seeking help with first big three purchase [Archive]

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infinite727

04-11-2009, 20:30

Egads

04-11-2009, 20:41

Packs - Check out Granite Gear & ULA

Bags - Check the Campmor down 20, Golite Ultra 20, or hold off for a used WM or MB.

Lyle

04-11-2009, 20:42

While I don't have a Seedhouse 1, I have read great things about it. Not a bad choice for you if you aren't yet comfortable with a tarp or single wall tent.

Bag: Again, I don't own one, but the very standard response here for a good budget sleeping bag is the Campmore 20* Down bag. Very reasonably priced and very good reviews from people who use it regularly. Don't be too afraid that it will be too warm, down breaths much better than synthetic, so you don't feel as hot in warm weather, and you can always just use it as a quilt. It comes HIGHLY recommended.

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___40065?CS_003=2477120&CS_010=40065

Packs. I use and LOVE my ULA P2. It is bigger than I generally need now, but it is very comfortable and durable for a "light" pack. I would highly recommend a ULA pack. Once you get the bulk of your gear together give Brian a call at ULA, he'll talk you through your purchase to what's best I'm sure. The Conduit is small, and only $100.

Others will give you other suggestions, but these would be mine, and I don't think you would regret any of them.

Lyle

04-11-2009, 20:48

I just noticed this is your first post.

Welcome to WhiteBlaze. A LOT of very good information here - sometimes too much!!!

Ask away at any other questions you may have. Also be sure to check out the "articles" linked on the home page. That's a great place to start if you're new.

shoe

04-11-2009, 20:51

If you can crawl into a tent before purchasing that would be wise.
I thought the Seedhouse would be a great tent for me but I absolutely hated the front entrance.

Can't answer on the sleeping bag. I purchased the best one I could that would last me for years.

Bear Bag

04-11-2009, 21:49

As far as the sleeping bags go, do not take the temperature rating of the bag with a grain of salt -- take it with a sack of salt. If you need to be warm when you sleep, then go on the side of extra warmth. The first time I went camping I had a 20-degree bag on a 35-degree night and froze my butt off, even wearing my fleece and baklava. The next time I went out I had a zero-degree bag and had to open the zipper up a bit so I didn't overheat. That was perfectly OK with me. I was toasty warm and slept great

When in doubt, go with overkill.

LIhikers

04-11-2009, 22:43

Just keep this in mind.
If you can possibly afford to, buy the best gear you can the first time around. It'll save you money in the long run. Just as an example, I'm on my third sleeping bag and this one is good enough that I don't see me replacing it just to upgrade. I could have saved the money from the first two if I had been willing to spend more the first time around.

Bronk

04-12-2009, 01:36

If you already have a pack to use I would suggest buying all of your other equipment first...then when you are ready to upgrade your pack go to the outfitter with all of your gear and find a pack that will hold it all. And if you want to stay light don't be tempted to buy a pack that holds more gear than you have. If you have extra space you will fill it up and add weight. I actually cut several pockets off of my pack and threw away the lid because I kept putting more stuff in there that I didn't really need.

The Will

04-12-2009, 01:36

Get ready for a deluge of suggestions.

I would recommend that you first decide what you want in general then search for the specific piece that fits that criteria. For example, would you prefer a tarp-tent, a tarp, a full bodied tent, a tent that has a fast fly set up and so forth. For a sleeping bag, what temp range will you be using it in and what temp rating will you need for how warm you sleep? Would a quilt be better suited for your style of hiking or a full on bag?

Once you figure out what you want cost may not be as prohibitive as you think. Here on Whiteblaze and like sites there are always good pieces of gear to buy as we gear heads frequently turn over our stock in our crazed pursuit of lower weight. Several online retailers have season ending sales. Try REI Outlet, Mountain Gear, Backcountry Gear and Sierra Trading Post. Ebay and Craiglist are good sources as well.

You mentioned a Kelty synthetic bag--look to down. The cost will be more but you'll get your monies worth in greater longevity.

My one comment on a specific piece of gear you mentioned is re: the Big Agnes Seed House 1. This tent has lots of fans. I bought mine used from a seller on this site and enjoyed it on many trips until I got into an intense wind. I was just using the fast fly set-up and I didn't have it guyed out which certainly would have helped but I spent most of a night above 11,000 hanging onto the tent from the inside. It has a lot of sail area to catch the wind.

And the deluge of suggestions that's about to come: Use them to your advantage to familiarize yourself with new companies and products.

skinewmexico

04-12-2009, 02:20

I thought the BA was kind of like a coffin. And the temp ratings on WM bags are very conservative, and you have a lifetime bag.

