That I Don't Own Yet
So, how do I know it's so great if I haven't used it yet? Well, because I've watched lots of other people using this gear and listened to them gush. And then I've compared this stuff to what I had in my backpack at the time and thought, wow, theirs is so much better than mine.
But isn't that the way of the backpacker? Always wanting what other people pull out of their packs, be it a cool, new tent, a lighter, cushier sleeping pad, a faster stove that's easier to use, or food that looks and certainly must taste better than our own.
So here's what I've seen lately that's now on my own backpacking gear wish list.
The Best Sleeping Pad
That I don't own yet
And then my search partner pulled out a Big Agnes pad. The thing started out the size of a Nalgene water bottle and blew up into a raft, I tell you.
"That's gotta be heavy," I remarked with a smirk.
"Nah," he said as he lay down and sighed in comfort. "It's only 1.3 pounds."
Hm, I thought, only 4 ounces more than my 3/4-length pad, and his is as long as his six-foot-three body. Dang! Gotta git me one o' those!
Big Agnes Air Core Pad Mummy (Long)
Amazon Price: $48.00 (as of 01/08/2010)
The Big Agnes REM Air Core Mummy Sleeping Pad is said to be "the lightest and most comfortable inflatable pad on the planet." Made of a durable nylon fabric, the Big Agnes has an I-beam construction which provides rigidity and gives shape to the pad, as well as allows air to flow freely in and out. Inflation time is about two minutes, which I can attest to after watching my friend blow.
As I mentioned, the Air Core Mummy pads stuff to the size of a Nalgene water bottle and weighs from 19-24 ounces, depending on the size you get. At the same time, it inflates to 2.5 inches thick, so sleeping on a slab of rock is not a problem.
And if you have a Big Agnes sleeping bag, the Air Core pad can be left in the pad sleeve, deflated and stuffed with the bag right into its stuff sack. How cool is that?
All REM sleep pads come with a stuff sack, repair kit and 100% guarantee.
Other Big Agness Sleeping Pads (And A Sleeping Bag)
Big Agnes Insulated Air Core Sleeping Pad, Regular, 20x72x2.5
Amazon Price: $69.95 (as of 01/08/2010)
Big Agnes Insulated Air Core Mummy Sleeping Pad, Regular, 20x72x2.5
These mummy-shaped pads fit better in a bivy sack than the rectangular ones, which is why my friend had this kind.
Amazon Price: $69.95 (as of 01/08/2010)
Big Agnes Clearview Air Pad Sleeping Pad, Wide Long, 25x78x2.5
Amazon Price: $49.95 (as of 01/08/2010)
Big Agnes Encampment 15 Degree Climashield HL Sleeping Bag (Regular, Right Zipper)
Amazon Price: $149.95 (as of 01/08/2010)
The Best Single Person Tent
That I don't own yet
On the other hand, at just under five pounds, my two-man North Face tent is a bit heavy, especially when I have to add several days worth of food, cold-weather clothing and/or a lot of water for desert hiking, like in the Grand Canyon. That's when a lighter, single-person tent would really be nice. And that's an item lacking in our gear closet. Two- and three-person tents we have.
So when I was backpacking with a friend lately, each of us lugging two gallons of water, I sure would have liked to shave a couple of pounds of tent. My friend's Big Agnes single-man tent weighed 3 pounds and set up quickly. I added that to my growing list of "Gear I Want."
Big Agnes Seedhouse SL 1 - One Person Tent
Amazon Price: $249.94 (as of 01/08/2010)
With an all-mesh body, this free-standing tent with a single hub-pole system has great ventilation, while a full coverage rain fly offers protection from the elements. Plastic clips attach the tent body to the frame for quick, easy set-up. The fly is made of 20D nylon rip-stop with a silicone treatment and 1200mm waterproof polyurethane coating. The tent floor is a bathtub design 30D nylon rip-stop with a silicone treatment, also with a 1200mm waterproof polyurethane coating. The D-shaped door has a mesh pocket above, and there's a storm flap over the vestibule zipper. All seams are taped. There are 13 Superlight X-peg stakes included.
Your Feedback On Big Agnes Gear
What say you?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byThe Best Backpacking Stove
That I don't own yet
"You want to use my Jetboil?" she asks with a smile.
