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ROFLburger posted:kinda wish sleeping pad manufacturers offered a size between 'regular' and 'large'. i'm 5'11 and my toes often hang off of regular pads but large pads don't fit in the the "2 person" tent with my partner Alternatively (if it’s in your budget) swap out your 2-person tent for a 3-person. We just went from an MSR 2-person Hubba Hubba to a Big Agnes 3-person Copper Spur and it’s a night-and-day difference. I’m 6’3” and now my pad actually has some space at the foot of it for me to stash some gear, and if I roll over I’m not right on top of my partner. The trail weight is actually a touch lighter too, but that’s probably because the old tent was probably five or six years old.
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Nov 17, 2020 18:14
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Thanks for the responses! I picked up one of the Kelty bags.
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Nov 17, 2020 18:18
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ROFLburger posted:kinda wish sleeping pad manufacturers offered a size between 'regular' and 'large'. i'm 5'11 and my toes often hang off of regular pads but large pads don't fit in the the "2 person" tent with my partner For one you could get a XL ridgerest or z-lite and cut it down. But if you must have an air pad, get a regular and one of the z-lite seat pads to stick under your feet
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Nov 17, 2020 18:24
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Embrace insanity and get one of those half pads only for your torso then you wont mind your feet being off the pad because it'll be your entire lower half instead
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Nov 18, 2020 16:45
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The Wiggly Wizard posted:For one you could get a XL ridgerest or z-lite and cut it down. But if you must have an air pad, get a regular and one of the z-lite seat pads to stick under your feet are you a side sleeper? i am and i imagine i wouldn't be able to live without an air pad but i've never actually tried sleeping on a foam pad. maybe i should?
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Nov 18, 2020 18:56
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ROFLburger posted:are you a side sleeper? i am and i imagine i wouldn't be able to live without an air pad but i've never actually tried sleeping on a foam pad. maybe i should? You never know until you try! I took just an old Zlite on a multiday trip to Colorado and while it kept me warm enough I was not very comfortable using just that. In fact I had some bruising on my hips and shoulders from sleeping on just it, was very odd. I have a nice Thermarest blow up/foam hybrid pad but its such a pain to get in its stuff sack I end up not using it enough.
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Nov 18, 2020 19:51
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ROFLburger posted:are you a side sleeper? i am and i imagine i wouldn't be able to live without an air pad but i've never actually tried sleeping on a foam pad. maybe i should? I tried foam pads when I started backpacking. I never got a good nights sleep because I cant sleep on my back. If I slept on my side, my entire body (especially my hips, shoulders and knees) were sore the next day and I didn't feel well rested because I never got comfortable. Air pad is the only way for me.
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Nov 18, 2020 22:45
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ROFLburger posted:are you a side sleeper? i am and i imagine i wouldn't be able to live without an air pad but i've never actually tried sleeping on a foam pad. maybe i should? I am a side and tummy sleeper and it's not particularly comfortable but I've been doing it for long enough that I don't mind. The key is to completely wipe myself out hiking during the day. I'm sure the day will come when I splurge on an air pad and never go back but I have other things to upgrade first and I do think the durability outweights the comfort factor for me.
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Nov 18, 2020 22:57
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I typically try to be as ultralight as possible, but due to some back problems I use both a foam AND an inflatable pad stacked, and take the weight penalty. I find this is the warmest and most comfort for me. I keep the inflatable one slightly under inflated so side sleeping is doable. Speaking of sleeping gear, I switched to a quilt this past summer season and it was a revolution. I can move so much better at night while staying warm. With the exception of winter conditions, no more mummy bags for me!
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Nov 19, 2020 14:13
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testifeye posted:Speaking of sleeping gear, I switched to a quilt this past summer season and it was a revolution. I can move so much better at night while staying warm. With the exception of winter conditions, no more mummy bags for me! I am counting down the days until my new Warbonnet Diamondback quilt arrives! Its a 20F and I thought it'd be to cold to use this season but are temps are about 20F above normal so I may get the chance. For anyone on the fence about quilts, check out some of the Sierra Designs Nitro quilts. I have their older 2015 model that has the little hood and hand pockets that I picked up cheap at an REI garage sale and I love the thing for summer trips.
