Gear Weenies Only, Please

I'd be remiss as a gear weenie if I didn't talk about my backpacking gear at some point. I didn't mention it at all in the trip report, so if you're uninterested, you can just skip this entry.

I have a new backpack. It is a GoLite Breeze. I would recommend this backpack to anyone who is sincere about going ultralight. Since it has no frame, hipbelt or sternum strap, it's not meant to be loaded up. I carried an average of 20 lbs total including food and water on the last two trips I did (both were overnights, one was 25 miles and the other was 17.5). The fabric seems pretty bombproof.

When I used my single-wall tent in PA last week, I was again frustrated by the condensation. Make no mistake, the Nomad Lite is a fine tent. I like experimentation, and since I decided to hike without my poles (I usually need them to pitch the Nomad), further experimentation was possible.

So after selected reading's in Ray Jardine's Beyond Backpacking, I had an idea. Since I wasn't sure if a tarp would work for me or not, I decided to make one and avoid the (possible) needless expense. I purchased some ripstop nylon at my local fabric store. Three yards of it weighed 9 ounces or so. I simply hemmed all the edges and then attached grosgrain ribbon as a reinforcement as the guy line points. Instead of installing grommets, I made button holes on those reinforcements. I then sprayed the tarp with the recommended quantity (on the can) of Kiwi Silicone Spray. This is nasty shit. If you can use it outside, please do. The waterproofed material will also outgas the stuff, so you'll want to hang it to dry somewhere well ventilated for about 24 hours. Anyway, I wound up with a almost 5 X 8 tarp with a finished weight of 9.25 ounces for about $15.

I decided that I wanted to take a big tent with a screen roof. In my gear cabinet (ladies and gentlemen, I have a lot of gear), the is the natural choice. The Sololite is similar, but I can't sit up in it and it's not freestanding. Those things were not acceptable for my needs. The REI Half Dome is knocked out because it has insufficient ventilation and a closed roof.

I also found that both tents weigh 35-50% less with the rainfly taken away. Since I wanted to play with the tarp and not be at risk of getting wet, I took the Slip Tent and it's poles with no rainfly. As it turns out, the tarp can be staked a the foot of the Slip tent, pulled over the top and staked with the shock cord from the Nomad Lite. It rained, and I stayed dry, so the tarp was a success, but next time I need to bring more cord. I didn't have enough to pitch the tarp as a shelter on it's own after the line for the bear bag was thrown. Note to self... I greatly enjoyed all the additional space in the tent. It was a freaking palace I tell you and worth the three pounds, for sure.

On this particular hike, I didn't miss my poles. I did bring a single staff to use, but I forgot it in the car. I'd have been happier on a number of stream crossings if I'd had that. I didn't need any help with the downhills - they weren't terribly steep or long.

Without further ado, here is something like a list of my gear that I normally carry:

My pack weight was about the same on the trip to Ramsey's Draft, but I swapped out my tent for a different one and a tarp. I also carried more tent stakes than usual (double the number). I had a hiking partner, so I brought a left the Esbit home in favor of the Camping Gaz stove and substituted my filter bottle for the Pur Hiker. That gear was split up between us, as were the group meals. It was about the same weight as the other pack, ultimately.