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So, I can't speak to an underquilt. I suppose it would have been helpful on those low-20s nights, but I got by fine with what I had in its place. My buddy who also slept in a hammock is going to convert one of those cheap Costco down throws into an underquilt so we'll see how that goes. Do: Replace those straps with whoopie slings right away. Sleep on a sleeping pad with a light quilt over it, but under your sleeping bag. The aforementioned Costco down throw over my Thermarest Z-Lite was perfect. Consider bringing a chemical hand-warmer to throw down into the foot of your sleeping bag. Maybe it's how I lay, but my feet were the only area that ever needed the extra warmth. Push my clothes stuff sack behind my knees. I just sleep better on my back when my legs have a little bend in them. Plus it keeps them warm in case I want to get to them at night. Bring your dog. Camping with a dog kicks rear end. Don't: Bother with bringing the bug net unless bugs are going to be a problem. It slows the wind a bit, but I found it a pain in the rear end to deal with so I stopped using it. Wasted weight/space. Bring so many clothes. I needed less variety than I thought I would. Leave your phone or USB batteries out in the cold. It kills them quick. Keep them in your sleeping bag. Here's my equipment list for the Arkansas trip (with a few optimizations that I didn't bring, but would if I did it again) Also, as an aside, this is the first trip where we really did backcountry off-trail camping along trails in national forests. After the rigid resctrictions of national parks, it's incredibly refreshing to experience the much more laid-back rules for national forest camping. Bring your dog? Sure. Camp wherever you want? Sure. Make a campfire? No burn ban in effect, so sure.
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Jan 7, 2016 16:34
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Hungryjack posted:Also, as an aside, this is the first trip where we really did backcountry off-trail camping along trails in national forests. After the rigid resctrictions of national parks, it's incredibly refreshing to experience the much more laid-back rules for national forest camping. Bring your dog? Sure. Camp wherever you want? Sure. Make a campfire? No burn ban in effect, so sure. Yep. My biggest adjustment moving from the Johnson City to Knoxville was dealing the restrictions in the GSMNP. Before moving here most of my hiking was along with AT in areas like the Cherokee National Forest. It was awesome to just a pick a spot by a creek and camp. Build a fire? Sure. The only negative is if you are close to entry point the area can attract 'party types' looking to camp and raise hell for the weekend (while I have done my share of hell raising camping, I want quiet in the woods). Now that I have to deal with reservations, limited spots, etc. in the GSMNP, I no longer have many spur of the moment overnight backpacking trips.
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Jan 7, 2016 19:27
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If anyone is looking for a great deal on a better-than-average rain jacket, REI has a closeout on the Men's Marmot Precip rain jacket for $59.73 right now. Add on the coupon code OUTJAN16 and the final price with shipping is $44.73.
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Jan 7, 2016 20:22
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Hungryjack posted:If anyone is looking for a great deal on a better-than-average rain jacket, REI has a closeout on the Men's Marmot Precip rain jacket for $59.73 right now. Add on the coupon code OUTJAN16 and the final price with shipping is $44.73. Thanks. Bought one as a backup. Only free shipping for me if picked up in the store though.
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Jan 7, 2016 20:37
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Thanks for this. Ordered one.
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Jan 7, 2016 20:44
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Hungryjack posted:If anyone is looking for a great deal on a better-than-average rain jacket, REI has a closeout on the Men's Marmot Precip rain jacket for $59.73 right now. Add on the coupon code OUTJAN16 and the final price with shipping is $44.73.
