what do you use from your gear in everyday life? [Archive]

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sundog

2003-01-23, 00:24

I use my tikka almost every day
micra - ditto
leatherman wave - ditto
gerber 350 - same
used my rei nap-sack at the hospital after my baby was born.
used my coleman fleece summer bag alot when I was on call as a resident
wear my boots almost every day. they are comfy.
frequently use my nalgene almost daily
fleece - all the time. wearing it now.
fleece pants- think I will go put them on now.
Kelty Redwing- is my best freind, used at least 3-4 times a week, and every time I have to travel.

I suppose it is good to do this, it helps orient one to all of the possibilities that their gear has, as well as better establish tolerences. i.e. my fleece needs a shell this week, because it is sub 40 degree weather right now. It is also a little "fix" when I can't get out on the trail.

-sundog

Streamweaver

2003-01-23, 02:35

I also use my fleece bag alot!
I wear my fleece jacket alot too
also my windbreaker
my new LED keychain light gets used alot!
I use my white gas stove to melt lead to make fishing sinkers
My down vest gets worn on cold days like today .
my multi tools get used the most out of all my gear!
And my little arm band radio I bought for backpacking/hiking gets used often . Streamweaver

sundog

2003-01-23, 14:19

so you like your LED keychain...
Ive been thinking about getting one for a while now, I just want one that locks on so I could suspend it in my tent.
Plus I am nervous about depending on only 1 light source for a trip.. I think one of those keychain lights would be a good backup to my tikka, and a lot lighter than my mini mag lite..

PKH

2003-01-23, 14:32

A few favourite items of clothes mostly. MEC Northen Lite pullover, microfleece sweaters and light merino wool sweater always seem to be first off the hanger. With this year's deep snows my gaitors are getting a real workout as well.

PKH

SGT Rock

2003-01-23, 14:37

I use gear all the time :D

Streamweaver

2003-01-23, 16:26

LOL Sarge I bet your list is too long to post here!!

Sundog, I found this LED keychain light at walmart for 5 bucks its made by a company called Cyclops it weighs about .5 oz has a removable clip so you can clip it on the brim of a hat etc. it also has another clip to secure it onto your keychain that could be used to suspend it inside your tent. Its alot brighter than I thought it would be(I used it to walk through a very long dark train tunnel at night last week)clips on securly to the brim of my hat for cooking etc at night. I carry an LED headlamp but the keychain makes a great little all purpose/backup light !! And another nice feature of this light is that the switch is large enough to use even with cold fingers!! some like the photon have a very small switch that seems like a pain in the butt! It has a small button to use for signaling and such inside a larger button that does lock on. Streamweaver

Uncle Wayne

2003-01-24, 07:09

I always have one of my swiss army knives in pocket. I use my LED keychain light all the time. Highly recommend these to all. Wear my hooded fleece jacket, boots, smartwool socks, and gloves during winter.

Wander Yonder

2003-01-24, 11:20

I use my SAK, aurora headlamp, fleece hooded jacket, thorlo socks, thinsulate gloves and capilenes a lot. Also the rain jacket.

I guess the only things I don't use around the house are the sleeping bag and pad, hammock, water purifier and carriers and the cooking stuff.

brian

2003-01-26, 00:26

1)Princton tec Aurora Headlamp- everyday
2)Ripstop nylon ditty bags- everyday at school
3)leatherman micra- everyday for making my stoves- ive got 21 as of now
4)Hennessy Hammock- more comfertable than my bed:o
5)ULA p-2 custom backpack- thats my school bag..no, im not jk
6)Camelbak 2 liter resevior- use that in school too...yes, i DO get funny looks, but i really dont care
7)Toothbrush- well, not the same one, but whos looking??
8) 100 weight fleece- wearing right now
9)GOlite Umbrella- its a really nice umbrella!!
10)Sunglasses- for my sensitive eyes....:cool:

Darn, thats it...gotta get more gear....gotta get more gear.....

Brian- the youngest person here

brian

2003-01-26, 00:27

GrizzlyBear

2003-02-03, 11:03

Hi folks. I'm new here. Not much on brevity, having suffered from a chronic case of verbal dysentary, most of my life. Hope you can tolerate that.

I'm one of the original "ultra-not-much-gear" packers. 50+ years ago, my entire rig consisted of a WWII canvass shelter-half; what was left of a wool army blanket; a little red Dietz kero lantern, and pieces of an Army mess-kit. But, I was younger then - to quote a fairly popular singing group of my era - "much younger than today..."

