I acquired some new (mostly used) gear last off-season and would like to give a shout-out for some gear that has worked really well for me. My two major trips this summer were on the Boundary Trail in the North Cascades and the CDT in the Weminuche Wilderness. Each trip was six days.
Zpacks Hexamid Solo – I bought this last winter on the Gear Trade Forum. I wanted a lighter alternative to my TarpTent Rainbow. This is my first season using a true tarp. It is an older model with the clip-in door, not the newer beak. I practiced pitching it in the spring and I was careful in my site selection this summer, and it went through 3 thunderstorms, one of which was the worst I have been in while backpacking, and it worked great! I am amazed how much protection and coverage it provides. It is crazy light and I will be sticking with for the foreseeable future. It came without the bug netting and I sent it to Joe at Zpacks. He cut me a deal on the netting and his customer service is about the best I have ever experienced. I will continue to use and buy Zapcks gear.
Feathered Friends Rock Wren – I bought this last winter on Craigslist. It is an unusual bag and I paused a bit before the purchase, but the price was too good to pass up. I am glad I bought it. Mine has the 2oz of over-fill and the Epic shell. The Epic shell worked great with the little spray I had, as well as some dripping from the hexamid's old seam sealing job. No need for a bivy. The arm zips and bottom opening led me to ditch my jacket and I actually used those features several times, including making breakfast in a July snow storm in the North Cascades. It might look goofy when you are "wearing" the bag, but it is a great multi-use item. Also, as a side sleeper, the arm zips and general roominess have been great. It has worked down to 30 degrees and also vents well when it is warmer. This is now my main bag.
Exped UL 7 – I had a NeoAir fail on a trip last year and went with the Exped. I prefer the vertical baffles, find it easier to inflate and deflate, is much quieter, is less slippery and it just feels more durable.
Golite Poncho -I bought this on Craigslist and it is the older 10oz model. I used it in several thunderstorms, in high wind, hard rain and hail. With a simple cord belt and the snaps, it covered me and my pack even in heavy wind. The inherant ventilation made it very comfortable to hike in, even uphill. I also used it as my ground sheet. I love it, but I am eyeing the Zpacks Poncho/Ground Sheet to save weigh and improve my ground sheet. In the heavy rains I slept through I would have prefered the bathtub design and the ability to clip the corners into my hex amid that the Zpacks Poncho offers. Regardless, I am a poncho convert and my paclite jacket and pants are staying home for now.
Gossamer Gear G4 – This is my second season with the G4. This is a great pack and at 16oz and $125 new, I think it is one of the best deals out there. With a cut down Zrest for a frame sheet, mine is 19oz total. While I have been careful, the pack still shows remarkablly little wear after 2 seasons. I like the large volume, as I don't like to compress my gear. If I organize and load the generous exterior pockets right I do not need to open my pack until I stop to make camp. My total pack weight for both 6 day trips (including gear/food/fuel and 1L of water) was 22.5 lbs. The G4 carried it great. It is the most comfortable pack I have owned. While I covet a Zpacks in the cuben hybrid material, the G4 has proven to good to justify replacing.
