1. Sleeping bag.
2. Standard military hard foam pad. Good for a dry spot in wet conditions and as a fairly good “door” in an improvised shelter. Marginal for actually sleeping on, but hey, better than nothing.
3. 8 x 10 nylon camo tarp. A waterproof wrap for the sleeping bag/ground cloth/improvised tent or a camo cover. Has grommets but can be “up-graded” with item #18.
4. Ziplock bag containing copies of birth certificates, plasticized maps, immunization records, insurance records, title insurances, contact info for friends and relatives, etc. Each pack contains a complete set for the entire family.
5. New Testament. We will all need support in trying times.
6. Wash cloth/utility cloth.
7. Two bandanas (earth-tone). Nothing is more useful than a bandana. It can be used as a tourniquet, pot holder, sun block, sling, sweat band, extra pocket, gun swab, head cover, dust mask, and of course blowing one’s nose. The list is huge. Ask a cowboy.
8. Duct tape. As the saying goes, duct tape is like The Force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it binds the universe together. With duct tape and two bandanas, the world is your oyster.
9. Mosquito netting. Good for bugs, filtration, camo (make sure to get an earth-tone color).
10. Gloves leather or synthetic working gloves with Thinsulite lining.
11. Light shoes (in this case, moccasins with rubberized soles). Wet feet suck. You can wear these while your boots are drying.
12. Medium ALICE pack with frame.
13. Knit watch cap (preferably with knit face mask)
14. Poncho Good also as a quick tent/shelter. Don’t pack a rain coat. You want something that can easily cover the pack on your back.
15. 100 feet of paracord. Make sure you get the kind with either a five or seven strand interior. The strands can be separated and used for hundreds of things. (One time, while part of a group of pretty savvy survival types, I was asked to name the one thing I would have with me if dropped in the middle of nowhere. My answer was rope. Think about it.)
16. Spare ALICE pouch for things that should be close at hand.
17. Two canteens and ALICE attach-covers. Don’t forget to fill (and change often) these with water the moment you have your kit done. It won’t do you a bit of good to run out of the burning house with empty canteens.
18. Plastic snap together grommets. Excellent and easy ways to re-enforce a tarp, fabric, or blanket. Not as strong as metal grommets to be sure, but a lot easier to install in troubled times.
19. Food. Since food is usually one of the bulkiest items in a backpack, we purchased a 3600 calorie ration bar with a five-year shelf life. Supposedly this is a three day supply. Perhaps not, but it’s better than nothing and only weighs two pounds. You’ll still be alive after three days but probably pretty hungry. (This ain’t Lembas, folks.)
20. Toilet paper. (Hey, I’ve got three females in the family.)
21. Dental floss. This has many uses and is very tough.
22. Cash. This will also include some coinage. Might still be working phone booths somewhere.
23. First aid kit. The best compact first-aid kit I could find was $14 from the Red Cross. I upgraded it with Tylenol, Imodium, and Benadryl.  A more extensive kit will travel with me.
24. Space blanket bag. This is like your standard space blanket, but formed into a bag suitable as a bivvy sack for outside your sleeping bag (a big multiplier for heat retention as long as you recognize its limitations).
25. Bar soap. Good for washing everything as well as finding water leaks in pipes, unsticking zippers, and lubricating saw blades and screws.
26. Two space blankets. Good for signaling, ground clothes, heat retention, etc. These can be duct-taped together for a tent, grommeted, used as a sun-shade, game-wrap, or (of course) a blanket.
27. Sewing kit.
28. Flashlight. This is an LED flood and single-point light with a strong rare-earth magnet and a hanging hook. (Spare batteries are not shown but we have them packed.)
29. Four ratchet type tarp holders. These make great clamps and tie-downs.
30. Clothing. One shirt, pants, two pairs of underwear, three pair of socks. The outerwear is in dark earth-tones or camo.
31. Matches, match cases, and a Bic lighter.
32. Florescent plastic survey tape. Each family member gets a different color.
33. Comb
34. Sun-block SPF 50
35. Sharpie, two pens and pad of paper.
36. A Leatherman-style tool: pliers, knife, awl, etc. with case.
37. Toothbrush and toothpaste. Sure you can make it three days without brushing. But why? I can tell you that a good tooth brushing will make you feel better no matter how bad a night you’ve had.

As seen in the attached photo, I loaded the pack down and took it to Mexico. In addition to cramming the pack full, I attached my extra bags, including my laptop bag, to the Western Pack. I was pushing the pack to see if would fail. The pack held strong aside from one seam that gave a few stiches when I attempted to lift the entire overloaded by a tightening strap. I would provide a photo, but the seam doesn’t appear damaged enough to show up in a picture!

While the pack may not be as comfortable as my trusted Osprey, I had no complaints after days of heavy travel. If you’re looking for a spare pack or just to save money on your backpack purchase, I highly recommend this product…. that is, if you can find it. I have seen some outlets raise the price as high as $50, but generally it runs for around $40.

