Gear Roast: what broke & what day in

Maddy, Andy, & Ebba roast some gear like a marshmallow

Well well well, we’re just over 20 days in after a cold and rainy spring start to three months on trail, and some of our gear (tragically) has not stood the test of time (a measly 20 days).

Sea kayaking can be pretty hard on gear, and as a result is a pretty decent way to test out the effectiveness of a piece of gear. Working at an outdoor retailer, we all had plenty of access to gear to test out.

Gear Roast: some gear is made for car camping only, and that’s okay

Sea to Summit Collapsable pot: broken day 5

Since thrown in the trash, the Sea to Summit collapsable pot was awesome until it sprung a hole on day five. This pot is such a great concept, but we were skeptic when we purchased it— a pot that collapses seems (and was) too good to be true.

Verdict :: not made for expedition use; probably fine for car camping. Just grab a normal lightweight pot from MSR.

Tevas: specifically Andy’s Tevas

While Ebba and I have had no issues with our Tevas, Andy has an older model with a foam footbed that takes a while to dry, and all of ours have fabric straps and Velcro, which also take a little while to dry.

Verdict :: sandals like Tevas and Chacos are still some of the best options out there for paddling trips, but both have drawbacks (Chacos fill with sand). Crocs might be the move, but the grip on the sole leaves something to be desired. Maybe it’s time for some Gor-Tex trail runners.

ExOffico Underwear: Day 9

My ExOfficio quick dry underwear are something I might have sworn by if I hadn’t bought a pair from Icebreaker. The Icebreaker pair is just better. They smell better, they dry just as fast, and they’ve managed to be far more tear-resistant than the ExOfficio.

Verdict :: fine, but there is better gear to be had.

Gear we’ve liked (dare I say loved?)

Smartwool

I’ve previously maligned Smartwool for diminishing quality of product, but both the mid layer (purchased gently used before trip) and pullover synthetic puffy (purchased new) have been favorites on the trip so far. The puffy has a small tear due to me stretching it a little too aggressively. They’re also both warm. Winners.

Icebreaker

As far as wool base layers go my icebreaker stuff beats out Smartwool, RAB, and Kokatat. The wool underwear is less smelly and easier to clean than the ExOfficio. I’ve avoided Icebreakers in the past because they’re more expensive than brands that are already expensive, but in hindsight the more comfortable, better gear would’ve been more than worth it.

Cellophane Sleeping Pad

A cheap cellophane sleeping pad straps easily on top of a boat, can get wet, and makes a really luxurious seat pad. I won’t lie— I thought Ebba was off her rocker when she strapped hers to her boat at the beginning of the trip. Seemed frivolous. But after watching Ebba enjoy life while I sat on the cold wet ground, I decided to drop about $20 on my own off brand cellophane sleeping pad. Never going back.