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Nov 19, 2020 14:47
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otoh I just got a new Nemo bag and I think I love it. It's violin shaped, which gives you extra knee room and lets you sleep on your side without rotating the bag itself. It's extremely comfortable.
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Nov 19, 2020 16:02
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Don't you guys with mummy bags ever unzip it the entire way down and just use it as a blanket? With my 15° bag and an insulated air pad, I'm usually good like this down to 30° or so until the drafts are to cold. You can still tuck your feet into the foot box but you still have a big blanket to sleep under now with no issues rolling over. Also, I need new trail runners as well as new boots. In going to eventually replace my current pack and tent as well for lighter better options. This is going to be expensive.
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Nov 19, 2020 19:57
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I totally have. I used my 20F Cats Meow bag that way for years until I had money to actually buy a quilt. Really its just weight savings. I've always had good luck with La Sportiva trail runners for hiking shoes, though I do no running so I cant say how good they are for their intended purpose. Are you looking to improve tent/bag for just general hiking and camping or are you planning for some long distance trails?
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Nov 19, 2020 20:12
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BaseballPCHiker posted:I've always had good luck with La Sportiva trail runners for hiking shoes, though I do no running so I cant say how good they are for their intended purpose. Same for me, no running either, I just prefer trail runners for hiking and backpacking as a lighter more breathable option than boots. I loved my Merrell All Out Peaks which are no longer being made. They were great and lasted a long time, plus I probably pushed them further than they were meant because they're literally falling apart. I'm probably leaning towards the Saucony Peregrines but I'll go try a bunch of stuff on in person to see what fits and feel good. I really wish I could just design my own shoe. Boots: My current boots are ancient and simply worn out, they hold water better than they shed it. I'm thinking of just getting some Salomon Quest 4D GTXs. I do almost all of my backpacking with trail runners but I use boots occasionally for extremely lovely trail conditions, hunting, snowshoeing etc. Part of me thought about just getting another pair of moabs because they're cheap and are comfortable out of the box but Im not a fan of how low they are (I always got debris in them) and if I'm going to get boots, I may as well get something a little higher up the ankle and more robust. I don't see too many boots on the trails these days but when I do, Salomons are super common. BaseballPCHiker posted:Are you looking to improve tent/bag for just general hiking and camping or are you planning for some long distance trails? No specific trips in particular, I live in Seattle so I'm able to get out pretty frequently. My usual trips are 3-5 days. I've had most of my gear for a while now, have put lots of miles on it and am starting to get tired of some of the quirks. Over the years I've upgraded certain pieces of gear to better quality stuff, less weight etc and these are sort of the outliers. I'm realizing these two pieces are what stick out. Backpack: I have several backpacks (mostly different sizes) but my primary one is 8 years old and the hip belt straps loosen up. It doesn't compress loads well and its heavy. I'm pretty set on an Osprey Atmos 65. A little weighty but comfortable as hell, great organization. I love the other osprey packs I own. They are usually very feature rich and Ive never had a problem with their stuff. Great back panel, hip and shoulder straps. Compresses loads well. I'm fairly certain I'll go this route. Ive tried them on in the past but didn't want to pull the trigger due to price at the time. My old pack is driving me nuts enough that its going to be worth it. I might not save a lot of weight on this, maybe lose a pound from my current but the quality and comfort should increase. Tent: My current tent is still my trusted REI Passage 2 from ... 8 years ago? I think it weighs 5.5 lbs with everything and I was starting to see it as an opportunity to shed half the weight by going with a 1p tent or a very light 2p. I do like the space of a 2p but carrying something that only weighs 2lbs sounds nice. This isn't too high on my priority list and its going to be the most expensive but at some point maybe I'll upgrade. I'll keep my current as a roomier spare or for car camping. If I could lose 2-3 lbs that could be cool. To shed even more weight, in summer I'll likely ditch my 15º down bag altogether and opt for a lighter down quilt which should be good for another 1-1.5lbs.
