getting into longer trips, gear reccomen dations?

“I am just recently going from short few hour day hikes into overnights. With that I purchased a new pack but am having q hard time picking a solo tent and sleeping bag. Preferably some stuff I could use multi-season. I have a 20° kelty Mistral bag but it really is a piece of junk and I've had it for two years too long. I'm looking for ultralight stuff as I hope to start on the AT here in southeast NY. On about a 400$ budget for bag and tent.”

“The best piece of advice I got when I was buying my gear was to buy the most lightweight good quality piece of gear I could afford.

Having said that, what seasons do you expect to be out there? If it's spring and summer, you could go with a 30 degree bag. If it's fall and winter, you might need a 10 or 0 degree bag. Remember that the bag's rating does not mean you will be toasty warm at the rated temperature. It just means the bag will most likely keep you alive down to that temperature.

Check out the Marmot Helium. This bag is down, rated for 15 degrees and light weight. I think I paid 150 for mine on sale, but that was a long time ago.

There are lots of good lightweight tents out there right now. I currently use a LightHeart Gear solo tent. Only 27 ounces and plenty of room for me and stuff.”

“Good advice CreekDancer. All I want to add is that I own 3 tents, 2 sleeping bags, 4 stoves, etc.. etc.. meaning.. if there was the PEREFECT all-around for everything?.. I'd have one of each.”

“perefect? oh well.”

“Maybe instead of trying to buy both bag and tent now, buy one and use what you have or borrow something until you find what you really want.

I bought a bag from a gear tester who had only used it a few times and it saved me serious money.”

“That's good advice. I am on my fourth generation of gear and I could have saved a lot of money if I had been more careful about the early gear purchases. But gear has improved over the years and my needs have changed too.”

“LA with 4 hunnert you can do a lot, and with quality gear. Topmost of your items are boots, pack, bag, and shelter. The boots are way iffy buying used, unless you can try them on there and walk about in them some, but with dayhiking you awta be fine in the boot dept. The latter 3, be sure to buy used. If you're iffy about somebody else's fartsack, it's what washing machines are made for.

You're asking about a bag and a tent, so let's start with a bag. So you're pretty much starting out eh? So let's assume you ain't doing any winter stuff just yet, and you wanna replace your Mistral. That Helium is a good one, going for about 150 or so on ebay, but are you ready to start out with down? Down is awesome tobesure, but you better not screw up and get it wet. I just picked up 2 North Face Climber 3D Polarguard bags for about 65 each. Rated for 30, 2 lbs, compacts small, off Ebay. Google "favorite (or best) 3 and a half season sleeping bags" and follow up some links. You can make a list of bags to look for, then hit ebay, craigslist, and some of them (or ones like them) could be on sale at Campmor or Sierra Trading Post or somewhere.

Tents follow the same logic. Buy quality, but used, and hencely cheaper. Heyullfire, if you have a little time, the smaller of the Bibler tents go for a buck or a buck-fitty on Ebay. Google some info, do some reading online, get you a list up, then hit up ebay and CL. To really learn stuff about pros and cons with tents, all the net reading in the world won't be as much help as seeing what everyone else is using. Other hikers are the best information on tents.

Regardless of what you think, you are definitely going to have 2 rounds of purchases (unless you decide to hate backpacking). First you'll buy all that awesome stuff you will need, then over time you will replace it all with "better" stuff. So BE SURE your first round is the way lower cost one. A used 1-buck bag will perform exactly the same as a new 3-buck bag.

Like Creek said, over time you will fine-tune your needs and your gear wish-list. And..... we're all gearsluts, whether we admit it or not.

Btw - t/y very much a good while back Creek, I been meaning to call and thank you for that!”

“Awesome. I actually got my pack at ems on an end of life sale cause they came out with a new model. Its an ems trail 30 nothing special but for 35$ itll do the trick. I'm gonna take the advice and do the research and see what I can find used. Thanks”

“One of the coldest bagnights I ever spent was in 20* northface synthetic bag. It was 25*.

You are better off with a used down bag and don't let it get wet. A quality down bag will last and stay warm a long time. They should be stored uncompressed. Synthetic bags start losing their warmth each time they are compressed. I use down regardless of season or expected weather.”

“lol camp..... I'll surely keep that in mind, bout yur coldest bagnight ever spent”

“..with my youngest daughter.. poor thing. She's been with me on about three of my most cold nights. Live and learn.

”

“Not sure what you are talking about Nekkid, but you are welcome!

