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Axeface posted:I'm a city kitty just trying to get into backpacking and camping in a semi-serious way, and financially what seems to work best right now is gradually making decent mid-range investments to slowly build out a kit. I've got cheap, heavy equipment that covers (almost) everything I need so far, so I'm mostly looking to make upgrades that will last me a few years while I figure out what I'm doing and prepare for more intense challenges. My price range for pretty much everything is going to be in the $300 range, but I can push that for particular items that will really last me the distance past my learning curve. I think you will find the Flash 65 a good pick for trips of that length. I agree that you don't want to blow a lot of money on a pack early on.
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Aug 4, 2017 02:47
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Josh Lyman posted:What's the reason for not including a reversible zipper? I can't be cost. I imagine it's maybe 5 cents more on a $250 jacket? Probably other design factors. All I know is I have exactly one jacket that is advertised as packing into its pocket, and that pocket only has a reversible zipper.
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Aug 4, 2017 16:11
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Packed up and ready to leave for the trailhead in Snowmass Village for 5 days hiking the Snowmass Capital Creek loop. Hoping for a clear and dry five days....
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Aug 4, 2017 18:11
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The bugs at Rainier are insane right now. I thought I had driven close to a bee nest or something but the swarm attacking my car was flies. Also thanks to the smoke you can barely see the mountain.
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Aug 4, 2017 18:46
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Axeface posted:I'm a city kitty just trying to get into backpacking and camping in a semi-serious way, and financially what seems to work best right now is gradually making decent mid-range investments to slowly build out a kit. I've got cheap, heavy equipment that covers (almost) everything I need so far, so I'm mostly looking to make upgrades that will last me a few years while I figure out what I'm doing and prepare for more intense challenges. My price range for pretty much everything is going to be in the $300 range, but I can push that for particular items that will really last me the distance past my learning curve. Upgrade your other systems first (shelter, sleep, cook) to lighter weight and smaller options. Once you know how much weight you're carrying, and what capacity you need, then decide on a backpack that fits those needs. You'll typically shave off the biggest chunks of weight upgrading your shelter and sleep systems.
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Aug 4, 2017 22:02
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Does anyone have recommendations for a backpacking site about 10 miles out within 2 hours of Boise? I was supposed to meet a friend near Portland in a few weeks to do some backpacking, but the fires and the heat have led us to change our plans. I'd prefer less elevation change, but I can climb with the best of them. The darker the sky and less people, the better.
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Aug 5, 2017 01:37
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Levitate posted:I need to make plans to go to Yosemite in the winter. Rent a cabin or something. It's a beautiful place but so crowded in the summer...the valley when there's few other people around would be amazing. My wife and I went to Yosemite last December and it was wonderful. I had a work trip within driving distance, so we made it a quick last minute vacation (just stayed at the lodge there since we flew in without camping equipment). Two of the three days were clear, sunny, and perfect cool weather for hiking. One day it did rain all day, though--but we spent it inside checking out the historic lodges and Ansel Adams gallery. The trails were empty enough that we'd go long stretches without seeing anyone, and no parking lots were even half full. It was beautiful, although it would have been pretty miserable if it had rained all three days. As to the chains requirement, we bought cheap chains at a Walmart in Fresno and never broke the seal. They didn't care at all when we returned them on our way back through.
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Aug 5, 2017 07:21
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I'll preface this by saying I'm in the UK. I'd absolutely love to go hiking in a national park. I went to the North York Moors national park today and went hiking for a few hours. It was the happiest I've been. I stuck to the marked paths so I didn't get lost (it was a spontaneous decision). Being in the woods with nothing but silence and trees everywhere you look was a rather incredible feeling. It's really given me the drive to do it more often. The only downside is, I want to do it with other people. Having someone there to chat with and share the experiences would be the icing on the cake, especially if they're experienced and can help me get to grips with it all. That being said, going at it solo isn't too bad, I like my own space and am happy enough enjoying the views by myself, it just stops me from doing more adventurous things. All that said and done: are there any UK Goons who do this? I want to slowly work my way up from casual hiking, to day-long hiking, to camping (at "commercial"?? campsites) to wilderness camping. Going there today really blew me away and I realise I want to do it more often, especially the goofy stuff like making a little camp and eating trail mix and brewing coffee whilst surrounded by massive trees. Some pics I took:    The day started off rather badly because I took a wrong turn and drove offroad for a solid 20 minutes before realising I wasn't heading to the proper entrance of the national park, and I was in a little hatchback so I was pretty sure if I continued I'd end up busting my tires or worse. My favourite picture of the day is the first image, that was such a surreal experience.
