Confession: I own a Kindle 2.

Anyone who reads this blog or hikes with me knows that I'm not a huge fan of technology in the wilderness. I think phones are mostly unreliable and serve as dead weight while headphones often distract from the wilderness experience and can even create a dangerous situation if, for example a cracking branch is an unheard warning of a forthcoming head injury or an unnoticed growl is an indication of pending unlawful carnal knowledge by wildlife. Yes, I'll acknowledge that they are nice to have in an emergency and headphones are fun to use while trying to sleep. Sure an eBook on the smallest iPOD is really weight negligible as a whole, so these things have their place.

Recently I picked up the latest generation of Amazon's Kindle 2 eBook reader (http://www.amazon.com/) for school and general reading while traveling. At 8.5oz for so much frill, it's tough not to make the mental leap for backpacking.

The latest Kindle (third generation despite being called the Kindle 2) is a pretty neat piece of technology, although it does have the look and feel of an early generation Atari where the iPAD runs circles around it in sheer attractiveness and function. But, the Kindle is $139 whereas a similar iPAD is $700+ and significantly heavier.

Right now I have 89 books on my Kindle which is capable of holding 3,500 electronic books each which download is less than 60 seconds. For this abundance of literature, I spent about $15 because all but 5 were completely free. In fact, of the five I purchased, one was $10 while the other four were less than $1. Amazon offers over 15,000 free books, many which are classics (Treasure Island, Pride and Prejudice, Red Badge of Courage, etc.). I also found several books by John Muir and Henry David Thoreau which was wonderful being that I have brought those kinds of books with me on non-backpacking trips merely to keep the outdoor memory alive while otherwise swamped in an increasingly concrete world. I found it interesting to note that in the long list of free books, nature books and religion books dominated much of the landscape (in addition to the classics). These two themes have always sat at the same table for me personally, so I guess it doesn't surprise me to see these topics related in this sense.

The battery life on the Kindle is absurd too: 3 weeks with the wireless function on or an entire month with the wireless function off.

It comes with a dictionary, highlighting function, notes function, bookmark function, text-to-speech (fun to use when tired of reading, when driving, or when desirous of romantic whisperings from a semi-robotic voice). It also has a very crude web-interface which is frustrating to use, but functional (well, barely functional). With the optional 3G unit, this might be a novel accessory for someone on the go if they could use it to send e-mails too, especially if the battery life is so impressive.

Overall, I must admit that I really like it despite very obvious and numerous flaws. It's basically early technology for this kind of thing and I guess I am willing to accept the remedial handling, not perfect layout, and design flaws that make it far from the amazing technologies we have in our modern society because in bulk it is just an electronic book and handles that function just fine.

With that said, I continue to be biased about technology in the wilderness because often I think it is impractical, but it does have some benefits much like the Kindle. With that, I admit that as a solo backpacker uninterested in hiking from sun up to sun down every day to check my wherewithal against high-thigh chaffing as I fly by the very sights I want to spend time to see - I have brought my Kindle with me while backpacking and found the extra 8.5 ounces to be (most of the time)...wonderful.

Behold....The Sidewinder

As many of you know, I have a love affair of my Titanium Ti-Tri cooking system which I purchased from Titanium Goat (http://www.titaniumgoat.com/) but inspired and designed by Trail Designs (http://www.traildesigns.com/). Now that Trail Designs has the ability to work with titanium, they sell both aluminum versions and titanium versions of their famous cooking cones.

The reason I love the Ti-Tri is fairly simple: it cooks with esbit, with alcohol, and with wood. It provides me with wonderful peace of mind to know that if I run out of whatever fuel I'm carrying that I can just forage and likely find a suitable replacement. It is also the best windscreen on the market because it encompasses the pot completely being that it also serves as a very stable pot stand.

My only real gripe with the Ti-Tri was that the cone was long and required some kind of lightweight sleeve to carry it. Even then, it took up a little too much pack space for my preference.

Knowing that this was probably an issue for other backpackers, Trail Designs recently came out with their "Caldera Sidewinder Ti-Tri Titanium Cone System" (www.traildesigns.com/caldera-tt-sw.html) which offers a stouter cone capable of fitting in a 600ml, 900ml, or 1300ml pot. Essentially, the cone is the diameter of the pot and they package it in a tyvek sleeve. Trail Designs will also make one to other sizes, as long as the diameter of the pot is reasonable enough.

