2010 Backpacking Light Staff Picks

[Mitchell Keil]

Love my "The One" tent!
Really love my AGPs by Titanium Goat!!
And finally, I sleep extremely well on my Neo-Air mattress by Thermarest!!!

As suggested, I am leaving it at three items although there are several other items I could mention that make life sweet on the trail.

[Bart Dickens]

Sorry gang, this might be venturing a bit too far off topic ……………..but I got to throw out some love to my little Texas Instruments TI-1100.

I have always wondered why it is still working? I googled it and found at the datamath calculator museum web site that my little fella was manufactured for Texas Instruments by Toshiba back in 1983. It is not the solar powered one but I have NEVER replaced the battery and I use it at least every week for 28 years? Perhaps one of you reverse polish engineer types can explain how this is possible. Just kidding I'm still amazed non-the-less.

Cheers to all

[Mitchell Keil]

I knew it!
Lightweight backpacking geeks are really closet calculator geeks, too!!
I have a 41CV with all the accessories, including tape reader (museum quality) and use daily my 17B II. But I find myself using an Iphone app, Fast Figures, more often, got to be able to triangulate those baselines out in the field, don't you know! (and read that latest novel, watch the latest movies and listen to my tunes.)
Ah, the joys of geekdom.

[Bob Gross]

"What ever happened to that "old" Hewlett-Packard quality?"

Simple.

Carly sold it.

–B.G.–

[David Chenault]

I gave up my calculator after HS calculus (last math class of my life), and haven't owned one since.

This is far and away the best staff picks yet. Well done. Some points:

-Had a high maintenance GF in college who loved Tigi products. She also got 150 dollar haircuts.

-Ryan (or anyone else), how do the 212s wear compared to an "average" trail shoe. They sound great, but I'm sick of killing shoes in a few months.

-Roger, IMNSHO the best stuff you've written for this site, ever. Wollemi sounds like it'd be worth the plane tickets.

My three (in order):

Alpacka Yukon Yak with deck
MYOG packs
Tenkara Amago

[Matthew Duchow]

Ray – I don't see the Fissure on the Trail Designs site. Is it too new to be in production?

Matt

[Warren Greer]

Well, all of those comments must mean its a great tool. Lord knows how long I resisted learning to use one, but now that I have spent the time, its difficult to use anything else. And the build quality is supreme as another noted. Don't carry one in my pack, I'm not that nerdy, but kinda wished I was! BTW all, great list above. The Caldera Keg made the list again. I guess I should get one.

[Bob Gross]

I still remember the summer of 1973. One of the engineering teaching assistants had just purchased the original HP-35 scientific calculator, and he stuck it in his shirt pocket with the digital display point forward. He had it lit up with the value of Pi, so he got many stares from the students. The HP newspaper came out right then with the HP-35 article, so we spent many hours going over and over that.

Of course, I was only a tiny child at the time.

–B.G.–

[George Matthews]

LOL – Maia on Beano. First the face licking and now blowing kisses!

My 2010 picks: Winter beard, wool socks, and Stratocaster

[Addie Bedford]

If I paid a stylist that much to cut my hair, they'd better mop my floors, do my laundry, and give me a one-hour massage to boot.

Also, all you calculator geeks are impossibly cute. And incredibly nerdy.

It's cool. My first love was an impossibly cute, incredibly nerdy engineer. I named our son after him. :)

[BlackHatGuy]

"and give me a one-hour massage to boot."

Ah, nothing like a good massage. I get an hour-and-a-half massage every other Thursday night – been going to the same therapist for about 6 years now. The massages and my monthly chiropractic appointment keep these old bones moving.

My 2010 favorites in no particular order – My cuben quilts from Tim Marshall, my cuben hammock tarp from Lawson Kline, and my week-long trek in Wyoming with a few BPLers (my first backpacking trip in the west!).

[Roger Caffin]

Hi David

> Wollemi sounds like it'd be worth the plane tickets.
Hum …. it's an acquired taste.

The first time we (Sue and I) went into 'deep Wollemi' we turned around rather quickly when we got bewildered on the second day and came home. We needed some time to psychologically adapt to the terrain. OK, that was many years ago.

We normally travel (anywhere) without a GPS, for two reasons.
The first is that we are 'old school', and pride ourselves on our ability to navigate in Wollemi with a topo map and a basic compass.
The second reason is that a GPS is not really all that much use in that country. Sure, a GPS can tell you that you are 'here' (if you can get a fix from deep in a valley), but it cannot tell you how to get to where you are going. You see, the maps are not entirely reliable, and they only have 20 m contours. It is a standing joke that what a contour line really means is that there is a cliff or scarp there.

