Skurka Gear Book

[Misfit Mystic]

On the technical details, I agree with those above that charts and diagrams can make such things easier to digest. I think it's important when offering these details to always reinforce why they matter; it allows your readers to be more aware as consumers and reason through all the marketing hype in the outdoor sports industry.

I agree with your idea of not positioning lightweight principles as an alternative approach, but as the new approach. I think many of us here on BPL consider our lightweight approach as more evolutionary than revolutionary. I have come to these methods after decades of trekking. Considering the wealth of experience you have attained through your remarkable hikes, your opinions on gear and techniques will resonate more than possibly anyone else in the outdoor sports world. It will certainly lend even more credence to the concepts of packing lighter gear, and learning to use and carry less gear. Remind people why weight is important: less of it makes trekking less physically demanding, more accessible, and generally more enjoyable.

Good luck with all your endeavors my friend. Yours is a great example of a life being well-lived!

[Dug Shelby]

Hey Andrew,

Here's my thoughts…

1- "How geeky do I get? Is it reasonable to talk about R-values of sleeping pads, the water absorption rates of different fibers, and the nuances of LED technology?"

I think it's completely reasonable to be geeky. The average backpacker today is intellectually a touch higher than the average anybody. My opinion, ymmv. But getting somewhat technical is a good thing. Maybe limiting super bight tech talk to shaded sidebars…maybe even have a title for the geeky tech-talk sidebars, like: "geeky tech talk sidebar." Either way, it'd be cool if you included that more detailed discussion without bogging it down, like Jordans "Lightweight Camping & Backpacking." good book, but occasionally got tired of the technical.

2- How can I defend this book against inevitable attempts to dismiss it as a lightweight book?

You may not have to defend it. I wouldn't write defensively at all, either. Andrew, the things you're accomplishing lend a legitimate sense of weight and credibility to the techniques you've attached to. There will always be opponents and proponents to your views, whether it be lightweight vs. Traditional, butter vs. margarine, blonde vs. brunette. Those that question, ask this: what are they doing? Healthwise, where do they stand, now and long-term, with joint issues, etc? You have a platform, your adventures have been successful and impressive. Let that speak for you.

3- Given the changes in the publishing industry, am I correct in taking the self-publishing route, and printing a pre-edition that will be out for about 3 months before the full edition is ready?

I'd give a chapter one "teaser" and on that teaser to keep an eye out for that book, as well as your AYE book. Website address, etc. Teasers have caught me before, hard.

4- What are the major weaknesses of other lightweight books? How can I avoid them.

I think arguing for your view defensively is something to avoid. Being matter of fact backed by your experiences is key. You have a couple hikes under your belt, I'd listen to you if you said something. Wouldnt necessarily go off and take it for gospel, but would check it out myself, all the while noting your experience level it would carry weight for sure. Also, don't get too technical in the main text, but have illuminating side bars where you dive deeper.

Good luck, looking forward to your tomes.

Dug

[James Byrnes]

The expression "God is in the details" seems apt here. Detail will help make the decision process of gear selection easier. Also don't forget to stress the overwhelming benefits of going light. Number one is comfort, then safety, ease of travel, the benefit of options made possible by the lesser weight (faster, or farther, easier off trail travel, ect. We already know these things, but the criticisms of safety ,exposure to gear failure, ect must be refuted, laid to rest, destroyed, down with the "heavies" arguments. One thing I liked in Ryan's book was the emphasis on intelligent technique in use of gear and its selection. Preparation and education in techniques are part of the fun of this sport, so emphasize this.

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

1) Go very geeky. The worst thing a book like this can be is too shallow/generic where people are mostly reading stuff they already know. If you write it well, geeky content won't come across as geeky. Even geeky concepts can be easy to understand to the lay person when they are well explained and well written. I think stuff like R-values and fiber absorption rates can be easy to understand if the writing is good.

2) The title will help, and so would a well written description of the book on the back that explains this book is arguing for a new technique to replace the old, not an alternate technique.