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Aug 5, 2017 17:47
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I’m getting some mid back pain whenever I sleep now. I sleep on my back normally. I’d side sleep but my arms go numb and wake me up. It goes away when I’m up and moving but it certainly sucks and has woken me up a few times now. My body is breaking down. I imagine it’s a combo of pack weight and posture getting shittier.
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Aug 5, 2017 17:59
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Q8ee posted:I'll preface this by saying I'm in the UK. I'd absolutely love to go hiking in a national park. I went to the North York Moors national park today and went hiking for a few hours. It was the happiest I've been. I stuck to the marked paths so I didn't get lost (it was a spontaneous decision). Being in the woods with nothing but silence and trees everywhere you look was a rather incredible feeling. It's really given me the drive to do it more often. The only downside is, I want to do it with other people. Having someone there to chat with and share the experiences would be the icing on the cake, especially if they're experienced and can help me get to grips with it all. That being said, going at it solo isn't too bad, I like my own space and am happy enough enjoying the views by myself, it just stops me from doing more adventurous things. I'm a UK goon, and I dove head first in to the Appalachian Trail after just a bit of camping and hiking. It's fantastic, and I highly recommend it! Just dive in, with the right equipment there's really nothing to fear
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Aug 5, 2017 18:49
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Alan_Shore posted:I'm a UK goon, and I dove head first in to the Appalachian Trail after just a bit of camping and hiking. It's fantastic, and I highly recommend it! Just dive in, with the right equipment there's really nothing to fear My dream come true would be going to America to do that. America is so much better for that kind of stuff. Since you're a UK goon, any national parks you'd wholeheartedly recommend? Preferably near Newcastle, but if you 100% vouch for it and it's farther out, I'd check it out. Somewhere that allows wild camping is an added bonus. That's a really big selling point for me, because it just means I can take it at my own pace, and then when it gets later in the day, I can pitch camp and not worry about having to trek all the way back that same day.
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Aug 5, 2017 18:58
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Q8ee posted:I'll preface this by saying I'm in the UK. I'd absolutely love to go hiking in a national park. I went to the North York Moors national park today and went hiking for a few hours. It was the happiest I've been. I stuck to the marked paths so I didn't get lost (it was a spontaneous decision). Being in the woods with nothing but silence and trees everywhere you look was a rather incredible feeling. It's really given me the drive to do it more often. The only downside is, I want to do it with other people. Having someone there to chat with and share the experiences would be the icing on the cake, especially if they're experienced and can help me get to grips with it all. That being said, going at it solo isn't too bad, I like my own space and am happy enough enjoying the views by myself, it just stops me from doing more adventurous things. There's plenty of great walking in the UK outside national parks due to the extensive network of public rights of way and the right to roam laws (there's a good story behind these) and OS maps. Not every country has resources as good as these.
