Your camping equipment...what do you use and what is your favorite?

S

soapboxpreacher

Joined
Apr 3, 2010
Messages
955
I'll Start:

Tent: Hiking/Packing: Gunnison 4 with footprint Tent Light, big enough, and packs down small! (This is a tent I use for both backpacking and family) I have a eureka copper Canyon...but it is a back breaker and family only! However everyone loves it! MSR ground hog stakes

Sleeping Pad: Prolite Plus, neoair all-seasons or Zlite Sol. (Family Camping...I have a cot). All of these serve different seasons and weights...I repleaced the Prolite with a neoair but havent used the neo yet. I worry it will be hot in the summer.

Cooking: Hiking: Jetboil PCS (Favorite) or Primus Omni-Fuel for winter (Super versatile!!), Foil, have more but dont use as much such as triangia, vargo, emberlit (Cool but havent had a chance yet). Family: Coleman Dual Fuel 2-burner (replacing with a Sansports Outfitter...easier and bigger hotter).

Cookware: Hiking: Vargo Spork, Jetboil PCS, nesting Stoic Ti 700ml cup around 32oz naglene sometimes a GSI SS Kettle. Family: GSI Pinnacle Camper set! It covers a lot! GSI SS Kettle for coffee and an extra 10" non-stick pan.

Sleeping Bag: Hiking in fall: MH Ultralamina 15 (Favorite...packs almost as small as a down bag without downs shortcomings) had a wiggys and loved it but it doesnt pack down very well! It was so warm and comfortable...also had a TNF Catsmeow but it was too narrow. Family: Slumberjack Telluride 30 rectangle comfortable and packs small compared to coleman.

Pack: Osprey Ather 70 (Favorite, very comfortable, big!) really only pack I own.

Lighting: Hiking: Black Diamond Spot (Favorite) sometimes UCO Clarus as a small lantern for the tent or outside, it also works as a flashlight. Car: Coleman Dual Fuel Lantern...burns bright and for a long time on one tank full! The best and brightest! I do have a UCO Lumora and love it too!

Water Filtration: Sawyer (Small, light, works well and my favorite), MSR MiniWorks reliable and straight forward. AquaMira Tabs/Drops for backup. Looking into a All Clear from CamelBak to combine with my sawyer.

Knife: Hiking: Full size BM Griptilian or Spyderco PM2 sometime a Falkniven S1 for a fixed (Favorite Small, compact sheath as well...tank too). Family/Car: ESEE 6 (Favorite...beat it to death) or A1. Multitool...Leatherman Wave or SAK Huntsman or Explorer...cover everything...explorer magnifier can start a fire if you really need it! I could take a ton of other knives as well...like my BK2...its a tank for batonning but horrible for fish or food prep. I also really love my ESEE 4...sheath is a little bulky but still nice.

Hat: Marmot Precip Hat (Favorite and floats) had MH and OR...OR was too hot and HUGE!

Dry Bag: ??? Have a Sea to Summit for my Sleeping bag and one for clothes...all I know. Would like to get a few more so anyone???

Water: Hiking/Packing: Naglene (old reliable and a tank...but it weights like one too), Kleen (Can boil (Some minor cooking like soup) if you have to in it), or Platypus (my favorite because of size!) Family: Reliance 2.5g and 5g. (Favorite no flavor transfer and a tank).

Fire: Bic!!!!!!!! and Light My Fire. Have UCO Stormproof too but dont really use them...but regular diamond matches in a waterproof container. Have a Brunton Helios too...that is nice but burns fuel fast and has a piezo starter...which could break! Anywhere I go I bring at least 2 forms of firemaking and most of the time 3 types! Bic has been the best and cheapest just not in the extreme cold...but put it in your jacket.

There is way more but this is what comes to mind. Let me know what you guys use and love. Or stuff that other would love to use too!
 
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My only two pieces of gear that are a constant are my Osprey Kesterl 32 and my ESEE 3 mil. Everything else can be replaced or left at home depending on my trip but these two are a constant for me.
 
probably my Integral Designs Silshelter, MH Trad, MSR Pocket Rocket, OR Gaiters and black diamond trekking poles. Those pieces go with me pretty much everywhere.
 
