a few lessons from first backpacking adventure

[jefals]

1. Don't keep your water filter packed inside your backpack
2. Speaking of the water filter, I practiced using it at home before I left. But I only practiced the part where you squeeze the water in the bag, thru the filter, into a bottle. I did NOT practice filling the bag from a "reservoir" -- At home, I just filled the bag from the tap ...DON'T DO THAT! fill up your sink enough so that you can try getting water into the bag, as if you're at a lake.

3. A spare camelbak might not be a bad idea. A leaky camelbak is a serious problem!
4. On packing up the next morning, one part I found particularly "energy draining" and time-consuming was packing up the air mattress. I'm on my hands and knees, on the ground, trying to squeeze all the air out of it and fold it up really tight in order to get it back in it's little stuff sack. Kind of an awkward and uncomfortable process. Any hints or tips on this?

[Tryonis]

What filter? Sawyer i assume?

[SteelCut]

2. Speaking of the water filter, I practiced using it at home before I left. But I only practiced the part where you squeeze the water in the bag, thru the filter, into a bottle. I did NOT practice filling the bag from a "reservoir" -- At home, I just filled the bag from the tap ...DON'T DO THAT! fill up your sink enough so that you can try getting water into the bag, as if you're at a lake.

3. A spare camelbak might not be a bad idea. A leaky camelbak is a serious problem!

If you try to fill up a dirty water bag by lying it flat as if at a lake, you will not be able to fill up at alot of water sources on the AT such as low flow springs. Instead, use a zip lock bag to use to scoop water up and then pinch the opening to form a funnel and pour into dirty water bag. Repeat until dirty water bag is full.

A "spare" anything other than maybe a spare pair of socks makes no sense. Instead use something more leak proof ... like gator aide or smart water bottles. Carrying a couple of these bottles creates your redundancy and more easily replaceable rather than a single large camelback which is a single point of failure.

4. On packing up the next morning, one part I found particularly "energy draining" and time-consuming was packing up the air mattress. I'm on my hands and knees, on the ground, trying to squeeze all the air out of it and fold it up really tight in order to get it back in it's little stuff sack. Kind of an awkward and uncomfortable process. Any hints or tips on this?

Dont stuff into original stuff sack. Leave the extra stuff sacks at home and roll up the pad best you can and place in pack surrounded by sleeping bag and camp clothes to avoid punctures.

[jefals]

What filter? Sawyer i assume?

Yes, mine is the Sawyer.

[Shutterbug]

...
4. On packing up the next morning, one part I found particularly "energy draining" and time-consuming was packing up the air mattress. I'm on my hands and knees, on the ground, trying to squeeze all the air out of it and fold it up really tight in order to get it back in it's little stuff sack. Kind of an awkward and uncomfortable process. Any hints or tips on this?

This is what I do:
1. Before I get up, I open the valve on the air mattress (thermorest) and allow most of the air to be forced out.
2. I start rolling from the foot and roll the mattress up without folding it. This forces out most of the air.
3. Then I lay it out on the ground cloth and fold the sides toward the middle. With the sides folded in, I roll it tightly. When I get it rolled to the valve, I close the valve and slide the mattress into the stuff sack.
The entire process takes less than 2 minutes.

[jefals]

If you try to fill up a dirty water bag by lying it flat as if at a lake, you will not be able to fill up at alot of water sources on the AT such as low flow springs. Instead, use a zip lock bag to use to scoop water up and then pinch the opening to form a funnel and pour into dirty water bag. Repeat until dirty water bag is full.

Yeah, you can't even fill up the clean bag that comes with this filter system by lying it flat in a lake. That was my point -- better to find this out at home, then once you get to the lake! Mine comes with a syringe -- for the purpose of filling the bag. But, I neglected to bring it with me, since I didn't prepare well enough ahead of time. So, as the topic heading, this was a lesson learned!

"Instead use something more leak proof ... like gator aide or smart water bottles".

I did have a nalgene bottle for redundancy. However, my pack has no pockets that are easy to get to, in which to store bottles like this. The pockets are more towards the back, so you either have to carry them in your hands or hang around your neck, and lose the convenience of the tube that comes with a camelbak, if you only have one, and it breaks. I think an extra one might also be good if you have a long distance to go between water sources....

