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Could you link what you got? I am heading to Dark Sky land soon.
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Apr 27, 2024 20:28
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Arkhamina posted:Could you link what you got? I am heading to Dark Sky land soon. It's these Nikon Prostar 7x50s, from all my reading on other astro forums these came highly recommended specifically for dark skies. I got it used off eBay from Japan, I don't think you can get them new any more. They were not cheap, but I had some bonus cash on a debit recognition card from work and I figured why not. You absolutely do not need to spend like I did, you can get other 7x50s or 10x50s from Nikon or another brand for under $200 and they will get you there as well. Something like these looked like they were highly recommended.These particular Nikons just have a slightly wider field of view compared to most 7x50s, and have a field flattener that promises consistent image quality edge to edge. They weigh a ton and focus individually through each eyepiece, so slow to use and hefty to hold. I did compare them against my coworker's Nikon Monarch 7 8x42 binoculars, which are also high quality but are geared more towards birding and terrestrial subjects. Those ones are more for everyday use because they have center focusing and are much lighter and more compact. They still offered up great views of the stars, but with a little coma and softening on the edges. The Prostars by comparison just looked plain brighter and had 0 coma or fuzziness on the edges of the frame. It doesn't sound like much, but it was very apparent when we were doing our A/B comparisons. They also have a classic, timeless look to them.  We are still going to take both binoculars on the trip, because those Monarchs were not bad, and then we can have more people looking through binoculars instead of waiting to share. I didn't even realize some of the stars in the bigger constellations were actually doubles, or at least I've never been able to tell with naked eye - but it was just immediately obvious with the binoculars. We can't wait to see what we'll find with a proper dark sky. Next up is I need one of those hammock recliners from Costco! My coworker had one of the Rio hammock chairs, and that felt perfect for lounging back and supporting the binoculars while looking straight up. Handholding binoculars to stargaze is kind of tough unless you have a nice support, otherwise the stars just bounce back and forth a ton. Shakiness is much more noticeable with looking at the stars instead of terrestrial subjects. cerious fucked around with this message at 22:05 on Apr 27, 2024 |
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Apr 27, 2024 21:50
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Congrats on your gateway drug. You got about 6 months before you buy your first dobs.
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Apr 27, 2024 23:56
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Fitzy Fitz posted:I've never actually worn an external frame backpack, but I'd really like to try one out. Seek Outside makes the only good light ones I’m aware of
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Apr 28, 2024 01:43
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Pick up a good camera tripod at a secondhand store for cheap and get an adapter mount for the binos and you'll boost your comfort a lot, not having to hold your arms up the whole time. Plus the image will be more stable and thus you'll probably resolve even more
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Apr 28, 2024 02:29
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Mederlock posted:Pick up a good camera tripod at a secondhand store for cheap and get an adapter mount for the binos and you'll boost your comfort a lot, not having to hold your arms up the whole time. Plus the image will be more stable and thus you'll probably resolve even more Oh yeah I got a tripod mount on the way already too. I only have ballheads though but I've got one that should be rock solid for viewing. I do have to bring one of my other tripods on this next trip though since I'm going to try to do some star trail pics on film.
