Camping

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. . . Okay, Maybe They’re Not All “Must Have” But You Might Want Them Anyway

Backpackers are a resourceful bunch, and many of them would make Mary Poppins proud with the amount of stuff they have packed away in their packs. Hikers and backpackers are always striving to have the lightest, smallest backpack possible (well, they do have to carry it about all day) but then again, there are some things which you might need on your hiking trip, and there are others which you want, and there are others which you should not leave home without.

Let’s take a look at a few sleeping pad accessories which you might need to pack in your back pack before your next hiking adventure:

• Sleeping Bag Slip-Knot Straps – a bit of string might do the same job but it can be so frustrating when you’ve got your cord in a knot and you can’t get your sleeping bag free, or more importantly strap it back up neatly in the morning so that you can set off along the hiking trail without it trailing along behind you. Slip-knot straps do the job very well and will fit onto any backpack which has built in pad loops.
• Sleeping Pad Fitted Sheets – taking a fitted sheet might seem like an odd thing to stash in your pack before your next overnight camping trip, but it really can help to add those little extra comforts from home, as well as help to keep your sleeping pad clean, and they really don’t take up so much space or add any weight.
• Sleeping Pad Pillow & Pump – now we’re talking . . . an inflatable sleeping pad pillow with pump, sure beats stuffing your dirty clothes into the pillow pocket . . . smells better too.

You see, there is no excuse for not taking a pillow with you on your next hiking or backpacking expedition. It’s so tiny that the biggest problem you’ll have is to find it amongst the rest of your backpacking equipment, and so light (3 oz) you’ll never even know that it’s there.

• Puncture Repair Kit – this is essential if you sleep on an air pad on your hiking and backpacking trips, what happens if your sleeping pad bursts? Not funny at all, especially if you’ve still got a few nights camping ahead of you, but if you carry a puncture repair kit you can have the job sorted out in no time at all.
• Valve Kit – a leaky valve means a flat air pad, make sure that you have the means to fix it . . .

Just like fixing a bicycle tire really . . . yes, I can do that no problem at all!