Category Archives: Backpacking Gear

Clarification on the Deschutes CF Post Yesterday

April 28, 2015Backpacking GearSMD Deschutes CF ShelterNick Gatel

I got a very nice email from the owner of Six Moon Designs, Ron Moak. My description of the seam construction was not exactly correct. The original post has been updated with the following information:

The Deschutes CF is constructed from several pieces of Cuben material and all of the seams on the Deschutes are sewn first then tapped. The sewn seam allowance is not seen as it is buried under a wide 1.5” piece of seam tape. This protects the stitching and makes for a very clean seam.

SMD also uses their own custom seam tapes and glue. The normal transfer tapes used on Cuben can peel under the right conditions. However, SMD wet tape bonds more completely to the Cuben when it dries. The tapping also waterproofs the seams.

Other than that, he liked the comments about using a tarp, and of course the write-up on the Deschutes CF.

Six Moon Designs Deschutes CF Shelter

April 27, 2015Backpacking Gear, Shelters, TentsDeschutes CF Shelter, shaped tarpsNick Gatel

DESCHUTES?

What kind of a name is that? I can’t pronounce it and can barely spell it. So I looked it up via Google. It is a river in Oregon that is a main tributary of the Columbia River. The Deschutes also flows north, which is atypical for a North American river. The manufacturer of the Deschutes CF tarp is Six Moon Designs and they are located in Beaverton, Oregon. Mystery solved. What a sleuth I am.

CF?

That one is easy. Cuben Fiber. Also known as CTF3. It is a non-woven fabric that is strong and extremely light. A lot of my gear is made from Cuben Fiber.

Oh, and yes, I bought a new shelter, the Six Moon Designs Deschutes CF tarp.

Continue reading Six Moon Designs Deschutes CF Shelter →

Are Bivies Obsolete?

March 31, 2015Backpacking GearNick Gatel

THE BIVY

Bivies were, and still are, mostly used as emergency shelters by mountaineers. However, some backpackers see them as a viable (and lighter) alternative to a tent or tarp. I was one of those folks.

Bivies have been around for a long time. Basically they are a waterproof envelope or a big bag you put your sleeping bag inside, eliminating the need for a shelter. I bought my first bivy some 30 odd years ago. Designs haven’t changed much since then. Years ago you could get a basic bivy that weighed around a pound. And you could, just like today, get a bivy with an elaborate setup at the “head” end using poles or a hoop to provide a little more room at the top of this most minimal of shelters – you could lean on your elbow and move around a bit. These fancy bivies, just as they do today, generally weighed at least twice as much as the basic bag.

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My Favorite Gear of 2014

January 22, 2015Backpacking GearNick Gatel

Apparently I’m late to the party.

Many backpackers with blogs do an end of the year review of their favorite gear. I spent most of the end of 2014 backpacking and camping, so there was no time or Internet access to write one.

Many of these bloggers’ favorite gear review includes only their favorite NEW gear of the year. And every year they have a dozen or so NEW pieces of gear to share. What’s up with that?

Alas, it has been almost two years since I purchased my last new gear item, a Victorinox “Little Vickie” paring knife for $9.95. I rarely take it backpacking; only on trips where I need to cut salami or spread peanut butter and honey. On most trips my knife is a lowly and simple single edge razor blade.

I have replaced a few inexpensive items that have worn out with the exact same thing, and I have bought a few items to repair or maintain gear: a couple tarp poles, some down wash, silicone sealer, guylines and linelocs. I call these “maintenance” purchases.

Backpacking gear is just a means to an end; the end being a safe trip with the lightest pack weight one cam assemble. I figure that if you know what you are doing and you backpack often, you don’t have time to be searching for the newest wonder gear, and you should probably have your gear dialed in so there is nothing you really need to buy.

So here is my favorite backpacking gear for 2014, which is exactly the same favorite gear for 2012 and 2013.