2025 New Gear

[Tortuga]

Does anyone have any new gear you're excited to use for the first time in 2025?

Since I haven't been backpacking in quite a few years at this point, and my previous pack weights were very high, I decided to make a few purchases to lighten the load. I am not and never will be a UL backpacker, but I'm hoping the days of 40lb packs are behind me.

New for 2025:
1) FireMaple Petrel UL G2 750ml Pot https://firemaplegear.com/collections/2 ... -pot-750ml: I had been using the same cook system since my first overnight trip on the Superior Hiking trail in 2014, an alcohol stove and pot-holding windscreen called the Caldera Cone with a Toaks 500ml titanium pot. It was indestructible and reliable, but also pretty dangerous to use, as sometimes you can't see the flame. After using an obnoxiously-large Jetboil system I got on discount, I decided it wasn't for me. The FireMaple is getting great reviews from gear heads and I got the larger capacity because I plan to cook in the pot this year.

2) Enlightened Equipment Enigma Sleeping Quilt: I switched from mummy bag to quilt a while ago, but the synthetic quilt I had was twice the weight of the EE down. It's crazy expensive but again, reviews are really nice and I have a 20-degree long/wide quilt with draft collar is less than 1.5lbs. https://enlightenedequipment.com/enigma-sleeping-quilt/

3) Thermarest NeoAir Xlite MAX (Regular/Wide): I've never trusted inflatable pads. I had a mummy-shape Thermarest in regular width that even if my torso stayed on, I would wake up with my leg hanging off. I opted for the rectangular option in wide, and look forward to seeing if I get better sleep on the trail. https://cascadedesigns.com/products/neo ... 6888117382

4) New tent? I already have pretty lightweight tents, with both the Rainbow and Double Rainbow from tarp tent. While they are lighter than the REI tents I was using before, they are single-wall which means condensation is a real issue (especially in the single Rainbow). Because I always use trekking poles, I'm considering a trekking pole tent to lower weight even further. The Durston X-Mid 2 is appealing to me as it's a double-wall tent with a quick setup, and still 6 ounces lighter than my Double Rainbow. The X-Mid 2 Pro is under a pound, but it's way more expensive and has the single-wall issue found in the Rainbow series. Another option would be the z-packs Duplex, but same issues, more expensive, and harder to get a good pitch. At this point I'm just keeping my eyes open, but a tent could be in the cards.

[Ingo]

(4) Really like my Tarptent, the Saddle model, a 2 person version of the Notch. Unfortunately they only made it for a short time, but it's lighter than all their current 2 person, nylon, double-wall options (mid-30 oz as I recall). I once asked Henry (owner of Tarptent) why he didn't keep in their line-up and he said they just couldn't do that many models and it wasn't selling that well. Looks like the Dipole 2 DW is the closest now, but larger and heavier than mine.

[torpified]

5) what backpack are you putting it all in? My purple Superior Wilderness Designs Long Haulhttps://www.swdbackpacks.com/product-pa ... rnal-frame has been my go-to, unless I need to carry moose carcasses or a large bear canister.

[RedLeg]

I have a custom SWD I don't get to use as much as i wish. Nice pack but it doesn't fare as well as my mystery ranch with the packraft lashed to it

[dcclark]

It might seem like a small thing, but I upgraded my sleeping pad to a short/wide model (25"). Not because I'm particularly short/wide, but because I'm a side sleeper and need somewhere to put my knees that isn't on the ground. It's a serious quality of life update, plus a chance to drop a few ounces with a nicer model.

torpified - I also have an SWD Long Haul, bright red, but I've found it hard to fit everything for 7+ days in cold seasons.

[Tortuga]

I've been using the same Osprey Aether for about 10 years, and it weighs nearly 5lbs empty. I've been really nervous about UL backpacks because I enjoy the stability and comfort of the Osprey, but if I'm getting smaller and lighter contents I can feel more comfortable taking a couple lbs off the pack weight.

SWD is not a company I've heard of before despite it being a local company. It looks like their turnaround time for a pack order is about 5 months. It also looks like the side pockets wouldn't be easy to reach while hiking and I like having a hip belt pocket for snacks on the go/phone storage, etc. Do you find it to be limiting in that way?

I've had my eyes on a ULA Circuit for a long time, and they now have a lighter and more waterproof version. https://www.ula-equipment.com/product/ultra-circuit/

[dcclark]

My SWD Long-Haul has both side pockets and a hip belt with pockets (these are options you can add). No trouble using either.

[torpified]

Water bottle gymnastics tolerance levels vary, but the angle of the side pockets on my SWD pack make them pretty easy for me. I’ve got a pretty early model —so early that they fulfilled the order in two weeks! — that’s got both hip pockets and stretchy shoulder strap pockets, which are a big bonus, especially when variable weather conditions mean there’s a lot of hat and glove juggling.

If you like Ospreys, their lighter weight packs might hit the sweet spot, of trimming 2-3 pounds of base weight without depriving yourself of load-bearing frames and functional pockets. I planning to use my 2.5 pound Exos 58 (and a lot of shock cord) for Moosewatch.

[Tortuga]

Water bottle gymnastics tolerance levels vary, but the angle of the side pockets on my SWD pack make them pretty easy for me. I’ve got a pretty early model —so early that they fulfilled the order in two weeks! — that’s got both hip pockets and stretchy shoulder strap pockets, which are a big bonus, especially when variable weather conditions mean there’s a lot of hat and glove juggling.

If you like Ospreys, their lighter weight packs might hit the sweet spot, of trimming 2-3 pounds of base weight without depriving yourself of load-bearing frames and functional pockets. I planning to use my 2.5 pound Exos 58 (and a lot of shock cord) for Moosewatch.

I'll keep them in mind when it's time to upgrade. My Osprey will get a few more trips with the lighter equipment this summer! Do you find the SWD to be pretty water resistant? One thing I hate about the Osprey is when it gets wet, it gets even heavier and takes forever to dry.

[dcclark]

My SWD is extremely water resistant. In August 2021, I got caught in a torrential downpour in the Porcupine Mountains and didn't get shelter for more than a mile. Once I got inside, I checked and couldn't even find a drop of water inside the bag. (I had lined the bag with a large garbage bag as a backup, but I didn't find even a drop between the liner and the pack.)

I've had a few lighter but longer rain experiences since then, still no leaks.

[torpified]

once the interior got wet after a downpour of Noachian proportions on Catalina Island---but user error (not fully battening down the hatches) may have been partly to blame. Otherwise my experiences have aligned with dcclark's.