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OSU_Matthew posted:Stupid newbie looking to buy some ski gear here. Any y’all have any recommendations? I was going to get some rental gear, but I’ve got stupid big feet and my experience with rentals in my size is usually just “lol”. Friends also do this every year do I don’t mind jumping in with my own stuff. Downhill, backcountry, or cross country? I've had good luck getting stuff at 2nd hand sports stores like PlayItAgainSports. I always figured I'm not an Olympian so cutting edge stuff from the 90s will work for me.
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Feb 11, 2021 15:14
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OSU_Matthew posted:Stupid newbie looking to buy some ski gear here. Any y’all have any recommendations? I was going to get some rental gear, but I’ve got stupid big feet and my experience with rentals in my size is usually just “lol”. Friends also do this every year do I don’t mind jumping in with my own stuff. There is a whole thread for ski/snowboard stuff. https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3872430
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Feb 11, 2021 22:17
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OSU_Matthew posted:Stupid newbie looking to buy some ski gear here. Any y’all have any recommendations? I was going to get some rental gear, but I’ve got stupid big feet and my experience with rentals in my size is usually just “lol”. Friends also do this every year do I don’t mind jumping in with my own stuff. Make boots your #1 priority. Go some place that has a proper boot fitter and get a pair that has heat molded inners at least, and a heat molded shell if the fitter recommends it. If you're on a budget spend it all on boots, everything else is way secondary. You can probably count on a decade at least of regular use from a decent pair of boots, and if you're just riding once or twice a season they'll probably last you the rest of your life.
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Feb 12, 2021 02:19
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Stringent posted:Make boots your #1 priority. Go some place that has a proper boot fitter and get a pair that has heat molded inners at least, and a heat molded shell if the fitter recommends it. If you're on a budget spend it all on boots, everything else is way secondary. You can probably count on a decade at least of regular use from a decent pair of boots, and if you're just riding once or twice a season they'll probably last you the rest of your life. Thanks! Boots will be number one priority then. Are bindings fairly universal, eg if I buy one set of boots would they reasonably be expected to clip into most rental place’s skis? deong posted:There is a whole thread for ski/snowboard stuff. Oh cool! I will poke into that, thanks for the link!
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Feb 12, 2021 05:44
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It's funny because this is me right now as well. Learned how to ski in my early teens. Quickly switched to snowboarding because skiing is boring in the Midwest. Stopped snowboarding before college and picked it up again after. Been doing that for 15 years and now that I live out west and into hiking etc, skiing seems like the better choice so I'm transitioning. I play hockey so the mechanics of ice skates are kind of similar with the edge work and it came back pretty well. I just need more practice. My goal is to get good enough and get educated to start touring. gently caress skis are expensive though. Especially once you want to leave the lifts.
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Feb 12, 2021 06:02
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OSU_Matthew posted:Thanks! Boots will be number one priority then. Are bindings fairly universal, eg if I buy one set of boots would they reasonably be expected to clip into most rental place’s skis? Yes, the bindings on rentals will be adjustable and fit all the normal boot sizes. The exception would be wide skis for powder skiing which aren't adjustable, but you'd have to go out of your way to rent those.
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Feb 12, 2021 06:43
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Verman posted:gently caress skis are expensive though. Have you considered getting regular skis rather than the ones with a fleshlight built in?
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Feb 13, 2021 11:11
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Classic XC skis are way way way cheaper than downhill skis, and a lot more useful (at least in my area) during COVID. I purchased my entire XC kit (boots, bindings, skis, poles, grip wax kit) for less than the snowboard boots I purchased that season. And snowboard boots are a bargain next to ski boots... I know they are very different sports and there's a reason the equipment is more expensive but I decided to share anyway 
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Feb 13, 2021 14:18
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Two shoe-related questions: First, my much-abused Vasque boots have burst a seam (photo attached). They're about 5 years old and while I've used them quite a bit, it's probably due to neglect as much as anything... I don't clean them particularly often, usually just knock the dried mud off. Is there anything I can do about this, or should I just go buy a new pair of boots? Second, I'm wondering if anyone can recommend a walking-oriented (not necessarily hiking) boot that's comfortable and looks decent enough that I could wear it out to dinner without attracting too many sideways glances. I've got a cheap pair of Chelsea boots that look good but aren't particularly durable. I'd like to find something that could stand up to a full day of walking around the city without looking like I've just stumbled off the PCT.
