Gear

So I have plans to do my first over night in the woods. whoooh I am excited. But now I have one problem gear. I have a kelty external backpack that i bought a few years ago but i saw this one on moonbow.com http://www.moonbowgear.com/1trailgear/1Custom%20packs/Powerpacks/1powerpac.html

the powerpak has anyone used it or know of someone that used and how did they or yourself like it? I'm thinking of selling my kelty and buying this one. Now i do want to mention although I'm new to sleeping in the woods I'm not new to camping hiking, just to the gear. Now thats the backpack and feel free to chow down on me I'm new but I love it.

Ok now on to the next gear tent.

I loved the idea that someone on trailspace made there own and found a great website to make my own however i cant sew but hey I'm learning. But then moonbow has some great ones as well as i saw that Eureka Spirtfire tent is super and great in my price range. So any input in that i appreciate personal if i could sleep without having to worry about bugs I would but I hate itching though I have encounter some serious bugs i want a good night sleep in the woods with the stars above.

Ok next gear is water filter.

I know there are some forums on this but this is my questions Katadyn hiker Katadyn hiker pro or katadyn Vario i like the price for hiker and hiker pro but i also read the trouble with more of the hiker and then somewhat on the hiker pro. I just dont want to buy one only have to turn around and buy another one so thats were i think vario would work. But then someone mention a bottle with a filter installed for drinking anybody know anything about that. Here's the thing I love water crazy about it ya i can go awhile without but then i want water.

Next sleeping pad.

I saw a pacific outdoor equipment mat Ao tropics for like 16 bucks. Which from all the looking I have seen thats cheap other than foam I hate the foam might as well not bring it. Any suggustions I have no clue on the pads.

Well thanks to all who responds. I know you guys and gals have already talked about most of this stuff but i would appreciate your answer. I also know that experience is the best answer but if I had some opinion from some great hikers and backpackers i would appreciate it. I know i may sound really stupid and don't know anything but I am new at this but I am willing to learn. Thanks

Amber, Welcome to trailspace. There is definitely a lot of good information on this site as well as some very knowledgeable(sp?) people here. I have the hiker pro and have not had any issues with it. One thing I will say is if you get one make sure you read and know the proper field maintenance for it. I sometimes wonder if some of the bad reviews are because people did not properly care for the gear. As far as the other things on your list I use a thermarest sleeping pad. I have used different models over the years and reall like them, however a lot of that is personal preference, but you don't want to sleep directly on the ground. Most likey it will be way uncomfortable and you will actually lose heat from your body and get cold. Yes even in summer.

One of the best things yo can do is go to your local outfitter and just try some gear out. roll out a pad try on some packs set up a ten etc at the store. Most good outfitters will let you. If they won't, I'd go to a different one.

hope this helps. Enjoy your trip!

First off Welcome to Trailspace

Next don't go out and dump a ton of money right off the start. You are only planning a over night trip so keep it simple to start with and then build off of that. The Kelty pack you have will work to start with. As far as a water filter goes I have a Katadyn Vario and I love it. There are a ton of sleeping pads to chose from considering you are just starting out and you should spend your money wisely I would recommend that you start off with a closed cell foam pad there cheep and they work you can trade up later if you like.

thanks. And nice to meet ya'll.

jimcwatty i was wondering if that was the case of why people were having trouble since i could read the first thing i did when ever i got something was go straight for the insrtructions and maintenance care. I defintly will go to rei even though you have to be careful but thats anywhere. And thanks for the info.

Mikeo68 you must of read my mind money. I thought of starting with the basic stuff that i must have out there but thanks for the reinforcment. Did you have hiker pro or hiker before the vario and if so what were your pro and cons of it? wow i love the prices I am finding on these foam pads thanxs. The only thing I am worried is the weight i saw a blog on weight and packs and i know there are ultra ultra light fans out there. I saw that on moonbow and wonder if that would be better. I think for now I will stick with my one i have and move up.though any thoughts on tents. i dont want to spend a lot but ya.

well thank thank you i feel a lot better now.

Amberpamber

The Vario is the firs one I have owned but I have used some others. As far as pros & cons The biggest con I have found is its size its a little heaver & larger than most but not much just a little, The biggest pros I have encountered is its versatility & field serviceability it works in different ways and can be field stripped and cleaned.

Tents High Peak has some descent tents you can get for cheap prices I have a High Peak Hyper Light and it works well for what I use it for. I payed $68 including shipping off of eBay. or look into a Eureka some of them are reasonably priced like a spitfire solo, Autumn Wind or Mountain Pass.

