Date: 2012-04-01
To: Weighing my options.. literally.
Miles today: 0.0

This is where I get to happily blabber on about gear. Anybody who has hiked with me knows that I have a borderline-inappropriate affection for the tools of the trade. And they are usually super-envious of my ridiculously cool swag. Honestly though, most of my stuff is kind of ugly. A good chunk of my stuff is handmade. The rest of it is probably modified in some way. Nothing in my pack got in there by accident. It is optimized in terms of function, weight, durability, and bulk for a given situation. I think in terms of grams. And I have a storage locker dedicated to all this junk. Most of my trips are quick, high-mileage, jaunts into some place dripping with beauty; often, the location is of questionable legality. My ego thinks that it is generally fun to be mistaken for a day hiker way out in the backcountry. No rain in the forecast? Temps in the 40¢s? Snow up to my waist? I have quiver (and enough experience) that allows me to finely tune my pack and a keep a reasonable safety margin. I have had some close calls and have learned where on the weight:safety spectrum I prefer to be but a journey like this demands a totally different approach. Despite being such an incredible badass (I know, I know), I am not entirely comfortable with this longer-term deal, especially as it gets closer and closer to becoming reality. Being an ULer, or even a SULer doesn¢t hold the same charm day-in and day-out for five months. I need my stuff to last the entire trip (or be replaceable) and be versatile and comfortable enough for the horrors and wonders of trail life. It might even be nice to maintain a modicum of style but I am not making any promises there. It¢s a five-month trek after all, not a top-secret undercover operation. The old way was one of near-infinite and constant optimization. The new way is a roll of the dice. One bag. One jacket. One pack. One stove, well maybe two.. but you get the idea. Here¢s what made the cut, weights in ounces:mainwater bladderPlatypus 3L9.90mainhosePlatypus Hoser w/ CamelBack bite valve8.35mainbackpackULA AirX 4600ci/75.4L SM/XS40.00sheltersleeping padThermarest Z-Seat1.85sheltergroundclothTyvek4.50sheltersleeping padKlymit Inertia X-Lite6.10sheltersleeping pad1/8" foam2.70shelterrainflyClark Vertex17.45shelterhammockClark North American39.65sheltertree straps???1.95shelterstakes 8xGG Tite-Lite short hi-viz2.45sheltersleeping bagFF Swallow (Summer: WM Caribou 21oz)30.90sleep kitpillowCocoon Hyperlight2.45sleep kitbalaclavaSeirus Skull Liner0.65sleep kitglovesMountain Hardware Prostretch1.25sleep kitearplugsHearos USF or Howard Leight LL10.20sleep kitcompassBrunton w/ mirror1.25sleep kitHeadlampPetzl Tactikka Plus2.70sleep kitmontbell stuffsack0.10cook kitstoveMSR MicroRocket4.30cook kitalcohol stoveTD 12-100.80cook kitlighterBic mini - white0.40cook kitspongehalf0.20cook kitchopsticksSnow Peak Carry On Reg0.95cook kitcupGD Squishy Cup1.65cook kitsporkREI Ti Folding Spork0.55cook kitbowlGD Squishy Bowl2.75cook kitkettleMSR 0.85L Titan Kettle4.60cook kitscraperGSI food scraper0.65cook kitkitchen towelMSR PackTowel Personal - yellow1.35cook kitpot and lidREI/Evernew Ti Nonstick 1.3L/0.7L pot/lid6.80clothing/OTBsocksThorlo Experia1.30clothing/OTBtankIcebreaker Ace3.75clothing/OTBshortsPatagonia Strider 5"3.15clothing/OTBlong sleeve shirtPatagonia Cap 2 half zip S5.20clothing/OTBshoesSalomon XT Wings 2 US7.512.00clothing/OTBtrekking polesGG LT4 Short w/ baskets8.00clothing/OTBsun hatColumbia UPF302.35clothing/OTBsunglassesKaenon Burnett1.15clothingwindshirtMarmot Driclime Windshirt7.70clothingparkaMontbell UL Synthetic Parka12.85clothingdown pantsMontbell UL Down Pants5.25clothingunderwearPatagonia Cap 1 BB S2.10clothingshortsPatagonia Strider 5"3.15clothingshirtIcebreaker SS Anatomica3.85clothingtankIcebreaker Ace3.75clothingsunshirtMountain Hardwear Canyon7.70clothingsocksThorlo Experia2.70clothingthermal pantsIcebreaker 3/4 length5.30clothingtrekking pantsPatagonia Rock Craft pant9.00personalkleenexPuffs 12 pack0.75personalbody towelMSR PackTowel Personal - blue2.75personalTPenough1.05personalstuff sackMontbell - from synthetic UL parka0.30personalwipes???1.25personalTPmore than enough0.70personalpaper towelsBounty0.30personalhand sanitizerPurell1.50personaltrowelOrange REI EZEE1.95personaleye dropsSystane0.80personalsunscreenAloe-Up Pro 301.20personalchapstickElemental Herbs All Good Lips Cool Spearmint0.35personaldeetBen's DEET 100 37mL1.85personaldeodorantOld Spice Sweat Defense4.60personalsoapDr Bronner's Almond5.25personaltoothbrushOral-B0.55personaltoothpasteColgate Total Paste3.80personaldental flossOral-B Glide0.55personalLyme Disease pillsdoxycycline0.30personalziplock0.25personaladvil25 or so0.60techspare camera batteryCanon NB-6L0.75techbattery chargerCanon CB-2LY2.45techphoneiphone 45.40techiphone charger5W1.50techsolar chargerSuntactics sCharger-58.55techSD ReaderSanDisk MicroMate0.45techbaggy0.05techspare headphonesApple w/ mic0.40techspare 30p cableRadTech0.20techSD cards 5x32GBTranscend0.45techtripodJoby Gorillapod1.50techcameraCanon S956.95techheadphonesApple w/ mic0.40techiphone caseSpeck Toughskin1.55miscsharpiered mini0.20miscspare headlampPetzl E+lite0.95miscpatch kitKlymit0.40miscduct tape1 mini roll1.75misccrystalgift from Michael0.65miscsunglasses caseREI ???2.10mischeadnetSTS Permetherin0.90miscmesh bagREI ???1.00miscrain jacketCedar Tree's Cuban Packa S5.50miscrainskirtULA Rain Wrap Med2.80miscguide bookAWOL's NOBO 20118.55miscmap packAT Pocket Profile Mapdana4.00miscwater filterKatadyn Hiker13.10miscukuleleFlea w/ Peghead tuners14.80miscukulele casecustom via Zpacks1.25misctrusty mulegift from Jess0.20miscpenZebra 0.40miscjournalMoleskin Japanese Album Pocket4.50miscmulti-toolLeatherman Micra1.90miscknifeBlue/Black REI Benchmade 5301.75miscspare lighterBic mini - white0.40miscnail clippersZwilling J.A. Henckels0.55miscmatchesrandom bar matches0.20mischairties 3x???0.10miscsafety pins3X Large0.10miscduct tapeSmall roll0.75miscvelcrosmall roll0.05miscthreadone bobbin0.05miscwater purification tabsKatadyn Micropur MP10.55miscbungee cord10'0.35misctwine10'0.20Not bad for going super comfy: 24.63lbs dry!