I think I have a gear problem

do you use all of it extensively … or is it still nice and shiny?

if you use it till it wears out, dont worry about it …

if theyre closet queens … stop BPLing and get out ;)

"My question is to the older members does this get any better or will I be obsessed with gear for the rest of my life wanting all the new inovative stuff."

Nope. You are completely screwed.

Josh, repeat after me:

"My name is Josh, and I'm a gearoholic."

"My question is to the older members does this get any better or will I be obsessed with gear for the rest of my life wanting all the new inovative stuff."

Old is a state of mind.

Most of the gear bought during the 1960's was swap meet stuff. It is mostly gone.

I bought a lot of gear in 1971-72 (one of each) and used most of it until 2008.

During the 1980's I bought some better gear to replace some of the earlier generation of stuff and used most of it until 2008.

Since 2008 I have gotten really light with my gear and probably bought more gear than the previous 4 decades. However, when one starts to go really light, it seems the gear tends to get pretty specialized. On the other hand, my kids were grown and gone and my disposal income shot through the roof :)

I am josh and im a ……………gear aholic

Eric- I actually justify buying this stuff by getting different temp sleeping bags and different set ups but now im out of set up ideas and still buying stuff. my sleeping bags are 30F 20F 0F and -15 or -25F I forgot the last ones rating. All i know is i never go below -10.

and I use most of it. That doesnt include my 10 backpacks I think I only use 2-3.

10 packs, thats probably pushing it in to Imelda Marcos territory Josh :-)

Yeah I actually blame that on UL backpacking in general. First I thought I need to get a lighter pack so I found a UL pack big enough to throw my standard gear in(dumb I know) and then I would replace a sleeping bag then get a new pack to accomadate the less weight/volume. Then a shelter(first tarp tent was a footprint) and again another pack to accomodate the weight/volume and it keeps going.
The ones i use are an REI winter low volume (I forgot the model but its clearly geared toward winter use) then I use the REI Flash and a gossamer gear gorilla the others sit in a pile with the K2 external frame expidition pack on the bottom(I could park my car in that thing).

I have learned alot about what i need dont need, like and do not like.

but my shelter I use all of them just depends on the terrain and temps and how many people are going.

I bought a few UL backpacks and generally was unhappy with all of them, so I gave them away.

So now I have two packs I use all the time. I kept my GG Mariposa Plus as a loaner in case I ever go hiking with someone who does not have a pack. I am going to keep all my external frame packs. I think they can be handed down for several generations.

Once I thru hiked I stopped buying gear other than replacement items, worn out, and a couple of specialized winter items. I have a setup tat works, it's about hiking and the outdoors not gearing and hoarding.

I agree with you 100% it is about doing not hoarding the gear to do it. I plan on trying to hike the skyline to sea trail in a coupe weeks depends on the weather. and i have another one planed wit some other buddies for april, the lost coast trail. I get my lottery date for whitney soon and when the rest of the snow disapears I will start hiking the john muir trail a couple days at a time. I cant leave for much longer than 4 days at a time though. I have two kids, three dogs and a girl friend (soon to be more if i can stop buying gear long enough to get a ring). but hell Ive even got her in to buying technical clothing she now has better patagucci layers than me. And we were at REI looking at baby back packs so I can bring the family on day hikes(I decided to wait for my divedend which should be 2-300 dollars same as last year). But I still ended up leaving with some super light water bottles I dont need and new titanium spoon. Cause lord knows i needed another one of those to go with my other sets of silver wear. But again I justified it by telling myself its longer than your current titanium spoon and lighter than your long plastic one.

you see what im dealing with people

Ok, here I go…

My name is Elliott, and I'm a gearaholic!

I never throw anything away if it's got some life in it. I started backpacking in 1972 and I've got just about everything I ever purchased unless it broke or wore out. I outfitted myself and my wife through two gear revolutions: old-style traditional (external frame packs, double A-frame tent) to traditional (internal frame packs, dome tent), then to lightweight/UL (no-frame pack, tarp). I further outfitted three kids through the latter revolution.

I also like to sew, fabric is cheap, so I make lots of stuff. Finally a lot of the older stuff is fine for multi-day kayak trips where weight is not much of a concern.

I occasionally lend the older stuff to groups of friends, and I plan (hope) to have to take lots of grandkids camping. This is why I keep at all, at least this is what I tell my wife.

"I plan on trying to hike the skyline to sea trail in a coupe weeks depends on the weather."

That's a fun trail in almost any weather the area can throw at you. If you haven't been, be aware that a good deal of the trail sign post have rotted through and they are laying on the ground. Also, I personally feel leaving from Castle Rock SP parking lot gives better views and experience than from Saratoga Gap. As well, be aware that cell service sucks from the beach and the payphone didn't work the last 3 times I've checked. If I do that trail again, I'm not going to bother with trying to coordinate rides and dropping cars off at one end or the other, but just leave from the "sea" and yo-yo back.

