Snuggled down tight is good, but it can't guarantee you a warm night's sleep when the temperature drops below your bag's rating. (David Shedd photo)

It happens, particularly in the “shoulder seasons” (early spring, late fall). You’re on day 3 of a trip, and suddenly the weather changes. The forecast had been for the 20s at night, and it plunges to 5…and you’ve got a 20 degree bag. Sure, you can survive it…but can you enjoy it?

Actually, based on our experience, you can, and with only minimal planning and gear changes. The first thing is to have a sleeping bag that adapts well to the changes, and in our opinion, that means a bag with a good draft collar; there’s probably no other single factor as important to maximizing efficiency of a sleeping bag. There’s no point in making changes to your clothing and creating extra warmth in the bag, and then having it all come out of the bag every time you move. The EN13537 article discusses our findings, and also how to pick a bag that’s appropriate for you. Once you have the right bag, here’s what we’ve found works.

1.  Carry a lightweight liner/overbag.  Coccoon makes a variety of these; without question, the best warmth/weight/feel combination for backpackers is their silk liner. That one, and other liners, are available at Campmor, as well as other retailers. They pack small and light, and can dramatically improve your bag’s rating. As a bonus, you can use them in summer camping on top of your sleeping bag for really hot nights.

That little blue bag is a silk liner; slide it inside the big fluffy one, and extend its range from 20 degrees to 10! (David Shedd photo)

2.  Wash.  Not your sleeping bag, yourself.  After a day of hiking or snowshoeing, your body is covered with salt from your sweat. Even if you dry off, it’s still there. Salt is hydrophilic; it attracts moisture. As your skin breathes at night, it holds the moisture rather than letting it wick away from you. Moisture, in turn, wicks heat away from your body. A quick rinse off with a wet pack towel in some warm water is all that’s needed; no soap required. Or, if you carry baby wipes for personal hygiene, you can use those. We’re talking a HUGE difference in warmth, as well as getting rid of that clammy icky feeling.

3.  Carry ultralight “sleeping jammies.” We’re talking silks, or imitation silks. A set weighs a few ounces, and gives you something clean to slide into. NO salt inside them from the day (see #2).  If you layer other clothing on top of them, you’ll always have moisture wicking from your body into your outer insulation layers.

A lightweight balaclava, disposable hand/body warmers, and a fleece neck gaiter can dramatically increase your comfort as the mercury drops (David Shedd photo)

4. Disposable handwarmers. When the temperature outside is low, you’re “exothermic”; meaning, your body is releasing heat to the outside. Not exactly what you want! So, put something into your bag that allows you to be endothermic, or absorbing heat. Handwarmers are cheap, light, and have minimal environmental impact. If you’re sort of cold, one by your feet might be enough. If you’re sleeping in a valley and the temperature’s 30 degrees below your bag’s rating, you might have a couple down there and a couple in your core body area. If you don’t have handwarmers, you can warm up a water bottle and stick it down by your feet, but it’s tough to get the heat where you want it with a bottle, as it’s hard and gets in the way.

5.  Fleece neck gaiter. A lot of our thermoregulation comes from the back of our necks. A slight draft there can impact your comfort level, making you feel colder than you actually are. Most of us automatically assume we’ll wear a hat on a cold night; but, with a good hood on your sleeping bag, the hat may not be all that necessary. Even with a good hood, though, there’s likely to be a little cold air leaking in around your neck…cover up! Another all-in-one solution is a balaclava. Ultralight versions are easily available.

6. Your “puffy”. When we’re in cold season, the puffy is automatically part of our gear, and it’s a great choice to wear inside your bag. Unlike a lot of insulation layers, the puffy contracts and expands to fill space, making it more comfortable AND more efficient.

