LLBean has a new ultralight tent out that is really tempting me.  I really prefer a tent so I can move around while I sleep and I think I'm in love.  The Microlight FS 2-Person Tent sleeps two comfortably and weighs in under 4 pounds. It uses a freestanding aluminum frame with two doors and two spacious vestibules. The body is all mesh with a full rainfly. With interior dimensions of 7'6" x 4'6" and packed weight of 3 lbs 12 oz, it's hard to find another tent with a better size/weight ratio. And best of all, it comes it at $199. It's also a 2012 Backpacker Editor's Choice, so I'm thinking it's probably worth that price tag.  New toy here I come.

 Altrec is having their 13th Anniversary Sale - Up to 60% off now until Friday, May 4th.  It's a good opportunity to pick up some great deals on everything from shorts to backpacks to ski poles.

 Backpacker.com is giving away free gear each week and you can enter every day to win.  Backpacker is giving away the gear that their editors have tested and reviewed.  So it's slightly used - it's still cutting edge gear.  Each week they are going to give away a different item.  Read more, and enter the contest, at backpacker.com.

 Massey's Outfitters just sent me the coupon code  ALOSA5 good for 5% off on every purchase of any non-sale item. Handy to know in case you need any new toys.

 Backpacker.com has updated their GPS Trails Android app. The new version has higher resolution photos, more trails, and a streamlined interface.  You can download GPS Trails Pro from the Android market.  It's free if you downloaded the previous version, otherwise $4.99.

 I was lucky enough to upgrade to a new Android phone for Christmas this year.   And it didn't take me long to learn that cold weather and touch screen phones don't play nice.  Trying to use a touch screen phone outside when its below freezing isn't very pleasant.  Enter the Outdoor Research Sensor Gloves.  The lightweight fleece gloves have TouchTec leather finger tips that work better with a touch screen that most touch capable gloves.  These gloves are also editor's choice winners from Backpacker Magazine; now I just have to wait for mine to arrive.

 Backcountry.com has their own private line of clothing called Stoic, and among these is the Wraith Shell rain jacket.  This thing is so thin that it's semi-transparent, but it gets good reviews for its ability to handle the weather.  Breathability seems to be a point of contention, but it's worth mentioning since it only weight 2.5 ounces (that's for a medium).  Backpacker.com says the fabric seems flimsy, but it takes a beating.  Right now, it's on sale at backcountry.com for ~$48.  That's a pretty good deal for a rain jacket like this.  It won't be warm enough to do you much good this winter, but it sounds like a steal to pack away for spring showers.

Backpacker.com has a post with 11 tips to make your gear last longer. It's mostly about storing your gear so it can breath, and cleaning regularly. If you've been backpacking for a while, probably not much for you to read, but it's good info for folks still learning. It does mention that "DEET eats through nylon, polyester, and waterproof linings", which I was not aware of.  I've got a closet dedicated to my gear - though most people probably don't have that luxury. Having a whole closet to store gear gives me the option of hanging everything up, uncompressed, so it can air out. I guess it's reached that time of year when I have to pull everything out and send anything I haven't used recently off to GearTrade.com though - got to make room for new toys.

 Backpacker.com has posted a 12 Step Ultralight Makeover list.  It's worth a read, though if you are already packing ultralight you won't learn anything new.  It's more a quick start guide.  Its hard to argue with their twelve steps, although they recommend not packing emergency food.  It's tough for me to get my head around that - even when I know I'm in a safe area I have trouble not packing a little extra food.  15 pounds is their cut-off for a weekend trip- more than that and they say you need to lose some weight.  I don't think I can go that low when I have my dogs in tow, but if I can just get them used to carrying packs I'll be set.

 I was just looking at a review of the Osprey Hornet 46 pack at Backpacker.com.  It holds 45 liters (2746 cubic inches if you don't want to do the math) and weighs in at 1 lb 8 ounces.  It gets great reviews as long as you are planning to go sub 30 pounds.  It isn't completely frameless, but close to it.  Packs this light used to be a rarity, I even considered making my own at times.  Now though, more and more manufacturers are getting on board with ultralight.  I love it because you never know what kind of ridiculous performance materials are right around the corner.  If you haven't bought a new pack in years, it might be time to upgrade.  The Hornet 46 comes in at $159 - that's not too shabby.

 Survival bracelets seem to be the rage lately.  It's a bracelet made of paracord that you can unwind in case of emergencies.  Having anywhere from 10-20 feet of paracord could be useful, and they don't look half bad.   Survivalstraps.com offers a wide variety of survival bracelets, but buying one can be pricey and it's just too easy. Instead, there are instructions on how to make a shorter version at instructables.com - it uses about six feet of paracord.  I wonder if I can get Carolina blue paracord.

Backpacker.com is running a gear makeover contest right now. Send them the best letter in one of three categories - "I want to eat better!", "I want to go lighter!", or "I want to dress better!" - and the winner for each category will get hooked up.

 Backpacker Magazine has released an app for viewing trails and recording your own.  The GPS Trails Lite app lets you take advantage of the GPS features of your phone to navigate over 3500 trails downloaded from their site, and record and post your own. You can view maps, navigate with a digital compass, and take photos of your hike.  Use it in remote places where you don't have a signal, and it will save your data to post later when you do.  Their app will also calculate calories, speed, distance, and elevation for you.  I'm not lucky enough to have a phone that will support this yet, but it seems like a cool use of the technology.  They are currently offering a Lite version that is free and US oriented, or a $9.99 version with more features including trails from around the world.  

