View Full Version : How does my setup look?
EricS96521
05-11-2012, 10:03
I'm planning for my second (and longer) trip to Roan Mountain/Carvers Gap and needed opinions/advice on my gear. I've read the forums quite a lot to educate myself on proper gear, etc. But when you are broke, you have to make do with what you can afford.
Last year when I went the first time, I bought an Ascend D2400 Daypack and it was very uncomfortable. I couldn't get it to sit right, the padding hurt my lower back, and the straps dug into my shoulders the entire time and I was almost constantly in pain. So now I'm out $60 and need a new one.
Right now I am looking at the Teton Sports Explorer 4000. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001947FG8/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER) 4000 cubic inch capacity, 5lbs. This is the cheapest, best reviewed pack I could find. The reviews for the other lines of Teton packs said they were really small and wouldn't fit someone over 6ft. The explorer 4000 reviews say it is pretty big. I'm 6'2" 210lbs.
If you know of a better one or have one to sell, please let me know.
Sleeping bag is a cheap walmart one rated at 50 degrees. Probably 3-4lbs.
Tent is an Ozark Trail 2 person Junior Scout Dome Tent. It's a little small but it was the best for the price. I fit pretty good if I curl up a little..lol
In total, base weight with all supplies (no food or water) comes to 12lbs. With the new pack, 15lbs. From my reading of the forums, this seems to be a pretty good weight. Food and water (quite a few spots to find water on the trail so I'm only taking four 16oz bottles) included should bring that up to no more than 22-23lbs.
Any comments and suggestions are welcome.
Thanks :)
Seam seal the heck out of your inexpensive tent.
Rocket Jones
05-11-2012, 11:43
Instead of 4 16oz bottles, take 2 20oz. Enjoy your trip!
Firefighter503
05-11-2012, 12:12
Based on what you've said, it looks like it will work. I would recommend selling the other pack on craigslist or the like, and then putting the money you get from the sale into a nicer pack. If you get another $40 for your old one, you could get something like this (http://www.rei.com/product/830303/rei-flash-65-pack-mens-special-buy) from REI and cut 2-3 lbs from your pack weight, and it will probably be much more comfortable as well.
EricS96521
05-11-2012, 19:43
Is having an adjustable torso something I should be looking for? Because that bag doesn't have it, while the Teton bag does.
EricS96521
05-11-2012, 19:58
Oh and not to mention they only have the Small pack listed which will probably not fit my torso.
Is having an adjustable torso something I should be looking for? Because that bag doesn't have it, while the Teton bag does.
No you don't need that, real nice feature for growing kids or outing clubs where the pack will get used by multiple people. But unless you plan on having a different length torso anytime soon it's not something you need. All you need to pick a pack that's the right size for you.
jakedatc
05-14-2012, 23:31
Think of backpacking gear as an investment. good stuff will last a long time, fit well, and be lightweight. Yes, it will cost more now but you won't have to replace it every year. drive the extra bit to a good retailer, not walmart and get fit by a knowledgeable person.
i do not believe for a second that your baseweight is 15 pounds right now... unless you are missing a lot of stuff that you aren't counting. just your pack, tent and sleeping bag almost weight that much. cookware? water treatment? sleeping pad?
my baseweight is 14lb and i have a 2lb tent, 2lb down bag, 2lb pack, 1lb sleeping pad, 1lb water filter.
check this out .. 350 bucks for a complete set up on the cheap. some stuff you need to find on sale but REI, EMS, Backcountry etc are all having 20% off right now.
listed it's 8lb and change baseweight but you could probably be fine with your tent if you seam seal it very well even if it's a bit heavier.
http://lytw8.com/uploads/Cheap_Ultralight_Gear_List.pdf
I'm suspicious of a 15lb baseweight if you have a 5lb pack, 3lb bag and 3lb tent.
I just don't want you fooling yourself into thinking you have an easier time ahead of you than you do.
With a 50bag, I would prepare for the possibility of being cold at night. Roan is over 5k, if I remember correctly. Should be fine in your clothes, but just be aware that a 50bag isn't doing a whole lot.
As someone else said, investing in decent gear is a must at some point. Get what you can for now and use the experience with it to figure out what it is you really want before moving up.
hunter121
05-15-2012, 04:54
Great thread! Also my favorite view.
http://www.yourfinancehelper.com/article/today/act.jpg
http://www.yourfinancehelper.com/article/today/lk.jpg
Firefighter503
05-15-2012, 13:35
Is having an adjustable torso something I should be looking for? Because that bag doesn't have it, while the Teton bag does.
Measure your torso length (prominent vertebrae at the base of your neck to the small of your back oposite of your belly button), if it is between 16-18 inches, the pack should fit, provided your waist is less than 34 as well. If not, there are a bunch of other great packs on that site as well.
jakedatc
05-15-2012, 14:48
Measure your torso length (prominent vertebrae at the base of your neck to the small of your back oposite of your belly button), if it is between 16-18 inches, the pack should fit, provided your waist is less than 34 as well. If not, there are a bunch of other great packs on that site as well.
Dude he's 6'2 210 no way in hell does a SMALL pack fit him.
Eric, you need to go try on packs. you are probably a Large in most but some will feel great and some will feel like crap. Osprey's feel nice loaded, i tried on the REI Flash with 0lbs in it and it felt like metal bars on my back. Adjustable torso's are heavy and only good if you are still growing.
House of Payne
05-15-2012, 17:55
good luck with your trip...
EricS96521
05-16-2012, 01:12
The pack came today and fits wonderfully. I actually had to adjust it down to a L from an XL and it sets perfectly. Perfect weight distribution.
