Help with Gear List Please?

[mblackfly]

I am seriously determined.

You think you're determined because of that? You have no idea what fine, razor-like edges of preparedness most companies operate off of. Elite tactical military units look to the treeplanting industry for models of logistical excellence, worst-case scenario planning at its best and flawless strategy execution.

You don't "plant" out there, you merely fulfill your infantesmal, pre-prescribed role laid out for you by demigod planners. If Russia had the type of planners forty years ago the treeplanting industry has today, I'd be calling you "Comrade Mikhail" right now.

Nate that was BRILLIANT! But, what company are you working for man, I need me some of that flawless strategy execution. All I got was the supervisors who thought they were demigod`s....

[newb]

This is a solid gear list. I am going to get w/e mike got for this upcoming tree planting season.

[vacationer]

Don't bring the quantity of clothes Mike did. Just buy wool slacks and white dress shirts in thrift stores, one batch to start out with and more as the season progresses, you might look like an alcoholic but everyone else will be dressed that way too. One pair of cotton slacks can be cut off for warmer weather, wear the with a belt to keep the bags from pushing them off and black MEC tights underneath to keep from getting too cool. Pretty much everyone who's been in the game a while does this. Bring a couple of wool sweaters, new Stanfields are less than 40 dollars each. One pair of blue rubber caulks, no steel toe, just over a hundred bucks, completely waterproof and good for exactly one season. I don't bother with bamas. Planning is a lot of fun your first year, but the excitement of it will make you bring too much stuff.

[newb]

for boots i just got some Scarpas SL M3 off eBay for 150, but they seem a little too hardcore

[newb]

i think ill just throw down at MEC and get the tent, sleeping bag, gaiters, and thermarest. Anything else ill get from salvation army.

[Mike]

1) I didn't bring an extra blanket or sheet; my sleeping bag was good to -18 and I never had any trouble
2) I never used bug repellant; it was a waste for me.
3) Bug nets I never used
4) Gaiters I never used
5) Hand sanitizer/lotion I never used. I had cracked skin and lived with it.
6) Never used sun glasses
7) I never used anything for cuts and rashes. I never rashed extremely badly.
I brought way way too many clothes.
This year I'm going: Jeans for day off, 2 pairs of pants for planting, long underwear and sweatpants for cold mornings, two shirts for planting, shirt for day off, sweater for cold mornings. And I brought ~15 pairs of socks; 6 would have sufficed.

[vacationer]

Don't buy gaiters, they are useless for planting. Buy your tent on craigslist. If you insist on buying a new one buy a Tarn 3. If you do buy a new sleeping bag at Mec, consider a silk liner to go with it -- really comfortable, and they'll pretty much eliminate the need to ever wash to bag, which saves money and extends the bag's life.

[jono]

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[skibum_]

I think it is personal preference. Since most ontario planters needsteel toe/shank, it is easier to get 10-12IN boots and wear pants. I personally like a 10IN boot with MEC rad pants (ones with the elastic bottom). Those pants have lasted me 5 seasons with no tears or rips.

[newb]

what do you think is the best combo with scarpas? just mec pants?

[Mr. Amazing]

what do you think is the best combo with scarpas? just mec pants?

Scarpas, as in the rigid mountaineering boots? Those boots are garbage for planting, but suit trudging in a straight line up a snowy mountain just fine. All of this depends on where you're planting as different set-ups work for different areas, and the "fashions" in planting vary by area as well...

[newb]

They feel pretty nice. Though sometimes i feel like am i wearing platform shoes like those seen in the "Montreal Village". Well see how fast they are once i step on the court.

[vacationer]

Then use them for mountaineering. Where are you planting? Unless it's on very flat, clean land most of the time, buy blue rubber caulks. If it is, just get cheap hikers. Even used gumboots are fine on clean land.

[Mr. Amazing]

Dude, they suck for planting. If you bought them new, take them back! Planting is not like "hiking", as in a methodical linear plodding all day. It's a weird twisting, climbing, scampering mess. You need a more "dynamic" boot that can do all of these things. You need feedback from your boot (when you're balancing on sketchy shit, climbing, etc.). Mountaineering boots are designed for walking uphill in snow.

[krahn]

what do you think is the best combo with scarpas? just mec pants?

the MEC Nomad pants. i'd never use anything else again. super tough, slighly flexible, quick-dry. i did manage to mostly wear out the first pair i had so i bought a newer model last year, and they even have a very convenient pocket in front of the left leg for my flagging tape. slightly better design overall. and these are still in perfect condition. the people that work at MEC seem to recommend Patagonia over their own brand name when you start paying this much for pants and planting shirts and such... but the Patagonia shirt i bought last year gave me a major heat rash because of the course material, plus it's not as tough as advertised, i'd never buy that brand name again. the Nomads are awesome. just wear some merino wool longjohns underneath on the colder rain days and your legs well be comfy.

i might not recommend spending that much for your rookie season on clothes until you know you'll be doing it for a while, but for your second season and beyond, go for it.

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_deta ... 6152760675

[newb]

Dude, they suck for planting. If you bought them new, take them back! Planting is not like "hiking", as in a methodical linear plodding all day. It's a weird twisting, climbing, scampering mess. You need a more "dynamic" boot that can do all of these things. You need feedback from your boot (when you're balancing on sketchy shit, climbing, etc.). Mountaineering boots are designed for walking uphill in snow.

Dude, don't stress it. They will be just fine. Im stoked, and ill think of you when i wear them.

[Mr. Amazing]

Yeah, you're right! Those boots and the above pants are a killer combo. I've gotta get some sleep, this shit gnaws away at me...

