About to Pull the Trigger

So, I've been looking at gear for about 3-4 months now and I think I've narrowed down the gear I want to buy. I will be going to CO in June. That is why there is no clothing in this list. I'll buy most of that at REI and the Montbell store while I'm there. Here's the list:

ULA Conduit (I'm sure you're happy UL...)
Contrail (Thanks for the info Lew and Colt...what do the stakes weigh?)
Rite-n-Rain Notepad
Nalgene Waterproof Pen
Nite Ize S-Biner #1 (5 of these)
Lazr NANO Stakes (are these lighter than what come with the Contrail?)
FlexAir Plus UL Pillow
Cord and Cord Locks (For lashing and making Packs, Stuff Sacks and shelters; 1mm diameter and tiny cord locks)

So, there it is. It may change a little when I order (i.e. I might not get the stakes). Let me know what you think, and espically if there are any "stupid" purchases.

willky:
That's a great looking list. Lew has that UL pillow and you might ask him what he thinks about having to use a straw to blow it up each night before you order one.
I know you will like the Conduit and Contrail. Both are very well made and should give you a lot of good service.
BTW, where in CO are you going? You're not going to do the Colorado Trail without me, are you?
UL

Haha, I wish I was doing the CO Trail. Me and my parents (and hopefully my sister) are going to Colorado Springs, Denver (and the Montbell store in Boulder), Silverthorne, and Tulsa on the way home to see some relatives. We'll be gone for about a week and a half. No hiking, just hanging out with family. But I cannot wait to go to REI and Montbell's flagship store in Boulder! The bulk of my money will probably get left behind in there.

willky1 wrote:... The bulk of my money will probably get left behind in there.

Feel free to bring us sumthin!

Kyle, gifts among freinds are still accepted you know. hahahaha good luck guy.

I have a question about the FlexAir Plus UL Pillow. Why are they sold in packs of three? Are they somewhat disposable or just not druel proof?

ED:
Don't know, but Lew should be online this evening after he gets off work and then he can hopefully answer things for you.
UL

I have been questioning the Lazr NANO stakes. 4" of Ti and they only weigh ONE gram. I think I'm going to nix these, because I read an article about them failing rather easily.

Kyle,

I am new to backpacking but not titanium, the stuff has amazing strength.
I would at-least get other opinions. Being that I don't have much backpacking experience , if I only used one review to make a descision on my gear I would not own a single piece of gear. It seems that there is always someone that has something bad to say and alot of those people are abusing the gear that they are reviewing. Titanium is used in the automotive industry for moving, internal, engine parts I think if you don't use excessive force on them they should perfom just great. I'm gonna buy some when I have 20 bucks that don't have plans for.

ED,
This was the article I was thinking about. It is about some nail stakes. Not the Lazr NANO stakes. However, right now getting them is an non-issue, because they are currently sold out. I think I might give them a try and see what they can do. It seems like the ones talked about in the link above are some nail style stakes that were failing at the hole used for tying them out. I am going to call BPL and see when they'll be getting them in. I might hold off on the BPL stuff so I only have to pay shipping once from them. Shipping charges make me furious .

Ed / Kyle

I don't like the pillows. They are just not very comfy to me. I guess you could dispose of them. I have two left out of my three pack and have used them a few times. One of them I gave away to a friend. They are definitely better than nothing. I just want more comfort. I am on the hunt for a great pillow for backpacking.

Lew

Clif wrote:Feel free to bring us sumthin!

Trail Monkey wrote:Kyle, gifts among freinds are still accepted you know.

Gee, Monk, Looks like we wuz ignored!

Lew,
I know what you mean. I have to have a pillow when I sleep, and rolled up jackets and shoes just don't cut it. Have you tried under inflating the pillow. Also which model do you have. The one I listed will inflate up to 6.5" thats plenty for me, and I might try to under inflate it for a little more comfort. I've just got to have something better.

Clif,
I'll see if the mood strikes me when I get there. Maybe I'll be feeling rich .

Kyle,

In the review that you refered to, I don't think that the guy was abusing the stakes but he did say "I really didn't think that it would be possible to bend these things" yes I do think that he was expecting too much. Normal titanium can only be expected to be slightly stronger than steel of the same demensions but lighter than aluminum.

Even with steel stakes I kinda wiggle it between the rocks in the soil.

I am glad that you guys are talking pillows because that is next on my gear list. I currently use a full size pillow and I'm not looking to save weight as much as pack space. A pillow is very important to me you might say that I am a pillow snob!

I have one of the Western Mountaineering down packable pillows I got used for like $20 off another forum and love it. I usually put it inside a nice feeling shirt b/c nylon sticking to your face is never a great feeling.

I've always thought it'd be cool to make a pillow size/shaped stuff sack out of nylon and sew a piece of fleece, cotton, flannel, or other nice feeling fabric on one side. I would use it as my clothes stuff sack in the pack and utilize whatever clothes I'm not wearing at night as the pillow stuffing. Maybe it could even zip instead of having a drawstring to maintain its shape.

Sounds like you have your next project boston. You could double layer one side so that when it is right side out it is just a nylon stuff sack, but when you turn it inside out it has the comfortable fabric exposed on one side (this might be what you're saying...sorry). I have one of those WM pillows as well, but it doesn't have enough support for my head. I just compress it to almost nothing when I lay my head on it. I like the idea of the inflatable because I can control the firmness.

Slumberjack makes a pillow that works pretty good. You can also find travel pillows a lot of times at truck stops like Flying J and Pilot. I use an inflatable pillow that came with an air mattress from Wal Mart. It weighs 4 oz. and works great.
UL

Every now and then I need one in my hammock, but it is very rare, and all I use is my fleece jacket. I have thought about galon ziplock bags, but never have. I do like the ripstop fleece stuff sack, but the extent of my spare clothes is socks, and whatever I have on that can be taken off. Scoot on down in your bag, and then use the "extra" bag as a pillow, this might work without the extra weight.

I also just use my clothes stuff sack as a pillow. Hopefully it will have less clothes in it on my next outing! should create a new problem...

Thats the problem I have OMSC. I don't usually take a lot of extra clothes. Ususlly it is just a jacket that I was wearing to keep warm around camp, and if its summer time, I don't hardly have anything.

I spent alot of time in Gander Mountain today feelin the pillows, about eight different ones. They all suck!!

I would like a pillow made with an inch of loose and light fluff on each side with a thermarest style self-inflating middle that you could add a small amount of air to adjust firmness and this pillow would weigh less than 7 ounces. Asking too much??

ED:
Thermarest does make a self-inflating sitpad that you could put inside of a homemade pillow, put the amount of fluff that you want on each side and then sew it up and there you go.
UL

Good idea! and if I talk sweet to my lovely wife she might sew it up for me.

I have had somewhat success with blowing up a gallon ziplock freezerbags. Might be able to put one in a stuff sack. Zip it up to within a inch of close and put the whole corrner in your mouth and blow. When desired loft is reached quickly zip it as you continue to blow. Takes a few practice runs but with practice you can get it right everytime. I mean its not like you want the sucker to be all the way inflated.