3) I dunno

4) The major weaknesses of many lightweight books are not being thorough/detailed enough. Several books I've read just cruise through key gear topics quickly and simply laugh at the traditional way and then state the 'lightweight way' without really going into a good analysis. I disagree with a lot of content in this book, but Ray Jardine's Beyond Backpacking is a good example of a book that really gets you thinking because it is so detailed and he really goes into specifics.

[James Marco]

Andrew,
My two cents, minus inflation:

1) I thing I would confine the technical stuff to the end of each chapter. Rather than trying to mix general content and technical stuff, put each part it on it's own footing. Don't worry about what you don't know or cannot find out for the first edition. Things will change. So make the book easy to revise by placing technical stuff together, but without making the book feel disjoint.

2) You will always have a range of people that will dismiss the book as a lightweight book. If you want people to carry 60# for a weekend hike, say so. If you want people to carry 12# on a weekend hike say that. Otherwise cover BOTH styles thoroughly. Cover the benefits of base camping. Cover the benefits of fast packing. Cover the benefits of UL camping. Let your readers decide what to term it.

3) Hiking has rapidly lost popularity among younger people. Publishing is hard in the economic climate. Self publishing is almost required. Think a year…or more.

4) Other books? Not your concern. You have seen a need, you are not just making words on paper to occupy your time. You are a good hiker that wants to pass that knowledge on and maybe make a few dollars. Think long term usefullness. Few books last more than 20-30 years, most do not last more than one printing. Why?
Example:
Tents:
– A book will compare existing tents and recommend one based on a hiker's needs.
> Fault? Dated.
* Fix: Design concepts: parameters and requirements each hiker would need for each type of tent: 1 person tarps, tarp/tents, 1 person tents, 4 man mountaineering, 8 man recreational, bug enclosures, bivy's, huge screen tents, condensation, etc… It turns into it's own chapter simply defining the types and varieties and uses. Everything has it's place, after all. Be positive. Never say "I don't like" large tents. Say, "I avoid using" large tents.
Don't worry about the weaknesses of other books. Concentrate, instead, on your strengths and the things you want the rest of the world to know about your style of hiking. Sounds a bit like “I am great.” It is. It is, after all, YOUR book.

Well, I did say minus inflation….

Good Luck!

[Larry Dyer]

"I thing I would confine the technical stuff to the end of each chapter. Rather than trying to mix general content and technical stuff, put each part it on it's own footing. Don't worry about what you don't know or cannot find out for the first edition. Things will change. So make the book easy to revise by placing technical stuff together, but without making the book feel disjoint."

Another possibility could be an appendix or endnote style setup for the technical information. But that might be a bit disjointed.

Or go the opposite direction and stay technical with foot notes for examples of relevant gear.

Here's a more general idea regarding content: how did you get where you are now gear wise? This might make a good introductory chapter or something. It might not be for the first book but I could see this being used to explain your thought process behind the gear you took to Alaska.

===================
Keep in mind these comments are concerning what would have interested me when I started out on my lightweight backpacking journey.

"1- How geeky do I get? Is it reasonable to talk about R-values of sleeping pads, the water absorption rates of different fibers, and the nuances of LED technology?"

I think R value is a much needed discussion for many people in the "REI world" and water absorption may be as well.

Anything that relates to comfort and safety is probably worth delving into deeper. On the other hand for many people a light is just a light and they really don't care to much – you might stay basic in these areas. For example, without getting into different types of LED's you could discuss the benefits of regulated vs. non-regulated lights.

"2- How can I defend this book against inevitable attempts to dismiss it as a lightweight book?"

If it's written well enough it will defend itself.

"3- Given the changes in the publishing industry, am I correct in taking the self-publishing route, and printing a pre-edition that will be out for about 3 months before the full edition is ready?"

That's what I'd do but I'm the type that like to be self sufficient as much as possible. I suspect you are too. Such tendencies doesn't mean it's a good idea.

"4- What are the major weaknesses of other lightweight books? How can I avoid them."

Be authoritative and even confrontational but not dismissive.

When you dismiss things that have been working well for some people for decades you'll fail to win them over. However, if you approach it as the natural evolution and progression of what they're already doing then they're more apt to listen – you should open their minds to change before trying to change them. Show people why your ways are better instead of telling them they are. For example, consider the Christians who push their views on others in comparison to how the Bible says Christ operated. If you come across as pushy you'll do no more good than the self-righteous Christian does.

