Articles (2020)

2013 Staff Picks

As we close out the year, take a minute and see which gear our staff uses often.

As we close out the year, the BPL staff would like to share our favorite gear with you! These items are not a formal endorsement but rather a list of gear that our staffers use often. This year we have asked our staff to send us their choices related to ultralight backpacking, an outdoor activity, and an item related to their lifestyle.

Add your favorites in the forum below!

Dave Chenault

Ultralight Backpacking item: LaSportiva Anakonda

- 1
Taking a rest on the trail and admiring the shoes.

The Anakondas are perilously close to my ideal backpacking shoe.  They have close to unequaled traction under all conditions.  They have just enough padding and stiffness.  They absorb little water and drain fast.  The uppers are acceptably durable, by which I mean they’ll last about as long as the sole tread, which has heretofore been the shortcoming of every comparable shoe.  My only issues are that that the minimally padded heal cup is a bit too unyielding, and that they’re expensive.  I need to wear at least moderately padded socks or I get pinch blisters, and money spent on good shoes is the best way to spend gear funds.  They won’t fit paddle feet, but those folks are catered to by many companies and don’t have my sympathy.  If LaSportiva fixes the heel cup, I’ll have a pair of trail shoes as good as current technology allows, which after years of thrashing sub-standard shoes will be a strange sensation.

Weight: 12 oz per shoe in size 45 MSRP: $125

Outdoor activity item: Browning Citori 725 Feather 12 gauge shotgun

- 2
The gun and the latest kill.

In all fairness I didn’t backpack much with this paragon of function aesthetics, but I did hike enough miles carrying it this fall to get mild tendonitis in my left elbow.  It killed a turkey, a number of squirrels and grouse, and a whitetail.  The attention to flawless detail is amazing, and if it fits you as well as it fits me, you’ll get to experience a thoughtless union with a material object which is exceedingly rare (my only other comparable example is my Werner paddle, nominated here two years ago).  Function alone doesn’t justify the sky-high price, my H&R single shot would have in most cases done the job just as well at 1/15th the price.  But in a world where cheap, virtual experience has become the norm, some things are just worth the money.

Weight: 6 lbs 5 oz with 26 in barrels MSRP: ~$2,000 street price

Lifestyle item: 2011 Salsa Mukluk

- 3
Biking on a riverbed – a challenge without the right gear.

I got bored with mountain biking a few years ago, and it had nothing to do with riding.  Rather, the experience of being hemmed in on singletrack and dirt roads couldn’t keep up with packrafting and alpine ridge traverses.  Then I got a fatbike, and the world changed.  I did beach trips.  I rode the Flathead River corridor in early spring, pedaling gravel bars, flood channels, and game trails.  Thanks to that change in perspective, this year I fatbiked wilderness trails almost unrideable on conventional bikes, and on a four day trip hiked my normal mountain over two 11,000 foot passes in the snows of early summer to link up rideable roads and trails.  In even the most crowded areas there is no lack of fresh and interesting terrain, only a lack of fresh ways of seeing it.  If a tool like a fatbike helps you do that, embrace it and be grateful.  I’m not convinced there’s anything especially special about the Mukluk, other than that I found one at the right price at the right time.  Fatbikes are exploding in popularity, which is driving down prices, making this a good time to buy.  Most riders aren’t using them to their potential, but no matter where you live that potential is available, waiting to be unlocked if you can see it.

Weight: 25 to 35 lbs complete depending on the build MSRP: $400 to 500 for a comparable frameset in a increasingly competitive marketplace

Daniel Paladino

Ultralight Backpacking Item: Tenkara USA Amago Rod

- 4
Tenkara USA Amago Rod.

With no prior fishing experience, I decided to try the Amago on the blue ribbon trout streams of southwest Montana. I caught a beautiful little rainbow on my first outing. The addiction was born. From then on, my lightweight backpacking trips quickly transformed into lightweight fishing trips. The Amago, Tenkara USA’s ‘big fish’ rod, has landed me everything from tiny feisty Brown Trout in small fast moving streams, to big lazy Goldens in the high alpine lakes of the Lee Metcalf Wilderness. If you’re looking for a do-it-all beginner Tenkara rod that can handle larger fish, you can’t go wrong with the Amago.

Weight: 3.5 oz MSRP: $169.00

Outdoor activity item: Mystery Ranch BlackJack Pack

- 5
Mystery Ranch BlackJack Pack.

No single piece of gear should be relied on to save your life in an avalanche. Experience, knowledge of the conditions, and a good, trustworthy partner are your best bet. With that being said, more and more research is pointing to avalanche airbag packs as the best tool to improve your chances of survival if you are caught in a slide. The Mystery Ranch Blackjack, lovingly built in Bozeman, Montana, uses a compressed air system triggered by a ripcord on the harness, to inflate a 150-liter airbag in 3 seconds. The airbag increases the volume of the skier, helping to keep them afloat in fast moving avalanche debris. With 43 L of volume, the Blackjack is plenty big for an overnight hut trip and its 200 denier fabric, coated with porcelain dots in high abrasion areas, ensures that the pack will live up to the durability I’ve come to expect from Mystery Ranch.

Weight: 7.8 lbs MSRP: $1,025

Lifestyle item: Survival Education

- 6
Education hard at work.

Whether a taking a Wilderness First Responder course or an Avalanche Safety course, the utility of education and mental preparedness go much further than any piece of gear. A well-furnished backcountry kit is useless if the person using it lacks basic or technical survival skills. These classes can better prepare you for the unpredictable nature of the sports we participate in, and they’re often relatively affordable. The avalanche safety courses I’ve completed over the last five years have turned out to be the most useful piece of “gear” I could imagine. Perhaps we should forgo that new pack or those shiny new skis, and instead invest in something intangible, that could potentially save a life.

Weight: none MSRP: varies

Kevin Sawchuk

Ultralight Backpacking Item: GoLite Shangri-La 8+

- 7
GoLite Shangri La and a stunning campground.

I love the Shangri-La as a lightweight family tent.  One of my favorite memories is of playing cards in this tent with my family during a windy rain/hail/lightening storm at Moose Lake in King’s Canyon.

Weight: 3 lbs 2o z for body only, stock poles 1 lb 13 oz, stock stakes 5 oz each for a total of 5 lbs 4oz. Using your own trekking poles as poles save nearly 2 lbs.  MSRP: $540 when sold – not available for several years

Outdoor Activity Item: The Hoka One One Stinson B

- 8
Hoka One One Stinson B.

The Hoka One One Stinson B adds cushioning in a shoe with only 6 mm of “drop”.  This lets me hammer hard on rocky downhills while protecting my feet and legs.

Weight: 10 oz each MSRP: $170

Lifestyle Item: Trigger Point Foam Roller

- 9
Trigger Point Foam Roller.

I’m a runner and recovery–including stretching and using my foam roller–is critical to working out the kinks and tight muscles that cause injury and worsen performance.  There are a lot of choices but the trigger point foam roller is firm and durable.  It comes in several sizes including a 5 in travel size.

Weight: 1 lb 5 oz MSRP: $40

Damien Tougas

Ultralight Backpacking Item: Rab Xenon synthetic puffy jacket

- 10
Rab Xenon synthetic puffy jacket.

The Rab Xenon is light, warm, water resistant, and low profile enough that it fits nicely under my rain shell. I find myself taking this thing everywhere, not just backpacking. When a piece of gear makes its way from my pack to my daily life, I know it is a keeper.

Weight: 10.5 oz (298 g) MSRP:  $200 MSRP

Outdoor Activity Item: Black Diamond Carbon Cork trekking poles

- 11
Adjusting the Black Diamond Carbon Cork trekking poles.

Although not the lightest poles out there, they are tough. I abuse them hiking, backpacking, snowshoeing, and backcountry skiing. I appreciate the all-season versatility and durability they bring in a relatively lightweight package.

Weight: 1 lb 7.9 oz (678 g) for the pair MSRP: $160 MSRP

Lifestyle Item: Markdown

- 12
My staff picks contribution in the Markdown plain text editor.

I love the simplicity of a plain text editor for writing and taking notes. By doing this I am ensured that my documents can be written anywhere, read anywhere, buy anyone, on any device without any problems. Markdown is a simple text-based format for marking-up plain text with headings, underlines, bullet points, links, images, etc. By passing Markdown text through a simple processor, you can instantly turn it into well formed HTML for publishing on the web, printing, PDF, etc. A fantastic, simple tool that I use every day. Future proof, and open source.

