After putting over 100 miles on my current load of gear, I thought I’d do a little overview and talk about some of the items I love and some of the gear that I’m pretty disappointed in.
Before I talk trash about any brand, I think I should talk about some of the things this gear is going through here versus how my gear was treated on the AT, Long Trail, and other East Coast backpacking trips. The main struggle on a trip to the East Coast is humidity control. If it’s cold and your gear gets wet, can it still keep you warm? Can you find time to dry things? A waterproof backpack and a timely sun break can keep this under control for the most part.
Things that sometimes I want to pull off a mountain
Here in the Southern California desert, I have two big problems: heavy hauling of water and dirt. Dirt. In. All. I’m certainly not afraid of dirt (and this stuff is actually more like dusty sand), but it quickly stains gear, fills up my shoes, and ruins zippers. Especially my Durston gear bras. I’m using a Durston backpack (the Kakwa 55) and a tent (an older version of the X-Mid 2).
My partner and I love how spacious the tent is. We both have room to carry some gear to the tent and the vestibules are large enough to easily store my backpack, shoes, and water bags. The only real problem with the tent is the dirt on the zippers, which causes them to stick intensely. We have a zipper that is quite difficult to close and another that jumps along the teeth even with full force.
Our tent. An old model of the Durston X-Mid 2
The backpack, however, has become my mortal enemy. I pack my gear the same way I always have. I’ve spent hours each day trying to tighten and loosen different straps, and I can’t get the pack to transfer weight to my hips properly. The shoulder straps are too far apart and too wide, causing a lot of discomfort even when the backpack is not loaded with 4 liters of water.
Unfortunately, here in the desert, I’ve had to leave most water sources with so much water, so I spend much of the day fiddling with my backpack and complaining about the pain in my shoulder. The closures on my backpack are also suffering from dusty grime: the zippers on the hip belt pockets close stubbornly and the buckles require more effort than they should to fit. Overall, I give the Kakwa a 4/10. As popular as this package is, I am disappointed by the poor performance and wish the design was more suitable for people with different frames.
Test hikes with Durston seemed fine, apart from the lack of an ice ax loop
My two honorable mention complaints are about my shoes and my hoodie. I’m currently wearing the Topo activities, and they are really wonderful shoes! I switched to Altras’ Topos after finishing the AT and now feel pampered with my comfortable midsole and grippy Vibram pants. My only complaint (and it’s really minor) is that the Pursuits’ mesh upper is thin enough to allow to you of sand in my shoes. I shoot loads after the sandy sections, where my partner (using Terraventures) has virtually none. But that breathable mesh is great for keeping my feet from sweating!
As for the sun hoodie (Evolved Supply Co), my issue is the smell. I bought this particular hoodie because it’s a merino blend and I’ve always had good luck with merino-based hiking shirts that keep me from smelling like a container of French onion dip that’s gone a little stale. However, this shirt makes me keep my arms down at all times, so it doesn’t smell on me. I wore a merino hoodie for my long trail hike, only showered/washed clothes once the entire time, and it didn’t smell half as bad as this!
Things I will never abandon in a hiker box
In the good gear category, my all-time favorite thing right now is and always has been my Flextail gear pump. I have the older version of this little pad inflator, so it’s not as light or as fast as the newer model, but not filling and refilling a pump bag to inflate my thermos at the end of a long day is always a huge relief. The battery lasts a long time and the effort it saves me is worth the weight.
flexible tail pump
My most versatile piece of equipment, and what I like the most, is my Gossamer Gear thin foam pad. For less than $30, it has given me a comfortable place to sit or lie down during every break and sits under my Thermarest pad at night for a little protection (we didn’t use a tent base). It’s quite fragile (as expected with 1/8 inch foam) and has been chewed up quite a bit by plant life in the desert, but continues to perform its duties well.
My last two items have to do with warmth. On my AT hike, I went on the cheaper side with some of my gear and definitely suffered for it. I used a 0 degree quilt from Outdoor Vitals and although it held up well, I froze almost every night until I got to Maine. This time I switched to a Katabatic quilt and it was definitely worth it. In addition to the quilt, I went from a Decathlon puffy to one from Enlightened Equipment and I love it. I experience no cold spots, it weighs next to nothing, and it’s my favorite layer to put on at the end of the day when the cold air starts to blow into our tent.
I’m sleeping with my inflated decathlon on the AT and I’m still very cold
At the end of the day, I don’t think my specific team choices matter to anyone but me. However, to walk across the country, I need to have equipment that works for me. With many miles ahead of me, I hope that the items I have loved so far continue to hold up and I can find spare parts to replace what has been failing me.
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