I'll be taking everything from last year's trip on this one, except for the old backpacking tent, which needs repair, having leaked through the floor on the PCT trip in Washington.
These are the new items for the Canada/Alaska trip, along with links if you want to know more.
In this post:
- Big Agnes "Deep Creek" Tarp (and Bug House)
- Midland NOAA Weather Radio
- Nemo "Hornet" UL Backpacking Tent
- Kowa TSN 884 Spotting Scope
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| The Deep Creek tarp can be set up in a variety of ways |
Big Agnes "Deep Creek" Tarp (and Bug House)
So why not a tent? Those of you who know me know that I don't like being "inside" especially when outdoors!I really liked the flexibility of this tarp. It's free-standing and can be put up in various configurations. It can be rigged over the car for shade or rain protection. Besides, I got a good deal on it, and the fact that it came with two telescoping poles was a big plus.
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| The Bug House under the tarp. |
Plus, either piece can be used on it's own, although I'm not sure why one would set up the Bug House without the canopy...
<ahem> Of course, full disclosure requires me to report that it took about 45 minutes to set up the system the first time solo — on a day with light winds. At that rate, I'll be swollen with bites by the time I can flee into its shelter. It would be handy to have a second person, but I'll get more adept with practice. Having one part attached to the car, even temporarily, should really help.
==> There's more info here, plus a kind of cool video:
https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/Detail/Tent/deepcreektarplarge
Midland NOAA Weather Radio
Last year, with all the rain and severe weather along the route, I was uncomfortable not getting good weather reports. The weather "app" on the Toyota was useless when I needed it — most of the time it couldn't connect to anything, and trying to tune to AM radio weather was time-consuming and frustrating. iPhone apps were equally useless, as cell service was virtually non-existent.With this handy radio, I'll be able to monitor the weather anywhere in range of NOAA or Canadian transmitters. It charges quickly (5 hrs on "shore power") and seems to last about a week with intermittent use (1/2 hr/day). I'll watch the clouds, and wind, and then tune in.
==> Why I chose this one, and more info:
http://thesweethome.com/reviews/emergency-preparedness/#radio
http://www.amazon.com/Midland-Consumer-ER310-Emergency-Digital/dp/B015QIC1PW/
Nemo "Hornet" UL Backpacking Tent
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| Out with the old: MSR Zoid 1 on rock & snowfields below Elizabeth Pass, 2004 |
The new: With increased interest in "ultra-light" shelters, tent technology has evolved over the past few years, and it seemed like the right time to try something new.
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| In with the new 2016 version: Nemo Hornet 1P |
Of the various options, bivvys are very light but too confining (for me), and I'm not a fan of tarp tents, or single-wall tents (won't bore you with details). I'm used to a small tent, but do like to sit up to read or change clothes without being bitten by bugs.
At just 2 lbs, the Hornet is insanely light and compact. Several people have tested it on the AT (Appalachian Trail) and PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) and given it 5-star thumbs up. I won't be doing long thru-hikes with it on this trip — more likely quick overnight or 2-day trips, so it seems like an ideal way to test it out. And I still have the silnylon poncho as backup. I'm particularly curious to see how it handles condensation.
==> Want to know more? Check it out here:
http://www.nemoequipment.com/product/?p=Hornet+1P
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| Photo taken from patio with iPhone 4 |
Kowa TSN 884 Spotting Scope
Oh my. I'll blame this on my birdwatching friends, who definitely were a baaaaaad influence. But, I admit, I was easily swayed. Who wants to go to Alaska and squint to see sheep, or caribou, or elk, or eagles? Or even use binoculars and strain to see more? The time to get this was NOW, not wait.One of the reasons for getting a pricey scope was that it could also be used as a telephoto lens for a camera (and thereby not spend twice on optics). While I have't fully tested this yet, I did get an inexpensive adapter for the much-maligned iPhone 4, and am pretty blown away by how well it seems to work. Of course, trying to take pictures of a palm tree is a lot different that a bird on the wing, but still... with patience and some luck, I should be able to get some good photos!
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| Palm tree on the right taken from the same spot as above, also with the iPhone 4 but through the Kowa TSN-884 scope at 60x. Wow. |
Bottom line: I'm SUPER glad that I bit the bullet and went ahead with this purchase. It's just amazing what you can see with it, whether I take pictures or not. I will always remember watching the pair of bald eagles on Tomales Bay this past winter. Being able to follow their flight and see talons flexing and extending to grab a stick to carry back to build the nest was incredible.
==> I managed a good deal on this from B & H Photo/Video (free shipping, no tax, a $200 manufacturer's rebate and a free tripod)
==> This is an exhaustive review, probably more than anyone wants to know, but I devoured all the information I could find before plunking down the big bucks:
http://www.bestspottingscopereviews.com/KowaTSN-883SpottingScope-9.htm
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