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Nov 19, 2020 22:08
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Verman posted:Salomon Quest 4D GTX These are great boots, with the usual boot caveats. I think I'm going to go with Salomon for my next shoe buy because they're very well made.
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Nov 20, 2020 00:12
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Verman posted:No specific trips in particular, I live in Seattle so I'm able to get out pretty frequently. My usual trips are 3-5 days. I've had most of my gear for a while now, have put lots of miles on it and am starting to get tired of some of the quirks. Over the years I've upgraded certain pieces of gear to better quality stuff, less weight etc and these are sort of the outliers. I'm realizing these two pieces are what stick out. If you're in Seattle I wonder if hike enough in dry western conditions to get away with a single wall tent? I personally cant in the Midwest, between the humidity and the bugs, but you might be able to save some weight that way. Personally I like freestanding tents, never really got the hang of trekking pole tents. I picked up a used REI QuarterDome 2 tent thats about 5 pounds. Its huge for one person but I'll still use it solo. Otherwise its a perfect tent for the wife and I together and relatively cheap. I love Osprey Bags, but dont have any now after giving away my old one about 5 years ago. May want to check out ULA bags too. They seem to nail that sweet spot between ultralight and comfort. I've heard a ton of good things about them and when my Granite Gear bag finally dies I'll probably pick one up.
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Nov 20, 2020 14:11
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I did most of my AT thru hike in 2011 with a ula circuit. Very happy with it other than the swampy back, but it's a fair trade for a lighter pack.
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Nov 20, 2020 17:28
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Lots of retailers are doing 20% off a single item sales right now, REI, MooseJaw, Backcountry, etc. Picked up a lighter Nemo Fillio pillow, 4 ounces compared to 9 with the original model and a nice avalanche shovel for my winter trips.
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Nov 23, 2020 04:50
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Fitzy Fitz posted:otoh I just got a new Nemo bag and I think I love it. It's violin shaped, which gives you extra knee room and lets you sleep on your side without rotating the bag itself. It's extremely comfortable. I just got one of these a few months ago and used it this summer. It's the Nemo Disco 15. Somehow it got down to the 40s during the night and I was super comfortable. I'm a side/stomach sleeper and when I had my last sleep study done they said I "sleep violently" lol. I kick and toss and turn in my sleep so hearing about "spoon" shaped bags made me super excited. It was excellent. My most comfortable sleep ever while camping (in a sleeping bag). Although I went all out last time since I was taking my nephew car camping. I've never been backpacking despite owning a bunch of backpacking gear. I don't know anyone else who ever camps or especially backpacks so I'd have to do it alone and I don't know where to start finding out where or how I can backpack. I usually use an old REI Half Dome 2 (I think) and a foam/air thermarest pad that died last year. This last time I bought a Coleman 4 person tent, one of those big inflatable air mattresses with a motor in it that you keep for guests sleeping at your house, and brought my pillow from home. I also got an electric site and brought my CPAP lol. It was so good. I want to try camping this fall/winter but I've never done it before and absolutely hate the cold but I only went camping once this year and I need more. I'm going to have to learn how to do it. It'll be alone of course so I'll have to find a way to occupy myself besides just hiking since it's not like I can go kayaking and biking would kind of suck with the cold wind. Pennywise the Frown fucked around with this message at 19:46 on Nov 24, 2020 |
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Nov 24, 2020 19:44
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Shoulder season camping is my favorite because the campfires are less risk and infinitely more enjoyable. Plus you don't typically have to deal with bugs. Boots: I bought the Solomon quest 4d gtx and had to size down as I felt like I was swimming in my usual size. I think I need to swap out the insoles as the arches are away too high and it feels like I'm walking on tennis balls which is strange because I spanish l almost never have fitment issues. Other than that, they feel like the right mix of light and burly. I also like that they went up higher than a few other boots. The big rubber toe cap is also nice. I did try on a bunch of other stuff while I was there. La Sportiva nucleo boots ... Super comfortable and lightweight. I really liked them and considered them for a second but they didn't feel very protective or durable. They were also very low. The sole was too flexible for my typical boot usage. Lowa camino: these are also super comfortable and liked the rubber toe rand but my heel didn't feel secure and they were lower on the ankle than the others while being $100 more. Saucony peregrine felt good. Nothing special but they felt good. Rock plate wasn't very stiff. Altra lone peak 4, felt incredible but I'm not sure I'll want to do the zero drop thing. Plus the rock plate didn't feel very protective. Then I was looking at skis, new tents, backpacks ... I just paid off my student loans and suddenly gear is looking more affordable by the second.
