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Ruptured Yakety Sax posted:If I wanted to put a bit of cash into a nice raincoat, a) does it make much of a difference, and b) what sort of features should I be looking for? At the moment got just a cheap affair which is hot and heavy, but it gets the job done. Seems like they can get expensive pretty quick, but I have some cash to spare Ehhhhh... Not really? Goretex is technically breathable, but not really if you're doing any kind of activity where you'd be perspirating. Pit zips only work if you're a climber, because the upwards motion of your arms create a bellows effect that you don't get in hiking or biking. In practice, you're going to get wet from either perspiration or the rain. Mainly for me my rain jacket is a guard against hypothermia when the weather is colder. I do like my Marmot Precip jacket, and I think I paid sixty bucks for the previous year's model on sale. I don't think paying any more than that would get you any better performance or anything, except perhaps lighter weight and stuff, which is great for obvious reasons. Rain paints are a terrible concept in practice, and I don't know anyone I've hiked with that has ever had a good experience with them or didn't regret putting them on after an hour or so. I actually haven't used my rain jacket in awhile, I've actually taken to wearing my thermoball hooded jacket because it does a great job of keeping me warm and defleclecting most of the rain. Last trip I took to Monongahela NF it was raining and in the forties, and the thermoball was great.
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Sep 17, 2017 16:00
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khysanth posted:My foot is fractured and I can no longer take a hike for some weeks/months. I'm not sure how I will cope. Condolences, that really sucks. Could you try cycling instead? Picnic Princess posted:Clever. I have traveled with a backpack before but everything fit inside so I never bothered worrying too much. I even have some friends in the UK who might be able to help with storage. Bag inside a bag is clearly the simplest way to go about it. Thanks! Forget storage, just go to the thrift shop and buy some airplane luggage for two bucks, ditch it when you get there, and pick up some at a thrift shop near the airport for the trip home. I've never been in a goodwill where they didn't have some luggage or even a gym bag or something.
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Sep 22, 2017 02:18
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Unibrow posted:Just stopping in to pay my respects for this thread and all the posters in it. I'm finally tagging along on the dad & uncles annual week-long hunting trip, and this thread has been a boon for getting my head in the right place while I prep. Hey, that's great! Thanks man! That's all I'm hoping for, is that some of this is helpful for people. Hope you enjoy the trip! Quick recommendation question... I'm looking for a way to help organize my excess tarp tiedown cordage so I don't have to untangle the thin reflective line when unrolling and pitching my tarp. It's purposefully long so I can pitch my tarp with the poles holding it up like a front porch, or tie to nearby trees and stuff. I've been wrapping it around my index finger and pinkie and tying it off, but that tends to get tangled. I'm thinking of those little stick figure things for headphones you can wrap them around... Does anyone use or can recommend anything like this for stowing their excess lines?
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Oct 1, 2017 21:21
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CopperHound posted:If you are not already, try wrapping it in a figure 8 motion. Yup! That's exactly what I've been doing, which kinda sometimes works, but it still manages to tangle up with the other tie downs since I just leave them right on the tarp. Previously they'd been separate and I could just wrap the cord around the stakes, but I've switched everything out and it's just not feasible to do it that way anymore. I was just hoping there'd be something small simple and lightweight I could pick up and wrap stuff with, and Google isn't very helpful with the terms I've been searching
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Oct 4, 2017 14:32
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Morbus posted:How are they getting tangled? Is the wrap coming undone? Also what kind of line are you using? In general narrower diameter stuff tangles much easier. Like 0.5 mm line may save you 1-2 oz of weight tops on 200 ft of line, vs. regular ol' 3mm paracord, but with the thicker cord you can generally toss it into a big dumb pile and not have to deal with tangles. I'm using reflective tech line, specifically night-eeze I think is the brand. Is because each of the four corners of my tarp essentially have a six foot line with a loop of shock cord to connect it to the tarp and maintain tension, and a small line tensioner to make quick and easy adjustments. What I do is roll up my tarp into my snakeskins, and even though I carefully fold the line into the tarp, it still manages to tangle with the other lines. Unfortunately I'm too late to find something for my trip to Reeds Gap tomorrow... Every time I go out I keep telling myself I'll find something before the next trip as I'm swearing and trying to untangle poo poo 
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Oct 5, 2017 12:40
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Speaking of snow, what do you all wear pants wise for winter backpacking? I've always worn my nylon hiking pants over a light thermal underwear layer, but last year I nearly froze my dick off when the temperatures dipped into the negatives for the whole trip and I'd like to get something more substantial like snow pants. I'm super happy with my top half, it's just my legs that leave a lot to be desired.
