New Gear for the Season

[toddnick]

I'm fairly new to the day hiking game and have only been buying equipment for the last 18 months or so. I had everything I needed to get by for my last trip cross-country in September 2008, but I think I now understand about some women and shoes because I keep finding new stuff that I have to have, sometimes it's a duplicate item and sometimes it is an upgrade from what I had. Being new to the game, I'm sure that I'm unaware of some great gear out there. What products have you bought since last season in Glacier??

My camping gear is fairly new from last year (tent/sleeping bag/thermarest/backpack), so it's mostly clothes....

Here is my list.....

2 North Face Glacier 1/4 Zip Fleeces (I love these, now I have four different colors total)
2 Smartwool Hiking Socks (Never can have enough of these)
2 North Face Velocitee T-Shirts (Very lightweight, wicks well, now I have a total of four)
2 North Face Vaporwick Ruckus T-Shirts (More durable than the velocitee)
1 North Face xtc Mid-Weight Top & Bottom Base Layer (This makes three pair of these)
1 Pair Garmont Flash Hiking Boots (LOVE my current pair and now have a back-up)
1 Petzl Tikka Plus Headlamp (This will replace propane lantern for nighttime reading at camp)
1 North Face Windwall Thermal Fleece Jacket (Needed a warmer fleece jacket, layered over the 1/4 zip fleece this was good to 0 degrees in January)
1 Pair Mountain Hardware Fulcrum Glove (Never owned a pair of good warmer gloves)
1 North Face Venture Weather Pant (Ripped my last pair on a branch)
1 Garmin e-Trex Vista HCx Hiking GPS (New toy to play with, so far I love it)
1 Timex Expedition Watch (I have only always had one watch, time to get a sports watch)

[Ear Mountain]

toddnick,
Looks like your preparing for another fall trip. Lots of good stuff in your list.

Nothin "new" for me just replacements. Like some convertible pants, socks and I'm still looking for new mountaineering boots. Mine never seem to last much beyond one season. The only new stuff I've gotten centers around climbing. A new BD C4 Cam, some biners, more webbing, and a set pre-tied Prusik cords.

[b_kloos88]

Gear last year/Gear this year:


Osprey Kestral 48/Gregory Baltoro 70

TNF Gore-Tex PacLite Shell/REI Shuksan w/ eVent

TNF Fortress Peak GTX Boots/Montrail Blue Ridge GTX Boots

TNF Venture Rain Pants/REI Taku Rain Pants: These pants are great. Waterproof w/o mobility being hindered at all, due to softshell stretch panels

Added an REI Muir Woods Fleece Jacket since last year.


Gear I have no reason to upgrade:

REI Quarterdome T3: Perfect for 2 people and gear INSIDE(43 sq. feet) and under 5lbs.

Marmot Pinnacle 15 Down Bag

GSI Soloist Cookset

Brunton Raptor Stove w/ piezo ignitor

Petzel Tikka XP

Smartwool Hiking socks

2 TNF Velocitee SS Shirts

TNF Glacier 1/4 Zip

TNF Redpoint Optimus Hooded Primaloft Jacket

Smartwool microweight long underwear

Pacific Outdoor Equipment Thermo 6 regular sleeping pad--Rolls up to about 4"x9" in reality, and weighs 22 oz. Oh yeah--3" of comfort, too.



On a side note: I have 2 TNF Velocitee's in the short sleeve version and I absolutely love them. A lot of retailers don't carry them for some reason. I got mine on Backcountry.com. I use the shirt for everything from ultimate frisbee to backpacking. It's very light and extremely comfortable. The best part? The price--$19.99. You can't beat that. I can't believe the price of some of these lightweight wicking shirts. Some of them cost upwards of $70!

