A lot of bits and pieces to cover that don't all fit into nice neat categories. The most important of which is perhaps my water system. I'll be taking a 4L Platypus Gravityworks filter. It works really quickly and easily. It can also filter directly into a water bladder. I think I'll be taking my 2L Osprey bladder but it might get ditched along the way, and will be supplemented by the odd water bottle. For backup, I can boil water; but I will also probably take a few droplets of bleach or similar - which can be used to clean the Platypus as needed. I also have a Sawyer Squeeze Mini. In general, most people recommend just getting the normal size instead of the mini but it might be worthwhile to have a back-up filter.
To boil my water I of course need a cooker. I have the Primus Omnilite. By changing the nozzle to one of three different sizes, I can burn just about anything liquid or gas. For preference I'll either burn gas for the cleanest and easier burning but potentially clunky fuel storage; or the cleanest liquid I fuel I can get as I go along. With gas, one canister is pretty easy to take with me; but if it runs low I need to take a second and that starts getting bulky. There are also concerns with just how recyclable those canisters are anyway. Liquid is dirtier - how dirty exactly depends on the liquid - to burn but the recycling is very easy; and I can easily see how much or how little fuel I have. It'll be a tough choice but not one I have to make just yet. Most people go with gas though.
For when I've finished with my food, I'm packing the Deuce Of Spades. It's a very lightweight trowel - coming n at 17g - that's still rather durable. It isn't the most comfortable to hold in the hand but it is very light and much easier to dig catholes with than using my hiking poles or a random stick I find on the ground. Easily worth the weight.
About those hiking poles then. Leki mico vario carbon are one of the lightest set of poles on the market. When I bought them, they were the second lightest collapsible option. A foam grip keeps them from getting slick and icky with sweat. Carbon makes them incredibly lightweight and pretty durable in compression terms. I have heard horror stories at lateral forces snapping them like twigs though.... I could go for even lighter poles if I had non-adjustable ones, but those are a nightmare to get from A to B. Besides, sometimes I want them a little shorter or a little longer for long uphills and downhills.
What else is there?
Footware.
So this is an important one and I've been saving it for last for a reason. Sometimes shoes / boots are counted in the Big Three/Four with good reason. A lot of thruhikers these days are opting for lightweight, low durability, quick drying trail runners. I may yet join those ranks, but for now I am sticking with the tried and true pair of trusty boots. They protect my feet, give my ankles support, look cool, and crush things unde- give me good grip in poor conditions like snow and mud. My current pair are Lowa Renegade GTX Mid Boots. They're not the stiffest, they're not the most flexible, they're not the most anything. They're a very nice happy all rounder. I've had my pair for a while and they're still holding true, but I don't expect them to last me the whole trail. I don't know if they'll even get me half way. That's to be expected, most people go through two or three pairs at least, as far as I can tell. As I ramble further and further through the mountains I might swap them out for something different, but for now they're my very second-favourite pair of boots.
My first-favourite are an older pair of Scarpa Manta boots that I've a sentimental attachment for - they're from my first proper hike abroad; but they're far too firm, too big and too clunky for this trail.
Friday 26 October 2018
Wednesday 17 October 2018
Gear List Part 3: Clothes
So clothes. Kind of important (except for Hike Naked Day). I'll be including water proofs and things like that here too. Let's start form the bottom layer and work outwards.
Base Layer
Merino wool, I wear a lot of it. ,For those that don't know, merino wool is magic. It keeps hot stuff hot and cool stuff cool. It dries quickly, it offers immense breathability, but has no wind or water protection at all. It's a great base layer. I've two long-sleeve and two short-sleeve merino wool tops from Rab. Some generic merino wool underwear from Amazon, and a pair of merino wool long-johns. Seeing a pattern here?
That said, as my short-sleeves can show, wool - especially merino wool - isn't the most durable in thin layers. The tops have started getting a little thread-bare on the shoulders from casual every day use and the odd hike over the past year. They might get replaced eventually but they still work so they're hanging around for now.
