Gear

My summer gear base weight- just under 8 lbs

July 13, 2011

I’ve been slowly chipping away at my pack weight over the last year, and it’s been a super fun process. The items on this list have been tried over the course of a couple of backpacking trips, so I’m confident that they are workable for me. So without further ado, here is my current gear [...]

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The many uses of silica gel packets

February 20, 2011

You’ve seen them before. Little packets that fall out of the box when you try on new boots. Or a couple of them are stuffed in the pockets of that jacket you just brought home from the store. What are they? Silica gels. What are they for? Many, many things. Silica gels absorb moisture. I [...]

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Gear Review: GSI telescoping Foon

October 23, 2010

The GSI telescoping foon is a lightweight utensil that slides in on itself so that it takes up very little space. At first glance, it seems like a pretty clever idea, but my love for it did not last long. If I had only one word to say about this product, I would say: fail. Shannon [...]

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Tarptent test run #2: much better

October 21, 2010

On my recent trip to the Hell’s Canyon wilderness area, I decided to give my Tarptent Squall a solid seven day test. My last experience with it was pretty disappointing, so I had my doubts about how well it would perform. I was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed using my Tarptent and this has led [...]

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Gear Review- Lafuma LD Sky Race Trail shoes

September 30, 2010

There comes a time in every girl’s life where she meets a very special piece of gear. Something so perfect she wouldn’t change a shoe lace, and can only fall in love and hope the current model never changes. This is what has happened for me with my Lafuma LD Sky Race Trail shoes. I am wearing [...]

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New breakfast recipe: white wine and nectarine oatmeal

September 23, 2010

I like to start my drinking early in the morning. No I don’t. Actually, I hardly drink at all. But when Cat suggested adding a little wine to our breakfast, I was intrigued. We loved it! I’m definitely going to make this one again. Recipe: 2 cups of oatmeal, pre-mixed with sugar, cinnamon, salt, and [...]

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A quick shout out to Gatorade

August 26, 2010

Since I’ve been doing a number of evaluations of electrolyte replacement options, I thought I’d give a quick shout out to the all-time classic: Gatorade. Gatorade has been my mainstay since High School when my track coach introduced me to the mix and I began sprinkling the powder on bananas and bread to make sandwhiches. [...]

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Reconsidering because of Ray Jardine #1: sleeping bags

August 14, 2010

After reading Trail Life: Ray Jardine’s Lightweight Backpacking, I have started to reconsider some of my gear choices. Because I have a great deal of respect for him, I am taking his recommendations very seriously. First up: Sleeping bags. I currently use the REI Halo 25, and I love it for 3 reasons. 1) The down [...]

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