Last weekend I went to Acadia, ME, and tested a few new pieces of kit. It was an awesome trip.
Synopsis:
We drove 10 hours there because sleet and freezing rain kept us below the speed limit. Upon arriving at 12:30AM, one of our camp-mates, heavily drunk from libations during the drive, set up a 25 sq. ft. tarp and everyone else set up tents. Nobody got soaked- our campus uses Timberline Eureka! tents and they're tough as nails. I set up my hammock directly behind everyone with the stern warning to wake me up if they needed help fixing leaks, and nobody did. Good tent.
On the hike, I tested out the Salomon Speedcross 3 Trail Shoes.
Pros:
Good comfort. Accidentally stepped in the ocean, shoes were dry in about an hour. Not too bad. Laces never came loose, tread was ridiculously good.
Cons: Heel was hard to lock down, may be a problem on longer hikes.
At camp, I tested the Vargo Titanium Hexagon Wood Stove with a Toaks 700ml Pot.
Pros: Used about two handfuls of twigs that were a little bit wet, four matches, and one piece of kindling. Given the soaked conditions, I think this is a small miracle. The ramen was delicious.
Cons: Stove was impossible to adjust if you didn't put the doors together tight, as the titanium heats up so much. Do it right the first time. Pot was slightly unstable.
At night, I tested out my new Atom SV Hoodie from Arcteryx.
Pros: Very lightweight, large hood, tough exterior fabric repelled light rain. Easy to wash after the trip. Synthetic insulation was a plus in the wet conditions.
Cons: Hard to cinch down the hood all the way. Not windproof, not as warm as a down jacket of the same weight (or less weight, most likely.)
At night, I slept in my 20º bag with a torso-length X-therm in a Hennessy Hammock. On the third night, however, one of my campers complained about being consistently cold. I did gear checks on everyone before we left, but not as thoroughly as our Moosilauke winter trip since the expected low was in the 30's, not the 0's. When I checked her bag, it was a "Quest 40+ Summer Synthetic" bag that looked to be about fifteen years old. A glaring oversight for not asking her more thoroughly if she had the RIGHT bag for the trip. Lesson learned.
I took her Quest 40+ and gave her my EMS Solstice 20º Long ("I was a little too warm last night," she said). The quest appeared to be child-sized, because I couldn't get it over my armpits. No hood.
Here's what I wore:
Smartwool Midweight Baselayer, top and bottom
GoLite Paclite Rain Pants
Arcteryx Caliber Zip Neck Sweater
Arcteryx Atom SV Insulated Hoodie
Patagonia Super Cell Paclite Rain Jacket
Fox River Insulated Wool Socks
The temperature sneaked down just below 30º with the windchill and the nearby ocean (we were 300ft from the coast). I crossed my legs and arms to retain warmth in the hammock. Was I cold? Hell yeah. Did I sleep? 6 straight hours. I don't know why I have such an easy time in the cold, but I am very proud. I don't think I sleep warm, I just think I'm getting used to sleeping when I feel cold, as a year ago I'd wake up at the slightest chill.
Now "Quest 40+" is an inside joke between myself and my camping mentor. Too funny.
I also tested a few other items, and will give brief thoughts:
Patagonia Travel Hip Pack- loved it. Strap was extremely high quality, weight was low, reinforced in the right places.
Dirty Girl Gaiters- very effective, great patterns.
ExOfficio SoCool Neck Gaiter- too tight for my thin to average neck.
We hiked the Beehive Trail and several of the rock beaches. Everyone had a great time, and two people successfully faced a fear of heights. I cooked 8 vegan meals throughout the course of the trip, and the vegans/vegetarians proclaimed that they were eating better than they ever did at home. My soup was an absolute masterpiece. For someone who doesn't cook, I was very pleased. One of my fellow students described the trip as "The best weekend of my 21 years of life." I'm taking her to dinner on Saturday.
One last thought: after getting wet in my hammock for the umpteenth time, I e-mailed Hennessy with my tarp measurements. Apparently, mine was miscut smaller than my friend's hammocks and they sent me a new rain fly, in the larger "Explorer" style, at no charge. +100 points for service. Also, +3.5oz to my base weight (worth it!).
Thanks for reading! Enjoy some photos! First two by me, last by someone else (I'm in the shorts).
Higher quality here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/81057494@N03/
