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"LIGHTWEIGHT BACKPACKING
GEAR FOR THE REVOLUTION"
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"LIGHTWEIGHT BACKPACKING
GEAR FOR THE REVOLUTION"
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Katahdin
Pack
Take the One Pound Plus pack, replace the 1/4" mesh with silicone-coated nylon and voila, you've got the Katahdin. You've dropped 4 oz. and gained an almost waterproof pack. Because the nylon is translucent, you can see in a glance where items are hiding in the pack. Yes, you have sacrificed the One Pound Plus pack's unique ability to dry items while you walk. However, you may now leave your pack cover at home. (Just be sure everything's in its own waterproof stuff sack!). It has the same great features - compression straps, adjustable deluxe hip belt (optional), 2 water bottle pockets, 2 zippered pockets, air-cushioned mesh back panel and sternum strap. click here for instructions on how to load the pack Ordering Information |
One Pound Plus
Pack
The One Pound Plus Pack is designed for those who are intrigued by the lightweight concept but aren't ready to "go all the way." For starters, it's got compression straps. Three to cinch the load from side-to-side and one to cinch the load down from the top. Second, it's got pockets. Two water bottle pockets and two zippered pockets for smaller items. Third, it has got the hardware ready for a deluxe hip belt. The belt is optional. It is thickly padded and can be adjusted vertically within a 2.5" range for optimal fit. It has its own cinching system that can pull the pack in closer to the lower back. The OPPP also shares alot of the features that made the original One Pound Pack great. The back panel is a finely woven breathable mesh. The rest of the pack is 1000 denier mesh except for the bottom panel, side wings and top storm flap made of 200 denier ripstop nylon. Shoulder straps are made of 3/8" foam laminated between cool mesh fabric and ripstop nylon. The sternum strap is fully adjustable and removable. Lifter straps pull the load forward over the shoulder. click here for instructions on how to load the pack Ordering Information |
Deluxe Hip Belt
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One Pound Pack
The small-diameter mesh panel rests against your back, while the large-diameter mesh comprises the sides and rear. Mesh allows for unrestricted aire flow. Translation-- your back will sweat less and wet items in your pack will dry out while you walk. Items are easy to find in the '"stretchy" 3500+ cubic inch pack since mesh lets you see where everything is. The mesh construction resists dirt and sweaty grime build-up. The top of the pack has a wide storm flap made of tough 200 denier ripstop nylon with a drawstring. 1" wide webbing is used for the haul strap. Reinforced, padded shoulder straps adjust at the top and bottom to accommodate different loads and body sizes. Straps are reinforced at stress points. A sternum strap helps to shift the load forward and relieve tired shoulders. When it rains, pull a garbage bag over the top with slits for the shoulder straps. If you want a more sophisticated pack cover, I offer a 2.5 ounce cover made of silicone-coated nylon. It cinches snugly around the pack with an elastic draw cord and a cord lock. The size and shape of this pack makes for pleasant hitchhiking since it's easy to hold on your lap in tight spaces. It even stuffs into an airplane's overhead compartment - fully loaded, no less. To accomodate different body shapes and sizes, loop locks at the bottom edge of the pack allow attachment of a hip belt of your own design. What's the "frame" of this pack? click here for instructions on how to load the pack Ordering Information
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Tarps just make sense. For starters, they avoid unnecessary features like floors and doors. You can use a Tyvek® ground cloth as the floor. A door can be fashioned from garbage bags fastened to the strategically placed ties. Tarps are easy to set up and tear down. Last but not least, there's no condensation problem. If you're the creative type, you can rig the tarp in shapes other than the basic A-frame design. Ties are conveniently placed to pull the side walls out for even more room inside. It can easily accomodate two people. All seams are factory sealed. Ties are reinforced for strength. Once you've experienced the pleasures of light and airy tarp living, you'll never go back to heavy, damp, dark, stuffy, enclosed tents. Ordering Information NO TREES AROUND?....click here BAD STORM COMING?.....click here
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 Titanium
Tent /Tarp Peg
Cut your peg weight in half! These only weigh 1/4 ounce. Their skinny 6" size packs easily, resists dirt cling and they are strong. When driven into rocky ground, titanium springs back to a straight shaft rather than bend if it encounters resistance.
