008: Lewis and Clark Have Met Their Map

Learn how to outwit pesky, hungry trail rodents without dangling your food from a tree. Then, we’ll expose five ridiculous ultralight fails (HINT: Bubble wrap is for heirloom vases and vintage china). Next we review a lightweight, super durable map that would leave Lewis and Clark and Sacagawea a little jealous. And you’ll learn the trick to making unscented hand sanitizer that costs less than the gel hand sanitizer you keep in your glove box.

Show Notes: Episode 008

Opening



* A bear’s sense of smell is 2,100 times better than a human.

* Mice, rats, chipmunks, raccoons and other animals on the trail also have an extremely keen sense of smell.

* They’ll gnaw through your pack to eat toiletries

* Don’t keep food in your pack!

* Protect your food from birds and rodents by keeping it in a steel mesh bag

* RatSack, OutSak, GrubPack, or FoodSack

* If you’re going to be in bear country, that’s more regulated, so find out exactly which containers are approved for the area you’ll be hiking in



The Top 5 Ultralight Backpacking Fails

Ultralight Bubble Wrap Sleeping Pad



* Easily punctured

* Cannot be repaired once deflated

* Not sturdy



Dollar Store Poncho



* Snags on everything

* Can’t be reused

* Not heavy enough to cover you if the wind picks up

* Weighs only 1.5 oz, but…not worth the weight



Eating Uncooked Ramen Noodles



* Food fatigue

* Unimaginative, disappointing

* Food acts as morale booster, but not uncooked ramen

* Comfort and safety when you bring a stove



No Toilet Paper



* Not only is it a comfort item, but its lightweight

* No guarantee that you’ll find soft leaves on trail

* I’m terrible at identifying poison oak, ivy and sumac

* Toilet paper biodegrades within days

* Is a multi-use item: fire starting, first aid, ear plugs, cleaning up odd messes where you may not want to use your camp towel or bandana.



Rationed Water



* Don’t limit your water or go from waterhole to waterhole

* Carry the weight and have the assurance of water



SUMMIT Gear Review™: Green Trails Maps S Series

Structure



* Plastic

* Lightweight, Waterproof, Tear Resistant Maps



Utility



* 462S Mt Hood/Timberline Trail

* Scale:1:25000

* Current map: Original Issue:2006, Current Issue:2013

* Updated frequently



Mass



* 5 oz

* 40% lighter than paper maps

* 18×24 inches

* 6×9 folded up



Maintenance



* Wipe with damp rag

* Do not use solvents to clean!!



Investment



* $14

* Typical paper Green Trails Map $8



Trial



* Came with two stickers declaring Waterproof! Tear Resistant! And now ultralight too!

* Tried peeling of those labels, left sticky residue

* Ultralight, loved map, durable, washable

* Found spelling error Ramona Falls (spelled “Romona”)

* Took a beating on our trip, didn’t tear or get wear marks on creases

* Didn’t get dog-eared

* Nice coloring details

* Used washi tape from craft store with arrows on it to mark spots on map

* May add DIY eyelet or grommet to secure map in heavy wind



Backpack Hack of the Week™: DIY Hand Sanitizer



* In episode 7 we talked about the benefits of bringing a bottle on Isopropyl Alcohol (Related: 007: When It Rains, You’re Covered)

* This DIY Hand Sanitizer is a cheaper,