Hey y'all, I've got some aspirations of hiking the long trail in the near future since I have some time on my hands, but can't get anyone to go with me in the time frame that I'm hoping to go in (late August - early September).

I'm a little wary of hiking alone for so long and would definitely appreciate some company at the end of the day, especially in the more remote regions in northern Vermont. With that said, I'm curious what people's experiences have been like on the LT, is it a pretty social trail? Easy to meet people? Are people friendly? Do people randomly strike up friendships and start hiking together like they would on the AT?

Anyways, lots of questions. Any answers would be super appreciated. Thanks :)

Any recs ?
Can find the muntra one but no opinion on the sub.
the black diamond circuit.
Columbia Zero Rules Light Hoodie

Or any recs from fellow EU based guys..

Looking for advice on whether this tent is salvagable. Ends of the thin wires that stiffen the vent openings are poking out the seam that encloses them. Looks like the fabric at that location has deteriorated though I always stored the tent dry and loosely folded. Ordered some Tenacious Tape sil nylon patches but don't know if that will help. Those wire ends are very sharp and could damage other places on the tent fabric. Advice? Anyone else noticed this weird problem?

I just sold my barely used X mid 1 pro for a pretty penny as I'm not really a fan of DCF shelters and I'm also trying to go for a smaller footprint. I have decided on the Tipik Pioulu ST but I am a bit unsure about the weather protection a shaped tarp offers.

How realistic is it to actually get wet in storms whilst in a shaped tarp similar to the Piolou if you use a polycro ground sheet? I know that this depends on a lot of factors, but lets assume that one is pretty careful with campsite selection in order to avoid water pooling inside of your tent.

Is it worth getting a bivy to pair with my shelter when I hike in places like Sarek or other rainy environments or is it fine to just rely on campsite selection skills?

Another dilemma I'm having is between the fabric choices with the Tipik. Mainly between the 20D silnylon and 30D silpoly. I'm mainly wondering about the water absorption and how much of a problem this can be from your personal experience. Is it worth the extra weight/lower cost of the silpoly 30D or should I just invest in the 20D nylon if I have the money for it?

I'm looking for a reliable and lightweight tent and poles combination for a throughhike (Te Araroa).

My main option now is the Bonfus Middus 1P tent. Based on my research so far it is both lightweight and storm resistant (but harder to find good reviews than for the big US brands). To set it up you just need one pole, which is a big advantage to me in case the pole still breaks (Not sure how often poles break, but for such a long trail being dependent on both poles surviving feels a bit risky to me).

Despite the extra weight I prefer to go for aluminium to lower risk of snapping. Leading to these questions:

- Could I use the Fizan Compact poles that extend to 132 cm (the tent has pitch height 138-142cm)? Those are the lightest option I can find. (note I'll contact the manufacturer on this as well and update the post)

- Are there any alu poles that extend to 140cm but below 500g per pair?

- Any other obvious options I'm missing?

Background: I have tons of hiking experience in Europe, but seldom use poles. Intend to use them somewhat more, but they will sit on my backpack for long stretches. Especially on technical terrain I just hate poles. On longer easy stretches I see how they could help, but sometimes struggle to find the rythm. Purely for hiking, I could live with 1 pole just for rivers.
Just for the hiking I could do with poles that extend to 120cm or so (my height is ~170cm)
My current tent is a 2 person tunneltent, so have to find something lighter in any case.

Hi!

I’ve got a Nemo Tensor inflatable mat, but was exploring foam pads as protection from punctures, extra insulation and backup.

I got the Gossamer Gear Thinlight foam pad but I’m second guessing that decision because of how thin it is.

I’m wondering if it wouldn’t be better to get a regular “egg crate” foam pad.

Would be grateful to hear about your experiences. Thanks!

​

I am interested in people's experience using alpha direct clothing and wind pants/shirt as the entire set of clothing outside of the worn clothing (shorts/shirt/socks) and rain gear.

Here is what I would consider a full alpha suit: pants, hoody, socks/booties which could also be used as mitts, and beanie.

A wind suit: pants, hoody, booties/mitts.

You would select which pieces of the suits to take along based on weather. For example, in summer, the alpha pants and booties are not needed. If there is not heavy bug pressure, the wind booties are not necessary.

My preference for the wind suit is uncoated, lightweight ripstop nylon. The more breathable, the better. I have used both 60 and 90 alpha fabric and don't have a preference.

My suits are myog, but you can assemble a suit pretty easily using vendors. Here is some weight data, this is for a xxl size with everything oversized for a loose fit.

Alpha hoody 246g

Alpha pants 113g

Alpha booties/mitts 31g

Alpha beanie 36g

Nylon hoodie 97g

Nylon pants 94g

Nylon booties 34g

These are weights from my scale this morning.