I've got a good deal of Eastern Mountain Sports gear which I have found is a nice balance between quality and cost effectiveness. I've got a very light 2-person tent (can't remember the name offhand) that proved itself many times last year. Can't wait for the nicer weather to arrive!

My all-time favorite piece of gear is my Arcteryx Bora 80. Tough as 3V steel and comfortable as well. It's heavy, but it carries medium to knee-crippling weights without a problem. Super design and quality.

Others that stand out are my Pocket Rocket stove, Scarpa boots and hiking shoes, my PackTowel, Smartwool socks and AquaMira water purifier drops.
 
soapboxpreacher said:
Sleeping Bag: Hiking in fall: MH Ultralamina 15 (Favorite...packs almost as small as a down bag without downs shortcomings) had a wiggys and loved it but it doesnt pack down very well! It was so warm and comfortable...also had a TNF Catsmeow but it was too narrow. Family: Slumberjack Telluride 30 rectangle comfortable and packs small compared to coleman.
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All I've been doing the past few weeks is researching sleeping bags because I'm looking to upgrade from my North Face Dolomite. So far I'm leaning towards the TNF Blue Kazoo 15 Down. I looked at Mountain Hardware bags but they all seemed too narrow for me. That's why its weird when I saw you mention the Ultralamina as your favorite because the specs indicate a shoulder girth of only 60 inches while the Cat's Meow is 64 inches.

Anyway, I also just recently upgraded my tent. Went from a Marmot Limelight 2P to a Big Agnes Seedhouse SL2. The Limelight is still an awesome tent and I love it, but the Big Agnes has just about the same room but is a whole 2 pounds lighter!
 
Let's see... currently my most used equipment are
Tent: Nemo Meta 2
Sleeping Pad: Neo-Air
Sleeping Bag: Enlightened Equipment quilt
Pack: Osprey Atmos 65
Cooking: Jetboil
Filter: Platypus gravity filter and SteriPen
Water: Platypus bladder
Food: Pack-it Gourmet Gumbo
Knife: Case Peanut for food, JK Michigan Trail for others
Fire: usually not on the trail
 
jonnyt16 said:
All I've been doing the past few weeks is researching sleeping bags because I'm looking to upgrade from my North Face Dolomite. So far I'm leaning towards the TNF Blue Kazoo 15 Down. I looked at Mountain Hardware bags but they all seemed too narrow for me. That's why its weird when I saw you mention the Ultralamina as your favorite because the specs indicate a shoulder girth of only 60 inches while the Cat's Meow is 64 inches.

Anyway, I also just recently upgraded my tent. Went from a Marmot Limelight 2P to a Big Agnes Seedhouse SL2. The Limelight is still an awesome tent and I love it, but the Big Agnes has just about the same room but is a whole 2 pounds lighter!
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Not sure if they redid the cats but i had 2011 version and it was very narrow...tighter than my ultra lamina. I overal like the cats better, cheaper as well. Zippers were well placed, I liked how you got in and out. But the foot box was way tighter and narrower. Tighter in the hips as well. I bought 3 bags at the same time. Those two and the Wiggy's. if the wiggys was lighter and compressed down better that would have been the pick by a mile. They were all a compromise so I had to go with the one that had the most pluses while still being comfortable. I like the insulation on the ultra the best...has benefits of down without its weaknesses. Compresses like down yet won't lose it's insulation when wet. Lighter than lamilite.
 
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Cat's Meow has changed several times over the last five years or so. The one I have now, I bought a left zip. I found it easier to work than the right, even though I am righthanded. The fill changed during that period too. It is Climashield now. I forget what synthetic it was before. Here is a vid comparison of it and the Blue Kazoo.
[video=youtube;Wp_BRr9hS6w]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp_BRr9hS6w[/video]
 
