Recommend some hiking / camping gear

In My Humble Opinion
21

This is just good principle now that light sources are so tiny and powerful. You never know when you might have a real NEED for light in the dark and it is foolish to depend on one when you could add another with nearly no additional weight or space. The same goes for fire starting equipment, and useful mini-tools like keychain multitools and mini lighters. I have those on my ring at all times regardless of where I’m going. Why chance it when the discomfort is non existent?

OP: That hammock system is awesome. If you are in warm weather and a forested area or one where other object can serve as uprights it is absolutely the way to go. It isn’t a bad addition in areas you need a bag either. cozy in the hammok or use it for an emergency tent. I like MRE’s from the surplus store for food. They don’t require cooking (just add water and the chem pack heats up) and have loads of calories distributed into many items. They are not large. Use a Seal sack for anything that needs to be waterproofed. Rain gear is whatever you prefer. I roll up an oilskin coat in my packs and just deal with wrinkles if I need it. It’s sturdy, useful in nasty brush, and should last a lifetime. I do not carry extra clothing besides a second pair of good socks.

Do not skimp on the following: I’ll add a few links at the bottom.

Med kit. You can get an awesome small one for about 20.00 that will have everything you could need to treat any first aid type injury or mild illness.

Survival kit. Like the med kit, you can get or build an awesome, comprehensive kit that takes up very little space and weight. Hope you don’t need it, and be prepared if you do. Both of my kits are comprehensive and measure less than 6x6x2 when pack properly into their plastic cases.

Backup minikit. personal carry items. Mine is made up of a good multitool, a keychain waterproof lighter and keychain minitool. If you lose your bag somehow, at least you’ll have the basic tools to start a fire and work the materials around you.

Two mini LED lights. One should preferably be a headlamp. Addressed above.

Extra batteries for lights. Put them in the seal sack along with a new 9 volt and some steel wool. Again, redundancy in light and fire starting with little to no weight.

Mini tubes of bug spray and suntan product. Better to have then need.

Multitool

Mini lighter

Mini key tool

Optional items:

If you have space or don’t mind carrying a bit of extra weight, a good lensatic compass is always useful but rarely needed.

In wilderness hiking I also carry a very small camp axe. The weight is worth the benefit. On well frequented trails this is not necessary.

A couple of tins of STERNO. This is great if everything becomes soggy. If that is too heavy or bulky for you, mix a tin of vaseline with cottonballs for waterproof fire.

I can fit all of the above into a regular shoulder day bag with room leftover. Minus the axe and sleeping bag it doesn’t weight that much, only a few lbs and has everything I could ever NEED in an emergency situation. I like to travel light in terms of food, and prefer to use my purification tabs or boil water rather than lugging it along. (I do keep one 16 oz metal bottle at all times though) If you have one of those frame packs you could easily carry this and more without a lot of effort.

22

Get a pair of Merrell hiking shoes or boots. The ones I got are waterproof, but let air in. I wore them ever day for 3 weeks, walking an average of 8-9 miles each day, and they didn’t need any break-in period.

23

I just bought a Big Agnes “petite sized” sleeping bag, but I don’t know how good it is yet. I’m going camping in my back yard on Friday night to test it out. It’s got a nice pad plus a memory foam cover, so I’m really going to be roughing it.
This is my first down sleeping bag. My old synthetic bag doesn’t seem to breathe and makes me sweat - makes for an uncomfortable night.

Stay away from cotton clothing. It gets wet and stays wet.

24

I’ve done many miles with a backpack, and spent several years working in a high-end climbing, hiking, & whitewater store. I never sold a single axe to a customer, nor did any of my friends ever consider taking one of the f’ing things on a trail hike.

Spend some money on light, breathable rain protection. Good hiking boots should also be at the top of your list.

Down bags are awesome, but you may want to hold off on one until you’ve had some practice keeping your gear dry. Look for synthetic for now. It’s cheaper, and stays warm when wet.

You should try to find a shop that will rent you some quality gear. It needs to be staffed by folks who can properly fit you for a pack. I think spending 500 bucks before you know you’ll enjoy the activity could be a bad move.

25

I can’t imagine the need for any of these things while hiking a small portion of the Superior Hiking Trail. There is a trailhead every 5 - 10 miles. A couple of cheapo Bic lighters will serve just as well. Nor do you need to go crazy with the first aid kits - the basics will do.

