nu2hike
03-03-2014, 12:25
I just finished hiking through the Ocala National forest on the Florida Trail! I added some new gear to my kit this trip and wanted to share with you my thoughts on not only my new gear but other pieces gear in my kit! What did work and what did not!
First I will mention the new items I added this trip:
Tarp Tent Notch. This was my first time to carry a tent in years. (My dog was with me on this trip and he doesn't do well when I hammock) I loved this tent! Very light weight and sets up in minutes! I purchased the partial net interior for this trip as it can get cold even in Florida. Worked perfectly! I think this may well be the most versatile tent on the market!
Neoair X-Therm: Very comfortable! Can't speak to its R value as I was in Florida, but I never got cold
Gossamer Gear 1/8 pad : extremely light weight and worked flawlessly keeping my sleeping pad from slipping on less than perfectly flat tent sites.
Jet Boil Ti Sol: OMG why didn't I get this years ago! Lightening fast and simple to use! I can't see me using an alcohol stove again!
Polycro ground cloth: light weight and did its job perfectly
Exped Pillow: very comfortable. Much better than clothes is a stuff sack.
Tried and True:
Dirty Girl gaiters: love them. They did a great job of keeping the sand out of my shoes on this trip.
Hammock Gear down top quilt: so warm and light weight. Great piece of gear wether in a hammock or tent
WalMart hat: best ten dollar hat I've ever owned for sun and rain
Gear failures!
Oddly enough the gear that I carried that failed was gear that I've used on numerous trips!
Sawyer Mini Squeeze: failed on the second day of my trip. The water sources I collected from were a real test for any water filter but to be honest I expected more from this filter.
I prefiltered the water twice through some no seeum but the filter clogged in spite of this! I back flushed it and did manage to squeeze some water through it but it required a great amount of pressure and took forever! Fortunately I was able to get water from water pumps at camp grounds near the trail.
Ive never had a single problem from the larger Sawyer squeeze. I will have to give some serious thought as to which I carry on my next trip!
Kelty Triptease: I've been using this line for my bear bag system for many years! It broke on my first night! Of course it was a simple fix but I've not been happy with this line for a while! It is reflective which some people like but honestly I've never found that to be something I needed. It is light weight but it is also abrasive. I find that it very difficult to hoist my food bag due to it cutting into the tree branch and when it's wet it's even worse! I will be looking for a better line to use.
Glad Freezer Bags: I do freezer bag cooking and every single one of these bags leaked. I've used this brand before without issue. Maybe I just got a bad batch but it was very frustrating!
Duct Tape: OK not really duct tape in general but using duct tape for blisters. Not a workable solution for me. Kinesiology tape all way round a better product for this use.
GPS: not really a product failure but a failure on my part for not bringing it on this trip. I'm spoiled to the AT where a GPS is not particularly needed. IMHO. On the Florida Trail it would have been nice to have on hand.
Over the past few years I've worked hard to get my base weight down to 12 lbs or less. For the most part I'm happy with the choices I've made. Every trip I make I reevaluate my gear: what works and what doesn't! What am I happy to be without and what I miss! The main thing I will do differently on my next trip and for trips to come is to buff up my First Aid kit! I'll admit that I had really scaled it down to a bare bones kit and even though I have rarely ever used anything in my First Aid kit I learned that when you do need it you need to carry enough to do the job!
First I will mention the new items I added this trip:
Tarp Tent Notch. This was my first time to carry a tent in years. (My dog was with me on this trip and he doesn't do well when I hammock) I loved this tent! Very light weight and sets up in minutes! I purchased the partial net interior for this trip as it can get cold even in Florida. Worked perfectly! I think this may well be the most versatile tent on the market!
Neoair X-Therm: Very comfortable! Can't speak to its R value as I was in Florida, but I never got cold
Gossamer Gear 1/8 pad : extremely light weight and worked flawlessly keeping my sleeping pad from slipping on less than perfectly flat tent sites.
Jet Boil Ti Sol: OMG why didn't I get this years ago! Lightening fast and simple to use! I can't see me using an alcohol stove again!
Polycro ground cloth: light weight and did its job perfectly
Exped Pillow: very comfortable. Much better than clothes is a stuff sack.
Tried and True:
Dirty Girl gaiters: love them. They did a great job of keeping the sand out of my shoes on this trip.
Hammock Gear down top quilt: so warm and light weight. Great piece of gear wether in a hammock or tent
WalMart hat: best ten dollar hat I've ever owned for sun and rain
Gear failures!
Oddly enough the gear that I carried that failed was gear that I've used on numerous trips!
Sawyer Mini Squeeze: failed on the second day of my trip. The water sources I collected from were a real test for any water filter but to be honest I expected more from this filter.
I prefiltered the water twice through some no seeum but the filter clogged in spite of this! I back flushed it and did manage to squeeze some water through it but it required a great amount of pressure and took forever! Fortunately I was able to get water from water pumps at camp grounds near the trail.
Ive never had a single problem from the larger Sawyer squeeze. I will have to give some serious thought as to which I carry on my next trip!
Kelty Triptease: I've been using this line for my bear bag system for many years! It broke on my first night! Of course it was a simple fix but I've not been happy with this line for a while! It is reflective which some people like but honestly I've never found that to be something I needed. It is light weight but it is also abrasive. I find that it very difficult to hoist my food bag due to it cutting into the tree branch and when it's wet it's even worse! I will be looking for a better line to use.
Glad Freezer Bags: I do freezer bag cooking and every single one of these bags leaked. I've used this brand before without issue. Maybe I just got a bad batch but it was very frustrating!
Duct Tape: OK not really duct tape in general but using duct tape for blisters. Not a workable solution for me. Kinesiology tape all way round a better product for this use.
GPS: not really a product failure but a failure on my part for not bringing it on this trip. I'm spoiled to the AT where a GPS is not particularly needed. IMHO. On the Florida Trail it would have been nice to have on hand.
Over the past few years I've worked hard to get my base weight down to 12 lbs or less. For the most part I'm happy with the choices I've made. Every trip I make I reevaluate my gear: what works and what doesn't! What am I happy to be without and what I miss! The main thing I will do differently on my next trip and for trips to come is to buff up my First Aid kit! I'll admit that I had really scaled it down to a bare bones kit and even though I have rarely ever used anything in my First Aid kit I learned that when you do need it you need to carry enough to do the job!