Trousers wise I'll be using my old standard of North Face hiking trousers, preferably the convertible ones so I can turn them into shorts when it gets hot. There's not much to say here. They do the job with a bit of water resistance and wind resistance but not enough to keep my dry and warm on a very wet and windy day.
On my feet, guess what? More merino wool! Bridgedale have some lovely merino wool sock liners, over which I'll put on their lightweight hiking socks. The heavy variety are too much for my tastes. The mediums are alright but a bit thick for hot or wet days, especially if I have the liners on as well. I'm reasonable happy with liners and lightweight in the worst weather, and very happy in hot weather.
Thermal Layer
Arc'teryx has my new favourite fluffy coat. The Atom LT Jacket is nice and warm, rather fluffy and cuddly and packs down nicely. It gives a bit of protection against the rain, but is mostly there to keep me warm. It doesn't have a hood though, so I'll be taking a merino wool buff for my neck, head or anywhere else that gets cold. I may also take a generic lightweight pull-on jumper with me for that extra bit of warmth.
Shell Layer
There's a few things that go into this layer but not all of them need to be worn all the time. I'll often wear my hat, but rarely wear my gaiters. Let's start from the bottom.
Rap Hispar Gaiters keep my ankles and calves dry and make sure water doesn't get into my boots. They're a bit hot and a bit bulky though, so as Winter turns into Spring and then into Summer, I'll probably ship these home if I take them at all. If I swap to trail runners, I might replace these gaiters with some lightweight fabric ones to keep dirt and rocks out.
On my torso, Arc'teryx again with the Beta AR Jacket. I was incredibly lucky to find one doubly discounted in Cotswold a few weeks ago. It's amazing, but it is a little big for me in the large size. It's very waterproof, covers everything from the waist up - with a huge hood. It doesn't impact my movement at all, and can be opened up all over the place for breathability and so forth. It's a really good jacket, but with a high price normally. The exceptionally large hood is meant to be able to go over helmets for aplinists, caving, skiing, or so forth. For me though, it can go over my hat.
Most people have baseball caps or similar. Not me. I'm going with a wide-brimmed hat so I can pretend to be Indiana Jones. Tilley makes the best fabric hats. The hemp ones are waterproof, breathable, and windproof. They also float and are very durable. My old hemp hat got a tear in it after nearly ten years and Tilley replaced it with a brand new one for free, all I had to do was pay to send it to them. I've also got a slightly lighter cotton one with a bit more airflow but a bit less waterproof. I'd rather take the hemp one, but the USA can be a little funny about hemp sometimes or so I hear.
So clothes. Kind of important (except for Hike Naked Day). I'll be including water proofs and things like that here too. Let's start form the bottom layer and work outwards.
Base Layer
Merino wool, I wear a lot of it. ,For those that don't know, merino wool is magic. It keeps hot stuff hot and cool stuff cool. It dries quickly, it offers immense breathability, but has no wind or water protection at all. It's a great base layer. I've two long-sleeve and two short-sleeve merino wool tops from Rab. Some generic merino wool underwear from Amazon, and a pair of merino wool long-johns. Seeing a pattern here?
That said, as my short-sleeves can show, wool - especially merino wool - isn't the most durable in thin layers. The tops have started getting a little thread-bare on the shoulders from casual every day use and the odd hike over the past year. They might get replaced eventually but they still work so they're hanging around for now.
Trousers wise I'll be using my old standard of North Face hiking trousers, preferably the convertible ones so I can turn them into shorts when it gets hot. There's not much to say here. They do the job with a bit of water resistance and wind resistance but not enough to keep my dry and warm on a very wet and windy day.
On my feet, guess what? More merino wool! Bridgedale have some lovely merino wool sock liners, over which I'll put on their lightweight hiking socks. The heavy variety are too much for my tastes. The mediums are alright but a bit thick for hot or wet days, especially if I have the liners on as well. I'm reasonable happy with liners and lightweight in the worst weather, and very happy in hot weather.