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Jan 7, 2016 20:55
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Josh Lyman posted:Does this have air-perm fabric? Some quote I found on the internet. quote:Marmot PreCip Jacket has a minimalist shell that is made of 100% ripstop nylon with Marmot's own NanoPro Membrane. NanoPro utilizes a microporous technology that has a pore structure that is 30% smaller than previous generations. These very small, very densely packed pores allow for enhanced breathability while maintaining excellent waterproofness. This pore structure is also air permeable allowing for dynamic air exchange. This air permeability combined with the enhanced breathability creates a fabric that is incredibly comfortable through a wide range of activities. The PreCip Jacket features an attached adjustable hood that rolls into the collar when not in use and Pitzips to help regulate your temperature so you're ready for whatever Mother Nature throws your way. Adjustable Velcro cuffs and an elastic draw cord hem ensure a perfect fit. The PreCip is finished off with Pack Pockets and a DriClime lined chin guard for comfort. When you're ready to get out and explore be sure to pack your Marmot PreCip Jacket. I think it is one of the best rain jackets under $100 (I am also a fan of the North Face Venture Jacket which my daughter uses). My son and I each have one, and we always take them hiking with us (never know when the sky is going to open up in the Smokies). For that price you can't go wrong. I am almost tempted to order myself an extra one. nate fisher fucked around with this message at 21:40 on Jan 7, 2016 |
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Jan 7, 2016 21:38
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Yeah my PreCip is very light and waterproof, even at $100 it was a pretty good deal.
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Jan 7, 2016 21:41
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Josh Lyman posted:Does this have air-perm fabric? It has armpit zips too. Definitely going to breath more than the Columbia I currently roll with.
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Jan 7, 2016 21:52
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Hmm, looks like Sierra Trading Post has it as well for a comparable price with the coupon code: ES010516A. A good deal either way. STP has it in more colors besides black, but I don't know if it's the 2015 model or not.
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Jan 7, 2016 22:26
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Hungryjack posted:Hmm, looks like Sierra Trading Post has it as well for a comparable price with the coupon code: ES010516A. A good deal either way. STP has it in more colors besides black, but I don't know if it's the 2015 model or not.
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Jan 7, 2016 22:28
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I wear my precip a lot in colder weather, it is usually all I wear over a base later when I'm hiking. The pit zips and belly pockets give you a lot of ways to increase or decrease ventilation to manage your temperature. It's good enough at blocking wind if you're below the treeline. That said, my back is always sweaty when my precip is on, and it's actually kind of lousy at keeping rain out. If it's coming down consistently, I'm going to be clammy, cold, and wet.
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Jan 7, 2016 22:37
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turevidar posted:That said, my back is always sweaty when my precip is on, and it's actually kind of lousy at keeping rain out. If it's coming down consistently, I'm going to be clammy, cold, and wet.
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Jan 7, 2016 22:39
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Are you sure it's letting moisture in, or are you just getting a lot of condensation? Also, when it looks like a rain jacket 'wets out' (water no longer beading, dark spot on the material) it's not always letting water all the way through the barrier, it could just be that the water repellent on the surface is wearing out
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Jan 7, 2016 23:07
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Anyone have experience with Cuyahoga Valley NP? I'll be in Cleveland for work and want to check it out. I understand it isn't your typical park and is a bit more suburban but if anyone has heard of a cool spot I'd love to check it out and report back.