But, as always, there has to be balance. Like martial arts many techniques may have been pioneered long before you but you have to make them your own and teach them with complete understanding. Therefore, and if I understand what kind of book you're trying to write and the impact you're trying to have, I don't see this as the time to appeal to higher authorities. You have to become the authority in the eyes of the general public and present ideas with so much confidence it's as if you pioneered them. At the same time you have to keep from coming across as closed minded.

It's a big task.

[Ryan Linn]

I'm glad you're doing this, Andrew. I was going to chime in with my two cents on your four questions, but it sounds like pretty much everything I can think of has been said. So I'll just say the one thing again: I think it'll be awesome. If anyone can do a good book on the subject, it's you.

[Aaron Armstrong]

As one person commented above about Tim Ferris' new book Four Hour Body he did all these experiments on his body, tested all these medical and physiology issues and then compiled it in a very large book with a lot of information.

You have done all these experiments in the form on long distance backpacking, extending beyond gear of course.

I think his book is a good model of how to combine geekery with easy readability, you can skip to any chapter in his book that you want, it's really more a reference book but written very interestingly and from the first person because he is the human reference for many of the experiments.

It's also a great example of marketing if you look into that aspect of the publishing side of the book.

[Steve S]

Andrew,

you are so right on track with your plan!

As an author who went the self-published route, I can only offer a thousand bits of encouragement. The more research you do on the traditional publishing society, the more you can see the difficulties in attaining any degree of success. The audience is out there, and you know your audience. Take advantage of your expertise, and attack for all your worth! We, the audience are waiting for it. (If I can answer any questions about my self-publishing experience, pm me…)

In response to your questions;
1) Go full on geeky! It always amazes me how many of "us" want seriously detailed info to chew on and to compare and contrast. Not to mention we just plain don't know what all is going on thru the entire industry! But when we purchase so called tomes of knowledge, we find it very superficial. We need serious geeky info and lots of it.

2) Don't defend, just state the facts, be both objective with information, and subjective with experience. In the end, the user will decide anyway what they want to use/do with it. Don't sweat the stuff you can't control!

3) See my comment above!

4) Most of the other lightweight books that I've read and/or purchased haven't had a very broad perspective, and most are not coming from a detailed and well traveled author. They have a few good ideas, (mainly based on one or two extended trips, or a specific area of travel)but most seem hesitant to put it out there and say what they really mean for fear of being made fun of by the "experts". Andrew, you are an expert, so give us the skinny on ALL the tricks you have picked up. The best way to be a better climber is to climb with guys who are fricking good! The best way to be a better skier is to ski with guys who are wicked crazy, and the best way to hike like a true UL'er is to hike and learn from someone who takes it out there…

Nuff Said!

[spelt with a t]

1- "How geeky do I get? Is it reasonable to talk about R-values of sleeping pads, the water absorption rates of different fibers, and the nuances of LED technology?"

Readability is key. Geek out as much as you want provided you can maintain a style that holds peoples' interest, where "people" = including but not limited to BPL members.

2- How can I defend this book against inevitable attempts to dismiss it as a lightweight book?

Your entire approach does this already. If the book frames LW as the new normal and provides information in an accessible fashion, you're essentially cutting that criticism off at the pass. Or you could bill yourself as the Heavyweight of Lightweights to give your words some gravitas.

3- Given the changes in the publishing industry, am I correct in taking the self-publishing route, and printing a pre-edition that will be out for about 3 months before the full edition is ready?

I have no experience with this and can't say.

4- What are the major weaknesses of other lightweight books? How can I avoid them.

>>"- A book will compare existing tents and recommend one based on a hiker's needs.
> Fault? Dated.
* Fix: Design concepts: parameters and requirements each hiker would need for each type of tent: 1 person tarps, tarp/tents, 1 person tents, 4 man mountaineering, 8 man recreational, bug enclosures, bivy's, huge screen tents, condensation, etc… It turns into it's own chapter simply defining the types and varieties and uses. Everything has it's place, after all. Be positive. Never say "I don't like" large tents. Say, "I avoid using" large tents."

