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Saddamnit posted:Thanks for all the advice, guys. Right now I'm leaning toward the Marmot Lithium (http://www.rei.com/product/762530/marmot-lithium-sleeping-bag), assuming they can get a long size in before my trip. Just return it. Thats one of the biggest perks of rei is returning anything especially their own brand. Im currently using an rei pad and its great. I find that the self inflating are warmer than just air filled. The foam inside insulates a little better.
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Feb 5, 2013 01:45
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When I was in Colorado last year, the loving wind coming over the continental divide was what kept me awake coupled with the high altitude. Just as I would fall asleep, a 50 mph wind gust would come in and topple over dead trees in the distance that were killed off by pine beetles. Nothing like waking up in pitch black darkness to hearing what sounds like a tsunami coming down the mountain and taking trees down like dominoes. Luckily our campsite was in an area with live standing trees.
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Feb 6, 2013 04:49
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Ive heard mid march.
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Mar 2, 2013 00:33
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Just got my REI dividend, I got $35 back, somehow I must have purchased a lot of stuff that doesn't go towards the dividend because I know I spent way more than that last year alone with my trip to Colorado that I had to gear up for. Either way I have no idea what I'm going to put it toward. Possibly a smaller pack, maybe a leatherman, or a fleece liner for my sleeping bag to give me a few more degrees of comfort in really cold situations. After last year, I really covered a lot of my backpacking needs. I might also just hang onto it and wait for a coupon and buy a new rain jacket.
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Mar 19, 2013 19:17
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As much as bears and mountain lions keep me alert in the woods, I would much prefer to see a moose or bear or even a pack of wolves versus a poisonous snake. I absolutely hate snakes for the sole reason that they are a weird form factor and move so fast nearly silently without any legs. Add that with being able to go anywhere up, down, through a tiny hole, through water, etc ... and still deliver a deadly bite ... I feel completely justified in my little girl fear of snakes. Spiders and scorpions don't worry me but for the love of god snakes just creep me out. If I see a little garder snake I'm not all in a fuss about it and it doesnt bother me. A 5 foot rattle snake as thick as a can of hairspray thats not behind a 1 inch plate of glass in a zoo? For the love of god I would get weak at the knees and dance around like a little girl with diarrhea. ** reloading the thread to see that image even made me cringe *** Verman fucked around with this message at 21:06 on Apr 1, 2013 |
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Apr 1, 2013 20:47
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Does it use russian glonass satellites as well as regular? I find that my etrex 20 (orange one) nearly instantly connects and is very accurate with both types activated. I kid you not I was sitting taking a break on a trail and checking my gps when a guy coming down chatted me up and talked gps. The second I mentioned Russian satellites he went off about how its a scam for the soviets to get information on our whereabouts when and if they ever invade. My eyes were probably bigger than if I had seen a mountain lion and I watched him closely to make sure he walked out of sight.
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Apr 2, 2013 05:14
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Situations like that make me wonder about people sometimes. Either they are so stupid and unaware of the potential danger of wildlife or they are so dense that they would rather get a YOLO bro pic with the bear on instagram than worry about their toddler in the car watching its family get mauled to death. Friends of my wife were out in California (my wife not included thankfully) and ran into a bear cub, they all tried getting closer to take pictures of it because well aww its cute. So they tried to feed it. At this point I wanted to stop listening because I started sweating and wanted to scream WTF. The mother came into the scene and the girls apparently all break out into a full on run down the trail. I saw the pictures, it was definitely a cub that crossed into the trail eating something. Embellishment on the story or not, I'm amazed they got out of there without anything worse happening.
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Apr 4, 2013 22:19
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Internet Explorer posted:I have three practical questions for those of you who have flown to an area to hike. 1 - Actually you can just check it and make sure all the loops and buckles are secured and folded in so nothing is dangling loose. Also look into really heavy plastic bags. Most airlines can give them to you at check in. People use them for strollers or car seats all the time. They are easily disposable and can be tossed out at your arrival. I however use a big canvas army duffel that my entire bag can fit into. Works great and keeps everything secure. 2 - I just try to buy fuel at my arrival location. More than likely wherever you're hiking or camping there is probably somewhere nearby that sells camping supplies. Google map it before you arrive so that you know where to go and what places are open. Expect to pay more but the extra 20% is worth the convenience. 3 - I just pay the price of renting a car. It seems stupid to pay for it to sit but unless you know someone nearby who can drop you off and pick you up then there really aren't a lot of options. You can ususlly find cars for about $30/day if you look for codes and if somethjng happens you have a way out just in case. Share the cost with the group and its a very small price for the convenience of transportation. If you get a car you can also pick up supplies or food before setting out and can stash clean clothes or duffel bags that you didn't want to carry along. Taxis can be expensive and sometimes won't go to trailheads depending on the city. Flying into denver and hiking up in rmnp would be outrageously expensive if you could even find a driver to take you.
