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Whats your top 5 companies?

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Mar 22, 2011 at 3:17 pm #1270944

Peter Sustr
BPL Member

@czechxpress
Locale: Boulder

We talk a lot on here about the 'small guys' who make lightweight gear but who's the best? List your top 5 midlevel companies. Midlevel means, not a 1 man shop and not as high as a company like Golite.

Whats your top 5?

CHANGE IT UP TO ONE MAN OPERATIONS

Mar 22, 2011 at 3:46 pm #1712895

Mark Hudson
BPL Member

@vesteroid
Locale: Eastern Sierras

Well I am not sure how many folks they have so there may be some one mans in my list.

For my standard hiking packs I love ULA

For my UL pack I love joe's (zpacks)cuben pack

For my UL shelter, again I am a fan of zpacks

For my standard shelter, I like both tarptent and MLD

For quilts I like JRB but have recently moved to enlightened equipments. Jrb is great if you want it off the shelf and a bit more bomb proof than UL, Tim and other cottage guys really have nice stuff if you need custom, or want the less weight possible.

Mar 22, 2011 at 4:26 pm #1712929

Sam Haraldson
BPL Member

@sharalds
Locale: Gallatin Range

In no particular order (and not necessarily backpacking specific):

Backpacking Light (backpacking gear)
Cilogear (backpacks)
Surly (bicycles)
Spark R&D (splitboard binders)
Lifelink (backpacks, avalanche safety)

Mar 22, 2011 at 4:26 pm #1712931

James holden
BPL Member

@bearbreeder-2

make in vancouver bc …

uses the "best" materials they can … double stitching all around

pricey, but then thats what sales are for =P

Mar 22, 2011 at 5:51 pm #1712999

Robert Carver
BPL Member

@rcarver
Locale: Southeast TN

Mountain Laurel Designs

Gossamer Gear

Tarptent

ZPacks

ULA

Mar 22, 2011 at 6:01 pm #1713016

Ultralite Hiker
Spectator

@ultralite

MLD
GG
ULA
Tarptent
Montbell

Mar 23, 2011 at 6:01 am #1713274

Angelo R.
Spectator

@zalmen_mlotek
Locale: Northwest CT

MLD
Col d'Lizard
Integral Designs
Rivendell Mountain Works
Wild Things

Mar 23, 2011 at 8:30 am #1713352

Erik Hagen
BPL Member

@ewh100
Locale: SF Bay Area

SMD – Own 2 tents and 2 backpacks
Katabatic
MLD
Montbell

Mar 23, 2011 at 9:06 am #1713373

jim jessop
Member

@luckyjim

Trail Designs
Mountain Laurel Designs
BearPaw Wilderness Designs
Ultralight Adventure Equipment
Six Moon Designs

Mar 23, 2011 at 10:35 am #1713423

Jason Knecht
Member

@distortedaxis
Locale: Earth

For me, this depends on if i am hanging in a tree or on the ground. Because most manufacturers don't cross into both realms as of this posting.

Ground Camping:
– Trail Designs
– Mountain Laurel Designs
– Ultralight Adventure Equipment
– Six Moon Designs
– Gossamer Gear

Hammock Camping:
– Warbonnet Outdoors
– Whoopie Slings
– Mountain Laurel Designs
– Jacks Are Better
– enLIGHTened Equipment

Mar 23, 2011 at 10:42 am #1713431

Samuel Kau
Spectator

@skau
Locale: Southern California

In no particular order:
Zpacks
Titanium Goat
ULA
Tarptent
Katabatic

Mar 23, 2011 at 12:47 pm #1713510

Peter Sustr
BPL Member

@czechxpress
Locale: Boulder

forgot to add mine:

MLD
Trail Designs
BPL
GG
Bozeman Mountain Works

Mar 23, 2011 at 1:01 pm #1713515

James Arriola
BPL Member

@ravs4fun
Locale: Desert Southwest

I would say my top five would be

Backpackinglight/Bozeman Mountain Works
Gossamer Gear
Mountain Laurel Designs
Tarptents
Zpacks

Mar 23, 2011 at 1:07 pm #1713521

John Vance
BPL Member

@servingko
Locale: Intermountain West

In no particular order:

Bear Paw Custom work

Katabatic Gear

Six Moon Designs

Mountain Laurel Designs

Feathered Friends

Mar 23, 2011 at 1:20 pm #1713534

Anonymous
Inactive

No Western Mountaineering, that's disappointing!

