Camping and Backpacking GEAR thread

Sweet I'll have to head over there and test one out on a Monday I have off

 

I bought a 4 Liter Platypus gravity filter a couple of months ago and just got to break it in this weekend. Holy crap am i sold! i was using a Katadyn Vario and pumping the whole time to fill all the bottles when we finally reach camp was a little bit of a pain. especially when it was 15 degrees outside and the damn thing leaks on you the whole time and you have to be knelt over, yadda yadda im getting old and crotchety haha. but this thing i just filled up the dirty bladder and hooked it up and walked away. a couple of min later i had 4 liters of delicious water! i could not have been happier. its a night and day experience to me. it wasnt freezing this time around so i dont know how well the in line filter will hold up to filtering in those conditions, but just to not have to pump anymore was enough to have me giddy as a school girl. I would HIGHLY recommend it. super simple and no moving parts to worry about.

 

I only know one guy who pack rafts. He swears by Alpacka.

 

I have heard good things about that system.

 

If it helps solidify his opinion any, he solos for weeks/months in remote Alaskan territories.


Guy is legit.

 

this being the first time using it, im blown away, but theres always a downside somewhere. im sure the little rubber grommets that support the strap will go at some point and im sure at a certain temp the gravity filter wont be effective, but as far as ease of filtering, this thing is great. ive used a few pump systems, steripens, and a tablet or two and so far id have to say this my favorite.

 

I bought a Hiker Pro like 5 years ago.

I've never used it.

 

i have a feeling my Vario is about to become a never used back up as well. we tend to go through tons of water at camp. between coffee, oatmeal, and whatever food we make it seems like we go through 4 or 5 liters before we even start drinking it to hydrate.

 

Hey, all. I'm getting really into Bikepacking and touring since my back and joints don't like hiking anymore.

I know we've discussed Bikepacking some in here but as to not derail, get buried, or otherwise disrupt the camping specific talk I figured a new thread would work.

If you're into building, riding, camping, touring and commuting by pedal powered bikes leave some feedback about your builds, etc.


https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/bikepacking-touring-all-purpose-bike-builds-discussion.421767/

 

Those gravity setups are pretty awesome when you have a group. Or a basecamp. I don't use enough water in camp when it's just me and a friend to make it worth while though.

 

Hey guys. I wanted to see if you guys had some insight on where to do a little camping in an isolated area in Colorado. My family will be around the Denver area and there should be around 13 of us. Only 3 or 4 vehicles. I've read a little about Guanella Pass and Jone's Pass Road, not familiar though.

Don't want to go too crazy wheeling if I can as I will have my aging parents along. Some 4WD would be fun though. Any ideas?

 

Any one use a tent with a decent sized vestibule? mine has a fairly small one and we are wanting to have enough room to set up the MSR stove safely and make a little meal if the weather outside is not conducive. also this would be for backpacking/ camping. so nothing massive but big enough for two people and a 30lb mutt

 

for this.
My winter camping tent has a fairly small vestibule as well, and I've been toying with the idea of an upgrade.

 

I know these are dated posts- just reading now.

Have owned a Pelican 35qt for two years now; lives in the back of my truck. Very easy to secure with cheap cables/straps/locks from Lowes, etc.

Its made in USA with a lifetime warranty. Yeti has neither- vast majority are made in Philipenes- to put in all the big box stores.

My Pelican also holds 1/3 and 1/4 pans found on Amazon for dirt cheap.

The inside of my Pelican 35 measures nearly the same as inside lower left of my home refrigerator. This helps for meal/trip planning.

The Pelican latches are extremely easy to use- my two little kids can easily access contents and re-latch, with no problems!

Not a Yeti hater- i love their mug and Hopper. But for keeping things ice cold in the back if the truck, secured, etc.- cant go wrong with the Pelican design!

 

I also bought a Hiker Pro about 3 years ago and I have also yet to use it. My go-to is the Sawyer Mini filter, but I also got tired of squeezing bags of water every time we had to refill. So, I made my own gravity system with the Sawyer and it was very cost effective and extremely efficient. Here's how I built it:

Parts list:

• 3 liter Platypus Hoser hydration bladder (came with hose) -
  Platypus Hoser Ultralight Taste-Free Water Reservoir / Hydration Bladder
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001KZGYMW (~$16)
• 1 Sawyer Mini filter -
  $23 Sawyer Products SP103 MINI Water Filtration System, Single, Orange
  http://www.amazon.com/Sawyer-Products-SP103-Filtration-System/dp/B00MPH1LEU (~$15-19)
• 6" piece of the Platypus hydration hose (comes with bladder)
• 1 quick disconnect for Camelbak quick-disconnect bladder systems - http://www.amazon.com/Camelbak-Quick-Link-Conversion-Kit/dp/B00437WYPU (~$10)
• 1 Camelbak bladder with the quick disconnect system hose (I use the 3L dual chamber military one) - use any bladder you want, as long as you use the female quick disconnect for Camelbak systems (comes in the kit above)

Here's how to build it:

• Cut a 6" piece of the hydration hose, and put the male quick disconnect adapter for the Camelbak system onto that piece of tubing
• Stick the other end of the tubing right to the outlet nipple of the Sawyer Mini
• Screw the inlet end of the Sawyer Mini right to the 3L Platypus bladder (after filling it with dirty water)
• Hang the Platypus by it's grommet to a tree or high hang about 5-6' high
• Remove your Camelbak's quick disconnect mouthpiece and attach the quick-disconnect male end (from your 6" tubing) to the female end of your Camelbak bladder drinking hose and open the valve

Water will start flowing pretty quick, and I can fill that 3L bladder in just under 10 minutes where it's so full it feels like it might burst. I can also remove the Camelbak drinking hose from the bladder itself (shuts off a valve automatically so the bladder doesn't leak all over) and just use the hose to fill bottles and cook pots. I can leave my Camelbak right in my pack and let the Platypus just gravity filter right into it without having to take it out of my pack.

The Platypus, Sawyer Mini, Sawyer Mini backwash syringe, and that little adapter hose all fit neatly into a very small little screen mesh bag that's about 7"x3"x2".

I love being able to set this up when I get to camp, and it's done by the time I get even my first chores done. Best system ever, and it goes on every backpack trip from now on.

 

Nice. I already have a Sawyer so that's something I'll probably do.

 

I wouldn't want to carry this and I've only spent one night so far. Big Agnes Wyoming Trail 2 has a garage sized vestibule.

 

Holy shit, you aren't kidding!
https://www.rei.com/product/830973/big-agnes-wyoming-trail-2-camp-tent

 

Sounds like a great setup!

 

LOL