[Jen]

The new items I have ended up with already this year are:


A new pair of Merrell Moab hiking boots (see smelly boot thread)

Golite Quest Backpack (on sale at http://www.prolitegear.com)

Slumberjack Super Guide 30 degree sleeping bag ( i needed something lighter)

The Northface Venture waterproof jacket. (lesson learned last year. My Columbia rain jacket was pvc and I was soaking wet with sweat)

2 new pairs of smartwool socks to add to my smartwool addiction (some women buy shoes, I buy smartwools)

1 Pair REI long johns (a gift)

1 SmartWool Microweight Zip T-Shirt - Long-Sleeve - Women's
Ice Blue, L (in transit from steepandcheap.com)

Petzl Elios climbing helmet (a Christmas present from my husband )

I am still hoping to find a pair of nice fitting convertible pants. Then I am done. (ha!)

[Farmgirl]

Ha...the gear buying is NEVER done...there's always ONE more thing...or a great deal that you CAN't possibly pass up!

[Jen]

Ha...the gear buying is NEVER done...there's always ONE more thing...or a great deal that you CAN't possibly pass up!

Damn you, steepandcheap.com!

[Farmgirl]

LOL
I'm with Jen!!!

[b_kloos88]

Jen, Farmgirl....

AMEN TO THAT! I have a major weakness for clearance sales. I mean really, can you pass up 40, 50, 60% off?

I've gone through about 6 tents in the last 2 years hoping each one was better than the last...3 backpacks...and I have a zillion different jackets, but always find an excuse to get another

[Hockey Ref]

Jen, Farmgirl....

AMEN TO THAT! I have a major weakness for clearance sales. I mean really, can you pass up 40, 50, 60% off?

I've gone through about 6 tents in the last 2 years hoping each one was better than the last...3 backpacks...and I have a zillion different jackets, but always find an excuse to get another

Sounds like someone needs to have a garage sale! Or better yet, start a gear exchange/sale thread here!

[b_kloos88]

Hahaha...I'm slowly supplying my friends with new gear from all my extra stuff so they can go backpacking more often. A gear swap...hmmm, you might be onto something there, Ref. Although most of the stuff I don't like I return. Thank goodness for the awesome return policy at REI and Backcountry...

[daveparker]

Jen, Farmgirl....

AMEN TO THAT! I have a major weakness for clearance sales. I mean really, can you pass up 40, 50, 60% off?

I've gone through about 6 tents in the last 2 years hoping each one was better than the last...3 backpacks...and I have a zillion different jackets, but always find an excuse to get another

Sounds like someone needs to have a garage sale! Or better yet, start a gear exchange/sale thread here!

Good idea Ref,

I have added a "Pass it forward - Gear Exchange" section..

Dave

[Ear Mountain]

Yeah, I was wondering about a used tent. I'll be checkin the gear exchange section for sure.

[Hockey Ref]

Jen, Farmgirl....

AMEN TO THAT! I have a major weakness for clearance sales. I mean really, can you pass up 40, 50, 60% off?

I've gone through about 6 tents in the last 2 years hoping each one was better than the last...3 backpacks...and I have a zillion different jackets, but always find an excuse to get another

Sounds like someone needs to have a garage sale! Or better yet, start a gear exchange/sale thread here!

Good idea Ref,

I have added a "Pass it forward - Gear Exchange" section..

Dave

Cool!

[July Guy]

That IS cool.

thanks Dave.

[soup!]

I've been wanting a luggable medium format camera and carbon fiber tripod that I can haul around to take landscapes with. I want to make crazy enlargements for every wall in my home, and recently found my new favorite toy at a garage sale:

A beautiful old Mamiya C220:


(image from http://www.schnittbildindikator.de, photographer unknown)

It was being used, believe it or not, as a book-end.

I loaded it with velvia and went out to a nearby lake. It works flawlessly, and takes super-sharp breathtakingly astounding slides. I've put quite a few rolls of film through it, in an attempt to get a good feel for various types of light. I don't own a meter, just been guessing with the good-ole "sunny-16" rule. Can't WAIT for GNP this year.