List of Products in Violation of California Law Children’s Factory Indestructible Folding Rest Mat (Lakeshore Learning) Lakeshore Rainbow Rest Mat (Lakeshore Learning) Peerless Plastics Kindermat (School Specialty) Munchkin Contour Foam Changing Pad (Target) Babies R Us contour changing pad (Babies R Us) dexbaby changing pad (Walmart) Baby Mattresses and Sleepers Baby Delight Snuggle Nest Portable Infant Sleeper (Babies R Us) Nap Nanny Portable Infant Recliner (Babies R Us) Babies R Us bassinet pad (Babies R Us) dexbaby universal crib wedge (Babies R Us) Sweet Beginnings Bassinet Pad (Kmart/Delta) Indulgence Supreme (mattress topper) by Isotonic (Bed Bath & Beyond) Atelier ottoman (Bed Bath & Beyond) Delta parent/child glider (Target) Subscribe for up-to-the-minute news about our work, tips to keep your family healthy, and our latest victories.Disposable bottles weigh 1/4 as much as Nalgenes, cost about 1/18th as much, and come with a free drink.
A lot of hikers also prefer SmartWater bottles because they fit on a Sawyer filter (arguably the most popular water filter), and because their tall, skinny design makes them more packable. But they aren’t as durable as Nalgenes and you can’t do the old ‘boiling water in a bottle’ trick to heat up your sleeping bag on a chilly night—unless you want melted plastic and water in your bag. Image via Wikimedia Commons A true thru-hiker uses every part of the PBR can. Many thru-hikers can be seen pulling out an old can of cat food and a bottle of Heet at dinnertime. In fact, these homemade alcohol stoves are pretty efficient, work with any kind of white gas, and often weigh less than an ounce. Although they can be a safe alternative, there is a steep learning curve for alcohol stoves. You have to know what you’re doing to get the same efficiency out of an alcohol stove, and controlling the temperature of your cooking takes a lot of finesse. There is also a fire risk with any open flame stove—California, for instance, bans these in the desert areas during droughts.
Image by tanakawho / Flickr A new zip-top bag is one of the most essential—and definitely one of the cleanest—pieces of gear a thru-hiker has in their backpack. It separates and keeps gear dry, weighs .5 ounce, and is virtually free. Of course it isn’t as durable as a stuff sack, but it gets the job done. Just don’t expect it to mask the odor of your food when you’re in bear country. Photo by Menswear Market / Flickr It’s ripped, it’s stained, it’s unrecognizable as clothing—but it’s comfortable. Although many thru-hikers start out in hiking pants, very few seem to keep them. By month two, there will be men wearing spandex and women wearing boxers. Thru-hikers wear whatever is comfortable, and that is often a simple synthetic bottom that wicks away moisture and doesn’t hinder mobility—like a Wal-Mart bathing suit. A light, top-of-the line set of trekking poles can cost up to $200 dollars, but used ski poles are everywhere—lurking in your parents’ garage, at a neighbor’s yard sale, not to mention Craigslist and Amazon.
They aren’t as durable, pretty, or packable as a state-of-the-art trekking pole, and they don’t have all the features such as adjustable heights, cork grips, and the small hiking baskets that keep your pole from disappearing into loose soil. But they cost less, they often weigh less, and like the Gatorade bottle, they’re easily replaceable. Image by nasircoolboy1 on Pixabay Aluminum is not that much heavier than titanium and with a homemade pot cozy, it’s almost as efficient as an expensive coil-lined pot. Unlike these more refined options, though, a trusty aluminum pot shouldn’t run more than $15. A word to the wise, though: Aluminum is not nonstick. Image by rklopfer / FlikrFrog Toggs DriDucks (yes, the ones at Wal-Mart) are the rain gear of choice for many thru-hikers. Even though they aren’t particularly comfortable, durable, or fashionable, they do lighten your pack without lightening your wallet, and generally keep you dry. Image by Joseph / Flickr Rather than buying a separate tent footprint, many thru-hikers carry a piece of Tyvek house wrap.
It’s cheaper and lighter than most commercial footprints, and can be cut to any size. You can write on the durable material like paper, which means that it can double as a hitchhiking sign or journal. You can find Tyvek at your local hardwear store, on Ebay, or through some ultra light sites like AntiGravity Gear Then, check out this tutorial for how to make one. image via Wikimedia Commons Just like in real life, duct tape is the fix-all of the backpacking world. Don’t have a patch kit for your tent? Stood too close to the fire with your down jacket? Put some duct tape on it. Just make one out of duct-tape. [Author’s note: this works, almost.] From blisters to bear bags, duct tape has been used for every trail purpose you can imagine (maybe even toilet paper). Wrapped around water bottles, trekking poles, and every available surface, duct tape is always on hand as a hiker’s first option or last resort. Of course, that duct tape patch might last months—or it might not, so you still might want to patch your tent properly when you get to town.
Image by Mitch Barrie / Flickr The floppy yellow pad strapped to many hikers’ backpacks is, perhaps unsurprisingly, one of the cheapest options for sleeping pads. It isn’t as comfortable as a big fluffy air mattress, it catches in the wind like a sail on your backpack, and sure, it collects dirt and pine needles in the divots. But a Therm-a-Rest Zlite costs $35 brand-new, and can last for many years. The Zlite is one of those magical pieces of gear that actually does exactly what it’s supposed to do—it insulates you from the ground, even when it’s worn thin. Compare it to an inflatable pad that runs anywhere from $100 to $200 and often weighs more, and the Zlite starts to look a lot better. Plus, there’s no fear of the egg crate blowing a leak, you can use it as a sit-upon when you take breaks, and it won’t slide around your tent floor like a pinball (as the silicon inflatable mats are prone to do). Image via Wikimedia Commons How cheap can you get? Sure, a spork only costs around $4 on the low end and maybe $15 for a top-of-the-line titanium version, but as far as thru-hikers are concerned, why buy what you can get for free?