Date: 2009-03-23
To: Gear Review Continued
Miles today: 0.0

---Nalgene Collapsible 32 oz Wide-Mouthed Canteens w/Hydration TubePersonal preference, but I require a hydration tube system for constant access to water, as opposed to reaching back and grabbing the water bottle (which requires me to stop hiking). These canteens work perfectly w/the steri-pen as well. There is a huge drawback, which is a design flaw I think. I went through about 10 of these things due to them suddenly springing leaks at the seams and in one instance, a hole in the side. They just aren¢t that durable unfortunately. I carried 6 tiny patches (made by Platypus, not Nalgene) and had success once with patching a hole, but all other leaks occurred at the seams. I even tried a silicone sealer with no success. It¢s unfortunate, because the system works great, when the canteen is intact. It¢s getting harder to find them, so I believe they¢re phasing them out. They are also like $5.00, so inexpensive as well. I think they¢d be best suited for shorter hikes/trips, but not the long haul. When super cold, I put boiling water in them to use as warmth at nite. I noticed it made the material get sort of brittle, so they advertise you can put boiling water in them, but I think it leads to premature failure. The caps that come on them were great dual-use items for those springs that were just a trickle. It took a bit of time, but I¢ve scooped water w/the cap and totally filled 2 canteens at locations that others may have had to pass by. One last thing, the hydration tube¢s bite valve came off at one point, and it was difficult to find the Nalgene bite valve.Pros: Lightweight, inexpensive, works great w/steri-pen, cap serves as double-use itemCons: The develop leaks far too often and aren¢t durable enough for long-term use, make sure the bite valve is secureAm I happy enough to stick with this product? No, I¢m currently looking for another option, but am totally bummed about it, because it¢s a perfect system otherwise. ---Camelbak Hydration Tube & Bite Valve I¢m including this because due to the difficulty in finding a new Nalgene bite valve after I lost it, I was forced to use a Camelbak hydration tube/bite valve with my Nalgene canteens. Different brands use different technology, so with Nalgene, the water flow valve (to prevent water from spilling out all the time) was located back at the canteen end of the tube. For Camelbak, it¢s located at the bite valve end of the tube, so I had to ¢splice¢ the two systems together to make it work. It did work, however, Camelbak bite valves are HORRIBLE about coming off the end of the tube. It was so bad, I started carrying an extra bite valve because I¢d look down and it would be gone. I even tried duct taping the thing on, but that started collecting dirt so I removed it. Basically, if you¢re using a Camelbak system, carry extra bite valves. I even saw other people¢s laying on the ground.Pros: It works fineCons: The bite valves come off way too easilyAm I happy enough to stick with this product? It works for now, but I¢m looking for a better system overall. ---6 Liter Platypus Water BagThis is a great piece of gear, but no necessary for only 1 person (unless you want to be the camp hero and bring everyone else water). Some water sources are not even close to camp, so it¢s a great way to get extra water in one trip. It¢s lightweight as well, but this particular one was advertised to stand up even when full, but on the uneven forest floor, that wasn¢t always the case, so I use put a carabiner on the handles and hung it from my hammock suspension (sorry ground dwellers¢¦you can¢t do this).         Pros: Prevents multiple water trips, great for 2 or more people        Cons: Overkill for one person, doesn¢t stand up when fullAm I happy enough to stick with this product? Yes, when hiking/camping with another person---Leki Hiking PolesTo use or not to use. In my opinion, I¢d be laying dead at the bottom of a mountain if it weren¢t for these things. I would NEVER hike (even day hike) without them. Yes, I¢m aware of the debates of environmental impact, etc. For me though, I¢m just not athletic enough not to use them, especially at the beginning of my hike when I was so out of shape. The poles can withstand amazing amounts of abuse, and when I broke one, it was no fault of the pole. On a long-distance hike, you¢ll need to replace the whole tip housing, even the basket is good to