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Your favorite gear of 2015


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Home Forums Campfire Editor’s Roundtable Your favorite gear of 2015

Viewing 22 posts - 51 through 72 (of 72 total)
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  • #3373418
    Aaron Sorensen
    BPL Member

    @awsorensen

    Locale: South of Forester Pass

    Love my Borah Gear down jacket.  So much warmer than a Western Mountaineering Ex-Lite Jacket.

    Rockwoods .8oz waterproof fabric.  Endless possibilities to look forward to in 2016.

    My 15* “go to” 21 ounce quilt.  It even loves me back by keeping me so warm.

     

    #3373424
    BlackHatGuy
    Spectator

    @sleeping

    Locale: The Cascades

    I’ll add that I’ve become quite enamoured of KUIU merino shirts, gloves and hats. I use them all the time – hiking, backpacking, bicycling. Big fan. Even bought my brother a set for Christmas.

    #3373463
    David Chenault
    BPL Member

    @davec

    Locale: Queen City, MT

    Chris I havent used the Duomid, but did sell a Solomid and move to the BT2 specifically to address two concerns   First, wind gets under the side of the solo, which the BT2s sod cloth addresses.  Second, the BT2 is taller which keeps condensation off your face. Build quality of both is top shelf.  I dont miss the MLD peak vent, and like the number 8 zips on the Seek Outside.  BT2 is heavier, packed size roughly the same.  Tiny footprint of the Solo is nice in thick forests and rocky spots.

    #3373488
    Brad Rogers
    BPL Member

    @mocs123

    Locale: Southeast Tennessee

    Chris- a 30l pack would be too small for a thru hike for most people.  If you want to go HMG the 3400 or 4400 might be best.  I might also look at the Seek Outside 3900 or the ULA Circuit as it’s a very popular thru hiking pack.  The z packs arc haul looks intriguing as well.

    #3373679
    Jessica C
    BPL Member

    @yessi

    LADIES:  It took me a year of hiking to realize I could use a “pee rag” (cut up bandana or – as I prefer – a cut up microfiber washcloth from REI) instead of toilet paper, and I felt pretty good about the change.  However, a couple of months ago, I trumped that discovery when I purchased the pStyle (on Amazon).  This thing is awesome!!  I no longer have to expose all my parts to the freezing cold while peeing in the night!  “Pulling over” on a hike to pee in the woods is much quicker and easier now that I don’t have to undo my pants and waist belt and get half-undressed before re-arranging all clothing layers.  If you hike with boys, the pStyle will make quick trail-side peeing easier!  It has come in handy at trailheads, on hikes, and at campsites…anywhere where it’s difficult to be discreet while dropping my pants and squatting!!  I do not miss having to do that :D

     

    #3373691
    Luke Schmidt
    BPL Member

    @cameron

    Locale: Alaska

    I had a couple really good pieces this year that I’ll be using again in 2016.

    1. A MYOG pack made using a frame and hipbelt from an Unaweep.  This seems to be a trend.  Like others I really like this pack.  I cut the frame about 1 inch shorter so it ends right at the top of my shoulders.  I made several packbags for it for different uses.  For desert hiking I made a small bag out of dyneema gridstop.  With a small gear pocket its was 34oz.  For a pack that can haul 50 pounds that is a great weight to performance ration.  For packrafting I made a bigger pack on the same frame.  It was great for carrying heavy and bulky packrafting loads.  I’ll definitely use it again in 2016.
    2. Kokepelli Nirvana Packraft – This pack works great in rapids and the double chambers are nice.  Again I’ll be using one of these again this summer.
    3. Kokatat Drysuit – Worth every cent.
    #3373751
    robert courson
    BPL Member

    @bertcourson

    Locale: lake michigan

    Arc Haul … breezy back and nice ride

    Lone Peak 2.0 … looking forward to the 2.5s this year

    #3373758
    Jennifer Mitol
    Spectator

    @jenmitol

    Locale: In my dreams....

    UMBRELLA!!!

    I can’t believe I never tried one before (especially on those JMT trips I did the past few years!).  Best gear I’ve ever found, and I’ll never go on a trip without it again.  Best 8 oz i’ve ever carried.

    #3373767
    Rex Sanders
    BPL Member

    @rex

    The combination of thin gaiters and thin toe socks made a big difference in my hiking.

    The combination of a thin long-sleeved shirt, and sunscreen that truly lasts all day long, means no more sunburns for me.

    — Rex

    #3374580
    Dean F.
    BPL Member

    @acrosome

    Locale: Back in the Front Range

    Like many others my kit has been stable for years, so my favorite gear “of 2015” is probably the same as for 2014, 2013, etc.  The criteria above is for gear that always seems to make it into your pack over and over, so…

    I’d have to say my solo shelter system, which generically is a 2P mid with a bivy.  Specifically I use an MLD DuoMid and SuperLight bivy but there are many excellent alternatives.  I find the 1P mids to be uncomfortable collections of compromises whereas a 2P mid is a palace for one for only trivially more weight.  The bivy is my groundsheet and bug protection and is also handy when cowboy camping, which is what I usually end up doing anyway.

