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Camping adjacent gear question: anyone got a rec for cheap and cheerful handheld radios? We’ve got a caravan of three doing some road-tripping and walkie-talkies between vehicles sound like fun to me
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Mar 12, 2023 19:42
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I'm not sure that it's a particularly cheap option to go with and strikes me almost as a gag at this point but if your crew will have fun with them then go nuts. I remember them being awesome as a kid and I hope the availability of wireless technology hasn't killed that thrill for the next generation I used to use Motorola TX00 line walkies on ski or camping trips prior to the availability of cell phones and sat communicators. They worked quite well. Water and shock resistant, have rechargeable battery packs but can run on AA(A?)s, double as a flashlight and have belt clips. You could possibly do cheaper with Amazon specials or whatever but if you're making the investment you may as well get something that will work reliably and won't end up broken.
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Mar 12, 2023 21:37
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Last time I looked at these you had to be careful because there are some that use frequencies that require an FCC license to use, but stores will cheerfully sell them to you without checking, so make sure you get one that uses unlicensed frequencies.
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Mar 12, 2023 21:49
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We used walkie talkies when we drove cross-country for our move and can confirm that it is actually kinda fun. Something like some Motorola Talkabouts should do the job.
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Mar 12, 2023 22:29
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Math You posted:I'm not sure that it's a particularly cheap option to go with and strikes me almost as a gag at this point but if your crew will have fun with them then go nuts. I remember them being awesome as a kid and I hope the availability of wireless technology hasn't killed that thrill for the next generation I use them a bunch when we're out of phone reception, can recommend
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Mar 12, 2023 23:48
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First off, I'm no radio expert but I have had a few over the years. FRS walkie talkies are great for families and friends to use. No license required, easy to use. Usually about a mile of range in heavy woods or mountains, maybe more. They claim 30 miles with line of sight but I think a few miles is more realistic in most scenarios. A lot of my friends use walkie talkies skiing now, especially when resorts don't have full cell coverage. Most have sub channels so you don't have to worry about getting cross talk between other groups. FRS are pretty cheap. You can probably find a Motorola or Midland 2 pack on Amazon for like $20-50. Rocky talkies are super popular amongst skiers because they're actually waterproof, have a carbineer clip to attach to a pack, and have excellent battery life in cold weather. GMRS radios are more powerful and capable with several more miles of reliable range, way more than frs. They can be bought by anybody and used on low power, limited channels but last I knew they technically require a license to use their full power range/channels. I don't think it's difficult or expensive. It's $35 and good for 10 years, and covers your whole family. Part of getting a license is knowing which channels are generally reserved for first responders. You will get yelled at for being on the wrong channel. They're a little more expensive but the performance is worth the cost.
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Mar 13, 2023 00:04
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Is Nikwax TX Direct / Softshell Proof legit? Do I need to use their Techwash? I have a big jug of Hex detergent already, don't want to buy Techwash if I don't need it. Edit - I have some Motorola FRS radios I got at Walmart, and I have a Midland 15w GMRS in my truck. I did get a license. The main advantage of the GMRS is that you can use repeaters if you know how, which will get you a very long range. You will otherwise get a clearer signal and longer range with GMRS, but your signal and range are in the real world more limited by your terrain than your wattage and antennas. Additionally, certain channels are restricted to certain wattages by the FCC. If you're in forested mountain terrain, your 50w truck mounted GMRS with high gain antenna probably won't do any better than your 2w FRS handheld. Out on the flat midwestern wasteland or on the water, its a different story. FogHelmut fucked around with this message at 05:57 on Mar 13, 2023 |
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Mar 13, 2023 05:51
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I'm a ham radio geek but none of the people I'm close with are and we've gotten a ton of use out of FRS radios. We originally bought a pair for convoying across the mountains in multiple vehicles and they were genuinely useful for that. But beyond that we found that even in cell coverage, radios are so much smoother for casual chatter in a lot of situations, especially convoys/road trips. Like suppose you want to say "hey look at that mountain! I have a funny story about it..." The kind of banter you'd engage in if you were all in the same car. Are you really going to call the other person on the phone and have them pick up just to trade a few lines? Probably not. Also keeping in touch at a ski resort, or between multiple groups while backpacking/camping out of cell range and splitting up, one group wants to summit a peak while the other group fishes in the lake or whatever.