replace. The tip is secured by basic pressure. The end of the hiking pole is tapered and the tip is pressed onto it, so every time you lean on it, you¢re securing it even more. What this means though is when it¢s time to replace them, you need to cut them off essentially. You can replace just the carbonite tip (I think that¢s what they¢re made from), as well and not mess with cutting anything off. Only performance issue I¢ve had with 3 sets of Leki¢s is that from time to time they won¢t tighten when you¢re adjusting the length. This is easily remedied as well by pulling the whole section out (yes, I know it says not too, but trust me¢¦it¢s ok). When you do this, you¢ll see the ¢tightening mechanism¢ is nothing more than a plastic sleeve that is expanded by a screw, so you can expand it by hand, just enough to slide the section back into the pole, and then it ¢grabs¢ and will tighten. Other than this, they¢re great and saved my life on numerous occasions.        Pros: Provide stability and prevent injuryCons: Can be expensive, tightening is sometimes a problem, and will require maintenance on a long distance hike (like the AT)Am I happy enough to stick with this product? Yes, but I am curious about Pacer Poles. ---Princeton Tec Aurora HeadlampThis is your run of the mill headlamp. It required (3) AAA batts and would actually suck through them pretty quickly¢¦HOWEVER, I was also using my headlamp a lot more than the average person, because I used it while journaling for several hours a nite. It doesn¢t give you any warning to replace the batteries, like some do, and suddenly you notice it¢s just hard to see. As for comfort, I don¢t see how any of them are super comfortable, but it certainly served its purpose wonderfully. You don¢t need super fancy muti-function headlamps. You just have to be able to see at nite, and this one had up to 3 LED¢s (which are more efficient w/battery power by the way) that could be lit, along with a flashing option (never used it) and 1 or 2 LED¢s lit. I think it¢s worth having the option of dimmer versus brighter to save on battery power. Actually replacing the batteries was sort of a pain and I could see it would be easy to break the plastic lip that you had to pry on to open the casing. Other headlamps have a screw that you can open with your fingers, and I think that¢s better.Pros: Bright as long as plenty of battery power was available, durable, option for dimmer settingsCons: Cost of battery replacement, potential for breaking plastic housing when opening to replace battsAm I happy enough to stick with this product? Yes, happy enough to use till it no longer works---JRB Pack Cover/Gear HammockThis is made by the same guys that make the underquilt for hammocks. First off, it is now my belief that there is no such thing as a truly water-proof pack cover (except maybe a trashbag). This packcover is made from silnylon, but not all silnylon is the same either. Essentially, in a hard rain, it would soak through and not do much for waterproofing. Attaching this cover is the worst aspect of it. Again, we¢re dealing with those tiny carabiners and 4 loops that will have you standing there cussing within minutes. It¢s just hard to get the carabiners in the loops (add to that cold, blowing rain and now you¢re in a foul mood for the rest of the day). After you get it attached (so that hard wind won¢t rip it off), I think it¢s best used in a light mist at best. One pro, however, is that you can buy it in bright orange which allows it to act as a safety device during hunting season. As for use as a gear hammock (you use the little carabiners to hang it from your hammock lines), it was more useful in this role than as a packcover. However, I eventually found that I could just hang my entire pack from my hammock line without this pack cover and it served the same purpose, so I ended up sending this piece of gear home in time.        Pros: Bright orange option for safety, dual-use itemCons: What it¢s made to do, it doesn¢t do very well. It will not keep your pack dry. Difficult to attach to pack due to design and hardware.Am I happy enough to stick with this product? No. I no longer use it. ---Sea to Summit Cordura Pack CoverI tried this after I realized the JRB pack cover wasn¢t going to do it. It is made from a different material and whereas it kept my pack drier longer, it still wasn¢t 100% waterproof either. It was much easier, however, to attach it to my pack. Bottom line folks is that you need to keep your dry stuff dry, so approach it from the inside¢waterproof using dry sacks or some internal pack liner, and don¢t rely on a pack cover.Pros: Much easier to attach, seemed to keep pack dry for longer, but not foreverCons: Not 100% water proof, and sort of pricey at $35.00Am I happy enough to stick with this product? No, I¢m going to explore making my own pack cover with a large trash compactor liner.