Pretty excited today!
I just closed a deal with Drew from Piragis and I am now the proud owner of a Granite Gear Superior One portage pack and a 60L food barrel with granite gear harness.

After using Ozark trail backpacks and hanging a dry bag (foodbag) last year I am so looking forward to this years trip.

Can't wait for the day when I have saved enough for a new kevlar canoe!

Always nice when you can afford to upgrade.

Congratulations, I think you'll like your new packs. Enjoy your first trip with them. :)

I do love new to me gear... something about getting it back into action and not feeling like I need to baby it. The more "value" you can get out of a product, the more you will use it as intended. Some products have better value new, but nothing like getting a good piece of used gear.

Bushman: "Pretty excited today!
I just closed a deal with Drew from Piragis and I am now the proud owner of a Granite Gear Superior One portage pack and a 60L food barrel with granite gear harness.

After using Ozark trail backpacks and hanging a dry bag (foodbag) last year I am so looking forward to this years trip.

Can't wait for the day when I have saved enough for a new kevlar canoe!"

Do not know your finances, but if you plan to trip even a few times in the next few years, check out the rental or new canoe prices of a canoe and figure how many trips you plan to take. If you can swing the cost at all, the return on your investment will probably pay off in two or three trips if you buy used. New will take longer. While not as pretty, many used are available which are quite serviceable for a price low enough to likely entice you.

A method to save for extra purchases of this nature is to start a piggy bank and actually put money into the bank EACH time you decide to NOT spend any amount for other extras such as vending machines, an extra beer, eating out, gambling, the movie, ice cream, etc. The money stowed away for a singular purpose will add up quickly if you are spending any this way now. Add in this year's rental fee for a jump start and you could get your used canoe by this summer. Also take a dollar for each gallon of gas you purchase, You save that much or more verses prices of just a couple of years ago or so. Remember nearly $4.00 gas? Borrow from your self or another to make the final push if needed. Check prices as you save and you will be able to get a good deal. Several outfitters here are discounting used canoes throughout the year for easy reference too.

If new is the only aim, several buy and sell used annually. You could buy used with the money saved as shown and then sell in a year or two and then buy the NEW canoe.

'WHERE THERE IS A WILL, THERE IS A WAY.' You can do this faster than you may think.

I used to have a bank account that would round up every purchase you made with a debit card and put that extra change in a savings account. So if I bought something that cost $7.65, it would take $8 out of my checking account and put the extra 35 cents into my savings. I changed banks since then, but I really liked that idea. It's surprising how quickly that builds up.

I used to do the same thing back when I paid for everything in cash -at the end of the day my loose change and any $1 bills would to into one of those big plastic cups you used to get for slot coins in Las Vegas, and it was called the Vegas fund, back when I used to go to Las Vegas more frequently than I do now. Day before the trip, I'd take the coins down to the bank and have them count it up and deposit it into my account (cheaper than the coinstar machines at grocery stores.)

bwcadan: "
A method to save for extra purchases of this nature is to start a piggy bank and actually put money into the bank EACH time you decide to NOT spend any amount for other extras such as vending machines, an extra beer, eating out, gambling, the movie, ice cream, etc. The money stowed away for a singular purpose will add up quickly if you are spending any this way now. Add in this year's rental fee for a jump start and you could get your used canoe by this summer. Also take a dollar for each gallon of gas you purchase, You save that much or more verses prices of just a couple of years ago or so. Remember nearly $4.00 gas? Borrow from your self or another to make the final push if needed. Check prices as you save and you will be able to get a good deal. Several outfitters here are discounting used canoes throughout the year for easy reference too.

'WHERE THERE IS A WILL, THERE IS A WAY.' You can do this faster than you may think."

Great advice. There's a real good book called The Slight Edge. It's one of my favorites on just this topic but not just confined to money.

Report back on how you like the GG harness, i have one and it feels a bit small, i dont know if they actually sell different sizes.

campnfish: "Report back on how you like the GG harness, i have one and it feels a bit small, i dont know if they actually sell different sizes."

I will do just that! If it's a bit snug I'll make the kid carry it. While he is 6'3" his chest (and belly) are not as big as mine.

