Gear I got for Christmas

I thought this might be a good thread to start. I've gotten almost all my gear for Christmas, and this year my wife and I decided not to surprise each other so we went shopping today.

I got her a pair of Merrells. She's worn cheap shoes forever. Poor thing was getting so achey all over after spending decades in those silly shoes all day and she really had no idea what a difference good ones make. I think she'll have a hard time wanting to go back to her old shoes now, and I might even get her to do some trails with me too

She got me a new sleeping bag. After much poking around I decided on a Kelty Light Year 20 Degree Down Bag. (and I got good deal on it by clicking the Altrec.com link here). It's not high end but it looks like a good value. Backpackinglight.com gave a very similar, but slightly less costly, bag a pretty good review.

I've never had or used a down bag so I'm pretty excited to be getting one, and this one should work pretty good around here. On average we only have one about a month where the low temps fall into or below the low 20ºs, so if it keeps me warm in the low 30ºs I'll be a happy camper and I can carry my fleece liner if I get cold in the low 20ºs with it.

It should be here in a couple days, and I had to postpone the trip Ulhiker and I are taking until next week so I will get my first chance to really use it on the 26th if the weather is decent. I'll post a review of it when I get back. Since I can only compare it what I've used, it won't be worth much, but I'll be honest about it.

I'm sure I'll be getting a couple more small gear items, and I'll mention them here when I get back from our trip, but the down bag sure gets me feeling like a kid on Christmas Day again

I've heard good things about that bag. Merry Christmas!

Now if only Santa can bring me my 0 degree down bag...

My Christmas present so far has been a semi-ongoing part time job, and some help in starting my small business, since no one appears to be hiring.

Lori, best wishes for success in both the job and the business!

Bill, just be sure to keep that down bag dry!

One of my birthday presents was William Sullivan's recent (2010) "Atlas of Oregon Wilderness," which has me drooling over obscure places I never knew existed. I also splurged and got myself (I guess I could call it a birthday present for myself!) a ZPacks Hexamid Twin tent which, with the added ground sheet, is 10 oz. lighter than my existing tent, about the same footprint size but far more head room. I've tried it in the living room and am waiting for bad weather (so far all we have is this nasty inversion layer) for some back yard trials.

For Christmas I'm probably getting books or music CDs or domestic-type things. At least that's what I put on my wish list. Who knows what I'll really get. I'll never forget a couple of years ago when I put all sorts of small gear items on my wish list and didn't get a single one! Not that I didn't appreciate what I actually received, though!

I got a $100 REI gift card early so that I could take advantage of the 30% off sale going on through the 24th. I ordered an REI Passage 2 tent last night with footprint and some new stakes.

I bought my gf a 0° Incubator underquilt (900 fill) for her hammock. Now we are just waiting for HammockGear to ship it.

It's early and I'm not suppose to know what I got yet, but a package arrived the other day in my name and my wife unknowingly said she didn't know anything about it. So I opened it, and after I saw what it was, she took it from me and said I didn't see it. So I can't tell you all what is is yet cause I don't know. Merry Christmas to All..

Ha! Great story.

This year I heard a lovely music group on the radio as I was driving the airport for a long trip to Europe. (The group its called Kitka, female a cappella group that sings Eastern European traditional songs--wild and wonderful stuff). I called my wife and asked her to order CDs of the group for each of our daughters. Then I called one of my daughters and asked HER to order one for my wife.

I'm thinking I'm very clever here.

So yesterday I was helping wrap the gifts and I saw the package that arrived at our house from the group--and there were four CDs, not two. Oooops. I asked my wife about it, and she said: "well, you liked the music so much that I ordered a couple for you as well. Sorry that it won't be a surprise."

And now I am thinking about my daughter...and maybe she did the same.

And not feeling quite so clever any more.

Frankly I couldn't think of anything I wanted but a deer rifle and a new down air mattress. Then I traded a friend for a .50 cal blackpowder buffalo gun so I guess I'll get a new airmatress for my birthday. a Stepensons 24 ounce job.
Jim

Lori,

Good luck with the business! This is actually one of the best times to be starting one up, so best of luck with it. I am in the boat next to you, got my new adventure started about 2 years ago.

Chris

Lori--what kind of business is it?

(This is a shameless attempt to let you make a small promotional announcement on these boards, just in case somebody might need what you're selling!)

Oh man, now I'm going to be all anticipatey until next week....

I'm trying to start two actually... and unless you are in Fresno/Clovis you probably wouldn't benefit from either of them. Strictly service based, and hard to sell here online - unless you want a website set up.

Nope--I'm in the Wine Country...and my company has a design department that gets really tired of me asking the for information, suggestions, and then help!

Thanks OM, I don't do much camping in the rain, and I guess I must be a cold sleeper because I've never even gotten damp in my bag, but I do need to learn more about "wicking liners", and down bags in general. I did read the thread about cleaning them and learned a lot from that, and I'll use it as a reference in the future too. I really am excited about getting it.

I got two more pieces of gear!

I got an really nice lightweight down parka, and an ultralight day pack.

The daypack is the one at WalMart where they have their stuff-sacks and whatnot. On my last trip I realized it would be perfect for the set up I'm working towards. I can use it for a stuff sack and on day hikes after I've set up camp, so I put that on my list.

The down parka was a complete surprise. Its an 80/20 down/feathers with 600 fill down from "Lands End". It's pretty warm, I went out tonight in it for a bit in 36º and I was fine in it. Two of my daughters got it for me together. I know my girls, and we had some tight restrictions on spending this year, so they must have gotten a great deal on it. I think it's pretty darn cool of them to think of it.

I sure hope you all got some fun stuff too!

I finally found out what was in that package I accidentally opened before Christmas that I wasn't suppose to know about. It was one of those mini tripods for my camera that apparently they say I need to take better pic's. It turned out it was from my 19 yr old daughter who is visiting from UCSB. She's on a real tight budget and it was just the perfect gift coming from her. My almost 18 year old got me a coffee cup that won't spill over and it fits perfect in the car. She's on a quest to go to culinary school next year and knowing her, she'll get there. My Wife got me a sherpa lined hooded sweatshirt. Although all the gifts aren't gear related, they are simple enough to make me think about my 3 girls even more when I'm heading out too, or out on the trail. Cause on the trail, after all of life's complications fade away, it's the simple things that inevitably keep me going.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to All


P.S. My neighbor got me a box of See's Chocolates, which definitely won't make it to the trial but should help me along in the planning of one.

Nice gifts. My two girls also gave me really nice, helpful gifts that will make me think of them every time I use them. That's sweet.

And PM me if your daughter wants to talk about culinary school. I work in the wine biz, my wife is a chef, and we're really connected with that work (I teach at the CIA)

I am my own Santa this year, so I got exactly what I wanted! A Lightheart Solo tent, the brand new GG Murmer Hyperlight, and a set of GG LT4 trekking poles. My quest to begin UL hiking this coming season is coming to fruition! I also went to the Montbell store today and poked around, I'm seriously thinking about one of their Ultralight Spiral bags. Saw plenty of nice stuff on clearance, but decided not to make any purchases just yet. Since their store is only a few miles up the road, I can go back anytime if I think that's what I want to get.

Danner Mountain Light boots thanks to an unexpected insurance dividend.