lucilanternpocketrocket
-By Lee Crouch

A number of years ago when I lived and worked in the Sierra Nevada backcountry of Kings Canyon National Park, I can remember several times getting a good chuckle at the expense of some young greenhorn who would show up at the trailhead in sandals, shorts, and a bag of trail mix, claiming he was going to live off the land. We were always pretty sure that he’d be safe and sound by nightfall back in the relative safety of his apartment, wondering if the beautiful California beaches might be more to his liking.

Now as I saunter down the trail with my Luci Inflatable Solar Lantern in one pocket and my Pocket Rocket Stove in the other, I find myself wondering if I might be presenting a similar spectacle.

Now that age has removed me from that group of young people who seem to be able to skip down the trail with a 60 - 70 pound pack while whistling a happy tune, technology has intervened in a timely fashion with some ultra-light products that should serve to extend my years in the backcountry.

The Luci Lantern provides a remarkable amount of light, is almost non-breakable, and weighs about 3 ounces. This doesn’t include the weight of the batteries because, of course, there are no batteries. As long as one remembers to affix it to the top of one’s pack, it will easily recharge during your hiking time. Even if you’re in stormy weather it will last for several days on just one charge. It has three different lighting modes: a dimmer light for a longer burn time, a brighter light when desired, and a flashing light if you’d like to convert your camp into a disco. (It might also come in handy as an emergency flasher.)

The Pocket Rocket is the smallest stove I have ever seen. While it may not be the ideal stove for an Everest expedition, it’s just about perfect for an ultralight trip or any backpack trip where your pack weight is important. Weighing just over 3 ounces, it claims to be able to boil a liter of water in 3 minutes and 30 seconds. I would assume this test was performed near sea level and one should adjust one’s expectations to one’s altitude. It has no wind guard, so it’s imperative to place it down into some rocks or use one’s pack to help block the wind. It may not be the most stable stove you’ve ever cooked on, but using a little extra caution is certainly a worthwhile trade off for the compactness and the light weight.

Purchase the Luci Inflatable Solar Lantern HERE.

Purchase the Pocket Rocket Stove HERE.