1. Big Sky Mirage 2P tent
2. Gossamer Gear LT4 poles

1: Alpacka Yukon Yak w/ spraydeck
-most versatile and inspiring tool for wilderness travel since the rucksack



2: My MYOG packs
-perfect for my needs

http://vimeo.com/15764558

3: Tenkara Amago
-made fly fishing fun again



[as usual, please restrict to items with 5+ night in the BC]

Edited by DaveC on 12/27/2010 17:54:58 MST.

PT Byte Headlamp

Evernew Pasta Pots, both sizes

FF Down Booties

New Home sewing machine from the thrift store. Like new!

Yikes, Ben. You've gone over to the dark side! ;^P

Hi Ben,

What options did you get for your mirage 2p? What is the weight? any comments on the performance of this tent?

willy

It was an MLD revelation year for me: the MLD Burn and Superlight bivy (full net hood) perfected my summer in Virgina/Pennsylvania/West Virginia and gave me comfort in the hottest, stickiest evenings at a minimal weight (and enabling 30 mile days in "comfort"). I can't rave enough about how amazing the material of the Superlight feels as a "sheet" going to bed in the humid heat with bugs swirling about the night air.

But it feels weird writing and even thinking about the heat of summer right now. Eh, it'll be here again. Until then, my new Exped Downmat 9 and JRB High Sierra Sniveller should keep me warm this winter.

Miguel:

I think most would agree that BS tents are well-designed. I love mine. I got it at PCT Trail Days silent auction -- where I was the only bidder. Got it at a great discount. :)


Weiyi:

Mine is the standard package -- silnylon with aluminum poles. Actual weight:

Tent - 28.0 oz
Pole - 12.3

Total - 40.3 oz

I'm trying to reduce the inventory in my gear closet and so didn't get too much new but there are some winners:

OR Graphic Dry Sack

Norrona Lofoten softshell - first softshell that's really keeping

Tarptent Hogback

SMD Swift '10 - I didn't think I would ever find a pack I liked better than my GG Mariposa Plus, but I haven't used any other packs since I picked this one up in May.

GG Litetrek 4 Poles - I finally retired my Komperdell C3's that had just shy of 2000 miles on them.

Golite Shangri-La 3 - for winter trips

In no particular order:

Tarptent Moment. Plenty of room, easy set up, and handles incredible wind and weather.

Coleman F-1 Ultralight canister stove. Yes, Coleman. Awesome performance and wind resistance.

Got a ULA Ohm this summer, used it on several trips. While I like the pack, I still haven't decided if it's "the one." I still have my SMD Starlite, which love, but it's just too large for most trips. So the Ohm makes the list on a provisional basis.

Keen trail runners and boots. They saved my feet this year. They are not built to last but I can handle that (they are not horribly expensive).

This was the first year in a long time I didn't backpack even once. Ah well! So while I got new hiking gear, I didn't buy any new tents or sleeping bags for once ;-)

This year I backed off on big purchasess (B/C I pretty much had what I needed.)

But my new Eddie Bauer First Ascent Downlight Sweater is my best purchase of 2010. (Yes the 1st edition leaked some down so I ret'd. it. Just got the replacement which is nice, nice NICE!
Now to spray it with Revivex DWR, inside and out, for additional water resistance.

But wait! There's more! I almost forgot my Merrell Moab Mid GTX boots. Love 'em.

And my Merrell Moab Ventilator shoes. Nice for day hikes in the southwest.

Next year (as in January) I'm geting the Caldera Cone Tri Ti Inferno. I "need" it for winter camping.

Edited by Danepacker on 12/27/2010 20:07:09 MST.

man, its a squeeze to narrow it down to three:

katabatic gear Windom balaclava
MLD Burn pack
Dogfish Head hiking socks

runners up:

Ti goat poles
saloman xa pro 3d ultra
and of course, my te-wa underquilts

Edited by mikeinfhaz on 12/27/2010 19:47:50 MST.

Dog Fish Head hiking socks!!!!! Where?

Being that this is my first year back in the fold, almost all of my "good" gear is new to me since this last July.

JRB "Sierra Sniveller" quilt. Wow. I'm a quilter. I've been converted. I love this piece of gear. A lot.

Alpinlite "Stratiform III" tarp w/"Bug Tent 1.5". Stepping into tarping for the first time as well. Love it. Just takes practice. Also, thanks to all who have posted their tips & techniques on pitching.

BPL "Vapr" bivy. Also new to bivy camping, but love it. My sleep system of the Sniveller, bivy and Thermarest "Z-Pad" folded over to double thickness is heaven.

Non-typical backcountry gear: Apple Touch 4G. Mostly for the 720p hi def video & editing capabilities & wi-fi. But also notes/journaling, storing backups of topos, iBooks, a couple good movies - this is an almost perfect & lightweight machine for updating while on the trail. If it had a still camera the quality of the iPhone (5mp) it'd be perfect.

And the piece of "gear" I've found indispensable is this website & the knowledgeable reviews/banter/info. I don't lug my desktop into the wild, but the hardrive between my ears is brimming with the info I've gleaned here at BPL. Kudos.

Dug
http://thf2.wordpress.com

(my PCT '11 gear list if interested: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=40827)

Edited by Pittsburgh on 12/28/2010 01:05:17 MST.

@ PATRICK

https://www.dogfish.com/store/off-centered-holiday/gifts-under-20/bike-socks.htm

yes, dogfish head socks. show ppl that you have high taste. and do it in style!

Edited by mikeinfhaz on 12/27/2010 20:29:14 MST.

I have to pile on too about the Feathered Friends down booties.
I also enjoyed my Montbell Alpinelight down parka in the earlier part of the year.

For a third I'll also list the Neo-air.

I quite liked the Ursack Minor for keeping rodents out of my food.

I might have listed my new Packa, but don't have enough foul-weather days with it to be firm on this yet, or rather, most of the bad weather days after I bought it were warm enough that I only used it as a pack cover.

#1. Buff- Merino Wool, UV Buff, doesn't matter, I've had one on my head all year.



#2. New Balance MT 100/101's- Single most used item of gear I own hands down. I'm on pair #5 now. Trailrunning, road running, ultramarathons, backpacking, chilling... these have seen the most miles and I love them.



#3. Trail Designs Caldera Ti-Tri/ MSR Titan Kettle kit, this little bastitch fed me warm food without fuss every single time. *(... and it took me almost an entire year to remember to face the handles away from the flame opening! 'Do as I say, not as I do.')




...runner ups:

MLD Monk- pure SUL simplicity
Patagonia Nine Trails wind shell - great for backpacking, even better for trailrunning

Edited by Eugeneius on 12/27/2010 20:53:17 MST.

MLD Super Exodus pack (Bomber pack for colder months of the SE) might be replacing in 2020 if pushed
BPL Merino hoody lasted 100+ trail days without shredding since early fall 09
MLD Serenity shelter

Hike on!

Edited by florigen on 12/27/2010 20:58:22 MST.

McHale Chasm pack, ultra comfy and feature rich.

Neo Air (reg) for a good nights sleep

Montrail Torre boots, no longer made, but bought over a year and a half ago, and finally used on a rocky and root strewn trip. Not a single blister right out of the box. Rained on and off, mostly on, for 5 days straight days and feet stayed bone dry.

Darn tough socks

Jetboil, not light, but soooooo fast and convenient.