Backpacking and Gear Talk

[MStudt]

Pretty sure this isn't a thread yet, and I figure I'll be the one to start it.

After returning from a thru-hike on the AT only a couple weeks ago. I'm already itching to get back out, and away from the daily grind. I've learned a lot from my 2200 mile hike about gear. After returning my wife and I are already getting rid of gear, and in turn buying new gear.

Let's hear what you have, and places you've been. We're starting to plan our next trip, and are set to leave in about 3 years.

 

[MStudt]

Our gear (this will be continuously updated):

Packs:
*Gossamer Gear Gorilla Pack- 26 oz.
*Granite GEar Crown VC 60 - 34 oz.

Sleeping Gear:
*Big Agnes Insulated Air Core sleeping pad (winter pad)- 29 oz.
*Enlightened Equipment Enigma 40 Top Quilt- 14 oz
*Sea To Summit Reactor Liner- 9 oz.

Sleep System:
*North Face MICA SL2 (3 season)- 50 oz
*North Face Mountain 25 (4season)- 136 oz.

Cooking Gear:
*Light My Fire Titanium Spork- .7 oz.
*Snow Peak Double 450 Titanium Mug- 4 oz.

Hiking Gear:


Misc:
Deuce of Spades- .6 oz

 

[MtnT4R]

Hey OP, out of curiosity, what gear did you dislike the most on your trek and why?

This is pretty much my standard core gear loadout for up to a week- for longer trips I can easily add gear peripherally as needed. Don't usually carry much:

Pack:
- older model Osprey Kode 38

Sleep system:
- Eno single nest hammock(or a mil spec Gore Tex bivy)
- Kelty 6x8 tarp
- Klymit Inertia 3/4 length sleeping pad
- Sierra Designs Mobile Mummy DriDown 4-season bag

Mess kit:
- Klean Kanteen 40oz with steel cap
- Snow Peak 750ml titanium mug
- Light my Fire titanium spork

Misc:
- med kit
- athletic tape
- Black Diamond Storm headlamp
- 550 cord
- fire steel
- knife
- axe
- multitool
- extra steel canteen
- booze

 

[MStudt]

Hey OP, out of curiosity, what gear did you dislike the most on your trek and why?

I'll give you a couple of items.

1. Vasque boots are crap, and Vasque doesn't stand behind their warranty. Their boots started falling apart within 3 days of hitting trail, and we each went through 3 pairs of them.
2. Mountain Hardware Pinole 20 is not a bag that you want to have when it's 30 degrees outside. There is no way this bag is rated to 20 degrees.
3. Big Agnes sleeping pads are very comfortable, but not very durable. We each popped 4 pads on this trip. Even though Big Agnes did warranty the pads like they always have. Sleeping on a popped pad between towns sucked.
4. REI trail runner gaiters are cheap. The strap running under your shoe came off of one within a week, and then the started tearing around the tensioner shortly after that. Although they made it to the end, they were almost unsaleable.

 

[KidVermicious]

Nice thread! We really need an outdoors subforum.

I'd be a gear junky if I could afford it. I can't, so I'm not. I haven't done any backpacking for a long time but I'm slowly piecing together a kit for three season overnighters and then I'll go from there. I'm definitely not a UL geek, I've got too many pounds of my own to lose before I worry about grams and ounces in my gear, but I do like to pack light. I think simpler is better.

Pack - Mountain Hardware lumbar pack with shoulder straps, or an REI Flash 45. I think I can get away with the lumbar pack for summer overnighters, I'll obviously need the backpack for colder trips.

Shelter - 10x7 silnylon tarp and cheapo trekking poles. This is a little small, I'll need something a little bigger for truly inclement weather. I have a couple tubes of silicone and some spirits and a big whack of ripstop waiting for me to get around to making a bigger version.

Sleep system - DIY hammock, Klymit Static V and pillow, and an antique mummy from REI. I can't sleep on the ground and be truly comfy, the hammock is great as long as I'm camping somewhere I can sling it. I'm considering one of the lightweight backpacking cots for trips in southern Utah where the trees are scarce (and fragile!).

Cooking - MSR Dragonfly and an old Stansport kettle, plastic spoon and fork, sierra cup.

Others - I carry a small first aid kit, a pair of monster 48oz Nalgene bottles, a small water filter, a small repair/patch kit with needle and thread and superglue and duct tape, matches/lighter/emergency firestarter, signal whistle, an old Garmin eTrex, all that stuff. If I leave behind one of the Nalgenes and bungy the sleeping back to the straps I can pack all that into the lumbar pack. I haven't been out with it yet to know how much I'll like having the sleeping bag on the straps like that though.

I hike in a set of lightweight Merrils or my burly Danners, depending on terrain, and I've got a random assortment of fleeces, softshells, base layers, and raingear to keep the weather away. I sleep in sweats and a Mountain Hardwear fleece when the temps dictate, but I think a new sleeping bag is next on the list. I'd like something a little warmer and a lot more packable. I've been eyeballing the kits at thruhiker.com with envy and if I can ever stop spending money on trucks I'm going to give a DIY down quilt a try.

