Quote History Originally Posted By GoldenMead:
I went with the Granite Gear Blaze 60 for the pack. Thanks @41magluva for the recommendation. All the reviews I found for it were great and with it being 30% off right helped. Also the company is based in my home state.
Still haven’t decided on a tent yet.
Anyone here use a solar cell phone charger when there out on the trail for extended period of time?
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I have an Anker 10W panel that I use if I have non-movement days.
In my experience, the panels are far too sensitive to orientation and shadow to be worth their weight while moving. However, if you are going to be in one spot for a day, then you can get some decent charging out of them. If set up at camp for the day, I could generally stay on top of 2 DSLR batteries and 2 GoPro batteries worth of charging each day, as well as keeping my InReach charged. This, however, is in conjunction with 2 10500mAh USB batteries, because being away from camp doing photos meant I couldn't swap out batteries as needed, so sometimes the inefficiency of charging the 10500 battery, and then using that to charge my camera batteries or Garmin in the evening was the only way to get it done. I'd be out for up to 9 days in a stretch.
I have a couple of
tent shelter setups. One is a Mountain Laurel Designs Trailstar. It's 16 oz, plus stakes, and can accommodate 2 people, maybe 3 in a pinch. Bug netting? Best for each occupant to use his own. Perimeter rain splash? Yeah, it happens, so I bring a light bivi sack, which add about 1 more pound. So, to have good weather/bug protection, you're looking at 2 to 2.5 pounds if going solo.
I also have a North Face Stormbreak 1. It's a small tent. I'm 5'6" and my dog and I can use it, plus climbing gear. But somebody who's like 6'2" 230 would probably feel really cramped. The tent comes in at just under 3 pounds with ground cloth and stakes and stuff sacks. I kind of prefer it to the Trailstar because when things get windy, it keeps the dust out, as well as windblown rain. Not as much space as the Trailstar, but it's better protected space.
I could fit all of this stuff in there, plus 18 pounds of photo equipment, and I could keep things dry enough. I say dry enough because the vestibule area is small, and you've got that much stuff, you need to position things with care to keep sensitive stuff away from the edge of the fly. Didn't have my dog with me on this one, but if I did, there was still enough room for him, too. He's 25 pounds.