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Lightweight
Camping Quiz by CheapTents.com
Knowing the importance of great camping gear,
CheapTents.com has put together a VERY serious, and unquestionably
scientific survey to help you understand your needs as a lightweight
camper. Whether you're a lightweight backpacker, adventure racer or a
'don't forget the kitchen sink' kind of person, don't worry we'll be
able to diagnose your every need.
Lightweight camping and travel is focused on
taking the bare necessities, and trying to shave every ounce off your
backpack's weight. Lightweight camping is more about need and less
about want, whereas other people prefer to go camping for the simple
joy of being in the outdoors, and resort to car camping.
Take the 'Are you a lightweight?' quiz to find out
where you are on the lightweight spectrum...
REMEMBER TO KEEP SCORE AS YOU GO ALONG!
Lightweight
R&R
What do you class as a luxury when camping?
Basic camping
equipment like a foot spa to rest my feet after a half mile 'hike' and
hair curlers to 'make me look pretty' - 10 points
A personal shopper and a chocolate fondue
set - 8 points
Lightweight tent, lightweight rucksack,
lightweight boots, infact, anything with lightweight in the title -
4 points
Food (saves me hunting for bugs) -
2 points
What do you class as an acceptable night's sleep?
Nothing less than
a king-size orthopaedic memory mattress with a hot cup of hot chocolate
(and marshmallows of course!) - 10 points
Therm-a-rest camp mat, sleeping bag, pillow
and a tent - perfect! - 6 points
Down sleeping bag and a bivi bag. Warm and
cosey under the night sky... - 4 points
Sleep's for wusses - 1 point
Lightweight Hygiene
What do you consider a satisfactory level of
hygiene?
A shower and a
bubble bath everyday, footscrub, manicure, pedicure, massage and a
facial - 10 points
I always take compact travel-sized
toiletries for a shower and a freshen-up - 6 points
A 'refreshing' rinse in a mountain stream is
all I need - I laugh in the face of frost bite - ha! - 4
points
Hy-what? - 1 point
How do you look after your teeth when camping?
I employ my
dentist to travel with me, of course! - 10 points
Electric toothbrush, floss, oh, and a petrol
genrator to recharge the toothbrush - 8 points
A cut-down toothbrush with holes drilled
into the remaining handle is all I ever need - 3 points
I leave them at home - 2 points
Lightweight Food & Water
When you go camping, what does your diet typically
consist of?
Full English and
nothing less each morning - you can't walk to the pub on an empty
stomach! - 10 points
Nothing like a Wayfarer meal to keep your
energy levels up - 5 points
I ration my food, calculating how many
calories I need per day to bag another peak - 3 points
Food's for wusses - 1 point
What do you do for water?
There's plenty
available at the shops...there is a Selfridge's on Ben Nevis, isn't
there? - 9 points
Carry what I need for drinks, and cleaning
for that day in bottles - 7 points
Use a water filter each time I pass flowing
water - 4 points
A rain dance - 2 points
Lightweight Gear and personal cut-backs
What is the most rediculous attempt you have ever
made to save pack weight?
I almost
didn't take my sherpa once - how I would have managed without him
carrying my kitchen sink, I'll never know! - 10 points
I never leave home without my 12 dozen, or
so, helium balloons. It's like my birthday everyday - 6 points
I always cut the washing instructions out of
clothing and gear to reduce a massive amount of weight - 3
points
Rather
than carry more food, I planned to eat my friend (they only slow me
down) - 1 point
Lightweight Packs
What kind of pack do you use when lightweight
travels?
Pack? Do you mean
suitcase? You do mean suitcase, surely? Course you do. Just the two
then - 10 points
Nothing less than a Gucci handbag, darling. -
5 points
Lightweight rucksack or beltpack -
4 points
I don't
need one - I find everything I need on the trail -
2 points
Lightweight Improvisation and Innovation
True lightweight outdoor people improvise and
innovate to solve their problems everyday. What would be the best
example of your level of improvisation whilst lightweight backpacking?
I
created a floatation tank with my bath tub once whilst walking in
Derbyshire - 10 points
I cleverly built a tent by turning trouser
press upside down and using my ball gown... - 9 points
Sharing a load of my gear (tent, stove, etc)
with my travel buddy - 5 points
Shaving my head clean of hair and using it
to weave clothes - 2 points
What's
the thought process behind packing your gear?
I have a simple
packing philosophy really, as long as I've got my security anvil I'll
be OK. Oh, and my 'lucky' granite slab - 10 points
I recently asked myself whether if I was
stranded alone for minutes on end, metres away from civilisation, could
I manage without my hair straighteners? - 8 points
I plan my needs, working out exactly what I
might need and then double that amount again, and again - 6
points
I think, anything more than a leaf is
cheating - if Adam and Eve were happy then so am I! - 1 point
And finally...
What is the epitamy of lightweight camping for you?
Not going camping
at all - driving to the hotel (the CheapTents.com team boos
and hisses at people like you! Boo! Hiss! Boo!) -
10 points
Taking everything I want, and leaving the TV
- 8 points
Camping creatively and innovativley in a
minimalist way helps me to appreciate the outdoors by being less
distracted by carrying excessive gear - 4 points
Worrying about breathing as the weight of
the air in my lungs might slow me down - 1 point
...NOW CHECK YOUR
SCORE...
What
weight category are you in?
Score
80-100:You're
a Heavyweight - you like your home from home
luxuries, in fact you would like it if you stayed at home, or at the
very least took your home with you.
Heavyweight Diagnosis: Lose the horse and cart,
the devan bed, and your support team, or alternatively try a hotel.
Score
60-79:You're
a Middleweight - a taste of the esquisite
camping lifestyle is not beyond you. The occasional luxury whilst
camping should not go amiss. You would rather carry a few kilos extra
and have nicely straightened hair, carefully manicured nails and your
security anvil than go without. Ahh, bless.
Middleweight Diagnosis: You often forget that
being outdoors gives you the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, try
looking up from your Nintendo DS or Encyclopaedia and enjoy your
surroundings - you might leave them at home next time.
Score 40-59: You're a Welterweight
- you are a worrier. You want to be a true lightweight, but really you
succumb to those just in case circumstances (e.g. just in case I lose
my rucksack and all my gear, I better double-up, or just incase I get a
blister I better take a foot spa). But really, you're not that
bad, you just enjoy being comfortable as much as you like the
countryside.
Welterweight Diagnosis: Maybe you don't need the
kitchen sink, but you do need your head checking. Making weight saving
gains would be easy, and as you're a border-line case and as we feel
generous, visit the lightweight
backpacking / camping advice page and we should be able to
sort you out.
Score 20-39:You're a Lightweight
- keen to make every weight saving you can, but not devoted to the
cause like a featherweight. If it doesn't serve more than 67 purposes,
you're not carrying it.
Lightweight Diagnosis: a sensible weight for many
extreme lightweight sports. You spend your time wisely hunting for
solutions to increase your performance when outdoors, but have
standards (unlike those featherweight freaks!). Click on the
black image on the left and print out your prize - remember
to get help from an adult before using scissors!
Score
0-19:You're
a Featherweight - replace 'feather' with your
name. You are now the king of lightweight-ness! Congratulations
almighty, yet oddly lightweight one, you know not of gravity.
Featherweight Diagnosis - You have forgotten the
feeling of gravity and must be anchored down. Maybe consider treating
yourself to the odd luxury and stop eating your friends?
Thanks
for taking part! CheapTents.com
Any
more lightweight ideas, let us know, by dropping us an email.