Camping And Hiking Gear

Sonny answers:

Okay. Here you go. I cannot tell you how important it is to be lightweight. You will have more energy for the fun stuff. You will cover DISTANCE>>>> Your senses will come alive when your hiking along a ridge in the middle of nowhere.

BIG THREE = FOOD WATER SHELTER

CAMP SETUP *****DO NOT COOK MEALS OR EAT FOOD IN YOUR TENT, AROUND YOUR TENT, UP WIND FROM YOUR TENT.
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HENESSY HAMMOCK!!!! Get this. Its so lightweight and compactable its unbelievable. You will never need to fish around for a soft flat spot for a tent ever again. I extremely recommend this to you. Google it. Different setup that would work is a lightweight tube tent with a tarp, ropes...why would you want to bring all that though?

SECONDARY SHELTER. Buy yourself this useful and field worthy piece a gear....military rain poncho. Serves as a secondary shelter, ground mat, bug relief, whatever. Get it. You wont be dissapointed. Heck, use it AS your primary shelter. I do.

PARACORD. MILITARY. 5 STRAND. 75 Feet. Maybe more maybe less.

SLEEPING BAG. Buy one with a temperature rating that will suffice for your planned use. Buy one of SYNTHETIC material. Cotton kills. Make sure you get a waterproof compression sack. And by they way, no cotton clothes either. You'll thank me later. LAYER LAYER LAYER. What do you want, a big wool blanket or a climate control system? Base layer ( Performance long johns), midweight layer ( fleece ), outer shell ( Coat ).

SLEEPING MAT - If you go with a tent, get this. Keeps you warm because it insulates you from the ground. Thermarest ultralight is a good one. They're made really well.

SURVIVAL GEAR
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1) Topographical map of area and vicinity. (Don't get lost on a map you dont have) ( Slip into a plastic sleeve or get a waterproof map case.) KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE. ITS NOT THAT HARD, JUST LEARN IT. YOU WILL FEEL VERY POWERFUL AND ABLE WITH THIS SKILLSET.
2) Lensatic compass
3) Waterproof matches in a waterproof case.
4) Whistle
5) Small signal mirror
6) Water purification tablets
7) Knife ( No 3 inch pocket knife)
Small lightweight knife sharpener
9) Wire saw ( So handy )
10) 2 Plastic Garbage Bags
11) Survival blanket
12) Fishing kit. ( I bust this out all the time and make a pole outta vinemaple).
13) 1 Candle.
14) I carry a magnesium firestarter as a backup.
15) Notepad/Pen
16) Nalgene bottle.
17) L.E.D. HEADLAMP + extra batteries
18) L.E.D. Flashlight (GET LED FLASHLIGHTS THAT USE THE SAME BATTERIES. )
19) Sunglasses
Maybe i left something out that you might need in your area of exploration. Think about it.

FOOD
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Military MRE's. Ya. Me either.

Try Mountain House Freeze Dried food. Comes in a vaccum sealed package. Open the package, take out the oxygen absorber, pour in whatever amount of boiling water, let sit for like 15 minutes, and my friend, you have the easiet, cleanest, tastiest, most lightweight food ever invented for the outdoors.

Small kettle for boiling water.

MSR Whisperlight international one burner stove. Dont have white gas? Use unleaded. Don't have unleaded? No problem, use kerosene. This is a crazy little stove.

MSR Fuel Bottle. Med - Large size depending on how long of a trip.

MEDICAL KIT
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Insect repellent with deet. Military grade works awesome.
Sunscreen. ( Not a huge bottle)
Some bandaids
Antiseptic
Antihyztamine
chapstick ( When your at 5,000 ft with 25mph wind)
Eye drops
ACE Bandage.

WATER
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Water purification filters. Worth the money for a lightweight one.

You can also boil your water to purify between 5 - 7 minutes.

I HAVE FOUND THINGS *EUREKA EFFECT* WITH MULTIPLE USES. YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU WILL NEED VERSUS WHAT YOU MIGHT NEED. GET EVERYTHING AS LIGHTWEIGHT AS YOU CAN. A PLASTIC WHISTLE VERSUS A METAL ONE FOR EXAMPLE. BRING A 12OZ BOTTLE OF WATER AND JUST KEEP YOUR PURIFIER HANDY VERSUS A LUGGIN 32 OUNCE NALGENE. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS SURVIVAL BOOKS. SAS, MILITARY MOUNTAINEERING, HIGH ALTITUDE WARFARE, BLAH BLAH BLAH. JUST READ ONE SURVIVAL MANUAL AND YOU'LL GET THE PICTURE OF WHAT YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF. THEN YOU CAN FIGURE OUT WHICH GEAR WILL WORK BEST FOR THE THINGS YOU NEED TO ACCOMPLISH.