---Silk Sleeping Bag LinerI ended up sending this home. It just didn¢t make a big enough difference with warmth for me, but for keeping your sleeping bag clean or acting as a light sheet on warmer nites, I think it¢s awesome and well worth the weight. It is awfully expensive though at $65.00 for silk. I don¢t believe it adds 10 degrees of warmth though. If my goal is warmth and keeping the inside of my bag cleaner, I¢d get a fleece bag liner. I used Incessant¢s in 2008, and yes it¢s bulky and much heavier than a silk liner, but boy was it warm!Pros: Lightweight extra layer, helps keep sleeping bag free of hiker funkCons: A little optimistic w/thermal properties, and very expensiveAm I happy enough to stick with this product? No, it didn¢t end up being useful for my needs        ---Closed Cell Foam Wally World Sleeping Mat 25¢ WideI used this for extra bottom insulation in extremely cold weather. It worked great actually, in conjunction with my other gear. I did cut it down to fit inside of my hammock better, but you¢ll notice it is 25¢ wide as opposed to the normal 20¢ wide sleeping pads. Because it¢s from the evil empire of Wal-Mart, it was of course super cheap (I apologize for whomever was exploited while making this sleeping pad). I actually did not end up using it in 2008, and I was pleasantly surprised that I was 99% warm without it, which I credit more to my actually knowing what I was doing out there, unlike 2007, where it was mostly cold at the beginning of my hike. For a cheap warmth remedy, I recommend it.Pros: Inexpensive, does the job, wide enough for hammockingCons: Doesn¢t provide much ¢cushion¢ (for ground dwellers), only available at W-MartAm I happy enough to stick with this product? I don¢t plan on camping in extremely cold temps again, so I probably won¢t use it, but if I had to, I would.---Equinox Silnylon Stuff SacksLightweight, water-RESISTANT stuff sacks that I chose to use for storing everything initially, to include my bear bag. What I found is that they are fantastic to organize stuff, but are not water-proof, are not seam-sealed, and are much like pack covers¢¦.they WILL soak through. They come in lots of colors and sizes which is nice, but don¢t rely on them to keep stuff dry. Pros: Great for organizing with multiple sizes and colors available. Fairly inexpensive too and lightweightCons: Not good for waterproofing, and slightly fragileAm I happy enough to stick with this product? Only for organizing gear.        ---Sea-to-Summit Dry SacksYou let your down sleeping bag get wet one time and one time only. I had been using a trash compactor liner for inside of my pack/waterproofing, but it developed a pinhole on the bottom that I never would have seen. My sleeping bag got wet, so I went to the outfitter and invested in dry sacks ,the kind with roll down enclosures. These things are 100% water proof and on hindsight, I should have used them to begin with. Yes, like most things there is a tradeoff. These are heavier than stuff sacks, but the peace of mind I got was well worth the extra few ounces. I used a 35 liter dry sack as a pack liner, then put my sleeping bag and dry camp clothes in their own smaller dry sacks, and I used a dry sack for my bear bag as well. You still have to examine them for holes, but they are durable and come with a plastic loop on the handles, so it¢s easy to hang them. My gear never got wet again, but they are more expensive than stuff sacks.Pros: 100% water proof, peace of mind, more durable than stuff sacksCons: Added weight, more expensiveAm I happy enough to stick with this product? Absolutely. I wouldn¢t leave home without them.---Bear Bag Rope/550 cordIt may seem dumb to even discuss this, but not all rope is created equally either. I started off with 550 cord (a.k.a. parachute cord..available at any outfitter). It¢s fantastic stuff, but after having to cut my rope from time to time (due to getting it stuck in a tree while throwing it), it got too short and I needed a new rope. I ended up with a nylon rope that reminded me of the stuff used in fishing/tackle stores. This stuff kept knotting up, getting twisted, and ended up being a major pain, so I have to recommend buying 550 cord. Pros: Easier to handleCons: Not one really, except that if you have to cut it, you have to find moreAm I happy enough to stick with this product? Totally.