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Apr 15, 2013 00:32
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Places like TJ MAxx, Marshalls and resellers of the like often carry a pretty wide array of technical clothes as well at great prices. Most times you can find technical tops for $10-20 and there are usually brands like columbia, north face, marmot, 2xist, under armor etc.
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Apr 15, 2013 15:47
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EPICAC posted:What kind of water treatment do you guys recommend? All of my backpacking to date has been during the winter, and we melted snow for water. I spend most of my time in the White Mountains in NH. It sort of depends on your situation and length of your trip. On my last 4 day trip, I brought a 100oz camelback and then planned to boil the rest of my water as there was a fast running river/stream along the length of our hike. I have a 20oz fuel bottle and an MSR whisperlite, and I ended up with a half bottle of fuel at the end of the trip after boiling enough water for the remainder of the trip for 2 people and cooking food. Just to avoid the hassle, I think I'm going to try to invest in a filter instead, gravity filters are really interesting and pack pretty small/light and don't require the time and baby sitting that boiling water does. I still always bring chlorine tablets anyway just in case you do run out of fuel or something. They are also good to disinfect water overnight while you sleep since they take a while.
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Apr 17, 2013 21:03
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Went to rei today and got a new rei kitmah rain jacket to replace my older mountain hardware cohesion which needs a re water proofing seemingly every time it gets wet. The interior coating was also starting to peel off. Saw a used extra large duffel in the used section for $15 so it was a good gear day. As far as water goes I've used blackhawk hydrastorm system for a while which got gross after a few years and started to leak. I went to camelback and liked it until the cap started to leak. Didn't realize they warranty so well ot I would have done that. I picked up a platypus because of the low price and have loved that decision. I worried about the plastic reservoir material in low temps as its slightly rigid but it was fine while snow hiking/camping and then skiing in vail without being insulated but the bite valve did get pretty choked up with ice since that wasn't insulated either. Since then I got a neoprene tube cover bit not a big deal. I usually hike out with a full 100oz per day unless its hot and then i will bring a full nalgene too. I always force myself to drink at least 100oz per day while hiking. I bring a colored nalgene for dirty water collection but I think I'm going to get a second reservoir for dirty and use it in a gravity filter system instead. A good rule to hike by, I would rather have too much water weight versus too much unnecessary gear weight, even if only on a day hike. Verman fucked around with this message at 05:22 on Apr 28, 2013 |
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Apr 28, 2013 05:16
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I use this. Smaller hole to fill but I've never had a problem with leaks. http://m.rei.com/mt/www.rei.com/product/767111/platypus-hoser-30l-reservoir-100-fl-oz
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Apr 29, 2013 03:32
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Out of nowhere, one of my friends said he wanted to go camping this summer ... and it has now turned into a semi impromptu backpacking trip to RMNP in mid august with a small group of guys. We tossed around the idea of the boundary waters in northern Minnesota but the logistics were harder to cope with and people showed more interest in the rockies. Its funny how things can escalate so quickly.
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May 7, 2013 15:59
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mastershakeman posted:It seems like it takes less time to fly to Oakland and drive to Yosemite than to drive up to one of those spots. Hence the reason I love colorado. Driving from chicago to the UP takes about 7-8 hours depending on how far up you go. When i go bird hunting in october its closer to 8. By the time I pull over in Wisconsin to eat some fried curds, I could have been on a plane to denver, have driven up to RMNP and been on the trail already for a few bucks more. I still love the UP its just so drat far.
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May 8, 2013 05:12
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Anyone in here have experience with gravity filters? I don't feel like pumping and I'm tired of boiling/chlorine tabs. I really like Platypus products, the bags are simple and pretty bomb proof let alone usually cheaper than the alternatives. I was considering just buying the standalone filter and an extra bladder for dirty water which would only be about $60 versus the $120 they charge for a 2 bladder system with the filter. That would give me 2 - 100 oz. bladders, one for dirty water and the other for clean and allow me to fill the dirty bag and walk away from it.
