Thanks for all the info. so far! Since I am new to Colorado would like to know if running shoes are ok there this summer (i go sometime in July), how about tarps (such as Jardine’s)…hear diff things from books…tarps bad for rain, tarps good for rain, hard to set up; i hear i need a warmer bag than my 30 even if i wear all my clothes so anyone know of a way i can just add something to what i got?; umbrella good idea? on and on and on. thanks for listening.
Christina
Trailrunners are perfect! Keep’em light though (27 ozs. per pair or less). Some models can be surprisingly heavy. As for shelter, I would suggest checking out Henry Shires’ or Six Moon Designs’ tarptents. They’re light like a tarp but provide bug netting. (Some nights during July could be very buggy depending on your location.) I’d skipped the umbrella and just wear sunscreen. The sun exposure / heat is not bad enough to warrant the extra piece of gear. To strecth your bag limits on those cold nights, wear your rainsuit, a hat, socks, and gloves. Tons of body heat escapes through your head, hands, and feet. You’ll be fine. Happy Trails!
Matt
Thanks, Matt…will look at six moons, already been looking at Shires but not sure what model. Have you heard of the REI Qt DomeT1 tent? Looked cool on line…wt 2lb 12oz. Great about bag…don’t want to buy a bag, too! what kind of rainsuit…know of a lightwt one? i have a lightwt…4 oz pants that the outer shell is nylon and the inner lining is 65%poly,35% cotton…i put that on when it is really cold…will that do? also i have a rain jacket with hood with lining and has a fleece jacket that you can zip in…usually don’t take the outer cause so heavy, but don’t know about colorady…oh boy hard to be lightwt in las montanas…high ones that is. i am assuming the norm is just an afternoon rain so don’t need my heavy yellow old time rain gear.
christina
Christina - I’ve got an old-school Virga from Shires, so I don’t speak from first-hand experience. But I suggest you check out the Sublite-Sil and Contrail (akin to the Virga). The other models are getting too heavy for my needs. At Six Moons, I suggest looking into the Wild Oasis. For a first-hand opinion on that model, check out Mags’ comments at pmags.com. He’s put in the miles and knows what to look for in a lightweight shelter. As for the Quarter Dome T1, I hate to be a pessimist, but you asked, so here are my concerns. It’s twice as heavy as the other mnodels I’ve mentioned (and probably twice as bulky as well). It’s interior is narrow meaning your gear will have to go outside under the vestibule where it’ll be subjected to rain splash and critters. And it’s made of coated nylon which in my experience, breaks down over time and becomes about as water resistant as cheese cloth. Sil-nylon does not.
As for a rainsuit, forget about the old yellow rain slicker! I suspect its very heavy. And it’ll soak you with condensation on the inside when it’s raining on the outside. There are much better options if your budget is flexible.
I use Sierra Designs’ simple nylon pants. Light, very packable, water resistent but not waterproof. They breath much better though than the gore-tex pants I’ve had in the past and I’ll trade that for 100% waterproof anytime. Wet legs aren’t a big deal to me. For my jacket, I wear Frogg Toggs. They’re light, inexpensive, very breathable (!), and last much longer than you might expect. I’ve got about 900 miles on my current jacket with only minimal signs of wear. And I’m hard on jackets. Oh, and they don’t have that wet, saggy nylon feel when they get soaked. They always kinda feel dry even when they’re not.
As for your warm long pants, double-check your weight. 4 oz would be surprisingly light (I think the SD pants I describe above weigh 5 ozs yet have no liner whatsoever). As an alternative to consider, why not carry some mid-weight polypropolene liners and wear them with your rain pants which are already in your pack? That combo will be plenty warm enough on cold nights. Cotton in any trail clothing concerns me because if it gets wet, it takes forever to dry, all the while robbbing you of body heat.
As for your warm jacket, take something that can be worn under a lightweight rainjacket. Fleece is nice, but if you have a few bucks lying around, down is much more compressible and lighter. Even a down vest and a thermal undershirt will likely be warm enough in July. You can always jump in the sleeping bag if it isn’t.
Good luck on your gear adventure!
Matt
thanks for all the info. matt. like the Wild Oasis…so lite. my question now is what to eliminate…even with just basics my packwt. is 17! without tent! I would like it to be 12 at the minimum.
I was wondering if you really need rain gear…if it is just afternoon thunderstorms why couldn’t you just carry a lite umbrella and have the shell top and pants?
I already have old long johns that i love but they are 1/4 cotton (in the lining)…will they do or throw them out? Basically i think if i could just find a top and bottom shell(looking for somethin reasonable,(boy some of these places are expensivo), my stuff would be complete for this year…could buy better stuff a bit at a time. this all could break the bank.
By the way, you were right about the warm pants…reweighed them. so let me get this straignt…you wear the sierra design nylon pants instead of rain pants, a Frog rain jacket and what other layer?
One last question… my favorite hiking shoes are mocassins and tevas…but i guess these are impossibilities for long distance…fall apart/cold feet/too lite for pack?
christina
Christina - Here are my thoughts on your questions. A 12-pound pack is certainly doable, but I fear it might require some new gear. It’s a pretty lofty goal. Nonetheless, Rain gear- I’m not a fan of umbrellas. They are extra weight, cumbersome to carry (especially in high winds or if you have hiking poles) and do nothing for warmth. Also, don’t forget about the violent lightening storms here in Colorado. Ooouch! Wear a water-proof rainsuit instead and you take care of warmth and weather protection in one swing. A large ponch is another cheaper alternative. Carry some sort of nylon belt and you can increase the poncho’s performance as an insulator as well as its performance in high winds. At night, I wear a light down jacket and thermals underneath my rainsuit for all the insualtion I ever need. During the day, if it rains, it’s just my normal hiking clothes plus the rainsuit. As for the shoes, some people do hike long trails in Tevas/Chacos. I don’t care to, but it certainly has worked for others.
Matt