So all my gear was stolen out of my storage unit... guess it’s time to upgrade and lighten my load out!!
Posted Jun 30, 2020, 5:53 PM UTC
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What are the hottest/ best items out there for a full rekitting .... willing to hammock camp, backpack, canoe camp, trek, all of it!
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Damn man, that really sucks about the gear getting stolen. I'd be really upset. Kudos for treating it like an opportunity to get gear you'll be happier with though.
That's a hard question to answer about the hottest/best items out there. There's an REI 4th of July sale going on right now, so check out what they have on their website and read the reviews. Sort by price since budget is a concern. The REI CoOp brand itself makes some awesome gear, I love my REI tent, sleeping bag, and camp chairs. They are every bit as good as other top brands, but bought them on sale for much cheaper.
My best advice is, live by the "buy once, cry once" mentality. Even if it means it takes longer to save the money for everything, just buy your gear one item at a time, and you'll get there eventually. I've spent WAYYYY more money by trying to pinch pennies, than if I had just bought the right gear from the beginning. I have literally bins full of gear I'll never use because I bought cheap stuff first, and ended up buying the better stuff later. In a lot of cases, I upgraded gear before I ever even used it, which made it a colossal waste of money. Just buy the right stuff in the beginning and you'll be much happier. One advantage you have, is you've already bought gear in the past, so you should have some idea what you should be looking for again this time around. What worked well for you before? What didn't? Keep those things in mind.
In the meantime, see if you can borrow or share some gear with friends, so that you don't have to buy the whole kit and kaboodle right away. Maybe some of your friends are like me and have bins full of gear they've upgraded from and are never going to use again, they can sell to you for cheap.
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For sure man! I appreciate the insight and advice!
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REI is having there 4th of July sale right now. I just picked up there Backpacking tent/sleeping bag/sleeping pad bundle for $194. It's not the lightest gear but I figured it was the best bang for the buck to get me back out on the trails.
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I’m so used to 20 year old gear that it’s all an upgrade at this point!
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For hammocking, Warbonnet Blackbird, Warbonnet Wookie underquilt, and Warbonnet Minifly tarp. They have top quilts too, but so does Hammock Gear, UGQ, and a few others. Get the best stuff from the start, it ends up being cheaper.
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I agree with your advice on the best stuff. I’ve learned you get what you pay for!.... unless you steal it, then you get some good gear with bad mojo.
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Well, they left the tent broom and dustpan...
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😂
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Check out the shake downs on r/ultralight, they have gear lists that will give you some good insights, grain of salt if you want a full sleeping bag and tent you won't always see that. I go the "as light as I can while retaining comfort" approach (full tent, pad, sleeping bag), my list here... https://lighterpack.com/r/gt8jcr
The backpack I have is for less than 25 lbs loads but Osprey has some great options for larger loads as well. I have an atmos 50 for longer/heavier trips.
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Thanks for the advice! One of the packs stolen was an old osprey Ive had since 06 or so.
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They're great, I swear by em! Sorry to hear about the theft, sucks having to go through that, especially at the beginning of the season!
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Was your unit the only unit? Where was this?
I’m in Tampa, Fl... mine was the only unit and I have a good idea who it was. Did a police report and all that Jazz.
I’m trying to look at it as an opportunity to regear up with better stuff.... but it’s gonna take some time considering I’ve been laid off for the second time this year and Fl unemployment is a shitshow.
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Sorry to hear about your gear that's really disappointing. I actually live in Fort Pierce, on the treasure coast. Sorry to use this moment to ask, but, do you have any Florida camping recommendations? I'm having issues finding shaded, and not too over crowded places.
I’m in Tampa and not quite as familiar with that area, but if you are willing to drive north a bit into Ocala National Forest or some of the state parks in central Fl with springs, there are some really nice trails, shady spots, and lots of opportunity for getting away.
I’ve found that Florida state forests are really not used as much other rec areas.
Good luck... sorry I’m not a bit more helpful.
Any little bit helps thank you:) I have heard Ocala national Forest is nice