1. CC Sidewinder/Inferno stove -> That Inferno insert was pure genius. Hotter than Hades and very fuel efficient. And the ESBIT setup saves me fuel over my Vargo Triad stove setup.

2. WM Megalite 1 oz. Overfill -> Who's a thunk that a mere 1 oz (800 cu. in.) of down "overfill" could make a bag so much warmer. Now I have a 20F. bag for those high, cold summer camps. Best $38. I ever spent on backpacking gear.

3. Improved Steripen Adventurer -> Accidentally left my Steripen at a spring in the nearby mountains outside Las Vegas. So I got a new Adverturer with the new optical sensor. Works much better.

Oh, yeah, 4. New Thermarest Prolite regular -> Cascade Designs replaced my ancient, delaminated Thermarest Lite for FREE. Great mattress and a bit warmer than the old Lite.

Edited by Danepacker on 12/28/2011 14:34:10 MST.

1) Sewing Machine - still playing with it, but I'm already super stoked on the $30 Goodwill find. Originally, I just wanted a few key pieces of homemade gear, but I'm starting to eye making clothing for the trail as well.

2) MSR gravity filter - yeah, it's a bit heavy, and definitely heavier than AM, but I don't even carry a bottle anymore, and of course I'm not pumping either. I love having my mountain stream not taste like tap water.

3) REI Flash 30 - I got this a while ago, before it was on clearance, but I have used it a LOT. I started bike commuting this year, and this is the pack I use. More than just cutting close to 30 oz from my base weight, it has let me get way more exercise than just my daily run. Perfect size not just for a weekend trip, but work essentials as well.

Honorable mention - Switching to all grain homebrewing. Not the forum for it, hence honorable mention rather than a top three. Love it.

Jeff

Hiked the JMT this year in August and gear that I loved

1. Goosefeet Down Socks for sleeping....newest bit of gear and my only luxury item. I sleep cold and use a Jacks R Better 30-25F down quilt. These down socks have taken me from being just okay to toasty warm while sleeping. 2.5-3.5 oz (I have overfill)

2. Caldera Cone & Gram Cracker Stove for Esbit, used a friend's gram cracker and was blown away at the efficiency that I gained. 2.0-2.5 boils with one esbit. Was my 1st purchase when I got home from the trip.

3. MLD eVent Soul Side Zip Bivy from 2008-2009. Bomber Bivy. Not a scratch on it after all these years of use. I just love that with the small foot print of a bivy that I could find the smallest spots to settle in for the night next to a rock, a tree, between a rock and tree that a tent could not fit in. The Bivy allowed me to use natural wind blocks to make my nights all the warmer.

-Tony

Here are my three for 2011:

Definitely the most used this winter, because I wear it around home too: A Katerina Pierini knit hat, in merino wool. Her hats are works of art and warm, too!

A KookaBay custom Climashield insulated air mat. It is 20"x 60" x 3.5", mummy style, insulated to R5, weighs 12.9 oz. It has taken me a long time to get used to it, particularly the narrow bottom end. I've also had difficulty keeping non-skld stripes on the bottom; they promptly peel off (see below for the solution). Even so, it is by far the most comfortable pad I've ever had. After reading about the problems with the Peak Elite AC (which I'd originally had in mind), I'm sure glad I went with KookaBay!

Just bought, so I've not had a chance to seam seal or try it outdoors: ZPacks Hexamid Twin, the version with screening, plus their twin size bathtub floor ground sheet. I set it up in my living room, got my sleeping bag and pad and my dog's sleeping pad and the two of us got inside. Next thing I knew, it was 4 hours later and we'd both had a nice nap! There's lots of room (including headroom) for the dog and me, and I'll even be able to add one grandchild, although that will be a bit snug. The cuben floor is far less slippery than silnylon, so my KookaBay pad stays put! I carefully checked out the dimensions and headroom, because my past experiences with side-opening tents were not good. There's lots of space over my head in the Hex Twin, with no danger of brushing my head or feet against wet tent. Note: Just to be sure, I'm keeping my prior tent (GG/Tarptent Squall Classic) until I've used the Hexamid Twin for a season. One or the other will be for sale next November! Yes, expensive, but about 3/4 pound savings. As I get older, this amount of weight savings becomes more and more significant.

