Serial Lurker's 1st Post

[freeholden]

Hey folks- Just wanted to say hey and let you know I've enjoyed the topics but even more the responses! You guys are a trip! Anyhow, the wife and I are shipping our youngest daughter off to college in a few weeks and are planning our escape. Gonna do a NOBO in April. No stupid questions or any debate material, at least not in this post. Just wanted to note a few fun observations at the beginning of our quest. I was really surprised at the difference I've had to make in our gear. Never thought I'd give up my Kelty 50th anniversary x-frame I used as a big game guide, but old dogs can learn new tricks. Been enjoying buying new, lighter gear and have humbly admitted I was toting WAY too much heavy stuff! The wife is excited and we giggled like little school girls as we typed up mock resignation letters to our employers last night! Anyhoo, thanks for the great info. and entertainment and I promise to throw my two cents in here and there...

[gizzy bear]

Hey folks- Just wanted to say hey and let you know I've enjoyed the topics but even more the responses! You guys are a trip! Anyhow, the wife and I are shipping our youngest daughter off to college in a few weeks and are planning our escape. Gonna do a NOBO in April. No stupid questions or any debate material, at least not in this post. Just wanted to note a few fun observations at the beginning of our quest. I was really surprised at the difference I've had to make in our gear. Never thought I'd give up my Kelty 50th anniversary x-frame I used as a big game guide, but old dogs can learn new tricks. Been enjoying buying new, lighter gear and have humbly admitted I was toting WAY too much heavy stuff! The wife is excited and we giggled like little school girls as we typed up mock resignation letters to our employers last night! Anyhoo, thanks for the great info. and entertainment and I promise to throw my two cents in here and there...

good luck to you guys!! rcbear and i would like to do that someday ... gotta get the girl children out of the house or at least a little older... then we are gonna be all ova the place have fun!!

[HikerMom58]

Hey folks- Just wanted to say hey and let you know I've enjoyed the topics but even more the responses! You guys are a trip! Anyhow, the wife and I are shipping our youngest daughter off to college in a few weeks and are planning our escape. Gonna do a NOBO in April. No stupid questions or any debate material, at least not in this post. Just wanted to note a few fun observations at the beginning of our quest. I was really surprised at the difference I've had to make in our gear. Never thought I'd give up my Kelty 50th anniversary x-frame I used as a big game guide, but old dogs can learn new tricks. Been enjoying buying new, lighter gear and have humbly admitted I was toting WAY too much heavy stuff! The wife is excited and we giggled like little school girls as we typed up mock resignation letters to our employers last night! Anyhoo, thanks for the great info. and entertainment and I promise to throw my two cents in here and there...

Ha ha!! Fun thread title there freeholden. Welcome, welcome to the madness!! Sounds like you are well on your way to a fun adventure!! (you and your wife) Yipee!!!

[Ezra]

Been enjoying buying new, lighter gear and have humbly admitted I was toting WAY too much heavy stuff! ...

Can you still resign after buying new equipment? Hope all goes as planned, have a blast! Hope to meet you guys someday.

[freeholden]

Thank God my wife is an accountant, because I would spend money on gear like a 5-year in a toy store with grandma's birthday money! Still keeping our "heavy" Granite Gear lightpath 3 tent. We love it and I know what it's like being cramped in a small tent. ( plus I'll stuff it in the wife's Gregory pack...for the greater good of course). Sold old gear on ebay to offset the cost. Also have bought gear cheaper through ebay stores rather than REI, etc. The great thing is that our budget is under control and we have 8 months to swap out gear. In the mean time we can hike now knowing it can only get lighter!

[Cookerhiker]

Welcome and good luck on your hike

[Kerosene]

Sounds like you've taken the first steps towards being a "gram weenie". First you look at ways to save a pound, then 8 ounces, then 4, until you get to the point where you're debating whether to spend a big chunk of your discretionary income to save a few tenths of an ounce! Even if you don't get that extreme, get a good scale and weigh everything. And then, on your next long weekend shakedown hike, consider dropping any gear (with the possible exception of emergency supplies) that you don't use at least a few times. Best of luck and welcome to WB.

[freeholden]

Sounds like you've taken the first steps towards being a "gram weenie". First you look at ways to save a pound, then 8 ounces, then 4, until you get to the point where you're debating whether to spend a big chunk of your discretionary income to save a few tenths of an ounce! Even if you don't get that extreme, get a good scale and weigh everything. And then, on your next long weekend shakedown hike, consider dropping any gear (with the possible exception of emergency supplies) that you don't use at least a few times. Best of luck and welcome to WB.

Brother, you sure are right! Already bought my digital scale and hand held luggage scale...It's a scary obsession now! I'm at 32lbs. with food and water and am getting lighter by the day/ week/ month.

[Butterfly58]

Welcome and good luck! I'll be NOBO next year too. Maybe I'll see you on the trail.

[freeholden]

Welcome and good luck! I'll be NOBO next year too. Maybe I'll see you on the trail.

We haven't locked in a solid date until we get alto closer due to transportation, weather, etc. Definitely during the first half of April...

