Hi y'all. Give me some feedback on my 3 season gear list.

Sleeping:
-Feathered Friends Swallow 20 sleeping bag
-Kelty Eden 2 (Heavy at 5 pounds, but inexpensive. I can't use a tarp on this particular trip, because there may be snow and rain)
-Thermarest NeoAir All Season (Not yet purchased)

Packing:
-Teton Sports Scout 3400 (This pack is definitely heavy at 4.5 pounds. It only cost me 60 dollars, though.)
-3 Stuff sacks in different sizes (Not yet purchased)

Water:
-Katadyn Hiker Water Filter
-Aquafina 1 liter bottle
-Cheapo brand 2 liter water bladder

Toiletries:
-Cut down tooth brush
-Toothpaste
-Biodegradable TP
-Dr Bronners soap
- Non scented deodorant in a chapstick tube
-DIY First Aid Kit

Tools/Misc:
-Kershaw Skyline FB
-Princeton Tec Remix Headlamp
-50 Ft paracord
-Duct Tape
-Firesteel
-Bic Lighter
-Tinder

Cooking:
-No brand Chinese canister stove
-Isobutane fuel canister
-GSI Halulite Minimalist Cookset
-Sea to Summit X Mug (I dumped the Minimalist lid and I just use the X Mug as a lid)
-Squishy Bowl (Not yet purchased)


If I were to replace anything, it would be my tent and backpack. They're just so heavy. When I was buying my gear, I was pretty naive with weight. I realize now how bad much more enjoyable backpacking is with less weight. If anyone has any suggestions on things I should replace, get rid of, or add, please let me know. Thanks.

You might like to read this .

I happen to know what kind of trip this will be for based off the other thread, but yes, Anna is right with her link... always give ALL the specifics!

Tent: you CAN use a tarp, but you have to know how to use it correctly. I use a tarp in winter all the time. And to be quite honest, most shelters will work in winter as long as you're not expecting a heavy storm. That being said, there are benefits to tents and there are instances where tarps might not be appropriate. If you've never used a tarp before, maybe the Porkies trip isn't a good one to experiment with.

Sleeping pad: If you think you'll end up doing more winter camping, go for the Neoair XTherm. It has a bit more R-Value.

Water: Ditch the Katadyn filter in place of something MUCH lighter. The Sawyer Squeeze comes to mind, or a Steripen. Be VERY careful in cold weather with filters. You do not want them to freeze as this may ruin the filter element. I use a Steripen in winter.

Ditch the deodorant.

You could ditch the soap, or bring hand sanitizer instead. Easier, and you don't have to waste water washing your hands.

Not sure you need two fire starting elements. A mini Bic is reliable, light, and easy.

Cookset: If you're only doing freezer bag style cooking (boiling water) you only need a stove and an appropriately sized pot/mug. For example, for 3-season use, I use a Snow Peak 600 as my pot and mug with an alcohol stove. I have a MYOG silicone lid that doubles as a pot grabber as the handles on the mug can get hot. In winter, I add a GSI teakettle because it has more bottom surface area that works better on my winter canister stove. You don't need a bowl necessarily. It depends on your style of cooking, but you can get away with MUCH less than what is on your list.


Are you hiking naked?
A compass may not be needed on some well groomed trails, but its 3/4 ounce that I always take.

Edited by T.L. on 02/20/2013 10:41:33 MST.

Thanks for the feedback, both of you. Anna, I'll be in a group, our weather will be between 35 and 60 in the day and 20 to 30 at night. We'll be in upper Michigan at the beginning of April. Travis, I know the Katadyn Hiker is heavy, but we're going to be sharing that and an MSR SweetWater between 5 people. I'll definitely look into a Steripen or just iodine tablets for solo hikes or hikes when we aren't sharing gear. Also, how do you setup your tarp in less desireable weather? What other cautions do you take besides just the tarp setup (pads, fire trenches, etc)? I've slept under a tarp once, and it was during warm, dry weather. Again, thanks for the advice.

Elijah,
Ah, that makes a bit more sense if you're sharing that filter between 5 people.

>Also, how do you setup your tarp in less desireable weather?

First off, I should clarify that I mostly use the Trailstar, which offers much more protection than many tarps.

If it's raining or snowing, I lay the tarp out and put my pack under it. I begin staking it quickly, knowing that I can/will adjust the stakes once the tarp is up. I try to pitch it according to conditions (the door facing away from the wind, and as low to the ground as needed). As the shelter takes shape, I just restake if needed.

If it's windy as well, that gets a bit more difficult. Again, just pegging the corners down to control it helps a lot. You can always pull up a peg and restake as necessary. This is where practice and knowledge comes in. I am by no means an expert, but can get the job done.

If you have to set up in deep snow, you need to know how to use deadman anchors and how to work-harden the snow. Since a tarp requires tension on the guy lines to hold it up, this takes a bit more patience than staking down a tent whose shape is formed by poles. For example, on my last trip I had to let my anchors sit 15 minutes before even thinking about erecting the center pole.

If there is no/little snow, but the ground is still frozen, make sure you have very robust stakes like MSR Groundhogs. You can pound these into the frozen ground with a rock. Bring an extra just in case you snap one (rare).


>What other cautions do you take besides just the tarp setup (pads, fire trenches, etc)

Site selection becomes pretty important. Look for natural windbreaks. As with any shelter, always look above you to make sure there are no dead/weak branches that could fall on you. Sleeping under tree cover can also help reduce radiation cooling. Valleys and depressions is where cold air settles. Consider this for site selection.

Under a tarp, I use a groundsheet (but not with a tent) and just put my pad on it. Remove sharp rocks and sticks before doing that though. I rarely have fires, so I don't worry about fire trenches.



Tarping is more nuanced than tent camping, and is a bit more work, especially in inclement weather. The tradeoffs are a lighter pack weight (though some tarptents are encroaching on some of the heavier tarp weights) and more of a "connection" to your surroundings. In winter, I'd suggest having a tarp large enough to pin to the ground and still provides ample space to move around under. This is why I use the Trailstar. Many of the Mids are good for this as well, and some would argue better since they are a bit easier to pitch.

You could go to Harbor Freight and pick up a cheap 8x10 blue tarp that will probably weight around a pound for about $10. Shop around on Gear Swap and pick up a Jam pack or similar for $60 or$70. $80 to cut 7 pounds off your base weight is pretty cheap around here. Also, reconsider getting an Xtherm or original Neoair and one of Lawson's thin CCF pads instead of the. Neoair All Season, another way to save about a pound. Keep an eye on Gear Swap, that's whereibuy all my gear.

Edited by ianders on 02/21/2013 17:21:07 MST.

I just got all of my gear collected. My baseweight is about 20 pounds. I could cut weight in the future by getting a lighter pack, using a tarp setup that utilized the tarp as a ground cloth, a lighter tarp, if it was Summer less clothes, and a lighter filter.

Mike Clelland videos

Edited by annapurna on 03/02/2013 11:38:26 MST.

No spoon?
No windscreen?
No map?
No compass?


What are the weights?

Edited by Tjaard on 03/04/2013 13:16:34 MST.

There is no spoon.

The GSI cookset includes a spork and a pot gripper. I do have a map and a GPS, forgot to add that. I guess I probably should add a wind screen.

Whoa...

Tragic. :-)