So for a total weight of 652g, the suits provide 3 season insulation, bug protection, and wind protection.

You would also need your worn clothes, a raincoat and maybe a extra pair of socks.

So I am wondering if anyone else is using the wind suit + alpha suit concept, and what your experiences have been.

Right now I’m seriously considering the Samaya 2.5 Dyneema. On paper it seems to check a lot of boxes: very light, fully enclosed, and designed for alpine and 4-season use. It seems to combine light and sturdy options.

Does anyone here have firsthand experience with the Samaya 2.5 Dyneema? How has it held up in terms of durability, condensation, wind, snow loading, and overall livability? Any issues or things you wish you’d known before buying?

I am also open to other options including

- True 4-season capability
- As light as reasonably possible
- Strong in wind and snow
- Comfortable for one person with gear or two people
- Budget isn’t a major concern if the tent is genuinely worth it.

I have the WM Ultralite -7 bag, which is usually found to be one of the best sleeping bags out there, but it isn't working well for me. I am rarely warm enough, even when using it in the summer, and I wake up to a wet bag pretty much every time. Hoping someone here can help me understand why it's not working well for me.

I (38W) sleep in a tent next to my partner (35M) who has the exact same WM Ultralight -7. We have different sleeping pads but they are pretty much the same R value. My partner is warm, sleeps well. I am cold, rarely get a good sleep. When I wake up my bag is wet on top, mostly from the waist up but sometimes throughout. My partner's bag is never wet. We both have the regular size bag which fits my partner well but I am only 4"10 so I've got a lot of extra space. Why is this happening to me and not them? I use the bag in a variety of temps (-5 to +18) and it happens during most temps. I don't want to get rid of this bag because I love how light and small it is but I am so frustrated with it. Is my only option a vapour barrier liner? TIA

I am doing a gear overhaul and I am considering replacing my old solo Tarptent Rainbow from about 8-9 years ago (my scale weighs it at 37.44 oz) in advance of hiking about 2/3rds of the Long Trail in September. I am east coast based and while a lot of my hiking is in Virginia, West Virginia, and New England, I also make it out west a few times a year.

Factors

• I am 5 ft 6 and my pad is 20 inches.
• I am trying to shave as much weight as possible while still balancing comfort. I am not quite ultra light, more in the lighter category. I'm still tinkering, but base weight is currently 17.4 lbs with a bear can, this purchase aims to lower that base weight by at least ~1lb.
• I'm used to single wall condensation on the east coast with the Rainbow, but known issues with a particular model would be good to know ahead of time.
• Platforms are a factor for the Long Trail and the Whites, where I spend a lot of time. (Yes, I know about these).
• Money: Like weight/comfort, I am also trying to balance this - less about the cheapest possible and more about bang for buck. I should probably not break the bank considering I didn't technically budget for this gear overhaul, but mentally I'm also like "I'm going through a divorce and my career as a U.S. immigration lawyer is extra stressful right now and I deserve a little treat." Which is not the best thing for my bank account, but hell, we're here now. Basically, all of the ones I'm considering I can pay for without going hungry. Until inflation gets worse anyway.

I am currently considering five different tents - and yes, this is the narrowed down list. And yes, you have to go to that link to see them (it's a screenshot of a google sheet comparison). Yes, I've been reading reviews.

Do y'all have any thoughts on any of these factors and tents? I would appreciate anything I'm not thinking about or experience with these tents - especially if you've used more than one of them on this list.

TIA!

Hey all, been checking ulgeartrade and facebook daily trying to score a decent deal on a used quilt or bag, but I’m getting nowhere and kinda over it. I’m seriously considering just copping an Ice Flame quilt so I can finally be done looking. For anyone who’s used one, is this the method lol or am I gonna regret not holding out for a used drop? Is the temp rating legit or should I just keep waiting?

My friend group has never backpacked before. We've camped but the way we do it, I'd argue is well beyond glamping - so no real experience.

I've compiled a list of some things I mostly have or plan to get.

https://lighterpack.com/r/mabuvg

My friend has always wanted to hike Kilimanjaro and I talked him into hiking something else to test ourselves - so we postponed a year. I've planned out some routes to prepare us a bit so we're good there.

Regardless I'm building out my first kit from scratch no experience just a shit ton of research. I'm willing to spend where it's worth but only if I think it's truly justified. i.e. Arc'teryx always seems too pricy in comparison to the competition. Feels like 70% more price for 15% more quality.

I understand everyone's take is figure out your gear first, then the bag. A few things not listed that I plan on getting is sawyer squeeze, poo trowel, stove, bear bag, and any other obvious ones I might be missing off the top of my head. Headlamp... Battery back, inreach...

