Leave No Trace

I have the opportunity to go backpacking. My son, his girl, and their friends are allowing me to tag along and I am ecstatic. After realizing my camping gear was too heavy for backpacking, I started collecting some new ultra-light gear. I have solicited opinions from many salespersons, community forums, and gear head websites, along with hours of YouTube videos, and have ended up with some nice gear without breaking the bank.

• Days out                                              5 days
• Miles each day                                   10 to 13 miles
• Weather                                              Possible Thunderstorms, Sunshine  71°/53° Lake Superior Surface Water Temperature: 63.9 °F
• Topography                                       Cliffs, sandstone formations, forest, beaches, streams, lakes, wetlands.
• Amenities                                           Campsite
• Hazards                                              Bear, Water must be filtered and boiled, as well as Black flies and mosquitoes.

• Packing
  • Backpack
  • Rain Cover
  • Dry Bags
  • Bear Bag
  • Zip-lock Bags
  • Trash Bag
• Shelter
  • Tent
  • Sleeping Pad
  • Sleeping Bag
  • Footprint
• Clothing
  • Pants
  • Shorts
  • Swim Trunks
  • Socks
  • Camp shoes (flip flops)
  • Underwear
  • Rain Gear
  • Hiking Boots
  • Base layer
  • Shirts long sleeve
  • T-Shirts
  • Gloves
  • Bennie
  • Hat (Sun Protection)

• Essentials
  • First Aid Kit
  • Glasses/Contacts
  • Sunglasses
  • Medicine
  • Toothbrush
  • Trowel for leaving no trace…
  • Headlamp
  • Sunblock
  • Bug Cream
  • Mosquito Net
  • Whistle
  • Waterproof matches or lighter
  • Paper/Pencil
  • Knife
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Biohazard Bag for used items.
• Food/Cooking
  • Water Filter/Purification
  • Backup Purification tablets
  • Stove/Fuel
  • Utensils
  • Meals/Snacks @2600 calories per day
  • Water Bottle
  • Water Storage Bag (camp)
  • Flask (Rum)
  • Vitamins
• Extras
  • Camp chair
  • Binoculars
  • GoPro
  • Phone
  • Headphones
  • Solar Battery Charger
  • Storage Battery
  • Extra Battery Pac
  • Cards
  • Camera

When evaluating my gear, I established a few essential guidelines. First and foremost was weight; I aimed to select ultra-light gear options. Additionally, my clothing needed to be moisture-wicking, offer UV protection, and provide odor control. For nutrition, I focused on lightweight options that are easy to prepare. I suggest starting by taking inventory of what you already own and ensuring that everything is in good condition. Once I completed my inventory and created my shopping list, I needed to assess how much space I had to work with. Therefore, my first priority was to address packing.

I made my brand choice pretty fast, but picking the model took some time. Osprey is the brand I liked and I was torn between the XENITH and the AETHER AG™. I previously purchased an Osprey travel bag, and the quality is great. The experts suggested a 60L bag would be fine for a week in the wilds. I figured my age would require a few items that a young man might not need, so I picked up the AETHER AG™ 70L bag. At 6-3, 205 lbs., I was fitted for a medium frame harness and the weight is around 5.2 pounds. I felt this pack was more comfortable and cost $90.00 less than the XENITH. The women’s model is the ARIEL AG™. The remaining gear in this category like the trash bags and Zip-lock bags are common household items. Dry, bear and your rain cover can be purchased at most camping supply stores.  Since there are bears in the Upper Peninsula a bear bag is necessary. Look on YouTube to learn how to set up a bear bag. Some campsites have a bear locker but have one with you just in case. Remember to always follow the 7 principles of Leave No Trace.

I am only taking 5 items in this category. All are ultra light and the total weight of these 5 items is only 6 lbs 6 oz.

• Tent                                                40 oz
• Sleeping Pad                                 25 oz
• Sleeping Bag                                 30 oz
• Footprint                                         8 oz
• Pillow                                                3 oz

When selecting items for this category, I considered the importance of space. I will have only one change of clothes. All items will be moisture-wicking, offer UV protection, and have odor-control properties. They will also dry quickly, allowing me to refresh them in a stream. I will avoid bringing any cotton items. To stay warm, I will use the layering method, as all clothing will be lightweight. The total weight of the clothes will be less than 10 pounds.

When I think about the essentials I can’t do without, there are a few key items. Since we will be practicing “Leave No Trace,” we will pack out all trash, including used toilet paper. It’s essential to have something to dig your cathole with. If I have enough room, I will bring a poncho for privacy. I found a small folding shovel that weighs less than a pound. While you can purchase bio bags, a zip-lock bag will work just fine as well.

I spent a considerable amount of time researching this category, with my main concern being water. Every water source must be filtered or treated before it can be safely consumed. Many options are available, and you can find plenty of information online. However, deciding on the right water filter was the most stressful part of my research, and now I’m eager to see if I made the right choice. Water Filters vs. Water Purifiers? This was the question I needed to answer, and for me, it was a no-brainer. Unfortunately, my choice was also the most expensive. It will be an excellent investment … I hope…   I went with the Guardian™ Purifier. My choice for cooking is the MiniMo. I will keep it pretty basic. Coffee in the morning, MRE ( Meal, Ready-to-Eat) for lunch and freeze dried meals for dinner. My choice for coffee is Jose Vanilla Nut bean and using the coffee press attachment for MiniMo will be the perfect way to start my morning. Mountain House will provide lunch and dinner, and I will indeed have plenty of snacks and power bars. I figure that I may drop a few pounds which will be a good thing. To keep unwanted visitors away, I will transport all my food in a bear bag.

With everything so far in the pack, I am sitting at 24 pounds, and that is the pack included. I have plenty of space to bring some extra gear. Since this will be my first proper backpacking trip, I anticipate needing a chair to sit in at the end of the day. I found a great chair that only weighs 8 oz and will undoubtedly make the trip. My last purchase to complete my gear was trekking poles. After talking to a few older hikers, I am convinced these are necessary. Everything on this list weighs around 7 or 8 pounds, so including the water, I will be hauling around 47 pounds.