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keyboard_arrow_downDannyMilks
4557
Feb 26, 2018
I think I understand where you're coming from. I like to climb Mt Shasta and have developed a fairly precise gear list for that specific mountain. It works well for everything I'll see up there. However, I'd have to completely re-evaluate it to do any mountaineering on nearby peaks in northern California and Oregon.
There was a time when I was doing a lot of train running around the east bay, and then ran a 30k along the coast. I was so dialed in for the heat and dirt and weather trends in my area, that my setup did not serve me well on that race.
I'm trying to think of examples that are *not* location specific though.
There was a time when I was doing a lot of train running around the east bay, and then ran a 30k along the coast. I was so dialed in for the heat and dirt and weather trends in my area, that my setup did not serve me well on that race.
I'm trying to think of examples that are *not* location specific though.
idoc72
1181
Feb 24, 2018
In general, I think lower weight, or being more "dialed in" (whether it's for weight, weather, or a particular environment), equates to reduced flexibility. If I lived and played in an environment where one UL set-up would cover 90% of my outings, I might call it good and throw in the towel every once in a while when the weather didn't agree.
Given my seasonal changes in the PNW, and a touch of OCD, I keep different basic packing lists for my most common outings (i.e. summer UL, alpine snow climb +/- skis, wet weather shoulder season). On my general gear spreadsheet, I also designate alternate items for variable conditions (i.e. under shelter system, sleep system, and cooking system, I annotate what changes to make if I anticipate heavy rain, freezing temps, solo vs group trip, or even a summertime burn-ban). Weight and acceptable measure of safety are also assessed. Of course, this all requires too much gear, too much time, and results in significant mockery from the wife.
Given my seasonal changes in the PNW, and a touch of OCD, I keep different basic packing lists for my most common outings (i.e. summer UL, alpine snow climb +/- skis, wet weather shoulder season). On my general gear spreadsheet, I also designate alternate items for variable conditions (i.e. under shelter system, sleep system, and cooking system, I annotate what changes to make if I anticipate heavy rain, freezing temps, solo vs group trip, or even a summertime burn-ban). Weight and acceptable measure of safety are also assessed. Of course, this all requires too much gear, too much time, and results in significant mockery from the wife.
abela
523
Feb 24, 2018
idoc72> Weight and acceptable measure of safety are also assessed
Yes! So very true. At some point in our specialized setups we have to evaluate if that extra 34 grams of weight is going to mean the difference between having what we need and not. Of course, we can never account for every, or even most, 'what if' situations, but there is that fine line between a few grams and safety!
Yes! So very true. At some point in our specialized setups we have to evaluate if that extra 34 grams of weight is going to mean the difference between having what we need and not. Of course, we can never account for every, or even most, 'what if' situations, but there is that fine line between a few grams and safety!
Cardamomtea
588
Feb 24, 2018
That's fascinating, your usual weather. I think that's something I love about the hiking community -- so many different gear setups, all based on one's usual hiking climate. Makes me think of different species if animals, all adapted to their habitat.
Out here in Minnesota, a lot of people have hammock setups and do not own a tent. Lots of trees here, but definitely not a kit that would work all over the US! I don't know what I would bring if I were to go camping with nighttime temps above 65/70.. I have a light-ish down bag that's EN lower limit F2, and comfort 15. I recently bought an EE Enigma 10 quilt here that I hope to be my warm weather (Nights above F45) bag. I don't do summer in Minnesota due to bugs. I grew up in Seattle -- very few biting bugs there -- so I have a lower tolerance than native Minnesotans.
I think people who live in climates with wildly variable weather (like LoneStranger and me) probably run into your problem with super specialized gear less often, since any trip of more than one night can involve a significant unforecasted weather change. And I agree, it's not necessarily about the weather (a hammock-only camper above the treeline, a PNW summer camper doing a Minnesota BWCA trip, etc). :-)
Out here in Minnesota, a lot of people have hammock setups and do not own a tent. Lots of trees here, but definitely not a kit that would work all over the US! I don't know what I would bring if I were to go camping with nighttime temps above 65/70.. I have a light-ish down bag that's EN lower limit F2, and comfort 15. I recently bought an EE Enigma 10 quilt here that I hope to be my warm weather (Nights above F45) bag. I don't do summer in Minnesota due to bugs. I grew up in Seattle -- very few biting bugs there -- so I have a lower tolerance than native Minnesotans.
