I took a shakedown hike to test two new pieces of gear before using them on the Pyrenean High Route (HRP).
While conditions don’t compare here in the Upper Great Lakes region of the United States, trying out the Gossamer Gear “The Two” tent and Sea-to-Summit Ether Light XT Insulated Sleeping Mat on a very hot day followed by a soaking thunderstorm gave me the valuable information I sought.
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What is a ‘Shakedown Hike?’
Essentially it’s using your gear in the field before taking it on an extended trip.
However, it’s not just about how the gear handles, it’s also about how you handle the gear, the process of packing, unpacking, setting it up, getting in it (and out of it) then packing it again.
The worst possible conditions
Partly because of limited time and partly because rain is forecasted for the rest of the week here in Minnesota, I chose a favorite place to backpack, Afton State Park. It’s close to home with a short uphill climb to “backcountry sites.”
Short as in less than a mile!
The afternoon was stiflingly hot, much like conditions in the Pyrenees as I get closer to the Mediterranean Sea. And thunderstorms with heavy rain are pretty much to be expected anywhere in the mountains at any time.
so, what happened?
Fortunately for me, so few people wanted to brave the weather and the place was practically deserted. I had reserved a spot in the woods only to find it like a furnace and buggy.
I called the park office and Ranger Nick let me switch to a lovely spot up on the prairie high above the Saint Croix River. The site is meant for hammocks, so I had to set in grass which can sometimes flood in heavy downpours (!)
I liked it because there was a bit of a breeze and shade from a gnarly oak tree. This afforded me the perfect opportunity to test the two doors on the tent, opening them out fully before crawling inside for an afternoon nap.
I did that on the incredibly comfortable sleeping mat. Many of you know, I popped my former blow-up mattress beyond repair on the Arizona Trail and have been using a closed-cell foam sleep mat ever since.
Because it will be cold in the Pyrenees, I need a warmer mat. While I won’t know yet how this one will perfrom in the cold, it’s thick and inflates with the help of its stuff sack. I got that puppy to my desired firmness in five breathes!
Yes, I laid down in a pool of sweat, but somehow the mattress managed to feel good against my bare skin and I knocked right out.
Thinking it might be a bit cooler in the evening, I set out on a long walk. It was most not cooler and the wind died out completely. I spent much of my walk swatting at black flies and mosquitos.
Still it was lovely as the setting sun lit up an anvil-shaped cloud over the Saint Croix River. Once I crawled back into my tent, an Eastern Whippoorwill revved up right over head. My entire site was filled with fireflies.
Just as it was getting light, a stiff breeze woke me up. Thunder rumbled in the distance and I braced myself for the storm.
thunderstorms
It was dramatic, mostly noisy and wet – and the grass flooded as expected. The hero of the day was the ground sheet made of polycro (essentially window insulation film cut to size) which kept the rainwater below the tent. I could feel it squishing like a waterbed, but it never reached me.
And because the doors are so gigantic, I had less backsplash from the pounding rain and stayed cozy and comfortable…
…until it was time to pack everything up and head out before another, more aggressive line of T-storms hit.
conclusion
Like just about everything we do in life, we need to practice before execution. This was a wee shakedown with very limited conditions, but they were harsh enough for me to ensure the gear would work for me – and that their performance justified a small increase in my packed weight.
Let me know what you’re testing and how it went!