    I’ll include my cook system, though it did change slightly a few years ago.  I believe that a wide (as opposed to tall) pot on the order of 1L is the One Pot To Rule Them All.  It’s large enough to make a multi-course meal for one yet can cover two in a pinch.  Mine is the uncoated 0.9L Evernew ECA252.  I have yet to meet a nonstick coating that didn’t flake off very rapidly and avoid them, though I admit that I have no experience with the new thin ceramics.  I’m nonetheless inherently suspicious of them and I’ve always been able to remove any burned-on crud with a handfull of sand and some elbow grease at any rate.  I used to use a Ti-Tri Caldera Cone for it’s multifuel possibilities but made a SuperCat during a simplification phase I went through and have been favoring that.  I’ll probably switch between the two as needed.

    I spent a very uncomfortable night several years ago when I was unable to make tinder for a fire in some unexpectedly miserable conditions using the tiny blade on my Leatherman Squirt.  Since then I have carried a full-sized fixed-blade knife as a “luxury item.”  Mine is usually a MoraKniv Companion for the sake of keeping the weight and cost down while retaining full functionality.  The Moras lack a full tang, though, and I’d like to find something similar that has one.

    My other “luxury item” is a Klymit X Pillow.  What can I say?  I’m getting old.  :)

    After decades of wearing minimalist nylon hiking pants I finally put some stretch Prana Zion pants on my Christmas list, and my wife delivered.  I have high hopes for them.  I have only used them once on a dayhike in the Tortolita Mountains but they were quite comfortable.

    #3374590
    Monte Masterson
    BPL Member

    @septimius

    Locale: Southern Indiana

    NM

     

     

    #3375666
    Matthew Reese
    BPL Member

    @bradktn

    Sony RX100 II

    Patagonia Houdini

    Sawyer water filter bottle

    MLD Core

    #3376573
    canyon steinzig
    BPL Member

    @canyon

    Locale: Nor Cal

    Supermid: family + PCT=good

     

    #3376574
    ed hyatt
    BPL Member

    @edhyatt

    Locale: The North, Scotland

    Kit list ‘fairly’ stable.

    PHD Ultra pullover is the standout.

    #3376606
    Ken Thompson
    BPL Member

    @here

    Locale: Right there

    Dean. Mora is bringing out a full tang knife this year.

    #3377087
    James holden
    BPL Member

    @bearbreeder-2

    as a note … if one has an aluminum pole tent … one can use the aluminum pole repair sleeve as a “bellows” rather than buying something extra

    just dont touch the flames too much with it

    ;)

    #3377272
    Nick Gatel
    BPL Member

    @ngatel

    Locale: Southern California

    Mini Bic.

    #3378300
    Garrett McLarty
    BPL Member

    @gmac

    Locale: New England, PNW, Northern India

    Enlightened Equipment:

    1. Accomplice, amazingweight savings and water resistant down.

    2. Enigma

    HMG

    4400 southwest.  Finally a simple pack to take the place of an almost identical north face that’s heavier and not waterproof. With two kids now, I needed higher volume.

    Tarptent Cloudburst 3

    Incredibly versatile tent for not much weight.   When taking the kids, this works much better than my mid.

    Oruxmaps, (past 3 years but sooo good)

    No need for a Garmin anymore. Does everything a GPS should and more.  Free and tons of map options also available for free.   Highly recommend.

    #3396413
    Eric Blumensaadt
    BPL Member

    @danepacker

    Locale: Mojave Desert

    Yeah, but…

    I’d have chosen the Olympus TG4 over the Canon G15. The TG4 has an F2 lens that takes fantastic photos, has a removable ring around the lens to mount other lenses, is waterproof to 50 ft. and “drop resistant” from 7 ft.

    Let’s see the Canon G15 match those features as well as give photos as good as the TG4.

    I had my original TG1 stolen and recently replaced it with the TG4. It’s still the best point-and-shoot out there for outdoor work.

    #3396415
    Justin Baker
    BPL Member

    @justin_baker

    Locale: Santa Rosa, CA

    My neoair xtherm.

    #3422230
    Lange Jorstad
    BPL Member

    @langostino

    For the fan of the Pearl Izumi trail n2 (@mocai I’m looking at you)… better stock up, they’re exiting the running shoe business: https://pitchengine.com/pitches/61571fab-3af9-4caa-a210-c11f02136311

    #3426064
    Randy Cain
    BPL Member

    @bagboy

    Locale: Fresno, CA

    .

Viewing 22 posts - 51 through 72 (of 72 total)
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