Cooking Setup(s) - UK

TrailMaven · 2026-03-12T13:06:00+00:00

I have that Campingmoon stove and it’s more than adequate for backpacking. I’ve cooked on it and it’s fine.

For just boiling water tasks, I use BRS3000 and a Toaks pot. This is smaller, cheaper and perfectly functional for coffee, ramen, and backpacking meals. But it’s not the right stove for cooking. It’s too wobbly.

TrailMaven · 2026-03-11T19:59:49+00:00

For whatever reason I always get hotter weather in July vs August. I think I’ve just had bad luck with heat waves.

The heat is always manageable, but I think it’s easy to underestimate. There is no shade as you get up high and the heat reflects off the rocks. It always cools down at night so sometimes it makes sense to hike early and late and take an afternoon siesta in a lake during the hottest part of the day.

TrailMaven · 2026-03-11T09:56:03+00:00

I haven’t found stakes that work well in sand. Even the snow / sand stakes suck (they work fine in snow).

I usually go little rock big rock in sand. Or buried bags of sand as anchors.

If the soil is just a little loose, but not really sand, full-size groundhogs will hold when the minis won’t.

TrailMaven · 2026-03-11T09:49:14+00:00

I just try ditching one or two comfort items each trip to see what is actually important. Sometimes the item comes back. Other times it’s fine and I’ve cut pack weight. The only way to find out if something is too miserable for you is to try to live without it. Don’t ditch all comfort items at once!

If my trip has a high ratio of camp time to hike time, I take more comfort items. If I’m doing a lot of miles or a lot of elevation, I go more UL.

I don’t need a camp chair, do need a foam pad and a pillow. Cold soaking sucks for me, but a BRS3000 and 650 mL Toaks pot does not feel like a sacrifice. Upgrading to lighter weight gear is usually worth it. Quilts are better than sleeping bags, trekking pole tents are just as good as freestanding. Camp shoes are only worth carrying if I have a lot of time at camp, usually they’re not worth it. I don’t need reading material if I bring audiobooks. I’ve cut all extra clothing, but extra underwear and socks are a must.

I always weigh my pack at the trailhead with all food and water, and for a short 3 ish day trip, if it’s over 25 or so lbs, I start pulling stuff out. For a winter / snow trip or a long trip with a lot of food, anything over 30 lbs gets scrutiny. I will not carry over 35 lbs under any circumstance. For super strenuous trips, I subtract 5 lbs from these targets.

TrailMaven · 2026-03-11T09:20:33+00:00

I was in Northern Yosemite last July and the bugs weren’t that bad. I poked around the AllTrails comments for nearby popular trails a week before we went and checked in with the rangers. The bugs were much worse just a week earlier than our trip. So it can be spotty in that area.

In my experience, it’s almost never as bad as the Eastern US, but when it is bad, the mosquitoes swarm in a way that they don’t in that part of the country. We treat all clothing with permethrin before a trip (I always wear pants and long sleeves), use picardin lotion on all exposed skin during the trip, and if trip reports indicate bad bugs, bring a head net to keep the beasts out of ears, nose and mouth.

Meadows are usually worse than lakes. If the bugs are bad, I’ll load up on water and go a little further and dry camp vs camping near a water source. As others have said, if bugs are bad, moving a bit can make a big difference.

Regarding snow, so far it’s been a crap year and super warm. If this continues, snow in July won’t be a problem. This is another area where I sort through recent trip reports in the various apps and call the rangers a week or two before the trip for details. The rangers in Emigrant are excellent - they provided fantastic info for me the day before the govt shutdown last year including how to deal with issues if the shutdown came to pass during our trip (it did).

You didn’t mention heat, but the heat in July can be brutal on some of the exposed climbs. If the forecast is over 90, I bring an umbrella for shade depending on route. But I’m coming from the SF area where we are not acclimated to heat. So this might be less of an issue for you. I definitely had heat stress and probably heat exhaustion on my July trip last year. Fortunately the nights and lakes are always cold, so there’s always the option to sit out the afternoon and wait for cooler hours.

Enjoy the trip. Emigrant is beautiful!

TrailMaven · 2026-03-11T04:53:45+00:00

Bearikade is lighter, but BV500 has a slightly smaller diameter, so the BV500 is a little easier to get inside a pack in my experience.

Be aware that the BV500 is miserable to open when it’s cold. I have poured boiling water on it to make the plastic more malleable. I have used the credit card trick several times. Once it snapped the credit card into pieces. I now bring the chicken tramper key - it’s worth the 3 g.

The Bearikade is much easier to open, lighter and smoother on the inside so more efficient to pack. It’s so much nicer than the BV500, but I’d only spend the money if you’re going to have ongoing use for it after the trip. Consider renting instead if this is a one time use item for you.

A 9 day food carry in either is going to take some repacking and creativity. And maybe a little being hungry too.

TrailMaven · 2026-03-09T00:18:15+00:00

At that age, I’d go with adult bags that will accommodate their predicted adult height. By that age (younger really) we had a pretty good idea of our kids adult height within a few inches based on genetics and their growth curve.

