Gear Review

GroovyGear Pac
20l, 470g, Make it myself
Custom 20l no bullshit backpack.

Mylar Snack Bag Ground Cloth
30"x74", 75g, Free from Thailand
Mylar Sunflower Seed snack package wrapper works excellent as a ground sheet. Incredibly light, durable and it's silvered surface even reflects heat. Lasts about 2 years.

Eureka Gossamer Bivy/Tent
1104g, $89 from http://www.campmor.com
An ultra-light and all around excellent tent with full no-see-um netting and an optional rainfly. I have been using this tent exclusively for the past 4 years and it is still my favorite. Lasts about 4 years. Goods: One of the cheapest tents on the market. Versatile with both the no-see-um and rainfly options. After modifications it weighs in around 2lbs and only requires 3 stakes. Packs incredibly small. Bads: It's bright yellow rain fly makes it hard to go stealth (It now comes in charcoal grey). Would be better and even 1/2 lb. lighter if the rainfly were made from SilNy and were detachable. I am working on this modification...

Titan Titanium Tent Stakes
10g, $3 from http://www.equipment-camping.com/titanium-tent-stakes.htm
I use the 'light duty' ones which are a little flimsy, but good enough. Unless they are in easy dirt I usually have to bend them back into shape. I have been using for 3 years without problem.

ThermaRest Extreme 3/4 Sleeping Pad
466g, $60 from http://www.EMS.com
Too heavy for a thru-hiker but packs damn small and is decently comfortable. I have been using for 3 years without problem.

Western Mountaineering Highlite Sleeping Bag
488g, $220 from http://www.backcountrygear.com
Without a question, the best 40f bag I have used. Packs into a 2l bottle and weighs in at only 1lb. My only complaint is the lack of a draft tube along the zipper. I have been using for 2 years without problem.

GroovyGear Silk Sac Bag Liner
100g, $39 from http://www.GroovyDomain.com
What can I say? It's the best sleeping bag liner available. Ultra-light yet roomy and silky soft. Perfect fit for Western Mountaineering Highlite. Lasts about 2 years.

GroovyGear Convertibles shorts/pants
154g, $29 from http://www.GroovyDomain.com
What can I say? It's the best and lightest convertible shorts/pants available. Ultra-light yet tough as nails and silky soft. Can even use the pant legs as a hat when the sun beats down. Lasts about 1 year.

Mountain Hardwear Wicked-T T-Shirt
120g, $29 from http://www.altrec.com
Light weight and fast drying synthetic. Silky feel, comfortable in both heat and cold. A loose fit and a few ugly logos sewn or printed in. Snags easily on things. Lasts about 1 year.

Patagonia Silkweight Capilene T-Shirt
110g, $31 from http://www.altrec.com
Recently found these t-shirts to replace the hard to find Wicked-T. Lighter, silkier, and more comfortable then the Wicked-T and it doesn't snag as much. More fashionable cut and without any ugly logos! Much preferred. Lasts about 1 year.

Smartwool Hiking Lowcut Socks
55g, $11 from http://www.sockco.com
A warm, comfortable and minimal wool sock without the itch. Lasts about 1 year.

EMS Silk Thermal Top
115g, $30 from http://www.ems.com
A basic silk long underwear top. Silk has the best warmth to weight ratio. However, it is delicate and if worked hard it will tear. A stronger but heavier synthetic option is the EMS Capilene. EMS is good cause they have the lifetime no-questions-asked warrantee. Lasts about 1 year.

EMS Silk Thermal Bottom
115g, $30 from http://www.ems.com
A basic silk long underwear bottom. The same qualities as the top.

EMS Tsunami GoreTex Rain Jacket
412g, $127 from http://www.ems.com
Nice and light 'water proof and breathable' quality rain jacket. A bit too many zippers and pockets. Requires special care. Lasts about 2 years.

Red Lodge Pseudo-Gore Rain Jacket
351g, $89 from http://www.campmor.com
Nice and light 'water proof and breathable' quality rain jacket. A simplified version of the real thing. Requires special care. Lasts about 2 years.

EMS Tundra 200-Weight Fleece Jacket
365g, $36 from http://www.ems.com
Simple and effective fleece jacket without all the bullshit. Stuffs inside the Polartec Hat for storage and a good pillow. Lasts about 3 years.

EMS Micro Dome Uni Polartec Fleece Hat
35g, $15 from http://www.ems.com
Warm, light, and comfortable. Excellent multi uses as a blinder, pillow cover, and fleece jacket stuff sack. I use it almost every day. Lasts about 3 years.

Teva Sandals
400g, $20 from http://www.ems.com
The golden standard for travel footwear. Carrying boots is too much. It's all I use. Starts to fall apart after 6 months. Lasts about 1 year.

Dr. Bronner Bar Soap
144g, $3 from http://www.campmor.com
The golden standard for travel soap. I prefer Peppermint but Tea Tree should be antiseptic. Used also for hair and to shave. Fits perfectly into GroovyGear Soap Skin. Lasts about 6 months.

GroovyGear Soap Skin
Under 1g, Make it myself
A simple SilNy pouch fitting exactly a Dr. Bronners to replace the soap dish. Simply use it like a roll on and the soap lasts much longer. Quick drying, no mess in your pac.

Eco-Dent Tooth Powder
30g, $6 from Grocery
Ultra-Bright with Flouride. No messy tubes and a little lasts forever. 10g lasts nearly a year! Maybe not so good, I just got 4 cavities ;(

GroovyGear Combo ToothBrush/Shaver
7g, Make it myself
Combines an Oral-B toothbrush head and a Gilette Sensor shaver head into one. Lighter then even a plastic disposable shaver, but much better. Saves 35g over separate toothbrush and shaver. Brush head lasts about 3 months. Shaver blade lasts about 1 month.

3M Ultrathon Mosquitoe Cream
73g, $7 from http://www.tackledirect.com
Comes in 2oz tube that doesn't leak all over your bag. A little is all it takes and it lives up to it's 12h claim. No smell and non greasy. That and Permethrin is all I use anymore.

Princeton Tec Eclipse LED Light
6g, $10 from http://www.campmor.com
Finally a waterproof version of the Pulsar! Small and light and lasts forever on a couple watch batteries. Easy to lose.

Pepsi Can Stove
10g, Free from http://www.pcthiker.com/pages/gear/pepsistove.shtml
An impressively small and simple stove that you can easily build yourself. Small, light, failproof, and burns a half hour on 50ml of alcohol. Pure 100% alcohol works much better then 70%. _ _ ______________________________________________________ _ _

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