1. Gear
1.1 Shelter comparison
1.2 Stove comparison
1.3 Water treatment comparison
1.4 Pack comparison
1.5 Tents
1.6 Interesting gear
1.7 Cookware
1.8 My body measurements
2. Packweight
2.1 Packweight and daily mileage
2.1.1 Footwear weight
3. Pack size of Ray-Way pack
3.1 Loading sequence
3.2 Donning the backpack
3.3 Pack cover
4. Quilt and sleeping bag
4.1 Effective Temperature Raiting Formula
5. Knots
6. Food
6.1 Snacks
6.1.1 Bar examples
6.1.2 Bar dislikes
6.1.3 Electrolyte chews examples
6.2 Dinner
6.2.1 Mountain House dislkes
7. Water
7.1 KlearWater
7.2 AquaMira
8. Thru-hiking style
9. Culebra
10. Colorado sunrise/dusk times
10.1 Time that one can see without headlamp
10.2 Time that it starts to become too dark to see without headlamp
11. Driving times
12. Long distance hikes
13. Records
14. Ultras
14.1 100 miles
14.2 50 miles
14.3 Other
14.4 Most gain
15. Other gear
16. References
1. Gear
1.1 Shelter comparison
| Item |
Tarp w/ Net Tent |
Tarptent |
Tent |
| Weight |
Great |
Good |
Poor |
| Sense of involvement |
Great |
Good |
Poor |
| Less condensation |
Great |
Good |
Poor |
| Cooking inside |
Great |
Good |
Poor |
| Ease of setup |
Poor |
Good |
Good |
| Requires extra gear (sticks, trekking poles, rocks, etc.) |
Poor |
Good |
Great |
| Noisy in wind (flapping fabric) |
Poor |
Good |
Good |
| Headroom |
Poor |
Good |
Good |
| Precipitation protection |
Poor |
Good |
Good |
| Wind protection |
Poor |
Good |
Great |
| Bug protection |
Poor |
Good |
Good |
1.2 Stove comparison
| Item |
ThermoJet MicroLite Alcohol Stove |
FireLite Titanium Esbit Wing Stove |
Snow Peak Giga Power |
| Stove weight (oz) |
Great (0.375) |
Great (0.46) |
Poor (4.62) |
| Empty fuel container weight (oz) for 1 day (3 cups water) |
Good (1.0) |
Great (0) |
Poor (7*) |
| Fuel weight (oz) for 1 day (3 cups water) |
Great (1.5) |
Great (1) |
Poor (7*) |
| Total weight (oz) for 1 day (3 cups water) |
Good (2.875) |
Great (1.46) |
Poor (18.62*) |
| Total weight (oz) for 5 days (15 cups water) |
Good (8.875) |
Great (5.46) |
Poor (18.62*) |
| Reusable fuel container |
Good (Yes) |
Great (N/A) |
Poor (No) |
| Knowing how much fuel you have left |
Great |
Great |
Poor |
| Using the minimum amount of fuel necessary |
Poor |
Poor |
Great |
| Ability to carry minimum amount of fuel |
Great |
Great |
Poor |
| Time (min) to boil 2 cups |
Poor (8) |
Poor (7) |
Great (2.1) |
| Fuel obtainability |
Great |
Poor |
Poor |
| Low complexity (stove parts) |
Great |
Great |
Poor |
| Ease of use |
Good |
Great |
Great |
| High altitude use |
Good |
Great |
Great |
| Cold weather use |
Fair |
Fair |
Fair |
| Simmer ability |
Poor |
Poor |
Great |
| Self ignition (piezo) |
Poor (No) |
Poor (No) |
Great (Yes) |
| Leaves sticky residue |
Great (No) |
Great (No**) |
Great (No) |
| Odor |
Great (No) |
Great (No**) |
Great (No) |
*Need two, potentially full 110 gram canisters since you don't know how much fuel is left. Each canister weighs 3.5 oz empty, 7 oz full.