I think people who live in climates with wildly variable weather (like LoneStranger and me) probably run into your problem with super specialized gear less often, since any trip of more than one night can involve a significant unforecasted weather change. And I agree, it's not necessarily about the weather (a hammock-only camper above the treeline, a PNW summer camper doing a Minnesota BWCA trip, etc). :-)
abela
523
Feb 24, 2018
CardamomteaYeah, I can understand that situation. Whenever I go down to Death Valley and the Mojave Desert of Southern California to work on a trail that I am building down there, there is a massive shift in the gear that I take. Just like up here in the Redwoods, I end up having a gear setup that is specialized(specific) for hiking in the desert. Fully decked out sun garments, larger sun umbrella, next to skin layers that keep me cool instead of keep me warm, and usually a 50° quilt instead of my 30 or 40's that I use most of the year.
But to wrap this back around to the point of this post, even that desert setup that I have has bit me in the butt a couple of times I was down there. If I would have had just two other pieces of gear it would have made a trip turned miserable into a trip that was bearable.
But to wrap this back around to the point of this post, even that desert setup that I have has bit me in the butt a couple of times I was down there. If I would have had just two other pieces of gear it would have made a trip turned miserable into a trip that was bearable.
LoneStranger
1
Feb 23, 2018
Can't imagine your world any more than I suppose you could imagine mine there John. Here in New England the only thing constant about the weather is change. We've gone from teens to near 70 and back down to 20 in just the last few days. It is the same in Summer with large, random swings possible as fronts move the air around. We woke to upper 30s on a family Baxter trip last August on several mornings.
Given that climate folks here tend to have a range of gear, sometimes filling entire rooms or more heh. Being able to pick out which shelter, bedding or other kit fits the situation is what makes the difference between going out in comfort or staying home til the weather improves. If we did that we wouldn't get out very often. Not all of that can be UL though unless you have untold wealth. I have very light gear for warm weather, but my Winter climbing pack is more Ultra Load than Ultra Light ;)
abela
523
Feb 23, 2018
LoneStrangerHey LoneStranger. Yeah. The weather situation is just one that I presented as a common point of reference. The situations for which specialized gear setups are numerous. There is something to be said about having a lot of gear in your gear closet/room/garage, eh!
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Over the years I have been able to put together a pretty dialed-in setup of gear for myself, for the two or three geographical regions that I tend to spend the most time in. The vast majority of the time that I can spend out on the trail has me doing so with a sub 2268 gram setup, with a trip here and there in the 6.5 pound range, considered by most big mileage long distance hikers to be the sweet spot, for when I just want a bit of extra comfort and/or am taking electronics for shooting videos for my pathetic youtube channel.
Below is one of my videos of a sub 2268 setup. While it is from 2016, for the most part, again, because most of the gear is dialed-in, as they say, is still pretty much the same. A few changes, but not many.
But what I really wanted to talk about was the issue of when you have such setups that are so specific that you find situations where they are no longer viable.
A prime example of that is right now. A hiking buddy and I have been wanting to go hiking for a couple of weeks, but we both have such specialized gear setups that we have discovered we have the wrong setups for the current weather conditions. Specifically the uncommonly cold weather we are having. You see, here in the Redwoods, of Northern California, we tend to have extremely stable weather - it is one of the reasons we both live here. It is usually low F50°'s to mid F60°'s, all day, and all night, for about 350 days of the year. Yet for the last, well, weeks, many night time temps have been down into the sub freezing. It is currently F28° outside, at 8am. This is just unheard of for the Redwoods where I live.
Now, this is not a post about climate change - believe whatever you want too on that - but rather the fact that, as a fairly experienced hiker, I (and my friend) have found ourselves housebound because we do not have the right gear for this type of weather.
Now, sure, we could both take extra layers of garments, and take two or three different quilts and layer them up, but when we have both talked about doing that, we have both been like "meh, nah".
Or maybe we are both just woosies. Probably lol.
So, I just thought I would share all of this as an example of when specialized setups have left me... wanting... wanting to get out, but has caused me not too. Got me thinking others out there that have similar specialized setups have found yourself in such predicaments, because of not having the right gear for the right conditions. If so, would love to have you share those situations/experiences!