Weight: 0 oz (0 g) MSRP: $0

Doug Johnson

Ultralight Backpacking item: Northern Lites Backcountry Snowshoes

- 13
Northern Lites Backcountry Snowshoes.

I have had my Northern Lites snowshoes for over 10 years now.  I love snowshoeing and I use snowshoes hard- jumping off small cliffs, climbing across frozen rocks, and using my snowmobile to access the really deep Washington snow.  In the past I’ve broken more than one pair of good snowshoes, but that ended with Northern Lites.  These things are STRONG!  But much like a carbon fiber mountain bike, these snowshoes are strong AND light.  In fact, these are about as light as you get- my 30″ snowshoes weigh just 45.3 oz (1285 g).  In the world of snowshoes, that qualifies as “wicked light”.  (They’re even lighter than the Crescent Moon Rocket Carbon Fiber racing snowshoes, and the Rockets are much smaller.)  The binding on the Northern Lites is simple, but it works.  The crampon can be a bit minimal when on high alpine ice, but everywhere else, they are great and don’t pack with snow.  I love the Northern Lites snowshoes.  They retail for $269 with the 30 in Quicksliver model at $199.

Weight: 45.3 oz (1285 g) MSRP: $199.

Outdoor Activity Item: Northern Lites Youth Snowshoes

- 14
My kids using their shoes for some outdoor fun.

No, I don’t work for the company, but last year I discovered the new Northern Lites Youth snowshoes and now my kids both have a pair.  Very similar to the adult models but with cheaper materials to keep costs down, these snowshoes absolutely smoke all other kids snowshoes that are on the market.  Weighing in at 28.0 oz (794 g), the only thing lighter are toddler snowshoes and the quality and durability matches my adult snowshoes.  At $94, they are just a tad more expensive than other kids’ snowshoes.  This an excellent piece of kid gear that will be passed between family members for years and years.

Weight: 28.0 oz (794 g) MSRP: $94

Lifestyle Item: Bike commuting

- 15
My bike!

This year my family moved to a new town, cutting my daily commute from 2 hours to 20 minutes.  It has been a life-changer.  It also cut my bike commute to just 6 miles, which I can do almost every day.  I added a Tubus Fly rack, some SKS Raceblade fenders, and a set of Exposure lights to my carbon road bike, and I’m speed commuting more often than not.  Getting in a bit of exercise, saving money, and easing stress by commuting on a 16 lbs race bike- I love it!

Eric Vann

Ultralight Backpacking item: Patagonia M10 Rainjacket

- 16
Fishing at Heather Lake.

Whether it is raining or windy, I have found my Patagonia rainjacket to be very reliable and adaptable. I wore it this summer on packrafting trips as a dry top of sorts, I’ve used it in torrential rains between classes at my university, and as a windbreaker when hunting this fall. Not only is it exceptionally waterproof but it is durable and lightweight. I have been impressed and am grateful for the comfort it offers as I enjoy the outdoors.

Weight: 8.1 oz MSRP: $350

Outdoor Activity Item: Switch Necky Kayak

- 17
My kayak wishing it was out on the river.

My newest outdoor passion is river sports. While I want to start packrafting more I really have enjoyed doing some frontcoutnry boating in my kayak. I have really enjoyed being on the water and going through the process of improving. It has been awhile since I have really started learning a brand new skill, and facing my fears and becoming better has not only helped me enjoy kayaking but helped me become better in all areas of my life. Additionally, kayaking prepares me for any packrafting trips I might take as it helps me become comfortable on the river and learn the strokes for safe river navigation.

Weight: Too heavy for backpacking MSRP: ~ $250

Lifestyle Item: Journaling

- 18
A journal.

Journaling has really helped me crystallize my thoughts and I have found that I am really able to improve as a person by writing down what I did well and what I could do better each day. I go through phases, some stretches I’ll journal every day and other periods I won’t at all. Regardless, when I need to help resolve a conflict in my mind I resort to this tactic to help me figure things out. I don’t usually bring a lightweight one with me when I go backpacking but that is definitely something I would recommend to help you remember your trip.

Weight: a few ounces MSRP: a few bucks

Ryan Jordan

Ultralight Backpacking item: Hyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid

- 19
Hyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid and a nice campsite in the High Sierras.

I spent more nights in the UltaMid in 2013 than in any other shelter – always with a partner. For many years, I’ve been waiting for a pyramid made of Cuben Fiber (no stretching in response to temperature!) that was big enough for pals and light enough, and strong enough, for expedition use. The UltaMid was the answer.

Weight: 22 oz (4-man version) MSRP: $800

Outdoor Activity Item: Werner Sherpa

- 20
Celebrating a great packrafting trip on the Swan River.

The biggest change I made in my whitewater paddling this year was moving to a shorter kayak paddle with a larger blade. This has forced me into learning more efficient paddling techniques, which in turn allowed me to run harder water with more confidence. I’ve thoroughly abused my Sherpa and other than a few scratches, it looks and feels new, even after hundreds of runs (photo: Swan River).

Weight: 41 oz (4 pc, Fiberglass, 194 cm) MSRP: $300

Lifestyle Item: Grand Teton National Park

- 21
Grand Teton National Park.

I’m a sucker for living on the road, and one of our family’s favorite vagabond destinations is only a few hours south of home: Grand Teton National Park. There may be nowhere else in the world that offers the density of opportunity for camping, hiking, rock and ice climbing, packrafting, fly fishing, big game wildlife watching, backcountry skiing, and backpacking (photo: Gros Ventre Campground).

Weight: 0, other than the Annual Pass weight. MSRP: $80 (Interagency Annual Pass)

Will Rietveld

Ultralight Backpacking item: Trail Designs Caldera Keg-F

- 22
On the trail making some food.

I have been using the Trail Designs Caldera system since it first came out. Basically the cook pot is enclosed and supported by the windscreen, which holds it the correct distance above an alcohol burner. The Caldera Keg-F is their lightest system because it utilizes a Foster’s 25.4 oz beer can as a cook pot. The complete system as purchased weights just 6.3 oz, and I strip it down (sans caddy and beerbands) to just 4.25 oz contained in a plastic bag. The Trail Designs Caldera cooking system has revolutionized backcountry cooking with an alcohol burner because of its lightweight, efficiency, and dependability.

Weight: 6.3 oz MSRP: $60

Outdoor Activity Item: Backcountry Nordic Skiing

- 23
Enjoying the fresh snow.

When winter comes my outdoor time is split between backcountry skiing in the mountains and hiking in dryer places of the Southwest. I prefer a lightweight ski with lots of sidecut and 100-120 ml of width at the tips, a fishscale pattern in the center, NNN-BC bindings, and leather boots. This lightweight and versatile ski system is ideal for touring and telemark turning in consolidated powder snow on moderate terrain. Although I shy away from developed ski areas, I still like doing lots of downhill, like skiing through the trees and meadows from the top of a mountain pass to near the bottom.

Lifestyle Item: A Hot Tub Soak After an Outdoors Trip

Nothing is more soothing than soaking in 105F water after skiing all day or after a hiking trip. Our tub is indoors to conserve energy and we use it only fall-winter-spring.

Weight: Far too heavy for backpacking but natural hotsprings are common throughout the world. Perhaps you can plan your route around one of those. MSRP: Priceless.

2013 Photo Contest Winners!

After receiving some stunning photos, our judges have chosen the best. Grab a seat and relive the experience.

Each year we offer this contest, the more difficult it becomes to judge the entries. An increase in the performance:weight ratio of light, compact cameras means that more and more lightweight backpackers are carrying them – and taking exceptional shots with them. This year was no exception.

We’d like to acknowledge Ron Koeberer (koberfoto.com) and Ryan Jordan for photo jury duty. Photos were assessed according to the four categories described in Part 1. Relevance was weighted the highest (given a weighting factor of 3), while Technical and Color were given weighting factors of 1. Originality and Aesthetic were given a weighting factor of 2. Scores were then normalized on a 100 point scale. Both judges scored all entries, so final scores represented the averages from the two judges. The photos you see below ranged in scoring from 79.6 (12th place) to 92.6 (1st place).

Thank you for submitting photos to this years’ contest! Please consider supporting BPL by purchasing a calendar – they’re large format, wire-bound, full bleed, and really beautiful. They’d make a great gift, too.

