What new items did you buy/try this past season? And, how would you rate the performance?


1.) Our main purchase was a used Souris River 18.5. It gave us the extra space we needed & proved to be rock solid stable.

2.) motorola weather radio/walkie talkies. A luxury item, that really isn't an absolute necessity. (Found them on the clearance table while waiting at Radio Shack for help.) Still, they proved to come in handy on one trip, helping coordinate on the fly. The weather radio has alerted us to changing conditions a few times already. Keeping us in camp instead of out somewhere having to fight wind/rain to get back. I wouldn't have paid near full price for these, but, for the price, they're a welcome addition.

Astral YTV PFD minimalist, very lite and comfortable, bought in Aug. Pair of Zaveral carbon blades, very lite 9 and 10 oz. have not used enough for good opinion, but think I will a LOT!

Many used gear purchases, slowly getting into gear resurrection and rebuilding, stoves, packs and tents.

butthead

Big Agnes Deerpark 30. I had big expectations for it's performance on this past trip (Sep 7-14). I wasn't disappointed. Loved the way the snug-fitting pad (used an Exped Downmat 9 due to chilly forecast) never moved out from under me the whole time. Velcro tabs at top of sleeve kept pad from moving. That pad sleeve was awesome - no more nights rolling off onto the cold tent floor! Pillow stayed in place all night too.

At 6'3, 205#, the long version was perfect - I had plenty of legroom, though if you have a bigger upper body build, the shoulder area could be tight. Drawstring around hood came in handy when the temps dropped to around 40 a couple nights. I never felt cold while in the bag, although the Downmat 9 certainly guaranteed that. Didn't feel damp inside either, though I've read a couple reviews of foot dampness.

Compact size when compressed - a huge improvement over my synthetic bag in weight and volume. Wish I would have switched over to Big Agnes years ago. Highly recommended.

Snow Peak Litemax Ti - I was very impressed with this little stove. Flame adjusts perfectly and holds a consistent output. I will be bringing this one along for every trip now even if only as a backup.

Big Agnes Copper Spur UL4 - Great tent, very light, plenty of room, easy setup, the list goes on... Only problems: tent poles wore holes through both the pole bag and the tent bag. Was concerned they may wear into tent material as well. In the future I may separate the poles into their own sack.

Exped Lightning 60 - Exactly the pack I've been looking for a long time. Everything I need and nothing I don't. Lightweight yet handles a relatively heavy load. Less zippers to fail. No awkward extra compartments, keeps things dry. Adjustable torso is great and allows me to lower the pack enough to carry a canoe. Only problem is I've found sometimes when lifting the pack (fully loaded) by the carry handle the frame rail pops out of the top T portion. Not sure if they've addressed this in the latest version or not. Need to contact Exped. Even so I may just get rid of the carry handle since I could just lift it by the shoulder straps instead.

Mountain Hardware Exposure II jacket - By far the most breathable waterproof I've ever used. No seapage noticed even after a full day out in the rain. Exactly the quality I've come to expect from MH. Also the pockets are positioned perfectly so I can get in them with a pack on which is very nice.

Toaks Titanium Pots - Not much to say other than they worked the way they should and were nice and light. The bail handle is great for cooking over the fire grate.

I think this has been the first year where I wasn't really overall disappointed with anything...

Big Agnes Lost Ranger 15 degree Down Tek sleeping bag with BA Q Core Insulated pad...love the BA system and this is very light and packs down very small, perhaps 2/3 of the size of my BA Encampment 15 synthetic bag which I also love. BW's temp ratings are optimistic as I think this is more than a 25-30 degree bag (I am a cold sleeper) but plenty good for the shoulder seasons in the BWCA. Will probably use this for canoe trips and the Encampment for car camping. Very comfortable and the zippers work well. Nice pillow compartment. Sleep like a baby. It does seem to be slightly more snug around the shoulders than the Encampment.

Kershaw Blur folding knife - wanted to get a larger and sturdier knife and I am very happy with this one. Speed Safe opening works good, very sharp, cool looking but the best part is a great pocket clip that works perfectly. Keep it in my pocket all the time and don't even know it's there yet it is totally secure, no worries about losing it no matter what I am doing.

