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Lester Shy posted:Is there a dedicated flashlight thread anywhere? My dad has a 550 lumen Atactical A1 NW that he really likes, but for Christmas he wants something small enough to wear around his neck on a daily basis. Any recommendations? A lot of the things on Amazon listed as "keychain lights" look like those horrible cheap lights you get for free at Harbor Freight. Check out what Petzl makes in the 20 to 60 dollar range, unless he needs 550 lumens. Power varies, mostly you're just paying for the rechargeable battery vs not having it, some camo options and some night colors edit I read fast and forgot headlamps and dedicated flash lights aren't the same thing, buy one anyway. Anyone have any thoughts on Alps 1.5 man mystique tents? Tempted to get one on sale around $100
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Dec 5, 2019 04:26
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extra stout posted:Anyone have any thoughts on Alps 1.5 man mystique tents? Tempted to get one on sale around $100 I've never seen one in person, but looking at the design page, there is no 'spine' pole between the two arches? With how steep the sides look to the corner stakes, I think you're guaranteed sagging even with optimal staking. For full price you can do better (although I do think the door design is kind of cool), sale I guess roll the dice and tell us how it goes. e: a while ago people were posting about the lanshan 2 as a zpacks duplex alternative, for about the same price you're talking about you might want to check that out. Chard fucked around with this message at 06:32 on Dec 5, 2019 |
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Dec 5, 2019 06:28
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Chard posted:I've never seen one in person, but looking at the design page, there is no 'spine' pole between the two arches? With how steep the sides look to the corner stakes, I think you're guaranteed sagging even with optimal staking. For full price you can do better (although I do think the door design is kind of cool), sale I guess roll the dice and tell us how it goes. Will check it out thanks, where are you finding them for 100 or 110? They're 128-140 on aliexpress which I've never used and generally don't trust and around the same from unreliable amazon resellers I don't know poo poo about tents other than I need to be able to afford it and it'd be nice if it fit in a 34L or so hunting pack which is not even meant to be camped out of and I will probably die from choosing. The mystique design definitely seems pretty stake heavy but people like them and I haven't seen sagging complaints yet, it doesn't help that the only people who review solo camping and mountaineering tents are guys in their back yard in July during perfect weather into flat lawns
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Dec 5, 2019 06:57
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Lester Shy posted:Is there a dedicated flashlight thread anywhere? My dad has a 550 lumen Atactical A1 NW that he really likes, but for Christmas he wants something small enough to wear around his neck on a daily basis. Any recommendations? A lot of the things on Amazon listed as "keychain lights" look like those horrible cheap lights you get for free at Harbor Freight.  on a gift I have a zebralight that I really like that runs with one AA battery. I'm not suggesting anyone needs spend $60 on a small flashlight, but it is a very nice light. Just don't leave alkaline batteries in it because they will leak and get stuck, so you might need to gift your dad some eneloops also.e: If you want to go down some ridiculous rabbit hole, check out candlepowerforums.com e2: I don't know if any of those lights have a way to attach a keyring or lanyard, but they do have belt clips. CopperHound fucked around with this message at 07:15 on Dec 5, 2019 |
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Dec 5, 2019 07:12
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extra stout posted:Will check it out thanks, where are you finding them for 100 or 110? They're 128-140 on aliexpress which I've never used and generally don't trust and around the same from unreliable amazon resellers I have the same reservations about aliexpress but that's all secondhand, I've never ordered through them. I did round down a bit on the budget, I haven't looked at them in a while and just remembered the discussion. Generally speaking most tents are going to be good enough for three season camping and vary on factors like weight and packability, more doors/vents, bells and whistles, etc. If you're comfortable being a little less comfortable a tarp and some walking poles/appropriate branches does most of the same things for a lot less, and can be the most compact.
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Dec 5, 2019 22:10
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Speaking of tents, I started to get pretty chilly in my REI Half Dome when things dropped to ~15 degrees. Is there such a thing as an inexpensive 1-2 person winter tent? I was already using a 0 degree bag and an insulated inflatable pad.
