Another cold front is moving through NH and it’s given me the opportunity to test some of my cold weather gear in April… again! Tonight I’m planning to spend the night outside. Here is some of the gear that I’ll be using/testing tonight and that appears in the video below.
- Used Overnight:
- North Face -Soloist Gore-tex® Bivy
- Katabatic Gear – Flex 22 Quilt
- Thermarest – Neoair
- Big Agnes – Camp Pillow Fishbone I-Beam Construction
- Black Rock Gear – Original Down Beanie (with the low temps, this beanie will play a key role in keeping me warm)
- Darn Tough Vermont Socks – Various models, more details later
- WoolPro – Juno (will wear this under my Woolx lightweight hoodie as my baselayer)
- WoolX – Lightweight Merino Wool Baselayers (will wear the lightweight hoodie over the t-shirt an as extra layer and to keep the cold air off of my neck)
- WoolPro – Agena Merino Longsleeve (will be kept in my bivy, only used if I get cold)
- GoLite – Men’s Demaree 800 Fill Down Jacket (will be kept in my bivy, only used if I get cold)
- Gear appearing in the video, but not worn overnight:
- Hoka One One Tor Summit Mid WP Hiking Boot – Men’s
- Sun King Pro AN Portable Solar Lantern
- My trusty YakTrax trucker cap 😀
My setup is similar to what I would carry during a summer backpacking trip in the Sierra or NH if cold temps are predicted. As time allows, I will post my results, as well as more detailed notes on my setup at a later date.
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Walter Underwood
Please list the bivy in the equipment. I’m pretty sure you used it.
TheHikingGeek
listed – I couldn’t remember the model yesterday, so it took me a while to find the paperwork. I also added the make/model of the camp pillow.
Walter Underwood
Thanks!
TheHikingGeek
No problem, thanks for reading.
As you can see from the stats, it’s pretty heavy for a bivy.
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/soloist-gore-tex-bivy-by-the-north-face~p~79908/
Walter Underwood
Wow. That bivy weighs almost twice as much as my two-person pyramid tent.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/walter_underwood/4573142335/in/album-72157623980063688/
TheHikingGeek
I bought it on a whim. It was used and cheap, so I thought it was a good way to figure out if I was a bivy person… I am for one or two nights, then I start to get claustrophobic.
With your setup, to you carry some sort of bivy if heavy rain is predicted?
Walter Underwood
I have Ptarmigan bivy from Titanium Goat. It is breathable nylon on the top with DWR. It is enough to deal with spray. Today, I’d probably get a Raven bivy from them.
http://www.titaniumgoat.com/Omni-Bivy.html
The pyramid tent is great in bad weather. My first trip with it had a windy thunderstorm and hail. I have a Mountain Laurel Designs Speedmid, but their current similar tent is the Duomid or Duomid XL.
https://observer.wunderwood.org/2010/03/08/mld-speedmid-tent-less-is-more/
TheHikingGeek
Thanks, I’ll have to check those out!