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Oct 29, 2017 15:19
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Morbus posted:Most of the time just thermal underwear and softshell pants. But I always bring some light (and extremely cheap) semi-waterproof windpants that I will use if it is windy. If there is any chance of temps going below ~5F I will bring insulated pants as well. The insulated pants are mainly for camp or when inactive, but I've been thankful to have them in some cases where the weather was worse than expected. Normally I'm fine with a thin thermal later, but below zero was when I was most miserable standing around camp, even while rotisserieing myself by a fire. I've got a small foam accordian sit pad for when I do sit, the problem is that there's no real insulation otherwise the rest of the time when I'm not moving and active. I wound up doing what Picnic Princess mentioned and buying some of the cheap *Artix snow pants on Amazon as well as a pair of bibs... I'm pretty stoked to give them a shot, should find out here shortly on my next weekly hike. I just had such a scare last year when I thought my dick may have gotten frostbite, I'm not taking any more chances 
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Nov 1, 2017 12:20
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meselfs posted:Hey. That was my idea, don't credit yourselfs. Huh, that's actually a really great idea... Never thought about wool pants before, but it makes so much sense... Gonna hit up goodwill and the googler. Are there any good black Friday/holiday gear deals y'all are looking forward to? Specifically I could definitely use some new trail runners. Also, speaking of trail runners, what's the best way to keep off the stink? Should I wash them in the sink and dry them on the boot dryer?
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Nov 8, 2017 13:22
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Morbus posted:I just rinse mine with a hose and bucket, walk around with them a bit to squish out extra water, and air dry them. As-is, I've never had a pair last even a full year, so I'm weary of tumble drying beating them up even more. But I live in a warm and dry climate so air drying is easy. That's really smart, I never thought of just using a hose and bucket! And the vinegar too, that's a great idea! I'll try both here, thanks! Kind of a similar question, but about hanging gear up to dry after a trip... I've always just found random poo poo to drape tarps and quilts over, or strung stuff up using furniture and whatnot, but I've got a dedicated gear closet now and I was wondering about installing some sort of rack in the ceiling to just clip or drape stuff from, like with closet hangers and stuff. Has anyone ever built anything like that, or is there some sort of off the shelf recommendation, like a pot hanger kinda thing?
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Nov 19, 2017 15:03
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Thought I'd share this over here real quick: https://www.vipon.com/instant-deal/index?group=Sports+%26+Outdoors It's how those cheap and often lovely chinese goods get tons of five star ratings on Amazon. Manufacturers offer steep coupons to incentivize people to buy and review the latest from Shenzhen province. Sometimes they even screw up and offer duplicate discounts and you can get 80$ work of microfiber camp towels for free on Amazon (can confirm that worked). One of the guys I backpack with has bought full nylon tarps and hammocks for 4$ apiece, and if you need some cheap gear and even packs, it's not the worst option, especially if you're just trying to get someone started on the cheap. Most stuff I'd rather buy from cottage vendors, but certain stuff there is the exact same as what you'd find at REI, so just FYI.
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Dec 4, 2017 23:21
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Can anyone recommend me a good lightweight tent that uses trekking poles for support? I normally hammock camp 99% of the time, but I'll be going out to the Grand Canyon here in a few months so I was wondering if there was anything decent tent wise that would be <2-3 pounds. I've currently got a bivy that's 14 ounces, but I suspect a tent wouldn't be all that much more in terms of weight.
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Dec 25, 2017 13:40
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khysanth posted:I can recommend a few. Are you looking for a 1 or 2 person shelter, single or double walled, and single or double trekking pole supported? Ideally I was looking for something along the lines of the Zpacks Duplex tarp shelter. I'm 6'4", and I'd like to believe that someday my girlfriend will join me on a trip, so my thought was to get something theoretically capable of accommodating two people, or at least one tall person because realistically I'd probably get her a hammock setup so I guess that's a moot point to look for in a tent. I just want something with a bugnet connected to a bathtub floor, and rainfly. I almost always have two trekking poles, so one or two pole supported is perfect. I'm just curious what the favorite stuff is out there in terms of tents in 2017.
