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talktapes posted:OK, here's a tangentially hiking related question. Part of the reason I enjoy hiking so much is the picture taking opportunities. This year I'm taking the leap and buying a mid-level DSLR, especially after discovering last weekend that my new phone crashes very easily in moderately cold and windy weather. Don't need any camera purchasing advice, but there must be some people that own them in this thread - what are some carrying techniques to use? It seems like just keeping your camera in your backpack is a huge pain whenever you need to get it out to take a picture, and there isn't a ton of info on how to hike with them online. I did find some people recommending the Cotton Carrier which looks like it might fit the bill, but is also somewhat expensive. I used a Peak Design Capture Clip to carry mine. I haven't done any multi-day trips yet since I got it but it does nicely for day hikes as long as your lens isn't heavy enough too extend itself or it has a zoom lock. Keeps the weight out of your pack and keeps the camera instantly accessible.
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May 4, 2015 03:02
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Spent the weekend cowboy camping at 6k feet in the Sierras. Brrrrrrrh! Got a chance to test a lot of the gear I've picked up over the last month or so. Mountain Hardware Ghost Whisperer Jacket, Patagonia Houdini and Outdoor Research Ferrosi. I wore all 3 of these jackets each day, sometimes layered and sometimes solo. Super happy with all 3 - the Houdini especially was perfect for the "its hot when we walk but suddenly COLD WIND out of no where". Slept in the Ghost Whisperer with the Ferrosi on top and it was great. ULA Ohm 2.0 love love love. Hoofed 30 lbs the first night *cough* booze *cough* and felt really nice on my back at all times. Once I got the hang of the load lifters (had em on too tight the first few hours), the vast majority of the weight was right on my hips. Hammock Gear 40 degree Burrow Quilt and Neo-Air XTherm sleeping pad Not as much love here, but I'm guessing a large part of that is my inexperience with quilts. The quilt, even with the pad attachment straps, felt kind of odd. I kept getting the feeling it wasn't fully down, but a quick look would reveal it was fine and I was never cold once I gave the bag a few moments to warm up. The bigger issue is that all of the people I have ever shared a bed with have described me as the most restless sleeper they have known, and it was apparent with the quilt. Twice I woke up to an arm that had slipped through the gap between the quilt and the pad, and was freezing on the ice cold granite table we slept on. My torso and legs were fine even as it dipped into the low 30s, but that was a big problem. My experience with sleeping has also been that I benefit from a tight fit as it keeps me from moving too much (I sleep best wedged between the wall and my significant other in bed). The quilt also felt too roomy, even though I was never cold. This leads to the second problem... The Neo-Air Xtherm was frankly awful. I thought I had inflated it properly, but after laying on my side for a while, my shoulder and hip would hurt. Is this a sign that it was overinflated? It was almost unbearable and the insult to injury was that at 6'2", with my back flat on it, my arms sort of dangle over the edges. In a zipped sleeping bag with a tight fit, this would be fine, but the quilt doesn't want to keep my arms inside and on the pad! Not a great night of sleep and I actually woke up both mornings sleeping on my stomach. Thoughts on this? I had dismissed the fact that we slept on flat granite but could that have contributed?
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May 4, 2015 05:26
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Maybe overinflated, sure. But the NeoAir pads are supposed to be ultralight first and foremost, so I'm not surprised you found it a bit narrow.
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May 4, 2015 06:20
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It sounds like your setup was not nearly warm enough for the conditions you were in. I've never used a quilt, but if i was sleeping at 6k feet & 30 degree temps I'd want to be in a 20 degree bag. I had issues sleeping in a fully zipped up bag until I did it for many days in a row on my recent grand canyon trip. You're best off just getting comfortable sleeping in a fully zipped standard bag. I'm not real up on the sleeping pad options, but I can't imagine side sleeping works well on anything that isn't insanely thick/heavy/not real packable. Definitely think about the surface you are sleeping on in the future. Sleeping on a flat rock would probably work in some cases, but given the temps you were dealing with it'll suck the heat right out of you. I'd wouldn't be surprised if sleeping on a cold rock is colder than sleeping on snow. I'd also think it'd be a bit hard on your tent/ground cover. edit: the fact that you were sleeping in two jackets imho is proof you didn't have enough of a bag/quilt. That Ferrosi hoody looks like a nice jacket, but carrying 3 jackets seems like a bit of overkill. edit2: I just realized you said you weren't using a tent. drat dude you musta froze. n8r fucked around with this message at 06:36 on May 4, 2015 |
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May 4, 2015 06:26
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talktapes posted:OK, here's a tangentially hiking related question. Part of the reason I enjoy hiking so much is the picture taking opportunities. This year I'm taking the leap and buying a mid-level DSLR, especially after discovering last weekend that my new phone crashes very easily in moderately cold and windy weather. Don't need any camera purchasing advice, but there must be some people that own them in this thread - what are some carrying techniques to use? It seems like just keeping your camera in your backpack is a huge pain whenever you need to get it out to take a picture, and there isn't a ton of info on how to hike with them online. I did find some people recommending the Cotton Carrier which looks like it might fit the bill, but is also somewhat expensive.