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Tyvek® Ground Cloth
The Tyvek® ground cloth is both lightweight and durable. Tyvek® is made from high-density polyethylene fibers which makes it very water resistant. It is also resistant to tear and blunt puncture. A generous 42" X 32" foot pocket at the bottom protects your sleeping gear from horizontal rain blowing through a tarp opening. It also keeps your sleeping bag or blanket clean and prevents you from rolling off in the middle of the night. Finally, it serves as a storage space. |
Slightly lighter than the Tyvek ground cloth, this one offers corner ties to deal with the wind problem. Thus it can be used when sleeping out under the stars. It also packs in a slightly smaller space. However, there's no foot pocket.
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Stuff Sack
Most sacks are way too heavy for their intended function. You may be carrying over a pound in stuff sacks alone! I've cut the weight drastically by using lightweight nylon which is strong and water resistant. (I've made the small stuff sacks of see-thru mesh so you can locate tiny items quickly. The M, L and XL sacks are 100% silicone-coated nylon.) For 1-3 days' worth of food, the large bag is fine. For trips over 3 days, put your food in the extra-large sack. Each bag weighs about an ounce--sweet! Small: 7" X 10" Medium: 7" X 15" Large: 8" X 18" Extra-large: 10" X 21" |
Traditional sleeping bags have a fundamental design defect. The side you're
laying on is not providing much warmth because the insulation is crushed
and compressed. The blanket design solves this problem by surrounding your
body with thick insulating loft on your top
and sides while your foam pad warms your
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Tent Peg
I like this peg because it's strong yet light. It won't bend when you jam it into rocky ground and at 8" in length it won't blow out in a storm. Dual use as a weapon?
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 Plastic
Bottles
35 mm film canisters are good for some things but sometimes you need a good solid screw-on cap. Enter the Nalgene wide mouth bottles. Left to right the picture shows the 1/2 ounce (with drop dispenser cap),1 ounce and 2 ounce bottle. The 1 ounce bottle weighs 1/4 ounce.
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 Iodine
Tablets
Iodine is great because it's simple. Two tablets added to a quart gives you water free of everything except cryptosporidia. This glass bottle of 50 tablets weighs 1 ounce. Transfer them to a plastic bottle (1 ounce size) and the weight is cut in half. Don't forget to add bits of vitamin C tablet to get rid of any strange iodine taste.
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 Aquamira
Add 7 drops from the "A" bottle and 7 drops from the "B" bottle into a cap. Let it sit 5 minutes, then add to a quart of water. Sure, it's more complicated than iodine but it kills bacteria, viruses, protozoans - everything except you... That includes cryptosporidia. The kit weighs 3 ounces and is good for 30 gallons. The chlorine dioxide mixture leaves no odor or aftertaste. It does its magic by unleashing oxygen radicals onto the bug's DNA. |
 Fuel
Tablets
Can't find fuel tablets? I've got them in stock. A safe, clean burning fuel, easy to ignite, smokeless, odorless and non-toxic. 24 tablets per box. Rule of thumb - three tablets per one-pot meal. This brand is less expensive than Esbit Tablets and easier to cook with.
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Bandana
How many times have you stood for hours on the shoulder of a noisy, smelly road mentally pleading with drivers to pick you up? If anything makes you hate mankind, it's having a really bad hitchhiking trip.
This lightweight 100% cotton bandana features the dual message "hiker to town" and "hiker to trail." Just fold the bandana in half to display either panel. Green letters on off-white background. 100 other uses beyond indispensible hitchhiking aid.
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Freak Flag
After you're done hitching, use your flag as a bandanna. It also makes a good washcloth and towel. With a drawstring conveniently sewn around the top, it even functions as a pillow case or a stuff sack. |
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One Pound Blanket
bottom
side. Wide nylon anchor flaps (see #1 above) tuck under the pad to keep the
blanket centered over your body and eliminate exposure to drafts. Velcro®
tabs hold the two anchor flaps together for a snug fit. A mummy-type foot
pocket (see #2 above) with a 22" zipper maximizes warmth for your feet
and legs. The outer layer is light colored nylon to minimize radiation heat
loss, while the inside layer (see #3 above) next to your skin is dark for
quick drying in the sun. The synthetic fill insulates even when wet. It
compresses into a 7" x 15" stuff sack (included). I used this blanket
on my PCT thru-hike everywhere except for the High Sierras where subfreezing
temperatures forced me into my down bag. The blanket is best for temperatures
over 45 degrees. Provide the dimensions that best suit you and I will
customize the bag to your specifications (note: a 37" x 76" blanket
weighs 22 ounces). 
The
3 ounce freak flag eases the anxiety of hitchhiking with its direct message.
With one quick glance, the driver knows who you are and where you are going.
The contrast of bright cloth and dark letters maximizes readability.