Folding Bucket

The 10L Sea to Summit Folding Bucket is a game changer! 

We use the MSR Sweet Water filter on our backpacking trips, which usually means the two of us standing out in Lake Superior with numb legs for however long it takes us to fill up our Nalgene bottles. I'm not sure why it took us so long to buy this, but it's a game changer, and we love it!

It's small (palm size), light (2.8oz), and carries all the water we need to fill up. It's also great for those eco friendly showers on shore. I'm not sure how we survived without it.

Sleeping System

So I hear you're in the market for a sleeping bag?
Some questions you will have to ask yourself:

• What is my budget? (Buy the best you can afford, or you will probably be upgrading in the future)
• What is the weather like? (Bags have temperature ranges for different seasons. We have a summer and a spring/fall sleeping bag)
• What kind of camping am I doing, backcountry? (If so, you'll want to keep weight in consideration and go as light as possible)

Down vs. Synthetic Guide
Down Pros: Warmer, retains shape and can last forever, lightweight, highly compressible, moisture wicking
Down Cons: Loses insulation value when wet, requires special cleaning, costly, potential allergens
Synthetic Pros: Dries quickly, provides insulation when wet, easy to care for, less expensive, hypoallergenic
Synthetic Cons: Bulky, heavier than down, breaks down over time.

Popular Brands: Marmot, Big Agnes, Mountain Hardware, The North Face, Western Mountaineering

Sleeping bags come with a right or left zipper. If you travel with a companion and want to zip the sleeping bags together, you'll want to get one of each. Also think about what side the zipper on your tent is on and have your sleeping bag open in that direction for convenience.

Sleeping Pad: We carry a Therm-a-Rest to sleep on, we're also a fan of the compact seating system that turns your sleeping pad into a camp chair. You will want to consider the questions at the top. If you are backpacking you'll want something lighter, if you are camping in colder weather you will want something with more R-value, get something that fits your needs and comfort level.

Pillow: Most minimalist backpackers will try not to carry anything they don't need. Some stuff their clothes into a pillow case for a pillow, but I like to travel with a small thermarest pillow. I have to be honest though, it can be cumbersome to pack.

Liner: A liner will keep your body oils and dirt from getting on the bag. The liner can be machine washed very easy compared to the bag itself.  It also adds a little bit of warmth. Most backpacking bags simply have nylon inside which is sticky to the skin, a liner is usually made of a more comfortable polyester or fleece. I have used the Cocoon. Disclaimer, if you toss and turn in your bag, you’re apt to have the liner twisted around you tighter than a pair of briefs by morning.

Care: Be sure to air it out after each use. Sweat and condensation get in the bag when you sleep. Even if it feels dry to the touch, it will be moist enough inside. You don’t want it smelling or degrading the insulation over time. Give it a couple hours hanging in the breeze to let it air out when you get home.

Storage: When storing your sleeping bag and pad, NEVER leave them compressed and crunched down, most sleeping bags will come with a large mesh storage bag and a small stuff sack with compression straps for carrying. Make sure to fluff everything up and put it in the large bag for storage.


LOL, or you can just get these:

Gear Review: Ursack

Tired of critters doing this to your food bag?
This bag was on a 10ft bear pole when they chewed a hole in it.

Check out these critter and bear resistant food bags!
http://www.ursack.com/

Since we won't be in bear country we just picked up a couple of the Ursack minor bags.  Nathan and I purchased the ursacks directly from their website and were impressed with their quick shipping and bag quality. The bag is very lightweight but still appears to be very durable.

Another HUGE bonus is the bag is not required to be hung from a tree branch or bear pole, you just need to secure it to something so the critters don't drag it away.

Update:  We have returned from a 9 day trip to Isle Royale where we used the ursack minor. Each night we tied the ursacks to medium sized trees at waist height.

-The bag carried about 5 full days of food for 2 people (about 10 lbs.) with a little bit of room left over.
-It is not waterproof but it did not pool water on the inside and appears to shed water when left unprotected on a tree overnight in the rain.
-The first set of stitching appeared to be stressed, from our load on the inside, but there were 3 separate lines of stitching holding the bag together.
-The rope tie is heavy duty and at first it was hard to fully close the bag, but if you pull the ties opposite of each other (but crossing in the middle) it tightened up perfectly.
-We did not purchase the metal liner.
-Machine washed when we returned.


Bottom Line: We are happy with our usack minor purchase, they are durable and gave us peace of mind.  They came back in the same condition as when we left. We did not see any animals chewing on the bags, but also did not wake up to food bags with holes in them.

Gear Review: Sea to Summit X-Bowl

Tired of carrying a plate and a bowl, and having to pack all your clothes and gear around it?
Check out the X-Bowl!

OK, seriously this thing is awesome.  It is a collapsible bowl that is also a cut resistant plate!  It is the perfect size for a meal and easily tucks away into my pack.  I have carried this for a few years now and still really like and recommend it!

Product information: Sea to Summit X-Bowl
$14.95 at REI: X-Bowl