terms of rain, I started with a generic big blue tarp from a hardware store. This was a bad idea, thing was bulky, loud, and inflexible to the point of being hard to work with. Now I use this and it does the job pretty well. I used a large size of this tarp for a while, but the one I got was too big and ultimately heavier than needed.

I'm sorry to bust your bubble, but hammocks can get cold at night. I used this sleeping pad, after a while added this to keep the shoulders warm. Sleeping on what feels like a massively oversized menstrual pad never felt right, plus they get a little awkward in a hammock. Everybody I've heard from recommends underquilts for proper insulation, and it took me until this year to bite the bullet and get one (they're not cheap). I just got this yesterday, and intend to test it tomorrow night.

This book has been widely recommended. I haven't read it yet, but at $4 for kindle, that's not a bad price. You can read it on a smartphone or computer with the kindle app (which is free).

It wasn't until I typed this all out that I realized how much money I probably spent on all this stuff. I didn't buy it all from Amazon, just convenient links.

I highly recommend it. I also STRONGLY recommend focusing massively on reducing your pack weight.

• 32lb-40lb - Old pack weight (minus food/water/fuel) when I brought stuff I forgot I brought, and took anything I thought I might need. Back pain, slow pace, tired as fuck, knees/hips hurt, "ugh let's just get to camp".
  
• 8.2lb - New pack weight when I bring exactly what I need, and can find everything I want in my pack easily. Definitely some tradeoffs. Quick pace, pain free, much happier, don't even care to take the pack off to rest half the time. I had people ask if I was there for just the night when on three week trips. That's less weight than most day hikers. I woke up later than everyone and got to camp first, it's awesome.
  
  Buy this book. It'll make you a much happier hiker. It's the single best thing I've ever done for my happiness hiking.
  
  If you guys have any questions while you're doing it let me know! If it's car camping....that's another thing entirely =) weight weight weight dranks dranks dranks steak steak steak

I'd say that I occasionally got paranoid about leaving my van for extended periods of time. I got used to it, though.
I totally suggest taking an extended trip living in a car. It's an awesome experience.

If you're up to it, here's a list of books that you might find useful on the subject. :)

How to Live in a Car, Van or RV

The VanDweller's Guide

Van Living: The Freedom of the Road

The Tiniest Mansion

Live In a Van, Truck, Trailer, or Motorhome

Living in a Van Down By The River

My House Has Wheels

The Simple RV Life

So, You Want to Be an RVer?

Retire To an RV


Here's one just for fun, though you may glean something from it.
Walden On Wheels

I also suggest /r/gorving and /r/vagabond.

Skurka's book is good (likely the best way to get up to speed on gear), and his blog is excellent as well.

Other books I like:

• Lighten Up!: A Complete Handbook For Light And Ultralight Backpacking (Falcon Guide) (A bit old, but still a classic and the other "Allen and Mike's" books are also good.
  
• Lyle Brotherton's Ultimate Navigation Manual
  
• NOLS Wilderness Medicine (Be careful; the Kindle instance is actually an old version.)
  
  For current information, these subreddits and sites like BackpackingLight will get you up to speed.
  

Of all things, the book "Ultralight Backpackin' Tips" (available here https://www.amazon.com/dp/0762763841), is what inspired me to start down the path of minimalism. It showed me what was truly important to have in that particular hobby, and general tricks on how to look at things and see what's important and why. Once I pared down, I experienced the happiness that comes with having little, yet still what I needed. That snowballed into paring down all my possessions.

Random, but if you like backpacking, could be a good catalyst :-)

This book is the best intro resource I’ve found to teach beginner’s the essentials.

If you don’t have any gear or friends to go with, you might want to try getting a hotel near a destination and doing some day hikes, or try a car camping trip.

Otherwise, just make sure you’re not getting in over your head - don’t go somewhere you don’t know, make sure you have the essentials especially navigation, and have fun!

Side-sleeper-in-a-hammock here. You can do it, if that's your only reason not to. The key is to lay diagonally, like this I only go to ground if there are no trees :)

The book that image is from is awesome, and so easy to digest. I highly recommend it.

Best night's sleep on the trail, bar none. And of course, shout out to /r/hammocks

I've found Backpackinglight's forum very helpful. In the gearlist section, people post their lists and get comments on them. Lighten Up is a short and simple book on the topic if you are completely new to lightweight backpacking. Also, "ultralight" is a loaded term. It implies a base weight (all the gear without food and what you're wearing) in the single digits. If this is what you really want, check out Ultralight Backpackin' Tips Otherwise, a baseweight in the teens are usually considered "lightweight" backpacking.

