Aron Ralston, Ed Viesturs, Les Stroud: Backpacker Magazine Talks to 33 Pros about Wilderness Gear

April 26, 2008

Once again, I am featuring another interesting story from Backpacker Magazine. In this months latest Online issue, Backpacker Magazine talks to 33 Outdoor Pros about their gear and surviving in the wild.

There are useful tips such as this one from Annie Getchell, author of The Essential Outdoor Gear Manual:

“In freezing temperatures, sleep with your water filter (sealed in a
plastic bag) to prevent moisture from icing inside. Though freezing
does not hurt your filter, ice crystals will slow down its operation
considerably.

There’s the rather odd ones like Andrew Skurka’s, who became the first person to hike the Great Western Loop Trail. All 6,875 miles of it!

“Learning resourcefulness is key for what I do. In Quebec, I once used
Luekotape to protect my shins while bushwhacking through raspberry
thickets. It was like wrapping my legs in duct tape to create makeshift
gaiters–perfect, until I had to remove them. I also carry a 1.7-ounce
digital voice recorder so I can walk and talk instead of writing in a
journal. And I wear running shorts with a built-in liner–learning to
pee while walking does take some practice, but I figured it saved me
about six hours during my last seven-month trip.”

Then there’s the one that’s the closest to my personal style;) This comes from the head climbing ranger on Mt. Rainier:

“Let’s face it–seven ounces of Kentucky’s finest bourbon in a sturdy,
stainless steel flask comes in handy during good and bad times. And I
bring an iPod loaded with a broad spin: Tom Waits, Arcade Fire, The
Who, Snoop Dogg, AC/DC, Fela Kuti, Peter Tosh, Tupac”

Sounds like a good time. I am not sure how I would feel about being drunk with Peter Tosh blaring on the Ipod. If you see me falling from a cliff, don’t call for help. I JUMPED;)

To read the other thirty ideas (and there are some good ones) head on over to Backpacker.com and check out 33 Top Tips From Trail Pros

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