Hi Amber,

welcome to the board. :)

A few comments - there will always be people who have problems with gear and make bad reviews. The trouble is, we never know whether the problem with the gear was with the person or with the item they didn't like. :P I have Hiker Pro and it has yet to fail on me. I chose it because unlike the other filters available I did not want a lot of fuss and cleaning on the trail, I don't mind replacing the glass fiber/charcoal element every so often and it's pretty darn simple without lots of bits and moving parts. I read anything I could find on how the different filters work and what the real functional differences between them are - the bottom line is, if the filter works for bacteria/cysts down to .3 microns, and you are not leaving North America, you are probably safe with that filter. Viruses are smaller than most filter units can manage; you would need to add chemicals to the water as well as filtering to kill them, but there are no known issues with viruses in most wilderness water sources in the US.

The most concise information I can give you for general gear decisions would be Mark Verber's pages (http://www.verber.com/mark/outdoors/gear/index.htm) - he does a good job of helping understand the compromises you make with balancing budget and lightweight and effective gear.

I used a Thermarest prior to abandoning tents altogether. I hate sleeping on the ground. I can't sleep - it doesn't work for me at all and I then have a miserable trip because I'm so tired I don't function well. I was looking at the air mattress solutions like the Big Agnes sets or the Exped down mats or synthetic filled mats; for side sleepers thicker is better. But they are very heavy and expensive into the bargain. And then I am claustrophobic, so tents are really not a happy place for me to be, and the thought of being caught in a rainy day or two and having to stay in the tent most of the time didn't thrill me either.... So I got a hammock and a large tarp, which allows me to stay dry and off the ground. treating the hammock and suspension straps with permethrin deals with the bugs, and the bugnet keeps the flying ones away, and most of my gear will stay off the ground with me - and best of all I sleep all night now, instead of tossing and turning all the time. Those blue foam pads that were so uncomfortable on the ground work for insulation in the hammock down to freezing so they didn't go to waste. People think I'm silly but I get the last laugh when they crawl out of their tents cranky to find me happily drinking my coffee since I was able to sleep all night and wake up early.

I bring it up not to convince you that you need a hammock, but to point out that not everyone needs a tent. If not for the claustrophobia I might have gone with a bivy and a tarp.

Another thing - you need to look at water as a survival tool. The biggest problem people have in the wilderness is either dehydration or hypothermia - both conditions will impair your ability to think rationally, leading to poor decision making, which can lead to a crisis, which can end badly because again, you aren't thinking clearly. You need to drink and drink more, more than you normally do at home. If you have dark urine you are already dehydrated. This is not detrimental at work or at home, but in the wilderness this can be serious. While going the opposite way and drinking too much is also not good, you are better off ensuring that you have adequate water and some salty snacks to keep those electrolytes up and keep hydrated. I carry Micropur tablets to disinfect water if the filter fails. Barring that, boiling works to sterilize water as well but takes a lot of fuel.

Keep reading and check out backpackgeartest.org as well. Backpacking is a great thing to do, loads of fun, if you do it safely. The most important safety item - make sure you are going out with someone, and leaving a specific itinerary with a trusted person who will miss you if you don't return on time and call for help.

Welcome Amber,

I have had the hiker pro for some time & now I also have the Guide model as well. I have experienced no malfunctions with either. Proper care and maintenance is key with outdoor gear, and sometimes people do give bad reviews due to user error.

As already mentioned, I would not run out and buy a lot of expensive gear until you have been on a few trips. Used or borrowed gear is a great way to get started if that is an option for you.

BTW, you do not sound stupid, wise people seek advise as opposed to learning things the hard way. This is why I like Trailspace, I have learned a lot here. I have been backpacking for 25 years and learn something new all the time, this is partially why I enjoy it so much.

Good luck to you.

I do not use the Powerpac, but I do have the Gearskin:

http://www.moonbowgear.com/1trailgear/1Custom%20packs/Gearskins/gearskin.html

I stow my gear into three waterproof bags. One holds my sleeping bag. One holds food and kitchen gear, and misc. gear. One holds clothing. Water is carried across the top. I can place the three bags either one atop the other, or side by side. The system works well. The main advantage over conventional packs is that it can be expanded or lessened in size and holding capacity simply by tightening or loosening the strap positions. For example, it can easily accommodate a "bearikade" or similar bear-proof canister. The system also allows for the easy access to gear. If I want extra clothes, I know where to look. My model has the large mesh pocket on the outside where I usually carry my shelter (tarp) and rain gear. The pack is custom made to fit my torso, including the allowance for having one shoulder lower than the other.

The owner and pack maker is accessible by phone, so customer service is excellent.