[pct-l] Gaiters and a few gear super secrets

[enyapjr at comcast.net]

Some thoughts - a la Switchback...

Dirty Girl Gaiters: http://www.dirtygirlgaiters.com/...
$15 per pair includes shipping...   Mine weigh 1.2 to 1.4 oz. per pair, depending on pattern choice...
She no longer has plain 'solid' colors for the more conservative styled folks, but there is a link
(http://www.joetrailman.com) to JoeTrailman gaiters - $23 plus $4 shipping...
Always thought the "DNF" pattern that Squatch has would be good for Switchback, but, alas, no
cross bones - just skulls...  Arrgh...

Do your eyes need a little help reading the guidebooks and maps?  Check out i4uLenses for an
ultralight solution (http://www.i4ulenses.com/)...  1.0 to 3.0 diopter reading specs that weigh 4 grams
- included soft case is 2 grams - total 6 grams (0.22 oz.)...  Buy 2 or more and for every 2 they will
include a hard case (12 grams)...  $6.95 each and a flat $1.75 shipping (shipping stays at $1.75 even
if multiple pairs ordered)...  They also have a 5.8 diopter magnifier in hard case for $7.95 that comes
in handy for close work (such as extracting splinters or stickers?!)...
This gear tip passed along from Glen Van Peski's Gossamer Gear newsletter.  Thanks, Glen!

Worried about some portions of the trail being a little icy, but think crampons are overkill?
Then screw your shoes!  See http://www.skyrunner.com/screwshoe.htm for more details...

Want to 'cowboy camp' as much as possible but worried about dew, frost, mist, or fog getting your
down bag wet?  An ultralight bivy could be the answer...  As Warner Springs Monty has pointed out,
Equinox makes an excellent one at a very decent price - 6.5 oz., $60 MSRP...  I've used one for five
years now - sometimes it is the only 'shelter' I take (if prolonged rain isn't expected)...  If I am using a
tarp or Tarptent, and rain is expected - the bivy gets packed, too (it's on my thru-hike gear list)...
I cowboy camp as much as possible - when I was a kid, we couldn't go to sleep until we saw a
certain number of 'shooting stars'...  Some old habits just won't die!
Sorry, Switchback, but the night sky looks even more grand without anything (i.e., netting) between
you and the rest of the universe!

All the usual disclaimers apply...  I'm not an agent, get no commission or compensation, YMMV, HYOH, yada yada yada...

Happy trails!!!