barefootwalk

 Just spending more time with basics. I think there is an optimum point with gears. You need to have the minimum that gives you options and efficiency but not much that gears become your main hassle. This optimum point is much closer to minimum than many might think. And word of caution, minimalism is about gear not quality. Get the best quality gear but keep the number of items minimum.

 This is my new DIY project. I have been making tents for last 5 years and I've tried different types. When I started backpacking I purchased a double wall, fully enclosed tent  (so called ultralight tent; market crap).  Most people don't really need these tents and they are not ultralight at all. I switched to a tarp when I started thru-hiking and I fell in love with it's simplicity. Tarp is fantastic. I tried copying zpacks solo tents then. It is a great design.   This time I was looking for a larger tent that can fit my dog as well and it's not as miserable looking as a tarp (people think you are broken!). I always resisted the idea of using a pyramid tent but after a lot of thoughts I settled down with a pyramid tent and I must confess this design offers fantastic features. Here how I did it.   Materials: I ordered all materials from:  https://ripstopbytheroll.com/   but I have used https://www.questoutfitters.com/ in the past and I enjoyed doing ...

I have seen many ultralight hikers ignore skip the coffee for the sake of the weight or many people go with instant packages which are more expensive and not very healthy sometimes. There are easy and light options to enjoy coffee. Pour in coffee with the luxury of coconut oil 1- Instant coffee: this is not my favorite option but it is fast, light and clean. 2- Cowboy coffee or bush coffee: This is the one of my popular ways to make coffee.  Basically I use the method by Morse Kochanski and it is surprisingly delicious method. Put ground coffee in the pot, add water and start heating up, boil for a minute and move away from the heat and pour cold water on top so coffee could sink. This is the video, he is very sweet man but don't burn that much wood for your coffee. 3- Using a filter and pour in method: You can use specific mugs or filter holders and paper filters but I just sewed a pouch out of cloth filter fabric so I can reuse the filter. 4- For camping I use Snow Peak french pr...

One of the things I see a lot on the trail is that many people think of the hiking as a temporary activity and they pause many thing until they end the hike, but in my opinion you should live while hiking. I used to ignore many of those small details and I was always suffering while hiking and then I started adding these small details and everything has changed since then. One of those important things is taking shower and washing clothes. It will make a huge difference. - Carry biodegradable soap so you will have more freedom. I use Dr. Bronners all the time. - Plan for a shower around noon so it will be warm and you will have enough time to get dry. - Use polyester underwear so you can wash and dry them much faster. They are small and easy to wash. - Wash your hand and your face whenever you get a chance. - Carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer.

For many people food is a very important factor while hiking and for some people it is not very important as long as they get the required calorie. Personally I bring materials or I dehydrate my own food. If it's hiking I'll keep it easy and light but for camping I enjoy the luxury of cooking fresh food. - Andrew has many great recipes with details here: https://andrewskurka.com/section/food-nutrition/ But for hiking I even go simpler. My favorite hiking recipes: - Beef jerky. - Nuts + dehydrated fruits (banana and pineapple are my favorite) - Granula bars (home mad or from grocery store) - Beans: I cook beans (I love red beans)+ onion + garlic. I add some sauce (Ragu chunk mushroom is my favorite) then I dehydrate them. I dehydrate the meat separately or I use jerky(I make jerky too). When I finished dehydration I add mash potato or hungry Jack dehydrated hash brown and keep them in a Ziploc for each meal. In the filed I just need to add water and boil and keep in a cozy. You ...

We deal with temperature challenges in every hike. Thanks to modern technology our body can't tolerate big changes in the temperature and we have a very narrow range of comfort. A basic knowledge of can help us to maintain a comfortable temperature throughout our hiking and backpacking trip. 1- How our body loses the heat? This video by Ron Hood describes 5 heat loss mechanisms. All weather tips: - Use layering. Moisture weakening base layer, warm mid-layer and water repellent out side. Wool or polyester are the best for base layer and mid-layer. Polyester dries faster. - Keep the normal walking pace. Not very slow, not very fast. - Keep hydrated. The water is the best regulator in your body. Hydration is not just drinking, it's drinking and peeing! You consume too much energy if you keep all the fluids inside your body. The water have one of the highest heat capacities. According to Anthropologists the main advantage of the human body is the ability to sweat and this is one ...

I found it is very useful to learn a few basic sewing skills. Beside saving money you can also enjoy the freedom of your customized stuff. I have sewed many items from simple stuff sacks to a tent and bivy bag and polar vests. You can buy raw materials from online merchants. I have had a good experience with these: https://www.questoutfitters.com/ and : https://ripstopbytheroll.com/ Regarding the sewing machine any simple sewing machine should work as long as they support simple and zigzag sewing. If there is a possibility to rotate the fabric while the needle is down and the ability to move backward you can basically do everything.

The knowledge of the weather os essential for any successful hiking. Although there are many weather forecast apps and websites but they all report the global weather of the region however we need very specific local weather pattern. A minimum knowledge can help you be prepare and enjoy more. 1- Follow the typical weather forecast. 2- Know few important types of clouds. This is the cloud chart on NWS: https://www.weather.gov/jetstream/cloudchart and here is a nice and practical identification guide: https://cloudatlas.wmo.int/en/cloud-identification-guide.html and a free app: https://scied.ucar.edu/apps/cloud-guide 3- Know the tornado pattern. The most dangerous part of the rapidly rotating clouds that could produce tornado is called the bear cage. 4- Be mindful about the elevation if it starts raining. Lower elevation and valleys might experience flash floods. 5- In case of thunderstorm, descend to a lower elevation. Don't panic and stay mindful about the direction and your locati...

We learn walking by try and error and everybody has a different walking style.  What is good for one person might be less efficient for another person. In general the most important tip is to keep your feet as light as possible. You move your feet much more than any other part of the body so it is extremely important to start the ultralight hiking by ligthening your feet. Light shoes, socks and shorts. I have seen people hike with jeans and it is not a good choice wearing heavy jeans. They also are made of cotton which absorbs the water easily and dries very slowly. I call cottons the big killers of the hikers.

In my opinion navigation is the first and the most important skill everyone should learn. Although many hiking trails are well marked and there are so many hiking videos for the same trail that you can literally have a virtual hike from the comfort of your home but we still hear many hikers are lost in different wilderness areas. So here we go. A- Basic navigation 1- You shouldn't rely on the basic navigation while you are hiking. You have to have minimum tools to navigate safely and this basic part is what you do every step you hike nevertheless every now and then you have to use more reliable techniques described in part B and/or C. 2- Be mindful. You should have a sense of direction all the time. I do it by paying attention to the Sun and comparing the visible land features with the map or satellite picture I have explored before the trip. 3- Exercise your estimation. You can develop a sense of the length by guessing and comparing your estimation with the true value in early hik...