FamilyGuy

04-12-2009, 14:59

I thought the BA was kind of like a coffin. And the temp ratings on WM bags are very conservative, and you have a lifetime bag.

With what they cost they had better.

infinite727

04-12-2009, 16:18

thanks for all the information so far guys, it is greatly appreciated.

i will definitely be checking out the seedhouse before i purchase it but i cannot realistically imagine anything that would keep me from buying it. i am not very picky about gear beyond making sure it does what i need it to.

for the sleeping bag, the campmor is looking like a good choice. i would not mind spending a bit more for a better bag that would last twice as long, but i do not think i could bring myself to go all out on a WM bag, i'd like to keep it under 200 or so. a quilt is also an interesting idea, i am going to look into them a bit.

i am still sorting through all the manufacturers out there, so feel free to recommend some bags. again, i will be mostly taking summer trips in pennsylvania and virginia so that should give you some idea for the temp rating.

Roland

04-12-2009, 16:51

Hey all, I am looking to upgrade myself from the general car camping gear I have been lugging on short trips and have a few questions I hope someone can help with.

~ i simply do not have the money to pay for a lot of the high end stuff. plus, i am in great shape and don't mind a marginally heavier pack if it keeps my wallet padded. with that in mind i still want to go lightweight, just perhaps not ultralightweight

~

sleeping bag: my only real possibility at the moment is the kelty light year xp 40 (synthetic). i have seen mixed reviews and am not sure what else i should be considering... it is the right price but reviews have made me reconsider the quality.

~

Infinite,

Welcome to WB and to backpacking. I trust you'll find information here to shorten your learning curve and save money by making smart gear choices. You ask a lot of good questions.

I understand that you are on a limited budget and don't want to spend any more than necessary. That being said, however, I encourage you to purchase the best sleeping bag you can afford. A good quality bag, will satisfy your needs for a very long time--saving you money, in the long-run.

If you can't afford a new bag, consider buying a used one. Find one that is lightly used and properly stored. At $150, this Marmot Hydrogen (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=48869) is a great deal for the right person.

Good luck!

infinite727

04-12-2009, 17:07

i am hesitant about a half length zipper on a primarily summer bag.

Engine

04-12-2009, 17:13

i am hesitant about a half length zipper on a primarily summer bag.

I agree. Recently I saw a very lite bag, I think made by TNF, that had NO ZIPPER! It was a 40 degree bag and you had to climb in from the top. There was a zipper at the foot end to "ventilate" with, but that was it. I wrote that off the prospective list immediately, since there would only be a temp range of maybe 5* or so where that bag would work for me.

I did notice that the next year they added a zipper, lack of sales drove that move I imagine.

YoungMoose

04-12-2009, 19:05

Hey all, I am looking to upgrade myself from the general car camping gear I have been lugging on short trips and have a few questions I hope someone can help with.

A little info first:

I will be doing short 1-2 night (perhaps the occasional 3 night) trips for this coming summer season (May-August).

I will definitely be doing longer hikes in the future (next year and so on) extending into early spring and late fall.

I do not need the lightest gear out there, while in an ideal world i would love it, i simply do not have the money to pay for a lot of the high end stuff. plus, i am in great shape and don't mind a marginally heavier pack if it keeps my wallet padded. with that in mind i still want to go lightweight, just perhaps not ultralightweight

onto the real point of this post; i have figured out the majority of my gear, i am just looking for a bit of advice and guidance on the big three.

tent: i am fairly confident that the big agnes seedhouse 1 is the right tent for me and i can definitely afford it

sleeping bag: my only real possibility at the moment is the kelty light year xp 40 (synthetic). i have seen mixed reviews and am not sure what else i should be considering... it is the right price but reviews have made me reconsider the quality.

pack: this is where i am really stuck, most likely because i don't have my full gear set in front of me to figure out how much i actually have. what size should i be looking at for the trips i am planning? should i get a bigger pack, planning ahead for future trips? varioues osprey, ULA and granite gear packs all look promising.

sorry for the rather lengthy post, any and all help is appreciated.

thanks!

The packs you should look into low alpine. they make affordable packs. I am planning on getting the appalachian 65+15. i tried it on its extremely comfortable. I found it on sale for 120$ its usually for 220$ heres the link to the website http://www.campsaver.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=low0014

The sleeping bag i think you should wait until you can get a better bag. THats what i did. Also a 40* bag isnt a good rating. I recomend that you should get a north face cats meow. I have that bag now and its really good. i love it. its rated to 20*. I got it for 75$$ because i went to a northface outlet and hat a coupon for 50% off. You can usually find it somewehre for 150$ on sale.

the tent is a good tent so i dont have anything against that.