7. Eat and drink. One of the biggest mistakes people make is to not drink enough. Who wants to get up in the middle of the night to pee? But, your body’s thermal processes work best when you’re fully hydrated. So, better to have to get up and shiver for a few minutes than to shiver all night long (Bonus: unexpected cold usually comes from “radiational cooling”; in other words, clear nights with no wind where all the heat heads to the stars.  The view of the heavens during that midnight rest stop can be priceless!) Before you go to bed, and when you get up, drink a little more and eat something…a handful of gorp, or peanut M&Ms, fuels your furnace and tells your body to go ahead and let your metabolism have a party.

8. Breathe OUTSIDE your bag.  No matter how tempting it is, particularly when you first get into a chilly bag, DON’T tuck your head inside and try to recycle your warm breath. There’s a ton of moisture in your breath (that’s what you see when it’s cold), and as the night goes on, you’ll pay for a few minutes of early warmth. If you’re so cold that your face is freezing, try tucking a bandana into the remaining opening and breathing through that. It’ll hold some warmth, but let a lot of the moisture out.

If you take everything recommended here, you MIGHT raise your pack weight by a whole pound, and a good night’s sleep is worth a whole lot more than that. Half of the battle is being prepared. The other half is to admit that you’re getting cold and do something about it. I woke up cold around midnight the other night, as I hadn’t washed up and was feeling clammy.  I wanted to stay in bed, but I knew that if I did, I’d be miserable all night. Instead, I toughed it out for  5 minutes of chill as I washed up. Then, I dropped off to sleep again quickly and spent the night warm, comfortable and happy. Take pride in enjoying your trip, not in suffering, and you’ll find you’re happy to spend a lot more time in the woods!

Small, lightweight tents like these open up a world of campsites, like this one on a river island reached by kayak. (Tim Jones photo)

A recent email from a reader, Barbara, about camping gear  for her church group got me thinking about the most versatile options out there. Barbara does most of her camping in roadside areas, but takes at least one canoe trip with a long portage each year.  She needs gear that will keep kids and adults comfortable in a roadside setting, but that can still be carried in a canoe or portage pack,

Visit any roadside campsite, especially the ones with a swimming beach nearby, from now through the end of October and you’ll see lots of happy folks enjoying the outdoors. Roadside camping is easy and fun, and a great way to get started camping or to introduce someone else to sleeping without four walls and a night light.

The only thing wrong with roadside camping is that, well, it’s roadside camping. You don’t get to experience the quiet, and the sense of real adventure that’s available only if you leave the road and “civilization” behind.

Small tents work just as well in road-accessed campsites as they do in the wilderness. (Tim Jones photo)

Lots of folks are tied to roadside campsites by the gear they’ve chosen. Motorhomes and trailers are one thing, but even some tents you see are so large and heavy that carrying them more than a few feet is a burden. It’s almost like people have to take their homes with them when they get away, instead of spending their days outdoors and their nights sleeping in a tent that’s big enough but not too big.

Plenty of room for two and only three pounds! Lightweight tents give you the freedom to travel wherever you please. (Tim Jones photo)

Instead of buying one big tent for your whole crew, why not consider getting as many smaller tents as you need? A four-person tent is surprisingly spacious, even luxurious for two or even three people, but still light and compact enough to load into a backpack, canoe or kayak and take away somewhere. Ditto for some of the new three-person backpacking tents. And smaller two-person tents are even easier to carry and to find a place to pitch.

The same holds true of stoves. You can get a big two-, three-, or even four-burner stove with a mega-fuel supply that ties you to the car, or an equal number of single-burner backpack stoves that will go anywhere.

Do you really need the cot, foam mattress and big sleeping bag, or could you sleep just as comfortably on an ultralight backpacker’s mattress in a cozy mummy-style sleeping bag?

You get the picture. Before you invest in camping gear at least try the portable stuff. Having a really mobile home opens up whole new worlds of active outdoor fun.

Gear Notes:

We asked our friends at Campmor for some recommendations for youth group camping equipment. We specified that the equipment had to be easy-to-use, durable and affordable.