Even after all these years, I still make poor gear choices. I recently purchased a 0 degree Big Agnes down bag, which is not going to work for me. Brian fashioned a layer of insulation to slip into the underside pocket, which took care of the coolness I was feeling from underneath. On a whim, we spent Saturday night at a nearby state park where I used this bag. The temps only got down to about 38, but I just could not get warm. I finally concluded that the bag is just too big for me and my body heat just could not warm it up sufficiently. (No comments from the cheap seats about hot air, k :) So now I am going to sell the bag and pad. I think it would fine for a larger person.

At least I have learned to test my gear before heading out for a trip.
last edited: 11/22/11 10:58:57 AM”

“For gear, it pays to keep a watch on some discount sites such as steepandcheap.com, sierratradingpost and reioutlet - and then watch for sales. I try to avoid looking for just one particular item but look for good deals on a variety of choices.

My favorite 3 season tent right now is the Big Agnes Fly Creek (30 oz for 1 person, 36 oz for the 2 person). List price is 300 for the 1 person, but you you should be able to get a new one for at least 20% less - more if you are patient and lucky. My other favorite lighweight 3 season shelter is a Hennessey Hammock.

I agree with going for a down with water resistant or waterproof/breathable shell. I prefer a full zipper (or close to full) because its more versatile - you can use it as a quilt much of the time and zip yourself in when you need the warmth. I usually carry a bag liner - it adds to the warmth and helps keep the bag cleaner longer.

I love Western Mountaineering bags, but there are many other good brands. You might look at the WM caribou or apache and see if you can get one of those or get something with similar specs from another brand at a gear swap, ebay or something.”

“The only problem with buying a used bag is the funk factor. I mean, I would never buy a used...say...thru-hiker bag. Now if it was only used a couple of times, that would be different.”

“There's a WM caribou on eBay now @ $187.50, its a long..”

“Yaknow? Okay, I'm different, but I have managed to do a lot of stuff. Check FYAO for my creds.

IMO never buy used. I use low-end Slumberjack sleeping bags and Eureka tents.

Please let me explain. I have seen many - and I mean many - high-tech, super light-weight tents fail, particularly in windy conditions. MEC (the Canuck REI) tents have a habit of pole breakage. My daughter had this problem on the prairies (major wind - but what would it have been up High?).

When she lost gear in a relationship break-up (I lost a kick-butt pair of Raichle boots that way), I got her a Eureka Mountain Pass (3 season) tent. She went up North (uh, that's North in Canada, eh?) and, during a storm, she was the one dry person amid a bunch of high-tech college kids.

I have a Eureka Mountain Pass 4 season and it works.

Please read about the Big Agnes 'Better Idea' that simply doesn't work. Do you want a better idea and then ruin the light-weight thing because you need another thing to sleep at night? Is sleeping at night important to you - believe it. Ask Creekdancer.

A long (long) time ago I bought a Eureka Sentinel (4 person) Expedition tent. I figured my kids would be in Guides/Scouts and I wanted something rugged. I took them backpacking in the Rockies in 1988 and finally retired it (after re-coating the floor twice) in 2008 after Masten (MarkO slept in it too). Try to beat that!

I use Slumberjack sleeping bags (Canucks are cheap, eh?), but they work.

You can get higher tech and lighter, but up here, if you mess up you really can die before you get back to your car, eh?

Light-weight tents skimp on zippers - and, trust me, please, if some one thing will let you down, it's the zip. I am of an age when you could buy the Woods Arctic 4 Star sleeping bag (used by the guy in Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls with a zip, snaps,or buttons (snaps freeze worse than zips, BTW).

Oh, yeah, boots that fit.

Boots that fit.

Boots that fit.

Besafe and have fun.

Doug

BTW, I've been doing this shyte since 1955.”

“BTW, light-weight tent skimp on poles, too.”

“I just got this month's Alpine Club of Canada Journal. There is a nice article about a ski traverse in Auyittuq Park on the Cumberland Peninsula of Baffin Island.

We all know you can't transport fuel on an aeroplane and when these people landed at Pangnirtung, they couldn't get fuel for their high-tech stove (huuuuullloooo?).

Guess what?

They ended up packing an old, two burner Coleman stove.

You see a lot of threads about the latest, super light-weight stoves, eh?

Get a Whisperlight and practise how to use it at home (to minimise flair-ups). In fact, Practise everything at home before you leave.

Oh yes:

Boots that fit

Boots that fit

Boots that fit.

