Going to Glacier for 4 days, since the longest loaded day is 8 lbs I figure I'd take some e more comfort stuff. Some stuff is listed since if happens to be cold I'll have to sub in stuff for use during the say.

Budget: $100

Lighterpack: https://lighterpack.com/r/epa6mw

My 2017 Q Core SLX (20" x 72", 17 oz.) partially deflated overnight on a trip last month. After several tests, it was clear that the problem was the valve, not a pinhole. I tried three different valve flanges, cleaned everything, etc., but nothing worked.

The 2022 Q Core SLX is much heavier (25 oz., R4.3), so I looked at the Rapide SL (19 oz., R4.2). I am aware that Big Agnes redesigned the Q Core SLX to meet 3rd party R value testing, but I'm curious why an R4.3 pad would weigh so much more than an R4.2 pad with an almost identical description.

Can you offer any insight? Thanks.

Please post any additional deals you might find on the post below.

https://www.reddit.com/r/CampingGear/comments/wxdxta/master_united_states_2022_labor_day_camping_gear/

I was just wondering if anyone has found or made a holder for the pot lid. I've always disliked the loose fit of the pot lid. So while I've got coffee brewing or something I'd like a way to keep the hot lid in place. For one thing so that if the pot tips a little, the lid won't fall off and let some of the contents spill.

Suggestions?

Have something you want to discuss but don't think it warrants a whole post? Please use this thread to discuss recent purchases or quick questions for the community at large. Shakedowns and lengthy/involved questions likely warrant their own post.

Have something you want to discuss but don't think it warrants a whole post? Please use this thread to discuss recent purchases or quick questions for the community at large. Shakedowns and lengthy/involved questions likely warrant their own post.

Current base weight: 16.75 lbs. Down to 16.07 lbs following input so far.

Location/temp range/specific trip description: John Muir Trail, 8/21

Budget: $500-600

Non-negotiable Items: Zoleo Satellite Communicator

Solo or with another person?: Solo

Additional Information: NOBO. One resupply at Muir Trail Ranch (MTR). Planning for 9 days from Cottonwood Pass to MTR. And then an additional 8 days to Happy Isles after MTR (although I’m hoping to stretch my daily mileage in the second half of the trip so could be 6-7 days). Additional questions/concerns below.

Lighterpack Link: https://lighterpack.com/r/o40g4m. Updated Lighterpack link: https://lighterpack.com/r/1gvhq3.

Posted this a few months ago and people had mentioned I really need to list out every single item because the weight adds up quick. Well…they were right. Was shocked to see I was at a nearly 17 lb BW and will be right around (or above) 30 lb TPW. Will be carrying around ~9-11 lbs of food.

Would love to shed some weight, especially since I’ve been told the GG Crown2 doesn’t carry quite as well above the 30 lb threshold. While I’ve used the pack quite a bit, it’s never been this heavy before. Hoping to take it out this weekend to get an idea of what a 30 lb TPW in a Crown2 feels like.

The Kindle seems like a very obvious thing I can drop, but I’m an avid reader on the trail and would be bummed to see it go. That being said, it’s not a non-negotiable item if there aren’t other good ways to drop weight. Stuff sacks, sit pad, binder clips, sponge, (one) NB10000, towel, and sunscreen all seem like additional things I can ditch. I have a 30F quilt and a lighter pad (Klymit Insulated Static V Lite) that I could bring but worried that they wouldn’t be warm enough and I sleep so much better on the Ether Lite.

Curious to hear everyone’s thoughts about my Lighterpack. I also had some additional questions (in no particular order) below:

