So, not too long ago I placed another order at ZPacks for a few new items, as well as a few replacement items, and yet again, I have to give props to ZPacks. At the moment, Joe and Sheryl are out hiking Te Araroa (the New Zealand Trail), but luckily for me, the business is still up and running. Matt Favero is running things while they are away, and I have got to say that all of my emails (by all, I mean a lot) were answered within a days time, or sometime within only a few hours. As well, all of the custom work I requested was also answered with a “yes”… Then on top of all of this, Matt managed to get my order shipped out in less than a week from the time I ordered it!
This is why I continue to love and recommend ZPacks gear, their customer service is top-notch, and on top of that, their gear is the same! Oh, and of course, it is super lightweight…
So, what did I get? Starting with the biggest, baddest, most awesomest item first:
- 6.5 x 10 foot, white, 0.51 oz/sqyd cuben fiber flat tarp. I wanted a solo-sized, lightweight tarp that’s big enough to provide complete protection and can be pitched in more than one way. I plan to pitch this in the Half-Pyramid configuration in most weather conditions, and revert to the A-Frame pitch in chancy looking weather. Also, in bad weather, I plan to use my CloudKilt as a back wall (when set up in an A-Frame), which should allow me to scoot all the way inside the tarp and have plenty of coverage. I also plan to use my new (to me) MLD bug bivy under this tarp too.
- Waterproof/Breathable Cuben Fiber Rain Mitts. These are replacements to my other pair of WP/B CF mitts I got from ZPacks when they first started selling them. I asked Matt to make these 3/4 inch longer in the thumb and finger area so that they will fit me better than my first pair.
- Roll-Top Blast Food Bag in white 1.43 oz/sqyd cuben fiber. This is another replacement item. About a year and a half ago, I picked up one of Joe’s Blast Food Bags, which at that time were being sold with a cinch top only. Now he offers them with a rolled top, which I prefer. (Of course, if I had thought about it at the time, I’m sure that Joe would have added a roll-top on the first one I ordered had I simply asked…)
- Aqua Mira Drops. Being that I have been using my Sawyer Squeeze water filter, I have not needed to order anymore of these drops, however, now that it is cold(ish) I plan to carry AM drops. This way I don’t have to wonder if my filter froze up and I just didn’t know it… (personal preference).
- UltraLight Travel Toothbrush Kit. It was time to replace my toothbrush anyway…
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So, I just wanted to share these items with everyone real quick. I am pretty excited about the entire order, but especially the tarp. I like a flat tarp simply because they are quite versatile, and as I said above, I have been wanting a cuben, solo-sized one for a while now…
Anyway, now it is time to take them out on the trail! Thanks for stopping by!
~Stick~
Disclaimer: I paid for these items with my own money, although, I did have a 10% off coupon that I won in a past raffle on the Water Monkey’s site. I am under no obligation to “review” any of the above mentioned items, I just like to talk about it.