Also, don't just stick with stuff from REI. There are a lot of cottage industry stores that sell quality backpacking products. A few that I can think of off the top of my head are: Tarptent, Gossamer Gear, Six Moon Designs, Jacks R Better, ULA, Feathered Friends, Nunatak, Tenkara, and Bushbuddy. Of course, they are a bit more expensive, however, they are all well tested and trusted by a lot of backpackers.

Get your backpack last.

Sounds like a lot for a beginner with a short time to prepare. Im assuming you are in excellent physical conditjon as well.

I practice ulralight hiking, using light equipment and careful selection of everything packed to keep the load to an absolute minimum. It is possible to have a kit that is 3kg excluding food, water, and fuel. My typical weekend kit is about 10kg with everything. Ryan Jordan's book is very good: https://www.amazon.com/Lightweight-Backpacking-Camping-Ryan-Jordan-ebook/dp/B004SOYVMC



You can learn more at http://backpackinglight.com. The forums there would be helpful.


The Mountaineers is a US based organization. There must be some Australian outdoor organizations with classes too. My concern is that you have so many skills to aquire in a few months: navigation, first aid, gear selection and use, back country cooking and food selction, shelter and site selection, clothing layering techniques, insect and wild animal protection, etc. Get busy!

I'd recommend either Andrew Skurka's book or Dan Ladigan's book.

Andrew Skurka's website is also a good resource.

The Backpacking Light forums are excellent.

Ten Pound Backpack is pretty helpful for gear comparisons, once you know roughly what you're you're looking for.

Buy this book and read it before you spend any money. This will give you a great idea of how to squeeze a lot of enjoyment out of hiking & backpacking (IMO). It might not all appeal to you, but there are some real great tips and philosophies in here that will help a new hiker.

ultralight backpackin’ tips

Check out Derek's technique for split skins in his book; it works great, and bonus: it keeps your tarp from getting super wrinkled when you just cram it into the skin.

In addition to what others have already said (weigh everything and make a lighterpack/trailpost), also look at what other people are carrying. The sub is full of trip reports which all have gear lists. Compare those lists to what you're carrying to see what to leave behind and which items would benefit most from lighter replacements.

Just few examples from the sub:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Ultralight/comments/7k2ql7/10_pound_45kg_winter_appalachian_trail_thru_hike/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Ultralight/comments/93v7q1/so_i_thruhiked_the_ct_in_a_kids_batman_backpack/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Ultralight/comments/8awyax/after_79_days_and_30411km_my_7lb_pack_and_i/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Ultralight/comments/98ohsg/trip_report_99_day_pct_thru_hike/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Ultralight/comments/998tiu/78_day_pct_thru_trip_reportextensive_gear_review/

Stumbled on those after just few minutes of browsing through the top submissions.

Also Cam Honan's articles on the gear accomplished long distance hikers carry are pretty useful:

https://www.thehikinglife.com/2017/03/the-thru-hikers-gear-list/

https://www.thehikinglife.com/2018/04/the-thru-hikers-gear-list-vol-2/

And Mike Clelland's book Ultralight Backpackin' Tips can't be recommended enough:

http://ultralightbackpackintips.blogspot.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Ultralight-Backpackin-Tips-Inexpensive-Lightweight/dp/0762763841

They started out as a ultralight backpacking company. They were successful at that and had some of the best gear out there.

They abandoned the designs that they started with, and replaced them with gear that I really didn't even consider ultralight. I'm not sure if they got rid of the breeze, and cave because Jardine owned the designs or because they didn't fit their new business model.

Even after the Jardine era some of their gear was quite nice, and still pretty light. But over the next few years they seemingly decided to compete with companies like The North Face, started selling 'lifestyle clothing' and things like that.

If you need proof that they completely abandoned their original mission check out their history page. http://www.golite.com/Info/Values/History.aspx
They go out of their way to not mention Ray Jardine, or Beyond Backpacking/the pct hikers handbook. In fact they use the phrase "lighten up" which IMO is a cheap way to plug this book http://www.amazon.com/Lighten-Up-Complete-Ultralight-Backpacking/dp/0762737344 as opposed to anything Jardine may have in publication.

And besides how can a company called Golite have a founder who is overweight?

I mean, you can drop 15 pounds just by changing your tent, backpack, and sleep system without sacrificing any comfort. It's more of a money thing for those items. After that, it's an issue of "do I really need this" or "is this overkill?" than it is "am I losing comfort?"

You really don't start sacrificing much comfort until your load is well under 10lbs. You're just getting rid of weight that isn't necessary until that point.

For instance, you have a great setup with your titanium cooking pot and spork.. but then you have a 16oz stove. Why? You could use a Pocket Rocket that weighs 3oz that does the same thing and that would save you close to a pound.

