Your Best Gear of 2010

[Cayenne Redmonk]

Holga
400 tri-x
BPL UL merino hoody

[ed hyatt]

Western Mountaineering Ultralite and Lynx

Crux AK30

Viewranger phone software

Arcteryx MX Hoody

Scarp 1

[Konrad .]

Though some of these came out before 2010, they were always in my pack last year

1) Heineken Caldera Keg w/ Gram cracker stove
3oz boiling system…need I say more?

2) Montbell UL Pillow / Thermarest Neo Air
I don't know which one affects my sleep more, but I can promise you this is the most comfortable I've ever been.

3) Golite Ultra 20
A 19 ounce quilt to rule them all! With supplemental clothing I can have all 3 seasons under my belt with this one. I can't think of any reason to get a new 3-season bag/quilt, though I have been eyeballing that neat connection system that Katabatic implements

4) Luxe WindProof Titanium stakes
Thank you Franco for bringing these into light on the forums. I've never lost a guyline off a stake since using these. And when stakes pull out because of highwinds/soft sand, the stakes never stray far from the guyline making retrieval easy. Hard to find now, but Lawson's stakes look to accomplish the same thing.

5) Inov-8 Roclite 315
Why did I ever wear boots??? Perfect amount of cushion, fast draining after stream crossings, light and flexible= nimble!

[Michael Fogarty]

McHale Chasm
TT Rainbow
Jetboil

[David W.]

MLD Superlight Bivy (long) – Excellent design, materials, construction and overall value. It comfortably accommodates my neoair. I have found it to be a versatile addition to my gear. It is obviously great in the summer when the weather is ideal. It has allowed me to quickly setup and break down my sleeping setup. More recently, I used it inside my tent in a winter snowstorm for extra warmth and protection from moisture. It has worked wonderfully in all applications and I have yet to have serious condensation problems in it.

O2 Raingear – It has kept me dry in thunderstorms while breathing relatively well on multiple trips. Its difficult to beat for the price and I feel like it out performs many of the heavier and more expensive waterproof layers I own. I have had to patch a few gashes but the durability is better than expected. The bright yellow color may be its only fault in my opinion.

[Landon Schrock]

1. Kooka Bay sleeping pad
2. BPL Absaroka pack (literally unbeatable comfort for a small weight penalty, and I love the elastic outer pockets!)
3. Nunatak specialist/catabatic custom quilt. (snug and warm)

[Heath Pitts]

1. BA IAC pad – my first foray into the world of inflatable pads. Best night's sleep I've had while backpacking. However, I do plan on selling and buying a kookabay mattress before too long
2. Salmon XA Pro 3d – replaced a pair of heavy boots and I wonder why I never did this before!
3. MontBell UL down inner – amazing warmth for the weight as a lot of people have said already about this and the ex light. I went with this one since I felt it might be a bit tougher than the ex-light.

[Steve O]

1 WM Megalite – a few nights in the bag was all it took to make me a WM fanboy.

2 BS Evolution 2P (a BPL gearswap special) – A very well designed tent that will fit 2 large adults. Free standing double-walled luxury for 3lbs.

3 Albright 7'6" 3/4 wt, fly rod setup "TopWater" – This entire setup (rod, reel, and line) weighs 8oz. Perfect for mountain trout fishing. Casts great and super CHEAP (60$ on sale in Dec 2009).

I have an MLD Newt on the way that hopefully will make its way into this list for 2011. I'm looking forward to it forcing me to reduce my volume, as many of my recent trips have consisted of filling spare room in my GoLite Pinnacle with beer.

[Ernie Lak]

Oddly enough I only recently entered the dangerous world of outdoor gear in 2010, as such 2010 has been a bit pricey.

best gear

1. sierra designs nitro 30
2. land's end snowpack 700, nice jacket
3. marmot 8 fleece, so comfy
4. big agnes ins. aircore, "
5. simmerlite, doesn't simmer but I didn't expect it to

[W I S N E R !]

NM, it's all gone. For the better.

[Ben Egan]

1. LAUFBURSCHE huckePACKchen
I can post a pic soon, but I haven't developed the film with the photos of my pack loaded for winter yet. I've taken it on one trip, a winter trip in the Three Sisters Wilderness here in OR. It was a Christmas present, so I haven't had it for long, but it's beautifully crafted and made to last. A very practically built pack.

2. Mountainfitter Flat Tarp (Lawson Kline)
It's olive green cuben. It's 7×9. It pitches in all shapes in sizes. And with guylines and stakes it's roundabout 10oz. And Lawson is just a nice fellow.

3. TiGoat Poles + Tenkara Rod attachment
The poles are so light. And sexy looking. Were still getting to know each other though. And I admit, I haven't even used the rod yet. But holy moly. I'm very excited to fly fish.

4. Marmot Mica
And they stopped making it?! Wear it all the time here around school and the city and stuff. Sure, if I'm working hard it DOES get warm and I do start to sweat (most immediate ex in my head is doing lots of sweeping with it on last night, that did the trick). But it's very light and looks good. And it's light! Booyah. Got it on sale, too.

And I want to take this time to shout out to a long lost friend, the Aquafina 1L big mouth bottles. Was it 2010 they left us? I'm disappointed every time I look for a backpacking water bottle and don't see it, even still. My replacement has been a plastic snapple bottle. No fun fact included, however.

[David Ure]

"but I haven't developed the film with the photos"

Old school, hey?

[Ben Egan]

Sometimes. And sometimes there's just not a memory card in sight.