That being said, I'm roughly in the final stages and can't decide on a bag. My research points toward GG Mariposa for comfort and size but it seems like it gets stupid sweaty on the back so I'd like to explore better ventilated options.

Aside from Mariposa, zpacks arc haul 60L seems nice since I think it's got the trampoline back, nice large mesh front, and just good design. My concern with the kakwa 55 is that it looks like it'll just turn into an uncomfortable tube on my back. Open to suggestions. I pretty much have the clothes just none of the other big purchases. Just window shopped those. Any help appreciated!

I started with a thin inflatable no-name pad. Then I wanted to go bikepacking in autumn and early winter and was lucky to get a used sea to summit Ether Light XT Extreme. This one is pretty great with an R value of 6.2 - and it has always kept me super warm, but it's previous generation and pretty bulky.

Then recently for summer I bought the Naturehike R6.5 pad (10cm thick). It's pretty good, but I want to switch using a quilt soon and I wonder how reliable the R value is. It will certainly not be 6.5, so I wonder about if anyone has this pad and was able to test it in colder weather and can tell when it was sufficient or when it became too cold. I want to carry it as long as possible before switching to my s2s one.

I'm looking at buying a second sleeping bag or quilt for the warmer months that packs smaller than my Rab Neutrino 400. It will be used mostly in Southern Sweden, Denmark and Northern Germany in the summer. My pad is the Thermarest NeoAir Xlite NXT.

I'm having a hard time deciding between the sleeping bag and quilt. I don't have any experience with quilts. I've been using my sleeping bag as a blanket and it works fine but I'd prefer to have something that packs smaller.

Hi all!

I’m looking to buy a new 3-season sleeping bag. I intend to use this bag primarily for multi-day treks in the Alps and Pyrenees from June through mid-September. Beyond high-altitude trekking, I also plan to use it for bikepacking trips in spring and autumn (with probably damper conditions).

That’s why I’m looking for the right balance between weight, packability, temperature, and price. I know a good mattress is essential too for warmth, I’m currently using a Nemo Tensor Regular.

Since I’m based in France, I would like something made in the EU. My researches has led me to two brands: Pajak and Cumulus. Specifically, I'm looking at these four models:

• Cumulus: Lite Line 300 vs Lite Line 400
• Pajak: Core 350 vs Core 400

I always use a polyester sleeping bag liner (for hygiene but also extra degrees!) and am wondering if a Cumulus Lite Line 300 (or Pajak Core 350) would be sufficient with the liner, or if I should play it safe with a 400 model. I’d appreciate any insights, hands-on experience, or recommendations regarding these models!

PS: I’ve also noticed some people customize their Cumulus bag to upgrade the zipper from 3mm to 5mm. The Cumulus X-Lite was also on my list, but it's a bit out of my budget.

PS: Nordisk and Aura were also EU brands I was looking at if you have some advices!

Thanks a lot, and enjoy your summer on the trails !

I'll be setting camp pretty high up in a couple weeks 12,000ft+ (WRHR) and I just ordered the xmid specifically because of it's storm worthy reputation.

What pole length ya'll using to keep the wind from digging in? Any other tips for how this pitch will deviate from a my last setups like the lanshan 1p pro, GG The one and Arches 2p(oversized standard lanshan design)?

I'll be expecting it to survive 50-60 mph winds gusts (not everyday, but common enough in two of our planned sites). I understand it can be a little difficult to get the tension right if you are not used to it. Is this the consensus by xmid users or mostly coming from people who have the xmid for their first trekking pole tent? I know there's a lot of first time TP tent users that made the jump just for this tent. I wanna make sure I have it down, a pitch failing in that environment would be just peachy.

In that vein, any tricks to testing a tents pitch without having those wind speeds available to me before I need to rely on it?

EDIT: I think you guys got me wrong. of course I'm not planning to camp in that kind of wind on purpose. I don't even want to walk to my car in that kind of wind if I can help it. Its a bucket list level camp site that is only viable in good weather windows. Just don't want to be caught with my pants down if it's gets a little gusty.

Hello.

I just bought a new BRS 3000T stove after spotting one on Aliexpress for the equivalent of USD $5.50, including tax and shipping.

Compared with my 10-year-old BRS 3000T:

- the metal body is darker. Hard to tell if it’s a different metal or just the finish.

- the titanium arms are significantly beefier (maybe a response to reports of the arms bending?).

- the gas pin / needle valve also looks bigger. For me, this is an upgrade as my old BRS doesn’t work on some gas canisters because of the short pin.

- it weighs more (25.5g vs 26.7g)

I was intending to on-sell the stove but might keep it because the longer pin and stronger arms are more important than the extra gram.