Edited by hikinggranny on 12/28/2011 16:09:35 MST.

1) TT contrail. first 1p tent i've had in a long time. upgraded my REI solo lite(4lb lite? hmm) I was only able to do 1 night in it before it got to cold to do any hiking but so far so good. I love the ease of set up and small packed size.

2) BA Air Core mattress. Got sick of sore hips from sleeping on thin thermarests so between reviews here and elsewhere that is what i picked and couldn't be happier. 2.5" full length of soft comfort. Got one for my girlfriend for her birthday too so she wouldn't be jealous and steal mine.

3) Osprey exos 58. Huge upgrade from my 5lb REI pack i've had since high school. Have not had the chance to do any hikin with it but just wearing it in the house with some stuff in it already proves it will be much better.

4) Osprey Stratos 24. the day pack that brought me to BPL. Have done multiple day hikes with it and it has worked great. as you can see i'm a fan of the suspended mesh back panels.

@Ken K "1) Back surgery and a therapy plan that let me walk again, letting my do my first real backpacking trips (5 of them!) in 4 years !"

Congratulations Ken! That's great to hear. I hope you continue to get better. Best of luck!


1. I didn't get him this year but he was old enough to get added to my kit this year. My trail buddy, Buddy.



2. Golite SL-3. My first floorless shelter. Under 2 pounds and tons of room for me and Buddy and all our gear. We got rained on a lot this year and it's nice to have the extra room, and especially headroom. Taking it snow camping this weekend for the first time and I have no doubt it will be great for 4 season use.

3. Patagonia Houdini. Amazing what a difference a super light windshirt can make.

4. Aquamira drops. Before the season I got a Steripen. Which I do like a lot. It allowed me to not carry any water at all when I was confident of water sources. But I got the drops to carry as a backup and they are just so convenient that I don't mind a 15-20 minute wait to drink. I end up carrying some water but not much for very long.

Edited by rlnunix on 12/28/2011 16:37:56 MST.

I finally made the dive into quilts this year. I purchased two from Katabatic. They are working out fantastic so far.


1. Katabatic Chisos. Ordered it with two ounces of overfill in a regular. It is a great summer bag.

2. Katabatic Alsek. Order it with three ounces of overfill in a long. It has been perfect as a colder weather bag.

3. Darn Tough socks. Switched to these from Smartwool this year. I like the feel of them better, plus they don't stretch out as my Smartwools would.

4. Dirty Girl gaiters. Picked up a pair early this year. I don't even notice that I am wearing them.

1. BearPaw Wilderness Designs Canopy Tarp 2

2. Yama Mountain Gear (2.0) Bug Shelter

3. Western Mountaineering Flash Vest

2011 was a neat year for gear.

1) Virga Outdoors (BillyGoat) Wendego
Exactly what I want in a quilt - the lightest fabrics (M55), the best down (900fp) and just the right amount of down (7.6oz) that I'm cozy in the summer and still cozy in the spring and fall when I wear my other layers inside. 14oz, ~$330.


2) Honda Ruckus
This one is like a pack raft - you have to step back and really think about it before you understand how it can change your hiking experience. With the Ruckus there are two huge transportation benefits. First, I can drive myself up old logging roads that even the toughest SUV's can't handle. Washouts? Fallen logs? A creek? No big deal. I can get anywhere since I can even carry this thing over fallen trees etc. Secondly, the Ruckus fits INSIDE my car (Honda Fit) which means I can shuttle myself on hikes. I can pop the Ruckus in my car, leave it at the trail exit and then drive my car to the start. When I exit I just hop on the scooter and rip back to the start, pop it in my car and head home. This picture shows me arriving at my Ruckus after a 60 mile wilderness traverse. 190 lbs, $2000


2) Zpacks Zero w Extras
This custom little pack is perfect for those 1-4 night solo trips. At 5oz, it drops over a pound off my base weight which is great when I don't need a bigger pack. I love talking to Joe to get exactly the features I want, and the price is great for a custom piece of gear. 5oz, $130.