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Apr 28, 2024 03:29
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cerious posted:Oh yeah I got a tripod mount on the way already too. I only have ballheads though but I've got one that should be rock solid for viewing. I do have to bring one of my other tripods on this next trip though since I'm going to try to do some star trail pics on film. Holy poo poo this is such a great idea, thanks!! cerious posted:It's these Nikon Prostar 7x50s, from all my reading on other astro forums these came highly recommended specifically for dark skies. I got it used off eBay from Japan, I don't think you can get them new any more. They were not cheap, but I had some bonus cash on a debit recognition card from work and I figured why not. You absolutely do not need to spend like I did, you can get other 7x50s or 10x50s from Nikon or another brand for under $200 and they will get you there as well. Something like these looked like they were highly recommended.These particular Nikons just have a slightly wider field of view compared to most 7x50s, and have a field flattener that promises consistent image quality edge to edge. They weigh a ton and focus individually through each eyepiece, so slow to use and hefty to hold. Ohhh, this is choice... nice! I've been using a pair of Vortex 8x42 crossfires for this exact thing (plus birds), and now that you've mentioned it, I can tell exactly what you're saying about the softness on the edges. Probably something I would have never noticed or thought too hard about, but is now going to eat at the back of my brain until I take the plunge down the same rabbithole At least the 50mm lense would be nice to let more light in  Can confirm by the way -- the nemo stargazer hammock chairs are stupid comfortable for this exact thing! That costco chair is basically identical... you'll love it Protip for cold weather stargazing in those chairs -- I cut a thin gossamer gear foam pad to length and it does wonders keeping your backside warm
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Apr 28, 2024 05:31
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I had a friend working at Vortex, and I should have taken advantage of the discount before he walked. (They were being pretty CHUD-y about COVID, unsurprisingly). I am always a little leery about optics, as I have really poor vision in one eye, and bifocals. I've struggled a lot in the past using other binoculars, generally I end up closing the bad eye and struggling. Might just go 'au natural'. I'm tempted, but don't want to waste money  wish you could just rent them for a week.
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Apr 29, 2024 00:01
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Cross-posting to the Bike thread. I tried to erect my Solitare AL for the first time a month ago, and the long tent pole broke. They sent a replacement, and from April 4th until this past Friday, it was "moving through the USPS system" in a nearby town; I had to email them to tell them something was amiss. They found it, and I got it Friday. So today, I put up the tent for the first time. It's a neat little tent, and man does it pack up pretty small. Not bad for a tent that's not specifically made for bikepacking. So, I have a shelter. I need to assemble some minimal equipment for my first proof-of-concept bikepacking trip. A sleeping pad, some kind of cover or blanket, pillow, cooker, and light. I have this crazy idea of trying to guess what I'll need, take it along, and then buy what I'm missing when it comes time to do something and I don't have what I need to do it. So... full disclosure: I'm a former Boy Scout who joined mainly for camping. I've camped a lot, and for years, I've only camped where there are electrical hookups. But, it's still tent camping. So, I know how to camp when carrying cargo isn't an issue. But, I've never done proper backpacking. So... does anyone know of a good, vetted video or something for Babby's First Bickpacking Adventure? I'm looking to do just one or maybe two nights in a nearby (about a 20-25 mile ride) state park. My candidate bikes both have Topeak rear racks, and I have a bag with fold-out panniers. These are useful for grocery runs, but storage is obviously limited.
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Apr 29, 2024 02:47
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I am grateful for this thread and all the advice/insights you guys gave given  Sometimes I forget to respond but I put your suggestions in my notes app for reference.That said, I have another question! I heard through other backpackers that there is a service that you can send your clothes to and they will treat with permethrin and send back? Has anyone done this? I know this can be done on your own, but if someone can do it better than I can then I’d rather them do it right than me miss something.
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Apr 29, 2024 15:56
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liz posted:I am grateful for this thread and all the advice/insights you guys gave given If you have a yard where you can run a clothesline, it's pretty trivial to just do it yourself. I can't imagine sending out to have my clothes treated. Hell even if you don't have such a yard you could probably bring some twine and clothespins to a park and spray your stuff there them wait for it to dry.
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Apr 29, 2024 16:21
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Insect Shield is the name of the company where you can mail in your clothes to get treated. But youre way better off doing it on your own. If your nervous about it buy the premade spray and spray your stuff then hang dry. I tend to soak mine using this process - https://sectionhiker.com/permethrin-soak-method-guide/ and then hang to dry. Its worked great for me for years for clothes. Then I just spray my pack, tent/hammock, etc. Between that and Picardin I dont think I've needed DEET in 5+ years.
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Apr 30, 2024 04:19
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Anyone dehydrated their own chicken? Previously I just bought the cans of mountain house chicken because it was easy. But this year I wanted to start doing 100% diy meals and so that meant figuring out meat. And.. it wasn't great. Granted most dehydrated meat isn't super awesome but there's definitely tiers to the experience. I pressure cooked a breast in an instant pot, cut it into thumbnail sized chunks, and ran it through the dehydrator at 145F for 8 hours. Initially it looked okay, it dried out real good and even tasted okay as a crunchy test. But when I did a test meal with it, it didn't rehydrate properly.. 15 minutes of soak time in hot water and it was still really chewy. Tolerable but nowhere near as good as the mountain house stuff. Maybe they use additives that help? Or prepare the chicken different? We've had good success with everything else.. our homemade beef jerky is very good and veggies come out fine too. Not sure what the failure is with the chicken though.