[skibum_]

It is personal preference, but I like 3 sets of planting clothing. It;s nice if it is raining consistently and your camp doesn't have a good drying tent.

[Seabass]

It is personal preference, but I like 3 sets of planting clothing. It;s nice if it is raining consistently and your camp doesn't have a good drying tent.

Even with a good drying tent, when it's full of everyone's soaking wet shit it takes much longer to dry out with all the humidity created in there. I like having 3 sets of planting clothing as well. It's also good if/when something breaks down mid-shift.

[jono]

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[skibum_]

I use the nitrile coated gloves for my planting hand. Usually keep a few in my day bag and will choose whichever one looks least wet/gross. I do a complete wash of all my stuff on the day(s) off as well, including gloves. I have had weird experiences with the nitrile coated gloves. I bought 4 pairs once and 2 wore threw in 2 days while the other 2 lasted 2 weeks of planting each. Same thickness of nitrile for all gloves, smae company, etc.

[Pontius Pilatus]

Lots and lots of socks and undies and/or boxers. Even bring some extras to the block. It doesn't matter that much if you're putting on dirty/damp gear as long as your undies and socks are fresh and clean.
If you're in a bush camp, folding lawn/camping chair that fits in a tube shaped bag, the kind with beer holders. Pretty nice after a day of work to be able to sit comfortably around your tent as opposed to being all soar and sitting on a log or the ground. At first my buddies were kinda laughing at my last minute decision to buy one of those at the Save On right before we headed to camp, but after the next day off I wasn't alone.

[Pontius Pilatus]

Oh and a pretty big tarp is nice too. You might not be able to stand up in your tent, but if your camp allows it (like it isn't a big clearing or whatever), put up a big ass tarpaulin over your tent. Dig holes to put big poles (use smaller logs/dead trees from around camp) to prop it up. Make sure you cover the ends of these "poles" with crappy socks or clothes so they don't rip through the tarp.

You'll have to take into account the physics of all this though. That tarp is like a big ass kite, but those log poles come in handy as you can set it up so that it doesn't catch too much wind. Also, if you're going to put up a big tarp, get one with reinforced ring holes (what's the technical term for those?). Bungy cords are great to as they stretch and take the stress, but even with rope, I found that the tarp would rip first if the holes aren't reinforced.

I'm more of the school of being comfortable. You're gonna work your ass off and your tent will be your home for the next little while, so you might as well bring lot's of stuff. I did the hole clean clothes/big folded sweaters as a pillow for a few years thinking I was being all efficient and stuff, but then one year I decided to bring a pillow in from the day off and I realized I was really missing out. The pros of putting your head down on a pillow after a day of planting by far outweigh the reasons to not get one (which are...?). It really sucks to run out of dry/clean clothes, yet it is so awesome to have too much clothes. The inconvenience is if you rely on the company to get to camp. Some foremen are uptight and stingy and expect you to be all independent and super self sufficient and showing up with lots of gear gives them a chance to remind you of that.

Anyway, if you put up a big ass tarpaulin, you don't need to put all your stuff in your tent. You can even have your own clothes line under it for those "well it's super sunny in the morning but might shower (or worse)" days so that you can dry some stuff while you're on the block. You can also put your boots under it, allowing sun shine while covering it in case it rains. Best of all, you can stand around even if it's pouring.

The Tarn 3 is nice for this set-up. It's a good tent to keep the bugs out and when it's warm enough, take the fly off and you get a good view all around and lot's of fresh air with it's big window design.

[the_dude]

the scarpa's newb got aren't the mountaineering boots, they are leather hiking boots, they will be fine. Whats wrong with mountaineering boots? I've used them for a few seasons now and I love em. Mine are lighter then a standard boot or caulks, they have a 3/4 shank to them, and they are tough as nails. I get 2 seasons out of my scarpa's no problem. I whole-heartedly recommend a pair of those boots with a set of gaitors and some cheap baggy shorts. Only thing I'll plant in

and yes, bring a pillow, clothes in a stuff sac really does suck

[jono]

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[Mr. Amazing]

- What would you bring as the invaluable extra?

Magazines. Older National Geographic are dirt cheap at thrift stores, and a much better read than the new ones. Don't rock the boat at the company you work for, but if you can get a hold of a decent amount of weed (half pound?) for a good price, you'll be able to sell it as the season goes along at a good mark-up.

[Sebastian]

- Coffee, real whole bean coffee, and grinder, and a stove top espresso pot.

That, without a doubt, is my invaluable extra. Just be super polite to the cooks about using their kitchen, they're a territorial people. Also, you can attempt to bribe them, or others, with delicious cafe au lait.

[the_dude]

being on the cooks side is perhaps the most underrated part of the social networking in camp. I pissed the cooks off my rookie year and it really backfired on me. Don't forget the golden rule of the movie waiting "don't fuck with people who handle your food." On the topic of bribing the cooks, my 100% work every time way to do that is a 3 step process.
1. buddy up to the cook at the start of the season, have beers or hang out with them in the cook shack after everyone has gotten their food, offer to help right away, which has a two-fold benefit in and of itself, being the olive branch of friendship is extended, and you get any chores out of the way early in the season so euchre tourney's can commence non stop later when you really don't feel like helping out.
2. Always be kind and courteous and get the fuck out of their way during the busy times
3.in any scenario, but especially on fly in's, buy a couple $10 bottles of wine for them, and surprise them with it mid shift. it's a small nominal fee, but it takes you further then you could ever imagine. I used to be able to sleep in nice and late every morning, and I would never ever be worried about my bacon supply. I even got my lunches made for an entire summer contract just the way I wanted cause i bought the cooks a bottle of vino every two shifts.