"Dont stuff into original stuff sack. Leave the extra stuff sacks at home and roll up the pad best you can and place in pack surrounded by sleeping bag and camp clothes to avoid punctures".
Ok, thanks, I'll try that. I've already ditched the stuff sack for the sleeping bag, and I have one for a jacket that I don't use either. I had a bear canister on this trip, taking up a lot of room in the pack, so everything (including the air mattress) had to be as small as I could get it. I won't be taking that thing again, unless I'm somewhere where it's absolutely required!

[SteelCut]

YMine comes with a syringe -- for the purpose of filling the bag.

The syringe is actually for cleaning the filter via backflushing. Though I suppose you could use it to fill the bag. But I think the zip lock bag (or small cup) method would be easier

[swisscross]

Cut a smart water bottle in half and use the bottom as a cup/scoop for the water.
Store water filter, bag and what ever in above smart water cup.

Open valve on mattress while in sleeping bag. Fold not roll.

[hikernutcasey]

A lot of good advice has already been posted but I would just add that so much of your experience will improve by simply doing it again and again. I've got almost half the trail done now and I still tweak how I do certain things after each trip. It's all part of the fun and part of learning what works best for you.

[Shutterbug]

... 3. A spare camelbak might not be a bad idea. A leaky camelbak is a serious problem! ...

When I fist started backpacking, I carried a lot of redundant items--just in case something failed. Over the years, I have learned to emphasize reliability rather than redundancy. Redundancy adds unnecessary weight. Buy reliable gear, check it carefully before you start and leave the spares at home.

[Namtrag]

you can also buy a little plastic container of nutter butters, eat them, and then use the cup as a scoop...I saw this on youtube, so I can't claim credit for the idea.

I highly advise having a scoop of some sort because there is a good chance that your water source will not be deep enough to scoop the dirty bag in.

[dbright]

1. Don't keep your water filter packed inside your backpack
2. Speaking of the water filter, I practiced using it at home before I left. But I only practiced the part where you squeeze the water in the bag, thru the filter, into a bottle. I did NOT practice filling the bag from a "reservoir" -- At home, I just filled the bag from the tap ...DON'T DO THAT! fill up your sink enough so that you can try getting water into the bag, as if you're at a lake.

3. A spare camelbak might not be a bad idea. A leaky camelbak is a serious problem!
4. On packing up the next morning, one part I found particularly "energy draining" and time-consuming was packing up the air mattress. I'm on my hands and knees, on the ground, trying to squeeze all the air out of it and fold it up really tight in order to get it back in it's little stuff sack. Kind of an awkward and uncomfortable process. Any hints or tips on this?

build yourself a funnel with a soda bottle. Cut it in half and tape the two caps together and drill a hole in the caps. Use the bottom half of the bottle as a scoop.

[jefals]

This is what I do:
1. Before I get up, I open the valve on the air mattress (thermorest) and allow most of the air to be forced out.
2. I start rolling from the foot and roll the mattress up without folding it. This forces out most of the air.
3. Then I lay it out on the ground cloth and fold the sides toward the middle. With the sides folded in, I roll it tightly. When I get it rolled to the valve, I close the valve and slide the mattress into the stuff sack.
The entire process takes less than 2 minutes.

Ok, I'll test this out in the backyard. Thanks, Shutterbug!

[jefals]

The syringe is actually for cleaning the filter via backflushing. Though I suppose you could use it to fill the bag. But I think the zip lock bag (or small cup) method would be easier

That's what I thought I had read when I bought it -- that the syringe was for backflushing. That's why I left mine at home. A couple of guys stopped by my campsite, and one of them also had the sawyer filter. He had his syringe, and let me borrow it, and it worked fine for filling the bag -- but I think I agree that a zip lock might be even better; I'll give that a try!

[jefals]

build yourself a funnel with a soda bottle. Cut it in half and tape the two caps together and drill a hole in the caps. Use the bottom half of the bottle as a scoop.

Another good idea...thanks!

[JRinGeorgia]

The syringe is actually for cleaning the filter via backflushing. Though I suppose you could use it to fill the bag. But I think the zip lock bag (or small cup) method would be easier

However you use the syringe, it should either touch dirty water or clean water, not both. You should not use it to fill the dirty bag and then also use it to backflush or you risk contaminating the clean end of the filter.