The BCX Prometheus Fire Piston is used to create a super hot ember that will be the foundation for your fire. This is primitive fire making at it’s best and easiest.

Find out more on Base Camp X’s website.

This Bag Could Save Your Life.

Jeff’s 10lbs bag is a basic earthquake survival bag. It contains a thermal, t-shirt, duct tape, rope, shoes, socks, multi-tool, beef jerky, jeans, hat, coat hanger, jacket, water, gloves, map, rain poncho, masks, sun glasses, radio, survival whistle, pen, sharpie, instructional book, contact book, first aid kit, cash, signal mirror, bathroom items, power bars, lighter, bar of soap, and a spare watch.

The first is radiant heat. The most highly recommended solution I’ve seen for radiant heat is the Mr Heater model for around $100. This is a quick and easy approach to get heat in your camper or tent on the quick. Additionally, it’s a portable solution so you can use it for different tasks. You can use store bought canisters or run a hose to a larger fuel supply. Additionally, you can pick up an adapter to refill those store bought tanks. Safety features include auto shutoff if the heater falls over or if too much CO2 is detected in the air – making this a relatively safe heater.

Mr Heater comes with some draw backs. Even with the safety features, you have an extremely hot exposed surface that creates a certain level of risk. It would probably be best if you don’t fall asleep while the heater is on. Additionally, you have to have a good place to put Mr Heater. Even though the design is very compact, it takes up a fair amount of space.

As an alternative to radiant heat, a safer solution is a forced air furnace. Adventure Trailer’s Heatsource is an excellent looking solution. So far, this is the smallest and most efficient solution I’ve found. I’ve read that the typical furnace only reaches 60% efficiency; however, AT claims a delightful 90+%! Even better, with thermostat controls, you can leave your heater running all night long while you catch your Zs.

This convenience comes at a price that’s uncomfortably close to a grand. While the smallest model is $750, you still have to factor in your fuel source. The other minor draw back is the lack of Mr Heater’s portability. You won’t be able to carry this heater into your tent or garage Depending on your needs, this might not matter.

I just spotted Regen ReNu’s new “Power Hotspot” over on Engadget. This isn’t the microwave sized device that will power your house. We’re not there yet. However, this fairly portable device is great for recharging anything with a battery. From the press release:

At work, the Power HotSpot™ can recharge tools, notebooks and cell phones, or provide power to inverters for AC power. At home, it can power a shed or gazebo light, an aerator or fountain. And for recreation, the Power HotSpot™ brings convenience to the campsite, from re-charging lights to continuous play for radios and iPods to running boat aerators and re-recharging batteries on a dock.

One thing I don’t see on their website just yet… A price!

Earth Roamer

The first Earth Roamer I discovered was the XV-LT. These camping rigs are built on a full sized truck frame and designed to go anywhere. These units look amazing and have tons of features. It’s an efficient camper that can handle adverse conditions well. I could take this rig on snowboarding trips and star warm and comfortable all night long. I could also take it up challenging jeep trails here in the mountains and get well away from the usual crowds. Unfortunately, these things cost a small fortune. A new rig can cost you up to a quarter million dollars. You can occasionally find them used, but they still demand a premium.

I also looked at the XV-LT’s little brother, the XV-JP. Built on a Jeep Wrangler frame instead of a truck, this little guy is considerably more efficient and agile. Even if I could afford the $110k price tag, this unit doesn’t solve all of my problems. The sleeping arrangements come in the form of a pop-open tent on the roof. As clever as this is, it won’t keep me warm in the winter.

Westfalia Vanagon

The Westfalia conversion of the Vanagon makes for a very nice little camper. I recently test drove a model that was lifted with four wheel drive. The engine was upgraded for a horse power boost. Inside, the van had sleeping arrangements for 4, with two in the pop top. It had a double burner stove, sink, outdoor shower, water heater, and heater. This van was nearly perfect. It would keep me warm on the slopes (with the top closed and heater on) and get me deep into the woods in the summer. The entire vehicle ran about $18, a far cray from the triple digit costs of the Earth Roamers.

I didn’t buy the Vanagon. The owner was kind enough to give me an extensive education on ownership of the coveted vehicles. These units are old. They require a lot of attention. While they are reliable, they have to be maintained. In addition, these units are also difficult to insure. The owner was only paying for liability because he could not find a good policy to cover his rig. Ultimately, I just didn’t feel this vehicle could give me the reliability and freedom I really wanted. Still, I really like rigs. I wish something similar was being made today.

Sportsmobile

Imagine the Vanagon all grown up. I actually discovered the Sportsmobile in person and didn’t realize it at the time. These rigs are built using full size cargon vans, many of them converted for off road use. The engine, suspension, and drivetrain are comparible to that of the Earth Roamer. However, the camper design is much more akin to  the Vanagon – only bigger.