I'm just now outfitting to start tromping the back-country, again, to get away from people, and closer to brook trout - but with a pair of knees that have seen better days. Consequently, I'm going very carefully into the realm of "good" gear. The first thing I bought - after much, much, research, try-ons, take-backs, and listening to pimple-faced "expurts" who wouldn't know the makings of a good pair of boots if they jumped up and bit them in the atsro-turf - was a pair of Vasque Sundowner MX2s. That was about a month ago. I've worn them every day, since, and literally resent having to take them off at night.

Shortly after the Vasques, my Hennessy Explorer Deluxe A-Sym came (I'm 6'-2", and at 230#, the Ultra-lite was out of the question). I hung the beast from mammoth-hooks in the chestnut logs of my sanctum, threw open the windows - which I do every night. It was 14 degrees, outside, that night, here in my PA valley, and I just about froze, underneath, in my zero-degree bag (I've since been using a PolarTec blanket between the hammock and the bag, and sleep like a baby) but noticed, the next day, that the knee - which had forced me from a flat bed, into a LazyBoy recliner, a couple of years ago - didn't hurt. I've been sleeping in the Hennessy, ever since, and doubt I'll ever sleep on anything else again. (I haven't checked the temperature inside my room, but we had a lovely cold front move in, several days ago, that stayed for about a week, with night-time temperatures plunging to 4 degrees F, and the PolarTec has kept me comfortable - but, I'm a very hot sleeper, and usually throw my feet out of the bag, shortly after getting in, except during the "wee" hours of the very coldest mornings.) Between the Vasques and SmartWool socks, and the hammock, I've been sleeping through the night, without waking up cursing the pain in my right knee, and without limping my way through the days.

Liking my coffee thick enough to walk on without leaving prints, I bought a one-cup mini espresso maker, from an outfit in Connecticut, espressly (semi-pun intended) for backpacking. I have my Pepsi can stove and windscreen assembly (see: Homemade gear - this forum) set up on my bench, and I re-charge myself regularly, throughout the day, without running downstairs, to the kitchen, and using ten-times the energy required by the electric machine.

I bought a Kriana, KelpLight, (green), based on the review by some Army First Sergeant I ran across, and it hangs delecately from a ridge-line clip in the Hennessy. I use it every night to read, before going to sleep. The light is amazing! And, such peaceful illumination. It's supposed to go 50 hours on the two AA batteries. I haven't kept a record, but it has got to be approaching 50, and I notice no weakening of intensity.

My philosophy of life is: Simplify!, Simplify!!, Simplify!!!, which intensifies as I get older. I have a feeling that, as I continue outfitting for my "latter-life" adventures, I'll be "living" out of my backpack, even here at home, and that preparing for a trip, will simply be, load in some food, strap on the pack, pick up my fly-rod, and hit the road. My wife thinks I'm nutz! (Heck - she's known that to be fact, every since she married me twenty-one years ago. My daughter wants to go along. Ain't genes wonderful?) I still have the one (1) suit, for the once-a-year-or-so occasions when she (my wife) makes me pretend to be domesticated. I have to remember to leave her a note, telling her where to find it - to have me cremated in. I wouldn't want some other poor soul to be forced to getting gussied-up in it.

I'm looking forward to delivery of my CoolMax 'johns, and shell parka & pants. I figure that soon I'll be known as not just "The Crazy-Old- Man who lives on Buck Hollow Road", but as the (Crazy Old Man who wears black-tights, a bright red jacket, and makes coffee in a weird little pot, up on the mountain". Hey - can life get any better than that?

I guess you could say I'll be using my gear, fairly regularly.

Trek on!

Grizzly Bear

Footslogger

2003-02-03, 13:03

Every item of clothing that goes with me on a hike gets used when I'm not on the trail ...right down to the bandanas.
Over the years I've "lightened up" a bit and now use some of the heavier items around the house - - example my Princeton Tech Solo.
Always have the stove heads and fuel ready if we loose power (damned electric range) or to boil water.
We ski with our hydration bags on our backs

canyon

2003-02-04, 04:39

Seems like my Marmot Sherpa shirt is around my waist on evening runs, skiing, both resort tele and backcountry (more), and just all the time, so light and warm

Zippka, not me but my wife had it on her wrist when she brought me dinner in the ER the other night

I actually (embarrased to say) am wearing my cerro torre body suit right now, and have not worn a regular robe since fall, this issooo much warmer, and my wife has hers on too. We call these red things our fire places.

Of course my Vasque Sundowners are my city boots, I think they look nice.

I often have on my Primaloft EMS vest with hood. Warmer then my Denali Vest I think, but not as stylish.

Oh and last but of course not least, smart wool Zip top and bottoms, alll the time. Ahh, With my Shepa Shirt I have all kinds of strange combos.

A Pair of Schoeller Dynamic Pants get tons of daily use, and have seen their share of summer and winter summits. Alas, my old favorite Patagonia Zephyr was lost while working at Ground Zero, but I was honored to donate it to the place.