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Review on πŸ•οΈ Maximizing your Camping Experience: 153 Ultralight Backpacking Tips for Affordable & Lightweight Adventures by Holly Wille

Revainrating 4 out of 5

Sleepover in the 21st Century

When I was a kid in the 1970's we called this style of camping outback bivouac. Then it was just unbearable - go easy, freeze at night if this is your cup of tea. Most of us are fed up with just hiking. My usual summer weight for a five day hike was around 25 pounds. During the winter, the pack typically increases in weight by about 10 pounds. We did really well and had a lot of fun. This is a guidebook, so basic knowledge is assumed. The author refers the reader to another of his books to acquire this basic knowledge. This is normal, but one direction is sufficient. Four references are annoying. As you might expect, the advice is mixed. I think some of the tips are just filler. Books compete for attention in a bookstore and there is a minimum breadth of competition. My favorite piece of advice is to weigh everything. My least favorite piece of advice is to wipe yourself after you defecate by walking over wet clumps of grass (joke, maybe?). The most dubious advice is to use a razor blade as a cutting tool. The oldest advice is to use haversacks to keep your feet warm in cold weather. Most tips are average and should give you food for thought. And this is perhaps the meaning of the author. I would recommend this book to survivalists who want to make handy insect repellant bags. Most of these tips will make living in a bug bag that much more doable, especially in winter. Former tourists over 50 who want to get back in the game also win. Material technologies of the 21st century have made bivouacs the smart mode of transport of today. Maybe the only way if you have health problems. Everyone else, ma'am. Get tips from the internet or read them all in one place. Depends on how you value intuition versus time. Personally, I think the most interesting thing about this book is how it seamlessly overlaps with Joseph Bottum's The Troubled Age. Bottum's idea is that the old mainstream Protestantism never went away. He simply transformed and dispersed. Some of this, both good and bad, informs the book's subtext and sometimes shines through in the clue. Charming.

Pros
  • Rugged Finish
Cons
  • Disappear