Starting Over

Jeremy lol I loved that post. But with my size 14 feet if I go barefoot it'll start a bigfoot scare.

Has anyone ever told you people before that you are disgustingly generous?
That’s a complement :)

Wow. The information, advice, even an invite to an upcoming backpacking trip – sick! Why didn’t I receive this depth of service when I was out in the retail stores buying my gear?

Anywho, I’ve got a lot to digest over the coming months. I have to start somewhere though, so here’s version 1 of my game plan (suggestions welcomed as usual):

Stuff to Keep

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Sleeping bag (for now)

Stuff to Sell

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My tent
My sleeping pad
(see my first post for gear details)

Stuff to Buy

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Scale
Lightweight boots/shoes
Shelter
Sleeping pad

Stuff to Make

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Tyvek bivy (see this thread)

I also have some books in route to me.

Questions

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Boots/shoes:
I would prefer to have one pair of these, if possible. My initial concerns are selecting a product that keeps my feet warm and dry in the snow, and keeps the snow out (maybe other mechanisms are used to prevent this?).
Rick, you’re crazy, in a good way :) Even though I’m a thin guy, I do keep a warm flame inside and find myself getting warm easily. Not sure if that answers your question or helps to narrow down my product search. I’ll report back with the weight of my Doc’s. If anything, it’ll be a laugh to share. (Social D. – great band!)

Shelter:
Whatever I end up going with, it’s gotta be versatile. I like the simplicity of using a tarp. My concern would be their reliability in harsh winter environments. Thanks for naming brands. Please let me know if you recommend a specific model(s) that is a good all-around lightweight shelter. I chose the HammerHead 3 in the first place because it has a lot of ventilation options for warm weather but can also withstand winter weather.

Martin, you bring up something I have not yet considered about my tent. It does have a nice rain fly which can be used with the tent poles for a lighter weight shelter option. I wonder if just using the rain fly alone, and some trekking poles or found sticks, could be a good alternative in this case. Then I could hold onto the rest of the tent and use it in extreme conditions. But in that case, I’ll be hauling around a 9lb. tent on my back. Or, would it just be best to sell the whole thing and focus my efforts on purchasing a different shelter. hhmm…

The Tyvek bivy idea sounds interesting and it has the potential to be an inexpensive shelter. But I’m concerned about how practical it really is. When I’m in my down sleeping bag, I can feel the heat pouring out of the opening around my face. I would think the rest of the bag would release some heat as well. I’m wondering if the Tyvek blocking the released heat would cause some moisture build up between the bag and the Tvek. I should probably post that question to the guy who made one of these things.

Backpacking Trips/Clubs

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Martin, I’m also from the Cleveland area (Lakewood, to be exact) and was hoping a local backpacking club existed. I’ll definitely be looking into the North East Ohio Backpacking Club!

Tim, can you point me to a resource where I can find out more about the upcoming trip to Wildcat Hollow? My gear weight might limit the amount of long range backpacking I’ll be able to do but, if anything, it’s possible I could come down for the night and learn something new.

My last comment is somewhat unrelated, but it’s important:
Today has been a pretty rough day for me: disappointed how a job interview turned out, feeling a bit unfulfilled in my current job, and wondering what the hell is happening to this planet of ours. But then I sign onto backpackinglight.com and feel supported and inspired by you guys even though you’re only text on a computer screen for now. Tom coined the phrase: “village mentality”. What a different world it would be if more people carried the same generous attitude as you guys. I guess it spreads one person at a time :)

Thanks again,

Nick

Don't sweat the interview, screw 'em if they can't take a joke. And the job, just daydream about waterfalls and bears, and bosses falling off waterfalls and getting mauled by bears. ;) Anyway you could try Rocklite 390GTX by inov8 they're light, ankle high, and waterproof. I've never tried 'em but you can spend the money and tell me if they suck. JJ but I love inov8's. REI makess pretty good, pretty light, and pretty cheap tents that you can pitch just the rainfly. Check out the halfdome or quarterdome.
Take care buddy, and remember UL is a state of mind.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/wayne/recreation_sites/trails/wildcat_hollow.html

We are doing 8 miles the first day and 7 the second, so it is a easy hike. Meeting up at 9:30 am at the trailhead on the 13th. Planned campsite is near where the trail crosses 455.

