Post Up Your NEW Gear ...

[leghog]

Yesterday at REI I returned an Osprey Talon 22 and picked up an Osprey Stratos 24 for my day/overnight pack. With the current member sales going on, I actually received $1.84 back even though the Stratos is a more expensive pack. I'll get this out next week.

 

[JV3]

dutchware double layer hexon 1.0 coyote brown hammock and amsteel suspension.

dutch bling indeed! i like his mini carabiners...just enough for a water break.

 

[bore]

Got a new compass

 

[leghog]

In support of my everquest to lighten the load on my back while shrinking volume, yesterday my son gave me two vapor collapsible 1L water bottles. 1.4 ounces each. I'll test drive them this weekend. I'll know soon enough if they're as tough as my ever present Gatorade bottles.

 

[spoolup]

I got a new tent, yeah I know like I need another, but this one is WAY different than all my other tents......

Its a tent for my X (Xterra), a Tepui Autana Ruggedized. I will admit. This is pretty dam nice. Maybe it will help the girl get out and enjoy the outdoors with me a little bit more. Lord knows she does not enjoy carrying a pack. This thing takes a few minutes to initially setup a bit longer if you want/ need the annex (very rare in my case). I lost another 0.4 MPG with it up there but with full plate steel bumpers/ winch, armor, larger tires, etc, the gas mileage already sucks. Has a Teton 20* mammoth queen sized sleeping bag and a pair of standard pillows folded up inside of it for quick camp setup. Later I want to get an offroad trailer and throw this up on top of it. But for now this works great. Best part, even with the annex installed, I can unzip the rear wall and still open the passenger rear door and gain access to my ARB 50qt fridge.

Packed up during the snow storm on Monday parking next to a nice jeep at work

 

[JV3]

spoolup - nice setup! by the way, i seem to be following your lead...i have some hammock gear stuff on order

 

[spoolup]

Hammock gear is BAD ASS man, you are going to dig it. I have used my hammock when a few locals go out off roading where there are trees and is still my go to setups. I am sure you are going to like it. I'm debating asking Jenny and Adam to custom make me a larger quilt for the Roof top tent and then use some standard sheets to make it like a bed. The interior of this thing is a few inches wider and longer than a full size mattress.

With the hammock gear quilts, you will not believe how soft the Argon fabric is. The comfort, warmth, and relaxation of the hammock still makes it the best back country sleep I have ever had.

 

[VTguy17]

I got a new tent, yeah I know like I need another, but this one is WAY different than all my other tents......

Its a tent for my X (Xterra), a Tepui Autana Ruggedized. I will admit. This is pretty dam nice. Maybe it will help the girl get out and enjoy the outdoors with me a little bit more. Lord knows she does not enjoy carrying a pack. This thing takes a few minutes to initially setup a bit longer if you want/ need the annex (very rare in my case). I lost another 0.4 MPG with it up there but with full plate steel bumpers/ winch, armor, larger tires, etc, the gas mileage already sucks. Has a Teton 20* mammoth queen sized sleeping bag and a pair of standard pillows folded up inside of it for quick camp setup. Later I want to get an offroad trailer and throw this up on top of it. But for now this works great. Best part, even with the annex installed, I can unzip the rear wall and still open the passenger rear door and gain access to my ARB 50qt fridge.

Packed up during the snow storm on Monday parking next to a nice jeep at work

This is the coolest thing I have ever seen...I'm looking forward to pictures from your first outing with it. I NEED one of these for my wrangler! Do they make them?

 

[spoolup]

They are just roof top tents, fits anything with cross bars. 2 of the more common manufactures are Tepui and CVT (Cascadia Vehicle tents). I have seen them on a Honda Civic and a Subie wagon once. They have different sizes, options, etc. I personally like the extended vestibule ones (the ones that cover the ladder and one door). So that if you are in blowing rain or snow, when you open the door to get out you are not dealing with moisture ingress. I also like the stronger floor models. The thinner floor ones weigh less but get dents/ dings easily, so be it will likely not interfere with the use of the tent. The ruggedized Tepui (or CVT summit series) models have diamond plate for the outer shell so if tree limbs etc smack it you are just that better off protected.

These upgraded models also have anti condensation mats to prevent wet mattress from moisture build up as well as covered interior poles that do the same when you seal the tent up. All these little things add up to more cost and weight. But its up to you to do your own research.

Also on wrangers, since you do not have cross bars or racks, you will need to pick one of the aftermarket rack that externally span your top. Gobi/ Baja/ and Garvin are the most common. I have a Gobi rack on my X and its the best thing I added to it. I use it to hold my light bar, my rear lights, my hi lift, shovel, axe, and a 5lb propane tank held with a powertank bracket and fourtreks mounts, it is very versatile. And now my tent. Even with the tent up there, all this still fits. I use to also store 6 gallons of fuel and 2 gallons of water on rotopax up there, but have a new rear bumper inbound that hold 2 5 gallon jerry cans. So I need more I can put the rotopax on for a trip. Again, all you need is cross bars, so later if you get something else, your still good to go with these. Just up out of the mud. Snow. Crap and its awesome. I have taken mine up American fork canyon over easter and learned a bit about it. For instance, my X is 81" tall to the top of the rack. Installing the spring bars for the window is a PITA, but once the tent is setup, you can climb inside and unzip the storm flap AND screen individually then reach out thru them and install the poles. Easy peasy.

