Gear and beer

Gear and Beer!
A smart hiker has multiple uses for the the gear that travels with them. Take my pack cover for instance:
1) protects my pack from rain or heavy brush that might damage it
2) a dry seat to eat when ground is wet
3) I can place dirty and wet clothes in it to keep cleaner dryer clothes separate
4) they come in bright orange to match the hunters attire during open season
5) placed around inflatable sleeping pad to help resist puncturing
6) the perfect impromptu beer cooler!
-HBB

Testing.

Testing again

After a solid hour, we got Bart's new phone hooked up to the blog.  Here is a delightful picture of Jo permethrinizing her purple wardrobe.  Now we leave in about 4 hours.

Gear: Tent

This is Big Agnes' last adventure.  Of course, I said that last year too.

Mesh tents: not advised for winter camping, but whatever.

 This is the tent Bart and I lived in for five months and will use for five weeks this summer.  It is a Big Agnes Seedhouse SL2.

I bought it in 2009 with my hiking buddy Phil.  We still share custody of this tent, but I think I've done more to destroy it than he ever has.  Sorry Phil.

Seedhouse SL2  is not the lightest on the market, weighing just over 3 pounds, but it is freestanding and easy to set up - under 90 seconds.

For 3 pounds, you get a lot of tent.  The mesh is my favorite part; I have watched bears, stars, and mosquitoes all from the comfort of the tent.  The rainfly is only necessary in cold or wet weather.

Taking over the entire two-person tent. . .  it is very easy.

As you can see, a two-person tent means that although you can fit two people into the tent, you gotta like each other.  In the winter it was nice because the small living space kept the temperature significantly warmer.  In the summer the rainfly is usually off, keeping the tent cool.

After thousands of trail miles (3,500?  No complaints here!) certain things are bound to wear out:

-Zipper.  Big thanks to my dad, who operated on the tent's zipper and thus extended the tent's life one more time.

I was ridiculously
sad to throw out the
defunct rainfly.

-The rainfly.  On a rainy night in the Smokies, Fiskars and I realized that the rainfly was no longer waterproof.  At all.  I called Big Agnes Customer Service the next day and by the time we reached our next town stop, a new rainfly was waiting for us.  They gave me a discount and sent me stickers too. My allegiance is easily won with stickers.

-The floor.  The floor really feels like it's worn thin, and its waterproofness is all but gone.  Bart sprayed the tent with some waterproofing stuff and that helped.  Really, I think the floor is just shot (how could it not be?).  This could have been delayed by using a ground cloth more diligently.

The fact that this tent is still usable and without any gaping holes after all the hell it has been through is proof that Big Agnes is a solid brand.  I got really lucky to find a tent I like so much.  I even own the 1-person version of Seedhouse.  The Big Agnes website says this tent is like a "peanut butter and jelly sandwich," and they nailed it.

Advice:
When you choose a backpacking tent, weight is really important.

That being said, there are tons of lightweight options that I would never choose - just my own preferences.  Many people get by with a tarp.  I need to be enclosed or I can't sleep well.  For me, it is worth extra weight to carry an actual tent.

Hammocks are gaining in popularity, but I have a terrible relationship with gravity so I wouldn't consider one. I hear great things.

Try on as many tents as possible before you buy.  Set them up.  Climb inside. Take them down.  Annoy the people who work at the store (actually they are probably used to it).  You'll be glad you did: this is your second home you're purchasing, so be choosy.

Gear: Backpacks

I bought my Granite Gear Vapor Ki in 2009 because it was was the most purple pack I could find.  (It used to be a lot prettier than it is now.)

Since then, it has survived over 4,500 miles of abuse.  Like throwing it down rock scrambles.  Dozens upon dozens of rock scrambles.

It is over three pounds lighter than my previous pack (Kelty Redcloud 5600), weighing in at 2 pounds, 2 ounces.  Vapor Ki is not considered to be an ultralight backpack, but the additional hip padding, pockets, and comfortable straps make it the lightest I would want to go.

What's great about the Vapor Ki, other than the fact that it has purple, are the following features:

I clip a vest or sweater to the top of
my pack in cold months so I can
easily regulate my temperature.