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Feb 16, 2021 22:32
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Pham Nuwen posted:Second, I'm wondering if anyone can recommend a walking-oriented (not necessarily hiking) boot that's comfortable and looks decent enough that I could wear it out to dinner without attracting too many sideways glances. I've got a cheap pair of Chelsea boots that look good but aren't particularly durable. I'd like to find something that could stand up to a full day of walking around the city without looking like I've just stumbled off the PCT. Same, but for wide feet, especially in the toe box.
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Feb 16, 2021 22:52
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Pham Nuwen posted:Two shoe-related questions: An expensive pair of chelsea boots - https://www.blundstone.com/mens-classic-550-boots I've found them in the $130-$140 range on Amazon, but it varies.
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Feb 16, 2021 23:01
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Personally I always like Timberland earthkeepers but they're not waterproof or anything. They're really comfortable right out of the box. I would also suggest the Danner mountain 600s as they look more normal than most hiking boots. Honestly it all comes down to where you live. In Seattle, or boulder or any other town with mountains nearby, hiking clothing is pretty normal anywhere you go.
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Feb 16, 2021 23:23
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FogHelmut posted:An expensive pair of chelsea boots - https://www.blundstone.com/mens-classic-550-boots These look perfect, and it seems that REI carries them, so I'll see if I can get down and try on a pair at some point. I was rather hoping to find something without laces, too. Thank you.
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Feb 17, 2021 00:07
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^^Timberlands are nice, I regert giving my old pair away to a buddy For city errands, I really like my carolina boots, they’re really well built, made in the US, and I like the moc toe look. They’re super comfortable and pretty much my daily go-to outside of sneakers. Redwing boots are also great, I really love my Iron Rangers, though that required a legit boot break in. E: just noticed the without laces requirement, lol. Carolina boots are still nice and pretty affordable for good quality leather and made in the US, and they have a variety of styles to boot
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Feb 17, 2021 03:54
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Pham Nuwen posted:Two shoe-related questions: I’ve gotten a pair of vasques resoled from a boot repair company you mail them in to. I can’t find the email but it was based in Colorado iirc. Nothing beats a broken in pair of boots that fit, so if you can repair then go for it
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Feb 17, 2021 04:15
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Just wandered into my local REI to return some bike fenders and discovered they have started putting any garage sale type of items on the sales floor with the rest of things. Conveniently enough, I found the fenders I was going to get instead of what I was returning in a Garage Sale bin (as well as a nice pair of polarized Chromapop Smith glasses, a Sawyer water filtration kit and some bike lights).
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Feb 27, 2021 23:02
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highme posted:Just wandered into my local REI to return some bike fenders and discovered they have started putting any garage sale type of items on the sales floor with the rest of things. Conveniently enough, I found the fenders I was going to get instead of what I was returning in a Garage Sale bin (as well as a nice pair of polarized Chromapop Smith glasses, a Sawyer water filtration kit and some bike lights). Sounds like one hell of an awesome haul you got! Beats standing in line for hours and having to fight off the other gear fiends for the good stuff.
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Feb 28, 2021 10:15
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highme posted:Just wandered into my local REI to return some bike fenders and discovered they have started putting any garage sale type of items on the sales floor with the rest of things. Conveniently enough, I found the fenders I was going to get instead of what I was returning in a Garage Sale bin (as well as a nice pair of polarized Chromapop Smith glasses, a Sawyer water filtration kit and some bike lights). What kind of Sawyer did you get? I'm thinking about getting a water filtration kit and I've heard good things about them.
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Feb 28, 2021 10:17
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The regular sawyer is best. You can get a kit with backflush syringe, adapters, some dirty water pouches pretty cheap. My filter is 4+ years old. Some vinegar soaking was required to keep it working like new. It gets clogged if the water is physically dirty but that happens with all filters. It is relatively easy to unclog.
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Feb 28, 2021 10:37
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I really really really like my Platypus Gravity Works. It's practically like having plumbing at your camp site. The two bag system in general is really good for keeping your filter running well, since back flushing is as simple as lifting the clean bag up for a few seconds at the end of each job. It's more of an "at rest" solution than something you're going to use on the move, and probably a bit bulky for a solo backpacker.. but is it ever a QOL upgrade when you're with a group. This guy has pumped drinking water for 6 for the last time!
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Feb 28, 2021 13:32
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Yea, I use sawyer squeeze for solo/ultralight backpacking; platypus gravity (4L) for camping. Even then, the platypus is nice to take along on backpacking trips cuz you can legit shower at the end of a long day of hiking.
