Hacker News Reader

Hacker News

Comment by TedDoesntTalk | Hacker News Reader

Parent Full thread

TedDoesntTalk

> cup coozie

What? Why?

> matches ... lighter

Why both? I just bring two lighters

> Selfie stick ... hiking poles

I find the more stuff I bring, the more frustrated I get unpacking and packing each night and day. Of course there’s the weight thing, too, but anyway try to pack your things in cloth or plastic baggies for separation. I use the zippered pouches that are sold for this purpose in luggage when traveling.

Also don’t forget a trash bag!

> bells

This is great if you are hiking where bears are active. We call them bear bells for this reason.

View on HN

Hiking poles are a matter of the trail and the state of your body. These days I always bring mine but in general they spend far more time in a hand than actually being used.

Flat terrain or gentle climbs, I find no value in poles. Steep climbs (basically anything that has or should have switchbacks, or anything with steps) my knees are happier with them but it's not that big a deal.

Descending--this is why I carry them. Even a pretty gentle descent is going to hurt my knees if I don't have my poles.

As for lighters--disposable lighters run on butane. Butane has a boiling point of 32F. Good luck using your lighter if it gets too cold! Also, the matches in my pack can be lit and dropped into tinder sheltered under other wood, a lighter can't be. My emergency gear contains a cylinder of matches, each match held in it's own hole so there's no possibility of them rubbing against each other. (No lighter, though--where I hike an emergency fire would be difficult, campfires are almost always prohibited.)

>Why both? I just bring two lighters

I dunno. A handful of strike anywhere matches in a small plastic bag is very lightweight insurance as part of a small repair kit.

I do bring a (one) hiking pole because I find it really useful under certain conditions. But a selfie stick seems pretty unnecessary (as does the cup cozie so long as you have a plastic coffee cup--but who knows maybe metal plus cozie is lighter).

> matches ... lighter

just like distributed systems, redundancy is key in wilderness survival. For anything super critical (like staying warm in the cold), always bring a backup option. lighters are more likely to fail than a match IMO.

> cup coozie

Keep tin cup warm after boiling water/removing it from stove.

> Selfie stick ... hiking poles

Yes ! packing cubes are helpful. I have 3 backpacks for different use:

22L - day hike or summer overnight 50L - 2-3 day hike summer 70L - ∞ day hike Winter

> bells

yeppppp learned this the hard way, stumbled on a momma and her cubs in the north cascades, WA while alone and i pissed myself. never surprise them.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com