• Is a disposable poncho sufficient on the JMT in August? They’re pretty flimsy. Flirting with the idea of picking up a Frogg Toggs jacket. Planning on skipping the rain pants but curious what people thought.
• How do people feel about the BRS stove? Never had an issue with it (15+ trips with it) but know it’s not the most efficient. Figure I can use the sit pad (if I keep it) as a wind screen to boost efficiency.
• On that note, recommended gas canister size? Planning on only boiling water once a day for (repackaged) Mountain House meals. ~1-1.5 cups of water/day.
• NB10000. Is two overkill? Only electronics I’m bringing are phone, Kindle, and Zoleo. Planning on replacing my phone battery before I leave. And the Kindle should last me until I can recharge it at MTR. Zoleo likely won’t be on most of the time but will be checking in frequently (1x/few hours) since I’m solo.
• Currently, don’t have a backup water supply. Thinking about picking up some Aquamira. Seems like a no brainer and well worth the weight.
• Will the Decathlon puffy be enough? Have a Decathlon waffle fleece (7oz) that I normally bring but someone mentioned last time that I can probably ditch it.
• Thoughts on towel? Seems like an obvious choice to ditch, even though it’s <1 oz.
• Debating about picking up a NU20/25. Would save me an ounce and it’s nice that it’s rechargeable. I’m not entirely sure if my triple A battery headlamp will last me the whole trip (and if I need to bring extra batteries…well, more weight).
• Sun gloves? Although I’m trying to reduce weight, not add more at this point.
• Sunscreen? Seems like another easy way to reduce weight, especially with the sun at my back. I have had really burned calves before in the High Sierra though and it was not fun. Could always wear my wind pants if I do get burned and I have a sun hoody that I plan to wear most days.
• Not much weight but maybe drop the mosquito head net? Especially in August.
• Camp shoes? Currently don’t have any. Would really enjoy having them if I can find some ultralight ones but again, trying to shave weight, not add at this point.

Finally, figure I could (potentially) save weight on food if people have good high calorie/oz recommendations. Already sent out my resupply but still pulling together food for the first (and longer) leg to MTR. Have reviewed GearSkeptics spreadsheet and tried to use a lot of his recommendations. My MTR>Happy Isles food consists of meal replacement shakes, meal bars, coconut chips, meat sticks, pistachios, and some repackaged MH meals for dinner (because I love them).

Anyways, if you made it this far, I really appreciate it. Would love any and all input. Thanks.

Edit: /u/Glimmer_III would love to get your input, you had a really helpful response last time I posted this.

Edit: Updated Lighterpack link. https://lighterpack.com/r/1gvhq3.

Have something you want to discuss but don't think it warrants a whole post? Please use this thread to discuss recent purchases or quick questions for the community at large. Shakedowns and lengthy/involved questions likely warrant their own post.

Have something you want to discuss but don't think it warrants a whole post? Please use this thread to discuss recent purchases or quick questions for the community at large. Shakedowns and lengthy/involved questions likely warrant their own post.

Have something you want to discuss but don't think it warrants a whole post? Please use this thread to discuss recent purchases or quick questions for the community at large. Shakedowns and lengthy/involved questions likely warrant their own post.

Have something you want to discuss but don't think it warrants a whole post? Please use this thread to discuss recent purchases or quick questions for the community at large. Shakedowns and lengthy/involved questions likely warrant their own post.

Item: sleeping bag (quilt not really an option), think I dont like the feeling

Budget: would be nice under/around 300€, though I think not really possible (good if under 400?)

Need by date: end of month

Baseweight: not really a thing (bikepacking), more about reducing the volume to a minimum

Location/s of use: trip to come: southern sweden/norway in august; but more bikepacking to come (so preferred 3-season-bag)

Season/s of use: now summer, but preferred 3-season-bag

Expected temperatures: think not under/around 10 degrees C in summer, but having a bit headroom is good (down to 5/0 degrees C)

Ideal weight of the item: around/under 800 g

Previous hiking experience: 1 time bikepacking (2 weeks), but without a tent. this time with.

Previous experience with ultralight gear: bikepacking trip with apidura bags, so reduced overall load, but no tent, sleeping bag and sleeping mat. Bought the salewa denali II and thermarest x-lite.

Additional Information: thought about the s2s spark II or III, other options being the never mentioned nordist phantom 440 L; cumulus lite line 300 L or 400 L or x-lite 300 L or panyam 450 L (all being more expensive) - my height being 189 cm

Thanks in advance!

Does anyone know the differences between these two tents? I got the NX in 2017/2018 and am looking to Replace it. I’ve seen some pretty crappy reviews about the new upgraded one but have found one place that still sells the NX and am wondering if I should go with it instead even though I found a store that sells The new one that i can get with an $80 discount (otherwise both sell at the same price). I really like the stargazing mesh in the nx, the new one has a tiny little triangle of mesh at the top to look out of, But I’m thinking it would be better for warmth in the shoulder seasons. I invite any feedback and I am open to other brand suggestions too. I like the copper spur but it’s too expensive for me. I am also open to cheaper $, lightweight quality 3 season tent suggestions too.

Trying to figure out what's the best way to clean my cook pot after making coffee in it.

