To Spork or Not to Spork…
…that is the question. Actually, that is one of countless questions being asked around our home these days. And the question of having a spork really isn’t up for debate, rather a titanium one for $12.95 vs. what you see here for $2.15 on Amazon.
As we continue to dream, discuss, plan and begin building our “kit” for our eventual backpacking adventures with the ultimate goal of a 5–6 month thru-hike of the Georgia to Maine Appalachian Trail, these kinds of decisions are around every corner. The subject spork pictured above is in our cupboard and was part of a goodie bag at the past event. It’s perfectly functional and weighs in at a whopping .3 ounces vs. the titanium’s .5 ounces. Chuckle with me, if you will!
Everything centers around weight, no matter what we are shopping for. That matters, too, as the cumulative effect of poor “weight” decisions can result in a pack far too heavy. I’m used to rucking with about 33lbs on my back but when we set out, I hope to shed at least 10lbs from that number while carrying our tent, sleep system and supplies. So a bad spork decision now could lend itself, if manifested into other products, into a very heavy pack. The “Big 3,” as backpackers call them (sleep system, pack and tent), vary greatly in weight and instead of ounces, they vary in pounds. As we continue to shop and learn the nomenclature that retailers and manufacturers list as “important,” this whole process is kinda fun…and we haven’t even set out yet on our first overnight trip. But hopefully, that will change sooner than later.
Tomorrow at 3am, the 20% REI sale goes LIVE. Luckily for our checking account, this discount is for ONE item…a full-priced item. To help shave off costs, I have applied for countless PRO memberships at retailers with my military affiliation but I am finding the best and most desired items are either 1) not sold online or 2) excluded from PRO discount sales. So this sale is one we’re going to capitalize on and hopefully yield us our 2nd grab of the Big 3, our tent. I already have my pack and my wife’s arrives tomorrow. Unless someone changes our minds, we’ll be getting the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL3. The entire system is a few ounces under 4lbs. A benefit, too, is when we head out, we can share the load. We’ll always carry our own sleeping bags/pads but for the tent and accessories and our cookware, we’ll share. Well…maybe we’ll get one more spork. :)
Final thoughts for today: the worst part about all of this? Waiting. We have a LOT of “runway” in front of us before we ever head to Springer Mountain in Georgia in 3–5 years. I like to say that we want to “enjoy the journey to the journey.” We hope to explore local and relatively close trail systems, test out our gear, and lean into this more and more. We do need some essentials, though, before we even go once so it’s nice to see a few things coming together. The verdict is still out on sleeping bags but the NEMO Tensor long/wide pad is at the top of my list for an insulated pad.