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May 4, 2015 10:13
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evil_bunnY posted:I don't understand how you can think mirrorless is more expensive than equivalent midrange DSLRs. Also you'll be infinitely more likely to take it along once the novelty wears off. Don't mirrorless cams drain battery super fast
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May 4, 2015 11:41
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Thoren posted:Don't mirrorless cams drain battery super fast No matter the budget tho, a mirrorless setup in a chest rig will be million times more pleasant to use for 90% of people. Unless you're gallery-represented put DSLRs+hiking out of your mind because after a while you'll just leave the camera at home.
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May 4, 2015 11:49
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After lugging a full frame dslr around the world including many backpacking trips, I switched to a Ricoh GR a year ago and love it a million times more than the dlsr. I get a lot more action shots of the people I'm with and better memory photos and maybe less "good landscapes". But I've taken enough "good landscapes" to cover my apartment walls twice over, it's the people photos which I actually enjoy looking at years later.
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May 4, 2015 11:59
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evil_bunnY posted:I don't understand how you can think mirrorless is more expensive than equivalent midrange DSLRs. Also you'll be infinitely more likely to take it along once the novelty wears off. There are other factors as well, it's not a novelty thing. The Pentax K30 (including kit lens) is weather sealed and you can easily get a refurbed/used one for under $350. Additionally I don't hike ultralight so weight is not a significant factor for me, and the camera would not be used exclusively for hiking. FireTora posted:I used a Peak Design Capture Clip to carry mine. I haven't done any multi-day trips yet since I got it but it does nicely for day hikes as long as your lens isn't heavy enough too extend itself or it has a zoom lock. Keeps the weight out of your pack and keeps the camera instantly accessible. Thanks! Will look into this.
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May 4, 2015 13:18
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talktapes posted:OK, here's a tangentially hiking related question. Part of the reason I enjoy hiking so much is the picture taking opportunities. This year I'm taking the leap and buying a mid-level DSLR, especially after discovering last weekend that my new phone crashes very easily in moderately cold and windy weather. Don't need any camera purchasing advice, but there must be some people that own them in this thread - what are some carrying techniques to use? It seems like just keeping your camera in your backpack is a huge pain whenever you need to get it out to take a picture, and there isn't a ton of info on how to hike with them online. I did find some people recommending the Cotton Carrier which looks like it might fit the bill, but is also somewhat expensive. You want something where your camera is immediately accessible or you won't use it, in which case then its just become a 5 pound paper weight that you're lugging around for no reason. Having it around your neck sucks. It will bob and sway and pound you in the chest or hit the ground when you bend over. Whichever route you go, just make sure its secure because if it comes loose when you trip or stub your foot on a root it could be game over for your camera if it goes flying. I've decided to quit carrying my SLR on backpacking trips though due to the weight and bulk of the camera, batteries, lenses etc. I switched to a Sony rx100 m2 and am looking forward to using it on backpacking/travel trips instead. It takes really high quality photos rivaling my SLR, has manual focus and controls, shoots in raw format, and fits in my pocket. The camera, gorilla pod and spare batteries/cards are about the size of one SLR lens.
