Gossamer Gear

Latest Reviews

Mariposa 60

The Mariposa is well-designed and well-crafted. It strikes a good balance between weight, structure, convenience, and load-carrying ability. With the long collar, it can be compact enough for small loads or flexible enough to carry the occasional large load. For a lightweight pack, the Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60 feels beefy. The shoulder straps and hip belts are thick and sturdy. You can feel the slim metal frame that provides support when you grasp the top of the pack. A foam pad provides additional… Full review

LT5 Three Piece Carbon Trekking Poles

Light and comfortable! This is an initial review with only one day, so if durability becomes problematic, I will update the review. I typically hate poles.  They have been an annoyance more than a help. Unfortunately, my knees disagree with that statement. I tried BD's Distance Carbon FLZ and disliked the grip, the fixed basket, and the tent pole folding mechanism. The BD Alpine Carbon Cork felt nice, but goes against my fear of heavy poles getting in the way of a nice hike.   The Gossamer LT5's… Full review

Lightrek 4

Feather light adjustable trekking poles with a comfortable cork-like grip. I never knew I needed ultralight trekking poles until I had the Gossamer Gear LT4S trekking poles. Not only are they feather light, but they have a substantial cork-like grip that is exceedingly comfortable.   Once you start weighing gear, it’s hard to go back. I’ve been trying to lighten my load, but I’m mostly focused on what goes on my back. I never really thought about my trekking poles. Once I got the Gossamer… Full review

SpinnShelter

Ultralight and very weatherproof tarp. Late to the dance with my Spinnshelter. Got it used on eBay. Weight is 8 ounces on my scale. Can use trekking poles to pitch, sticks, or aftermarket poles. I bought two used for around 20 bucks. The tarp is made of spinnaker cloth—light and strong. I pitch with Groundhogs—use Groundhogs for everything!!!! I bought a Dimma Bivy from Borah to hang under it, but one night just slept in my sleeping bag on a ground cloth. The tarp bivy combo was under 20 ounces. Full review

Lightrek 4

Light, strong, and useful. My first pair of trekking poles lost the ability to lock—they were twist locking poles from a major manufacturer. Calling or emailing the company for help went nowhere. I couldn't find a number or email address anywhere. My second pair were the Lightrek 4s, not a casual purchase. They are expensive and don't go on sale. But, I've had them for a long time, and I'm still using them. Why use trekking poles? For one, they take 6 lbs of weight off your joints per step when… Full review