Category Archives: Backpacking Gear

Trailstar Shelter by Mountain Laurel Designs

Backpacking Gear, Shelters, Tents, , , , , ,

ANOTHER SHELTER?

collage of tarps

In the spring and fall the wind in our local deserts can get somewhat severe (gusts of 70+ mph). Along with the wind, gritty sand gets into everything: eyes, nose, ears, hair, gear, food, etc. As you can imagine, lighting a stove isn’t a simple thing to light or operate in this kind of weather. Over the years, my main shelters have been tarps or variations of a tarp (pre-determined shape without a floor). Above: Top row (L to R) poncho tarp, flat tarp, Gossamer Gear Spinn Twin flat tarp with a catenary cut. Bottom row (L to R) Chouinard Pyramid, Six Moons Wild Oasis, zPacks Hexamid.

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Open Letter to the Backpacking Cottage Industry

Backpacking Gear
08 McHale Pack smaller
McHale Bump Backpack. Dan McHale sets the standard for stellar customer service.

Last week I had dinner with a fellow lightweight backpacker. We were discussing gear (surprise, surprise) and our experiences with the cottage industry manufacturers. We both agreed that we no longer do business with the same companies because of their lack of communication and status updates. Both of us have purchased gear from most of the backpacking cottage companies, and we’re 100% in agreement on the companies we no longer wish to do business with. In all instances we agreed the products were top notch; we also agreed that your service sucks, and as such we are no longer willing to do business with you.

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Springtime = REI Dividend Time

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rei dividend notice

Every spring many hikers, backpackers, campers, and others look forward to their REI dividend check. REI (Recreational Equipment Incorporated) is a co-op that operates retail stores and online sales. Founded in 1938, each year members receive a dividend based on their previous year’s purchases.

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Solar for Backpacking?

Backpacking Gear, Solar, , ,

Recently I wrote about our RV solar system, which is the best and most favorite modification done to our tent trailer camper. Do I use solar when backpacking? The answer is a simple, “No.” However, some backpackers find them useful. If you are one who is wondering about using solar as part of your backpacking kit, this article might be interesting or even helpful.

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