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I've always been too cheap to buy dehydrated meals, so my friend and I picked up a used dehydrator when we got more serious about our canoe camping trips. Doing the pasta and chilli cooknight a few days before the trip has become a very enjoyable pre-trip ritual for us, and it saves us a ton of money. I think we need to work on developing a few more recipes though. This year I finally got myself my dream camping accessory. After spending like a grand renting canoes over the last couple of years, I picked up a Souris River Quetico 16'. I absolutely love it. It's been a dream for tandem paddling with the wife, tripping, fishing, and solo paddling it isn't half bad either. At 42lbs it's a breeze to load and portage as well. Taken it for a few 4night trips in Ontario crown land, and it's incredible being able to just get up and go. No dealing with an outfitter, no permits required for crown land usage. You just go! Wish I did this years ago
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Jul 17, 2020 18:01
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Pennywise the Frown posted:I've been all over meetup.com for just about anything I'm interested in and have had zero luck finding a group of people in my area that aren't over 50. Hang out with the old farts. I cycle every Saturday with a bunch of really cool people my parent's age. They are pretty quick. Quick enough to keep things fun for me, but slow enough I get to show off a bit. I joined up with them sight unseen because the other groups start too late (imo) to do a 6hr ride with significant elevation gain in 90 degree temps. I was a bit shocked at the ages and thought it would be a one time thing, but they rock. If I'm remotely that cool and fit in 20-30 years I'll be very happy Edit: you were also asking about camping when it's hot. Camp on the water. You've got a kayak! I did a 4 night trip last month through a really nasty heatwave and we were comfortable the whole time because we camped on an island that was fairly wind exposed but still offered a bit of shade. Whenever it gets a bit hot, take a dip. The problem with summer camping is not the heat.. it's the skeeters! Math You fucked around with this message at 23:07 on Jul 24, 2020 |
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Jul 24, 2020 23:00
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MustardFacial posted:MEC is rich man camping. I'm not made of money. REI ships to Canada. I bought a half-dome2+ (it actually fits 2 people) on clearance and it still priced pretty well with the exchange, etc. Obviously if I have any problems returning it is sorta out of the question but I've been very happy with it. I just didn't see anything out there that looked as roomy, light, well featured and well breathing. The MSR Elixir just looks claustrophobic and stuffy by comparison.
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Jul 29, 2020 11:54
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Any good consensus on satellite communication devices? We used to be pretty bad about going completely off grid until we had our first emergency and since then have been renting iridium sat phones. Gotten kind of sick of renting as the delivery fees are too high. Just based on price we're gravitating towards the Spotx but I was wondering if anyone had experience with the spot/inreach/others that might shed some light or offer a recommendation. We camp in northern Ontario mostly so the coverage of the iridium network offered by Garmin isn't a factor. We do want flexible plans so avoiding traps like repeatedly paying activation fees or whatever is important
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Aug 27, 2020 19:17
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I could do with some tent reqs. I currently use an REI Half dome 3+ for canoe camping and it's been an awesome tent. However this year with COVID I haven't exactly been sharing it much. Now that everyone's accustomed to having their own digs, I'm not sure if they'll want to go back. Taking this into account, I'm not sure I want to carry around a giant tent just for myself. I'm thinking I might want to go with a 1p or 2p. It's really the pack size of the half dome that kills me, so something that won't take up literally half of my bag would be nice. Light weight is always nice but I want something that's going to last. Freestanding is a requirement. Hiking poles don't exactly lend themselves to canoeing.
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Nov 26, 2020 21:39
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Picked up a Fiskars X11 and Silky Gomboy 240. Currently have a cheapo pruning saw and hatchet combo which are really only good for cutting small branches and splitting off kindling. However we camp on a lot of island sites and wood you can process by hand is often picked through, leaving is the choice of going without a fire or processing larger pieces of wood. Really looking forward to taking a little bit of the labour out of getting a fire going! The Fiskars in particular should be a blast. It's basically the only splitting hatchet I've come across.. though at 17 inches maybe it's more of a one-handed axe than a hatchet. Think it should be worth the 1lbs penalty over my current hatchet though.. Splitting wood with a small chopping hatchet is not fun.