Duck Commander waterproof boots - bought these to try on our mid May trip for wetfooting. They were pretty cheap but worked great. Kept feet warm and dry on entry/exit and had enough support for portages. Only wish I had bought a higher pair - these are upper calf height and would like to have some closer to the knee. Just have to be a little careful getting out.

OTB Abyss boots 6 inch style- These boots worked great for me. The water literally pours out of them. For wet portage trails and for wet entry these are what you need. I just wore a pair of Smartwool socks under them. They dried out quickly after taking them off when reaching a campsite. I did switch out the insoles and used some Superfeet Green insoles in them. Very comfortable, both the boots and the insoles.

Souris River Quetico 17 - Great canoe. Handles well and is very stable. Nice and light weight on those long portages.

Crazy Creek Canoe seats- Very comfortable to sit on for extended periods of time. Buckle in easily to the canoe seat and can be secured down flat when portaging. Plus double duties as a seat at camp.

cheap Gaz stove from China

uses the butane bottles rather than the expensive cartridges, the big flat burner cooks without hotspots.

quote OldFingers57: " OTB Abyss boots 6 inch style- These boots worked great for me. The water literally pours out of them. For wet portage trails and for wet entry these are what you need. I just wore a pair of Smartwool socks under them. They dried out quickly after talking them off when reaching a campsite. I did switch out the insoles and used some Superfeet Green insoles in them. Very comfortable, both the boots and the insoles. "

I don't know how I ever survived before I found the green superfeet. I now have them in almost every pair of footwear I own.

All my gear was new but my two packs served me the best. The Seal Line 115L large packed kept everything dry as can be and was plenty roomy. For my day pack I picked up a 40L pack from REI that was absolutely perfect.

Next year a new sleeping bag is in the works.

Fiskars X7 14 Inch Hatchet got the nod from our men's group. There are a couple of folks in our group who are very particular about splitting cooking cedar, and this one passed the grade.

10' x 16' CCS 1.1oz tarp. Saved our groups arses from the nearly 5" of rain in early June on SAK. We pitched it over a very old Eureka Zeus 4EXO tent from the early 2000's which is NOT good in heavy rains and especially when I can't convince the tent owner to use an innie. A little too much tarp for a solo-- but the weather was so good in early OCT-- it never came out of my pack.

Helinox Chair. Unreal how comfortable it is but yet in such a small- packable-lightweight design.

Bell Magic- rented for Oct solo. Takes a little getting used to with the low seat--- but --- I want one.

Almost forgot: REI Flex Lite chair. Even the die-hards among our men's group who said they needed the comfort of the big folding quad chairs with the arm rests and cup holders agreed: Dang, that's pretty comfy for a chair that packs down small enough to stuff into the clothes pack.

Sea to Summit waterproof compression bags, I bought 3 of the large ones. They worked great keeping my sleeping bag and clothes dry and compressed. Now I don't need a plastic liner in my Duluth pack.
REI Reactor down XL sleeping bag. This is my first down bag and I will never go back to a synthetic bag. Very warn, lite, and nice for the price.
Garmin Montana GPS, I bought the USGS 24000 topo chip and the USA map chip. A full review is in the GPS forum. I like this a lot, huge screen, great battery life, Li on battery pack or 3 AA batteries.

i got this PLB last year and took it along on the August trip
An ARC with GPS built in for a sure rescue.no way i could try it out without bringing a SAR team down on me but i have a high level trust that it would do the job.

I bought a Savage River Deep Creek Solo in the carbon-extreme layup. 16ft long and weighs 29 pounds, web sliding seat, wooden gunwales black alui thwarts. Moves along quite nicely, handles rivers well but doesn't turn on a dime, handles really rough water very well, really stable loaded or just with fishing tackle in it. I thought the inside would have been smoother, several vacuum seams. The more I paddle the canoe the better I like it. There's pictures of The Dark Lady in my trip report, Flirting with Wabakimi. I bought some black car wax from McGuires ?spelling it does a pretty good job of covering up some of the scratches, comes in black and white. FRED

Old Scout Reflector Oven: After enjoying a few things on Suncatchers the year before I thought I'd give it a try. I thought it worked great and found I didn't have to turn things as everything seemed to cook evenly.

