Cyalume Light Sticks

This is a picture provided by the Internet. There is a HUGE debate involving “Leave No Trace” and the use of “disposable” items. On a three-day trip Cyalume lightsticks provide an easy battery free method for lighting when you need it. The chemical reaction directly produces light as opposed to providing power that excites a filament. There are fewer points of failure with a lightstick. This makes them more reliable. Now for the part of the conversation that will likely cause an argument.

Lightsticks are MORE ecologically sound than a battery and LED. First, construction of a lightstick takes and produces less in the way of environmental contaminants. The process of crafting multiple metals, chemicals, plastic, and glass is more damaging to the environment than crafting just glass, plastic and chemicals into a light source.

Next, the chemicals in lightsticks are non-toxic. Once used, cutting them open and dumping them on the ground with no ill effect. What about leaving a battery in a forrest? That IS toxic.

Remove the chemical from the lightstick and you have glass and plastic leftover. BOTH of these are EASILY recycled. It takes MUCH more energy to dismantle and recycle even an LED based light.

So, to review, the disposable lightsticks are directly and easily recyclable with the exception of the non-toxic chemical inside of them. LED lights and batteries MUST be processed to get them down to components for recycling. This requires a larger amount of energy.

In this case, the best answer if you are environmentally conscious is to use lightsticks. Since they are a “consumable” you don’t count them in your weight when Ultralight Backpacking. You get light for free. Feel free to leave rants. I look forward to them.

Here is a convenient place to pick them up from.

UV Buff

One of the only pieces of cotton gear that is recommended in UL Backpacking is the bandana. The idea exists that although it is cotton, it is worth overlooking because of its multipurpose nature. This item can completely replace the bandana, and add capability. Just like the bandana it can filter murky water, be used as a wash cloth, a case for glasses, a neck warmer, head cover, sun protection…

This blog is not big enough for all the potential uses. The best part is, it is not cotton.

You can get one here.

Gerber Curve Pot Lifter

This is the Gerber Curve. The photo above shows how to use the Curve as a pot lifter. The spring is strong enough to hold the Curve on while lifting a BOT full of water. Consider using something like a Buff as an insulator to protect your hand after removing the BOT from the fire . The Curve is a tool in this kit because:

It is an effective pot lifter (that is actually a bottle opener)
It has a pen blade
It has a Phillips head that can unscrew the screws in a Cold Steel Shovel
It has an awl that can make pilot holes for screws when using a different handle in the Cold Steel Shovel
Drill out/grind out the flat head screwdriver blade to make it into a can opener
It is a locking blade system (safety first)

This one tool improves the usefulness of many of the other tools in the survival kit and the UL kit. At .8 oz it is a bargain in weight. The cost was negligible.

If the BOT is a serious consideration, then the Curve must go with it.

Vargo Bot

Welcome to a Ti canteen, pot, double boiler, coffee percolator, oven, measuring cup…

This is the container that holds most of my 72 hour kit. A paracord tied around the outside makes a functional pail handle. Use the BOT to collect water and treat it (by boiling). The BOT lid is an 8oz/1 cup/500 ml cup that screws on to seal it (use as a canteen). There is a ridge inside the lid that marks the 4 oz/1/2 cup/250 ml point. To use this as a double boiler while cooking, place something in the inverted lid while the water is boiling in the bottom section. Vargo makes a silicon lip protector to attach to titanium mugs. The lip protector will fit on the BOT.

MSI provides the coffee percolator conversion here. Cut down the percolator basket (about half height) and trim an inch and a quarter from the stem top using a Dremel. The new size basket will provide the maximum amount of coffee that the BOT will hold (4 cups). This will also reduce unnecessary weight.

Use the BOT as an oven for cooking biscuits or muffins by stacking two 5 ounce tuna cans. Use an old wire coat hanger to create an insert that lifts the bottom tuna can up 3/4 of an inch, creates a shelf for the second can to rest on, and leaves a loop at the top to lift the cans out. Use a lid removing can opener on the tuna cans so that you can get the muffin or biscuit out of the can (can lip is not in the way).

Make Hot Chocolate by melting some cocoa in the lid while boiling water. When the chocolate melts pour it and evaporated milk into the boiling water. Hot chocolate.

The BOT is available here

Even more comfortable.