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Nov 25, 2020 06:48
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Pennywise the Frown posted:I just got one of these a few months ago and used it this summer. It's the Nemo Disco 15. Somehow it got down to the 40s during the night and I was super comfortable. I'm a side/stomach sleeper and when I had my last sleep study done they said I "sleep violently" lol. I kick and toss and turn in my sleep so hearing about "spoon" shaped bags made me super excited. It was excellent. My most comfortable sleep ever while camping (in a sleeping bag). Yeah, I got the Disco! I'd never bought any of Nemo's stuff before, but I'm really impressed with the construction quality compared to my old Marmot bag. No more 15-degree nights in a 40-degree bag. You should give solo camping a try if you're at all interested. Once I've met my needs (shelter, food, water), I enjoy just taking in my surroundings and reflecting. It feels like a reward after the hard work of planning, driving, hiking, and setting up camp. If you need ideas for places, I usually use a mix of AllTrails, freecampsites.net, and the Cycle Map layer on OpenStreetMap.
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Nov 25, 2020 21:14
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Can anyone recommend a good multipurpose "tactical" shovel? It's exclusively for car camping so weight and size is not a concern.
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Nov 25, 2020 22:59
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Fitzy Fitz posted:Yeah, I got the Disco! I'd never bought any of Nemo's stuff before, but I'm really impressed with the construction quality compared to my old Marmot bag. No more 15-degree nights in a 40-degree bag. I'm really bad at finding places to camp. I always go to structured car camping camp grounds. The one I go by me is just 25 minutes away. Bong Recreation Area (heh). It's not that great. Nothing to do but a few trails and it's pretty flat here in SE WI. I've gone to Kettle Moraine Southern Unit before and it's only 1 hour away and the terrain is much better but they're closed after October. There's probably other places within a few hours from me but I'm pretty anxious and am a bit afraid to plan by myself. I guess I don't really have a choice though. I checked out that freecampsites.net and everything within 2-3 hours near me is just allowing RVs in parking lots. Anyone know of any places to camp within driving distance of southeast Wisconsin? Backpacking would be the best but really anything would do. Maybe not the best idea to try backpacking for the first time alone but it's not like anyone else will do it with me so my options are limited.
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Nov 26, 2020 00:45
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Chequamegon NF has dispersed camping, so get their latest MVUM map, pick a road, and go camp (and read the rules): https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/cnnf/recreation/?cid=fseprd579392 https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/cnnf/maps-pubs They have heaps of designated campgrounds too but I've never used any. The dells region has lots of excellent organized camping too, plus some hills! Wyalusing and Wildcat mountain are my favorites. This assumes 3-4 hours of driving is not too far for you (but you should get used to it, because a few hours to get anywhere good is pretty normal for camping).
