Camping and Backpacking GEAR thread

Wow I've never seen that before. Let me know your thoughts? That beats an ice cold coin shower any day. Try some of the antibacterial wipes you can find at a store, too. Make for a quick defunk after a sweaty day.

 

Unscented baby wipes work really well and a pack of them doesn't weigh very much.

 

Been keeping up with the camping thread on here, but that is mostly car camping and pull behinds. I have recently started picking up items for backpacking, actually looking for the last major piece right now, hoping the Deuter act light's go on sale at REI for the labor day sale.

Anyone here use geargrams.com? I keep my equipment list there and find it very useful for loadout weights etc.

Current major items I use:

Deuter act light 40+10 (REI Labor Day sale)
Alps Mountaineering aries 2 (2 man tent): Steep and cheap
Sawyer Squeeze filter: Amazon
Patuoxun light weight backpaking stove: Amazon - this thing is amazing for cheap
GSI Dualist cook set: Amazon
Big Agnus insulated air pad: Steep and Cheap
Black Diamond Storm headlamp: Gift

Winter:
Exped Downmat 9LW: REI gear trade
TNF Blue Kazoo 20º Down


My current want list:

Frogg Toggs Dri Ducks
Jetboil SOL Ti
Sea To Summit Spork


Sites to keep in mind for gear junkies:

Steepandcheap.com
Geartrade.com

 

I'm a believer! I hike with wipes and an MSR Pack Towel for.my face and it's really a good setup for me. Br Car camping a little shower bag would be great. Do pay attention to what kind of soap you are using (if any) and your proximity to water sources, though! Leave No Trace

 

Never used gear grams, I just use an Excel spreadsheet and my $20 digital scale. Those Downmat pads are nice, huh? Great score.

Have you been fitted with the Deuter yet? One thing to keep in mind with backpacks is fitment, fitment, fitment. Needs to fit your body first, gear second, wallet third.
My first lusted over backpack was god awful with 30 lbs inside, REI can fit you and they have weights to stuff you with. Weigh your heaviest gear load and use their weights or better yet, take your gear with you and load each pack you try with actual gear.

 

Yea that's why I'm waiting for the sale, I like Deuter because they are very adjustable but I want to be in the store to wear it for a while before actually pulling the trigger on it. The only other thing I am concerned about is how much room I am actually going to need, I tried to be conscious to buy smaller light weight gear the first time, where as most noobs buy cheaper and heavier and too much gear so its hard to find a noob post that doesn't say you need a 80L pack for 2-4 days.

 

I have a nice internal frame Deuter pack that I picked up a 4 years ago...very comfortable to wear, what I like about them is that you can adjust the shoulder straps vertically along your spine which allows the weight to be be distributed better...

one tip and I did this when I got my pack, have the sales man put some weighted items in there....this way you can feel how the pack acts when under wheight

 

Most new people can get by with 50L. My first pack was 70L, my current isn't much smaller at 65, but is also a lightweight bag almost half as heavy as the 70L and way better to carry, more comfortable, better design for me.

You should consider taking your own gear when you try the pack on, your heaviest load, and see what size you need just for normal gear. It'll save money versus too big of a pack and you'll have real tangible ideas about what you can get buy with. Have you read about pack fitting? If not you should. It will help you understand where the belt should sit on your waist, what angle to maintain with load lifter straps to keep them functional, where the shoulder straps should be sitting on your chest and all other fun stuff.

You're definitely right that everybody thinks they need an 80L for their first trip! I fell for it, too.

My gear is bigger than most because I am bigger than most, but I'd love to see my setup one day fit in a 35L +/- pack.

 

if you are looking at a Deuter, here is their pack fitting guide

http://www.deuter.com/US/us/pack-fitting-1553.html

 

Anybody into wood burning stoves for backpacking? I've been wanting one for a couple years, there's so damn many available and some are $$$$. I made my own Ikea woodburner stove for like a $7 bill, but more for shits and giggles since I've only burned it in my driveway in the past 2 years.
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=27176&id=YqbVzEvA:107.193.212.74

One day I'll test it for efficiency and see where it's at, but I'd love a Bushbuddy, Solo Stove, and about 7 other wood burners I've seen. Living in CA, they're not that practical since we're in a perpetual drought and open fires are often restricted, but I love the concept, love the tactile experience of sourcing fuel and gathering sticks, creating the fire and not clicking the Piezo or flicking a Bic, and cooking with smoke and flame and ash. Much more of a woods experience than my Snow Peak Giga Power iso stove, or filling up my alky stoves with yellow HEET.

 

GEAR JUNKIES UNITE!!

Oh man... this thread is gonna fuel my addiction and deplete my wallet.
I've already got full backpacking set-ups for the three in my family (just can't get the wife and daughter to commit to a good trip).
Fully loaded in car camping gear as well.... always "shopping".

Looking forward to this threads updates... always fun to hear other peoples gear whims.

 

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/productlist?k=pocket+stove

I have this in my hunting pack as an emergency stove, and I kid you not this thing works like a champ and when folded up its no bigger than and inch thick and 5" wide and 6 " long

 

Make yourself comfortable! Feed the need.

 

Another good website to find the current best deals on a specific piece of gear is www.gearbuyer.com
You can submit a price point you want (within reason) on a specific item and it will alert you when it gets that low.

 

That looks similar to one I've seen elsewhere, can't remember the name. Price is nice! Being able to feed limbs like that is a great feature.

 

Also wearbap.com, geartrade.com

 

We need to set-up an overnight backpack trip this fall.

 

Lets go!

 

Anything high on your bucket list? Only thing I really want to do is Old Rag but that's not an overnighter.

 

The Virginia Triple Crown (I think that's what it's called).
Old Rag would be a good day trip, haven't done it yet, always have the dog.

Prefer loops over out and backs... I would really like to do a multi night trip.
I've got a list of a couple others right on the WV border I need to find and PM to ya.