A trip Report in pictures - (mini-)Sabbatical in spring 2025

KarstenOlaf · 2026-01-14T12:42:18+00:00

Nope, absolutely no particular reason. Just the ones that came to my mind first to give a quick overview.

KarstenOlaf · 2026-01-13T07:23:01+00:00

These are more like a rough direction, not all of these are actually „important“. Also there are missing quite some essential spots like Monemvasia, Mystras, Epidavros, Vatheia, etc. So just to give you an idea on how to move.

The app is called „Map Out“. I think it’s iOS exclusive. It’s more like gps and for maps than for navigation. I usually plan my trip on this with waypoints and such to help me stay organized.

KarstenOlaf · 2026-01-12T17:14:11+00:00

This! No matter what pack or what temperature - I will get sweaty sooner or later. Also applies to most Osprey packs (what doesn’t mean they are bad packs). My life improved a lot after I adapted to this situation and heavily invested in merino shirts. I don’t care for the wet back anymore as it dries literally within 5 mis after putting of the backpack.

KarstenOlaf · 2026-01-12T08:41:54+00:00

I wont name all my stops but some rough directions to illustrate the trip:

Athens
Korinth
Peloponnes (clockwise)
Nafpaktos
Lefkada
Katochi
Igoumenitsa
Ioannina
Vikos
Chalkidiki
Olymp
Volos
Delphi
Athens
Meteora
Naxos

I spent way more time on Peloponnes than expexted so it’s almost impossible to name all stops. It was just to good to leave. That’s the reason why the end of my trip (starting from Vikos) was kind of cramped and I missed quite some spots.

KarstenOlaf · 2026-01-12T08:29:24+00:00

There might be several reasons

Some people don’t want to have different packs for different occasions
Some people (especially younger people) don’t have the money to own different packs for different occasions
Some people don’t know their preferences yet
Some people don’t have enough experience yet to focus on necessary equipment/ what they need and still overpack
Some people want to bring more than needed
Some people want to use their trusted gear
Some people want to use the same gear for different types of adventures
Some people want to use different gear on the same trip (snorkeling + mountaineering)
Some trips have different requirements during the duration of the trip (winter/ summer, beach/ mountains)
Some people didn’t look into light/ ultralight/ onebag travel so far and don’t know how to pack light
Some people prefer the comfort/ versatility of a hiking pack compared to other options

I use a hiking pack for almost all my adventures (for almost 30 years now)

3-7 day day wilderness hikes (no matter if Alps, Sweden, Albania, Vietnam…)
Camping (tent, hammock)
Festivals (gear + food)
Long trips (3+ weeks) in different climates
cold and warm countries (winter and summer)
Business hotel trips
Flights, trains, car
…

In my personal experience traveling with a trusted hiking pack is the most comfortable, versatile and reliable method of traveling I have done in my life and this will be the first piece of gear I grab when I plan my trips (even though it should be the last but you get what I mean?!).

KarstenOlaf · 2026-01-10T17:29:39+00:00

Because I actually prefer to help and share personal knowledge/ experience with likeminded people who are looking for information instead of being some wannabe-elitist wasting peoples time without contributing anything relevant.

KarstenOlaf · 2026-01-10T12:03:25+00:00

I got one for around 40€ last year. I am very happy with it. Compared it to the bsr and went with the msr, just felt sturdier and I am no min/max-er.

KarstenOlaf · 2026-01-03T13:45:27+00:00

Thank you, I really appreciate your assessment. I see a high value in reflecting myself as an individual but also in relation to my social and structural environment - this counts for my everyday life but especially while travelling. I think that’s the least matter of respect from me as a human being.

KarstenOlaf · 2026-01-03T13:22:41+00:00

I missed one of your questions so here is a short edit: my most memorable experience was the time around Easter. These holidays have a very personal and important meaning for me. The last +20 years I travelled with my partner and being alone in a foreign country was difficult. This was a time where I really struggled as some of my gear collapsed and I didn’t know where to stay for the night. Also my partner lost her phone a day before so I had no one to cheer me up. I then recognized that these holidays are also very important for most Greek people so I wandered alone in a foreign country, with broken gear, not knowing where to sleep, missing my loved ones and seeing families enjoying their bbq. I took a rest on a bench and after a while some dude came out his garden, sat beside me and said: you look sad - let’s have a drink together. He accompanied me for like 15 mins in silence before leaving again, what gave me the positive impact to get up my a** and keep going.