Mar 23, 2011 at 1:46 pm #1713553

Nathan V
BPL Member

@junk
Locale: The Great Lake State

I was just going to put Western Mountaineering, along with –

Montbell

SMD

Z-Packs

Gossamer Gear.

Mar 23, 2011 at 2:00 pm #1713560

Evan McCarthy
BPL Member

@evanrussia-2
Locale: Mid-Atlantic

Mountain Laurel Designs
Gossamer Gear
Jacks R Better
Feathered Friends
Nunatak

(Wow . . . I had to edit this post several times.)

Mar 23, 2011 at 3:13 pm #1713597

Robert Carver
BPL Member

@rcarver
Locale: Southeast TN

Western is my most favorite company. I thought they were bigger then mid level. So, I didn't add them to the list. Plus I really like Goosefeet. But don't they fall into the one man catagory?

Mar 23, 2011 at 3:26 pm #1713604

John Vance
BPL Member

@servingko
Locale: Intermountain West

I chose FF over WM based on estimated size/sales of the company. I really have enjoyed products from both but have switched to quilts full time and don't have bags from either. I do have several garments from FF.

Mar 23, 2011 at 3:55 pm #1713626

Ron D
BPL Member

@dillonr
Locale: Colorado

Mchale
Tarptent
Nunatak
BPL
Gossamer Gear

Mar 23, 2011 at 4:06 pm #1713637

Tyson Marshall
BPL Member

@sheepngeese
Locale: Ventura County (formerly PNW)

The companies AND the gear I use:

Hyperlite Mountain Gear – Echo II Camouflaged System (Tarp, Beak, and Insert) and Windrider Pack

Titanium Goat – Adjustable Goat Poles

Mountain Laurel Designs – Superlight Bivy

BearPaw Wilderness Designs – Minimalist 1

Trail Designs – Sidewinder

Mar 23, 2011 at 4:07 pm #1713638

Stephen Barber
BPL Member

@grampa
Locale: SoCal

Warbonnet Hammocks

HammockGear quilts

Mountain Laurel Designs cuben tarps

And some other larger companies that make good stuff!!

Mar 24, 2011 at 9:28 pm #1714397

josh wagner
Member

@stainlesssteel

warbonnetoutdoors.com hammocks and down quilts
hammockgear.com underquilt
blackrockgear.com elite down hat
outdoorequipmentsupplier tarp (can't afford the cuben from zpacks yet)
zpacks/mountainfitter for cuben stuff

Mar 24, 2011 at 9:30 pm #1714399

Jim Morrison
Spectator

@pliny
Locale: Pacific Northwest

I don't have an answer to your question. I just wanted to say I like your profile picture. It looks like you just saw a bear taking a picture with your camera.

Mar 24, 2011 at 11:27 pm #1714434

te – wa
BPL Member

@mikeinfhaz
Locale: Phoenix

seems like alotta postings either fall into the 1 man category or the 'almost mainstream' category, (GoLite, Montbell).

its a hard question to answer. western mountaineering can be found at many stores like Summit Hut in Tucson, and they have gear made in 2 countries… so, are they applicable?

OES maccat tarps are definately a one-man operation. not to be included?

hmm..

lets see here. id chose these:

Katabatic Gear
Mountain Laurel Designs
Frost of Sweed'n
TiGoat
Gossamer Gear
honorable mention goes to stickpic
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