[pct-l] buying gear

[dude@fastmail.ca (dude)]

--
patrick - i highly recomend that you borrow or rent stuff before you
buy.  the reason is because you will need tp try various things and
see how you like then before you go spending lots of money on gear.

for example, i love down sleeping bags.  i would definitely recomend
the lightest down bag you can find based on my experience.  however,
you may not like the extra effort and precaution that you have to
take to keep a down bag dry and clean.  for that reason, you may
prefer a synthetic bag that is a bit more durable.  until you know
how hard it will be for you to keep your bag dry, you will not know
what bag is best for you.  it would be a real shame to spend $400+
on the greatest down sleeping bag you can find, only to find out
that the bag doesnt meet your needs.

another example would be a backpack.  i like hip belts.  some people
who are really into the unlra-light methods would say that a hip
belt is extra weight and resricts your hip movements.  you won't
know which one is true for you till you check it out.

also, before you buy, be sure to read as much as possible about the
pros/cons of all sorts of gear.  most people on this list will tell
you that the 6-8 lb super-duty packs by North Face, Arctryx, Osprey,
etc, will be overkill for most hikes.  however, that might not be
the case for you if you also want to use one single pack to serve
for both hiking and alpine climbing.  you really need to read
everything you can to figure out what YOU need.  no one on this list
will be exactly like you are.  ...and your needs will change.  My
pack/gear set up is much different today than it was when I was 13
and in scouts, or when I was 20 and seriously into peak bagging.

take your time and check out as much stuff as you can before you buy.

good luck.

peace,
dude

> --
> [ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
> I'm just starting out in backpacking what kind of gear do I need
> to buy to go on short 3 day hikes.
>
>
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