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Dec 5, 2019 22:22
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The half dome is already a double wall shelter. As far as warmth goes, the only real difference in 4-season tents is using a solid fabric inner instead of mesh. This does make for a warmer tent but not by that much, and dollar for dollar its not an efficient way to boost warmth. 4-season tents are mainly distinguished by ability to shed snow and hold up in a storm, and these both generally make for sturdier construction that equals some combination of $$$ and weight. Plus people using 4-season tents are usually skiing or mountaineering and those are both sports which automatically jack up the price of any piece of kit marketed for them... An "inexpensive" winter tent like the North Face Alpine Guide is $300-$400 weighs like 6 lbs with cordage & stakes. You could spend less than that on an over-quilt, or bivy bag, or warmer sleep clothes, or a higher r-value pad, or a cheap foam pad under your inflatable, and get a lot more warmth for a given cost and weight. There are low(er) cost shelters that are routinely used for winter conditions that manage to be not too expensive and reasonably light, like the ubiquitous black diamond first light, but these won't be any warmer than your half dome (and some are single walled). Supplementing your current gear with some combination of a foam pad, light down or synthetic quilt over your bag (which is also nice to capture condensation that might otherwise form on your main bag), or a cheap (not super goretex etc.) bivy sack, are probably the cheapest ways to be significantly warmer. If you aren't already wearing your insulating clothes to bed that helps too obviously. Edit: also do you know the EN *comfort* rating for your current bag, or your pad's r-value? Morbus fucked around with this message at 17:52 on Dec 6, 2019 |
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Dec 6, 2019 17:47
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Morbus posted:The half dome is already a double wall shelter. As far as warmth goes, the only real difference in 4-season tents is using a solid fabric inner instead of mesh. This does make for a warmer tent but not by that much, and dollar for dollar its not an efficient way to boost warmth. 4-season tents are mainly distinguished by ability to shed snow and hold up in a storm, and these both generally make for sturdier construction that equals some combination of $$$ and weight. Plus people using 4-season tents are usually skiing or mountaineering and those are both sports which automatically jack up the price of any piece of kit marketed for them... According to Amazon, the ratings are "Extreme -8F (-22C), Limit 23F (-5C), Comfort 34F (1C)", which makes me laugh--I mean, the price was good and it's a comfortable bag in general, hell I probably read those ratings and was fine with it when I bought it, but 34 degrees is pretty loving far from 0 guys. It's a Teton LEEF 0F. The pad's r-value is 4.4 (Klymit Insulated Static V). Appreciate the input, I'll try to bring my foam pad too next time if I'm car-camping, otherwise I'll just loving deal with wearing more clothes to bed.
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Dec 6, 2019 19:15
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EN ratings always have a large range. Looking at a Thermarest Hyperion 20 degree, for instance, a $400 sleeping bag, has a 32 comfort, 20 lower, minus 9 extreme. Per EN, using an appropriate sleeping pad with one baselayer a female in a relaxed position will be comfortable at 32, a male at 20, and the extreme is for a female that is not at risk of DEATH from hypothermia for SIX HOURS. It is pretty drat dumb to call what should be a 20 degree bag a 0 degree bag. Source: Wikipedia (In case you didn't already know this) e: but the cheaper bags probably are not EN tested due to being cost-prohibitive and probably guess based on specs compared to the competition CancerStick fucked around with this message at 01:40 on Dec 7, 2019 |
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Dec 7, 2019 01:33
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Pham Nuwen posted:According to Amazon, the ratings are "Extreme -8F (-22C), Limit 23F (-5C), Comfort 34F (1C)", which makes me laugh--I mean, the price was good and it's a comfortable bag in general, hell I probably read those ratings and was fine with it when I bought it, but 34 degrees is pretty loving far from 0 guys. It's a Teton LEEF 0F. LOL jesus...that's pretty wild even for usual "temperature rating" shenanigans. Surprised you were only "pretty chilly". Slightly higher r-value on the pad may also be called for at 15F (or just adding 1-2 r-value with a foam pad underneath) but you might be fine with your current one. I'd say just getting some more insulation is first order of business.