Thermal Layer
Arc'teryx has my new favourite fluffy coat. The Atom LT Jacket is nice and warm, rather fluffy and cuddly and packs down nicely. It gives a bit of protection against the rain, but is mostly there to keep me warm. It doesn't have a hood though, so I'll be taking a merino wool buff for my neck, head or anywhere else that gets cold. I may also take a generic lightweight pull-on jumper with me for that extra bit of warmth.
Shell Layer
There's a few things that go into this layer but not all of them need to be worn all the time. I'll often wear my hat, but rarely wear my gaiters. Let's start from the bottom.
Rap Hispar Gaiters keep my ankles and calves dry and make sure water doesn't get into my boots. They're a bit hot and a bit bulky though, so as Winter turns into Spring and then into Summer, I'll probably ship these home if I take them at all. If I swap to trail runners, I might replace these gaiters with some lightweight fabric ones to keep dirt and rocks out.
On my torso, Arc'teryx again with the Beta AR Jacket. I was incredibly lucky to find one doubly discounted in Cotswold a few weeks ago. It's amazing, but it is a little big for me in the large size. It's very waterproof, covers everything from the waist up - with a huge hood. It doesn't impact my movement at all, and can be opened up all over the place for breathability and so forth. It's a really good jacket, but with a high price normally. The exceptionally large hood is meant to be able to go over helmets for aplinists, caving, skiing, or so forth. For me though, it can go over my hat.
Most people have baseball caps or similar. Not me. I'm going with a wide-brimmed hat so I can pretend to be Indiana Jones. Tilley makes the best fabric hats. The hemp ones are waterproof, breathable, and windproof. They also float and are very durable. My old hemp hat got a tear in it after nearly ten years and Tilley replaced it with a brand new one for free, all I had to do was pay to send it to them. I've also got a slightly lighter cotton one with a bit more airflow but a bit less waterproof. I'd rather take the hemp one, but the USA can be a little funny about hemp sometimes or so I hear.
Saturday 6 October 2018
Gear List Part 2: The Big Three
So. The big three.
Traditionally, the three heaviest and perhaps most important items are the backpack itself, the sleeping system and the shelter. Most people use a tent of some form and a sleeping bag. I am not most people.
Sleeping/Shelter Systems
I shall be using a hammock camping system. I have the Warbonnet Blackbird XLC, which is a lovely 11' long hammock, with a gear shelf and footbox; which makes it a little on the heavier side or so I hear. Why though? Well, I don't want to sleep on the ground. There are bugs and creepy crawlies and stuff. Seriously though, it means I won't need to look for flat, clear spaces to sleep and instead I just need two trees. I'll be walking in the woods, there are plenty of trees. The hammock itself won't keep me dry though, so - again from Warbonnet - I have the Superfly tarp. It's a huge, but lightweight, tarp that can keep the wind and rain off me from all directions. To stay warm, I'll be making use of the Enlightened Equipment Revelation and Revolt. Both customised for the best warmth and weight, for me. The Revolt hangs under the hammock and hugs it from below to prevent me from losing heat there. The Revelation goes in the hammock with me, and keeps me toasty warm. If these are too hot at any point, I can send them home and replace them with Warbonnet's Wookie unerquilt, which is only torso length, and with my Rab Neutrino 200 which is a wonderfully light but not quite so warm option. All of those are down, not synthetic insulation; so I have to be extra careful about keeping them dry.
So that's my sleeping and shelter system all in one nice bundle. Onto my backpack.
Backpacks
I simply adore the Osprey range of backpacks. I havetoo many four. The Daylite XL, the Talon 44, the Talon 33 and the Aether 70. No prizes for which I'll be hiking with.
I'll of course be hiking with theDaylite XL Aether 70. It's a little larger than what's necessary, and isn't the most recommended and I bought it before finalising my gear.... But! I have been using an Aether for my longer hikes for almost a decade - since Year 10 way too many years ago. I'm on my third version of it; the first got replaced for a defect after two years of use and I upgraded to the newest version for the AntiGravity system this year. Normally, it is recommended to choose what gear to use before choosing what bag to pack it into to avoid buying things to fill the bag. I knew though that I'd be using my favourite backpack for this hike before hand, and it is hard to run out of space in it so I can buy whatever I need. Not whatever I want, though, if I am to remain lightweight.