 I don't normally put too much thought into the weight of my daypack.  For a day outing, how much do you really need to carry?  A bottle of water, some snacks, a jacket...  sometimes I'll carry an alcohol stove and make a hot drink or a small meal.  But really, we aren't talking that much weight.  Gossamer Gear has a new daypack that is worth a closer look though - the RikSak.  

It's a 900 cubic inch silnylon daypack that weighs in at only 2.2 ounces.  It can be used as a stuff sack for longer trips, and then as a daypack once you get to your base camp.  Or just use it for tooling around town.  It packs down small enough to easily fit into your back pocket.  It might be handy for keeping in the car in case of emergency, or for grocery shopping if you walk or bike.  Since its silnylon, it requires a little TLC, but still a cool little piece of gear for $30.  Good luck catching them in stock.

 I just got an email today that GearTrade has released an iPhone app.  I've mentioned GearTrade before.  It's a great site for listing and selling your used gear.  I've sold quite a few items without any problems.  I don't have an iPhone, so I can't tell you if the app works well.  But if you have an iPhone, and gear to sell, you can download the GearTrade app here.

Backpacker Magazine has an article up about five new solar powered backpacking toys.  I've got a solar charger I use occasionally, but there are some pretty cool new toys out there.  I've been using a Steri-pen for purifying water for a few years, so a solar powered version is interesting.  I am intrigued by the Lightcap Lantern. I always carry a Nalgene bottle on the outside of my pack, so adding a solar charger to and using it as a lantern is a nice idea.  Combine the Lightcap Lantern and the Steri-Pen into one to make a solar powered lantern and water purifier and then you're in business   Using a black bladder as a solar shower is an old school idea, but Seattle Sports Pocket Shower is a nice clean implementation of the idea.

With all of these ideas, except the shower, I'm not sure if the extra weight is worth the functionality.  The batteries in Steri-pen seem to last forever, so I'm not sure the solar charger saves me much.  I could make the case for a very long hike like the App Trail though, not having to carry extra batteries would be advantageous.  Decreasing your environmental footprint is a big plus for these solar toys too.  I just might have to buy me a Lightcap Lantern to play with.  Go check out the Backpacker article and find you a new toy.

 With Christmas coming up, I'm hoping Santa will deliver some new backpacking toys to my house and I know I'm not the only one.  If you don't get everything on your list though, remember that after Christmas lots of people will be looking to sell their used gear (or their unwanted new gear).  Gear Trade is a great place to find deals on new or slightly used gear.  I've bought and sold through Gear Trade with great success.  Start cleaning out the gear closet now if you want... sign up here to start selling your old gear.

I've been away from this site for a while now.  I changed jobs and built a house.  But I've survived that and now I have free time again.  Combined with the warm weather, I've got backpacking on the brain.  And I do love new backpacking toys.  SteepAndCheap.com is one of my favorites web sites to visit right now.  They sell one item at a time until they sellout, with some pretty ridiculous discounts.  They also have some cool plugins to alert you when they start selling a new item.  You can't really shop so much as just wait for something you want to popup.  But, if you're looking to save some money on a new toy, it's worth a look.

I've been pondering hammock camping lately.  TrekLightGear.com is a site I stumbled onto the other day.  They have some pretty cool hammocks and accessories.  A one pound hammock (retails for $54 on their site) can save you a lot of weight over a 4-6 pound tent. 

I've never been much for tarp tents; I like something with a little more substance.  I know most of the places I camp are safe, and I know a tent doesn't provide much protection from critters.  Still, a full tent just has that psychological safe effect.  I don't know how "safe" a hammock feels.  I bet its pretty comfortable, but I'm not sure it would feel very safe.  At least you are off the ground.  It gives you some protection from the crawling critters.  Seems like you would be at the perfect height for a bear to investigate though.  One plus is that you do less damage to the plant life with a hammock than a tent.  What are your thoughts on hammocks?  

I enjoy camping, but I'm not a big fan of camping in cold weather.  Partially because its cold, and partially because my friends won't go camping when its cold.  And camping alone is kind of boring to me.  That said, when it starts to warm up I can't wait to get out on the trail.  First things first though, I've got to go through all my gear.  I have to make sure everything is cleaned, conditioned, seam-sealed, and organized so I can find what I need quickly. 

Inevitably I find one or two items that I don't use anymore and wonder what to do with them.  If you have that same problem, let me introduce you to GearTrade. Their site says they are "bringing outdoor freaks together to buy and sell gear".  All you have to do is register for a free account, then post the items you want to sell.  Its not hard - post some item specs, pictures, and your asking price.  If someone buys your gear, GearTrade takes a small commission and you are guaranteed to get paid.  It's well worth the time.  And its nice to know that the gear will get used instead of laying around in my closet.

I've just finished creating a new interface for adding your gear, at the suggestion of a visitor. The new Add Gear Wizard lets you search for gear then drag and drop it into a list. Drag as many items as you want to your list, then enter their respective weights all at once.