Favorite pieces of gear used at the 2010 Mt.Rogers Hang

**MedicineMan** · 02-02-2010, 15:37

The TQ GrizzBeak gets my applause. If you remember I beta tested Griz's prototypes on a 150 mile section hike on the AT in October. My only complaint to Griz was that I only had one. I didn't know that the beak could be improved but TQ/ZQ had done it by making it more material efficient, removing the unneeded tab to connect two beaks, and by the wrap around of the bottom of the beak and the corner of the tarp reinforcing them both. Here is a pic of the TQ GrizzBeakS in action:

http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...hp?i=8430&c=14
I set up the tarp and the Grizbeaks to the ground, a tradeoff of more condensation (the amount which didn't bother me) for warmth; Sunday morning it was 16-17F in my tarp and 9.6F at the shelter!

Also seen in the same photo is another mod that abs. rules. I think I can thank Dutch, TQ and Griz for the evolution of this mod and Prof.Griz for making it reality..this mod is the center pole, and you'll notice that the mid-section of the tarp is not pushed in! The amount of room gained is like those fancy shower curtains in some hotels...it is very useful not only for storage but also in shedding snow much better than without. The pole used is a pole I use in a Hilleberg Akto and it's made by Fibraplex and weights 2.2 ounces.

My next favorite piece of gear on this trip was this:

water bottle
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...hp?i=8429&c=14

I've been winter camping for over 3 decades and never used this trick...fill the bottle, put in fire, get to roiling boil, put in sock, put in waterproof roll top bag, put in hammock and enjoy the heat all night! In the morning each day I had water that was still warm, purified and ready to drink. As a side note, inside the tarp I scraped out a small trench big enough for a 1 quart Mtn. Dew bottle, put a small ccf pad over it in the trench, then coverd it with 5-6 inches of snow...that bottle too was unfrozen the next morning...so I had 2 quarts of water readily available.

The next novel piece of gear used was the hammock sock from the angel Unsponsored, I've already posted a review of it but here is a pic for McIntyre:

hammocksock
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...hp?i=8428&c=14

The last piece of gear used that I abs. loved (sorry no pic) was the Neos long Overboots. As soon as I got my 'house' set up I switched to these. Inside of the Neos was a double fleece liner and in the bottom 1inch egg crate ccf--feet never got cold the entire time.

**MacEntyre** · 02-02-2010, 16:43

You have some nice gear, MMan!

Originally Posted by MedicineMan

a pole I use in a Hilleberg Akto and it's made by Fibraplex and weights 2.2 ounces.

Do you have a link to the model that you use?

My favorite piece of gear at Mt Rogers... that's tough!

Thing1's complete Speer hang performed very well, like a single unit: Speer Winter Tarp, Speer IIIA hammock, PeaPod and Speer Top Blanket.

Thing1's Keen boots were well worth it!

My Hammock Sock with SEEP did very well.

The biggest surprise was my mocassins... I think they are sheepskin. I wore them in the snow with two pair of socks. My pants were cinched over them, and the tail of the cinch cord went under my foot. They kept my feet toasty!

**slowhike** · 02-02-2010, 16:43

Good reviews MedicineMan! I'm particularly interested in that metal Nalgen bottle! No pouring hot water from pot to bottle!
I would have probably put it in the roll down top, waterproof bag too, just as a precaution, but did it show any signs of leakage at all?
The top looks plastic, but apparently, if one is careful, that's not a problem on the fire.

**slowhike** · 02-02-2010, 16:44

Oh yeah, my favorite piece of gear for that trip was my desk top computer

**NCPatrick** · 02-02-2010, 16:50

One of my favorite pieces of gear were the OR gaiters. Slowhike let me borrow them since he couldn't make the trip. Not one drop of snow or water down in my low-top hikers, even though the snow was high. Thanks Tim! (Now I've got to buy my own I guess... ).

BTW, I have your computer board from 2Q. PM me and we can organize getting it to you and giving your gaiters back.

**MedicineMan** · 02-02-2010, 16:50

The stainless steel nalgene was had a Dicks for 14ish dollars...AcerCanto pulled it out of the fire each night (bless you singing maple!!) with his leather gloves. I'd let it cool for 2-4 min's before putting the lid back on. The lid is a hard plastic, never any signs of leakage, but at those temps I wanted to gaurantee the down stayed dry.
Future mod on the steel nalgene: there is a lip that the lid screws down to and it's right at 0.25 inch...i'll take it to a machine shop and have 2 holes opposite each other drilled into the lip...I tried with my pissant cordless but no luck....then I can add a metal bail for fire retrieval. The funny thing is that the stainless steel model is not that much heavier than a plastic nalgene and I've got a gizmo that goes into the mouth of the nalgene for coffee/tea brewing.

**MedicineMan** · 02-02-2010, 17:02

Mac, here is a link to the Fibraplex page showing the replacement poles for various tents:
http://www.fibraplex.com/tentpoles2B.asp#Hilleberg

**cooldays** · 02-02-2010, 18:52

you are the king of gear mm!

I liked two very simple things...

my toe warmers dried my boots at night inside my hammock very well

and my petzl headlight (the little cheap one) because before this in the past 24 years I have back packed I always used cheap double A flashlights and I like having freen hands when I was adjusting my gear at night (and setting up at night on friday)

**Dutch** · 02-02-2010, 19:16

I was gettting some serious gear envy at the hang. Medicine Mans down pants and his luxurylite sp? pack were very cool.
I was jealous of everyones down booties and I am getting a set for camp shoes for sure. I will be building a pulk this year sometime. I learned a lot about them at the hang. Especially to never overload them.I enjoyed using my Grizz kettle for a hot water bottle. Overcovers are worth the weight when it gets sub freezing. And finally Pan's Psolarx is probably the next $30 I spend.