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Dec 29, 2017 15:26
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khysanth posted:The Duplex is the darling of 2017 but you pay a huge premium for the Zpacks brand and for the fabric (DCF/Cuben). Unfortunately there aren't a ton of comparable 2P, single-walled, trekking pole supported shelters. The Duplex will set you back $600 before tax and ultimately weighs in around 23-25oz after you factor in guylines and stakes. Holy crap, this is awesome information... Thank you! I'm really digging that gossamer gear the two... and honestly a few extra ounces is well worth the trade-off of being half the cost. Plus I love that I don't have to figure out how to pack fragile and bulky tent poles, that everything just crams into a bag. That's exactly what I was looking for--thanks! I'm going to quote that in the OP, if you don't mind
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Jan 1, 2018 21:59
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Question about winter gloves... I'm looking for a good all-in-one compromise for backpacking. I've got these Kinco Ski Gloves, which are freaking amazing for deep winter, but they're not very dextrous and they are too hot when you're really moving. Mechanics gloves are great down to freezing, but still not dextrous enough for hammock stuff, so I found some alpaca fingerless gloves which are perfect, but aren't very durable, or warm enough on the bare fingers for below freezing. I think I want some glittens for a good all in one solution, so I can still have warm gloves, but the ability to unzip and manipulate stuff when needed without having to change or take off the gloves. Can anyone give me some recommendations for winter backpacking gloves? Catatron Prime fucked around with this message at 03:34 on Jan 4, 2018 |
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Jan 3, 2018 23:28
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the yeti posted:In advance of spring, I need help with pants. Last year I got by hiking in lightweight, stretchy jeans, and it was adequate but not super confortable and the jeans did not survive the season. Mainly, I'd avoid jeans altogether. Denim is made from cotton, which absorbs water and isn't very good for any high activity stuff where you'll be sweating or getting wet. Cotton apparel doesn't dry out, so you rash in the summer and go hypothermic when the temperature dips. You want something that'll wick water, which would be some sort of artificial fiber (like nylon, polypropylene, or spandex), or to a lesser degree wool. Wool doesn't get as smelly as artificial fiber, so it's great for t-shirts and socks. My recommendation for hiking pants is to check out Academy Sports. I really love their Magellan line (especially the shirts): https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/magellan-outdoors%E2%84%A2-mens-back-country-zipoff-nylon-pant#repChildCatid=3810525 It's probably the cheapest I've found, and there is not really a substantial difference in very expensive hiking pants like Prana vs these. The materials are 99.9% the same, but maybe they'll have different pockets and features, or a special blend of spandex and nylon to make them more stretchy/comfortable. Prana pants are essentially stretchier fabric, but they'll perform the same. These would be the same as the Prana: https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/magellan-outdoors-mens-laguna-madre-pant#repChildCatid=4154829 Unfortunately they'll soak through, but they'll dry in minutes, unlike jeans. They'll also be very comfortable and breathable.
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Jan 16, 2018 18:38
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Another tip for prolonging hiking pants and gear while trekking through brambles--bring hiking poles with you! One of the best things about them is the fact that you can just push bothersome vegetation like that aside with the poles, so it's just not a problem.
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Jan 21, 2018 18:32
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pointsofdata posted:Does anyone have some compact binoculars recommendations? I think I basically want the zeiss terra ed 8x25 but cheaper I've tried for awhile to find a pair that's a good blend of lightweight, quality, and price, but it's a struggle. Specifically I'd love a good pair to use for night sky viewing while I'm out in the backcountry. However, I'm not so invested that I'm willing to spend the hundred+ bucks to get a pair that'd hit the marks I'm looking for, so I've just been bringing the cheapie pair I got from work for a 5 year anniversary present. It just seems like optics are such a rabbithole that I got discouraged and gave up on the whole idea, just cause I'm not sure how much I'd actually bring and use them. Unrelated question, but can anyone recommend me an affordable Merino Wool tee shirt? I've got a weeklong backpacking trip coming up here in a few months, and I'd like to get something that'll handle odor better on my torso. Everything I'm seeing is like sixty bucks for a tee shirt, which to me is insane.