I suggest you read Mike Clelland's Ultralight Backpacking Tips. It will help you a lot.
https://www.amazon.com/Ultralight-Backpackin-Tips-Inexpensive-Lightweight-ebook/dp/B00MJD6LVS

• Ultralight: The Ray Jardine Way
  
  
• Ray Jardine's book Beyond Backpacking, now called Trail Life: Ray Jardine's Lightweight Backpacking is considered by some to be a bible of sorts.
  
  
• The Complete Walker is a perrenial favorite (read the 3rd ed. I think, before I did the Trail)
  
  
• I have not read Trail Tested: A Thru-Hiker's Guide To Ultralight Hiking And Backpacking but it looks interesting.
  
  
• This also looks interesting: Appalachian Trials: A Psychological and Emotional Guide To Thru-Hike the Appalachian Trail (Volume 1)
  

South Island navigation is much easier than North Island road walking navigation. Far less chance of getting lost. Good idea on the non waterproof, goretex just keeps the moisture inside your shoes. Quick draining shoe/sock setup is where it's at, as you will litteraly be hiking for days in rivers. If you want to take it to the extreme, thin dress socks drain and dry even quicker than merino (merino for me though)

I hung with an EE revelation 20 quilt and a gossamer gear thinlight hammock pad, using my rain jacket as a pillow and it was plenty warm for the whole trip. Only had to sleep with all of my clothes on a few times. In the colder, more exposed areas there are usually huts.

I highly recommend this book for just all around becoming more smart about thru hiking:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MJD6LVS/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Check out the book Ultralight Backpackin' Tips by Mike Clelland. He put together a pretty comprehensive and digestible, and really nicely illustrated book that breaks everything down and explains the reasoning behind each technique and suggestion.

Andrew Skurka's book is also really well written, but Clelland's really emphasizes the fun and grooviness of ultralight technique.

Yes. In excessive detail:

While squatting over a cathole, 6" or deeper, you shit into the hole, then you wipe most of the shit off your ass with a smooth stone, clump of foliage, or paper product. You deposit that in the cathole with the rest of the shit.

Then you scoot to the side a bit and use water to wet your hand (for modern humans, usually the right hand -- left hand holds the water bottle), with the cathole catching the rinse water. With your wet hand (index and middle finger usually) you wipe your anus, rinse your fingers, wipe, rinse, repeatedly. Anus is now as clean as it would be after taking a soapless shower or using a bidet. Which is to say, more clean than just wiping with paper (the old saying: "if you got shit on your arm, would you just wipe it with toilet paper and call it good? no, you'd wash it off.")

Then you've got your right hand. Two fingers are rinsed off but not hygienic. Dry that hand with a bit of paper towel or grass, dry your ass, deposit in cathole. Then disinfect your hands. Some people use wet wipes for this and other parts of the process. I use alcohol gel, hospital-style. Hit the outside of the gel bottle and the water bottle while you're at it. Other people use soap and water.

This is roughly Clelland's method from "Ultralight Backpacking Tips".
https://www.amazon.com/Ultralight-Backpackin-Tips-Inexpensive-Lightweight/dp/0762763841

(All this is somewhat beside the point. Cholera usually spreads through poorly managed drinking water, not human-to-human fecal-oral contamination.)

You may think this is funny, but I really got a lot out of the book Wilderness Survival for Dummies: http://amzn.to/1cBG4M3 .
I have started inventorying my survival gear:
https://www.facebook.com/qollector

This is my "Get Home Bag" with many items that can be used for camping: http://qol.lt/1G4vyF0 .

• I keep everything in Dry Bags: http://qol.lt/1GgcyZN
  
• My Essentials kit also useful for camping: http://qol.lt/1Gh0vp8
  
• My first aid kit: http://qol.lt/1GiIlh2
  
• Additional safety item: http://qol.lt/1GjBdxv
  
• Learn to read a compass: http://qol.lt/1GnxTVe
  
• Learn to start a fire (where its allowed), it can take a long time to get a fire going: http://qol.lt/1LsnxBV
  
• A great little stove if you don't want to bring fuel along: http://qol.lt/1GK45t4
  
  This is just a little bit of what I have covered in my collections so far. I still have to go over water equipment, tents, and sleeping bags. I realize that each persons kit is going to be different so YMMV.
  
  TL;DR: You can spend a lot of money getting prepared for the out doors.

Gear is expensive so I'll give you a range, from cheapest you may find to very expensive but awesome.

Pack - get one that fits or face the back pain consequence - $50 for an ASolo UL to $500+ for Custom bag.

Sleeping bag - consider a quilt instead - All depends on where you live. I have a $35 dollar bag and a $450 bag I use one in the tropics on one in the alpine or arctic.

