I am an ultra trail runner and soon to be in the deep end of a training block leading up to a 120 mile event with 28000 feet of elevation gain.
My plan for training is to do several two night fast pack excursions in the area of the course as well as the local mountains. I am in North Vancouver, BC. No plans to do anything longer than three nights maximum this year.
Nights will likely be spent at elevation and could approach freezing temp although unlikely. More likely minimum of 5-10C at night. Insects definitely present.
I already own a Salomon S-Lab Peak 20L pack – although open to replacing it if it ends up being too small.
I have been poring over the various websites, reading and watching reviews etc. etc.
I do plan on using hiking poles in this event although I haven’t typically very much in the past. Whatever tent I get I would want the optional poles in case I don’t want to bring trekking poles on a given excursion.
As of now, I think I would be going with the following key items:
Tarptent Moment DW tent, Western Mountaineering Summerlite sleeping bag, Thermarest Neo-Air X-lite, Jetboil Flash.
The item I am wrestling with the most is the tent. I could afford a Zpacks Solplex, Tarptent Notch Li etc., but not sure for my very first kit I should be laying out those dollars for minimal gains in weight.
I like the look of the Notch, the Bowfin, and also the SMD Lunar Solo. I have read about the differences between single and double wall, but don’t know how much I should be weighing those considerations.
I feel like I need to learn a lot and in doing so will develop my preferences just as I have with the rest of my ultra-running kit. So going all out for most expensive stuff right away seems like a mistake.
Looking to drink in any and all comments, jokes, and dressing down of the noobie that I may find here!
Thanks!
Wing