Stay safe and have fun.

Doug”

“Yup, test all gear before you leave.

While packing for my first solo trip, I grabbed my son's stove and a fuel canister out of his gear box. When I got to camp the first night, I found that the stove and the canister were not compatible. Ate cold food for four days.”

“With all the high tech stuff available, nothing keeps you warmer than down and wool. Light too.”

“I wish I could pick up that Wm butttt ... you see I am 5'5 and long would be a waste with my stubby legs ... slumberjack though? ... they can be nearly as warm or compact as say the marmot helium could they? As for tents I have my eye on a mhw sprite solo ... and a jet boil stove ... I'm hoping to hit the at here this winter. So I need a super warm bag”

“I've heard good things about that mthdware tent.. I'd stay away from the jetboil. Whiperlite or even Whitebox alcohol.. Jetboil is just too big and bulky. If you like cannisters, you can't beat msr pocketrocket.

Stick with a down bag, my humble opinion. Lighter and warmer. Buy the nicest bag you can afford, nothing is more important. Also a nice closed cell foam pad, you can get one for $20.
Ilike this one: http://gossamergear.com/sleeping/3-8.html.

..still out of stock. Patience.

Another thing you might consider is a cuben fiber tarp. It's a nice addition if you run into really bad weather. They are dead waterproof and light also repair very easily with duct tape if you get a puncture.

You can use it to cook under, for wind protection, emergency shelter or for waterproofing your tent if it starts leaking in the night.. less than 6 oz, buy it used. They are pretty expensive. People buy expensive gear all the time and then decide to sell because they don't use it as much as they thought.

MLD, Hammock gear, zpacks ..all make good cuben tarps. Hammock forums has a for sale section, check it out.”

“Check this tent out. http://www.campsaver.com/seedhouse-sl-1-tent-1-person-3-season

..a little lighter than the sprint and probably a little more roomy..”

“Is it the same quality? I really liked the quality of the poles on the sprite”

“Poles are probaby about the same. The BA is freestanding. I like that better.
They also have the sprite on sale.. http://www.campsaver.com/sprite-1-tent-1-person-3-season

The fabric and waterproofing looks heavier on the sprite...that probably accounts for the weight difference. Reading the reviews on this site, one guy was complaining about the poles on the sprite..”

“Those are good prices 1camper - I guess this is a great time to snag a deal on a 3 season tent.”

“I'm a hammock guy, but I still really like tent shopping..”

“Hey 1camp, what you thank of them Eno hammocks? Their single nests are going for 40 all day long on ebay.”

“Better off with the double. You can get a much flatter lay asymetrically on the wider hammock. I gave my Eno double away..still regretting it.

For $60 you can get a warbonnet traveller..it's basically like the Eno double.”

“Why hammocks over tents 1camper? Seems like an uncomfy lifestyle and hell if a bear comes I'd rather be crushed than smacked around”

“Nothing feels better to me at the end of a long day hiking than kicking my feet up in my hammock looking at the stars. Then, in the morning, roll over and make breakfast without ever getting out.
If it rains, you ain't in the mud. You don't have to roll up a went tent and shove it in your pack. The only wet thing you have is one tarp.
If you're tired of hiking and need a break, you can hang it in three minutes and take a nap..anywhere.”

“..oh, and bears are afraid of hammocks.”

“But what if I like to coat myself in Peanut butter and honey before bed ... Then a hammock would be most uncomfortable and bears would love it.”

“http://www.takeahikenc.com/istar.asp?a=3&dept=11&class=111&sortby=&numperpage=9&pos=0

Here are some Montbell and Western Mountaineering bags which are on sale. I rarely see these bags on sale.”

“I'm diggin' that Montbell Spiral Down Hugger zero bag!”

“Another great thing about hammocks is you don't need flat ground. If there are decent trees you can still sleep comfortably on a steep mountainside or in an area where lots of blowdowns and rocks make it impossible to get a clear space for a tent without a whole lot of work.”

“Of course, on a desert hike, you will be pretty much screwed, but, hey, you can't have it all.”

“Not just desert. I didn't see very many hammock spots in Denali compared to tent sites. ..except for maybe in the campground.
Actually, one of my most memorable nights in a hammock was in the desert in Utah. I stretched it out between two junipers and fell asleep with my glasses on looking at the stars. Truly incredible!”

“Those are good prices CD, glad you got something you like. Thanks!”

“What do you figure happens if ya click on one of those links? ...a kitten in Malaysia gets juggled.”