Kayak-Future Beach Angular144 (awesome kayak)....
Tent-Eureka...
Pad-Large self inflating base camp model (off brand)...
Bag-I hate sleeping bags and use two fleece blankets..One thick and one thin..Lay on the thick one cover with the light one and I sleep like a baby...
Filter-Katydyn Hiker...
Cooking-By fire or a single propane stove...
Knives-A bunch(Spyderco Pacific Salt,fillet knife,machete,bow saw,a random fixed blade,,peeler and steak knife in my cooking kit,)
My kayak has a 440 lb weight capacity and allows this old guy to haul all kinds of gear/food and beer down the river..Last year I averaged 75-100 lbs of stuff and this year I have a new fold-down table and a bigger frying pan so I might be around 140 lbs this year..We have 4-5 trips planned this summer and I can't wait..CD
 
Codger_64 said:
Cat's Meow has changed several times over the last five years or so. The one I have now, I bought a left zip. I found it easier to work than the right, even though I am righthanded. The fill changed during that period too. It is Climashield now. I forget what synthetic it was before. Here is a vid comparison of it and the Blue Kazoo.
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Thanks for that video! Yeah, for some reason I find the left handed zippers work better for me as well. Unless I find a better weight/warmth ratio than the Blue Kazoo (for under $300) then it looks like thats the one I'm going with. What I'm really lusting for though is a Western Mountaineering Badger but I'm pretty sure my wife would kill me if I spent $500+ on a sleeping bag.
 
Codger_64 said:
Cat's Meow has changed several times over the last five years or so. The one I have now, I bought a left zip. I found it easier to work than the right, even though I am righthanded. The fill changed during that period too. It is Climashield now. I forget what synthetic it was before. Here is a vid comparison of it and the Blue Kazoo.
[video=youtube;Wp_BRr9hS6w]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp_BRr9hS6w[/video]
Click to expand...

Climashield is what wiggy uses...he uses the combat version, isn't as compressible but is tough and offers better warmth. He calls his lamilite instead but it is the same stuff. I asked him directly about 2-3 years ago. He was actually nice about everything...I almost hated returning the bag because of it.
 
jonnyt16 said:
Thanks for that video! Yeah, for some reason I find the left handed zippers work better for me as well. Unless I find a better weight/warmth ratio than the Blue Kazoo (for under $300) then it looks like thats the one I'm going with. What I'm really lusting for though is a Western Mountaineering Badger but I'm pretty sure my wife would kill me if I spent $500+ on a sleeping bag.
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My cats looked nothing like the one in the video...it has changed big time! I might have had a 2010 or even a 2009 come to think of it...I got it around the time my son was born. It had multi color panels and a glow in the dark zipper. I did like the zipper a lot it never got caught from what I remembered when I tested it.
 
soapboxpreacher said:
My cats looked nothing like the one in the video...it has changed big time! I might have had a 2010 or even a 2009 come to think of it...I got it around the time my son was born. It had multi color panels and a glow in the dark zipper. I did like the zipper a lot it never got caught from what I remembered when I tested it.
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Yes, I bought one several years back (forget what year, but a forum search will show it) and returned it to the store in short order. IIRC, it was a regular right zip. The one I have now is a long left zip. I noted several differences between the two besides distinct material color differences. The long seems to have more girth throughout that keeps me from feeling like I am inside a boa constrictor as I move about during the night.

This particular store has deep discounts on inventory that doesn't sell in whatever time period, and both purchases were well below MSRP. I use it year round by leaving it unzipped as a quilt in warmer weather. I intend to get a couple of liners to use with it as "sheets" to keep it clean longer and for light cover in hotter weather. I kept my old Kelty Mistral for a loaner. Family and friends who go with me are most often gearless or, if they have gear at all, it is car camping gear, too large to fit in the dry bags which I also have to provide.

I'm watching for a deal on a third bag like the Mistral. I "stole" that one on eBay by being the only bidder and boy was the seller P.O'd. It has a lot of loft loss due to having been stored compressed, but still responds well to my "fluffing" technique. I hang it from a hook in the ceiling for 24 hours before use and "inflate" it and shake it every so often. And no, I don't store it or the Cat compressed. I use a large laundry bag for the Mistral and the Cat came with a nice large mesh bag.