Some photos of them on Jeeps and other cars for reference.

Here is a great review of them on youtube that also shows setup and tear down. Some of his complaints are not issues in my book. Such as the color of the grommets or the tensiton rods having bows to them. They are a rod that is bent to hold the windows open, they are designed to do this. Its spring steel, it sets a little. The caps he talks about gluing on are not needed, infact I removed mine to make putting the rods in easier. His is the non vestibule model, so you can see the door issue. with blowing snow. BUT if your car is not tall enough to walk under it, the non vestibule model is easier to get into. I dont think many on here are over 81", so my height is a no brainer. Last, the sleeping bag he used, is the same I went with. Super great fit.

But as you can see, super easy setup and pretty slick. Prices range from $800 to $2500 with options. REI sells the smaller Tepui model and you can use your 20% coupon on it, AND free shipping if you ship to REI and pick up there. I paid just under $2100 (I got 10% off) with freight delivery at my house for mine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6L4M13_utM

 

[JV3]

Hammock gear is BAD ASS man, you are going to dig it. I have used my hammock when a few locals go out off roading where there are trees and is still my go to setups. I am sure you are going to like it. I'm debating asking Jenny and Adam to custom make me a larger quilt for the Roof top tent and then use some standard sheets to make it like a bed. The interior of this thing is a few inches wider and longer than a full size mattress.

With the hammock gear quilts, you will not believe how soft the Argon fabric is. The comfort, warmth, and relaxation of the hammock still makes it the best back country sleep I have ever had.

good to hear you haven't changed your mind about the brand...i've read nothing but good things about them too.

 

[JV3]

i bought this 15w solar panel based on recommendation from corpus (and countless positive reviews)...at almost 1/3rd the price of a comparable goal zero solar panel as well i figured it's time to upgrade my 7w goal zero...some reviews states it's almost as fast as a wall outlet in ideal conditions.

the 15w dwarfs the goal zero 7w and a lot heavier too (13 oz vs. 1 lb 13 oz)...doesn't really matter since it's for home/car use only so long as it's way faster.

for $10, tossed this in as well for charging my cell phone on the go instead of carrying that bulky goal zero battery pack that takes 4 aa.

 

[JV3]

warbonnet superfly.

interesting design on the ridgeline seam - it's reinforced and vertical so no seam sealing required according to the instructions...hmm.

 

[kuuto]

JV3, nice setup with the hammock gear.
I want to buy the same tarp, the packed size is my concern. Approximately, what are the stuff sack dimensions?

 

[JV3]

JV3, nice setup with the hammock gear.
I want to buy the same tarp, the packed size is my concern. Approximately, what are the stuff sack dimensions?

thanks! the stuff sack is about 7.25" x 13" when it's completely flattened out. here it is next to a 48 oz nalgene so it's basically the same volume as a normal silnylon 10'x10' and weighs at 1 lb 3.375 oz...you can easily compress it down to half the size too.

it weighs the same as the bcusa silnylon 10'x10' but with the superfly's built-in doors i think it's a better design to seal off the rain and wind.

edit: i think this is spoolup's pic...this pretty much sealed it for me. it's impossible to get that same coverage and windproof with a normal 10'x10'.

 

[Fuori]

it's impossible to get that same coverage and windproof with a normal 10'x10'.

What about BCUSA tarps?

 

[JV3]

What about BCUSA tarps?

this is my bcusa silnylon 10'x10' with a 9' 8" long hammock...i had to set up the tarp diagonally to get enough coverage from the rain. there's not enough material there (or rather it's not ideally shaped for a hammock) to seal the ends from the wind. my new dutchware hammock (posted above) is 11' long so i won't even try it with a 10'x10' tarp. the bcusa 10'x12' might work but it's still a "flat" tarp so jerry-rigging is still needed and more weight still.

from my research on hammock forums, you really need to plug up all the air flow/gaps as much as possible in cold weather.

 

[exracr]

If SHTF, I'm taking a HORSE! Trust them more than motor vehicles. I grew up with horses, been riding since I was 3 years old with my 2 bro's n sister. Here is a new black breast collar for horses that I put about 60 feet total into. Just in case

I've never seen one done like this. It's my first attempt too! What you guys think? Look good? Neat idea? Here's color vs my new PM2 S110V Burple knife I just got!

[/IMG]

 

[BillyJoeBobJim]

thanks! the stuff sack is about 7.25" x 13" when it's completely flattened out. here it is next to a 48 oz nalgene so it's basically the same volume as a normal silnylon 10'x10' and weighs at 1 lb 3.375 oz...you can easily compress it down to half the size too.

it weighs the same as the bcusa silnylon 10'x10' but with the superfly's built-in doors i think it's a better design to seal off the rain and wind.

edit: i think this is spoolup's pic...this pretty much sealed it for me. it's impossible to get that same coverage and windproof with a normal 10'x10'.

That's my favorite tarp, for hammock or just an A-frame shelter between trees.

If the weather is as cold as that picture appears or too windy, I like to hang low and lower the tarp edges to the ground to eliminate the air movement as much as possible. I then prop open a gap at the top of the doors to help with fresh air and condensation.

 

[Fuori]

Great, I bought a few tarps a few months back to try and will end up buying more. Typical, but I appreciate the help.

 

[bore]

Dang that looks tuff to get in and out of. Probably easier than it looks.