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May 4, 2015 17:17
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I don't know if I should post this here or in the general exercise thread so let me know if I should move it... Good news: I'm spending 5 days in Glacier National Park this August! I've been there twice before and loved it! I have been lifting heavy weights for over a year and now have the strongest legs of my life! We're planning on sticking to hikes we can complete in one day and sticking to mapped trails (no backcountry hikes). We're planning to do the Hidden Lake trail and the Two Medicine Pass Trail; other trails yet TBD. Bad news: I'm on medication that has made me gain 30 pounds since December and increases my blood pressure, and I now get winded after mild exertion. I have bad knees and the extra weight has made them more painful. When I was last in GNP in 2006, I was 9 years younger, had good knees, weighed 35 lbs less, and also used to walking 5-7 miles a day on hilly dirt roads. I was able to do the Two Medicine Pass Trail and not die (approx. 7 miles, 2450' elevation rise), plus two other shorter/flatter trails that day, but I had to rest off my feet the whole next day. Can you suggest how I might get in hiking shape by August so that I don't die on a mountain and/or spend all 5 days relegated to seeing the beautiful park via bus for big babies? Current situation: I live in a small city and walk 2 miles a day to work (on sidewalks) and have access to hiking trails on the weekends but nothing on the level of GNP (I'm in SE Pennsylvania). My plan is at first to continue weight training 3x a week with adding 30-min cardio after (if that wears me out, I'll switch to more cardio, less weights), as well as continuing to walk to work. I live within 15 min of a state park that has a 5-mile trail (with a 250' elevation rise, but that's concentrated in one hill that I can walk up and down over and over). I can take weekend trips to do longer, more strenuous hikes in PA, DE, and MD. Be honest: does this sound like a decent plan to be in hiking condition in 3 months, or am I doomed to have a heart attack and/or get eaten by a mountain lion when I inevitably lag behind my group?
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May 4, 2015 17:38
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You might be better off trying to shy away from the weights and focus more on cardio/endurance. Hiking is more of a slow burning endurance activity and building muscle through weight lifting would't be as beneficial as trying to improve your overall cardio.
Verman fucked around with this message at 17:43 on May 4, 2015 |
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May 4, 2015 17:41
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Trip report from Uwharrie National Forest in my log, as promised. The short version: no amazing views or anything due to lots of leaves and nubby "mountains," but spring has some beautiful color to it:  ...and it was pretty neat seeing the results of a controlled fire this winter: 
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May 4, 2015 18:38
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I'd say forget the weights and do cardio and hikes. You can probably lose at least some weight if you do that, which will benefit your knees and blood pressure.
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May 4, 2015 18:44
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n8r posted:It sounds like your setup was not nearly warm enough for the conditions you were in. I've never used a quilt, but if i was sleeping at 6k feet & 30 degree temps I'd want to be in a 20 degree bag. I had issues sleeping in a fully zipped up bag until I did it for many days in a row on my recent grand canyon trip. You're best off just getting comfortable sleeping in a fully zipped standard bag. I'm not real up on the sleeping pad options, but I can't imagine side sleeping works well on anything that isn't insanely thick/heavy/not real packable. The only issues I had were 1) My arms escaping the quilt+pad setup, something that would not have happened in a closed sleeping bag and 2) the X therm sleeping pad being surprisingly uncomfortable. I'm going to sleep in the backyard one night this week to test it out with less inflation, which I'm hoping was the issue. They don't seem to MAKE "ultralight" pads that are wider than the ~25 inches of the Neo-Air, although apparently Neo-Air measures their pads before inflation (so its really more like 23ish) while supposedly Exped measures their 26" pads when they are inflated. Might be worth a look. Sadly, I should have probably read the fine print and noted that Hammock Gear doesn't accept returns on their quilts. I guess the worst case is I sell it for almost purchase prices and put the money towards a similarly warm traditional sleeping bag. The Western Mountaineering bags look great and are made in my home town of San Jose to boot. cheese fucked around with this message at 23:37 on May 4, 2015 |
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May 4, 2015 23:34
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cheese posted:The only issues I had were 1) My arms escaping the quilt+pad setup, something that would not have happened in a closed sleeping bag Is there a strap system that holds the quilt to the pad? That generally should help but yeah that is a downside of quilts quote:2) the X therm sleeping pad being surprisingly uncomfortable. I'm going to sleep in the backyard one night this week to test it out with less inflation, which I'm hoping was the issue. They don't seem to MAKE "ultralight" pads that are wider than the ~25 inches of the Neo-Air, although apparently Neo-Air measures their pads before inflation (so its really more like 23ish) while supposedly Exped measures their 26" pads when they are inflated. Might be worth a look. Underinflation can also be a bit uncomfortable, and they tend to lose some air during the night, especially in the cold. It looks like the X-Therm is slightly mummy style so maybe something like an exped would work better. Honestly pads are kinda tough to figure out whether or not they're for you. do you usually sleep on your side or back?
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May 5, 2015 00:49
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Definite side sleeper. The pad felt plenty firm when I laid on it, and it did not appear to have lost any air in the night. That it was specifically my shoulder and hip pressure points that hurt (but they never actually touched the ground) feels like it should mean something - I'm just not sure what. And ya, I used to the pad attachment system. The quilt stayed put, I just found a way to worm my arm under the quilt and onto the hard ground 
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May 5, 2015 01:42
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What's the appeal of quilts? Do they weigh significantly less than sleeping bags?