I’ve backpacked hundreds of miles in the wilderness and have never carried or needed an axe. Good fire making skills don’t require one and if you are not familiar with using an axe the chance of serious injury in that setting is too great.

26

I carry those daily on my key ring, regardless of where I’m at (except the multitool, I only carry at work) They weigh nothing, and could save your ass in a bad situation. A bic is cheaper, but larger, and more likely to be forgotten than your keys and is not waterproof. Even if you just use the key tool for opening sodas, it’s still handy. If you got lost with nothing else you’d have fire, and small knife, which is far better than going without. I don’t know the Superiour Hiking trail, and mostly wilderness hike, so I bring redundancies. You’ll note that I mentioned that the axe is an optional nicety to carry in wilderness hikes, not a well traveled trail. A comprehensive first aid kit is quite small and takes up about the same room as a paperback novel in my bag and weighs less than a 1/4 of a pound. I’d rather have and not need than have to improvise.

27

I do a lot of camping and just got back from a week in Algonquin Park not long ago.

I’ll recomend some gear but it may go over your $500 budget, the plus side if you take care of your gear you’ll have it for life.

  1. Go to a shop that specializes in camping gear. Avoid hardware stores etc. They will have staff that now all about the gear and what you need.

  2. Get some good hiking boots. If your hiking this will probably be your most important gear. You want something with good ankle support. Don’t cheap out and spend between $100-150 on a pair. Break them in before camping is very important. Some boots may take awhile.

  3. A multi-day pack this will probably run you again between $100-150 a I’d recomend a 70L pack. You could get something smaller for a 3 day hike. But if camping is going to be a hobby and if you ever plan to go on future and longer trips might as well get the gear for life now.

  4. Clothing. Avoid denim like the plague. If denim gets wet it takes for ever to dry. Cotton/wool is good anything breathable. Layers is key that way if you start to sweat you should start taking clothes off. I.E. T-shirt, sweather, wind breaker at least.

  5. Sleeping bag. $100 Spend the extra cash on a goose down sleeping bag avoid synthetic. Camping in the fall you should be fine with a bag rated at 0°, some people sleep comando but you’ll be more comfortable and won’t wake up in the middle of the night if your wearing long jons and t-shirt a sleeping cap helps as well keeps heat in.

  6. Sleeping pad. They’ve come quit a way as far as sleeping pads go. The more money you spend the better it’s going to get. You want something that is small, tough and doesn’t take a long time to set up. I have a Therm-a-rest this thing is awesome. No pump required and inflates in a couple of minutes via lung power.

  7. Rain gear. A plastic poncho will keep you dry but if your wearing this in a 3 hour hike it’s not breathable you’ll sweat and if it gets windy or tempature drops you could starting getting real cold. Shivering is the first sign of hypothermia. Good rain gear can be expensive. I’d recomend at least a coat. $100-$140

  8. Tarp. Rain sucks but being stuck in your tent sucks even more have a compact good quality tarp can make all the difference. I have one of these. It’s light and compact. You can hang it partially over your fire pit and not damage it by keeping fires small in the rain.

8)Food. On a 3 day trip food won’t be a problem. Usually what I would bring is oatmeal/ add hot water. Some bagels a tube of cream cheese. You can even bring eggs in an egg carrier. Eggs keep for a long time even when not cold. I usually don’t bring a lunch persay more along the lines of snacks, Cheese sticks, meat sticks, jerky, nuts, trail mix. That will get you through the day.

For supper you can go the dehydrated meal route some of them are good and some of them are down right nasty. Check with the sales staff to see which is the most popular. Since it’s a three day trip you could pre-freeze some meats and cook it on a fire out there, you’ll need small grill. Bring along a cooler for the car ride down along with ice packs and just place it in your bags when you get there.

Of course you know to hang your food and keep soap, toothpast, deodorant all together and hang it and out of the tent. Since your hiking on a trail bears like to use trails as well. I have bear spray and wear a bear bell. I’m going camping in October as well what concerns me more than bears in October is Moose. It will be moose rutting season. The male moose are crazy this time a year and assume will charge.

Make sure to have a good map, don’t leave the trails and tell people where your going and when you’ll be back.

Have a safe fun trip .

