What to Buy? vBass Pro Shop

[jbuffethed]

I still have a $100gc to Bass Pro and can't figure out what to buy. My son is in Cub Scouts so we camp a lot. I Geocache and want to get into backpacking. I have a few items, but don't want to jump in hardcore yet. Hikes might be a night or two to start.

What I already have:
- Merrell hiking shoes
- Lighting - couple Surfire flashlights & Petzl headlamps
- Bass Pro sleeping bags x2 (for wife & I)
- Eureka Tetragon 1210(family camping)
- 7x7 tent (generic from Walmart)
- Thermarest air mattress
- several camel back type bladders
- backpack - 3 day bug out bag with MOLLE setup on the back.
- Garmin Colorado
- Leatherman Wave

What I don't have:
- Water filtration - looking at Katadyn Pro Hiker
- Backpacking sleeping bag - BPS didn't really have any from what I could see.
- Backpacking tent (1man) My 7x7 is fairly light and would save me from buying another tent.
- First Aid kit - I am looking at making my own out of a MOLLE bag similar to our military's IFAK.

I am just looking for some input on items I may have forgotten.

 

[ChadTower]

My advice is to focus less on gear. Go on more trips, and as you get out there more, what you need/want will make itself obvious. And it's not always something you expect. After your next trip you may find out you really want something like gummy bears. Everybody is a little different.

I don't see anything for cooking on there. I also don't see anything for making fire or carrying gear.

 

[bsmit212]

Yes cooking system would be a top piority b/c that would be needed to start getting out there. If you have any left over I recomend some treking poles. I don't backpack without them any more.

 

[Cappy]

!00$ could also get ya a good gps. If you are a newbe as it seems and thinking about hiking off into the sunset ya better have some kinda orientation skills and short of taking a class on map and compass ya can get by with GPS. I recomend Garmen, but other folks make decent models too.

I read this out loud to Peg who is sittin with coffee and blble on the couch and she said(SHEESH, tell him its a big ole hawking mamoth store, just wander the isles".

 

[ejdixon]

X2 on the GPS. BassPro's got a few that are below $100 on their website: gps - Search Results

 

[ChadTower]

If you aren't familiar with the terrain where you are going, and aren't able to read a map sufficiently to get home, do not rely on a GPS to get you home. A GPS is a convenience to make navigation easier and is not meant to be the only way to navigate.

Do not ever put yourself into a remote unfamiliar place reliant on some piece of battery operated tech to get you home.

 

[ppine]

I would go with an updated sleeping bag or tent before a GPS. A map and compass have worked for a 1000 years.

 

[jbuffethed]

I've already got the GPS (Garmin Colorado) that I use for geocaching. I have several maps to include the topo. BPS didn't really have any lightweight sleeping bags that I saw. A camp stove is a good idea. What would be a good start?

 

[Grandpa]

Campfires are sure nice but you can't rely on them anymore. Lots of areas are banning them. So a good cooking system is a must for you to start backpacking. Most backpackers go through a 3 stage cooking process of, 1. Way too much weight in pans, stoves and food, 2. boiling water only with ultralight stove and pot 3. desigining your own "freezerbag meals" for variety and taste.

Now you are going to get a hundred posts on favorite stoves, arguements on fuels, foods etc. but for starting out and still being used after many years, msr's pocket rocket or snowpeaks gigapower stoves are still the number one choice of most backpackers. Light, efficient and cheap. Put on a 2 liter aluminum pot for heating water and a lexan spoon/spork and a cup for everyone is all you need. Sure you can double your money on whisperlite or jetboil but you won't double your efficiency while increasing your weight. You can go cheaper and somewhat lighter but efficiency will suck. For foods, think Mountain house or BP pantry, then augment those with ramen and oatmeal packets. After a trip or two, you will find your own solutions to better taste and nutrition.

Water filtration depends on water conditions where you plan on going. The hiker pro is a very good all round unit except those filter replacements get expensive. If you don't mind a little grit in your water, steripens or chemicals like aquamira are fine. For shorter trips, the filtering squeeze bottles will suffice. Seychelle makes an excellent filter bottle that filters to .2 micron.

 

[ChadTower]

Or you can be like me and get lazy on the stove/pots. I take mostly stuff that doesn't need cooking like peanut butter. Lots of peanut butter. Yeah, it's heavy, but that goes away as you eat it, and there isn't a better fuel out there. What you lose in pots/stove weight you gain in peanut butter.