 

[MStudt]

[MENTION=49649]KidVermicious[/MENTION] that's not too bad of a set-up.

We couldn't get used to hammocks on the trip. We tried saving weight by hanging under the same 9x12 tarp, and it didn't so well those few nights. I've found that I can only sleep on the inflatable air pads now, and the thin pads from the back in the day don't cut it anymore. We also ditched our Nalgene bottles, and now carry Smart Water bottles. They're a liter each, and weigh nothing.

 

[MtnT4R]

2. Mountain Hardware Pinole 20 is not a bag that you want to have when it's 30 degrees outside. There is no way this bag is rated to 20 degrees.
3. Big Agnes sleeping pads are very comfortable, but not very durable. We each popped 4 pads on this trip. Even though Big Agnes did warranty the pads like they always have. Sleeping on a popped pad between towns sucked.
.

Well, looks like we both learned this the hard way- A bag's 'title' rating basically means it will keep you alive at that temperature. If you look into the specs, every bag should have an 'EN Comfort Limit' and 'EN Lower Limit' rating, which are basically real world ratings for a 'comfortable' nights rest if all other conditions happen to be perfect. The Pinole has a lower limit of 26F, so you were pretty much right there. After a few uncomfortable experiences, I now really prefer my bag to be rated 20F lower than anticipated conditions. You can always unzip halfway and vent if you're too hot, but its sort of hard to add layers you left in the truck 10 miles back down the trail.


Did you bring a patch kit for your air pads? Seems like KidVermicious and I both like Klymit pads- they come with a really handy kit to patch punctures on the go. Or you could always go with an egg crate foam style pad. My brother has been darn happy with his foam pad, still going strong after 3 or 4 years, usually over 50 days a year.

 

[Ol'Blue]

We have been looking at them. Any thought on them if you have used one. We are thinking the bag for our needs on the Kayaks.

Blue

YETI Coolers- Premium Ice Chests, Apparel, and Gear

 

[MtnT4R]

We have been looking at them. Any thought on them if you have used one. We are thinking the bag for our needs on the Kayaks.

Blue

YETI Coolers- Premium Ice Chests, Apparel, and Gear

Yetis are as bulletproof a cooler as you will ever find. Ice lasts for a looooooooong time- but they are heavy as hell. Definitely not man portable at all. Havent used the bag but it looks pretty solid- my friend's girlfriend carries a similar one on her paddleboard when we hit the river.

If you are in the market for a hard sided cooler though and want an alternative to Yeti, check out Orion Coolers- made by the same company that manufactures our kayaks. Rock solid gear with a few more useful features than Yeti.

 

[Ol'Blue]

Yetis are as bulletproof a cooler as you will ever find. Ice lasts for a looooooooong time- but they are heavy as hell. Definitely not man portable at all. Havent used the bag but it looks pretty solid- my friend's girlfriend carries a similar one on her paddleboard when we hit the river.

If you are in the market for a hard sided cooler though and want an alternative to Yeti, check out Orion Coolers- made by the same company that manufactures our kayaks. Rock solid gear.

Funny you say that because I just looked at one on the rive this last weekend. They build Jackson's. They are solid boat for sure. I have two Wilderness Kak's right now that we paddle. Just looking at options for a long weekend trip and camping on the river banks. Looking at the Hopper. It would be easy to put in a Yak.

Blue

 

[MtnT4R]

Funny you say that because I just looked at one on the rive this last weekend. They build Jackson's. They are solid boat for sure. I have two Wilderness Kak's right now that we paddle. Just looking at options for a long weekend trip and camping on the river banks. Looking at the Hopper. It would be easy to put in a Yak.

Blue

haha yep we are Jackson whores. Their designs and outfitting are second to none. We all have playboats and usually just surf and goof around, but they also make some great touring kayaks. Are your Wilderness kayaks the sit-on-top type?

 

[Ol'Blue]

haha yep we are Jackson whores. Their designs and outfitting are second to none. We all have playboats and usually just surf and goof around, but they also make some great touring kayaks. Are your Wilderness kayaks the sit-on-top type?

Ride 115X Max Angler | Wilderness Systems

I have two of them. Great boats, really happy with them so far. I wanted to see a Big Tuna but there were none with in 300 miles of me so this was the next best thing for my needs and wants.

Blue

 

[MStudt]

Well, looks like we both learned this the hard way- A bag's 'title' rating basically means it will keep you alive at that temperature. If you look into the specs, every bag should have an 'EN Comfort Limit' and 'EN Lower Limit' rating, which are basically real world ratings for a 'comfortable' nights rest if all other conditions happen to be perfect. The Pinole has a lower limit of 26F, so you were pretty much right there. After a few uncomfortable experiences, I now really prefer my bag to be rated 20F lower than anticipated conditions. You can always unzip halfway and vent if you're too hot, but its sort of hard to add layers you left in the truck 10 miles back down the trail.