I agree with this. Like Alton Brown's "I'm Just Here for the Food", provide education on the concepts and how to apply them, rather than a laundry list of "good" or "bad" choices. This is also what the old "L.L. Bean Guide(s) to the Outdoors" did, and I still remember stuff from that book, though I first read it at 9 and haven't even seen it for probably 15 years.

[David Chenault]

"Be authoritative and even confrontational but not dismissive."

Agreed. Based on the work you've put on your site over the last few years, you're very capable of doing that. On the same lines, I'd not hold back on the geek. Cutting through the marketing hype is something few how to books do well, and I think that could well be your book's defining feature.

I look forward to it.

[Luke Schmidt]

Andy I think you're asking the right questions. Here are my thoughts for what they're worth.

1. Two thoughts on geekiness
a. On the one hand I want you to be pretty geeky. Your core audience is probalby BPL readers like me who already have a basic to advanced knowledge of UL gear and techniques. We want to learn from your hard earned experience! Teach us something we don't already know.
b. If you want to appeal to a wider audience you can't be too geeky. I think an example of too geeky for mere mortals would be some of the really scientific articles on BPL. I'm glad they do them but they're hard to read and the average customer in say REI isn't going to be interested in that kind of thing. I think the key is going to be explaining things clearly and making it relavent. If you clearly explain how the R-value of a sleeping pad affects comfort I don't think it will be too geeky. I think if you focus on real world experiences with the scientific stuff thrown in occassionally it will be a pretty readable book

2. I wouldn't worry too much about defending it. I like the idea of presenting lightweight techniques as the best way not some fringe thing. One thing is you don't seem to be "freaky" ultralight. Your gear strikes a balance between durabilty and light weight and comfort. To me "freaky" unltralight would be the Artic 1000 expedition or some people's SUL trips. Nothing wrong with that (I've gone "freaky" light myself) but most people aren't going to push it that far.

3. No experience with self publishing

4. I liked "Lighten Up" as a fun guide to backpacking for beginners but as I mentioned before by the time I found this book there wasn't much in it I didn't already know. You've got a lot of real world experience to go deeper than that. "Lightweight Backpacking and Camping" was really good but its a bit dated now.

Good luck I can't wait till it comes out.

[Sarah Kirkconnell]

When Kirk and I brought out our book via self publishing I got certain people who put us down for going that route. Well ya know what? Backpacking and hiking is a niche (and even more nichey is outdoor cooking) – self publishing is great. The stigma that was there 5 years ago is NOT there anymore. Amazon changed that.

Consider this: We sell more copies of our book every year and it has been out for 5 1/2 years. Normal publishing doesn't usually follow that route – the book is promoted, sells hot the first year and then drops off. One of my Father-in-law's cronies works in the publishing industry and asked us how many copies we had sold in the book's life. His comment was "how did we do that?". Easy. Being well known and self promotion!

You take all the risk yes, but you also get all the rewards. The point in having a couple titles out there for sale is you have income coming in all the time.

Our next two books will be Kindle books most likely before they go to paper print. Amazon sales are now over 50% of all book sales for us. And one thing about Kindle for example – if you sell it for $9.99 you get around $7 a sale in pure profits. Yeah, yeah, I know talking about money is tacky but lets face it: if you put all your time into writing it YOU should get the profit not a bunch of people who are not really doing anything for you (traditional publishing). At this point you don't even need to print books yourself (for example we use a print house in the Midwest to print runs for us, that we sell on the website and to our distributor who handles our REI and other sales). The copies sold on Amazon though, Amazon's in house print on demand takes care of.

The most successful self publishers have a following in advance – of which you have. A thin book is fine. You have the credibility and the know-how. No reason to add a ton of fluff. And best of all should you decide to change the books down the road an update is easy these days. You just upload a new version.

If you ever have any questions feel free to drop me a line (Teresa 'Dicentra' also has gone the self-publishing route as well).

[will sawyer]

I'm going to second many things said before.

Get technical. and there are many ways to do this without ruining the readability of the book. Or maybe you want to make a 'text book' of backpacking. You could have side columns with technical info, so that people can ignore it if they want. Or you could have a side column next to the main-text technical stuff that is just a summary of the tech stuff. So next to a discussion of R value and sleeping pads, have a side note that says generally, over 5 if sleeping on ice/snow, maybe good materials, torso pad+pack idea, etc.

