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Published: April 25th 2010
This is a break from our normal run of posts. I have debated whether to put it up because it may be of interest only to us, but the stuff we carry is a major part of our lives, and not just because all too often we have to pack it up, load ourselves like Ethiopian donkeys and walk for a couple of kilometers through brand new places. So we frequently discuss whether we need a particular item or whether it can go. Lately, we have been gathering camping gear - we had some on a previous leg but had to dump most of it. The spectre of struggling with a new bag full of too heavy gear looms large. Thus, this review. But we wont just deal with the current situation. We will record what has worked and what hasn't and provide some indication of value. And we will set out some rules, although that may delay the post a bit more. Agreement may take time to achieve.
Standard advice for backpackers is to keep things light and simple. For clothing 3 is supposed to be the magic number. One on, one drying and one ready to wear. An
Turban
A souvenir that went homeideal item should match all of the other clothes you will wear it with - if you care about that sort of thing. It should also, ideally, dry quickly so that even in humid, damp conditions - where you are likely to need to wash more often - things will dry. Then again, you have to wear clothes every day and, if you are travelling for more than a couple of months, it is possible to get very tired of some items before they can justifiably be dumped.
Unfortunately, clothes are really the least of my worries. Adding to the weight and bulk I carry is other things. Souvenirs, cameras, hiking poles, packs of cards, computer, satnavs and a separate damned recharger for every item. I will return to that point later.
We travel in various ways: public buses, cars, an overland truck, trains and walking. We need to be able to carry our gear without too much difficulty. Inevitably, when we are in a car and when we were in a truck, the amount of gear we carry expands.
Souvenirs We tend not to be big buyers of souvenirs, although we do seem to spend an
inordinate amount of time shopping, but we do gather things. It has been worst in places like Asia, India and Africa where there are things for sale that are different and special. One option is not to buy. They are likely to get home, be looked at a few times and then get packed away only to be considered when you do clean outs or move house. Our solution is to control our buying but not to stop completely. Instead, we send packages home. We are lucky to have someone who is prepared to make the trek to the post office and collect these and store them for us.
It depends on the postal system but we haven't paid much less than about $A50 to send 10 kilograms back. It can cost more but this is part of the price of the souvenirs as far as we are concerned.
Clothing You may be the type that can wear the same few things over and over again. I tend to be one of these lucky ones but even I get bored occasionally. T shirts are handy for that. Buy one as a souvenir, wear it until you get tired
Vietnam
15 months ago and the trousers survive. of it taking too long to dry or getting smelly more quickly than other clothes and dump it or use it as packing in a parcel home.
Shirts I aim to carry 3 or 4. I currently carry a short sleeved Kathmandu Cool Max. The mucky maroon colour helps make it an excellent performer. Quick dry, doesn't show dirt too much, light and cool to wear. Has one zip up pocket. Could do with 2. Doesn't seem to be wearing out and may go for a lot longer - probably longer than I will be able to stand it.
I used to carry a Kathmandu long sleeve - light blue colour. It was OK to wear. Light and airy but showed dirt quickly and this cut down the number of days between washes. Didn't work well as a layer. Drags over a long thermal and against a fleece. OK worn on its own but that reduces its flexibility. Light enough to pack and creases do drop out reasonably quickly. Dried quickly. A nuisance and it is gone.
My constant T Shirt is a Peter Storm Cool Max T Shirt - excellent value for money. Wears well and,
Good Gear
that stands the test of time in most weather, goes for a number of days before becoming whiffy. Comfortable in all weathers. Breathes well and can provide a base layer on cooler days. Is starting to have a few little 'pulls' and a couple of stains in the front after 6 months pretty constant wear but it will stay on for a long time yet.
Pat: I also aimed to have 3 or 4 tops, but that has expanded a little to take some account of seasons. I have one travel shirt which, I am told, always looks fresh (from the amount of dirt released when it is washed, I think that means it doesn't show the dirt and grime very quickly) and a Cool Max T-shirt which also doubles as a bottom layer. A black merino T-shirt has been very handy but does take a while to dry. I also have a couple of souvenir T-shirts which I have been wearing recently but they will probably go home with the next parcel, partly because they take ages to dry and partly because I want to keep them as souvenirs for when I get home. In their place I intend to get a light cotton
Large Packs
Even with a truck the luggage seemed to expand at times. fabric top or two.