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Dec 31, 2020 21:31
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Two highlight pieces of gear for me this year that I realized I hadn't shared the good word on. Both definitely on the camping side of the spectrum (I mostly canoe camp). Platypus Gravity Works 4L: Previously have used befrees and pump action filters. The switch to a proper gravity filter was life changing. Honestly, it felt like we had plumbing. It includes a 4 liter dirty bag, and a 4 liter clean bag. It's fast enough that at sites where water access was annoying, I'd let the first bag filter and then fill the dirty bag up again. 8 liters of drinking water off of one trip is pretty amazing. Eureka! VCS 16 Tarp + Bug Shelter: I camp in Northern Ontario. Anyone who's camped in a similar climate will know why I bought a bug shelter. For the uninitiated, here's a piece of bug inspired Canadiana. Basically, camping between May and mid July, you are liable to be eaten to death if you aren't behind no-see-um mesh before the bugs come out. On a big, dawn to dusk travel day, there's nothing more restorative than cooking and eating a nice supper at sunset.. and nothing worse than doing this while the air is thick with black flies or mosquitos. Had a few trips this year that would have included a lot of early turn ins, but sitting in the shelter we were perfectly comfortable to eat, play cards and just talk through the witching hour. I knew I made a stellar purchase the first evening we used it. There's a number of shelters on the market now, but what sets this one apart is that the tarp and mesh are separate pieces. The obvious benefit being that you don't have to buy a 2nd tarp on trips where the netting isn't necessary, but even more I enjoyed the flexibility on trips where we did use the netting. Trying to get a tarp up in bad weather can be hard enough without having a bunch of mesh flapping all over the place. Being able to just leave that section in the stuff sack until later definitely saved me a lot of time and cursing.
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Jan 3, 2021 17:08
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MEC in Canada actually killed itself doing this poo poo and had to sell. Still operating but no longer a co-op, and I'm sure the new owners will gut them. They started out manufacturing all of their items in Canada, but as they progressed they began sending manufacturing overseas. The quality dropped. They refreshed designs on a lot of their staple items. The quality dropped again. Mountain Equipment Co-op somehow became clothing, yoga, cycling, stand up paddle boarding, skiing etc, etc, etc.. co-op. They eventually changed the name to just MEC as a final "gently caress you" to the members who made them a national success. I just don't get it. Their entire brand was about offering cheap, durable, mountaineering gear that lasted forever, sold by staff who actively used their own product.. so they lowered the quality and grew into so many areas they couldn't possibly have staff knowledgeable in all departments??? There's still some really solid items up for grabs there but you definitely need to do your due diligence. Sure, the return policy is still good but that doesn't help me much when something fails in the back country.
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Jan 10, 2021 05:37
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Costco gets an 8 person Coleman mansion in every summer. They usually hang the display from the ceiling (at least in  )It's cheap as hell and pretty much always gets marked down at the end of the season. I've considered it a few times for canoe camping. It's honestly a much more compact package than the 4 tents we bring. However, since COVID forced us to all bring separate tents I think I'll have a tough time convincing my friends to give up private accommodations again 
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Feb 3, 2021 17:08
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Classic XC skis are way way way cheaper than downhill skis, and a lot more useful (at least in my area) during COVID. I purchased my entire XC kit (boots, bindings, skis, poles, grip wax kit) for less than the snowboard boots I purchased that season. And snowboard boots are a bargain next to ski boots... I know they are very different sports and there's a reason the equipment is more expensive but I decided to share anyway 
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Feb 13, 2021 14:18
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I really really really like my Platypus Gravity Works. It's practically like having plumbing at your camp site. The two bag system in general is really good for keeping your filter running well, since back flushing is as simple as lifting the clean bag up for a few seconds at the end of each job. It's more of an "at rest" solution than something you're going to use on the move, and probably a bit bulky for a solo backpacker.. but is it ever a QOL upgrade when you're with a group. This guy has pumped drinking water for 6 for the last time!