To me, this is an ideal cooking system because the pack size of my whole cooking kit is just the stove itself and I get all the benefits of my longerTi-Tri system.

Because I already had the gram weenie esbit stove (3 grams) and the two extra stakes which allow for wood burning, I only had to purchase the cone and the pot (with lid). Unfortunately, good gear is pricey. The cone alone was $45 (36 grams) and the Evernew Titanium 900ml pot was $53 (100 grams) which came with a lid (37 grams). The tyvek sleeve which holds the cone is 1 gram and likely won't last too long because it is a very tight fit on the inside of the pot when the cone is in it. This may also cause problems for the non-stick surface. I am strongly considering using a pot without the special coating for this reason, and because it shaves a small bit of weight (20 grams). I'm also thinking of swapping out the lid for some heavy duty tinfoil or something equally light to further cut out unnecessary weight.

I almost always carry a 900ml pot or cup because it is a perfect size for my needs. For example, using freezer-bag cooking options, I generally need around two cups of boiled water for a meal. A 900ml cup can hold more than three. So, I pour off two cups into my meal to hydrate it and add some tea mix to the rest of the cup and can have a hot meal and hot beverage together without wasting time or effort. This system also brings 3 cups to a boil on only one esbit. Beautiful.

Although one could use a lighter system overall, like tinfoil for a windscreen, and aluminum pot, and the Backpackinglight Esbit wing stove (http://backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/titanium-esbit-wing-stove.html) (which can also be purchased from places like Gander Mountain and others), the Sidewinder system offers a more robust option that will likely last substantially longer.

If you've got the cash and you like getting packages with a Yosemite mailing address which include a free Trail Designs rubber wristband, consider this option.

Ultralight Cat Hole Tool

It's been discussed before, to include on my blog (http://jolly-green-giant.blogspot.com/2009/04/lightweight-gear-tips.html), but I wanted to briefly mention a new tool I found to dig a cat hole. Yes, we're going to talk about taking a crap in the woods boys and girls.

As many of you likely know by now, my personal belief is that going lightweight doesn't mean being personally stupid nor irresponsible towards the environment. I feel it is the intrinsic obligation, duty, and responsibility of a backpacker to be a good steward of the environment even if it means taking a few extra steps (or extra pieces of undesired gear) to keep nature as pristine (and ecologically safe) as possible. This includes when "self-evacuating".

So yes, you can dig a hole with a stick or a rock and leave a more conventional shovel or digging tool at home. To me though, I'm not really interested in playing a game of beat-the-clock with an old school digging stick which may or may not be immediately capable of digging a decent hole 6-8" down. If it fails, all you do is spoil the environment and likely cause grief for the flora and fauna of the area. So with that, I support bringing some kind of digging utility.

As with anything carried by a lightweight backpacker, my goal is to find the lightest option if I feel I need to carry it. In the past, the most responsible and lightest hole-digging tool I used was the Montbell Handy Scoop (1.4 oz, 6.5", $8), which I still think is a great tool. Other options were either too bulky or I just couldn't dig a decent hole with them.

Many UL'ers have suggested using a tent stake, like the MSR Groundhog or a winter tent stake which has a much more robust scoop. Well, I've found it is tough to dig a good hole with the Groundhog principally because it is three-sided and a winter tent stake is just too big and heavy.

I happened to be in Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS) the other day, just snooping around, and came across a brand of tent stake I hadn't heard of before - "DAC". EMS sold a 7" "V" tent aluminum tent stake by DAC which was $1.30 (http://www.ems.com/product/index.jsp?productID=3655464) for a variety of colors and weighed a mere .5 ounces (14 grams). The length is a little longer than similar stakes and the "V" is a little wider. As a result, I've had some success digging holes in my backyard with it and plan to use it as a replacement for my Montbell Handy Scoop which is substantially heavier. And as a nice expected bonus, I can use it as a tent stake in a pinch (one which would likely need to be beaten into place with a rock unless the ground is very soft).