[rocketsocks]

Hey folks- Just wanted to say hey and let you know I've enjoyed the topics but even more the responses! You guys are a trip! Anyhow, the wife and I are shipping our youngest daughter off to college in a few weeks and are planning our escape. Gonna do a NOBO in April. No stupid questions or any debate material, at least not in this post. Just wanted to note a few fun observations at the beginning of our quest. I was really surprised at the difference I've had to make in our gear. Never thought I'd give up my Kelty 50th anniversary x-frame I used as a big game guide, but old dogs can learn new tricks. Been enjoying buying new, lighter gear and have humbly admitted I was toting WAY too much heavy stuff! The wife is excited and we giggled like little school girls as we typed up mock resignation letters to our employers last night! Anyhoo, thanks for the great info. and entertainment and I promise to throw my two cents in here and there...

Cool, you guys have a great hike, sounds like you both have awesome attitudes...love the mock "take this job and shove it" letters, that's gotta be very therapeutic...note to self! draft resignation letter to "The Donald"

[Edro]

be assured no-one here will lead you a-stray. have a great hike next year and hope to see you out there!

[freeholden]

Cool, you guys have a great hike, sounds like you both have awesome attitudes...love the mock "take this job and shove it" letters, that's gotta be very therapeutic...note to self! draft resignation letter to "The Donald"

Thanks man. We're pretty happy/ proud to have worked our butts off to raise two girls and have them in college on full ride scholarships. We kind of felt like we needed to treat our selves to a grand adventure before we start the next phase of our lives. The girls were raised in the outdoors so they're starting the "no fair" whining about the long walk. We just chuckle and tell them work hard and bust your butt in college, and earn the right to take a six month break from the rat race just like we did. And yeah, we plan on NOT telling anyone at our job about the quest til the day we quit... then we're hitting the nearest watering hole to celebrate!!!

[rocketsocks]

Thanks man. We're pretty happy/ proud to have worked our butts off to raise two girls and have them in college on full ride scholarships. We kind of felt like we needed to treat our selves to a grand adventure before we start the next phase of our lives. The girls were raised in the outdoors so they're starting the "no fair" whining about the long walk. We just chuckle and tell them work hard and bust your butt in college, and earn the right to take a six month break from the rat race just like we did. And yeah, we plan on NOT telling anyone at our job about the quest til the day we quit... then we're hitting the nearest watering hole to celebrate!!!

Beautiful!

[jeffmeh]

Thank God my wife is an accountant, because I would spend money on gear like a 5-year in a toy store with grandma's birthday money! Still keeping our "heavy" Granite Gear lightpath 3 tent. We love it and I know what it's like being cramped in a small tent. ( plus I'll stuff it in the wife's Gregory pack...for the greater good of course). Sold old gear on ebay to offset the cost. Also have bought gear cheaper through ebay stores rather than REI, etc. The great thing is that our budget is under control and we have 8 months to swap out gear. In the mean time we can hike now knowing it can only get lighter!

First, congats, I am extremely jealous. Second, is that the same as the Mountain Hardwear Lightpath 3, at more than 5 lbs? If so, I would consider looking for something considerably lighter, perhaps something like a Tarptent Squall 2, and get most of the space for about 3 lbs less.

[freeholden]

First, congats, I am extremely jealous. JSecond, is that the same as the Mountain Hardwear Lightpath 3, at more than 5 lbs? If so, I would consider looking for something considerably lighter, perhaps something like a Tarptent Squall 2, and get most of the space for about 3 lbs less.

Yup, the beast is actually 5lbs 9oz. But before I'm flogged on the rack of the oz. Nazis, allow me my feeble explanation. Yeah, (sigh...), I am fond of the old girl despite her weight, and alas, I know we'll have to part ways.(we're still talking about the tent, not the wife...) I'm shopping lighter bags right now so we can still camp/hike til I can replace her with a lighter alternative. I definitely will check out the tarp tent and put it on my list! Til then then I gotta put up with the extra lbs.

[jeffmeh]

My son took a TT Rainbow on his thru, but has become enamored with the Squall 2, when he saw a fellow hiker with one. Same weight because he uses trekking poles, and it can comfortably fit two. These are single wall tents though (TT makes some double wall ones also), so there is more of a learning curve around managing condensation. Very manageable, IMO.

[freeholden]

My son took a TT Rainbow on his thru, but has become enamored with the Squall 2, when he saw a fellow hiker with one. Same weight because he k trekking poles, and it can comfortably fit two. These are single wall tents though (TT makes some double wall ones also), so there is more of a learning curve around managing condensation. Very manageable, IMO.

I went straight to their site after reading your post. Never used a single wall other than my Kelty wing by myself. Question: how warm do they sleep? I swear my wife is part reptilian because she always cold when she sleeps. That's the hold up on budgeting for a light weight/ 10° bag for her. I've already donated my liner to her cause. Will a tarptent still be a viable option??

[Rasty]

null

With two people a Double Rainbow warms up nicely.

[jeffmeh]

With two people a Double Rainbow warms up nicely.

And for another 4 ounces you can get the breathable liners, that make it effectively a double wall at the peak of the tent. The other nice feature of the Double Rainbow is that you can use trekking poles to make it free-standing.

The only real advantage to the Squall 2 is that it is lighter than the DR, by 6 oz (or 10 oz if you get the liners).