23 March 2014

Looking forward to adventure.

This week I've been researching backpacking gear. With all the hiking and camping I do, I've never really put the two together. Generally, I'm a minimal hiker so the thought of carrying more than a few pounds has always turned me off the idea. But I actually do like the idea, so I'm putting aside my trepedation and looking into minimal backpacking gear. The lightest (and least expensive) mummy bag. Light and small sleeping pad. And yes, a larger pack to carry these things.

As for the sleeping bag, I've been leaning toward the Kelty Cosmic Down 20 (or 21 depending on...something) It's one of the least expensive down bags for that temperature rating. And it's under 3 lbs. So that's cool. I just have to commit to the price I guess.

The pad I just purchased used on eBay. It's called the Klymit Inertia X frame. And it's as minimal as back pads get. It's got cut outs to reduce weight. I sure hope it's supportive enough. But since I got it used it was about half price. So theoretically, bag and pad should only run me about $200.

The pack is proving more difficult. I use a very small one. It fits a small hydration pack and has room for a few things inside and an elastic strap on the outside for my coat or whatever else. It's definitely not enough. My other pack is a Kelty I've had since high school and it only has one pouch. It's got the ability to have numerous things strapped to it, but I don't think it's meant for much weight as the bottom is soft and the shoulder and lumbar straps are thin. So I need to get a new pack for a decent price. Good luck, haha. Once again, it doesn't have to be big. Just have enough room for necessities and straps for a sleeping bag. It's my wallet I'm worried about. I guess I don't have to buy all these things in one week though.

So perhaps I'll put either the sleeping bag or the backpack on hold for a bit. Yes.

2 comments:

Abby said...

So many toys! It's surprising how much this stuff can cost. I guess you can keep lurking ebay for that perfect pack that someone used once to find out they hate backpacking.

Abby said...
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