Getting into gear - clothing

The second in a series of posts on my lists of gear for the backpacking and climbing trip to Colorado (five more days!).

Notes:

• Some of the items in the series will be marked with a dagger (†) which means that I am taking spares and on any overnighter or two-nighter I will probably only take a subset. See comments for details. The count given will be for what I expect to pack for a one or two night outing and the weights will be given for that expected "as packed" weight, i.e., what would actually be in my pack for a given trip. See the final "pack list" for a representative two-night trip list and weight.
• Some of the items in the series will be marked with plus/minus (±), which means they really are optional and are included for either comfort or fun. I will probably take them, but if weight becomes an issue (or more precisely, my lack of acclimation) then they will be the prime candidates to be left in the truck first.

Clothes

Main layer

Under layer

Outer layer

Item	Comments	Count	Weight (oz)
Sequel Desert Rhat hat (a.k.a. "The Hat")	I've been wearing this thing for a long time. It's ugly (on me, anyway - I don't look good in hats, and for proof look at the last picture here) and I almost thought about buying something else but then decided I needed to stick with tradition. It's a billed, vented ball-cap style with a removable fabric sunscreen for the ears and neck. It looks as dorky as it sounds. Sprayed with Repel insect repellant, because the buggiest trip I was ever on was in Colorado at and above timberline during a very wet July.	1	3
Generic mid-weight fleece pullover	One of the many places I don't think name brand gear is worth the money is fleece. Unless it's Windstopper fleece, fleece is fleece (to me). Especially since you can replace cheap fleece many times over for the price of a single name brand piece.	1	15
REI Sahara Tech long sleeved nylon shirts	I've had two of these shirts forever and love them. I like the long sleeves even in the summer because the shirts are lightweight and cool so that means I can use less sunscreen and bug repellant. Weight given is for both - one will always be on, the other in the pack as a spare. Sprayed with Repel insect repellant.	2	18
REI Sahara convertible nylon pants	I bought these pants at the same time I bought the shirts and they all get worn together. Convertible pants are the way to go in the spring, summer and fall. Get too hot? Make 'em into shorts. Cooled off and starting to feel chilly? Zip the pant legs back on. Weight given is for both. Sprayed with Repel insect repellant.	2	26
La Sportiva Makulu II boots	Best pair of hiking boots I've ever owned. I plan on just resoling these over and over for the rest of my life. They just fit. I know some people swear by much lighter weight boots (or even shoes or sandles) when backpacking but I like the support they give for my ankles when coming down a screen trail with a heavy backpack on. Weight is for the pair. Freshly waterproofed.	2	80
Lightweight plastic eyeglass case	Call me weird but I don't like to crush my eyeglasses if I can help it.	1	1
Prescription sunglasses with plastic lenses and frames and lanyard	Les got these for me from Zenni Optical for $23 and I love them.	1	1
Prescription eyeglasses with plastic lenses and titanium frames	I need to see.	1	0.5
Total Main Layer:			144.5 (9 lb .5 oz)
Champion polyester t-shirts	Wicking underlayer. Bought real cheap at Target ($7.99 ea.) instead of paying something more like three times that for name brand. Taking three - will wear one, carry one and have one in the truck to rotate as we drive to the next trail head just to help keep the stinkification factor down ("Wear a day, air a day").	2†	10
Champion polyester undershorts	Wicking underlayer. See comments on t-shirts.	2†	6
Smartwool hiking socks	I love Smartwool! Warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and they're comfy and don't itch. Taking two pair, would normally take four, but see below.	1†	3
Danner Coolmax socks	This makes me almost feel like I am cheating on my Smartwools but I decided to buy two pair of synthetic socks and see how they performed. I chose these because they were available at the local hunting supply store (real "gear" stores in the middle of Missouri are limited) and they were reasonably priced at $12/pair.	1†	3
Sock liners±	I debate over wearing these - in the winter it's a no-brainer but in the summer it can be cooler to just ignore the wicking layer and change socks more often. On the other hand with a backpack on I often like the extra layer just as more insulation against friction between my boots and feet. And I like wearing them around camp with my camp shoes (below).	2	3
Patagonia Capilene long-sleeved t-shirt	Wicking underlayer in case it gets cold. A few times in the past week it's still hit right near freezing at night in Lake City, and we will be camping 2,000-3,000' above that, so it could conceivably still be in the 30s next week.	1	7
Polarmax long johns	Wicking underlayer in case it gets cold. See comments above.	1	7
"Surf socks"±	These are for wearing around camp. Nothing feels so good after a day of backpacking than to get the heavy boots off. Used to take sandals or tennis shoes but these are lighter weight than all but the cheapest sports sandals.	2	22
Total Under Layer:			61 (3 lb 13 oz)
Lowe Alpine Velocity lightweight rain shell	Triple Point "breathable" rain/wind shell. Super lightweight jacket. My only concern is it doesn't do as well in a really strong, cold wind. So hopefully there won't be any really strong, cold winds! Freshly treated with silicone spray (Mike prefers ScotchGuard).	1	14
Lowe Alpine Velocity lightweight rain pants	Companion to the shell. See comments above.	1	8
Mountain Hardwear fleece gloves	Still going to be some snow around while we're peak bagging, I bet.	2	4
Generic glove liners	I usually take a pair of these as backups/camp gloves in case it gets chilly.	2	1
Lowe Alpine fleece headband	On anything but the coldest trips this has been my ear warmers of choice forever.	1	1
Outdoor Research low "scree" gaiters	Still expecting a bit of snow to post-hole through, plus I like having low gaiters to keep scree out when coming down from peak bagging.	2	4
Total Outer Layer:			32 (2 lb)
Total Clothing:			237.5 (14 lb 13.5 oz)