They came up with three tents that fit the bill (note that all are available in 3/4 person versions):

A vestibule on a winter tent provides a sheltered spot to cook and store extra gear. (Tim Jones photo)

Late winter/early spring is a wonderful time for camping. Only fall is better. My buddy and business partner David Shedd and I recently received some production samples from several manufacturers which absolutely HAD to be tested in snow and cold before they were returned:  two pairs of snowshoes from MSR , a new gas canister stove from Jetboil, two sleeping bags (one from LL Bean rated to 20 degrees, the other from REI rated to 25), a new backpack and an LL Bean  3-person dome tent. An overnight in the White Mountain National Forest, at a backwoods campsite we often use in other seasons but had never visited in winter on a night when the forecasted low was 20 degrees seemed like the perfect chance to test everything.

It had been a l-o-n-g time since I’d done a “cold” winter campout. As I explained in a recent article  article on Warm vs Cold Winter Camping, there’s “warm” winter camping, in which you  have an external heat source such as a campfire or woodstove, and “cold” winter camping where you only carry a cooking stove. I’ve owned a Kifaru Tipi for over 20 years. With woodstove, it weighs about 18 pounds and is a perfect “warm” camping setup.

With this setup available, I’ve gotten out of the habit of “cold” camping. But “cold” winter camping is a lot like three-season backpacking and David and I have done enough of that so a “cold” winter camp was no stretch.

We shouldered our packs for an early start; a good thing. The winter wind and snow had heavily damaged the familiar trail and we spent a lot of time finding ways around fallen trees. Winter trail travel with snowshoes and a pack can be very slow, even on trails that are normally well-maintained in the summer—a fact we learned the hard way a few years ago. We’re careful not to tackle too much trail between the car and the campsite.

A sturdy dome tent like this one from LL Bean is easy to set up, makes a snug shelter for a winter overnight. (Tim Jones photo)

By noon we’d reached the campsite three miles from the car and had the tent up with sleeping gear laid out inside. David had already set the tent  up at home (wise with anything new) so we knew all the parts were there and how it went together.  Trust me, you don’t want to struggle with a new tent in a wilderness campsite in the cold!

Then, we were off through the woods to test snowshoes. With highly variable snow conditions—deep in some spots, crusted in the shade and soft in the sun—we gave them a real workout on flats, steeps and sidehills.  Just walking in the woods in winter on good snowshoes is pure pleasure.

After all that walking, a late afternoon nap seemed a perfect way to test sleeping bags . . . A little later, legs still snugged in the sleeping bags, torsos warmed with puffy jackets and heads kept cozy with hats, we sipped wine and played a game of cribbage. I lost., as usual. Gear notes:  I have a folding neoprene cribbage board that adds almost no weight and very little bulk to a deck of cards. I got it at EMS years ago, they no longer carry it, and if anyone knows a source for these, let me know! On another note, the fingerless fleece Glacier Gloves designed for fishing  are great for playing cards,  cooking  and reading in a winter tent!

Hearty, hot food goes a long way toward keeping you warm in a "cold" winter camp. (Tim Jones photo)

Speaking of tents, the LL Bean Backcountry Dome 3 Tent performed admirably. At $329 it’s about half the price of some similar models from “name” manufacturers. It’s heavy at  almost 11 pounds,  but solid and stable; the 5-pole design should withstand  a heavy snow load, though that will require more testing–it didn’t snow while we were out, darn it!. The dome design  pitched easily with color-coded, shock-corded poles and well designed clips. Rated as a 3-person, it was luxurious for two, would fit three snugly. The extended vestibule provided protected cooking space and gear storage, yet zipped wide open on both sides for easy access.  Good venting, good zippers, a full coverage fly, interior pockets, peak clip for hanging an led lantern, even a clothes line. The clips which hold the tent body to the poles were stiff and uncooperative with cold. mittened hands on a cold morning, so we just popped the pole ends out of the retaining grommets and slid the poles out instead of unclipping them. Workable solution to a very minor problem. Overall, this is a solid rendering of the classic  dome tent design very  functional and a terrific winter tent for the price.