Tent - If you're camping alone, in a treed area, get a henessey hammock. They're $150 or so. You can also get a tarp ($50) and bivy ($100 used) combo. Don't lug a 4 person tent around for 1 or 2 people.

Next purchase - Stove. Make (check r/myog or cat food camp stove for info) or buy. You can also get a bomb proof msr stove for $35 + fuel.

Getting a pack that fits is the most important thing. A sleeping bag will fit in any pack because it's just fabric and fuzz.

Tent basics:
Big Agnes, TarpTent are the reasonably priced and best performing UL tents.
If you are 1 person get a 1 person tent. If you are 2 people, get a 2 person tent.
Look into hammock, bivy/tarp, and tent options and pick the one that suits where you'll be camping.

You'll want a 50-70L pack for trips longer than a weekend.

Mike Clelland has a really cheap and great tip book, he was a NOLS leader forever and knows his shit, and explains it with cartoons.

Check out http://bandofbackpackers.com/ for a gear list. It has some ultralight ideas with pack weights on one of the pages. It's divided by ounce so you can get a feel for utility vs. weight. You may want to buy lighten up the book with cartoons to understand where you'll need to invest and what's really important. It's easily readable in a night or two and really fun too!

These aren't under $5, but definitely worth getting and HAVING. I've been increasingly interested in surivalism (as a result of hanging out with my paranoid dad), so definitely get these books:

• Basic survival..........
  
  
  http://www.amazon.com/SAS-Survival-Handbook-Revised-Situation/dp/0061733199/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1363171748&sr=1-1&keywords=wilderness+survival
  
  http://www.amazon.com/98-6-Degrees-Keeping-Your-Alive/dp/1586852345/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1363172088&sr=1-1&keywords=98.6+degrees+the+art+of+keeping+your+as+-+cody+lundin
  
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Stay-Alive-John-D-McCann/dp/1440218307/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1363172163&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=stayalive
  
  
• Bug out bag.....
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Build-Perfect-Bug-Out-Bag/dp/1440318743/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1363172312&sr=1-1&keywords=bug+out+bag
  
  
• Prepping.....
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Preppers-Instruction-Manual-Disaster-ebook/dp/B008OXF0BY/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1
  http://www.amazon.com/31-Days-Survival-Emergency-Preparedness/dp/161004648X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1363172535&sr=1-1&keywords=31+days+to+survival
  
  
• Urban.....
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Doomsday-Guide-Disaster-ebook/dp/B00B020FKC/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1
  
  
• Novel......
  
  http://www.amazon.com/One-Second-After-William-Forstchen/dp/0765356864/ref=la_B000APZ9N8_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363173072&sr=1-1

Start with a good book or two. I recommend Beyond Backpacking, Lighten Up!, and The Ultimate Hiker’s Gear Guide. Any of these books will give a good 50,000-foot view of the world of things you should be thinking about when introducing yourself to backpacking.

1. For when you need to take a minute away from class
   
   
   
2. For those art projects when you run out of the answer
   
   
   3.For when you need that after class snack and don't want hair in your food
   
   
   
3. For when you want to get away from it all you need to be prepared
   
   
   
4. One of these in my trunk would mean I'm always ready for a study break
   
   
   Bonus. Gotta keep those school books dry with this cape like item

Here are a few:

Ray Jardine's Lightweight Backpacking for general techniques and 'ultralight' ideas

Freezer bag cooking - a method of cooking I prefer

More mountaineering than basic camping/hiking - but a SOLID reference book is Freedom of the Hills by The Mountaineers

Real experience is really your #1 learning tool for these sorts of skills. Preparing is key - but at some point you need to get outdoors and practice what you've read. Start with small trips, even around your neighborhood (with a full pack) works. Then work up to the longer / overnight adventures. Ask questions!

Lighten Up! - A book about effectively preparing backpacking gear to prevent injuries and strain.

Thanks for the contest /u/Internal_Cannon!

the SAS guys book is pretty good: http://www.amazon.com/SAS-Survival-Guide-Handbook-Collins/dp/0060849827

I recommend surplus Army .50 ammo cans for your cache! Those are fantastic.

People that have robbed banks have used those to store weapons and money in remote caches I'm the woods.

I recommend either
U.S. Army Ranger Handbook: Revised and Updated Edition by Army http://www.amazon.com/dp/161608877X/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_BLBntb125B68G

Or

SAS Survival Handbook, Revised Edition: For Any Climate, in Any Situation by John 'Lofty' Wiseman http://www.amazon.com/dp/0061733199/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_2LBntb096E1SA

I really enjoy Lighten Up! and Ultralight Backpackin' Tips as well. Those two really helped me think about what I was carrying on my trips. It made me a lot more weight conscious.