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Feb 28, 2021 13:32
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surivdaoreht posted:So I've been invited to go on a portaging trip for a few days and I'm pretty pumped... But I need to buy basically everything I need. Niiice. First: congrats. Canoe camping is in my opinion the coolest camping. I'm super jealous that you are going to get to experience it for the first time. Second: if you are able to provide a little more background on the nature of the trip, that would be helpful.
If you're not moving too much, car camping gear is perfectly fine on a canoe trip.. same if you're doing some relatively short portages where you're okay double carrying (hiking it twice). You want to pack more like a backpacker if you've got miles to cover on foot. Third: How much "group kit" do your friends have? If you're a hanger on with an established group you might not need much beyond a bag, clothes and sleeping pad/bag. Big thing I would recommend is dry sacks for your clothes and sleeping bag. Don't want to end up dumping, or dropping your bag while loading and being wet the rest of the trip. Oh, and a PFD that you will be comfortable actually wearing. Saving a few bucks doesn't help you if you aren't wearing it because it chafes your arms while you paddle.
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Mar 2, 2021 17:16
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There should be manufacturer care guides /efficacy checks you can perform. Platypus for example recommends that ahead of extended storage, you filter a liter of water with 1 drop of bleach through the filter, and open the housing to allow it to dry for a good two weeks. Their efficacy test involves trying to blow air through the filter (with water on the other end where you would be able to see air bubbles). If the filter opens up so you can see the material directly, I'd check it for mildew and complete these steps.
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Mar 4, 2021 15:42
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The befrees are pretty good in my experience. We'll generally have one or two around on a trip (some don't bring any other water bottle) and they are a nice compliment to the platypus. Only issue I've seen with them is the filters getting clogged up and they don't come with a syringe to back flush them. That's not a particularly unique issue with filters, and the bladders held up fine to us squeezing the poo poo out of them to compensate.
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Mar 6, 2021 02:48
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Yeah I don't use a water bladder for camping because most often my pack is in the bottom of a canoe, and more generally, trying to refill and get it back in an already loaded pack is a pain. But on the topic of durability, I have fallen directly on my back while wearing my bladder more than once.. it's not gonna pop just from being in a backpack unless you introduce it to something sharp.
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Mar 18, 2021 17:56
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Yeah if your only plan for something going wrong is a beacon you're doing it very, very wrong. In most places extraction costs are on the individual. Pushing that button is a $10,000 - $30,000 exercise, and while I fully support having one, they aren't for day hikes from a trailhead. Tell someone where you are going and when you will be back. Make sure it is someone you trust and be detailed on what to do if you miss your check-in time. Be familiar with what supports are available for this person to contact I'd also encourage everyone to carry a pealess whistle. After all, even if you push the bankruptcy button, people need to be able to find you. Hollering at the top of your lungs isn't close to as effective and is very uncomfortable even when you're not potentially injured or suffering from exposure.
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Mar 19, 2021 12:36
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charliebravo77 posted:Depends on the situation and PLB vs satellite device. I've hit my inReach SOS button once. I was hunting in NE Wyoming with my cousin and we were an hour+ drive on two track BLM roads from the county road which was another hour+ from the nearest hospital. He stuck a knife through his hand and I was able to use the inReach to coordinate an ambulance meeting us at the trailhead/county road. I never saw a bill for anything related to it and I think all his insurance saw was the ambulance transport cost. They're very useful for keeping in touch in places with little or no cell phone coverage and compared to a PLB the most useful part is being able to communicate what sort of response you need. There's a big difference between needing an ambulance to meet you at a trailhead and getting SAR to spin up a helo and drop rescuers on your PLB position and airlift you out. Yeah that's the exact same reason I got a spotx. I don't think I could live with a device who's only function is to call in the choppers. The satellite comms devices are certainly more expensive but I can actually use it to tell my wife I'm wind bound, or utilize the contact center to guide me out, or contact park staff for a ground extraction. Most of all it allows me to receive critical communications from my loved ones. The first trip I took mine on, I was notified of a personal emergency that warranted me extracting myself at the earliest opportunity.
