Date: 2004-02-28
To: Shopping!
Miles today: 0.0

Yesterday, Mom drove 90 miles, picked me up, and took me off to the Campmor store in Paramus. She later drove me home and drove the 90 miles back to her place. She's earning her spot in heaven with all the help she's giving me to make my trip a success. Campmor is THE place for outdoor gear. Best known for their hand illustrated catalogs, and their website (campmor.com), they sell to people all over the country. But it's only us lucky folks in NJ who are near the one and only Campmor store. My primary goals for the shopping trip was to exchange the tent I had ordered from the catalog for a double-walled tent (less condensation), and to buy a backpack. I also had a list of other gear to look at--clothes, stuff sacks, a fuel bottle.Campmor is an amazing place. Everyone is very knowledgeable and helpful. Everybody there is an expert at the particular gear they sell. Even when I was looking at stuff sacks, someone came along and offered to help. She was a stuff-sack expert! The guy in the tent department showed me many options, and the backpack salesman had more information than I could absorb. The customer service desk took back my old tent without a receipt or anything. They just asked my phone number and looked up my original order on the computer. No questions asked. Excellent.So, I am now the proud owner of a Gregory Palisade backpack. This pack is heavier than I had planned on. 6 lbs! But the backpack guy recommended it for it's comfortable fit (80% of the weight carries on the hips) and good capacity. He loaded it up with 35 lbs and showed me how to put it on, then sent me off to do the rest of my shopping. He was right. I had tried on a couple packs at EMS a few weeks ago, and loaded with 15 pounds they had felt heavier than this pack with 35 pounds. Then, the tipping point: he found one in the back that was a 2003 model. Last one in my size. Cost: 169.95. List price for this pack is $289. Saved $120 bucks! Woo hoo!The savings continued in the tent department. I bought the Sierra Designs Lightyear. Again, I scored a 2003 model--the floor model. Got my $139 tent for 89 bucks. This unemployed person couldn't have been happier!I also picked up the clothes, fuel bottle, and a couple stuff sacks. After I got home, I began obsessively packing and unpacking the pack. The thing is huge, but I still wonder if everything will fit. Now that I have all the primary gear (tent, pack, sleeping bag, stove), I got to thinking of all the little things I still need. I ended up logging onto campmor.com and ordering even MORE stuff. I ordered some trekking poles, and bought a bunch of little things (lexan spoon, small swiss army knife, etc). Another $140. Oy. Once that package arrives, plus the stove my brother is sending me (he scored a used whisperlite and a pot for $27), I'll have nearly everything. A trip to the drugstore will fill out my personal care and first aid kit needs. I'll try out different ways of organizing everything, and may get a couple more stuff sacks. Then I have to STOP. Buy no more. I have to live with what I have and it'll have to be good enough. The budget demands it. I'll probably end up sending a lot back home, too, once I've been out there a few days and really understand what I need.I'll post in the gear list section later this week.