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May 5, 2015 02:15
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they can be lighter and cheaper (less material so less cost in theory) and more versatile through a range of temperatures, but kind of not as good in weather below freezing as you can get drafts and they rely more on your sleeping pad for insulation from the ground
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May 5, 2015 02:29
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Apologies if this has already been answered, but does anyone know of any resources regarding hiking and camping places that are public transportation accessible from NYC (so, Metro North, LIRR, and NJTransit adjacent)?
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May 5, 2015 02:38
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Rabbit Hill posted:I don't know if I should post this here or in the general exercise thread so let me know if I should move it... If you want to be good at hiking do a lot of long "easy" endurance training e.g. like 55-70% of your max heart rate. Strength training has a place and shouldn't be neglected... but it shouldn't be your primary thing.
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May 5, 2015 03:03
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Tsyni posted:What's the appeal of quilts? Do they weigh significantly less than sleeping bags? cheese fucked around with this message at 03:09 on May 5, 2015 |
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May 5, 2015 03:07
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Jumping on the trip report bandwagon - finally made it up to Dolly Sods for the first time this weekend, and it definitely lived up to the hype. It was a bit odd to see spring just now arriving at ~4,000 feet, but otherwise the weather was perfect.           The mud totally lived up to its reputation as well. Definitely check it out if you haven't already and live in the Midatlantic area. Even doing +20 miles over two days I only managed to see about half of the Wilderness Area if that.
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May 5, 2015 03:07
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Hey all, I've got a question on how long hiking boots should last. I purchased my boots (North Face if that matters) about 14 months ago. Since then, I'd estimate they have 250 miles on them tops, which was concentrated in 6 weeks of ~30 miles per week last summer. Today, hiking in the Great Sand Dunes, I noticed that the stitching along the side is coming undone, causing the water resistant part (maybe goretex?) to peel away. Shouldn't hiking boots last a bit longer than 250 miles? Those miles have been through a mixture of the Moab area and central Colorado, so they haven't been through the ringer in being soaked and all.
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May 5, 2015 03:20
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Three responses and no one told me I'm doomed to die, so this is good.  I've been reading this thread and don't want to be that guy. I'll definitely prioritize cardio over strength training this summer (although I'll work to maintain the strength in my legs since that can only help me on the steep climbs).I found some of the pictures my friends and I took back in 2006...some of them were taken with a disposable         I can't wait to go back! 
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May 5, 2015 13:39
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Rabbit Hill posted:
If your knees can handle it I've found no greater bang for the buck hiking workout then strapping on your hiking backpack and putting 40 pounds (or whatever your pack weight will be) and doing stair climbers at the gym. Work your way up to longer and longer intervals. Start off maybe only doing stairs for 5 minutes and then take a 5 minute break. Gradually work your way up so that by the time you're ready to do your trip you can handle an hour. If you dont have access to a gym go outside and try to find some hills to hike with your pack on. Besides getting you in shape this will also help you break in new boots if you have them and get used to your pack if it's new or you havent long distanced hiked in a while. It will help you find spots where the pack may cause some irritation and you can address it now instead of out on the trail.
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May 5, 2015 15:15
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cheese posted:Ya, sorry I should have explained a little better. My goal was to test the lower limits of my "three season" gear setup that I'm trying to keep as light as possible. I was never cold in my quilt with the jackets on and fully intended to sleep in them anyway - my plan, like a lot of the ultralight bloggers I've been following, is utilize the gear I'm wearing to increase the warmth of my sleeping system for weight savings. I think a 40 degree bag is not warm enough for sleeping in country where the temps get down near freezing. Especially if you aren't in a tent. A tent provides a pretty significant amount of insulation. My experience has been that if you're in ~30 degree temps, you have to be pretty bundled up in a 20 degree bag to be comfortable. This includes wearing a hat and having the bag fully zipped/over your head, and I'm a really warm sleeper. I'm definitely not up on all of the ultralight stuff in the least bit. I hike with a backpack that is older than most of the posters in the thread (and maybe older than me). I think a 40 degree quilt will be awesome for warm weather trips. When I tour with my motorcycle, a 40 degree bag is the perfect setup.
