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Been getting into backpacking with my SO on the east coast over this summer. Worked our way up from 3 -> 5 -> 8 ->10 mile hikes culminating with hiking Old Rag last month. We're loving the hobby but since it's been summer and we've only been doing day hikes we've been more or less operating on easy mode with daypacks and t-shirts/shorts. We're a little overwhelmed with options for extending hikes and continuing into colder weather, and I was hoping to ask for a little advice in this thread to give us some launching points. Re: layers/clothing: - Looks like there is a huge selection of basic stuff at varying price points. $80 for a smartwool base-layer shirt at REI is hard to justify when you can get 2 similar-seeming long-sleeve 32 degree tees at costco. Is there a good resource for researching materials/brands/suppliers for this to sort out what's legit and what I'd regret buying? I'm happy to spend more for quality but I honestly don't know how to evaluate at this point. Re: Extending hikes - We're hoping to eventually be up for overnights or entire weekend hikes. Is there a way to ease into that or is the best way to just buy a tent/pad/sleeping bags and a pack to shove all that in and just go for it? For what it's worth we're in central Maryland, so typically 35-45 degrees on good days when it's cold and the lowest we'd probably hike is just below freezing in the winter. Hoping to get further into the Appalachian trail as we get more experienced.
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Oct 13, 2021 16:59
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| # ¿ May 9, 2024 16:38 |
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Really appreciate all the thoughtful responses! Particular gear recommendations in particular are a good starting point for us. I'm sold on Osprey's backpacks after getting one of their daypacks and putting it through its paces, but wouldn't mind getting some REI-branded gear if it's comparable and the price differential is significant. I did buy one smartwool shirt based on a strong recommendation from a friend. Want to see how it holds up vs my usual cold weather stuff. I do think I'll invest in some good outer layers though if my existing down jacket doesn't cut it. Both me and my girlfriend are on the shorter, scrawnier side so keeping things light will probably do us good. I think we will take a weekend with rented gear - one night to try camping out in a yard just for getting acquainted with what works for us, getting to know the gear, and figuring out what we'd want to add/get rid of. After that a short 3-5 miler out-and-back sounds like a good way to take that further and get confident with it. If that doesn't completely obliterate our interest in camping I think we'll make the bigger investments from there! a friendly penguin posted:Another central Marylander here who has also not yet ventured into overnight yet though I've got my mind set on a low stakes option in November. The bigger hikes have all been out west past Frederick - think Annapolis Rock area, or the Maryland Heights/Louden Heights at Harpers Ferry. Sugarloaf was a good challenging hike but I wouldn't go again unless it was a weekday or the offseason, just gets really crowded. Locally, I haven't found anything that would be great for multi-day hikes but Patapsco Valley State Park and Gunpowder Falls State Park made good light day trips and would be great for running/biking. Would love to find more stuff close to Baltimore, driving an hour just to get to the barest of hills for a morning hike isn't the greatest
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Oct 14, 2021 14:52
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a friendly penguin posted:Rocks state park isn't too far from you and has some gorgeous scenery. I haven't done a lot of hiking there since I went with my toddler and a pregnant friend and they weren't that keen. So can't vouch for the actual trails and hiking. Thanks for the tips! Didn't know about Rocks so we'll probably check it out this weekend. Will certainly PM you if a group hike is in the cards One thing I forgot to ask in my post - any boot recommendations? Even just the selection at my local REI was a bit overwhelming.
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Oct 14, 2021 15:57
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I do have some decent New Balance trail runners I like already, but I feel like on rocky terrain my ankles get achey really quickly. Figured boots might help, but further research has yielded mixed information on whether that'd actually reduce that discomfort. Maybe I just need to toughen up a bit.
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Oct 15, 2021 14:06
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Just had our first backpacking trip this weekend! Just a 2-mile out n back kind of deal, and the site we ended up at was just a car camping location. Still, had a blast and can't wait to do it again. Food-wise, what do people like to do? We enjoyed using our cook kit, just plopped a pan on a canister-mounted ministove to boil water. I'd like to hit the middle ground between "living off of clif bars" and "Spending $10/person/meal on dehydrated meals-in-a-bag at REI" Also, it's tick season here in the Northeast. What's the best way to fend off the little jerks?
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Apr 25, 2022 19:24
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Spent 3 days in Shenandoah with the girlfriend and 2 friends, hiked along the south side of Jeremy's Run essentially following the nps suggested itinerary. Basically had the whole loop to ourselves - didn't see a soul for 48 hours til we got back to the AT crossing. It was my first backcountry excursion and it was a blast. Day 1: Hiked from our start point down to camp - 7 miles. Discovered another, better campsite another mile down the road. Went back to get our equipment (because we were dumb and left it behind to scout a bit). Added another 2 miles there and back. Day 2: Hiked up Knob Mountain. What was expected to be a 5 mile out-and-back ended up being an 8 mile round trip, complete with 1800ft of climb (we will now be double checking trail assessments proffered by the individual who scoped it out). There was no view at the top - just lots and lots of ticks. We each only brought a liter of water so we were somewhat distressed on the trip down (no water sources until we reached the base, which was most of the way back). Spent the early afternoon in recovery, then hiked another 2 miles back to a closer campsite to our exit - it was grueling and a bit demoralizing because our "light" day turned into our hardest. Ate hardy that night to recover. Disappointing excursion but we felt accomplished as hell and had a good time hanging around when we weren't moving. Day 3: Woke up, ate breakfast, and hiked 5 miles back to the car at the trailhead. The final climb was basically stairs. We caught our breath and amscray'd. Overall, Jeremy's Run wouldn't be my first pick for an excursion in the area unless you specifically want to get away from the crowd. Lots of slightly tricky river crossings, no good views, and no campfires allowed. Nice enough campsites, but the trail was very overgrown in portions and we had to be constantly vigilant about ticks. All the same, feeling very accomplished about the weekend - just waiting for the bug bites to disappear! Not a Children fucked around with this message at 15:32 on Jul 14, 2022 |
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Jul 14, 2022 15:30
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Planning on a hiking/backpacking trip in Colorado this summer. Flying to Denver and bookending there, but other than that the possibilities are wide open. We're game to spend most of it living out of our bags but no stranger to car camping. Lots of guides to hiking in Colorado but I'd like to get the Goon take, rather than cramming myself as #N following one of the first few SEO-optimized itineraries. Any key places to visit/avoid?
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Jan 8, 2024 15:42
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+1 on the Darn Toughs, now I have a pair for every day of the week. If you're diligent you can get 'em on sale for less than $20 or even sub-$10 on sales
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Feb 13, 2024 22:09
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| # ¿ May 9, 2024 16:38 |
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Steepandcheap has had pairs of darn tough for under 10 dollars. Odd sizes and limited patterns but they’re legit. Socksaddict also regularly has 20%-25% off sales. I wouldn’t recommend buying them off Amazon ever, just too much chance of a counterfeit
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Feb 18, 2024 17:06
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