I didn't roll out much new stuff in 2014, although a tent is always a big addition to the gear vault. A new camera-lens outfit isn't really hiking gear but it's gear I take hiking, so fits at least a bit.

• BA Fly Creek 2 Platinum. The lightest double-wall 2-man tent I know of from a major maker, the FC2P is light, a tight fit for two adult dudes, fairly quick to set up and strike, needs some staking and guying for stability, and has a pretty tight entry, especially when the fly door is being used. To be honest, the floor fabric is so very thin I feel compelled to use an undercloth, probably eliminating the weight savings over the regular FC2. With all that said, about ten nights with no issues and it fits into very tight spots that few 2-man tents can.
  
• Adidas TerreX GTX mids. Mid-height versions of the low-tops I wore last year, had all the goodness of those while protecting my ankles from hitting things, keeping out debris and allowing me to forego gaiters. The fit is slightly tighter at the toe, because that seems inevitable somehow with shoe variability, but overall a big, big success.
  
• Olympus E-M1. This is the camera that finally truly straddles the mirrorless and dslr worlds, and it was my trusty image-making device this year. Weather-proof when paired with a weatherproof lens, meaning I can use it while it's raining. 1/8000 shutter for fast lenses in daylight, plus the industry's best IBIS system for low-light captures. Biggest downside is needing four batteries for a full week, but they're light.
  

How about you?

I got a few new shelters/systems. Had a ZPacks bivy, did not breathe like I thought it should, condensation every night, tough to get situated every night. Second bivy I've tried, bivies are not for me.

Had a MLD solo Grace tarp, didn't care if it sold or not after using it on my vacation last summer, set up one night. For me, it almost had enough headroom when set low in a rain at 6' tall. Could have lived with it, part of my system with the bivy, so offered it for sale.

ZPacks Solplex, short on inside storage space, but offers very nice protection from the evils of backpacking, bugs, ground water from rain, rain itself. Has not been tested in high winds or rain. Sorta easy to set up, smaller staked footprint than some of their other tarps which I like. 19oz. with poles etc.

ZPacks Zero pack, large. About 9 or 10 oz., 2800ci. Best use seems to be under 15 lbs., weekend trips, depends on pack being well balanced I think, not an expert on packing, even after all these years.
Duane

My major hike last summer was 140 miles on the PCT and I made several additions and tweaks to my basic gear for that trip.

- I replaced my older 3 lbs. 5 oz. solo tent with the REI Quarterdome 1 solo tent, at 2 lbs. 8 oz. in the configuration I used. I was very pleased with the design and quality of this tent and it stood up to some heavy rains at the start of the hike.

- I replaced a 7 oz. gravity filter with a Sawyer Mini water filter. This, too, was a success for me.

- I started using Superfeet insoles after a minor bout with plantar fasciitis. They worked well.

- I replaced my rain jacket and rain pants with lighter versions. The first two days I walked in rain constantly and I was especially impressed the performance of my Montbell VersaLite rain pants.

- I should add that I brought a GoLite umbrella and used it continuously during those two days of rain, because the forecast warned me I'd need lots of rain protection. It contributed greatly to my overall comfort and dryness.

- I carried an orange aluminum REI snow stake to use as a digging tool for cat holes and as an extra tent stake when needed. It was extremely convenient and easy to use.

- I carried a 1 qt. plastic 'cottage cheese'-style tub with a lid. It was most useful at washing socks. I'd half fill it with water, add the socks, shake vigorously, dump the dirty water and repeat. It served several other uses, too. A winner!

What didn't work was my Petzl e+light. It's fine for around camp, but definitely not for night hiking. On a late August trip, my grandson sprained his ankle and I had to walk him out in the dark. He had my Princeton Tech Aurora and I had the e+light. At every rough place, and there were lots of them, he had to turn around and light my path. It's well worth the extra 2 oz. to have a light that is functional in an emergency!

What did work was the self-adhering foam veterinary wrap that I carry for such emergencies. I bandaged his ankle with that and then overwrapped it with Gorilla duct tape. The result was a comfortable and very supportive ankle brace with no tape sticking to the skin.

