General

How did Gossamer Gear™ get started?

Gossamer Gear™ has been in business since 1998 producing and selling the lightest gear on the planet. Please see About Us for some of the history, some milestones, and some fascinating trivia.

Shipping Questions

Will you ship to me on the trail?

YES WE DO. We can ship the package via USPS General Delivery to a Post Office. You should plan on such shipments taking approximately one week to arrive. Also we can ship ground or expedited to any physical address given, such as a business, hotel, or residence. On-the-trail Shipments that are returned to us for non-pickup will not be re-sent, they will be processed as a return, and a new order can be placed if need be.

Will you ship to Post Office (PO) boxes?

YES. PO box orders must ship via USPS and typically take about a week to arrive.

What kind of domestic shipping options do you offer?

We offer ground, 2 day and overnight. We reserve the right to ship via whatever carrier we deem best for each shipment. We generally ship Domestic packages using Federal Express- unless you have a PO BOX and we will ship those packages via US Priority Mail. We recommend all packages be sent to a physical address. Customers in Hawaii and Alaska may put a comment in the order comment section stating they wish to have packages sent US MAIL.

Do you ship internationally?

You bet. We ship frequently to Japan, most of Europe as well as to our friends down under and in New Zealand. Currently we use USPS Express Mail International largely because at this time it is the best rate with insurance and tracking that we can get. In cases where the rates are competitive we will ship via FedEx. A note to UK customers: For whatever reason, shipments to the UK tend to get caught up somewhere over there, possibly in customs, so be patient and maybe call your local post after a week or two, they always come through eventually. A note to UK customers: For whatever reason, shipments to the UK tend to get caught up somewhere over there, possibly in customs, so be patient, they always come through eventually.

How do I go about making an overseas order?

International customers can use the exact same ordering process as domestic, simply order from the website and be extra careful to get your address and other data in correctly.

How long do international shipments take?

Normal international shipment times are about 5 business days, depending on the destination. Customs can add time to that and because of that there is no way we can guarantee delivery times on foreign orders.

Pack Questions

Can I remove the stays from my Mariposa™ series pack?

You bet. A lot of folks, especially those with lighter weights, find that they just don’t need them.

What pack is right for me?

You can use the compare feature located in each product page. Simply compare the two packs you are interested in to see what the differences are. You can also go to the video section of the site to see videos of our packs that describe their features and benefits. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. and we will be happy to talk you through it.

Lightrek™ Questions

What are the "industry standard" tips equivalent to?

The carbide tips are roughly equivalent to other common trekking pole tips. Leki® baskets will fit onto your Lightrek™ poles. Trekking baskets are shipped with the poles, but some people may want to purchase (elsewhere) a set of snow baskets for winter use.

Can I attach loops to the Lightrek™ poles?

The Lightrek™ poles are not designed to be used with traditional straps. If a light cord strap is desired for reducing dropped poles or allowing photo-taking without setting down the poles, consider attaching a 18" - 30" piece of cord to the small loop of EZC2 just below the handle.

What if I can't decide between two sizes? Which way should I round to get to the nearest 5 cm.?

With a fixed length, many people prefer slightly longer poles. When they are going downhill, the additional length allows them to extend the pole in front of them and reduce the impact to the knees. When going uphill, the poles can be placed with the tips slightly behind you, resulting in an angle that takes up the additional length. If you still can't decide, consider ordering two pair, trying them out in your living room or yard and return the set with the least comfortable fit. Just be sure the tips aren’t used on any hard surfaces, such as rocks or cement, and the poles aren’t dirty before returning.

How tough are Lightrek™ Poles?

The current Lightrek™ 3 poles are plenty tough for hiking on established trails and even some bushwhacking. There are sets of them out there with thousands of miles on them.

How do I figure out what length to get?

The best way to figure length is to take an adjustable set of trekking poles and adjust them so that when your upper arm is parallel with your body, your lower arm is parallel with the ground. Measure the height from the very top of the pole handle to the very bottom of the pole tip. If measuring in inches, multiply by 2.54 cm. and round to the nearest 5 cm. to get your size. If adjustable trekking poles aren’t available, then just place your arm in the position described above and measure from the top of your hand when making a fist, like gripping a pole handle, to the ground.

Sleep Pad Questions

Will the NightLight™ pads absorb water?

The Evazote® foam used in NightLight™ pads is a closed cell foam. So generally speaking, the foam does not absorb water. When the foam is cut to form the pads, cells that are on the edge of the pads will create tiny 'cups' that can hold water. Unscientific measurements on NightLight™ pads suggest something like 0.01 pounds per square foot would be a reasonable expectation.

What is the R-value of the NightLight™ pads?

Gossamer Gear™ has not paid for the testing necessary to provide an exact R-value, in order to keep prices low. For reference, the formerly available Mt. Washington pads, also constructed from convoluted Evazote® foam in the same dimensions as the NightLight™ pads, had an R-value quoted in literature of 2.27.

Other Questions

Does Gossamer Gear™ sponsor people?

Sometimes, but we almost never sponsor people who ask if we will sponsor them. Keep in mind we’re a small company with no advertising budget and very little money for marketing. We put our money into product. We do a lot of testing ourselves, so the offer to "test" new gear for us does not generally excite us. And finally, many well-known people use and love the equipment; so offering to lend your good name doesn't go real far either. Heck, Brian Robinson paid for the first G4™ he ordered for his single calendar year triple crown. That being said, people we have sponsored include Brian Robinson, Nimblewill Nomad, and Francis Tapon. Also, we do use customers for testing, especially repeat customers we have a relationship with who know our gear.