HIGH TECH EQUIPPING FOR HIKING

(High Tech Equipping for Hiking by Bob Phillips, first appeared in Lake Champlain Weekly in June 2010)
   Long gone are the days of pack baskets, canvas knapsacks, external pack frames and the old boy scout cooking kits. Even the revered stainless steel Sierra Cup is a relic of bygone days, of not all that long ago. Today the technology for the hiker is every bit as advanced as that of the fisherman or hunter. In some cases I believe the technology for hikers has even surpassed that of other outdoorsmen.
   I have been slowly and with some reservations been switching over to the minimalist or ultra light way of thinking in the hiking department. There are some things I just don’t buy into, but 99 percent of the time I find the new technology very superior to the old.
   The first of this month I was visiting the EMS store in Burlington, Vermont. I was looking specifically for drinking cups that were light weight and compact that I could carry while taking day hikes with our grandkids. I found just the item in the new xmug! These are collapsible soft formed drinking cups that serve well with cold or hot beverages. They come in a few different colors and collapse down to a relatively flat five eights of an inch and are only four and three eights inches in diameter. I picked out a bright orange xmug with a black rim.
   The xmug holds two cups of fluid and is calibrated to also serve as a measuring cup, for those times of preparing meals. The packaging states that they are lightweight and I guess that is a relative opinion as well. Since they fold quite flat, I think they can be tucked into your gear just about any place and should not be noticeable in the weight department. Personally I wouldn’t call them lightweight in connection with ultra light backpacking.
   They are just great for what I intend however, since we have six grandkids in all and could easily have two or three at any one time hiking with us, a few of these cups in my pack with do just nicely when watering time comes around. Each can have their own cup and then they are stowed back in the pack for the rest of the trip, without that annoying noise often associated with metal cups.
   There are a couple of other advancements in the technology as well. There is a new cooking system that is known as jetboilâ. This is a relatively simple system, so that even an uncomplicated type like myself might get along with it. It shortens the heating time of liquids especially and helps get the evening meal quickly. The days of trying to cook over open fires has long ago bit the dust.
   Water is always concern while you hike. It is almost impossible to carry sufficient amounts of water for extended hikes. You have to have either a filtering system or a purifying system to take care of your water needs. That usually amounted to either adding tablets to the water and then tasting horrible water for the next few days or using a filtering pump. Now PlatypusÓ has come up with the CleanstreamÔ system. Fill the one reservoir with available water and then hang it up higher than the receiving reservoir and let gravity take over. There is an inline filter to treat the water as it flows through the connecting tube.
   One final area that technology has assisted the hiker is in the new trekking poles. These new poles are truly lightweight and adjustable in length. The real benefit of trekking poles is found in the descent, especially on tired or sore knees. The new metals used are much lighter than the old alternatives. Some hiked with an old stick, bamboo staff, old ski poles  or extremely heavy adjustable poles. That is no longer necessary. The new trekking poles are simply too marvelous to be true.
   So as you gear up for this hiking season, look to the newer technology for your hiking needs. I didn’t even mention the packs, sleeping bags, tents and other equipment available. Perhaps another time!