Summary: Show Notes: Episode 055<br> Today on The First 40 Miles, GIVE: The Gift Giving Episode! If you’ve ever wanted to give the 12 Days of Christmas, we have the whole thing planned out for you—minus the Lords a Leaping and other weird gifts! Then on the SUMMIT Gear Review, a pad that can take you through all four seasons of backpacking! On the Backpack Hack of the Week, a simple way to wrap a gift for the backpacker in your life. And we’ll wrap up the show with a little trail wisdom from a little girl who loved adventures.<br> Opening + Top 5 List<br> 12 Days of Christmas (Santa’s Prerogative)<br> 1: A tent for our next adventure<br> 2: Sleeping bags<br> 3: Mini Bics<br> 4: Pair of socks<br> 5: Golden Trails (maps!)<br> 6: Fun size snickers<br> 7: Feet of duct tape<br> 8: 8-ounce umbrella<br> 9: Fire starters<br> 10: Freeze dried dinners<br> 11: Miles of hiking<br> 12: Strong and Kind bars<br> SUMMIT Gear Review™: <a href="http://www.cascadedesigns.com/therm-a-rest/mattresses/fast-and-light/neoair-xtherm-and-xtherm-max/product">Thermarest NeoAir XTherm</a><br> Structure<br> <br> * Top 30 Denier Ripstop nylon<br> * Bottom 70 Denier Nylon<br> * Soft, textured no-slip fabric<br> * No crinkly like past models<br> <br> Utility<br> <br> * 5.7 R Value, which means this mattress is good for all your winter backpacking trips.<br> * You can inflate this mattress with your own breath, but we recommend using the NeoAir Pump Sack<br> * There’s nothing wrong with inflating it with your breath (it won’t ruin the interior)<br> * We do not recommend using it as a toboggan<br> <br> Mass <br> <br> * 15 oz. (430 grams)<br> * 20 inches wide<br> * 72 inches long<br> * 5 inches thick<br> * Packed: 9” x 4”<br> <br> Maintenance<br> <br> * Comes with patch kit<br> * Larger holes and tears take 24 hours to dry<br> * For storage: leave the valve open and store mattress in a stuff sack to protect it<br> * It’s small enough to fit inside your pack. When pads are put on the ouside of the pack (typically at the bottom) there’s a lot of abrasion that can happen every time you set your pack down.<br> <br> Investment<br> <br> * $200<br> * You are paying for four-season warmth and lightweight gear<br> <br> Trial<br> <br> * 30 breaths to inflate…or use the <a href="http://www.cascadedesigns.com/therm-a-rest/mattresses/accessories/neoair-pump-sack/product">NeoAir Pump Sack</a><br> * NeoAir Pump Sack- purchase separately (also doubles to create a Jembe, or, camp seat)<br> <br> Backpack Hack of the Week™: Old Map Gift Wrap<br> <br> * Old Maps make beautiful wrapping paper for backpackers.<br> * Find old maps at thrift stores in the books section or used book stores<br> * Maps are frequently updated because land changes, trails get washed out, development…<br> * If you’re giving a small gift, you can easily find topo maps online to print for free. OR stitch a few together to make a larger piece of wrapping paper.<br> <br> Trail Wisdom<br> “I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says ‘Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.’”<br> -Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass<br>