All for today. Tomorrow will be the kitchen.

Getting into gear - packs, sacks and shelter

The first in a series of posts over the next few days on my lists of gear for the backpacking and climbing trip to Colorado (six more days!). Mike and I will be "in country" for eight days, but it will be as a series of 1-2 night outings, then backpacking down and taking the truck to switch to another trail head and giving us a chance to replenish without having to carry everything in our packs for the whole trip.

Notes:

• Some of the items in the series will be marked with a dagger (†) which means that I am taking spares and on any overnighter or two-nighter I will probably only take a subset. See comments for details. The count given will be for what I expect to pack for a one or two night outing and the weights will be given for that expected "as packed" weight, i.e., what would actually be in my pack for a given trip. See the final "pack list" for a representative two-night trip list and weight.
• Some of the items in the series will be marked with plus/minus (±), which means they really are optional and are included for either comfort or fun. I will probably take them, but if weight becomes an issue (or more precisely, my lack of acclimation) then they will be the prime candidates to be left in the truck first.

Packs, Sacks and Shelter

Following are some pictures and the list for packs, tent, sleeping bag, etc.

Lowe Alpine Contour IV pack

Kelty Windfoil Ultralite tent

Kelty Windfoil Ultralite tent - packed

The North Face Cat's Meow sleeping bag

The North Face Cat's Meow sleeping bag - packed

Sleeping pads

Item	Comments	Count	Weight (oz)
Lowe Alpine Contour IV 90+15 backpack	Big backpack capable of carrying eight days worth of gear and food, even in the winter. Could almost double as an emergency bivy. Really comfortable to carry. The biggest issue is that since it holds so much it enforces no discipline on what to pack.	1	96
Osprey Summit day pack	Lightweight pack for carrying essentials during peak bagging trips from camp. Doubles as stuff sack in main pack and as pillow at night.	1	28
10'x12' 3 mil plastic sheeting	Carried folded up in Osprey pack for use as emergency shelter if caught out. Will cover 2-3 people easily. Weight is included in the Osprey pack's weight, above.	1
Kelty Windfoil Ultralite tent	I am taking this as the spare backup tent in case Mike's tent has a major failure, although the plan is to leave it in the truck and split carrying Mike's tent between us. It's a decent lightweight three-season tent and we've used it a lot in the past (for ex., here). My one main beef with it is that because it is long (11') it tends to sag between the two hoops if you don't keep all the guy lines real tight. Also has a condensation issue when it's fully buttoned up, but most tents do. I resealed the fly with McNett Tent Sure Tent Floor Sealant for this trip. Weight given is as packed - tent, fly, poles, stakes and stuff sack.	1	86
The North Face Cat's Meow sleeping bag.	I forgot I even had this bag! How bad is that? I originally was going to take my Mountain Hardware Ritter Stormlight sleeping bag, but that's way too hot of a bag for this trip. This bag is rated at 15-20° and I will probably just use it as a blanket because in full mummy mode it will be too hot. Has a water repellent top shell, which is nice in case of tent leaks or condensation problems. Weight is as packed with stuff sack.	1	53
Ridgerest sleeping pad	Wanted to take my Thermarest air pad but at 35 oz. couldn't justify the weight when this pad and the following cheapo generic blue closed-cell foam pad together only add up to 20 oz.	1	13
¼" blue closed-cell foam pad	Don't knock cheap gear - sometimes it does the trick just fine for a fraction the cost.	1	7
REI three-section telescoping trekking poles	I vacillate on trekking poles but am usually glad when I take them. And given that I am not in the shape I used to be in I think I'll be glad to have the extra support, especially with the backpack on.	2	21
Outdoor Research waterproof stuff sack	For carrying my spare clothes.	1	4
Total:			308 (19 lb. 4 oz.)

That's it for today! Stay tuned for tomorrow and it's exciting subject - clothes!