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Mar 19, 2021 17:59
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I use nuun tubes. Includes a desiccant cap as well. Nuun is also great to have on a trip, so I have no problem coming up with more.
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Mar 25, 2021 05:22
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nate fisher posted:What is the best flavor? I actually find them all to be pretty inoffensive and samey. One of their selling points is that they are way less sweet than Gatorade. Tastes pretty good when you've worked up a sweat and pretty bland when you're at rest. If I had to pick I'd say fruit punch, and lemon lime. Cherry limeaide if you want caffeine but my heart rate doesn't need any help getting up there. I should note that you probably want the sport line.. they've added a few more over the years that seem pretty useless, so make sure it's "Nuun Sport" Edit: they are sweetened with stevia and taste like it. Took me a bit of getting used to but I know a couple people who couldn't get past it.
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Mar 25, 2021 11:59
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I bought 4 tennis balls from the dollar store for like two dollars. The legs will eventually work their way through if you use them on soft ground a lot, but you should be able to get a couple years out of a set if you rotate them. They even fit in the chair one bag if I pack the chair carefully.
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Mar 30, 2021 17:40
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Fiskars also makes the only "splitting hatchet" I've come across in the x11. It's got quite the wedge shape on it and it's been a dream for breaking down bigger pieces of wood. That said I'm not sure if it would be my favourite tool for usual hatchet tasks such as creating fine kindling. It tends to either fly through or come right out. I'm sure as hell not going cut anything that's not free standing with it.
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Mar 31, 2021 23:45
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Steely Dad posted:I’m new to camping and I’ve decided the first nice piece of gear I want to get is a good sleeping pad. I’m entirely focused on car camping, not backpacking, so weight’s not too important to me, but keeping bulk down would be nice. I doubt I’ll be sleeping in anything colder than 20F, and probably not below about 35F. I’m a 5’10” fat guy, and I like a firm flat surface to sleep on. I’m willing to spend a little more for quality, because sleep is important to me. I presume you don't sleep on a marble slab at home so I think you'll be good. The ground is pretty firm, after all. The pad is just a buffer between your body and the ground to help distribute your weight evenly and avoid pressure points. I personally don't like self inflating pads because, in my experience, they are too thin for side sleeping. You end up with your shoulder and hip contacting the ground through the pad and that ends up getting uncomfortable over the course of the night. I use an inflatable pad because they are generally significantly thicker, lighter and more compact than their self inflating counterparts. Lastly, firmness is also adjustable depending on how much air you put into them. I find it very easy to over-inflate my pad to the point it's too firm and my hips don't sink into it enough to be comfortable.. which might be exactly what some other weirdo is into.
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Apr 6, 2021 02:42
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Fly swatter! Those goddamn stable fly ankle biting motherfuckers are the bane of my existence. Works for deer flies too but those guys aren't 1/100 as skilled at biting and I can't tell you the last time one has gotten me. Whereas I've had 1 stable fly hide out in my canoe and bite me 15+ times. Fly swatter.