Winners: Please contact Eric at submissions@backpackinglight.com, and let us know if you’d like an MLIFE subscription added to your account, or designated to another user account (please provide the username, or if you are gifting it to a new user, have them sign up for a free BPL account and let us know their username). For those of you that won WTS scholarships, we’ll be releasing our school calendar by December 31, so once you enroll (or designate your scholarship to another user who will be attending, please let us know so we can credit your purchase.

– BPL Staff

Purchase a 2014 Calendar

Winners are featured in our 2014 Calendar — click on the image below to purchase one or more!

Congratulations to the winners!!!

  • 1st Place ($500 scholarship applicable for any Backpacking Light Wilderness Trekking School program in 2014) – Brendan Swihart
  • 2nd Place ($250 scholarship applicable for any Backpacking Light Wilderness Trekking School program in 2014) – Edward Mjelde 
  • 3rd Place ($100 scholarship applicable for any Backpacking Light Wilderness Trekking School program in 2014) – Mike Freeman

First Place – Brendan Swihart 

- 1
Robber’s Roost Country, Utah.

Camera

Fujifilm X100

Description

Autumn makes the final approach to the Dirty Devil River on a spring backpacking and packrafting trip.

Bio

Brendan Swihart lives with his wife Autumn in Fruita, Colorado.  Most of his time away from working at an environmental consulting company is spent out in the canyons of eastern and southern Utah.  

Judge’s Comments

“Packrafting, backpacking, a desert canyon – I love that the color was removed and the spectacular contrast between Cuben Fiber and slot shadows.”

“While not an ‘original’ composition (it’s a commonly taken photograph) it is technically strong and well composed.”

Second Place – Edward Mjelde

- 2
Surrounded by a storm on the Round Knob, tallest point on the Knobstone Trail.

Camera

Droid Razer (Cell Phone)

Description

I was on the Round Knob the tallest point on the Indianan’s famous Knobstone Trail, when I saw the storm billowing from the west. I couldn’t contain my excitement when I set up my camera on my trekking poles to capture the moment. Working my way down the escarpment my eyes were stuck on the beauty of the lightening as the storm quickly approached.

In life it’s easy to confuse intense emotions for fear, but this is what I came for, in this moment life gripped me. I was nothing but smiles.

That night I set up my lightweight tent under a down widow maker, as I peeked out with apprehension and excitement to watch old trees lose their roots to the wind and down pouring rain.

Bio

My name is Edward Mjelde, I am 24 years old currently attempting to hike the American Discovery Trail coast-to-coast. From March 2013 to October 2013 I have walked nearly 2,300 miles from Delaware to Kansas. I am a recent 2012 graduate from California State University with a degree in Business Administration. After college I realized that I had an overabundance of energy that couldn’t be satisfied by a life at home, so I sold and gave away nearly all my possessions and hit the road to live a life of risk and adventure.

Currently, I am settled down for the winter in Missouri and planning to continue my walk next spring from Kansas to California. Till then my eyes will be constantly scanning the MYOG threads and articles with the intention of creating and sharing with the community my own ultralight gear for next season.

Check out more of my story at Walkusa.org.

Judge’s Comments

“A cell phone – awesome. The facial expression says it all, but the storm sass creates the exact amount of tension so as to completely confuse and confound the viewer. I can’t stop looking at this photo.”

“A very dramatic and emotional image.”

Third Place – Mike Freeman

- 3
Pipestone Pass, Banff National Park (Drummond Glacier in background).

Camera

Sony HX50V

Description

Took this photo on day 3 of a 4-day remote backcountry trip in the Clearwater/Pipestone area north of Lake Louise in Banff National Park.

We hadn’t seen another human in more than 2 days and had just endured a 2 hour downpour coming over Pipestone Pass. The clouds were starting to lift and Drummond Glacier was stunning as the light hit it. We were running to warm ourselves up and I let Leslie run ahead so I could make use of the big zoom on my new Sony HX50V. The only manipulation to the original is a slight straightening and lightening of some of the foreground shadow, otherwise it’s pretty much as taken without any cropping.

On the one hand I wish the foreground were a little better focused but on the other hand I quite like the way it shows the subject as a temporary visitor to the permanent landscape.

Anyway, it was an amazing trip and I got to utilize a lot of things I had learned through BPL.

Bio

Avid trailrunner/hiker/backpacker. Over the years I’ve evolved from day-trip trail runs into multi day fastpacking, sometimes running and sometimes hiking. Looking to try winter ski/camping as a next step. 

Judge’s Comments

“Tiny pack, massive glacier. I don’t know what else to say.”

“Great use of depth of field and isolation.”

Fourth Place – Tom Pfiffner

- 4
The Alps.

Camera

Panasonic DMC TZ22

Description

Taken during my Via Alpina trek using selftimer. View is towards Kandertal and it was one of many valleys I had to cross.

Bio

I grew up in the east part of Switzerland. Twenty minutes outside of a little town surrounded by many 9000ft peaks. As a child I went dayhiking with my parents and as I got older we extended our hikes to overnighters and slept mostly in alpine huts. As a teenager I discovered mountainbiking and roadcycling as my favorite sport and spent most of my freetime in a saddle. In 2008, I went to Canada to work for 8 months as a volunteer. This was also the time I discovered hiking and backpacking again. I did a couple overnighters and also did some canoe trips. Back in Switzerland I went out into the woods almost every weekend. During the week cycling was still my sport to go. In 2012, I went back to Canada with two friends to do some trails including:

  • West Coast Trail, BC, Canada
  • Chilkoot Trail, BC, Canada
  • Skyline Trail, BC, Canada
  • Brazeau Loop/Jonas Shoulder, BC, Canada
  • Kesugi Ridge, Alaska
  • Kanthisna Hills, Denali, Alaska

In 2013, I did the Via Alpina green trail solo in just under 10days. This was definitely a eye opener and I’m hungry for a longer, remoter and even more challenging trek. I work on a ski resort in Switzerland as a mechanic which means I spent most of my days out in the snowy, windy but beautiful mountains.

Judge’s Comments

“I like that the mountains are the main thing, but that the hiker has a relationship with them, and that his pack isn’t so huge, considering the scale of the peaks!”

“Embodies all the backpacking light qualities in a beautiful setting.”

Fifth Place – Joseph Hawkins

- 5
The Muir Hut.

Camera

Canon 7D

Description

Half way of our trip starting at North Lake Trail Head in the eastern Sierra near Bishop we climbed over Lamark Col cross country through the Darwin Lakes Basin connection with the John Muir Trail just north of Evolution Valley. From Evolution south on the JMT one climbs Muir Pass to find Muir Hut, a stone hut built in 1930 by the Sierra Club in cooperation with the Sierra National Forest dedicated to the memory of John Muir. It is meant to be used as a temporary shelter for hikers caught in storms on the exposed section of the trail. My close friend and hiking buddy sits in resting at the Muir pass summit with the hut blocking the wind of the coming storm. Shortly after this photo we had an opportunity to use the shelter for its intended use, a brief hail storm passed by. 

Bio

I am Joseph Hawkins, resident of Fresno California. I am a practicing physician and lifelong hiker and backpacker. Since college over 35 years ago I have always carried a camera with me everywhere I travel.  Of note, my backpacking light days began 12 years ago when a long slog from Yosemite Valley to Devils Post pile with a traditional gear complements weighting nearly 60 lbs got me researching a better way. Eventually my research led me to the Backing Light web site. Thanks to the wonderful and active online community I have been able to reduce my base weight to 16 lbs including camera gear with tripod and bear can!

Judge’s Comments

“An iconic place viewed through a lens that’s a cross between a James Dean movie and an Idaho renaissance fair. Great framing and interesting post processing elevate this one to art.”

“Well composed and technically strong.”

Sixth Place – Kelly Fox

- 6
Sunset on the Selway River

Camera

Sony NEX3

Description

This is a picture of the Selway River Trail in the Bitterroot Wilderness in central Idaho at sundown through the haze of a nearby forest fire.

Bio

I am an avid adventurer and fly fishermen.  I spend my days in the lumber business and my weekends with my girls exploring just about any trail or outdoor pursuit we can dream up in the Pacific Northwest. 

Judge’s Comments

“Trail, pine, sun, river. This photo takes me to a place of sincere tranquility and peace.”

“Beautiful and reminds me of a Bierstadt painting which could be improved by adding a person in the photo.”

