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Ardell's ideal gear list for an AdventureBus trip
All this stuff fits in this 8"x15"x15"
bag!!!
Clothing and wearable gear
1-three synthetic "duofold" type shirts
2-three pair synthetic/coolmax socks
3-three pair synthetic underwear/sport bras
4-one pair nylon/synthetic zip-off pants with cargo pockets
5-one pair nylon/synthetic swim trunks/walk shorts
6-one pair polyester fleece sweat pants, pockets are nice
7-one pair polyester fleece work gloves
8-one polarfleece type jacket
9-one waterproof shell or rain poncho
10-wide brimmed hat
11-sunglasses
12-one pair sport sandals or water shoes (no flip-flops)
13-knit or fleece toboggan type stocking cap
14-toiletries/bag (see following section)
15-sunscreen, shampoo, conditioner
16-led headlamp
17-a synthetic chamois pack towel
18-camera
19-Ogio "locker bag" |
Luggage
I own 5 high end backpacks, but the bag I use on these trips is an
OGIO Locker Bag I got at Goodwill for $5. It's a
semi-rigid bag that is well within the parameters of most major
airlines' maximum carry-on dimensions. It's got a ton of pockets and
will protect fragile souvenirs. If you pack one of these right, rent
your sleeping bag from us & don't bring a knife, you can do this
trip without having to check any luggage. Which means no lost
luggage, a situation which has bedeviled several guests in the
past.
There's ample opportunity to knock out a load of laundry in the
middle of the week on all the trips, so a 3 day supply of undies is
plenty.
You're welcome to bring a big suitcase, backpack or even a
steamer trunk with a 7 day supply of clothes if ya want. But I've
been doing guide work since '90, and trust me, lighter is better.
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Sleeping Gear
All the trips except Florida hold the possibility for a night or
more of frost.
I strongly recommend a sleeping bag with no less a temperature
rating of 20degrees, especially the Go North! where every night
could hold frost.
On the southern trips there could nights when you sleep on top of
your bag, and definitely nights when you don't zip up. But at
altitude, you'll lament bringing a $15 Walmart 50 degree bag. We
rent 20 and 10 degree bags, call us to reserve one.
Pillows are nice, but stuffing your sleeping bag's stuff sack with
your towel and fleece stuff makes a pretty swank pillow too!
Don't worry about bringing a thermorest or sleeping pad, the bus
is full of 4" thick foam pads you can drag out on camping nights and
crash on. Oh, AdventureBus also rents 2 person and 4 person tents.
See www.adventurebus.com for prices. |
A word on synthetic fabrics.
they just rock.
If you've ever hiked in a heavyweight cotton shirt and denim shorts
or jeans,
you may know the sweat retaining, chafing hell that a lengthy trek
can be.
Synthetic fibers work really well in the arid environments of the
deserts and mountains of the West. Now, ya don't have to head off to
REI or EMS or some other high-end store to get some Patagucci
zip-offs or North Face wicking fleece to get the most from your
trip. I get a lot of my stuff from thrift stores in affluent,
outdoorsy neighborhoods.
Also Wal-Mart and Target are doing a pretty good job at getting
decent gear in at almost unbelievable prices. Wally-World here in
SLC has nylon zip-offs for $24 and sport sandals for $10. Also 50/50
cotton/poly Hanes undershirts (not your garden variety T's,
undershirts are made of much, much thinner fabric and do a decent
job of wicking away sweat for being 3 for $10 at Target. They also
carry CoolMax socks for $5 for 2 pair. Hanes' sweats are also a
great investment for $6 at Big Lots.
Synthetic Chamois pack towels: Too cool, they dry in half an hour in
the west. If you want to save a little money as well as space, just
get a big synthetic chamois from the auto section of your favorite
store, it's the same stuff as a Pack Towel, only a lot cheaper.
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Two purchases that will forever
change your camping experience
If you've never used them. A hydration pack and an LED
headlamp. A hydration pack allows you to carry more water than
one might ordinarily bring on a lengthy hike, and you'll drink more
water and more frequently because of the ease of access to your
water, not having to stop, drop your pack, swig and then put your
pack back on. You just sip from the hose whenever you're thirsty.
They really cut down on dehydration related problems that can mess
up your trip. Both Wal-Mart & Target offer inexpensive selections of
hydration packs now.
Still using incandescent flashlights or headlamps that have less
than an hour average battery life? Time to go to WalMart and drop
$12 on an
Energizer LED headlamp. The batteries that come with it will
last the entire trip, even if left on during every hour of darkness
during the trip. My favorite thing about the Energizer is the red
'stealth light' mode that preserves your night vision and doesn't
disturb others who may be sleeping around you.
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Toiletries
I won't tell you what all to bring in your toiletries bag, that's
too pretentious even for me. I'll lay some tips on you though, ample
sunscreen and high SPF lip balm, medications that could prevent
misery (allergy meds, inhalers, prescription stuff)
The best tip I can lay down here is this: TRIAL SIZE!!!
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Things you might not want to bring
Cheapo rectangular sleeping bags-Denim
anything-incandescent flashlights
umbrellas-flipflops/soccer sandals-heavy duty hiking
boots-boomboxes
gigantic tents-Michael Bolton CDs-inflatable
mattresses-copies of The Watchtower-
Guilty pleasures worth indulging
Sketch pads, journals, camera gear, "discman" size
cd players, paperbacks, binoculars, telescopes, instruments (call
first if you plan on bringing an accordian)
and of course my Achille's heel on the North to
Yellowstone, a packable fishing rod.
(a Yellowstone fishing license is $20 well spent,
though many streams are Fly rod only, and most are catch & release)
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