I did my first shakedown trip last weekend. I headed out to
Lost Maples State Park with a couple of friends for a two night backpacking
trip. Rain was in the forecast, so it was the perfect time to test my gear and
figure out just how much I like camping and hiking in the rain. I was very
pleased with all my gear. My tent set up much easier than it did in the
backyard when I tested it a few days ago. It kept me dry both nights when it
rained for several hours. My Tyvek ground sheet also worked well, although it
was a little “crunchy” sounding every time I moved that first night. My 98% DEET
didn’t seem to work all that well, but maybe I didn’t apply it frequently
enough. Honestly, DEET kind of freaks me out, especially when it started eating
through my nail polish. Not good. I had about 22 bites on my legs when we left
on Sunday.
One of my favorite pieces of gear was my MSR insulated mug.
I debated getting that thing for a long time. Could I justify the weight or the
pack space? Let me tell you, it was SO NICE to have a warm mug of tea with my
meals. And my mug kept warm much longer than the boys’ cups did. The food I
packed also worked out well. The pasta sides were bland compared to the boys’
Mountain House meals, but mine were much cheaper and not all that bad. I even
liked the foil pack of salmon I brought along. Oh, and hiking with trekking
poles was life changing! Why haven’t I used them before? I felt much more
confident on the slippery, rocky ground and was able to move much faster. Love
at first use!
The piece of gear I was least happy with was my pack. Don’t
get me wrong, I love the Circuit. There’s just no way I can fit everything in
there comfortably. It worked great as a daypack when we went on a 9 mile
outing, but with everything in there, it barely closed. I’m going to shop
around at REI in a few weeks and see if I can find a better match. So all in
all, it was a great trip! I’ll include some photos below.
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