The Four Expensive Essentials

These items make great holiday gifts.

Put them on your wish list.

 

While good gear can be expensive, by shopping around you can outfit yourself with quality equipment at a reasonable cost.

 

Hiking Boots - A good pair of lightweight hiking boots is absolutely essential.  You will need boots that fit well while wearing heavy outer wool socks and light inner polypropylene socks.  Although not absolutely necessary, waterproof boots are nice to have if you can afford them.  Boots, three pairs of outer socks, and three pairs of inner socks come to about $100.

 

Sleeping Bag and Mat - A good synthetic sleeping bag rated for at least 25 degrees and weighing 3 pounds or less.  The bag should stuff into a small stuff sack.  Don’t forget we need to line the stuff sack with a plastic trash bag for extra protection against getting wet.  Sleeping bag with stuff sack comes to about $100.  Excellent ground mats or pads can be purchased for about $25.  This combination will provide for a comfortable sleep plus plenty of insulation from the ground.

 

Rain Suit with Jacket and Pants - You will need a sturdy, lightweight rain suit, both jacket and pants, with plenty of ventilation.  Good rain suits can be purchased for about $50.  A poncho will not do at Philmont – at higher elevations a drop of 40 degrees in only a few minutes with hail or even  snow is not  uncommon.  The  rain  suit  not  only  keeps  you  dry,  it provides an insulation barrier to help keep you warm and prevent hypothermia.  A poncho does not provide that protection.

 

Backpack - A rugged backpack with plenty of capacity for carrying your personal gear as well as water and your share of crew gear and food.  External frame backpacks should have a capacity of about 4000 cubic inches.  4800 cubic inches for an internal frame backpack should do it.  When selecting a backpack, the weight of the backpack itself is very important and should not be overlooked.  Good backpacks weighing 5 pounds or less are available for approximately $100.  Philmont rents very good external frame packs for approximately $20.  If members of Philmont crews don’t care to buy a pack, they can borrow a friend’s for training and rent one at Philmont.  If you decide to purchase a pack, keep in mind that external frame packs are designed for the kind of hiking you will experience at Philmont.  However if you already own or simply prefer an internal frame pack they will do just fine.