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Dec 7, 2019 01:53
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Anyone have any experience with the Nemo spoon shaped bags, specifically the Disco? I’m a side sleeper and hate how a traditional bag feels and willing to try one of these out. Main complaints I see are of it being colder due to its larger space.
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Dec 9, 2019 03:18
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Also, since my event in April tends to not go lower than the high 40s for the area would I be able to get by with some good ground padding and a blanket for sleeping instead of needing a sleeping bag? It's been getting into the 50s in Florida and I unfortunately don't have working heating in my house, but I haven't had any problems with the cold so far under my blanket. I even prefer sleeping without clothes in a room below 70 degrees because I overheat easily.
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Dec 9, 2019 04:02
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Everybody is different and only you can know for sure. Most bedding bankets tend to be cotton which absorb moisture from the air and don't dry easily. You will feel damp and that can make you colder. 50s inside is different than 50s outside with a breeze and humidity. I would suggest dry run.
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Dec 9, 2019 04:35
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chitoryu12 posted:Also, since my event in April tends to not go lower than the high 40s for the area would I be able to get by with some good ground padding and a blanket for sleeping instead of needing a sleeping bag? It's been getting into the 50s in Florida and I unfortunately don't have working heating in my house, but I haven't had any problems with the cold so far under my blanket. I even prefer sleeping without clothes in a room below 70 degrees because I overheat easily. Yes, but it could be awkward and bulky to carry them to camp. Per Verman, if all you have is cotton it may suck, especially if it rains, or if the ground is damp, or if its humid. A lot of blankets are 100% synthetic (e.g. fleece), but if you don't already have some idk at what point its better to just get a sleeping bag. Way back when, when I first started camping and it was all car camping, all I used were a bunch of fleece blankets and foam ground padding and I did fine. But carrying all that bulky bedding any significant distance would have been very impractical.
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Dec 9, 2019 04:58
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How would a wool blanket suffice? Humidity seems to average 46-77% for April. The temperature seems to fluctuate a lot in Wyandotte.
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Dec 9, 2019 05:35
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FCKGW posted:Anyone have any experience with the Nemo spoon shaped bags, specifically the Disco? I’m a side sleeper and hate how a traditional bag feels and willing to try one of these out. Main complaints I see are of it being colder due to its larger space. seconding this, spoon sounds like the solution to my desire for a rectangular bag with a hood.
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Dec 9, 2019 06:00
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chitoryu12 posted:How would a wool blanket suffice? Humidity seems to average 46-77% for April. The temperature seems to fluctuate a lot in Wyandotte. It might be ok (wool is good in general but we can’t know how thick your particular blanket is) but your best bet is to test out your gear before. IIRC you’re in the Midwest so turn your thermostat to a low-end temp for April and sleep on the floor w/ your setup. Maybe do an overnighter a few weeks before the event
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Dec 9, 2019 06:14
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The Wiggly Wizard posted:It might be ok (wool is good in general but we can’t know how thick your particular blanket is) but your best bet is to test out your gear before. IIRC you’re in the Midwest so turn your thermostat to a low-end temp for April and sleep on the floor w/ your setup. Maybe do an overnighter a few weeks before the event I'm in Florida (I'm traveling for this event), so it tends to be very humid at all times. My house is made of cinderblock so it tends to be very cold when it's cold and very hot when it's hot.
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Dec 9, 2019 14:47
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No one can really tell you if you can get away with x or y for a sleep system because there are too many variables involved. The best thing you can do is plan on stuff that you think will make you too warm because taking off a layer of clothes or sleeping half under a blanket / quilt / sleeping bag is way easier to do than freeze the whole night through because you went too light.
