Big Agnes Fly Creek UL 1

Got this to go along with my bikepacking setup and to save weight.

Pros:

Its very light and it does well in high winds if staked properly. (By well I mean it does not break. The entire tent can flex collapse but surprisingly pops up again after the gusts are over)
Easy setup/takedown - I never looked at the instruction manual.
Roomy - for a 1 person tent its quite big
Freestanding (kind of) - you can set up without stakes, although if you want the rain fly you will need them.

Cons:

Fragile - on my 2nd day I broke a pole while taking it down. I was careful after that and no more issues. With ductape and the stakes you could repair other breaks too if needed.
Zippers - ultralight comes with the price, in the form of tiny zippers that can and will break eventually. After 7 months one stopped working well and I am now using the other one to open/close. If that breaks it would really suck.
The mesh is wearing out and has holes in various places

Conclusion:

Can't beat the weight but there are trade offs. If I were chosing a new tent I will pick something a little heavier and stronger.
I'd recommend this for short trips (3-5 months) but not for an extended tour (unless you don't mind buying a new one every 1-1.5 years).

Western Mountaineering Highlite 2C (down)

Another new toy for the light setup.

Pros:

Light and packs well.
Great design.

Cons:

I've heard down loses its insulation over time, I am yet to experience this as I have gone to warmer climates.
zipper doesnt go as far down as I hoped it would. It's hard to explain but if you are out of the bag and want to go in, you would have to sit up and pull yourself in, as opposed to my previous Eureka bag where I can just bend my legs and put them in.

Concluion:

I would absolutely recommend this bag for summer camping. For bike travel I wished I packed a warmer one on quite a few occasions though.

Klymit static V2 sleeping mat

For some reason this cat really liked the Klymit Static V-2

Another light piece of gear which I got expecting warmer conditions.

Pros:

Light, packs very well and very very comfortable!
Good warranty and customer service - I got quick replies and a replacement for my issues (see below)
Can float with it on a lake. Maybe. I haven't tried yet.

Cons:

I've had quite a few punctures which were not on the bottom side but on the green top side. (???). After 7 months it finally bulged and exploded.

Kind of a mean photo to show but I did have to sleep on the ground for few weeks after that!

Conclusion:

Get more R-value unless you are only doing summer camping! Not quite sure what to say about durability, 7 months of use and for 6 of those it was used every night, I have had similar issues with other inflatable mats but never punctures on the top.

I would recommend this mat, I feel that inflatable mats end up developing issues after some time. Will report on how the new mat is doing.

Jetboil SOL (gas) vs MSR Dragonfly (liquid fuel - white gas, gasoline)

Jetboil I got for free from my friends at Eureka, the Dragonfly I bought on my own. For a good chunk of time I carried both but in some places I only had one of them. So I know its like comparing mangos to pineapples but here it is:

Jetboil SOL:

Setup & Boil: Very fast setup and boil times
Cold & Altitude: Works well in cold (up to -30c with jetboil brand gas, I had problems with primus 4 season mix before). Havent used it anywhere above 3000m. With both altitude and cold, there is performance loss.
Fuel: gas canisters, non refilable and not available or difficult to find in some places. -1 on reycling

Simmer: haha, nope. If you try hard and its not windy it works okay. (There is apparently another model that can simmer)

MSR Dragonfly:

Setup & Boil: Setup is slower (pump, hose and priming) and boil times are slower
Cold & Altitude: Good in cold (I think coldest I had used it at was -15c). Had some issues with air intake at 4000m and had to partly remove the wind screen for it to work.
Fuel: I switched to regular gasoline in Mexico and love it. Cheap (10-20cent refills) and available everywhere. A little dirty but it doesnt matter much. Big bonus is that you can top off your fuel bottle instead of buying a new gas canister and waiting for the old one to empty out
Simmer: yes
Pump - had to open and fix mine twice, I have heard of them breaking so I will likely grab a spare soon.

Conclusion:

anywhere in north america or where canister gas is easily available or short trips: Jetboil SOL. Otherwise I really like the MSR, slower but can burn anything. I mailed my Jetboil back before heading into Mexico.
Would recommend both of these stoves, Jetboil where gas fuel is available (get the one that can simmer if you can) and Dragonfly everywhere else.

OTHER:

Pot
I got a MSR stowaway pot, 1.6L great for cooking. Great for cooking for two or making so much food that you can barely eat it.

Nalgene bottles
Durable and reusable water storage. Mine broke after 1.5 years.

Sawyer in-line water filter
Used the 'mini' initially in-line from a water bladder, later I got the regular sized one. Its great, however tying to make sure it doesn't freeze can be a bit of a hassle, no problem if riding in warm places.