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Post by dirthurts on Feb 23, 2016 19:10:58 GMT -8
I'm always watching for new gear. This year, the Sierra Designs Nightwatch has my eye. It's similar to the Lightning 2 FL, but now the top rolls back. My only complaint with the Lightning was the huge single wall sections, which wet out my sleeping bag. This mostly fixes that, except for the short section at the foot. Any thoughts? What are you guys interested in?
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Feb 24, 2016 8:20:23 GMT -8
We're mostly pretty set. I'm always watching tents, but for now, the cheap/light/freestanding trio seems to have plateaued.
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daveb
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Post by daveb on Feb 24, 2016 8:27:22 GMT -8
I've got wishlist filled with gear on various websites from here to Timbuktu but my two main pieces of gear I just acquired.
Now on to finding sasquash boots in 14 wide and a nice sleeping pad.
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Post by cweston on Feb 24, 2016 8:30:55 GMT -8
I need a new pair of trekking poles soon--haven't really given much thought to models.
I'm thinking about buying a PLB, but that's easy: you just cough up the dough and then more or less forget about it.
The piece or sexy gear I'm thinking about these days is a much lighter tent, perhaps one making use of trekking poles.
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snappypepper
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Post by snappypepper on Feb 24, 2016 8:54:10 GMT -8
We want a DeLorme InReach Explorer. Fortunately we just found out we qualify for a pro deal for one so we will be purchasing it soon! I'd also like some lighter trekking poles, but they are in the "would be nice to have" category and not a real necessity at the moment.
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Feb 24, 2016 9:03:04 GMT -8
None for bp'ing. Pretty well set there, after 15 years of upgrades from really old stuff.
Thought I might be in the market for a new kayak, but the old one survived.
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Post by cweston on Feb 24, 2016 9:11:09 GMT -8
The Delorme InReach is a very cool product. HYOH and all, of course, but for me, I prefer not to be in communication with the outside world at all in the backcountry unless it is for emergency rescue. Setting up the expectation that I will check in seems like a slippery slope to me. What if I forget? Or drop the device over a cliff accidentally? Seems like it could create a lot of angst back home, and maybe even a false alarm SAR trigger. (GoBlue had a situation like this when he lost his SPOT on an extended solo trip, IIRC.)
I'd like to get a basic PLB for my wife's peace of mind. Otherwise, I'd probably not bother. My kids are adults now. I'd really like to stick around, of course, to see them grow up even more, have grandchildren, etc. But, if a BP trip were to end in disaster, I can't think of a better way to go than doing what I love.
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snappypepper
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Post by snappypepper on Feb 24, 2016 9:42:44 GMT -8
The reasons we are choosing the InReach over a PLB is multi-faceted. A PLB is not helpful if you suffer a traumatic fall or catastrophic injury and cannot activate it. This device would allow them to track me/us if we didn't return home on time. PLBs also lack the ability to check their functionality and current state, so you may not know if it's malfunctioning. We also want the ability to communicate with loved ones or search and rescue. In a real emergency, it would be great to let SAR know details of the situation so they can send the right gear and people for the rescue. Sometimes you just want to let loved ones know you’re going to be late, or that a storm slowed you down. Maybe you had a shoe blow out on or a bear ate all your food and need them to mail you replacements to your next resupply. In these situations, a PLB is useless.
We definitely won't be using it to "check in" just for the sake of checking in with anyone at home. We recently had to cut a BP trip short due to an emergency with our dog back home and it was hell getting a signal to communicate or even arrange a shuttle to pick us up at the closest road. The InReach has other great features that we will use too, such as the navigation and route planning features.
Just food for thought re the PLBs. They are great tools, personally, I don't get the same peace of mind as I do from the InReach. I totally agree with you about preferring not to communicate unless absolutely necessary!
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Feb 24, 2016 9:54:33 GMT -8
"PLBs also lack the ability to check their functionality and current state," I don't believe that's correct, for ACR models anyway. My older model had a check function and I highly doubt they deleted it from the newer ones. "" Q: How do I know the beacon is working? Perform a monthly self-test. If the test passes, the beacon is working. If self- test does not pass, take/send the beacon in for service. If you want to know that your beacon signal is reaching the satellite system and your signal is being received back down to earth please check out our advanced testing service called 406Link.com." - See more at: www.acrartex.com/products/catalog/personal-locator-beacons/resqlinkplus/#sthash.DlJoybAj.dpufand their enhanced site: www.406link.comThe lack of nuanced communication remains, a simply hindering injury which will delay you past your "call the authorities" time/date, isn't deflected with an FCC certified PLB. However rare they may be. As to my gear watching? New sleeping bag, odds are a WM Antelope GWS. Some late fall high routes have percolated to the top of my list for this year and that's the bag for them.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2016 10:32:21 GMT -8
Now that my gear weight is down to 11ish pounds, I am looking into getting a smaller lighter weight backpack.
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Post by cweston on Feb 24, 2016 10:41:23 GMT -8
Yeah, I hadn't really thought of the delay scenario. I've had to hunker down due to extreme weather a few times, such that I was substantially (12-36 hours) late returning to the car and cell coverage. In that case, it would be great to be able to message my wife and explain that it's not an emergency, I'm just riding the storm out. (Cue REO Speedwagon.)
If I were the one back home, I'd get a kick out of being able to track my hiker's location, but I know my wife doesn't really care about that.
There's also expense: higher purchase cost + satellite time charges for InReach. My wife already thinks I spend way too much on gear...
Again, HYOH. Just talking through why I'll probably go for a plain PLB.
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Feb 24, 2016 11:07:13 GMT -8
SPOT's will also do a somewhat similar function for non-emergency delays as they have, IIRC, an "Okay" button that sends an okay message to the listed people. ARC's 406link option may have a similar function. Though were that a more routine thing to do I'd lean towards the replaceable battery SPOT over the sealed ACR....
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Post by cweston on Feb 24, 2016 11:21:29 GMT -8
Also, the PLBs are registered and you provide an emergency contact: a person who will be notified if your PLB activates. So, I guess if I'm several hours late, but my wife has received no such notification, she can assume that I'm simply delayed, not in a SAR scenario. (Or that I died before I could activate the PLB, I guess.)
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Feb 24, 2016 11:27:59 GMT -8
Yeah you list three such contacts that are attempted to be reached before they launch the mission during the beacon registration process (and they're updateable whenever).
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snappypepper
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Post by snappypepper on Feb 24, 2016 13:19:51 GMT -8
Good feedback on the PLBs vs. InReach and similar. Definitely food for thought. When I spoke of not being able to test if it's working, I meant on the spot in the backcountry if necessary. But I think regular testing would ease my mind a bit.
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