I got a coupon in my email for 25% off of REI equipment, exciting! I decided at that point that it was time to get a tent and a backpack. This is of course in preparation for future trips where I will be blending in with the nature and the sunshine… odd for me. I started out by looking at the backpacks, but I quickly found out that I didn’t know at all what I should get. I asked a man wearing the REI vest about the backpacks and based on his comments I concluded a “medium” capacity backpack would be best… 65Liters.
Frontish
I decided that the Men’s Ridgeline 65 (Lightweight Multiday Pack) was the best option. It can carry 65 liters (3,966 Cubic Inches) and weights 1.9 kilograms (4lbs 4oz). The tag says that it is hydration compatible (good since I already own CamelBak), has a string lightweight aluminum perimeter frame, adjustable suspension, and is comfortable from 25-55lbs of stuff.
My friend, Neel, recommended that I have them fill it with these weighted pillows to simulate me walking around with it. I took this time to peruse the rest of the store and fill my head with ideas of what I will do in the future.
I looked at sleeping pads and found one that was pretty sweet. I didn’t buy it because it was expensive $119 and it wasn’t REI brand so I wasn’t getting 25% off of it. The Exped SynMat 7 has a built in pump that is operated with your hands. I deflated it to try it out, and the operation was quite simple. Put both hands where the pictures of hands are on the mat, when you push down cover the hole in the pump and air will be pushed out of the “pump” and into the rest of the mat, and when you lift up allow air to flow into the hole to re-inflate the pump. Sweet! Maybe…
Only 5 lbs, and packs very small in its own bag.
Next, I spoke with the man about tents. I brought it down to three tents, and then I realized that the three pound, two person tent he was showing me was something on the order of $265… haha I’m not that serious yet. I called up Neel and talked over the difference of having a 1 and 2 person tent. Essentially… if I’m traveling alone… two is still nice because all my gear can be inside, and if I’m not traveling alone then it is nice to have that second space. So, I settled on the 5 pound Half Dome 2 tent. This was the tent that they had on display in the front of the store so I actually laid down inside and found it to be plenty large for two people my size (“large” build for the backpack… 6ft 5in and a 36in waist). I’m considering opening this tent up to see how it all goes together before going on my trip… thankfully I have a large amount of open floorspace.
I was informed by the man in the green REI vest and Neel that I should have a tent footprint. I got the one that matches my tent the Half Dome 2 Tent Footprint. I’m not going to post a photo of it, because it seems pointless. This should help protect my tent from damage over its lifespan.
You may be wondering… who the hell cares… who is this guy… and why does he keep posting about things he has purchased. Well, for different reasons really. These are not just travel purchases, but the next step towards living my dreams. I want to travel and see the world, hike until my legs fall off, sleep in the wilderness inside my very own tent, and feel like my life is having an adventure… I want to live. Having the pack and the tent sitting in my living room will keep my smiling that I am that much closer.
I came across a site that I like, GORP. I’m doing research on places to hike and camp in the US, and this website is very thorough. In addition, they have a trail finder which allows you to get detailed information about various trails based on location. My goal is to find a series of websites that can help me determine where to start my trip, and what to see while I’m there. If I can manage all of that then I’m sure it will be a successful trip.
