Gear

Due to the fact that gear is expensive, my gearlist this summer will be essentially the same as last year.

Here is an abbreviated list of the gear I brought with me on the JMT in 2006.
Click on an item in the left column to see the review.

Backpack - Lowe Alpine Attack 50
The Attack 50 is a 3100 cubic inch, frameless, lightweight, simple rucksack. The pack has enough room for the extent of my gear plus a good week of food, and carries comfortably even with a load above 30 pounds. My biggest complaint with the pack is an overall lack of accessibility, specifically in the absence of external pockets. Intended for technical climbing, the pack has only one vertical dorsal external pocket, which fit less of my quick-access gear than I would have liked. I'll look forward to carrying this pack again, although I will keep an eye out for something with more external capacity.

Tent - Eureka Solitaire
The Eureka Solitaire is a simple double-walled, 2 pole hoop tent. It weighs in somewhere between 2 and 3 pounds, depending on what kind and how many stakes you bring. The cold nighttime weather and abundance of biting insects in the Sierras made this tent well worth the weight, and I was the envy of several more intense "ultralight" hikers, many of whom used tarps and/or bivys. I wish the fly was completely removable from the body, as setup and drying would be made much easier. Additionally, the fiberglass poles were difficult to snake through the width of the tent body (especially when wet), and would probably not last more than a few trips without breaking (I have read several reports of these poles breaking soon after purchase). Another huge factor in my choice was price. I was able to purchase the Solitaire for $40 brand new, whereas I would spend almost ten times as much for an ultralight tarp and bivy. All in all, I was happy with the Solitaire and look forward to using it on future trips.

Sleeping Bag - Kelty Light Year 25 (650-fill Down)
I am unable to fit my beloved synthetic (North Face Cat's Meow, 20 degrees) into the 50 liter pack, so I opted for a more compressible down bag. The Kelty Light Year 25 is an affordable middle fill-power down bag that sleeps comfortably above freezing. I'm a warm sleeper, and I awoke comfortably several mornings to find frozen water bottles. I pushed the limits of this bag by camping without a tent on a cold night on sheer granite, completely exposed to the wind. I was able to sleep through the majority of the night using the liner (see below) and ALL of my warm clothing (including fleece), but was not what I would consider comfortable. My biggest complaint about the Kelty Light Year 25 is the lack of a draft collar. It seems to me that the addition of a simple collar would add a signifcant amount of comfort for a trivial increase in weight. Despite the cinching cords around the face (which I used regularly), I frequently experienced cold spots at the shoulders and was aware that a good deal of heat was escaping. All in all, I was very happy with the Kelty Light Year 25, but will look forward to newer versions in the future.

Bag liner - Cocoon Coolmax Mummy Bag Liner
I supplemented my sleeping bag with the Cocoon Coolmax mummy bag liner, which adds some 8 degrees to a bag's rating. A bag liner such as this one seems like an obvious must for any hiker, as it increases the versatility of your bag as well as keeps it clean, which is extremely important for the life of a down bag. The Cocoon Coolmax bag liner performed well and will accompany me on any trip where temperatures threaten to drop below freezing.

Sleeping pad - Thermarest Z-Lite
This 3/4 length sleeping pad really light and inexpensive, and provides adequate comfort for minimalist hiking. I met several other "ultralight" hikers who brought self-inflating Thermarest sleeping pads, and I must admit I was a bit jealous, especially sleeping on the cold granite. Next time I hope to bring something like the Thermarest ProLite, for comfort and warmth.

Trekking Poles - LEKI Super Makalu Antishock
Arguably the most important part of my gear, my LEKI poles were excellent (as always). Trekking poles make ascents easier, descents bearable, creek crossing safer and allow you to use your whole body to cover more miles in less time. The key to distance hiking is being able to cover ground not only fast, but efficiently, and poles allow you to do just that. My tendonitis acted WAY up on this trip, almost certainly due to the huge changes in elevation every day. Without my poles, I am sure I would not have completed this trip. The poles took more than their share of abuse on the rugged trail, and although they came back scarred, they never failed me and are sure to accompany me on many future hikes. While I have absolutely no complaints about my LEKI poles, I might be interested in picking up a lighter titanium pair for future treks.