A mug of hot tea before you get out of your sleeping bag on a chilly winter morning, makes getting up that much more pleasant. (David Shedd photo)

Stew for supper heated quickly (a little too quickly, some of it burned–still tasted wonderful!) on the new stove. To see a full review of how it performed, go here. Then it was time to head out for a last look at the millions of stars overhead before giving the sleeping bags a more serious test through the 20-degree night. You can read the results of this test here.

No doubt about it, getting up in the morning is tougher in a cold camp without that woodstove to warm things up. But we had the Helios stove set up in the tent vestibule and enjoyed  hot tea and a light breakfast while we were still in the sleeping bags. That makes getting up a lot easier.

Once moving, it took us less than an hour to break camp and hit the trail. With “cold” winter camping you can be on the move almost as quickly as  you could in the summertime.  By mid morning we were enjoying a second breakfast in a café.

They call it “cold” camping, but if you do it right with the right equipment, it isn’t . . .  Try it yourself sometime.

Snug as a bug in a rug, or cool as a cucumber? (David Shedd photo)

There’s been a lot of hype in the backpacking world about a new sleeping bag testing system called “EN13537“.  In it, a manikin with a variety of thermal sensors is put in the sleeping bag, and the bag is then tested for warmth for men and women, with different numbers for comfort and survival ratings.  The goal is to allow a buyer to compare bags based on standardized testing, rather than guesswork.  We’ve all seen “+32 degree” bags that were miserably cold at 40 degrees…but also some that are comfortable at 25 degrees.  Wouldn’t it be nice to know which is which before you’re tucked in on a cold night!  That’s the promise of EN13537.

Well…it SOUNDS good…but does it really work?  This winter, we tested a pair of identically EN rated REI women’s sleeping bags, and found that both performed admirably to the rated temperature.  However, we’ve tested several other sleeping bags this winter and found that two of them did not perform to their EN rating, or even close. One was another REI bag, the men’s Lumen +25, the other was an unusual prototype from another manufacturer which we were asked to give feedback on so they could fine-tune the design. That one received a -20 degree rating in EN13537 testing, but we found that it really shouldn’t be rated even as low as 0 degrees (Full disclosure:  We signed a non-disclosure agreement so can’t name the manufacturer, but we often provide feedback on products to manufacturers as part of our testing).  Interestingly, the one bag that we’ve tested recently that didn’t have an EN rating was the L.L. Bean Katahdin +20, and that was a superbly warm bag, possibly surpassing its stated rating.

So, what’s going on?  Why doesn’t this high-tech testing system work?  Well, the answer is that it does, to a significant extent, but it’s not foolproof.  Here’s the problem.  Humans come in different sizes, with different thermal profiles (some people sleep warmer or colder than others–we once knew a woman who was cold in anything other than a -40 rated bag on a summer night) and worse still, humans MOVE.  Manikins don’t.  And that’s one of the reasons the EN ratings aren’t consistently accurate.

Look at the REI women’s bag article.  Notice that there’s a line “our gut still tells us that the Halo is the warmer bag overall.”  And, notice that in the review, we found that there was less internal volume in the Halo…i.e., less air space to be warmed up.  Now, with a manikin, the bag would drape down around it and the air space would go away, but with a person?  Every time they move, it opens up that space, and air gets moved around. Air movement means new air to be heated.  Both of the bags that we had issues with this winter had large interior volumes, while the ones that were nice and warm were a little more snug.  Hmmm.