Sorry for the derail O.P. :o

ETA: Found it... http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/686211-Codger-got-Meow!?highlight=Cat's+Meow
 
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Great thread. My pack list varies by season, but here are my favorite 3 Season Pieces:

Backpacking Tent: Tarptent Contrail; used to be a tarp guy until I saw a brown recluse bite.
Camping/kayaking Tent: MSR Hubba
Pack: Six Moon Designs Starlight
Sleeping Bag/insulating layer: Jacks R Better no Sniveler Quilt
Stove: Jet Boil
Dry Bags for storage: Sea to Summit
Knives: CRK Small Sebenza; Leatherman Squirt P4. Although I'm an ultra light packer, I always carry two knives. The LM is the one I lend out; the multi tool aspect is a nice touch. The CRK is my primary cutter. Probably overkill, but I hate being in the wilderness without a solid work knife and at 2.8 oz, it's a great weight to functionality bargain.
 
Tent: Black Diamond Megamid - Use it year round. Especially good winter camping.

Stove: Svea 123 - Never has failed to light.

Knife: Opinel #9 (or #10) - It's enough, especially with a Leatherman PS4 in the 1st Aid Kit

Watch: Casio Altimeter - Super useful for hiking in the Whites of NH.

Boots: Fabiano Ria (no longer made)

I'm plenty happy with lots of other camping gear. Various TNF tents have held up well, as have our TNF down sleeping bags. The Thermarests continue to work. The Trangia Mini is a decent little stove to have around. But these have been things that are really noteworthy.
 
This could be a huge list if we wrote in *all* of our favorite gear for each outing we participate in....

My knife is a Bryan Breeden Custom - there are none like it. It will *never* be in need of replacement (maybe some additional company, but that's another discussion for another day...).
 
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Sleeping Bag, Mountain, M-1949 I have a Vietnam era one that I picket up used when I was in Scouts back in the early 80's. It's heavy and bulky, and I love it. It has been on hundreds of camping and backpacking trips with me over the years. I'd love something lighter and more compact for backpacking, but that bag is like an old friend. Plus I am a cheapskate when it comes to gear :)
 
Codger_64 said:
Cat's Meow has changed several times over the last five years or so. The one I have now, I bought a left zip. I found it easier to work than the right, even though I am righthanded. The fill changed during that period too. It is Climashield now. I forget what synthetic it was before. Here is a vid comparison of it and the Blue Kazoo.
Click to expand...

From what I understand (and I could be badly wrong), Polarguard used to be made/owned by Hoechst Calanese but then got passed around to several different owners/manufactures in the past 10 years or so. It's claim to fame has always been that it was a continuous filament insulation. I can't find any current information on Polarguard. I'm guessing that Climashield is the "new Polarguard" or the replacement in any event?

As I understand it, Wiggy's Lamilite has traditionally just been Polarguard laminated to the shell fabric using Wiggy's proprietary lamination process. I've never been able to understand how this lamination process results in better loft retention over time despite corresponding with Wigatow and many of his loyal followers (this back in the old rec.backcountry daze).

My experience with Polarguard bags was that I could get 3-5 years of use out of them before they lost loft and warmth. Long ago I switched to down (TNF Blue Kazoo for 3 season use, a TNF winter bag for winter) and have never looked back. I'm guessing my Blue Kazoo is at least 15 years old now?
 
REI Packlite rain gear (jacket and pants) - Great on rain and wind.
SOL Escape Bivy - warm and lite
Eddie Bauer Rain Poncho - big enough to sleep under and strong material
Petzl Tikka XP 2 Headlamp - super bright, uses AAA.
Maglite xl50 - great lite handheld that runs on AAA. Very bright and has 3 modes including strobe.
Cabela's Deerskin GORE-TEX Insulated Gloves - warm and waterproof and very durable.
Lowa Zephyr Hiking Boots - lite, comfortable, and waterproof.
Swamprat Ratmandu or a Siegle Hardcore
SAK OHT or a Charge TTi
 
tknife said:
...Plus I am a cheapskate when it comes to gear :)
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You're not the only one. If you eliminate everything with an NSN or colored black, green, tan or foliage...all I have left is an MSR Whisperlite stove and a SnowPeak cookset!
 
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