If you're looking for a digging tool, give it a shot. I decided to tie a piece of shock (elastic) cord to the end of mine. In the past, I kept my digging tool in a plastic bag with my toilet paper merely to keep it all together, but the tool was usually dirty and soiled (or stabbed) the toilet paper. With the shock cord, I can put the toilet paper in a plastic bag and cinch the stake around it on the outside with the shock cord to keep it all together without spoiling the toilet paper. And yes, I carry toilet paper.....most of the time. What can I say, my butt prefers it over a nice abrasive pine cone.

TRIP REPORT: AT & South River Falls (SNP)

Responding to reader requests to post more trip reports, I figured I'd casually mention a 20-mile hike I recently did off the Appalachian Trail and in the South River Falls area of Shenandoah National Park. I personally have a tough time with most trip reports because I find them a bit silly to discuss the act of hiking or seeing this or that when pictures do such a better job of illustrating the point. Course, everyone doesn't bring a camera with them and often the great pictures are missed because of poor lighting, camera problems, user problems, or limited windows of opportunity to snap the perfect picture. Personally, I have a pretty remedial Sony camera which I'd love to upgrade, but just haven't found one that is small enough, lightweight enough, and high-performance enough to make the switch. I have a "professional" Nikon camera, but I'm not about to lug that backpacking.



So for what it's worth, I figured I go into a couple of random thoughts for those of you that like this sort of thing. First off, despite the weather being miserable for a good majority of the summer, I found the mountain temperatures to be completely and totally welcoming. Hiking in the middle of the week ensured I'd be alone on the trail, which I was, but it also ensured my face would be reluctantly thrown into duty as the trail magnet for at least 40 spiderwebs. One of the reasons I use trekking poles is to clear out spiderwebs and my Tilley hat also helped forgo eating most of them, "most".



I think the thing that always surprises me when hiking is that there is always so much to see when there is really nothing to see. In the middle of summer, few things (plants or animals) really want to come out and play. And yet, the views are still amazing, the water is still pristine, and guess what, there are plenty of plants and animals that make an appearance if you take the time to look.



On this trip, I was continually surprised at the number of small things that I would blow by if not paying attention. Whether it be a simple slug crossing the trail, a field mouse oblivious to a giant hiker close enough to pat it on the head, a garter snake basking in the sun, endless butterflies carelessly floating around, brilliantly colored caterpillars, and wood frogs that figure they can blend into the environment if they sit still enough, it all makes for a plenty fine outing in my book.





In my neck of the woods, I think it is fair to say these critters are common. Equally common are deer and black bear. I've actually hand-fed apples to deer in the same area many times in the past as apples trees are scattered throughout the mountains and the deer are infinitely familiar with human visitors taking in the views. Although it is not the smartest choice to combat the urban-wildlife interface by feeding wild animals which can create a problem, it does create memories to last a lifetime.

Since people like to hear about bears, I figured I'd mention them. I came across two adolescents on the second day of my trip after seeing plenty of scat and fully assuming I'd see one. I think in general, I come across a bear around 50%-75% of my hiking adventures. Unfortunately, apparently I am woefully stupid because I don't own bear spray and quite honestly I am not a model citizen around bears. I find them fascinating, so I get too close and often invade their personal space. This has twice resulted in being charged. If you've never been charged by a bear of any size, here are a couple things I'll tell you. First, it is scary as hell. Take whatever machismo you think you have and toss it right out the window. By the way, they can run much faster than you and can climb a tree about as quick as you can blink. The theory of showing the bear that you are boss and standing your ground turns quickly instead into a grown man damn near peeing his pants and acting like a school girl. The snorting and aggressive demeanor coupled with the raising of back hair the the showing of teeth very quickly helps a human understand they aren't nearly as close to the top of the food chain as they think. AND YET, despite this illustration and my stupidity, my interaction with bears has always been otherwise uneventful (meaning I didn't get killed or injured) with exception to perhaps a few undesired pee stains.


This is a video of a bear I came across which I had very little time to react. Just as I grabbed my camera and started shooting, I realized I was standing on the intersection of my trail and an animal trail. As I'm evaluating my options and fully believing I was about to surprise a bear walking towards me paying attention to everything but me, sure enough I watched the bear turn slightly and start heading my way. I slowly start reacting which included taking a step to get off the intersecting trail and the sound of my movement startled the bear immediately as the video shows him high-tailing it out of sight.