Making the problem much worse is the draft collar issue.  The Halo had a superb, thick draft collar; the Radiant  had a lesser but still adequate one.  However, the REI Lumen had no draft collar, and the draft collar on the prototype bag was narrow, difficult to snug down and poorly positioned in the bag.  The Bean’s Katahdin, like the REI women’s bags, had a great draft collar.  Now, think about this.  You’re in your sleeping bag, nice and warm, and you roll over.  If that bag isn’t snugged down nicely around your neck, all that warm air is forced out when you move, and ice cold air comes in…and you get to warm it up all over again.  And again.  And again.  If you’re a wiggler, you may be doing that several times an hour.  This problem may be even more important than the amount of insulation; if you have a slightly underinsulated bag, you can add a layer of clothing inside and be comfortable.  But, if you’re constantly moving cold air into the bag, virtually no amount of insulation will warm you up; you have to move and get your metabolism going to produce the constant level of heat output necessary to keep you AND the bag warm.

Appropriate internal volume, a great draft collar, and a well-shaped hood, and this bag is warm even without an EN rating! (Tim Jones photo)

Ultimately, our belief is that the EN 13537 testing norm is a good thing, and, used correctly, can help you decide what bag makes sense for you.  But, no test will make up for you checking the bag out yourself.  What should you be looking for?  Well, for any bag that’s rated to below freezing, we believe that one of the most important things is the hood/draft collar combination. Step 1:  Get in the bag, get comfortable, and see how your body feels in it.  If you can move comfortably the way YOU do when sleeping, but don’t have a huge amount of extra space,  that’s good. Step 2: tighten down the draft collar.  Does it hit you above the shoulders, but not in the middle of your face?  That’s a good thing.  If it passes that test, you’re getting close. Step 3: pull the hood as  tight as you can.  Does it fit snugly around your head, leaving a hole in the right place for your nose? If it does, you’re probably golden. If the bag passes those three tests…then it should perform to the EN specs, and you should have a very good sleeping experience.

If it fails in any of these three areas, be cautious about the temperature rating. The prototype bag we tested had a hood that was WAY too large– when we pulled it tight, the hole was ABOVE our heads.  The REI Lumen had no draft collar at all and left us chilly inside a tent on a 25-degree night

Our guess, by the way, is that  these issues will eventually be sorted out for most people; manufacturers will get feedback from testers and customers and  make changes based on that feedback. Eventually, the EN system should be a more accurate indicator of performance.  Until then, it’ll be easy for manufacturers to get caught in the trap that REI seems to have with the Lumen; they built a bag with quality materials to a very high standard, it tested well in the lab, yet it does not perform to standard in the field.  They’re a quality supplier, so they’ll figure it out. . . . But in the meantime, you know how to avoid getting caught out in the cold!

Whether it's your 1st outing or your 500th, Autumn in the northeast is a wonderful time for backpacking. Photo by Rich Weir

Late September and October are the best time of year for backpacking: Warm days, nights cool enough to make a campfire and a warm sleeping bag welcome, few bugs around to bug you . . . And with kids in school and many adults out of vacation days, campsites that are popular on weekends can seem like ghost towns on weekdays.

Walking with a backpack beneath a canopy of bright leaves on a carpet of color can be a magical experience. Sure, the weather is trending cooler but most folks don’t need to carry the weight and bulk of winter clothes and sleeping bag–yet. Fall camping is as good as it gets.

My sweetheart Marilyn and I recently reconnected with our friend Rich, who suggested a camping adventure. I think it’s every outdoor guy’s dream to find a woman who will share his passions, and Rich is no exception. His girlfriend, Suzanne, did a lot of car camping as a kid,. She and Rich had done some camping together (“car camping in a state park which felt like an apartment building without walls–loud families and barking dogs surrounding ‘our’ 500 square feet of dirt with a fire pit.”) But she’d never actually put on a pack and deliberately walked away from the so-called “comforts” of civilization.

A sunny fall day is the perfect time to hit the trail . . . photo by Rich Weir

We researched options, including private campgrounds, state parks, and roadside campsites on the White Mountains National Forest. But they all had the same problem—people.

