With the current Corona virus Epidemic, many of us are cooped up at home eagerly awaiting the next time we can safely venture into the great outdoors. If you want to plan a fun outdoor excursion this summer to blow off some steam, there are a few exciting new products that can make both long and short term backpacking adventures much better. When backpacking, the last thing you want to do is load yourself down
DryBags
The last thing that any of us want during a long outdoor excursion is wet gear. When you’re constantly tucking everything into a little backpack there is no chance for it to dry out, and you can end up smelly in a hurry. A drybag is an inexpensive, compact weather-tight package so you can keep your clothing dry in a wet environment, or even keep your wet swim gear from soaking the rest of your equipment. It’s an affordable option with a very versatile set of uses, making this one of our must-haves for any backpacking trip.
Portable Cooler
We all know that you’re not going to be lugging that coleman around when trying to pack light, but there are still many choices out there for compact coolers. While most backpackers choose to pack dry food to stay light, sometimes dedicating a bit of space to a fold-up backpacking cooler is well worth it. Sure, you might be carrying a bit of extra weight at the beginning of the trip, but the fold up models can be stowed tightly once the food is gone. This might not be a must-have for everyone, but for us, a little extra weight is well worth fresh bacon and pre-cracked eggs in the morning.
Satellite Phone
If you’re venturing way into the great outback, a satellite phone can be an essential piece of safety gear. For a long time, these phones were extremely expensive to purchase and service. But recently, several unique models have come on the market made especially for backpackers. Most of these phones run on the iridium network, which charges exorbitant fees for phone and data use. Backpackers satellite phones take a unique approach to keep costs low. With most models, you pre-program anywhere from 3 to 10 specific messages. This way, your phone only has to send a tiny amount of data to get your message across. Many people use these messages to notify friends about their location or progress, but the critical feature is the SOS system. This allows you to send your GPS location to emergency personnel, so you can be located even if outside of the cell phone range.
Backpacking Camp Kitchen
While there are packages available, your camp kitchen doesn’t have to be one specific product but rather a collection of specially designed items to help you cook on the go. One of our favorites is the GSI outdoor Pinnacle CookSet which includes a complete cooking and eating set (pots, utensils, and bowls) and weighs less than a pound. Everything folds up and stores inside each other, so you’ve minimized the amount of space needed to be able to cook for two comfortably. Another great option is the Sea to Summit X-Pot which weighs an extra six ounces, but has enough cookware for four people without much added weight.
Collapsible Filter Water Bottle
Water is one is one of the few things we just can’t leave home without. Unfortunately, keeping enough water to stay hydrated means lugging around a large, unwieldy bottle that takes up a lot of space. Collapsible water bottles are made from soft materials that roll or fold up when no longer needed. This allows you to stash them quickly instead of having them bouncing around off a carbine. If you want to step your game up even more, water bottles are available with built in filtration systems that allow you to safely refill your water source from creeks, streams, or any other natural source that could potentially contain contaminants.