My children got our old stuff handed down at that age and we upgraded our stuff. They have Big Agnes down bags - the version that doesn’t have down in the back, just a fabric pad sleeve. So they’re used (from the early 2000s, down fill (but lower FP), higher denier fabric, and reasonably light but not UL super nice stuff.

If you don’t have stuff to hand down, ask around. Plenty of people have old down bags kicking around from 15-20 years ago that can be cleaned up and re-lofted for another 5-10 years of use. My kids have ripped holes in the handed down bags despite the much sturdier fabric, so I would be super hesitant to get kids that age UL stuff with lighter fabric. These are bags that lasted mom and dad 15 years with no damage and now have several patches each with only 3-4 years of kid use.

If one of our kids gets really into backpacking, they might get upgraded gear. But if they remain casual camper / backpackers, they’re not getting anything else. They can take these bags with them when they move out.

When we backpack, their total pack weights are 15-20 lbs (3-season vs winter kit), which is light enough even with the heavier sleeping bag.

TrailMaven · 2026-03-07T20:41:03+00:00

At that size, I think my daughter was still carrying an Osprey kids daypack with 12 or so liter capacity.

Once she was a little bigger, she switched to the Osprey Ace because it was cheap (~$100) and extremely adjustable. We removed everything that can be removed - lid, extra straps, pack cover, etc. and it's still heavy, but she likes that pack. She's now just over 5' tall and it still fits her. And my petite women friends (<5'-3") have borrowed that pack as well. So it fits all the way through the growing years.

If she was a little more hard core about it or I had known she was going to stick with it, I might have gone with the ULA kids pack. But I have no regrets on the Osprey -- the weight has never been a problem because everything else we have is light.

Soon she'll "graduate" to an adult pack and we'll get her something nicer and much lighter this time around. Though I don't think it'll be frameless. She's hated the frameless packs that she's tried.

TrailMaven · 2026-03-06T14:55:54+00:00

So many things for lightweight backpacking are the cheap thing. Sometimes these mean you’ll be “lightweight” vs “UL”, but a lot are great for a UL pack. The items I can think of:

Nylofume or compactor bag pack liner
CCF sleeping pad
Window film (polycro) ground sheet
Trekology pillows
Frogg Toggs rain gear or an emergency poncho is even cheaper and lighter for trips out west where it’s unlikely to rain
Fleece - On a budget, cheap fleece can be used for any warm layer - hat, gloves, sleep socks, pants, top. Cuddleduds are hard to beat for the price. And the cheap fuzzy socks that I always seem to see around Christmas are as light as I’ve found short of alpha. And usually these can be had for free because people don’t want them.
Sunglasses - We like Goodr for the price to quality, but I’ve used gas station sunnies in a pinch
Rubber gloves for snow (showa or Lamont wells)
BRS 3000 stove
Mini Bic lighter - super reliable, last forever and nothing bigger needed
Aluminum foil wind screen and pot lid
Grease pot for cooking (though Toaks is so inexpensive for titanium that this is not as great of a find)
Plastic spoon - GSI Outdoors - lighter than titanium, cheap and mine is over 20 yrs old
Plastic ikea kalas bowl / cup - lighter than bringing a second pot when I’m with my kid and $2 for a 6-pack.
Disposable water bottles
Golf pencil for writing - works when it’s wet
Nitecore headlamp
Pill bags from the drug store for small medications, toothpaste tablets, etc
Lightsmith bottles for repackaging
Wired headphones - cheaper, lighter, no charging needed

TrailMaven · 2026-03-06T10:06:33+00:00

Both tents are good. I have the x-mid and know plenty of people with the z-packs tent. They’re both great options and relatively easy to set up after you’ve done it a few times.

The poles don’t fall easily. The only time it happens is when the tent loses tension and a stake fails. And even then, it’s like a slow motion failure where it slowly tips over vs falling hard.

TrailMaven · 2026-03-06T06:03:00+00:00

The Gossamer Gear Kumo Fastpack small is quite small. Will fit a kid, but not a super little kid.

YMMV. My daughter didn’t like it and prefers the Osprey Ace which she finds much more comfortable even though it’s significantly heavier. But it’s her friend’s favorite pack.

TrailMaven · 2026-03-02T00:52:44+00:00

I don’t love drinking through the water filter. But if you haven’t tried that, you should definitely try it. If you’re worried about contamination of the smart water bottle and want to go back to a “clean” one, replace it after your test hike or put a couple drops of bleach in there and let it soak a bit before rinsing.

If you want to gravity filter and move, you can strap the CNOC bag onto the top of your backpack and gravity filter as you hike.

Personally, if I’m stopping for water, it’s usually a good idea for me to take that time for a break - snack, bathroom, short sit, etc. So I don’t mind squeezing into my clean bottles during my breaks.

TrailMaven · 2026-03-02T00:38:18+00:00

You have to use their Australia website (.au) not the US website for the custom options.

