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Product Reviews:
Beyond Backpacking: Ray Jardines Guide to Lightweight Hiking |
Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Summary: A MUST read - The best "how to" Backpacking book ever!!
Comments: This book will change you and your trips. The best thing about it is if you only listen to half of the book it will increase your enjoyment of the back country10fold. When I 1st went hiking decades ago my pack was 25lbs because I couldn't afford much equipment. As I started to hike more often and accumulate more gear, I loaded myself down more and more until1horrible trip where I resembled a pack mule carrying more than 70 lbs (and that is without water)!! The 110 mile trip went uncompleted and was not fun and I just assumed it was because I needed to be in better shape. Then I purchased Ray's book... the simple idea of weighing ething you bring with you changed my camping life. By my next trip, I shed 40 lbs out of my pack and by the time I went back to the same 110 mile trip a few years later I had a pack weight of just under 11 pounds (that is with gear for those of you that have packs that themselves weigh 8 lbs) not including water and food. I laughed as I flew by the people weighed down by 70 lb packs... it was the almost all enjoyable and easy I had taken... 110 miles with almost all of it over 10,000 feet.
There is no reason to do ething Ray says, he does get a little spiritual... Take what he says and apply it to you. I would never go hiking without shoes like Ray sometimes does, however I threw out my insanely heavy and expensive "hiking" boots and purchased some light trail running shoes--they work great--as an application of Ray's philosophy to my hiking.
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Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Summary: More of the Same
Comments: A great book if you haven't already got "The Pacific Crest Trail" by Ray Jardine.
Much of the same information is in "Beyond Backpacking" as was in "The Pacific Crest Trail". This shows me Ray Jardine gave out all his information in his 1st book so now he really has nothing more to tell. You might as well have put1cover on the other with the exception of a few changes. In fairness though, it is a great book if you do not have "The Pacific Crest Trail". however I do not think you need them both. It is all the same ultra-light backpacking techniques, and backpacking safety,equipment,and hiking methods in both books. I liked the "Pacific Crest Trail" better. |
Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Summary: Best Advice Regarding This Book:
Comments: do not waste your money purchaseing1of these used for 40 bucks. Get the updated version of the book for 25 new.
These are excellent backpacking books and a supreme addition to your backpacking library packed with tons of useful ideas. |
Rating: 1 (out of 5)
Summary: Worst advice you could give
Comments: The guy is a eccentric Millionaire. Not just a eccentric, he's a millionaire that wants to cry poor. The more you get into Jardines life you will see on his webpage he advises you to purchase $10.000 sewing machines and purchase $100 worth of materials and a 100 hours to make what basically is a $6 army duffel bag, you know the ones with the shoulder straps. Then he takes any labels off any gear or covers the labels, because he will not endorse any gear without his name. Dah you endorced Pfaff,Elna,Bernia and Viking sewing machines. What's with that then? Oh and on his website he crying about the bugs and afraid his Giant North face V-25 geo dome do not blow over, however broke a tent rod and did not know how to fix it. I'd get a real charge out of his tarptent followers when he knows better than to really use one. appears like a $20 dollar tarp to me that you had to purchase a $10K sewing machine to make. do not follow this advice he gives. For in real life, he pays someone with a big van to follow him to e road crossing with over 500 pounds of gear or take him to the motor inn like bear grills did. That's the way. the real rayway. We could all do1up on him, just carry a credit card a cell phone and have the van follow you. Enough said.
however if you really want to start backpacking. the book to purchase is by the past Colin Fletcher, "THE COMPLETE WALKER". And if you do not want to get nasty like me, do not read Nessmuk. Nessnuk is the real deal, they did not have vans back in the day. For example; Jardine used a 110 pound Coleman canoe on1of his rich vacations and cried so much, I think he took down that journal. Nessmuk on the other hand over 100 years ago made a 11 pound canoe and his full pack weight was ligher yet and canoed right across the great lakes. That takes some guts. Jardines on a head trip to, he's mental, he's got no proof that he invented freinds, yet he keeps claiming he did. Eone that climbs knows better, that he is nuts.Global Climbing, how expensive is that of a hobby anyway? Well if your in that rich eccentric group upper level group, trying to fit in us lower level slumdogs. Then go for it. Otherwise the rest of you would do better with real life book by the late Colin Fletcher. And if you read this ray, think I am full of it, lets do a test on the old canol trail, with no support teams, with your RAYWAY junk, and see who wins. Lets go in the fall to. When the winds of November come early. I personally really want to stay as far away from Jardine nonsense as I can, except its a great laugh though. |
Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Summary: It's not about the backpack.
Comments: In a society whose population has grown soft from the amenities and conveniences of modern culture, few can begin to comprehend what it takes to complete the mega-hikes accomplished by the author. Even within the backpacking world, much is revealed as far as fitness, assimilation with environment, self-reliance, and goal setting are concerned.
Yet this book really does go beyond backpacking; in its iconoclastic views on foot travel, in its celebration of minimalism, and almost all importantly, in it's subtle questioning of society's values. Rather than merely an esoteric blueprint for the hardcore backpacker, this book is an uplifting example of what can be experienced athletically, logistically, and even spiritually if1can let go of the expectations of modern life and simply walk unencumbered for months on end.
"Beyond Backpacking" revolutionized the world of long distance hiking by calling into question what is honestly needed to sustain an epic trek. It will, at the least, make you re-evaluate the gear collecting dust in your closet. I hope it forces you to re-evaluate a whole lot more. |
