Yes, apparently I have more stuff I need to list as 'gear' since I noticed I don't have it all in the other posts. That and the fact I've gotten new gear, it's a required update once in a while.
Tent:
Big Agnes Sunnyside 2 - This is my current tent (mine is also gray, not yellowy-orange.) It's heavy. After carrying it for 3 days last time, I was about tired of it. 6lbs (the 'shipped weight' on the box it came in was 7lbs) is heavy. I'm currently researching a different tent that's half the weight. The other issue was the rain. This tent is two parts - the tent body, and the rain fly. Great for keeping out the rain after its started, not so great while setting up. The top of the tent is mesh, so any rain that falls while setting it up will get inside the tent.
The two new tents I'm trying to decide are on the REI Ace SW 2 and the Big Agnes Seedhouse SL2. I'm not sure that I want a single wall tent, need to talk to someone who knows more about it and has experience with them. Either of the tents are about half the weight of the Sunnyside 2, which would be a huge reduction overall.
Clothing:
The Mountain Hardware pants have to go back. Some of the seams came apart, so, sort of worthless. So, I found some REI pants I like a good bit (plus they were on sale during their annual sale.)
REI Sahara Convertable Pant - Comfy, though I've burned a hole in one of the zip off legs (well, two holes) while sitting around the camp fire. Whups.
Columbia River Runner Shirt - Very comfortable. Soft as can be, and light. I haven't worn it hiking yet (though I have another similar shirt that I have.) People act like I'm dressed up when I wear my hiking gear. Go figure.
Columbia Silver Ridge 2 Shirt - Just as comfortable as the River Runner shirt, though not as soft. It's a bit lighter, and I was quite pleased with it on the Colorado Trail segments 3 and 4.
Bridgedale Lightweight Endurance Trail Hiker Sock - Wow that's a long name. Great socks though, I cut down to wearing one pair on the 30 miles of trail over Memorial Day, not one blister, feet stayed nice and dry too.
Marmot Afterburner Fleece Jacket - Finally another one I could find at Trailspace. It's windproof and just as heavy of a fleece as my old one. I wanted it for the windproof goodness of the thing. Nothing was worse than getting toasty warm in the other, then getting frozen by the wind that blew straight through.
Other stuff:
I picked up some of the CamelBak Elixir Tablets before the trip out on Memorial Day. A bit expensive, but worth it for a boost and a change from plain water (though filtered water straight from snow melt is GREAT.) I'm just glad it doesn't leave any funky taste in the reservior after I finish them off. They taste pretty good (4 tablets in 100oz. doesn't taste watered down to me, like the one guy says.)
Exped Pillow Pump - Picked this up to be able to ditch the fleece's weight and bulk. That's not to say the fleece won't find its way back into my pack during cold weather, but, this thing is lighter and about 1/4 the size of the fleece.
Tarp - It's a good thing to have. Emergency shelter, extra warmth, rain gear, whatever. It's light and a good cook area under it for one person. 6 ft by 8 ft, any smaller and it'd be too small for what I got it for.
I think that's it for new gear. I can't think of anything else, currently anyways.
Showing posts with label Gear. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gear. Show all posts
3/12/09
The rest of my gear
Yesterday's post was about the stuff that's almost always in my pack. Today's is the stuff that I wear, and occasionally have in the pack.
Sleeping Pads
Yes, there are those out there who just love the feel of the hard ground under them as they sleep. I'm not one of those people. I have two sleeping pads, I've only used one of them though.
ALPS Mountaineering Lightweight Air Pad - Comfortable, small, and light. What more could you ask from a sleeping pad? I like it because I can be lazy and let it inflate itself (it has a foam core that compresses down while carrying it, and expands to fill the thing) or I can fill it faster by inflating it myself.
Big Agnes Air Core Pad - The link is to the squared off one, I have the mummy shaped pad. This one I've never used because I don't feel like inflating it myself every time, and I don't use the bag I got it for. It's thicker than the ALPS pad though, probably twice as thick.
Clothing
I generally wear the same thing every time I go hiking.
Vasque Clarion GTX Hiking Boots - My hiking boots, obviously. They're comfortable, and water proof.