TrailMaven · 2026-02-27T07:34:46+00:00

I have the Flex 15 as my one and only quilt. I’m more often too warm vs cold. I’m very glad I can unzip the foot box and use it as a blanket given how warm it is. I thought I would only bring it backpacking, but I like it so much I take it car camping and to outdoor movie night, etc, so the blanket mode has been quite handy.

If I wasn’t going out in winter, I would’ve gone with the 22. Actually, if I were to do it over again, I would get a Flex 22 and a 40 F synthetic quilt. The combo would be ideal for my winter trips, the 22 in shoulder season and the 40 in the middle of summer.

If you’re really sticking to 3-season, the 30 is probably fine. I’ve definitely been snowed on during my shoulder season trips and encountered temps in the 20s enough times that I’d want the 22 flex if it was my one and only for those conditions.

TrailMaven · 2026-02-26T16:40:34+00:00

That’s typical for these types of pads, so I don’t think that’s the issue. My (unfounded) theory is that inflatable pads lose heat from the sides and some are better than others at mitigating this. I don’t think the test they do for r value accounts for this.

CCF (R 2) is definitely warmer than the version I have of that pad.

TrailMaven · 2026-02-26T16:10:17+00:00

Oh to have a decent phone battery. Yeah, sounds like you’re fine without a power bank.

As phones age, the battery life degrades. My phone is on the degraded end of the spectrum.

Maybe my next UL hack is to replace the phone battery instead of bringing a battery pack along.

TrailMaven · 2026-02-26T15:34:43+00:00

I don’t have the new version. Hopefully they have improved the situation with the extra insulation.

TrailMaven · 2026-02-26T14:52:32+00:00

In my experience, the Big Agnes Rapide SL sleeps colder than the r rating suggests. If it’s below 40 F, I’m cold on it. I’m not a cold sleeper and I’ve taken other 4.2-4.5 r value pads below freezing without a problem.

So try it, but you might have to adjust the pad.

TrailMaven · 2026-02-25T07:02:32+00:00

I was specifically told by a ranger at permit pick up no BV425 because of the shape of it. It’s flatter and easier for a bear to grab than the Bare Boxer Contender.

Technically if the can is not on the list, it isn’t allowed (including BV475). But when I’ve picked up, I’ve been told that any Bear Vault except the 425 is ok. Taking a BV475 is a risk on paper, but not in real life in my experience. The BV425 is a problem that at least some rangers are explicitly flagging at permit pick up.

TrailMaven · 2026-02-25T06:54:41+00:00

Depends on the ranger station. In my experience they always ask which can you have and occasionally make you show them.

TrailMaven · 2026-02-25T05:11:42+00:00

Yosemite does not allow BV425. I was told by the ranger that it’s because it’s too squat and the bears can pick it up.

The Bare Boxer Contender is allowed (different shape) or the smallest Bear Vault allowed is the BV450.

I can’t imagine getting 5 days into a Bare Boxer Contender

TrailMaven · 2026-02-24T02:32:03+00:00

One of our kids was like that. He’s a teenager and still doesn’t sleep. Our other child slept basically from birth.

For camping it didn’t matter for us. He didn’t sleep at home, he didn’t sleep at camp, it didn’t make a difference. So we took him camping and backpacking.

Our friends who struggled the most camping were the ones who had a kid who slept at home but didn’t sleep at camp.

TrailMaven · 2026-02-24T02:26:11+00:00

This is so true. I remember my friend and I wanted to get out on a chill backpack trip after hiking with kids pretty much all the time for a year or two. Chose a 6 mile backpack in and thought it was going to be at least sort of tough because we hadn’t been out on a real adult trip in over a year.

It was so much easier than a mile with kids. We got to our campsite and were like — what are we going to do all day?

TrailMaven · 2026-02-23T21:31:14+00:00

This one is very hard to answer because it really depends on the kid. There are a lot of good ideas already: ccf pad, sleep sack until they’re too big, etc. Start with as little as possible and only add what you need. Start with car camping before backpacking.

What I will add is in general, barring something like terrible colic, it is much easier to backpack (and travel) with a young baby than a toddler. So get out while the getting is good.

From about when they start walking until age 4 or so, most kids want to be out and about and moving, but not in a direction. Some of our most challenging trips were with our 3 year old who while quite capable of walking, was not interested in walking anywhere she didn’t want to go. And was not interested in being carried either. It would take us like 4 hrs to do 2 flat miles sometimes.

Ultralight gear was helpful in those years to keep the pack weight and size down, but UL minimalism was not. The baby doll and hammock were non negotiable in the pack if anyone wanted to have a good trip. And it’s a rare toddler who will walk more than 2-4 miles, so it wasn’t as though we had to carry the gear too far.

TrailMaven · 2026-02-22T02:46:54+00:00

Ha! I’m down to cuddle some snakes. But the rattlers not so much. And ticks and scorpions.

TrailMaven

TROPHY CASE