When I first started backpacking in college (well, restarted if you count Scouting as a young’un), I would pack a 9000 cubic inch pack almost full for a long weekend. I lived it up! I had deluxe accomodations, enough clothes for anything, and enough food for myself and a few others. Though I worked full-time through the end of college, it was always fun to pack up and hit the Appalachian Trail for a few days by myself or with anyone who’d man-up (or girl up in some cases) to stay in my 4 Season Chalet of a tent (lugged in on my back).
I never was ambitious or crazy enough to hike the entire trail, though if I can still walk when I retire I may do it then.
When I moved West, I got ridiculed on my first trip with new friends. It would’ve been fine if I was on my own turf, but the thin air and steeper terrain kicked my butt. On each trip, I’d not only shake down to get unneeded stuff out, but then shake down again, and sometimes a third time. I’m a pack rat, a preparedness freak, and always hungry, so I’d still pack a lot of stuff.
After a year of weekly forays into the wilderness areas (which still get crowded sometimes), I honed my stuff to fit into a 4200 cubic inch pack. I still didn’t usually suffer. Buying better gear was one thing that helped, too. I’ve gotten the mindset that if something’s significantly cheaper than its competition, it’s probably “cheaper” too. It’s one thing if your toothbrush breaks, but entirely different if it’s a cheap water bladder you bought (hey, it was really light!) that to your surprise split at the seam and put 1.5 liters of water (that you needed to drink) all over your sleeping bag.. dual lessons learned there.
Anyway, I found that having a cook-stove is important. During the college years, having the biggest possible cookfire seemed important. But it takes a lot of energy and water to put out a fire to my satisfaction, and it some areas it’s not permissible or advisable to have one at all.
I wound up getting two very light stoves. One is the Mountain Safety Research “Pocket Rocket” (link). I found that at lower elevations and higher temperatures it worked well, but that the isopropane and isobutane I used to fuel it wouldn’t work at high elevations or low temperatures. I assumed it was Boyle’s Law in action, so if that’s a problem I wouldn’t advise it. But for regular backpacking (or SHTF situations), at 3 ounces plus the canister, it’s a “high speed low drag” gem! One other drawback is the canister is finite.
The other one I use is the MSR Whisperlite Internationale. (link) I call it the Royale with cheese. This one is also relatively light (approx 11.5 oz) and uses white gas (which, according to the MSR website, is known to the Taiwanese as “fai phat yao”. In case you ever go backpacking in Taiwan?). It also will burn kerosene and unleaded auto fuel.
I don’t need to explain why the ability to use gasoline to boil water would be advantageous in a SHTF situation. I’d also be treating you, my loyal readers, like idiots if I told you that I don’t recommend cooking hot dogs or marshmallows over this flame.
I found it humorous reading several books about British mountaineering expeditions, that the writers would lose a friend or climbing partner in some catastrophe, then make some tea over their parrafin stoves, and press on. I’ll have to find exact passages some time, but the first time I read it, I wasn’t struck by it, but then I saw it a few other times and began to find that it was more than a coincidence.
I’ve found recently that there is something about tea that is enjoyable. I do keep some tea with me in my kit in case of such a catastrophe. (See, we’re right back where we started, in a 9000 cu inch backpack) And whiskey in case it really gets bad.
