Review of TRAIL LIFE by Ray Jardine

This is a review of the book Trail Life - Lightweight Backpacking by Ray Jardine
The video was created for Backpacker Magazine as part of an application to be a gear tester.
More information about backpacking, hiking and camping can be found on my web site at:
http://www.backpackbasecamp.com

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• lightweight backpacking
• backpacking
• hiking
• ultralight
• long distance walking

[craigh1981]

I don't know Mr Jardine. But your review shows you don't understand how to put things in context. Trail LIfe is NOT A "HOW TO" book. So your criticism of things he has supposedly left out of the book is not valid. Everything in the book must framed by the concluding paragraphs of the introduction. You must be jealous of his success

[RLMorris42]

@craigh1981 Well you seem to have a different why of looking at this book than I do. To me the context of the book is clearly intended as some kind of instruction "how-to" book. As for being jealous of his success - well as you said you don't know Mr. Jardine and you don't know me either. There are people that get to spend much of there lifes on the the trail that I do envy (perhaps jealous) but Mr Jardine is not one of them.

To me it is perfectly OK for you to admire him and enjoy his book

[greglocascio]

Are the interviewer and interviewee the same person or twins? I read Beyond Backpacking before a 2004 thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail and found the book helpful in lightening my load and even on-trail philosophy, such as, corny as it sounds, developing a connection with the natural world. Yeah, some of Jardine's ideas are out there, but for any backpacker looking to lighten their loads, his books are indispensable treasure troves of knowledge.

[RLMorris42]

@greglocascio As far as I know, I am one person (I try to keep my evil twin buried deep inside me - he may have gotten out for this interview). In retrospect, I think I was a bit harsh on Jardine.

[shadowofmy]

Finally! Someone saying Ray Jardine isn't so great!

I admire him for being a pioneer in lightweight backpacking, BUT ... I would NOT recommend to sew your own staff from my personal experience ! It's NOT as easy as Ray promotes! Nor is inexpensive ( in fact, I think it's WAY OVERPRICED! If you calculate everything). BUT mostly - it's so TIME CONSUMING - I could rather rent a mules (or even a plane) for myself if I just stay earning money on my job instead! Jardine became a BRAND not a fellow

[RLMorris42]

@shadowofmy Thanks for the feedback.

[vipermadman]

And btw, he doesn't sell sewing machines dude, just inexpensive patterns and materials for packs, tarps, etc. He actually recommends buying refurbished sewing machines for under $100. The reason he is against "capitalism" as you put it is because of oversea sweatshop labor, page 37. That shit is horrible, have you seen it? America is about freedom & individuality, & Ray's business reflects that. Not extreme consumer capitalism. So third times a charm man, think you should reread his book.

[Proaconstructor]

Ray made dough off Friends.  I don't know why he hates makers other than perhaps familiarity. Ray makes stuff, if he didn't we wouldn't have friends or other stuff he came up with. One thing about making stuff is since you made it, you sorta like it, then you keep it, and don't spend all your time as a consumer rather than a doer. I'm glad he writes about what he knows. Someone else can write about buying stuff. IN '72 when I started a lot of people made their gear, even climbing gear.

[harry21868]

I practiced "Ray Way" in the Angeles National Forest, and the Lake District, by the mid-seventies. A lot of people practiced "Ray Way " long before me. But give Ray his due. He wrote the book on post-"backpacking" wilderness walking. I will love Colin Fletcher till the end of my days, but it took a Ray Jardine to examine and dismantle the whole weighty proposition that was "backpacking."

[WorldClimb]

Funny how Ray has a whole line of gear he sells now. Kits you make yourself mostly but why bother, either get the materials and plans off the net or buy the gear.

[slodeth5]

I bought it, too. It was overly all inclusive, I found, and I didn't care for the size of the book, either. I can't recomend it. There's more info in it than you need. There are a lot better books out there that will teach you the basics of lightweight and ultralightweight camping and lets the reader can learn the details on their own. The most important thing this thing teaches is the value of lightweight backpacking. Thanks for sharing.