My First Gear Review, ahem, Comparison?

Eeek! Absolute eek! I never thought I would even be interested in reviewing
or comparing gear, but here we are. After two years of carrying my beloved
Granite Gear Crown2 60, I decided to try out the Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60
after hearing so many good things about it, and wanted to see if what I
heard was true-that the Mariposa carries heavier loads better than the Crown2.

Now before I go on, I want to state how much I love my Crown2. It was my very first
“lightweight” backpack I purchased after lugging around a 60 liter Gregory which was
absolutely massive and over the top. Despite the huge weight difference, I was still
extremely reluctant in the beginning to delve into lightweight backpacking. My worrying
was all for naught, however, because I immediately fell in love with it.

With the Crown2, my hip pain and chafing disappeared immediately as well as the
aching in my shoulders which always appeared toward the end of a good day of
backpacking.Part of what sold me on the Crown2 also was the removable lid,
because at the time I was convinced my happiness lay in the presence of this
item in particular. 

As time went on, I began to make little adjustments here and there to the pack,
and my gear in general. The more I backpacked with the Crown2, the more
particular I began to get about the gear I stowed inside. And eventually, the lid
went too! Who thought a person who began with an almost 6lb pack would
graduate to removing parts? Well I did, and I was absolutely thrilled because
of the easy roll top which compacted my gear exactly the way I wanted. 

I didn’t purchase the Mariposa because I was unhappy with my pack,
I just was intensely curious about how a differently constructed pack
would feel with the loads I tend to carry. In a nutshell, I laid out the major
differences in the pack I’ve seen so far:

	Granite Gear Crown2 60	Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60
Price	$199.95	$213.75 ($232.74 with shoulder pouch)
Weight	2lb 1.6oz (with pack lid removed)	1lb 13.8 oz (with shoulder pouch)
Frame	Polypropylene Sheet	Aluminum frame stay
Hip Belt	Customizable (fully-REFIT)	Customizable (S, M, L)
Back	Molded foam with ventilation channels	Foam sit-pad partially covered by mesh on top and bottom of pack
Pros	Carries weight well, roll-top closure, removable lid, deep hip-belt pockets, easy to strap extra items to the top of the pack	Chest strap comfort, lid-like top closure, comfortable straps and hip belt with mesh fabric, included sit-pad reduces pack weight by removal of z-seat, easy to keep important things right on hand without adding weight (first-aid, bathroom kit)
Cons	Poor ventilation on back, often sweaty	Hip belt pockets not deep enough for phone, awkward top closure

For now, the Mariposa comes out on top for me for a few different reasons.
But before I talk about those, just a word of caution that I have only day-hiked
with this model with a total weight of 16.6lbs. 

First of all, ventilation. The Crown2 has a unique ventilation system that has
a main channel along your spine with little gaps that branch out a few times
on the side. I found this to be ineffective as my back always got a hotspot
that would pocket with sweat within 5 minutes of a trip. The Mariposa did
no such thing. The Mariposa uses a sitpad as cushioning and ventilation and
the bubbled pattern provides tons of little pockets to provide perfect ventilation.
Although I did end up sweating, the air circulated much better on the Mariposa. 

I also found the Mariposa to pack up much tighter to my body which I feel
greatly impacted the phenomenal balance and carry of this pack. I always
felt like the Crown2 was pulling me backwards and I had to work to balance
myself to keep me from tipping over. The Mariposa packed down to right
at my neck level whereas the Crown2 packed to above my neck. The Mariposa
also packed tightly against my back and I felt no pull backwards. 

Finally, I will hopefully be delving into the world of Youtube soon
and will do an in-depth review and comparison of these two packs in
the near future, so keep an eye out for that!

Until next time,

Mighty Mouse

Oh my! A trip report!

I know I know...You've all been waiting, holding your breath, since July's AT trip report hoping for an insider's look at Dolly Sods.

Alas! That trip was not to be and instead, my trusty backpacking buddy and I went out gallivanting through the Pine Barrens of Southern New Jersey.

Aligning with our typical preparations, of course we planned and packed for the trip only days before we were set to put boots on the trail. This time was different for both of us, however, as we spoke frequently of the confidence we felt in our knowledge of what we needed without needing a checklist or anything of the like.