I think there should be one of these http://www.amazon.com/SAS-Survival-Guide-Handbook-Collins/dp/0060849827 in every purse/backpack. Good reading when there's nothing to do and you're bound to learn something useful.

That's just a free image floating around on the internet draw by Mike Clelland.

I HIGHLY recommend his Ultralight Tips book. His illustrations are hysterical and he's been a NOLS instructor all his life (so he knows whats up). I actually learned to telemark (backcountry) ski and winter camp using some of his older books (and amazing drawings).

I don't get any money from anyone for recommending it, but I bought mine here:
https://www.amazon.com/Ultralight-Backpackin-Tips-Inexpensive-Lightweight/dp/0762763841

This is the early edition I have, which is the one I'm referring to in terms of historical context. Years later he released an updated edition of it with some changes and a different title. If I remember right, it's less focused on PCT planning and more about taking his philosophy on any trail. Then years later he released a version of that one with color photographs and a few more updates and a new title. So it depends on if you want the version with historical interest or the one with more updated info or the one with updated info and color photographs.

It is mostly contained in the books I've read. I have been out of the backpacking scene for a while so I may be a bit rusty on the exact details and perhaps his methods have fallen out of favor. Some of his weight cutting techniques are a bit extreme by my taste such as only taking an umbrella and tarp instead of rain gear and tent. However, my father and I cut quite a bit of weight in our week long trips. We were starting with packs around 40 pounds and wearing big hiking boots and eventually got to around 20-25 pounds and would just wear a nice set of running or trail shoes.

Some of his books:

http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Backpacking-Jardines-Lightweight-Hiking/dp/0963235931

http://www.amazon.com/Trail-Life-Jardines-Lightweight-Backpacking/dp/0963235974

This site mentions him and a quick Google search with his name and 'water filter' brings up quite a few references as well: http://www.the-ultralight-site.com/water-purification.html He's by no means an end-all authority but the ultralight backpacking he pioneered was pretty widely known.

What do you already have? Not everything needs to be replaced. A list with weights is always helpful. We like to weigh stuff, and we are obsessed with that (okay, not everyone is).

There are two books that really helped me Lighten Up! and Ultralight Backpackin' Tips.

Read Skurka gear guide before you buy anything & Ultralight Backpackin' Tips to get you in "UL mode', there rest will be sort of easy..

Learn to love trail runners - it changed everything for me

This is a topic that is incredibly well covered by everyone who has ever slept an evening in a hammock. You should have read something, anything, about hammock camping before you tried it. I struggle to muster any sympathy, and all I'll do to offer help is [this] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Ultimate-Hang-Illustrated-Hammock/dp/1466263687).

Actually it's a thread on survival tips. Not a thread on survival methods.

And the tip I've given you is: prepare your self.

If you'd like to know how, buy a book. I recommend The SAS Survival Guide.

SAS Survival Handbook. Not a novel, but definitely a useful real. It doesn't hurt to know a little about survival.

edit: spelling

Ultralight Backpackin' Tips: 153 Amazing & Inexpensive Tips For Extremely Lightweight Camping https://www.amazon.com/dp/0762763841/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_UTFQAbW1Z1W4W

Buy these books before you spend any more money on anything else. They can save you a lot of money over the course of your upcoming months of gear-nerding out.

http://www.amazon.com/Ultralight-Backpackin-Tips-Inexpensive-Lightweight/dp/0762763841

http://www.amazon.com/The-Ultimate-Hikers-Gear-Guide/dp/1426209207

My brother gifted me this book one year for christmas. I highly recommend it. Filled with tips like OP. Helped me drop my pack weight to 20lbs for a 5-day trek. And that was actually too much food.

I can practically run all day fulled loaded.

http://www.amazon.com/Gardening-Free-Range-Chickens-Dummies-Bonnie/dp/1118547543/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1458198551&tag=hotogobr-20&sr=8-4&keywords=how+to+garden+for+dummies

And this guy:

http://www.amazon.com/Wilderness-Survival-Dummies-Cameron-Smith/dp/0470453060?tag=hotogobr-20&sr=8-4&keywords=how+to

Also some related ebooks on popular torrent sites

Before you buy anything I would recommend you read this book. It might save you some time , money and trouble.

https://www.amazon.com/Ultralight-Backpackin-Tips-Inexpensive-Lightweight/dp/0762763841

The SAS Survival Handbook is a good one. There's a broad range of material covered; in just one book.

Get Ray Jardines book!
https://www.amazon.com/Trail-Life-Jardines-Lightweight-Backpacking/dp/0963235974

And be sure to check his Homepage. If you're into myog, you will go farther than just a backpack with 200$.