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Jan 8, 2016 03:16
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dedian posted:They're (construction wise) pretty similar - I think the Enigma used to be cheaper since it doesn't have the extra draw channel and snaps/zipper (makes it a bit lighter too). I'd get the Revelation unless you know you'd never ever want to open up / adjust the footbox (though I can't think of when I've wanted to... but it's there if I need to I guess?) I haven't noticed any cold spots from the footbox, it closes up pretty well. They come with a compression sack, but I've just thrown both my quilt and underquilt in a trash compatcor bag and compressed that as much as I could in the bottom of the bag; it fills up the space a little more efficiently than two tubes of compressed sleeping bag. Just ordered a 30 degree Revelation. Orange on the outside because Go Vols, charcoal on the inside (figured this would keep any sweat stains from showing up as bad). Went with 800 fill. The weight difference wasn't even 2 ounces for 900. $245 shipped. I don't think I could find a better or equal quality sleeping bag for that price. My wife is going to love this thing and steal it from me to use around the house. She gets cold in like 85 degrees. It's ridiculous. Look Sir Droids fucked around with this message at 18:06 on Jan 8, 2016 |
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Jan 8, 2016 17:57
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prezbuluskey posted:Anyone have experience with Cuyahoga Valley NP? I'll be in Cleveland for work and want to check it out. I understand it isn't your typical park and is a bit more suburban but if anyone has heard of a cool spot I'd love to check it out and report back. It's on my to--do list, but I've just never really heard of any backpacking up there other than the towpath trail. Up around that area though, there's Mohican State Park which has a good backpacking loop down through the gorge. Nothing spectacular, but a great place to get out and hike, or test out new gear. Further south in Ohio, if you don't mind a few hour drive, there's Zaleski State Park and Shawnee State park, which offer some great backpacking trails. A few hours east of there is Dolly Sods, which is one of my favorite places as well. Hungryjack posted:REI has a closeout on the Men's Marmot Precip rain jacket for $59.73 right now. Add on the coupon code OUTJAN16 and the final price with shipping is $44.73. Thanks! Snagged one for myself... wasn't looking for a rain jacket, but that's a great price and mine is ancient and the pit zips sound phenomenal--just what I need for cycling. Earlier you were posting about hammock stuff and I'm just catching up on the thread, but you should check out Dutch Gear's hammock sock for bugnets or winter wind protection. I sewed my own bugnet from noseeum, but Dutch's version is just about the same price as buying the material yourself, and his hammock sock is just great. He sewed up a custom length hammock sock for me, and that's easily added ten degrees to my setup, maybe more since it blocks out the wind so well. This is also personal preference, but whoopie slings are kinda meh in my experience--Dutch's cinch buckle plus two ten foot straps of polyester webbing with loops sewn on the end are the best hammock suspension I've found so far. Super quick and easy to set up and adjust, and the same weight as tying a marlin spike hitch with carabiner. Plus, two 10' webbing straps offer endless possibility for hanging--so long as you're not above the treeline, you'll always find a spot to hang no problem. Cheesemaster200 posted:My leather hiking boots that I originally bought ~15 years ago at EMS just lost their soles. I was walking along and all of a sudden the entire rubber sole starts flopping around.  bongwizzard posted:Having spent a decent amount of money and time loving around with alcohol stoves, and burning the crap out of my finger last night, I am almost loving done with them.  This is purely incredible!! Astrophotography blows my mind and it's something I really want to learn. Do you bring a small gorilla pod or tripod to snap these pictures? Catatron Prime fucked around with this message at 22:02 on Jan 8, 2016 |
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Jan 8, 2016 21:50
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I went to the REI garage sale in Portland last week. I got there around 7:30 (1h30 before doors opened) and was maybe like the 40th or so person in line. I was primarily just looking for snowshoes, I didn't really need anything else but was open to finding a good deal if there was something that looked good. Snow shoes must have been the first thing on everybody's mind because they were pretty much completely gone by the time I got inside. I did find a woman's pair that I gave to a friend and then after wandering for a while somebody put back a pair of high end MSR Lightning Ascent's but they were 30" (very long) and like $150 marked down from $300. I was more hoping for a pair of $200 shoes marked down to $50 or something. Apparently the Portland location does sales far more frequently now than twice a year and they had just had a sale in early December that probably cleared out too much of their inventory. It also seems like their discounts aren't nearly as steep as they used to be, it could just be my imagination but I didn't see many things that were like 80% off like I remember the good old days being. Even air mattresses like Big Agnes Q-Core's were only maybe 75% off when they HAD BEEN RETURNED FOR A LEAK. I realize air mattresses aren't particularly difficult to patch most of the time, but that's a pretty big gamble to drop like $40 only to take something home with no idea of whether or not you'd actually be able to fix it. I ended up just getting a new pair of crosscountry boots that fit me better than the cheap ones I got a few years ago, now I need to actually get out and use them this season.
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Jan 8, 2016 22:13
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REI Houston had their garage sale as well last weekend, but I missed it because we were out camping. It crossed my mind that canceling the camping trip so that we could wait in line all night for the garage sale would be the most REI thing ever.
