The Worst Gear to Buy (and What to Get Instead)

Imagine this scenario:

You have spent months saving money so that you can get the best top-of-the-line brand name gear, only to find out you should have bought something else.

It’s okay, it’s okay. It’s just a bad dream — because today we’re talking about all the gear that you should avoid and what you should get instead. So let’s check it out.

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MSR Freelight

I really, really wanted to like this tent. This is the MSR Freelight — the little sister to the popular Hubba Hubba.

This tent is right at 2 lbs and still has a 50-inch wide floor. In fact, it reminds me of one of my favorite tents, the Nemo Hornet Elite, except it offers more room.

Everything about this tent is better — except one thing. Anytime the fly is wet, water pours in as soon as you open the door.

And I understand what they were trying to do. They cut the door diagonally down the fly so that you don’t have to fold yourself in half just to open it.

But unfortunately, that opens the fly in just the right way that water pours straight onto the floor anytime you open it.

For me, water pouring in is a dealbreaker. If it wasn’t for this one unfortunate problem, this would be an amazing tent.

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Big Agnes Prospector

One of the most attractive packs I’ve ever seen is the Big Agnes Prospector. There’s just something about the gray and white and red accents that really appeals to me.

And honestly, this isn’t a bad pack. It just isn’t a great pack either. It’s not heavy. It’s a decent size. It’s got some really nice features like the full-access zipper.

The only problem is the padding. Whatever type of foam Big Agnes used in this pack — shoulders and hip belt — is just too stiff, making the entire pack uncomfortable.

If you keep your load light, it’s not that bad. But anything over 25 lbs is not going to be comfortable.

And let’s be honest — if your base weight is that light, you’re probably not carrying a 3 lb pack.

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Insulated Static V

Probably one of the biggest ripoffs in the entire industry is the Klymit Insulated Static V.

And look — I’m not an anti-Static V person.

The insulated version should be able to take you down to freezing temperatures or lower. They even boast an R-value of 4.4. The only problem is — Klymit just made that number up.

If you look on their website, the certified ASTM R-value isn’t even half that — it’s 1.9.

That’s only 0.6 more R-value than the non-insulated pad, yet it’s $60 more for the insulated pad — and still not warm enough to make this anything other than a summer pad.

So don’t waste your money.

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Jetboil

I remember thinking that Jetboil made some of the best stoves on the market — that was until I used one. Based on the price, I always expected the highest quality. But all the ones that I’ve used have just seemed cheap.

Now, they aren’t junk — they work well and they’re even efficient. They just don’t seem like they should cost $100 to $200 or more depending on the model.

I’d much rather use the MSR WindBurner — but more about that in a minute.

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Flexlite Air Chair

You know I love my Helinox Chair Zero. There just really isn’t anything that can beat it.

Unfortunately, this summer I sat a little too close to the fire and burnt several holes in mine. So I decided to pick up an REI Flexlite Air, because — what’s the difference?

Well… a lot, actually.

First of all, Helinox owns a patent on chairs that have the poles going side to side. So to avoid violating that patent, REI ran their pole from front to back.

Which means — instead of the V-shape being on the side where it won’t bother you — you have to sit in it. A friend of mine described it like sitting in a taco… which isn’t as cool as it sounds.

I was also surprised at how much cheaper the Flexlite chair seems — which I guess is what you should expect from a chair that often goes on sale for $60 to $70.

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Osprey Exos

Okay, so instead of the Big Agnes Prospector, I would get the Osprey Exos 55 Pro.

As I’ve mentioned, this pack really surprised me. I wasn’t expecting to love it — but it ended up going on most of my trips this year.

It weighs just over 2 lbs and is probably one of the more comfortable lightweight packs I’ve ever used — thanks to this trampoline-like mesh that cradles your back and absorbs impacts.

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MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe Stove

If you’re set on one of these all-in-one stove systems, I would get the MSR WindBurner. It’s about the same price as the higher-end Jetboils, but just feels better made.

But if I’m being completely honest — it’s still not the stove I would choose to take on most of my trips. Instead, I’d bring the MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe.

The Deluxe has the piezo igniter that I find really convenient — but not necessary. Save a little more money and get the regular Pocket Rocket, and pair it with a Toaks Titanium Pot.

Then you have a system that works incredibly well at a fraction of the cost.

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Big Agnes Pads

Okay — so I really struggle to pick a favorite sleeping pad. Warm pads tend to be less comfortable. Comfortable pads tend to be heavy, or sacrifice warmth.

So if you want to balance all three — weight, comfort, and warmth — I think the Big Agnes Rapide is probably my go-to pad. The Big Agnes pads are some of the most comfortable pads on the market.

And while the Zoom is lighter, it just doesn’t compete with the Rapide for warmth.

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Helinox Chair Zero

And as I alluded to earlier — the Helinox Chair Zero just can’t be beat. It’s not only the lightest chair on the market — it’s also the most comfortable.

I might change my mind come spring when the new Nemo Moonlite Elite comes out… but I haven’t been able to use it just yet.

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