Date: 2012-04-14
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GEAR REVIEWTENT: LIGHTHEART AWNING (20 ounces includes awning pole)I LOVE my cuben fiber/sil-nylon floor tent, designed & sewn by a hiker/innovative designer/seamstress, Judy Gross, AKA HeartFire out of Asheville, NC. The tent uses trekking poles for set up rather than traditional tent poles. My trekking poles fit into the provided plastic ridge pole. There are two doors, a handy mesh gear pocket by one of the doors and 2 flys (one with awning design & the other with a zipper). The zipper fly rolls up & ties back with vecro tabs and the awning fly with lightweight pole sets up to provide a nice view and ventilation. The tent is roomy enough for my backpack and me and has more than ample 43 inches of headroom. This tent kept my sleeping bag, all my gear and me dry & warm and we withstood all sorts of hard rain/snow, etc. Weight is an amazingly low 20 ounces (includes awning pole). BACKPACK: GRANITE GEAR VAPOR TRAIL (2 lbs. 5 ounces; 3600 cu in.)The pack has one large compartment accessed from the top, which closes with a drawstring. You roll the top of the pack down and secure with 2 straps. The main compartment has a volume of 2600 cu in., but the extension sleeve allows the pack to expand to 3600 cu in. Inside the main compartment is a pocket for a hydration pack and a hydration port on one side. There are 2 side pockets made with a stretchy material. The suspension system can be adjusted at the shoulders with load lifter straps and at the hip belt with stabilizer straps. The pack frame and hip belt is padded. This is a very comfortable lightweight pack. If I was buying a new pack I would try out the Crown V.C. 60 (2 lbs. 2 ounces), new for 2012; Granite Gears¢ successor to the Granite Gear Vapor Trail, with upgrades.BACKPACK: GRANITE GEAR BLAZE A.C. 60 Ki (2 lbs. 14 ounces; 3660 cu. in)Half way through my hike I got a new women specific pack. Mike needed a backpack and my Vapor Trail fits Mike so he will use that pack. The Blaze pack is very similar to the Vapor Trail. The pack body is a simple top loader with a tall opening that can be cinched and rolled down tight for weather resistance and also expanded when extra space is needed. The frame has molded air channels, works in conjunction with a molded foam pad and durable stretch mesh to aid in venting heat and moisture away from the back; allowing for natural evaporative cooling. This system seems to be an improvement over the Vapor Trail design. The Blaze like the Vapor Trail has stretch mesh pockets on the bottom of the pack sides, which work well for water bottles. Additionally the Blaze has a tall front center pocket is great for damp items. I usually kept my rain jacket and rain wrap in there for easy access. SEA TO SUMMIT ULTRA-SIL PACK COVER (4 ounces)Waterproof pack cover has a mid-back keeper strap that helps secure it to the pack and keep the sides from catching wind. Comes packaged in its own mini siliconized nylon stuff sack that remains attached to the cover so it can¢t get lost. Kept my pack dry & was easy to put on and off.SEA TO SUMMIT ULTRA-SIL PACK LINER (3.4 ounces)The shape of the sack is designed to fit the internal contours of a backpack, so the base is oval, rather than round. Fully seam sealed Waterproof Pack Liner. Extra insurance. Pack items stayed dry even when it rained all day long. SLEEPING BAG: WESTERN MOUNTAINEERING ALPINLITE 20 degree (1 lb. 15 ounces)I started with this bag and switched to a lighter bag a couple of weeks North of Damascus. There were one or two memorable cold nights where I would have enjoyed having a 10-degree bag, but this was the perfect bag for all the other nights. This bag is wider than traditional mummy bags, warm, and packed with features such as a 3-dimensional full down collar, draft protection, a full-length zipper, and 850 down fill, which provides 5" of loft. I LOVE this bag!!!!SLEEPING BAG: WESTERN MOUNTAINEERING HIGH LITE 35 degree (16 ounces)I switched to this bag (my daughter loaned her bag to me) when I still expected some cool nights mixed with warm nights. The 850 down provides good loft. The shell material feels soft and comfortable against the skin, and the bag packs down very small. The only down side is the half zipper which is necessary to keep the weight of this bag low, but on warmer nights it stops you from opening up the bag fully and using it as a quilt. Even with the 12 zipper this is a terrific bag as you can use this in cool and warm conditions !!!!SLEEPING BAG: MONTBELL 800 FILL SUPER STRETCH # 5 40 degree (1lb 2 ounces)I switched to this bag when I felt confident that the cool nights were history. This is a very comfortable bag which stretches with you as you change positions throughout the night. Lightweight. This a very good bag for warm temperatures.THERMAREST NEOAIR (13 ounces, 20 x 66 in., 2.5 R value)My NeoAir is a bright yellow (silver underneath) inflatable mattress pad, which is inflated by blowing air into the chambers. The silver side of the mattress is a reflective barrier that returns warmth to the body. The air chambers run horizontal across the pad providing a stable sleep surface. The NeoAir folds down to the size of a one-liter bottle when rolled up. My NeoAir has not developed any leaks and seems to be durable even though the material is thinner than other mattress pads. I find that the NeoAir is more comfortable when not fully inflated. This is a great lightweight reliable mattress pad. MONTRAIL SABINO TRAIL RUNNERSComfy, cushiony, big toe box, good arch support, light-weight. Dependable trail runner.DARN TOUGH SOCKSComfortable, padded in all the right places, long lasting. I switched to the low cut version of these socks in the summer. Great socks!!PATAGONIA UNDERWEAR Perfect fit; no chafing, so comfortable. Ex-officio underwear did not work for me.ICEBREAKER 260 WOOL TIGHTS & LS WOOL SHIRTThese were my PJ¢s on cold nights early in my hike and they kept me toasty warm. Icebreaker's merino wool is soft and never itchy. Wool helps reduce odor, which is a good trait since I wore these every night at the beginning of my hike.EMS COMPASS PANTS and EMS COMPASS SHORTSNylon/spandex blend with a DWR treatment for water resistance. These are extremely comfortable (stretchy) with good pockets (a must for me for backpacking). Pants & shorts dry quickly. The pants¢ roll-up option to capris is very handy. OUTDOOR RESEARCH REFLEXA RAIN SHELLThe Pertex Shield material is soft, stretchy and breathable. The double-sliding zippers are smooth moving & easy to use. Seams are fully taped. The pit zips go all the way down to the hem to give outstanding ventilation. The jacket features a zippered compartment around the outside of the collar that holds the hood. The inside of the collar is lined with a nice, soft material, making it comfortable when fully zipped up. The jacket has two zippered hand pockets and a handy internal zippered pocket. I noticed during the middle of my hike that the ¢waterproofness¢ seemed to have declined so I treated the shell with Nikwax tech wash and Wash-in to add water repellency and revive breathability, which improved the performance. A very good rain shell.MARMOT PRECIP RAIN PANTPerformed well during the cold spring when it rained (several times it snowed). Ventilation vents was a nice feature.ULA RAIN WRAP (Rain Kilt; 3 ounces)Sent rain pants home once it warmed up and relied on rain wrap. The Rain Wrap is a silicon impregnated nylon skirt that keeps the bulk of moisture off of your lower body, while providing ease of movement and great ventilation. The rain wrap is easy to put on and take off and packs down easily into a small built in pocket case. Terrific simple innovative product.MOUNTAIN LAUREL DESIGNS eVENT RAIN MITTENSI wouldn¢t hike without these, especially in the cold rainy spring. I am miserable if my hands are cold. These mittens are lightweight and breathable and have an adjustable cord locks around the ends which create a perfect seal. When it¢s really cold I wear a pair of fleece gloves under these which stay dry.MONTBELL UL THERMAWRAP JACKET (8.8 ounces) & VEST (5.2 ounces)This synthetic Jacket and vest (2 separate items) provides warmth; even if wet it retains insulation properties. Durable, soft and well made. On cold days I started my hike with a long shirt and vest. I only used the jacket at the end of the day.AQUA MIRA WATER TREATMENTEasy to use fast acting chemical treatment for water which leaves only a mild taste.Platypus Hoser Hydration System (2 liter) & Platypus carrierHigh quality light weight hydration system with nice bite valve and convenient pack clip. Does not leave plastic taste to water. Never leaked. convenient pack clip. SNOWPEAK GIA POWER STOVE (3.6 oz)The stove is small, efficient (boils water quickly) and easy to stow.SNOWPEAK TITANIUM POT with LIDHigh quality; lightweight & compactPETZL TACTIKKA PLUS LED HEADLAMP (2.75 ounces)Headlamp's filter provides white or red lighting options. Three 3 brightness settings (maximum, optimum, economy).PENTAX OPTIO W90 CAMERA (5.7 ounces)Waterproof camera, which took quality photos. Not as light weight and compact as other cameras but I liked the no worry waterproof feature.IPod NanoGreat electronic device which I used to listen to music during the late afternoon hike to keep me on pace.THE A. T. GUIDEThe layout and detailed information on the trail and trail towns is superb. Elevation chart is conveniently located overlaid with trail descriptions. Town maps and descriptions are excellent. GPS coordinate information for trailheads was particularly useful for my husband to use to meet us on the trail. I used the loose-leaf format (taking a few weeks of pages at a time) and gave my husband a bound copy to keep at home and use when traveling to meet us on the trail.