28

Respectfully, no he doesn’t. He’s going to have a sleeping bag and a stove, so there’s absolutely zero need for a fire. And in fact, he may be prohibited from making a fire in many places. I’ve been many nights backpacking, and can probably count the nights with fires on one hand.
My $.02: If you can rent gear (sleeping bag, pack, tent, stove), it’s a way to find out how much you like camping without investing too much up front.

Biggest missing item so far: duct tape. Seriously, it can fix a lot more things than you’d think offhand, and is light and easy to bring, and far more useful than a multitool. (seriously, what, exactly, are you going to fix with a screwdriver in the wilderness? As opposed to very commonly needing to fix ripped cloth or a broken pole (splint it with a stick and duct tape)). Just wrap a couple yards around a water bottle or lighter or something and you’ve got a great emergency tool.
Again, don’t bring anything cotton, other than underwear and T-shirts. Fleece jacket, nylon shorts, and synthetic long undies are what I recommend. If you’re going to be doing a lot of hiking (even just long day hikes), invest in a waterproof/breathable jacket and rain pants (Gore Tex is the deluxe variety, but others work too).

For cooking, I recommend a backpacking stove (like an MSR whisperlight), a cheap aluminum pot, and a plastic bowl (from walmart or wherever). If you like warm liquids, a cheap plastic mug. Sure, you can buy super-titanium mess kits, but they’re not really much lighter than a plastic bowl, so save your money.

29

It looks like fires are allowed along the trail, but I agree it it not necessary in such a well maintained and frequently broken region. Cold camps on the other hand can suck. sometimes it’s just fun to have a campfire, needed of not. The psychological advantage of have a good crackling fire in the evening is huge.

Good call on the duct tape.

No need to snark on multitools. Mine has a knife, small saw, can opener, and can be turned around to use a sturdy set of needlenose. You may not need the screwdriver, but it’s nice to be able to dig, pinch, hold, pry, or pick up something of questionable cleanliness. It is good for making tight knots, helping with camp crafts in the evening, or setting up a primitive improvised shelter, cutting paracord, etc… That makes it superiour to a folding knife of similar proportions.

30

I’ll throw in some opinions. As a beginner, don’t think ultralight, but do think about weight and need. You’ll have a much better time carrying a 25-30lb pack for a couple of days, then you will carrying a 50lb pack and lots of useless luxuries. With that in mind -

Accept the fact you will be dirty and gross for a few days. You don’t need multiple changes of clothes, just make sure the ones you do have are fast drying - no cotton, etc. You don’t need soaps and toothpaste and all that, really, so consider what you really think you can do without.

some big name items I use, at least as something to look into. I usually am looking at weight/quality/cost, without being an ultralight hiker:

1 Man tent - MSR Hubba
or Hammock if there are trees - Hennesy and Warbonet I’ve used
Packs - Currently using an ULA Circuilt, but used a $70 Kelty for a few years - find something light and comfortable.
Sleeping - find something with down, its the best. I use a quilt instead of a sleeping bag, but that is preference, but make sure its 3-season
Sleeping pad - Thermarest Prolite
Stove - catfood can with some holes punched in the side, fill with alcholol. Boils water in 5-7 minutes, cheap and light. As backup throw a couple of esbit tabs in the pack (don’t haul heavy sterno around!)
Rain jacket - Marmot Mica

Other tips/suggestions -
Use cheap plastic waterbottles - cheaper and lighter than fancy nalgenes, etc.

Years and thousands of miles, I’ve only ever carried a small swiss army type knife, and hardly ever use it at all. You don’t need big knives, axes, guns, saws, etc for backpacking.

I just got back from a week in the Grand Tetons, night time temps in the teens, days around 65-70, this was my clothing:

Worn - Nylon convertible pants, Adidas climacool poly t-shirt, poly underwear, socks, shoes
Carried - Light fleece jacket, heavy weight long sleeve base shirt, mid weight long underwear base, 1 pair thicker socks, rain jacket, hat, glove liners, and my emergency Montbell down UL jacket. Thats it, its all you need.

For your first time out, borrow or rent stuff if you can, rather than spend money to find you don’t like something. If I have anything above you might need I could probably let you use it for the cost of shipping and maybe a few bucks for my trouble :slight_smile:

31

In October around Lake Superior it’s likely to get coldish at night (barring Indian summer, of course). Realistically, I’d plan for night temps of 30F, maybe lower. A down sleeping bag rated for 0F would serve you well, though you might be able to make do with one rated for 25F. One advantage of down is that it packs down tiny - my down bag (women’s) fits in a stuff sack that’s maybe 10" long by 4-5" in diameter. (Maybe the synthetics do this as well; I don’t know.)