Also, in response to the book getting out of date with gear advances, yes it will happen, but less so if you throughly talk about why a certain piece works. If you say "the solomid is a good shelter in bad weather because it is roomy and provides good protection" that part will be no good once MLD stops making the solomid and the market moves on. But, say "the solomid is …..because it is roomy with X square feet, steep walls to make the majority usable, and the ability to be pitched all the way to the grounds" and you give people a criteria, the more quantitative the better, to judge new gear.

Or, outline the criteria in depth, and then have a section on the solomid where you compare it to that criteria. maybe put this comparison in its own box/whatever so it is easy for you to swap a new product in for a different version.

Being a teenager, I would agree that we are going to be a small audience for backpacking information, especially if its in a book! So don't worry about appealing to everyone, just make it good, and the people will come.

I am sure people will tell you the opposite, but I would go back and flip through some science, history, and math textbooks and see how they do their lay-out. The full page biography of a notable figure every chapter or so, etc.

I would also get Richard in on it, maybe have him co-author a few chapters and include some of his graphs. the easy to use science stuff (like his graph on clo required for temp/met) will help get people interested in the science, and will allow them to easily apply it. a few 'tools' like this in a section at the back could be a main selling point for some people.

Good luck.

-Will

[Eric Swab]

1. "How Geeky?" Geeky is necessary, when someone buys a book, on any subject, it is too further their knowledge in that area, they already have the basics. Charts, diagrams, sidebars, and photos referenced with the text will balance the book between those who are not "geeky" and those who are.

2. "Defending lightweight" You shouldn't have to defend your book, your an expert, you too started with a 40 pound pack, your bio will make it credible.

Market the book towards "doing more outdoors". Getting past the crowded roads of national parks, show people that it is possible to simply do a weekend trip into the backcountry. A lot of day hikers would like to spend the night, but are convinced they can't carry the load or it requires to much gear. Market and sell to that crowd and it moves away from being a lightweight book, and becomes the book you want it to be, "the new way to see the outdoors". The title and tag line will define what the book is and who is likely to pick it up.

3. "Publishing" I would be careful trying to sell an unfinished product, you may find yourself always saying "the final version will be better" and may be defending that problem more than it being a "lightweight" book.
I know you will be out on the road a lot this summer with good opportunities to sell "pre" copies and make some cash. My opinion is that it would be better business in the long run to put out a "teaser" to create buzz now, then collect e-mail address's from people this summer to let them know when the final version is done. Maybe offer a small "introductory" discount to those who sign up to be notified. Having pre-orders will help with publishing.

With your plans to publish more books in the future, you do not want to put out anything less than a perfect product the first time.

4. "Weakness" I think you are probably ahead of this already, the articles you have written in the past have been great. Specific ideas, humor, and sharing experiences will make it a strong seller.

You should get together and do a show with Casey Anderson on NatGeo Wild. Help him get rid of that enormous pack he carries, that would be some cool publicity.

Can't wait for the March National Geographic to get here!

Eric

[Andrew Skurka]

I've been reading all these comments as they come in. You guys have been great, thanks. Already affecting today's writing — I'll be finishing up sleep systems, I hope.

[Adan Lopez]

Lots of good advice here already but here's my non-geeky perspective…

1- How geeky do I get?

Seems like technique and gear are so closely tied, your technique book should have plenty of non-geeky info about gear anyway. For the non-geeky reader like myself, the technique book may be all we need. So, I would make the gear book GEEKY. It'll make a fantastic reference.

Btw…

You already defended your book (see AYE).
Sorry but..YOU wouldve completed AYE with less than ideal gear. Your thoughts on skill, knowledge, fitness, and jumbo-cajones is what I'll be looking for in the book.
(Pictures of the jumbo-cajones not necessary)

[Dicentra OPW]

I'm super excited for you. It is about time someone took this on. Can't wait to see it!

I'll second everything Sarah said. Self publishing IS a lot of work, but I feel it is worth it in the end.