The version I have comes with ways to stow trekking poles whilst on the go, which is nice but not very useful in my opinion. Similarly it has a front J-zip access panel. I have never found those to be necessary, and only really use it to adjust the separator in the bottom of the bag. Amongst the useful features I've found so far are the slightly more durable bottom and side pouches - I had torn holes in my very first Aether. As with pretty much all Osprey backpacks, it has wonderful integration for water bladders, which I am toying with using. The Osprey brand water bladders are especially nice but any water bladder works well too. More on those in another post.
Like a lot of modern backpacks, the Aether 70 has a top access and bottom access, with a removable panel in the middle to divide it into two compartments. I think I shall store my hammock, tarp and all things needed to set them up, in the bottom section - except for the quilts. The hammock and tarp have their own drybags, whilst the suspension can get wet without much issue. The top section will have a bag liner and then everything will be shoved into that, with their own dry bags potentially.
I've not used my new pack enough to fully judge it, as it's not been used for more than a week hike so far, but the AntiGravity system in that week was really nice. It improves the ventilation on my back and makes it feel nicer to carry. The whole revamped hip belt and back panel are just lovely. The model I had before this didn't even have the zip pouches on the belt!
Bare in mind, all of this might change when I get out there.
Traditionally, the three heaviest and perhaps most important items are the backpack itself, the sleeping system and the shelter. Most people use a tent of some form and a sleeping bag. I am not most people.
Sleeping/Shelter Systems
I shall be using a hammock camping system. I have the Warbonnet Blackbird XLC, which is a lovely 11' long hammock, with a gear shelf and footbox; which makes it a little on the heavier side or so I hear. Why though? Well, I don't want to sleep on the ground. There are bugs and creepy crawlies and stuff. Seriously though, it means I won't need to look for flat, clear spaces to sleep and instead I just need two trees. I'll be walking in the woods, there are plenty of trees. The hammock itself won't keep me dry though, so - again from Warbonnet - I have the Superfly tarp. It's a huge, but lightweight, tarp that can keep the wind and rain off me from all directions. To stay warm, I'll be making use of the Enlightened Equipment Revelation and Revolt. Both customised for the best warmth and weight, for me. The Revolt hangs under the hammock and hugs it from below to prevent me from losing heat there. The Revelation goes in the hammock with me, and keeps me toasty warm. If these are too hot at any point, I can send them home and replace them with Warbonnet's Wookie unerquilt, which is only torso length, and with my Rab Neutrino 200 which is a wonderfully light but not quite so warm option. All of those are down, not synthetic insulation; so I have to be extra careful about keeping them dry.
So that's my sleeping and shelter system all in one nice bundle. Onto my backpack.
Backpacks
I simply adore the Osprey range of backpacks. I have
I'll of course be hiking with the
The version I have comes with ways to stow trekking poles whilst on the go, which is nice but not very useful in my opinion. Similarly it has a front J-zip access panel. I have never found those to be necessary, and only really use it to adjust the separator in the bottom of the bag. Amongst the useful features I've found so far are the slightly more durable bottom and side pouches - I had torn holes in my very first Aether. As with pretty much all Osprey backpacks, it has wonderful integration for water bladders, which I am toying with using. The Osprey brand water bladders are especially nice but any water bladder works well too. More on those in another post.
Like a lot of modern backpacks, the Aether 70 has a top access and bottom access, with a removable panel in the middle to divide it into two compartments. I think I shall store my hammock, tarp and all things needed to set them up, in the bottom section - except for the quilts. The hammock and tarp have their own drybags, whilst the suspension can get wet without much issue. The top section will have a bag liner and then everything will be shoved into that, with their own dry bags potentially.
I've not used my new pack enough to fully judge it, as it's not been used for more than a week hike so far, but the AntiGravity system in that week was really nice. It improves the ventilation on my back and makes it feel nicer to carry. The whole revamped hip belt and back panel are just lovely. The model I had before this didn't even have the zip pouches on the belt!
Bare in mind, all of this might change when I get out there.
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