Seventh Place – Brendan Mulholland

- 7
A hazy daybreak start at the foot of the Mendenhall Glacier (Juneau, AK), during my wife Helene (pictured) and my adventure down the Alaskan coastline. 

Camera

Canon S90 

Description

Wild camping, backpacking, hitch hiking and boating, we made our way from Whittier, AK to Bellingham, WA over six weeks late last summer. The first morning sun ignited our anticipation for the day’s glacier exploration as we watched the morning haze burn over the lake.

Bio

Lightweight backpacking and lightweight living have become synonymous in my wife and my lives over the past five years of travel.  We have lived and traveled ten months a year out of our little backpacks/homes.  The lightweight mentality enables us to travel and live freely – backpacking for us can as easily mean a ten mile exploration through the backstreets of Bangkok as a week rounding the Torres Del Paine range.  We love that living light doesn’t necessitate sacrificing adventure and we thank you all for the work and research which has helped enable us to live the way we do.  

Judge’s Comments

“Love the wide angle. Sometime we forget about the foliage. But the silhouette and fog sealed the deal on this one.”

“Perfect placement of backpacker in beautiful outdoor setting.”

Eight Place – Corbin McFarlane

- 8
Overland Lake, Ruby Mountains Wilderness, Nevada.

Camera

Olympus E-M5

Description

Though it is one of the more popular stops along the Ruby Crest Trail, it receives so little traffic that I hadn’t seen anyone for three days. I took the picture passing through on a 75-mile hike including 30 miles off trail. My first attempt at this image failed a few years earlier when I chickened out of my first night alone in the wild. It was photographed from this vantage nearly 150 years ago by Timothy O’Sullivan, and a few paintings were also created by Gilbert Munger.

Bio

Photography taught me to see the world as more colorful than a spreadsheet. This caused me to travel the world for a couple years. I then realized that exotic locations aren’t necessary for adventure, after all, every location is exotic to someone else. It all depends on how you see it.

Judge’s Comments

“Nevada? Are you kidding me?! Man, this is a long ways from the Strip. I like this place a lot better.”

“This image makes me want to be there.”

Ninth Place – Tie – Nick Bobroff & Jon Leibowitz

Nick Bobroff

- 9
A remote cove, Channel Islands National Park, California.

Camera

Sony Nex 5n

Description

After hiking nearly 15 miles in an afternoon, getting chased off from several promising beach camps by surly marine mammals, bushwhacking through countless gullies to get back to a trail and each of us stopping to filter and tank up on a gallon plus of fresh water in preparation for an almost certain dry camp, we stumbled into an old favorite cove a little after dark feeling tired and cranky.  A trip that started off on the wrong foot quickly redeemed itself the next day with a classic fall morning all to ourselves on a remote, windswept beach.  

Bio

I appreciate any time spent outside away from the hustle and bustle of city life.  The area I live in along the central coast of California affords me lots of opportunities to escape to an empty beach or a remote backcountry canyon. Each trip, even to an old favorite, always has a couple of surprises in store.  I make an effort to always have a camera with me to capture the moments that pop up along the way.

Judge’s Comments

“It takes awhile to see that there’s a camp here, because of the dominance of the sun, but knowing what a West Coast beach camp is like at sunset, I was inspired by the textures of not only water and beach, but the bluff grasses as well.”

“Tighter composition would have improved this otherwise lovely image.”

Jon Leibowitz

- 10
Stormy Castle.

Camera

Olympus OMD 

Description

We we heading over Storm Pass in the heart of the West Elk Wilderness and some very dark low clouds started approaching.  The herd of Elk we were watching knew better; they took off into the basin to the west.  We were up high and very exposed.  Chris (in the photo) said, it’s only time to start worrying when we hear thunder.  Literally, one second later the loudest thunder I’ve ever heard explodes right over our heads, followed by hail, and lightning, and a massive drop in temperature.  We were too close to the top to turn around so we decide to book it to the top of the pass and over the backside.  It was a hellish run – and running we were.  When we got to the top we couldn’t see a thing.  However, as we dropped down a little more the clouds broke and the famous Castles came into view.  Still raining, I was happy to have my waterproof OMD which allowed me to capture this shot of Chris staring in awe out towards the Castles and the valley which would take up the rest of our day.  

Bio

I live in rural Montezuma County in Southwest Colorado.  I work for the Montezuma Land Conservancy as the Conservation Director.  I’m hoping to hike the BSI (Big Seki Loop) this summer!  My base weight is 9.8 pounds.  My big three: HMG WindRider, Zpacks 20 degree bag, SMD Gatewood Cape.  Since this photo was taken, I’ve since switched to a Fuji XE-1, which I carry on my chest with a Zpacks MultiPack.

Judge’s Comments

“So vast. SO vast! Distant, dramatic peaks and lush, wide open meadows. These are the landscapes that define the inspiration that we glean from walking long distances through complex terrain.”

“Again, a tighter composition would have improved this otherwise nice image.”

Eleventh PLace – Adam Bussan

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Shadow Lakes in Idaho’s Lost River Range .

Camera

Sony Nex-6

Description

The attached photo was taken with a Sony Nex-6 fitted with a 16-50mm SELP-1650 E-mount Power Zoom Lens. It was taken above the Shadow Lakes in Idaho’s Lost River Range on June 22, 2013, on an extended weekend trip traveling along the eastern edge of the range. Shortly after reaching the rocks at the edge of the plateau in the foreground of the picture, I watched a bighorn ram climb over the same pass.

Bio

I live in Boise, Idaho where I work as an environmental engineer reviewing water reuse projects. I moved from the Midwest to fulfill my childhood dreams of living in the mountains out West as soon as I graduated from college.

Judge’s Comments

“I’m a sucker for Idaho, I’m sorry. This is so far away from the potato fields, dude. And it’s awesome. There aren’t many better ways to capture Idaho mountainscapes that a hiker with a little pack walking smack towards a massive peak.”

“The person seems lost in this panoramic image.”

Twelfth Place – Brad Rogers

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Titcomb Basin in Wind River Range Wyoming.

Camera

Canon S90

Description

This photo was taken in Titcomb Basin in Wind River Range Wyoming on night 3 of a 6 night trip. Out of all the nights I have spent in the backcountry, this campsite had to be the most surreal of them all. Later that evening we had the most beautiful sunset that I have ever seen. You just couldn’t ask for a more beautiful campsite. The next day we ventured over Knapsack Col.

Bio

I started backpacking in 2003 carrying 55 pounds for a overnight trip, I discovered backpacking light in 2006 and begin to lighten my load. By 2008 I was able to do week long trips with under 20 pounds total pack weight. I have done most of my backpacking in the southeastern US, mostly in Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia, completing 800 miles of the Appalachian Trial, the 300 mile Benton McKaye Trail, and having hiked over 650 miles of Great Smoky Mountain National Park Trails. In 2011 I took my first trip backpacking out west to the JMT and I have been hooked ever since. Since that time I have done week-long trips to Wind River Range in 2012, and to Rocky Mountain National Park, and SEKI in 2013.

Judge’s Comments

“At some point, you have to give in to the beauty of silnylon in a high place. Why not make it the Wind Rivers, and why not have it reflect well the iconic GoLite shelters that many of us use and love?”

“Well composed and executed but the tent detracts from this iconic setting.”

Thank you to all of our participants!!!

Lightweight Stove Systems for Group Cooking Part 2: Exploring the Effects of Cold Temperatures, Canister Inversion, Snow Melting, and Heat Exchanger Systems

A series of tests exploring the winter performance of inverted canister and integrated canister stove systems for large water volumes and snow melting.

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Avalanche Safety for Backcountry Travelers

The winter can make popular locations your personal sanctuary; however avalanche safety and preparation are crucial to enjoying the pristine conditions.

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You’ll have this very popular area all to yourself in the winter. Mt. Ritter from San Joaquin Ridge.

Introduction

Winter is a wonderful time to visit the backcountry! In the winter you’ll have the most crowded locations to yourself. Overused areas are refreshed with a tinsel of snow and places you’ve visited a dozen times are exciting and new! However the snow of winter adds challenges and requires additional skills. You’ve got to know how to stay warm and dry both while moving quickly on sunny and stormy days….and once your activity level drops in camp. Navigation must be performed quickly in stormy conditions with limited visibility…when the trails and even trail signs are buried. The snow that adds so much freshness to the backcountry also adds the deadly danger of avalanches. Before you head into your winter wonderland you’ve got to know the season’s snowpack, the weather you’ll be facing and how to assess the risk of avalanches in the terrain you plan to cover and make the best route decisions to minimize those risks.

