Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Aldeer General Forum ? for the hikers?

I need a couple good hiking sleeping bags, a water filter and a reminder on other little things that I might not think of after staying off the trails for a while. Thanks!

How far you hiking? What areas/temps are you looking at?

I'd strongly suggest you consider a hammock. Lightweight shelter that'll let you sleep in places where laying on the ground won't work.

Multiple choices for each. If ya don't mind confined spaces a bivy is nice. I'm using a 1 man tent and a self inflating sleep pad this year. Keeps the bugs off! They also make lightweight tarp shelters but, the bugs are my reason for not going that route.
Water purification has lots of choices. The lightest thing to pack are tablets but, they add a taste to the water. I use an inline filter when I need clean water that is all gravity. My hunting buddy uses an MSR pump, its nice. If ya go that route, get ceramic filters, easier to clean. Platypus was having a sale and they have a gravity system kit that I've been thinking about, uses an I,line filter similar to what I have.

Oops, left out the steripen. Haven't seen one in action.

Sleeping pads. Cabelas has some decent lightweight ones with decent R values.

Sorry just local. Sipsey and maybe up to the Pinhoti. It's just the wife and I. I figure she'll do it once. We've got packs, a Eureka tent and hammocks but want the sleeping bags just in case we need the tent. The water filter is something I want to keep in kind of a bug out way if that makes sense.

Don't forget a Crf450x for those quicker trail "hikes".

Shut up Dave!

For sleeping bags - Kelty Cosmic is a decent budget bag, if money is no object go for a Western Mountainering or Feathered Friends bag. Sleeping pad - a thermarest or sea to summit. Water filter - Sawyer squeeze. Tent - MSR Hubba Hubba - many choices look at the weight. Stove - Jetboil or MSR whispetlite. My boy is in scouts so I do more backpacking than I care to admit... A good gear review website is here (http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/topics/camping-and-hiking/best-sleeping-pad)
Until we started to plan for Philmont I had no idea how much it cost to go walking in the woods.

Corn starch!!!! It has saved me a few times over the years.

ENO doublenest for each. Tarp of your choice. Choose a decent bag dependent on the season. At Sipsey, you should be easy to keep warm.

Sleep well.

Food and drink are now your concern.

Can boil and filter as much as you'd like.

Take some pics and share them.

If more than one person is hiking with you, I would suggest a platypus filtration system. Super light weight and can filter 2 or 4 liters of water very quickly. Everyone in your group can use it and no one will have to bring along a life straw, etc.

We did this a couple years ago in Colorado and worked out well for a group of 4.

Second the Platypus filter system. Used the 2L version in the Colorado wilderness last fall and I worked like a charm. About 2 mins to gravity filter 2L. Best part is, you can set up up before you leave camp or go to bed and always have a supply of filtered water.

For the wife---focus on comfort and making things easy unless she is an avid outdoors person.

Steripens are awesome...if the water is clear. I've had great success with Sawyer squeeze filter systems.

Don't forsake a really good sleeping pad if you use a tent.

Lots of good bags out there that are warm and light: Kelty, North Face, Mountain Hardwear, etc...

Plan on bringing stadium/canoe seats (the soft kind), to make sitting around the fire more enjoyable with back support.

Lightweight Nylon tarp to string up if rain is in the forcast.

Good long burning Fire starter (gel, cubes, cotton balls/Vaseline, etc...) that will help catch damp tinder if it rains.

LED Headlamp and a small LED flashlight for each.

Good stove with extra canister of fuel. MSR Rocket works great.

Extra Red colored Nalgene Bottles in case your water source is a distance from your camp. Red means stop..so you can be reminded not to drink until sterilized or filtered.

Wrap some duct tape around a bic lighter or two to have as needed. Weighs less than a big roll.

Multi Tool.

Scotch pad: sponge on one side, scrub pad on other. Great for cleaning up.

Paracord. Bring more than you would think you need.

Small First Aid Kit: Bandaids, gauze pads, 2 roll of athletic tape, ointment. Handles cuts, sprains, blisters and burns which are the most common hiking injuries.

Map, Compass, GPS, safety plan, let people know where you are going, etc...

Minimum 2 days of survival rations: Power bars, jar of PB, etc...just enough to get a little nourishment if stranded a couple days.

Camp shoes: Something light and comfortable to hang out in.

Food Ideas:
Freeze steaks before the trip--then as you hike they will thaw just right...baked potatoes in the coals to go with it-- and you can have a really nice meal the first night and lighten your pack at the same time.

Unless you really like freeze dried food, you can make a few nice meals using cured salami/pepperoni/prosciutto that are vacuum sealed and don't need refrigeration along with some precooked Uncle Ben's rice packets (heat with a little water) or some quick noodle packs that cook quickly.

Packing your pack: Get some cheap lightweight nylon bags in different colors: Food in one, cooking gear in one, first stuff in one, etc... Coordinated so if you need something you just grab that bag and not have to dig through your pack. Clothes in a plastic bag or ziplock to keep dry.

More stuff + more wight....you figure it out

Big Agnes sleeping bag / pad system works very well. The inflatable Big Agnes pads are very comfortable. Helinox Camp hiking chairs are nice (expensive). There are some knock off brands. My son has one made by Moon Lence.
As with anything outdoors you can spend what you want. There is a website you can join and get discounts on gear. Basically Alps Mountaineering / Hiker direct. It used to be called scout direct. Boy Scout troops could sign up and get the discounts. Now I think anyone can sign up. They also have other websites like Alps Outdoors. They sell hunting gear. It is a weird setup but once you get it figured out they have some nice stuff. Hunting blinds, chairs, backpacks etc.
Good luck and let us know how the trip goes. My son and I are going to Philmont Scout Ranch in July. 75 mile trek for two weeks. Can't wait.

Yep.

My son and I did Philmont in 2000. 4 leaders and 10 boys. One of the most rewarding things I have ever done. Beautiful country... Have you started walking yet?

Philmont is a great experience. Enjoy every bit of it! Do you know any of the "big" stops you guys are doing? Baldy/ Mt. Philips?

Started preparing last fall for Philmont. Walking 3-5 miles depending on time I have. I have lost 40 lbs. need to lose a little more but am feeling good. Our trek will take us to Baldy. One of the other dads had been to Mt. Philips so we opted for Baldy. One of our other crews going opted for both. They will wind up hiking about 95 miles.

Awesome, I think our overall trek was about 80 miles. We did Mt. Phillips.