things i got the most use of:
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Teva Zilch barefoot sandals. i wouldn't want to pay full price, but at a little less than half price they proved to be awesome, though the neoprene footbed tends to wear under the pressure points due to sand abrasion. i went through 2 pair, though they are both still usable. at 29 bucks a pop, not bad.
these were my daily wear 'shoes' (what can i say, Boulder, Utah is outdoor casual. so much so that when we 'go to town', even our nice clothes look well worn
)
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Prana Sutra pants. LOVE THEM! wearing them feels like I am nearly naked or wearing pajamas.
extremely sturdy for how lightweight they are, though i wouldn't recommend them for intense canyoneering or any hiking that includes chimneying, etc. though I found myself crawling on hands & knees on occasion and it didn't phase them. i bought two pair and somehow only managed to use one during the whole season. matter of fact, i am wearing them right now and wore them religiously since buying them. they dry fast too. I've been hard on them and only have one small rip on the back pocket from catching them on something along the way. gusseted crotch makes for total freedom of movement.
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Klymit Static V - i've only used it a few times, but so far so good, though i've found that my shoulder weight tends to want to push the middle section up into my lower back. maybe just a problem with how much or how little i inflate it?
Managed to be able to buy this wholesale through work, saving me quite a bit of $
Teva Gnarkosi watershoes- best thing I've found for myself in terms of keeping the rocks & sands out while wandering around the creeks & rivers on dayhikes. haven't put them to a test in terms of longer trekking.
Jetboil - love it. plus i got the kit that has the utensils, frying pan & stabilizing stand with locking pot support made for it.
#1 utilitarian piece i got this year:
CRKT Folts Minimalist neck knife with a Tanto blade. used daily for both work & play.
makes a great box cutter for use during delivery day at the store.
in terms of a heavier duty knife, I am impressed with my
SOG Jungle Primitive, which looks absolutely crazy, but has proved to be a great tool with its two sawing options, hammer handle base, and machete like long blade. handle wrapped in buckskin thong has come in useful on a few occasions when i needed a small piece of cordage. it also fulfills that early teen boy desire for a cool looking over the top kind of knife & reminds me of those days when i could buy butterfly knives and survival knives at the county fair without parental permission (oh how those days are long gone!)
i'm also impressed with my Mountain Hardwear 40 degree ultralite bag that i managed to get on clearance early this year for less than half retail. (can't remember the model name but it was on closeout - but much like the Lamina)
i've managed to get a setup in which my sleeping pad, stove & sleeping bag are all each about the size of a nalgene bottle. and weigh in around 2 lbs each.
I've also been very happy with my
Pentax Optio WG1 rugged camera. takes some pretty good shots for a rugged point & shoot & i never have to worry about sand, dust, water, etc. Light & small & easily tucked into a pocket. plus it accepts 44mm filters via a threaded clip on macro stand. downfall - it does not mount well on a tripod due to the contoured body.