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Jan 8, 2016 22:40
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Anyone know if the Marmot Tamarack Jacket is a good layer for mountain hikes in the snow? I am aiming for a layer that provides warmth and keeps me dry but without being too heavy. It's $225 - bad deal? Can I get something just as good for much less? http://www.rei.com/product/887516/m...mc:cse_PLA_GOOG
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Jan 10, 2016 04:17
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OSU_Matthew posted:Earlier you were posting about hammock stuff and I'm just catching up on the thread, but you should check out Dutch Gear's hammock sock for bugnets or winter wind protection. I sewed my own bugnet from noseeum, but Dutch's version is just about the same price as buying the material yourself, and his hammock sock is just great. He sewed up a custom length hammock sock for me, and that's easily added ten degrees to my setup, maybe more since it blocks out the wind so well. This is also personal preference, but whoopie slings are kinda meh in my experience--Dutch's cinch buckle plus two ten foot straps of polyester webbing with loops sewn on the end are the best hammock suspension I've found so far. Super quick and easy to set up and adjust, and the same weight as tying a marlin spike hitch with carabiner. Plus, two 10' webbing straps offer endless possibility for hanging--so long as you're not above the treeline, you'll always find a spot to hang no problem. The hammock sock sounds interesting. I'll check it out. I'm always looking for a lightweight, no-hassle bug net. You lost me on your suspension description. How do your 10' loop straps differ from the hammock straps I started with? I haven't run into any problems hanging my hammock with the slings and the 4' webbing on either side and it's nice and compact enough to fit into the hammock bag along with the hammock. Maybe I'm missing something in what you're talking about. Mokelumne Trekka posted:Anyone know if the Marmot Tamarack Jacket is a good layer for mountain hikes in the snow? I am aiming for a layer that provides warmth and keeps me dry but without being too heavy. It's $225 - bad deal? Can I get something just as good for much less? I am not familiar with this particular jacket, but looking at the photos in the link, it appears to be a shell jacket, meaning it will keep you dry and it's probably windproof, but I don't think it has any insulation at all and you will want something warm to wear under it.
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Jan 10, 2016 05:56
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Hungryjack posted:I am not familiar with this particular jacket, but looking at the photos in the link, it appears to be a shell jacket, meaning it will keep you dry and it's probably windproof, but I don't think it has any insulation at all and you will want something warm to wear under it. Thanks. I ended up buying it at REI and tested it with a day hike in the snow (northern Sierra) today. As far as I can tell this works great, even if it is technically a ski jacket and I don't ski. I figure if it's good for skiing then it must be good for snow hiking. I didn't feel a chill from the wind like I always did no matter how many layers I threw on. And no worries about the elements - I was sealed off. Seems ok.
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Jan 11, 2016 04:43
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Not technically hiking or backpacking but I figured this was a good place to show some pictures I took over the summer in Glacier Bay National Park. Two friends and I did a 10 day kayak-camping trip to try something different from backpacking and it was a blast:  
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Jan 11, 2016 05:00
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It's fine, but maybe a little more weight and bulk than a basic shell and down midlayer. I'm up in Canada on a regular basis and with the exchange rate have been able to get a good deal on a few things. Just got a goretex active shell that was already on sale, and then you take like 25% off for the exchange. That plus my light down jacket will fit into my rei flash 18 pack with plenty of room for snacks and water.
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Jan 11, 2016 05:13
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Mokelumne Trekka posted:Anyone know if the Marmot Tamarack Jacket is a good layer for mountain hikes in the snow? I am aiming for a layer that provides warmth and keeps me dry but without being too heavy. It's $225 - bad deal? Can I get something just as good for much less? That will work. It's heavy, but fine if you like it. Hope you got it on sale. Jackets from last season looked like it was on sale this weekend in-store.