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Mar 13, 2023 06:12
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Get some BAOFENG BF-888S, read up on how to flash the frequencies for your area. It's easy enough, and likely ham nerds have detailed your local laws.
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Mar 13, 2023 06:55
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FogHelmut posted:Is Nikwax TX Direct / Softshell Proof legit? Do I need to use their Techwash? I have a big jug of Hex detergent already, don't want to buy Techwash if I don't need it. I haven't used the TX spray, but I've used the wash in equivalent and it has worked well for me. You need to use tech wash first because regular detergent leaves some kind of residue that affects how well the nikwax treatment applies. (They actually even recommend running the washer once empty to remove residue from the last wash, but I've never done that). I've used a few other Nikwax product too, including the down wash direct stuff, and they've all worked well for me. I have not used the softshell proof but I would expect it to work based on the rest of my experience. I will say that if you wash your Nikwax treated clothes with regular detergent after the Nikwax, it will likely strip it back off again. The stuff I've nikwaxed is stuff I wash very infrequently, and when I do I use the techwash.
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Mar 13, 2023 19:53
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I usually use tech wash or some other dwr specific technical wash before I treat anything with nikwax. It works well but it's never as good or lasts as long as the factory coating but it's second best to that. The dryer also seems to really help. Even if it's just for a little bit. Some items specifically say that they perform better when clean like goretex so regular washing and reapplication is how to keep it performing well. The fabric will determine how waterproof your garment will be. Most soft shells don't come waterproof, they might repel a little bit but that's mostly the treatment on the fabric doing the work. Most of my soft shell jackets will wet out in enough rain, even if treated with nikwax. Same with my down. I've treated them as well and it helps to prevent them from getting wet in light drizzle or before you can put a shell on but it won't make them waterproof. I generally use the wash in stuff because I feel like it gets full immersion vs the spray. You can also just soak it in a small bucket if it's one item to get full coverage. I've used the spray on for tents.
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Mar 13, 2023 20:05
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I just have a couple of jackets that are like 10 years old but in otherwise great condition. Maybe they just need a good washing with a sympathetic detergent? Lol and a pair of gloves that are 19 years old, no holes, still warm, just losing their water resistance.
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Mar 13, 2023 22:41
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Its always worth a try. Worst case scenario, they don't perform any worse. Best case, they gain some water repellency.
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Mar 13, 2023 23:03
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Anecdotal evidence, but the stuff I've washed with nikwax comes out water proof enough that tap water runs right off it, and snow that accumulates on it just runs off if it melts when you go inside. It's not as good as straight from the factory, but an early season treatment keeps stuff waterproof for me if I'm not washing the garment (which I really don't with technical outerwear). Edit: Also nikwax makes a "glove proof" treatment and I have it but haven't used it on my gloves yet. I can report back once I do on how well it works.
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Mar 13, 2023 23:19
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Shockingly, NikWax is also against using (and doesn’t use) PFAS for its waterproofing. They get a small thumbs up until I find out they’re just using brominated agents
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Mar 14, 2023 02:08
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Nestharken posted:Does anyone have any suggestions for boots that are: a) lightweight, b) waterproof, c) comfortable for wide/flat feet, and d) wouldn't look incredibly dorky if worn casually? These guys mostly fit the bill, but I had to return them 'cause they were too narrow. In case anyone cares, I put this on the back burner for a while and finally picked up a pair of Chucks with Gore-Tex and a fleece lining.  Extremely comfy, and they did great on a light hike.
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Mar 14, 2023 22:11
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Anyone have experience with the Durston X-Mid one person tents? Ive been doing a lot of reading on single person light weight tents and the Durston seems to be universally agreed to be the best bang for your buck option. The use case scenario for the tent is going to be solo backpacking and hunting trips , mainly in the spring and fall, occasionally in the mountains, in which having the option to use the internal tent for extra bug protection will be a handy option that just using a tarp wont provide. I do already have an REI Arete 2 which I can use if bad weather is going to be a major concern. The niche I want this tent to fill is something compact and portable but still tough enough that if I screw up and get caught overnight in bad weather will provide adequate shelter.
