View Full Version : Fab Four @ Trail Days!
Looks interesting. Lightest of the light.
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FASTPACKING 101 ROAD SHOW: DAMASCUS, VA
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Going to Trail Days in Damascus? Don't miss out on the Fastpacking 101
Road Show featuring the Fab Four of Ultralight Backpacking: Demetri
Coupounas (GoLite), Ryan Jordan (Backpacking Light), Brian Robinson
(Calendar Year Triple Crown), and Glen Van Peski (Gossamer Gear).
WHERE: Meet at the GoLite Booth, Trail Days, Damascus VA
WHEN: Saturday May 14, 9am to 1pm OR Sunday May 15, 9am to 1pm
WHAT: "Fast and Lite in Four Hours: The Art of Ultra-Lite
Backpacking." An interactive 3.4-mile hike on the AT with on-trail
discussions, mid-trail clinic, and discussion group
HikeLite
05-12-2005, 10:20
Do you find the self-designation as a "Fab Four" a bit cocky?
Do you find the self-designation as a "Fab Four" a bit cocky?
Hahahahaha :jump :p :clap :bse
SavageLlama
05-12-2005, 20:43
Do you find the self-designation as a "Fab Four" a bit cocky?
No, just very gay. ;)
Right. And the first three respondents have how much experience? :rolleyes:
HikeLite
05-13-2005, 09:27
Oops. It looks like the fourth respondent is perturbed by the quorstion. If I was at trail days, I'd for sure go see the infomercial.
Oops. It looks like the fourth respondent is perturbed by the quorstion. If I was at trail days, I'd for sure go see the infomercial.
Is anyone surprised by the reaction? A year ago I would have been. Now, this is as expected.
max patch
05-13-2005, 10:06
Unmoderated message boards all eventually sink to the level of the lowest common denominater. Just a matter of time.
Stoker53
05-13-2005, 10:26
Moderated message boards are like putting a govenor on a race car. Sure you can drive it around but it's not as exciting.
Do you find the self-designation as a "Fab Four" a bit cocky?
Well GVP has made some great gear...
Brian Robinson? Well, I sure as heck have not hiked 7700 miles in 9 mos. :)
Jordan? Backpacking light is arguably *the* best place on the web right now for lightweight backpacking discussion
GoLite? I am not a big fan on their gear (though I do like their Wisp that I bought on sale), and have heard some interesting stories about Coup, but hiking the three major regional trails (JMT, CT, LT) in the time he did is quite impressive.
So maybe "Fab Four" is a bit cocky...but they have the chops to back it up.
What I find interesting, though, how "ligtweight gear" is becoming an expensive gear fetish. The emphasis is less on the DIY/cheap alternatives and more on "Buy some expensive gear" to lighten up. C'est la vie.
If they got what it takes, then it don't matter who or what their preferences are to me....wanderer
If they got what it takes, then it don't matter who or what their preferences are to me....wanderer
It goes beyond "what it takes", it means we are back where we started with gear:
Instead of the paradigm of "You need heavy, expensive gear to survive in the woods"...now it is "You need *light*, expensive gear to survive in the woods".
I mean, it is just hiking. It shouldn't be that complicated to walking....light or heavy gear! :)
Tha Wookie
05-13-2005, 11:36
Well GVP has made some great gear...
Brian Robinson? Well, I sure as heck have not hiked 7700 miles in 9 mos. :)
Jordan? Backpacking light is arguably *the* best place on the web right now for lightweight backpacking discussion
GoLite? I am not a big fan on their gear (though I do like their Wisp that I bought on sale), and have heard some interesting stories about Coup, but hiking the three major regional trails (JMT, CT, LT) in the time he did is quite impressive.
So maybe "Fab Four" is a bit cocky...but they have the chops to back it up.
What I find interesting, though, how "ligtweight gear" is becoming an expensive gear fetish. The emphasis is less on the DIY/cheap alternatives and more on "Buy some expensive gear" to lighten up. C'est la vie.Mags,
I couldn't agree with you more.
They do indeed do have legitimate experience to be passing on lightwieght skills.
My only concern, besides the name, is that it turns into a go-lite commercial. Coup continually has been claiming in many ways the ideas and creations of Ray Jardine. But don't take it from me. Go to www.rayjardine.com (http://www.rayjardine.com/) and read on his "campfire" chat about his recent uncovering of their relationship and how he claims to have gotten worked over and basically ripped-off.