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Jan 11, 2016 05:36
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Hungryjack posted:The hammock sock sounds interesting. I'll check it out. I'm always looking for a lightweight, no-hassle bug net. You lost me on your suspension description. How do your 10' loop straps differ from the hammock straps I started with? I haven't run into any problems hanging my hammock with the slings and the 4' webbing on either side and it's nice and compact enough to fit into the hammock bag along with the hammock. Maybe I'm missing something in what you're talking about. You just take the 10' piece of webbing, wrap it around the tree and through the loop sewn at one end, and slide the cinch buckle on the other end. The cinch buckle is attached to the hammock with a short length of amsteel, and you can slide the cinch buckle up and down the webbing to adjust your hang, it just locks into place with friction.  It's a pretty slick system, I personally like it better than the whoopie slings and toggle I started out with, simpler, faster, more reliable, and easier to adjust, especially in cold weather. Not sure if it was you or someone else had mentioned bringing a tent along as backup for their hammock, so I just wanted to chip in with another method of hanging  Speaking of winter stuff, what's everyone's favorite gloves? I used to bring a pair of kinco leather gloves with heatkeep, but someone stole those and I'm looking for a more hiking specific replacement now. Is there such a thing as a dual glove system, with a thin base layer designed to layer into mittens? That way you don't have to completely expose your hands to do stuff like cook at the end of the day when you're not moving and generating heat. Catatron Prime fucked around with this message at 04:35 on Jan 12, 2016 |
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Jan 11, 2016 21:09
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OSU_Matthew posted:
I really like this. I carry huge tree straps and my whoopies are like 15' long as I am paranoid about tree placement. I wonder if two 25' chunks of webbing are close in weight to the whoopies plus my current straps?
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Jan 11, 2016 23:53
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OSU_Matthew posted:You just take the 10' piece of webbing, wrap it around the tree and through the loop sewn at one end, and slide the cinch buckle on the other end. The cinch buckle is attached to the hammock with a short length of amsteel, and you can slide the cinch buckle up and down the webbing to adjust your hang, it just locks into place with friction. So this is just like hammock straps only you use a buckle instead of a carabiner? I'm not trying to be dense here and I'm certainly not attacking your choice. I just don't see the advantage of that system. The reason I switched to slings is that they are much lighter and smaller than my two 9' straps. What does this give me over using either slings or straps?
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Jan 12, 2016 00:50
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Made some changes to my winter boots today and tried it out. I have been sticking screws in the bottom like a couple of friends for a few years now and it gives great traction but I lose a lot of them. So I decided that maybe if they were set a little farther into the sole the added support would keep them in better. Last week I lost like 10 screws (out of 17x2), today did the same quick hike and only lost one. A few started to pull out though. Here you can see what I was going for:  Couldn't come up with a way to make a nice shallow hole besides by hand with a dremel, might need to re-touch a bit of it. Also wish these boots had bigger and flatter lugs like my nice asolos. I guess one of these days I should just get some microspikes, but with this setup I can walk around on ice and up and down steep slippery poo poo like it's dry. Here's what part of today's trip looks like:  And then some scenery. Valley gets inversions and all sorts of junk just sits in there. Last week it got up to "unhealthy for sensitive groups."  Ski hill in the center, stuart peak is that bigger thing to the left, I rode my bike to the wilderness boundary and then hiked the rest of the way to the top last fall. It is almost 3000 ft higher than where I took the picture from.  Also carried down like half a sled because some rear end in a top hat went up there, broke his saucer, and left it on the hill. jamal fucked around with this message at 07:11 on Jan 12, 2016 |
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Jan 12, 2016 07:05
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You should try adding some epoxy or some other adhesive to the threads and around the base so the screws have extra adhesion when the rubber twists and flexes. Might help keep the sole from shredding too
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Jan 12, 2016 18:45
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Also simply getting screws with a larger flange will do you a world of good.
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Jan 12, 2016 23:59
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Having stepped on a few screws/nails in my time, the idea of that freaks me the hell out. Unless you have a pair of clapped out boots, how is that any better/cheaper then buying spikes?
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Jan 13, 2016 01:52
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bongwizzard posted:Having stepped on a few screws/nails in my time, the idea of that freaks me the hell out. Unless you have a pair of clapped out boots, how is that any better/cheaper then buying spikes? yeah, this is what I was thinking... why not just buy some microspikes or yaktrax that can go on any pair of boots you may have w/out ruining the sole.