[David Ure]

I still have a mid 80's Minolta Maxxum 7000. Something about film that is honest.

[George Matthews]

New in 2010 that really worked well during a week of backpacking with wife:
Double Rainbow
NeoAirs (regular)
Steripen Adventurer Opti
Lite Max Stove

Made for simple, easy, comfortable shelter and sleeping. Simple, easy cooking and water treatment.

2010 the year of simple, easy

[Matt F]

My list:

1) MYOG 22 oz momentum 90 topbag with 12 oz of down….love it.
2) ULA CDT: light, functional, affordable and produced by a great company.
3) MYOG solo cuben beaked tarp and sil/momentum bivy: my homemade 10.5 ounce solo set-up.

matt

[Chad “Stick” Poindexter]

Since most of my gear purchases this year were upgrades from my purchases last year, they were mostly all good, but a few that stick out…

1. Hands down, my regular size NeoAir. Nothing more comfy and the weight almost cannot be beat. And don't forget the small pack size…

2. To compliment the Neo, my Gossamer Gear 1/8" ThinLight pad for when the temps drop below 20. I use it on top cause it works better as an insulating barrier that way, and it actually slightly improves the overall comfort of the Neo. Oh, and did I mention it is super light! (1.7 oz)Only bummer is it takes up a little room, but not near as much as other ccf pads I have…

3. White Box Stove. Since this purchase, the only time my canister stove has been back out was when I let my buddy use it. Light, easy to use, and requires no maintenance. Oh and it is tough as nails too…

4. GSI Tea Kettle. The perfect mate for the WBS. Not the very lightest, but not near the heaviest either. Nice wide base improves overall heat & fuel efficiency of the WBS and the pour spout is awesome. Great for using with 2 people and I even use it during the winter months as a solo set-up.

5. ULA Circuit. Immediately dropped 3 pounds off of my other pack by going with the Circuit. I have only had it out once but it was awesome on that trip. Appears to be very durable and features the features needed and no extras to weigh it down. Now that I think about it, it may end up too big…

6. Marmot Helium. My transaction from synthetic to down (and cheap synthetic at that.) Comfy, comfy, comfy and even pretty light weight. Rated at 15 F, EN rated to 16 F, and used successfully in just a few degrees less with my Neo and the GG pad. Comfortably.

7. 1L Nalgene Cantene. Almost as light as a Gatorade bottle but packs much smaller. Wide mouth makes collecting water from pretty much any source a simple task.

8. Panasonic FH20 Camera. Great pictures and even video (with sound too!) I guess it is average size and weight for P&S cameras, but for the quality images it shoots, I am A-O-K with it.

9. REI Long Handle Ti Ware Spoon. Long handle says it all. No more reaching my entire hand inside the Ziploc to scoop out the bottom. And only at a tiny fraction of an oz more than my previous spork.

10. Kupilka 21. This is a personal choice. I like this cup. I do take a hit on weight but that is ok (3 oz vs previous 1.8 oz cup). This will be a permanent part of my kit, just becuase I like it.

I am sure there are others, but I will leave it at 10 for now. I have been meaning to make a post on this very topic on my blog but haven't gotten around to it… Anyway, I am happy with my 2010 purchases, and I know that I will be just as happy with some of my purchases this year…I can;t wait to get them…

[Shane S.]

Big Agnus Fly Creek UL1

Monatauk Gnat Titanium Stove

[Barrie Grieve]

from 1987 to present day (and probably for the next 15 years) anything Buffalo clothing and sleeping bag related.

MLD Trailstar

OMM Villain backpack ( versatile )

[Josh Kuntz]

Great info everyone. I also vote the BPL website as my #1 piece of "gear" for 2010. Other key pieces of gear that performed like champs this year (in no particular order)

– TarpTent Rainshadow 2: Don't let the name fool you, this is a 3 man tent, not a 2 man. Always liked it and now I LOVE it. 3 straight days of 35 degree temps, heavy rain, and crazy wind during my September elk hunt in Montana. 2 big dudes (6'1" & 6'3") stayed dry, comfortable, and had room for a lot of our gear. At 3 pounds, this is a deluxe 2 person setup.

– MLD Gatewood Cape: Sub 1-pound and proved itself as a shelter and a poncho on multiple occasions. Fantastic product for solo trips. If there is even a tiny chance I may have to spend the night, this baby is in my pack. One note, at 6'3" I barely fit, so if you are taller you are SOL.

– Big Agnes Cyclone SL Chair: If you have an inflatable sleeping pad, this chair is a no-brainer. So comfy, lightweight and easy to slide into your pack. Lounging around camp has never been so good.

– Shower Caps (transparent hotel style): Free, almost weightless and uber useful. I keep 2 with me at all times and they are great for rainshowers. One goes over my ballcap and the other over my binoculars. They work nicely to cover the top of your pack also.

– RAB Vapour Rise Pants: Wow, they feel like pajamas, moderate my temperature beautifully and keep me dry. Simply fantastic. Best cool/cold weather pant I have ever owned.

– Gossamer Gear LT4 Poles: I love these light and strong poles so much that I am listing them even though I sometimes have trouble getting one pole to "stick" when I am adjusting the length.

– REI velcro straps (various length): Super light, strong, cheap, and useful. I strapped an entire elk quarter to the outside of my Osprey Exos pack using only 2 of these straps.

– Osprey Exos Pack: Smart design, durable and apparently capable of hauling a 75lb load for a few hours (see above note re elk hunt).

– Merino wool base layers: Comfortable, good temperature range, minimal stink (way less than capilene)

[Author]

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