Andy’s Gear: The Big 4

Howdy howdy! Long time no see. Since my last post, I have acquired some new gear and so I have decided to talk about it. This will be a small series instead of one overwhelmingly long post. In future posts, I will go over my clothing, kitchen, and the nitty gritty gear.

Most of my gear is stuff I already own from my time in the Boy Scouts, some of it I have received as birthday and Christmas gifts (shout out to my parents and sister), and some of it I have bought (R.I.P. to my already broke bank account). I am trying to spend the least amount of money preparing for my thru-hike and as a consequence, some of my gear is on the heavier side and/or less convenient. Or both, usually both. On the bright side, I will have more money to spend on the trail. That seems like such a better way to spend my money. Let’s begin.

Backpack: Deuter ACT 65L +10

This thing right here is the heaviest item that will be discussed today, and in all of my gear posts for that matter. At a whopping 4.5 lbs, this backpack is bulletproof. I have had this pack since I was first introduced to backpacking at the age of 15. It has an adjustable torso feature, a brain, can hold a decent amount of weight, and is super comfortable. The only downsides are that I think that there will be a lot of unused space and it is quite heavy. This is an untested theory though, as I have yet to fully pack my bag. I have upgraded a lot of my gear and my newer stuff is like half the size and weight of my previous gear. I have thought of selling this multiple times to get a smaller and lighter pack, but I could not get over disposing of a piece of gear that could last me a lifetime. Maybe I will be able to swap it out for a lighter pack if I see a good deal or if someone leaves a pack in a hiker box.

via Kate Richard

Shelter: Gossamer Gear The One

I have recently upgraded from my REI Trail Hut 2 to the GG The One. This purchase has dropped my base weight by nearly 4 pounds. Weighing in at 18 ounces (22oz with stakes), my body will be so thankful to be carrying such a light shelter. This thing weighs less than a full Nalgene bottle and really isn’t much bigger than one. The main reason I bought this tent was the price. Many UL shelters cost an arm and a leg, but I was able to buy this on sale for $240. I will also be using a Tyvek groundsheet from Six Moon Designs to protect the floor of the tent. This tent is really spacious despite being a one-person tent. Maybe it seems so spacious because I am small, who knows haha?

Quilt: Hammock Gear Economy Burrow 20F

In an effort to decrease my base weight, effectively use space in my pack, and not break the bank I decided to buy a quilt over a sleeping bag. This was a crucial purchase because while I do have other sleeping bags, they are either too hot, too cold, or too big to fit in my pack. The sleeping bag I considered bringing before I bought this was some NorthFace bag, which is huge. For those that do not know what a backpacking quilt is, it is like a sleeping bag but it does not have a hood or a backside. My quilt has a sewn foot box and has the same colors as Frosted Flakes. It weighs ~25oz and I got it on sale for like $160, which is a steal for most UL equipment. I used this on a trip to Joshua Tree back in November and it kept me toasty in near-freezing weather.

Sleeping Pad: Thermarest Z Lite

My sleeping pad is a hand-me-down from my cousin when I first joined the Boy Scouts about 10 years ago. It has been through a wide variety of temperatures ranging from the mid-high 20s to sweltering hot 80s in the middle of the night. This pad has kept me warm and comfortable and I have no reason to believe that it should fail on my thru-hike (knocks on wood). I think sticking with the foam pad will be a good decision because it functions as a sit pad and I do not have to worry about it popping in the middle of the night. And to be honest, I would most definitely pop an inflatable one. It is bigger than imaged, I just didn’t fold it out all the way for the pic.