As far as a 50 degree sleeping bag not being warm enough, I stayed last fall on the top of grassy ridge and was perfectly fine.
EricS96521
05-16-2012, 01:13
And thank you very much House of Payne! :)
Sassafras Lass
05-16-2012, 09:34
I'm planning for my second (and longer) trip to Roan Mountain/Carvers Gap and needed opinions/advice on my gear. I've read the forums quite a lot to educate myself on proper gear, etc. But when you are broke, you have to make do with what you can afford.
Last year when I went the first time, I bought an Ascend D2400 Daypack and it was very uncomfortable. I couldn't get it to sit right, the padding hurt my lower back, and the straps dug into my shoulders the entire time and I was almost constantly in pain. So now I'm out $60 and need a new one.
Right now I am looking at the Teton Sports Explorer 4000. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001947FG8/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER) 4000 cubic inch capacity, 5lbs. This is the cheapest, best reviewed pack I could find. The reviews for the other lines of Teton packs said they were really small and wouldn't fit someone over 6ft. The explorer 4000 reviews say it is pretty big. I'm 6'2" 210lbs.
If you know of a better one or have one to sell, please let me know.
Sleeping bag is a cheap walmart one rated at 50 degrees. Probably 3-4lbs.
Tent is an Ozark Trail 2 person Junior Scout Dome Tent. It's a little small but it was the best for the price. I fit pretty good if I curl up a little..lol
In total, base weight with all supplies (no food or water) comes to 12lbs. With the new pack, 15lbs. From my reading of the forums, this seems to be a pretty good weight. Food and water (quite a few spots to find water on the trail so I'm only taking four 16oz bottles) included should bring that up to no more than 22-23lbs.
Any comments and suggestions are welcome.
Thanks :)
I definitely understand being broke. I won't get into it here, but hubby and I have had to do a lot to scrimp and save for this year's SOBO attempt.
Just to be clear - this is your list (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?84064-Finalized-Gear-List-Did-I-miss-anything&p=1289098&highlight=#post1289098), correct?
What, exactly, do you mean by 'base weight'? Because as noted by others, your pack, tent, and sleeping bag alone account for (if we assume the WalMart sleeping bag is 3.5 lbs) 11.5 lbs of that 15 lb. estimate. That's a lot of freaking weight for your Big 3 and not a lot of comfort.
Your tent needs to be triple seam-sealed. Your bag likely won't stuff down to a reasonable size and since we're barely approaching summer that 50 degrees may not keep you as warm as it claims. Your pack may not feel good once it's loaded up. There's more money in your pocket right now, but you may very well lose whatever savings you initially got because your current gear is underwhelming and you'll have to buy good stuff later anyways. Cheap stuff just ain't worth it, and take it from us, we've learned the hard way.
You said in your other post that this trip is only 2-3 days, right? When are you going?
TechNaBill
05-16-2012, 16:32
Why not take a gallon jug
I purchased a Walmart 40 F sleeping bag for my car. It is not warm at 40 F.
It has so much bulk, I keep it behind the rear seat in my van.
It is okay to start out with an inexpensive sleeping bag, but very soon get a sleeping bag that needs less room in your backpack and meets the temperature rating on the label. My strategy was to, first, get a good quality sleeping pad. Next, I went to a sleeping quilt. I feel a sleeping quilt does everything well and is not as expensive as a sleeping bag of an equal temperature rating.
Here is a White Blaze forum thread (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?84110-need-new-UL-sleeping-bag&p=1288980#post1288980) with examples of sleeping bags carried.
jakedatc
05-16-2012, 21:43
Those are pretty expensive bags. you can get a good 20 degree bag from REI like the Sub kilo for 100 bucks and change.. or less if you go to the garage sale or use their coupon right now.
bwburgin1015
05-17-2012, 12:55
I agree with Firefighter...REI's Flash 65 is a great pack and $105 on the REI Outlet.
EricS96521
05-17-2012, 19:26
I definitely understand being broke. I won't get into it here, but hubby and I have had to do a lot to scrimp and save for this year's SOBO attempt.
Just to be clear - this is your list (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?84064-Finalized-Gear-List-Did-I-miss-anything&p=1289098&highlight=#post1289098), correct?
What, exactly, do you mean by 'base weight'? Because as noted by others, your pack, tent, and sleeping bag alone account for (if we assume the WalMart sleeping bag is 3.5 lbs) 11.5 lbs of that 15 lb. estimate. That's a lot of freaking weight for your Big 3 and not a lot of comfort.
Your tent needs to be triple seam-sealed. Your bag likely won't stuff down to a reasonable size and since we're barely approaching summer that 50 degrees may not keep you as warm as it claims. Your pack may not feel good once it's loaded up. There's more money in your pocket right now, but you may very well lose whatever savings you initially got because your current gear is underwhelming and you'll have to buy good stuff later anyways. Cheap stuff just ain't worth it, and take it from us, we've learned the hard way.
You said in your other post that this trip is only 2-3 days, right? When are you going?
As I had said before, I loaded my pack up with everything I will be carrying, including 5lbs of food (for 2 days) and wore the pack around my house for a good while and it felt great. The pack I absolutely love.
The sleeping bag, unsure of weight but it isn't very heavy. It doesn't have a stuff sack so I just shoved it into the bottom sleeping bag pocket. Took a little bit of force/shoving/packing, but I got it in and zipped. I've even got enough room left in my pack I could just put it in the top and not worry about the sleeping bag pocket.
But I do agree on buying quality to begin with and saving money in the long run. The only thing I really see that needs replacing is the sleeping bag. Other than that, I am very happy with my purchases. BUT, time will only tell the quality and durability.
I appreciate the response Sassafras :)