Well, the Copper Spur 1 is right up there, also the RidgeRest SOLite (after many years of blue foam, who knew those little ridges could be so cushy? and a bit of shiny silver coating so warm? and the whole thing cheap and indestructible?), but my first thought was the Vargo Titanium Hex woodstove. 4 ounces, packs flat. Now I have stove redundancy on long trips, and a valuable addition to the daytrip/emergency kit. With that weight and size, I never even know it's in the pack.

My "favoritest" favorite piece of gear is my custom ZimmerBuilt pack.

Items that continually bring a smile to my face when I get the chance to use them are my Katabatic Gear Sawatch quilt, my AntiGravity Gear pot cozie, my NeoAir, and my Hexamid Solo-Plus.

I have too many favorite clothing items to mention. :o

I've been looking seriously at that stove. Do you use it often?

Thank you cuben, sil nylons, 800 down, and merino wool but butt paste, leukotape, and a cotton bandana are first on my list.
Hoot

Thermarest NeoAir. Because I can finally get a good night's sleep on the trail.

#1. McHale LBP 36. Hands down.

#2. McHale Bump. When not using #1.

#3. Patagonia Houdini. Goes on every backpacking trip, every day hike, on business trips, on camping trips, and around town.

For the "Big 3", the shelter category is the one I can't seem to settle on. But . . .

1. Pack: I've had my MLD Exodus since 2010. A simple, durable dyneema pack. (I also have a Burn, but often choose the Exodus so everything easily and cleanly goes inside).

2. Quilt: Nunatak Arc Alpinist. Green quantum, a little overstuffed.

My ULA CDT pack, Zpacks 30deg quilt and Roclite 295's. Can't imagine hiking without them.

My ruck.

It's made of portly but bombproof Cordura, has no external pockets or bells and whistles for a clean aesthetic, simple but functional lid, nice cushy shoulder straps, and a removable hipbelt design that accepts my ULA Ohm 2.0 hipbelt for backpacking use.

The design is similar to the Topo Designs Klettersack, but more versatile w/ the removable hipbelt and larger volume for backpacking trips. It's more trail friendly than the urban/boutique focused Klettersack. I use it almost daily for carrying my regular junk around (shoes, running stuff, food, work clothes, mtb gear, kiddos stuff, etc)



As far as mass produced gear anyone and their grandma can get their hands on?

Patagonia Nanopuff Hoody, emphasis on "HOODY".

I wear this more than any other jacket. It's not as light as a comparably warm down piece, but it works really well and provides me a margin of error that you just can't get with a gossamer 7d premium fill down parka. It's not the best piece for every situation, but more often than not, it provides what I need.

"60% of the time, it works every time."

Favourite...

See -- you aren't UL. Unnecessary vowels in use. Nix the "u" and save some weight.

"See -- you aren't UL. Unnecessary vowels in use. Nix the "u" and save some weight."

Well played, Nick. Well played.

I love all my cottage gear items, but my favorite item is my Vivobarefoot Breatho trail shoes. My feet turn into happy children in them, as if they had a mind of their own and want to just skip on the trail without even asking my permission. Yes, they have crappy laces, lugs that tear off and are generally not so durable (after a little over 100 trail miles they are already looking worn). But you gotta like having happy feet. Looking forward to seeing if the Inov8 TrailRoc 235s achieve the same.

Maybe it makes me wistful to think about the warm summer months while staring at a snow-covered world, but the word favorite conjured my love of my warm weather set up, anchored by these three items:

MLD Mini cuben tarp. 4-5 oz. of protective bliss.

Neoair Xlite. Light and lovely.

Nunatak Arc Edge. A brilliant piece of warmth for a minimal amount of weight.

Edited by evanrussia on 01/11/2013 01:54:38 MST.

Salomon Skin 12 Pack

SteriPen Freedom

MLD Event/Cuben Bivy

Runner up = Lifeproof iPhone 5 case

Max: On long trips the alcohol stove boils water in the morning (got the cold-weather use figured out), with the Vargo as windscreen/potholder. The Vargo alone usually comes out in the evening. It beats the alcohol stove for real cooking, it saves on alcohol, and also provides entertainment and comfort, with no fire-ring required and no trace left behind. With good technique and the right fuel, it's possible to burn everything to fine ash. I pick up pinecones and whatnot during the hike to minimize my impact even more. (I should have added the ounce or two for the 8" aluminum plate I use as a snow base/cinder catcher underneath it.) And it's nice to have the option, on a winter day hike, to have a little fire and a hot lunch. And coffee. Edit to add: the alcohol stove is a Trangia. Also, resist the urge to 'shelter' the fire in the Vargo, a lot of the airflow depends on having the door open into the breeze.

Nick G: We may have those U's, but if you've ever heard a Newfoundlander talk, you'll know we make up for it by dropping our H's. As in, " 'Ave ya 'eard dat?" Energy saved is weight saved. :)

Edited by Islandized on 01/11/2013 08:03:15 MST.

My Zimmer Exposure ...Perfection!

Also like my Carbon Fiber Ruta Locura Stakes and good ol Golite Reed rainpants.

Ibex hoodie - Micropuff and Houdini are essentials : )

This is more a philosophical statement than a choice of favorite piece of gear.

My favorite piece of gear is a pack on my back!

It usually means I'm out hiking or walking somewhere and my mind is at peace and my feet are in gear. ;-)

Party On,

Newton

My mistake was asking everyone to pick one. I couldn't even do it!

You crazy hikers. ;)

I have two...

1) SMD Trekker tent. Love the weight , size, and ease of use

2) Marmot DriClime. Best layer I own, perfect for many different weather types.

Jason

Max, asking BPL'ers to choose their one favorite piece of gear is like asking what their favorite child is.