Indians For Guns

AgentDoubleS wrote:I have been looking to start camping trips for quite sometime, but haven't really got down to it. Looking at your pictures it seems I'm missing out on a lot. What would be ideal would be a motorcycle trip in India on a dual sport motorcycle with camping at some good locations built in. Motorcycle or on foot, I know this is something I cant be missing out on, particularly with my recently fueled interest in studying trees.

I'd be keen to know more about the gear you use if you dont mind sharing: the tent and sleeping bag? Backpack, brand and how many litres? How much weight do you carry?

SS,
Car/Motorcycle camping is big in the USA. A lot of people do it. Google "Motorcycle Camping". The advantage of doing it in the US is that there are thousands of State Parks and National Parks. In addition there are also a large number of local, county and privately owned campgrounds. You can even find places in the big cities like my visit to Afton State Park in the Twin Cities. Another advantage is that there are no Apex predators in most areas. Oh, there have been occasional sightings of Cougars here but they are relatively shy and avoid humans for the most part. My biggest fear here would be getting sprayed by a skunk.

India has many gorgeous places to do something like that but there are places that would be off limits to tent camping like the Sundarbans. I don't know if the Government still maintains Dak bungalows but we used to be able to stay in a few of those, in out of the way places.

Gear:
I tend to stay away from most Military Surplus equipment because while it is very durable, it is generally a lot heavier than dedicated civilian camping equipment. When car or motorcycle camping, weight is not that big a deal but when you have to lug everything on a 30 or 40 mile hike, every ounce counts. I've had setups that weighed 45/50 lbs but it is not pleasant when out for days in rugged terrain. I quickly reduced the weight. When you start out, you'll take everything but the kitchen sink but you'll quickly learn what is essential.

The main comfort items are a tent, sleeping bag and sleeping pad. You can sleep under a tarp but it is no fun when the weather turns bad. I do it for relaxation rather than attempting to run a marathon like some people do, so I like some creature comforts. Our tent is 4 lbs, sleeping bag is about a pound and the air mattress is under 2 lbs.

You can get by with something cold for lunch but there is no substitute for a cup of hot coffee in the morning and a hearty breakfast or a hot meal at the end of the day.
The Jetboil stove is 15 oz. and fuel canisters are 10 to 12 oz. each. A change of clothes and extra socks make up some of the weight. A rain jacket, a fleece jacket and a wool watch cap keeps the cold and wet away. Our main weight is food and water. My water purification system weighs 16 oz. A few lightweight Aluminium posts and pans and utensils fill out the load.

Food & Water:
Fresh meats and fish wont keep for very long on the trail so hikers tend to carry a lot of dehydrated meals. They are very light in weight and you can carry a number of them. Just add hot water and you have a meal.
For dehydrated meals, Mountain Home dehydrated entrees are very popular. Military MRE (Meals Ready to Eat) are popular but they are heavy. Both Mountain Home and MRE's actually have some pretty tasty entrees. MRE's come prepackaged with a heater so you don't need a stove for them.
We also get precooked Basmati rice packs here (boil in the bag for 10 minutes) and many prepackaged vegetarian Indian entrees (boil in the bag for five minutes and pour on the rice) which taste pretty authentic. This is brand named Tasty Bite. I love this stuff but the packets are heavy as they are already hydrated.


Bombay Potatoes on the picnic table. This was during a recent day hike.


Bombay Potatoes on Basamati Rice. Mm-Mmm good!

We also take stuff like pancake batter, margarine, dehydrated hash browns and dehydrated sausage. Lipton 'cup o soup' packets, Tea bags, Coffee, powdered creamer, sugar and salt.
All this dehydrated stuff needs water to reconstitute.
You can get water in a lot of places; Rivers, streams, creeks, ponds etc. However, water can have bacteria, virii, pesticides, heavy metals and even antibiotics in it. A good filter is a must if you want to not suffer any side effects from your camping trip.


