Gear

[Trail Yeti]

Well I thought I would post my gear list so that you guys could see what I carried on my hike.
Besides, it will be interesting to see what everyone thinks. I don't remember all the weights, so when I get a chance I will repost them.

pack-Granite Gear Vapor Trail Prototype
poles-leki antishock
shoes-lowa tempest lows
gaiters- OR tall gaiters (pull em up for the cold, push em down for the hot)
kilt
1 coolmax t-shirt
1 Patagonia LW Capilene
1 Patagonia MW Capilene
1 Marmot Dri Clime windshirt
1 Marmot Precip jacket(or R2 vest or R2 jacket)
1 pair running tights (combine tights w/gaiters pulled up is just as good as pants)
2 pair of socks
1 beanie
1 buff
1 bandana
1 patagonia capilene glove liners
1 pair manzella windstopper gloves (next time would use OR rain mitts)
1 columbia boonie hat (I like hats)
1 msr titanium pot
1v-8 turbo stove w/windscreen
platypus 1 3L and 1 1L w/hydration tube
katadyn mini filter (piece of crap will never use it again)
1 hennessey hammock ultralite a-sym w/stakes
1 z-rest
1 silnylon pack bag
3 silnylon stuff sacks
1 small silnylon stuff sack (med/hygiene/repair kit)
1 tiny swiss army knife
1 black diamond ion headlamp (note: if you are planning on night hiking w/this you better have good night vision)
data book and relevant piece of companion and maps
1 lexan spoon
piece of plastic net for pot scrubbie
coke bottle w/HEET for fuel
little bitty radio w/headphones
camera
chacos (my luxury items...gotta have my chacos...hiked 400 miles in them)
Marmot Arroyo bag (winter)/marmot trails bag(summer)
silk liner

I think thats it......I don't have it all here to look at so if I forgot something I'm sorry. For general knowledge my pack weight average was probably 28-30 lbs. but I was also testing the prototype pack so I loaded it up sometimes probably got up to 40 lbs maybe 45 going into the 100 mile wilderness.

[Yedi]

How'd you like the Vapor Trail? I ordered it a week or so ago to check it out for my thru-hike. I'm either going to go with it (if I really like it) or my gearskin. Thanks.

Yed

[Kerosene]

Yeti: What's a buff? Also, where did you get your teenie radio and how much does it weigh?

I agree that the OR mittens would be much better than the gloves, which didn't keep me very warm once it got down into the low 40's.

[Don]

to answer "what's a buff", go to the thread IN PRAISE OF BANDANAS in the Thru-Hiker specific section...

[Don]

Radio Shack stocks a couple of tiny little radios with small "ear-bud" headphones...most will clip on a shoulder strap easily.

[Jeff]

Yeti....nice list!!!

What did you send home after the cold weather???

[Trail Yeti]

Ok, I am going to answer questions now.
1. The pack was pretty good. I had the prototype and they wanted us to tell them what we thought was wrong with it. I know that granite gear made some corrections (pack straps) but if they took our advice it should be a really good pack. I have yet to see the finished product
2.for more buff info see the thread "in praise of the bandana"
3. radio was from radio shack. weighed 2oz and was semi water proof. I would replace the headphones this time because I didn't like the ones that came with it. I wish they made an MP3 player w/a radio
4. when it got warm I sent home:
Marmot Arroyo sleeping bag
MW Capilene shirt
heavy gloves
when it got really warm I ditched the running tights.

any more questions? bring them on!!!

[MedicineMan]

Good list,,,only thing I would have changed was the Black Diamond Ion for the Black Diamond Moonbeam....I've got a collection of the most popular LED's and the Moonbeam is the best of all of them-and yep night hiking with the moonbeam is easy.

[gravityman]

Hey Trail Yeti,
They do make an MP3 player with a radio, at 2 oz. There are actually several. I have the Lyra, that has an FM radio, 128M of internal memory, and and expansion card. The card's weight almost nothing, so you can carry as much music as you want (or can afford since the cards are like $50 for 128M. That's about 4 hours of music if you aren't picky about quality, or 2 hours for CD quality).

Check out http://www.rca.com/product/viewdetai...00007,00.html?

I love mine. Been using it running, and its great. Haven't taken it on an extended backpacking trip (the main purpose I got mine for). The only concern I have is if something goes wrong with the memory you need a computer to get it working again, although I haven't had that problem yet, and might never...

Okay, just wanted to talk about my very exciting newish toy

There's also one from MPIO that is suppose to be very good...

Gravity Man

[Happy]

Trail Yeti,

Great list ! I purchased the Marmot Trails last June for a summer bag and was very satisfied. Have you tried using it as an overbag for your Marmot Arroyo bag during cold weather ?

If so, what were the results as far as increased rating in wamth ?
Just wondering if the combo would allow me to start out March 1st with both and mail home the Trails until around mid-June and then do an exchange ?

[Jeff]

Gravityman,

Regarding the MP3/FM player....what kind of battery life are you experiencing????

[gravityman]

8 hours on two AAA listening to the MP3's. Not sure if it does better or worse with the radio, although I would suspect better...

So over 5 days I'm predicting I will need 6 extra AAA. That's alot of batteries, but not too bad... (worth the weight in my opinion) I am also using regular duracell. I want to try the ultras...

Gravity Man

[Trail Yeti]

Here we go again-
g-man, thanks for the tip on the mp3 player...that is exactly what I'm talking about! Now if I could only aford it! (come on VA, give me my gi bill!!!)
Happy, I haven't yet tried the overbag approach, I might call marmot to see what the degree rating would be. I am afraid to get into my arroyo because it stinks so bad!!! ha ha ha