Basic Safety!

This article presumes that the reader has a basic knowledge of how snow behaves. It assumes that you will travel in a group and that each group member will carry an avalanche probe, beacon, and metal-bladed shovel and can deploy them within 10-15 seconds. Avalanche probes, beacons, and shovels can save lives but they are no guarantee of safety. While it is critical to know how to use them successfully (and their use is beyond the scope of this article), you cannot count on your beacon and probe to save you! You’ve got to know where, when and how to travel and rigidly follow the rules you’ve set up. You must approach snow with the mindset that coming back alive is more important than completing a route or skiing a fun but dangerous line. That mindset is crucial.

Snowy Myths

Let’s dispel a few myths. First, most avalanches are not huge avalanches that rip out trees and send house-sized boulders cascading into valleys. They are small and release after storms and changes in weather. Second, most avalanches do not kill by burying their victims. They are more likely to kill by sending an unsuspecting skier over a cliff or by smashing them into rocks or trees. Third, most avalanches are not random events from a side ridge. They are usually triggered by their victim. Finally, having a probe and beacon does not guarantee your safety. They may save your life and certainly make it easier to find your body but alone their use means a life threatening event has already occurred. Let’s keep that from happening!

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A small avalanche below a steep glacial slab. Going over the cliff above would not have been healthy.

Knowledge is Light! (Scientiae perfusorius est)

As with so much in lightweight backpacking it’s not what you carry but what you know that keeps you safe. Understanding that a beacon and probe won’t protect you means that you have to carry a cautious attitude and a working knowledge of snow safety into the backcountry when you visit. Fortunately these don’t add anything to your baseweight!

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Sastrugi give evidence to the transformative power of wind.

Snowpack Evaluation and Transformations

Evaluating the snowpack begins with the first snows of the season. This is true even if your trip doesn’t happen until March. I follow the base layers of snow, the temperatures at which they fell and subsequently settled, and any rain especially early in the snow season. Snow falls as a series of layers. Once it falls it is changed by a combination of wind, sun, rain, a high temperature differential between the ground and the air, and warm temperatures. Each of these factors can increase or decrease the avalanche risk.

Temperature

Thin snowpacks and high differential temperatures between the ground (32 F) and air promote the formation of dreaded “depth hoar.” Depth hoar is a type of reformatted snow that develops from the constant melting/refreezing cycles driven by large temperature gradients. Depth hoar has few sharp edges and behaves more like crushed ice. It has little cohesiveness. This is a loose crystal type of snow that is very unstable. Put a load of heavy snow on top and it is prone to slide. Early depth hoar development can leave unstable layers in the snowpack that can last the entire season. And you’ve got to know about them. Rain on top of snow often forms an icy layer that provides another unstable surface prime for avalanches. Really warm days before a cold storm can also lead to icy layers. Icy layers don’t hold snow well. New snow will often release from the top of an icy layer.

Sudden and new increases in the ambient temperature (often increased by the “reflector oven” effect of bowls) result in less bonding force within the snowpack, and this is a major time of increased avalanche risk. If you are traveling on the first unseasonably warm day of the season or any day above recent average temperatures, watch out! In the Sierra we often travel before sunrise and only until 12-1pm on warm days to avoid avalanches. (But if we’re making miles we may start again at dusk and travel well into dark.)

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Fresh snow on top of this icy surface would not hold very well. It is a prime avalanche location.

Wind Loading

When snow falls it usually does not stay where it fell. Storms are almost always associated with wind and inches of snow can be redistributed to the leeward side of ridges and gullies. These “wind loaded” slopes get way more snow deposition that the windward side during a storm. The snow is often packed together into “slabs” that behave as a unit and are much more prone to avalanches until that snow has settled. This is especially true if there is an unstable layer of powder, hoar, or ice beneath it. One of the important wintry backcountry skills is determining where the winds have deposited the last storm’s snow. Just by looking at the scene you need to be able to see how the snow has been influenced by the weather and where possible avalanche sites have formed. Also the wind direction needs to be determined from the current wind direction as well as the snow ridges behind rocks and trees; snow will build up behind trees and rocks on the side away from the wind. Cornices are also a good indicator of where new snow may be deposited and where possible avalanche areas may be found since they form on the leeward side of the ridge. In short, the leeward side of ridges and ribs are much more unstable for several days after a storm. Don’t travel there!

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The illustration below (from Allen & Mike’s Avalanche Book by Allen O’Bannon and Mike Clelland) and the video shows how snow loads on slopes.

Youtube video

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Loose windloaded snow pillows–could send you to a permanent sleep. Top of the “Golden Staircase” John Muir Trail.

Slope Angle/Microterrain

Slopes with angles between 30 and 45 degrees of steepness are the most prone to avalanches. Most of our travel occurs on slopes less than 40 degrees so it’s critical to pay attention to slopes in the 25-40 degrees. Even slopes less than 20 degrees can avalanche–typically on very warm days. Steeper slopes usually shed their snow in small slides and shallower slopes don’t provide enough kinetic energy for snow to slide unless conditions are unusual. Many compasses have a clinometer and it’s worth having one to measure slope angles.

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An in depth look at the most common slope angles for skope failure. (credit: Allen & Mike’s Avalanche Book by Allen O’Bannon and Mike Clelland)

Small features in the terrain also give clues to and dictate avalanche risk. Aside from the obvious tree cleaned avalanche path look for places where the slope angle steepens–this increases the force on the snow pack at the top of the steeper slope and is a more common area for an avalanche to triggers. If chutes and gullies collect snow and increase avalanche risk the top of a ridges or ribs are unlikely to be snow loaded and less likely to avalanche. Mature trees reduce the risk of avalanches–but traveling in trees is no guarantee of safety as summer travelers can attest from the massive piles of downed trees they sometimes see below avalanche chutes.

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They all point one way and that points to how they got there: a massive avalanche! Trees are no guarantee of safety!

If you take an avalanche course you’ll be taught about digging a snow pit to assess for unstable layers. Digging a snow pit can help assess risk–but you need quite a bit of experience digging and interpreting tests for unstable layers. You also have to understand that a snow pit at one elevation and on one aspect of a slope may give very different information from one on another aspect 400 m away or 1000 ft below. Wind loading, sun exposure, and base layers can be dramatically different short distances apart. Don’t be overly reassured by snow pits!

Regional Differences

Snowpacks behave differently in different regions. In the Sierra we get a very heavy “marine” snowfall and most storms are relatively warm. While this means we’re often skiing “Sierra cement” it makes for a safer snowpack. Generally the greater snow density means less blowing snow (but this rule is much less reliable at higher elevations) and more rapid consolidation of new snow. The biggest risks usually come within 48 hours of a snowfall and on the leeward side of peaks and ridges. Three to four inches of snow can translate into 1 to 2 ft in leeward gullies. Big avalanche risks often come late in the season with the first warm days. As the snow warms it loses its cohesiveness and it is less able to support the heavy and deep snow that has fallen. Snow on granite slabs is especially dangerous – melting water percolates through the snowpack and lubricates the snow sitting on smooth slabs. This is a recipe for disaster and is why travel on warmer days is limited to the cooler times of day.

In the Rockies the lighter volume of snow and dramatic temperature difference between the ground (32 F) and air often lead to “depth hoar”* and unstable layers. Many seasons will have persistent unstable layers that develop early and can make for very unsafe conditions through the entirety of the season. The very light powder that falls is a skiers dream: but if it blows into a gully and wind loads it this dreamy powder can quickly become a nightmare.

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High in Cloud Canyon before a ripping descent down Tamarack Canyon. King’s Canyon.

So what’s the bottom line? What is a snowshoer or skier to do to enjoy the backcountry safely? In addition to the mandatory beacon and probe, here’s my approach to researching the avalanche risk and minimizing my chances of meeting one. (They’re as nasty as trolls!)

