https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/Recent content in Blog on Swiss UltralightHugo -- gohugo.ioenSat, 20 Mar 2021 23:00:00 +0000https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/gore-tex-pro-vs-ascentshell-futurelight-event-and-co/Sat, 20 Mar 2021 23:00:00 +0000https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/gore-tex-pro-vs-ascentshell-futurelight-event-and-co/Gore-Tex is a membrane made of PTFE (Teflon). The Teflon is stretched so that billions of small holes are formed. The new porous material is then called ePTFE (e for expanded). This creates about 1.3 billion pores per cm2, each with a diameter of about 1/20,000th of a drop of water, but about 770 times larger than water vapor molecules. This means that no water can penetrate, but the internal water vapor can escape to the outside.https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/5-quick-tipps-zum-thema-hygiene-beim-wandern/Thu, 17 Dec 2020 23:00:00 +0000https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/5-quick-tipps-zum-thema-hygiene-beim-wandern/1. Toilet paper: Remove the inner cardboard roll. This allows the toilet paper to be easy rolled-out from the inside (like the carnival streamers) instead of unrolling the sheets from the outside. 2. Wet Wipes: It is not always possible to wash in the river while in the wilderness. In order to keep the most important parts of your body as clean as possible, it is recommended to take wet wipes with you on long sections.https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/cuben-fiber-vs-silnylon-vs-silpoly/Sun, 13 Dec 2020 23:00:00 +0000https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/cuben-fiber-vs-silnylon-vs-silpoly/Silnylon is often used as the main material for tents. That is a nylon layer, which is coated with silicone on both sides. The silicone increases the tear strength and makes the material water repellent or waterproof. Instead of nylon, sometimes polyester is used with the same process. This is then called Silpoly. The following is a list of advantages and disadvantages. The trend among homemade tents and tarps is slowly moving more towards Silpoly due to some very positive properties.https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/merino-vs-synthetik-vs-baumwolle/Fri, 11 Dec 2020 23:00:00 +0000https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/merino-vs-synthetik-vs-baumwolle/Merino: Merino wool comes from sheep of the Merino genus. This type of sheep has wool fibers that are usually less than 24 microns thin. These thin threads ensure that sweat filled with bacteria is absorbed from the body. The fibers bind the bacteria of the sweat or trap them between the strands, preventing them from thriving and thus smelling bad. The bacteria are later washed out with the washing machine.https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/ultralight-footprints/Tue, 08 Dec 2020 15:00:00 +0000https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/ultralight-footprints/Some swear by them others think they are unnecessary ballast. They come in all sorts of variations and weight classes. Nobody likes a leaking tent floor. On the other hand, not many ultralight hikers are willing to spend 100-200g+ on a tent pad. Few therefore rely on footprints made of thick nylon from manufacturers like MSR and co. Many now use Polycryo which is nothing more than plastic film commonly used in the packaging industry.https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/gaiters-gamaschen-fur-den-schutz-der-fusse/Thu, 05 Nov 2020 23:00:00 +0000https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/gaiters-gamaschen-fur-den-schutz-der-fusse/Gaiters serve as protection from pebbles, sticks and other annoying companions while hiking. These range from Ultralight Gaiters that rise just above the ankle to the extreme heavy-duty gaiters that are knee high. In most cases, the short thin gaiters should suffice for thru-hikes. The purpose of the gaiters is to keep small debris from entering the shoes. Pebbles, sand and more cause increased friction on the feet which in turn leads to more blisters.https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/nalgene-vs-camelbak-vs-pet-flasche/Thu, 05 Nov 2020 23:00:00 +0000https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/nalgene-vs-camelbak-vs-pet-flasche/Different drinking systems all have their advantages and disadvantages. On longer hikes most people use a generic 1.5-2 L PET bottle from the supermarket. Even if the Nalgene drinking bottle is highly stable, it is almost as difficult to destroy a standard PET bottle. A sports bottle cap helps for easier handling. Below is a list of the advantages and disadvantages of the different systems. PET bottle Advantages: Inexpensive Light Availability Disadvantages:https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/vitamin-i-aka-ibuprofen/Thu, 05 Nov 2020 23:00:00 +0000https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/vitamin-i-aka-ibuprofen/Harmlessly, the painkiller ibuprofen is called vitamin “I”. The danger of taking it the wrong way is thus downplayed. Too many thru-hikers use it while hiking to fight through the pain instead of listening to the body’s alarm signs and shifting down a gear. It is good to have ibuprofen or similar painkillers in your pack as a backup for emergencies. It can be useful to take this overnight to reduce any inflammation.https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/regenbekleidung/Sun, 20 Oct 2019 22:00:00 +0000https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/regenbekleidung/More and more ultralight hikers rely on ponchos. The point is that the poncho also serves as protection for the backpack. Thus, there is no need for an additional raincover. The ventilation is extremely good depending on the model because they are open at the bottom and often have very wide openings at the sleeves. Therefore, the poncho can also be made of 100% waterproof material and does not need a waterproof and expensive membrane like Gore-Tex.https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/sos-ger%C3%A4te-f%C3%BCr-thru-hikes-und-gef%C3%A4hrliche-wanderungen/Fri, 11 Oct 2019 22:00:00 +0000https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/sos-ger%C3%A4te-f%C3%BCr-thru-hikes-und-gef%C3%A4hrliche-wanderungen/In remote places, cell phone reception is often non-existent. In an emergency situation, you are on your own without an SOS device. For longer tours it is therefore advisable to purchase one. Apart from the fact that you only have to press one button in an emergency worldwide (where GPS reception