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Mar 16, 2023 15:35
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Only downside to those is that you need to already be using trekking poles. Otherwise its kind of the gold standard for one man tents right now. Alternatively come join us on the dark side and become a hammock hanger.
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Mar 16, 2023 17:54
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DapperDraculaDeer posted:Anyone have experience with the Durston X-Mid one person tents? Ive been doing a lot of reading on single person light weight tents and the Durston seems to be universally agreed to be the best bang for your buck option. . . . The niche I want this tent to fill is something compact and portable but still tough enough that if I screw up and get caught overnight in bad weather will provide adequate shelter. I picked up an X-Mid 1p (standard version, 2nd gen.) last year and took it out for a few PNW summer trips. It's definitely a winner if you're keeping an eye on cost; it's lightweight but obviously if you're really counting grams the DCF version is lighter still; it's extremely easy to set up and gives you a fair bit of space by virtue of the unique geometry. I haven't gotten caught in any too wicked weather with it, but one night up above treeline at Mount Rainier got windy and wet and the tent held up pretty well. I think I need to tinker with the pitch a bit, though, since I got quite a lot of dust and wind-whipped moisture under the fly—but when you're in a cloud on the side of a mountain, that may be hard to avoid. I don't *need* to replace my 2p Big Agnes, but the weight and ease of the X-Mid has me imagining how I might justify getting another new tent. . .
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Mar 16, 2023 20:47
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DapperDraculaDeer posted:Anyone have experience with the Durston X-Mid one person tents? Ive been doing a lot of reading on single person light weight tents and the Durston seems to be universally agreed to be the best bang for your buck option. The use case scenario for the tent is going to be solo backpacking and hunting trips , mainly in the spring and fall, occasionally in the mountains, in which having the option to use the internal tent for extra bug protection will be a handy option that just using a tarp wont provide. I do already have an REI Arete 2 which I can use if bad weather is going to be a major concern. The niche I want this tent to fill is something compact and portable but still tough enough that if I screw up and get caught overnight in bad weather will provide adequate shelter. I've been using a traditional (single pole) pyramid tarp for ~7 years (including as a winter shelter) and my wife has used a chinese knockoff version of a durston x-mid 1p for several trips. I'll most likely get a Durston 2p once our MLD tarp kicks the bucket. I think in general these kind of shelters can't be beat in terms of performance to weight ratio, and they are great for your stated application. I agree that the Durston design is overall optimal compared to similar 'mid tarps. There are just a few caveats: 1.) As mentioned these tents require trekking poles or a standalone replacement. The durstons in particular require 2. If you already take 2 poles that's no problem. You can get very light, collapsible, fixed length carbon fiber tent poles (~2-3 oz) to use instead of trekking poles, like these: tinyurl.com/3hu6xtun but this does add some weight and volume. 2.) These tents need to be staked out in order to be pitched, so they can't operate as freestanding shelters. The stakes/anchors are also providing structural tension (not just holding the tent down), so they need to be decent (a failure of any 1 of 4 main anchors will cause the tent to collapse). In practice I've never found a situation where rocks, sand/snow anchors or such can't be used to effectively pitch them when the ground isn't suitable for stakes, but it is something to consider. 3.) They geometry of the finished pitch depends somewhat critically on the corners of the footprint being staked out in just the right way. That means you don't have a lot of freedom in terms of stake/anchor placement. Once you stake/anchor one corner, the positions of the remaining stakes/anchors must go in particular places, otherwise the pitch will be all wonky. That can present difficulties if the place where you must put a stake has a huge rock or some other problem. Again, though, some proficiency with stakeless anchors is usually all it takes to solve these issues. 4.) These shelters require a somewhat larger footprint than freestanding shelters of comparable size, and as mentioned above they are sensitive to the geometry of that footprint being correct. They are also kind of hard to pitch well if the ground isn't relatively flat. As a result, they aren't ideal if you simply must throw down a tent at whatever lovely place you happen to be at, or if you are in dense woods where there isn't a lot of space between trees. That being said, it's a tarp, at the end of the day, so even a lovely pitch is at least going to put something above your head and keep you mostly out of the rain. Overall, I think these are excellent (imo the best) backpacking shelters, especially/i] at or above the treeline. They aren't ideal in dense woods or as a bivouac because they have largish footprints that need to be staked in a particular geometry. They may require somewhat better campsite selection than a freestanding shelter or take some care to pitch well. But they are very, very [i]easy to pitch, even when tired or in bad whether or with gloves (no fiddling with long bendy poles or passing them through sleeves; whole tent is securely anchored before raising, so easy to pitch in wind). They also tend to be strong, and do well in the wind, since the poles are loaded almost entirely under compression and can be made very stiff. In terms of weight and volume, they simply cant be beat.
