[at-l] tents, bags and trail names...oh my!

[jeanpaul at comcast.net (Jean-Paul Miller)]

the best way to initaly reduce weight it to worry about the big three...
sleeping bag,tent,pack

if you get a lighter sleeping bag and lighter tent you can get a smaller
lighter pack

there are many options out there for light weight stoves. triangia makes
alchol burners and you can use "homemade" style ones that are not so home
made from
http://www.antigravitygear.com/

cook pots can be bought there or from wally world (Walmart) or you can buy a
titanium one.

rain jackets shouls be around the 11oz range give or take a few ounces there
are lighter options too.


>    How do you feel about Backwoods as opposed to REI?  The nearest
> retailer of REI is three hours from me, whereas the nearest Backwoods is
> five minutes.   I have been checking Backpacking Magazine for Gear

Is backwoods a good outfitter?... REI sells many things but what they sell
might not be the best things for you. is REI A good outfitter?...  if they
are a three hour drive is perfect. if they are not then better off at your
local shop.

if you are not afraid of online purchases... and dont need to test it out.
try www.campmor.com and www.northernmountain.com and of course www.rei.com

TENT...
ANY good outfitter will make room and let you set up the stuff. set up the
tent get in the tent get out of the tent imagine setting it up in rain and
getting in and out in the dark... try to get in with your eyes closed. you
could always try the classic sierra designs clip flashlight! <grin> it
weights in at 4.5 pounds roughly

if you plan on going with a one person tent and the space issue does not
bother you also checkout a small siltarp and bivy or a slightly larger
siltarp and tvek ground cloth. note i dont mean a bivy with poles and stuff
i mean a waterproof bag to put over your bag. something like:
http://www.integraldesigns.com/bsre.htm

you can find these bivys from 20oz down to 9 oz... and if you use a small
siltarp 7oz...funny enough there is a picture! at the link i looked up for
this:
http://www.integraldesigns.com/bstr.htm

you can get a very versatile and very comfortable shelter for under 30oz

you can also go hammock

SLEEPING BAG...
look at www.featheredfriends.com they are a good ball park for higher
quality bags. you can see what weights are reasonable and good and what
price range you can expect.. that said i use a $100  campmor goose down 20
degree mummy bag 2lbs 4 oz. it is not as light but i have enjoyed it so far
and i think there are a bunch of other purple sleeping bag followers out
there.

SLEEPING PAD
as for a sleeping pad.. i use a solid foam pad - ridgerest full length i
beileve it is 13-14oz. some people need more support/padding... (i use full
length it is the only way i have been able to sleep comfortable and not have
wet feet in the morning... i have tried the pack under my legs and all
that... but it does not work for me.  the z-rest i did not like at all i
found it added no padding at all and i always felt cold using it. i sleep on
something as hard as the floor. (i have moved off the carpet for reasons of
allegic reactions). so it was not the lack of padding that i dont like the
z-rest for... i find it does not insulate me from ground very well which was
the purpose in the pad in the first place.

so my whole shelter thing is around 5.5 pounds including my sleeping pad bag
and tarp. (not including hiking poles you can add another 18oz if your like)

as a side note i am currently trying to drop that down to 5 pounds. by
getting a bigger tarp(+7 oz) and less waterproof bivy(-13 oz) not sure how
it goes yet.
at least one person on the list does not use the bivy at all and uses tvek
or trash bags as a ground cloth.

Wisperlight