I kind of have my sights set on a SRQ17 in Green El Tigre. However I have a lot more gear that I would like to acquire first. The rental canoe is split between two guys so I don't mind spending a bit for that right now. Plus I wouldn't have to cart it all the way from Michigan. I'd probably save $50 in gas every time by not hauling the canoe on top of the truck.

Saving money for me is almost impossible as I don't spend anything on a daily basis. No extra dollars or quarters to go in a jar. What I do have is rewards and incentives form work (which is what I purchased the GG gear with). I also sell a little bit of firewood on the side and that goes into a hidey hole in the garage where the wife will never find it. $400 of last years trip was funded by firewood sales. It was my son's first adventure trip with me and I wanted to help him out financially so I purchased all the gear/food and he only paid half the gas and his half of the canoe.

I used to have a mad money account that received $50 from every paycheck until my wife discovered it. Now she has a mad money account! :(

man i hear ya my christmas present to myself this year was a new western mountaineering terralite bag. i just sat around wishing it was june already

Bushman: "

campnfish: "Report back on how you like the GG harness, i have one and it feels a bit small, i dont know if they actually sell different sizes."

I will do just that! If it's a bit snug I'll make the kid carry it. While he is 6'3" his chest (and belly) are not as big as mine."

I tried it on and it seems to fit just fine with a lot of adjustment left. The one thing I didn't like was the chest strap was up way to high. I think someone sewed the buckles on the wrong side of the seam. They will only go down so far.

I have purchased lots of used gear from Drew. All the gear has been great and most is almost new. To me the only thing better than a new canoe is a used one with those hated first scratches in it. I have 2 Mad River Explorers, one was used and other was new. Guess which one gets used the most?

We are considering a food barrel and harness as well for the "third pack" on a trip. Very interested in hearing on how it worked for you versus food bags, etc.

Bushman: "

Bushman: "

campnfish: "Report back on how you like the GG harness, i have one and it feels a bit small, i dont know if they actually sell different sizes."

I will do just that! If it's a bit snug I'll make the kid carry it. While he is 6'3" his chest (and belly) are not as big as mine."

I tried it on and it seems to fit just fine with a lot of adjustment left. The one thing I didn't like was the chest strap was up way to high. I think someone sewed the buckles on the wrong side of the seam. They will only go down so far."

Mine is the same, very annoying, and its sew on, so you would have to cut it and re-stitch it at a lower point.

How tall are you? I'm a taller, but not way taller, person. Therefore my torso is longer. I'm going to have to deal with that.

just under 6'

I bought the same Superior One pack, and I found out on the GG website that they will exchange the hip belts for another size for free. The belt supplied with a new pack is the medium, and there are L and XL available. The one you want is the Air Current Belt. Best to call them or email them and not just try to make the exchange from the website. Belt Exchange Info

WonderMonkey: "We are considering a food barrel and harness as well for the "third pack" on a trip. Very interested in hearing on how it worked for you versus food bags, etc."

They're awesome. Portaging them maybe not so much, but it's not bad. But they fit nicely in a canoe, and the peace of mind they give you around camp is priceless. I was always paranoid of either A) a rented food pack getting chewed up by squirrels or mice and having to pay an outfitter for it, or B) bears being way too interested in our campsite because those normal food packs do little to contain odors. We finally bought a barrel and I don't worry about that stuff anymore. I know it's not foolproof and I know we could all have endless debates on the topic of bear-proofing a camp, but to me, the barrel is the way to go.

JonSolo: "I bought the same Superior One pack, and I found out on the GG website that they will exchange the hip belts for another size for free. The belt supplied with a new pack is the medium, and there are L and XL available. The one you want is the Air Current Belt. Best to call them or email them and not just try to make the exchange from the website. Belt Exchange Info "

That is pretty great customer service. Mine was purchase used so I imagine I would have to purchase a replacement if needed. No worries though I think mine fits pretty good. Maybe Piragis orders a larger waist belt with their packs. While I'm not huge I do own a middle aged beer belly. LOL

Not mine but there was a GG harness listed here in Minnesota yesterday on Craigslist.

Drew just sent me a CCS 10x14 tarp. Few holes patched but for $120, pretty happy with the purchase. Only regret is not hitting their inventory closer to end of season when more was available.