ABOUT US followed by GEAR of US
Obviously Still Under Construction...
Luke: I have wanted to hike the AT for a long time. I think I have wanted to since I was about 20. I am 31 now and am currently riding in the car on the way to Amicalola Falls to fulfill this dream. I have done a lot of hiking, but usually only for 1 or 2 nights. This will be quite the adventure. I am going to relish in the filth, pain, and the all you can eat Chinese buffets. I hope you you like this story and I hope it inspires you to get outside and also relish in the filth. Through this blog I hope to become an excellent thumb typer.
Becca: Becca is a hot Hawaiian hiking machine! She is out on the AT to eat mountains for breakfast and fart tornadoes. This is where I will get Becca to participate in the blog.
Gear!!!!!
I just pasted the gear post here in order to make it easier for Gearheads to find.Researching and buying your gear has to be one of the most fun things about hiking. I can't believe I am so excited about consumerism. It's kind of embarrassing to admit the satisfaction that comes with purchasing these things, but it turns out I am a huge sucker for power tools and high quality technical underpants.
Some time around November, Becca got her first pieces of gear and we started doing practice hikes. Slowly, we have been replacing all my old shitty hiking and camping stuff with better gear and at the same time outfitting Bloo.
If you look at other hiking blogs, you will no doubt find the obligatory gear list post. People usually use the word obligatory in a pejorative way. But the gear post is obligatory in a good way. In an absolutely necessary way. I learned soooo much from reading other people's gear posts that it would be a sin not to talk about and review the gear we have decided on using. This post is for posterity's sake gawdammit! And I will try to fill it in nearly completely... eventually.
So here it goes:
My pack: Granite Gear Crown 60 + Lineloc lid. I don't really know why. I just found it on e-bay and happened to win the bid. Turns out, it has great reviews and is thru-hike tried and tested. Apparently it is one of the most popular packs on the trail. Therefore I should blend in quite nicely. Like that has ever been one of my goals. Oh well, too bad. I already bought it and it feels great. I was really missing having the lid because the mesh pockets weren't cutting it for keeping certain thing accessible. So the brain brings that feature back at the expense of about 0.5 pounds. Maybe I'll get rid of it eventually, but for now, I love my brain. One thing I am worried about is a post thru hike video review where the mesh has worn all the way through rendering the side pockets nearly useless.
Becca's Pack: The REI Crestrail. Becca picked this out based on wearing it loaded around the store. Its big, pretty lightweight, got lottsa pockets, a comfy hip belt and it feels like a hug I think. Becca loves hugs. I should let her describe her gear choices for the future though. Unless she doesn't mind. I'll ask later.
Our Home for 4-6 months: Big Agnes Copper Spur UL3
Becca tells me that the nickname for a 2 person tent on the AT is a "Divorce Dome" or something hilarious like that. We have done several nights in my old 2-person Marmot. But after hearing that comment and also after reading in some blogs describing how thankful couples were of having the extra space, we decided to go 3-person. I LOVE THIS TENT. So far, on our practice hikes, it has worked out amazing. We love the space, the ease of set up, the perfectly placed pockets. It is sooo nice. It's a goddamn hiker-mansion. But also super expensive. And the floor of the tent seems so fragile. We are scared of it ripping. The footprint for it costs $70! I am thinking about making the homemade footprint out of Tyvek, a la:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RueJ7t2J6t0
http://www.towardsimple.com/2014/07/make-diy-tyvek-tent-footprint.html
We shall see.
My Sleeping Bag: Nemo Rhythm 25. I sleep hot. Uncomfortably hot. I require there to be space between my legs. The "spoon" shape allows this. Also, I require the zipper to open at the bottom for air flow. Seriously. My crotch is a sweaty mess if I don't have ventilation. I'm worried this bag is still going to be too hot. But as of now, I am loving it. Never shall I mummy again. Reviews have said that the fabric gets stuck in the zipper. I can confirm this, but it hasn't been a real problem.
Becca's Bag: Big Agnes Brooklyn 0 Degree (petite). Becca is the opposite of me. She is always cold. I think that if she could hike while wearing her sleeping bag, she would do it. This bag has lots of warmth, it is reasonably light, and fits her better than my old 0 degree bag we tried. Turns out that the deadspace at the foot of my "Long" sized Northface bag was a real problem. Becca looks like the happiest person on earth when she tucks into this bag. Too bad it is purple.
Sleeping Pad: REI AirRail
Remember when I said Becca likes hugs? When she laid on the AirRail she mentioned how the rails helped increase the hugging feeling. These aren't the lightest weight pads out there, but I tried a Big Agnes AirCore and I could not get any sleep. I can't even imagine sleeping on the Thermarest blow up NeoAir pad that is so popular for ThurHikers. I am way too restless of a sleeper to just politely lay on my back and enjoy. The Aircore was very thick, but narrow, and I always felt like I was rolling off as I tossed and turned at night trying to get comfortable and air out my nether regions. I tried Becca's AirRail out and loved it. I think its the perfect midpoint between a light weight thicker airpad and a wider, softer Thermarest style pad. We are both sleeping on these things for this trip.
Headlamps: Black Diamond ReVolt. A USB Rechargeable headlamp! This makes so much sense to me. How does everyone not go for this? Most people these days are bringing phones, kindles, cameras, mp3 players and battery packs that all use USB. It makes so much sense to have your headlamp recharge too, particularly if you are bringing a battery pack (we are).