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Jan 13, 2016 02:03
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MMD3 posted:yeah, this is what I was thinking... why not just buy some microspikes or yaktrax that can go on any pair of boots you may have w/out ruining the sole. Yaktrax kind of suck and most good soles actually hold up pretty well to the screws - but yeah, microspikes are pretty far superior in basically every way except cost, and they don't even cost all that much.
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Jan 13, 2016 02:13
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It's cheap and works really well for traction, and this is an old pair of boots that weren't getting worn anymore. I'm going to do a little more work on the pockets and then add some "flexible adhesive" I found, which will hopefully keep them in the soles more or less permanently. I do have bigger screws but I am not sure how much I can get away with before they are going in too far (these are #6 x 3/8, have some #8 x 1/2 I could try). Really the only downside is that you need to bring an extra pair of shoes (and you might be leaving screws on the trail), but when you've been hiking around in the snow for hours it is nice to change out of wet boots anyway.
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Jan 13, 2016 02:48
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Just buy microspikes. No screw head is going to give you the same level of traction and they barely weigh anything. Yaktrax are garbage, I picked up six of them off the trail last winter.
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Jan 13, 2016 03:42
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Hungryjack posted:So this is just like hammock straps only you use a buckle instead of a carabiner? I'm not trying to be dense here and I'm certainly not attacking your choice. I just don't see the advantage of that system. The reason I switched to slings is that they are much lighter and smaller than my two 9' straps. What does this give me over using either slings or straps? Yup, basically. I used to just tie the cabiner directly into the webbing with a marlin spike hitch, but adjusting meant retying the knot. The buckle, on the other hand, allows you easily adjust your hang. The hammock is attached to the buckle, which just slides onto the tree straps. Basically it's just a lot easier than messing around with toggles and untangling gobs of whoopies, which is great in the cold. it's virtually identical weight wise, maybe an extra ounce or two, but it's more reliable and you don't have to worry about the amsteel retreating back in on itself, or the weight shifting from the knot to the toggle, breaking it. Plus, the whoopies are just absurdly long, there's no reason to have (in my case) 42 combined feet of suspension. Of course, that's just my experience, there's no right or wrong way to hang. I just really like it and wanted to share the latest and greatest in my book.
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Jan 13, 2016 04:26
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MMD3 posted:yeah, this is what I was thinking... why not just buy some microspikes or yaktrax that can go on any pair of boots you may have w/out ruining the sole. gohuskies posted:Yaktrax kind of suck and most good soles actually hold up pretty well to the screws - but yeah, microspikes are pretty far superior in basically every way except cost, and they don't even cost all that much. Going to disagree here slightly. The sheet metal screws into the shoes is actually the best thing that I have found for traction while running. Yaktraks suck and break at least once a winter, and the traction isnt anything great, really only good for walking. Microspikes are a nice go between for when you don't need full fledged crampons but want more than yaktraks, but they are also expensive around $50 or so last I checked. And you wouldn't want to run in those either. When you are putting in those screws you get the tiniest shortest ones you can and after a bit learn where to put them. I generally put them on the outside edge with a few in the middle, avoiding the middle of the heel and the ball of the big toe. They are amazing for running outside with though, and even some light hiking. I prefer them to anything else for that single purpose.
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Jan 13, 2016 05:00
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Check costco. They had some spikes for $10 in small and large sizes that go right over your boots. Made of silicone rubber and have metal spikes on the bottom. Might need a piece of paracord to keep them from falling off but other than that they were a no brainer at $10. I'm sure they're not micro spike level and I haven't had a chance to use them yet but they seem like they'll do just fine as their actual tungston? spikes.
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Jan 13, 2016 06:24
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OSU_Matthew posted:
Thanks! Tripod is almost necessary, but I have used a water bottle under the lens with the camera on the ground before when I left the tripod plate at home before. As long as the camera won't move and you can get the angle right it's passable.
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Jan 13, 2016 06:46
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