  1. Check the avalanche risk and weather forecast before you go. Avalanche.Org and NOAA.gov can give detailed avalanche and weather forecasts for specific regions. Don’t travel in avalanche prone terrain if the avalanche danger is more than moderate. If the general risk is lower know the details of what slopes and aspects have a higher avalanche risk. If the big avalanche risk is on the northeast aspect of slopes above timberline don’t travel there. Change your plans to minimize risk.
  2. Pay attention to what you see, feel, and hear where you’re traveling. If you see avalanches even in the distance–especially fresh ones–avoid similar slopes and aspects. If you hear deep “whumps” in the snowpack or trigger small slides go somewhere safer. A whump sound can indicate deeper unstable layers. Pay attention to the signs of wind direction and wind loading–and change your route to avoid wind loaded slopes.

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    Looks like a fun ski slope! I wonder why there are no trees. Weird?!

  3. Travel spaced out across potential avalanche terrain with beacons on and probes ready to deploy.
  4. Take an avalanche assessment course. Learn even more about how to assess risk and how to (partially) mitigate the risk through specific route choices.
  5. Always choose safety over fun. The mindset and caution you bring into the backcountry is probably the most important guarantee of your safety.

One other consideration

A final additional snow risk to consider is that of collapsing snow bridges – especially over lakes and rivers. (spoiler alert for “The Last Season”) Randy Morgenson, an experienced backcountry ranger, likely died this way in the Window Peak drainage of the Sierra Nevada. Water undercuts snow and especially on a warm day the thin and weakened snow bridge can collapse–and suck you down the river, under the snow. I visited this region a few years ago and identified the location Randy likely fell through the snow: just below an avalanche runout at a geologically determined bend/pond in Window Creek.

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Water undercuts snow. Tyndall Creek is 8 ft down. This weakness is obvious, others aren’t.

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A “crevasse” at the edge of a lake. Another place an unsuspecting hiker could fall in.

Final Thoughts

Winter is a great time to visit the backcountry. Don’t be chilled by the thoughts of cold weather and avalanches! Develop the knowledge and skills to stay warm, travel safely and you’ll open up months of time you can travel in the mountains. Use this knowledge to help make cautious decisions so you can enjoy your private paradise for many years to come!

Additional Information can be found online.

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There’s a lot of fun to be had in the winter if you’re careful. Horse Creek Canyon, Northern Yosemite.

Snags with Tags

Curious on whether or not tags add significant weight to your gear? Well they don’t! And there are far better ways to cut down on your gear weight!

Introduction

After a long arduous day on the trail, my partner Jon and I were in our tent contemplating ways to make our packs lighter. I joked to Jon that we should cut all the tags off our gear to save weight. Jon didn’t catch my sarcasm and approved the idea because he read about this technique from a couple of backpacking blogs. However, he never found an exact weight savings, but hypothesized he could shave an ounce off his pack weight. I bet $20 against him. Once back in town, since ski season was right around the corner we used Jon’s ski touring gear as the basis of the experiment.

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Jon hurriedly cutting off the tags from his ski touring gear.

The Test

Ski touring in the winter time means lots of layers and heavy packs. With each additional layer come more and more tags. We gathered Jon’s gear and started cutting off every flappy tag in sight, attempting not to accidentally cut or destroy any of the gear. Because of this, we decided not to cut all the tags that were sown flat onto the garments. After cutting the first tag, Jon hurried to weigh it, but was disheartened when the scale couldn’t make a reading because it was too light. Still determined to win the bet, he continued cutting tags for approximately ten minutes. When the scissors stopped clipping, he had collected 50 tags from 19 separate pieces of gear totaling 0.5 oz (14.1 g). For comparison a sandwich bag weighs 0.09 oz (2.4 g), a snack sized Snicker bar is 0.62 (17.5 g), and a single AA battery is 0.85 oz (24 g). By cutting 0.5 oz from the pack, a hiker that weighs 155 lb carrying a pack weighing 35 lb over a distance of 1,000 miles with no elevation gain/loss, will save approximately 367 kilocalories (Ze), or about four and a half snack sized Snickers.

Jon was disappointed he didn’t save an ounce like he had hoped, but he took comfort in having no more scratchy tags against his skin. He also didn’t have to worry about the large and obnoxious tag on his sleeping bag anymore. Jon’s joy was short-lived when he realized he didn’t know how to wash and care for his gear without the instructions provided on the tags. The disappointment continued when he was trying to dry out his gear after washing it, as he realized many of the tags doubled as hanging points. These were only minor setbacks compared to not being able to differentiate his gear because he labeled his initials and numbered different pairs of identical underwear on the tags.

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There are better ways to save half an ounce.

Summary

Given the minimal weight and caloric savings, we feel there are more effective ways to save half an ounce, unless you are attempting to go super ultra-light (less than a 5 lb pack weight). Jon admitted reluctantly, “I would rather have one less snack sized Snickers, than have trouble rotating my underwear in the field because I cut off my numbering system.” With that being said, Jon wishes he would have never cut off any tags. Since the tags are already gone, Jon can eat away his sorrows with one extra snack sized Snickers while I enjoy my new running gloves.

Works Cited

Ze [n.d.]. “Re: Calculate Calories Burned.” Hiking Science. Blogspot. 22 Mar. 2010. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.

Simplifying Expedition Food With Single Serving Sized Packages

Single serving packages can simplify shopping, packaging, and preparation of meals.

Introduction

This article will highlight, in part, how I simplify the shopping, packaging, and preparation of expedition foods by heavily relying upon single serving sized packages – especially for snacks that I eat throughout the day while on the trail (as opposed to in camp). Take note, however: I will not be discussing pre-packaged freeze dried meals. My preference is for foods that have a higher nutritional quality, a higher caloric density, and/or a lower cost than what is available in the food aisle at a local outfitter.

What I’m offering are my personal favorites in a few different categories. They are summarized in the following table.

 
Category Food Package Size Calories Caloric Density Fat Carb Protein
High Caloric Density Sahale Snacks Glazed Nuts 43 g 210 138 Cal/oz 14 g 18 g 6 g
Morale Annie’s Bunny Snacks 23 g 70 86 Cal/oz 0 g 18 g 0 g
High Protein SeaBear Wild Salmon 100 g 130 37 Cal/oz 2.5 g 0 g 26 g
High Caloric Density Walker’s Shortbread Fingers 32 g 159 141 Cal/oz 7.9 g 20.6 g 1.6 g
High Caloric Density Justin’s Almond Butter 32 g 200 177 Cal/oz 18 g 6 g 7 g
Fiber/Low-Sugar Carb Terra Sweet Potato Chips 34 g 170 142 Cal/oz 11 g 22 g 1.4 g
Morale Panda Black Licorice 32 g 100 89 Cal/oz 0 g 25 g 1 g

Perhaps some of these ingredients will find their way into your backcountry diet, or spark some interest in related foods.

#7. Sahale Snacks Glazed Nuts

I first discovered these at a Starbucks shop in Butte, Montana. I’m a fan of sweetened nuts and fruit/nut mixes more than just plain old nuts. Plain nuts (even salted and roasted) get old really fast on even short duration trips. I’ve probably returned from more trips with more weight of uneaten plain nuts than any other food.

expedition_food_single_serving_jordan - 1
Sahale Snacks Glazed Nuts.

#6. Annie’s Bunny Snacks

The kids know what’s up with these. I like to trick myself into thinking they are healthy since they are organic, made with real fruit juice, etc. Some days, I may even believe that they’re fruit. I used to eat fruit snacks purchased in bulk from the likes of Costco (e.g., Kellogg’s), but I’ve been trying to avoid foods where the first ingredient is corn syrup.

expedition_food_single_serving_jordan - 2
Annie’s Bunny Snacks

#5. SeaBear Wild Salmon

Single serving foil packets containing pre-cooked ground beef, chicken, tuna, and salmon are now common items found on the aisles of most grocery stores but many of them have strange additives and thus, taste a bit like, well, something else than what’s advertised. Such is the nature of most processed foods, I suppose. But the SeaBear Wild Salmon packets really are something special. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, the son of a salmon fisherman, so I’m a little picky about my ocean fishes. SeaBear does not disappoint, and the only two ingredients are salmon and sea salt. I spread this on fried bagels for breakfasts, seed crackers for lunches, or fold it into noodle dishes or chowder for dinner.

expedition_food_single_serving_jordan - 3
SeaBear Wild Salmon

#4. Walker’s Shortbread Fingers

I’ve been eating this glorious butter stick-disguised-as-a-cookie for as long as I can remember, and I’ve never grown tired of it. This is another really simple food – four ingredients: flour, butter, sugar, and salt. My favorite lunch snack includes two fingers slathered in almond butter – a 350+ Calorie snack that you can continue licking from your gums for miles!