So I suggested a backpack trek to one of my secret getaway spots. Rich and  Marilyn jumped at the idea; Suzanne was not so eager. She appeared to have two major concerns: being cold or uncomfortable sleeping on the ground and, uh, bathroom facilities . . . Outhouses were definitely out.

We solved the first problem with my Sherpa zero-degree Down sleeping bag—overkill, perhaps, for a 35-degree night, but it took away any worries about being cold. Beneath it, we put a thick Therm-A-Rest mattress. I certainly have lighter backpacking mattresses, but none cushier. Rich was wiling to carry the extra weight in my BIG old Mountainsmith backpack for her comfort.

For the bathroom issue, we made her a hygiene kit with toilet paper, baby wipes, hand sanitizer and a plastic trowel. That, plus Marilyn’s assurances that she’d been nervous at first, too, and now found it “no big deal” helped Suzanne mentally leap that hurdle.

Since this wasn’t a long expedition, we could afford a leisurely morning of packing and lunch at one of our favorite diners. We hit the trail a little after noon and were at the campsite with several hours of daylight left to set up tents, gather firewood (this site has a long-established firepit), and hike to the spring for water and to a nearby overlook to sip wine and admire the view.

Rich and Suzanne discover the pleasures of cool weather backpacking.

The evening we enjoyed classic campfire cooking and conversation before retiring to the welcome embrace of our sleeping bags. Suzanne must have liked hers—I didn’t hear any complaints about being cold, and she and Rich weren’t in any hurry to wake up at sunrise to watch what I call “The Fog Show” rolling through the valley from the overlook while sipping morning tea.

Eventually, they got up in time to see the last of the fog show, eat breakfast, pack up camp and head for home. Suzanne enjoyed the adventure: “I discovered that I would gladly trade not having bathrooms or running water for the solitude and beauty of the woods. Going for just one night was a great introduction to ‘real camping.’”.

It was, I think, about as perfect an introduction to backpacking as anyone could hope for. So, are you going backpacking this fall? Life isn’t a spectator sport. Get out and enjoy!

GOOD MORNING

If there’s any  drawback to fall camping, it’s the shorter days. With miles to travel, you simply can’t lounge the day away. If you are headed out, check when the sun is going to set and make your plans accordingly. Besides, shorter days mean longer evenings for relaxing, watching the campfire or the stars

HUNTING SEASON SAFETY

Hunting seasons are either open or opening throughout the northeast. No big deal, nothing to worry about, and certainly no excuse for not getting out and enjoying the outdoors.

Statistically, you are safer out in the woods in hunting season than you were in your car driving to get there. But for absolute safety, wear a blaze orange hat or vest and tie something brightly colored to your pack. Making yourself extra visible in hunting season is just common sense—like driving with headlights on in the rain.

Everybody is different, and with all the great packs on the market today, you ,can find one that suits your needs and you budget if you look hard enough. These hikers are bound for the AMC’s Lake of the Clouds hut on Mount Washington carrying extra clothing, lunches and some overnight gear.(Tim Jones photo)

Feedback from readers is one of the best parts of writing this column—along with being “forced” to get outdoors and do things, of course. I especially love getting questions from readers. It’s even better when I can actually answer them . . .

Tim G. from Connecticut wrote recently to ask about camping gear:

“I enjoyed your recent camping article and was wondering what you would recommend for a 3-season sleeping bag and a backpack for multiple day outings. I have looked at or seen reviews on the Gregory Baltoro 70, Jansport Klamath 68, Osprey Exos 58 or Aether 70 and some REI backpacks. On sleeping bags, I have seen the EMS Velocity 30 Degree bag at EMS and not much else. Thanks for your help.”

Well, Tim, I don’t know how much help I can be, because I’ve never actually used any of those packs—though I have used gear from each and every one of those suppliers. In fact, for winter camping I currently use an Argon 110 from Osprey (www.ospreypacks.com). This HUGE pack is simply the best I have ever found for comfortably carrying heavy, bulky loads.