If you go into an outdoors/sportsman outlet, you could ask some of the employees where you can get some lessons in your community, or find a local orienteering club. Learning from a text resource gives you the foundation, but you should not try and get lost to see if you can find your way out with that sort of knowledge. By working with the right people and equipment in a real life environment you will learn many strategies and tips, and may even pick up a new hobby. "Survival for dummies" actually has quite a good orienteering section in it for instrument use, and "oh shit i don't have a map or compass" situation.

EDIT: here is the book. Im a fairly experienced outdoorsman and found this book quite helpful in some areas. Especially on finding direction with no compass, and how to deal with psychological factors of being in a survival situation. They have it in the iTunes book store. Could be a good one to have on the iPhone if you happen to have that with you.

Something like this

Any chance of a UK link?

Edit: found and bought https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wheres-Next-Shelter-Gary-Sizer-ebook/dp/B017QCTR2G/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1502070226&sr=8-1

I found the inspiration in this book: Ultralight Backpacking Tips , Mike Clelland

If you go this route. Measure twice, cut once. I snipped a couple straps that probably could have stayed.

There's a really good series of cartoon books about lightweight backpacking and mountaineering by a few guys from NOLS which really helped me adjust what I thought was "necessary".

Mountaineering

Ultralight

General Backpacking

I had a really solid mountaineer once tell me that the key to success on the mountains is camping like a champion. If you're poorly rested, poorly fed or angry with your partners because of a crappy camp setup, you're less likely to achieve your goals.

I mostly do ski mountaineering with some summer stuff thrown in for kicks (I'm in the Canadian rockies so "Summer" is relative). Typically I'll have my ski touring day pack 35L+ and my wife carries a 45L+ bag (she tends to carry but not wear more layers) on any trip where I'm based out of a base camp or hut. We'll drag our gear in on a pull sled or we'll both bring our 65 or 85L bags (depending on trip length) to camp, then ditch em.

Zombie related: The Zombie Combat Manual by Roger Ma. The Walking Dead By Robert Kirkman. Zombies(http://www.amazon.com/Zombies-Record-Infection-Don-Roff/dp/0811871002/ref=pd_sim_b_13) by Don roff

Survival Related: The SAS Survival Guide, The Ultimate Sniper by (Ret.) Col. J. Plaster, The Emergency-Disaster Survival Guidebook.


I know it's not a book. The Colony is an interesting watch if you ever get some time to sink in information.

i actually posted about the bible.

>Ignore the bible (Unless you're religious, then add whatever scripture you like. Make sure it's waterproof or at least compact. Ill have This Book)

And you're probably right about the bible.

And cash is great in the first few days after SHTF. If stores wont take it, some idiot will. Money, even today, is only worth what we believe it is worth. Otherwise it is still cloth paper....but even after the dead rise, SOMEBODY will believe it worth something.

This book, The Ultimate Hang, is the absolute bible on hammock camping. I can't recommend it enough. Make sure to get the 2nd edition.

https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Hang-Hammock-Camping-Illustrated/dp/1478351187/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Whoops here ya go

http://www.amazon.com/SAS-Survival-Handbook-Revised-Situation/dp/0061733199/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1395977639&sr=1-1&keywords=sas+survival

Check out: The Ultimate Hang: An Illustrated Guide To Hammock Camping by Derek J Hansen http://www.amazon.com/dp/1466263687/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_z7bitb0SK4G79

http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Hang-Illustrated-Hammock-Camping/dp/1466263687

Ultralight Backpackin' Tips I believe.

Check out these books if you haven't seen them yet.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0762737344/ref=tmm_pap_used_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=used&qid=&sr=

https://www.amazon.com/Ultralight-Backpackin-Tips-Inexpensive-Lightweight/dp/0762763841/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0762763841&pd_rd_r=KECR7BQ2FKBK8YEB8R5E&pd_rd_w=oEMgW&pd_rd_wg=jbk23&psc=1&refRID=KECR7BQ2FKBK8YEB8R5E

https://www.amazon.com/Allen-Mikes-Really-Cool-Backpackin/dp/1560449128/ref=pd_sim_14_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1560449128&pd_rd_r=XKZNM6QW1FAMRP4Z1FPM&pd_rd_w=qJgYG&pd_rd_wg=AQN7T&psc=1&refRID=XKZNM6QW1FAMRP4Z1FPM

All very cheap used.