**Hexamine burns hot and clean. An older fuel tab (Triozane) produces a toxic smell and greasy residue.
1.3 Water treatment comparison
| Item |
Iodine |
Chlorine Dioxide (tablets) |
Chlorine Dioxide (Aquamira) |
Meridian Designs AquaStar Plus Ultraviolet Light Water Purifier |
Hydro Photon SteriPEN Adventurer Water Purifier |
Katadyn Hiker PRO Filter |
First Need Deluxe Water Purifier |
| Weight (oz) |
Good (6 per 25 liters) |
Great (0.8 per 25 liters) |
Good (6 per 25 liters) |
Poor (8.2) (includes pre-filter, wide-mouth bottle, batteries) |
Good (3.6) (includes batteries), 5.7 w/ Nalgene Cantene |
Poor (13) |
Poor (20) |
| Requires clear water source |
Poor (Yes) |
Poor (Yes) |
Poor (Yes) |
Great (No) |
Poor (Yes) |
Great (No) |
Great (No) |
| Treats viruses |
Poor (No) |
Great (Yes) |
Great (Yes) |
Great (Yes) |
Great (Yes) |
Poor (No) |
Great (Yes) |
| Filters chemicals/polutants |
Poor (No) |
Poor (No) |
Poor (No) |
Poor (No) |
Poor (No) |
Great (Yes) |
Great (Yes) |
| Minutes per liter |
Good (30) |
Poor (240) |
Good (15) |
Great (1.4) |
Great (1.5) |
Great (1) |
Great (0.75) |
| Pump strokes per liter |
Great (N/A) |
Great (N/A) |
Great (N/A) |
Great (N/A) |
Great (N/A) |
Poor (48) |
Poor (45) |
| Liters per battery life |
Great (N/A) |
Great (N/A) |
Great (N/A) |
Poor (60) |
Poor (60) |
Great (N/A) |
Great (N/A) |
| Contains filter |
Great (No) |
Great (No) |
Great (No) |
Poor (Yes) |
Great (No) |
Poor (Yes) |
Poor (Yes) |
| Requires untreated water contact w/ a water container |
Poor (Yes) |
Poor (Yes) |
Poor (Yes) |
Poor (Yes) |
Poor (Yes) |
Great (No) |
Great (No) |
| Requires a wide-mouth water container |
Great (No) |
Great (No) |
Great (No) |
Great (No) |
Poor (Yes) |
Great (No) |
Great (No) |
| Requies taste neutralizer |
Poor (Yes) |
Great (No) |
Great (No) |
Great (No) |
Great (No) |
Great (No) |
Great (No) |
| Affected by cold air/water temps |
Great (No) |
Great (No) |
Great (No) |
Poor (Yes) |
Poor (Yes) |
Great (No) |
Great (No) |
| Adds chemicals to water |
Poor (Yes) |
Poor (Yes) |
Poor (Yes) |
Great (No) |
Great (No) |
Great (No) |
Great (No) |
| Clears cloudy water |
Poor (No) |
Poor (No) |
Poor (No) |
Great (Yes) |
Poor (No) |
Great (Yes) |
Great (Yes) |
1.4 Pack comparison
| Item |
Gossamer Gear Mariposa Plus |
Six Moon Designs Starlite |
| Weight (oz) |
Great (19) |
Good (25) |
| Sleeping pad pocket design |
Poor (protrudes out from pack body, toward your back, forcing the center of the pack's gravity farther away from you back) |
Great (protrudes into the pack body, away from your back, keeping the center of the pack's gravity closer to your back) |
| Accepts a 3/4 length RidgeRest pad |
Poor (No) |
Great (Yes) |
| Comfort |
Poor (not as comfortable to me) |
Great (more comfortable to me) |
| Hydration bladder pocket |
Great (Yes) |
Poor (No) |
| Recommended max load (lbs) |
Great (35) |
Great (35) |
| Body material |
Good (70 denier) |
Great (210 denier) |
| Bottom material |
Good (210 denier) |
Great (420 denier) |
| Collar material |
Good (70 denier) |
Good (70 denier) |
| Main body capacity (cu. in.) |
Great (2900) |
Great (3000) |
| Extension collar capacity (cu. in.) |
Great (800) |
Good (400) |
| Pocket capacity (cu. in.) |
Good (500) |
Great (800) |
| Total capacity (cu. in.) |
Great (4200) |
Great (4200) |
Overall, the Starlite is more durable and heavier and the Mariposa Plus is less durable and lighter. When compared side-by-side, the Starlite appeared noticeably larger, despite Gossamer Gear's claims of comparable capacity. However, the Starlite's pad pocket protrudes into the pack body (which takes up internal space) so perhaps they are equal after that consideration. The Starlite felt more comfortable to me.
Also, if a hydration bladder pocket is important to you, then you'll favor the Mariposa Plus. However, I've now used the Starlite on several hikes with a water hydration system, and don't miss a bladder pocket. One just has to pack the water bladder into place with other gear.