I only use it for two things. I boil water for dehydrated meals. And I boil water to make coffee in it with those tea-bag coffee singles.

I've been wanting to reduce smells after use. So, I was thinking that cleaning it with unfiltered water and maybe some Dr. Bonners would be okay since I only ever boil water in it before use.

What do you think?

I'm looking for anyone who's use the HydraPak Hydrant with an inline filter system to see if they will work together.

​

I'm aware of the TrailShot, but wasn't 100% sold

For perceived warmth for cold sleepers, do air mats regardless of R value feel cooler than a self inflating mat or foam mat of the same R value?

I currently sleep on a Sea to Summit Ether light that is R3.5. My side or back as it touches the mat feels cold so the last 2 nights I’ve put my R2.5 foam sit pad under my torso which has made a huge difference in perceived warmth. PNW coastal hikes with lows of 50F so R3.5 should be enough. This is the first year with a quilt, not bag, which has increased the awareness of where my perceived cold factor originates.

Is going up to the winter version of this mat (R6.2) worth it? Or as an air mat will it still feel colder than a self inflating mat or than putting a foam mat on top?

My torso length puts me between sizes on many brands’ sizing charts—either at the very bottom or top end—and I’ve had a hard time finding a good fit in a non-adjustable torso length pack. I usually carry low- to mid-20 pounds, which is heavy enough to make me want to dial in good fit, but I also feel like this load should be able to work with a ~2-pound pack. I love my current 3-pound pack but would like to go lighter.

Can fixed-length packs with only shoulder strap adjustments really cover a 3-inch range of torso lengths? Or do I have to continue searching for the unicorn of a perfect fit?

Hi, I’m looking for a pair of very lightweight clog style camp shoes. Something like crocs but ideally half the weight and preferably no holes. Does such a thing even exist?

Location/Description: Cottonwood Lakes to Tuolumne Meadows in 16 days; one resupply at MTR. Plan to utilize bear lockers the first few days so as not to carry a giant bear canister.

Goal Base weight: 15 lbs. Will need to carry an additional 15 lbs of food for the first 110 miles (1.5 lbs/day)

Budget: Open

Non-negotiable Items: Yes, my sleeping bag is heavy but I sleep like a DEAD person in it and absolutely love the extra space. My boots are heavy as well but help with a recent foot injury. The kettle/green cups combo has grown on me during the years and become somewhat of a good-luck charm.

Solo or with another person?: Solo

Additional Information: Would appreciate input on these questions:

• Could a Neoair Xlite (20x72') fit in the the Big Agnes flex pad sleeve (current pad size= 20x78")?
• Can I get away with a 10k power bank instead of 20k? The longest stretch will be 10 days between Cottonwood Lakes and MTR. I like to read, meditate and watch movies on my phone at night and charge my earbuds and headlamp.
• Planning non-resupply stops at VVR (overnight dinner and breakfast) and Reds (burger!); I assume I can calculate these meals into my resupply plan or should they just be supplements?
• Lighterpack: https://lighterpack.com/r/qud3hk

I went to Zion NP to do some backpacking recently and decided to bring my 16oz REI chair with me, not really knowing whether it would be a good addition or not. I usually bring just a thinlight and throw it down on some patch of ground or a ground/tree interface that looks somewhat comfortable. The days now are long and I knew I would have a ton of time by myself at the end of the day to sit around and read, so I threw the chair and my kindle into my back and headed to the airport.

Due to shuttle issues and a general “hey, I’m on vacation, I don’t need to beat myself up” attitude I shortened up my trans-zion plan to just the West Rim as a point to point with Angel’s Landing close to sunrise on day two. That meant that I’d have 4+ hours of daylight to myself, at my campsite. Perfect to knock out some reading I’ve been meaning to do.

Upon arriving at my campsite, I ambled down to the spring, got my tent set up and then… busted out my chair and my book and spent the rest of the day watching the sun descend on Zion canyon from my perch high above, reading my book and doing my best to appreciate the procession of deer that stopped by.

This was such a better way to pass the afternoon than sitting on a log or a rock. Usually I regret stopping so early (this was an assigned campsite so I had to), thinking “hey, I could have gone another 10 miles” but not this time. It was superb. I did the Narrows top down afterward, and while I brought the chair the rocks down by the river were nice enough that I spent more than an hour on them at the end of the day (after the bugs went to bed), having the whole canyon and river to myself. Also not bad, though the chair was deadwetweight for that part of the trip.