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Walker’s Shortbread Fingers

#3. Justin’s Almond Butter

Another tasty food, considering that it contains only two ingredients: almonds and palm oil. An outrageously high caloric density (177 Cal/oz) and convenient single-serving squeeze packet make this a food that I buy by the case – often.

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Justin’s Almond Butter

#2. Terra Sweet Potato Chips

I’ll admit it. I love chips. I used to pack snack bags of Fritos, Cheetos, and Doritos on most of my trips, crushing them into little bits so they wouldn’t take up space in my pack. Then, when it came time to eat them, I’d tear off a corner and pour them into my mouth. More recently, as I’ve tried to incorporate more nutritious options into my backcountry trips, I discovered other types of chips that have higher levels of fiber and non-sugar carbohydrates, with Terra Sweet Potato Chips being my favorite.

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Terra Sweet Potato Chips

#1. Panda Black Licorice

For a candy, this one is very simply made: it contains only molasses, flour, licorice, and aniseed oil. I consider myself somewhat of a licorice connoisseur, which means that if it isn’t fresh, heavily salted, and delightfully chewy, then it isn’t licorice. Panda Black comes close. It’s my favorite food for the three o’clock blues when I’m tired from a long day with several miles still to go. There’s something to be said for morale food.

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Panda Black Licorice

Your Picks?

Help others by making the forum attached to this article a repository for packaged snack ideas. What are your favorites?

Backpacking Light 2013 Photo Contest – Part 1, Information for Entrants

Submit your best shots from 2013!

The Backpacking Light 2013 Photo Contest is now open!

It’s time to search your hard drive archives and find your best shots from your wilderness travel adventures! We’re looking for scenery (wild places), gear (creative imagery of lightweight gear in use), and people (lightweight hikers “doing their thing”!)

Winners will receive MLIFE vouchers and WTS scholarships, as well as the fame that goes with getting your photo published at backpackinglight.com and in our 2014 Calendar!

2012 Photo Contest Winners - 1
Heather Allen’s winning photo from 2012. Sierra Sunrise: Mount Banner as viewed from Thousand Island Lake, Ansel Adams Wilderness, Sierra Nevada, California. Shot with a Canon G10.

Please review the instructions below to enter.

Photo Format

  • File type: uncompressed JPG
  • Minimum size: 3200 x 2400
  • Color correction / manipulation allowed? yes
  • File name convention: “lastname-firstname-shortcaption.jpg”

How to Submit

  • Email to submissions@backpackinglight.com as an attachment
  • Email subject line: “BPL 2013 PHOTO CONTEST”
  • Email contents: include camera model and lens type; a descriptive caption or short essay (less than 100 words) describing the place and photo “story”; your full name and city / state / country of residence; a short bio (less than 100 words) about yourself.
  • ONE PHOTO PER EMAIL.
  • ONE PHOTO PER PERSON (so pick a good one!).

Deadline & Award Dates

  • Submission Deadline: November 30, 2013
  • Winners Announced: December 10, 2013
  • Photo Calendars Available: December 10, 2013

Scoring

  • RELEVANCE – How well does this photo reflect the activities of hiking, backpacking, and camping, especially as it related to Backpacking Light’s Mission (multi-day, backcountry, self-supported, and lightweight)?
  • ORIGINALITY – How well does this photograph reflect an original scene unlike anything else you’ve ever seen?
  • TECHNICAL – How well does the photographer employ the appropriate technical photography skills to capture the image (exposure, depth of field, shutter speed, focus)?
  • COLOR – How well does the photographer use color (or lack thereof) and natural lighting
  • AESTHETIC – How well does this photograph balance all of the above to elicit a “Wow!” factor when you look at the image?

Photos will be given 1 to 3 points in each category:

  • 1 point – The photograph does not meet expectations for minimum criteria in this category.
  • 2 points – The photograph meets expectations for minimum criteria in this category.
  • 3 points – The photograph exceeds expectations for minimum criteria in this category.

Prizes

  • 8-12 finalists will be selected for the 2014 BPL Calendar, available for purchase in mid-December 2013.
  • Of the finalists, the top 3 will be awarded $500, $250, and $100 scholarships applicable for any Backpacking Light Wilderness Trekking School program in 2014; if the winners don’t plan to use the scholarship, they may designate it to any person of their choosing.
  • All finalists will be upgraded to an MLIFE (Lifetime) subscription at BPL if they don’t already have one; if they have one, they may designate an MLIFE subscription to any person of their choosing.

Limitations / Exclusions

  • New photos only, please do not resubmit photos that were submitted to previous contests at BPL.
  • You must own full and complete copyright and license to your photo;
  • By submitting a photograph and other descriptive information to this contest, you automatically agree to grant BPL the nonexclusive right to publish your photo and information at the backpackinglight.com website, and as part of the 2014 BPL Calendar; no other rights will be granted to BPL without further written permission by the photographer. Compensation for this nonexclusive right shall be the “prizes” as outlined above.
  • This contest is open to BPL staff, but BPL staff do not qualify for prizes.
  • This contest is not open to jury participants. Jury or submit. Not both.

Jury Participation

Would you like to be a juror for this contest? If you have a few hours of time during the period of December 1-5, 2013, we’d love to have your help. Please submit your request, with a brief description of your photography experience and perhaps, a sample photo, to submissions@backpackinglight.com with the subject line of “2013 PHOTO JURY APPLICANT”.

Previous Winners

Lightweight Stove Systems for Group Cooking Part 1: Basic Framework for Selecting A Cooking Pot and Predicting Fuel Needs

A series of tests exploring the winter performance of inverted canister and integrated canister stove systems for large water volumes and snow melting.

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Peak Design Capture Pro Camera clip

While the camera clip may be useful in some settings, it is not ideal for wilderness travel.

Introduction

The Peak Design Pro Camera clip is a device that allows you to support your camera by attaching the camera to your belt or pack strap. I was sent one of them to review for Backpacking Light. Although it is well designed and very reliable, it has a target market which may not be for all BPL members.

Description

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The Capture Pro (from vendor web site).

The photo here shows the main part of the unit. The ‘back two’ parts are a secure clip which can be attached to the shoulder strap on a pack or to a large belt. The red square bit at the front screws onto your camera using the standard 1/4 in Whitworth screw, and then slides forward to attach to the main clip.

The two big black round knobs are what holds the clip to the shoulder strap. They screw down and clamp. The square red knob is a quick release for the mounting plate giving quick access to the camera; push in on the knob and remove your camera from the clip. The small round knob is similar to the square red knob except that the round knob is a screw lock – so your camera cannot accidentally detach itself.

The Capture Pro is mostly solid aluminum and weighs about 5.3 oz (149 g). It costs around US $80.

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The Capture Pro in use (from vendor web site).

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These two (vendor) photos show the Capture Pro in use. It is easy to see that it has versatile applications.

Benefits

There is no doubt that this clip works just fine for large heavy DSLR cameras with big lenses, you can even detach the camera with one hand – just make sure you don’t drop it! The clip is very secure and there is little danger of the clip accidently releasing your camera.

The instructions suggest you clip it to your left shoulder strap so you can easily reach it with your right hand, or to your waist belt to take the weight off your shoulders. However, my experiences are detailed below and tell a slightly different tale.

Disadvantages (biased)

Sadly, I don’t think the designers of the Capture Pro are on the same wavelength as me. I carry a Canon G15 camera, and I found the Capture Pro just did not work for me and my camera.

The clip weighs approximately 5.3 oz (149 g). Currently, I use a MYOG X-Pac camera pouch weighing just 1.6 oz (45 g).

While traveling through the forest, the clip leaves the camera exposed to all the passing brushes and debris as well as the bad weather; my camera pouch protects the camera from both the elements and trail hazards.

The use of the clip makes my camera stick out oddly and wobble around while in movement. Conversely, a camera pouch keeps the camera much closer to me where it is stable.

Putting the clip on the left shoulder strap as recommended was seriously bad advice. When I swung my pack up onto my shoulders (hey, it’s UL, isn’t it?), the heavy lumpy camera and clip swung flying around banging onto nearby things and into me. In fact, I would say you should never mount anything heavy on your left shoulder strap. (Left handed people should reverse all my comments.)

Putting the clip on my pack waist band was … well, I didn’t do it because the way I see it, it’s a fine way to drop your camera into the dirt with your pack on top of it.

You could put the clip on a heavy belt, but I never wear one.