Flex lite chair: I thought it was a very comfortable chair to lounge in, I didn't like it as well to do things like cook out of. I think part of my problem was as much me as anything. I never got in very good shape being on the road so much. So I wasn't as agile getting in and out of it.

Camptime Pack Stool: Something I've grown to appreciate over time. Nice for when I'm cooking and such. Lousy lounger. I mention it because I visited the factory in Spokane and picked up another one along with Dave giving me a replacement seat for my old one. Kind of the type of small biz I like to support.

REI Revecloud Jacket: This is a lightweight, compact jacket. Kept me warm down to about 40 and is mostly windproof. Stowaway pocket makes a serviceable pillow. Big negative was the zipper for the stowaway pocket runs across the back of the jacket, so sitting in anything with a backrest makes it dig into the back. If they change zipper placement, would buy again.


REI Polarpod: Fairly heavy, cheap, synethic sleeping bag. Worth the price. Some nice features like a pillow pocket and the hood. Footbox pretty roomy. Warm down to about low 40's.


Big Agnes QCore SL Pad: Finally upgrade my sleeping pad. Waited way too long to do this and had some of my best nights sleeps on it. Slightly noisy. May be a little skinny for some, but works well for me. I also side sleep and had no problems w/ hips and shoulders grounding out.


Gregory Contour 60 backpack: Real happy with this pack. Hiked about 150 miles with it and about 50 heavily overloaded after a fellow hiker needed to shed weight. Started to lose some comfort loaded over 40 pounds, but thats to be expected for a lighter pack.

Fishpond Swivel Retractor - Worked great

A new Nemo 12x12 bug out tarp with screen. I really came in handy on my Q Trip. Easy set up and did a good job keeping bugs and rain out. I would have preferrd to have a nylon skirt around the screen mesh for durability. I also plan to and more tie downs when the screen is not needed. Otherwise, for the price, it is probably the best bug screen house out there. Jerry G

so far so good, got a great deal at STP as did others. I think it was about 28 bucks.

litemax titanium

quote kanoes: "so far so good, got a great deal at STP as did others. I think it was about 28 bucks.


litemax titanium "

What is the good?? Any bad? Looks like a bit larger burner (than a PocketRocket), flame spread.

butthead

quote butthead: "

quote kanoes: "so far so good, got a great deal at STP as did others. I think it was about 28 bucks.



litemax titanium "

What is the good?? Any bad? Looks like a bit larger burner (than a PocketRocket), flame spread.


butthead"

the good for me are the stove supports, flatter than my rocket. my soloist pot sits more solidly on it. and yeah, the flame is spread a little wider too. it seems a bit more tender than the rocket though because of more moving parts.

quote kanoes: "

quote butthead: "

quote kanoes: "so far so good, got a great deal at STP as did others. I think it was about 28 bucks.



litemax titanium "

What is the good?? Any bad? Looks like a bit larger burner (than a PocketRocket), flame spread.



butthead"

the good for me are the stove supports, flatter than my rocket. my soloist pot sits more solidly on it. and yeah, the flame is spread a little wider too. it seems a bit more tender than the rocket though because of more moving parts."

How's the flame control? Could you cook fish on this stove? What's the burn time on the iso butane container shown in the mfg picture?

that's the small 110 gram can in the photo. I think those are about 30 minutes at full blow. cooking fish? no idea. flame control is excellent.

I think I bought mine when you shared the STP deal on here. It seems to me like the burner head doesn't create quite so much of a "hot spot" like the other small stoves I've used. It's especially nice when cooking with the thin ti cookware.

We cooked fish with ours without any problems but you have to guard it well as with any small canister stove a medium frying pan will be tippy on it.

I found the diffuser that comes with the Outback Oven works good to simmer stuff to keep things from sticking... Thanks Denton Doc... on my Dragon fly Stove. Spreads heat out pretty good.