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May 8, 2013 20:57
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Speleothing posted:It's a great system if you remember to read the manual. Be sure to backflush your filter every 30 liters or so. What reservoir do you already have? And you should call around to your local gear shops, I know that mine has a demo GravityWorks that they'll let you play with in-store. I've got a Platypus Hoser 3L right now and I love it compared to camelback/Blackhawk reservoirs I've had prior. I would use that as my clean bag and buy a second 3L platypus reservoir with a zip top as a dirty bag, and just add the filter between the two for $65 rather than buying the entire 2 bag and filter set up for $120. I feel like a gravity filter would free up time to be doing something else like preparing the stove/food or setting up camp. I just don't want to spend time and energy pumping or burning fuel on making my water potable. Jalumibnkrayal posted:Have you considered the Sawyer Squeeze Filter? It's a great little product and only weighs 3 ounces. It attaches to commonly available soda bottles and just takes some gentle constant pressure to get a good flow of 0.1 micron filtered water. I looked at those, and while they are pretty inexpensive and easy to use, I've heard that they can develop leaks and still require some action to filter the water. I also was looking for something that could be used for more than just myself. I feel like gravity systems are capable of filtering a large amount of water quickly and with minimal effort. Verman fucked around with this message at 16:38 on May 9, 2013 |
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May 9, 2013 16:35
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PRADA SLUT posted:So a 70L might be overkill for just a few days, I would be better off looking into around 40L if I'm doing ~3 days? Depends on the scenario, while the 70 might be large it doesn't mean you can't use it for long weekend trips. The extra space is nice when the weather is dropping down at night and you need that extra gear. If you only have one pack I would suggest going with the larger to give you more versatility. Only having a small pack will limit the length of trips you can take. A big pack might cumbersome on short trips but they're still possible. Eventually you can get a smaller pack later on down the road . With a size like that you can Just put your tent inside your bag since you have the room. I personally like having all my gear inside my pack if possible to keep it clean and dry.
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May 13, 2013 01:53
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PRADA SLUT posted:I have a 22L Osprey for day trips, I was just concerned that having a pack too large could gently caress you up if its not stuffed full. Thats not entirely true, its mostly about weight distribution. If you're bringing less gear than the pack will hold, just make sure the weight is distributed evenly so that all 20lbs aren't all at the bottom.
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May 13, 2013 18:14
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Speleothing posted:If you're hiking, I would recommend taping it. If you're just around town during the next few days, then let it get air. I always carry a roll of hockey tape. Its mild enough to not rip your skin, flexible enough to fit nearly anywhere, and tough enough to fix a lot of things. It also works perfectly to prevent blisters if you're getting a hot spot. Totally unrelated: Between cycling shoes, hockey skates, snowboard and hiking boots my feet can hop into nearly anything without even thinking about blisters anymore. I've also switched to using thinner socks or only liners for everything as well. My hockey teammates hate the fact that i can toss on a new pair of skates before a game without any issues.
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May 16, 2013 02:57
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PRADA SLUT posted:I have a Swiss Army Knife that I keep in my pack when day hiking. I use a larger knife for things that require cutting. Swiss army knives are mostly multi tools and not great for heavy cutting.
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May 18, 2013 06:30
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I had just purshased an rei kitmah shell a few weeks back. Seriously debated returning it and paying the extra dough to get the arcteryx today. I was at rei today and was going to pick up that platypus gravity filter system but they didn't have it in store. I debated just getting a 3 liter zip bladder and the filter separately and save 30-$40. No reason I need to carry three bladders with me. Instead I bought a gopro mount. I've still got time. So much gear so cheap at this sale. It was tempting me so much.
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May 20, 2013 05:29
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I had just purshased an rei kitmah shell a few weeks back. Seriously debated returning it and paying the extra dough to get the arcteryx today. I was at rei today and was going to pick up that platypus gravity filter system but they didn't have it in store. I debated just getting a 3 liter zip bladder and the filter separately and save 30-$40. No reason I need to carry three bladders with me. Instead I bought a gopro mount. I've still got time. So much gear so cheap at this sale. It was tempting me so much.