Summary

The Capture Pro may work very well for some people with a large DSLR with a big telephoto lens, travelling in open country, and it may well be one of the better ways of carting such a beast around, short of concealing it inside your pack. Even so, you often need to arrange for some weather protection.

An even more pressing issue is where do you attach the clip. Some options are to put it on a pack shoulder strap, but that requires that you put your pack on by sitting down in front of it. But for anyone else, especially UL walkers, the Capture Pro clip is probably just not the right idea. The Capture pro might work better in a more urban environment carried on a day pack. For lighter cameras, ranging from large P&S ones to pro-compacts with retracting lenses, an alternative to the Capture Pro Clip would be a be to use a camera pouch and place it on the right shoulder strap.

One of the best alternatives I can suggest is that I make my own waterproof light-weight pouches to fit my cameras. This is an option for you to consider. It works well; I can usually get my Canon G15 out with one hand fairly fast, so as to catch those transient happenings; someone falling in the river, that sudden magical view, whatever. Since they are waterproof, I can still use the pouch in bad weather – where the best photos sometimes happen.

MontBell Plasma 1000 Down Jacket Review

Although certainly a very dependable jacket, the Plasma seems to be more of a technology statement rather than a high-value jacket.

Overview

As the name suggests, the Plasma Jacket features 1000 fill-power down, which raises the bar for a premium down insulated jacket. But that’s not all; this Spartan jacket also features MontBell’s 7 denier (25 g/m2) shell fabric, for a garment weight of 4.8 oz (136 g). For comparison, a midweight wool baselayer weighs about 8 oz (227 g).

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Fill-power is the volume in cubic inches that one ounce of down will expand to fill (left image). Just a few years ago, 800 fill-power down was considered top shelf, now we are seeing more garments and sleeping bags insulated with 900 fill-power down, and the Plasma 1000 Jacket (right image) is the first garment to utilize 1000 fill-power down.

Furthermore, the Plasma 1000 a good value at US $269 compared to other ultralight high-end down sweaters. So, what’s not to like? It seems to tower above everything else. Well, it’s a bit of a conundrum, as explained below.

Description

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The MontBell Plasma 1000 Down Jacket, introduced in fall 2013, is insulated with 1000 fill-power down quilted in a 7-denier (25 g/m2) ripstop nylon shell. The only notable features are a full-height #3 zipper, standup collar, and simple elastic cuffs. It does not have any pockets or hem drawcord. MSRP is US $269.

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The Plasma 1000 has a unique sewn-through quilting pattern (left image) designed to promote down loft while keeping stitching to a minimum. Held up to a strong light (right image), the jacket’s uniform down distribution is apparent.

So far, MontBell has not adopted water-resistant down for their down garments and sleeping bags. Since they use premium down in most of their insulated products, they want to make sure the treatment does not impair down lofting or longevity. Also note that the Plasma is currently only available in unisex sizes, whereas the Ex Light is available in both men’s and women’s versions.

So, What’s the Conundrum?

The main competition to the Plasma 1000 is MontBell’s own Ex Light Down Jacket, and when you analyze the numbers, the Ex Light is actually a better value and arguably a warmer jacket.

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Montbell Plasma 100 Down Jacket (left image) and Ex Light Down Jacket (right image).

The following table compares the two jackets; data are from the MontBell website and my own measurements.

Montbell Plasma 1000 Montbell Ex Light
Shell 7-denier 7 denier
Down Fill-Power 1000 900
Fill Weight 1.6 oz (45 g) 1.8 oz(51 g)
Fill Weight x Fill-Power 1600 in2 (26.2 L) 1620 in2 (26.6 L)
Garment Weight (Mens M) 4.8 oz (136 g) 5.6 oz (159 g)
Measured Loft (double layer) 1.25 in (3.2 cm) 1.75 in (4.5 cm)
Center Back Length 28.4 in (72 cm) 26.6 in (68 cm)
MSRP US $269 US $199
  • A key comparison is Fill Weight x Fill-Power, which is the Total InsulationVolume (TIV) in the jacket. The Ex Light has a bit more.
  • Loft was measured in the chest area just below the arm pits. (The loft of the Montbell Ex Light Jacket is based on a 2008 model I own.)
  • The difference in TIV shows up in the loft measurements; the Ex Light has 28% more loft.
  • The difference in garment weight is only 0.8 oz (23 g).
  • Although MontBell specifies a shorter back length for the Ex Light, I found it to be identical to the Plasma 1000 (based on my 2008 jacket).
  • Note that these inferences are from a comparison of one jacket of each model.

In summary, the Ex Light weighs only 0.8 oz (23 g) more than the Plasma 1000, but it has significantly more loft and costs US $70 less. The Plasma 1000 is an excellent cutting edge jacket, but it appears to make more of a technology statement rather than a functional difference. Bottom line, it’s very similar to the Ex Light Jacket.

Another consideration is the amount of down in the jackets expressed as a percent of garment weight. Down in both jackets accounts for only 32% and 33% of jacket weight; the rest is fabrics and a zipper. Adding a bit more down to either jacket would substantially increase performance with minimal weight increase.

Performance

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I tested the Plasma 1000 Jacket on 8 multi-day trips totaling 26 days, plus numerous cool weather day hikes. Testing included an early spring Alaska trip and numerous summer backpacking trips with camps above 12,000 ft (3658 m).

Sizing is listed as “trim”. I’m 6 ft tall and 170 lbs (1.83 m and 77 kg) and normally wear a size Large; I found the Plasma to be true to size. It has enough girth to wear over a fleece midlayer.

For me, the Plasma 1000 provided sufficient warmth for summertime mountain backpacking trips, and is a great piece to provide warmth with minimal weight for any active pursuit. It’s my insulation layer of choice for my Mountain SuperUltraLight 6 lb (2.72 kg) base weight gear kit. It’s also the right amount of insulation to extend the warmth of a 30 F (-1 C) sleeping bag, which I usually recommend for mountain backpacking, or more accurately to attain the bag’s claimed temperature rating. In Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula I managed to stay warm (barely) on a 22 F (-5.6 C) night wearing the Plasma and a shell jacket inside a 30 F sleeping bag.

The Plasma 1000 is a bit of a “lightweight” for camp temperatures below freezing. A shell layer over it traps more heat and substantially extends its warmth. For active pursuits the Plasma is very comfortable in temperatures well below freezing.

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The Plasma 1000’s shell has a good DWR treatment that makes water droplets bead up (left image). However, in my puddle test (right image), where I place 1 fl oz (29.6 ml) of water on the jacket for 1 hour, most of the water soaked through the stitching and collected on a tray underneath. The Ex Light Jacket had similar results when I tested it several years ago.

Comparisons

Data in the following table are manufacturer specifications for men’s size Medium. There are many ultralight down jackets on the market, but these are the closest comparisons.

Jacket Fill-Power Garment Weight (oz) Cost (US$)
Montbell Plasma 1000 1000 4.8 (136 g) 269
Montbell Ex Light 900 5.6 (159 g) 199
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Down Jacket 850 7.0 (198 g) 300
Patagonia Down Shirt 800 5.9 (167 g) 249
Crux Pico Top 970 6.0 (170 g) 299
GoLite Selkirk Ultralite Jacket 800 6.0 (170 g) 140
  • The MontBell Plasma 1000 and Ex Light are the standouts for light weight.
  • The Mountain Hardwear Jacket and Patagonia Down shirt are overpriced.
  • The Crux Pico Top is seriously lightweight, but expensive.
  • The GoLite Selkirk has zippered hand pockets and a hem drawcord, so it’s hard to believe it weighs just 6 oz (170 g). If the weight is accurate, this one is a steal at $140. The Total Insulation Volume is 2000, which is higher than the Montbell jackets.

Conclusions and Recommendations

A truly ultralight down jacket is a very versatile piece year-around, for summer backpacking and cold weather active wear. Bottom line, the Montbell Plasma 1000 and Ex Light are the lightweight standouts in this seriously ultralight jacket category; both are exceptionally lightweight. However, the GoLite Selkirk is the wild card in the table above; if the weight is accurate, this jacket weighs only 1.2 oz (34 g) more than the Plasma and costs half as much. That’s hard to overlook.

My recommendation would be to double the amount of down in the Plasma Jacket, which would differentiate it from the Ex Light (and others) and substantially raise the warmth to weight ratio in a sub-7 oz (198 g) jacket.