Edited by dandydan on 12/29/2011 11:10:53 MST.

1) Katabatic Palisade. I was a WM person until I tried Aaron's quilts. The best engineered out there with stellar craftsmanship.

2) I/O Bio Merino Glory 1 Hoody. Great fit, UL merino, thumb loops (that have no signs of wear with trekking pole use), and a solid hood. I had merino base layers on my list last year, but they all sit in the drawer now. Even for day hikes, it's hard to reach for anything but the hoody.

3) MLD Burn. I know I'm late to the party on this one, but the Burn is everything I want a small pack to be. The design of the pack is stellar and the small size is a joy to carry. I dread toting anything else.

Honorable Mention: Black Rock Down Hat. Yes, it's that good. Lighter and smaller than your merino hoody, warmer than fleece. The ultimate SUL answer to headwear. Pair it with your quilt and lose that heavy balaclava.

Honorable Mention: Zpacks Hexamid. 4oz mid shelter. Umm, yes please. Joe is a class-A guy and he pushes SUL to new heights. Exactly what you need in a tarp at the lightest weight. Did I mention Joe's great prices?

Too hard to just pick three. I have to mention Katabatic's overthrow of WM as #1: I am done looking at sleeping systems. My other two picks revolutionized my comfort on the trail. The Hexamid dropped massive weight off my back. And the Black Rock Down Hat is an amazing, fun piece of gear – I just enjoy pulling it out of my pack.

Dan, why not leave the car at trail exit since it is less likely to be stolen? If you exit the trail and your Ruckus is stolen, you would have to get back to your car somehow.

"Secondly, the Ruckus fits INSIDE my car (Honda Fit) which means I can shuttle myself on hikes. I can pop the Ruckus in my car, leave it at the trail exit and then drive my car to the start. When I exit I just hop on the scooter and rip back to the start, pop it in my car and head home."

First of all, this post cracked me up because I pictured that part in Dumb & Dumber where they ride the scooter all the way to Aspen, CO. Except, this time they're wearing 5oz cuben Zeros.

Second of all, I think this is a genius idea. I have a Kawasaki dual sport and I feel like an idiot for not thinking of this before(I have a truck it fits into the bed of). Thanks for posting this.

Ryan

*Let's all do our part to not promote thread drift.

My 3 of 2011:

1) MLD Trailstar- simplicity at it's best, bomber design, and it has a place above treeline in fast changing sketchy weather situations.

2) Nikon D7000+ Nikon 35mm f1.8

3) Kookabay insulated full length inflatable pad..... I can sleep well again.

1) A tie between: Zpacks Micro-Fleece Hat, Black Rock Down Beanie

2) Jetboil Sol Ti (Modded slightly with cut down and handle-trimmed original Jetboil sleeve - added 0.15 oz., used original Jetboil cup - 0.2 oz. lighter = net -.05 oz. ) - This is just such an easy and convenient stove to use so that you can focus on other things. So quick + efficient (not mutually exclusive in the stove). Minimal set-up = 7.15 oz. / Typical = 7.9 oz. (stove+pot+cozy+foil lid); Component weights below:
Black Mod'd Original Cozy .7
Lid .65
Stove 3.45
Pot 3.70
Black Original Cup 1.0

(Thanks to Jetboil for sponsoring our expedition also!)

3) Mountain Laurel Designs MLD 850 Pot + Trail Designs ULC Ti-tri Combo:
Cone = 0.8 oz.
Floor = 0.3 oz.
Inferno Cone = 0.4 oz.
Spacer Wire Mesh = 0.1 oz.
Steel Wire Mesh Base = 0.3 oz.
Paper towel to protect mesh = 0.1 oz.
MLD 850 pot = 2.6 oz.
MLD 850 Lid = 0.5 oz.

4) Black Diamond Ultra-Distance Carbon Fibre Z-poles @ 9.5 oz.
Simple. Sturdy. Compact. Light.


