1 – Leave the water behind
Water is essential for all life, but just one gallon weighs 8 pounds. If we plan to go out in nature, we don’t have to bring store-bought bottled water with us. Where do you think clean, fresh bottled water comes from? It comes from wild springs and clean mountain streams. If we are in an area with abundant fresh water, we can ditch bottled water and save several pounds. You may not be sure if the water is drinkable in the area you are walking, but you know there is water in the area. Bring a water pump or water purifier that you can easily pick up at your local outdoor store, and it weighs much less than a gallon of water. Using snow as water is another easy technique. You can collect snow in your kitchen and melt it to make drinking water. If you are going to use this technique, you need to make sure you have enough water to cover the bottom of the stove or you will burn the snow and the stove.
2 – Leave food behind
Another essential element for life is food! Once again, a good understanding of the area you are in will make all the difference. Every time I go out, I make a few meals and plan on catching or harvesting some along the way. Packing Mountain House meals can also add up very quickly. A mountain house can weigh nearly 6 ounces. If you eat three meals a day during a weekend camping trip, that can add up to almost 3 pounds of food! Catching fish, catching wildlife, or harvesting berries/nuts can be very useful. Study your map for good fishing spots. A simple $30 rod and reel can catch more than enough fish to keep your appetite going. Study the local plants in the area and determine which ones are edible and which ones are in season. Eating what mother nature offers makes us feel amazing and one with nature.
3 – Leave the shelter behind
The last of the BIG 3 essentials to sustain life is a shelter. Depending on the quality and material of the tent you own, it could weigh up to 5 pounds! I have personally seen people walk around in 8, 6 and 4 person tents and only sleep 1 or 2 people in the tent. All that extra store is just pounds for you to carry. Maybe you have a state-of-the-art, $600 tent for a two-pound person, right? Start thinking of some options to get rid of that expensive tent. An item like a Bivy Sack, is a good alternative to tents and still provides shelter, but with almost no weight. If you’re really getting adventurous, bring a tarp or hammock to hang from tree to tree. If we want to bring out our inner Mick Dodge, and the area allows it, we can make our own forest shelter. This can be a lot of fun if you have kids, they will really get into making a fort/shelter for the night. But remember to break it afterwards, so as not to leave a trace.
4 – Leave the kitchen stove behind
A kitchen stove is an item that I love to carry around, but it can be completely obsolete if it is allowed to have a fire. You need to check the area we are camping in first. We may need a stove to cook our fish or boil water, if campfires are not allowed. Some people don’t mind a hot meal before bed, and living off a trail mix and beef jerky for a weekend should be an easy alternative. For most of us, the camping stove is an important part of making the outdoors comfortable. If you’re like me and need that hot meal before the lights go out, start practicing cooking over an open flame. Making a fire suitable for cooking and placing a simple pan can make a difference. The pan you bring may not weigh much more than a camp stove, but it may be lighter than several cans of fuel. Put your items on a scale and see what works best for you. Since I don’t mind carrying a little extra weight, my camp stove always comes. Most of the time I cook my main meal (fish, meat) over the fire and cook a side dish (rice, vegetables) on my stove at the same time. Decide and practice what works best for you.
5 – Leave the sleeping bag behind
Unless it’s consistently hot day and night where you’re camping, you probably won’t leave your sleeping bag at home. Sleeping bags can weigh between 3 and 5 pounds, depending on the design of the bag. You can buy a very light sleeping bag suitable for the area where you are going to camp. If you’re out in the desert, where it’s 90 degrees during the day and 40 at night, a good ground pad, goose down pants, and a jacket may be good enough to act as a sleeping bag. Carrying a thin sheet could also be enough to keep you warm and very easy to fold and pack. I highly recommend religiously studying night temperatures before leaving your sleeping bag at home.
6 – Leave the ground platform behind
The ground pad keeps us warm, clean and comfortable on those long nights camping, but it’s not necessary either. Picking up leaves, moss, or finding soft ground can be more comfortable than the most expensive ground pad on the market. Every time I put up my tent or ground platform, I add a bit of cushion under the ground platform.
7 – Leave the trekking poles behind
I don’t recommend leaving your trekking poles behind if the hike is long, you gain a lot of elevation, or you’re not a very skilled hiker. Trekking poles can prevent injuries and allow a hiker to maintain endurance in the test. If it’s a short weekend hike or you feel strong enough, leave the poles behind.
8 – Leave the bear’s boat behind:
Some areas may require you to have a bear boat, and in that case we’re out of luck if we want to leave it behind. Other areas may allow you to set up a counterweight. In most cases, simply carrying a bear boat is easier than trying to set up a counterweight 15 feet high and 10 feet from the tree. This item is not at the top of my list of items to leave behind.
9 – Leave the batteries behind
We may not have to leave all of our batteries behind, but you can leave most of them behind. Too many times I’ve seen someone pull a brand new, unopened pack of ten batteries out of their bag. It’s just useless and unnecessary weight. Why not take 2-4 extra batteries along for the ride? If it is a long trip, using a solar panel will also help us get rid of the weight of the battery.
10 – Leave the clothes behind
I’m not saying go nudist and hike in nature, but I’m trying to get you thinking about the unnecessary clothes and boots you might pack at camp. Most places in the summer months do not require jackets or heavy pants. Study weather conditions and elevation to determine what you need to bring. Ditch those heavy old hiking boots and try walking in lighter, more agile trail running shoes. Your legs and back will thank you later.
conclusion
Now some of you may disagree with my list of essentials, but that’s good. Remember this is just a guide to help us all get out more often and with a lighter pack. If our backpack is lighter and the hike is more enjoyable, we are more likely to return. Take this guide and make one of your own. No one but yourself can tell you what you can and cannot comfortably wear. We can bring it all if it makes us happy!