TIP number 5

Self portrait

It’s okay to be nerdy
I am living proof of this credo. I delight in the quirky problem solving required when wrestling with all the minutia of my pack-weight. I encourage you to dig deep and fully accept your inner nerd. It’s okay to obsess about a half an ounce, I encourage that attitude! I enjoy using my finely crafted do-it-yourself gear in the mountains.

Please know, I fully recognize how dorky all this can be, and I acknowledge that I fit every stereotype of the weirdo zealot. But it’s fun, and fun counts for a lot. I take great pride wearing my home-made rain skirt with a team of burly men!

TIP number 26

Care of the equipment

This is a skill, and like any other skill it can be developed and perfected. It’s no different than setting up a tarp on a windy conditions or reading a map, it is a skill.

I’ve had dubious traditional campers hold certain UL items in their hand and they’ll scoff (with venomous contempt) informing me that it’s simply too flimsy to stand up to the hellish rigors of camping in the mountains. That’s not true. There is a surprisingly simple technique I employ to maintain my gear and avoid unnecessary wear and tear, and it’s easily summed up in three words: I am careful.

The traditional camper has an arsenal of cordura, ballistic nylon and steel. No need to carefully set their pack down, they can just drop that formidable beast - and then sit on it! Not so with the UL gear.

Everything in the UL campers quiver is dainty, true enough. But, the perception is that the stuff is so flimsy that it’s unreliable, and some will even say unsafe! I am ever mindful of my gear and it’s limitations, and I make sure to treat it with loving kindness.

Also - I do NOT sit on my pack.

TIP number 120

The nimble fingers of Andrew Skurka creating a tiny powerhouse stove.

Make your own alcohol stove

There are oodles of cool designs for homemade alcohol stoves, and they are all made from junk out of the recycle bin. Searching the internet for alcohol stove designs is like going down the rabbit hole, be prepared to get overwhelmed with information. The stove designs drawn here are made with cat food cans and a simple paper punch.

For solo cooking, most stove designs require setting the pot is set right on the stove unit, so there is no reason for any kind of stand. The smaller sized Fancy Feast cat food can stove and a solo cook mug is an amazingly simple and efficient cook-system. I was turned-on to this tiny stove by Ultralight superstar Andrew Skurka. He’s traveled thousands of miles with just this little beauty in his pack—no need for anything more.

Use nothing more than a simple office supply hole punch as your only tool.

Cat food cans gleaned from the trash are the source for an excellent alcohol stove.

If you are cooking in a team of two, the larger can (3 3/8” diameter) requires a little gap between the stove and the bottom of the pot. You can use three tent stakes to make a perfectly sturdy platform, and get multi-use points for the stakes!

I've played with this design using the 3 3/8" sized can, and I find it has more ooompf that the "Fancy Feast" size. It can be used with a pot setting right on top of the little can. But, for a little bit better performance, using the tent stakes as a stand helps the heat output and cook time.

A very light alcohol stove with heat output for a team of two.

tip number 31

The term "in camp" defined

If you're truly on a roll using every trick to boost efficiency, there should be only mere minutes between sleeping and hiking. If you are cooking meals on-trail (see tip 70, eat dinner on the trail) you can hike ‘til bedtime and quickly climb into your bag and sleep. In the morning, you simply roll out of bed and start hiking again.

With this streamlined strategy, the term “in camp” doesn’t really mean anything.

But, if you wanna relax at the end of the day (and the next morning) in a beautiful spot, you’ll be plunked down in one spot for an extra bunch of hours. This is a traditional form of camping and this lazy zone of dinner/sleep/breakfast is known as being in camp.

If this has been your time-honored mode of camping, I implore you to re-think your standard operating procedures. (see tip 24, the human factor) No need to spend time simply parked in one place. Yes, it might be beautiful in camp, but so is moving through the Wilderness with a UL pack. You can drink in that same beauty as you travel.

The traditional camper will only find his comfort in camp, and only after the crippling backpack is jettisoned off his back. The ultralight camper finds their comfort on the trail.

Here's an example. Why sit in one place when you can effortlessly glide down the path, like a hovercraft of groovyness! (Wind River Range, Wyoming)

TIP number 8

Look where I went with a 6 pound base weight!

know the difference between WANTS and NEEDS

You actually NEED very little; food, water and oxygen are obvious. So is warmth, comfort and peace of mind. But we are all too easily swayed by our WANTS, especially me!

Some things, like the backpack, are obviously required. But what about the tent? Is that something you WANT or NEED? These are decidedly different and it can be a challenging human exercise to attempt separate them from each other. Can you replace the thing you WANT with a something you truly NEED? Is there an option that’s lighter, cheaper, simpler or multi-use? Can it be nixed entirely? It should be easy to ditch the tent and replace it with a tarp, but all too often this decision can be fraught with emotion.

I have a beautiful camping knife. I love this elegantly crafted tool. I feel a very real WANT associated with my well-designed (and expensive) toy. This is a good item to truly scrutinize with ultralight eyes.

Are you hypnotized into believing you NEED a knife when all you are really doing is WANTING a knife? (see tip 53, What! No knife?)

A nice tool at 0.1 oz, and that includes the home-made envelope, built from cereal box cardboard and tape.

Personally, I’ve found a 0.1 oz single edge razor blade, void of frills and charisma, solves my need for a sharp thing in the mountains. Thus, the beautiful knife stays at home, and that liberation feels good!

tip number 72

Napping as a skill

There comes a point on a long hiking day when I succumb the overriding urge to close my eyes in the sun. The afternoon siesta can be a beautiful thing. I encourage you to practice this beloved mountain skill. And I confidently predict you’ll achieve mastery, even on the first try.

Ingenious Napping Checklist:

~ Find a spot well away from the trial so other hikers won’t worry that you’re dead.
~ Take your shoes and socks off and let those feet air out!
~ If it’s buggy, find a spot with a slight breeze.
~ If you are in Grizzly country, keep the bear spray handy.
~ Use your backpack as a pillow.
~ Don’t get sunburned.

Should you set an alarm? I don’t, (because I don't carry a watch) I find that the entire napping process, from picking the perfect spot to being back on the trail (with sleep in between), usually clocks in at exactly an hour.

This process of afternoon renewal can be effectively followed with coffee on the trail. (see tip 130, coffee on the trail)

TIP number 28

Define SUCCESS

Anyone can suffer with a light pack. The point is to thrive and enjoy the experience. The simple checklist of four points (below) is a good way to rein in your trip planning. Staying warm, sleeping comfortably, eating enough to be satisfied and energetic and not skimping on safety gear like first aid items and a simple repair kit. All of these points can be blended together to meet the needs of any individual trip.

1. WARM
2. COMFORTABLE
3. WELL FED
4. SAFE

If you skimp on the tools (or mindset) that would insure any of these four simple points, you’ll eventually end up unhappy.

Always refer back to this short list if you have any questions. An example: A traditional camper will bring a big vessel just to lug water to his campsite. This can be eliminated because the Wilderness traveler with a lighter pack can position any cooking near water. It’s better to leave the big water vessel behind and take an extra warm layer. That layer can insure warmth and comfort, the water vessel is nothing more than a convenience. (see tip 2, Comfortable and safe are vital! )