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Feb 4, 2018 18:39
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I just found a used Icebreaker polo on fleabay for 28$, so I hit buy Can't wait to marinate in some stranger's pit sweat 
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Feb 4, 2018 21:56
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uguu posted:A whole chunk of material came out of my boots the other day. That's almost exactly what started happening to mine. Basically the foam stuff in the midlayer of the sole started chunking off, and sure enough my boot blew out in the middle of a 3 day backpacking trip on Mt Rogers.  Check with your manufacturer, Lowa resoled my boots back in Germany for fifty bucks, all said and done. They're like brand new boots now.
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Feb 19, 2018 20:26
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Guest2553 posted:Any recommendations on a good lightweight PFD for still water packrafting? I'm going to order a Klymit LWD to take advantage of the buttload of lakes and rivers near me. Probably not exactly what you're looking for, but I picked up this NRS Chinook PFD last year and it's been great. Tons of pockets for snacks, maps, easy access to the phone to take pictures, stow my gloves, and it's super comfy and has the bulk in all the right areas. You have free arm movement and the back is up high so it doesn't interfere with your seat or paddling movement. Might be a bit much if you're just farting around on a lake with an inflatable, but it's nonetheless pretty great. If I could also make a paddle recommendation, this Carlisle Magic Plus paddle is pretty great too: https://www.steepandcheap.com/carlisle-magic-plus-fiberglass-shaft-paddle
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Mar 5, 2018 13:39
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Morbus posted:Hahahahah I wonder if that PFD made out of dollar store box wine is Coast Guard approved Oh dear god, you're not kidding  Guest2553 posted:Would it really be that bad? I'm not familiar with spray skirts but it looks like it's just a lightweight sleeve to slide into - no straps or clingy neoprene. Absolutely it is. Water is nothing to gently caress around with or underestimate. All it takes is something stupid, like your limbs getting tangled in loose fabric billowing around you, and you're hosed. If that guy had actually capsized or been unlucky on any one aspect, the only thing we would be reading is another missing persons statistic. Please get a proper PFD and don't do anything that might jeopardize your safety. Paddling is an awesome activity and I highly encourage everyone to get into it any way they can, but if you're new to it, I'd highly recommend finding a paddling group to go out with. It's more fun and you have someone to help you out in case anything unexpected happens.
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Mar 7, 2018 06:19
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Huh, that's real interesting... I love the wide feet, that's the main thing that sucks about my butterfly chair, the feet just sink straight onto the dirt. That's also cool it packs into the leg pod thing. Seems kinda heavy, but I definitely prefer the durability. I definitely see it being useful for stuff like kayaking or bike camping, and maybe some backpacking, and I do have 25$ in dividend money to spend... Hmmmm... I'd probably just sit on my bear canister, or in my hammock or on a log realistically in any situation I'd want it. Last year I picked up a folding closed cell foam eggcrate pad, which makes a great chair and hardly weighs anything, so I'll probably stick with that.... But drat if a 20$ camp chair isn't stupidly tempting...
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Mar 12, 2018 05:37
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What do you guys bring to wrap stuff like strains or say a rolled ankle? I've just been bringing a few feet of Leukotape rolled up in a pill bottle, but Leukotape probably isn't the best stuff for that application. Should I bring a bit of ace bandage, or would something like kineseotape work? Just looking for something lightweight to add in. I was also looking at ways to blister package pills so I can just bring half a dozen ibuprofen and Benadryl without the bulky pill bottle. Are there any got diy blister packs or something out there, that I could just say fill it and put an adhesive back on or something?
