Hiking Gear, Misc.

I got more gear this weekend, some miscellaneous items from Wal-Mart, including this compass/whistle/tool thing that I will be taking back after just looking at 15 seconds of this compass-reading video I will finish watching when I get a better compass:

I decided I needed to watch the above video after starting THIS video, which was actually what I wanted to watch.

I just realized not only do I not know how to read a topographical map or use a fancy compass, I don't really know what to do with a compass at all if I were to get lost. There's SO much to learn!

I also got a 100oz/3L CamelBak water bladder. I know that even if I find my actual CamelBak pack, it's not going to hold as much water. I read up on bladder sizes, and read that the weight difference between an empty 2L vs. 3L bladder is not really going to be noticeable, so go for the bigger one if possible. For less than $10, I scored one, and I'm going to use a little bleach and water to clean it up and sanitize it tonight.

There's a few spots on it, so it definitely needs to be sanitized, but I couldn't pass up the bargain!

My sleeping bag came in, which now has me wondering if my backpack is actually going to be big enough to take overnight somewhere, especially in colder weather.

Even stuffed in it's sack, it's a lot larger than I expected, and I'm not really sure where it's supposed to go on my bag. I read a sleeping bag should go IN the pack, but it takes up most of the space! My Osprey bag has no straps to hold things underneath it.

Side view of the bottom of my Osprey Sirrus 36

Actual bottom of my Osprey Sirrus 36.

I'm sure I could rig something to work, and I've seen people pack sleeping bags on the sides. I guess I will just have to get the rest of my gear, and see if I need a different bag.

Still on the search for a tent. I think I've narrowed it down to the MSR Hubba Hubba NX or the MSR Freelite 2. I like the lightweightness of both of them, but either will run me around $300. I know I want to invest in a good tent, but I don't know if I want to invest that much before I've tried out a less expensive version to get a feel for what I'm really looking for or need.

My Hiking Gear Thus Far: Bags

So I've been really excited to share the amazing gear I've gotten recently, at really great prices. (Well, hypothetically it's "amazing" to me. Time and experience will tell.) My first purchase, that sort of got me going with this, was Dexter's hiking pack.

REI Adventure XL Dog Hiking Pack

Now, they don't make these packs anymore, but I can tell you from research that dog packs are not cheap... and EXTRA LARGE dog packs are not only expensive, but can be hard to come by. Dexter isn't a particularly large dog, but the girth of his neck and chest are larger than most dogs. Going with an XL was a good choice- it seems to be just the right size. (We've only tried it on briefly.) This bag was less than $20!!! Finding such a bargain was a thrill, and I've since been on the lookout for more great deals...

Like my daypack:

Women's XS/S Osprey Sirrus 36 Daypack

That's right: I got a 36L Osprey backpack- that is not only a gorgeous color but basically brand new- for $75! This is a $170 backpack. It fits wonderfully- again, so far, just trying it on.

I'm still not totally sure about the capacity. From what I've read, a 36L seems to be right on the border of "heavy day pack" to "light overnight". My goal is to get to doing some overnights with Dex, but I am a bit worried it is a little too heavy for what will be my normal use. I've been debating on purchasing a smaller one (have I mentioned I have an addictive personality? No? Well, I do, as I'm sure you'll see). Somewhere in storage, though, I should have a small Camelbak I purchased years ago. I haven't been able to find it, but I'm really hoping it's there. I don't remember which one it is, but I'd like to at least get the bladder out of it, and put that in my Sirrus, and possibly rig the Camelbak to attach to my daypack for shorter hikes from base camp, or short hikes in general. Which still leaves me with the question of whether I should have gotten a smaller pack.

As you see, this is going to be a lot of trial and error for me.

I'll post about my hiking boots next time!