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Nov 26, 2020 02:36
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While we are on the topic, I haven't had much luck looking for distributed camping in middle tn or the surrounding area. I'm assuming I'm just looking poorly but like the poster above it seems to be a lot of rv spots and the one I found I'm fairly certain actually isn't as it's at a state park that charges for it's other campsites. Is there a good resource besides that government site that is somewhat hard to navigate?
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Nov 26, 2020 12:22
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Pennywise the Frown posted:Anyone know of any places to camp within driving distance of southeast Wisconsin? Backpacking would be the best but really anything would do. Maybe not the best idea to try backpacking for the first time alone but it's not like anyone else will do it with me so my options are limited. Parallelwoody posted:While we are on the topic, I haven't had much luck looking for distributed camping in middle tn or the surrounding area. I'm assuming I'm just looking poorly but like the poster above it seems to be a lot of rv spots and the one I found I'm fairly certain actually isn't as it's at a state park that charges for it's other campsites. Is there a good resource besides that government site that is somewhat hard to navigate? When in National Forests I found Forest Camping to be the best starting point, followed by looking up more info in the government sites; National Forest Finder, National Forest Finder Map, Maps of National Forests. Also look into local books and maps; when I was in Canada I picked up a map at a gas station that showed canoe launch sites and dispersed camping locations, and I ended up find some of the most incredible campsites off of it.
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Nov 26, 2020 17:57
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BaseballPCHiker posted:I had that same tent! Fixed it up and gave it away to a friend that works with a group getting minorities into camping and hiking. Loved that tent. To follow up on this, while it did take awhile, it appears to have worked! I went camping last weekend and it rained both nights, and I was kept completely dry, nothing leaked anywhere, both fly and tent were excellent. I have the tent cleaned and drying right now, and I'm going to be looking to take another camping trip next month with it. I will probably end up replacing it in another year or so, but until then I'm going to try harder to get more use out of it this camping season.
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Nov 26, 2020 18:26
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me your dad posted:Can anyone recommend a good multipurpose "tactical" shovel? It's exclusively for car camping so weight and size is not a concern. i'd go with some surplus entrenching tool, they usually fold up pretty small for packing in a car. unless you need a full-length shovel for digging shallow graves in the desert or something
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Nov 26, 2020 21:04
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I could do with some tent reqs. I currently use an REI Half dome 3+ for canoe camping and it's been an awesome tent. However this year with COVID I haven't exactly been sharing it much. Now that everyone's accustomed to having their own digs, I'm not sure if they'll want to go back. Taking this into account, I'm not sure I want to carry around a giant tent just for myself. I'm thinking I might want to go with a 1p or 2p. It's really the pack size of the half dome that kills me, so something that won't take up literally half of my bag would be nice. Light weight is always nice but I want something that's going to last. Freestanding is a requirement. Hiking poles don't exactly lend themselves to canoeing.
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Nov 26, 2020 21:39
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Pennywise the Frown posted:I'm really bad at finding places to camp. I always go to structured car camping camp grounds. The one I go by me is just 25 minutes away. Bong Recreation Area (heh). It's not that great. Nothing to do but a few trails and it's pretty flat here in SE WI. I've gone to Kettle Moraine Southern Unit before and it's only 1 hour away and the terrain is much better but they're closed after October. There's probably other places within a few hours from me but I'm pretty anxious and am a bit afraid to plan by myself. I guess I don't really have a choice though. Richard Ira Bong? not gonna lie, I actually kinda want to go to pick up cheese curds nearby https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3934225
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Nov 26, 2020 22:34
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Math You posted:I could do with some tent reqs. In terms of small packed volume for a freestanding tent, it's tough to beat a BD firstlight. It's a simple 2 pole design and tent itself (not counting poles) packs down to the size of a jacket. Weighs about 2 lbs even if you get the carbon fiber poles, ~2.7 with regular poles. They are dependable tents, BUT, they are simple, single walled designs, so condensation can be an issue. The newer versions made with "nanoshied" or whatever they are calling their siliconized fabric are waterproof, but the older versions made with "epic" DWR coated fabric aren't great in heavy rain. These are popular tents for no-frills applications where minimizing packed volume is important. The Nemo Hornet 2P is also ~2lbs, and is doubled walled. It doesn't pack nearly as small as the firstlight but it's still considered a small tent in terms of packed volume. It's an external pole tent of pretty light construction, so it's not great in windy conditions (the firstlight is much better there). if you just want something smaller than a 3P Half Dome, then honestly just about any 1 or 2P freestanding tent should be a significant reduction
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Nov 26, 2020 22:51
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Just be aware the state park pass in WI is loving stupid, it's year by year. So if you were to buy one on December 31st it will be no good January 1. There is no option to purchase "1 year from today." Also they make you use a permanent window sticker.  (which I get around by putting the sticker on a cell phone screen protector but still, )
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Nov 26, 2020 23:37
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starbucks hermit posted:Richard Ira Bong? I pass Mars Cheese Castle on the way to Bong. 
