Podcast: Download (Duration: 33:11 — 33.2MB)
Show Notes: Episode 048
Today on The First 40 Miles, what are those crazy backpackers up to next? We’ll find out when we check the news for stories. On today’s SUMMIT Gear Review, find out what happens when we ditch the traditional mummy bag. Then, on the Backpack Hack of the Week, we’ll teach you an ultralight hack for shoes to wear around camp. And we’ll wrap up the show with a little trail wisdom from a poet who must have spent a little time on the trail.
Opening
- Quick change of plans…
- On Saturday night, we all checked weather at Eagle Cap…snow
- Expectations of trip vs. Reality
- JOSH: “Can’t wait to see things I’ve never seen before”
- Highlights of trip to Redwoods
- Highlights of Trip to Rogue River
Top 5 List: Backpacking in the News
Yellowstone 3 Million Visitors
Lost Mother Daughter Hikers Found by Trail Crew
Moms Who Get Outdoors With Their Toddlers
SUMMIT Gear Review™: Enlightened Equipment Enigma Quilt
Structure
- 800 fill power
- Comes with large nylon storage bag to store quilt at home
- Also comes with a silnylon stuff sack
- Everything on this bag is customizable: the color, you can add a water resistant strip in the torso area of the quilt, the fill power, the girth, the length
- No zipper
Utility
- Downtek Water Repellent Down
- Footbox for stowing your feet
- Drawstring to cinch down around neck
- Straps to keep your quilt attached to your pad (works with any pad)
Mass
- 14 oz. fill
- 19 oz. total weight
- Compresses down to 7×12
Maintenance
- If you wash, wash infrequently, and with special down cleaner like Nikwax Down Wash
- Nikwax Down Proof is for water repellency for your down gear
Investment
- $250
- Incredible value for a custom built piece of gear
- You can select the outside and inside color
- You can also (for price increase) increase the fill power of down used
- Because this is custom and made to order, expect it to take 2-4 weeks
- Could be your lifetime bag
Trial
- Had all the features that made it part of a practical sleep system, and removed all the parts that make sleeping in a traditional sleeping bag so uncomfortable. Dreamy, lush,
- Edges got wet because of no foot print, tucked them under my arm and they dried out.
- Works perfectly with a Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil ® Compression Dry Sack (Small)
Backpack Hack of the Week™: DIY Ultralight Camp Shoes
Bring a pair of old shoe insoles and a couple hair bands (or wide rubber bands, or silicone bracelets)
1.7 ounces for the pair, especially if you use old shoe inserts that came with your shoes (new “off the shelf” inserts are heavier).
Simply strap the bands across your foot to hold the insert onto your foot.
May sacrifice a bit of comfort and stability for weight. Still, it’s a fun option!
Trail Wisdom
“The afternoon knows what the morning never suspected.”
— Robert Frost