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Aug 5, 2017 22:14
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Q8ee posted:I'll preface this by saying I'm in the UK. I'd absolutely love to go hiking in a national park. I went to the North York Moors national park today and went hiking for a few hours. It was the happiest I've been. I stuck to the marked paths so I didn't get lost (it was a spontaneous decision). Being in the woods with nothing but silence and trees everywhere you look was a rather incredible feeling. It's really given me the drive to do it more often. The only downside is, I want to do it with other people. Having someone there to chat with and share the experiences would be the icing on the cake, especially if they're experienced and can help me get to grips with it all. That being said, going at it solo isn't too bad, I like my own space and am happy enough enjoying the views by myself, it just stops me from doing more adventurous things. Not a UK goon but there's some good hikes out in North Yorkshire - can definitely recommend Malham Cove and the Three Peaks if you're looking for day hikes. It's more public path hiking vs trekking through the wilderness, but there's plenty of scenery to enjoy just the same:     
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Aug 6, 2017 01:46
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Leaving in the morning for 35 miles of backpacking and decided to weigh my pack it weighs 26 pounds with all my gear, i need to shave more weight before our next trip. I suspect my food, rain jacket and extra clothes will be my target. I am carrying a Patagonia jacket of some sort, to many power bars, and an extra clothes. The cameras, phone, gopro, and battery's might also be thinned out next time..
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Aug 6, 2017 03:19
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Ropes4u posted:it weighs 26 pounds with all my gear, i need to shave more weight before our next trip.  IIRC I was over 40 pounds for my first backpacking trip on the lost coast. That was with sharing a tent. Walking through the off camber soft sand wasn't so fun that first day. Luckily we gorged ourselves enough that the packs got noticably lighter each day.
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Aug 6, 2017 06:26
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Q8ee posted:My dream come true would be going to America to do that. America is so much better for that kind of stuff. Dude, I'm a UK goon too and automatically jealous of you because you live so close to the Lake District, which would be my pick for the best national park in England. It's stunning and only a couple of hours away from Newcastle! On top of that, you're only a few hours drive away from the highlands in Scotland which are even more amazing, with the added bonus of wild camping being completely legal there. I've been wild camping up in Scotland, the Lake District and Cornwall. It is technically not legal in England but it's tolerated in the Lake District and just seen as part of it's tradition and history so you won't have any trouble if you want to do it there, just make sure you camp above the highest farm walls and leave no trace and you'll be good. What I've found over the last couple of years wild camping is that having the right gear makes the experience way more comfortable and enjoyable. Make sure you check the weather beforehand, bring lightweight, packable gear with enough food and water (and some treats like a hip flask or some chocolate) and you'll have a great time. Places that I haven't been wild camping yet but would love to go to would also include Snowdonia and Dartmoor. Dartmoor is one of the few (or only, I'm not too sure) places in England where it's legal. Here are some photos of my wild camping trips to give you some ideas and inspiration: This is the summit of Ben Cruachan, a Munro in the highlands near Oban:  This is the spot on Ben Cruachan where I camped:  Last month in Porthcurno, Cornwall:  Styhead Tarn in the Lake District, the mountain on the left is Great Gable:  Sprinkling Tarn, just up from the previous picture:  This was the day after the last picture, hiking up Place Fell (also in the Lakes):  Summit of Place Fell:  The view from my camp:  I can't get enough of hiking and wild camping, but annoyingly I live in Bristol, which is a great city but unfortunately pretty far from most decent hiking spots. I only just got my driving licence a couple of months ago too, which has opened up where I can easily travel to now so hopefully in the next couple of months I'm going to get a car so I can do more. I think my next trip will be to hike Snowdon via Crib Goch and camp somewhere around there.
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Aug 7, 2017 09:40
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That post was incredible and it's really amped me up. I really, really, really want to wild camp, but I'm too big a puss to do it alone. I've never slept by myself so far from civilization, so I have no idea how I'd handle it. I dunno if I'd feel too spooked to enjoy it, so I want to find a friend from uni who would be up for it, but most of my mates don't seem to be arsed about it. I'm also an overplanner and overworrier, so I'd be thinking things like "if I had an accident, I'd be screwed cause I'm by myself". Might try my luck this year seeing about joining the hiking society at uni and meeting likeminded people there. Thanks for the advice and posting those pictures, I'm envious you've experienced all that. The picture of the sunset and your tent are so scenic and I'd love to do something just like that. Is hiking over winter a smart idea, or is it far too cold to practically do it safely?