I could do with another long-sleeve top but I will probably hold off as the warmer weather approaches here in Europe, and continue with the shirt and using a pashmina over the short sleeves. I did have two other long sleeve shirts, one bought very cheaply in Cairo and the other even more cheaply in a little town in Sudan. These were necessary as respectable cover-ups in various places, but they were only ever intended to be worn in Africa and thus joined other clothing in the give-away bags on the truck (I did not intend to wear a shirt with “Rock Siren” plus appropriate illustration on the back. The other shirt was too flowery for my normal taste and, yes, I do try to pay some attention to what might suit me).
For this reason I am not as committed to buying travel/outdoor clothes as David is. But that could be also because it is easier to get quick-dry cotton clothes for women than for men.
Travel Trousers David:I am not allowed to wear the zip offs. The best trousers I have found so far are Gondwana brand. Comfortable, cheaper than many
Covering up
The Rock Siren shirt wasn't that bad others, light, dry quickly and - brown and green colours don't show dirt and stains too much. Wear well - one pair that is 18 months old has torn once and a zip went. Zip pockets on legs. Others have little magnets. Not so good on security but the zips do that job. Would buy again.
Pat: I have one pair of black travel trousers, a birthday present bought in Brisbane about 18 months ago. But although they can look good, I have found the material picks up dust very quickly, and the dust does not brush off easily. I have also gone through two pairs of linen trousers - very comfortable in warmer climates but both pairs wore out in the crutch after about four months of being worn every second day or so.
I recently replaced the second pair of linen trousers with a pair of ordinary polished cotton trousers bought at a discount fashion chain in Capetown. So far they appear to be every bit as good as the travel pants, although the drying time is slightly longer.
My third pair of “bottoms” is a pair of long, black culottes, I think you would
Easier to Carry
on your person than in the pack call them, or maybe a divided skirt. They are in a soft cotton and they were a new season fashion item when I got them in Cairo. I was actually looking for a long skirt (of which there is no shortage in Islamic shopping areas) but I think the culottes are more useful, although they really do not look good with hiking boots.
Shorts David: I have tried 2 types so far. One lot are Columbia Titanium, dark grey - very good and comfortable. Quick dry and durable. Battery acid does make holes though. Couple of zip pockets, with others velcro. Do the job well. The others were OK but not as comfortable. Dry quickly and don't show dirt. Durable and they have not had any problems. Plenty of zip pockets.
Pat: I don't wear shorts but I do have a pair of longish board shorts for swimming and I ended up wearing these as ordinary day wear when we were in Zanzibar and in a couple of other hot places where shorts were an acceptable option. The good thing about these is they dry quickly, as well as doing double duty.
Footwear David: thongs/jandals/flip flops and
I do not get on all that well. I have gone for Timberland sandals - best that I have had. Rubberised sole and most of the uppers. Not much of that material that pongs pretty quickly. Comfortable, grip well on all surfaces, easy to get on and off, don't become smelly quickly and, if they do, just need a quick wash. Can walk through water and mud without a problem. After about 6 months pretty constant wear the tread is becoming thin. The occasional African thorn can pierce the sole. They will last a while yet.
Merrell Walking Boots - very good all purpose boot. Very comfortable, grip well on all surfaces. Probably not as stylish as you might need for a flash restaurant but do the job everywhere else. Not the best mountain climbing boots but will do the job.
Pat: I have some Teva sandals which I bought 18 months ago to replace the Montrex sandals I had worn since 2001 (and the Montrex sandals were still ok for riding my bike). The Tevas have been great for walking and climbing but, of course, not as good for cold places. They are at a higher risk
An Apartment
Although small can increase the amount you have. The stuff breeds in these conditions of getting smelly than sandals with rubber inners, and they do take a while to dry, but I have worn them wet with no real ill-effects. The sole started to come adrift on one of them and one of the straps came loose, but the superglue repairs have lasted well.
