Tested some new gear this weekend

Thank you Brad. Nice to hear about gear that works. Not that we should gloss over the not so nice points but a positive spin is welcome.
(fun playing with new stuff, isn't it ?)
Franco

Franco,

Rarely do I test that much new gear at one time, so it felt like Christmas.

I agree it's important to hear the good and bad about gear. I also think it is important to position gear for it's intended purpose. Too often I see bad comments about gear where the users expectations don't meet the intended purpose. I try very hard to be realistic about my expectations for gear and articulate what my expectations are. This is one thing I think that the users of this forum do extremely well.

Pictures of the gear and the conitions in which used are always nice to see. Thanks for the post.

>"When I take a larger group I will probably take the Jetboil because it is faster"

Blasphemy!!!

cheers

Evan, thanks for the harassment. I'm working on it.

A few times a year I take a couple dads and 4-6 kids on a trip. None have much experience, so I have to coordinate everything. Needless to say 6 teenage boys can be a tough crowd at dinner. Maybe I should just buy a few more alcohol stoves and put them to work. Hmm maybe another excuse for some more new gear.

Thom,
Sunny and clear. Highs in the upper 40/low 50's. Lows around 25. Winds minimal at 5-10 mph.

Link to another thread with pictures of the GG One.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=19647&skip_to_post=156764#156764

Brad,
Tell us your feelings about the Marmot Atom? (I've always suspected that many of us carry more temperature capacity than is frequently needed in regard to a sleeping bag). So I was also glad to hear your wore clothing in your bag on your test trip. Thus, that bag wasn't overkill in that situation.

I have the first generation The One. It got quite a bit of use last summer; but I just don't trust it as a cold weather shelter. If I'm not mistaken, I thought you mentioned before that you have the new version. It's good to hear positive things about the new version because The One is a fantastic design.

How do you like Mt. Rogers? Other than the (highly) overdeveloped Grandfather Ranger District in the Pisgah, Mt. Rogers is probably the closest place to my house suitable for weekend backpacking; but I have yet to go there.

Henry,
My experience with the Marmot Atom has been consistent with that of the Marmot Hydrogen. I have used the Atom at 40 degrees sleeping only in a light base layer, pair of socks and smartwool lid. Never got cold once. I could see pushing the Atom into the low 30's by adding a thick pair of socks, Under Armour cold gear sweat pants and my patagonia down sweater. If I thought the temps would reach the 30's I would probably just take the Hydrogen and leave a layer at home. The weight difference between the two bags is only 5 ounces.

Another point of comparison on the Hydrogen. I was hiking solo on my trip, but met a couple really nice guys on the trip. We camped in the same area and shared a fire that night. One sleep in a synthetic 0 degree bag (5 lbs) and the other in a 15 degree down bag (2+ pounds). They both had good quality bags, but both mentioned they got cold feet. I'm an average temp sleeper, so just another data point on how well the Hydrogen worked.

Chris,
I agree that the One is a great design and tent. I had no issues with the cold weather, but I would avoid the snow. For cold weather bad conditions I will stick with my Black Diamond Lighthouse (I share with my brother in law, so weight is not too bad).

I like the Mt Rogers area. It is especially nice in the spring and fall before the crowds hit the area. May and June are more crowded because of the AT thru hikers, so I just stay on the side trails. Summer is not a bad time but you are dealing with more people and the horse riders. It's like a lot of areas, heavily used during the prime part of the day, but thins out later in the day. Over the years I have found several remote/hidden campsites that allow me to at least camp away from the crowds.

Another area not to far from you is the Shining Rock Wilderness (about 30 miles south of Asheville). This is one of my favorite areas. In the winter, early spring and late fall I hike up the side trails from either hwy 215 or 276. The blue ridge parkway is usually closed, so very few people hike the area. I have gone a whole weekend and only seen a few people. The prime season is a little different because once the BRP opens people have easy access to the trails, so the crowds increase drastically. I think this summer I'm going to a trip through the Middle Prong Wilderness which seems to me more remote and I'm going to do a 40+ mile loop using the art loeb, mountain to the sea and the rest TBD.

Another option for you is the AT after the thru hikers get through the Carolinas. I do a lot of out and backs on the AT in the more remote areas of NC/TN areas. I never camp at the shelters, so I can get some peace and quiet if I plan my trips.

Ok I could talk forever about trips. To answer your question I would give Mt Rogers a chance.

I second how great MT Rogers is. It is one of favorite places. Stay away from Rhodo Gap and you'll have quite a bit of solitude.

Brad, now that you have gotton to use the ONE. Would you purchase it again?

Roger,
Yes I would purchase again in a heartbeat for my needs. I'm cautious to recommend gear because I'm not always sure what others expectations or uses are. I've also learned from this site that the world is full of a lot of great gear that I haven't used as a comparison.

I'm looking forward to trying it out in a rain storm and see how it handles the rain and wind. Given the design I think it will handle the rain well:
– the floor stands up nice. I tied the extra cord to each floor corner and then share the fly stakes to get it tight. You can also just stake out the floor. This should keep everything inside dry.
– The fly extends out to completely cover everything and can be adjusted close to the ground to control any spray
– My only concern is the deflection or potential sagging of tent when wet. From what I have read on this site it appears that a simple retighting of the stakes firms everything up.

I agree with your assessment on Mt Rogers.

Good to hear that your thoughts on the Hydrogen jive with my experiences. I have regularly pushed the bag well below its rated temp and been fine. My brother recently bought one on my recommendation and loves it.

Brad,

It is interesting that you mention tying the floor corners out to the stakes. I assume you mean the stakes for the canopy panels. The first generation The One is configured that way. The guy lines for the canopy panels are tied to the the floor corner guy lines. The joined lines share the same stake. Sometimes I have difficulty getting adequate height above the ground for the canopy to provide good ventilation. It takes some tinkering sometimes to get the pitch right for good canopy to ground clearance. Overall for an enclosed shelter with a floor, The One is hard to beat. It has become my go to shelter.

I concur with your assessment of Mt. Rogers, Shinning Rock Wilderness and the Art Loeb trail. Great hiking.

Brad, did The One make much noise when any breeze came up or when you were inside?

BTW, Mt Rogers is my favorite place, too. Except for the horse flies everywhere……

Yes, get the guys stoves – it will keep 'em occupied ;-) Teen boys with nothing to do equals someone getting whacked with a pine bough … lol!

I have found that if you make it a game of sorts, the guys love cooking and fiddling with stoves. It is fire after all ;-)

Donna,
The One made a little noise, but nothing annoying. It made more noise while I was setting up, but once I got things tighten down no issues.

Sarah, LOL. You know who the someone getting whacked will probably be. BTW I'm working on my freezer bag cooking and you have some great recipes. To be honest they are a little more involved for me now. My current favorites are instant potatoes, refried beans and tortilla. I know simple. I'm working up to more involved cooking.

Mark, you are dead on. It worked good this time out combining the two with one stake, but I can easily see how it might be more difficult in some cases. My first goal was height for proper ventilation and then enough tension to keep the floor corners semi taut.

Glad the hear it has become your go to shelter.

>"Evan, thanks for the harassment. I'm working on it."

It wasn't harrasment, Brad :) It's a joke that floats around here and you'll see it every now and then. Truth is, I personnaly would like a Jetboil to add to my collection and for the convenience of the very fast boil times.

Cheers!

Evan, I knew you were having a little fun. When I typed it the first time I knew I was opening myself up to some fun.

I do like the Jetboil, but like everything else it has it's place.

Cheers!!