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Aug 7, 2017 10:01
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The first time I wild camped was on my own, and it was a pretty surreal experience. Getting the camp set up and being completely alone was a bit weird to get used to, but after an hour or so it's all good. You will get freaked out by random noises and rustling in the night the first time you do it though, I guarantee it. I'm positive you'll find someone in your Uni's hiking society who'll be up for it, just ask around! I actually haven't been winter hiking and camping yet, but it's something I've been meaning to do this coming winter. Depending on where you do it, it requires more specialised equipment. I wouldn't recommend doing winter trips as your first experiences, but if you find someone who has done it before then I'm sure they'd be able to help you out. None of my friends were into it when I started too, so I just got all my information from the internet, googling tips and beginner guides and gear lists. It's all there really!
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Aug 7, 2017 10:18
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There are also plenty of "wild" spots that have people camping at them most nights, at least on summer weekends. Examples would be Sprinkling Tarn, Angle Tarn, Stickle Tarn all in the Lakes. Some of them are also not too far from civilisation so you can walk out easily enough. I would recommend starting with a no- or limited-facilities campsite if you are that scared but honestly wild camping at any of the above is no big deal, especially if the weather is ok!
a drink or two fucked around with this message at 17:55 on Aug 7, 2017 |
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Aug 7, 2017 17:37
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Hey Calgoons, I'm hiking half dome in a few weeks. I see that the first half of the trail parallels the Merced river: will I be able to filter water near little yosemite valley campground? I don't want to carry a full day's water if I don't have to.
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Aug 7, 2017 17:53
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Uhhhhhh I have no idea if this is the correct thread because its sort of a unique thing but...does anyone have hiking plans or a location in mind for the total eclipse? Shawnee National Forest in Illinois is the nearest place to me that would be good for seeing the event from 'nature'. I'm not sure how to go about this...I should've been thinking about this a while ago but I didn't think it was at all possible to get the day off. I imagine it would be nice to find a good vantage point somewhere, sit down and enjoy it sort of personally. Being crowded into some state forest parking lot with strangers seems like a turn off if I'm going to drive six hours for it. Any thoughts? Is there an eclipse thread somewhere on these forums?
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Aug 7, 2017 17:59
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I have not hiked that but in general I've never had to carry more than 2 liters of water at a time in the Sierras. If it looks like the trail is close to the river or crosses streams, you can probably find a place to get water. I'd guess the streams are still running well this year from all the snow. If in doubt, call the park and ask.
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Aug 7, 2017 18:01
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Electoral Surgery posted:Hey Calgoons, I'm hiking half dome in a few weeks. I see that the first half of the trail parallels the Merced river: will I be able to filter water near little yosemite valley campground? I don't want to carry a full day's water if I don't have to. I hiked that from the other direction (half dome back to the valley.) I am pretty sure we filtered water from the river in the vicinity of little Yosemite valley. I would probably bring 3+ liters for summer hiking in the Sierra, but I drink a ton.
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Aug 7, 2017 18:08
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Thanks for the feedback. A usgs sensor at the happy isles bridge is showing plenty of flow so I'm confident water will be there, but I wanted confirmation that I'd be able to get to the river.
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Aug 7, 2017 18:25
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My friend who survived four pass loop apparently hasn't done poo poo since then. He crapped out with altitude sickness, and conditioning, around 11,000 feet. We descended to 9500 feet to camp for the night and walked out this morning when I wasn't convinced he could make it further. Sitting in town eating deciding if we ditch him or try something easier tomorrow morning. Camp over looked this lovely valley and was full of cattle in the morning.   
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Aug 7, 2017 19:53
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Are there any good methods besides karabiners to easily attach stuff to a bag? Like adding extra pouches or whatever. My 35L bag is almost fine for Danali - I did a test trip this past weekend. However I'm going to have to deal with food and a bear canister this time around.