Footwear - New Balance 485
This was the first serious hike I ever attempted in sneakers. I was hesitant to depart into the Sierras without my Vasque Clarion GTX's (which I LOVE), but I was convinced, especially after hearing repeatedly that 1 pound on your feet is worth 5 pounds on your back. Convinced has become converted. I don't believe I will ever hike (in warm weather at least) in boots again. The New Balance 485's are lightweight, breathable, comfortable, easy to remove (sounds stupid, I know, but how many times do you leave wet socks on just to avoid having to take off boots?), quick-drying, durable... I could go on and on. Yes, small rocks would occasionally find their way into my shoes, however they would then find their way into a corner and not bother me a bit. Sometimes sharp rocks would cause some pain (especially during creek crossings), so I would recommend using insoles to eliminate this problem.

Gloves - Mechanix Wear
My Mechanix Wear gloves were great, protecting my hands from granite rock scrambled, Half Dome cables, and even the friction from my pole handles. My hands came back blistered, but I can't imagine how bad they would have been without these gloves. My biggest (and probably only) complaint about these gloves is that they seemed to offer almost no UV protection at all. My hands proved vulnerable to sunburn despite wearing these gloves for protection. Perhaps Mechanix Wear might consider making a glove with UV protection, if they don't already.

Bear Bag - Ursack TKO 2.0 Hybrid
I wish I had more to report (well, not really), but what is there to say when not a single critter made any attempts at your food? I am a strict Leave No Tracer, I practiced stealth camping whenever possible, and I used the OP (Odor Protection) Sacks offered by Ursack. I recommend the Ursack TKO 2.0 Hybrid to anyone who doesn't want to lug around the weight of the standard Garcia bear canisters. Because the Hybrid would not fit into my (small) rucksack, I found it most convenient to lash the aluminum liner to the outside of my pack while hiking, which allowed the Ursack itself to act as a compressible food bag. Removing and replacing the insert was somewhat difficult, especially trying to handle the cold aluminum in the morning. Personally, I wish the Ursack were a bit larger, although it should provide enough space for a single hiker on a hike less than a week. The Ursack is a WONDERFUL alternative to those heavier canisters. Let's hope it remains approved for next year...

Water treatment - Potable Aqua
I was unable to find Polar Pure, so I brought simple iodine tablets. I didn't like the idea at first, but in a day I became actually fond of the taste and preferred it to my vitamin C neutralizer. Occasionally I would drink untreated water from mountain streams or the top 6 inches of lakes which are naturally treated by the intense UV rays in the mountains. Iodine is a great lightweight alternative to a pump, and I was happy not to have to work for my water.

Soda can stove - (homemade)
This might have been the most popular piece of gear I brough with me. The soda can stove is a simple lightweight alcohol stove with no moving parts. You can turn it upsidedown and burn Esbit tablets. It practically can't break, because at the very least you can still burn liquid alcohol, although less efficiently than vapor. As alcohol stoves are becoming more and more popular, alcohol is becoming more and more available at hiking stores, and I was (luckily) able to find denatured alcohol in Yosemite. I am amazed at how little fuel I ended up using. I brought my fuel in a 20 ounce soda bottle and used less than half of it for the entire trip. It may not boil water as fast as the Whisperlight or canister stoves, but it is FAR more lightweight, easy to maintain, and inexpensive. Every serious lightweight hiker should make one for themselves.

Pot - Evernew 0.9L (Titanium)
The only thing I can say about this pot is that it is really light. I met a hiker who carried the heavier (stainless steel?) version, and we both agreed that titanium was just better. I have had this pot for years and my homemade stoves/windscreen fit into it nicely. I have never had any problems with it and probably never will.