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New gear for 2024 and 2025?

Glenn MacGrady

Glenn MacGrady

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What new gear did you acquire in 2024 and do you have any plans for new gear items in 2025?

I bought a standard-size canoe kneeling pad in brown from Comfy Kayak for my wood/canvas canoe this season.

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Foam Canoe Kneeling Pad

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I'm thinking of either replacing the surely expired and expensive battery in my old model McMurdo Fast Find PLB next season or buying some compact, newer model PLB.
 
The only new gear I bought this year was some Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee certified food storage barrels and bags to comply with the new rules in the BWCA.
 
2024 was a pretty normal paddling gear replacement year. I picked up a 30l yeti pack out and a goretex kokatat paddling jacket. I’d been on the fence for these pieces for a while and finally got it done. No regrets on either, both are super good quality and made this years trips much more enjoyable, especially my last one I just returned from that had some cooler, wet weather.
I managed to break a couple of older Alite camp chairs this year so some replacements are on the books for those, and a I’m going to spoil myself with a new carbon bent shaft paddle. I had my sights set on a ZRE but stumbled on a newer Canadian made brand, Ripple fx, while at a canoe store the other day. Im currently over researching and over thinking that purchase.
 
Got a couple of Alps Mountaineering 35L dry bags for various uses at the beginning of the summer. Wish they came in different colors, but orange at least is hard to lose/leave behind. And a Helinox Chair One chair, on sale from EMS. Might get another AM dry bag for next year, bigger though, 50L, and with backpack straps.
 
I’m pretty sure I will replace my wall tent (for back country camping) with a Frost River 2 man Campfire Tent. I need to lighten my back country outfit and after seeing lowangle Al’s last week, I’m sold on it. 25 lbs, no tarp needed and only 3 lightweight aluminum poles. Sitting under the front flap in front of a campfire last week was as good as it gets.
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I’m also going to replace my narrow sleeping pad with something wider. To achieve my weight reduction I’m going to leave the cot home and go back to the ground. The Campfire tent has a nice floor and screen, no more late night spiders or mice to contend with.
I have also committed to buying a canoe trailer. My wood canvas Chestnut Cruiser is too heavy to lift up on my trucks racks so this will be a big help.
 
Last year I started using disposable wipes and then packing it out with me. This year I tried using a squeezable bidet, I will admitt its not he most comfortable but it drastically reduces the amount of tp or wipes to just one square.
 

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This year was a replacement year for a few things. I sold some stuff I haven’t really been using, and either upgraded or went with something I’ve been wanting. Picked up a Nemo Dragonfly OSMO 3p. added two new portage packs, one SealLine and one MEC as well as replaced a few older dry bags. Sold my canoe and bought a new but blemished Blacklite NS. Eureka No Bug Zone CT13. I picked up an Immersion Research Devils Club dry top and NRS dry bottoms. They mate well and I think the NRS bottoms are nicer than some. That might be it other than some small things here and there. Everything was purchased at a beautiful discount, I don’t make enough money to splurge like that.

Next year, it’ll be quiet for me but I’ve been looking at trying some new paddles. I’ve been wanting a new Astral pfd, and possibly some fine tuning to my repair kit.
 
New gear for '24 was mostly homemade paddles. I'll make some more this winter and at least one canoe (I'll finish the Raven for sure and hope to build something else as well) but I'm not a gear junkie and rarely "upgrade" unless something is worn out.

I do need to get a new sleeping pad but I can't find a good torso length pad and everything is 72" long (I'll take extra padding from hip to shoulder but my feet don't need it).

If I splurge (and I might) I'll buy a Katana Boy 650 in the hope that it might make short work of blowdowns next summer.
 
if anything I'm downsizing, not buying a lot of new stuff- I've given away a couple of tents, stoves and lanterns, some paddles, sleeping pads, and sleeping bags to local youth groups- most of this was required as loaners to outfit kids or youth groups who couldn't afford to buy their own gear- at one time I had enough stuff to fully outfit a dozen kids at once, up to and including packs and canoes, those were the first things to go several years ago.
My only real purchases this year were a new heater because my old Alita catalytic heater succumbed to the rust gods, and some "perishables" like cordage, lures, and fishing line
 
My wife and I have 2 pr of sleeping bags, one pr down fill (0C) and the other pr Primaloft (-stupidC)
Although the Prima is rated for colder temps I prefer the packability and comfort of down.
I intend to retire the Primas as we're quite happy with the down mummys and wool blanket combinations.
For August trips I've been considering a pr of summer weight zipperless bags, or even a sizeable down quilt.
Any summer tripping experiences with these?
 