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Feb 28, 2021 21:12
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Ugh I really need to ditch my old pump filter
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Feb 28, 2021 22:21
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Thanks everyone for the recommendations! I just need a filter for myself so the sawyer's probably what I'll get, but the gravityworks is definitely on the wish list in case I want to camp with more people at a place with a ready (but unsafe) water source.
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Mar 1, 2021 04:06
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I have a Sawyer for places where water is abundant and a MSR Trailshot for places where I might have to filter from very shallow water sources like in southern Arizona.
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Mar 1, 2021 11:06
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charliebravo77 posted:I have a Sawyer for places where water is abundant and a MSR Trailshot for places where I might have to filter from very shallow water sources like in southern Arizona. the default sawyer bags are absolutely awful to fill in anything but an ideal water source, its true. i tried using a cut-up water bottle to scoop for a while, now i have a 2L cnoc bladder which is nice because the whole top opens for filling
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Mar 1, 2021 18:14
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The Cnoc is great, it’s a snap to fill, rolls flat and super indestructible. I got an in-line coupler for my bladder so I can turn the whole setup into a gravity feed when I get to camp as well.
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Mar 1, 2021 19:41
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I put off buying one and now it they're always out of stock when I look.
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Mar 1, 2021 19:44
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I'll always champion gravity filter for life.
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Mar 1, 2021 20:20
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So I've been invited to go on a portaging trip for a few days and I'm pretty pumped... But I need to buy basically everything I need. From what I can see, it looks like I'm going to have to put some decent coin into this. Cost saving measures anyone? I have some stuff, but it's by no means lightweight. It's typical camping stuff. This is by no means a super intense group of guys, but they've done it for a few years. I'm trying not to break the bank, especially because I have no idea if this'll be a reoccurring thing.
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Mar 2, 2021 01:55
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surivdaoreht posted:So I've been invited to go on a portaging trip for a few days and I'm pretty pumped... But I need to buy basically everything I need. what gear do you think you might need that you don't have already? two immediate tips: 1) ask your buddies if they have extra gear they can loan you, lord know i do and i imagine a lot of thread regulars do as well. 2) look for rentals at nearby outdoors stores OR college campuses, the latter often has rentals that aren't limited to students if you want to really pinch every penny you can get by with very little, and most of it can be found anywhere, but you might not be very comfortable
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Mar 2, 2021 04:04
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surivdaoreht posted:So I've been invited to go on a portaging trip for a few days and I'm pretty pumped... But I need to buy basically everything I need. Portaging as in canoeing? Are you going to be paddling down and having to haul boats and gear on foot? What’s your budget? What do you need for camping? Everything depends on what you’ll be doing and how often you think you’ll be doing it. You can get stuff lightweight, cheap, or durable, but you can only pick two. If this is a single trip and you’ll be paddling so you don’t have to worry about weight or bulk, sure, go to Walmart and get your sleeping bag, tent, and a blue foam pad for 100$ out the door. You might have a leaky tent, the pad won’t be very comfy but it’ll do the job of keeping the ground from sucking out all your body heat, though its effectiveness will be limited by the sleeping bag that will probably be very bulky but wake you up at 3 am freezing your butt off until sunrise. I know this because this is exactly what I did my first few times out many years ago. I’ve lived through the misery of a leaky tent and inadequate insulation many a trip. My first backpacking trip I wore jeans and had a lovely Alice pack from the thrift store that was pure agony. But it was cheap and I got outside and started learning a lot of things. I also spent a lot of good money chasing bad and rebuying everything almost immediately. If you’re going to be doing this a few times or have to carry your gear or want to spend a bit more to be comfortable and have reliable gear, I’d go to REI and spend 300$ on their backpacking bundle. You’ll get a solid tent, pad, and bag that’ll do you well and last for many trips, until you get to the point of deciding you want to change individual things and splurge on stuff like lighter gear. Also check with your friends, if they’ve been doing this awhile chances are they might have some spare gear to hook you up at first.
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Mar 2, 2021 04:21
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surivdaoreht posted:So I've been invited to go on a portaging trip for a few days and I'm pretty pumped... But I need to buy basically everything I need. REI has a used section now rei.com/used should be able to find some decent stuff there. Also check out r/geartrade on reddit, I've gotten some great deals there as well. If you have Facebook their marketplace is good I've heard.