Socks - Thick wool socks and a silk liner are the ones I wear. Easier to keep from getting blisters while wearing two pair of socks.
Mountain Hardwear Talus Pack Pant - My newest pair of hiking pants. They're comfortable, and stretchy, though they don't block the wind at all. My old ones are showing wear, since I've been using them to swim in, they zip off into shorts and all.
Ex Officio BUZZ OFF Baja Shirt - Mine is yellow, instead of blue. It's light and comfortable, though the arms are a tad short for me.
Backcountry.com Shift Element Softshell Jacket - My standard jacket. I carry it sometimes, and wear it others. Stops the wind really well.
Backcountry.com Prime Power Stretch Pant - Midweight layer I tend to wear a good bit. Comfy, warm, and stops the wind in its tracks.
That's it for the gear I tend to wear. Don't know what tomorrow's post will be about. Yet.
Sleeping Pads
Yes, there are those out there who just love the feel of the hard ground under them as they sleep. I'm not one of those people. I have two sleeping pads, I've only used one of them though.
ALPS Mountaineering Lightweight Air Pad - Comfortable, small, and light. What more could you ask from a sleeping pad? I like it because I can be lazy and let it inflate itself (it has a foam core that compresses down while carrying it, and expands to fill the thing) or I can fill it faster by inflating it myself.
Big Agnes Air Core Pad - The link is to the squared off one, I have the mummy shaped pad. This one I've never used because I don't feel like inflating it myself every time, and I don't use the bag I got it for. It's thicker than the ALPS pad though, probably twice as thick.
Clothing
I generally wear the same thing every time I go hiking.
Vasque Clarion GTX Hiking Boots - My hiking boots, obviously. They're comfortable, and water proof.
Socks - Thick wool socks and a silk liner are the ones I wear. Easier to keep from getting blisters while wearing two pair of socks.
Mountain Hardwear Talus Pack Pant - My newest pair of hiking pants. They're comfortable, and stretchy, though they don't block the wind at all. My old ones are showing wear, since I've been using them to swim in, they zip off into shorts and all.
Ex Officio BUZZ OFF Baja Shirt - Mine is yellow, instead of blue. It's light and comfortable, though the arms are a tad short for me.
Backcountry.com Shift Element Softshell Jacket - My standard jacket. I carry it sometimes, and wear it others. Stops the wind really well.
Backcountry.com Prime Power Stretch Pant - Midweight layer I tend to wear a good bit. Comfy, warm, and stops the wind in its tracks.
That's it for the gear I tend to wear. Don't know what tomorrow's post will be about. Yet.
3/11/09
The stuff in my pack
Now for the stuff I carry with me in my pack all the time, well, not just in my pack. Some of the gear I wear and carry with me. There's more junk than you'd think there would be. There's probably stuff you'd never think to carry, or could see a reason for carrying. Some stuff I don't always carry, but, most of the time I don't bother taking it out, or I may need it for one of those "It'll never happen to me" scenarios.
In the pack
Pentax Optio A40 - My current camera. Replaced a Nikon CoolPix S210 after I decided to carry the camera in my pocket, and then run my leg into a table in the dark, and crack the LCD. Every picture since January 17, 2009 (and probably a bit before that) has been taken with this camera.
Garmin eTrex Vista HCx - My GPS. Used it on the CO Trail for the first time doing any real navagation with it. Works great, though it did read differently than Mike's GPS, which is the same model as mine. Mine read ~19 miles and his said ~13 miles.
Black Diamond Trail Trekking Poles - Must have for hiking, atleast to me a must have. Really help when going downhill on slick surfaces, or in mud, or just in general. They even fit in the side of my pack (I have the compact edition.)
Sea to Summit X Bowl - My collapsable bowl for dinner. Nothing more to explain about that, it's a bowl, it collapses flat, works nicely.
Marmot Impulse Jacket - My rain coat, works nicely.
Sierra Designs Hurricane Pant - My rain pants, never used them. I'd rather have them and not need them, though.
Marmot Radiator Jacket - My fleece, just incase it's cold. It also doubles as my pillow.
Brunton 8099 Eclipse - My compass for when my GPS fails me, or something. I don't use it much, as the trails I've been on haven't required it yet.
Brunton MY-Ti Folding Spork - It is what it says it is. A titanium spork that folds in half.
