Meet Virginia "SUL" Gear List PHGT

In this video I go over the "SUL" gear list that I used to complete my 2 day, 50 mile hike from Dennis Cover Rd to Damascus VA. For a complete look at my gear list for this hike, click the link below:
docs.google.co...

[@arcking007]

hey bud. been following u for a couple years and I can't believe how lightweight you've gotten. nice vid thanks.

[@SticksBlog]

It all depends on the trip! Lol! And thanks for following so long! I appreciate the support! :)

[@tonejones]

I kept thinking you were saying "V3" water filter...LOL. I love summer backpacking, gets my hammock set up under 5lbs. Great reviews keep them coming!

[@SticksBlog]

Haha... sometimes I do stumble for words... :) And yeah, summer backpacking is great for getting SUL set-ups, but then again, it's so dang hot out... I could easily get it closer to the 3 lb mark if I wanted! :)

[@photog1529]

Get a headlamp that has the availability to change the lens color to 'red'...no bugs, and the red light won't distract others in your group.

[@RusticOutdoors01]

Awesome man..i used to be a hammock person but I have recently switched to a HMG Cuban flat tarp and a SUL bivy from MLD and I'm so much lighter

[@SticksBlog]

Don't get me wrong, I love hammocks for lounging, but when it's time to sleep, so far nothing has beat my Zpacks Hexamid and Hexanet set-up! Even as much as I love the idea of the Duplex, I just can't bring myself to get one because I don't want to give up my current set-up! :)

[@RusticOutdoors01]

Stick's Blog yeah I also like having the modularity of a tarp and a bugnet/bathtub floor rather than having a single piece.

[@SticksBlog]

Agreed!

[@BackpackingStealth]

thanks for sharing stick! virginia......now theres a long state, good luck!

[@SticksBlog]

Thanks for stopping by, and yes, Virginia... it will be a long state indeed! Especially considering how much farther it is from me! Doh!

[@davidson_oldbull_sectionhiker]

Thanks for the video I liked the idea of using the sawyer bag tand mini o wash off with .

[@SticksBlog]

That is a great feature with these filters! Adding that loop to the bottom of the bag really improves the overall usability!

[@mainehiker6157]

The 1 ft cable and adapter, trying to find it. Could you give a description or place you bought it? Thanks!

[@SticksBlog]

It is actually 6", so half a foot! This is similar to the one I have: www.amazon.com/Apple-MFi-Certified-Lightning-Cable/dp/B00KVCBU1K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499300081&sr=8-1&keywords=.5+ft+lightning+micro+usb+cable

[@JustinMcKinneyhiker]

I enjoy your vids , Stick, but are you getting something for wearing the ZPacks shirt, seems like product placement ? Just wondering ...

[@SticksBlog]

Thanks Justin, glad you enjoy them. As for the shirt, and product placement, that would be a no. I wear this shirt, as well as several other shirts with backpacking companies name on them day to day (I am wearing my Marmot shirt right now), however, when I do my videos, I do try and wear one of them just because I thought it is fitting for "backpacking" related videos. As for affiliations, I have none. I was in the past briefly affiliated with Gossamer Gear (an ambassador), however that didn't go anywhere, and they let me go pretty quickly. I have also done some "beta testing" for Enlightened Equipment, however, that is strictly between them and I, not something I share due to the nature of the testing. As far as I know, ZPacks does not sponsor anyone, or offer ambassador programs, so they have none, including me. Concerning Zpacks specifically, I just really like their gear. It works well for me, and they have always been great to deal with. Saying that, when looking at my purchasing history on the Zpacks page, I have already spent $1,500 with them so far this year... that's my hard earned money. I have gotten small discounts from them in the past on some purchases, however, those discounted items have always been noted in my text, video, and with disclaimers, even if from just a sale, the same as offered to everyone else. The rest of the time, I am buying my gear at full price, or the same sale price as offered to everyone else. I will say that I choose to be open and honest about how I came into the gear I have, and what my honest thoughts (reviews) on it are. I understand that maintaining a blog, as well as a KZbin channel requires this, not necessarily to be "successful" but to be respected. I started my blog and KZbin channel because this information was something that I was after myself when I first got into backpacking... something honest, and hopefully thought provoking, and that is exactly what I strive to offer now. I am sorry for the long answer, but this is something that I do have a lot of concern about. I hope it answered your question, and if not, feel free to respond! I am happy to talk all day long about it! :)

[@BackpackingVideos]

Let me know when you make it all the way up here on the AT to NJ/NY, and I'll join you!