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Mar 19, 2023 19:53
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What is the thread consensus on the best tent material waterproofing product?
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Mar 22, 2023 00:57
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Perhaps just save your money and time and skip it? If its an older tent thats just delaminating then you're pretty much set with replacing it. I have used Nikwak on older tents that I wanted to get another year of life out of, but its a bandaid and not a permanent fix.
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Mar 22, 2023 01:43
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I already saved money on a new cheap tent. It will be joining me at a couple festivals including the gathering of the juggalos. I just want to give it a shot of waterproofer to hedge my bets on being able to crawl in and sleep somewhere dry if it gets rainy.
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Mar 22, 2023 02:00
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Yeah something like this: https://www.rei.com/product/724688/nikwax-txdirect-spray-on-17-fl-oz And seam sealing the tent anywhere you can are your best bets than. Also make sure if you use a ground sheet or tarp under your tent that it's not bigger than the footprint of your tent.
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Mar 22, 2023 03:34
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Exactly the advice I was looking for, thanks!
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Mar 22, 2023 10:44
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Someone stole my solar lantern out of my campsite last time I was in a campground. I stupidly left it out to charge while I went on a hike, and I assume one of the RV campers stole it, because the whole tent campground was empty. It was a standard Luci: https://www.rei.com/product/124869/mpowerd-luci-inflatable-solar-lantern-outdoor-20 Should I just buy another one of these, or is there some hot poo poo that I need to try? I've really enjoyed having one.
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Mar 22, 2023 14:20
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Fitzy Fitz posted:Someone stole my solar lantern out of my campsite last time I was in a campground. I stupidly left it out to charge while I went on a hike, and I assume one of the RV campers stole it, because the whole tent campground was empty. I've got 2 of those and they're nice, but found out I prefer something that diffuses the light a bit to soften it, so: https://www.rei.com/product/124868
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Mar 22, 2023 14:40
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I’m a LUCI 2.0 man, myself E. Didn’t click your link, but yea, I’ve got a few of em and they are simply the best, imo
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Mar 25, 2023 19:41
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I only have Awful iOS app access today which does not seem to have search - any easy recommendations for sleeping bag and pad for backpacking, something medium-end price/performance-wise for California climate, 6’3” adult? I’ve never backpacked but would like to try it out. I’m guessing I could get REI’s own stuff and return later if I’m being lazy. But if there’s a easy recommendation for something a step above that i would appreciate hearing of!
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Mar 26, 2023 21:27
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Thom ZombieForm posted:I only have Awful iOS app access today which does not seem to have search - any easy recommendations for sleeping bag and pad for backpacking, something medium-end price/performance-wise for California climate, 6’3” adult? If you’ve never backpacked before I would recommend renting gear from REI for a trip and seeing if you like it. It doesn’t make sense to splash out maybe $400 on something you’ll only use once before returning. If you’re dead set on buying though, I like the Big Agnes sleep system a lot. I have the Anvil Horn 15, and it features a sleeve on the other side that you slip over the sleeping pad. The Lost Dog series is cheaper since it’s synthetic, not down. Paired with the Air Core or Q-Core sleeping pad it’s some of the best sleep I’ve had in the backcountry. Other people will probably have some recommendations for things like quilts but those are a little too fiddly for me.
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Mar 26, 2023 22:13
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I personally still rock the foam z-lite pads, I know they're not everyone's cup of tea but they're chep and unbreakable, and even if you later upgrade to inflatable, it's nice to have an extra around for use as a sit pad on non backpacking trips, lending to a friend, etc. However you might just hate it and I don't want you to accordingly hate backpacking. Just putting it out there as an option for first sleeping pad. Try to lie down on one in the store and see what you think. Bag wise, renting or borrowing is not a bad idea. Tell me this - do you car-camp as it is, and you are trying out backpacking? If so, it wouldn't be terrible to buy something backpacking-ready and just use it for car camping if you don't stick with backpacking. You will need the Long for whatever you get probably.