• Padding on the back
• A comfortable hip belt
• Durable material
• Zipper pockets (the black pockets on top of the pack)
• Stretch pockets (the black pockets on the bottom of the pack)
• Multiple options to clip in gear (like the straps on the back, sides, and top)
• A gap between the bag and the back padding. I use this for my water bladder - this means I do not have to keep my water inside my pack with the rest of the gear. It is easier to fill up and less likely to lead to disaster if the water bladder leaks.

Here are things I would change about this pack:

-There needs to be more purple, let's just be up front about that.
-Many lightweight packs offer mesh pockets on the hipbelt.  There are pouches available to add onto this pack, but mesh pockets would have been awesome.
-The back padding, while comfortable, retains sweat and hiker funk.
-They're not making these anymore?!  (But they frequently pop up online for sale slightly used and there are similar packs listed on Granite Gear's website.)
On a scale of 1-10, even considering the lack of mesh pockets, I would rate this pack an 11.  Okay, okay, a 9.  In 2009 I never would have guessed that five years later, this pack would still be going strong.

Bart's pack

Granite Gear is a common brand on long-distance trails.  Bart's original GET pack, an Osprey, met an untimely demise and he replaced it with a Granite Gear Crown VC 60 and has been very happy with it.

The company has been very supportive in the creation and growth of the Superior Hiking Trail in Minnesota, so I feel great about wearing their pack.

Choosing your backpack is a highly personal choice.  Try on as many packs as possible, making sure to load them up prior to trying them on. An empty backpack has to try really hard to be uncomfortable. Outfitters understand this and usually supply weights to add to the pack.

Gear: Pack covers

Backpacks are not waterproof.  I have used two different styles of rain covers.  My Granite Gear Cloud Cover weighed about four ounces and valiantly performed through the 3rd rainiest season in Maine and countless other weather atrocities. Originally it was much more orange than it is now!  Its magical abilities gradually declined after 3,000 miles, so I retired it.  It owed me absolutely nothing.   I would buy this again.  I will buy this again.

Granite Gear

Sea to Summit

I currently use a Sea to Summit pack cover.  It is significantly heavier but performs well.  It has acquired a rip after "only" 1,100 miles, but I have demanded a lot from it in those 1,100 miles and the rip will be easy to patch.  It's a great pack cover -- just heavier than I'd like.

Water can pool in the little creases
and then splatter down your back.
It's okay; you probably need a shower anyway.

General tips for buying pack covers:
Choose a larger pack cover than you think you will need.  This allows you to dangle stuff off your pack and still cover it - things like camp shoes, sleeping pads, and tents are often strapped to the outside or may be so in a pinch.  Usually a larger size weighs no more than an ounce or two extra, and those extra ounces are easily made up on rainy days by keeping your entire pack dry.

How orange was my pack cover.

No matter how big your pack cover is, your shoulder straps will get wet and water may drip down between you and your pack.  I occasionally hike with a lightweight poncho and use it in a true downpour. This simple, cheap, lightweight gear keeps my pack and my straps extra dry.

I have always purchased orange pack covers because I feel that, even if not blaze orange, the color sticks out enough to help me not get shot.  Additional precautions are needed during hunting season, but every little bit helps.

Gear: Water

Water is the most important thing on a hike.  They say you can go for three days without water -- but I wouldn't want to try.  Here is the water-related gear that we have carried and/or will carry:

First of all, you gotta carry water.  I find a water bladder to be well worth its weight.  I can carry just as much water in bottles, but the major perk of the water bladder is that I can sip on the go.  The hose is a reminder to keep drinking.  I can drink while I walk without slowing down.  Bottles have weight too, so for me the weight of a bladder is a non-issue.

There are two most popular brands of water bladders, Platypus and Camelbak.  The ideal water bladder has yet to be invented.

Platypus Pro: VERY easy to fill and clean

Platypus Con: Less durable material and developed many holes over the course of 1600 miles

Camelbak Pro: More durable, yet mine is an ounce or two lighter than the Platypus

Camelbak Con: More difficult to clean, more difficult to open and close

No matter which you choose, you will eventually have to swap out the bite valve because it will get really gross.  Either that or you have to clean it diligently, and on the trail, that just isn't gonna happen.  Bite valves cost a few bucks.