MY rules for ultralight backpacking look something like this:

NO cotton, anywhere, ever.

NO batteries, anywhere, ever.

No (rubbing) alcohol based products, anywhere, ever

Quality is non-negotiable. If it weighs less, but is lower quality, it is too much of a trade-off. You are trusting your life to equipment.

Build your own, and you know how to fix it.

Following these guidelines, the first thing added to the list is a towel available from REI. Use this instead of a cotton bandanna. It has all the same functionality, plus you can use it to dry off. The one used weighs 2 ounces.

Buy some 1oz pump sprayers on ebay. Use these for spray deodorant, sunscreen, and liquid soap. We already have sunscreen and liquid soap in the survival kit, and we add deodorant in this pound of gear.

1/2 ounce hand sanitizer weighs 1 oz. You can get one here.

The underwear included weighs 1.2 oz per pair. For 72 hours count the ones worn, plus 2.4 ounces (2 pairs) in the pack.

Silk T-shirts weigh 2.5 ounces. Like with underwear wear one, include 2 in pack weight. That totals 5 ounces.

Sock liners help prevent blisters when used with a regular sock. These weigh in at 1.75 ounces each.

Start out wearing a pair of (wool) hiking socks. Change out the liners daily and air out the wool socks every night.

Total weight of these products is a pound.

The next pound is food. 3 freeze-dried dinners totaling 16 ounces.

The next pound we will discuss includes a backpack. We have to carry all this stuff somehow. We will be placing 9 to 10 pounds in this backpack if you have followed the recommendations in all the articles so far. The pack will be water proof to protect the sleeping bag.

Last is a repair kit. Spend an ounce to fix sleeping pads. The one recommended in the next article requires inflation. It offers huge R-Value for very little weight.

Various levels of comfort…

Comfort. Now that we have handled requirements for surviving, it is time to enjoy it. “Any man who does not enjoy life, does not deserve to live it.” That quote is from Da Vinci. A good nights sleep is an item that nothing else replaces. Western Mountaineering makes a wonderful 1 pound sleeping bag. After that, consider the tools for preparing hot meals. A half liter Platypus is used to store fuel for a WhiteBox stove. The fuel for the stove is HEET (yellow bottle). Add some breakfast food (6 packets of instant oatmeal in a ziploc bag). The sleeping bag and the “kitchen” gear all add 2 more pounds to the 3 you already have in your 72 hour survival kit.

In our next installment we move from using an improvised pack, to an actual backpack (relax, it only weighs 12.2 ounces). And before you ask, yes, a gear list will be provided soon.

Until then, here is the next article in the series.

Altoids Tins, Rambo, and very real survival

The previous three articles all regard survival. The concept is a 72 hour survival kit broken out into three parts. Part one weighs one pound and will see you through 24 hours. Part two weighs a pound and will see you through 48 hours. Part three weighs a pound, and will ultimately bring you to surviving 72 hours. I have personally tested these kits for each of their rated times. I will not guarantee in any way that they will work for you, your situation, or any specific situation. They did work for me. 21 items, 3 pounds, $450.

I’ve seen many cute, trendy, neat Altoids tin survival kits. Many of them are better than nothing, some are not. Many of these kits merely operate off of the idea, “I need a fishing kit, a micro compass, and what will fit in the space that is left?” The problem is the “fishing kit” often isn’t suitable, or the average person only THINKS they would know what to do with it. Once you catch a fish, you still have to gut/clean it. Consider that.

The amount of water you could collect in an Altoids tin (to set in a fire to boil), isn’t enough to make the energy worth it.

Many think they would do the survival knife/Rambo thing. Okay, you take your kit out for 24 hours, I’ll take mine. Let’s see who’s happier at the end of that time period.

Survival is not about gimmicks and toys. It is about mindset, training, and equipment you trust your life with. This 72 hour kit was designed with average Joe Public in mind. There would need to be some basic instruction to go with it. This, however, would not require Military survival training. With all these things in mind, I recommend you steer clear of “magic” survival kits that fit in unbelievably small spaces. The next series works to add comfort level to the kit provided. It will grow from just a 72 hour kit to a true Ultralight Backpacking gear list.

wn7ant.com

Travel light, communicate, create

ultralight backpacking