Because I'm a gear guy, I'll mention that I was wearing a pair of Simblissity Leva Gaiters which I wrote about previously. I really like the fact that they don't have a cord on the bottom and can stay reasonably secure around my shoe. This trip I also found that the water-repellent treatment worked quite well.

By the way, if anyone has any better way of displaying pictures, I'll be happy to switch. I've tried other options and I don't like it. I may actually switch this blog to an entirely different format (WordPress) as the auto formatting of these blog templates and limited control has been testing my good-natured "jolly-ness" for quite awhile.

Anyway, happy trails.

Thoughts on Emergency Kits and Cordage

Lightweight backpacking requires individuals to think out-of-the-box and break from traditions likely taught for generations. For example, many "traditional" backpackers often carry emergency kits which may consist of an emergency tube tent or emergency blanket in addition to other items. I too would love to have an emergency shelter or blanket if put in a survival situation with no other gear. But these items are more for people who are in an emergency situation without gear, not for those carrying a pack full of stuff already. In my opinion, quite a bit of what traditional backpackers carry with them are very redundant and arguably unnecessary. Part of going "lightweight" requires the exercise of common sense, which sadly, is a fad that went out of our landscape long ago. It means giving up redundant gear, not because it couldn't help in a bad situation, but because it is often terribly unnecessary even in an emergency.

For me, there are many backpacking items I often think about quite deeply. I think moving towards a mini Swiss Army Classic knife likely was the something that required the most angst, and quite honestly, I'd still love to have a more robust knife with me because there is a side of me always thinking I'll be pressed into a serious survival or emergency situation despite the fact that my current gear would likely serve me just fine. Before going lightweight, I had carried a beautiful SOG knife which I still love despite the fact that it sits in my knife box along with several others which have become obsolete over the years. Oddly enough, I rarely use the mini knife I do carry and actually use the toothpick and scissor function more than the knife part.

My change to a lightweight knife was one of many choices I needed to make which I thought was a practical move. Yet, some lightweight backpackers take a far more hardline than I do, quite literally bringing only the big three with them (shelter, sleep system, pack) and often that's it with few exceptions (cooking systems are a pot over an open fire, rain gear is often unnecessary in the summer, a healthy yell can replace a whistle, skilled folks can start a fire without matches, etc.). But this style doesn't sit well with my sensibilities and I think it is important for each lightweight backpacker to make decisions based on their own skills, gear, and relevant to the environments they will encounter.

For example, one of the things I carry that I rarely see on any lightweight backpackers gear list is a very small mirror. Over the years, I have found it invaluable. It's great to look at for ticks on my backside, it's great to help pick a gnat out of my eye, it helps identify the seriousness of any wounds to my face (bee stings, fallen branches, etc.), and probably of greatest importance to me, it works as a signal mirror which is tremendously tough to duplicate in the backcountry. As a solo backpacker, I often can't rely on someone else to help with many of the functions that this mirror handles.

My personal thought about going "lightweight" is that it does NOT involve dumping every potentially useful item from your pack. Instead, it focuses on finding lighter and smaller solutions which are more reasonable and accomplish the same goal while otherwise cutting out redundant gear. So for me, the mirror remains in my pack, albeit small and light, but it remains.

One item that I've thought a lot about recently was cordage because it can offer so many dymanic uses. The only cordage I carry is that which I use for my bear bag. It is 50' of URSA Aircord Pro dyneema which can hold up to an absurd 1,400 pounds! It's light and strong...and completely overkill. I purchased it when I didn't want to bring along the heavier 550 paracord and probably should switch it out for something even more practical (and light).

My problem with the 550 paracord is the weight and the fact that it is susceptible to water retention (the dyneema cord is coated with urethane). Yet oddly enough, I think it is more useful overall. Being able to cut it open and have access to several strands of thinner cord is invaluable in a legitimate survival situation for snares, lashing, fishing line, bow, guylines, medical brace, and numerous other things which is one of the reasons I really want to carry it...yet I just can't make the mental leap to put it in my pack. Sure you could make cordage out of of braided saplings, vines, reeds, and all kinds of things nature provides...but the time and energy it would take to make something like that and the likelihood for it to be immediately functional isn't something I'll willing to roll the dice on when faced with a real survival situation.

