Gear info

Waterbugg
		Gear Information

This is not a complete get gear review, but just a rough sampling of the things I have used, owned or wish I owned. this may not be the best gear for your needs. I would like to add more information and a means to have feed back from other outdoor enthusiasts, but I am just one person with a low tech budget and limited time. If you are looking for new gear or replace something, please check out the information below and then click through the links to the outdoor retailers listed below. Your purchase will be appreciated and hopefully help this website my outdoor endeavors grow. Also and very importantly, before you buy any gear, do your research first. There are a lot of choices and a lot of gear to choice from. Most of it is good and expensive. You need to make the right choice for your outdoor experience.
		I use this tent on many of my kayaking and backpacking trips. This has been an awesome solo tent for me, and I have used it on backpacking trips with my husband. We even had our 80lb Dog, Shadow, Sleep in the tent with us. Though it does get cozy with all three of us in it, we were comfortable on those cold mountain nights. The Tadpole 23 comes with its own stuff sack and it stuffs down to a small compactable size. It is light weight. I love it on solo trips because it is functional on solo trips without sacrificing comfort. The rainfly acts as a vestible toward the entrance. It comes with 4 pockets for storage for all my camp things. I recommend getting the footprint to protect the bottem of tent. I do not recommend this tent for large people over 6 feet.
		I had the earlier version of this, the Meteror Light CD. I like the Meter Light CD. It had looks of room for 2 people. I fit well in a kayak. Lots or room for storage. Two exits, which were nice if you woke before your partner. Meteor Light CD: Packed weight 7lbs 6oz, Floor space, 40 sq ft., Vestibule 14 sq ft, Interior Peak 43 inches, Packed Size 6.5" X 24", number of poles 3, # of poles 3.
		I have do not own a Dragon Fly, but I have used it and most of my kayaking friends own one. I see some of the advantages to this stove. I believe the Dragon Fly, should have been named the simmerlite and the simmerlite named something else, like flame On. The Dragon Fly is a bit bulkier and sounds like a jet engine, but you can truly simmer.
		I own simmerlite and use it often. I like that the stove folds up to a compact size. I use a MSR 22oz fuel bottle and keep another 11oz MSR fuel bottle as a backup for trips 1 week or longer. I find that the 22oz fuel bottle is enough fuel to get me through a week. That is hot cup of coffee and a hot breakfast. I has been a very dependable stove. I have owned it for over 6 years and use it often. Pros: very compact. Uses a vriety of fuels. Refillable MSR fuel bottles. MSR fuel bottles come in a varity of sizes such as: 11oz, 22oz and 33oz. The cons: it does not simmer.
Altrec Outdoor		The Pocket Rocket: very compact, simmers, easy to light and use. I sometimes take it as a back up stove on solo trips, great for short backpacking trips. It connects to as MSR Isobutane/propane fuel canister. Burn time 1-2 hours. Pros: it is compact, Isobutane/propane fuel blend burns well a lower temperature compared to of catridge stoves. Dependable. Cons: Disposal of empty fuel canisters. Otherwise it works great.
		I use to use a thermorest. A couple years ago while I was on a week long kayaking trip on the west coast of Vancouver Island with 3 of my friends, I learned that they all used Big Agnas sleeping Pads. I learned that they were more comfortable, more compact and cost less for the Aircore version. After the trip, I immeadiately bought one this matress advertised to left. There is a fibercore version, which is better insulate. They come in different sizes and shapes to fit your mummy bag. Pros: Pack size smaller, thicker pad for more comfort Cons: Needs to be blown up. You might be able to find or rig up a air pump for it. A friend of mine uses a bezel type pump to blow his up.
		LED Headlamp technology has taken leaps and bounds in the past few years, Obsoleting incancense and Halogen head lamps. There are some many good headlamps out there. I use the Petzl Tikka Plus on camping trips. It is so small I though it my back pack when I day hike. Just incase I am out in the wilderness longer than planned. It has 4 LEDs. 3 brightness settings and one flashing. My husband James has a Princeston Tec Aurora. It has 3 LEDs, 3 bightness settings and 2 flashing speeds. Both are good, but the Petzl Tikka Plus is brighter.
MSR Sweetwater water purifier.		Compact, dependable. I have used it on several trips of the past 6 years and it works great. However, I did have a plastic pin that acts as the fulcrum for the pump break. I could not find a replacement pin, but I was able to replace it with a stainless steel nut and bolt. It still works great.
Bear Vault		Bear Canisters. A couple years ago on a week long kayak trip along Vancouver Island's west coast with friends, I learned about Bear vaults. It was an educational trip for me. The Bear Vaults are a great alternative to hanging food. Especially when there were no places to hang food properly. When camping we store the bear canisters away from our camp. The bear Vault shown to the left is the larger one, Model BV500. It will fit in most kayaks, but check to be sure. I use 2 of the smaller BV350/400. It is a more expensive way to go having the 2 Bear Vaults. But, I can use one on short trips or when I am on a short backpacking trip to save space. I have not seen the BV350/400 may have been replaced by the BV450. There are many bear canister options. I am very satisfied with these bear canisters, but do your research to find what works best for you. Wilderness Dinning has a great selection of bear canisters at what seems like competitive prices. BearVault.com for more info.

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New October 26st 2009