Jolly Lama

04-12-2009, 19:08

You might consider the La Fuma fast n light 30, second ascent has them for 99 bucks they are down and weigh about 1lb 11 ounces. Not as good as my WM 30 but a quarter the price and a great all around summer bag.

04-12-2009, 19:14

I've been using a Campmore 20* down bag for ~3 years. I've camped numerous times along the AT in GA and NC in October, November and March. I know the temp was in the 20s on several occasions. I did use a self inflating Thermarest. The bag kept me warm each night.

Also, be aware of online coupons to help you save $$$. I saved 15% off a backpack I recently ordered from REI using a coupon.

YoungMoose

04-12-2009, 19:17

heres a link to the cats meow sleeping bag i posted about before. im 6ft and i needed the long. http://www.mountaingear.com/pages/product/product.asp/imanf/The+North+Face/idesc/Cats+Meow+%2B20+Degree+Synthetic+Sleeping+Bag+-+Men%27s+Box+Packaging/Store/MG/item/211601/N/0

Wags

04-12-2009, 23:22

i'm going to go against the grain. you'll need a +40 bag eventually, so buy a cheap, synthetic one for this summer (the kelty, lafuma, etc). you can gather the rest of your gear and take the winter to search for and find a nice +20 down bag for your shoulder season hikes. by then you'll have some experience and have a better idea of what bag will work for you.

personally i think down is a waste of $ in summer bags, but many will disagree w/ me (those not on a budget excluded)

infinite727

04-13-2009, 19:28

that sounds like a interesting idea, then down the line i will have an extra bag for friends to come along and borrow.

infinite727

04-14-2009, 19:10

any opinions on the lafuma x800 synthetic?

http://www.backcountry.com/store/LAF0161/Lafuma-X800-Sleeping-Bag-40-Degree-Synthetic.html

Wags

04-14-2009, 19:14

i have this bag. i'm on the phone w/ my girl, but i'll give you a quick rundown of it later tonight

infinite727

04-14-2009, 19:25

thanks, it's between the lafuma (that one or a similar one) and the campmor down 20.

i usually make stuff last, so i don't think i will be running out to buy a new bag (and thus wasting money on this one) too soon...

the WM caribou looks amazing but i don't think i can drop almost 300 on one

buz

04-15-2009, 10:57

Our scout troop has lots of the campmor 20 bags, and they are really nice value for the price. pack small, light weight, very warm 30 degree bag, IMO, can get to 20 with you wearing stuff in the bag, but still a really good value bag that you can use for many years.

Wags

04-15-2009, 11:22

ok so the skinny on the lafuma in my experience. i'm pleased w/ it for late june-august use in PA

pros:
roomy (not restrictive width or length-wise)
light (sub 2lb)
packs small (cantelope size)
cheap
synthetic, so cleaning is easier during stinky summer use. also i don't feel the need to be as careful w/ it b/c it's not down and it's cheap, so it's less hassle for me
no issues w/ zipper, unzips down to footbox to allow use as a quilt, has draft tube

cons:
-i was able to take this bag down to 34 degrees but i'm afraid i was close to hypothermia. i did it in a test outside my house and had to come in after 5 hours of shaking to take a hot shower. i wouldn't bank on this keeping me that warm in the woods. i'd really consider it a +50 bag for comfort. it's tolerable at 40 with supplimental clothing.
-the extra roominess that is nice when temps are nice can be counter-productive when temps are not nice. see above paragraph
-$80, should you just save up the extra $50 and get the campmor??? it's no question that the campmor is a better bag. however you'll likely need a summer bag as +20 will be too hot june-august in most places. only you can determine this...

skinewmexico

04-15-2009, 11:22

With what they cost they had better.

I lucked into my WM bag, or I wouldn't have it.

I have a 30 degree LaFuma I picked up at REI for $40, weighs 2#. When new, it ran out of steam at about 35 degrees with longjohns. Being synthetic, it's probably a 40 degree bag now that it's been compressed several times. I'd take LaFuma ratings with a truckload of salt.

infinite727

04-16-2009, 00:25

well with the current backcountry coupon the lafuma x800 is down to $68 shipped... the average low temperature for the area in early summer seems to be mid to high 40's, i am debating if it will be worth a cold night every so often

Wags

04-16-2009, 00:58

i told you man, i like mine for summer and i'm 1 state above you! for under $70 sounds like a good deal to me. just don't expect to stay warm to 40 in it. as long as you understand that, you'll like the bag i think

infinite727

04-16-2009, 01:08

hopefully it will never get too close to 40. worst comes to worst i could always just make a warm drink and bundle up then get an early start. it might suck, but i figure everyone is bound to have at least one cold night at some point, may as well be when i am only on a one or two night trip.