Well, a handful of survival merchandisers have taken an old idea and made it mainstream. They have fashioned 550 paracord into belts and bracelets which can be unraveled as needed in a pinch. Bracelets offer around 24' of cord and belts around 125'. In fact, many manufacturers will actually give you a new one for free if you ever need it in an emergency, a marketing ploy that would require you to tell them your story so they could entice other potential buyers which your periling ordeal. Having this as a dual-use item, especially one not actually carried "in" the pack, may be a solution for a lightweight backpacker especially if it replaces a piece of gear you're going to be carrying anyway without any appreciable downside.

My point is that if you're someone like me who refuses to carry something like 550 paracord in your pack because of one reason or another....but you still want to figure out a way to have the flexibility it offers, perhaps you could use something like a 550 paracord belt or bracelet as a dual use item to justify it. That's not to say I'll be on the cutting edge of paracord fashion in the wilderness this season, but I am putting it in the "maybe" pile.

If you'd like to take a look, go to http://www.survivalstraps.com/ or take a look at much less expensive options on eBay. Course, this might be an item worth making yourself (http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-make-bracelet-with-550-paracord-362761/. You can purchase 1000' of cord for around $35 if you really look for it and the buckles are less than $1 each. While you're at it, make me one too...

Thanks - TO YOU!

Over the course of the month of August, the acknowledged readership of my blog passed the 100 mark. These readers are from around the world and bring with them a vast amount of knowledge and experience which have been welcomed. What started nearly 2 years ago has spiraled to a point that I couldn't ever have imagined. I've made numerous friends, learned a lot, and reaffirmed my belief that the backpacking community is one of the most giving and selfless groups I've ever encountered.

Although I have no delusions that my blog is little but the smallest blip on the radar of the lightweight backpacking cyberspace community, I wanted to express my appreciation to all those who spent any amount of time reading my ramblings and particpating in the community we all enjoy. For anything you have gained personally, I have gained more. It was through my initial research on blogs like this which drew me into the lightweight backpacking community. I proudly represent blogs dedicated to this subject and the cottage manufacturers which support these interests to the right of my blog -------> which I too continue to learn from.

I am particularly proud of the fact that readers found my blog singularly through a grassroots effort, search engines, and word-of-mouth as I did my best to avoid advertising my blog elsewhere because I felt it was a bit cheesy and narcissistic to try to draw people in by using the foundation of established websites merely for personal gain. Unfortunately, the tactics of self-advertisement in this setting have become more the norm and organically grown readership is frequently replaced with tacky in-your-face hijacking of your favorite websites and blogs. I think part of respecting this industry as a whole can be shown through exercise of tact which often means operating under the belief that if something said deserves attention, people will find you. This perhaps isn't a success-model for a fruitful business, but this isn't a business and readership is voluntary.

Looking back at my first post http://jolly-green-giant.blogspot.com/2008/09/welcome-to-my-blog.html, which also tells readers about me personally and helps explain the focus of my blog, I think I've stuck to the original goals I set out for myself. I can't say how long my blog will continue, but for now I will keep blabbering and I'd like to thank everyone for continuing to read and participate. It is through this collaboration that we all gain the knowledge, experience, and skills to help us have the most fun in the safest most dynamic manner.

As for me, I'll be returning to the woods for some backpacking on the Appalachian Trail for the remainder of the week. Hopefully you too can escape. If not, find happiness in one of the many wonderful blogs and resources which exist that I too use to peak and maintain my interests while otherwise trapped in the giant gerbil ball of life.

Best wishes,

JOLLY GREEN GIANT

Two Person Cuben Mid

www.mountainfitter.com has recently joined the lightweight and ultralight backpacking scene with several cuben products. Instead of copying the designs of others, the owner (thankfully) thinks out of the box and doesn't rush to market with anything but well thought out products. For example, MountainFitter was one of the first to pursue a cuben hammock which was tested with the intent of going to market for the masses. After some testing, it was determined that the weight of the cuben fiber wasn't durable enough and the project was abandoned because the heavier cuben fiber needed was already equilavent to existing products (Grand Truck Nano 7). Rushing junk to market helps no one.

