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Actually they have come back big time and they are insulated now. I've been using an Exped Synmat DLX 9 air mattress for six years now and they have have many other versions too, other manufacturers too. They use various insulation. Mine is synthetic with an R value of 6 so it is very...

We had our tent destroyed by a rogue micro burst in the San Rafael desert 5 or 6 years ago. Little lines of storms were drifting through nice and gentle, the wind would pick up a little, some pattering rain, back to calm and clear and then it really slammed us out of nowhere. It knocked down...

Not really. The Grand Canyon National Park back country is the most heavily used of all our National Parks. Almost 300,000 visitors go into the backcountry overnight every year. They don't allow dogs and I have always had with me on the backpacking adventures. So I have passed it by for other...

I think some folks do it because they find it pleasing in some way. I don't know what kind of knife you are referring to or what it's purpose is, if it has a legitimate purpose but some of the huge knife crowd definitely wave it at bad guys on the TV more than anything else. :laugh: Here is a...

Careful with your assumptions there Chad. *smiley face* I live in Tucson. Once upon a time the water here came exclusively from deep wells that tapped an ancient aquifer. It was award winning water and tasted good. Twenty years ago that all changed. The Central Arizona Project came to town and...

Well I will never forget the taste of halazone and we tried putting all kinds of masking agents like koolaid or anything in it to make it palatable. Same with iodine. It never worked. I can't even see a close race in the taste here. LOL Anyway they say now that you can simply bring the water...

Or the old fashioned way I was taught when I was 12. Put some fire under your pot with water you have dipped from a creek or other source and bring it to boil. It is safe to drink immediately and you don't have any chemical crap in it. Plus it tastes better.

A little boiling water and a copper scrubber you find in the dollar stores. I don't use soap. We just wipe them dry after.

That is one reason I strip all the metadata from all of my posted images. I'm even careful what I name the files. I don't like being tracked into my secret places in the wilderness. I'm even careful on what views of the landscape I post. There are some wile detectives out there. They cant find...

We get ours out on the Plateau, it is all over the place; We burn it with juniper and it does help drive off those maddening gnats somewhat but don't expect a miracle. If the biting bugs are tenacious they will still get you some. It helps some though. Sage is kind of maddening in...

I guess it is a personal preference. When I see a low in the 30's that means there will be a high of about 30 to 35 degrees more in the daytime, so in the 60's. For us, that is as perfect as it gets, real hiking and camping weather. The entire day will be very comfortable for activity...

Nice old Case Coz, looks like a very useful tool. Well, for my recent four weeks of backpacking the southwestern deserts I have taken only one style knife and it has been a scout/camper knife. The sandy desert can damage a sheath knife and I have had that happen time and time again but a...

After 30 days and nights of backpacking just this spring so far, we have not encountered any humans after stepping away from our parked vehicle. If I am counting right, we have been in four wilderness areas where any kind of mechanical thing is prohibited and several BLM lands that are so vast...

I"m a bag freak and like to organized my stuff for easy and quick access. Sil nlyon sacks of various sizes and colors do the trick. I can reach in and grab what I need by sight of color or feel at times. I have a good mesh bag to put my boots in when not wearing them, keeping out the scorpions...

Excellent post and experimentation. I saw a show on this subject and they said the Atlatl was accurate to two football fields in length and the darts so powerful that they would sail right through an animal many times. They said it is as accurate as the bow and arrow but like today with...

Many years ago I bought a surplus and now vintage Ohlen Bishp 5' crosscut saw still packed in the cosmoline. I still use it ever winter. They are amazing tools. Too bad they fell out of favor. Mine has cut many cords. it can cut some big wood. I can use it by myself if I take one handle off. If...

Friction fire methods do work but as with ALL methods one must practice until competent. Many other methods mentioned here are easier to get down pretty well than friction fire. I have found the bow drill to be the easiest method for friction and I only need to carry some cordage for the bow...

My strongest point is knowing when to go hard or just say no. It has kept me alive and relatively intact. Strength wise I'm average but very active and keep what I have in pretty good shape. I still hump in a 60 lb pack but that is half water, the desert you know. I use trekking poles so my...

Arizona does not observe DST, never has. We stand alone in the lower 48 on that issue. When I was a kid, Alaska did not observe it either. Don't know if that has changed or not.