Gaiters that is. In all the time I've been hiking with trail junk filling my shoes, I've never tried out a pair of gaiters. Then I found Dirty Girl!
Dirty Girl Gaiters are about as simple as you can get, which makes them perfect for UltraLight Backpacking. The website, www.dirtygirlgaiters.com is quite amusing, and they have lots of different patterns and colors to choose from. In fact, at first it appeared to me that they didn't even offer plain black gaiters, but I picked up a pair of "i do not make black gaiters" color in a men's 12.5-13 for $17 US including shipping. I've been using them for the past couple of weekends now and had no idea what I was missing!
They attach in the back with a small piece of velcro that you cut and stick to the back of your shoe.
The front attaches with a small metal hook that goes under the front of your laces. This simple attachment works very well. You put on your socks, slide the gaiters on over them, and put your shoes on like normal. Slide the gaiters down and hook them in the front, then attach the back to the velcro and that's it.
These simple spandex gaiters do an amazing job of keeping dirt and rocks out of your shoes, and your feet stay nice and clean. They breathe well and the pair weighs just 1.45oz for my enormous size. If you want to keep your feet happy, do what the Dirty Girls do and pick up a pair of these!
It's a mug, a bowl, and a water storage container! Backpacking gear doesn't have to be expensive to be good. Ziploc's Twist'n Loc containers are a great multi-use backpacking item.
After wandering the aisles at my local outfitter for a half hour, I walked out with just a pair of socks. Everything else I was looking for was just too heavy for my backpacking style. Afterwards, I ended up finding this 3-pack of Ziploc containers at the grocery store for just $3 US. The size small weighs 1.4oz, which makes it half the price and 0.4oz lighter than the pictured REI plastic mug. When you consider that the Ziploc container has a larger capacity (2 cups vs 1 1/2), and a lid, it seems like a no brainer.
Since the lid has a water tight seal, you can also use it to carry extra water. There is a 1 cup marking on the side, which can be helpful for preparing meals. For enjoying a hot bowl of soup or a mug of hot coffee, you could make a simple cozzie for it, but I just put on my glove liners to insulate my hands from the heat.
A versatile, UltraLight, UltraCheap Backpacking solution...perfect! Replace one of your water containers with this and it won't even add any weight to your pack!
When heading out into the wilderness, some people try to have a plan for every possible situation, and others just "go for it". I'm forever the anal retentive planner, which probably comes as no surprise if you follow my blog. I attempt to make sure every situation is well thought out so I'm prepared (I may have learned that from the Boy Scouts of America).
What's in my pockets is no accident, and is there for both convenience as well as a margin of safety. What if you got separated from your pack...took it off during a break by a cliff to enjoy the great view, and somehow you let it slide over the edge? If you couldn't get it back, would you be able to survive?
Shown above is two ounces of stuff I like to carry in my pockets. My modified Backpacking Journal slips into my rear pocket, and along with my UltraLight Pen, I am ready to journal or write down contact information of people I meet on the trail. There's also a safety factor here, because if I was ever lost, I could leave notes for other people, or write things down to keep my thoughts in order so I wouldn't start to panic.
My MSR Packtowell Nano rides in my front right pocket, well at least 1/4 of one. I use it to blow my nose (using the inside folded portion), wipe the sweat off my face (using the other side), or at a water source I rinse it out and wash my face. You always feel better when you're clean.
Speaking of clean, perhaps on of the most versatile items I carry is my Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Soap. I use just a few drops on my wash cloth for a quick cleanup, to wash my hands after doing my business, to clean my cook pot, and also as toothpaste. One soap fits all, so I repackage it into a 0.20oz dropper bottle and keep it handy in my front pocket at all times.
My cash and credit cards ride safely in a zippered thigh pocket because I definitely wouldn't want to lose them. If I did get separated from my pack, this would allow me to pay for supplies or transportation.
My tiny pocket knife is attached to my mini fire steel with a length of thin cord. This helps me keep from losing one of these little items, plus they work together for fire starting. The scissors are used to trim my nails or a piece of mole skin, and the knife for many things including cutting a piece of parmigiano reggiano, my favorite backcountry cheese.
The file seems obvious, and I do use it to file my nails, but I have also ground an edge on it that doubles as a striker for my mini fire steel. This allows me to leave the striker at home, and not dull my knife blade by using it as a striker. I don't leave home without some lip balm, and Burt's Bees is my protection of choice. Also if I'm having trouble finding dry kindling, I can always use some of my Burt's Bees as a fire starter.
My wrist watch has a digital compass on it for navigation, as well as time, date, etc. I hope I will never be separated from my pack, but if it ever does happen, I'm prepared with what's in my pockets.
