Register a SA Forums Account here!
JOINING THE SA FORUMS WILL REMOVE THIS BIG AD, THE ANNOYING UNDERLINED ADS, AND STUPID INTERSTITIAL ADS!!!

You can: log in, read the tech support FAQ, or request your lost password. This dumb message (and those ads) will appear on every screen until you register! Get rid of this crap by registering your own SA Forums Account and joining roughly 150,000 Goons, for the one-time price of $9.95! We charge money because it costs us money per month for bills, and since we don't believe in showing ads to our users, we try to make the money back through forum registrations.
 
  • Post
  • Reply
Josh Lyman
May 24, 2009


Can someone recommend a Camelbak or similar? Until now, I’ve been using a drawstring gym bag with 1L water bottles for hiking and festivals, but the inside pocket tore off during my last trip and the shoulder “straps” aren’t great when I’m carrying more stuff.

My main concern is how small it can pack down since I try to avoid checking bags when I travel. The nylon drawstring bag takes up basically no space in my carry-on and every Camelbak I’ve seen is substantially bulkier.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Kaal
May 22, 2002

through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.
A lot of hiking backpacks have space for a camelbak bladder and tube, which might be the best option for you if you already have a bag you like.

Bottom Liner
Feb 15, 2006


a specific vein of lasagna

Josh Lyman posted:

Can someone recommend a Camelbak or similar? Until now, I’ve been using a drawstring gym bag with 1L water bottles for hiking and festivals, but the inside pocket tore off during my last trip and the shoulder “straps” aren’t great when I’m carrying more stuff.

My main concern is how small it can pack down since I try to avoid checking bags when I travel. The nylon drawstring bag takes up basically no space in my carry-on and every Camelbak I’ve seen is substantially bulkier.

I just got this Nathan vest for $20 (clearance) at Walmart of all places to replace my old Nathan. It packs down flat and holds a deceptive amount. It's smaller than the vest I used for my ultra but it holds more thanks to the strap sleeves and pockets.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Nathan-6-Liter-Hydration-Pack-w-Bladder-Black-Marigold-OSFA/2565570800?from=/search


Aside from that specific one, any Nathan vest would be good. My old worn out one was great too.

Clark Nova
Jul 18, 2004

The osprey daylite pack packs down incredibly small but doesn't have a compartment for a reservoir. The shoulder strap (and waistband) are definitely better than nylon cords.


IMO it's not worth $65 retail though, I got mine for less than half that

numberoneposter
Feb 19, 2014

How much do I cum? The answer might surprise you!

alnilam posted:

My fav birk socks, aesthetically speaking, are olive colored darn tough hikers. Looks nice with the leather. But if i ever buy any more socks they will probably be loud and ridiculous so i can really lean into the "yes i am rocking birkensocks" aesthetic
I have a pair of beer mug socks with realistic 3D handle that I wear with my birks maybe once a year but it gets some good reactions.

Josh Lyman
May 24, 2009


Josh Lyman posted:

Can someone recommend a Camelbak or similar? Until now, I’ve been using a drawstring gym bag with 1L water bottles for hiking and festivals, but the inside pocket tore off during my last trip and the shoulder “straps” aren’t great when I’m carrying more stuff.

My main concern is how small it can pack down since I try to avoid checking bags when I travel. The nylon drawstring bag takes up basically no space in my carry-on and every Camelbak I’ve seen is substantially bulkier.
Thanks for the recs. Amazon has the last gen 3L Camelbak Mule for $92 so I grabbed it: https://www.amazon.com/M-U-L-Mountain-Biking-Hydration-Pack/dp/B07WKNZZQR/ It has the tube magnet and Reddit seems to think it's a great size for water capacity and storage space without being too big.

Kaal
May 22, 2002

through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.
Looks like a great bag, enjoy!

The Aardvark
Aug 19, 2013

















Went up a few benchmarks in Storm Canyon at Anza Borrego Desert State Park on Thursday, saw no one at all. The weather has been from low 60s to mid 70s this month and not too much wind up top.

padijun
Feb 5, 2004

murderbears forever


The first saddle I drove to had an avalanche warning so I ended up going to the south fork of eagle river valley. The switchbacks were almost drifted over so I went up the old steep trail on my snowshoes. This is where the heel elevators saved me from any ankle discomfort at all, and I never slipped thanks to the grip from the cleats and frame. Had to turn around after just a mile though, there was too much wind on the shoulder above the saddle and I couldn’t see it being any better on the completely exposed ridge

Josh Lyman
May 24, 2009


Josh Lyman posted:

Thanks for the recs. Amazon has the last gen 3L Camelbak Mule for $92 so I grabbed it: https://www.amazon.com/M-U-L-Mountain-Biking-Hydration-Pack/dp/B07WKNZZQR/ It has the tube magnet and Reddit seems to think it's a great size for water capacity and storage space without being too big.
Quick follow up on my hydration pack saga. The MULE I ordered was the 2020 model and the 2023 model is on sale through today for the same price I paid: https://www.amazon.com/CamelBak-M-U-L-100oz-Gunmetal-Lime/dp/B07KPCXJBL/

There are 3 major changes that I'm hoping to get feedback on from those of you with more experience:

1) The magnetic trap for the tube is now on the left side of the sternum strap instead of on the right shoulder strap. The tube still exits over your right shoulder so it goes across your chest, flops around if you don't have the sternum strap buckled, and the trap isn't nearly as secure. How annoying will this be?

2) The shoulder straps no longer have foam padding. I assume they did this to improve ventilation but I can't imagine you're sweating much from the straps themselves and it seems like this would significantly decrease comfort on 3+ hour hikes.

3) Instead of 2 sets of compression straps on the side, only the top ones remain. I'm not sure this makes a huge difference because there's not a ton of space with a filled bladder anyway and I don't usually carry anything that bulky + heavy, but maybe it actually makes a difference in bringing the weight closer to your center of gravity?

Bonus question: the light grey version is $7 less but I feel like it would get dirty more easily so I should just stick with black?

Josh Lyman fucked around with this message at 01:54 on Mar 26, 2024

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Polish
Jul 5, 2007

I touch myself at night
Just trying to get some thoughts and ideas here. I mostly do day hikes in south eastern PA, so big rocks, trees, lots of water. I have a pair of five fingers that I used for many years that now need to be replaced. They were the older model of their outdoor, Trek or something I think? I really enjoyed hiking in them even though they are goofy looking, they suited my needs. I am not sure if I should get another pair, or try something different. I would probably go with another minimalist shoe, but something like a trail runner might work better. Kinda hard to know without dropping 100+ bucks on something I might not like. I was eyeing up the V-Trail https://www.amazon.com/Vibram-Trail...C61&sr=8-4&th=1

This is my backyard, so I can just go right across the creek and hike around for a few hours:

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • Post
  • Reply