The Backcountry Beckons - Grab Your Gear
The Backcountry Beckons - Grab Your Gear
Some say backcountry enthusiasts love the gadgets and gear as much as nature. That’s because the yin and yang of backcountry camping is balancing the tension between the urge to splurge (on weight) and the need to find the lightest gear to ease the aches and pains of packing. Mast General Store outdoor buyer Chris Collins weighs in.
1. Trekking poles: There’s no denying the added stability that poles provide in rough terrain. “Leki is my top pick,” says Collins. He says Mountainsmith is good for more beginner-friendly models.
2. Headlamp: Attarian gets serious here. “A headlamp,” he specifies, “means a headlamp—not your cell phone flashlight.” Good brands include Petzl and Nite Ize.
3. Packs: A day pack doesn’t need to be huge to carry the extras, but a larger pack can carry the hiking extras and facilitate overnighting. For that, Collins likes his light, commodious Osprey Atmos/Aura AG 50L, “that comes with a rain cover, which can also be bought separately for most any pack you have.”
4. Cook kit: Collins says the GSI Santoku Cut + Prep Set is a good choice just now arriving in stores. Pair that with the Sea to Summit long handled spork. And since you have to wake up in the woods too, bring along coffee with a Sea to Summit Frontier Ultralight Collapsible Pour Over coffee kit.
5. Gas stove: Even day hikers should consider taking a gas stove and emergency food for unexpected overnights, and today’s dehydrated backpacking meals make a gourmet meal as easy as boiling water. Collins uses a lightweight, compact Jetboil Stash cooking system. The MSR Pocket Rocket, a gas canister, and a titanium pot make a great emergency backup. To use white gas, try the MSR Whisperlite Universal.
6. Summer sleeping bag: Collins likes the Marmot Nanowave 45 as “a great summer bag.” Remember that “summer” can mean spring and fall, so Collins goes for the Marmot Lost Coast 30 degree when the temps dip.
7. Air mattress: Collins touts the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Venture for a “fair price, and at just over a pound, it packs up about the size of a Nalgene water bottle.”
8. Tents: Collins says, “We’ve gotten away from superlights, the sales weren’t supporting the category. Now it’s more of a mid-weight and family based selection.” He recommends the Marmot Tungsten 1 person to 3 person, and the Kelty 4 person and 6 person for family campers.
9. Shelter for dayhikers: If an unexpected overnight occurs, shelter is important. Even if he’s backpacking, but knows he’ll need added rain coverage, Collins augments his shelter outside the tent with an ENO Pro Fly.
10. Water purifier: At this point, says Attarian, purifying stream and spring water is a mandatory precaution for hikers, especially after Helene and uncertainty over the purity of even backcountry water sources. “I’ve been really loving the Grayl filter lately,” says Chris Collins. The 24oz GeoPress Purifier is his go-to for hiking and backpacking. For group filtering, I’d recommend MSR Autoflow XL 10L Gravity filter. “It’s easy to set up and leave it while you do other things around camp.”
11. First-aid kit: You can assemble your own first aid kit, but Adventure Medical Kits make great store-bought backcountry-specific kits, including ultralight and family size.