MonarchandWow - Pacific Crest Trail Journal - 2015

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Russel Falls Tasmania

Pre-Hike 9 Gear-Choice and Consequence (Part 2)

Pre-Hike 9 Choice and Consequence (Part 2).

Historically if equipment has failed while on a trek it has been due to the kit being of poor quality or operator misuse.

However it is now a point of fascination for me, that in ones planning strategy for the PCT, you have to allow for gear replacement because it is likely to get worn out due to the extensive distance of the trail.

The Pacific Crest Trail is certainly a good testing ground for equipment. With this concept in mind, I re-established contact with Phillippa (Pip) Helene from W.L.Gore.

It was back in 2009 that W.L.Gore ran a GORE-TEX (R) Gear testers program where a selected number of people, including myself, were sent various pieces of kit to test and to blog about.

If you are interested you can Google -

Gear Tester Program | GORE-TEX® fabrics

www.gore-tex.com.au/gear-tester-program/w1/i1079088/

and follow the various blogs from Simon.

Pip was both the organizer and our contact person who answered any questions we had and solved our problems.

On hearing of our plans to do the PCT she was happy to provide us with ‘yet to be released’ 3layer GORE-TEX® jackets with CKnit backer technology which is a real step change from previous 3 layer GORE-TEX jackets.

It is almost half the weight of my previous jacket, more breathable with a comforting soft shell.

For me any piece of kit I take has to fill as many functions as possible. The comfortable feel of the soft shell jacket is good enough to act as a pillow. Don’t tell Pip, but if you place it between an inflatable mat and the base of the tent it stops that annoying squeaking noise when one changes position.

But of course, the true test of any gear is how well it performs on the trail and Monarch and myself are looking forward to giving them a thorough testing.

But just looking at them we are both impressed and as an added bonus, the subtle green and gold of the jackets are the colours we associate with the Australia landscape.

A lovely reminder of home.

I also wanted to take something that is uniquely Australian and after some thought I contacted Akubra that manufacture the Akubra rabbit fur felt hats that are archetypally Australian and told them of our plans. They liked the idea of “Iconic Australian hat treks Iconic American Trail.” Keep an eye out for two wide brimmed hats trekking along the trail and say “G’day.

We are counting down the hours now, till we board our flight for the USA. Monarch has resigned from her employment and I have taken holidays till years end; so as a pair of free agents we invite you to journey with us as we take our empty handed leap of faith into the void and see where life leads us.

Entry 9 of 9
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