– you hold all the rights to your book. You get to choose your content, not some editor.
– you keep the profits. More $$ per book sold.
– you get to market when and where you want to.

With a distribution package, you can easily get your book onto Amazon and B&N.

OTOH – you have no one to blame but yourself for editing errors etc. It is ALL YOU.

When my book first came out, no one really knew who I was… A lot of networking and creative marketing is changing all of that. Technology is truely your friend in this area. It sounds like you already have taken that into consideration.

You know how to contact me if you ever want to discuss this.

~Di.

[George Matthews]

I hear three machines running in this thread:

Cash machine – obviously to make a product you need cash. Generating cash flow early is good idea and should be no problem in your situation. If you build it then they will come and give you cash : )

Content balancer – don't see this machine as a problem. List all the presentation possibilities (eg, mixed story and geek, story with geek appendix, story with no geek, all geek, etc.) Weigh the pros and cons. Pick the best one and don't look back (too much). I think you already have this done. I think.

Paradigm shifter – books have been written about this machine starting with Kuhn. The common thread is it is very, very difficult to change an established model. IMO just because something is a better way doesn't mean it will become The Way. All of us that backpack in popular parks know we are usually the only LW freaks we see. Unless of course we plan a LW group outing. Not trying to discourage you, but it might take books by Andrew, Jr or even Andrew III before the paradigm shifts. However, encouragingly, I do smell a scent of lightness in marketing of packs, etc. It's coming and your book will make a big crack in the old paradigm.

What's a paradigm? 20 cents.

[Sarah Kirkconnell]

With how POD is going these days (and the digital boom) you can self publish for very little. Buying the ISBN # is about the only big thing (and that is under $50). The only real cost is if one prints the book in advance and sells it personally. But even then we are talking totally manageable amounts of $. Pretty much anyone with computer access can do it now!

Back when we brought our book out we paid $35 for an ISBN (later we bought a 10 pack of numbers for a song) and bought 100 copies of our book. We used that to bankroll the next print and so on. The first time I ordered a 1,000 run I was nervous – but not anymore ;-) Now we order huge runs and I have a corner of the garage full of books. But always…the money is reinvested as needed – it pays for the next run.

[Dicentra OPW]

I think I paid $100 for both the ISBN and the distribution package.

For POD, the more books you order at one time, the bigger the discount. It hurts to do it, but it makes business sense. And for someone who does speaking engagements, like you do, it is in your best interest to have books available to sell at your talk.

May I reccomend having an assistant to help with this? WS Monty is mine (ask him about being my booth **deleted**) at a lot of events and it allows me to answer questions and stuff or just do my thing without having to worry about making change and actually selling the books. I know Sarah has a helper as well when she speaks.

Now… I'm off to place that order. Ouch. LOL.

[Jason Elsworth]

I would agree with others who have said go pretty geeky. Too many books just lack depth and I find, after reading them, I can summarise them in 5 or 6 points. Also how many times have we seen an authors second book called the "Practical … whatever".

Self publishing seems to be the way to go to me. Marketing via blogging, doing talks, regular email newsletters etc. Keeping yourself top of mind by releasing a stream of new information and ideas.

I haven't read many other lightweight books (got so much from BPL).
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Smarter-Backpacking-Backpacker-Lightweight-Ultralight/dp/919790550 seems to have been well received.

[Mary D]

I'm really looking forward to your book!

Re the "geeky" bit: So many gear recommendations are based on individual likes and dislikes. I've gotten to the point that I put "YMMV" in any gear recommendation I make because most of it is individual taste, individual physiology or both! Please do include the objective scientific data–this is what we should be using to make gear decisions! However, when doing so, please briefly explain the more technical terms for us non-scientists!

[Andrew Skurka]

Yesterday I started an email notification list for those of you who want to know when the book is released. Here's the link:

http://www.andrewskurka.com/advice/index.php

[James holden]

i recommend looking at how mark twight wrote extreme alpinism … and taking the same style

its simple, understandable, gives real life examples, and challenges the "old ways" … even after a decade its one of the best books on the subject

IMO controversy is good … you have the experience and credentials to back it up … write what you believe … not what others want to hear

[Author]

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