---Swiss army Knife #1 (whistle built in) versus Swiss Army Knife #2 + separate whistleMy first knife (small one) had a whistle built into the casing of the knife. I thought¢¦dual purpose right? Well, the whistle was pretty lacking compared to other whistles (I developed whistle-envy) and eventually, it just stopped working all together. So I went back to another smaller swiss army knife and a separate whistle that had a compass built in, which was fine. You only need a tiny blade, scissors, tweezers for what happens out there, so smaller is better.Pros: Small knife is all you need, cheaper, lighterCons: Don¢t bother with the built in whistle, it wouldn¢t alarm anyone of your presenceAm I happy enough to stick with this product? Not the whistle knife, but the other one rocks.---ATC MapsAnother place of debate¢¦maps or no maps? Do you need maps to be able to stay ON the AT? Pretty much no, and where it¢s confusing the maps may not help at that micro-level. Do you need maps if you find yourself on some other trail and don¢t know where you are, need to arrange for someone to pick you up, or want to get out quickly? Yes. All of the above happened to me, and I was really glad I had them, as a solo hiker. What I used most was the elevation profiles (which I kept calling topos, but the topos are actually the big fold out part showing the gradient of the mountains w/the circular lines). I cut them out, put the map in my pack for reference if needed, and just referred to the profile to see what was coming up. The maps also show water sources that are not listed in the guidebooks. I didn¢t carry them all (that would have been like 15 lbs!), but I grouped them and mailed them ahead of time so I could have sections with me. They are pricey, but they have now become a prized possession showing the wear/tear folding, notes, dirt and wrinkles caused by getting wet (they are waterproof). I would never consider hiking somewhere without maps of the area, but that¢s just me, and I was damn glad I had them on a couple of occasions. Some maps were better done than others, and a few seemed pretty useless, but all in all, it was a great investment and now they will serve to help me locate exact places I want to go back to and hike over, as well as how to get there.   Pros: You have access to potentially life-saving information, you are supporting the ATCCons: Pricey, added weight, expect hikers w/out maps to ask to look at your maps ALL of the time Am I happy enough to stick with this product? Definitely. Another item I wouldn¢t leave home without.                ---ALDHA Thru-Hikers Companion GuidebookSo I believe there are now 3 major guidebooks available, this one, former Wingfoot book, and now Whiteblaze.net has one out as well. I did not use the other 2 books, but did look through them. They¢re all essentially set up the same way, but the information in each varies. Common sense states that you¢re dealing with the natural world which is always changing. Nobody can box it up into a book and not have errors or omissions. I liked the idea of supporting the ATC, so I bought this one. Wingfoot¢s book (which was taken over by someone else last year I think), had a lot more ¢mile markers¢ in it like roads and even water sources that the ATC book didn¢t have. The Whiteblaze book is attempting to put elevation profiles on each page to make that a dual-use item, but it was on such a small scale I think they were pretty useless. This is all a matter of personal taste. The ATC¢s 2008 book is available for free on-line, and if you want to go through the pains of printing it out, then you can have the info for free, but I didn¢t see how comprehensive it was regarding info on trail towns. I used the 2007 book when I hiked in 2008 and there was some differences in information, such as new hostels and prices mainly, but it wasn¢t impossible either. Overall, I am pleased with the ATC book.Pros: Supporting the ATC, reliable informationCons: Heavy if you carry any book entirely, so rip sections out and mail them ahead, no book is 100% accurateAm I happy enough to stick with this product? Yes.