Do You Actually Use Your Gear ? ?

Nah, well, yeah, well…
Sometimes we just hang out at Starbucks in Seattle and talk about our gear. Then we suddenly jump up, head to a gnalry peak and just shred our gear; we rip it to pieces, tear it on a rock. Yup(py), we really do ; )

"I figure you don't really need SUL for a short trip."

You figure wrong. I just posted a TR reflecting an overnight adventure with my young daughter. I carried the two person shelter (tarp)and ground sheet, both sleep systems (two 32* quilts, two pads, two bivys), all of the food and all other shared gear (including dog gear). All my daughter carried was her cold weather clothing (down jacket, base layers, beanie and gloves), her doll and two books.

My pack for the trip, a MLD Prophet, weighed just over 10 lbs, complete, with the gear listed above not counting food and water. UL gear works great for such trips with young children.

I take numerous solo, fast and light, overnight trips (two days – one night) covering 80+ miles and yes going UL makes such challenging adventures a joy.

"Do You Actually Use Your Gear?" I do, every chance I get.

Only when I'm using it!

I had a friend who looked a lot like me that used to say "I have so much lightweight gear I can't carry it all!" Seems to be a little of that around here too.

I don't have a piece of gear I don't use. I may not use it every time I go, as every trip dictates this.
When I'm without the wife and kiddo, I use a hammock. When its just me and the wife, as it will be this weekend, I take a Big Agnes SL2. When its all 3 of us I take a 49sq ft 4lb walmart tent. this also dictates packs. So I have more packs. Cold weather , warm weather, fishing-not fishing I have what would seem excessive gear to some. But I have the right tool for the job.
Do I NEED allof this gear? Do I NEED this gear to be SUL? Nope. But having what I consider the right tool for the job and the lightest I can afford does make my trips way more enjoyable! I consider this like a car. I could hook up a team of Belgian's every morning to a wagon to go to work. But I chose the car. I can go farther in less time and my body doesn't feel like I just rode in a wagon when I get to my destination.

And yes I've been on a 10 day trip this year.

Yup, every single piece. Of course I'm not using my pulk sled and 0 degree bag in the middle of summer but you get the idea. Although I wonder if I could put wheels on my pulk . . . .

I've only been around for a touch over a year, but I think there are just more threads than ever before.

This year, I've taken 3 trips that meet your criteria and wish I'd taken a couple more over the summer. For one of those, I brought my cousin along with an almost-complete kit from my alternate/older/retired/backup gear. I have one more planned (if my knee will cooperate), and then there are 3 more months to do even more.

I guess I don't use it all, but I use some a bunch. the rest I frequently question, and I will simplify tremendously after another season of use or lack thereof.

Art,

I started hiking 4 years ago when my wife's cousin got me interested in it. I started out with 5 pound pack, 4 pound tent and a 3 1/2 pound sleeping bag.

The pack is now 16.5 ounces. The tent became and still is a 13 ounce tarp and 8.5 ounce bivy combination. The sleeping bag is now a 14 ounce top quilt.

Here is the link to last year's trip.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/xdpy/forum_thread/34542/index.html?skip_to_post=294515#294515

On the trip in the link above I used a 10.5 ounce MYOG pack and 16 ounce MYOG top quilt. The picture below shows everything but the pack.

I have since made a new pack and top quilt. I make, modify and use my own gear. My new pack is XPAC material instead of PU coated nylon and my tarp now has a zippered beak. My original top quilt was made with fabric and batting from Hancock's. My new top quilt is Climashield insulation and .9 ounce breathable ripstop from OWFInc.

12 1/2 pounds before and 3 1/4 pounds after for my pack, shelter and quilt. That is 9 and 1/4 pounds that I don't have to carry anymore.

I'll be leaving soon for another two week trip on the AT.

"Do You Actually Use Your Gear ? ?"

Yes, just not as often as I'd like.

My SUL gear listed above is all MYOG. It isn't necessarily shiny because I take multiple, shorter "equipment shakedown" trips so I do not get "surprises" on my longer trips.

Party On,

Newton

Most of my trips are quick opportunities that presented themselves. Going light allows me to focus more on being there in the short time frames. I don't always use everything but am learning I tend to do more with less.

For some trips, I have to haul group gear or other people's equipment and am no longer lightweight.

I've been in the backcountry at 10k feet for about three months this year. Some of the UL stuff was used all the time, but all of the UL stuff was only used for a short time. I'll be using the full UL kit more soon…just need my soleus to recover.

Went for a 10-miler in the RAIN yesterday. Believe me, I want to use my gear more! More day hikes this year.

SUL for short trips? Sure thing– you can go farther, or at my age, make it at all :) Yes, I do haul more toys on short trips– training weight, right?

USFS trail 1003, middle fork of the Snoqualimie river near North Bend, WA.
http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/middle-fork-snoqualmie-upstream

I don't have an SUL setup. My gear is now sadly out-of-date. I don't even think I can claim UL status anymore. (My gear is about 10-12lbs.) But I did do a few trips longer than 3 days and 2 nights last spring. Hope to do some more this fall or next spring. I got a new job and am still on my probationary period. I can start using my vacation time in November.

