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Posted by Alicia on January 2, 2007 at 4:04:40 pm EST
In reply to Re: I owe my life to... posted by SteveTheFolkie on December 29, 2006 at 9:22:44 am EST

This one was hard for me to answer, probably because the gear that works and works well doesn’t necessarily draw attention to it. Also, I haven’t had any near-death experiences that I know of (knock on wood). But here is some gear I’ve relied heavily on (I didn’t include the obvious stuff like climbing ropes, harnesses, and helmets):

A water filter is pretty high on my list for saving your health. I’ve had giardia. It’s no fun. Always filter or boil water.

Trekking poles to keep me balanced and upright when crossing streams or rivers and saving my knees over the long haul.

A Columbia Omni-Therm fleece pullover shirt that I’ve been wearing year-round for six and a half years now. It’s not fancy, but with proper layering it has always worked for me from winter to summer and always goes in my pack or on me. It’s still going strong, but I finally bought a TNF Aurora Zip Neck fleece last year just so I could wear something else occasionally. I keep wearing the Columbia fleece though. I guess I shouldn’t mess with what works.

Sunglasses for all of the obvious reasons. I never go out without them.

LL Bean leather Gore-Tex Cresta Hikers. I’m on my second pair now over the past decade. They’re sturdy and comfortable out of the box (as advertised) and I’ve never regretted having them on my feet for backpacking or long, rough day hikes. They’re the best boots I’ve ever worn.

In winter, I’d say extra pairs of warm, dry gloves and socks. I may owe some fingers and toes to those, especially the gloves.

Finally, I’ve got to agree with Steve’s answer of knowledge. It’s important to carry the right gear, but it’s more important to know how to use that gear and make good decisions.

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• Re: I owe my life to... - SteveTheFolkie 08:46:46 01/03/2007
  • Re: I owe my life to... - Alicia 20:02:26 01/03/2007
    • Re: I owe my life to... - SteveTheFolkie 12:46:02 01/04/2007

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