Wish List – One item Only

Both are good tents, but not quite apples to apples.

The Kilo costs less and has better views and breathability in good weather.

The Mirage can be set up in the rain without soaking the interior, may offer better breathability in the rain and offers more flexibility when two people are using it. Also, I think it would offer easier egress when the vestibules are not utilized.

I'd buy a tent dipped in gold… Sure it'd be a little on the heavier side, but I could also hire a sherpa to carry it for me.

Invest the money. You have gotten by without "stuff."

Kudos to you, John! Most people don't bother traveling (just like most people don't bother backpacking) — because it's too dangerous, too hard, too time consuming, too expensive…

Your countries are some of the most challenging ones — exactly the ones that will expand one's horizon. When will this take place? Hope you have the time of your life!

Buy a new piece of gear or two, then use the rest and your next months leftover money to take a flight to somewhere awesome and hike.

Sadly, $1400 isn't enough for what I would want.

Bottom. California Dream Rack

http://www.mtntools.com/cat/mt/necess/mt_caroll.htm

$1400 extra a month would be a great "dilemma" :) I don't have that dilemma, but have (will have actually) an extra $1400 from working the Sturgis Bike Rally- what I've dubbed my working vacation.

I'm going to spend the lion's share of it on new bits of gear- buying us (wife and I) a new shelter- most likely a Duomid w/ duo inner and buying us new packs- ULA Ohms, going to get the wife a MB exlight jacket- I'll probably spring for GG treking poles for both us as well. These new additions will ligthen our loads to the 8-ish # range- a goal I've had for awhile AND help out a few homegrown cottage industries at the same time.

porsche 911-no question

otherwise, id get a fully functional and exciting hammock setup. (but i already have THAT.. lol)

I think you are all on the wrong track here. $1400/month would be better spent on R & D. I offer some humble suggestions for products that are desperately needed:

1) Freeze dried beer

2) Trekking poles with auto-injector tips to deliver grizzly tranquilizer

3) Pay Lawson to come up with a cuben pneumo-bag pack liner that would be filled with helium after it's sealed. New base weight = the helium canister + water bottle + map/compass + clothing worn. Talk about SUL!

Of course, buying plane tickets and hiring muscular porters/sherpas with bug guns would pretty much take care of the above.

I'm impressed with the new material that Big Sky uses, but not the design of the tent. The design is fine, but nothing special (to me). Maybe I'm missing something.

The Kilo has an impressive design and impressive poles. If you put the Big Sky material (breathable Cuben) on the Kilo, you could save quite a bit of weight and have a great tent. Personally, I still prefer tents that use trekking poles for most of their support, as I use trekking poles anyway, and trekking poles are extremely strong (compared to typical tent poles).

1 items only… but $1400 / month? How’s about buying land along one of the long trails to insure a nice buffer for the trail and then donating the land to an appropriate foundation to save on taxes.

Next on my list would be a ticket to Patagonia and the time to use it.

If it’s really about buying a piece of gear… here’s my list of “perfect” gear which I would highly recommend

–Mark

Or along similar lines, donate to Environment Washington to help them purchase the additional land that is slated for addition to Mount Rainier National Park.

For those who may not know about it, Congress passed legislation to enlarge the Carbon Rain Forest section of the Park but did not allocate funds to purchase it from its current owner. Environment Washington is striving to purchase the land so that it can become part of the park, and thereby protect one of North America's only temperate inland rain forests from logging.

Post your gear list and get some 'useful' real feedback.