John lofty wiseman sas survival handbook

http://www.amazon.com/SAS-Survival-Handbook-Revised-Situation/dp/0061733199/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417312827&sr=8-1&keywords=Lofty+wiseman

read these:

• https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Hikers-Gear-Guide-Second/dp/1426217846/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492221108&sr=8-1&keywords=ultimate+gear+guide
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Ultralight-Backpackin-Tips-Inexpensive-Lightweight/dp/0762763841/ref=pd_sim_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0762763841&pd_rd_r=MZ4RTRT92D49PH60B9RZ&pd_rd_w=ZqXZ0&pd_rd_wg=U1fFw&psc=1&refRID=MZ4RTRT92D49PH60B9RZ

Trail Life? That sounds familiar, OP!

https://www.amazon.com.au/Wheres-Next-Shelter-Gary-Sizer/dp/B017QCTR2G/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1502064794&sr=1-1&keywords=Where%27s+the+Next+Shelter%3F

Where's the Next Shelter? (Green Giant Travels Book 1) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017QCTR2G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_5GROAbGWSKSDP

The Ultimate Hang is considered the premiere work on the subject. You should be able to order it online. http://www.amazon.com/The-Ultimate-Hang-Illustrated-Hammock/dp/1466263687

Pick up a copy of Derek Hansen's The Ultimate Hang (http://www.amazon.com/The-Ultimate-Hang-Illustrated-Hammock/dp/1466263687). Sometimes it takes some experimentation to find the right combination for you. Keep at it. I don't know if I know anyone that's gone back to the ground after trying out a hammock.

Go camping over a weekend.

UL is not just about gear! Get him/her a class on GPS and/map&paper navigation, Wilderness FA, wild edibles(get him started locally),..They can be less than $50 through Backpacker, REI, an outfitter, etc.

​

Get him a subscription to BPL. https://backpackinglight.com/

​

If he doesn't have it Mike Clelland's Ultralight Backpacking Tips. https://www.amazon.com/Ultralight-Backpackin-Tips-Inexpensive-Lightweight-ebook/dp/B00MJD6LVS

​

Get him a Zelph's alchy stove. http://www.woodgaz-stove.com/

I'd rather have this.

I would be most concerned with the following:

Survival
Health
Education

So I was drafting a blog post on books this weekend. Copypasta:

Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide - Andrew Skurka

Ultralight Backpacking Tips - Mike Clelland

Lightweight Backpacking and Camping - Ryan Jordan

Trail Life: Ray Jardine's Lighweight Bapackpacking

Beyond Backpacking: Ray Jardine's Guide to Lightweight Hiking

Here is the mobile version of your link

People going for a "drift in a small boat" in the Pacific Ocean generally prepare first

this?

Buy this book


it is a very quick and informative read and it will answer all your questions. seriously.

I purchased an inexpensive hammock (ENO Double Nest) as a test. I put a couple of heavy-duty lag screw eyes in my bedroom ceiling, for a "test hang" in the privacy of my home, without worrying about weather, bugs, etc. That was six months ago, and I still sleep in it every night.

I do intend to get a different hammock for camping, and all the related gear (tarp, whoopie slings, bug net, etc.)

Have you found Hammock Forums yet? One of their members wrote a book on hammocks, that I've found invaluable. It's called "The Ultimate Hang", by Derek Hansen. I got my copy from Amazon.

> Any required reading for someone not necessarily looking for a budget list?

https://www.amazon.com/Ultralight-Backpackin-Tips-Inexpensive-Lightweight/dp/0762763841

Relevant no matter your budget.

I'm newer to this but also live in WA state and intend to "bug in" rather than out in a shit scenario.

SAS survival guide is awesome so far. I'm reading through it and I got a spare copy to keep in my SHTF can. http://smile.amazon.com/SAS-Survival-Handbook-Revised-Situation/dp/0061733199/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1398350073&sr=1-1&keywords=sas+survival+guide

As a nooby hunter, I grabbed this one too- "Basic butchering of livestock and game" http://smile.amazon.com/dp/0882663917/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2MVWQ49SCGVGV&coliid=I3SD7QD3U8DZBD

also "A guide to canning, freezing, curing, and smoking meat, fish, and game."

http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0050H1EZI/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2MVWQ49SCGVGV&coliid=I33TWUFB25UNYA

I'd say that Ed and Jack there are a bit overzealous. You SHOULD have these books and be reading them before SHTF but the idea that books are worthless is... stupid, frankly. In the first 72 hours? Sure. You need to KNOW what you're doing to make it through the first couple days. But if the power goes out or something, what else are you going to do? You're gonna get bored and keeping your mind busy is a big step toward not going crazy. Keeping your mind busy on stuff that will HELP rather than sudoku makes a lot more sense to me.

Anyway- First aide, food, resource storage/gathering, and defense are the ways to go, IMO.