Stoves that I have used: Jetboil Minimo, MSR Whisperlite, Coleman Micro backpack stove.
The Jetboil is by far the fastest stove that I have used. You can literally be in camp two minutes and have a hot cup of soup ready.

Water purification system: Sawyer 2 Liter filter system


Sawyer two liter water purification system. This is a .1 micron system and will eliminate most bacteria and cysts but not virii (but that is not a problem in most parts of the USA).
Sawyer also sells a .02 micron system that will eliminate virii.
I have used several others, including the Platypus Gravity Filter, one of the Katadyn Hiker Pumps and the MSR Hyperflow system.
They all have their issues.
So far I like the Sawyer system the best.

Packs: I no longer use external frame packs. I use a High Sierra 55 Liter internal frame pack. I wouldn't buy it again but its not bad enough to throw away and buy a new one. It is not the best but works for me. My daughter uses a Granite Gear pack of about 40/45 Liters. There are hundreds of brands available. Popular brands are REI, Jansport, Kelty, Gregory, Granite Gear, Arcteryx and hundreds of Chinese knock offs. The quality of the knock offs has got much better lately. Eberlestock makes very high quality, heavy duty packs but they are heavy so they are not used much by hikers.


My daughter and I with our packs in Tennessee's Great Smokey Mountains National Park.

Clothing:
Cotton is very comfortable but not good for camping. When it gets wet, either from rain or from sweat, it takes a long time to dry. This causes chafing as you are hiking and makes you cold. Damp clammy clothes will make you uncomfortable and make you feel miserable. Not my idea of fun. For shirts worn when campiing, I've switched to all synthetic, wicking fabrics like Polyester and Polyester blends. They wick sweat away and dry quickly.
UnderArmor is one of the top brands but I also like Russel Athletics "Dri-Power" T-shirts. They're relatively cheap and if you wreck one, its not a big deal. They have worked very well for me. They can also be used as an undershirt.

Columbia makes excellent fleece jackets that will keep the cold out and to a certain extent; the wind out. Your rain jacket can double as a windbreaker in a pinch. Columbia Fleece jackets are very lightweight but still provide warmth.

For shorts, I like Nylon shorts for their wicking and quick drying properties. You can get shorts made of rip-stop nylon that are very durable. Wrangler used to make one model of which I have a few. These have a hidden zipped side pocket that fits my Ruger LC9 in its soft holster. Unfortunately they are no longer available.

There is one caveat about synthetic clothing. Some synthetics like Polyester very susceptible to damage from campfire embers and if they catch fire, they will melt to your skin. Just use common sense around a fire.

Tents:
I have used many different tents from canvas pup tents to today's freestanding domes.
I like the freestanding domes the best because they are very fast to put up. They also give you plenty of headroom. We often play scrabble or card games after dark, in the tent and two people can sit up very comfortably.
Currently we have a Coleman Sundome three person tent that I take when we go car camping and my daughter has our favorite, her Marmot tent, for when we backpack.
Her Marmot sets up very fast, literally three or four minutes from unpacking. This is a great boon if it is raining. The two doors are great; if you have to go to the bathroom at night, you don't have to step on or over the other person. We also like the two vestibules to keep your backpack and your boots, etc. on your own side.


My daughter's Marmot tent has been with us in many different locations.

Her tent is similar to the Tungsten 2P. Watch the video on that page.

Hi xl_target,

Thanks for sharing the info on the camping gear.

What kind of knives and hand tools do you use?

XL

Your generosity never ceases to amaze me nor does it escape my attention. You must be commended for taking the time and effort to share such valuable information. Last but not the least - You make me want to be a better contributor !

Thank you sir.

Oggie

Xl, thanks for such an informative and detailed post, it is much appreciated.

