I went to MEC in Ottawa yesterday and made my first few gear purchases; the most important pieces actually, my pack and sleeping bag. Originally, I was looking at the MEC brand Ibex 80, but they were out, so I ended up with the Gregory Palisade, a 91L expedition pack for $255. The reviews at Backpack Gear Test seemed to be pretty good.
My sleeping bag of choice was the MEC Raven [$145], a three-season bag rated to ‑7°C, which made me, in Megan’s immortal words, “look like a caterpillar.” I also got the MEC Hydrofoil hard shell jacket [$100] which weighs only 420g. I also picked up a first aid bag, for building my own first aid kit. Here is a picture.
Today we’ve spent some time organizing things and adjusting pack straps and such, but we’re going to go watch the Notre Dame game in a bit.