Cheers

[David Chenault]

It sounds like a turbo version of parts of Arizona's Mogollan Rim, or (less so) some of the rare Southern Utah slots with enough ground water to create in canyon jungles.

Places where even 20 ft contour intervals do you little good!

I take it there are some canyoning routes in Wollemi?

[Patricia Combee]

Gossamer Gear One -awesome shelter
Ribz Front pack – goes with any decor
My home made Super Cat alky stove.

[Roger Caffin]

> I take it there are some canyoning routes in Wollemi?
Funny you should mention that!

Yes, some of the world's best wet canyoning country is to be found in a narrow belt running down the W side of Wollemi. The sandstone rock there is especially hard, and the slots can be very narrow – two feet wide would be normal. You can be several abseils from the surface in places. For many canyons you need not just two full-length abseil ropes but some flotation as well, as you may be swimming for an hour or two in very cold water.

Of course, if it rains you have to get out very fast. I have seen big and small canyons go up 6' to 10' in a couple of hours. And yes, people have died in them as a result.

Sue at the junction of Crayfish Canyon and Claustral Canyon. The latter is very high grade – three longish abseils from deep water and/or into deep water. You just about need a headlamp.

This is Wollongambee canyon, which in fine weather is long but fairly easy – but it can be cold! Doing both parts will take a full day.

Cheers

[Doug Johnson]

Some folks have asked me for the apps I use in the backcountry. Here they are- if you have one that's betteror another idea we'd love to hear it…
– 360- for panoramic photos
– Planimeter- to measure straight distances (I use this to judge open water swims but also for other things)
– Topo Maps- for free USGS maps of the entire US- WOW!
Geocaching- for, uh geocaching- need to select a cache within data range before heading out
GPS Lite- an okay GPS. I'd love to hear from others on this one
Wx Alert USA- for detailed NOAA weather reports
Snow Report- by REI- quick snow conditions
Flashlight- turns the iPhone 4 into a decent little led light
Clinometer- very accurate
Wind Meter- no clue how it works but it seems to be reasonably accurate
Star Walk- stunning. A killer app
Convert- to easily convert weights for my bpl reviews. :-)
Sunrise and Set- for planning trips and hiking schedules
Zippo- to start my backcountry cook fires. Just kidding!

[Keith Selbo]

I haven't tried gps lite so I can't give you a good comparison, but I use MotionX GPS and am completely satisfied with it.

Thanks for the app suggestions, I'm looking into them.

I don't think anyone mentioned journaling. I have an old Palm folding bluetooth keyboard that I use with the iphone for journaling. I like to be able to make notes, lists and journal entries that I can then post directly from the phone when I find reception. At 8 ounces, it's a severe weight penalty, but I understand there are much lighter ones now.

I certainly agree that with calculator apps available, a smartphone is a better choice than a stand alone calculator.

By the way, Star Walk computes sunris/set. No need for an extra app.

[Sam Farrington]

Wondered what the shortened Warmlite tent weighed. Thanks.

And a very big thank you to Roger for de-commercializing the whole biz. Wonderful pix.

[B. F.]

I want the Caldera Fissure!!!

[David Brandenberg]

Thanks for including Outsak UL on the 2010 Gear list. We've got some new ideas we are tinkering around with for 2011, and once we dial them in we will be searching for a field test group again. BPL has experienced packers who offer great insight into gear development. As always, field testing means FREE GEAR. Stay tuned.

[Richard Sullivan]

I have to admit to being totally mystified as to why anyone would take a 4 oz calculator on a backpacking trip. And this from a guy who has exhorted me to not take a GPS or Cell Phone or First Aid kit beyond a band-aid and a few ibuprofen tabs. (On any early Star Trek episode, the android brain would start to emanate smoke about now :)

[Nick Gatel]

I don't think he advocated taking a calculator on a trip. For some people a scale is one of their most valuable pieces of gear.

On the same theme, I still use my 40+ year old slide rule. Never had to replace the batteries yet :)

[Tim Zen]

The HP-21 was a my daily carry through college.

It would be handy to take a circular slide rule along if you just gotta do a DIRT calculation or trig out that nav problem.

[Richard Sullivan]

"lost in the snow (it fell out of my backpack during a storm" – RJ

[Ed Huesers]

My one piece of gear that is irreplaceable is my custom made full grain leather boots. Made by John Calden of Estes Park, they are not light but they are on my feet 365 days a year and they ARE my feet.
I'd also say the ICEBOX but you know my bias. I'll have to thank Doug though, for taking the ICEBOX and the igloos to heart. A honest and compelling review, indeed.

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