Snow Peak Titanium Double Wall 450 - It's a double walled mug made of titanium. Nice and light, and keeps stuff warm. Worked great every time I've used it. Mine, however, is not pink. It's silvery in color, also known as "Titanium."
Columbia Omni-Tech Booney - My hat. Waterproof (except that if you sweat a good bit, you get soaked anyways) and keeps the sun out of my eyes. I may get a new hat eventually, but it works fine for now.
MSR Sweetwater System - My water filter. I leave the chlorine drops at home, because, well, I don't want chlorine flavored water. That's one of the reasons I'm hiking.
Steripen Adventurer - Used in addition to the filter. Kills just about anything, but won't get the chunks out of your water, thus, the filter.
Black Diamond Zenix IQ Headlamp - My headlamp. No walking around in the dark for me!
Outdoor Research Backcountry Kitchen 2 - My "Kitchen." Though I don't plan on carrying half of the stuff in it, it's still something I carry for food.
Primus MultiFuel EX - My stove, though I'm seriously looking into a smaller stove that will fit into my pot so I can cut down on how much space takes.
GSI Ultralight Soloist - My cookware. The stove is a bit overkill for a soloist item, which is another part of why I want to get a new one.
Gloves & ear warmer - Yes, I carry gloves and an ear warmer. Gloves are not just for keeping your hands warm, they're for stopping things from getting to them.
Extra AA batteries - For all your techie needs! GPS, headlamp, stuff like that.
Extra Camera batteries - I have 4 batteries for my camera total, I only plan on carrying two at a time, however.
SDHC Cards - I have three 4GB SDHC cards for my camera. Each one will hold ~800 pictures.
Medkit/Emergency kit - I carry it, and will detail it out a bit below, after I finish listing stuff.
Kobalt 1 1/4lb Hatchet - Can't find a link, but it's a hatchet. You cut things with it. You also pound tent stakes into the ground with it. What else can I say about a hatchet?
Food - I generally carry 6 bars with me, for snacks along the trail, though this will increase when I do the CO Trail.
Water - I carry a 100 oz CamelBak reservior, along with two 32 oz Nalgene bottles, and sometimes a Gatorade/Powerade drink.
Paracord - I carry 50ft, though I should probably carry 150ft instead.
Spare straps - I carry repair straps for my packs, just in case I break one.
Fire Sticks - Some water proof tinder. Good for starting large forest fires that burn 100k+ acres, or, good for starting a camp fire.
Bic Lighter - Good for starting those Fire Sticks.
Iodine tablets - Just incase I break my SteriPen and Filter.
Medkit/Emergency Kit
Adventure Medical Trekker First Aid Kit - My first aid kit
Emergency Blanket - Mine is the cheapy all silver one. Still about $3, but worth it.
Bite & Sting Kit - Just because you never know.
That's it for stuff in my pack. It rarely changes, as I rarely unload my pack for anything.
In the pack
Pentax Optio A40 - My current camera. Replaced a Nikon CoolPix S210 after I decided to carry the camera in my pocket, and then run my leg into a table in the dark, and crack the LCD. Every picture since January 17, 2009 (and probably a bit before that) has been taken with this camera.
Garmin eTrex Vista HCx - My GPS. Used it on the CO Trail for the first time doing any real navagation with it. Works great, though it did read differently than Mike's GPS, which is the same model as mine. Mine read ~19 miles and his said ~13 miles.
Black Diamond Trail Trekking Poles - Must have for hiking, atleast to me a must have. Really help when going downhill on slick surfaces, or in mud, or just in general. They even fit in the side of my pack (I have the compact edition.)
Sea to Summit X Bowl - My collapsable bowl for dinner. Nothing more to explain about that, it's a bowl, it collapses flat, works nicely.
Marmot Impulse Jacket - My rain coat, works nicely.
Sierra Designs Hurricane Pant - My rain pants, never used them. I'd rather have them and not need them, though.
Marmot Radiator Jacket - My fleece, just incase it's cold. It also doubles as my pillow.
Brunton 8099 Eclipse - My compass for when my GPS fails me, or something. I don't use it much, as the trails I've been on haven't required it yet.
