by Gadgetgeek » Mon 24 Feb, 2020 8:54 pm
A lot of the big makers are moving into ultra-light and light gear, so you can get good light stuff without spending a huge amount. One of the things worth thinking about is how you generally treat stuff. If you tend to wear stuff out, rip buttons, forget about things in the boot of the car, or want to get to places off the trail, then get a heavier duty backpack from an aussie maker, nothing beats canvas for durability, and then make up the weight in the rest of your gear. If you tend to look after stuff and are pretty gentle, then try out some of the Osprey stuff, it won't take the abuse, but then neither will you. There is certainly lighter stuff, but at some point you are sacrificing adaptability if you need to stack your pack a certain way every time, and your sleeping mat is a critical component of your pack. For 50 days out, I get it, but for a "grab and go" weekend, you want to just know its going to work, right?
Cooking, do you like to go all in gourmet, or are you more of a "body fuel" kind of person? Do you want to be able to cook on the side of a glacier, or are you happy with taking your time to set things up right? Lots of stoves, easy to get into a cheap metho and butane stove, see which works best and upgrade later. The fuel burns the same pretty much no matter how much you spent on the stove. Shellite and kero are good, but probably overkill for what you want right now. Same thing with pots, knowing what you want to cook in starts with the materials, order a cheap Ti, aluminum and stainless set (spend as little as possible) then see how they cook and clean up, then get a better set. I like Ti for its weight and durability, but it doesn't conduct heat well, so it tends to get a hotspot really easily. I've burnt rice with water still in the pot.
As for tents, lots of fantastic options out there, its a game all its own. One thing I would do though is get a mid size ultralight tarp from a company like Tier Gear, or TerraRosa, as they are a lifesaver if you need a little more space in the weather for cooking or just lounging about. Nemo is getting more available here. TarpTent is also a company with some good linage, and they know what they are doing, they are also honest about what you are compromising on with their tents. MSR is always highly rated, but you are paying a premium.
When it comes to brands, a lot of brands get slagged pretty hard, Katmandu stuff tends to look nice, but I certainly wouldn't pay retail for it. There are a good number of cottage makers here who can do really good gear, often for near what you'd pay to import. So always keep that in mind.
I just got a chance to look at a new Wilderness Equipment pack and it looks like they have really stepped up their game to try to give OnePlanet a bit of a shake, so if you are looking at canvas, keep both those names in mind.
The exchange here is not the most busy place, but between here, gumtree, and a localized ebay search, used and "scratch and dent" gear can be found. PaddyPallin offloads their demo and style end stuff on ebay a couple times a year. It goes fast, but if you know what you want, you can score a deal.