Talk:Ultralight backpacking

This article is within the scope of WikiProject Backpacking, a project which is currently considered to be inactive.BackpackingWikipedia:WikiProject BackpackingTemplate:WikiProject BackpackingBackpacking

The use of the word 'can'

Throughout the article there are several uses of the word 'can'. For example, 'Ultralight hikers can...'. This is a wikipedia article and not a tutorial. I recommend phrases like this be reworded to something more along the lines of 'Some Ultralight hikers...' --Naturespace (talk) 19:03, 14 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Citations

Y'alls be wanting to start putting in some citations. Ratagonia 08:00, 13 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Hype

The whole article is buzz 'n hype. Multipurpose equipment is nothing new. Closed cell sleeping pads were, in the 70s. Or maybe 60s.
I could never understand why people would spend money on heavy inflatable pads (80s). Sleeping on twigs sure is hard, but the majority of people in this world has not more to lay down on.
Since decades tarpaulins are serving as poncho, tent, water collector, reflector, ... but in the jungle most modern materials get instantly eaten up by termites :-((
-- Steffen Heinrich 87.187.3.134 (talk) 22:04, 24 January 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Silnylon and Dyneema are new. 75.15.204.118 (talk) 23:36, 13 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Editing Tools

May I call attention to the "Show Preview" button, so that a series of edits can be made progressively, and only show up as a single entry in the history. This makes it much easier for other editors to follow and support your work. Ratagonia (talk) 20:13, 13 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Sometimes however, I find it convenient when the edits are separate - IF the edits do not necessarily pertain to each other. Makes them easier to follow and perhaps undo. But when a gross amount of edits on a single sentence are made it gets confusing, and in these cases using the preview makes following and supporting the edits easier. --Naturespace (talk) 00:59, 15 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

removal of section on Energy bars and Emergency food bars by User:Naturespace makes no sense

These are very common foods used by ultralighters, how stupid not to mention them in an article on ultralight backpacking. 75.14.222.80 (talk) 03:37, 19 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

First off 75.14.22.80, thank you for your contributions to the page. I removed the section for two reasons. First, there was absolutely no connection to ultralight hiking made within the statement - nothing about the philosophy of how carrying these bars can lighten up a backpack. Second, it contained unreferenced phrases within its content (eg it could be read as opinion rather than fact). I disagree it would be stupid not to mention them, but I do agree that they should be considered to be added if they are tied into ultralight backpacking, and if any phrases about their nutritional value are included these are backed up by references. Something like my recent edit...Regards --Naturespace (talk) 14:37, 19 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

User:Ratagonia flagging everything with citation needed tags

[1]

Does this sentence really need a citation?:

"In many areas, unprotected food has the potential of being eaten by bears."

75.15.192.1 (talk) 22:08, 28 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Rather than building the article from things you know are true that are in your head, the Wiki is built from articles in respectable publications. This Ultralight backpacking article is built largely by agreement on what is true by many contributing authors. Probably pretty good, but not really up to snuff, wiki-wise. Thus my continual (and perhaps over-done) request for citations. Would also be nice if citations to something other than "Beyond Backpacking" could be found. An interesting problem, since UL Backpacking is an Internet-age phenomenom, and not well-covered by the respectable journals such as "Back-breaker".

In my copy, try Jardine, page 401.

I also think the statement, as made, is particularly ludicrous. Read Jardine and paraphrase what he says (is a better way of constructing a wiki-article). In many areas, unprotected food has the potential of being eaten by: ants, mold, uncle harry, racoons, ravens, mice, squirrels, passersby, homeless people - but mostly, ants. Heck, they got my box of granola this morning. There are relatively very few areas in the USA, or the world, where Bears would be the main pilferer of unprotected food. Ratagonia (talk) 01:37, 29 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I agree that the article is in need of more citations, which are hard to come by with Ultralight Backpacking. As to that sentence though, I suggest it be re-phrased to encompass what Ratagonia wrote above, with a proper reference of course (do bear's really need a section of their own in this article?). As for Ratagonia's recent removal of references, I disagree that removing the references entirely is the proper edit to make just because they lack page numbers. Are page numbers really necessary? Look at any reputable wiki article around, and the majority lack page numbers. Further, unless there is another way to do it adding page numbers for each citation will completely clutter the references. --Naturespace (talk) 02:53, 29 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

- Hanging your food works against most potential food predators, but not always against bears, and is even illegal in certain areas. The significance to ultralighters is the significant weight of approved bear resistant containers. I disagree that references to Ultralight backpacking are hard to find (if that was so, this article should not be on wikipedia). Certainly Jardine's Beyond Backpacking is probably the number one reference today. But there are others: Jordan's Lightweight Backpacking and Camping, Kestenbaum's Ultralight Backpacker, Cole's Lightweight Backpacking, Ladigin's Complete Handbook for Light and Ultralight Backpacking ... [2] Most modern backpacking books will include a section on Ultralight Backpacking, it is hardly an obscure topic or neologism. As for Wikipedia:Citing sources, to require a reference for every sentence in an article is an abuse of policy at best and Wikipedia:Wikilawyering at worse. If an editor disagrees with a sentence, then edit it, or reach consensus on the talk page for a better edit. Only use Template:cn in cases where a statement definitely needs a reference. 75.15.202.141 (talk) 18:19, 29 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]