Good Gear Bad Gear

Not all hikers like talking about gear. In fact, none of the hikers whom I really admire, talk much about their gear - they can make pretty much make anything work for them. But I DO like to talk about gear.

I lifted this from Jeff McWilliams FB page.

The Bad
I've only had one major gear failure out here, so I'll get it out of the way first: My Big Agnes Fly Creek tent. I've been through five of these tents since I first borrowed (stole?) a Fly Creek Platinum from Jason 'Hee Haw' Phelps in 2015. They are a solid, free-standing tent that comes with a rainfly. Wildly popular on the Appalachian Trail this year, I have seen dozens of them. They WERE my go to tent until the company that makes their tent poles - DAC - started cutting corners. I've had three sets of poles break in the same place. Two other hikers have told me the same story. Getting stuck on the AT with no tent kinda sucks. Customer Service at Big Agnes tries hard but I'm done with them. Big Agnes = Big Headache.

Good Gear
Osprey backpacks. I'm currently carrying a 60L Levity pack and I love it.

I've also had good luck with the Osprey Aether pack. Again, I'm seeing lots of these same packs on the AT this year and the owners seem to be satisfied. Mine already had 1,200 miles on it before I hiked the last 2,075 (as of this writing) and it's still going strong. My last one also lasted thousands of miles before the buckle on the waist belt broke. That was no fun.

My trusty Salomon Speedcross shoes.

 

Trail after trail - Israel, Mexico, Ecuador... This is my fave three-season footwear. I take them out of the box and wear them until they disintegrate, pair after pair. They're like slippers with cleats!

Black Diamond trekking poles.

My current set (I've gone through many) also had 1,200 miles on them before I started this hike and they are hanging tough. Not all of their models were great - the 'Z-Fold' models held together with a shock cord both broke on me in Michigan's Upper Peninsula but the Trail Pro sticks I have now are awesome. Their headlamps? Well, I have owned four of them. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't.

My bulletproof Marmot shell.

The first of these (I'm on my third) was a gift from Traci Rink on the PCT '12. I've worn them ever since.

 Icebreaker shirts! Traci Rink (again!) turned me on to these Marino wool shirts and I loved them. My first friend ever at Moosejaw, Perry Keydel, sent me a bunch of Icebreaker shirts for this hike. Even as bad as I stink - they don't.

 Darn Tough socks. Early on, I was a Smart Wool kinda-guy. Later, I was a fan of the plain, nylon sock for a long time - Ray Jardine style. Nylon dress socks wear out quick but they're cheap and they dry quickly. I had seen lots of Darn Tough socks on the trail but $30 a pair seemed excessive. But what if they lasted for hundreds of miles? And provided some compression? Darn Tough, IMHO, are worth it.

 The Tent LabsDeuce #2 trowel.

You gotta dig a hole 4"-6" deep every morning. Thank Goodness for this lightweight, indestructible tool.

I saved the best gear for last: Underground Quilts! I went to them in 2016 to make an ultralight quilt for me for the Baja Divide Trail and I've been with them ever since. The Bandit quilt they made for me lasted for almost 5K miles!

 I'll be carrying my new Bandit Quilt this spring.

Honorable Mentions
Stormy Kromer doesn't make hiking gear, but the classic hat they make has kept me warm (and looking cool) even in the worst conditions.

 Mountain Hardware puffy. The zipper broke pretty early on (see my fancy sewing?). Yet, I still carry it because it keeps me warm.

Columbia clothing. I buy convertible pants and a long-sleeved PFG shirt for every hike. Why? Bugs and sun. Many hikers prance past me wearing only running shorts and a tank top asking, "Wolverine, why the long pants and sleeves?" "Bugs and sun." I tell them, "Bugs and sun... "

I've also carried a piece of  Tyvek as a ground cloth on every hike. My sister, Carol, even sewed a big piece into a bivy for me on the PCT '12.

Please note,I didn't include the hyperlinks in this post because I'm an 'affiliate marketer'. They're just so you can see the product. If you see something you like, go buy it at Moosejaw.com 

I'm also a big fan of Treeline Review for articles and aggregate gear reviews.

Or, just contact me! I'll talk about gear and hiking all day!

Disclaimer: Every single piece of gear I mention above was either begged, borrowed or stolen. I take what I can get to keep me on the trail and I'm grateful for every bit of it.
Got a fave piece of gear? Leave a comment below!