By the way, I think a long titanium spoon is a very responsible purchase. However, you should of bought two, because the girlfriend will probably be wanting one when she see's how much enjoyment you get out of yours.

Your not alone. My list includes 3 shelters, 3 sleep bags (15 deg, 30 deg, and 40 deg quilt), 2 pairs trail runners, jetboil TI, lots of clothes…..and the list goes on. I look at it this way, if it makes you happy then keep going!

I am at 3 tents and 1 tarp, 2 sleeping bags and 1 quilt, 4 stoves and two sets of most clothes (3 season and winter)
Oh and 4 packs ranging from 25ltr to 62ltr.

Brandon- I've done the skyline to sea three times before and would do it solo in any weather(in that area anyway) but I have some newbs im bringing and would like to convert them into backpackers, so I was hoping not to drag them on a march throuh the rain. I do usually start close to castle rock hike down to wadel and camp at the camps site there and then hike back the next day. I think its 12 each way. Not bad I dont usually like to do more than 15 just cause I'm a weenie and I like to do things like photography, read and fish.

"I was hoping not to drag them on a march throuh the rain"

Understandable, although you never know, I think it was my second backpacking trip where it rained the entire time that really hooked me on the activity.

It's about 12 miles from Waddell Creek to Big Basin HQ (which is what I assume you were meaning), Castle Rock is the neighboring park and it is another 10 miles from Big Basin HQ to the eastern edge of Castle Rock (Waterman Gap), and it is maybe 9.5 miles from there to the Castle Rock SP parking lot. So, from Waddell Creek to Castle Rock would be like 31 miles or so.

Especially if taking people new to backpacking, I prefer hiking through Castle Rock SP, as I think it gives them a little more sense of an adventure, rather than starting at Saratoga Gap and hiking next to Highway 9 for what would likely be the entire first leg of the trip. Plus the scenery is just better.

Brandon- You're right I'm confusing the two. I went bouldering in castle rock its a great place for rock climbing.

I'll have to check out the trail your talking about and maybe make it a one way. I love that area though and a light rain would make it more fun IMHO. Its a two day down pour I don't want. Bottom line is between the two of them one has a backpack so aside from that the rest of the gear is mine that they are borrowing. I guess I need to just get a couple extra pairs of frog togs and let them borrow them. (they do not have much extra money that doesn't go toward beer)

"I love that area though and a light rain would make it more fun IMHO."

Personally I agree – with the right rain gear. The redwoods can be a wonderland during a downpour – especially if there is some fog. I'm thinking of a particular location which is now in Castle Rock (added about a decade ago) down in the San Lorenzo gorge – below the ridge you hike on the Skyline-to-Sea route. I was hiking there during a big winter storm, and there were all these intermittent stream-lets pouring through the forest, there was fog and steam rising from the rivulets and it was like something out of a fantasy novel.

Drifting way off topic but since the OP is involved guess I may have permission…LOL.

I cobbled together an "unofficial" very nice "Silicon-Valley-to-Sea" Route a few years back. Takes 4 days (+ late day start first night), very varied – plus there is more of a dramatic feeling of accomplishment crossing the whole mountain range to the sea. I have done all parts (and alternates) of the regular Skyline to sea route so many times as day hikes (I live in the SC mountains) that there has been no particular motivation to do the whole thing at once. Plus this route takes you a couple of places you can't easily go on day hikes – hard to say that about many places in the SC mountains.

Starts in Los Altos, first night after a few hours hike from Los Altos on Black Mountain, second in Portola trail camp, third in Big basin trail camp, next day to the sea. More varied than the Skyline to sea. A little more of an adventure. You will not see many people on this route – or any over parts of it.

If anyone in the area is interested would be happy to share more details.

I'm interested…but I see that you are not set up for PM. Not sure if you can PM me either, if you are not set up???

Yes, I have not "yet" set up my pm. I have only been a member for about 10 years so I thought I would wait a bit. LOL

I'll do it now.

If there is enough interest I will post a short trip post in a better spot. Otherwise PM me. The info is nothing you probably couldn't piece together from what I said, but I may be about to help you figure out it is might be your kind of trip.

That barely cover the seasons. What about positioning for different humidity and dew points? I can't see how just four can cover everything adequately.

The name escapes me at the moment, but I KNOW we had a poster here a few years back who had TWELVE sleeping bags! I ain't making this up!

Ben.
The Gear Enabler.

That is way more than me. I must catch up!!! Or risk not being as prepared as said member.

Recycle on the Gear Swap Forum and on Craigslist. I have ended up with a decent slush fund on Paypal from doing this. This keeps my wife from knowing the true amount of $ involved. In buying and selling I usually run at a small deficit as I am in it to cut my gear spending losses and keep up my habit. This keeps the true amount off the family books. Like a cross between a crack addict selling to support a habit and congress hiding the true deficit. BTW – I have an old Dana Designs ArcFlex Terraplane I will sell you :)

What was it that Dante wrote? …. Oh yeah, "Abandon hope all ye who enter here"

Too late, you're a goner.