Favorite Piece of Gear Purchased? Last 6 Mo.

[John Rowling II]

I'm always curious to find out what pieces of GEAR were purchased by BPL members. I know after many options and decisions…my favorite piece of gear purchased in the last 6 months was my MontBell U.L. Thermawrap Parka. Wearing a Patagonia Capilene base, MontBell Long Sleve Zip and the Thermawrap Parka…I'm very warm and comfortable down to 10 degree F. and 20 knot winds. The perfect combo.

[Andy Goodell]

Definately the Double Rainow Tarptent. I needed a small and light tent for traveling through New Zealand, when I knew I wouldn't be camping too often. I compressed it in a extra small bag, at total weight was only 44oz.

The Montbell #3 was a great buy also.

[Alec Muthig]

I've purchased many pieces of gear in the last 6 months, so this is a particularly difficult question. Let's see…

Two pieces of clothing really stand out:
1) Integral Designs Dolomitti Parka. Incredibly warm for the weight and very well constructed. A great addition to my extreme cold collection.
2) Craft Grunde Boxer Briefs. Underwear? Yep, never had underwear fit so well and keep me so dry (and a wind panel over the privates)!

[Steve M]

#1 Gatewood Cape

#2 Patagonia Houdini Wind Shirt

#3 Golite Reed Pants

[Richard Matthews]

#1. TiGoat Epic bivy

#2. GoLite Ether shirt

#3. Caldera Cone stove from antiGravity Gear

[Theodore Vidnovic]

Hmm…

This is a tough one.

#1 Montane wind shirt
close #2 Patagonia Micropuff jacket
#3 Evernew Titanium Sierra cup

[Colleen Clemens]

i'm not sure if it was within the last 6 months, but i did get the BPL titanium ebit stove last fall and i'm pretty much in love with it.

my MontBell Thermawrap UL (didn't purchase, tested for BackpackGearTest.org) is super-sweet. i'm in love with it, too. although the Parka is kind of tempting for very nasty weather… can i be a gear polyandrist? ;)

[Matthew Swierkowski]

I think it was a little more than 6 months since I purchased it, but my favorite piece of gear purchased in the last six months and possibly my overall favorite is my McHale Popcan pack. Yeah it's not UL (it weighs 4 lbs 3oz), but I'm not truly a UL guy (for total pack weight including food and water I carry 25 – 30 lbs in the summer, and 30 – 35 lbs in the winter). It hands down gives me a far superior fit to my previous general use pack (Osprey A60), and only weighs 7 more ounces than it.

The only thing I have actually bought within the last 6 months is a Double Rainbow, and I love it. Finally a lightweight tent I can sit up comfortably in (I'm 6'-5" tall).

[David Passey]

Two pieces: Patagonia micro puff and montane featherlite–both incredibly functional pieces of gear.

[David Wills]

Thats a tough call, almost like comparing apples and oranges, but either:
LMF Spork- Green
or
Montbell Thermawrap Parka -Blue.

[cat morris]

GoLite Gust on sale $59

Ursack on sale $49

[David Neumann]

My current favorite is my Nunatak Arc Specialist I had made this winter. My only problem is that I haven't had the opportunity to actually use it yet. This will be my initial foray into quilts so I look forward to some early summer trips to actually see if it works for me. I know it will be more comfortable assuming I can contain contain the drafts. My second most favorite piece of gear is my new BMW nano Bivy. I'm hopeful the synthesis of the quilt and bivy will prove to be the ticket to warm and comfortable nights.

But then I anxiously await my Hennesey Adventure Racer Hammock… and so it goes.

[John Rowling II]

I forgot:
Tarptent Contrail….this is sure going to make a huge difference in my bag of tricks.

[Russell Swanson]

Without a doubt my ULA Conduit pack. Its been a while since I bought a piece of gear that made me want to hike more. Every time I put it on I like it more and more.

Runner up would go to Salomon XA Pro 3D trail runners. Traction is superb; fit is perfect for me. I just did a hike in heavy, wet snow and they completely dried out overnight in my sleeping bag. Humidity was high, fog all night. Great shoes.

[Brian Markey]

1. MontBell Peak shell. A good light weight rain jacket.
2. SteriPen Adventurer.

[simon pemberton]

primus micron TI 2.5 canister stove,tarptent contrail,im at the begining of my ultralight quest over here in the UK.

[Aaron Sorensen]

Since I make gear with items purchased, my top pick is the .90 Momentum fabric from Thru-hiker.

The gear I make with it will be my favorite.

[Denis Hazlewood]

1. Two Mont-Bell Thermawrap jackets. (had to get two as Susan appropriated the one I got from Brett)

2. Mont-Bell Thermawrap pants.

3. Big Sky Evolution, Clip Version, 2P 2D2V rev.E.

4. Two Caldera Cone stoves. One for my Evernew 1.3, one for my Evernew 0.9.

5. Snow Peak Gigapower stove.

6. Integral Designs eVent Thru-Hiker jacket.

7. Integral Designs eVent rain pants. (I'm thinking of modifying these to be bibs.)

[EndoftheTrail]

Hey Denis — I thought 'favorite' means one! :)

I too own a Thermawrap jacket and pants as well as a SP Gigapower stove (with piezo lighter). Great choices!

[Denis Hazlewood]

Ok, ok, ok.

My very favorite is the Evolution 2P. I've only used it two nights. On the other hand, the Thermawrap Jacket I've worn every day for a week now. If the weather doesn't cool off I'm going to have to leave it at home and start wearing my NF windstopper fleece.

[todd]

Love my SteriPen Adventurer

[Brett .]

Denis' enthusiasm is contagious! So I'll list a few.

1. Snowpeak Titanium Trek 900. Finally my search for 'The One Pot' is over. It's small enough to use as a cup, yet big enough to boil enough water for a meal and drink; the deep lid is a cup, bowl, plate and frypan; handles are removable if I want, has graduations on the side, etc.. my go-to pot.

2. Patagonia Houdini windshirt. At the risk of being repetitive, finally my search for 'The Windshirt' is over. 100 grams, fits in my back pocket, good balance of breathability and water resistance, great good design (up around face for extreme weather), great zipper, drop tail, etc. Most useful 100 grams of gear I own.

3. Smartwool or Montbell merino baselayers. Comfortable, warm when I need it, but not somehow not as hot indoors as Capilene. I wore tops and/or bottoms almost every day last winter.

4. Inov-8 330s. Changed the way I hike. Difficult to describe, but similar to wearing sticky hiking socks instead of shoes. Looking forward to their 285g mid-top "boots" to repace my Montrails at 878grams EACH.

[David Lewis]

GG Whisper G6

[EndoftheTrail]

Mine would be my ZPack Z1 backpack. It's 5.2 oz standard (6.6 oz on my modified version) but it's just as convenient to use and carries just as comfortably as my 14oz. Golite Dawn. Always nice to shave ounces without any sacrifice to safety, function or convenience.

[JW]

1. Patagonia Wool 2 top baselayer – so soft and comfy I wear it every chance I get, a bit pricey though for how quick they wear out – I'm on number two.

2. Silva/Brunton 54LU Baseplate and Sighting compass – Unique mirrorless sighting system with 1/2* accuracy!

3. G6 Whisper Pack – a work of art IMHO. Made out of dyneema instead of tissue paper and would survive more than one season.

Just got a Jacks R Better No Sniveller quilt and it may take first place. Have to use it a few times first.

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