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Mar 27, 2023 03:38
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Side/back/front sleeper? Sleep hot or cold? i’m a side sleeper and like the klymit inflatable pad, klymit luxe inflatable pillow, and rei 30° down quilt. I haven’t actually taken the quilt down to 30 but it’s been good (in a hammock, with an underquilt) into the 40s, which ought to be plenty in california unless you’re up in the mountains. If you’re actually backpacking you probably want a down quilt or bag, which is a big expense up front, but you can get away with a lightweight synthetic bag in warmer weather.
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Mar 27, 2023 04:04
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Also, California is a very diverse space, climate wise. Are we talking SoCal deserts? SoCal forests (eg San Bernardino)? Central Valley? Northern Coasts? Shasta/Lassen? Elevation and humidity are additional considerations for what’s going to work for your trip. While I understand doxxing concerns, you’ll get better recs if you can give us a better idea of the trip you are planning
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Mar 27, 2023 05:16
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Just went to REI and used my coupon and dividend on a helinox chair zero. It was definitely a splurge purchase because I probably wouldn't have bought one otherwise. I have a new pack, tent, sleeping pad in the last year or so. New trail runners last year. Everything else is working perfectly so there really wasn't much else I needed to upgrade or add. One thing a buddy has brought several times is his drat chair and it's surprising how jealous I got watching him sit back and relax. I'm amazed how much comfort one pound of weight can give you. Verman fucked around with this message at 05:43 on Mar 27, 2023 |
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Mar 27, 2023 05:39
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What's the difference between the REI Co-op Siesta Hooded 20 Sleeping Bag and the REI Co-op REI Co-op HunkerDown 20 Sleeping Bag?
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Mar 27, 2023 06:02
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Not much, what's the difference between the REI Co-op Siesta Hooded 20 Sleeping Bag and the REI Co-op REI Co-op HunkerDown 20 Sleeping Bag with you?
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Mar 27, 2023 06:06
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FogHelmut posted:What's the difference between the REI Co-op Siesta Hooded 20 Sleeping Bag and the REI Co-op Looks like the Siesta is synthetic and the HunkerDown is, well, down
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Mar 27, 2023 06:36
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and, by virtue of being down, one of them weighs 4 ounces less and is about a quarter the packed size
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Mar 27, 2023 07:35
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i'm planning on doing my first bike touring later this year (june in upstate ny) with my partner. we've got a kind of harebrained idea to bike about a week across part of the erie canalway trail, doing mostly hotel stays along the way, until we reach a state park where we're splitting a campsite with some friends who are driving up, at which point we'll be tent camping for 3 nights. i don't have any gear right now (well, other than the bikes) and just impulse bought the REI Co-op Half Dome SL 2+ Tent with Footprint. it's on the heavier side for "backpacking" tents, but i reckon the extra weight won't be as bad strapped to a bike, especially since this is gonna be a mostly flat and low-speed trip of ~50 miles a day. the tent is a "2+" that is larger than the average 2-person tent, and while i'm 5'11" my partner is only 5'0", so i don't think we'll have too much trouble fitting (we'll be packing pretty light since our friends will be bringing most of the actual "camping" supplies and we're going to be cycling through a bunch of towns and cities and won't need to bring a lot of food or anything). i'm trying to figure out a good sleep system to go with this. my first thought was "well i guess we should get some nice sleeping bags," but for 2 people who are only really interested in 55F+ camping, i was wondering if maybe getting a couple pads and a camping quilt would make sense? my main concern is i don't know exactly what to get for pads for this case, most sleeping pad reviews seem to be assuming you're pairing them with sleeping bags. dunno if anyone has a system like this and can recommend what to pair up, or just what kind of budget to expect (as you might guess from me buying a heavily discounted tent i'd kinda like something on the cheaper side, if possible)
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Mar 27, 2023 13:43
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Your gonna be really tight. You're essentially trying to fit 2 people plus gear in a room the size of a double mattress with slanted walls. I would recommend trying a night in it before your trip.
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Mar 27, 2023 14:40
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