Backpack was the Vaude Accept 65+10 II
This pack worked great, simply put I was the only person who did not complain of sore shoulders or sore hips/waist. It was very comfortable and as packs go very spacious. My only real complaint was the lack of lash points on the outside. Perhaps they were not included because they can catch on rocks, limbs, etc. but at times it would have been nice to have one or two.
Hydration system was the Platypus Big Zip SL (3L)
This hydration system was awesome. The feed tube can quickly disconnect from the bag without leaking which makes it easy to remove from packs with out having to hassle with it. You fill through a system on top which resembles a Ziploc bag on steroids. The quick disconnect came in handy for filling also. The water filter system that I used was able to connect to the bag through the quick disconnect which made filling very convenient out in the field.
Water filter was the Katadyn Hiker Pro
I was wary of purchasing this filter due to the fact that I could not find a lot of people that had actually used it. However after a lot of research and the recommendation of a sales person I decided to get it. No regrets here. My father brought along another filter from another filter manufacturer. His filter worked fine but had a tendency to clog, even in very clear water, which required frequent field servicing. By the end of the trip several of the people in our group confided in me that they preferred my filter over my fathers. Here is a video of it in action.
Sleeping pad was a Therm-a-rest Trail regular
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Therm-a-rests reputation needs no bolstering from me. This brand is already well known for their products. The trail series is a great line for those that want a Therm-a-rest at a lower price. It worked well, was compact, and easy to use. It was plenty long and accommodating but I would have preferred more width for my wide shoulders. There is a wider version available, maybe Ethan will inherit my current one and I will eventually get the wider version.
Cookware was the GSI Ultralight Dualist Cook system
I found some sweet deals on some of the other gear I bought so I splurged on my cooking set. This set has a cooking pot, 2 cups, and 2 bowls that all stack nicely inside of each other. If you stack them correctly you can fit a gas canister and other items inside also. The carrying case also doubles as a wash basin. The top of the cooking pot has holes on one side so that you can safely and easily drain water with out loosing whatever it is you have in the pot. The entire set does not weigh much and I found it very handy and functional. I must admit though, that I really did not do much more than boil water and then mix in dried food.
I took two different stoves with me. Both of them were borrowed and both were made by MSR.
The first was a liquid fuel stove called the Whisperlite Internationale provided by my brother in law Jeremy.
The Second was a canister fueled stove called the Superfly provided by my brother in law Jason.
There are advantages and disadvantages to liquid fuel and canister fueled stoves. Liquid fueled stoves take longer to set up and get ready, you have to deal with a liquid fuel, and generally you cannot easily control flame intensity (meaning the flame is all or nothing). They do boil water faster, work better at altitude, can burn multiple different types of fuels, and you do not have to worry about packing multiple canisters in and out. Canister fueled stoves do not work as well at altitude, are not as hot so they boil water slower, and can add extra weight in the form of multiple canisters. The are easier to use and set up, have easily adjustable flames, and your fuel is contained in a sealed container. Overall when it comes time for me to purchase a stove I will go with a liquid fuel stove. Here is why. When you are back packing you mostly are boiling water. Even though the liquid fuel stove took longer to set up it almost always would boil water before the canister fueled stove. After a long day on the trail being able to get that water boiling as fast as possible so that you can eat is a plus and makes life just a bit more comfortable.
The sleeping bag I used was the High Peak Comfort Pak
Weighing in at 4 pounds and rated to 20 degrees F this bag served me well. One thing thing about temperature ratings. These ratings are the temperature at which you would be able to survive, not be comfortable. Having said that our first night it froze. While everyone else complained about being chilly I was warm and comfy in my bag. The next night my bag got wet, due to the excessive amount of condensation on the inside of the tent, and it performed marvellously well at keeping me warm. This bag will serve well for spring, summer, and fall camping. For winter something rated to 0 degrees would be better.
As I researched everything and made visits to different outdoor stores (Thank you Out and Back and Outdoor Recreation Outlet) I learned a lot. The old saying "you don't always get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get" is certainly true in outdoor gear. When you are in the outdoors and you depend on your equipment for survival it is essential for it to function properly. I have found that the best gear is not necessarily the most expensive and that the most expensive gear is rarely the best. Quality does have a price, but modern manufacturing processes and current quality theories and protocols have dramatically lowered those prices. The best advise I can give is to be thorough in your research. Ask retailers and outfitters for their opinions. Ask random people in stores that are looking at the same items that you are. Use the Internet. Try before you buy. Many places will let you get into a sleeping bag or try their water filters, put on a pack, etc. there in the store. Or do as I did, I borrowed some equipment from people that I knew. Being able to try the equipment in real world settings helped immensely in forming opinions about equipment.
For me this process was easy, because I love to do research. If I could get a job as product/category tester/reviewer I would be in job heaven (if anyone knows of any opportunities let me know). The hard part was shelling out the necessary dinero, but if you look you can find some sweet deals, as I did.
In the end what made this trip really enjoyable was not the gear and equipment. It was the people that were there with me. Thanks to everyone that went this year. Those that couldn't make it this year, we have next year.
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