Camping and Backpacking GEAR thread

Nobody throws fists anymore. Everyone is so quick to pull a gun. Pussies.

 

Echoing much of @Seabass comments, he's spot on.

Going go put in my .02¢ on the firearm issue... as a female. As a solo backpacker. Having hiked most of the AT -even the hillbilly parts-solo, I have never ever felt the need to carry. I'm safer out there in the woods than I am sitting right here in my sofa.

@User Name01 big kudos for taking new folks!
Dont stress them too much on the fitness. It's great to be ready but this old (slightly overweight) gal regularly marches off into the Sierra with no routine exercise plan in my daily life.
Know the gear. Know how to set up/take down in adverse conditions.

And don't be afraid of the dark. Rather embrace it! The dark skies over GC are amazing for star gazing and Milky Way viewing! Heck, if it's near the full moon, try night hiking. It's an amazing experience!!

 

Ha, the first part reminds me of my buddy. He told me that on his first trip (an overnight), he carried 80 POUNDS of stuff, including 5 pounds of first aid alone. I am still working with him to trim the weight. He dropped all the redundant stuff but kinda has a military fetish and likes using stuff like a military mess kit, etc. So, there is still work to be done!


As for the second part; hell, I live in Texas and fully support guns and owning them, but even I think that plenty of people carry them to look cool/for their ego. I also think that a lot of them are relatively uneducated and have a kind of false sense of security/big head about owning and carrying, but that is another discussion entirely.

 

And I'm
Just the opposite in my thoughts. I have zero use for anything of that nature. I prefer not to have a fire at all. And carry fire starter and know how to keep it fed. But that more for emergency signaling anyway.

To me, a fire advertises my location. I don't want to draw attention to my location...

 

We've all been there. Tacti-cool gear is still such a big thing right now, too. Bug-out bags made from the heaviest and most uncomfortable gear on the market that almost seem to be designed to make you suffer physically and financially. Gear where the case or the stuff sack weighs more than the item itself. I used to carry so many dry boxes to keep gear crush-proof and dry that it was about 1/3 of my total pack weight. I was excited the first time I got down below 40# for a one-night trip.

 

My very first (adult) backpack trip that I planned on my own, with my own new gear... 45#. Glad to say I have never ever gone anywhere near that again! (I had enough food to feed everyone on the trail that day)

 

I'm still upset that my JMT kit for this year is at 28# which includes 7 days of food.

 

The mindset is so different it's crazy, even when comparing to car camping. Like right now, it is absolutely ridiculous how much crap I am bringing for my car camping nights on my upcoming trip. I have a Plano box to keep my backpacking stuff in for that excursion, and then the rest is just so much stuff for car camping. I am gone for 10 days and I can fit it so I am bringing it, it's just nuts.

However, these drawers I built recently for my FJ are freaking awesome and I love them.

 

Thanks for the advise everyone. The trip isn't until mid-May, but it will get here in a blink-of-an-eye. It's the first time that I am leading a newbie group, by myself......a bunch of gals and I. Preparation-wise, i'm trying to prepare and make it as pleasurable/safe for them, while having fun.
I guess, it's more of the "being 20 hours away from home" factor that we will be dealing with.....a bunch of college students.
But, it shouldn't be any problem.
Thanks again...i'll be in here from now on

 

You should really fill him in, from every single Grunt Veteran, that the idea that something is "military grade" or was used by the military is quite the laughing stock of veterans who've actually used all of that gear. We happen to know that is is heavy, dated, garbage, made by the lowest bidder and issued to us with zero care about our comfort or pack-weight haha. I crack up when I see people buying military surplus stuff and bragging about it. Congrats buddy! You're the proud owner of something that was completely garbage 50 years ago and behind it's time even then! Enjoy your cheap crap!

 

Even my car camping mentality is to go as light and fast as possible. I hate unpacking and packing up camp and like it to be in as few steps as possible. I'm so lazy that I even groan when I have to fold up the RTT. Hahaha

 

Nailed it.

 

Oh man I have tried many times, haha. He's just one of those guys.

 

Minus 3-4 big ticket items I pack exactly the same for a hike as a would for bikepacking or car camping ha. And I plan to get a hardshell RTT that closes with one clasp and that's it. 5 second camp setup time? I'm in

I like being the only one at camp when car camping who's vehicle is still basically empty and has camp set up within ten minutes while I sit and watch other's take forever. Come time to tear down, I'm still cooking/sleeping/whatever until it looks like everyone is wrapping up, then I throw all three of my belongings back in my nearly empty vehicle and am still done before everyone else haha. Oddly, my friends still criticize me for not having all of the same crap as them trip after trip even though they see how convenient it is.

 

I still agree with that: it's just stuff like a folding chair, more food/large cooler, plenty of BEER, more substantial toiletries, better stove for actual cooking, etc.

 

I'm assuming that you've applied for and received a backcountry permit, if not you need to do that right away. You won't need to worry about water filtration since there will be piped water at the Supai Tunnel and at Cottonwood campground. But like Seabass said, it will still be cool, especially if you're going to camp on the north rim. If you go all the way down to Bright Angel campground the temps should be about 20-25 degrees higher than what it is on the rim. You may have great weather. I went in the latter part of October and it was glorious. We didn't even set up our tents.

As has been mentioned, pack light. I hadn't been backpacking in almost 30 years, so I took too much stuff and my loaded weight was almost 44 lbs. Now, one of the reasons was I was using a borrowed backpack (which was heavy) and I used my old sleeping bag which I was afraid would not be warm enough, so I took a sleeping bag liner. And I took too much food. Brought half of it back to the top with me. Good luck. Take lots of photos and let us know how it went.

 

Our car camp setup grew this fall with the addition of the tear drop. But I can say, we only added a few things, and they are mostly permanently housed in the TD so he's ready to go at a moments notice. (Coleman stove, water jug, mini kitchen-plates/cups/utensils/cook wear...)

We timed our setup on our first trip - from the time I put the truck in Park, to asses in chairs-margaritas in hand- 15 minutes.

Setting stabilizers, deploying awning, setting up chairs, chips n salsa out, drinks poured. 15 minutes. I'm happy with that.

 

Man after my own heart. I want instant camp setup and takedown. Until I achieve that, or can afford a camping assistant who does all of the work while I drink my beer, I'll keep things super simple.

You're right. Things scale in size a little bit, but that's about it.

Excellent.

 

Sounds like we are more the same than different. I don't really like camp fires all the much either. The warmth is nice and it helps cause bugs away, but the smoke is annoying and it takes a lot of work. Either way, I don't really see much need for a hatchet.

 

Speaking of gear and trimming it down etc.. I feel this way about material things in life in general... It blows my mind how much "stuff or junk" some people have.. I feel like it just mentally bogs a person down, most don't realize it tho, and wouldn't give the crap up if they did..

I like the idea of if something does't have a purpose or get used often enough, then just give it away... It's like lightening your life's backpack, relieves you of mental stress not to see and think of so much "stuff"..

I've been observing my nieces accumulation of toys etc thru their lives.. One has serious concentration issues/ADHD.. I believe that thru all the crap toys etc.. It has contributed to and affected her ability to focus on ONE thing at a time... It's basically overwhelming of the mind.. Not only that but TV.. People need to KILL KILL KILL their TVs.