is available), some models also allow you to send SMS/emails to contact family and friends. This way, you can turn off the head rush and don’t have to constantly have an uneasy feeling about whether everything is okay at home.https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/ultralight-isomatten-beim-wandern/Fri, 04 Oct 2019 22:00:00 +0000https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/ultralight-isomatten-beim-wandern/A sleeping pad provides protection from cold ground. It also massively increases comfort. The “R-Value” indicates how high the degree of insulation is. The higher the R-Value the better the insulation. For snow, an R-Value of 5+ makes sense. In warmer weather, 2+ is perfectly adequate. The so-called self-inflatable sleeping pads should be ignored. Inside is a spreading foam, which creates the effect. This brings a lot of additional grams with it.https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/schuhe-gore-text-und-gaiters/Tue, 24 Sep 2019 22:00:00 +0000https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/schuhe-gore-text-und-gaiters/The general opinion says, as soon as one undertakes a longer hike or is on the way in the mountains, symbolically the 1.5 kg heavy leather boots are unpacked. Basically, every foot is different and everyone must find the appropriate recipe for themselves.. High shoes can contribute a bit to stability in the ankle joint. But if you are about to twist your ankle, it may be the knee joint that will suffer instead of the ankle.https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/insektenschutz/Thu, 19 Sep 2019 22:00:00 +0000https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/insektenschutz/The most beautiful hiking trail can suddenly turn out to be very annoying with the presence of some unloved insects like mosquitoes and ticks. There is nowhere to rest, enjoy just the view or have a quick bite to eat without being eaten alive. Insect repellents add extra weight to base weight and depending on the length of the hike, that can suddenly be many more grams in the form of liquid.https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/cuben-fiber-dyneema-composite-x-pac-cordura-und-co/Wed, 18 Sep 2019 22:00:00 +0000https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/cuben-fiber-dyneema-composite-x-pac-cordura-und-co/Cuben-Fiber (Dyneema Composite) Pure Cuben-Fiber is said to be 15x stronger by weight than steel. At least this is the advertising claim of the manufacturer DSM. The advantage of CF is that it cannot absorb water. An unpleasant detail of Silynlon which is often used for tents and likes to soak up plenty of water depending on the coating. In addition, CF is not stretchable. This means, for example, you do not have to readjust the tent in the middle of the night because it sags.https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/ultralight-wanderrucks%C3%A4cke/Mon, 16 Sep 2019 22:00:00 +0000https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/ultralight-wanderrucks%C3%A4cke/Osprey, Deuter, Fjällräven, Mammut and Co. They all certainly produce very high quality backpacks. However, many in the 50-60 liter category are already around 2 kg without contents. There is not much left to be still Ultralight on the road. For day trips or even times a weekend, this certainly makes no difference. However, if you are weeks or even months on the road, this has quite a high impact on the comfort while hiking.https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/base-weight-definitionen/Sun, 15 Sep 2019 22:00:00 +0000https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/base-weight-definitionen/The “Base Weight” defines the backpack weight with all contents but food, water and fuel. The last three items vary greatly, so they are not included. Definitions Lightweight (LW): Base Weight below 20 LBS (approx. 9 kg) sometimes stated as 10 kg. Ultralight (UL): Base Weight below 10 LBS (approx. 4.5 kg) sometimes stated as 5 kg. Super Ultralight (SUL): Base Weight below 5 LBS (approx. 2.3 kg) sometimes stated as 2.https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/quilt-oder-schlafsack/Wed, 11 Sep 2019 22:00:00 +0000https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/quilt-oder-schlafsack/Down can only do its job if it can spread. This means that if it is compressed, for example by lying on it, it has almost no insulating effect. That’s why many ultralight hikers now swear by quilts. Quilts are basically sleeping bags only that they don’t contain down on the underside or are simply open. So a bit of a mix of sleeping bag and blanket. Thus, part of the down filling can be dispensed with which results in fewer grams.https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/buff-halstuch-stirnband-schwei%C3%9Fband/Wed, 04 Sep 2019 22:00:00 +0000https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/buff-halstuch-stirnband-schwei%C3%9Fband/The number of applications for such a ridiculously simple piece of fabric are very impressive. The purchase is worth it in any case. The Buff is basically nothing more than a tubular scarf which is made of various fabrics such as polyester, polyamide, merino, etc. together with spandex. Thus, it is extremely stretchy. Depending on the model, the Buff also offers UV50 protection. The colors and variations are very diverse.https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/the-super-cat-alcohol-stove-aka-fancy-feast-stove/Tue, 03 Sep 2019 22:00:00 +0000https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/the-super-cat-alcohol-stove-aka-fancy-feast-stove/Widely known, the cheap gasoline stove reached thanks to Andrew Skurka (Video: Andrew Skurka DIY stove). It was probably originally created by Jim Wood. It is a simple, lightweight and inexpensive alternative to gas stoves. I use it as a backup for longer hikes since I usually eat cold but am glad for a warm meal now and then. The Fancy-Feast-Stove is filled with a little methylated spirits and the pot with water is placed on top.https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/messer-axt-und-schaufel/Mon, 02 Sep 2019 22:00:00 +0000https://www.swiss-ultralight.com/en/blog/messer-axt-und-schaufel/For longer outdoor adventures you will need the Bear grylls axe, the Bear grylls knife and a strong paracord rope in case you have to abseil somewhere. In no case forget the folding shovel. The 4 KG extra weight is certainly well invested. In reality, the mini Swiss Army Knife is enough to cut cheese and salami and an abseil down would be equivalent to a suicide attempt anyway. Most official hiking trails are sufficiently developed.