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Dec 9, 2019 20:31
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Anyone get any new camping gear for the holidays? My GF and I have been building our own kitchen pack (as our camping group currently shares all of the kitchen gear), and we got a set of pots, collapsible wash-basin, and then she got me a collapsible pour-over coffee funnel for filter coffee and a single-use filter. Plus we got some MEC giftcards so we can go all gearslutty. Still keeping an eye out for kijiji for a smaller used backpack to stow all the kit in. Don't want to buy new because it's gonna get gross real fast.
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Dec 30, 2019 21:06
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I got my wife a long spoon because she was unhappy with eating out of cook-in-bags with a normal sized spoon!
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Dec 30, 2019 21:12
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xzzy posted:I got my wife a long spoon because she was unhappy with eating out of cook-in-bags with a normal sized spoon! 
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Dec 30, 2019 21:25
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MA-Horus posted:Anyone get any new camping gear for the holidays? quote:Still keeping an eye out for kijiji for a smaller used backpack to stow all the kit in. Don't want to buy new because it's gonna get gross real fast. Bought an Amazon Basics 75l pack for $20 (do not recommend for hiking, straps won't stay tight but for short hauls it is good). Brand new with tags. Osprey Manta 36 for ~$45. Been digging it. Gregory Shasta for $25. Old model and missing some modern touches but a bomber of a bag. This will be my new field bag until I can find a good front-loader. North Face Terra 40 for $40.01 that I shouldn't have bought. 3 BD harnesses, 1 Mammut harness that came with a pair of climbing shoes in my wife's size. Came with a hydration pack (that bladder was so gross) and an MSR dromedary, $30 for the lot.
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Dec 30, 2019 23:01
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I got new hiking boots for Christmas. They make one of my ankle bones hurt so I'm tempted to return them. They're the vasque st elias fg gtx and I'm pretty sure the breaking in period is supposed to be minimal.
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Jan 1, 2020 03:34
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Most modern boots don't need much break in. If something bugs you off the get go, return them especially if a place doesn't have a good return policy where you can try them for a while before returning like rei.
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Jan 1, 2020 03:56
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They're from MEC, which is just the Canadian REI. They're return policy is as long as it's clean and not safety equipment it should be ok to get credit or something. I've only taken them out for a quick hike in the snow, so it should be fine.
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Jan 1, 2020 04:29
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MA-Horus posted:Anyone get any new camping gear for the holidays? My GF and I have been building our own kitchen pack (as our camping group currently shares all of the kitchen gear), and we got a set of pots, collapsible wash-basin, and then she got me a collapsible pour-over coffee funnel for filter coffee and a single-use filter. Plus we got some MEC giftcards so we can go all gearslutty. I got a Trangia 27-2 set and it kicks rear end. Helps that my wife works in a lab and can liberate 200 proof ethanol for fuel...
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Jan 1, 2020 04:57
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Pham Nuwen posted:I got a Trangia 27-2 set and it kicks rear end. Helps that my wife works in a lab and can liberate 200 proof ethanol for fuel... That’s awesome! I wish fuel weren’t so expensive... I’d love to go back to an alcohol stove and just carry multipurpose everclear xzzy posted:I got my wife a long spoon because she was unhappy with eating out of cook-in-bags with a normal sized spoon! You are an excellent gift giver... long handled spoon is one of my all time favorite backpacking gear purchases
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Jan 2, 2020 19:41
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I bought some stuff for myself for unknown reasons. I don't do winter camping and doubt I could take it even though I want to try. Eh, buying gear is fun. Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Pillow Nemo Men's Disco 15-Degree Insulated Down Sleeping Bag TOAKS Titanium 750ml Pot Sea to Summit X Mug I got the pot because last time I went camping I just used Mountain House stuff so I just need something to boil water in. I don't need a full cook set. I wanted a new sleep system since I think my other bag is for warmer weather, my old pad got numerous holes in it, and I can't find my pillow. For the pad I have a Sleepingo Ultra Light. It's pretty great for the price. I haven't backpacked yet due to not knowing how the hell to get started so I'm mostly just car camping. Anyway, the pillow has a nice cutout for your shoulder. I'm a side/stomach only sleeper. I have apnea and can't sleep on my back. I've done a few sleep studies and they said, I quote, "You sleep violently." So that's also why I got the spoon shaped bag to give my legs more room for flailing. I tried out the system on NYE to see how it'd work out and I slept like poo poo. I ended up having to use my normal bedroom pillow halfway through the night. Although I tested the pillow itself in my bed and it was excellent. I know I had too much caffeine on NYE so that may have disrupted my sleep. I have numerous sleep disorders so this is a really big deal for me. Last time I went camping I got no sleep one night, that's when I found my old pad died, and spent most of the next day in my car trying to sleep. Another thing that sucks is I use a CPAP. I'm not morbidly obese or anything, I had apnea when I was down to 155lbs. I know I can't take that backpacking with me but it'd be nice to use it for car camping. Although I'd rather try to sleep without it to get used to it so I can survive backpacking. The portable batteries I've seen are like $400 so that's not too high on my priority list. Anyway. That's the stuff I got.