I had some Teva leather hiking boots until about 9 months ago. I had used these since 2005 and I really liked them, but the inner lining fell to bits (could have been from being in the Tropics for so long?) and caused lots of abrasions on my feet, as well as holes in every pair of socks I owned. I replaced them with a pair of Asolos (second-hand on Ebay after much checking of brand sizes and such matters on the net). They were in almost new condition and I am very happy with these boots. They have been great for climbing rocks, wet and dry, as well as plodding long distances, and I have never had any real problem with toenail bruises or blisters. There is now some slight wear on the heel tread, probably from the walking done on bitumen and concrete, but they look like
At the Top
0f the second highest peak in the Simien Mountains. The sticks and good boots were invaluable. they will go for a long time.
Unlike David, I like wearing thongs (the footwear, for the non-Australians who might read this) and I bought an el cheapo pair, complete with Coco Chanel logos on the footbed, at a local market in Cairo, mainly to use in grotty showers. As it turned out, they were great for wearing around the camp at the end of the day or at other times when I didn't need substantial footwear, especially on sand. Unlike the sandals or boots, the thongs were not acacia thorn-resistant. Unfortunately these thongs had had it by Johannesburg and got left behind there. I intend to get another pair, when I can find some for a few Euros, not the exorbitantly priced fashion items that I have come across so far here.
Wet Weather It is no fun being wet or cold for extended periods. We both carry good quality Kathmandu GoreTex jackets that work well. Expensive, but, when it is cold and wet night and you need to walk it is well worth the money. After a couple of really wet walks we also bought wet weather trousers. Useful but have only worn them once. So
All Very Flash
Not all that stylish some times really can't comment. The item that we have seen that looks like it might be worthwhile is a long poncho. Lighter and could be easier for surprise rain.
Cold Weather David: Layers are obviously the go. One pair of long johns is all I have needed so far. A couple of short sleeved thermals as bottom layers and one with long sleeves (bit profligate here.) A light sweat shirt is invaluable as is a fleece. Mine is a relatively cheap one but seems to work OK. I haven't carried a hard shell but have now bought one. We are in country now that can get cold and this type of gear is on sale at the moment. A beanie or watch cap is essential.
Pat: I have a synthetic base layer that I bought at MEC in Vancouver in 2005 and it has given me good service as an ordinary top as well. I also have a black merino long sleeve top (another birthday present, this time from the kids) which is fantastic. This one also does double duty as a cold-weather top. I ended up with two pairs of long johns (another story) and both are polypropolene,
which seems to be okay so far. I also have a pair of black tights which I have used when I owned a skirt, and still carry for when I get another skirt in a cold place.
I bought a hard shell a year ago (winter sales in Prague were very good in Spring) and have made very good use of it. Part of its usefulness are the internal and external pockets. In really cold places I've also worn my fleece underneath it. These two items, though, take a bit of room and I store them in a compression sack when they're not needed. To keep a bit warm other times, I have a multi-coloured pashmina and I've also collected a few cotton scarves which can serve this purpose, as well as serve as head covering when needed.
Backpacks David: My old Mountain Designs pack fell to pieces after a few months. It had done good service over many years. A North Face knock off bought in India was OK - very cheap - but started to come to pieces pretty quickly. My current pack is a MacPac 65 litre - bushwalking/top loading style but with zips to
Tents
Not ours but some tents are just hard to keep on the ground give access to the front. Has proven durable so far. Frame allows good fit and seems to hold its shape. Material is durable and there is no wear after 6 months of reasonably hard usage. Useful front pocket and another in the lid. Could do with a cover for the straps for air travel. Has plenty of straps to allow attachment of poles, bags etc. Belly strap lets go a little and does need to be adjusted regularly on longer walks.
Pat: I've had a Macpac Gemini 60l travel pack since 2001 and it went well, and when the the straps came adrift last year I replaced them, before discovering the holes which had worn in the corners of the pack. I stopped using the daypack as a daypack very early, as it didn't have enough pockets for me, and the opening, with the zipper curving under a tight flap, was a nuisance.