So what did I carry and use this time?

Sleep:
Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20 degree
Thermoreactor sleeping bag liner
Sea to Summit Pillow
Toe warmers (thank you backpacking buddy!)

Active Clothes:
C9 active sweatpants
C9 loose lightweight baselayer
rain jacket
Acteryx Atom hoodie
Cotton t-shirt
C9 active boxers
Balega crew socks
REI beanie
IMAC Finisher Cap

Sleep Clothes:
C9 active running tights
Darn Tough wool socks
Heavy sweater
REI gloves
Windproof Buff

Honorable mentions not used:
C9 active baselayer extra warm pants
C9 active baselayer extra warm long sleeve

After parking and Ubering up to Atsion, we began our trek around 12:30, cold and rain gripping us tightly. The beginning of our trip was quiet with only the sound of the wind, rain, planes, and occasional Jeep breaking it. The rain opened up a world rarely seen and we were able to witness where fires had previously ravaged the area.

We arrived to Mullica River Campground around 2:45 and set right to gathering firewood. Now, here is where I will give you a little bit of advice. No matter how good of an idea it sounds at the time, do not, under any circumstance, drag a small tree several hundred feet with the intention of using it as firewood, no matter what. It sounds like a fantastic idea right? Well, it never caught fire and we both woke with screaming backs, so next time I will be passing on this, haha.

We enjoyed a beautiful sunset sitting close to the water, the gurgling of the moving water and the splash of pink against the clouds keeping us company until all we could see were silhouettes of the trees across the water black as soot.

This was my first attempt at a Ramen bomb (Ramen with instant mashed potatoes) and we were both equally impressed! However, as filling as it was, I still unashamedly russled through my pack at midnight with my stomach growling to get and eat my Snickers.

I used the same cook system I always do as it has never given me a problem:
Snowpeak Gigastove (with igniter)
Snowpeak 450 titanium mug
Snowpeak Wind screen
Titanium pot lifter

After hours of trying to burn wet wood, we both retired to our tents around 8:30/9:00PM.

I slept wonderfully and probably would have done without the sleeping bag liner. Temperatures hit below freezing but I was never uncomfortable.

The next day was my favorite, but I believe words can't do it the slightest bit of justice so I'll just do so in my favorite pictures.

 Although only a one-night trip totaling out at 9.5 miles, I have to say this is definitely top 3 of my favorite hikes I've done in the past almost 5 years since I started backpacking. It was so peaceful, I couldn't describe it to you if I tried.

So what's next on the docket?

I'm not quite sure, but I will tell you a repeat of this trip will definitely happen before the temperatures rise and the sun sets later ;)

Mighty Mouse

P.S. I will also be delving into the world of gear reviews/comparisons on the next trip as I want to try out the Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60 and compare it to my experience with the Granite Gear Crown2 60.

Trip Report-Hawk Mountain Road to Dan's Pulpit Out & Back

Few words can describe what even an overnight backpacking trip does to me. It refreshes me, clears my mind, narrows my focus, and puts me in an indescribable state of calm and clarity. This trip was planned to be a single overnight a short distance from where I live, and not much planning had been done by any of us, shown by all of our last minute packing of our packs. Despite this, our excitement was palpable and full of energy bursting at the seams.

Our trip began early, putting boots on the trail before 10 AM, starting at a sweltering 80 degrees. We hit the first and seemingly only reliable water source within 20 minutes and scouted around, taking in what would be our campsite at the end of the day.

We continued on, up and up, through dry creek beds and dense ferns and plants. What had been a gushing creek in the fall was completely dry, not even a drip of water or dampness to be found. We took a break halfway up to Dan's Pulpit and finally created a new trail name-Water Spider-for our friend's habit of gulping water down at an alarming rate, and continued dedication to swatting down spider webs for us. Okay, not so much dedication as a luck of the draw from walking in front.

The next incline took almost all of our concentration and left us mostly silent, only stopping to take in the view of the trees and rocks below and the mountains peeking through in the distance. A short pause at the Hawk Mountain connector trail, and we were off again.

