Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General The Mountain by a fair means equipment - whos got what and where are the deals

For the sake of non-duplication - should we start chatting about who is going to bring what? Or should we bring everything to base & sort it out there?

I'm so excited!

Oooo Oooo!!

Hiking poles for cheap!!
http://www.rei.com/product/783181

Komperdell Contour Foam Antishock - $60

Good idea Carole...

I have a snowpeak little butane stove thingie...

I don't know if we're going to be tent sharing or not... but I'm equipped either way.

I have a spare sleeping pad...

I usually rent a bear canister but have intentions of purchasing my very own Bear Vault Solo ...

When it comes to deals.. my guilty pleasure is ebay.. takes patience.. but stuff shows up there!

I have to lend:
3 extra therma-rests. (older models)I think I have 1 promised out (either to Chris or Ava)
Garcia bear Can
GSI cooking set


I'll bring to share:
steri-pen
Snow peak cookset
Bear Vault (multi)
1 bottle single malt scotch (in a flexi flask)

Things we could coordinate on?

water filter
bottle of sunscreen high spf, please
moleskin
medical tape
first aid group kit
stove(s)
deck or two of cards

pillows - for the pillow fights guys think we have while wearing tiny lingerie

Oh yeah.. I have one of those water filter thingies too... but haven't ordered the replacement filter part that I need for it from MSR.. and it's heavy (1 lb).. LOL... thats on my "To Buy" list as well..

Carole, you didn't promise it to me Darlin'... musta been Ava..

I have a water filter with a new filter. Can't remember how heavy. I also have a two man tent, no one man so if someone wants to budy up we can. Less wieght for you.. More for me but I would carry anyway.

Carole did tell me that I could use but how many do we need?

Chris, can you tell me about the light wieght pad that you got for your son. I need to get one of those..

usually 1 pad per person.
I have my own that'll fit in my sleeping bag, (otherwise I roll off of it in the middle of the night).

One pad is now for Ava
now I only have 3 sleeping pads left to lend.

Disclaimer:
The things I have to lend will be carried by the person I lend them to. Unless we all chip in on a Sherpa or pack mule :)OOo that does sound completely Lux!

I think this is the one.. I will double check just to make sure when I get home...

Come on Carole, can't you loan it and carry it too? I thought I was getting a hell of a deal there

If we're chipping in for Sherpa.. I think we should raid Blooty's address book for this guys contact information:

Chris, as I recall you and your two children are planning a John
Muir Trail trip next summer. Instead of the small Solo, I
suggest you buy up to the BV 500 as you will need it next year.
The solo will be adequate for your All Girls trip, but only good
for 4 days or so vs the BV 500 7-8 days. Not much heavier either. AND you can probably sneak it into Laura's pack for her to carry during the All Girls trip !!

CMC.. good memory... unfortunately though next years JMT trip has been shortened to an OV-MW trip for a variety of reasons. I know the BV500 isn't much more expensive then the BV solo.. I've used the 500 on a few occassions already.. I'll still need the larger one for the kids and I.. and I can always put other stuff in the spare space so it's not just bouncing around half empty in teh pack for Girls Only...

Thanks!!!! I will think about it for another little bit before I buy either one...

Question;

Gaiters - what are the pros, what are the cons
I see Blooty wearing them, Moosetracks doesn't

whats a good brand for an ultralite set?
what a good price?

Moosie McMooster wears them alot.... I have a pair I've never used but I usually wear long pants on the trail that come down over the tops of my boots anyways.

REI has some that are usually under $40

Gaiters:

Got all kinds, hate them, but they help keep crap outta da choos. No matter the brand, I usually eat through a pair a month. (Crampons do NOT help this situation) I have a pair of mountain hardwear ones that I ate the strings underneath on this last trip.

I like the gaiter-aiders that DaveG makes to replace the strap. If your gaiters have grommets on the sides, these are THE BOMB.

So... speaking of stuff.

I know everyone has said (including myself) that they want to be self-sufficient, and that's great. But we should really talk feasibly about sharing equipment on this trip. There is NO reason to have eight stoves on the trail, unless we have all become gear testers for different models and we are running a prolonged, timed test.

I want you gals to talk amongst yourselves here (either here or privately) about sharing gear. Lighten your loads. While the trails we are headed out on are not steep, it may be more mileage and elevation gain than you are used to, and this is NOT intended to be a death march!

Ok, I'll go back to doing my paperwork now.

-L

We should at least talk about the sharing of bear canisters... blah.. I hate bear canisters... lol...

So... Tracie has said she wants to be on her own ... Laura has said she wants to fly solo... as does Bee... Carole and Ava are sharing their loads...

Are there things that we absolutely DONT need multiples of that people are willing to share (like the stoves and fuel canisters?)

It's not mandatory, ladies, I just want everyone to consider their loads here. There's an odd number of us, so I am willing to just haul stuff for myself.

Tracie and Bee, why don't you team up. Being self-sufficient doesn't necessarily mean you have to carry EVERYTHING. We can pull what we need out of the dead woman's pack if need be.

Time to start taking a more serious note, ladies. Since we are being closely observed, we should set the example of how this is DONE.

-L

*LOL* Cute Laura... so what your saying is we should all show up done up in make-up, cutsie clothes and not break a sweat while we're out there? Show the boys how it's done? Just joking...

...on that serious note: I hate it when I am coordinating a group hike, and an individual insists on carrying extra stuff -- unnecessary stove, tent for two, extra fuel, extra food, etc etc. Then out on the trail, the rest of the group is sitting and waiting while the dude slowly plods along under his unnecessarily heavy load.

One of the finer points of backpacking is to take along ONLY what you need, and not an ounce more.

On my JMT section hike last year, my partner brought along too much clothing (such as TWO long-sleeve tops), a pound or more of extra face cream lotions and things she never used, etc.

Doing that slows down the entire group.

Don't take more than you need of these items:
tents, stoves and fuel, pots and pans, first aid kits, water filters, bear cannisters, ....

...yeah I know... I sound grouchy. ...but there is real beauty in "fast and light".