I've mentioned MountainFitter in the past because I found their cuben products to be much more reasonably priced than other manufacturers. I also like the bonding method used as it doesn't puncture the fabric like stitching. If you haven't checked out their large stuff sacks and waterproof sacks, both made of cuben, take a look....when they are in stock.

MountainFitter has another great product on their hands which is a soon-to-be-released cuben duo mid. MountainFitter is bringing to market a 108"x54" 8.5 oz version which reminds me of my old GoLite ShangriLa 2. I figure this product will be quite desirable to those who aren't quite comfortable with a tarp and want 4 walls while accepting the limitations of a floorless shelter. Unfortunately, with trekking poles, this product likely won't make it into my gear closet because I'm guessing the length just isn't long enough and I'd ultimately kick out the trekking poles while trying to sleep like I've done with every other shelter of similar design. However, for those of you who aren't too big for the modern world, this may be an excellent option for you.

New Lightweight Gear on the Horizon

For most of the year, I've been quite content in my belief that the lightweight outdoor industry had slowed in sense of product development. A cuben Haven or Vamp by Six Moon Designs never came out nor did a similar shelter from Gossamer Gear - both of which I figured would be out by now (although I believe we'll see them by next year at the latest). Even products which were debuted at other earlier shows this year, such as the Ridgerest Solar which I mentioned in another entry, still hasn't made it to the consumer market.

Fortunately, this time of year brings with it a variety of outdoor shows both in the U.S. and abroad which have offered some new products worth once again hoping to see in the consumer market. Giving credit to where credit is due, Backpackinglight.com and hrxxlight.com have both done great jobs at posting observations for you and I to appreciate. Below are a couple of things that caught my eye:

Terra Nova is coming out with a cuben version of their Laser 1 making it officially the lightest double-walled tent on the market which will come in at just over a pound.

Sea-to-Summit is coming out with a tent that is very similar in appearance to SMD's Vamp and/or Haven...which to be fair, is a very similar design to other tents too. With tents, it is tough to reinvent the wheel. The Specialist, coming in both a solo and duo version, is a silnylon tent that will come in at 22 and 29.8oz respectively.

Terra Nova is also working cuben into their pack line with their Ultra 20 100g pack.

Probably one of my favorite products is the new Pacific Outdoor Equipment Peak AC inflatable pad. It should compete quite well with the NeoAir which has both detractors and followers. The Peak AC, like the NeoAir, uses a radiant barrier to increase the r-value and will start at $65 for a 10.75oz version.

I also like the Pacific Outdoor Equipment Peak Oyl Lite sleeping pad which boasts a 3-4 r-value and will no doubt compete with the BPL Torsolite which I found to be laughably small...although the Peak Oyl is only 37"x18" for 9oz.

For those of you who like to carry a more substantial knife than just a Swiss Army mini or a razor blade, check out the Baladeo knife which comes in at just 1.19oz for a knife with 4+ inches of blade. I should mention that I personally wouldn't carry this knife principally because it seems a little too frill-less to me (dangerous) and I also think the locking mechanism isn't as robust as it could be, but it may very well be a good option for some of you. Personally, for a lock blade, I like the Benchmade 530 at just 1.8oz.

Sand Socks Inc. is coming out with "Grip Socks" which is a product for folks that want some basic footwear whether for camp or water. It is literally nothing more than a neoprine sock with some foam at the bottom. A pair of mediums weigh 3.3oz.

Trail Designs has listened to their customers and redesigned their wonderful Ti-Tri system into a cone that fits into a 1.3l, 900ml, and 600ml pot which makes packing a lot easier. Hopefully Titanium Goat will follow suit.

There are a lot of other unique and interesting things on the horizon to include quite a bit of new clothing (ultralight down and rain options) and even new sleeping pads such as the redesigned NeoAir and superminimal pad called the Inertia X-Frame by Klymet which claims a weight of around 9 oz , but I just wanted to identify a few things that I found interesting. Hopefully we'll see some of these innovations by early spring if not sooner.