Did you bring a patch kit for your air pads? Seems like KidVermicious and I both like Klymit pads- they come with a really handy kit to patch punctures on the go. Or you could always go with an egg crate foam style pad. My brother has been darn happy with his foam pad, still going strong after 3 or 4 years, usually over 50 days a year.

Definitely not going with foam. I'm too old to lay that close to the ground. I've found that trying to a pin hole in a pad while hiking is pretty much impossible. We switched over the Therm-A-Rest as soon as we got home, and we'll be giving them a try over Labor Day. We've also switched out our bags for top quilts. I'm pretty excited about getting them in, and they should start showing up next week. They seem to be the way to go now, and a lot of people are switching over.

haha yep we are Jackson whores. Their designs and outfitting are second to none. We all have playboats and usually just surf and goof around, but they also make some great touring kayaks. Are your Wilderness kayaks the sit-on-top type?

Ride 115X Max Angler | Wilderness Systems

I have two of them. Great boats, really happy with them so far. I wanted to see a Big Tuna but there were none with in 300 miles of me so this was the next best thing for my needs and wants.

Blue

Looks like we need a kayaking thread as well. We have several boats to choice from depending on the trip. We have a Mad River Explorer series canoe that we use when we want to bring a cooler for a few nights on a lake. We also have a couple Perception Swift's that we use for day trips on the local rivers. Finally, we have a couple Perception Conduit 13's that we use for overnight river trips.

We're going paddle boarding over Labor Day as well. I can see those being our next purchase.

 

[KidVermicious]

Did you bring a patch kit for your air pads? Seems like KidVermicious and I both like Klymit pads- they come with a really handy kit to patch punctures on the go.

I had to patch my Klymit once. I couldn't do it in the wild, couldn't find the leak. Had to get it home and stick it in the tub.

The patch has held well though.

 

[MtnT4R]

Shelter - 10x7 silnylon tarp and cheapo trekking poles. This is a little small, I'll need something a little bigger for truly inclement weather. I have a couple tubes of silicone and some spirits and a big whack of ripstop waiting for me to get around to making a bigger version.

I have a dyneema tarp and a regular silnylon tarp, they're light and pack up small, but their durability is questionable and they make so much friggin noise if they arent under enough tension it drives me nuts on windy nights.

So I'm planning on a little DIY project next week- want to make an oilskin tarp:
https://survivalsherpa.wordpress.co...ke-lightweight-oilskin-tarps-from-bed-sheets/

Could be a nice cheap alternative to messing with silnylon, and should only cost me around 50 bucks when its all said and done. I'll let ya know how it turns out.

 

[MStudt]

Silnylon tarps are all the rage now, and tons or people had them on the AT. We have a 9x12 that we use from time to time, and weighs right around 16 oz. I just don't know how I feel about it. I'm afraid to use it anywhere something might fall from a tree or poke a hole in it. I'm considering making a Cuben Fiber tarp for our upcoming trip.

 

[KidVermicious]

Cuben Fiber

 

[Paisano]

Pretty sure this isn't a thread yet, and I figure I'll be the one to start it.

After returning from a thru-hike on the AT only a couple weeks ago. I'm already itching to get back out, and away from the daily grind. I've learned a lot from my 2200 mile hike about gear. After returning my wife and I are already getting rid of gear, and in turn buying new gear.

Let's hear what you have, and places you've been. We're starting to plan our next trip, and are set to leave in about 3 years.

Congrats on the AT to you, wife, and dog and thanks for starting this thread! You're right on with the Smartwater bottles.

Guess I'll give my big 3.

Pack = Exped Lightning 60
Shelter = Simply Light Designs Hammock and tarp, whoopie sling setup
Sleep = Marmot Never Summer 0 but switching to Western Mountaineering Apache MF, Thermarest Z Lite Sol pad

 

[MStudt]

Congrats on the AT to you, wife, and dog and thanks for starting this thread! You're right on with the Smartwater bottles.

Guess I'll give my big 3.

Pack = Exped Lightning 60
Shelter = Simply Light Designs Hammock and tarp, whoopie sling setup
Sleep = Marmot Never Summer 0 but switching to Western Mountaineering Apache MF, Thermarest Z Lite Sol pad

How do you like the Exped pack? I was considering getting the Lightning 45, but went with Gossamer instead.

 

[Paisano]

How do you like the Exped pack? I was considering getting the Lightning 45, but went with Gossamer instead.

I like it so far, longest trip I've used it on was 4 days. Most weight I've had in it was ~31 lb and carried fine. It's pretty light but that Gossamer Gorilla is really light! I prefer the desert and needed a little more room for water. I probably should've looked further into a larger Gossamer but wanted something I had tried on at the store, etc.

So where's your next long distance hike in 3 years, or is that under wraps right now?