Rain Pants
The rain pants have a pocket that’s also storage. Replacing my worn out ones I used on the PCT and Pinhoti with https://dutchwaregear.com/product/xenon-rain-pants/.
Lighter. Less expensive. Waterproof. They don’t breathe but that has not been something I’ve needed so far.
Food Bags
I replaced my LightAF bear bag that I bought on the Appalachian Trail with https://mountainlaureldesigns.com/product/dcf-food-bag/. Larger. Flat bottomed. Nice color saturation. Superior top closure.
My Hilltop can shift to being my waterproof clothing bag & pillow like the LightAF was before it wore out.
Sun Gloves
For sun gloves I’ve used the Outdoor Research Active Ice gloves but they wore out too quickly for me. Others have no trouble with them at all. They are the most popular sun gloves on trail.
I switched to fishing sun gloves and got a lot of use out of them. I then tried some Black Diamond trail gloves. They have wear strips but they don’t match up with my hands by about half an inch.
I picked up another set of fishing sun gloves for next year.
Water Bags
Finally, the last gear update is with my platypus water bag. I had three, all of which I got from hiker boxes on the Appalachian Trail.
Two out of the three platypus bags have failed on me—one from abuse (I dropped it, full, on my hiking pole tips in an accident). One has a leak I can’t quite patch.
It turns out that the platypus warranty is only for the original owner. That meant no warranty claim for either.
So I bought one new. I expect it will last me at least for the next thousand miles or so. That is all I expect to need it for. The others all started the PCT with me in 2022 — I actually miss the stickers on the one bag more than I miss the bag.
I can pair it with my hydropak for gravity feed filtering or use it for extra capacity for long water carries.
The BeFree compatible CNOC stays in the gear box.
Bottom line is that I carry water bags for three reasons. One, to carry water for the rare long water carries. The platypus is perfect for that. Light, easy to use.
The second purpose is to carry water from a source and to where I filter and/or treat it. The Hydropak is perfect for that. Lasts longer than CNOC and is lighter.
Finally. Sometimes I gravity filter. The Hydropak on top and the platypus on the bottom. I used to use two CNOC bags to do this.
This alternative solution works well.