First time in 70 years of backpacking and horsepacking that I've had to use my Wilderness First Aid training.

What did work: I made a simple wood gassifier stove from plans I googled and it functioned as described in the instructions. Once heated and some coals were established the upper air holes in the inner can became air jets and really intensified the heat. It supossedly burns wood twice, the first time the wood burns at the bottom and then again the smoke burns in the upper section (not sure that is completley accurate but there are jets from the upper section)

What didn't work: same stove I made it from smaller cans than called for in the instructions. I used a small soup can for the inner can (12oz?) and I think a canned fruit can for the outer can. While it did function as descrived there isn't enough room to get fuel in or build up enough coals to burn for more than a few minutes at a time. Otherwise this type of stove seems like a good alternative if you have access to sticks, don't have burn restrictions, and don't want to have to rely on fuel.

I'm finding the same thing. I just picked up an e+Lite with the elastic string instead of the webbing strap. I love the low weight and ability to change the angle of the light. But, the amount of brightness is problematic. Like you say, it's fine for around camp, but I'm not sure I like the risk of not having enough light to hike by at night. (I've used it a couple of times to walk from my tent to an outhouse, across level, uncluttered clearings. The High level is barely adequate for that; I've got to wonder what it would be like to walk a trail with it.)

I may end up going back to my Zipka - heavier, but reliable, and it also has the red light I like in camp, if I'm around other people. (No shining a white light in their eyes.)

The only new thing I got this year was a Trangia stove. I made a windscreen for it. It works well.

Still testing but very promising is the rei dash 2 Tent with fly extension modification I did. Nice size couple's tent and with polycryo footprint and stakes it's a hair under 3 lbs. Good for those backpacking dates.
I'd appreciate input if any of you gearnuts have constructive criticism. See pics, details and 'How to' at raisedbyraccoons.blogspot.com and let me know what you think.
THE Dash has a high-arched cut to the fly vestibules which doesn't protect gear well in monsoons rains. I think I've mitigated that with this mod.

Another thing that worked well for me is the tyvek bathtub floor I made for my Gatewood Cape. Love it.

Also had good luck with the Buscnell solar wrap mini. Find it great for recharging on the trail.

Those are some new ones for me this year.

Minx

I had success with a BA pump sack for inflating my sleep pad. Until I switched pads to an REI Flash, which has Exped-style valves. My hiking partner used the pump, so it wasn't entirely useless that trip.

I grabbed another pump bag that is compatible with the new mat (The pad was great, BTW). Can't wait to try the new pump sack next Spring.

I also got a Big Agnes Fly Creek 2, for the JMT with my girlfriend last summer. We had been using an REI Quarterdome T2, which is really roomy, but this was much lighter. I was super happy. Worked well enough even though we had a lot of rain (by Sierra Nevada standards), but I'd be kind of picky about who I'd want to share it with. She and I get along very well and we're both not very tall (5'9" and 5'2"), which was a good thing with only one entrance and a small vestibule. I also have had a Fly Creek 1 for a couple years for myself, but this 2 is so light that I may start using it as my solo tent on my easier trips.
My other new item was an REI Flash 62 backpack. I know it isn't as ultralight as packs a lot of folks here use, but it was 1 lb 13 oz lighter than my old pack, yet it was still big enough for the JMT, complete with the Bearvault 500 inside of it. I gotta say, my load was so much lighter for that trip, never really felt bad.
I did a few other things to lighten stuff, like buy a GSI Pinnacle Soloist cookpot for our 2-person pot. 1.1 liters was ok for us together, and it was pretty light, I thought, and not so expensive. I liked the way I could put my fuel cannister and my cup inside of it, though the claim that a pocket rocket will also fit inside seemed bogus.

This one worked really well for me:
http://flyweightdesigns.com/product/the-instaflator/
Worked on BA and lightspeed. However, it doesn't fit the Klymit Static V oversized valve.

The fly extension looks nice! Are those two individual mats you have? Are they fastened together in some way, or do you just lay them side by side?

