Gear Archives - Untaken Trails

AZT Prep – Gear Changes – Cheryl
I thought I would highlight a few pieces of gear I am reusing and what I am bringing in new this time around.

New Gear
In preparation for hiking the AZT in March, I have made a couple of purchases, or am going to be making a few purchases to have the right gear and some added flexibility.
1. Go Pro Hero 12 – One thing I wanted to do is take video on our hikes. Previously, I had used my cell phone to capture some footage, but I was always concerned about dropping it. I also didn’t necessarily want to bring it out in the rain and missed capturing some of the more challenging moments on the trail. I enjoy seeing videos from other hikers and I know my friends appreciate seeing the places we have been. With the Go Pro Hero 12, I am looking forward to getting video and sharing our experiences through another medium.
2. Cotopaxi Hip Pack – Having quick access to supplies such as toiletries and Go Pro accessories was a priority for me this trip. After stressing about what the tuckamore would steal from my pack while hiking in Gros Morne National Park this summer, I didn’t want to have as many items tucked in my backpack’s side pockets, such as my toiletries bag. I also don’t want to leave anything of value in my backpack should we decide to go on a day hike and leave the remainder of our gear at our campsite. My only concern will be comfort when wearing the hip pack along with the waist belt of my backpack. I see an update coming in the future.
3. Montem Trekking Poles – If you read our Gros Morne National Park trip reports, you would have read how I bent a trekking pole after sinking and falling into a muddy bog. We hunted around for replacement trekking poles for the trip and came across the Montem brand. My brand new white poles have already arrived and the company has sent customer service messages to let us know they will be responsive to any concerns. I think I already like them as a company, so I will be even happier if I like their trekking poles. After the hike, I will need to do a gear review on them.
4. Gossamer Bottle Rocket (or Similar) – I am currently trying to track down an accessory for my backpack that will attach a 750ml water bottle to my shoulder strap. I am tired of turning in circles when attempting to slip my water bottle back into the backpack side pocket. I keep running into shipping issues where a $15-30 item will have taxes and shipping costs totaling around $25, bringing the total expense to around $50. That’s more than I want to pay for a little pouch that hangs off of my pack. Stay tuned for whatever I eventually find.
5. Pillow – I decided to give a new pillow a try on this trail. When I track down the name of the new pillow, I’ll update this post. While my Trekology pillow was easy to inflate and never leaked on me, there was something about it’s shape and how it always slid off of my mattress throughout the night that I didn’t like. Also, the fabric on my face was not the most comfortable. I’m hoping my new choice of pillow will work better for my sleeping style and maybe will stay in place better.
6. Shorts – For the first time, I will be packing shorts. There is no way I would not bring a pair of pants as cold mornings will mean cold legs, but knowing I will be hiking in the desert in hot temperatures during mid-day, I am definitely wearing shorts. I have never done a multi-day hike in shorts as we have always gone to the mountains or to Newfoundland where temperatures really aren’t ideal for those with exposed legs. I’m looking forward to the warmth.
Returning Gear
1. Saucony Peregrine 11 Trail Runners – The last time I used these was on the Pioneer Footpath, which I found was not the right shoe for Newfoundland and Labrador terrain since I needed the ankle support for the hidden uneven “trails”. I then used my Keen Hikers for our Gros Morne hike and found the ankle support gave me more confidence when stepping on the moss that deceptively made you believe the terrain was soft and even. The trail runners were great for our hike on the Great Divide Trail where the terrain was visible and rocky, so they are making a comeback for the AZT.
2. Outdoor Research Puffy – I love my little green puffy. It keeps me warm when I need it most and is light to pack around. I also like to use it as an extension of my pillow when my Trekology pillow decides to go exploring in the middle of the night.
3. Therm-a-Rest Neoair Xtherm and Synthetic/Down Hybrid TopQuilt – I run cold and I have found this combination of a sleep system works well for me. While we are going to add sleeping pads for more protection from pokey things on the ground, I am not going to change my sleep system. It kept me warm in Gros Morne and I am confident it will keep me warm on the AZT.
4. Durston Drop 40L – While I do want to get a water bottle holder for my shoulder strap, this pack has been great for me now that I know how to adjust all the loaders and waist strap to suit my needs. I have beaten on this pack, dragging it along the rough surface of boulders as I slid down to tossing it into the back of vehicles. It remains in good shape and keeps everything dry. Even though we’ve never had a problem with moisture, we have still always put our clothes and other items in dry sacks. This time we are going with a pack liner and will just stuff everything in there so we don’t leave any spaces unfilled.
5. The North Face Pants – I can’t tell you how much I love my North Face pants. These things are comfortable and durable. I have slid down so many surfaces while wearing these things and they are still in great shape. Sure the fabric is getting a little rough and pilly, but they are my favorite piece of clothing. They are definitely coming with us.
While I’m making some gear changes, almost everything is going to remain the same. I think I have my gear pretty dialed in and I like the way it operates. Comfort for me on the trail means using what is familiar and my trusty gear has performed well on our backcountry trips thus far. It is even making me feel almost comfortable enough to consider doing a solo hike. Don’t tell Oliver I said that.
Cheryl

