Moving: Implications for gear

I have moved from Ireland to Belgium to Michigan in the last 5 years and each time I have used it to have a big clear out.

Welcome, Matt.

>Thanks in advance for any thoughts/advice/snarky jokes.

You're a quick study! ;)

If you move to a tarp for winter, the Duomid is a very well-recieved shelter. Check out the Trailstar as well; that's what I use in winter. It's drawback is that its a bit more complicated setup than the Duomid.

Welcome to BPL and NE!

I am far from SUL but I'll take a stab at your questions:

The questions I am pondering as I continue to dial in my gear list:
1. Synthetic or down quilt? At what rating for 3 season use in New England? I'd like to be able to use it well into shoulder season.

IMO you are fine with either. I have a really old synth quilt I tend to use in the summer to offset the extra chance of dampness if using a smaller tarp and or breathable bivy. I also use a down Mont Bell ulss #3 which rated at 30deg gets me through shoulder season conditions with appropriate clothing and shelter. I run warm though so ymmv, my wife would probably want something between 0-10 for similar conditions as she runs cold. There are certainly better/lighter options out there starting from scratch.

2. The NEMO is likely to be our go-to for the next year, at least. I would happily move to a tarp for winter, but don't yet have a handle on what the conditions are actually going to be up there. As of today, an MLD duo-mid sounds like a good idea, but I'd welcome opinions from folks in NE.

Summer solo I usually just tarp and take a head net or bivy for bugs depending on my destination. My wife always wants full netting (and we end up spending more time in camp) so we go with a tent, with the addition of a child we got a go lite SL5. In winter I have always used floorless mids. The MLD would be great. You will have to deal with the typical downsides, including condensation though.

3. Pack. I'm thinking a GoLite Jam 50 at present. I will definitely buy the pack last, and I assume that the move to a quilt will offset any potential issues with compressability impacting volume.

I use an older and lighter Jam and a Pinnacle for winter. They are adequate and do the job especially for the clearance price I paid. I don't know that I would pay retail for one though. For the weight you can get a framed pack or for 25$ more the significantly lighter and fairly comparable ULA CDT.

Bottom line, your current gear will get you through all but winter and give you a chance to get used to conditions up here as you switch things up. Happy walking.

I'm from Boston. Definitely 20º for three-season use. Synthetic if you want to camp on the coast, but otherwise down should be ok. New England weather is OFTEN wet, but it's not monsoon wet like parts of Canada are.

My shelter systems are minimal, so I usually use synthetic. my bag setup is:

20º EMS Solstice (3-season)
45º Mountain Hardwear Ultralamina (summer)

In winter, I use both, and have been to -9º.

Welcome to the neighborhood!