1.5 Tents
Mountain Hardware Meridian 1 w/ footprint (4 lbs 4 oz, 44.5" x 97" x 42", $195.00)
Sierra Designs Light Year CD w/ footprint (3 lbs 13 oz, 44" x 113" x 38", $179.00)
Black Diamond HiLight 2 (3 lbs 2 oz, 50" x 82" x 40", $340.00)
Cloudburst 2 w/o floor, with groundsheet (2 lbs 8 oz, 70" x 94" x 42", $262.00)
Cloudburst 2 w/ floor, no groundsheet (2 lbs 7 oz, 70" x 94" x 42", $250.00)
Ray-Way Tarp & Net-Tent (1 lbs 8 oz, 31" x 81" x 24", $126.00, w/ book, Royal-Blue, Sewing Thread)
1.6 Interesting gear
Ursack S29 (8 oz)
Ray-Way Bomber Hat
Gossamer Gear Polycryo ground cloth
1 oz. camp sandals
Nunatek Arc Alpinist Down Quilt (20 F, 20 oz)
Nunatek Down Baclava (4 oz)
Perfect 10 Natural Energy Bars
1.7 Cookware
Evernew 0.9 L pot
-----------------
1 cup = level with bottom of "300" (1 cup = 237 mL)
1.5 cups = just above top of "300" (1.5 cup = 355 mL)
2 cups = half way between 300 and 600 (2 cups = 473 mL)
1.8 My body measurements
Torso Length: 19.5" to 20.0"
Shoulder Girth: 45.5"
Head Size: 23.25"
2. Packweight
2.1 Packweight and daily mileage
| Total Packweight (lbs) |
Daily Mileage |
| 55 |
10 |
| 40 |
15 |
| 28 |
20 |
| 19 |
25 |
| 12 |
30 |
| 7 |
35 |
| 4 |
40 |
2.1.1 Footwear weight
Each 3.5 oz removed from the weight of a pair of hiking shoes adds 1 mile to daily mileage.
3. Pack size of Ray-Way pack
| Item |
Size (cu in) |
| Base Size |
2200 |
| Pockets |
400 |
| Extension collar |
1100 |
| Total |
3700 |
3.1 Loading sequence
Bottom to top:
1. Sleeping pad (against back)
2. Sleeping bag/quilt
3. Water bladder (against back)
4. Tent/Tarp (if dry, otherwise outer mesh pocket)
5. Spare clothing
6. Bulk food
7. Cookpot/stove/fuel
8. Extra hiking clothes
9. Hiking food
10. Ditty bag(s) with essentials
11. Extra water
Outer mesh pockets:
1. Extra fuel
2. Extra water
3. Extra food
4. Tent/Tarp (if wet)
3.2 Donning the backpack
Lift pack onto knee first to avoid back injury.
3.3 Pack cover
Consider a trash bag or pack liner inside of the pack instead of a pack cover outside of the pack.
4. Quilt and sleeping bag
4.1 Effective Temperature Raiting Formula
ETR (F) = 100 - (40 * T)
T = quilt or bag's thickness, in inches.
5. Knots
| Knot |
Use |
| Overhand on a bight |
To secure a guyline to a tarp webbing loop |
| Clove hitch |
To secure something mid-way along a length of cord (a ridge line to a support stick or a guyline to a stake) |
| Taut line hitch |
To adjustably tension a guyline around a object such as a tree |
| Two half hitches |
To secure a guyline right against an object such as a rock |
| Sheet bend |
To secure a line to the corner of a sheet of fabric, such as a plastic tarp |
6. Food
6.1 Snacks
| Item |
Weight (oz) |
Calories |
| 7 bars |
14.875 |
1645 |
| Electrolyte chews |
2.125 |
200 |
| Garden of Eatin' Blue Chips (in a ziploc sandwhich bag) |
4.0 |
560 |
| Snyder's Nibblers Pretzels (in a ziploc snack bag) |
2.25 |
255 |
| Total |
23.25 |
2665 |
6.1.1 Bar examples
| Item |
Weight (oz) |
Calories |
| Clif Bar, Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch |
2.5 |
260 |
| Clif Nectar Organic Fruit & Nut Bar, Cranberry Apricot and Almond |
1.75 |
170 |
| Clif Builder's Bar, Peanut Butter |
2.5 |
270 |
| 18 Rabbits, Haute Diggity Date |
2 |
220 |
| Snickers Bar |
2.125 |
280 |
| Balance Bar, Sweet and Salty Chocolate Almond |
1.875 |
210 |
| Average |
2.125 |
235 |
6.1.2 Bar dislikes
Balance Bar Gold
Clif Nectar: Dark Chocolate Raspberry
Pro Bar
Hammer Bar
6.1.3 Electrolyte chews examples
| Item |
Weight (oz) |
Calories |
| 6 Clif Shot Bloks |
2.25 |
200 |
| Honey Stinger Organic Energy Chews |
2 |
200 |
| Average |
2.125 |
200 |
6.2 Dinner
| Item |
Weight (oz) |
Calories |
| Freeze dried meal (Mountain House: Oriental Style Chicken and Rice, Chicken Teriyaki with Rice, Noodles and Chicken, Chicken A La King Noodles, Beef Stew, Beef Stroganoff) |
5.5 |
500 |
| Dark Chocolate |
0.75 |
90 |
| Total |
6.25 |
590 |
6.2.1 Mountain House dislkes
Chicken and Rice
7. Water
Bring 3 liters of water for each 5.5 hours of hiking (or 1 liter for every 1 hr. 50 minutes of hiking).