So the Gemini was replaced by a Deuter Aircontact 60+10 rucksack. So far I've been very happy with it, especially after I adjusted the harness to fit properly, thus preventing the waist strap from moving down below my hips. It's looking a bit grubby after
Computer
invaluable but internet is sometimes hard to get at. 5 months overlanding in Africa, but the fabric should clean up nicely (as soon as I get around to it), although the grubbiness has toned down the bright blue colour.
Dry Sacks - Essential equipment. We have one large one that can take any equipment we need to carry in wet conditions. It carries a computer normally. We also have smaller dry sacks to carry the cameras and any other gear that is sensitive to dust.
Cameras They are essential equipment but can be a nuisance. They don't handle travel especially well. Dust, sand and water are a major problem and can't always be avoided. We used a Panasonic Lumix T5 - I will let others do the more technical photo type review. Took great pics for us, very good for both the point and click and the more interesting shots. Light and easy to carry. Doesn't handle any water and dust/sand is also a problem. Self closing lens cover caught dust or sand and scratched the lens. Zoom was affected by dust or sand. Have now up-graded but the new cameras are both larger and heavier.
Video - We carry a Canon FS21. First battery didn't
All gone
It all looked good but boredom set in and off they went home or somewhere. last and the second doesn't charge up as well as it should. Camera seems to perform well. It is small and does the job we need. Which I should note is not one that anyone with expertise would necessarily want. We are not good at this.
Binoculars I use Barr and Stroud 8X25 waterproof, fully multi-coated with BAK4 Prism. Good binoculars for touring and safari. Easy to carry and use. It could be useful to have better glasses for birdwatching but these do the job for me.
Day Packs David: Haven't found the ideal yet. What is good for use on a day walk is not big enough as a carry on bag for air travel. Most day packs give you a wet back on hot days. Now operate with a large-ish day pack that performs well for travel and a small, fold up and put away one for daily walking around use. Not ideal and the little one can't carry enough to do a whole day walk but pretty good.
Pat: I had a 20litre daypack at first, but it was too small and the design was too sleek for my taste and there weren't enough
pockets and balance felt bad and the colour was off and I didn't like it. So I now have (birthday present) a Deuter Futura 28 and it's great. It sits really well with plenty of airflow around my back, there are enough pockets, it's big enough for overnighting and small enough for tracking around during the day and, like my Deuter rucksack, it has a built in raincover, which has come in handy several times.
Computers Dell Mini. Has a solid state drive and that should make it more durable. Has proven to be so over 18 months in and out of packs and used in all sorts of conditions. Have encountered some problems and had to re-build once but, overall, has performed well
EHD - because the Dell has only 16GB capacity there is a need to store material elsewhere. We have used a Passport 320 GB with another as a back up. Worked well but a drop from a table in a bar in Dar stuffed one. Have bought one that says it is more durable but time will tell. Great care is being taken. Tried the use of CDs and DVD disks but they simply
don't store enough for us, the disks get heavy and the disk drive is something else to carry.
Headlights Again essential equipment. I found a cheap one - less than $A10 and that worked well for 18 months. Eventually I lost one of the bits and, while gaffer tape did the job for a while, it became more of a nuisance than it was worth and I have now replaced with a little Eveready basic one. Pleased with it so far. Pat's Petzl 2 LED has also been very good and, as it is mainly used for reading, cooking and lighting the way to bush toilets, there has been no real need for the greater reach of more LEDs. Did experiment with the wind ups. Waste of time for anything other than emergency use in my view. Light wasn't good enough to cook a normal meal and constant winding noise pisses other people off.
Camping We used a cheap 2 person tent for a while in Europe. Very easy to put up and handled the weather well. It had a very small fly and, if there was a lot of rain we would have been wet. It was
European Wear
Light jumper. Warm cap. Day pack also light coloured and in the Midnight sun we found it hard to sleep. Have also used the larger canvas tents for an extended period. Good tents that are easy to put up but they are much too heavy unless you have a vehicle. We might try the tunnel type next I think, provided we can find one with sufficient ventilation to handle the warmer areas and times.