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Jan 5, 2020 03:47
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Anybody got a rec for a favorite headlamp? Bonus if it's on amazon so I can use some gift cards.
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Jan 7, 2020 20:56
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I have simple needs but I love my Petzl Tikkina. The case doubles as a small lantern, which is cool. Both are on Amazon.
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Jan 7, 2020 21:38
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I've had some Princeton tech remix pros which I love. Had a black diamond storm but it made a buzzing sound so I returned it. I liked the performance but the buzzing sound was annoying.
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Jan 7, 2020 22:54
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I like my Nitecore NU25. Some people like replaceable batteries but I'm already carrying a battery pack so I like being able to just recharge it instead of carrying extra batteries.
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Jan 7, 2020 23:49
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Am currently using a Fenix HL32R. Checks all my boxes, is rechargable, and is a good deal brighter than my old Petzl Tikk-whatever.
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Jan 8, 2020 00:49
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Rolo posted:I have simple needs but I love my Petzl Tikkina. SwissArmyDruid posted:Am currently using a Fenix HL32R. Checks all my boxes, is rechargable, and is a good deal brighter than my old Petzl Tikk-whatever. I may end up getting the Fenix and the Petzl case to see if they fit together. If they don't, I'll return the Petzl case. Being rechargeable is a big plus that I didn't originally state (whoops) but since I already have a big fuckoff battery pack for my phone, that's a plus. Thanks for the recommendations, everyone. Really looking forward to not drooling everywhere as I hold a flashlight in my mouth futzing around in my pack.
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Jan 8, 2020 16:38
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Rotten Cookies posted:I may end up getting the Fenix and the Petzl case to see if they fit together. If they don't, I'll return the Petzl case. Being rechargeable is a big plus that I didn't originally state (whoops) but since I already have a big fuckoff battery pack for my phone, that's a plus. I have the case, I can check fitment when I get home from work this evening.
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Jan 8, 2020 18:43
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i'm looking for a usb rechargeable headlamp which doesn't cost too much and has a red light mode. anyone got any suggestions? It doesn't have to be very strong as it'll mostly be used around a tent but it be nice to have something which can also act as a backup light for cycling incase my main one fails. e: literally just read the posts before mine after posting this. sorry. I'll probably get the petzl tikka
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Jan 9, 2020 16:53
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hemale in pain posted:i'm looking for a usb rechargeable headlamp which doesn't cost too much and has a red light mode. anyone got any suggestions? It doesn't have to be very strong as it'll mostly be used around a tent but it be nice to have something which can also act as a backup light for cycling incase my main one fails. Came into the thread at exactly the right time, friendo
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Jan 9, 2020 17:00
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now im looking at the nitecore  i'd get the fenix but they've done that annoying thing where they've just turned the dollar sign to £ and charging too much for it in the uk.
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Jan 9, 2020 17:11
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SwissArmyDruid posted:I have the case, I can check fitment when I get home from work this evening. Case was not where I thought it was, I need to go digging in the camping gear trunk.
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Jan 9, 2020 17:18
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