Various questions...
Okay I need some advice.
What do you guys use for:
1) headlamps
2) trekking poles
3) water filter
Thanks!
1. I don't use it. I use cheap $5 handheld led light.
2. $25 Swix poles from Campor. I don't see it there anymore. Ski poles work great too.
3. I converted to Aquamira water treatment after this forum convinced me it worked better than Katadyn's microfilter. The 3 oz weight is what did it for me.
YMMV.
-Avi
AT completed: NJ6-1, NY13-2, CT5-2
does aquamira make the water taste bad?
1 None, just a tiny photon LED flashlight.
2 I used Leki Ultralites, the ones with no shock absorbers.
3 A filter bottle in the cold and Aqua Mira in summer. Nope, no taste I could notice!
1) Petzel Tikka (long lasting, great light, light weight)Originally Posted by DivaDTT
What do you guys use for:
1) headlamps
2) trekking poles
3) water filter
Thanks!
2) Leki Super Makalu (expensive but worth every penny)
3) Pur (now Katadyn) Hiker (quick pumping filter but can easily clog up)
Too Tall Paul
"He who knows others is learned; he who knows himself is wise." - Tao Te Ching
Petzl...forget which model
No poles
Aqua Mira - I can barely taste anything - water usually tastes better than city water. Some people say it tastes strong, but most taste hardly anything.
1. Petzl tikka.......had it for years, works great.
2. Old pair of Komperdell's that I scored for $25 on REI-outlet, no shock absorber and they work fine.
3. Pur hiker...........which is now Katahdyn Hiker
Is the Katadyn Hiker Pro worth the extra money for over the Katadyn Hiker?
tikka
ski poles
dont' filter, but i do own a MSR miniworks, and it works great with regular cleaning. if you gotta have a filter, and you are not goin' hikin' in south america or something, get one that doesn't add the chemical/iodine treatment on top of filtering the water for giardia and cryptosporidia. you don't need it and it makes the best water in the world taste like s**t.
#1 Petzel Tikka Plus
#2 Masters Kompressor
#3 Aqua Mira
.....ditto
Ask 100 hikers this question, and you'll get 100 different answers.Okay I need some advice.
What do you guys use for:
1) headlamps
2) trekking poles
3) water filter
Thanks!
I have a BlackDiamond headlight, but have owned a Petzl (still do actually). Both are fine. I have also gone into the backcountry with just a photon light.
I use Leki Trekking poles, primarily because a good friend bought me a pair for my thru-hike, and now I get demo poles for free through my employer.
Water filters? WHen I use one, and that is primarily when I hike with my daughter, I use a Pur (Katadyn) Hiker. That's plenty good for the AT. When I hike alone, I use Polar Pure, or have in the past. Polar Pure, Aquamira, both could work well, but your doctor might recommend differently based on your health history. Long term use of iodine is not for everyone.
Last edited by MOWGLI; 12-13-2005 at 10:21.
'All my lies are always wishes" ~Jeff Tweedy~
Maybe an explanation of my choices will help?
1 I saw headlamps as excess weight and simply made sure I was in bed before dark.
2 I chose Lekis for their free repairs (bent mine three times) and chose the cheapest model.
3 A filter bottle is lighter than a filter and when kept full does not freeze as easily at night reducing the risk of a cracked filter element while chemicals take a longer treatment time in cold weather. But in hot weather Aqua Mira works fine, weighs less than a filter but did not add a bad taste like iodine.
1) headlamps
Tikka (the original one)
2) trekking poles
REI (Komperdell) Ultralights
3) water filter
Don't use a filter (any more). I use AquaMira
'Slogger
The more I learn ...the more I realize I don't know.
1- Princeton Tec Scout. Lighter than the Tikka, but bright enough for walking a few hours after sundown. Also has an adjustable angle hinge. I got rid of the headband, because it can clip onto a hat or belt or sternum strap, which is great.
2- Gossamer Gear Lightrek poles. Very light, surprisingly strong. Highly recommended.
3- I am another AquaMira convert.
-Mark
headlamp-depends on season/light available. spring/fall, i use a cheap garrity 3-position (hi, lo, flasher) led light. weighs 2oz and cost about $12. in summer, when the sun is up from way early to way late, i use just a photon.Okay I need some advice.
What do you guys use for:
1) headlamps
2) trekking poles
3) water filter
Thanks!
trekking poles- none. i use a hiking staff i cut as a boy scout about 30 years ago, and it serves me well. i did add a metal foot to it, so it hasn't worn out as fast as it might have.
water filter- i own an msr mini works, but no longer use it. i've switched to aqua mira.
mowgli, not sure there are medical considerations when using AM... it's not iodine. in some circles, there are concerns about the 'long term' use of iodine, but 'long term' is up for discussion. AM uses an entirely different chemical to kill the bugs.DivaDTT-AM makes water taste good, not bad. as per msg to mowgli, it's not an iodine-based product. there is no aftertaste for most people. my brother says he can taste a little bit of something, but can't really tell me what it is. i can't taste anything. check out their web site for the full chemistry explanation on why/how it works.
Last edited by Seeker; 12-13-2005 at 11:43.
1-Black Diamond Ion (1 LED, 1 oz), but I don't use this to hike after sundown.
2-Leki poles, although I'm not a fan of the shock absorbers. I like the angled grips; would prefer a grip that doesn't make my hands sweat; like the way the "grip" is extended down the pole; like the new innovation where the "Trigger" poles where the strap easily disconnects from the pole; like the idea of the new synthetic tips that bend 30 degrees. Leki's are expensive. I just found these Black Diamond poles that look pretty interesting.
3-Ditch the water filter and go with Aqua Mira. There's a new no-mix formulation from Xinix called Klearwater that I might try on my next trip.
GA←↕→ME: 1973 to 2014
========================================
Actually, I listed AquaMira as my chemical of choice above but I just received my first bottle of that pre-mixed Klearwater stuff. Will be testing it on my next outing and may convert totally once my AquaMira supply is exhausted.
'Slogger
The more I learn ...the more I realize I don't know.
1. Petzl Tikka Plus
2. Cobranded EMS/Komperdell C3 Poles
3. Katadyn Hiker
1. Princeton Tec (LED) headlamp. (For late-night reading and early rising).
2. A single hiking pole I won at an outdoor shop drawing. Don't know the brand or model. (Before that, I used a sassafras sapling with an empty 20-guage shotgun shell over the bottom end).
3. PUR Hiker - with pre-filters (from Campmor) to strain out sediment. I always take it along, but seldom use it.
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