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Apr 30, 2024 19:10
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I think the secret is a freeze dryer
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Apr 30, 2024 19:17
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Yep, you need a food freeze dry unit, which you weirdly can get at home. Steve1986 or whichever number (The MRE review guy) did an episode on it. For home stuff, think small but like chili or stir fry shreds, if you are dehydrating. Maybe work ok with instant rice and veggies as a stew?
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Apr 30, 2024 19:28
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xzzy posted:Anyone dehydrated their own chicken? Previously I just bought the cans of mountain house chicken because it was easy. But this year I wanted to start doing 100% diy meals and so that meant figuring out meat. Chicken is notoriously difficult to dehydrate. I hear canned chicken (in water, not oil) works best. I usually stick to ground beef or tofu for my proteins
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Apr 30, 2024 19:48
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Freeze dryer sounds amazing but I ain't dropping $2500 on one for a long while. I guess I'll stick to beef or live with rubbery chicken. Or maybe just eat the chicken dry because it was actually kinda good. Maybe season it for added zazz. I'll probably try smaller shreds of chicken too, thanks for the idea.
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Apr 30, 2024 20:47
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xzzy posted:Freeze dryer sounds amazing but I ain't dropping $2500 on one for a long while. I guess I'll stick to beef or live with rubbery chicken. Or maybe just eat the chicken dry because it was actually kinda good. Maybe season it for added zazz. Try canned chicken! Everyone I know who dehydrates chicken does the Kirkland Signature canned chicken from Costco
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Apr 30, 2024 21:27
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would just buying freeze dried chicken separately ruin your diy plan
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Apr 30, 2024 21:45
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yeah i'd just buy freeze dried chicken from packit gourmet or the like
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Apr 30, 2024 21:48
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tarlibone posted:Cross-posting to the Bike thread. FYI, there is a touring thread as well. https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3933885
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Apr 30, 2024 22:33
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BaseballPCHiker posted:Well I bought another tent…. I want to get one of these but I end up camping in wet conditions pretty often and the thought of trying to dry the thing out before it molds has deterred me. Plus if it got wet, it would be too heavy for me to lift back into the car.
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May 2, 2024 03:19
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It’s not to heavy without the poles. Still heavy but not like unmanageable. I set mine up for a rain test in my backyard and it got pelted pretty hard. Heavy driving rain, and 20 mph winds. I was able to hang it up in my garage to dry out but it would definitely suck if you’re in an apartment or something.
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May 2, 2024 03:56
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tarlibone posted:Cross-posting to the Bike thread. Out of curiosity, what's the length of the poles when they're folded up? I can't seem to find that info anywhere
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May 2, 2024 17:19
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PokeJoe posted:would just buying freeze dried chicken separately ruin your diy plan That's what I've done in previous years, I just got the dumb idea it can't be THAT hard as we have a convection oven that dehydrates well and I've had good success with everything I've put through it. And apparently it isn't hard.. it just has a huge up front cost.
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May 2, 2024 17:26
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The Fool posted:Out of curiosity, what's the length of the poles when they're folded up? I can't seem to find that info anywhere I measured it: it's 18". Not ideal for bikepacking, I'm sure, but it's also not a perpetually out-of-stock specialty tent costing thrice as much.
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May 2, 2024 20:07
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thanks for checking I'm looking for a cheap (< $200) 1p for the same use and getting pole length info is next to impossible
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May 2, 2024 20:35
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The Fool posted:thanks for checking I've run into the exact same issue with both my bicycle and motorcycle where poles are just too long to fit saddlebags. My solution was to use hammocks since you can hang both the hammock and a tarp anywhere and pack it down into anything. Another thing I've used for when flying or going somewhere without trees are bivy bags. Borah Gear made the one I've got, but it looks like they've updated their models and mine hasn't been made in the better part of a decade which hurts to say. Looks like Mountain Laurel Designs also makes bivies, and their gear has always been top notch in my experience
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May 3, 2024 03:31
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I'm a huge fan of the outdoor research helium if you need something weatherproof. It's about a pound and goes on sale occasionally. I got mine around black Friday for like 140.