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May 20, 2013 05:33
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I'm pretty late to the party but I just watched 127 hours for the first time the other night, already completely aware of the story and outcome. It blows my mind how irresponsible it was to set out without anyone else knowing where you are, carrying dull gear, and not taking precautions like extra water. Obviously no surprise since thats what got him in the predicament that hes famous for. What I took away from it aside from the basic irresponsibility is the lack of competent gear. Someone was saying earlier that this thread speaks more to the miles put in at REI versus the miles put on the trail, and while those gear heads to exist and thats what they're into I don't see a problem with knowing the ins and outs of every piece of gear you bring with you into the outdoors. Keep your knives sharp people and carry reliable gear.
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May 23, 2013 15:36
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I have a really close friend who lived out in California with her boyfriend. Both were in their mid 20s, in great shape and pretty avid hikers. They were out hiking Mt. San Jacinto in May 2009 and got heat exhaustion, and thinking that turning around and heading back was the best idea. He started either getting sick or blacking out and realized it was way more serious than they thought so he told her to run ahead for help. I believe she got a few miles down the trail reaching the parking lot and passed out the moment help arrived. I think the temps were near 100 even with their 6am start, and they started to run out of water and rather than finishing the hike they talked to a passing local who advised them to just turn around. They followed his/her advice and started down off the trail. Her boyfriend sat down and realized something was up and they decided she would run ahead to get help. She reached the parking lot and got help before passing out. I think it was somewhere around noon or 1 when they found him unconscious. She made it but spent several days in the hospital but her boyfriend didn't. The S&R reached him but by the time they got him off the trail he was apparently in arrest and died in the parking lot. Its one of those things where you just don't take nature for granted and its better to carry too much water than not enough. VVVVV - Agreed, my closest hiking buddies and I have a "wuss" rule meaning that nobody will think or speak negatively of anyone on the trip if we need to call it quits early for any reason. A lot of times groups of people, especially guys, can get competitive and feel like they need to prove something so they don't voice their concerns and can get themselves into trouble. Before setting out, especially with new people, we make it very welcoming for anyone to speak up about concerns. It generally leads to really good trips and a general group understanding that safety is the primary focus, which relaxes everyone and makes it really enjoyable. Verman fucked around with this message at 17:31 on May 24, 2013 |
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May 24, 2013 16:52
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Marshmallow Mayhem posted:Good rule is don't hike with dicks This, yes. Basically the easiest rule. We actually had to cut my last trip to colorado short when my friend and I woke up to 4 inches of snow. We decided that walking across melting snowbanks with fresh snow on top and runnning water beneath was more than we felt like dealing with after post holing several times and nearly losing our boots.
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May 24, 2013 20:23
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I personally like the roll top compression/dry/ditty bags because they are fairly inexpensive, have an acceptable amount of water proof/resistance, compress very small, and weigh nearly nothing. They are also typically brightly colored for easy organization. If possible, I try to get all my internal bags yellow or orange so that they are easy to see in case something catastrophic were to happen and everything gets scattered. http://www.amazon.com/Outdoor-Produ...ywords=dry+sack
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May 30, 2013 22:26
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rcman50166 posted:This is the closest thread in all of SA I could find on camping. I figure some of you may know about tents. I'm currently in the market for an entry level tent, and there sure are a hell of a lot of them. I'm not sure where to start looking. I'm looking for a casual camping tent for me and my girlfriend. I'm looking for something under $100. Any recommendations? There are a ton by Coleman, Wezman, and some company called Mountain Trails that looks a little sketchy based on what I read on Amazon, but are super cheap. What conditions do you plan to camp in most? What seasons? How many people are you planning to sleep? Some tents are cheap but they could be heavy and the water proofing might not be the greatest. Fine if you are only ever car camping in fair weather bit bad if youre . Eureka makes decent cheapish tents for car camping. Not sure on models though. Always read reviews to see what people have problems with and like about them. Places like rei can seem high but their return policy for members is unbeatable and they carry top notch products.
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Jun 2, 2013 02:54
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mastershakeman posted:The default hundred dollar tent should be the rei half dome 2. I see it everywhere. I love that tent to death and will always recommend that for a great starter tent. My only gripe is that the rainfly isn't very big. My passage 2 rainfly goes all the way to the ground around the entire tent.
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Jun 3, 2013 00:14
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One of my favorite pairs of pants for hiking are from Eddie Bauer. They are the synthetic guide pants. They also come in shorts and are super comfortable/flexible and only about $50-60. The pockets are deep and placed well. http://m.eddiebauer.com/catalog/pro...cmPathInfo=null
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Jun 4, 2013 02:18
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I would say that it never hurts to ask.