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Aug 10, 2017 21:15
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Bear cans are tough because they are generally big, heavy and hard to secure onto the outside of your pack due to their slickness and lack of attachment points. It is possible though you just have to get creative. If I'm carrying a bear can, I'll either tie up a netting with paracord and secure it to the top under my top lid or on the bottom of my pack, or put it inside and strap my tent to the bottom outside of my pack. Depending on the canister, some brands make a nylon carry sack for it which make carrying it on the outside of your pack easier. I've stopped carrying the Garcia bear can or the Bear Keg whenever possible because they are heavy and awkward shapes (but some NPs require specific cans). Since my group usually shares tents/cook sets and water filters, we usually make whoever is carrying the least (usually has the room in their pack) carry the bear can. Funny though because everyone is starting to run smaller and lighter packs. I just hang my food whenever possible because food is more pliable in a bag than a plastic can. New guys always carry the can. Its the right of passage (and they don't know any better). For everything else I just try to use paracord or flat nylon straps. You can usually buy the nylon webbing and buckles at any craft store or online.
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Aug 10, 2017 22:11
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Paracord, though other rope and cord can work depending on the circumstances. You can do ** with knots. Learn some knots.
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Aug 10, 2017 23:19
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PhantomOfTheCopier posted:Paracord, though other rope and cord can work depending on the circumstances. You can do ** with knots. Learn some knots. Yes, 100% learn some knots. Bowline, figure 8, Marlin spike hitch are three easy essential knots that'll get you through 99% of wanting you'd ever need to do. I want to say sheet rock and truckers hitch are two other great knots. Oh, and don't buy paracord, quite frankly it really sucks. It stretches and had a stupid pow break strength. Stuff like amsteel is a much better option. An 1/8" strand of the stuff can lift a car.
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Aug 12, 2017 15:39
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What length do you guys usually carry? I have about 75' of paracord I carry around for bear bagging, etc. but it's about 10 years old so I'm thinking about replacing it. I also don't know the weight rating, which is suboptimal.
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Aug 12, 2017 16:07
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OSU_Matthew posted:Oh, and don't buy paracord, quite frankly it really sucks. It stretches and had a stupid pow break strength. Stuff like amsteel is a much better option. An 1/8" strand of the stuff can lift a car. Amsteel is dreamy but it can be a huge pain to get a knot out of the small stuff without a little marlin spike.
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Aug 12, 2017 16:53
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I put the dutchware summer sock to the test this weekend. The bugs here aren't bad, but it was nice to just pull it over me and spin the solid panel towards the damp breeze that picked up in the middle of the night. Much more convenient than getting out and deploying my tarp.bongwizzard posted:Amsteel is dreamy but it can be a huge pain to get a knot out of the small stuff without a little marlin spike.
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Aug 13, 2017 21:37
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CopperHound posted:I put the dutchware summer sock to the test this weekend. The bugs here aren't bad, but it was nice to just pull it over me and spin the solid panel towards the damp breeze that picked up in the middle of the night. Much more convenient than getting out and deploying my tarp. I absolutely love my dutchware winter sock , it's just awesome to block the wind when the temperatures dip. Fantastic purchase for winter backing
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Aug 14, 2017 02:17
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I've never heard of a hammock sock before and while its a cool idea, I think I am on the verge of giving up selling all my hammock stuff buying a tiny little tent. I still haven't gotten around to buying a good quilt set and at this point I think I would need to move to a larger pack to even fit it all. Between the set up hassle, bulk, and weight, I think I will be happier with a light tent, a very good pad, and some sleeping pills.
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Aug 14, 2017 12:42
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Yeah... Hammocks are no panacea. If you count insulation, rain protection, and long enough suspension to handle trees in the west the bulk and weight will be higher than the lighter backpacking tents. I am sticking with it because I sleep better and enjoy the DIY aspect. I pretty much made all my hammock gear except for that sock and a set of snake skins. I might have to try the sleeping pills when I end up on the ground.