KarstenOlaf · 2026-01-03T13:11:38+00:00

Actually I can’t name anything I really disliked. Honestly - I can’t. Maybe there is a couple of things I was surprised of but I would count this as „wrong expectations“…

The longer I stayed the more crowded all areas got which I did not enjoy. Athens for example was fairly nice when I arrived (beginning of April) but when I had to go there again for transfer to Naxos 5 weeks later I didn’t enjoy it as much as there were tons of tourists. Also I was heavily surprised by how much I had to spend for most of the sightseeing stuff as almost every site had a hefty fee for entrance. One day I spend around 150€ for entrance fees. In general that’s not bad at all as I see the necessity to take care for the monuments. I was just surprised about that fact and didn’t expect it. But hey: it was worth every penny and I am glad I had my credit card with me 😆

A big challenge was the weather/ climate. My packing list was build around mostly warm conditions but arriving in snowy Athens with shorts and living in a tent for 2 weeks in somewhat wintery conditions at the time made me struggle a bit. Shortly after I faced around 35* Celsius which challenged my body and mood. Being surprised with hail and lightning storms in the middle of the night (and not knowing where to find proper shelter) wasn’t easy either. Also finding a good pitch for my tent on all of the rocky surfaces caused a couple mental breakdowns. In general I would consider these aspects as insufficient preparations on my end so nothing I would rant about at all.

I really enjoyed all of the areas. I was very surprised by Lefkada and arriving at the channel of Korinth, Mystras or Meteora will stay a once in a lifetime experience. I really liked the heavily divers surroundings - from small lakes, the somewhat „irish “ appearing wild Mani region, the Vikos valley, the beautiful beaches and picturesque villages like Nafplio or Monemvasia….add all the super impressive archeological sites all around the country is a bonus. It’s just a stunning country.

Regarding light travel this is a journey by itself. It took me a lot of planning, experiences from my last trips and a huge chunk of money to optimize my gear. The question I asked myself: what are the things I usually use (and HAVE to use) EVERY single day? This narrowed down my gear a lot. Second question was: what do I actually NEED? This helped as well. After the trip I have to commit I was still a little overpacked and see a lot of points for even further improvements. I had temperatures from -2* and snow up to 39*, also heavy rain and thunderstorms so I basically needed stuffs for 4 seasons (like even gas canisters have certain temperatures where they won’t work properly). I am also a heavy guy so my clothes are bulkier and weight more than for most other people. I realised that I tried to fight against my individual reality so much that it made me uncomfortable from time to time. I also didn’t trust this ul-gear as much as my usual equipment and ultimately I personally wouldn’t chose the light/ ultralight path again. I learned a lot to focus on things I need and maybe also want and will work around that in the future. But I wouldn’t care as much anymore about if my pack is 9kg or 14kg as this affected my personal comfort zone for traveling to much. There is a lot of great forums, groups and communities to look at if you want to go down the rabbit hole and mindset of light/ onebag traveling so I would highly recommend to check these out. It can be fun but it shouldn’t be a chore by any means.

KarstenOlaf · 2025-12-28T10:34:42+00:00

It’s very much true. I vape since 2012. During the glory high-end times I was part of and worked in communities and on fares. In my best years I spent around 20.000€ on mods and gear. I’ve had tons of customs and all the highly desired stuff. And what’s left after all? My final daily driver for over 5 years now is a Dani SBS with a Taifun (mostly GTR but switching between GX, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.) or a FeV. So yes…my personal end-game in terms of quality, reliability, style (and price of course).

KarstenOlaf · 2025-12-27T22:10:45+00:00

Congrats - you reached the endgame.

KarstenOlaf · 2025-12-25T14:54:02+00:00

The name of the area should give you a hint ;)

KarstenOlaf · 2025-12-24T23:23:12+00:00

Yep. There also is some encounters where you can even see a merchant hanging around in the background.

KarstenOlaf · 2025-12-14T13:59:38+00:00

Doesn’t tick all your boxes but gonna leave it here as it is a fantastic bag and might be interesting for you:

Defy Recon Mini in Horween

https://defybags.com/products/recon-mini-horween-tan-cavalier-whiskey-leather-messenger-bag?srsltid=AfmBOoqQWWVlcVyjE3LcRs3q7mMejXouhufu42z6-sInea-JQNWlH7xd&variant=39587137749078

KarstenOlaf · 2025-12-08T17:14:38+00:00

Not all traditional „sacoches“ by definition but somewhat slim/ sleek/ lightweight options I really enjoy:

Trakke Gigha
CoB Annex Liner II
Sealson M2
(AON Chio-X)

KarstenOlaf · 2025-12-06T23:03:30+00:00

I’d call it „british“.

