Employee Gear Closet – Brenda Leonard
Add to Del.icio.usby Toni Isom
Brenda Leonard (better known as bleonard) is one of Backcountry.com’s content assistants. She climbs both ice and rock, and odds are she can beat you in an arm-wrestling match.
One of Brenda’s favorite ways to spend a weekend (or a week, if she can get out of work) is backpacking, which she started doing when she moved to Utah in 1991. All it took was one overnight trip to Lone Peak and Brenda was a full-fledged backpacking addict. Soon afterward, she went to work for a wilderness program for troubled youth, were she was lucky enough to indulge her addiction for two weeks at a time. She loves the solitude of backpacking and the secluded campsites.
Here is bleonard’s personalized list of equipment she won’t head into the backcountry without.
The Arc'teryx Bora 75 Women's Backpack
Bleonard: I love this backpack. I believe in going with a bigger pack as opposed to a smaller one. I like to have the option to go on a long trip and still be able to use it for a weekend. For the shorter trips, just cinch everything down and it still works great. The Bora 75 is very comfortable and this one is women-specific so it fits the curves of my body better. One of the key things I look for in a pack is easy access to the main compartment. There has to be some sort of side or middle zipper. This pack has a double side zip that opens both ways. Very convenient instead of having to always go through the top. It also has a sleeve for a hydration bladder, and the top of the pack can come off and be used as a fanny pack for those day hikes.
The Marmot Arroyo 30° Down Sleeping Bag
Bleonard: Down is always the obvious choice for me. It's lighter and compresses to a smaller size than synthetic. Just don't get it wet. Nowadays, most down sleeping bags come with a coated shell to help keep it dry, so getting it wet has never been a problem for me. I've been using this bag for years. It's so comfortable and weighs only 1lb 8oz. There are times when it isn't warm enough, and then I just put a Cocoon Silk MummyLiner inside. It adds a little more warmth and it's super soft against the skin.
The MSR Hubba Hubba 2-Person 3-Season Tent
Bleonard: I'm all about sleeping under the stars, but if bugs and weather are problems, then the Hubba Hubba works great as a backpacking tent. At only 3lb 14oz (which includes rainfly and poles), this tent is super light. It has 2 doors and vestibules, which I think is a must for a 2 person tent. No more having to crawl over the other person in the tent when you have to get up in the middle of the night. The tent is also pretty much all mesh except for the floor, which makes it very airy and the next best thing to sleeping under the stars. You could even go lighter with the MSR Hubba 1-Person 3-Season Tent, which only weighs 2lb 13oz.
The Pacific Outdoor Equipment All Out Lite Women’s Sleeping Pad
Bleonard: Sleeping pads sure have advanced since I first started using them. I always seemed to have to sacrifice comfort in order to carry a light enough pad. Those days are gone. The All Out Lite Sleeping Pad is light AND comfortable. They added extra padding for the hips and more insulation for the feet. Having a full-length pad is a plus. I've tried out the ¾ ones and I definitely need insulation and padding under my feet. It is also mummy shaped, which cuts out unnecessary corners and helps cut out the weight. At only 20.5 oz, this pad is perfect for backpacking.
The Crazy Creek Backpacker Lite AIR Chair
Bleonard: I have to have a chair on my backpacking trips. That is one luxury I can't leave behind. So I needed something that would be light and not take up too much space. I used to carry around the Crazy Creek Original Chair. I would roll it up and strap it to the side of my pack. But it was bulky and didn't roll very well. The Crazy Creek Backpacker Lite AIR Chair will solve that problem. At 1lb 2oz, it weighs just a little less than the Original Chair, but is definitely less bulky. The design is the same as the original, but this one inflates. That also increases the chances of a stick going through it or an ember burning a hole in it, but it comes with a repair kit in case any of that happens.
Bleonard: These are a must for me when backpacking. They keep things separate and organized. The different colors help to coordinate what stuff is in what sack. So when I'm digging through my pack, I know exactly which stuff sack I need to grab.
The Petzl e+LITE Emergency Headlamp
Bleonard: I don't go on any trips without my headlamp. That includes bike rides, day hikes, and anything else where I'm going into the backcountry. Having been stuck in a situation where a headlamp would have been very convenient, I have learned my lesson. That's why the e+Lite is so great. It's small and comes in a very handy case which also doesn't take up a lot of room. The light is pretty bright for this little thing. I just stow it away in my pack. Normally, if I'm car camping, it would be my backup light. But since I want to limit my weight and space, I use it as my main headlamp for backpacking trips.