I love these vans. Like the Vanagon, they go to hard to reach places. However, these are built on modern American vehicles. They’re newer, more reliable, and cheaper to maintain. It’s also a slight bit easier to find insurance for them. Unfortunately, they can be expensive. I’ve found good rigs for around $40k. The rigs that excite me the most are usually anywhere from $85k to $115k. Many people build their own, saving a bit of money along the way.

I’m still considering one of these rigs. However, one big drawback is the weight and the poor gas mileage that results. Most rigs see 12 to 15 miles per gallon. The turbo diesels, particularly the Sprinter based ones, get up to 22mpg. I would feel better about taking one of these things to Alaska if I could get 20+ mpg.

Camplite Quicksilver

Nino and I started talking about building out our own van. In the process, I started researching lightweight materials. That’s when I found the Camplite Quicksilver. I’d already looked at the Scamp, which is kind of neat; but ruled the Scamp out because I didn’t want something I had to tow up challenging trails. Still, the Camplite trailers got my attention because of their building materials. These rigs are ultralight because they are made with aluminum and synthetics. There’s no wood in any of their campers. This makes them extremely light.

I’ve looked for these trailers and they’re not very common in the US. I haven’t been able to get a solid idea of how much they cost. They’re full of brilliant ideas, like making the sleeping/sitting benches double as coolers or storage containers. They also come out of the RV if you want to setup a picnic table outside. I think Sportsmobile could learn a thing or two from this company.

My Dream Rig (Right Now)

I think I know what I want, if I can find it somewhere. Most of the Sportsmobiles are built on longer or larger vans. I want a small but full sized van. A shorter wheel base and good departure angle will help when offroading. Obviously, I want a good 4×4 drive train and elevated suspension. I want a powerful and efficient engine, such as the 7.3l turbodiesel that Ford used to provide.

Inside, I need the standard fair: sink, small stove, heater, holding tanks, water heater, 110 power sources, battery system, sleeping space, sitting space, etc. I would like this to be as light and effective as possible, which means I may have to design and built it myself. Using lightweight materials should improve my mileage. Additionally, plastics would be easy to hose down and flexible under stress where wood will decay and break down over time.

I need space to store bikes, kayaks, surf boards, and snowboards. This doesn’t all have to be at the same time, but that would be nice. I want class 3 receivers front and rear. This allows me to carry a whench that can be swapped out on either end of the rig if I get stuck. Additionally, I’d like to mount a motorcycle hauler on the rear receiver. Attaching a dual sport bike would give me efficient and agile transportation when I need to run after supplies or go exploring.

I’m still trying to find or build the dream camper. When I find what I’m looking for, I’ll be sure to share.

Mat Honan posted his gear for a Nicaragua trip to flickr, check it out. Great addition to the “What’s In The Bag” series.

As you can probably tell from this blog, I tend to be swayed by high-tech, newfangled, lightweight gadgets with some hefty price tags. Mark points out that the most lightweight items aren’t necessarily the most expensive ones – valuable advice that I need to keep in mind. Even those trusty Nalgene water bottles that I throw into my pack without questioning could be replaced with a lighter and virtually no-cost soda bottle.

I’m not quite ready to take all the advice that he’s doling out (Using a bandana as toilet paper? No thank you!), but his remarks on compression backpacks, stuffsacks, and knives are words of wisdom.

He also takes a balanced approach and recognizes that backpacking is supposed to be fun, and hence it makes sense to bring along a few luxury items, such as chocolate and beef jerky, even if they do add a few ounces to the weight of your pack.

And the one gem of the article? Crew says that when your trek ends, you should “divide items systematically into three categories: always used, never used and sometimes used.” That makes a lot of sense to me, since you can use this info to pack more quickly and easily for your next trip.

Scarpar, an Australian company, is trying to develop “the next powersports vehicle category.” Based on the videos of the prototype, I’d say they’re well on their way. This board has a powerful 6-horsepower, 80cc engine that lets you cruise over snow, sand, grass, gravel, or just about any other off-road surface except water. It can go uphill or downhill, and even navigate logs that lie across the path. A handheld controller handles acceleration and braking, and it will be able to go about 20 miles on a single tank.

The device is still being developed, so you can’t buy it yet, but their engineers estimate it will cost somewhere between $2,000 and $3,000. They think it will be available sometime in 2010, although they’re having trouble raising enough capital to really stay on schedule. If you’re interested in learning more, check out their forum or sign up to receive updates via email.

I can’t wait to get my hands on this toy. I just hope they’ll make it light enough to strap on your back for some serious outdoor adventures. Right now, the engineers are saying it will be a little too heavy for that, and that they’re focusing on safety and reliability more than weight. But they still have a year to fiddle with making it more lightweight, so I’ll keep my fingers crossed.