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Apr 7, 2021 12:20
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waffle enthusiast posted:A good way to do this is to keep the Safety plan for normal use, or even suspend service for any months you know you’re not going to be out, then, if you’re going to go on a longer trip, trade up to the Recreation plan for the month. When I go backpacking, the Rec plan will upload my tracks data so my wife can check in on where I am close to real time. I also send “starting here”, “stopping here”, and “checking in, everything is okay” messages that I have pre-set. On the spot you have to whitelist phone numbers that can text your device. If you haven't added a number to your profile it won't get sent up to the satellite network. I'm surprised Garmin wouldn't have something similar. I'd be pretty pissed to get spam texts or something
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Apr 8, 2021 04:02
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It's interesting how much geographical variance there is in food storage. I haven't met anyone who uses a bear canister (though campgrounds will often have bins). We hang our food, and use 30-60l "canoe barrels" which are waterproof, limit smells, and prevent rodents from gnawing through. All dishes, cookware, rags, or even the shirt you slopped on, get tossed in the barrel and hoisted up at the end of the day. The canisters themselves seem really impractical to me. 11 liters? Sure, I can get my food in there.. but what about everything else that might be holding food smells?
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Apr 21, 2021 23:17
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Garmin inreach is on sale currently in Canada. Thinking of grabbing one. The billing looked pretty good until I saw they tac on a $50 annual fee for the freedom plan.. which makes the break even point 6 months inactive. So leaving your plan inactive half the year is basically the same cost as a 12 month subscription... My camping season is 5 months even in the frozen hellscape of Canada, so I'd save a grand total of 30 bux. It seems like the freedom plan is a pretty lovely deal. Am I missing something? Feel like I'd be better off with the annual plan just for flexibility to use it over the winter, or with a SpotX* Edit: Spot is just as bad. Lol. Guess ultimately it's a pretty low price for the security. Just wish the flex plans were even a little bit compelling. Math You fucked around with this message at 18:42 on May 14, 2021 |
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May 14, 2021 18:29
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I ultimately chose the inreach mini. To those who have one.. how durable do you find it? Tough enough to clip to a bag or do you stuff it in your socks and put it in a dry bag?
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May 14, 2021 19:03
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evilpicard posted:Any recommendations on sleeping bags for tall, overweight guys? I have a north face Wasatch 30 which is supposed to be a roomy cut but it feels tight to me. I don't have any specific recommendations, but rectangular sleeping bags are going to be significantly roomier by nature. "Rectangular with hood" is basically a box shaped mummy bag as it's got a little flap with a drawcord you can pull around your head
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May 14, 2021 23:11
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I'd say the big lesson is to use your guy lines if you aren't in a well sheltered area. I've spent a couple nights with my half dome bowing down to give me little kisses and it's not as sweet as it sounds. I had been in pretty poor weather with it previously where it was rock solid, but the winds those nights were pretty extreme. Still kept me dry as a bone through all the driving rain.
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Jun 1, 2021 14:23
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Depending on the style of camping you do, The Original Bug Shirt and a shelter like the Eureka No Bug Zone are really the way to go. I take both canoe camping. Wear the bug shirt for portages, and set up the shelter at camp. Northern Ontario bugs are no loving joke so I can attest to their effectiveness. They've really reduced my deet consumption, that's for sure. My thermacell has been relegated to home use as it can't quite stand up to "breathing, eating, drinking mosquitos" level poo poo. I think it works okay but 90 percent less mosquitos is still enough to bite the gently caress out of you.