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Nov 26, 2020 23:41
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If you need WI cheese, Widmer's in Theresa is the place to go. I'm not much of a cheddar fan and I still devoured that poo poo.
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Nov 27, 2020 00:13
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Math You posted:I could do with some tent reqs. Lots of good options out there for you! Even the REI Quarterdome 2 or 1 person will pack down small, weigh under 5 pounds and shouldnt cost you more than $250 if you buy during a sale. I had a Quarterdome 2 that I used solo for 10 years, loved that thing. If you want to go on the heavier but bomber side of things theres always the old standard of the Eureka Timberline tents. My two person I use winter camping weighs like 6-7 pounds but its about as heavy duty as you get with a backpacking tent, theres a reason its the tent used by young dumb boy scouts year in year out. If you want to go expensive/lighter lots of good options out there by Tarptent, MSR, Nemo, etc.
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Nov 27, 2020 02:37
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Rei passage series it's usually sub 5lbs and sub $200 for 2p. Quarter dome is usually lighter (sub 4) but more expensive. I think there's an even more expensive and lighter quarter dome option as well (sl or something) which is around 2lbs.
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Nov 27, 2020 04:55
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Sorry, probably the wrong thread.
Oysters Autobio fucked around with this message at 20:26 on Nov 28, 2020 |
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Nov 28, 2020 20:07
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me your dad posted:Can anyone recommend a good multipurpose "tactical" shovel? It's exclusively for car camping so weight and size is not a concern. Yes! You want a “Spetsnaz Shovel” I bought it for poking at the fire while car camping—it’s perfect for moving logs, shoveling coals, banking the fire, etc... I was even able to split wood with the sharpened edge of this drat thing while joking about it around the fire. I was honestly shocked at how well it worked—one good drunken swing and the piece cleanly cracked in two. It’s the perfect mini utilitarian shovel—those folding ones are a POS in my experience. Re: Finding places to camp—start with state parks and look for ones that allow backpacking. In Ohio there’s even an individual who’s made his own maps of backpackable parks, backpackohio.com. National parks and forests and wilderness areas are also great, especially the forests and wilderness because they generally allow dispersed camping. In the before-fore times, meetup was another good resource because generally you could find a hiking or camping group and meet all sorts of great people with recommendations. Being in Wisconsin, there’s all sorts of stuff around the Great Lakes, especially in Michigan or the Superior Hiking Trails
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Dec 1, 2020 06:32
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In my experience, entrenching tools are fine, as long as they're the older style with the wood handle and only one fold. My dad owns one that is older than me, and I'm 35. The trifold ones are garbo.
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Dec 1, 2020 12:06
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OSU_Matthew posted:Yes! You want a “Spetsnaz Shovel” Thanks - I did find this one, which looks pretty good. https://www.coldsteel.com/spetsnaz-special-forces-trench-shovel-92sfx Using it as a fire tool never occurred to me, but it is indeed a great use for one.
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Dec 1, 2020 15:16
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