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6.02.2016

TGOC 2016 Gear Review Summary - The KIT & the ****

This is a very brief review summary of Gear on TGOC 2016.

What worked and what didn't.

oh...And a small tune :-)


Siena Root - In My Kitchen Live


As you can see, it was all pretty much perfect from my perspective...

Below is my Main Gear Kit list.
Not the little stuff.

Kit Type Make Spec Issues / Comments Rating
RUCKSACK Hyperlite (HMG) Windrider 3400 in 150 Denier Cuben Hybrid 
Best Pack I have ever used.
Heaps of space, and almost totally waterproof. Slight damp on back inside on very wet days, may have been condensation. Great carry, and easy to pack.
Better than the Gorilla IMHO
*****
TENT/SHELTER MLD Solomid XL (silNylon).
With half mesh inner.
Slight leak at Apex and one back seam!
Because I forgot to seam seal it. :-(
Bigger porch with Duomid will be nice when I get it from Ron.
****
SLEEPING MAT Cascade Designs Neoair X-Lite X-Therm may have been slightly better, but this is fine for May ****
SLEEPING BAG Enlightened Equipment
Revelation Quilt with 20 Denier bands,
Hydrophobic Down
10˚F (-12˚C)
*****
This was the no 1 bit of kit.
So warm, I just needed a base layer on the coldest of high camps, and that was to stop the quilt from getting yucky if I sweated at all.
*****
PILLOW Goosefeet Large with Stuff Sack & 2 oz Fill Added my Rotor Smock, and this was the best sleep for head I've had in the hills.
No more sore head and stiff neck
*****
COOKING Flat Cat Gear
Leopard Meths Stove
and Tokes Pot
As long as you can wait for the 8 min boil time (I can) *****
WATERPROOFS
Top PHD Alpamayo Smock (Orange) I got wet in this (3 years on, and last year), when I first got it it was perfect.
Not sure why.
Give PHD credit, I have sent it back to them for testing. They have been good
****
Trousers Berghaus Paclites Could be slightly lighter ****
SHOES Inov 8 282 GTX Love or Hate the GTX versions.
They work for me.
Not even a hint of a blister.
This year, no wear out, and perfect.
So good I have ordered another pair as soon as I got back
*****
SOCKS X Socks Trekking Lite Love these socks.
Not for everyone.
*****
CAMP/RIVER SHOES Zuucs Zuucs (yellow and Black) I carry these for towns, camps & river crossings.
It was a toss up between these and the ViviBarefoots, but these are slightly lighter.
I used the inners from the inov's with them
****
BASE LAYER
Pants Rohan Ultra Silver Trunks Light, Comfortable, very quick drying.
Not quite as smell resistant as reported
****
Top 1 Rab Meco 120 Super light and warm, even when wet ****
Top 2 Brynje Merino Wool string Thermo with padded shoulders I used this for sleeping in, and also wear on colder days.
I get a lot of stick for this.
It is brilliant.
Everyone who has the bottle to try one loves them
*****
MID LAYER OMM Rotor Smock Only 260 g, also makes a pillow.
This was a super buy.
*****
NordicLife Take Note!! I'd love to try the Brynje Fleece jacket with windstopper Martin was given one to review, having failed to review the String Vest :-(
I was gutted!!!
Where was mine?
DOWN LAYER PHD Waferlite Smock (130g) 1000 Down Fill For the weight, this was silly warm *****
WATER FILTER Sawyer Sawyer Mini Filter For the bucks, this delivers *****
WALKING POLES Black Diamond Ergo Corklite with Flick Lok
(500g) - 140cm
These were excellent for the price, and perfect for the Solomid XL
BD Poles have the best FlikLok
****
I did have other kit, but this is the main stuff
A full review of some of this will follow.

I may or may not actually do a trip report.