January 21, 2024

2024, Arizona Trail, Gear
AZT Prep: Gear Changeover – Oliver

After hiking sections of the Great Divide Trail (The Wildest Thru Hike, or so they say) and the even wilder Gros Morne Traverses, we have seen rough trail conditions and variable weather. We have adapted our kits to cope with wet, with bugs, with sketchy trails (or nonexistent ones), with fluctuations in temperatures from hot sunny days to snow and ice on our tent.

But in choosing the Arizona Trail for our next hike, we are going to be challenged by a completely new set of variables. There will be some items in common, but enough differences to make it worthy to consider.

This pack was from our Labrador Footpath hike, Day 1 with all food and water. I shove my daily food in a big ziplock on the outside of the pack for accessibility and to save space in the bear can. The Toaks cups are for morning hot drinks and to clink together as an ad-hoc bearbell.

First, the temperatures will be higher. And drier. The elevation we will be dealing with will be higher also – even the Great Divide Trail does not reach the heights of the American Rockies in terms of elevation above sea level. The highest pass we hiked was Wonder Pass at just shy of 7800 feet. The height of Mica Mountain, our first big climb on the AZT is 8594 feet. Another thing to consider is when we did the GDT our home was at about 2000 feet, so the difference between the trail altitude and our home was not nearly as great as this time, where we live is just 50 feet above sea level. So, while it is possible we may see the remains of the winter on the AZT at certain moments, what we will have to plan for is management of water supplies and protection from the sun, and keeping cool (well, cooler anyway).

The AZT, we have been told, has bears but not like the Grizzlies of the Canadian Rockies. The consensus seems to be one doesn’t even require bear spray or food storage precautions they are so seldom seen. So that will lighten our load in one direction.

Out In
Long Pants Shorts
Bear Canister/Ursack ThermaRest Z-Lite Foam Pad
Bear Spray Extra 1L Water Capacity
Mid or Insulation Layer Tent Footprint
RainGear GoPro

But we will add weight in another area: our shelter. Many “Cowboy Camp” the AZT but we are going to bring our DurstonGear XMid 2P just in case. However, we have heard that the rocky desert and its abundant poky things will require consideration as well so we are adding weight there. So here’s a nerdy chart for you:

Going from pants to shorts will be interesting for me. I have always done the convertible pants thing, but for this trip I am just going to stick with shorts. Cheryl will probably have some leggings but she runs colder than I do.

Dropping the bear stuff will be a significant weight savings, and I am still processing breaking the cardinal rule of food in the backcountry – no food in your tent! Not sure how I am going to feel about it on trail but it seems that’s what people do on this trail.

The extra water capacity won’t add much weight if empty (Smartwater bottles don’t weigh much) but full that’s an extra 2 lbs. The GoPro is Cheryl’s weight – I take the tent so she carries the camera.

The question of base/midlayers and raingear is interesting to me. I know myself, sporadic storms are better dealt with in a fleece than a rainjacket/pants because I just wind up soaked with sweat in them (I only use rain pants to protect from morning dew and water off foliage). I’d rather be wet and warm in a fleece and dry out quickly than locking in all my own moisture! But, bringing two insulation layers (fleece and puffy) seems redundant with this trail. I’ll never wear them both. A puffy provides insulation on cold mornings and evenings, and wind resistance on windy days. The fleece provides water tolerant warmth but no resistance to wind. I am thinking just the puffy may be the way to go. I’ll have a set of technical base layers with me if it’s REALLY cold but doubt I’ll use them. They could also be used in a pinch if it’s raining, as they will still provide some warmth if wet. But I really don’t see it likely we will experience hours and hours of soaking rain on this hike.

She pitches well on moss and berry bushes but…

The last thing to discuss is the tent/sleeping changes. I have seen horror stories of air mattresses being punctured in desert conditions. We watched a thru hike video of a couple who used larger egg crate mats as their sit pads, giving more area to recline and relax on during the day, and use under their air mattresses for extra insulation at night. We really like that idea, not so much for the insulation (Cheryl runs an X-Therm and I have a Tensor Alpine) but for protection from possible punctures. We will also bring a footprint for the tent – we have never needed one up to this point – it’s a durable tent! But it has never faced desert, so we will err on the side of caution.