Don’t pack the down bag in the stuff sack right away, however - just hang it over a hanger until you’re ready to leave. Down needs the space to expand to be a good insulator, and it’s best to store the down bag loose over a hanger or in a very large bag so that it’s got the space it needs.

Again, barring Indian summer, it’s also going to be cool in the day around Lake Superior in October. Maybe 50s - 60s. I don’t know if I’d bother with shorts at all; I don’t know that it’d be warm enough for them. And forget about any swimming, if you were thinking of it - Lake Superior along the North Shore is cold. Always, regardless of season. So you can ditch any swim trunks or whatever as well. Do think in layers - I’d definitely bring some sort of short-sleeved shirt paired with fleece or whatever so that you can enjoy the weather if it is warm.

October is *generally *a drier month, with fantastic weather. I can’t say it never rains, but it’s less likely, especially near the beginning of the month. You’ll still be dealing with dew (or frost!), of course, so you’ll need something to help keep you dry, but I don’t know that I’d go all out with raingear. A cheap poncho, coupled with your layers, might be enough, especially for three days. Make sure it’s breathable, though.

Everyone else has great recommendations.

32

If you need to get boots, get them now and start breaking them in. You can get some that don’t need breaking in literally, but you’re still going to want to get used to wearing them.

You say your friend has a 2-man tent; you’d better be really good (and tiny) friends if that’s the case. A 3 or 4-man tent sleeps 2 comfortably and you have room for stuff you’re not going to bear bag.

Unless you’re going to be camping in winter, a down bag rated to 0 deg. is going to be a waste and you’ll sweat. You’re better off with a lighter bag and wearing thermals/bringing a fleece blanket. Thermarests are really good and worth the money.

Rainwear is a good idea, plus some waterproof bags or maybe a small tarp for keeping your gear dry.

As far as weight goes, if you’re only going for 3 days, you don’t need to bother with obsessing over weight. If you’re getting a backpack, get some help getting it fitted to you…they’ll do this for you at REI or most good camping stores, even if you don’t buy the backpack there. Also. if you’re not planning on backpacking for more than 5 days or so, don’t get one of those big backpacks.

You can get decent deals on gear online at Campmor and REI-Outlet.

33

In general terms:

Big Agnes, North Face, MSR, Marmot, Arc’Teryx = top quality gear and expensive

Kelty, Black Diamond, Sierra Designs = Good quality/mid-tier and mid-price

Outdoor Research, Coleman, Eureka = Lower quality - lower price (though some inexpensive gems can be found here) - and heavy mostly for car camping, not backpacking.

Biggest difference between the top and mid tier is weight. The mid tier is almost equal for quality, but is usually just heavier. For the top tier, you would spend 50-100% more for the same item but get a 20-30% weight savings.

Go to REI and get fitted for a nice pack and talk to those folks there. It’s worth it to buy the membership even if you only spend $100 there. The REI brand for just about any/all gear is usually a good bargain for quality and weight - especially if you catch stuff on sale.

Hammock:
Only bring a hammock in lieu of a tent. Some people love them, some hate them. Expect to pay $150 minimum for a complete sleeping hammock system (hammock, bug net, rain fly). Plus, you absolutely need a sleeping pad in a hammock for insulation. Any sleeping bag - even a heavy weight winter bag won’t be enough to keep your backside warm unless the low temps are above 60 at night. Google “hammock forum” for a wealth of hammock camping info.

Sleeping Bags:
Down = lighter weight, packs down smaller, more expensive, doesn’t insulate if wet.
Synthetic = a little heavier, doesn’t pack as small, less expensive than down, insulates when wet.

Sleeping pad:
Don’t even consider going without something between you and the ground. It’s about insulation, not necessarily comfort. At the very least, get a cheap closed cell foam pad. If you want more comfort, get a self-inflating foam pad (Therm-A-Rest type). This is also one area where you may want to spend more and get a quality inflatable that’s more comfortable. Exped makes some really nice, super lightweight, inflatable pads. They run $150, but are really comfy and are great for backpacking. But don’t get an inflatable if you’re hammock sleeping.