JAK

04-16-2009, 08:17

Hey all, I am looking to upgrade myself from the general car camping gear I have been lugging on short trips and have a few questions I hope someone can help with.

A little info first:

I will be doing short 1-2 night (perhaps the occasional 3 night) trips for this coming summer season (May-August).

I will definitely be doing longer hikes in the future (next year and so on) extending into early spring and late fall.

I do not need the lightest gear out there, while in an ideal world i would love it, i simply do not have the money to pay for a lot of the high end stuff. plus, i am in great shape and don't mind a marginally heavier pack if it keeps my wallet padded. with that in mind i still want to go lightweight, just perhaps not ultralightweight

onto the real point of this post; i have figured out the majority of my gear, i am just looking for a bit of advice and guidance on the big three.

tent: i am fairly confident that the big agnes seedhouse 1 is the right tent for me and i can definitely afford it

sleeping bag: my only real possibility at the moment is the kelty light year xp 40 (synthetic). i have seen mixed reviews and am not sure what else i should be considering... it is the right price but reviews have made me reconsider the quality.

pack: this is where i am really stuck, most likely because i don't have my full gear set in front of me to figure out how much i actually have. what size should i be looking at for the trips i am planning? should i get a bigger pack, planning ahead for future trips? varioues osprey, ULA and granite gear packs all look promising.

sorry for the rather lengthy post, any and all help is appreciated.

thanks!My advice from personal experience is to go light and inexpensive on the pack, like $100 for something like a Jam2, and go really cheap on the shelter, like a poncho tarp and homemade bivy, and to spend the money you have saved on a decent sleeping bag, not a full winter bag but something around 2.5 pounds rated 20F to 30F that won't be too heavy for summer but will also be good for most of the year. That's the most useful weight of sleeping bag and if its good quiality down it will be even more useful. Spend money on sleeping bag but the other stuff can be crap, though a $100 for a decent light pack ain't a bad deal either.

JAK

04-16-2009, 08:19

If your sure you won't be doing 20F then I suppose you can save some money with a lighter but still good quality 30F bag. When you go that light you might as well go synthetic though I suppose and save your money for the trips themselves, which is where its really at.

infinite727

05-02-2009, 16:39

well i purchased the BA seedhouse 1 and am still beating myself up over whether i want to go all out and buy a WM summerlite (250) or go with the campmor 20* down (120)

right now my logic is saying go with the cheaper one to start out and then i will always have an extra bag for friends when i get a new one

JAK

05-02-2009, 16:57

Well, if you had spent the money on the bag instead of the shelter...

Shelters are a great place to save money, and you sort of missed that opportunity.
Have you got a pack yet?

Engine

05-02-2009, 17:02

Reading about peoples experiences with bags and their recommendations, I must be blessed when it comes to sleeping warm. I have slept in 28* weather in a 40* Slumberjack summer bag and awoke feeling like maybe I could have used a warmer bag, but it wasn't that big a deal. I now use a 35* WM bag and I wouldn't be afraid to sleep in it down to around 20* with some extra clothes and a stocking cap on. Now, my wife on the other hand needs a 20* bag while camping in Florida in the summer. :)

infinite727

05-02-2009, 17:04

i considered going cheaper on the shelter and decided i wanted to start off with a decent quality tent rather then perhaps a tarp which would have saved me money. i got the tent at a great price (just over 100) so i am not regretting the choice at all.

as for the pack i am waiting until i have my bag so i can really figure out what size is going to be best

Phoenixdadeadhead

05-02-2009, 17:40

I am not sure what kind of budget you have, but for backpacks on a low budget, there is a company called Teton, they are actually the factories in Vietnam, that produced the Dueter packs. I found mine on amazon a Fox Sport 75+10 for 61 dollars with free shipping and a 30 dollar rebate. 31 dollars for a good pack is great, and I really like this pack, I have an in depth review on the forums if you would like to know more.

infinite727

05-02-2009, 18:21

went with my gut and bought the campmor, don't want to spend too much time worrying about gear and not enough outdoors :P