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Jun 5, 2013 17:51
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My friend and I just booked our flights for Rocky Mountain for early August. The last time I was there was mid may of last year it was 90º at Denver International and 80º on the trail. The next morning we woke up to several inches of snow. We booked in August hoping that we would be able to get further up into the continental divide than before. Days are going to be pretty hot, nights should be pretty tolerable for sleeping. Hopefully I should be able to lose some weight by not having to bring all the clothes I needed in an early season. It will also be nice because I have a new gravity filter which means no more sitting around a pot of boiling water, instead I can wander around a lake or work on cooking food.
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Jun 11, 2013 20:16
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It actually varies park to park. Bears in and around the heavily traveled parks have apparently become familiar with bear canisters and have figured out a good deal, if not most of them. They are still preferred over bagging in most parks but it just depends. Also, not sure why a park ranger would troll someone on something like bear safety in their own park. Ive always found most park rangers to be overly cautious about what they recommend/tell their guests because they would generally rather be overly safe than not.
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Jun 13, 2013 16:24
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Boots. I only wear trail shoes if its going to be warm or dry and you wont be doing anything where ankle support is needed such as scrambling or climbing. If the conditions call for any water crossings (large or small), snow, rocks, or generally rugged terrain I will always opt for my boots over shoes any day. Pebbles and rocks, snow, water, bark and twigs generally find themselves into the bottoms of my low shoes where as they never get into my boots.
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Jun 13, 2013 22:06
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I need some Rocky Mountain NP suggestions. 4 days 3 nights in backcountry sites. My friend and I backpacked through the wild basin area (WB trail head to Ouzel Lake) last year and it was a blast. This time, we're bringing another friend who has never been to CO but we don't want to do the exact same trail so we're looking for something new. We will be on the trail Thursday morning to Sunday afternoon which will equal about 4 day sand 3 nights. Since we will be coming from Chicago (sea level), we will be staying low for the first night at the very least and just plan to hike high and return low at night. I did start to feel the elevation with a little nausea, sleeplessness and loss of apetite the first night or two so I would like to take better precautions against it this time. Any thoughts?
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Jun 17, 2013 22:08
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It looks like you're missing a black o ring on the male connector.
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Jun 19, 2013 06:05
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  This looks like the O ring you are missing.
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Jun 19, 2013 15:48
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I have a similar platypus system and a set of calipers. I can go home and measure it and give you the specs. Platypus should also be able to answer that question if you give them a call.
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Jun 19, 2013 19:45
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PyrE posted:Sawyer related question. I left my Sawyer wet and it got musty. Mistakenly read the instructions and put a bleach mix through the filter. At least 12 liters of water later and I can still taste the bleach. The taste is pretty over powering. Did I just gently caress myself over into having to buy a new filter or will the flavor of bleach go away eventually? I dont know about you but drinking high amounts of bleach doesnt seem like a good idea to me. I would just suck it up and buy a new filter, and take better care of it next time. Chock it up to a lesson learned.
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Jul 10, 2013 21:20
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Ropes4u posted:I'm an idiot .. What the gently caress? I hope you pooped your pants because that would have been completely acceptable.
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Jul 14, 2013 04:38
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| # ¿ May 2, 2024 22:25 |
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icecastle posted:I'm going to Rocky Mountain National Park pretty soon. Can someone recommend some trails? How many days? Where are you coming from? What do you want to see? I really liked the wild Basin area when I went last year. Not a lot of people, constant supply of water nearby, and great views of waterfalls, alpine lakes, and the continental divide. We hiked from the WB trail head, stayed in Tahosa camp site the first night to get acclimated, then to Ouzel lake and upper ouzel lake campsites. The ranger told us that this part of the park is one of the more secluded due to the southern entrance and lack of nearby car camping sites. The hike itself wasn't too bad and thats coming from sea level the same day. Day one was rough, day two was much better and I felt fine from day three on. There was a lot of pine beetle damage up towards the upper end of the treeline so watch out for widowmakers and standing dead trees so be careful about that. Also, we went in may so there was still snow. There shouldn't be much if any snow at this point so everything should be good. I'm actually going back the second week of august and we're still trying to figure out where we want to try to go but its eventually going to come down to whats available.
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Jul 15, 2013 22:02
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