---Hygiene/First Aid KitWet Ones/Baby Wipes¢take out stock in these companies. They were what made me feel human, but certain scents were just gross in the context of the AT, so stay away from the baby-powder scents. In lieau of these, you can also use a bandana and water and just wipe down (away from the water course of course)Hand Sanitizer¢Don¢t hike w/out it. If used as it should be (after going to the bathroom, before eating, after touching ANY community item like pens and shelter registers), then this could be the #1 defense in preventing illness out there. Bandaids¢No bandaid is going to stay on your feet while hiking¢¦.period. Don¢t bother with the fancy multi-sized pack. I used (on the rare occasion I needed any) the larger regular strip bandaids with duct tape, and that¢s about all. If you¢ve got some injury that warrants anything more than this, then you probably should let your body heal. Needle¢I used this exclusively for reparing gear, not lancing blisters. I only got one blister the whole hike, and that was due to my dumb decisions. Don¢t leave home w/out it. I stored it inside of a matchbook, and never lost it.Dental Floss¢I used this as ¢thread¢ for repairs mainly. It¢s durable and dual-use. Neosporin¢Used this only once as well, so either get the smallest tube or those little travel one-time use things. If you¢re dealing with open blisters though, I¢d recommend it.Ibuprofen/Advil¢What can I say about my vitamin I? Lifesaver, but it can irritate your stomach, so be careful. Excedrin Migraine¢This is great stuff for caffeine addicts who have a headache, because it has aspirin, Tylenol, and caffeine in it, but don¢t take it at nite.   Prilosec/Antacid¢Not everyone will need this, but my stomach requires it.Immodium AD¢Only used one time on my hike, but was glad I had it, as I picked up a bug at a hostel.Toilet Paper¢Using leaves is unacceptable and you can¢t count on there being a supply at shelters or even some hostels, so just don¢t run out.Pee Rag¢Ladies, when I first heard of this, I was totally grossed out, but it soon became obvious this was the best choice for me. You can¢t use leaves to wipe up pee, you¢ll smell like a low-quality nursing home w/in 5 minutes. You can use toilet paper, but then you either have to pack it out or dig a cathole. Just get a bandana, keep it in a ziplock and wipe with this. At camp, take it out of the ziplock (if it¢s raining, DON¢T do this¢¦it¢s gross), lay it across a tree branch and it will be dry in the morning. It does not get saturated with pee by the way, because you¢re only talking about a few drops. Toothbrush¢I originally cut the handle off a regular brush, but when replacing it, decided it really didn¢t matter.Toothpaste¢A tiny travel tube will last forever. Bug Spray¢I ended up using 3 different products: My Deet, Maxi Deet, Ben¢s. All 3 worked great and all three were 99% Deet. You do need to reapply a lot in extremely buggy conditions, due to sweating and rain.Duct Tape¢Don¢t leave home w/out this either. Wrap it around your hiking poles for easy access and use it THE MOMENT you feel a hot spot and you¢ll prevent blistersCampsuds¢Only carried it a few times, mainly during hot summer months when washing in a large river may be the difference between chaffing or not. I never used the stuff for washing clothing or cookware. On an occasion, a hostel may not have soap, so it¢s nice to have it, but chances are you won¢t need it.Bordeaux¢s Butt Paste¢Speaking of chaffing, if you are prone I HIGHLY recommend this stuff. It¢s a diaper rash ointment, but works really well. I had horrible chaffing issues and this stuff essentially saved me out there. You can get small travel sizes, but it¢s harder to find. Diva Cup¢This was my choice instead of carrying/packing out tampons. Ladies, don¢t count on your period stopping while hiking. Mine did not. The Diva Cup is fantastic in that it¢s reusable, more environmentally responsible and it¢s a one-time investment of about $30.00. The not so great part is that you have to ¢learn¢ how to use it and during that process (and sometimes even after) you have the occasional accident to clean up, so if you use this, buy it far far in advance and try it out.Water-proof matches¢I had about 10 of these in case of emergency, and never ¢had¢ to use them, but tried them a few times. You shouldn¢t ¢want¢ to use these.Further Thoughts: Quantities vary upon your use, but most things can be very low in quantity. You¢re not going to be doing triage out there, so don¢t get sucked into the overkill first aid kits.