Through a small area of rocks we made it to Dan's Pulpit and each set ourselves up in different areas, seeking comfort in the now 90 degree heat in the direct sunlight. After eating and perusing the hiker log, we started the descent back down and made it to our camp site at 2 PM, promptly setting up tents and hammocks, and filtering water. Water Spider and I dozed in our hammocks while Sunny Bunny slept in her tent.

We awoke shortly before 5 PM, began gathering wood for a later fire, and set up our separate cooking apparatuses for making dinner. Poor Water Spider had another fluke with gear when her stove refused to light. After eating dinner, a thru-hiker joined our camp and we descended on her with questions with fervor. I was amazed at how much I learned from her in such a short period of time, including her love of the Grayson Highlands and seemingly deep hate for the Roller Coaster south of Harper's Ferry.



Later, our fire crackled and popped, burning until well after 10 PM when Sunny Bunny finally succumbed to sleep. I fell asleep on my trial set-up-a Thermarest Z Lite Sol, my Sea to Summit pillow, and my Enlightened Equipment quilt. What I found was that I experienced the same amount of waking up and hip pain as I did on my blow-up mattress without the negatives of sliding around and adjusting and losing my pillow at all hours of the night. Seems like I will be keeping this set-up from now on.

The following day we spent at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, taking in beautiful views and snapping copious amounts of pictures. Sunny Bunny treated us to the best popsicles on the planet-okay, I may be a little biased, and we made our way back home with a quick pit stop to our traditional McDonald's. We talked in depth about our next overnight and I am very much looking forward to it.

Until next time,
Mighty Mouse

Dolly Sods May 2019

Things I learned:

1.      No shoe, waterproof, boot, or trail runner will keep your feet dry if you sink up to your knees in muck.

2.      Tents really can lull you into a false sense of security…even in tornado warnings you have no idea about.

3.      Vaseline is not a solution for removing your fuel canister stuck inside your mug.

4.      Relying on the moisture-wicking properties of your shirt is a great excuse to fool your friends into not noticing you forgot your rain jacket.

Main gear worthy of mentioning:

1.      Nemo Hornet 1- I will finally be replacing this due to its limited size and continued problems with leaking during wet weather.

2.      Granite Gear Crown 2-Removing the lid was a great idea, saved ounces and made it easier to get in and out of my pack.

3.      GoPro-Took almost 300 pictures and didn’t regret taking it for a second. It was fantastic to have it at the ready for any picture or video opportunity.

4.      Enlightened Equipment 20 degree quilt-Having the freedom to move around, ventilate, and readjust was perfect, I am fully converted and convinced using sleeping bags for as a long as I did was just silly.

Full report coming soon =)

Along the snowy and hilly trail....

A few weeks ago I did a 6 mile training hike with not much in my pack but I thought it might be important to remember some things I learned from it.

1. I need to carry more weight to train
2. I really suck at hills and need to practice more of them
3. Puffy, long sleeve shirt and hiking pants with wool socks is perfect for high 30s, low 40s.

Some pictures from me and Squirm's hike to follow....

Training Hike for the 100 Mile Wildnerness 1

Went out with my fellow hiker Sunny Bunny this weekend to train for the 100 mile wilderness, a trip I will be doing this summer. The weather started out clear and cold, requiring my puffy and leaving me wishing I had had the thought process to bring gloves, but by the end of it had me stuffing said puffy into my pack, leaving me in a long-sleeve tech shirt.

 Before we hit the actual marked trail.

 Creekside trail. 

 After a small hill, where we turned around. 

First signs of spring!

The hike lasted for 3.5 hours and we covered 7.32 miles of mostly flat, muddy terrain.  Pack was a whopping total of 30.4lbs thanks to the added 10lb weight I had included. Definitely looking forward to more training hikes like this. 

**Mighty Mouse**

Starting Out

“The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.” 
― John Muir

This is the start of what I hope to be a life-long journey. It will start with small hikes, solo and with company, but the ultimate goal is to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. I hope to use this blog to help me with gear shakedowns and learn some dos and don'ts. First trip on the calendar is Dolly Sods in November.

Join me on the trail.

Mighty Mouse