Backpacking & Survival Gear Abroad
To follow up on the previous post, this will outline much of the survival/backpacking gear i'll be bringing along.
Here is my Jack Wolfskin 120liter backpack next to the Think Tank bag. All together it weighs around 45lbs which is half of the weight of just my main backpack last time.
In the Jack Wolfskin i'm packing:
North Face Summit Series Gore-Tex jacket I purchased in Vietnam on the street for $45
Lowe Alpine 45 liter daypack
One Person Inflatable Camp Mat I purchased in Phuket in 2012
One Person Sierra Designs P.A.W. 4 Season Bivy Bag
One silk sleeping bag also from Vietnam
Diving Knife
Swiss Army Knife
One Brazilian Travel Hammock from Byer - this thing is amazing, you lay across it unlike a normal hammock
Small hand made blanket made by the Hmong People of northern Thailand I purchased in 2012 - very warm but light weight
MSR Miniworks EX Microfilter with Ceramic Element
Two Potable Water Kits for emergencies
2 Seal Line Baja Waterproof Dive Bags for swimming and heavy rain
5 Sea to Summit Stuff Sacks- You can never have enough stuff sacks
Air Activated Hand warmers
I must say the Miniworks EX Microfilter is a small miracle. I've yet to find anything else that comes close to what this thing can do. On the last trip I pumped everything from silty Mekong river water to stagnant rice patty water to undrinkable tap water and it always came out clear and tasting good. The filter is ceramic so all you have to do is boil the element every month or so. So easy to use.
One of the reasons i'm not bringing a tent is unless you are willing to spend $300+ for an ultralight that does pack small, they are so big and heavy its not worth it compared to the available accommodations abroad. If I was headed to Europe or Australia it would be different, a typical nights stay somewhere might be $25-40. In most of Asia, if you want a bare minimum bed with a mosquito net you'll be out $3-$10. If you want a nice room with a jacuzzi and shower and TV and all the other luxuries it may cost $10-$30. A room comparable to a 5 star hotel is on average $100. With those kind of prices i'd rather pack a bivy bag that is for jungle camping, beaches and rooms without mosquito nets that I won't use on a daily basis.
Besides a few clothes thats all i'm bringing to the other side of the world. It is so liberating leaving all your possessions behind and just carrying all you need on your back. No doubt, we will be getting an apartment at one point or another, but still having a small amount of belongings makes it easier to pick up and go somewhere else. On top of that it also lightens our footprint. I look forward to the simplicity.
-Abe Snider