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Jun 29, 2021 20:53
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A good tarp will shade you from the sun just as well, while being cheaper, lighter and capable of performing a number of other functions. So my advice is not to buy one at all. That is, unless there are no trees in your intended location or near enough that you can go collect some big sticks. In that case I support you buying one, but I cannot offer any recommendations 🙂 Edit: my dumb brain completely skipped over the word "beach". Sorry 
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Jun 30, 2021 22:40
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I personally abhor disposable products and don't see any reason to buy a lovely tent just to trash it later. You won't have any problem offloading something decent for a good chunk of the sticker price in this market, in the case it doesn't stick. Just my 2c 
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Jul 9, 2021 00:12
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I've also had good experiences with !Eureka tents. Good designs, keep the weather out, durable and on the cheaper side
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Jul 9, 2021 20:16
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I am blessed with a lot of birch bark in my stomping grounds, so I never pack fire starters. I use matches over a bic, but recently found a folding BBQ lighter with a torch (wind proof) flame and that's been like unlocking a cheat code for fires. If I were backpacking I would be perfectly happy with just a saw, but I canoe and can can bring an axe. We get to remove dangerous trees, leave wood at the site, and have proper fires. It's pretty good. I have a Fiskars X11 splitting hatchet and a Silky Gomboy. Really recommend both, but based on the size of wood the X11 can handle, I sometimes wish I got a Silky Big Boy instead. Be sure to check the branch diameter the saw is rated for, and buy one the appropriate size instead of buying the saw and trying to reform your foraging habits..
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Jul 29, 2021 02:33
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Yeah in cold/wet weather the only effective way to dry things is using body heat. Sticking it at the bottom of your bag probably isn't all that effective, compared to wrapping yourself with the items.. which you can't do with boots but I figured was noteworthy for someone who might find themselves with wet layers.
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Sep 24, 2021 14:30
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I have an Outdoor Research Sombriolet. It makes regular Tilley hats look downright fashionable but it's made with much cooler material, is proper ventilated and has an elongated brim on the back which ensures your neck will never get burned. It fits really snugly without ever being uncomfortable, handles being sandwiched under my pack top without deforming, and for those who like water: floats. It was my first sun hat. Had it 4 years now and it still looks brand new (and again, goofy as gently caress). One of the easiest recommendations to make from my kit.
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Oct 1, 2021 12:27
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I bought some BC Clothing Expedition pants at Costco for like $18 CAD years ago for work. Did a lot of site visits back then and they were light, durable and looked okay. I accidentally packed them for my final canoe camping trip of the season and they actually surprised me with how well they compared with my fancy $90 pants. They have less stretch and by that measure are less comfortable than my fancy pants.. but they were loving fantastic for bush whacking, which we did a significant amount of that trip. Zero issues with them catching snags, and surviving 10km+ of thick brush (including a lot of thorny undergrowth) is a pretty good testament to their durability. They otherwise performed very well. Quick to dry, didn't hold an odor after we pushed our canoe through a bog.. very happy with them. These pants are not to be confused with the BC Clothing Convertible pants which are way more baggy and quite stretchy. Not sure if they are carried at Costco outside of Canada and doubly unsure if the model is even sold anymore... But poo poo, for the price I had to give them a nod.
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Oct 18, 2021 13:49
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BeastOfExmoor posted:Interesting. The convertible version are my go-to outdoor activity pants. I've found them to have all the positive qualities you mention. I almost never convert them to shorts, but it's handy to be able to vent. My older pairs were indeed too bulky, but I downsized last year and those were much more trim. I have some of the convertibles as well, and like them.. the other ones are just even better. If I ever wear through the two pairs I have currently I'll have to try sizing down as you suggest.
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Oct 19, 2021 20:50
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Add me to the pile of people who find the gas fire pits to be a bit.. wasteful. Regardless of the fuel consumption (which I haven't reviewed), I don't think I could stomach running gas if I was not actively cooking. Managing fuel for my stove is enough. I couldn't imagine doing it for ambiance.
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Nov 19, 2021 17:03
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its all nice on rice posted:Mrs Rice has agreed to go hiking and canoe/kayak camping this year. We have $56 in REI rewards, and I'm trying to figure out what other gear she needs. I got a little soft shell cooler that can keep a couple nights of fresh food and some brewskis (frozen, so they double as ice packs). One of the great perks of canoe camping is you aren't carrying your gear far, and it's nice to celebrate the first night out with a nice meal that doesn't require the prep involved with dehydrating. On less intense trips we also spend enough time swimming that it's nice to have a floating ball to toss around too.
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Mar 28, 2022 20:58
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