I've researched this question plenty. I want the openness of a tarp, with the ability to pen it down tight in case of bad weather, or if I bring the dog along. As far as I know, there's only a few options:

1. GoLite and BlackDiamond make single wall shelters. They are heavy, and for the price, you can get much lighter.

2. Mountain Laurel Designs makes several shelters that are light: trailstar, duomid, and then the pyramid one.

3. Oware (Owareusa.com) makes an alphamid (half-pyramid tarp shelter)

4. Granite Gear makes a catenary tarp which you can attach closures for the ends in winter. That's pretty versatile in terms of adjusting your weight for your needs.

Anyway, hope this helps.

Nate,
If you're concerned about bad weather, I can offer up a suggestion for a solo shelter: SMD's Lunar Solo. I got hammered by hard rain and high winds for two nights in a row. I woke up cursing about all the water coming in until I realized I fell asleep with the fly open. A quick reach out the mesh door to zip it down and I was asleep again in minutes.
Many people rave about Henry Shires' tarptents also, but I have no experience with those.
Chris

Yah, they have some interesting stuff. I am moving away from enclosures, though, because I'd like to have an open view all night long since the weather is nice 99 percent of the time here. Though I've watched the video and it looks pretty safe.

Boots/Shoes: Last winter a tried inov-8 390gtx and they worked pretty well… but I think I still prefer my inov-8 flyroc 310 or roclite 295 better. In warmer weather (above 30F) I just let me feet get wet cause when they are active they stay plenty warm. Colder weather I switch to waterproof socks… sealskinz or vapor barriers when it's getting really cold. He cheap version of VB is liner, plastic sandwich bag, wool socks, plastic sandwich bag. Works great.

Shelter: My choice would be the new MLD DuoMid + A16 bug bivy or a SMD Serenity NetTent… so you can mix and match: both when wet and buggy, just tarp when no bugs, and just bug shelter when it's try and buggy. There are several other nice tarptent made by SMD, Gossamer Gear, and Tarptent which are quite reasonable for everything but a heavy duty winter storm with blowing snow.

–mark

DuoMid by Mountain Laurel Designs . com

the dog is not included.

nm

Nick: Take a look at the golite shangri la 3.
http://www.golite.com/Product/proddetail.aspx?p=SH6125&s=1
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/00112.html
It has similar height and floor area to your Hammerhead (though less overall headroom because it's a tipi rather than a dome) and weighs only a couple of pounds for a true 4 season shelter. You can also get an inner 'nest' for it for bug protection and warmth. If either of you use a trekking pole you can use that instead of the included pole and save another 10oz.

We also made a smaller lightweight bugtent for it with tyvek and a cheap bugnet which only weighs a pound.
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=16101

In calm weather, you can lengthen the adjustable pole to raise the tent up for good ventilation.

This is a great tent for two people used to having a bit of room. Get your lady to join in the choice of a lightweight shelter, she has to live with it too.

I would prefer to have one pair of these, if possible. My initial concerns are selecting a product that keeps my feet warm and dry in the snow, and keeps the snow out (maybe other mechanisms are used to prevent this?).

I’ve frequently worn Inov-8 315’s with these waterproof socks over it.

This weekend, I went through several km of 10-20 cm of snow, wearing nothing but long johns and a thin Pertex pant. My legs stayed totally dry. There was a little bit of water that made it into the socks at the end of the day when I walked through extremely muddy forest paths. But still the experience was alot better than wearing big “waterproof” hiking boots (that get wet and stay wet).

Ask yourself: is it about walking? Or is it being out there? Or is it gear?

Maybe it is a combination of things and, if so, give thought to their relationship to one another.

Perhaps because I began my journey as a walker as opposed to a backpacker, I can take a brisk, hour long saunter from my house and back again – sunny or rainy – hot or cold – calm or windy – and really enjoy it – life is good. Similarly, I find spending days and nights in the wilderness an awesome experience. For me, light gear makes the effort of backpacking pretty close to that of walking.

Walking is what it is mostly about for me. However, the added capability of spending days and nights out there is pleasurable for me through the use of innovative, lightweight products and techniques. The 80-20 applies – 80% of something can get done in 20% of the time, but getting the other 20% of that something done will take 80% more time. For example, read about the different lightweight kitchen options, and then pick one and move on to another gear category. Too much en-gear-neering can led to analysis paralysis.

Have fun on YOUR journey.