How well did it work in cloudy conditions? Does it work under tree cover? How fast would it charge a smartphone?
Edit: http://www.amazon.com/Bushnell-Bear-Grylls-SolarWrap-Charger/dp/B00AMPJNT2#customerReviews Apparently, not very well.

It needs direct sun to charge, although it will charge a bit in open shade on a bright day.

The internal battery is less than 1,000 mAh so not able to charge a phone with a 3-4,000mAh battery on its own, it needs to sit in direct sun for a long time. The charger can keep a phone topped up if it's not allowed to run down too far.

It i's able to charge a completely spent internal battery because the array is so large. Some PV-battery units don't seem able to. Using it I've kept small devices going for a full week, in the sunny Sierra.

Cheers,

Rain protection: Cheap 5$ Umbrella held up for 2 months on the road and is still serviceable. Taught me that umbrellas are great for some situations but its still nice to have a rain jacket when you need 2 hands.
Silnylon rain skirt work really well for keeping my legs dry.

Driducks rain jacket worked well.and has held up for 3 months of use and abuse. 1 mall hole developed on arm patch with duck tape. Added a draw string which was a major upgrade for only half an ounce.

Pack liner 3m trash compactor bag. Keeps my quilt dry. Can last a very long time if taken care of.
My rain system was all I was re thinking this year

Matt, I love that sort of value based thinking. I just turned a painter's drop cloth into a hammock tarp myself, though I haven't had a chance to test it in the rain yet.

Even if I was in the market, I'd be tempted to pass that one over just because it's Bear Grylls branded. I actually loved his show (for entertainment value and because he seems like a really likeable guy - not for educational value), but I hate that he'll put his name on anything. Rant over.

Yeah, I almost passed it up for the same reason but it was one of the lightest I found on the market. I'm happy with it. I like the flexible solar panel and easy operation.
of course cloud and canopy cover effect charge time but with a good days charge it does my galaxy Avant in under 4 hours. it hangs easy on pack or Tent and has grooved fairly bomb proof. Bushnell makes decent stuff.

Go play outside

Awesome poly tarps are always a fun project, it ll keep you dry through some good rains hope you get to test it out soon!

The basic concept of sleeping with a quilt worked on all my trips, so well that I upgraded to an Enlightened Equipment 10 degree quilt on the recent sale (the Golite "20 degree" quilt did not keep me toasty at 32 degrees!).

Hiking in low-top trail runners worked; this was the first year I'd tried that, mostly because they were the only footwear that didn't aggravate my plantar fasciitis. A bonus: no heel blisters like I normally get at the beginning of hiking season, and less problem with toenails getting sore.

My SMD Starlite and Traveler packs worked well. I'm particularly fond of the Traveler; the panel loading is something I really like.

Today I tested the Parcho I made last year (my first real rainstorm to wear it in since my plantar fasciitis left) and it did NOT work well; maybe the side seams I didn't seal really let a lot of water in, or the $1/yd Walmart silnylon was leaky...or both. I didn't walk hard enough to work up a sweat, that's for sure. The wetness appeared inside in the lower part of the garment (waist down) - my pants were damp around the pockets and from mid thighs on down, and my forearms were damp as well. I can try sealing those side seams and testing again, but I will need to buy some quality silnylon and remake it, if it still fails.

Everything worked and nothing failed. Only tested two new equipments: Tarptent Moment and Enlightened Equipment quilt. Both are solid for its intended use.

I spent more on mountain biking than hiking this year.

Recently switched to a Dutchware PolyD hammock. It's much more rigid than my ENO, as well as lighter.

Discovered chocolate covered craisins, and I vowed to take a bag or two on every trip.

Where did you find them? I'm drooling!

I found those too. They're good. I can't remember where though. I'll have to ask my wife

Switched from a self-inflating foam sleeping pad (bulky) to an Exped down inflatable sleeping mat. Much more compact, and you inflate it by pushing with your hands. Keeps me warm, I don't roll off it like my foam pad, and much more comfortable. A fantastic birthday gift from my fantastic husband and daughter. Now that I've gone there, I never want to go back.