DIY backpacking dinners - "sushi"

I think this is where everyone is going to say, "He's crazy!" But I got this weird idea and decided to go for it. The main ingredients will be the rice, mushrooms and foil packet of (cooked) salmon. But I am also taking some toasted seaweed sheets to see if we can't do some hand rolls on the trail. Over 600 total calories.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups instant rice
• ¼-½ cups dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1 ½ tsp garden seasoning flakes (really small dried veggy flakes)
• 1 tsp wasabi powder (that oughta get things going!)
• dash of salt (really needed to find dried soy sauce)
• 1 sheet of crumbled dried seaweed
• 3 sheets of dried seaweed for rolling
• 3 oz foil packet of salmon

Preparation

Add 1 ½ cups boiling water and let sit for at least five minutes (or better for more like 30 so it can cool off. Spoon into seaweed sheets with some of the salmon and roll up and eat.

DIY backpacking dinners - "spaghetti" with beef and tomato "cream" "sauce"

Almost 600 calories, but also ten ounces, so not as good ratio as I would like. This one will be one of the more "interesting" ones in terms of how it ends up actually tasting. I am somewhere between hopeful and trepedated.

Ingredients

• 2 3 oz. packages of crumbled ramen (remove the flavor packets and pitch 'em or save for something else)
• ½ jar of dried beef, quartered
• 1/3 cup dried milk (mostly for texture, I hope, and a bit of thickening)
• 2 Tbs dried chopped tomatoes
• 2 Tbs grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbs dried red and green pepper flakes
• 1 Tbs dried garlic chips
• 1 Tbs dried onion flakes
• 1 tsp marjoram
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil
• dash of crushed hot red pepper flakes
• dash of pepper

Preparation

Add a little over one cup of boiling water and let sit for at least five minutes.

DIY backpacking dinners - stuffing with veggies

This one only clocks in at 450 calories, but stuffing always seems to "stick to your ribs" so hopefully it will be enough, perhaps for a light day. A single box of stuffing mix made enough for two, so there's another bag of this as the spare, in case we stay in country an extra day.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups stuffing (I used chicken, you could use any flavor)
• 1 Lipton "Cup-a-Soup" chicken noodle soup packet (for the dehydrated chicken bits more than anything else)
• 1/3 cup dried vegetable flakes
• 1/3 cup fried peas
• 1 Tbs dried onion flakes
• 1 tsp Butter Buds
• dash of pepper

Preparation

Add a little over one cup of boiling water and let sit for at least five minutes.

DIY backpacking dinners - rice pilaf

At just around 500 calories for eight ounces, this is getting toward the low end of calories per ounce, but I think it will be tasty.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups instant rice
• 3 Tbs broccoli cheese soup mix
• 1 Tbs dried red and green pepper flakes
• 1 Tbs dried chopped tomatoes
• 1 Tbs dried onion flakes
• ½ Tbs dried garlic chips
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp marjoram
• ½ tsp crumbled dried sage leaves
• dash of pepper
• dash of salt

Preparation

Add 1 ½ cups boiling water and let sit for at least five minutes.

DIY backpacking dinners - shepherd's pie thing

This one may end up being a little suspect. I wonder if the mashed potatoes are going to be a bit too bulky or cloying when trying to eat them. Also, it has dried beef in it, which in the past has been a bit too salty to be palatable at altitude. May be good to have this on day when I've sweated a lot to replace the electrolytes. We'll see. 550+ calories.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups instant mashed potatoes
• ½ cup fried peas
• ½ cup dried beef, quartered
• 1/3 cup dried milk
• 1 Tbs chives
• 1 tsp Butter Buds
• 1 tsp dried cheese sauce
• dash of pepper

Preparation

Add 2+ cups of boiling water and let sit for at least five minutes.

DIY backpacking dinners - noodles with peas and cheese sauce (and salmon)

Trusty old ramen with some dried cheese sauce (a bulk-bought variant of what comes in a mac & cheese box) and some peas. The kicker will be mixing in the salmon after it is cooked (sort of like tuna mac & cheese, except with salmon). The fish will bring the total calories to 670+, although the total weight for the meal is high (11 oz.)

Ingredients

• 2 3 oz. packages of crumbled ramen (remove the flavor packets and pitch 'em or save for something else)
• 1/3 cup dried milk
• 1/3 cup fried peas
• 3 Tbs dried cheese sauce powder
• 1 tsp Butter Buds
• 1 tsp chives
• dash of pepper

Preparation

Add 1.5 cups of boiling water and let sit for at least five minutes. Add salmon and stir before serving.

DIY backpacking dinners - curried couscous with veggies

With the added vegetable flakes (which doesn't have nutritional info printed on the side of the bulk tub I bought them in) this probably approaches 600 calories, which isn't bad - I am aiming for 100 calories per ounce on most of these recipes.

Ingredients

• 5.7 oz box of Near East Mediterranean curry couscous
• 1 tsp curry spice (just 'cause I like a lot of curry)
• 1/3 cup dried vegetable flakes
• ½ Tbs dried garlic chips
• 1 tsp Butter Buds

Preparation

Add 1 ¼ cups boiling water and let sit for at least five minutes. Fluff with spoon and eat.