Proudly, I turn her down. But that doesn't mean I'm not a tad bit green with envy. All she had to do to light the thing was turn a knob and *poof!" She has flame. And talk about compact, convenient and fast. As I said, her dinner was cooked in no time, and then the stove and little fuel canister thingy fit all nice and snug in the pot that attaches to the stove.
I want. I definitely want. That night, I scribbled, "Jetboil," in my little notepad.
Jetboil Helios Cooking System
Amazon Price: $109.99 (as of 01/08/2010)
The Jetboil stove lights quickly and reliably with the click of a button and heats consistently.
This system comes with a 2-liter FluxRing pot with a neoprene cozy, a pot-supporting burner base, snap-on windscreen, a fuel can stabilizer, and a lid and bottom cover that doubles as a plate.
More Jetboil Gear
Jetboil Coffee Press Accessory
Amazon Price: $19.75 (as of 01/08/2010)
List Price: $19.95
Jetboil 1.0 Liter FluxRing Companion Cup (Red)
Amazon Price: $39.95 (as of 01/08/2010)
List Price: $39.95
Jetboil FluxRing Fry Pan
Amazon Price: $49.95 (as of 01/08/2010)
List Price: $49.95
Jetboil Jetpower 4-Season Fuel Blend, 100 Gram
Amazon Price: (as of 01/08/2010)
List Price: $3.99
Jetboil Cargo Cozy Kit One Color, One Size
Amazon Price: $19.95 (as of 01/08/2010)
List Price: $19.95
Your Feedback On Jet Boil Products
What say you?
The Best Backpacking Food
That I've tasted but haven't bought yet
Breakfast Maple Bulgar
Amazon Price: $7.35 (as of 01/08/2010)
Prices vary depending on size of packages.
More Enertia Meals
Multiple meal selections are available at each link below.
You can also find Enertia products at WildernessDining.com.
Sierra Scramble
Choose from five different breakfast meals. The "Blue Mountain Bear Mush," a sweet, hot cereal of cous cous with wild blueberries, raisins, and blue poppy seed was really good and plentiful.
Enertia Desserts 4 oz.
There's WInd River cheesecake and Grand Canyon cheesecake. The difference? Grand Canyon cheesecake is topped with Almond Crunch. Wind River is topped with blueberries. Both cheesecakes are no-cook.
Enertia Meal
There are twelve entree selections available here. My friend's favorite dinner was the "Switchback Spaghetti," which was definitely tastier than my Knorr pasta meal.
Your Feedback On Enertia Trail Food
What say you?
The Best Sil Nylon Stuff Sack
That I don't own yet
On that Grand Canyon search mission I mentioned, my field partner said, "I have all my gear in stuff sacks, lined up on shelves in my gear closet. Whenever I have to go out on a mission or if I'm going backpacking for fun or just dayhiking, I pull the stuff sacks I need, stick 'em in whatever pack suits the trip, and I'm ready to go."
Dang, I love being organized like that. And stuff sacks are definitely the answer. Right now, I keep most of my backpacking gear in old milk crates and have to go through it all each time I pack for a trip. Stuff sacks for things like cooking gear, sleeping pad (ie. that Big Agnes), toiletries, navigational gear, clothing for different seasons, etc. would really help me keep things neat and tidy and make packing quicker and easier.
Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Stuff Sack (Medium / Yellow)
Amazon Price: $11.95 (as of 01/08/2010)
These sil-nylon sacks are three times lighter than typical stuff sack fabrics, and the fabric is impregnated with silicone to make it waterproof to a pressure of 2.8 psi. There's a grab loop at top and the smallest possible cord and cord lock for top closure. These sacks also feature a reinforced pull handle on the bottom, and all seams are double stitched for extra strength.
This particular stuff sack comes in seven sizes and two colors.
More Of My Articles About Hiking Gear
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The 24-Hour Pack: Hike Smart, Be Prepared, Be Safe
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As a Search & Rescue volunteer, I've participated in many missions that wouldn't have happened in the first place had those we went looking for carried just a few simple items in a small daypack. Sometimes, it was the lack of a light source or not b...
