Load Out Check List
Individual
Group Gear
Stoves
First Aid Kit
Water Filter
Gear Rental in Flagstaff Peace Surplus
Gear Rental at Grand Canyon Village
Tent-Eureka Solitaire Tent 2.9 lbs, about $70. Went for cheap but decent reviews since I might not use this a whole lot.
Sleeping bag- TETON Sports Trailhead +20degree bag 2.9 lbs, fits larger frames so plenty of room and rated to 20+ degrees. When in the canyon this should be more than enough and packs small and light. When camping the north rim this will be right on the comfort line since temps could be in the 40's. One thing to remember when reading temp ratings on bags, they are for survival, not comfort. You will be cold and miserable at 20 degrees but you will survive. They say add 20 degrees to the rating for the comfort range of the bag, so figure this at 40 degrees to be comfortable.
Sleeping Pad- Thermarest Z-Lite $40 10oz, very comfortable and keeps you insulated from the ground.
Boots-Salomon Quest 4D GTX Backpacking Boot $230 Boots were one of the items I splurged on. I figure the most important thing when hiking are good shoes/boots that will get you through without blisters, bruises or sprained/broken ankles. Since I have bad feet anyway I definitely wanted something that would take care of my feet on this hike as well as others. I tried going with New Balance due to our discount but nothing felt snug, solid or comfortable enough for an extended rough terrain hike with a heavy pack. I tried on a few Asolo's and Salomon's at REI and after trying these on I knew they were the boots for me. Took them for a 3.5 mile spin the day after they arrived and they are golden! Well worth the money!
Pants- Columbia Silver Ridge Convertible Pants $34. Lightweight, fast drying to avoid chaffing and breathable. Easy to zip the legs off when down in hot canyon heat if need be. I choose the lightest color for heat purposes.
Shirt- Columbia Mens Tamiami II Long Sleeve Shirt $29. Lightweight, fast drying, loose fit, light color and the long sleeves provide protection from the sun. SPF factor of 40 to avoid burning. I will wear a cotton tshirt under this to retain moisture. Cotton kills in cold weather but in arid environments it can be lifesaving by maintaining moisture close to your body resulting in cooling effect.
Hat-Tilley Endurables T4MO Eco-Airflo $75 Ultra Wide brim to keep the sun off my face and neck. SPF 50 to protect from burning. This is made of 98% cotton to maintain moisture. This also allows me to drunk the hat in water at watering stations, creeks and rivers. This will keep me cooler longer. I've read to stay away from the poly blend hats in desert environments. I will also wear a cotton bandana around my neck which will also be soaked in water any chance I get. Your hat should have a strap to prevent it from blowing off your head and into the abyss below!
Sunglasses- Maui Jims - I've had these for some time- They are lightweight, good sport fit, polarized and 100% UV protective. I have a a strp to prevent them from falling into the abyss.
Headlamp- Princeton Tec Remix Headlamp $30 Since we will be hiking early in the morning( before sunrise) to get a jump on the heat we will need lights. A headlamp is recommended for ease and comfort. The specs on this one are great for the price: Run times and beam distance for the Remix:
* single white Maxbright LED
28 hours in high (100lumen), Distance 73m
51 hours in low, Distance: 51m
* 3 Ultrabright LEDs
61 hours in high, Distance 29m
200 hours in low, Distance 13m
This should allow me to bring one set of batteries and save weight. A lot of headlamps for cheaper but they have shorter battery time and less power. This headlamp throws some serious light! It's assembled in the USA as well, that's a plus!
Flashlight- I have a Maratec AAA light I am bringing. Lightweight, compact and lots of power for it's size. You can find lots of AAA lights on maazon for good prices, just make sure you get some good lumens for the amount of time. You don't want to have to bring a load of batteries.
Trekking Poles- Black Diamond Trail Back Trek poles $60 1.4lbs each. Lots of sites and blogs have suggested the use of trekking poles when hiking the canyon. They take the load of your ankles and quads when descending the canyon and can prevent injuries by preventing accident due to instability. I went with these cause they were a decent price and somewhat lightweight compared to the cheaper versions. The more weight you can shed the better.The heavier you go with poles the quicker your arms tire.
Water Conatiners- Source Widepac 3L Hydration Reservoir System- $29 Holds 100 liters, fits in the camelback pouch of my pack. Makes drinking hands free.