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Aug 14, 2017 14:06
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bongwizzard posted:I've never heard of a hammock sock before and while its a cool idea, I think I am on the verge of giving up selling all my hammock stuff buying a tiny little tent. I still haven't gotten around to buying a good quilt set and at this point I think I would need to move to a larger pack to even fit it all. Between the set up hassle, bulk, and weight, I think I will be happier with a light tent, a very good pad, and some sleeping pills. The trick is finding a good setup. Yeah, if you went with a bivy sack like the e-vent and a good inflatable pad, it wouldn't be as comfortable or as simple to set up and use, but it would be about the same weight. Though if it were going to reason, I'd still want a tarp which completely negates any weight savings. If you've got a cheap and crappy hammock with the stock suspension, yeah it's not gonna be that comfortable, or even much of a weight savings. But if you've got something like the blackbird hammock with the webbing suspension that you just clip into place around the tree and pull to tighten, setup takes less than two minutes. You can buy cheap underquilts from HammockGear, just look at the econ ones with the ion fabric. You can get a 30° underquilt for less than a hundred bucks, and just use your sleeping bag unzipped like a top quilt. For your tarp, just get the DutchWare tarp ridgeline kit for less than 30$ and use it with any tarp for a cheap hassle free setup. Between the amount of work that goes into setting up and unpacking a tent (versus unclipping and stuffing a hammock into the sack), combined with how hot a tent can get and the relative lack of comfort and difficultly finding a good spot makes hammocks a clear winner in my book
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Aug 14, 2017 18:20
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OSU_Matthew posted:Between the amount of work that goes into setting up and unpacking a tent (versus unclipping and stuffing a hammock into the sack), combined with how hot a tent can get and the relative lack of comfort and difficultly finding a good spot makes hammocks a clear winner in my book Eh, I have a Hennessy with whoopy sling suspension and a tarp rigged up with a bunch of dutchwear crap. Admittedly I used too thin line for both, resulting in them being super awful to handle with damp/cold hands, but my bro has a semi-fancy pants tent and I swear he can get it set up in the time it takes me to just get my hammock set, without fussing with the tarp or (future) underquilt. The Blackbird webbing system looks cool but I never stumbled across it when I was buying/making my current setup, maybe it will help if I get motivated enough to try it. The hammock is far more comfortable when actually sleeping, but is far more annoying to me for everything else and the bulk of all the hammock stuff is insane even without a bottom quilt. I am starting to think the added comfort isnt enough to make it worth it. I feel like something like this would be about the same weight, less bulky, and less annoying to live in/around. 90% of the time I am camping at a proper "site" so suitable ground is often easier to find than suitable trees. Like if I know I am going out in the rain or to a spot full of rocks the hammock would get the nod, but the last few times I was out I was hating on my hammock like crazy every time I had to gently caress with it. Also I would like to give a huge gently caress you to whatever species of bug got past my socks in the rain Saturday and bit the gently caress out of my ankles. The mosquitoes that descended on my thighs after the rain can also get hosed. I guess I should always bring the tiny little thing of spray I keep in my big pack, but idk if rain+bushwhacking would just wipe it off as fast as I could put it on.
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Aug 14, 2017 20:57
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I'm planning a 3-night trip on the Four Pass Loop starting this Sunday. Does anyone know/remember if the trailhead has showers? Or somewhere else nearby that would let me shower. I'll camp Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday nights and fly out of Denver Wednesday night but would like to shower before getting on the plane. Any ideas?
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Aug 14, 2017 21:14
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I've been having the same thoughts as others about hammocks lately. It started off cool because it was so small and light. Then I camped at a spot with the most relentless mosquito's I had ever seen and woke up with welts all over my face. My back was also getting pretty cold I had to start using a sleeping pad. And of course, if it rains, you need a tarp. Once you start adding all these accessories, its big, bulky, heavy, and a pain to set up. I bought myself a nemo go go, and I might take the hammock along as well on the chance conditions are perfect for it. The hammock by itself is small and light enough that its not a big deal to take.
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Aug 14, 2017 21:53
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Aug 14, 2017 23:27
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