The only notable additions to my gear this year were homemade jobs. The super duper large scale water treatment plant I made was a huge success this season, not really canoe camping fare, at least not for smaller groups but it is amazing for large groups and more mechanized types of camping, I am currently working on a next gen production unit and hope to have some units ready for spring so I can loan them out and get feedback on.

I also put the finishing touches on a hitch mounted canoe rack, similar to Thules goal post unit but unique in that it can collapse and stoy in a trunk or truck bed in a matter of seconds, this unit has proved itself over the past few months hauling canoes and other long items, I'm loving it!

Abyss boots replaced the Chotas. They handled some rough portages up the Man Chain, Falls Chain into Kawnipi with boot sucking bogs and sharp rock. Good traction, grip and dried nicely. Letting in the water could be a cold water problem.
Duluth Fly/Dry pants were a real success. Worn nine straight days on the above trip they cleaned up really nice in the washer. Tough, light and dry quickly, too. On my October trip they were not as warm as I would like.
And my first trip with the Magic...what can I say. :-)

quote Ragged: "The only notable additions to my gear this year were homemade jobs. The super duper large scale water treatment plant I made was a huge success this season, not really canoe camping fare, at least not for smaller groups but it is amazing for large groups and more mechanized types of camping, I am currently working on a next gen production unit and hope to have some units ready for spring so I can loan them out and get feedback on.


I also put the finishing touches on a hitch mounted canoe rack, similar to Thules goal post unit but unique in that it can collapse and stoy in a trunk or truck bed in a matter of seconds, this unit has proved itself over the past few months hauling canoes and other long items, I'm loving it!


"

Ragged, when you get the collapsible hitch rack finished I would love to learn more about it. I use a Yakima DryDock rack--it works great but is not collapsible.

quote sdebol: "

Ragged, when you get the collapsible hitch rack finished I would love to learn more about it. I use a Yakima DryDock rack--it works great but is not collapsible."

I'll take some pics this weekend, it functions very similar to the dry dock and goal post but as stated above it folds completely



Those pics are a little old, the one I made has provisions for stabilizing straps. Also I should note there are more holes in the unit shown as I was experimenting with different designs and wanted to be able to bolt parts on instead of welding so I could at least use the same tubes. Another thing I did on mine is make the horizontal tongue long enough that I can open the tail gate without hitting it on the rack, looks a little different compared to others buts its so nice to be able to move stuff in and out of the bed without taking the rack off or pulling the pin to pivot it down. Pivoting down wouldn't have worked for me because I lash my canoes to both cab mounted bars and the outrigger, 3 points of contact, can't drop the rear without unlashing the canoe.

I also completely outfitted myself this year, so most of my gear was new. Some of the highlights:

Katadyn Base Camp water filter - fantastic performance and a real time saving, safe solution to water in the BWCA. More than worth the $75 or so I paid for it. Just clean it out after each trip to keep it in good shape.

CavPro paddle - $32 at Fleet Farm. Fantastic wood paddle for the price.

Duluth Pack #270; Gransfors Bruks mini hatchet; - Do I have to say anything? :) I joke that one lucky grandson is going to eventually get Grandpa's pack and hatchet.

Slumberjack sleeping bag 20 degrees- great bag at a good price. Just take advantage of that drawstring; it will keep you warmer. Or get a mummy bag.

Sandpiper of California backpack - for $99 it is a pretty good backpack and works well for canoe tripping.

1. Zav Paddles A+++++++++ Would recommend to anyone (Thanks kanoes)
2. In Reach
3. Magic (Never Paddled it Yet)

About it and that is a plenty.

SunCatcher

Granite Gear Superior One Outfitter Series portage pack.

A couple Sawyer mini filters

Therm-a-rest Regulus Blanket

Kelty Salida 2 tent

And a Jetboil Flash

Ohhh and a used Old Town Discovery 174 for $400 (with 4 paddles)

Intex camp pillow.
I like a flat pillow for side/stomach sleeping. Read the reviews to determine if it's right for you. I took this one to YNP trip last year for use in a no-frills camping cabin. I slipped a cotton t-shirt over it to keep it from sliding about on the slippery sleeping bag material. Worked! I immediately ordered another one when I returned home from my trip just to have a backup stock. I had an Exped pillow but returned it when it developed a leak during a BWCA outing. For the price, this pillow accomplished the same comfort with no leak. NOTE: a PINCH VALVE to inflate/deflate.

