Summary: Get ready to lose some excess pack weight–and then add it back a few grams at a time. We’ll also review a budget sleeping pad and find out how it actually worked on a recent camp out. If you’re planning on making your next backpacking trip a creative retreat, then stay tuned to learn how to make an ultralight DIY Plein Air Watercolor Kit to toss into your pack for when creativity strikes on the trail!<br> Show Notes: Episode 003<br> Opening<br> <br> * Shave the ounces and the pounds will follow<br> * Digital kitchen scale<br> * Weighs up to 12 pounds<br> * Inaccuracies in package information/online information<br> * Grams vs. ounces<br> * Recommend: Use frequently to weigh and reweigh all your items.<br> <br> The Top 5 Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Things You Need to Add to Your 10 Essentials<br> Diaper Pin<br> <br> * Safety Pin vs. Diaper Pin<br> * Gear Repair (sleeping bag pull, temporary hole repair)<br> * Securing tarp, poncho, etc.<br> * First aid (splinters, blisters)<br> <br> Essential Oils<br> <br> * Lavender and peppermint<br> * Lavender for burns, relaxation, sleep<br> * Peppermint: to prevent nausea, as toothpaste, to soothe sore muscles<br> <br> Pencil<br> <br> * Small, simple golf pencil<br> * No eraser necessary<br> * Pencil vs. pen (even if pencil is broken, you can still use it)<br> <br> Razor Blade<br> <br> * Ultralight knife<br> * Basic, simple tool<br> * Pencil sharpener<br> <br> Rubber Band<br> <br> * Eraser<br> * Gear Repair<br> * Hair tie<br> * Secure bandage<br> * Mark levels on water bottle to monitor fluid intake<br> * Bundle things together in pack<br> <br> SUMMIT Gear Review™: <a href="https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-Egg-Crate-Camp-Pad/19890889">Ozark Trail Egg Crate Camp Pad</a><br> Structure<br> <br> * Closed cell foam pad<br> * Somewhat bumpy, “egg cartony”<br> * Indestructable, even with scratches it will still perform at 100% capacity<br> <br> Utility<br> <br> * Waterproof<br> * Trimmed 6 inches off edge (72”x6”)<br> * Use excess as sitting pad<br> <br> Mass<br> <br> * Size: 72”x24”1/2”<br> * Weight: 13 ounces (without straps that it comes with)<br> <br> Maintenance<br> <br> * Clean: wipe or brush off with dap rag<br> * Roll opposite way each time, prevents it curling under your sleeping bag<br> <br> Investment:<br> <br> * Under $15<br> <br> Trial:<br> <br> * I slept on it for one night<br> * Bruised hips…worse than pack bruising (of which there was none)<br> * Traded with husband for his Therm-a-rest Z Lite<br> * Next camping trip, I used it with no problem because I brought a pillow for my hip<br> <br> <a href="http://www.thefirst40miles.com/003-shave-the-ounces-and-the-pounds-will-follow/plein-air/" rel="attachment wp-att-218"></a><br> Backpack Hack of the Week™: DIY Plein Air Watercolor Kit<br> <br> * “Plein Air” means “painting outdoors”<br> * Instead of heavy gear, easel, box of brushes…go lightweight<br> * Perfect for creative retreat<br> * Make: Plein Air Watercolor Kit<br> * Cost: $1 gum in blister pack, $4 liquid water color pack of 6<br> * Take gum out of blister pack<br> * Squirt a small amount of liquid watercolor into each hole and let dry<br> * Also pack: palette for blending colors, brush, water cup, paper<br> * Put everything in zip top plastic bag<br> <br> Trail Wisdom<br> “I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.”<br> -E. B. White<br> <br>