[@SticksBlog]

Will do! :)

[@AdventuringGreg]

I love my suunto core also. It just works.

[@SticksBlog]

Agreed!

[@dabaird12]

long😉 but I enjoyed every minute of it👍👍

[@SticksBlog]

Haha... yeah, I knew it would be a little long, but I didn't realize it would be this long until I hit stop on the camera! LOL... Ah well, it is what I wanted to say, and to be honest, I could have talked even more... Glad you enjoyed it though! :)

[@4909azaz]

This is unrelated to this video, but I saw in a 2013 video you got a Yama 1P Cirriform SW Tent. Do you still use it ? What are your thoughts on it after using it for awhile ? Thinking of getting one. Thanks

[@SticksBlog]

I no longer have it, for the simple fact that I prefer a side entry tent to a front entry tent. Saying that though, as far as A frame set-ups, that was the nicest one I have ever seen or used. I hated getting rid of it, but I knew that it wouldn't get much use simple because of the entry method. As well, I have gotten to say that the Yama Gear has been some of the cleanest looking products that I have seen from all the cottage shops... not that the others aren't well constructed, just that the Yama stuff was very nice! If it is your style, I would recommend going with it! :)

[@4909azaz]

My thoughts exactly about the front entry. Also I saw you got a Arc Haul Pack, if you could only afford one pack would you get a Blast or a Haul? Thanks Just recently started watching your channel, really enjoy your reviews and insights. Keep up the good work !

[@SticksBlog]

That would be tough! For me, being on the east coast almost 100% of the time, I would likely go with the Blast. It is plenty big enough for all of my winter gear, and for all other trips it works fine too... in the summer it would be way too big (for trips such as this on in this trip), but I guess it would do. If I lived in the west, where bear canisters were more of a necessity more often, I would likely go with the Haul.

[@flashmanv3260]

You can get a sawyer squeeze,. it has better flow rate but still uses standard water bottle so you would not have the issue with the wide mouth on the bee free

[@SticksBlog]

I am actually quite familiar with the Squeeze considering I used a Squeeze for a few years before I started using the Mini. And as I mentioned, this exact Mini was sent to me from Sawyer before it was released to the public. Truth be told, I never had any issues with the Squeeze, and since I started using the Mini, I have never had any issues with it either. In fact, my Mini has a flow rate that I would say matched my Squeeze, so in my experience, the Squeeze isn't really any better than my Mini. But, like I mentioned in the video, I have seen other hikers Squeeze's and Mini's fail as well as have different flow rates. On another note, I read a lot of the same with the BeFree... Anyway, for me, the Mini has been the best filter on the market. It's the lightest, has great flow rate, is reliable, and easy to use! I love it and have no reason to replace it with anything else. If you haven't tried one I would suggest giving one a try!

[@flashmanv3260]

OK, might have mis heard, though you said you might try a bee free one day but had concerns about the wide mouth. So was just saying the Squeeze would be a good choice if you were looking for better flow, but still have the standard bottle thread. I have had the same squeeze for over 5 years, very happy with it. My friend I hike with has the mini, I'm faster with mine,.. but it's really not a big deal. He does have issues with it clogging more then mine, and it's a good test because we are running them side by side on same hike, same water source. He just has to back flush it, and he is good again. I kid him about his clogging filter and he tells me I'm packing an extra oz I don't need to be, in the end we both get the same amount of water. All in fun kidding with each other :-)

[@SticksBlog]