Water purification

There are many ways to ensure your water is safe for you to drink.  There are so many options that I can't go into them all, but I will show you what we have used.

I have been relying on Steripen since 2008 or earlier.  They use UV light to break down the DNA of any bad stuff that would make you sick.  The Steripen comes in a nice padded case to keep it safe.

Steripen Pros:
*Safe water is available in only 90 seconds
*No chemicals are entering your body
*You feel like a Jedi when you're cleaning the water
*It's ridiculously easy.


Steripen Cons:
*It is battery-operated, and as such, I would never rely exclusively on it.  The batteries are weird and hard to find, so I order them in bulk.  They cost several dollars per pair but they last 10 days in the summer and longer in the winter.
*If the water is silty, you're gonna end up drinking those floaties.  It's possible to eliminate some with a bandanna, but . . . floaties.
*It does not work in freezing cold water.  I mean water at 32 or 33 degrees.  It works great in cold water.  But relying on it in winter. . . eehhhhhh . . . 

I always carry a little bottle of iodine tablets with me.  It costs about $6, can be found at outfitters or even big box stores, and is a great backup.  When water looks particularly sketchy, I Steripen it and use iodine.

Iodine Pros:
*It is the lightest-weight water purification
*It does not rely on batteries or moving parts
*For a short-term trip, it's the cheapest option.

Iodine Cons:
*It's a chemical and it tastes like it
*Floaties are also an issue with iodine
*For a long trip, financially it makes sense to invest in something else
*There is a waiting period of about 30 minutes to let the iodine to its thing.  If you're really thirsty, 30 minutes is a VERY long time.

Another product I once used was AquaMira, which is a liquid that you put into your water to purify it.  There are similar pros and cons with AquaMira.

This summer, Bart and I are trying out the Sawyer Squeeze Mini Filter.  It cost $20 and weighs a couple ounces (!!!) plus the bag.  So you fill the bag with water and squeeze it and it squirts out clean water!  We'll let you know how it goes.

Update: It went well.  We had a couple yucky water sources and the Sawyer cleaned the water and we didn't get sick, so it must have worked.  I still prefer the Steripen, but there are times and places where a Steripen is not a great choice (dry season, desert) so I'm happy to have this as a backup.

A great thing about two people hiking is that we can take more stuff.  We'll be hiking with a Steripen, a Sawyer Mini, and iodine.  We like water.

Finally, no matter what you do, sometime you're probably going to come across a water source that doesn't taste great.  Maybe it's just tannin in the water, maybe it's just a little yucky.  

When that happens, the best thing in the world is to have some tea or juice packets.  The ones in the picture are not the greatest kinds (hence why they have been sitting in my food bag for a year), but even the kinds without extra vitamins are a blessing when you come to a yucky water source.  Juice packets help me stay hydrated by encouraging me to drink more.  And in the summer, that is a very good thing.

PA --> KY --> PA

Today it is Bart's turn to bid farewell. He found these socks in Kentucky, left by a group from Pennsylvania who had an unfortunate evening on the Pine Mountain Trail.

Unable to find the owner in PA, Bart will be properly disposing of them in Mapleton's garbage can.

They made it home.

Purple Pen

Today my purple pen died on me. It has come 1300 miles, chronicling every day. It was a good pen, faithful and true, working in freezing temperatures and hot. For 900 miles I have carried a backup, expecting mine to run dry. I am sorry I had so little faith in you, purple pen. I am sorry you will never see New York.

Thanks Pine Mountain Outfitters!

Sporting our generous gifts from Pine Mountain Outfitters in Whitesburg KY! One more reason to love KY and the Pine Mountain Trail! This store has anything you need to get hiking.

Hillbilly Bart's new hobby

He is pretty impressed with himself. :)

Maildrop preparation

My task today was to find travel-sized supplies.  My timing could have been better, but at least I was not trampled to death by a horde of consumption-driven Christmas procrastinators with their glowing life-sized stuffed puppies that actually wee and the clearance-rack camo-colored ShakeWeights. 