Water Filtration: Sawyer Mini Squeeze x2
I have used Aqua Mira. They are great but take a long time until water is drinkable and the drop counting, oy vey! I also have a Katadyn ceramic pump filter. Man, that clogged quickly. Sawyer mins are all the rage right now. And I can see why, at least for now. One, they are tiny. Two, when they get clogged you can back flush them easily! Thats awesome. I hope it works as well as I hear. We have yet to really have to use it so far. But the few times we have used it we notice that the provided squeeze bags are hard to fill up by dunking them in water. Instead, you must use a separate cup to fill the squeeze bag. So we are gonna go the plastic water bottle route as our squeeze container. Besides that, so far it has been awesome!
Stove/Cookware: Caldera Cone Alcohol Stove System
Oh there are sooo many choices! I have a Snowpeak Giga stove that fits into the cutest tiny little pouch. I have also a big burly JetBoil that gets the job done, but the narrowness of the pot makes it annoying to clean after cooking anything in it. In Australia, I dabbled in alcohol stove land because some burly world adventurer speaker in our Outdoor Adventures class said they were the best for traveling due to the availability of alcohol fuels. I never thought I was going to get back into alcohol land, but all the light weight people brag about how awesome they are.
Recently, Becca was researching and found the Caldera Cone and decided to give it a try. She also grabbed us a lightweight Evernew 1.3 liter Titanium pot. Caldera customizes the cone for your particular pot! It is apparently super efficient. Add in the 750mL titanium mug I had already bought and we have a second dish for eating and drinking coffee. Also, I like to think of the pot and mug as important Avocado protection cases. You can probably fit 4 Avocados in our cookware and keep them from getting smooshed. Thats fancy!
We just got the stove. We are going to practice on it soon. It seems pretty awesome. We just need to figure out our boil times for some of dem yummy Knorr's Rice sides! Yummy trail foods!
Trekking poles aren't for everyone. Or that is what I read on a lot of blogs. I think those people are just trying to not sound like know-it-all a-holes. I am not afraid of showing my inner a-hole. I try not to show my outer one though. I have some sense of modesty after all. Trekking poles should be for everyone. When I first picked up a pair of Leki Makalu Spring shock poles for a hike in the Ozarks, I was skeptical. But that was until I found out how to properly use my arms to propel me up hill. Literally a butt saver. And using them to absorb the shock of long descents? Literally.... a quadricep saver. Sometimes, they may seem more trouble than they are worth. I think, on flat open ground that is mostly true. In which case, I just put em away. But for any kind of up and down, I love love love poles. Also, I am an old man. At least, my body is falling apart more rapidly than my age would suggest.
Here is something that may seem ridiculous. But the more you read about it, the more you might think"Hey! That's genius!" I know I did once I researched... Hiking umbrellas!!!
Now you say "What, seriously? They sell technical umbrellas?"
You better believe it! I first learned about this from reading "Walking with Wired", a blog about the thru hiking introvert who has lots of electronics and watches trashy TV on hulu while THRU HIKING HER WAY TO A TRIPLE CROWN! So shut up and accept her life choices. Thats what I had to tell myself everytime she talked about watching her shows. Also, I would be a hypocrite to judge. I watch some pretty shitty things on hulu too.
Also trust her gear choices. She is a hiking bad ass. Go here to read about how she hikes 20-30 mile days like it is nothin on the 3 long distance trails of the US as well as her upcoming adventure on some long but lesser known trails.
Then go here to read about her gear and follow the umbrella story down the rabbit hole.
We made little velcro strips to turn it into a hands free umbrella by strapping it to our backpack straps. This is supposedly the bees knees when it is hot and rainy. I can't wait to tell you whether it rocks or sucks. For surely it can't just be a "meh" situation.
Special Clothing:
Most clothing is pretty boring. You gotta make a cold weather layering system and get rain gear of some sort and then change it all out for something lightweight and breathable in the Summer. Below are the specific items that I am trying.
Down Jackets:
When I would go climbing in Oregon, either in the gym or at Smith Rock or wherever, I would always see/be with people with what I thought were some pretty goofy lookin' poofy jackets. I thought that it was hilarious to spend so much money on such an ugly jacket. Wow. I wrong. It is amazingly worth it to spend a lot of money on a down jacket, ugliness and goofiness be damned. That shit is awesome. It is so light, and so soft, and sooo warm. I like to wear mine around our unheated apartment. It saves us a lot of money in the long run this way.
Here is my Mtn Hardwear Ghost Whisperer. Be warned, it is ugly. But it only weighs 7oz?!!! It can pack down into a tiny bundle and fit in my pocket! Also, one should know that if you wait until the right time of the year, you will only spend 40-60% of the MSRP. I wouldn't have bought this jacket had I not waited for it to go on deep discount.
List of things that are soon to be discussed in more detail:
Luke's Clothing: rain shell, sock system, technical underpants, sleeping vs hiking clothing, shoe choice, and hiking kilt. Yes, hiking kilt. Get ready to be jealous.
Becca's Clothing: Turtle fur balaclava, Down jacket, technical underpants and bra, shoe choice, and whatever else she may add (if she ever adds anything)
'Lectronics: Kindles, phones, battery pack, 4way usb charger
OK, I am tired of this post. So for now, just trust that we have a lot of other really fun gear and technical underwear to discuss.
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