Ancestral Approach to Adventure Trekking
In 1988 I cut my teeth on a six week outdoor leadership training With Paul Petzholdt who was the founder of Wilderness Education Association. I was a freshman in college and he was teaching one of his last courses, at 76, before he retired. To this day Petzholdt is considered the “Grandfather of outdoor leadership”, and was a world famous mountain climber. It is Paul Petzholdt who introduced what has become the standards for outdoor leadership training through his schools: National Outdoor Leadership School and the current WEA. Looking back on that Outdoor Leadership Training Expedition with Paul Petzholdt, I realize nobody knew the ultimate survival techniques that I would later discover. That course was, for me, the beginning of a life long study I would undertake to find the ultimate backpacking gear, and in turn also discover the secrets of self healing and longevity.
The reason this system rocks is because it
- regulates body temperature
- increases exposure to the live giving negative ions emitted by nature
- wicks moisture to the outside
- allows that moisture to escape, so you are actually drying things out even during rainy conditions!
You can stay warm even in extreme cold conditions or cool during warmer seasons. You are working with nature to increase your body’s ability to adapt to the ever changing extremes found when we are away from modern structures. You are reclaiming your birthright to be an independent child of the universe, free to experience your body and how it interacts with nature they way it was intended.
Here are the basic building blocks of the natural outdoor gear system:
- Fat and the ketogenic diet as part of the GEAR philosophy. Think of fat as fuel for your body’s furnace. Solves: body temperature regulation issued in cold – heats the body from the inside out. Also provides better energy for rugged hiking as well as deep detoxification and optimal metabolism..
- Wool which heats the body as it dries out. Solves: getting chilled when wet . Some of the best night sky viewing is in open meadows and prairie. However these are the places you are likely to encounter dew. Just beware as this can lead to a bad night as you struggle to adjust to the changing conditions, which ultimately might leave you drenched and cold. The remedy to this is to use wool bedding instead of cotton, down or synthetic. I spent decades struggling with this until I discovered wool. There is nothing else as powerful for wicking moisture and keeping you dry. Even if the outside is drenched, the inside stays perfectly dry. With wool you can wake up with no idea the area is covered in a dense fog or dew until you get out of your sleeping bag.
- A Non-Synthetic bees waxed canvas Rain/Wind Shell: Solves: grounding to the body and allows a better temperature regulation. Also does not burn from a spark coming out of the fire.
- A tent or tarp which is not sealed at the bottom and open on each end.. Solves: condensation and cold due to moisture. In good weather the open sky is the ultimate. But if you do this you want to have a tent set up nearby in case it does rain. The best all-round alternative is a tarp, which allows fresh air but protects from the rain. There is an amazingly simple tarp system available, which can be set up in five minutes anywhere and only weighs about two pounds and fits two people including gear. The poles can be
- Trekking poles or a 3 foot tall stick of wood found almost anywhere. You will also need a ground cloth under this as well as a closed cell insulated foam sleeping pad.
- A Wool Felt Hat and/or Umbrella which allows ventilation. Solves: trapping moisture and also prevents some glare without using sunglasses.
- Minimalist Shoes which allow proper alignment of the body while walking and build the feet muscles instead of atrophy them. They also prevent blisters and foot cramps. However, one needs to adapt to minimalist shoes before hitting the trail. Solves: body posture, feet muscle development, prevent blisters and foot cramps. Feet also stay warmer when wearing a proper fitting pair of minimalist shoes/boots, because the feet are moving more and this have better circulation.
- Natural Insect Repellant . This is perhaps the biggest deterrent to sleeping outside. Even the Native Americans had to deal with them by rubbing mud on their skin. In places with mosquitoes, no-see-ums, and other bity things it is necessary to use mosquito netting or protective clothing. There are herbal insect repellents such as citronella and lemongrass eucalyptus and oregano essential oils. Some people swear by tobacco…that is having an open can of it at camp. Sometimes you can escape them by crawling in your sleeping bag and pulling the top over your head. However, this can only be done in a wool blanket or sleeping bag because synthetic will become wet from your breathing. Avoid toxic endocrine disrupting chemical bug repellants in sprays, lotions and clothing. Why would you want to poison yourself and contradict the vitality and health reasons for being outside in the first place?
Principles and Reasoning
- Wool Felt Hat and Waxed Jacket: This allows air circulation similar to an umbrella. (You can also use an umbrella during warmer times for even better ventilation).
- Let yourself get wet from the waist down: In summer, this applies to shorts and sandals. In colder weather, wool pants and wool socks can get wet and still keep you warm without overheating. If you try to make your boots waterproof (with waterproof liner, etc.), that keeps the water in, so your feet don’t dry out. So a canvas minimalist shoe which lets water out would be ideal.
- Keep a set of clothes tucked away in a waterproof bag, reserved for wearing at camp, only. A merino top and bottom, wool socks, hat, sweater. This is one place where I use synthetic, in the form of a silnylon or drawstring bag inner liner.
- The tent/tarp needs to allow for excellent ventilation: A zip-up close-able tent can trap moisture/humidity and stifle the temperature regulation process just like a synthetic parka. The Ray-Way tarp idea (a simple tarp with open sides) solves the problem and makes a more fun, interactive camping experience. This also includes a net tent which goes inside when there are insects.
- Clothing and Sleeping Bag should be Wool: The reason is to provide superior moisture wicking, ventilation and temperature regulation.