I felt like a dork when I was checking out.  The cashier must have thought that I buy everything in travel-size containers due being obsessive-compulsive or that I give the world's lamest Christmas gifts EVER.  Hopefully neither of those assumptions is true.

My Christmas gift to myself.
Ho ho ho.

Backpack weight is the enemy of every hiker.  Keeping that weight down is priority #2, and it helps significantly with priority #1, which is "don't die in the woods."

Sometimes Hillbilly Bart and I will arrange to have a supply box sent to us at points along the way so we can get new supplies. We can't avoid maildrops, primarily because of maps.

Maps weigh a lot.  

 I have accumulated piles to help us through the trail.  Some piles weigh over a pound. There's no overall guidebook, no one place to access everything needed to hike the Great Eastern Trail.  It has been a delightful journey to find all the resources we need to make this hike a reality.

We begin the trip carrying the maps for Alabama and Georgia.  This keeps the weight down and will keep us from getting overwhelmed.  Tackling the trail in chunks is necessary for sanity.  In Georgia we will pick up Tennessee information and in Tennessee we will get Kentucky maps, and so on.  Along with maps, our maildrops will include travel-sized toiletries, new journals, socks, and so on.  These are things that I have had problems finding in towns during my previous hikes, so I am buying them now.

Some hikers along the Pacific Crest and other long-distance trails mail food to themselves along the way.  Bart and I are not doing this.  First of all, we think we can reasonably figure out ways to resupply from the Great Eastern Trail.  We may not always have the food we want, but we can likely get by, as neither of us is very picky.  Secondly, we are both very passionate about the economic impact that this trail will have in small towns such as Mullens and Pineville, West Virginia.   Trails can mean big business for small towns, and we want to model that by buying groceries locally.

We'd love to get mail along the way.  Email may be difficult to access, and letters can really brighten up a day.  If you send mail to Jo's parents' house, they will include it in the next upcoming mail drop.  Contact Jo for their address.  Thanks to Mom and Dad Swanson for rocking the maildrop situation yet again!

Jo's warm-up hike

Fiskars and Someday atop Springer Mountain

I just returned from a 26-day hike from Davenport Gap in the Smokies to Springer Mountain, Georgia on the Benton MacKaye Trail.  My friend Fiskars went with me and completed her first long-distance hike.  She rocked! 

We started on November 6th, and encountered some a lot of Sandy's snow.  Luckily, the Benton MacKaye Trail maintains generally lower elevations throughout the Smokies compared to the Appalachian Trail, so after a few days the snow had melted.

It was great to get out and back into the hiking groove, making sure all my gear will work for a long trip.  On night two, we learned that my tent's rainfly was no longer waterproof.  At all.  I called the company and was able to purchase a replacement and have it shipped to our next resupply point. I'm glad I learned that before hiking the Great Eastern Trail.  Logistics on the GET will be difficult enough without having to deal with gear issues.

The Benton MacKaye Trail was absolutely fantastic and I highly recommend it.  It was nice to hike a trail and need a map; my other hiking experiences have been in places where a person would really have to try to get lost.  It was very good practice for the GET, which in some places doesn't quite exist yet.

On my way back to Minnesota I stopped in West Virginia to go over some plans with Hillbilly Bart.  I leave Minnesota in less than a month, so I am busy planning maildrops, mapping out some roadwalks, and accumulating maps.

Thank you to everyone who helped us out during the Benton MacKaye Trail trip: Hillbilly Bart for driving us to the Smokies, Mom for the roadtrip home,  Mad Dog, Ali, Jen, and Brandon for visiting (and treats!), Mike for being brave enough to pick up two stinky hitchhikers, The Hike Inn for being wonderful people, the Fish Hatchery for going above and beyond, the Green Cove Motel for my favorite zero day on the trail, Mike and company at the Ducktown Copper Inn for being sweethearts, and the Iron Bridge Cafe and Hostel for being exactly what we needed.  Oh, and thanks Sgt. Rock!

FAQs for those who don't like reading

Enjoy FAQ 2.0 :)