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The Outsider: The gear that rocked and the gear that did not |
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Written by Greyson Howard/Tahoe World
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Tuesday, 04 September 2007 |
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With summer winding down, it’s time to look back at what was important — what gear worked, and what gear did not.
While my summers would normally involve biking, hiking, swimming, whitewater rafting, and whatever else I could fit in, with my recent 15-day, 165-mile hike of the Tahoe Rim Trail, backpacking was my nearly solitary focus. Before departing, I talked about some of the new, light-weight gear I was planning on using, and after my long walk the results are in.
As predicted, water was the biggest challenge on the trail, and my soft-side Platypus bladders worked out well, even if the hydration hose occasionally leaked on my pants.
Likewise, long sleeves, pants, and a full-brimmed hat proved invaluable in the hot sun, leaving only my hands gripping my trekking poles exposed to the rays.
 Just about everybody on the trail had beat feet at one point or another, but using Salomon trail running shoes and the glove-like Injinji toe socks, I kept my blisters to a minimum.
But there were also surprises on the trail, like the REI gaiters (shoe-top skirts to keep debris out of your footwear) that wore-out after three days of use.
A busted stitch in my Six Moon Design’s backpack also raised concern, but a quick switch that turned the pack frameless solved the problem — and turned out to be surprisingly comfortable.
In the pleasant surprise column, my water resistant (not water proof) Titanium Goat bivouac sack (a sleeping bag cover) kept me sleeping soundly without a tent through a 20-minute rain shower that sent others in my group scrambling for their tents.
Thanks to the bivy bag’s moderate protection against the elements and mosquitos, I only spent four out of 15 nights in a tent, which makes setting up at night and tearing down in the morning, not to mention the stargazing, a whole lot nicer.
I also slept soundly through cold nights that kept others in my group shivering and awake thanks to my Jacks ‘R’ Better quilt, packed with warm down but not as constrictive as a mummy bag.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 04 September 2007 )
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