Pizza's idea of the Sawyer was an excellent suggestion and would be one of my top recommendations as well. To hit some other categories for ideas:

Viral/Contamination:

• ReadiMask - http://www.amazon.com/Readi-Mask-Adult-Eye-Shield/dp/B004FNM3HG/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1405587012&sr=1-1&keywords=readimask (bonus in that it protects from pepper spray as well.
  
  
• iOsat - http://www.amazon.com/iOSAT-Potassium-Iodide-Tablets-130/dp/B00006NT3A/ref=pd_sim_hpc_7?ie=UTF8&refRID=1728J79YJKNWGHDRJN05 (for those worried about radiation)
  
  Medical:
  
  
• Israeli Bandage - http://www.amazon.com/Ever-Ready-First-Aid-Compression/dp/B003DPVERM/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1405587096&sr=1-1&keywords=israeli+bandage (useful in injury situations and classified by amazon as an add-on item)
  
  
• SAM Splint - http://www.amazon.com/SAM-Splint-36-Rolled-Orange/dp/B001J5H92C/ref=pd_sim_hpc_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=18S9GSPKTSW2TE04ATJ7 (variety of uses)
  
  
• PTK - http://www.amazon.com/Patrol-Officers-Pocket-Rescue-Essentials/dp/B006X6PA4Q/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1405587210&sr=8-16&keywords=ifak (basic, compact trauma kit)
  
  
  Informational:
  
  
• SAS Survival Guide http://www.amazon.com/SAS-Survival-Handbook-Revised-Edition/dp/0061733199/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405587615&sr=8-1&keywords=sas+survival+guide (Problem with this is I wouldn't be surprised if they had one already)
  
  
  Water:
  
  
• WaterBOB - http://www.amazon.com/waterBOB-Emergency-Drinking-Storage-Gallons/dp/B001AXLUX2/ref=pd_sim_hi_14?ie=UTF8&refRID=1YX88PYX3MPY73MFFPBT (Emergency Water Storage)
  
  
• Seychelle Filter Bottle http://www.amazon.com/Seychelle-1-10303-PI-SEYCHELLE-24-Inch-Bottle-Advanced/dp/B00B48XJZK/ref=pd_sbs_sg_7?ie=UTF8&refRID=0RQPR5EQ0W6AF13TPG8F (Advantage over sawyer? Removes viruses, heavy metals, and chemicals. Disadvantage? Only good for 100 gallons; also, I've seen mixed reviews on Amazon; I always ordered mine from the company directly and never had any product issues so idk there)
  
  
• Potassium Permanganate - http://www.amazon.com/Potassium-Permanganate-Ounces-Screw-top-bottles/dp/B00FH6R5AA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1405588269&sr=8-2&keywords=Potassium+permanganate (101 uses; research it out)
  
  
  Tools:
  
  
• On Duty 4 in 1 tool - http://www.amazon.com/Emergency-Earthquakes-Hurricanes-Disasters-Emergencies/dp/B000NYDEPQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1405588628&sr=8-2&keywords=water+shut+off+tool
  
  
• Opinel - http://www.amazon.com/Opinel-Carbon-Folding-Beechwood-Leather/dp/B00AZ5LW4S/ref=sr_1_6?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1405588822&sr=1-6&keywords=opinel (can't go wrong with a decent knife, plus they may get some use out of it now)
  
  
• Paracord Wrapped Prybar - http://www.amazon.com/Type-III-Apocalypse-Paracord-Wrapped-Compass/dp/B008DMSPPO/ref=sr_1_14?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1405589184&sr=1-14&keywords=mini+survival
  
  
  Other:
  
  
• Israeli Gas Mask - http://www.amazon.com/Israeli-Issue-Drinking-Sealed-Filter/dp/B004RUB8VE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1405588890&sr=8-2&keywords=israeli+gas+mask (I'd be dubious trusting it for anything other than tear gas, but that's me)
  
  
• Paracord Braclet - http://www.amazon.com/The-Friendly-Swede-Starter-Stainless/dp/B00EDYMWO6/ref=sr_1_25?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1405589015&sr=1-25&keywords=survival (Bit more useful than most)
  
  
• ER Bar (or other emergency ration, they all taste terrible) - http://www.amazon.com/ER-Emergency-Ration-Survival-Preparedness/dp/B008DEYC86/ref=sr_1_49?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1405589118&sr=1-49&keywords=survival
  
  
• Mini Fishing Kit - http://www.amazon.com/Best-Glide-Adventurer-Series-FG1250/dp/B004J4EXCO/ref=sr_1_55?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1405589118&sr=1-55&keywords=survival
  
  
  Anyway, just some suggestions. Hard to get too crazy on a budget. I'm sorry I missed the exchange but I signed up to give someone who gets screwed something so I'm sure I'm gonna help someone out.