I'm surprised to be writing this since I have rarely carried a phone while backpacking or fly fishing.

That changed this year when I bought a Lifeproof case for my iPhone. The case only weighs 1 oz but it totally waterproofs my iphone and protects it as well! All of the iphone's features remain usable while in the case (no need to take it out of the case to use it) and that is why I have been so impressed with this item.

I just re-tested my Lifeproof case after 10 months of use and it's still totally water tight (submerged it for 20 minutes with a brick on top of it).

http://www.lifeproof.com/

Hank's Codet quilted synthetic thermals.



Under Armour Escape 7" shorts



EvaRest 1/8" pad.



Zelph's 2 cup flat bottom cookpot.



Flat Cat Gear Iso Clean 2.0 stove.



Open Country 3 Cup Hard Anodized Pot



I also got multiple small gear items from Survival Resources that included Dermasafe knives, waterproof matches and ACR whistles.

Party On,

Newton

New Gear:

Neoair xtherm
Delorme In Reach
Arcteryx Motus top


Old Tried and True:

Arcteryx Squamish Windshirt
Arcteryx Palisade hiking pants
Katabatic quilts
And my bride of 24 years who let's me go backpacking whenever I want.....


Brad

My custom ZimmerBuilt pack (the Big Orange) and Hexamid Solo-Plus are my favorite new items.

Older items still used almost every time out and loved are my Houdini, Inov8 Roclite 295's my GG LT4 trekking poles.

1. TT Moment tent (as modded by me)

2. WM overfilled Megalite down bag

3. CC Sidewinder ti stove & 3 cup aluminum pot

New for 2012
Sony RX100
this is only a few weeks old, but I've already got about 12 days out with it and I'm totally impressed. This is a great little camera that easily bests most DSLR's with kit lenses. This is a pano from the weminuche a few days ago. Fun to just hold the shutter button down and throw an arc.

Neo Air Xtherm
This is my only pad right now, and its great. Very warm, light, comfortable. I've been using my katabatic chisos since early may in the high country and just got out my warmer bag this past week. Only issue is sometimes its too hot!
La Sportiva Vertical K's
I didn't expect to like these b/c of the cushioning, but ended up loving them. So grippy they make you feel like a gecko. Perfect for boulder/talus hopping, and scrambling.

Edited by sgiachetti on 10/17/2012 03:14:35 MDT.

Exped down mat ul 7- XL version, mmmmmmmmmmmm
Also a nalgene thermos, tea sucks out of any non insulated cup. I want to sip, not chug before it goes cold.

Flyroc 310s. However they are sadly now ready for a well earned retirement.

Got some great gear this year but found these items performed flawlessly:

1. 4Sevens Quark QP2A LED Flashlight - Did some solo wilderness camping with lots of bears and wolves about and curious sounds in the night, which was more than 12 hours of each day. Kept this light hung around my neck or kept it nearby and it allowed me to see all around and the batteries seemed unaffected by 7 days use.

2. Exped UL7 Downmat LW - This is the Cadillac of mats. Was worried about its durability (still am) but it did not get scarred even when atop a rock which worked a hole in my tent floor.

3. Big Sky International Evolution tent - Picked this baby up used and it is an amazing piece of gear. Kept me dry in some pretty unfriendly weather.

There are others but these are my favourite 3.

Inov-8 mod 315
Patagonia Houdini
Merino base layer from icebraker

I've recently overhauled a lot of gear, but so far, the stand-out combinations are:

1. ZPacks Arc Blast backpack with ZPacks hip belt and shoulder pouch

2. Trailroc 245's with Wigwam Ironman Triathlon sock & Dirty Girl Gaiter

3. TD Caldera Cone (Sidewinder) with mods to use Zelph's Starlyte stove & Evernew 600 Ti Pot

4. Zebralight H31 Headlamp

Edit: Sidewinder

Edited by jase on 10/17/2012 15:23:43 MDT.

2012 Favorites:

Exped Synmat UL7
Mont Bell Ex Light Jacket
Arcteryx (GASP!) Palisade and Rampart pants
Montrail AT Plus Trail Runners
Jetboil Sol Ti (got one for less than 50% MSRP!)

Old favorites I still like:
Icebreaker 150 T-shirt
Osprey Exos 46
The good old folding Ti spork
Victorinox SAK
iPhone 4 Multi-Use Gizmo

It is hard to pick one thing that is a favorite above all others when so many things in my system have really come to shine this year, however if I had to pick just one thing that I use the most and appreciate every time I do, it has got to be my Golite Jam. A lot of people knock it because it is rather heavy for a frameless pack, but it is far more comfortable than any other pack I own for a short trip's load.