---REI Sahara Convertible Hiking PantsI think I¢ll have to stop hiking if REI discontinues these things. I love them because they are one of the few FUNCTIONAL hiking pants for women out there. What I mean by functional is that the features like pockets and loops are actually there to be used instead of ¢looking cute¢ (which just pisses me off to no end about women¢s clothing). They dry super fast as well, and have all the pockets and storage space needed to carry your guidebook/map, pee rag, snacks, hang a watch from the loop, etc. I also like that they come in petite, meaning shorter lengths. I lost a lot of weight, so I went through 3 pairs of these things. The only design flaw I consistently saw was that the crotch seam kept ripping, so on all 3 pairs, I had to sew the crotch back up. Other than that, I love them.        Pros: Functional, lightweight, versatile, quick dry, come in shorter lengthsCons: Crotch seam rips easily and averaged price of $55.00 (wait for sales!), not a lot of color choicesAm I happy enough to stick with this product? Absolutely, I love these pants.---Marmot Long-sleeved Wicking ShirtI wasn¢t originally going to get one of these, but it ended up being my most versatile piece of clothing. I love this shirt. It¢s got a high neck that you can zip up for a little extra warmth, definitely wicks and is great for a lightweight extra layer to wear while hiking and in camp. I won it at Moose Jaw (an outfitter), so I didn¢t research it, but wow do I love it.        Pros: Lightweight, wicking, great extra layer and versatileCons: Can¢t think of any, it didn¢t retain odor at all, but I rarely wore it directly against my skin either. Not sure of the cost, since it was free to me.Am I happy enough to stick with this product? Yes!!!---REI V-Neck Short Sleeved shirt & Northface Crewneck Hiking ShirtI used both of these during my hike (one at a time though). The REI shirt definitely retained odor, but the Northface hasn¢t seemed as bad about it, although the Northface shirt has a small reflective tubing that goes along the shoulders, and this actually retained odor a lot. I have no complaints about either shirt, but the Northface was a men¢s shirt and the REI was a women¢s shirt, so it seemed like the REI was slightly less durable. Both wicked wonderfully and both were very quick to dry. I think as long as you get a synthetic shirt that wicks moisture, the rest is all about style.         Pros: Wicking material, quick dry, comfie        Cons: Retained odor (synthetics always do)Am I happy enough to stick with this product? I¢m not brand-loyal, but would purchase either again I like them the most.---Patagonia CamisoleSo I hate wearing bras¢¦they bind, they¢re tight and they rub, so a camisole w/a nice soft built-in bra was my choice. It was a great choice in the end because it doubled as a possible hot-weather sleevless hiking shirt, I could swim in it, it is very quick drying, and it was the layer right against my sweating body but amazingly, I could still wear it today and didn¢t have to throw it out due to odor. It is Patagonia though, so it was terribly pricey. I wore it through the whole hike and never had a problem w/it, so I got my money¢s worth. When I bought it, it was an orangy/salmon color, but over time faded to more of a pink, and I HATE the color pink, but that¢s just a nuance. Pros: Dual purpose of bra/sleeveless shirt, quick dry, provided support, odor retention not as bad as I thought it would be        Cons: Expensive, color faded a lot Am I happy enough to stick with this product? Yes, but I¢d get a different color next time.---Spandex ShortsI¢ve worn these for years for active clothing, to prevent chaffing of the inner thigh. They do great at that, until you are in a situation where you cannot shower. These spandex led to the worst chaffing ever, due to salt building up along the seams wear it fits around your legs/crotch area. I had to stop wearing them, and that was better. I got them at Wal-Mart, they¢re like $5.00, so perhaps there are better designed ones out there.         Pros: Inexpensive, prevent thigh chaffing        Cons: Cause seam-line chaffing, not good for non-showering repetitive activityAm I happy enough to stick with this product? Not for hiking....and there's more on the next entry!!!