35 OZ Nagalen Bottle
Probably going to bring an empty 2 liter soda bottle, that allows the bottle to be collapsed when empty. Cheap, very lightweight and able to carry large amount of water.
Water Purification- Potable Aqua tablets $10. 50 tablets good for 25 quarts of water.Good for purifying water from the rivers or creeks if need be. Even though there are watering stations there is always the risk that they have a problem and we will need to purify our own water. Multiple means to purify are suggested to carry on your person. I will carry a purification straw as well and the means to boil water.
Cookware- TOATS Titanium 750ML pot with lid. $35 Ultra lightweight (3.9 OZ) 25 ounce capactity. Great to boil water for "just add boiling water" food. Considerably lighter than it's stainless counter part.
Fork/Spoon- Light My Fire Titanium Spork- $14.10 Ultra lightweight
Camp Stove- Natit pocket stove- Weighs about 3.5 oz. You have to bring small, lightweight fuel packets that burn long enough to boil water(which is all we'll be using stoves for). Tried it out recently and it boiled water like a charm! There is a production version by Esbit that can be bought on the interwebbs.
Firs Aide Kit- Mine includes- Various bandages in all sizes, anti-biotic cream, gauze pads, ibuprofen, benedryl, aspirin, ace bandage, athletic tape, water proof tape, wet wipes, tweezers, whistle, moleskin for blister prevention and treatment.
Various Items I will have- Compass, Watch, Leatherman multi tool, glow sticks, windproof lighter, water proof matches, ferro rod, 30 feet of Paracord, Zip locks( multiple sizes), toilet paper, small bag of wet wipes, one or two large trash bags, lightweight emergency poncho, fleece jacket for north rim(used as a pillow at night in the canyon). One change of cloths, Two extra pair of socks and underwear, small lightweight fixed blade.... More to come as I assemble!
Trevor's Loadout List
Backpack-5.11 Tactical 72 hour Rush Pack I already had this pack before the trip was planned. Figured it's a 72 hour excursion so lets see if it lives up to it's name! Tons of storage compartments, camelpack storage, solid back support as well as waist and chest straps.Not the lightest option but I didn't need to spend more money.Tent-Eureka Solitaire Tent 2.9 lbs, about $70. Went for cheap but decent reviews since I might not use this a whole lot.
Sleeping bag- TETON Sports Trailhead +20degree bag 2.9 lbs, fits larger frames so plenty of room and rated to 20+ degrees. When in the canyon this should be more than enough and packs small and light. When camping the north rim this will be right on the comfort line since temps could be in the 40's. One thing to remember when reading temp ratings on bags, they are for survival, not comfort. You will be cold and miserable at 20 degrees but you will survive. They say add 20 degrees to the rating for the comfort range of the bag, so figure this at 40 degrees to be comfortable.
Sleeping Pad- Thermarest Z-Lite $40 10oz, very comfortable and keeps you insulated from the ground.
Boots-Salomon Quest 4D GTX Backpacking Boot $230 Boots were one of the items I splurged on. I figure the most important thing when hiking are good shoes/boots that will get you through without blisters, bruises or sprained/broken ankles. Since I have bad feet anyway I definitely wanted something that would take care of my feet on this hike as well as others. I tried going with New Balance due to our discount but nothing felt snug, solid or comfortable enough for an extended rough terrain hike with a heavy pack. I tried on a few Asolo's and Salomon's at REI and after trying these on I knew they were the boots for me. Took them for a 3.5 mile spin the day after they arrived and they are golden! Well worth the money!
Socks-Wigwam Men's Cool-Lite Mid Hiker Pro Quarter Length Sock- $11 Keeps feet dry and blister free, mostly synthetic, padded for comfort.
Pants- Columbia Silver Ridge Convertible Pants $34. Lightweight, fast drying to avoid chaffing and breathable. Easy to zip the legs off when down in hot canyon heat if need be. I choose the lightest color for heat purposes.
Shirt- Columbia Mens Tamiami II Long Sleeve Shirt $29. Lightweight, fast drying, loose fit, light color and the long sleeves provide protection from the sun. SPF factor of 40 to avoid burning. I will wear a cotton tshirt under this to retain moisture. Cotton kills in cold weather but in arid environments it can be lifesaving by maintaining moisture close to your body resulting in cooling effect.
