How Minimalist Can You Get?

[Billiebob]

As a Canadian, Winter is a fact of life that is unavoidable...

There is always the wood fired sauna in a cargo trailer option...

 

[Billiebob]

I notice some consider a cooler to be more minimalist than a fridge. I agree in most senses it is. It is definitely a more simple approach, but the fridge has actually saved me room. Since Ice doesn't take up room, I can put all my food and drinks in the fridge instead of having to rotate items in.

I agree, the fridge is more minimalistic than the ice box. Way less work. And consistent temperature control.
No need to find, buy, rotate in new ice every few days.

And cheap if you shop garage sales. Mine cost $10..... altho I do want a new fridge this year.
The old blue cooler is my dry box, the Kooltron cooler my $10 fridge.

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

MSR is a brand name... I have the MSR Windburner with 2.0l pot and coffee press. They make dual fuel stoves as well...

MSR Camping Stoves Legendary Reliability & Performance | MSR

MSR's award winning, high-performance camping stoves are ideal for backpacking, camping and world travel. Shop camping stoves, fuel canisters, and accessories.

www.msrgear.com

OH, Okay. I have a little Coleman stove like that I have had for 50 years. Not sure where I put it but I will look. It's should be somewhere close to my two burner 50 year old Coleman lantern. I wish people would spell things out instead of using initials for everything. I didn't realize I have become such a back woods uninformed yahoo til I got on the forums.

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

thats why you load the rear with stickers...so they will know!

View attachment 140906

Looks like my mother in laws car after getting thrown out of every ones house last year.

 

[grubworm]

I didn't realize I have become such a back woods uninformed yahoo til I got on the forums.

you're not missing much...

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

There is always the wood fired sauna in a cargo trailer option...

View attachment 140932

I was told that after you do the hot sauna thing you go jump in the river !

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

I agree, the fridge is more minimalistic than the ice box. Way less work. And consistent temperature control.
No need to find, buy, rotate in new ice every few days.

And cheap if you shop garage sales. Mine cost $10..... altho I do want a new fridge this year.
The old blue cooler is my dry box, the Kooltron cooler my $10 fridge.
View attachment 140934

@BillyBob, when your out in the wilds of Canada and your evening Dinner table is all set up with your brass candle Oprah, Do you howl at the moon too ?

 

[M Rose]

OH, Okay. I have a little Coleman stove like that I have had for 50 years. Not sure where I put it but I will look. It's should be somewhere close to my two burner 50 year old Coleman lantern. I wish people would spell things out instead of using initials for everything. I didn't realize I have become such a back woods uninformed yahoo til I got on the forums.

MSR is the brand Name... I don’t know if I can even think of what it stands for. It’s just been one of those names like Coleman to me. My mom had a MSR wisperlite like stove from her backpacking days and several red fuel bottles that said MSR. So when we packed up as kids, dad would ask if we grabbed the MSR... or he would ask if we grabbed the Coleman... depending on what the trip was.

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

MSR is the brand Name... I don’t know if I can even think of what it stands for. It’s just been one of those names like Coleman to me. My mom had a MSR wisperlite like stove from her backpacking days and several red fuel bottles that said MSR. So when we packed up as kids, dad would ask if we grabbed the MSR... or he would ask if we grabbed the Coleman... depending on what the trip was.

Kinda like if your in the army and your sarge tells you to get the BAR, everyone knows what that is. :-)

 

[M Rose]

Kinda like if your in the army and your sarge tells you to get the BAR, everyone knows what that is. :-)

Exactly... I had to ask my dad what BAR was we said Ma Duce

 

[grubworm]

Kinda like if your in the army and your sarge tells you to get the BAR, everyone knows what that is. :-)

and if youre in the navy, the BAR is where you go to get drunk and pick up scags

 

[Louiston]

OH, Okay. I have a little Coleman stove like that I have had for 50 years. Not sure where I put it but I will look. It's should be somewhere close to my two burner 50 year old Coleman lantern. I wish people would spell things out instead of using initials for everything. I didn't realize I have become such a back woods uninformed yahoo til I got on the forums.

Ok, does your old Coleman run on white gas? If so, you are all set. If it is propane, I doubt you can use the propane canister "inverted" on a stove of that era.

If you look at the photo I've included, you will notice a small U shaped tube rising up next to the burner. I think its called a generator ........... anyway, what that tube does is boil off the "liquid" propane from your tank providing the burner with propane "gas".
Without the generator tube to boil the liquid to a gas, liquid propane will flood your burner and it just won't work.