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Mar 19, 2018 12:39
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CopperHound posted:Still is kind of bulky, but I use one or two comparments popped out of this thing for travel pills. Oh, absolutely, no question about it I'm way overthinking it. I just get annoyed every few years I unpack and poke through my first aid kit and the pills have gotten crushed, or the ziplock baggie is worn out with holes, or the alcohol wipes have long dried out. It's not something I touch very often, I think I've only ever used the tick key, ibuprofen for a headache, and tweezers/nail clippers. Maybe some liquid bandage for something small. I just wanted to reduce the footprint of everything and thought that a blister pack for the pills would be great, and I just wanted the minimal thing I could get away with for a rolled ankle (which happened to another guy in my group when he slipped on a mossy rock). Coming up here shortly I'll be out in Arizona for a week, so I'm just trying to get everything reevaluated for that. n8r posted:Carrying benadryl / ibuprofen / imodium / opioid painkillers (if you have 'em) is a pretty good loadout for first aid. If you've got really problematic ankles, I guess I could see the merits of carrying an ace bandage. Seems excessive for most people in most cases. I think a prescription pill bottle with a bunch of duct tape wrapped around it is a pretty good multi use thing that doesn't take up room, and won't get crushed like ziplocs could. Ahhhhh, that's a really good idea to wrap the tape around the pill bottle... I was trying to figure out the best way to carry it off the rol, thanks! Yeah, I think the ace bandage might be excessive, that's why I was thinking I could just get away with the leukotape by itself, so it's just a catch-all kinda thing. It's never been something I've carried or needed, but that just means I'll inevitably need it next time, now that it's on my radar. the yeti posted:If I really really wanted it to be waterproof, at the cost of some convenience, I'd consider using a foodsaver to bag and seal iburpofen and so on. 3 mil food bags are pretty sturdy, just not resealable. That's loving genius, thanks! Exactly what I was looking for--something more durable than zip lock bags, it's waterproof, and all my stuff won't go to poo poo because the packaging gets torn, worn out, and dries up. Thanks! E: that's again loving perfect for a few spare wysi wipes too... Thanks! Catatron Prime fucked around with this message at 04:23 on Mar 20, 2018 |
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Mar 20, 2018 04:20
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Tigren posted:Don't listen to this person. The answer is always BUY MORE GEAR! 20% off at REI and 23$ in dividends, and I can't think of a single thing I want to buy from there other than maybe food or fuel canisters  Morbus posted:One time I lost my lighter, so from then on I always brought two. Then one time I lost two lighters, so now I always bring three. So far, this has been sufficient... I always try and bring one, but the last few times I've forgot for one reason or another with last second packing, and it's just honestly not an issue since it's extremely reliable everyone else in the group has one. Worst case I have a cold rehydrated dinner 
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Apr 6, 2018 03:41
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Yeah, zippos honestly kinda suck outside the satisfying clink when you close them. Most cheapo bic lighters actually have a nozzle to refill them with butane canister, and you can buy replacement sparkers I think. Hard to get more reliable than that, or lighter FogHelmut posted:Get a pair of Darn Tough socks. That's actually exactly what I'm thinking... I'm slowly working on changing out all my socks with Darn Toughs, I'm just waiting on no shows to go around 8ish bucks a pair on sale somewhere and then get a dozen or so. I wish I had gotten more last time I did that on backcountry.com
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Apr 7, 2018 03:24
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MeruFM posted:
 gently caress yeah! Nice to see another Oru convert! You won't regret it, I've done 4 day kayak camping trips in mine and it's performed stellar. Make sure you get a good paddle, I think I got the magic Carlisle plus and it's been great. I can't wait to take mine out more this year! Make sure you set it up and practice assembly before taking it out. First time took me thirty minutes, now it takes me less than five. Also use the zipper lube, it'll make sliding the zippers on much easier. Also be prepared to roll while adjusting the seat for the first time. That's the only time I've it though, it's fairly easy to figure out. And disassembly/assembly is super easy once you've done it once and get a gist for how it folds out/in. Don't forget to adjust the foot holder. Also, I'm 6'4" and getting in and out takes a bit of extricating my limbs, but you might have an easier time than me. Otherwise it's a loving fantastic boat, can't wait to see your first trip report! I haven't gotten the spray skirt for mine, but you're definitely want it if you plan on rolling.
