FAQ
General
Where are Gossamer Gear™ products made?
All of our products are produced in the US. We make every effort to keep GG a homegrown company. However some of our materials are made overseas, simply because there is no domestic choice.
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.
You will see a shipping charge or shipping charge options when you order. This will happen before you have to enter your payment. Shipping amount is dependent on your exact address and the size of the package heading your way. Currently ALL major carriers calculate rates using not only weight but the dimensions of the package - this is called Dim-Weight. Also rural deliveries do cost more than urban ones. Lastly at this time rates are changing continually due to rising and/or uncertain fuel and transportation costs.
See above. Also as Gossamer Gear is a very small company we aren't able to ship free and/or ship for less than our cost as we simply cannot afford it. We do try to and have our system calculate and charge as closely as possible the exact amount your package will cost. Overcharges occur more frequently in International Shipments. Gross overcharges will be refunded.
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.
Shelter Questions
There are several grosgrain loops inside the SpinnShelter™. What are they for?
The two loops at the peak are multi purpose; They can be used to hang a clothesline inside the tarp from peak to peak. The front one should be used to clip our Bug Canopy to, to lift the so-see-um off your face and bag. You can also simply hang a line or shock cord from the front inner loop for glasses, reading light, whatever you can think of.
I’ve heard spinnaker fabric is not water proof. What makes your fabric different?
We have gone to great lengths to find a fabric that is lighter than the conventional ultralight shelter fabric, silnylon, but that still offers the same weather protection. Our spinnaker fabric has a higher thread count than silnylon. Additionally, the fabric is coated using a long, precision coating knife, which ensures even coating on our fabric to .001 inch. With a higher thread count and virtually “perfect” coating applications, our Spinn fabric achieves virtually zero porosity in field conditions. Spinnaker fabric currently available achieves rain protection to about 1 PSI, and can wet out fairly quickly. Our fabric withstood water pressure tests of 2 PSI, the same levels achieved by silnylon fabric. The savings of approximately 0.4 to 0.5 oz/sq. yd. over conventional silnylon is worth it, we think.
It is inevitable that your new GG tarp or shelter will get dirty over time with continuous use. We have found that using cold water and a sponge (and occasionally mild detergent) after each hike or two works well at keeping the spinnaker shelter looking clean and new. We do not recommend washing the shelter in a conventional clothes washing machine.
Can I do anything to reduce the crinkly sound and feel?
You can ease this some by putting spinnaker in a dryer with NO HEAT WHATSOVER and a couple of tennis balls for 15 minutes or so. This will start the softening process. Another cool factoid about the spinnaker is that unlike many other nylon fabrics it will not stretch or sag, even when wet, which means no re-staking a shelter in the rain or after the dew.
Can you describe your spinnaker material?
The spinnaker fabric employed in the construction of the G5™, Whisper™, Murmur™, or GG tarp or tent is some pretty interesting fabric that we’re fond of for many reasons. When it’s new it is a bit “rippy” which means it’s crinkly, feels and sounds like tissue paper, and is slightly more prone to damage. As it ages, it gains strength and it softens to a hand very much like silk. The sound can be irritating at first but more annoying to your hiking partners than the sound, will be the knowledge that you have a pack or shelter that weighs less than theirs. Be aware there are some minor differences in the blue spinnaker used on our packs and the grey spinnaker used for our shelters. The SpinnSheet™ ground cloths also use a different type of spinnaker than either the packs or shelters.
You can look at all the tradeoffs in the Shelter Comparison Matrix. 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.
Pack Questions
What pad should I use in the pad holder pocket?
There are a lot of options here, and final choice is really a judgment call, depending mainly on (a) what your sleeping pad setup is and (b) what feels the most comfortable to you. The most popular answers are: SitLight™ pad – This is the lightest and coolest option and is the best option with a pack with stays. It forces the pack to ride closer to your back than the others. In this case, whatever pad you’re sleeping on goes in or on the pack somewhere. NightLight™ Torso - This option gives you the double duty of being able to use it to stiffen your pack and to sleep on it as well. It will make your pack ride further off of your back, give you tons of cushion, and will be warmer on the back. This option is best used without stays in the pack. NightLight™ 3/4 - This option can be used with a pack if you are using a pack without stays. You can roll the pad up and insert vertically into the main pack body. Then insert your gear down into the middle of the rolled pad. This makes a virtual frame that eliminates the need for stays or anything in the pad holder pocket. ThinLight™ 1/8” – This pad will fit in the pad holder pocket if you fold it to fit the pocket. ThinLight™ 3/8” – This option can be used just like the NightLight™ 3/4 where you roll it up and use it as a virtual frame. Inflatable air mattress - Many of these will fit. As long as the pad is 20” wide and not too thick when deflated it will work. A down air mattress will work too but will be very warm on your back. With any air mattress, experiment with how much air you put in the pad. Almost empty is usually best.
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.
Why is the hip belt and shoulder strap padding removable?
So that if you are a true gram weenie or Van Peski accolyte you can put your extra socks and/or gloves in the straps in lieu of the foam and save some real weight. Wrapping these things in some sort of plastic or in a plastic baggie will alleviate the problem of them catching on the hook and loop closures.
The shoulder straps of my pack are too wide for me, what can I do?
Try removing the foam padding and putting extra socks or something more round in the straps. This produces the effect of rounding out the strap and making it taller and more narrow and is even softer to boot.
How do I determine which pack size fits me best?
We have included the torso and hip belt sizes on each pack product page under the specifications. To simplify the process a bit, we have come up with some rules of thumb to help select pack size. We find that in most cases this works well. We find that Small packs generally fit people from 4’ 6” to 5’ 4” high, Medium packs fit people from 5’ 5” to 5’ 11” high and that Large packs fit people from 6’ to 6’ 6”. Then you compare your belt size to pick out the proper belt length. What we generally say is pick one closest and try it. If it doesn’t fit and the pack is unused and clean, feel free to return it and we will be happy to exchange it for the one that does.
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.
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