My basic pack for 3-season backpacking is the excellent and affordable Mars 85 from REI (www.rei.com). My sweetheart Marilyn carries the Venus 75 women’s version of the same pack.

And for light, fast overnights and weekends I use a Z-65 from Gregory (www.gregorypacks.com). Marilyn has the Jade 60 women’s version. These also double as our winter daypacks for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing and for tackling high summits in the summer.

That doesn’t mean those are the best packs on the market. They just happen to fit me and my needs—and they went on sale when I could afford them . . . If price is an issue, the house brands from EMS (www.ems.com), REI and L.L. Bean (www.llbean.com) tend to be well built, somewhat heavier and, usually less money than the “name” brands.

For decades I carried big packs from Kelty (www.kelty.com), Mountainsmith (www.mountainsith.com), and Jansport (www.jansport.com) and a smaller pack from EMS. I still have all of those and lend them out to my kids and to friends as needed. Good packs can last a long time.

One piece of advice I would give to anyone looking to buy a pack: get one big enough. Yes, bigger packs are heavier and they tempt you to carry more, but there’s nothing more frustrating than not being able to fit what you need in or on your pack. The packs Tim G mentions are perfect for a real go-light backpacker, but I prefer something in the 80 to 90-liter (4,900-5500 cu. in) range for multi-night 3-season backpacking trips. In winter, there’s no such thing as a pack that’s “too big.”

The sleeping bag question is a little more difficult. Sleeping bags have to fit you and there are choices to be made in insulation and warmth ratings.

Personally, I prefer synthetic fill. It’s cheaper and stays warm if it gets wet, but it is heavier. The EMS bag Tim mentions is a good one, very narrow. I like that – other people don’t. The North Face Equinox 35 (www.northface.com) and the Mountain Hardwear Ultralamina 32 (www.mountainhardwear.com) are in the same weight range, but a little roomier. My buddy David Shedd has the Mountain Hardware bag a swears by it. My summer bag is a Klickitat 40 by Coleman (www.coleman.com), which weighs just 2 pounds. .

Personally, for real 3-season use, I like a bit warmer bag—with a rating around 20-25 degrees like the REI Aura 25. None of the 3-season sleeping bags I use are made anymore.

Good gear is an investment, find stuff you like. And remember, the more you use it the less it costs per use. Life isn’t a spectator sport. Get out and enjoy!

RENTAL OPTIONS

A couple of weeks ago, Nora T from New Hampshire wrote requesting a copy of my backpacking gear checklist—which I’ll happily share with anyone who asks. She was taking her family on a weekend hike to a remote cabin in the White Mountains and asked about rental gear. Since she was going to be near North Conway, I recommended EMS and IME (www.ime-usa.com) also sells used gear in their “Bargain Basement”– as possible sources.

She wrote back after her adventure telling me they were already planning to try tent camping, first in a roadside area, then in the backcountry. So they must have enjoyed the experience.

But she also mentioned a source for rental gear for longer-term use. It’s www.lowergear.com. They have good prices and ship via UPS to anywhere in the country.

BIKE QUESTION

Robert G wrote to ask what I would carry in an emergency kit for off-road bicycle trips.

Usually, you aren’t that far off the when road mountain biking. But still, there’s risk involved. First thing you need is a little seat pack to carry a few essentials. In it put a folding bicycles tool kit–(there are lots of good ones on the market, I use ones from Pedros (www.pedros.com) and Topeak (www.topeak.com). Also carry tire levers, a spare tube, inflator/ pump, duct tape wrapped around a wooden match, and some cable ties. These essentials really should be along every time you go biking on-road or off.

If you’re really in the boonies, having a folding spare tire among the group might make sense.

As with any expedition, you’ll need water, some food, and raingear—which will all ride in a small backpack. And pack your common sense—don’t ride alone, don’t tackle terrain you can’t handle, don’t go faster than your skill level allows and do wear a helmet.