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Apr 13, 2018 03:18
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Guest2553 posted:Family vacation this year is going to be camping stuff Nice! Half Dome is a solid tent buy! It's expensive, but it's good quality and will last. What kind of sleeping pads did you get? Quick gear trip report for myself--Spent six days backpacking the Gems in Grand Canyon National Park from South Bass up the Boucher Trail and out Hermit. Unbelievably beautiful, but the trail is either difficult to find in places, washed out altogether along the Boucher, extremely exposed and perilous, extremely difficult, and water is very few and far between with very limited opportunities for half day scrambles down to the river every few side canyons. There's a reason most people put off that particular section of the canyon, maybe a hundred people do that stretch every year. But anyways, gear wise, I had a cascading series of gear failures. My awesome BeFree water filter (hollow tube membrane dialysis filter, same as sawyer) clogged up drat near entirely (on clear pothole/puddle water, not the sediment heavy River water either). Problem was I let it dry out and sit all winter without bleaching it to kill off the microorganisms, which I'm assuming are what clogged it. Fortunately I was able to use iodine crystals and calcium hypochlorite tabs from other people to treat my water, so that's a great lesson to carry a chemical backup of a few tabs in my first aid kit. I was within the one year window at REI though, so they just exchanged it for a new one when I got back thankfully. I was also able to exchange my REI Flash sleeping pad too. It has a slow undetectable leak that left me pumping it up every 2-3 hours throughout the night. I just bought a Z-Lite accordion pad to replace it, I figure I don't want to get hosed by a leaky pad again, and I usually use hammocks anyways. After 3 years of heavy use, my Costco carbon fiber poles finally bit the dust as well. I snagged a tip in some rocks and snapped the end, thankfully back after we were on established benched in park trails without severe exposure. Really my fault these broke, I'm just going to buy another pair for how great they've been. My Tilly hemp hat was great for keeping the sun off, can't recommend that one highly enough. And my Lowa leather boots were absolutely life saving on the lovely loose trails with precipitous drops and climbs. Plus they kept the barbed cactus needles out of my feet. One of the other guys decided to try trail runners, and was picking needles out of the toes of his shoes and feet all week. Plus the tread was absolutely destroyed by the end of the trip, on a practically new pair of shoes. Zpacks Arc Haul pack held up to desert abuse, cactuses, sliding around on rocks, and hauling 2.5 gallons of water plus gear every day without issue. Also flew great, I was able to stuff it in the overhead bins on even the small regional jet from Pheonix to Flagstaff. No tears, was quite durable and comfortable--A+. I used Sawyer bags for hauling the extra water, those were awesome and held up great as well. Another guy's Camelback had a small leak so he was constantly losing water. Another sample size that camelbacks suck in my book. Dutchware Gear has a 2.5 oz argon pillow that was awesome for the trip and on the airplane. Highly highly recommend, only 10$ for the kit to diy, or 17$ for a finished product. Packit Gourmet trail meals were loving awesome as always. Especially the All American works burger, which only needed 2.5 freaking ounces of water to rehydrate. Very very very helpful on those dry camps. The Diner Deluxe Eggs with pork sausage are also an honorable mention, though a salsa packet in that burrito would have made them just beyond incredible. Their margherita pizza would have been amazing too, if only they included a marinara packet or something. The other people on the trip brought esbit tablet stoves, which work and are light and cheap, but are slow, kind of smell, and difficult to light when you're camping in exposed 50-60 mile an hour winds. They wound up using my canister stove the last night since it was the only one that would stay lit. Otherwise, I just camped out on a tyvek ground sheet (courtesy of dutchware gear, very cheap by the foot), and my 20° down quilt (Underground Quilts). That worked out great until the last night when it hit with surprise freezing precipitation, so I was pretty well hosed because I somehow neglected to pack my 1 lb bivy in my rush to get packed and left. Fortunately I found an overhang nearby to shelter with the rodent nests and hantavirus, and used my tyvek ground sheet to keep the worst of the precipitation off. Eventually it stopped and the aforementioned 50-60 mph winds dried out my bag. I think that night was solid proof that DWR down does somewhat work! I didn't die, and was able to get warm again once or twice more that night, so that's a huge success in my book. Hope this is helpful for someone else!