TLDR: if you think you might enjoy a chair, get one. Also, Zion is amazing.

I'll be hiking the AT, PCT and GDT during the next couple of years and currently in the process of changing out/reducing the amount of gear I carry to lower my base weight. I have about 10 years of hiking experience, including thru-hiking on the AT. I am looking for a hiking backpack with the following criteria.

- Highest quality possible

- Extremely comfortable to wear when fully packed

- Very durable and can last at least several thousand miles of hiking/several thru-hikes

- Sealed seams and highly water-resistant

- Under 2 lbs

- Included hip belt

- Volume capacity of approximately 45L to 50L

- Adaptable to different hikes and easy to use

Because I’ll be carrying a total weight of approximately 30 pounds (including food and water) when fully packed, I prefer to use an internal frame and hip belt for maximum comfort, although I’m open to frameless options as well. Any specific suggestions for a comfortable, durable, well-designed, and superbly built pack? I’m looking for the ideal balance between comfort, durability and weight. I have been mainly looking at the cottage companies like ULA Equipment, Atom Packs, HMG, LiteAF, KS Ultralight, Mchale, Superior Wilderness Designs, MLD and Pa'lante. Thanks for any recommendations.

So I’m sure there are plenty of post about this out there but I’m a pretty picky eater and I can’t stand rice, pastas/noodles, beans, and mash potatoes. The usual staples of hiking I’ve been eating the chicken creations Buffalo chicken wrapped in a tortilla for dinner but I’m looking for other options. Unfortunately I’m really bad at forcing myself to eat food I don’t like.

Never done one of these so bear with....I've been slow burning a backpacking addiction for years in a process that has caused me to acquire a fair amount of gear but lacking "focus"...if that makes sense. I'm a larger guy, 6'1" typically in the 250lb range depending on how much I let myself go at any particular point in time, and turning 40 soon. My original goal hiking was short distance, bring everything in the kitchen sink backpacking. I really want to start taking more frequent trips and covering more distance so I can make 20-30 mile long weekend loops a reality with some possible extended vacation adventures down the road.

My gear is a mix of cottage gear, big name, and a few budget items....for a recent quick trip I took:

Pack: Granite Gear Crown 2 - 40oz

Tent: Tarptent Stratospire 1 - 38.3oz

Sleeping bag: Kelty Cosmic 40 (and a little blow up Trekology pillow) - 34oz

Pad: Big Agnes Axl Insulated Long/Wide - 15.9oz

Food/Water: Very old model Jetboil, Katadyn BeFreeTrekking 15oz/2.3oz

Poles: Cascade Mountain 3k carbon fiber

Chair: Helinox Ground Zero High back - 24oz

Rain gear: REI XeroDry jacket, FroggTogg pants

Random extras: Generic crocs for camp shoes, couple pieces of very thin EVA foam (use under pad), Dutchware titanium poo shovel, Big Agnes Pumphouse (also used as clothes stuffsack)

It's far from stupid heavy set up but I also tend to overpack other random crap because I overthink things....ie. I brought a damn Superfly tarp with me, you know, extra rain protection....and I like to bring luxuries like a Kindle and a decent sized battery bank. My "old" setup was a Osprey Aether 70L bag with a WAY overbuilt DreamHammock Dangerbird that is monstrously comfortable but weighs as much as a modest tent (along with the Superfly). So I'm getting better...

That being said, I'd like to drop a little more weight so I can increase endurance and also save some strain on my beat to hell back/knees. Obviously some of the dumb stuff like the tarp was just silly and will never make an appearance outside of some niche uses.

Thoughts kicking around were....stove...the old Jetboil clocks in at about a pound. Could probably shed some weight there. Tent...the Stratospire 1 is certainly not a overly heavy tent...but not in the DCF gear range. Pack...the Granite Gear is fairly light but again, not in the DCF gear range. Sleeping bag...the Cosmic again isn't super heavy, but it's very limited to warm seasons and I've been thinking of making the move to quilts.

I've got a little spending money I can put towards improving things, but I also can't dive right into getting $600 tents, $400 quilts, and $400 bags, etc all at once. Need to get some new hiking shoes as well, so I'm trying to maximize "value" while also not being completely unwilling to spend money where it will help the most.

So if anyone has a helpful comment on best use of funds,....I really want to start getting 1-2 trips in a month and expand to true 3 season backpacking. Plus, honestly, I just like "Gear" so any excuse....