Trip prep: gear selection.

This New Year’s Eve, pending any unexpected airline mishaps, when the clock strikes twelve I will be airborne en route to Santiago, Chilé. A cryptic update or two may have hinted recently at my upcoming adventures. Starting January 7th I will be making my way deep into the Patagonia Andes as a part of the NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) Patagonia Mountaineering course. You can read up on the details of the course on the NOLS Patagonia website. Needless to say, it’s going to be awesome and I’m super excited!

The meticulous (but fun) process of packing.

A major part of my prep for the trip recently has been collecting all the gear I’m going to need to survive for just over a month in some of the most variable conditions on earth. This 11-page document is the equipment list that NOLS has provided. I’ve been pouring over this list multiple times a week for a couple months now trying to find a the balance of equipment I’m going to rent, things I already own, and the hoards of burly mountain gear I have yet to purchase. It’s a difficult task to find the correct product for each of the requirements on the list.

Recently – Hunting for a bag.

A recent dilemma, the sleeping bag. NOLS rents some really nice bags to use on the trip at a reasonable price, however I’ve decided that some travel after my trip is in order, so bringing my own makes sense. I’ve got a really nice down-filled bag already that’s meets the temperature requirements of 0°-15° F. But because of the wet conditions in Patagonia and down’s uselessness when wet, I’m going need to get a 0° synthetic bag.

Here I am in the Marmot Trestles. I like the feel of the bag and the price point is better than any other 0° synthetic, but it doesn’t pack as well as others and it’s almost 1 pound heavier than bags that cost $100 more. The bag search is still on.