I have a few items I don't really use anymore. I've considered selling them. I have an Osprey Aura pack, but I keep thinking maybe I should hold on to it in case of the apocalypse.

I also don't use my Gossamer Gear G4 anymore, but since I used it to hike the PCT I have a sentimental attachment to it. Maybe I'll need it again. And who'd buy it with that stench embedded in the shoulder straps anyway?

Hi Art,

Maybe you can tell us about some of your adventures?
I looked through your posts and see mainly gear related posts and some chaff.

Maybe it is just a perception since most people don't write up trip reports?

J

Piper wrote: "I also don't use my Gossamer Gear G4 anymore, but since I used it to hike the PCT I have a sentimental attachment to it."

If I did the PCT, I would have it bronzed! :)

Unexpectedly working 6 days a week at my new civilian job (kaput on my evil backpack plans til November), but hoping to free up a "weekend" per week in 2012. Have a couple months off coming up, so looking at some trips but then its hunting season in the US … Arrgh! I need a Christmas job, then a tax prep job (US – April), leaving the rest of the year for backpacking.

Indeed

I actually don't. Or haven't. Business has been insane for the last 15 months, so no time. Figure I need to make hay while the gettin' is good.

I have not taken a trip this year lasting longer than 3 days and 2 nights (well, not backpacking anyway). But even for shorter trips, when I do take them, I always borrow someone else's gear and never use my own. After all, if I used mine it would get dirty. Then it wouldn't be shiny anymore. And I loves me some shiny gear, which is why I also shave everything, but that's a different thread…..

Hi James
I'm as guilty as anyone on this site about not meeting the criteria I established in my initial post.
Maybe I started this post because I feel guilty about that.
My current excuse is I've spent the last 3 years trying to become a 100 mile ultra racer. So, many hours on the trails, but generally long 1 or 2 day trips.
Just got back from crashing and burning at mile 93 of the Wasatch 100.
Art

Art, seriously impressive! There is no way I could do that, or really desire to, but I am in awe of that sort of endurance.

I think one issue with light/ultralight/superultralight is that everyone is pushing the limit of what they are comfortable/safe with. Therefore there are many pieces of gear that go by unused because after trying it users decide it is beyond their limit or they already have a piece of gear that performs better.

In addition with all of the cottage gear maintaining its value much more than traditional gear in combination with the fact that most people never get a chance to touch/try cottage gear without buying it, lots of things get passed around gear swap 3-4 times until they get put to serious use. Most people here already own 3-4 shelters, a couple backpacks and a couple stoves.

Then you have the gear freaks who I heard one describe their fixation with "Some people spend money on cars, sailboats and other luxury items. My splurge is on shelters." So kind of a functional hobby of sorts to do with technology. Not all that uncommon for adults these days.

Art…
That must have been one hell of a crash and burn so close to the finish! What happened?

After nearly nine years of not hiking because of arthritis, I started again a year and a half ago. Soon thereafter I discovered this site and all the new lighter equipment. I have replaced nearly every piece of equipment from the old days, obsessively! Lightening the pack by more than 50% has been a Godsend, allowing me to get high again. I've been on two five day winter treks and a five day spring trek with my new gear and plan lots more winter treks this coming season. I also find the light gear makes day hikes more enjoyable and my hard-chargin' biking the same. Still, I probably spend more time on this site, on manufacturer and dealer sites, and thinkin' about gear than using it. But I use my stuff and love it.

My first silly post on this thread aside….I use my gear. This year the longest trip has been a three nighter; several two night trips and a few one night /two days. Last year I had some longer adventures.
I also use my gear in my day to day, other than shelter and pack, that is. All my clothes, from pants to down jackets to nice rain gear I use at work and during my weekend outings. I used my backpacking stove a few times at home when I had a problem with my gas stove. I now have permanent hardware set up for my hammock indoors, for when my back is sore….

i find many people use gear purchases as a substitute as what they would LIKE to do … because of time, lack of will, family or other such, the gear becomes the psychological crutch for the lack of time outdoors

i myself have been guilty of this in the past … fortunately with the ability to climb 5 days a week weather permitting, this year … ive found myself LESS interested in gear unless i need it … the gear i have been purchasing has been to replace "consumable" items such as climbing shoes, and older ropes

i find that the people i see who go out often, just do it … regardless of having the "perfect" setup or not … theyll make do and spend the money on gas, food, etc … now there are some gear hoars as well who go out alot, but those tend to rotate through their gear pretty quick … and use it well

while there is no doubt that having the right gear does help … at the end of the day i tell people that the shiny new dead bird harness does not make you a better climber even though it costs 3x more … nor will all those fancy shiny cams make you a safer climber if you dont get the mileage to learn how to place em …

my advice to people is to get the gear you need … no more than that … and spend the rest of the money on courses, trips, beer and women

and dont worry about using up yr gear … its there to give you a good time …