Brunton MY-Ti Folding Spork - It is what it says it is. A titanium spork that folds in half.
Snow Peak Titanium Double Wall 450 - It's a double walled mug made of titanium. Nice and light, and keeps stuff warm. Worked great every time I've used it. Mine, however, is not pink. It's silvery in color, also known as "Titanium."
Columbia Omni-Tech Booney - My hat. Waterproof (except that if you sweat a good bit, you get soaked anyways) and keeps the sun out of my eyes. I may get a new hat eventually, but it works fine for now.
MSR Sweetwater System - My water filter. I leave the chlorine drops at home, because, well, I don't want chlorine flavored water. That's one of the reasons I'm hiking.
Steripen Adventurer - Used in addition to the filter. Kills just about anything, but won't get the chunks out of your water, thus, the filter.
Black Diamond Zenix IQ Headlamp - My headlamp. No walking around in the dark for me!
Outdoor Research Backcountry Kitchen 2 - My "Kitchen." Though I don't plan on carrying half of the stuff in it, it's still something I carry for food.
Primus MultiFuel EX - My stove, though I'm seriously looking into a smaller stove that will fit into my pot so I can cut down on how much space takes.
GSI Ultralight Soloist - My cookware. The stove is a bit overkill for a soloist item, which is another part of why I want to get a new one.
Gloves & ear warmer - Yes, I carry gloves and an ear warmer. Gloves are not just for keeping your hands warm, they're for stopping things from getting to them.
Extra AA batteries - For all your techie needs! GPS, headlamp, stuff like that.
Extra Camera batteries - I have 4 batteries for my camera total, I only plan on carrying two at a time, however.
SDHC Cards - I have three 4GB SDHC cards for my camera. Each one will hold ~800 pictures.
Medkit/Emergency kit - I carry it, and will detail it out a bit below, after I finish listing stuff.
Kobalt 1 1/4lb Hatchet - Can't find a link, but it's a hatchet. You cut things with it. You also pound tent stakes into the ground with it. What else can I say about a hatchet?
Food - I generally carry 6 bars with me, for snacks along the trail, though this will increase when I do the CO Trail.
Water - I carry a 100 oz CamelBak reservior, along with two 32 oz Nalgene bottles, and sometimes a Gatorade/Powerade drink.
Paracord - I carry 50ft, though I should probably carry 150ft instead.
Spare straps - I carry repair straps for my packs, just in case I break one.
Fire Sticks - Some water proof tinder. Good for starting large forest fires that burn 100k+ acres, or, good for starting a camp fire.
Bic Lighter - Good for starting those Fire Sticks.
Iodine tablets - Just incase I break my SteriPen and Filter.
Medkit/Emergency Kit
Adventure Medical Trekker First Aid Kit - My first aid kit
Emergency Blanket - Mine is the cheapy all silver one. Still about $3, but worth it.
Bite & Sting Kit - Just because you never know.
That's it for stuff in my pack. It rarely changes, as I rarely unload my pack for anything.
3/10/09
Yet more of my stuff
Since the last post was a hike, and I'm trying to do one post a day, here's today's post - more of the stuff I carry.
Sleeping bags
I have 3 sleeping bags currently:
Big Agnes Gold Creek Sleeping Bag - My first sleeping bag, and one I have yet to use. It's kind of big and bulky, so I've never carried it with me since I got the others. Rated to be good down to 20 degrees.
ALPS Mountaineering Slick Rock Sleeping Bag - This was my second bag, and I used it for the first time on my CO Trail trip this January. Rated down to 0 degrees, and it kept me plenty warm while my water bottle got a thin layer of ice on it while I slept. The tent I was in was a 4 season, so it kept the cold at bay, since the other water bottle I had froze almost completely solid while it sat outside the tent.
REI Polar Pod +20 Sleeping Bag - The whole line has been revamped and the one I have has been taken off the shelves - I got it because of a review giving it 5 stars and it was $80. I took this one to Humboldt Peak last year. I didn't carry it to the top, but I carried it to the campsite near the base. Definately works down close to it's rating, since it was barely above freezing at night, and I had to unzip the thing because I was so warm.
Tents
I have two tents. I'm planning on trying one of them for the first time this weekend, and I'll figure out if I want to carry it on my CO Trail hike this summer or not.