One other tiny thing we will bring along – we like the idea of a cowboy camp, but find it hard to believe creepy crawlies won’t amble over to us at night so we are bringing Dan Durston’s “Stargazer Kit” – it weighs next to nothing and allows us to pitch the inner part of our tent without the fly – best of both worlds!

admin

January 14, 2024

2024, Arizona Trail, Gear, Outdoors

adaptation, desert, footprint, gear, water
Battle of the UL Campstoves 2022
So last year I did a comparison of ultralight campstoves by raw numbers: weight and cost being the most salient factors, though I touched on ease of use and risk of failure as deciding factors for myself in selecting my own system. The winners from that “debate” were the super cheap BRS from Amazon (with accessories selected as needed – fuel choice and cookpot size may give more advantages) for both weight and price, but my personal selection was the then brand new Jetboil Stash, because I was willing to take a price penalty and slight weight penalty for reliability and efficiency on long trips.

This year I have been put onto two further ultralight options: the alcohol stove system and the Firebox Nano. It seems to me that the idea of a cook system which runs on biofuel (ie. sticks), while it may not be the most heat-efficient approach would save on fuel weight and make less waste. The Biolite simply wasn’t light enough to make sense last year even with the potential to charge electronics. But the Firebox Nano intrigued me so I thought I would consider it here.

If you didn’t click on the link above, (fair warning: all prices in CAD and weights in grams) here’s what I found:
- Jetboil Stash ($160): 399g (includes fuel weight and pot with integrated windscreen)
- BRS UL Burner w/ Toaks pot and MSR fuel ($78.50): 362g
And now… let’s consider three other options: another stick-fired stove, a stick-fired supplemented with alcohol, and an alcohol based setup.
(more…)
admin

February 4, 2022

Gear, Gear Reviews, Outdoors, Uncategorized

alcohol stove, BRS, camp stoves, campstoves, firebox, jetboil, skurka, UL, ultralight
Gear Review: Dan Durston XMid 1P Vs. Nemo Hornet 1P

Dan Durston’s XMid 1P Vs. Nemo Hornet 1P Tents

So I was working on my gear as you might have seen on here, and I settled, after much debate on the Nemo Hornet 1P, after I found a screaming hot deal with Valhalla Pure, getting the tent for $359 instead of $449. I discovered its footprint size and price per ounce was more favourable than just about anything I could order in from across the border like Gossamer Gear or Zpacks.

So I grabbed it on sale…

Then I came across Dan Durston’s XMid 1P.

I would always rather support Canadian-based design than USA – the market is so much smaller and the guy designed it for the Great Divide Trail, a trail I desperately want to do. I looked it over online and I loved the double vestibule and neat innovations like the parallelogram floor. No poles means lighter right?

I signed up for the drop thinking it would be a while before it came available again. Then it did – sooner than I thought.

Now I have two tents. What to do? Compare them of course!
(more…)

admin

May 14, 2021

Gear, Gear Reviews, Outdoors
Shopping for Hiking Gear in Canada: 2019

Shopping for Hiking Gear in Canada: 2019

Here’s the problem: Canada is not the USA.

Hear me out. That’s important when it comes to hiking gear, especially in this brave new world of lightweight and ultralight backpacking and hiking.

Like overseas hikers, the selection of gear available locally is not that light. It might be tough, it might be useful, but it is not light.

I have pored over Atmosphere, I have visited multiple Valhalla Pures, I have scanned Canadian Tire and Camper’s Village, I have scrolled through Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shop, and I have dug through the REI of Canada, MEC‘s catalog. The selection just isn’t there compared to the USA.

And ordering online from American outfitters, while technically possible, is expensive especially with the Canadian Dollar in the toilet.

I was in one shop, a specialty outdoors store, where I had previously had very good conversations with the owner about gear. But this time, looking to specifically cut my base weight, he had nothing to offer me except to point me towards insanely expensive gear that wasn’t even what I was looking for.

In general, all of the above stores, if they carry quality hiking gear at all, only carry the big names: Osprey, Deuter, Gregory if you’re lucky. The odd Kelty, Mountain Hardware, or North Face sprinkled here and there, occasionally MSR makes an appearance. Basically, if it’s made in a factory somewhere in the 3rd world, you can buy it in Canada.

But compared to what I already own, next to nothing would make serious cuts to my base weight.

However, I have good news: there is some reasonable gear available for sale in Canada for a decent price. I’ll tell you what I found.

(more…)

admin

January 29, 2019

Gear, Gear Reviews, Outdoors

backpacks, canada, gear, hiking, shelters, sleeping, ultralight, weight

Out	In
Long Pants	Shorts
Bear Canister/Ursack	ThermaRest Z-Lite Foam Pad
Bear Spray	Extra 1L Water Capacity
Mid or Insulation Layer	Tent Footprint
RainGear	GoPro

AZT Prep – Gear Changes – Cheryl

AZT Prep: Gear Changeover – Oliver

Battle of the UL Campstoves 2022

Gear Review: Dan Durston XMid 1P Vs. Nemo Hornet 1P

Shopping for Hiking Gear in Canada: 2019