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Apr 23, 2018 00:01
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FCKGW posted:Thanks for your reply. I'm starting to transition from car camping to backpacking and still getting the gear I need. I've bought a new tent and sleeping pad but still have a regular two burner camp stove and kitchen set, stuff like that. I'm in SoCal and will be doing local hikes for now but want to start branching out into the Sierras eventually. Don't really plan on any Winter or snow trips, no. Nah, I'd be looking at everything now. Might as well spend a few extra bucks now and get the right gear rather than buying something and determining it's not what you need after a trip or two. I started with an external frame, moved to a 70L Osprey when I thought I needed more room, and now I'm using a Zpacks Arc Haul, which is hands down my favorite of the bunch. Backpacks are a great place to start. That and your shelter are your most important things. If you're just getting backpacking gear, most people tend to gravitate to lighter gear over time, so I would just skip the large Gregory and get something like a Zpacks or other lightweight pack from the get go. Similar capacity, similar price, but you save three-four pounds, which is substantial. There very few places you can make that kind of impact for that dollar amount. I just used my ~60L Arc haul on a weeklong backpacking trip in the Grand canyon where I was carrying almost 3 gallons of water and it worked great. The mesh pockets on the back are awesome for extra gear, as well as hipbelt pockets. I really can't imagine a scenario where that size wouldn't work for any trip, I can even get my large bear vault canister on the top of the pack if need be. Ditch the two burner stove and get a canister stove, you can find a good one for ~10-20$, and it takes up substantially less space. I use an Olicamp Ion. The MSR Pocket Rocket was the gold standard of canister stoves for a long time, most stoves are pretty similar.
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Apr 30, 2018 18:24
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Guest2553 posted:I'll pimp ULA packs as well. Circuit/ohm are both lightweight (sub 40 oz) internal frame 60+L bags that are fairly versatile and have good reputations. No suspension though, if you care about it, but last year's models are sub $200. Oh man, those are sweet deals! One of the guys I do a lot of trips with has a ULA pack he really loves. That Osprey exos would also be a really good option. Nthing other gear recommendations, a long handled spoon is one of my 10 essentials. If you're looking at a sleeping pad, I just bought a new thermarest Venture on eBay for 50$ to replace an REI flash pad that died on me. Seems to be a good mix of cheap, sturdy, and comfy at the expense of five extra ounces vs inflatable pads double its price. If you're looking at bags, I'd look long and hard at a quilt instead: http://www.hammockgear.com/burrow-econ-20/ For 160$ you can get a 20° quilt that'll be great for three seasons and weigh a lot less than a sleeping bag. Also roomier and comfier IMO. Oh, and if you're looking at cookware, the [url="Olicamp Hard Anodized XTS Pot (1-Litre) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007OJKI2U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Wz75AbNMGWWTT"]Olicamp XTS Pot[/url] is seriously awesome, the heat find act like a windscreen and help it boil faster/save you fuel. Like a jetboil on the cheap. I'm sure way more than you wanted to know, but it's stuff I wish I had known years ago. Oh, and don't forget a good headlamp--the black diamond storm is awesome with green LEDs, it's about all I use at night anymore.
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May 1, 2018 01:40
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SwissArmyDruid posted:Yo, dawg, when it comes to eating utensils, lemme drop a hot tip: That's really clever! I'm going to have to try it! My favorite utensil for eating backpacking food though, is honestly the burrito shell. All in one plate plus utensil, with zero dishes. I'm really bummed Bakeys Edible Spoons are still impossible to come by. A friend got some from the Kickstarter and they're awesome, but still only available in limited quantities Indians.
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May 1, 2018 12:05
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bongwizzard posted:You guys just not carry a pair of heavy duty disposable plastic spoons? Titanium Sporks are neat and all but I’d rather have a spare or two jammed in bottom of my pack and just wash the same plastic one every day. What sweet Jones said, that extra reach is great with the long handled spoon if you do dehydrated food, makes it far easier to eat out of the bag. Plus, you know, uber titanium and all that. It's such a little thing, but it makes a big difference.
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May 1, 2018 16:37
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SwissArmyDruid posted:What features are now standard on backpacks that weren't there three years ago? That looks like a great pack for a great price! If you're in the market, if be hard pressed to see how you could go wrong there. Really the only "new" backpack features are trimming down weight with dcf fabric and removing pockets/etc. ~4 lbs for that pack and >100$, 1.5 lbs for a Zpacks Arc haul for 300$. Depends on what you're doing, how often, and how much saving 2.5 pounds of weight is worth to you.
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May 7, 2018 12:24
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bongwizzard posted:Because sunscreen is gross as gently caress when you got hairy legs. I also like them for hiking to get a little tick protection and to keep the thorns from loving my legs up as much. Tights+shorts is the best spring to fall hiking thing ever. I'd just get some 20-30$ ripstop nylon hiking pants off academy with built in SPF protection: https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/magellan-outdoors-mens-laguna-madre-pant#repChildCatid=5027516 Or some walmart 6$ ankle length running/excercise pants (like ankle length gym shorts), which are great for kayaking in colder weather. With loose ankles, they'll flip over your shoes so no gap, and nylon dries out and doesn't absorb water.
