Western USA Gear List

[Joel Stephenson]

This is my first post, I'm fairly new to the ultra light scene, so forgive me if there are some obvious errors!

Myself and my girlfriend are traveling from LA to Vancouver between January and October next year (possibly earlier depending on funds). We plan to spend a lot of time camping and spending time in the national parks of California, but we also plan to visit relatives in Salt Lake City and see the coast. We are volunteering with workaway for some of the trip as well, so the gear needs to be pretty versatile.

We will be purchasing the cheapest city clothes possible when / if required, along with bear protection, as both will most likely be much cheaper in the states, and somewhat disposable items that we won't need for the entire trip.

I'm sure I'll be slated on here for taking my heavy camera gear, but this is the absolute minimal kit for me – it is my main passion and income! I can remove the frame from the pack to reduce weight, but I think it might be a bit too heavy to be worth it. I may well add a MacBook Air to the list for work, but I'm trying to avoid it.

Her gear will be much the same, minus the cooking equipment and tent as she has joint problems and struggles with substantial loads and has to carry extra insulation as she airs on the very cold side.

http://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwAHB3OZXWZJUVBKZHl1S0x2bmM/edit?usp=sharing

[HkNewman]

The coast gets hit with storms but not sure you (assuming you aren't carrying for two) would need both the fleece hoody and puffy. Might need them both if you are in Salt Lake for Janurary though. If keeping the heavy camera gear, might as well keep the frame. A 52L pack is ok if you are taking a small bus to the coast (I saw someone load a 85L Osprey so that's not a concern)

[Joel Stephenson]

I don't really like the idea of having only a base layer and a super warm / camp layer though. Maybe a lightweight fleece or a micro baffle down hoodie might be a good compromise for less weight?

[David Drake]

Hi Joel,
I don't speak metric as a native language, so apologies in advance if I get any conversions wrong.

Minus the camera gear, it looks like your BW is still over 16.5#. You can certainly go lower, esp. since it looks like you haven't bought some of the major gear yet.

Assume you're going to stick with the TNF pack (since you already own it). Next look at the tent–will you need a 3 person? What are the height and floor space specs for the BA model you're looking at? Can you do better weight-wise with similar volume and area? Is buying from a cottage maker once you get to the US a possibility? There may be a pound or pound and a half savings there.

Not familiar with your bag–if it's down, 20F rated and full hood, that's okay weight. If not, consider something else.

I'm not a fan of The North Face–too heavy and too fashion-oriented for my use/taste. Regardless, carrying both a 1.5# hoody and a 1.5# puffy seems overkill. There's an argument for having fleece and puffy, but you can do much better weight-wise for the performance you'll need most of the months of your trip. Could save close to a pound there. Why two base layer tops?

Some little (but essential) stuff missing: map, compass, first aid kit, sunglasses/sunscreen, a few repair supplies. *Shouldn't* add much weight, but some people feel like they have to carry a 1# FAK.

2500 grams for 2500 Calories/day is extremely inefficient. 2.5 kg food/day? That's 5.5#. Many of us carry 1.5#/day (or a bit less). I try for about 125 Cal./oz average density (~4.5 Cal/gram). Food with as low a calorie density as you plan will also take up a lot of volume in your (relatively small) pack.

[Joel Stephenson]

Thank you David! The tent has 44 sq ft of floor space. Having plenty of space and height inside is important as it will be home to two people for the majority of half a year. Whilst waiting until we're over the pond would make sense from a budget and flexibility stand point, the idea of arriving with no shelter does worry me, and I've found a particularly good deal on the BA.

Cottage brands are thin on the ground in the UK, our choices are usually limited to Rab, TNF, Mountain Hardwear, Mountain Equipment, Vango and Montane in the stores. TNF tends to be among the cheapest to get hold of for the technical clothing.

Would something along the Patagonia R1 hoodie or Mountain Hardwear Grid hoodie might be a better option for a fleece that's lightweight? I want all of my layers to be hoodies for the extra flexibility it gives, especially as I always lose hats. I am slightly worried about not having a warm layer if it's soaking wet, but then again my hardshell will go over my puffy no problem.

The food was an estimate, as I'm not sure what kind of thing we will be able to live off in America, my food weight here is much less than that, entirely dehydrated.

Vango is a UK brand that offer pretty decent gear at very reasonable prices, so the bag is not as weight efficient as it could be, but it's also more than half the price of something that doesn't weigh all that much less. It's rated 0c / 20f.

[HkNewman]

I was planning on bringing a lighter fleece like Patagonia's R1 but I got away with just a NanoPuff hoody last month on the coast. It was unusually warm, so I did not have to wear any insulation during the day.

[Joel Stephenson]

How does the warmth compare? I have always had the assumption that any kind of down insulation is much much warmer than an equivalent weight fleece, but down isn't very popular in the UK. EVERYBODY wheres fleece due to the damp conditions, there seems to be a misconception that down is completely useless in anything other than bone dry conditions (maybe why the thought of leaving the fleece behind is a scary prospect!).

[HkNewman]

I have not worn down in the southern to central CA coastal areas as temps are relatively mild. A chilling breeze is likely during certain seasons, even San Diego beaches for Xmas — and some cold driven rain depending on which beach you camp on and the season. I do not recall even using down on the Olympic beach (Washington State – west of Seattle) during a May backpack. Winter further north might be different Mountains might be different depending on season.

[IVO K]

Joel,

Your bag is either rated for 0°C or for 20°F, but not for both.
These temperatures are not equal, 0°C = 32°F.
So, which is it? I don't need an answer, but you do.

Also, your overall philosophy is a bit worrisome – per your statement that your tent "…will be home to two people for the majority of half a year".
A tent is merely a shelter to provide some protection from the elements while your body recovers. It is not "home".
It is the world outside of your tent which should be your home "for the majority of half a year". That's the mentality one needs when one is about to launch on a long trip.

[Joel Stephenson]

Yes 32f. I assume that's what the previous poster meant, I just quoted it and didn't pick that up!

We need to be able to be able to spend days when the weather is terrible and t0 store gear without being very cramped. Whether a poor philosophy or not – myself and my girlfriend both enjoy the comfort and homeliness that a tent provides for those times that you just need a break. My home is Haydon Bridge, but my house is what makes it homely when I need it to be.

[David Drake]

30 oz is pretty heavy for a 32F bag. But really, you'll prob. be fine with your list, esp. since it sounds as if you'll have plenty of opportunity (and time) to replace stuff–or send things home–once you have direct experience with the conditions where you'll be.

Sounds like a great trip–have fun.

BTW, where (roughly) in Northumberland are you? I once lived between Stockton and Darlington (Teesside), but that was only for about a year, and about 25 years ago.

[David Hyde]

Depending on how much time you'll spend in the Pacific Northwest, you'll likely be glad to have a fleece. The weather here is much like the UK, not much hard rain, but it can cold drizzle for months at a time.

[Joel Stephenson]

It's the price that's so appealing about that bag – it's still 1KG lighter than my current -1 bag! About half the packed size too. I live in Haydon Bridge, ten miles west of Hexham.

The PNW is what I'm most worried about down wise! Like I said though, I'll be able to wear my hard shell over my puffy so hopefully it's not too much of an issue only taking a light fleece as a mid active layer.

[Joel Stephenson]

I'm going to return the Chimborazo fleece, I think I might exchange it for this:

http://www.mountain-equipment.co.uk/shroud-jacket

100 weight Polartec fleece with thumb loops, weighs nearly half as much too.

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