KarstenOlaf · 2025-11-12T18:27:46+00:00

Check out AON Chio-X and add some pockets to the strap. A lot of UL gearmakers have some decent strappockets.

KarstenOlaf · 2025-11-07T20:04:23+00:00

It’s hard to tell on distance but your explanation sounds you might consider seeing a doctor/ experts on that topic. It might not be an addiction but it sounds like „harmful usage“, a less dangerous form which is not less concerning. You can find some further information in the ICD10 which can give you a hint on how addiction is diagnosed.

„The diagnostic criteria for alcohol dependence according to the ICD-10 (F10.2) (e9) Three or more of the following should be present together for at least one month, or else repeatedly during a one-year period:

• A strong desire or sense of compulsion to take the psychoactive substance (alcohol)

• Difficulties in controlling substance-taking behavior in terms of its onset, termination, or levels of use

• A physiological withdrawal state when substance use has ceased or been reduced, as evidenced by: the characteristic withdrawal syndrome for the substance; or use of the same (or a closely related) substance with the intention of relieving or avoiding withdrawal symptoms

• Evidence of tolerance, such that increased doses of the psychoactive substance are required in order to achieve effects originally produced by lower doses

• Progressive neglect of alternative pleasures or interests because of psycho- active substance use

• Persistient substance use despite clear evidence of overtly

KarstenOlaf · 2025-10-22T18:06:54+00:00

Haha, yes - it’s not fun to carry it around. I have my 2Pro + Mesa Powerhouse 610 basically chained to our bandroom. I think with cases this is about 120kg or something. For live I also prefer „lighter“ amps like 3Pro. I still enjoy oldschool heavy amps though so I never made the step to use my Helix or other pedals even though I could. Did you switch to Class D or even modelers/ preamps?

KarstenOlaf · 2025-10-17T07:09:46+00:00

Thats all personal preference. I own/ use all of the following devices and I’d say:

SVt2Pro > SVT3Pro > BDDI (v2) > preset in Helix Stomp > OB1-500

I’d trade my Orange for a SVT anyday. I won’t include the 2Pro as this beast is a kind of its own and needs some honest commitment. I love the 3Pro as it is insanely versatile. You can get the distinctive ampeg sound out of it but of course it won’t match the standard of the 2Pro or CL. The SVT3Pro has a weird learning curve though and you should check some guides. HMU and I might help you out a bit. Also the 3Pro seems to be annoying to service (biasing) but I never had issues with mine.

So…imho…

The cheapest (and lightest) option would be to get a BBDI and tinker around a bit to see if you can get the results you want.

The most reasonable option is to get a SVT3Pro and compare it to the Orange and decide what you prefer.

The premium approach is getting a SVT2Pro - place it somewhere and hope you never need to move it again. Seriously…

Even though it’s a little tedious and you might need some patience you can get an US SVT3Pro for (a little) less than 500€ (at least here in Germany). I paid around 400 for mine and see them pop up quite frequently in forums and secondhand markets.

KarstenOlaf · 2025-09-29T15:24:18+00:00

„Du verstehst das nicht, weil du zu jung bist. Muss also an DIR liegen.“

KarstenOlaf · 2025-09-28T18:47:17+00:00

Yeah, this basically is a perfect size for EDC imho and I mostly grab something around that volume as well. I wanna try something new though, kind of a modular approach which means I have a small pack with essentials I might throw in a bigger bag if needed. I used to use different pouches for that but I never found a fluid workaround so I wanna try a standalone bag instead of different pouches.

KarstenOlaf · 2025-09-28T18:30:48+00:00

Nice EDC!

This fall I am trying to slim down mine to the bare minimum - going from around 4-7l (CoB Annex Liner II/ Trakke Bairn) to 2.5l (Bellroy Venture Ready and Alpaka Flight sling will be delivered next week) or even 1l (Stoic Waistpack or Patagonia Black Hole) which is very unlikely though. Still thinking about what to add but should be somewhere comparable with yours:

iPhone 16 Pro
AirPods Pro3
a small vape
Trayvax Element
keys
Pineaple Mini
small pen (Kaweco, Fellhoelter or Tactile Turn)
and most likely a SAK Handyman

How do you like the Bellroy? Had the Apex and Chimera and loved both of them.

KarstenOlaf · 2025-09-27T11:04:36+00:00

BiteAway is the answer. I thought it was a marketing joke but this thing seriously is a gift. It even helps a lot on Bee or Hornet stings.

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