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May 8, 2018 03:09
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Anyone know of any lightweight waterproof banjos? Kind of like those carbon fiber guitars... I'd love to bring one backpacking and camping instead of my deering good time.FCKGW posted:I found a Gregory Paragon 58 never used for less than half price and picked up the Olicamp pot/stove setup someone recommended in the thread on sale as well, thanks for the suggestions guys. Cool! I think you'll be really happy with that combo, should serve you really well! I've got a few slightly lighter titanium pots, but I just use that Olicamp XTS pot anymore. It's the perfect size to stow my fuel canister & stove inside, and the silicone lid is perfect for boiling. Makes boiling go so much faster and doesn't rattle around in my bag like the pot/frying pan lid combo.
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May 10, 2018 12:32
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My guess is that it's got some sort of liner on the inside that's breaking down. My guess is that it's probably not 100% stainless but some other cheap alloy. I wouldn't use it, a used Gatorade bottle is absolutely the way to go. Durable, cheap, easily replaceable, and ultra lightweight.
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May 12, 2018 03:48
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Chard posted:Anyone use the Petzl e+LITE as a primary headlamp? I'm trying to decide on a replacement for my heavy AAA-eater and leaning towards that one based on weight, but I don't have a good sense of what 50 lumens looks like, but it's 1/4 what the Tikka puts out What are you trying to do with it? If you're looking for a rechargable headlamp, look for one that used 18650 lithium batteries, like the Fenix headlamps. If you're looking for one on the trail, I still say it's tough to beat the black diamond storm with the green LEDs. I usually get several trips out if a battery change, and the green is about all I use hiking anymore, but the bright white is great when you need portable daylight.
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May 18, 2018 03:56
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Verman posted:Picked up some patagonia trail shorts at the REI sale because they were only $40. They have 2 zippered side pockets, one rear zippered pocket, they sit above the knee, no fly, and an internal boxer brief style liner that feels like exofficio underwear. May cut that out if it seems annoying. Yeah, the controls on the storm are completely overwhelming at first. But once you get the hang of it, they kinda do make sense in their own convoluted way. Basically hold from off to change color, tap for brightness (it'll blink twice at max, which is a pretty great feature), double tap to do something else, and hold for 6 seconds from off to lock. Fantastic light though, and batteries last forever. It's functionally bright enough for anything, and that green led is the best feature ever put on a headlamp. Plus the red is actually bright enough to be useful, for the first time ever in a headlamp
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May 25, 2018 11:51
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johnnyonetime posted:Whatup backpacking friends! I've always been curious to try an all in one integrated system from Big Agnes, it just seems like such a great idea. Did you wind up getting one? If you're looking for affordable quilts, hammock gear sells a line of econ quilts that have a similar exterior fabric they're able to source cheaper, saving like $100. Plus you can add something to attach it to the pad, I don't know what but it's an option during checkout. Between a sewn footbox and shoulder snaps, I haven't needed any attachment when sleeping on a pad though, it just works pretty great all on its own
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May 30, 2018 11:55
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MA-Horus posted:I'm doing a 5 day whitewater canoeing trip on the Spanish River in Northern Ontario in a few weeks. Just picked up a pair of Prana Zions for my camp pants because the bugs are gonna be HORRENDOUS It's expensive, but you only need to buy it once... I really love my hemp Tilly hat: https://www.tilley.com/media/catalog/product/cache/image/1100x1100/e9c3970ab036de70892d86c6d221abfe/t/h/th5_brown_b_1.jpg It's tough, it floats, it's insured against loss or damage, guaranteed for life, made in Canada, quite cool on hot days... I seriously can't recommend this thing heartily enough. I've had several cheaper hats, all of which deformed over time or were just lovely in various ways. Even my friends who paid good money for North face boonie caps all regret it, theirs droop and suck over time, and they just wound up buying a Tilley hat. They're made for boating, though if you're doing straight up whitewater, just wear an old baseball cap
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Jun 15, 2018 20:53
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