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Guides

Fundamentals and decision help on dehydrating and lightweight trekking — calmly explained, with concrete numbers.

• Dehydrator buying guide

  Which dehydrator suits you? Temperature range, timer, trays and stainless steel — recommendations by use case.

• Base Weight, Total Weight, Consumables — What Counts Where?

  Base weight = pack without consumables, total weight = everything you carry, consumables = food, water, fuel. The three numbers explained simply.

• Dehydrating: Temperature and Time Table by Food

  Dehydrating temperatures by food: herbs 35–40 °C, fruit and veg 50–60 °C, dishes with ground meat 65–70 °C. With time table and safety note.

• Hiking Lighter After 50

  Hiking lighter after 50: save weight on the Big Three (pack, sleep system, tent) and by leaving things home — not on your mat, shoes or poles.

• How Much Does Food Weigh for a Multi-Day Trek?

  How much does food weigh for 3, 5 or 7 days? Around 600–800 g of dried rations per day. The lever is energy density, not quantity.

• kcal: dry weight vs. the finished pot — which number counts?

  Drying removes water, not calories: kcal per 100 g dry weight is a very different number from cooked. Why only the dry figure matters for packing.

• LighterPack Alternative in German: Offline, No Account

  LighterPack alternative in German: offline, installable app, permanent gear library and shared packing — free, no account. Import your list via CSV.

• Packing for Two: Who Carries What?

  Hiking as a pair: carry tent, stove and pot only once. How to split shared gear fairly — by weight or by role — and avoid doubling up.

• Quilt instead of sleeping bag: when the switch is worth it

  How a quilt works, how much weight it really saves, and when a sleeping bag remains the better choice. A level-headed guide to deciding.

• Buying a Sleeping Bag: Which Temperature Rating Actually Counts?

  Comfort, limit, extreme: what the three sleeping bag numbers mean, why too warm is the smaller problem, and how a liner and mat keep you flexible.

• Sleeping Pad: Which R-Value for What?

  Sleeping pad R-value explained: R 1–2 summer, R 3–4 three seasons, R 5+ winter. Why the pad often matters more than the bag — and how to combine them.

• Small Makers: Who Designs and Sews Lightweight Gear Themselves

  A curated list of small outdoor workshops in the German-speaking world and Europe: packs, quilts, clothing, packrafts — editorial, no affiliate links.