I don't want you heading out on a trip thinking you have the stove issue solved when if fact, you might not.

MSR Whisperlite Universal shown below

 

[ManitobaTacoma]

Yeah, winter camping in Canada would certainly require a different mindset. Obviously, survival of the low temps would be of the utmost priority.

Communications and proper extraction gear for the truck would be a very close 2nd, as being snowed/iced in during the night could/has been problematic/deadly to many.

An Arctic Expedition Tent built to handle wind and snow loads would be a must have IMHO. To say the least, much different than staggering out of the desert in 115F temps with a jug of water (hopefully) in hand.

I agree. The hard part is finding the balance between survivability, durability, and ease of use without taking up all your space or requiring 6 people to set up camp.

 

[Louiston]

I agree. The hard part is finding the balance between survivability, durability, and ease of use without taking up all your space or requiring 6 people to set up camp.

I'll throw out a very expensive option, just as food for thought.

Pictured below is my truck with a Maggiolina Extreme Hard Shell Roof Top Tent. The top and bottom are insulated with a fiberglass shell. The mattress is 3" closed cell foam, which not only makes the tent comfy but helps insulate from the bottom as well.
The tent is a 4 season rated tent. the factory states wind testing to like 50mph. I can tell you it stands up amazingly in a good blow, as we do have wind in AZ. There is an insulated wall barrier available as an option for extreme winter use .......... which I do NOT have.

This particular model uses a hand crank to raise and lower. I like the hand crank system better than the gas struts because if the wind starts blowing, I can just reach outside and give the crank a slight turn and put more tension on the canvas preventing the dreaded canvas slapping in the wind syndrome. The hand crank system will not fail in cold conditions like gas struts often do, and the tent will handle snow loads much better than gas struts ever would.

I can go from my drivers seat to being tucked in, in a matter of say ......... 4 minutes with no help from anyone. It only sleeps 2 people, and I wouldn't want to hang out up there for days being it's so small. For sleeping and/or survival I wouldn't want a different roof top tent.

As pictured below, I have slept in this tent 3 consecutive nights with the temps in the 18F range and winds gusting from 5 to 20mph. I use a good quality 0 degree bag and I was as snug as a bug in a rug.

Roof Top Tents are by no means the end all, do all tent, but in your situation I think the advantages far out weigh the cons.

You are dealing with a totally different game up there in Canada for sure!

 

[ManitobaTacoma]

I like the IDEA of roof top tents, but to me, I feel like there can be a loss for practicality, mind you, I have never used one.

-hight cost
-weight on roof
- they have to be packed up in order to use your vehicle.

I can see the pros too though: the speed of setup, insulation, etc.

UNFORTUNATELY, it isn't an option for me as my wife wouldn't be able to get into it due to physical limitations. For us it either has to be: ground tent, sleep in vehicle, or look at some sort of trailer. A teardrop would offer the same pros as a RTT in my opinion, but obviously includes its own set of limitations, including even higher cost.

 

[Louiston]

I like the IDEA of roof top tents, but to me, I feel like there can be a loss for practicality, mind you, I have never used one.

-hight cost
-weight on roof
- they have to be packed up in order to use your vehicle.

I can see the pros too though: the speed of setup, insulation, etc.

UNFORTUNATELY, it isn't an option for me as my wife wouldn't be able to get into it due to physical limitations. For us it either has to be: ground tent, sleep in vehicle, or look at some sort of trailer. A teardrop would offer the same pros as a RTT in my opinion, but obviously includes its own set of limitations, including even higher cost.

Here is your only option,

Funny how it always boils down to money! I know the feeling, a Teardrop trailer ...........................

 

[ManitobaTacoma]

Here is your only option,

Funny how it always boils down to money! I know the feeling, a Teardrop trailer ...........................

View attachment 141030

Lol.

Will consider building out the back of my truck, but luckily the wife likes tenting. Just makes for some fridgid winter trips.

 

[Louiston]

Lol.

Will consider building out the back of my truck, but luckily the wife likes tenting. Just makes for some fridgid winter trips.

You have a GOOD wife !!

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

Nice looking setup. I have considered the trailer too.... Keeps everything packed together, ready to go, and can be left at basecamp. What kind of trailer is that?

A very expensive one ! :-/

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

and if youre in the navy, the BAR is where you go to get drunk and pick up scags

That goes for the Air Force as well. Yahoooweeee