Axe/Saw:
Axes are heavy and you only need it if wood is wet. It’s pretty dry up in the arrowhead right now and you might not even be able to make a campfire if there’s a burning ban going. Check the MN DNR website for burning restrictions. And only consider bringing an axe if there is going to be a lot of rain.

34

ziplock bags…lots of ziplock bags.
Useful when packing for the trip–put stuff in 'em. (duh!)
But much for useful for packing OUT of the woods. Once again, you put stuff in 'em…but it’s “used stuff”–i.e. garbage, trash, wet socks.

A freeze-dried meal looks nice and tidy in its shrink-wrapped foil.It’s already “wrapped”, so maybe you think there’s no need to wrap it again, by putting it inside a ziplock bag. But after you eat it, where do will you put the torn-up foil? Easy–you put it back into the same zip-lock bag that you wrapped it in the day before.

35

No axe or saw for me when backpacking. If I need a fire, squaw wood will feed it. (there must be a P.C. term for that now, but I have never heard it.)

If bug repellent has been mentioned, I missed it the list. Given the area to be hiked, it should be. Also a paperback book in case you have to wait out a long rain storm in a tent.

I have to carry water lots of places I go, you shouldn’t need to.
I also didn’t see a water filter or purification tablets mentioned. Boiling takes time and lots of fuel, not really an option.

If the hammock doesn’t work for you, Thermarest sleeping pads are totally worth it. I tried lots of cheaper things and never slept well in a tent 'till I broke down and bought the Thermarest. Suck air out, Roll it up loose, place inside sleeping bag stuff sack, then stuff the sleeping bag into the middle of the Thermarest. Between camping trips, store inflated against back wall of closet, or behind couch.

Tents are worthless if they don’t have a rain fly. Waterproof ground cloth goes under tent. Heavy duty plastic tablecloths work great for this. Cut to match footprint of tent with a small extension near entrance.

Since you don’t have to carry water, dehydrated food will save a lot of weight. Stuff in camping stores is pricey. You can get a lot of it in regular grocery stores: Potatos (hash browns or mashed) pasta (raman or regular) dry soup mixes, cocoa, powdered gatorade etc. There is like a half isle in the grocery store of dried side dishes in foil pouches. Dried beans take too long to cook, though, so avoid them.

If you want sandwiches, tortillas or pita bread won’t be a useless wad after being in your pack. If you take canned stuff (heavy, but maybe worth it to you) make sure you can open the cans.

The alcohol stoves made out of beverage cans work well when made right and cost nothing if made wrong (test before hike, keep trying 'till one works good). On a three day hike they are likely the lightest and defiantly the cheapest option. Google will find you a plethora of designs and instructions.

A big floppy brimmed hat will keep the sun off your face and hide your nasty hike hair.

Take some plastic potscrubbers to make cleanup easier.

36

Oh yeah, make sure you take some cooking oil, butter, or something else to help keep food from sticking to cooking pan. If I had a nickle for everytime I got caught out without that, I’d probably have at least a quarter.

37

I didn’t see this mentioned but try to use biodegradable soap like campsuds.

Try to test the backpack in the store. REI is good for this sort of thing as they will have some sandbags to simulate a loaded bag. Don’t buy one solely on name though - I bought an Arc’teryx pack and it seemed to fit in the store but it was painful on the trail. Great brand but just didn’t happen to work for my body type.

Future tip on the duct tape - if you use trekking poles you can wrap the tape around the shafts. That way you don’t need to take the whole roll.

38

Two things here: firstly, it’s not necessarily the case that the OP will be making a campfire, but he needs to be able to do so should the need arise; secondly, the axe will be attached to the belt around his waist, not in his backpack hanging off his shoulders.

39

Its still weight on the feet, knees, legs, and energy levels.

This comes down to - are you backpacking/hiking or are you camping? If you are walking a couple of miles down a flat path to go camp and hang out, then go ahead and bring an axe and and a 4 course dinner. I’ve done that myself for fun. But if you are out to hike primarily, and will be doing 10+ miles a day, or any real elevation gains, than weight and simplicity are much more important.

Besides, with a little practice you can start a fire in a very wet conditions without need of an ax or even a knife.

40

Another cheap (if you can get some), disposable, easy, and very light option is Tyvek house wrap. If you put it through a cycle in the washing machine without soap - just cold water - it comes out soft and quiet, yet still water/wind proof.