I plan to share (as much as possible) my motorcycle trip and 'on foot' equipment which is why I've been looking at stoves that can use the same fuel as my motorcycle. Unfortunately my car is diesel and the motorcycle petrol! Which really means I should be looking at a multi fuel stove. Availability of the fuel canisters is something I need to keep in mind as well. I had looked at MSR Multi fuel stoves as good options. Would there be any specific disadvantages of using a multi fuel stove? I've read a few reports on using automotive fuels in the stove but nothing conclusive.

I have been contemplating a 2 person tent - I have always preferred the idea of the vestibule, it would be so much easier to dump the saddle, tank and tail bags and equipment in the vestibule and leave the sleeping area uncluttered. Would a three season tent serve the purpose or should I look for specialised winter/waterproof tent? I think most of the camping that I would do would be up in the mountains (advantages of staying in Delhi!) with temperatures ranging in the 0-15 degree Celsius. I had never thought about the advantage of the 2 doors- thanks for sharing this level of detail- I had an 'Aha' moment!

I guess I'm getting pedantic with my questions, but I'm hoping to make up for my non existent experience with some theoretical knowledge.

Have you carried camping chairs while hiking?
And would you use normal sneakers or any particular shoes suitable for the outdoors?

I was very averse to anything synthetic but with the wide variety of comfortable material available I have begun to explore options and will keep your pointers in mind.

Btw, in case you haven't noticed I haven't even touched the topic of the physical fitness required- I don't even want to know what you do at 52 to keep yourself that fit!

Thanks for sharing your experiences!

Cheers,
SS

kshitij wrote:Hi xl_target,

Thanks for sharing the info on the camping gear.

What kind of knives and hand tools do you use?

kshitij,

I am no knife expert. I use some very plain knives.

The CRKT Ron Lake III Z2 with its 2.5" blade. This is my EDC knife


..and its bigger brother with the 3.125" blade. This is what is in my camp kit.

I really like this blade shape.

I also carry a small hatchet when car camping. I have an el-cheapo Collins Campers Axe

Almost any durable hatchet will work for splitting firewood for the campfire.

however, for an excellent knife review, I would suggest you peruse the incredible series of posts made by our own Mack the knife.
Mack's reviews on the Bark River Knives.
BRK Golok
BRK Gunny
BRK Magnum Fox River
BRK Fox RIver
BRK Loveless Drop Point Hunter
BRK Little Creek
BRK Grasso Bolo i
BRK Grasso Bolo II

Woah!! Donno how i missed all of these threads! Some really beautiful knives there.
Thanks for sharing these links

I plan to share (as much as possible) my motorcycle trip and 'on foot' equipment which is why I've been looking at stoves that can use the same fuel as my motorcycle. Unfortunately my car is diesel and the motorcycle petrol! Which really means I should be looking at a multi fuel stove.

Some multi fuel stoves:
Primus OmniLite - Petrol, Diesel, Kerosene, Jet fuel,
MSR WhisperLIte - White Gas, Petrol, Kerosene and Canisters

The issue I have with these liquid fuel-bottle stoves is that they need maintenance. The O Rings in there last a couple of years or so. I was using the MSR Whisperlite and when I pumped it the O-rings leaked fuel all over wchich then proceeded to ignite. Scared the crap out of me.

kshitij,
You're welcome. Glad you enjoyed them.
I know I did, when he posted that series.

Excellent, thoughtful and detailed post xl_target - the great thing is that you have shared practical experiences with the gear!

Have you carried camping chairs while hiking?
And would you use normal sneakers or any particular shoes suitable for the outdoors?

Chairs are popular with campers.
For car camping, I do take along some folding Aluminium chairs.
I prefer not to carry one while hiking. I have in the past and ended up never using it. Weight is once again the key.
Most of our primitive campgrounds have trees or logs laid by the fire pit that can be used as a seat. The State Parks have picnic tables at the camp sites.

A very popular chair is the Alite butterfly:
http://www.rei.com/product/846402/alite ... rfly-chair


Here is a photo of my daughter using one. Notice that it only has two legs.

There is also a four legged version of the chair but it is slightly heavier.

