Gearing up for the big climb

Climbing mountains can be costly, especially if it involves snow and very high elevations. Not only would you need the usual equipment and clothes, you also need specialized gear to protect you from the elements.

I've been slowly accumulating the things we need for our Ama Dablam climb. I'm really happy to have friends who are willing to lend their gear, sponsors who are supporting our trip, and for a fiancee who understands my need to be away for a month for the irrational need to climb a mountain.

[New Gear] New shoes, enough motivation?

Last weekend, while nursing my bruises, I got a package which I hope would rekindle my training fire. Inside were a new pair of Five-Ten MoccAsyms and a set of Omega Pacific quickdraws. The whole weekend I've toyed with these items in every way, most eager to try them out. (Atimonan was waiting for me. That would have been a great first climb for these gear. But life has other plans.)

Outdoor Talk

The first thing I think of when someone mentions speaking in public is "Nope!". For most of my life I feared talking in front of people. Just the prospect of seeing them looking back at you makes fills me with embarrassment and dread.

Over time I've learned to cope with this fear and somehow accept that I will find myself in front of people, talking about whatever is assigned to me. Partly because I've had more exposure to it in the past ten years teaching applicants of UPM; and also partly because with age, you care less and less of what people say about you, and more for the need to say what you need to say. So when I was asked to give not just one, but two talks over the weekend, I was not as reluctant as I would have been a decade ago.

Hiking 101 at Lagalag Store, SM City (photo: Lagalag)

New Gear: DIY Alcohol Stoves

I've been a white gas stove user for my entire mountaineering life. It is where I'm most comfortable cooking. Despite generally agreeing to the virtues of alcohol stoves, I have not given up my love for those ornery heating contraptions in my pack.

But I wouldn't say no to these ingenious, and very affordable--and "green"--alcohol stoves that my fellow UP Mountaineer Boyet fabricates with passion.

Check it out! Visit Kusinilya Munting Kalan's Facebook Page and get your own stoves!

Eddie Bauer Launch and Samantha: Pig in the City

I get to visit SM Aura in rare occasions. Monday's was only the second of these occasions. Ruby from Primer/ROX sent an invite to the launch of their latest brand in the country: Eddie Bauer. While already having a branch open in SM Megamall at the new Fashion Wing, the brand was officially launching just now, at the same time as the opening of their SM Aura branch.

I've known this brand for quite some time now; mostly from outdoor magazines and, of course, from the ukay-ukay finds of Richard. Eddie Bauer has been around for a while, starting off as sport shop (hunting, fishing supplies) in Washington State in the 1920's. It has since grown into one of the leading outdoor apparels in the States, especially after its introduction of the down -filled jacket. In 2009, they launched a new product line, called First Ascent, recalling the tradition of the brand's support of  early and  notable American alpine expeditions.

with Romi, Paeng, and Lulu 

Mt. Maculot (Returning to a past favorite, and testing out a new pack)

It's easy to understand why a lot of outdoors people like Mt. Maculot. It's fairly accessible; relatively cheap; not so difficult to climb; guides are optional; and the view is unbeatable. During my climbing days pre-UPM, this ranks among my most-frequented mountains. But then I (we) came to realize that everyone else also loved to climb the mountain; which is very obvious with the level of erosion along the trail the saddle. What came next was the conscious decision not to climb it anymore; save the mountain at least from the impact from my footprints. January 2004 was my last visit.

In my pack

I remember the time when my old Bomika pack (actually my brother's) seemed to be on the verge of breaking down from the weight of the stuff I put inside it. At once instance, a little over a decade ago in Daguldol--a time when money was scarce, nalgene bottles were the craze, and gears were huge--I was severely over-packed and lugging two tents, several nalgene bottles, cookset and stove(s?), a whole frozen chicken, and a big-ass emergency lamp running on D batteries. Mid-trail I suffered cramps, and needless to say, my ego was bruised, right in front of the girl I was "making porma".

Times have changed. And since joining UPM, I've become a "smarter" packer. Camping equipment have also changed drastically; shaving off volume and weight tremendously. So comparing how much weight I was carrying, I might look like a ninny now compared to my "younger" years.

The typical gear pile before being stuffed into the pack

New Pack!

Just in time for our Gunung Kinabalu trek this weekend.

I got a message a few weeks ago from Jane (ROX/Osprey), asking if I'm interested in trying out their packs. Of course I said yes! 

Surprise new gear!

Cece surprised me with a new Therm-a-rest sleeping pad after I got back from Mt. Guiting-guiting. It's from their ProLite line. Yay! What a sweet gal!

I sort of knew what she was up to, especially when we both got our dividends from REI. I've been frustrated with my old UtraLite, which I bought nearly 10 years ago. There's a mysterious puncture in the sleeping pad that I couldn't find even after the "bubble test" (submerging the inflated pad under water and checking for bubbles). The pad loses air in about 3 hours of use. 

In the last decade, a lot of new technology has allowed manufacturers to make their products lighter and compact when packing. ProLite is Therm-a-rest's lightest product to date.

I'm excited to take it up the mountains, even back to the sawtooth ridge of Mt. Guiting-guiting! 

While waiting for the next climb, we'll use it indoors, for now.