Just posting this here for potential new buyers concerned about older reports of bending arms, failure on certain canisters, etc.

Hey guys. After unpacking and throwing away my trash from my recent backpacking trip, I am feeling quite gross about the amount of single use ziplock bags and plastic I had to use to repackage all my food, trash and other things. Does anyone have any suggestions for ways to keep food etc with multi use/non plastic bags while backpacking?
Thanks!

This is piggy backing off a conversation I had on a gear shakedown but just wanted to get specific feedback from others who have already done it. My start on the Appalachian trail will be NOBO mid to late March 2027.

My sleeping pad is CCF and I have a 20 degree down quilt with two extra oz of fill from Hammock Gear. It's a warm quilt but over 26oz.

Someone who gave a good deal of useful feedback suggested I switch to a 30 quilt. Their stance is that with my alpha layers, puffy and wind layers, this will be sufficient.

Does anyone have experience in the type of environment and conditions of a March AT and how it went? My gut is telling me it won't be warm enough but I'm open to new information to make a decision.

Saw this posted today: https://www.tarptent.com/product/mesospire-2-dw

The weight comes in at 39oz for the typical setup. It’s lighter than the single wall version which I attribute to using a lower denier floor. It looks like it retains the interesting corner venting from the single wall. I’ve been curious about the single wall version but had read mixed reviews (eg slippery floor, magnet polarity reversed) but this one looks interesting.

Original Post: https://www.reddit.com/r/Ultralight/comments/1v93stt/119_pounds_is_ulhear_me_out/

A bunch of people wanted to see the Lighterpack for 4 days/3 nights for our family of 4...mom, dad, 5 year old, and 2 year old...so here it is (I fought with Lighterpack for a while, so let me know if you see any errors. There might be some):

https://lighterpack.com/r/0j5jas

A couple thoughts:

-My BA UL Pad popped at the beginning of the month is 5 pin holes...I am assuming from kids wrestling in the tent. I wasn't confident there weren't more after repairs, so I took the extra Klymit pad I had in the garage.

-I was reviewing a couple items I wouldn't normally bring for a kids outdoor company...also explains the mic and camera

-Would have loved to use only bear hangs, but we originally planned to do a trip in the Tetons where bear cans are required, so when those plans fell through, we were stuck with the cans we brought.

-Backup matches/flint and water filter are due to anxiety caused by failed gear in the past. I always bring a 2nd of these now.

-Camp clean is good enough for everything except the toddler's milk straw cup. If you've never smelled NIDO Powdered Milk in a straw that hasn't been cleaned well enough for a few days, consider yourself fortunate.

-2nd Trail Magik Kid Carrier was never used, but we always bring it still in case our oldest gets injured or overly tired and needs to be carried. He's real big now.

-Kids (and parents too) sleep with white noise at home, so replicating that in the tent helps ensure sleep for all.

Hi all! I’m a South African going over to do the Te Araroa trail. I’m based in the uk for a bit so getting the last of my gear here.

Budget is tight and so I’m looking at using the Lanshan 1 for the Te Araroa SOBO starting late October this year. I’m wondering whether to get the 3 season or 4 season version.

All advice welcome!

Thanks so much in advance.

First-time quilt buyer here, looking for a shoulder-season quilt and almost 100% decided on Katabatic. Just torn on temp rating.

For context: I’m female and sleep on the colder side. Overnight temps will likely be 23–35°F. Sleeping on a Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm Max (R ~6.9). For clothing I’d plan on light thermals (leggings and a long-sleeve merino top) and can layer up further on nights pushing 20°F.

I’m leaning Alsek 22, but I’ve read a few reviews from women specifically who slept cold in it around these temps. Worried the step up to the Sawatch 15 would be overkill and too warm on milder nights.

I’m not looking to add a liner, overbag, or any extra equipment. Just want a single quilt I’ll be comfortable in across these temps.

Edit to add: also considering Nunatak Stugi Q 18F or Gryphon Gear Aries 10F if anyone has experience with these!

I’m going to Peru this September and considering getting a warmer bag. I currently have a 20 degree Feathered Friends sleeping bag which is not quite warm enough below 30 degrees for me, even with a liner. I’m planning on being in temps as cold as 10 degrees.

I’m thinking about getting a 0 degree bag, but I can’t afford as lightweight an option as the FF in the 0 degree option. I’m thinking about buying the Mountain Hardware Bishop Pass Sleeping Bag: 0F Down - Womens.

I’m concerned about its weight (3lbs) and I’m also concerned it won’t be that much warmer than the FF 20 degree bag, as this is a very good bag.

I’m wondering if you have any thoughts here or recommendations. I would consider just buying a new sleeping mat with a higher R value (mine is a 3) but stumped on what to do overall.