Sleeping Bags You can always get out of a bag if it is too hot, but if your bag is too light you will be cold. No fun. We have managed reasonably well so far with light bags but have had to carry a blanket/doona/duvet as well when we have been camping in cooler climes. We have now ditched these and have picked up bags that are rated to handle reasonably cold conditions and are reasonably light. Unfortunately, most good, cold weather bags are the mummy style. We wanted ones that can open up to use as a dooner/duvet if necessary which, for us, provides a much more comfortable sleep in most places and conditions.
Sleep Sheets. Cotton sheets are heavy and bulky but much better to sleep on in
The Ute and Swag
A great way to move around but hard to take overseas hot conditions than the silk. The silk ones dry very quickly and pack very well but you have to balance that out against sleep.
Mattresses We have used Thermarest and Mountain Design self inflatables. The Thermarests that we own are comfortable and reasonably durable but are too heavy to carry comfortably without a vehicle. The Mountain Design self inflatables were hopeless. They both developed leaks quickly and, with not a lot of use, we found that large bubbles occurred in them. We have seen the lighter weight Thermarests and these may be an option. The other options is blow ups. Unfortunately, these can noisy. Every time you move you squeak. We have made a purchase now of a blow up. It has a velour top so the squeaking should be less. It is heavier than we wanted but we are in a vehicle now for 6 months so we will see. It has an inbuilt pump and the weight is about the same as two standard Thermarests.
Pillows. Problematic. The self inflating one that I had squeaked all night. Hopeless. The bean filled ones are too bulky. A fleece around a day pack works as well as anything else so far, as does the Spinifex semi-circular travel pillow. In its stuff bag, it has doubled for nearly 18 months as a lumbar support.
Mobile/Cell Phone Global roaming for a 3 + year trip is ridiculously expensive. We travelled for a long time with no phone and it is possible to operate that way. It can be a bit of a nuisance though when you are trying to organise accomodation and travel without always having good internet connection. We eventually picked up the cheapest reasonable mobile we could get (unlocked) and have bought SIM cards in each country that we are staying for any reasonable period of time. SIMs are reasonably cheap in some countries although some companies make you take a minimum amount of credit along with the SIM. We use ours for texting internationally and for local calls. Seems to work well.
SatNavs You don't really, absolutely need one of these. You can use maps and back those up with a compass, and, even if you have a satnav you will undoubtedly carry some maps. You can also have a lot of fun lost and confused. We do it every now and then just to remind me how much easier it is with the technology. We carry a satnav for use in any vehicle that we need to drive and another, a Garmin Etrex, for use anywhere else. This is profligate I suppose but the Etrex was a present from my family and it is very useful in all sorts of situations. I will, eventually, learn how to use every little thing on it.
Guide Books With good internet access you can chase down a lot of information relatively quickly. We have operated without books for a lot of time but have recently made a purchase. In hard copy they are so bloody heavy and inconvenient. We now download the pick and mix chapters from LP. That works reasonably well but a computer can't really be carried around all of the time. A blackberry or similar might work better allowing a download of specific information. But then that would mean yet another charger and lead.
Charger Leads The excess weight we carry is largely in our 'machinery'. We would greatly reduce this if there was some sort of standardisation of chargers for cameras etc. Those that operate these businesses should hang their heads in shame for the useless agravation they cause. It can't possibly be beyond their wit and skill to come up with a light and practical universal charger.
The rules for travel stuff - as far as we are concerned at this stage - are:
1. Don't carry crap clothing - unless it is going to wear out quickly and is reasonably fashionable now;
2. If you have good quality travel clothing be prepared to wear it and wear it and wear it. If you buy cheap be prepared to replace it much more often.
3. If it isn't being used then send it home or dump it - unless it might come in handy and it isn't really heavy anyway
4. Don't carry paper - just one book each at a time - perhaps two.
5. Don't carry liquid unless it is water - and unless it is absolutely necessary to maintain one's skin, face, hair, eyes etc in optimum condition and there is harly any of this left anyway.
6. Try to have things that do at least double duty.
Oh, and a bottle of good grog can be really handy at times.
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Sarah
non-member comment
Nice post.