7.1 KlearWater
1mL per liter of water for 15 minutes. Wait for 30 minutes for cold or cloudy water.
7.2 AquaMira
7 drops from each bottle, wait to mix for 5 min, mix with 1 liter of water and wait for 15 minutes. Wait for 30 minutes for cold or cloudy water.
The BPL dropper bottles require 11 drops from each bottle.
The GG bottles require 10 drops from each bottle. Use opaque dropper for Part A and clear dropper for Part B.
8. Thru-hiking style
Stop every two hours for 20 minutes. While stopped:
1. Elevate the feet.
2. Air out your feet.
3. Eat your 2 hour snack according to the Caloric Drip technique (ex: 2 energy bars).
4. Change your socks.
9. Culebra
Culebra:
254-897-7872
254-897-9537 (direct line)
Will be accepting reservations starting May 15, 2006
10. Colorado sunrise/dusk times
10.1 Time that one can see without headlamp
| Date |
Time |
| 8/1 |
5:15 am |
| 8/22 |
5:55 am |
10.2 Time that it starts to become too dark to see without headlamp
11. Driving times
| Location |
Dist (miles) |
Time |
| Home |
0 |
0 |
| Lyons |
11.5 |
15m |
| Estes Park |
32.4 |
41m |
| RMNP Gate |
36.4 |
48m |
| Bear Lake |
45.8 |
1h 4m |
12. Long distance hikes
Pacific Crest Trail
Appalachian Trail
Continental Divide Trail (work in progress)
Colorado Front Range Trail (work in progress)
Triple Crown of Long Distance Hiking: Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail
13. Records
Most 14ers in 24 hours: 8 (Steve Bremner - La Plata to Yale, 2001).
14. Ultras
14.1 100 miles
Angeles Crest 100
Wasatch Front 100
Hardrock 100
Western States 100
Leadville Trail 100
Barkley Marathons
Western Slam: Western States, Leadville Trail, Wasatch Front, Angeles Crest
Rocky Mountain Slam: Bighorn (Wyoming), Hardrock, Leadville Trail, Wasatch Front, The Bear (Idaho)
14.2 50 miles
Collegiate Peaks 50
San Juan Solstice 50
14.3 Other
Badwater 135
http://www.badwater.com/
Nolan's 14
14.4 Most gain
Barkley Marathons - 52,900 ft.
Nolan's 14 - 45,000 ft.
Hardrock - 33,000 ft.
15. Other gear
| Category |
Item |
SD |
WD |
SB |
WB |
Brand |
Weight (oz) |
| Shelter |
Shelter |
|
|
Y |
|
Gossamer Gear The One |
17.785 |
| |
Poles |
|
|
Y |
|
Gossamer Gear The One Poles (2) |
6.375 |
| |
Ground cloth |
|
|
Y |
|
Homemade silnylon ground cloth |
2.625 |
| Sleeping |
Pad |
|
|
Y |
Y |
Therm-a-Rest Ridge Rest, 3/4 length |
8.75 |
| Cooking & Water |
Bear bag |
|
|
Y |
Y |
OR Helium Quick Sack #5 |
1.625 |
| |
Bear bag throw bag |
|
|
Y |
Y |
Feather River Bear Bag Throw bag |
0.875 |
| |
Bear bag cord |
|
|
Y |
Y |
50 ft AirCore Pro URSA Dyneema (2) |
5.75 |
| |
Bear bag mini carabiner |
|
|
Y |
Y |
UrsaLite Micro Carabiner |
0.125 |
Toiletries|Hand sanitizer container, sunblock bag|Y|Y|Y|Y|Gossamer Gear Mini Dropper Bottle|0.125|
| |
Sports ointment container |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
REI 1 oz Round Bottle |
0.375 |
| Recording |
Tripod |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Joby Gorillapod |
1.625 |
| Non food/fuel consumables |
Hand sanitizer, sunblock bag |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Purell Instant Hand Sanitizer |
0.35 |
| |
Sports ointment |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Hydropel |
0.875 |
16. References
Jardine, R. (2002). Beyond Backpacking.
