is it ?? What if you carry lots gear and heavy stuff?Originally Posted by ScareBear
Everyone is so different in their approaches to wilderness backpacking that no single answer to your query will likely settle matters. In my opinion, you should first prioritize what you want out of each piece of equipment and what you are willing to sacrifice to get what you want. Most of the time it boils down to money....
That said, I'm not a Cuben Fibre(Dyneema) tent fan/fanatic. I'm not fond of the noise they make in the rain(and on the AT in the Spring....that's like...oh....every other night...) nor their privacy. Out of them all, based on my research and experience, I'd go with the Duplex by ZPacks....if I was going Cuben Fibre, which I'm not.....so what tent will I recommend then....
The GossamerGear tent "The One" is my choice for a solo thru hike of the AT. Lightweight, stable, simple to pitch, roomy and with a proven design with ten years of sales behind it. Well, except for the time they stopped making it due to lack of acceptable fabric...
http://gossamergear.com/the-one-shelter.html
Next up is packs. Like boots, packs are worse than worthless if they don't fit right. They can injure you and prematurely end your hike, just like poor fitting boots. Everyone's anatomy is different. If you can't try on a pack that you've decided to purchase, please make sure there is a torso length adjustment option and/or a bullet-proof return policy like REI. I've been looking/lusting after a Zpacks Arc Haul. 62 litres at 24 ounces. Very adjustable torso. Plenty of options including the ever-rare interchangeable hip belt. Cuben Fibre so you won't need a rain cover for the pack. My friends with this pack rave about it. I am hoping it fits....its going to be a holiday present to myself!
http://www.zpacks.com/backpacks/arc_haul.shtml
As to sleeping bags, you are going to first decide if quilting is for you. Its not for me. I just cant sleep on my pad and feel comfortable and as warm. I know a lot of it is psychological, especially the warmth, but it is what it is. I'm not alone...
For cold weather I have a 15 degree Nemo Nocturn Spoon Drytek 700FP bag that I carry without a liner. It is way roomy, very light and as warm as advertised. It isn't very expensive...and not too heavy for all that room...2.5 pounds in the long model!
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/nem...-long~p~9783a/
For most of the weather on the AT I have a Montbell Down Hugger 650FP #3 Long, which is to say it is the 650FP treated down SuperSpiralStretchSystem bag rated at 30 degrees. The regular weighs just under 2lbs. If you bump up to the 800FP treated down, it only weighs 24 ounces. There is, however, a 50 percent increase in the cost. $100 will save you 7 ounces... I carry a 7 ounce Scottish Silkworm liner that gives me about 5-7 degrees. Which, I need with the Montbell as I have found that at 30 degrees, it is a little below the comfort point and at 25 degrees, the liner is vital. However, it does vent well and is comfortable up to right around 52 degrees. Above that, unzip it and use as a comforter.
For warm weather, 50 degrees and up, I use a two-liner system that weighs 15 ounces. The inner liner is the Scottish Silkworm and the outer liner is an SOL Escape Bivvy. Total cost was about 85 bucks!
http://www.surviveoutdoorslonger.com...ape-bivvy.html
How I arrived at my gear list involved years of trial and error and no small amount of research. There are lighter ways to go. I just don't think there is a better combination of weight/comfort/price than my solo system for the AT.
Of course, YMMV and no humans were harmed in the trial and error of my gear selection....well...not permanently harmed...
You mean for the AT? Why? Trail maintainer? Then you are going to want something far more bomb-proof...
For recreational hiking of the AT, especially thru hiking, you don't need a pack rated for over 30 pounds, because if your pack weight is over 30 pounds, you are doing it wrong....IMHO, YMMV. What's the Deuter weigh in at? 5 pounds?
That tent, "The One," looks good.
What is the material? "nylon blended sil/pu"
I can't tell from the pictures, does the other (non-vestibule/ non-entrance) side open up for views/ ventilation or is it simply a solid wall?Tent body: Custom-formulated 7d high tenacity nylon blended sil/pu coating waterproof to at least 1200mm.
Tent floor: Custom-formulated 10d high tenacity nylon blended sil/pu coating waterproof to at least 1200mm.
I am assuming the "d" is denier. Thus the body is 7 denier high tenacity nylon with a blended silicon/polyurethane waterproofing application. The tent floor is 10 denier high tenacity nylon with the same waterproofing.
The way The One is designed is to be pitched with the sloping side(non-entry) into to the breeze. Its a basic A-frame on the ends...There is a single door that opens to the vestibule. It seems to be more stable than the Duplex and easier to pitch. Its less expensive by far and has exactly what I want without the noise of Cuben Fibre in the rain...
As a caveat, I would probably be just as fastidious about drying The One as I do my BA FlyCreek, due to the similarity in the thinness of the material being prone to damage by mold/mildew. I know that one of the big advantages to Cuben Fibre is the innate waterproof quality of the material and its resistance to mold/mildew. A good snap-shake in the morning of Cuben Fibre tent is all that is needed prior to packing. Depending on the overnight moisture, you may have to do more than that to The One...
The Deuter 65+10 is about 4 lb.
And this is the Ultra Light Forum, not appropriate for this style of hiking.
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