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The PREpack: A Pre-Equipped Daypack For Hikers
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Because it's a good idea to have what you need in case the unexpected happens. Actually, I hope this pack I've put together with the recreational day-hiker in mind will help avoid some of those common problems in the first place. That's why I've inc...
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Trekking Poles: Multi-Use Gear For Hikers
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I'd say the trekking poles pictured here have at least 4,000 miles on them, including an Appalachian Trail thru-hike, a couple hundred miles on overgrown Minnesota trails, more Grand Canyon hikes than I can count, backpacking trips in New Hampshi...
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Backcountry Water Purification
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Before backpacking the Appalachian Trail, I'd done a lot of hiking, but those outings had lasted a day or two at most. So I'd been able to carry all the drinking water I needed, straight from tap to bottle, and never had to obtain extra supply from b...
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The Ten Essentials For Backcountry Travel
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If you've read other articles of mine, you may be rolling your eyes right about now, thinking, ugh, is she harping on this stuff again? Well ... yeah. I can't help it; I'm a big proponent of being prepared, particularly in the backcountry. And if yo...
What Are Some Of The Best Backpacking Products?
That you don't own yet
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Reply
- Ted_Curtis Ted_Curtis Oct 6, 2009 @ 7:59 am
- Your article hit home! I love the "that I don't have yet" approach.
I am currently finishing up a long hike on the Appalachian Trail and wish I had been more selective when choosing the best backpacking gear. There are a lot of of items "that I don't have yet" that I will consider for my next trip.
Thanks for the great lens,
Ted
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Reply
- Lironah Lironah Sep 28, 2009 @ 12:42 pm
- Hmm, camping.
Yeah, my family is still recovering from our trip last weekend. NEVER AGAIN will I rely on somebody else to provide sleeping bags for my children. I had a good one from my pack trail days, but I had to put my 3 year old in it. Now we all have colds.
Won't even start on the camp pads my mother-in-law brought...
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Reply
- shajo shajo Sep 27, 2009 @ 7:45 am
- oh yes I think you need all this stuff especially big agnes! Nothing better than a good nights rest! :) Great informational lens!
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Reply
- mysticmama mysticmama Sep 13, 2009 @ 5:21 pm
- Very cool... our camp stove is made out of an olf fire extinguisher with the top cut off and a homemade vent door... it's just big enough for one pot or small fry pan...about 10 inch diameter and maybe 12 inches tall... It's great because you don't have to carry fuel around, can just use whatever twigs you can find...just dig a hole and dump the ash...cools pretty quick and then you can store other stuff in it...
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Reply
- tandemonimom tandemonimom Sep 13, 2009 @ 10:06 am
- I agree - the Big Agnes looks cool!
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A Bit About Me
Deb "Ramkitten" Lauman, a hiking writer
Lensmaster Ramkitten has been a member since December 7 2008, has rated 2,468 lenses, favorited 199, and has created 111 lenses from scratch. This member's top-ranked page is "Becoming a Search and Rescue Volunteer". See all my lenses
My Bio
I'm glad you've stopped by! So what's with the Ramkitten thing, you ask? Well, that's my trail name in the long-distance backpacking community (and now just about everywhere else), but you can call me Deb if you'd like.
Hiking the Appalachian Trail was the greatest experience of my life, and I have plans for more long-distance treks in the future. That's me in the photo, celebrating at the official end of the A.T., excited about the accomplishment, looking forward to being home again, but a little sad inside, too, because an amazing journey has come to an end. That was in 2000 but feels like yesterday, as I remember everything in such detail. That's often how it is when you're moving through life at no more than 3 miles per hour along the simplicity of a trail.
Anyhow, I'm originally from Rhode Island but now live in Flagstaff, Arizona. I'm a Search & Rescue volunteer (love it!) and a writer of both fiction and non-. In late 2008, I began working on my own internet-based business, selling pre-equipped 24-hour packs for hikers and other outdoorsy folks. And, as a 40th birthday gift to myself, I quit my "real job" in favor of doing things I truly enjoy on a full-time basis.
One of those things is writing, and, in May, 2010, I'll be traveling to Nepal for three months to do research for this....
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by Ramkitten
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