Hat-Tilley Endurables T4MO Eco-Airflo $75 Ultra Wide brim to keep the sun off my face and neck. SPF 50 to protect from burning. This is made of 98% cotton to maintain moisture. This also allows me to drunk the hat in water at watering stations, creeks and rivers. This will keep me cooler longer. I've read to stay away from the poly blend hats in desert environments. I will also wear a cotton bandana around my neck which will also be soaked in water any chance I get. Your hat should have a strap to prevent it from blowing off your head and into the abyss below!
Sunglasses- Maui Jims - I've had these for some time- They are lightweight, good sport fit, polarized and 100% UV protective. I have a a strp to prevent them from falling into the abyss.
Headlamp- Princeton Tec Remix Headlamp $30 Since we will be hiking early in the morning( before sunrise) to get a jump on the heat we will need lights. A headlamp is recommended for ease and comfort. The specs on this one are great for the price: Run times and beam distance for the Remix:
* single white Maxbright LED
28 hours in high (100lumen), Distance 73m
51 hours in low, Distance: 51m
* 3 Ultrabright LEDs
61 hours in high, Distance 29m
200 hours in low, Distance 13m
This should allow me to bring one set of batteries and save weight. A lot of headlamps for cheaper but they have shorter battery time and less power. This headlamp throws some serious light! It's assembled in the USA as well, that's a plus!
Flashlight- I have a Maratec AAA light I am bringing. Lightweight, compact and lots of power for it's size. You can find lots of AAA lights on maazon for good prices, just make sure you get some good lumens for the amount of time. You don't want to have to bring a load of batteries.
Trekking Poles- Black Diamond Trail Back Trek poles $60 1.4lbs each. Lots of sites and blogs have suggested the use of trekking poles when hiking the canyon. They take the load of your ankles and quads when descending the canyon and can prevent injuries by preventing accident due to instability. I went with these cause they were a decent price and somewhat lightweight compared to the cheaper versions. The more weight you can shed the better.The heavier you go with poles the quicker your arms tire.
Water Conatiners- Source Widepac 3L Hydration Reservoir System- $29 Holds 100 liters, fits in the camelback pouch of my pack. Makes drinking hands free.
35 OZ Nagalen Bottle
Probably going to bring an empty 2 liter soda bottle, that allows the bottle to be collapsed when empty. Cheap, very lightweight and able to carry large amount of water.
Water Purification- Potable Aqua tablets $10. 50 tablets good for 25 quarts of water.Good for purifying water from the rivers or creeks if need be. Even though there are watering stations there is always the risk that they have a problem and we will need to purify our own water. Multiple means to purify are suggested to carry on your person. I will carry a purification straw as well and the means to boil water.
Cookware- TOATS Titanium 750ML pot with lid. $35 Ultra lightweight (3.9 OZ) 25 ounce capactity. Great to boil water for "just add boiling water" food. Considerably lighter than it's stainless counter part.
Fork/Spoon- Light My Fire Titanium Spork- $14.10 Ultra lightweight
Camp Stove- Natit pocket stove- Weighs about 3.5 oz. You have to bring small, lightweight fuel packets that burn long enough to boil water(which is all we'll be using stoves for). Tried it out recently and it boiled water like a charm! There is a production version by Esbit that can be bought on the interwebbs.
Firs Aide Kit- Mine includes- Various bandages in all sizes, anti-biotic cream, gauze pads, ibuprofen, benedryl, aspirin, ace bandage, athletic tape, water proof tape, wet wipes, tweezers, whistle, moleskin for blister prevention and treatment.
Various Items I will have- Compass, Watch, Leatherman multi tool, glow sticks, windproof lighter, water proof matches, ferro rod, 30 feet of Paracord, Zip locks( multiple sizes), toilet paper, small bag of wet wipes, one or two large trash bags, lightweight emergency poncho, fleece jacket for north rim(used as a pillow at night in the canyon). One change of cloths, Two extra pair of socks and underwear, small lightweight fixed blade.... More to come as I assemble!
Leslie asked I post some of my gear for the trip so added it up top. If anyone wants to do the same that would be awesome! I added links to the stuff where I remember where I bought it from, mostly amazon. I'll update as I acquire more gear or change anything. Let me know what you think!
ReplyDeleteThanks!!
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