Shoes are an extremely important part of your gear when hiking. If you don't have decent shoes, you can severly damage your feet.
It all depends on the trail. For most of our manicured State park Trails, you can get by with any old pair off sneakers.
For serious trails, ones that will take you at least five miles and more from the Ranger station, you will want hikers.
Normal Tennis shoes won't last very long and won't give you the grip you need on a lot of trails. You will also stub your toes a lot without a reinforced toe box.
A lack of grip can be very fatiguing, as your feet will slip often. It also risks a twisted ankle (in the middle of nowhere) when your foot slips off the tree root or that rock you just stepped on.

For many years I used a pair of Vasque Juxt hikers.

Vasque Juxt shoes
They are an awesome trail shoe. Comfortable, light, durable and have an excellent fit and provide good support.
I have done many, many miles in them and never had a blister or any foot issues. I still wear them casually but they are pretty beat up now and the stitching is coming loose all over.
They are a fantastic design but they have one fatal flaw. The soles have a rubber compound that allows it to grip rocks like a limpet.
However, when the soles get wet, or when walking on wet rocks, it is like wearing ice skates.
As long as you avoid wet rock, its a great shoe. Unfortunate....

Currently I wear Adidas Terex hikers


Adidas Terex FastX Mid Goretex hikers.
They are so comfortable that I want to wear them all the time. I try to use them only for hiking as they are too expensive to wear our prematurely.

There are many decent hiking shoes out there.
Take a look at REI's camping gear pages. While REI is expensive, they don't sell junk. You can then shop the Internet for cheaper prices.
http://www.rei.com

Xl target,

Thanks for all the information you've taken the trouble to provide. I will keep referring to it as i make my purchasing decisions. Will keep this thread updated with my progress.

Cheers,
SS

Oggie wrote:XL

Your generosity never ceases to amaze me nor does it escape my attention. You must be commended for taking the time and effort to share such valuable information. Last but not the least - You make me want to be a better contributor !

Thank you sir.

Oggie

Oggie,
You are welcome, sir.

XL,

How much does the equipment weigh?? Since you carry the stuff yourself, what distance to you normally plan to cover in a day. Also are your camping spots planned in advance?

Regards

Atul

AgentDoubleS wrote:Xl target,

Thanks for all the information you've taken the trouble to provide. I will keep referring to it as i make my purchasing decisions. Will keep this thread updated with my progress.

Cheers,
SS

SS,
If you have specific questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Please keep in mind that the items I have posted work for me.
They might not work for some else.

aadhaulya wrote:XL,

How much does the equipment weigh?? Since you carry the stuff yourself, what distance to you normally plan to cover in a day. Also are your camping spots planned in advance?

Regards

Atul

The distance covered in a day depends on the terrain. It it is relatively flat, we can cover more distance. If there is a lot of elevation involved, obviously it is going to be more difficult.
Ten miles in flat terrain is not much but in hilly terrain, it can get tiresome. almost anyone in good health can do ten miles in a day.
A lot depends on the designated campsites since camping just anywhere in a managed park/trail is not encouraged.

In a State Park, you can set up your campsite, leave most of your stuff there. Grab a daypack with just water, a snack and a camera and hike around with just that small load.
On a trail, where you have to take all your stuff with you, campsites are anywhere from four to seven miles apart. So if it is getting late in the day, you might grab the first campsite you come to and not keep going to the next one.
on the other hand if its early enough, you might just stop at the first campsite (because usually there is a water point there), cook and eat a meal, replenish your water and keep going.

The weight of your pack is a big deal. The less you carry, the further you can go.
When I first started out, I would try and take everything that would fit in my pack; just in case I needed it. I've had 45 lbs packs before and it was a real pain.
Now, just the bare necessities are what I need and I would much prefer to keep my packed weight to 30 lbs or less.
As I've upgraded my equipment, the weights have decreased as the newer equipment is often lighter than the old stuff.