Mountainsmith Altura 1-Person 3-Season Tent - My first tent, as the name says, it's 1 person, 3 season. So it's small, light, and..small. I don't know if I'll like it or not, but I want to try it and see. If it works, great. If not, oh well.
Big Agnes Elkhorn 3-person Tent - I just got this tent. It looks good, but weighs more than my other tent by a good bit. It's also a 3 season tent, with lots of room inside. The "footprint" is just an extra layer of protection for the bottom of the tent.
Next up: The stuff in my pack
Sleeping bags
I have 3 sleeping bags currently:
Big Agnes Gold Creek Sleeping Bag - My first sleeping bag, and one I have yet to use. It's kind of big and bulky, so I've never carried it with me since I got the others. Rated to be good down to 20 degrees.
ALPS Mountaineering Slick Rock Sleeping Bag - This was my second bag, and I used it for the first time on my CO Trail trip this January. Rated down to 0 degrees, and it kept me plenty warm while my water bottle got a thin layer of ice on it while I slept. The tent I was in was a 4 season, so it kept the cold at bay, since the other water bottle I had froze almost completely solid while it sat outside the tent.
REI Polar Pod +20 Sleeping Bag - The whole line has been revamped and the one I have has been taken off the shelves - I got it because of a review giving it 5 stars and it was $80. I took this one to Humboldt Peak last year. I didn't carry it to the top, but I carried it to the campsite near the base. Definately works down close to it's rating, since it was barely above freezing at night, and I had to unzip the thing because I was so warm.
Tents
I have two tents. I'm planning on trying one of them for the first time this weekend, and I'll figure out if I want to carry it on my CO Trail hike this summer or not.
Mountainsmith Altura 1-Person 3-Season Tent - My first tent, as the name says, it's 1 person, 3 season. So it's small, light, and..small. I don't know if I'll like it or not, but I want to try it and see. If it works, great. If not, oh well.
Big Agnes Elkhorn 3-person Tent - I just got this tent. It looks good, but weighs more than my other tent by a good bit. It's also a 3 season tent, with lots of room inside. The "footprint" is just an extra layer of protection for the bottom of the tent.
Next up: The stuff in my pack
3/6/09
My stuff
While I doubt most people will care what I carry with me while hiking, I'm going to do a list and possibly pictures of all of it.
Backpacks
I have several (5), which, according to some people, is too many.
Kelty Red Cloud 6650 is my latest and greatest pack. I got it specifically for the CO Trail trip, because 16 days on the trail needs something that big just to haul my gear and food around with me.
REI New Star Traverse, from an REI garage sale a few weeks back - It's so old there's not actually a link I can find to any real details about the pack. I found one in another langauge I can't read, but it claims to be up to 6000 cu in (smaller than the new one by a good bit.)
Millet Nanda 60+10 was my first "large" pack. It's also my only pack to get to the top of a 14er. Since I've only tried two, that's not saying much.
Vaude Aracanda 30 is my "overnight" pack. I almost made it up Quandry with this pack. That was my first try of a 14er and hadn't done any training at all.
CamelBak Menace Hydration Pack was the first pack I ever got. It's a small day pack, which I find far too small to carry most of the stuff I want to carry with me all the time.
And that's the end of my packs.
Backpacks
I have several (5), which, according to some people, is too many.
Kelty Red Cloud 6650 is my latest and greatest pack. I got it specifically for the CO Trail trip, because 16 days on the trail needs something that big just to haul my gear and food around with me.
REI New Star Traverse, from an REI garage sale a few weeks back - It's so old there's not actually a link I can find to any real details about the pack. I found one in another langauge I can't read, but it claims to be up to 6000 cu in (smaller than the new one by a good bit.)
Millet Nanda 60+10 was my first "large" pack. It's also my only pack to get to the top of a 14er. Since I've only tried two, that's not saying much.
Vaude Aracanda 30 is my "overnight" pack. I almost made it up Quandry with this pack. That was my first try of a 14er and hadn't done any training at all.
CamelBak Menace Hydration Pack was the first pack I ever got. It's a small day pack, which I find far too small to carry most of the stuff I want to carry with me all the time.
And that's the end of my packs.
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