Chotta Trekkers and Hippies were a great investment as I enjoy shoulder month camping. My feet were warm and dry. Light weight and excellent traction. Nice to wear in a light rain with just a jacket. They should improve the Hippies with a double layer wear area upon the knees for "in-camp" wear, kneeling etc.

Giant Deally Bobs (each component 3x the original size) I made myself for about a buck. The original DB, while nice, aren't big enough for my multi purpose needs. Using the industrial size I have even strapped lumber to the roof of my Impreza for hauling to and from Menards.

Kelty Ingnite Dry down 20 degree bag was a delight...especially compared to my very well used 1981 Slumberjack Hollo Fill. Learned that I sleep warmer in light underwear than multi layers.

Werner double blade paddle...the stroke pattern dramatically reduced the bursitis pain in my right shoulder. Dramatic.

Free insulated "lunch box" cooler received at a conference I use as my cooking coozy.

A smaller tackle box so I limit my arsonal.

fancee feest this past canoe season I started cooking with alcohol. on two trips I brought a canister backup, just in case, but stayed with the alcohol. I eat dried foods, so I only need water to boil, but I know these little stoves would cook about anything. you just need to par down on the cook kit size.
probably fits a soloist better than a group.

quote Ragged: "

quote sdebol: "


Ragged, when you get the collapsible hitch rack finished I would love to learn more about it. I use a Yakima DryDock rack--it works great but is not collapsible."

I'll take some pics this weekend, it functions very similar to the dry dock and goal post but as stated above it folds completely





Those pics are a little old, the one I made has provisions for stabilizing straps. Also I should note there are more holes in the unit shown as I was experimenting with different designs and wanted to be able to bolt parts on instead of welding so I could at least use the same tubes. Another thing I did on mine is make the horizontal tongue long enough that I can open the tail gate without hitting it on the rack, looks a little different compared to others buts its so nice to be able to move stuff in and out of the bed without taking the rack off or pulling the pin to pivot it down. Pivoting down wouldn't have worked for me because I lash my canoes to both cab mounted bars and the outrigger, 3 points of contact, can't drop the rear without unlashing the canoe. "

Thanks for posting,
Steve

Purcell Voyageur Trench Grill. Its made from tubular titanium and weighs only 8 oz, and cleans up just washing with soap and water. Also comes with a nylon case. Well worth the money if camping where you need a grill. I'd put this in the Platinum Gear category.

Fiskars X17 Splitting Axe - Axe is great for chopping wood, especially for the weight.

2 Big Agnes Helinox chairs - Very similar to the REI FlexLite, however, the Big Agnes is slightly wider at the top, and the material seems a lil more sturdy. May weigh slightly more, but its not very significant if at all.

quote Ragged: "The super duper large scale water treatment plant I made was a huge success this season, not really canoe camping fare, at least not for smaller groups but it is amazing for large groups and more mechanized types of camping, I am currently working on a next gen production unit and hope to have some units ready for spring so I can loan them out and get feedback on. "

If you get the additional "next Gen" units made, I know a group of BWCA.com ladies that are meeting up in the BWCA at the end of May that would be happy to demo your unit and give you feedback!

quote luft: "


If you get the additional "next Gen" units made, I know a group of BWCA.com ladies that are meeting up in the BWCA at the end of May that would be happy to demo your unit and give you feedback!"

I'll keep you in mind if I get them done, but for BWCA it would have to be a pretty large group to make it worth carrying, thinking 6-9, scouts, large outfitter guided groups of people without their own stuff, base campers ect. As a complete kit it's very heavy, likely 11-12lbs. I'm working on adding some increased funcinality to offset that weight, but at the end of the day it's still a large chunk of weight. With that said, once you use it it's very hard to go back.