I don't know any first hand info myself, but I will tell you that I have met, in person, both men:
One of them showed me a whole new wonderful way of looking at nature and hiking.
The other told me a lie.
If it is true, then I don't want to see the man. There's no sense in trying to learn from a liar.
HikeLite
05-13-2005, 11:54
Thawookie, thanks for that. Here is the link to Jardines side of the story which is a little long in getting to the world. I heard on Coups infomercial outing a few weeks ago, that he blasted Jardine publicly and nearly ran off a customer in a Backwoods store when he was overly aggressive in pushing his lightweight gear for their upcoming thru-hike.
http://www.rayjardine.com/campfire/index.shtml
My only concern, besides the name, is that it turns into a go-lite commercial.
YEah "Go-lite" has become *THE* way to lighten up in terms of brand recongnition. Part of the lightweight revolution as done by Jardine, Lynn Wheldon et al. was to look at over priced gadgets and gear and take what you really need.
So we are back where we started...except the gear is lighter. Still expensive, still buying because of marketing.
I may be doing an interview for a local paper on lightweight gear..but from my cheap bastard.. er frugal..standpoint. Keep in mind GoLite is made here in Boulder. We'll see how it goes. :D
(I will buy gear when it is worth it. My feathered friends bag and windshrt being a prominent example. I think it is just good to know their are light and cheap alternatives!)
HikeLite
05-13-2005, 13:57
I'd like to see suggestions for the original "fab four" of ultralight hiking. Included should be Ray Jardine, etc. Who else? Ms. Gatewood...
I'd like to see suggestions for the original "fab four" of ultralight hiking. Included should be Ray Jardine, etc. Who else? Ms. Gatewood...
You could add Chris Webber and make it the Fab 5
Who is Chris Weber? I must confess to never hear of this person. :confused:
I am sure it will make me do a Homer-esque "DOH!" when I do find out. :)
Who is Chris Weber? I must confess to never hear of this person. :confused:
I am sure it will make me do a Homer-esque "DOH!" when I do find out. :)
Sorry, he's an NBA player, who played college ball at Michigan, where they were known as the 'Fab Five' (the starting lineup). They changed the style of college ball and are the reason why ever ball player wears their shorts way too big, wears black sneakers and shaved heads.
Anyway, they wouldn't want him in their group anyway, as he is notorious for bringing bad luck and being a perenial loser wherever he's gone to play
Sorry, he's an NBA player, who played college ball at Michigan, where they were known as the 'Fab Five' (the starting lineup). They changed the style of college ball and are the reason why ever ball player wears their shorts way too big, wears black sneakers and shaved heads.
Ah! I don't follow basketball too closeley. Thought it was a some hiker I never heard of..but felt like I should know.
Thanks for the heads up!
Mags - forever cluless when it comes to most pro sports!
It goes beyond "what it takes", it means we are back where we started with gear:
Instead of the paradigm of "You need heavy, expensive gear to survive in the woods"...now it is "You need *light*, expensive gear to survive in the woods".
I mean, it is just hiking. It shouldn't be that complicated to walking....light or heavy gear! :)
I definetly agree with you on that. People who know me will tell you that I usually pack heavy, been accused of looking like Jethro Bodine of the Beverly Hillbilly's....wanderer
Nightwalker
05-14-2005, 22:05
Mags - forever cluless when it comes to most pro sports!
Let me fill you in. There's baseball, and there's everything else. :)
My favorite UL innovation that's trickled down to the masses is the tiny MP3 players with the FM radio included. I can put all of my Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock on one SD card, the player cost 60 bucks, one AAA battery lasts 16-20 hours, and the danged thing weighs 3.1 ounces--including battery, SD card and earbuds.
And I can listen to baseball games on the trail!
HikeLite
05-15-2005, 10:37
Frank, which mp3 player do you have?
Nightwalker
05-15-2005, 16:42
Frank, which mp3 player do you have?
The Rio Cali 128. SD cards are getting so cheap that the original size doesn't much matter.
I use MP3Pro or WMA at 64kbps, and every CD takes about 20-25 MB. Both formats sound as good as the old MP3 did at 128 kbps, and that's plenty good for me, especially through earbuds and with my higher-frequency hearing loss. :)