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May 3, 2024 03:57
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I've never been able to get comfortable in a bivy, I need to at least have enough room to sit up I'm thinking about doing a hammock in an upcoming trip but I'm looking at needing a tarp and an under quilt vs maybe just getting a smaller tent, on top of that I have a different trip planned where there won't be anything to hang a hammock on in the first place.
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May 3, 2024 04:14
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As a recommendation for shoes for hiking/camping... I recently started using Crocs sneakers for hikes and I really like them. What I like about them for this purpose. They're (almost) all rubber meaning getting wet isn't an issue as they dry in like 5-10 minutes. The rubber of the top/sides is also thin and flexible, while still holding up well to thorns and sticks in the 150km I've walked in them so far on trails. So no complaints about them being too stiff or falling apart. Also, re getting wet: They are super easy to clean by just dunking them in a river or spraying them with a faucet for a few seconds. No staining fabric or holding onto dirt even after a trip through the washer. And they've got excellent ventilation. I was kind of worried that they'd be really stuffy being rubber, but it hasn't been an issue. They've also been really comfortable to wear for an extended time both with the arch support and general squishiness of the sole over rough terrain. They also look like regular shoes, rather than Crocs, so you can wear them anywhere without looking goofy. My main complaint has been the vent holes are big enough that your socks are sort of visible if you're wearing ones that contrast well with the color of the shoes. So get lighter shoes if you wear light socks. My marino wool socks from Costco (brown to black) aren't visible under my black shoes, but if I wear my white socks they are.
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May 3, 2024 18:52
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How well do they drain water if you step in a stream or deep puddle? The holes seem like they'd let a lot of debris in, or sand/dirt. Do they do OK walking on a beach, or desert /scrub area?
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May 3, 2024 18:59
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Jorath posted:How well do they drain water if you step in a stream or deep puddle? They drain water fine after a step through a stream. Just give 'em a shake once or twice while still on and there shouldn't be any pooling. Unless you've got marino wool socks on though I'd recommend still taking off your socks first before walking through a stream since those'll stay wet far longer than the shoe. Being able to wear it to cross a stream and avoid cutting the bottom of your feet is nice though, and they grip the rocks pretty well. I've not had any issues over and above what I'd had with a regular fabric shoe in rocks or dust getting inside. Though I've not gone to the beach with them. It's possible for me at least to slip them on and off without actually messing with the laces, so it'd be easy to clear them either way. They don't fly off or anything though while being worn.
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May 3, 2024 19:06
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I love Crocs for camp shoes. I really want a less bulky version of the originals. Just be careful of traction. They don't look too grippy but I doubt you're trying to scramble or do anything too rough in them, just be careful going down an incline. The only other thing I've seen with crocs is punctures. I've had some wood debris stab into/ through the foam. Think of like, short and sharp wood chips. In any other rubber soled shoe I wouldn't even think twice, but if it's just foam on the bottom and not rubber, it can happen.
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May 3, 2024 22:42
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Honestly I don't get how people can wear real casual camp shoes. I just pack my most minimal trail runners because every time I've gone lighter my campsite has had significant grades of pine needle covered granite, and I almost fall 500 times trying to do camp chores.
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May 4, 2024 03:00
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That or they have zero grip on anything made of rock. I use my trail runners and if there's a wet crossing I take the socks and insole out, they dry fast enough. If I'm not using those I'll strap a set of keen sandals to my bag to swap to for wet spots. I've considered a pair of neoprene booties, some people seem to really like them, but haven't made the plunge yet because shopping for them kind of sucks.. 90% of the results are diving gear so I get bored and promise to do it later.
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May 4, 2024 03:08
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Like surf booties? I feel like that wouldn’t be very comfortable to wear for extended periods honestly
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May 4, 2024 08:11
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