7 Gear Hacks For Sustainable Camping
I find camping to be the best way to get back to nature. Nothing beats waking up in the morning, sticking your head out of the tent and getting devoured by mosquitoes…I mean, hearing the joyful chirping of birds and the smell of the forest.
As beautiful and peaceful as camping is we must remember that we are guests in the outdoors, and as such we have the responsibility, towards both nature and the visitors that will come after us, to leave the place clean and without any trace of our passage.
So here are 7 gear hacks to help you reduce the impact your adventures can have on the Great Outdoors!
#1 - Leave plastic at home, use stainless steel bottles!
Nothing ruins a walk through the wilderness quite as much as spotting a plastic bottle sticking out of the underbrush.
Avoid having plastic bottles on your trip, switch to stainless steel! This material is much more durable, will not rust and can essentially last forever. These bottles can also be used for any type of drink, so that’s a plus point for whoever insists in leaving empty beer and coke cans everywhere.
If you get an insulated model, you can even use them for hot coffee and tea!
The only downside of steel bottles is the increased weight, but that’s a small sacrifice to make. These bottles are also on the pricier side, but treat them well and you might be looking at a once in a lifetime purchase.
The best brand I can recommend is Klean Kanteen. Not only are their bottles built like tanks, they also donate 1% of their earnings to various nonprofit environmental groups. You can read all about it here!
I have been using the Insulated Classic 592m (20oz) for about three years, both at work, to travel and on the trail. Despite a few dents, because I’m silly and I drop it a lot, it still performs like brand new.
Other awesome brands I would recommend are Stanley, extremely durable but heavy, and Hydro Flask, much lighter but not as impact resistant as the other two brands.
#2 - Switch off the gas and go with bio-fuel!
Gas burners are one of the most popular tools to cook a meal when camping.
They are light, compact, and require minimal effort to use. The problem is what happens once the gas canisters are empty.
Not too sure how other countries handle this issue, but where we live it seems almost impossible to get rid of the canisters after purchase. You’re not supposed to throw them in the trash, recycling areas refuse them and shops won’t take them back either. The result is old containers piling up at home without being recycled or worse, abandoned at campsites.
The best solution we’ve found is to use a bio-fuel stove. These stoves don’t require any liquid or pressurised gas, they run entirely on bio-materials such as dry wood and leaves. The bio-fuel needs to be lit manually, just like you would with a normal fire, but is fully contained inside the stove, therefore preventing any accidents.
Remember to always use dry sticks and leaves, never cut down live plants! After you’re done, remember to safely dispose of the embers. Dig a pit, throw them in and bury them. The dirt will suffocate them and stop them from reigniting. Never assume that the embers are cold and that you can just throw them away!
Our top pick is the Bio-Lite Camp Stove 2. It consists of a steel fire chamber with a battery and a 2600 mAh powerbank connected to the back. The battery powers a fan with three intensity settings that fuel the flame.
The battery pack is rechargeable via USB, allowing you to plug it into a powerbank or solar charger. Another way to charge it is by simply using it. The battery connects to a probe that sits inside the fire chamber. This then converts heat from the flames into electricity, recharging the battery, the powerbank and any device plugged into the USB port!
It takes a while to get the hang of it, but we’ve last used it every day on a five day trip without any difficulty.
Take a look at this how-to video from Bio-Lite’s Youtube channel if you want to know more!
#3 - Get some reusable utensils!
Just as with bottles, forget plastic utensils and get something made out of eco-friendly materials, such as wood, steel or aluminium.
They will be more durable and fully recyclable, so the planet will thank you!
There is another interesting alternative, and that is the bioplastics developed by Light my Fire. They are made by partially using organic material such as wood fiber, and because of that they are easier to recycle compared to standard plastic, as well as having a smaller ecological impact. For more information take a look here.
Our top pick is the Light my Fire Camping Spork. It combines all the utensils you might need in one, and is durable, extremely light and compact. We’ve had one each for over two years and they are still in top shape.
#4 - Get an eco-friendly soap and detergent!
Some seemingly harmless products that we regularly use at home can have terrible consequences when used in the wild.
Instead of taking a shower gel from home, bring an old fashioned and naturally made soap bar. It is bio-degradable and won’t leave any traces.
The best we can recommend is the Rogue Soap from United by Blue. It’s eco-friendly and safe for use outdoors. United by Blue is engaged to remove one pound of trash from the oceans and waterways for every item sold. So you’d be purchasing an environmentally friendly product while helping to clean the planet at the same time!
As for your dishes, use a bio-degradable detergent. Most are concentrated, so you’ll either need a foldable bucket or a spray bottle. You can also reuse the soap bar if you wish.
Our go-to detergent is Campsuds (#affiliatelink). It’s a highly concentrated, inexpensive and effective multi-purpose cleaner. Remember that you only need to dilute a few drops in water to make it effective.
Whichever you pick, always do your cleaning at least 60 (200 ft) meters away from water sources, even if the products are eco-friendly!
#5 - DIY your own bug spray!
Spraying yourself with chemicals such as DEET has the potential of doing more harm than good, and will also make you smell weird.
In order to make the most out of your trip while still keeping mosquitoes, midges and ticks from turning you into dinner, use a natural bug repellant.
You can even DIY your own by diluting a few drops of essential oils like eucalyptus and citronella in water!
We’ll be posting a guide on making your own bug spray soon, so stay tuned!
#6 - Use waterproof dry-bags instead of plastic bags!
Instead of carrying your trash in yet more single use plastic bags, simply use roll-top dry-bags.
They are washable and reusable, so you can just empty them when you can and keep on going. Plus, they are almost airtight, which will reduce any smell coming from the trash.
These dry-bags can also be used to carry a multitude of items that might require protection from water and humidity.
For example, we use our Osprey 6L Drysacks to carry tinder for our Bio-Lite, or to keep electronics safe when crossing a body of water!
#7 - Use solar panels and power-banks instead of single-use batteries!
Batteries are not always easy to dispose of and recycle.
To reduce the impact that battery-powered electronics have on the environment, switch as many devices as possible to rechargeable alternatives, and take with you a powerbank or a solar panel.
A good powerbank, around 10.000 mAh, should have enough power to recharge a device like a cellphone between 3 and 4 times, more than enough for a short to medium length trip.
There are of course more powerful models, but another fun alternative is to use a portable solar panel. You can easily connect it to either a device or an empty powerbank and then lash it to the outside of your backpack using some paracord. It will sit there and recharge your devices while you’re hiking!
A good solar panel to check out is the Goal Zero Nomad 10. It’s compact and powerful, ideal for small devices such as smartphones, headlamps and powerbanks. The only drawback is that it’s not exactly ultralight, as it weighs 510g (1.12 lbs). This means that you might have to sacrifice another piece of gear, or just deal with the extra weight. It’s also pretty expensive, but well worth it for long adventures in the wild!
And there you have it, these are 7 hacks we’ve used to make our trips in the wild more eco-friendly!
Always remember to clean up after yourself, leave no trace and keep enjoying the Great Outdoors!
See you on the trail and until next time, this is Luca, signing off.
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