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Robin……
I am looking forward to seeing how you like the smaller campfire tent. I would get the optional canvas with the stove pipe hole for enclosed heating with your stove. I have thought long and hard about buying one myself. Decided that for me, too heavy, too many tie outs to keep it upright and fairly expensive. I bought another Whelan Lean-to from one of this forums equipment makers, like I used to have for spring and autumn paddle and portage trips. It is easy to pitch with only two guy lines (not really necessary, only used to pull out the back belly) to trip over. Like the Campfire tent a nice view of the fire and depending on where the tent is pitched a nice view of sunset or sunrise. Easy in & out for the aging bladder or star gazing.
…….BB
 
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I am in need of a new GPS unit since mine quit during my last trip. I would like to get my current one repaired - needs the power button replaced. Garmin no longer offers repair services for my unit. Other than that I don’t really need any new gear. In fact, I really need to go through my stuff and sell off stuff I don’t use and things I have multiples of.
 
I bought a titanium canteen slash GI-style mess kit. It is unwieldy, loud, and was enormously expensive, but I've always wanted one. One of my pet peeves is 'new gear that requires its own infrastructure' and this definitely counts - the cup nests but the cup lid doesn't, so you need a pouch to carry the whole kit. (On the plus, the pouch isolates any fire/stove char on the cup.)

@Gamma1214 hit me up if you go sleeping bag shopping, I have two or three basically new, I went to quilts and don't see myself going back
 
Gamma1214 said:
I do need to get a new sleeping pad but I can't find a good torso length pad and everything is 72" long (I'll take extra padding from hip to shoulder but my feet don't need it).
Click to expand...

IMO, due to the incredibly small packed size of sleeping pads now, there isn't much reason not to get a full length one. I even got an extra wide (25") even though I'm skinny. I love it and it still packs super small.

Alan
 
Odyssey said:
For August trips I've been considering a pr of summer weight zipperless bags, or even a sizeable down quilt.
Any summer tripping experiences with these?
Click to expand...

I've been using down quilts instead of bags for quite a while. I started using them because of hammocks and kept using them after I went to the ground. For ground sleeping I prefer a wider quilt than usually used in a hammock to help wrap around the shoulders.

I've been happy with them. I find it easier to regulate temp than with a bag. It's easier to stick your arms, feet, torso out to cool down and it's easier to get in/out of. Most quilts have a small pocket at the bottom (either buttoned or sewn) for your feet to go in which helps keep things in place. I've never found this restrictive.

The down shifts with use so nearly every night I fluff and shake the bag to redistribute the down to the center. Otherwise it falls down to the edges of the quit and doesn't insulate as well. On hot nights have intentionally shaken the down to the edges so it isn't as warm.

I got mine from Hammock Gear and have been happy with them. The last one I bought was probably 9 years ago I'm not sure how they might have improved/declined since then.

Hammock Camping Outfitters | Hammock Gear

Manufacturer of ultralight backpacking equipment for hammock & ground sleepers. Made in USA. Use coupon code firsttime10 to get 10% off your first order!
hammockgear.com hammockgear.com

Alan
 
Alan Gage said:
I've been using down quilts instead of bags for quite a while. I started using them because of hammocks and kept using them after I went to the ground. For ground sleeping I prefer a wider quilt than usually used in a hammock to help wrap around the shoulders.

I've been happy with them. I find it easier to regulate temp than with a bag. It's easier to stick your arms, feet, torso out to cool down and it's easier to get in/out of. Most quilts have a small pocket at the bottom (either buttoned or sewn) for your feet to go in which helps keep things in place. I've never found this restrictive.

The down shifts with use so nearly every night I fluff and shake the bag to redistribute the down to the center. Otherwise it falls down to the edges of the quit and doesn't insulate as well. On hot nights have intentionally shaken the down to the edges so it isn't as warm.

I got mine from Hammock Gear and have been happy with them. The last one I bought was probably 9 years ago I'm not sure how they might have improved/declined since then.

Hammock Camping Outfitters | Hammock Gear

Manufacturer of ultralight backpacking equipment for hammock & ground sleepers. Made in USA. Use coupon code firsttime10 to get 10% off your first order!
hammockgear.com hammockgear.com

Alan
Click to expand...
I'm also a big quilt fan, for pretty much the same reasons. Mine is from Enlightened Equipment.

Ultralight Backpacking Gear & Outdoor Apparel | Enlightened Equipment

Top-quality ultralight sleeping gear and outdoor apparel made with a passion that goes where you go. Come check out our collection for your next adventure.
enlightenedequipment.com enlightenedequipment.com
 
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