[MuddyWaters]

I will guess you got some kind of self inflating pad.

First, open the valve while you are lying on it and let most of the air go out before you ever get up.
Then, get up , fold it in half lengthwise, roll it up expelling air as you go, close valve, put rubber band around, stick in pack.
with a neoair, this takes about 30 seconds.

[jefals]

When I fist started backpacking, I carried a lot of redundant items--just in case something failed. Over the years, I have learned to emphasize reliability rather than redundancy. Redundancy adds unnecessary weight. Buy reliable gear, check it carefully before you start and leave the spares at home.

Other than water items, I carry the following which may be considered redundant; an extra short sleeve shirt, and a long sleeve shirt (for layering), extra small fuel cannister -- (how do you know when the "open" one is going to run out?), and batteries for my headlamp.
As for water; Well, for one thing, I'm out west, and I do tend to drink a LOT of water on some of these hot, dry days. Plus I've had problems with a leaking camelbak. What happened is that in the area I was going to hike in (Desolation Wilderness, in the Sierras), they "strongly recommend" a bear cannister. So, when I had everything packed inside the pack, and all squished in really tight, due to the cannister, all was fine -- UNTIL I strapped on the pack and started walking. As soon as I did, I could feel water dripping out of the bottom of the pack, on my butt. Took it down to REI and they couldn't figure out what was going on either. You could take that camelbak (the 3 liter one) out of the pack and squeeze it as hard as you wanted, and it wouldn't leak. But we couldn't get it to stop leaking in the "real world" situation -- being crammed inside the pack with the bear cannister and everything else.
So, I bought an Osprey 2.5 liter bladder, and tested it out, and it worked fine. Got it out on the trail, and the 1st day, all was fine. But when I filled it up the next morning, I was having problems with the lid. I finally thought I had it, got it packed up, started to walk out -- and -- it started leaking! By the time I got it back out of the pack, about a liter had leaked out.
So, it's experiences like this that's driving my thinking about redundancy.
Another thing, regarding the sawyer filter. I recall the REI guy telling me that it's re. ally easy to damage the bag -- to tear it where it's connected to the opening. So I think it's good to have at least a spare for that. Weighs almost nothing.

[Odd Man Out]

For filling the bladders, I use the cut-off water bottle trick for a bailing bucket that weights only a few grams and can be sued to store the filter. I no longer use the Sawyer bladder. I found it to be too small and had to refill too many times. I have two 1 L Evernew bladders. I want to be able to carry enough water for dry camping, if necessary. But having 2 bladders (rather than one large one) gives you a back up in case one breaks. I am not using these with a hydration hose for drinking on the move.

I too let the air out of the air mattress while on top of it. Then I sit up, pull the pad onto my lap, rotate it so the valve is now down by my feet, and start rolling or folding from the bottom so the air is squeezed out as I go. I will put in back in the stuff sack, just to keep it contained in the pack. I don't worry if parts are sticking out. It gets packed between the clothes bag and the sleeping bag, so I don't see much puncture risk. If the conditions are right, I might do this outside the tent to roll it up, but I don't want the pad to get wet or dirty. I like the idea of being able to pack everything while in the tent, even if it requires a bit more yoga-like maneuvering, but I want to make sure I am able to pack up in the tent if it's raining.

[egilbe]

Now you know

Half an empty water bottle or a ziplock bag makes a handy water scoop to fill your Sawyer water bladder (I've done both). If you use water bottles, or soda bottles, your Sawyer filter will fit on the top of one so it can be used as a bladder. Most people like Smart Water bottles. I think they are too long, but they could make good water scoops. Deflate your air mattress while lying on it. You can roll it up. It doesn't have to fit into the stuff sack, it just needs to fit into your pack.

There are directions for cleaning/sterilizing your water filter and water bags on the sawyer bags. Don't be afraid to clean the syringe, too. Its used for backflushing, not for filling water bladders, but I suppose it would work for filling the bags. Sawyer has directions on their website, too. I carry a two liter sawyer bladder with my squeeze and my GF carries a one liter bag. It gives us extra water storage when we need to dry camp.