I can’t live without my GHD” proclaims my friend Sarah during lunch. I immediately visualized the GHD ab machine at my Crossfit gym and paused with confusion for a moment. Oh, hair-straightener; the penny dropped and I nodded in agreement even though I don’t use a straightener.
It’s all about perception of what we ‘can’t live without’ I guess. I’ve been hiking with people who pack ultralight (one pair of undees for six days, no mattress needed) and people who struggle under the weight of their solar chargers to keep all their tech gear running. Being of small stature and prone to knee injuries I can’t be a packhorse so I have to make smart choices.
I laughed outloud the first time i saw someone carting along a folding chair. I mean, the sneaky wine bladder or hip flask I understand and compact coffee machines are all the rage but a chair – what’s wrong with a rock or a branch or a pile of leaves? However, I’m a sucker for clever design and so i forked out for a Helinox Australia ground chair weighing in at 640g. I sacrificed my hairbrush and those extra pairs of undees (just jokes) to try it out. Suddenly it became a permanent peice of kit, even when I ditched the tent to become ultra lightweight! It has saved me from the mud of Tasmania’s southcoast track providing a dry lunch seat and keeps my pack/gear out of the dirt when theres no room left with two of us crammed in my tiny tent.
I’ve bought lots of great ideas over the years only to abandon them after deciding they don’t make the cut, but seriously, I can’t hike without my helinox chair!
tommy the travelling turtle 