Originally Posted by
Venchka
At the risk of being flamed into a pile of ashes, do not skimp on your sleeping BAG! A fellow who goes by Just Bill has explained this repeatedly. You sleep cold. You're starting in mid February, a topic for a whole other thread. You need a proper full coverage sleeping bag.
From my personal experience I would heartily suggest the Western Mountaineering Versalite or Antelope. I own the Antelope and Alpinlite. Very conservative honest temperature ratings. Impeccable construction. Buy once and done.
Save money elsewhere. It's easy. Thrift shops, Craigslist, used gear here at WhiteBlaze. A pack from ULA will work just fine and save you money. A tent from Henry Shires at TarpTent will work fine.
Don't spend any money this weekend. You need to learn more.
Good luck. Spend all the time you can on trails at elevation. You've got time to knock out a few hundred miles. Go play in the snow.
The Xtherm Large is my favorite pad in the past 40 years. Lighter and cheaper than the MAX.
Have fun!
Wayne
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