Gotcha! Yes, you did hear me say that I may try a BeFree out, however, to this day, I still just can't bring myself to get one... lol. A friend carried one on a hike a while back, and I will admit, it was impressive... didn't blow my socks off or anything, but it was obviously faster than my Mini. However, I also read a lot of concerning comments around the net about these filters clogging faster than the Sawyers, and all together not working at all. But, the BeFree's are all the rage right now (same as the Squeeze and then the Mini was), but what I am confused about is why they went with such an odd opening size on it... nothing else will work with it other than the supplied bottle (which like the first version of the Sawyer bottles, are failing pretty easily) or the Seeker bottles. To me they are shooting themselves in the foot with that!... Ah well... I have added the BeFree's to my cart many times and hovered over the submit button... same for the Seeker bottles that keep popping up on MassDrop, but I just can't bring myself to go through with it... and truth be told, I probably won't unless they change the opening size to something standard... Anywho, as for the Sawyers, I have never had issues with either my Squeeze or my Mini. I just try to get cleanish looking water, on very rare occasion I will pre filter with a bandana or something, and then backflush them when I get home. When doing this, they have always worked for me and the flow has always been great in my opinion. But I have also seen both Squeeze's and Mini's fail along the way too... some that probably weren't backflushed as they should have been, some that were dried out completely (a soaking fixed them once back at home) and some that never would work right out of the box (why I always tell folks to test any new filter before hitting the trails with one - even used ones!) I still think it will be hard for another filter to surpass the efficiency, weight, ease of use, cost and ability to be used with so many different bottles as the Sawyer filters. Some may argue, but IMO, the BeFree's don't. Close though...

[@flashmanv3260]

Yep, they are both Hollow fiber filters, and katadyn and sawyer have a good history of water filtration. The befee bags are made by Hydrapak, they make the seeker. They also make other bottles, I have been using some of their bottles for years, the GU gel Energy flask (also made by Hydrapak). I run a lot, marathons and such, and train running on the boardwalk by the ocean. The soft collapsible bottle is very handy to fill up at water along the way. I have a few years wear on them and have not had an issue with the bottles yet. So I have some experience with the befree bottles, but not the filter itself. My personal feeling is they are a nicer material to stuff in your pocket, and the wide mouth is handy for when I dump some energy powder in the bottle. But, for backpacking, on the trail I really like the sawyer being able to use more or less any of my clean or dirty bottles/bags if I run into a failure, I feel it provide more reliability being more interchangeable with so many bottles. I'm not and early adopter of new stuff unless it provides a great advantage, so probably keeping my sawyer for awhile. But I have been happy with years of use of the befree bottle, so at some point might also give it a try. Thanks for responding to my post and doing this ultra light pack setup you used, I always gain some great info from video like this, working on a light kit for shorter weekend trips.

[@SticksBlog]

Agree, both companies make a great water filter, and it's not surprising that Katadyn made their own version of the Sawyer filters using the hollow fiber membranes. And I knew that Hydrapak made the bottles, but have never used any of them before. Other than the odd opening size on them, they seem like good bottles. Of course I have been using the ones supplied with the Sawyers, as well as other versions of these (Platypus, Evernew, etc...) and they have worked well. I do carry a cut down SmartWater bottle to help dip from shallow sources though (and to be fair, from these shallow sources, no water bottle would be able to scoop water from them, regardless of the size of the opening). Anyway, glad you enjoyed the video, and thanks for the comments! I enjoy talking about gear! :) And good luck with getting your lighter kit put together!

[@jffbrk1]

I use the iodine tablets and neutralizer tablets.....the water tastes great

[@SticksBlog]

I used Polar Pure years ago when I first started backpacking. I don't think they even sell it any more though... maybe, I don't know? I stopped using it due to the long term potentially unsafe health risks. I have used Aqua Mira, and still carry Micropur tablets in my ditty bag as a backup option. I have really enjoyed my filters though!

[@mcgriddle552]

Is that the nero or arc blast?

[@SticksBlog]

That, my friend, is an old school zero in a size XS. Made from good old 1.51 cuben fiber.

[@gongwenyu6918]

what is the name of the cuben backpack?

[@SticksBlog]

It is an XS Zpacks Zero backpack. Note that these are no longer available for purchase though...

[@Jpetrakakos]

lighterpack?

[@SticksBlog]

JPOutdoors If you are referring to the website for making gear lists, no, I don't use it. I prefer using my own Google Doc spreadsheets way better. Much more control, and options. It's easier to copy lists and modify for each hike so I can leave the previous one in tact. There is a link to this gear list on Google Docs in the description below the video if you want to check it out.

[@mcgriddle552]

29? damn, you must have been tired haha

[@robertedwards741]

Lol we you to road March with 75-100 pounds on our back. 25 miles 6 hours

[@SticksBlog]

Hardcore!! \m/

[@robertedwards741]

Stick's Blog messing with ya sticks. I enjoy your content