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Another year has gone by and it is time once again for the BackpackingLight staff to pick their three favorite pieces of gear. Some have commented that it is getting noticeably tougher to come up with three pieces of gear that have become most favored and most depended upon over the past year. But in due time the staff came up with their lists and this is the result.
This isn’t an “Editor’s Choice” or formal endorsement, just a list of gear we like.
ARTICLE OUTLINE
- 2007 Staff Picks of Favorite Gear
- Ryan Jordan, Publisher - Bozeman, Montana
- Ben Smith, Managing Editor - San Antonio, Texas
- Roger Caffin, Technology Editor - Sydney, Australia
- Alan Dixon, Editor-at-Large - Washington, D.C.
- Rick Dreher, Gear Editor - Sacramento, California
- Doug Johnson, Trekking Systems Editor - Redmond, Washington
- Mike Martin, Techniques Editor - Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
- Alison Simon, Editorial Assistant - Washington, D.C.
- Don Wilson, People/Places Editor - Tucson, Arizona
# WORDS: 4540
# PHOTOS: 27
# TABLES: 1
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1. Exped DownMat 7 sleeping pad – added at least 15 degrees to sleeping bag rating. Well worth the extra weight and money.
2. Patagonia wool 2 turtleneck. Lightest merino body layer I've yet found and exceptionally warm.
3. Jetboil FluxRing Fry Pan – brings heat exchanger cooking for frying. A necessity for a hungry backcountry angler.
I'd like to second that sentiment! Ryan, any chance?
Jacks R Better No Sniveller Universal Quilt
Cocoon UL 60 Hoody and Pants
Titanium Goat Adjustable Goat Poles
Bushbuddy Ultra Woodstove; Along with the Firelite SUL-1100 and a Firelite Ti Folding Spoon, this is my standard cookset.
BMW Side Zip Vapor Bivy; Makes getting in and out of the bivy and arranging my sleep system in the bivy a breeze.
Golite Ion Pack; I used this pack for most of the summer and really grew fond of its utter simplicity.
I had to use a BMW Torsolite instead of a lighter foam pad in order to have enough room for my kit to fit….a change my back responded to quite favorably.
To tell you the truth this has been the hardest year yet for me to pick just 3 favorites.
So much sweet stuff came out this year!!!
Greg
1. Patagonia Wool 2 Crew – very soft, multi-purpose piece of gear. No stink too!
2. GG Whisper – A classic. Work of art.
3. Tie: JRB No Sniveller and the new Dri-Ducks – both very versatile. JRB would win if they got rid of that hideous green and nasty velcro on ALL of their gear. If you can get past that the Snivel is awesome to use. Simplicity is key and having in camp insulation and sleeping gear in one is great. I used the Dri Ducks in Nepal to keep bed bugs from biting me, as insulation when cold and of course rain gear. At less than $20 for the set they are a great piece of gear.
1. Arc AT – how does someone live without this? Perfect summer bag for me. Reaches to under my armpits and weighs under 10 oz.!
2. BPL 550 SUL – This solo cookpot matched with the CC is a great UL setup
3. Tarptent Double Rainbow – Finally, I can move a bit faster when I bring my better half along – good size, quick pitch, and freestanding for easy site location.
Like most, I have a few more….
I know Carol is a fan of the Komperdell Carbon Featherlite Poles, and I might be too, but I can't seem to find an outlet that carries them in sizes longer than 125cm. Is that their upper size limit?
1. Bushbuddy Ultra: At 5.1 oz with no fuel to carry, this has become my all-time favorite stove. It is fun to use as well and has proven to be fast and efficient even in nasty, wet weather.
2. Contrail Tent: light weight and pitches super quick.
3. Jam2 Pack: Very simple, light weight and has a comfortable ride on the shoulders and back.
Patagonia Houdini Wind Shirt (very light weight and very breathable)
Buff (both the summer and regular Buffs; these are great for weather running the gamut form cold to cool to warm to hot)
Oakley Radar sunglasses (comfortable, versatile and virtually condensation-free)
Patagonia Wool2 Zip Neck (6.25 oz; M) – an excellent light weight shirt that doesn't stink! Extra length in the arms and torso are welcome. Zipper provides great ventilation.
BPL Lazr Hi-Vis Titanium Tent Stakes (.22 oz / stake) – I use these with my Gatewood Cape and really love how super light they are. Easy to set and they hold better than I thought they would. Definitely exceeded my expectations.
Montbell Chameece Gloves (1.1 oz; L) – I use these gloves more than I thought I would. I remember one trip in late September where I woke up with a sheet of ice on the inside/outside of my shelter and my Platy 2+ liter was a solid block of ice. I knew I was going to freeze my posterior off until I hit the sun. I put these on and could not believe how warm they kept my hands.
.
New to the lightweight backpacking this year, but my 1st year was great, not SUL, but my fav items:
1)Henry Shires tarptent rainbow – been in high elevation gusty thunderstorms, desert, and just last weekend in a 10" snowstorm in the Wasatch.
2)Pacific Outdoor insulmat thermo – 2.5", never came close to that comfort with a thermarest
3)Kelty lightyear bag, 25deg – light, small, cheap, and i've had it out in 20 degrees.
4)La Sportiva Slingshot shoes – super grippy, surprisingly durable, really light. many miles of backpacking and several slot canyons.
3 out of 4 were steepandcheap purchases :)
Roger, Your tents looks really nice and and well thought out. Plenty of room. Are there any commercial made single wall tents that come close to your design?
Josh
Hi Joshua
> Your tents looks really nice and and well thought out. Plenty of room. Are there any commercial made single wall tents that come close to your design?
Very few from America, although the new MSR DragonTail tent comes close – except for the weight. Much too heavy, and I suspect not enough ventilation.
I have never tested any of Lord Jim's tents – got distracted by the naked women, but they (the tents) are not bad. (Can't remember the company name right now …)
The rest of the mainstream American tents are designed for summer conditions without wind or rain. A sweeping generalisation of course, but really some of them are pathetic. Look at the MSR Missing Link – the design dates from the 1950s …
Henry Shires' Tarp-tents are very close in spirit to my summer tents. They are the only ones I could recommend, provided the conditions are not too severe. But single-skin tents are not normally meant for winter use.
If you want a real winter tent you need to go to the North of Europe. They make real tents there: they have to, because the folk there are used to going out in the winter when the weather is … 'variable'. But they are heavier too.
(Ducks for cover)
Cheers
The company you're thinking of is Stephenson's Warmlite.
I don't have the hyperlite, but I agree with the man who was down with Hennessey hammocks. I have the A-sym and its the best tent I've ever used
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