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Mar 2, 2021 04:33
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I personally get most of my stuff from Decathalon. They don’t have much of a physical store presence in the US but they do have an online shop. It’s basically the IKEA of camping gear. Pretty much everything there is their house brand. It’s significantly cheaper than most everything else out there.
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Mar 2, 2021 04:38
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Nitrousoxide posted:I personally get most of my stuff from Decathalon. They don’t have much of a physical store presence in the US but they do have an online shop. It’s basically the IKEA of camping gear. Pretty much everything there is their house brand. Oohh, I like this site! Gracias for the link! That made me think, another discount retailer with store brands I really like is Academy Their Magellan line of hiking clothes is great for backpacking and hiking, and you can save a ton of money over boutique brands for the same thing Eg: https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/magellan-outdoors%E2%84%A2-mens-heritage-5-pocket-flex-pant#repChildCatid=3434543
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Mar 2, 2021 14:10
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surivdaoreht posted:So I've been invited to go on a portaging trip for a few days and I'm pretty pumped... But I need to buy basically everything I need. Niiice. First: congrats. Canoe camping is in my opinion the coolest camping. I'm super jealous that you are going to get to experience it for the first time. Second: if you are able to provide a little more background on the nature of the trip, that would be helpful.
If you're not moving too much, car camping gear is perfectly fine on a canoe trip.. same if you're doing some relatively short portages where you're okay double carrying (hiking it twice). You want to pack more like a backpacker if you've got miles to cover on foot. Third: How much "group kit" do your friends have? If you're a hanger on with an established group you might not need much beyond a bag, clothes and sleeping pad/bag. Big thing I would recommend is dry sacks for your clothes and sleeping bag. Don't want to end up dumping, or dropping your bag while loading and being wet the rest of the trip. Oh, and a PFD that you will be comfortable actually wearing. Saving a few bucks doesn't help you if you aren't wearing it because it chafes your arms while you paddle.
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Mar 2, 2021 17:16
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Nitrousoxide posted:I personally get most of my stuff from Decathalon. They don’t have much of a physical store presence in the US but they do have an online shop. It’s basically the IKEA of camping gear. Pretty much everything there is their house brand. Never heard of them before this post, but I did some research and pulled the trigger on a Forklaz 100 puffy for general use. Seems like it would be a solid option for general hiking/summer backpacking use. Thanks for the tip!
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Mar 3, 2021 23:39
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Ihmemies posted:The regular sawyer is best. You can get a kit with backflush syringe, adapters, some dirty water pouches pretty cheap. My filter is 4+ years old. Some vinegar soaking was required to keep it working like new. It gets clogged if the water is physically dirty but that happens with all filters. It is relatively easy to unclog. So I have the Sawyer mini, and it has worked well for me in the past for short multi-day hikes. However, it's been a tough couple of years to get outdoors due to various reasons. I'm finally able to get outdoors again, and now I'm wondering...does the filter have a shelf life? It's been sitting in a drawer for two years now, and I'm tempted to buy another one to avoid a risk.
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Mar 4, 2021 15:25
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There should be manufacturer care guides /efficacy checks you can perform. Platypus for example recommends that ahead of extended storage, you filter a liter of water with 1 drop of bleach through the filter, and open the housing to allow it to dry for a good two weeks. Their efficacy test involves trying to blow air through the filter (with water on the other end where you would be able to see air bubbles). If the filter opens up so you can see the material directly, I'd check it for mildew and complete these steps.
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Mar 4, 2021 15:42
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As long as you cleaned it and let it dry before putting it into storage it should be okay.
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Mar 4, 2021 15:43
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This is probably the wrong time of year to be researching new gloves, but as my current ones are pretty worn out and really bugging me right now it's kind of a Topic in my brain. So I need an upgrade from these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000V57ENU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 They were great when new. Warm enough for me even into negative Fahrenheit and the little leather pads are great for squeegeeing off my glasses when my breath fogs them up. The fingerless part is great for fiddling with equipment when needed and the mitten part is great for keeping my fingers warm at other times. However as the price suggests (and it's gone up, I originally paid $25), they're not very durable. After a single season of use the thumb leather fell off and hem of the mitten flap stretched out to the point that it functions more as a snow shovel than a mitten.  Anyone know of a brand with a comparable design that's will stand up better to daily use and I'll get several years out of? I really hate throwing out gear every year, it feels really wasteful.
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Mar 4, 2021 16:03
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