I somehow missed posting my 2010 picks last year, so here are those:

1) BPL Hane Tenkara Rod
2) Kooka Bay DAM @ 14.9 oz. 3.5" x 60" x 20" Mummy
3) Black Diamond HiLight 2
4) Mont-bell Ex-Light Vest @ 3.9 oz. in Size L

Edited by biointegra on 12/28/2011 18:33:28 MST.

1) Olympus XZ-1 - f1.8 goodness in a pocketable package.

2). Tarptent Notch - Just got it in time for Chritmas. To me, Henry has created the perfect solo tent.

3). Black Diamond Ultra Distance Poles - Half the weight of my old poles and deploy/stow in a fraction of the time. What's not to like?

1. Zion National Park Traverse: Not gear, but this was an amazing trip.

2. MLD Duomid: Gotta love the pyramid tarp.

3. Golite Jam: A great all around pack that carries weight extremely well.

Edited by aaronufl on 12/28/2011 18:43:58 MST.

1. The Stateless Society Custom Quilt- Three inches of loft and wide cut made for a side sleeper makes this a perfect quilt. It has kept me toasty down to 20* so far and should be good for at least another 5*. At 20.25oz, its about as light as one could hope for a quilt this warm.


2. Mont-Bell UL Down Inner Jacket- I have been using this jacket since 2008 when I replaced my Thermawrap, and I can’t imagine there being a better piece of backpacking gear. This Jacket makes its way into my pack for most of my trips and adds an amazing amount of warmth for a 7oz jacket.


3. SMD Swift ’10 Pack- When I wore my first small hole in the extension collar of my Swift after 1100 miles of use, I realized just how much I love this pack. It made me realize that though I have packs in my gear closet made by MLD, Gossamer Gear, ULA, and Golite, this is the pack that fits me best, and the ’10 version is no longer available, now with weight adding features like a removable instead of sewn on hipbelt. Used with a Ridgerest, this is the perfect fall, winter, and spring pack for me and all for only16.65oz


Honorable Mention:

1. Trail Designs Caldera Cone-I have been using this cone since 2008 and it has always exceeded expectations. It boils 12oz of cold water with only 15mL of fuel. The cone is looking pretty rough, and the stove even worse, but they still perform as good as ever. My old trusty Gigapower has set lonely the past few years because of this stove.


2. Polycro-I recently noticed that I have been using the same sheet of Polycro the past few years. Now I only use it in the cooler months when there aren’t many bugs, but who would have ever thought you would get multiple years use out of something so flimsy. This stuff is so much more durable than it looks or feels.

Edited by Mocs123 on 12/28/2011 18:45:14 MST.

2011 was the first time I tried my hand at a couple of MYOG projects. Surprisingly (considering my lack of skill at the sewing machine), they ended up being my favorites for 2011.

1) I sewed a tent add-on for the tonneau cover on my truck. This has worked incredibly well and has greatly simplified my trips to distant trail-heads and to far away fishing holes. Not light-weight but really quick to set up/ tear down and go!



2) Sewing on a front mesh pouch and a zippered pocket on my MLD Newt has worked out really well for me and has made this pack my go to day pack.

I hope to further enhance my sewing skills in 2012!

In no particular order;

Katabatic Chisos with 2oz overfill - A bit over 16oz and warm to below freezing. Beautifully hand crafted in the USA. In 2010 it was my Katabatic Sawatch and I just received another Chisos in wide with a 2oz overfill that may make the 2012 cut. My son will inherit the other Chisos for backpacking trips with the scouts.

Jet Boil Ti Sol - Fast, convenient, and fiddle free, what's not to like.

Exped UL7 Synmat - It hasn't replaced my Kookabay DAM but it is sweet for an aging side sleeper down to below freezing. I see a NeoAir All Season in my future that may replace the Exped if it works well to the teens.

[thread drift]

"Why not leave the car at trail exit since it is less likely to be stolen?"

Often I'm with my wife, so we drop off the Ruckus, drive together to the trail head and then upon exiting I drive the Ruckus back to get the car. Aside from that, you're right leaving the car at the exit would be safer, although I do chain up the Ruckus to a tree.

[/thread drift]

Edited by dandydan on 12/28/2011 20:35:48 MST.