New Lightweight Gear

I finally decided to purchase some lightweight gear from Gossamer Gear. I bought a new backpack, hiking poles, shelter, and some misc. stuff, a tech light a titanium cookpot, alcohol stove and titanium tent pegs. Also Aqua Mira water treatment. Minus water, clothes and fuel, the pack weight comes in at 20 pounds. A 30 pound difference in pack weights. Ya Hooo!

I took it on a test hike on the nearby back road about 5 miles this morning. It only took me about 1/4 mile to get the straps all adjusted well and what a great feeling to hike along without all that extra weight. Now I have to send an email to Gossamer Gear to thank them and get some additional advice on seam sealing this material and to return a pair of foam pads that I purchased but don't need.

I haven't had a chance to set up the shelter. It's been raining here for days. I'll get a chance later in the week. The tent's a tarp-like affair made of the high tech ripstop silnet stuff. I had to trade off a sealed wall to floor arrangement for the lesser weight which I may still regret since I hike in the east with wet conditions but I'll give it a shot. There's a do-it-yourself attachable "tub" arrangement that I can make. I just have to download the directions from Gossamer Gear and find the material. I'll try it first with just a plastic ground cloth.

I still need a bear canister, fuel, some clothing and then I'll be ready to hit the Northville - Lake Placid trail.

9 Corner Lake Hike

I spent Sunday, April 30th, going thru every item in my pack, including my pack, and weighing each item. All that did not get weighed were clothes, bear canister, and some items I don't have yet like a stove shield, tent repair kit and things like that. I removed all excess packaging from tent pegs, tent poles, heavy bags, etc. Without the water in the water bottles, and as far as I can tell, nothing in the pack that's unnecessary, the pack weighs 56 pounds. Fill the water bottles and I'm at over 60 pounds. I put the pack on Wednesday the 3rd and my husband and I went for a hike to 9 Corner Lake in Pine Lake, NY. It's a pretty popular hike cause it's only .9 mile to the lake and it's a pretty good spot for swimming and picnicing. I can carry that pack but do I want to on a 9 day hike, or for 6 months on the Appalachian Trail? I don't think so.

So using information from an article in this months Backpacker Magazine I researched some lighter gear. I went to Gossamer Gear for a gear check and to Ursack for light weight bear canisters. The Ursack canisters are very light but I wonder if they're acceptable to NYS Dept. of Conservation (DEC) and the states the Appalachian Trail wanders thru. Only way to know is make some phone calls. The Gossamer Gear site was great. Lots of info on their lightweight gear. It would definately take 20 or more pounds off my pack. My thoughts are that the tent, primarily a tarp, will not provide much protection from weather or bugs. The pack is designed for lighter weights but I'm wondering how comfortable the pack is to wear. My current pack is comfortable, just too heavy. I guess I need to call them too.

This morning I spent with my mom, digging out a weed filled flower bed. I had to reset several of the cement blocks edging the bed. At lunch time my husband and I took a bike ride. It's such a beautiful day, I had to stay out longer. It was the 1st time out on my bike this year. We rode around the local area for about 30 - 40 minutes. So today I had a really good workout. I'm still planning to hike the Northville - Lake Placid trail at the end of July, heavy pack or not.