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May 5, 2015 15:18
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On the subject of quilts I bought this last year and have used it approximately 30 days in the time that I have owned it: http://www.amazon.com/Sierra-Designs-Backcountry-2-Season-Sleeping/dp/B00ICYUSBW It's a great quilt. I havent had any durability issues, it's super light weight and I feel like it keeps me much warmer then the 40 degrees its rated for. I've gone down to around 30 degrees with it and been fine. It's got a lot of great neat little features. First it has like little hand holds on the sides that you can use to act like a dork and annoy fellow campers as well as keeping you warm. It also has this little head cut out so that it can act like a mummy bag on especially cold nights. Overall a great quilt that I would recommend if anyone is looking to get one. Philip Werner (who runs one of the best hiking blogs I can think of) has a full write up here: http://sectionhiker.com/sierra-designs-backcountry-quilt-800f-2-season/ Completely unrelated. Does anyone have any recommendations on hikes in the badlands? My new work schedule wont allow me to take a long trip until this fall so I'd like to try and take a 4 day trip somewhere nearby me. I've never been to the badlands and figured this would be a good opportunity.
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May 5, 2015 15:23
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That's an interesting quilt - is it really appreciably lighter than an equivalent bag? I know ultralight people love counting grams, but you can sleep with your bag unzipped in a very similar fashion. I'd be shocked if most people won't have their arms flop outta that thing which can get you cold. Were you sleeping out/without a tent in the 30f temps? I have no idea how you factor in the insulation factor of a tent, but sleeping in a tent in 30f temps in a 40f rated bag is hugely different than sleeping under the stars. Just the wind protection you get from a tent is a huge factor for staying warm in temps near the rating of the bag.
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May 5, 2015 16:28
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n8r posted:That's an interesting quilt - is it really appreciably lighter than an equivalent bag? I know ultralight people love counting grams, but you can sleep with your bag unzipped in a very similar fashion. I'd be shocked if most people won't have their arms flop outta that thing which can get you cold. Were you sleeping out/without a tent in the 30f temps? I have no idea how you factor in the insulation factor of a tent, but sleeping in a tent in 30f temps in a 40f rated bag is hugely different than sleeping under the stars. Just the wind protection you get from a tent is a huge factor for staying warm in temps near the rating of the bag. I'd say it's probably slightly heavier then a custom made down quilt from a cottage manufacturer. To me it's worth the slight weight increase though for two reasons. #1 it's super comfortable. The thing is incredibly wide so you can use those little arm holds to wrap around behind you if you want or toss and turn like crazy and still be covered. #2 the material is more heavy duty then a lot of other ultralight quilts I've seen. It's actually held up to my dog getting spooked and jumping all over me. I've slept with it inside and outside of a tent. Like you said being in a tent will add some warmth, I've also used my down Exped sleeping pad before with it if I felt it would get colder than 40 degrees and that helped keep me warmer as well. As I mentioned though it really is wide, so if you need to you can wrap those wings around behind you for some additional warmth.
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May 5, 2015 16:44
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If you're going ultralight, or just light, quilts are killer. Usually they're cheaper along with being lighter. Also, they're one of the easiest sewing projects to start out on if you're willing to go that route. Total fabric and insulation costs for the two I've made are under 70 bucks apiece and I've taken mine down to the high teens with clothes on (NOT recommended). I'm 6'2" and mine only weights 25 oz. Also its synthetic cause its way easier to sew. The best way I've found to add warmth to a quilt if you need it is a super lightweight bivy bag. Again, another easy thing to sew. Under 10 bux in materials and about 6 oz. It helps keep the quilt wrapped around you and nearly eliminates drafts.
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May 5, 2015 17:15
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Do tents really add much warmth assuming no wind? I assume the smaller the tent the better for that purpose.
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May 5, 2015 17:19
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mastershakeman posted:Do tents really add much warmth assuming no wind? I assume the smaller the tent the better for that purpose. You warm up the inside of the tent and there's no wind to blow the warmth away.
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May 5, 2015 17:20
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I made my own quilt last summer and absolutely love it. It weighs 24.6 oz and cost a total of $311 worth of materials. It is absolutely massive, I think it's something like 56" wide and 80" long with 2-2.5" of loft. Can be used as a blanket or tucked under the pad. I really appreciate having extra leg/foot room so I can sleep jack-knife or fetal position without my knees pushing against the sides of a mummy-style bag. Taht's the big draw for me over bags tbh. Took me a solid weekend to finish, like 20-30 hours maybe. And my mom helped out a bunch as she is the resident seamstress in the family. I probably won't every make another quilt because you can get one with similar specs for a little more from a cottage industry supplier, but I'm glad I did make one and I plan on using it for a very long time.
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May 5, 2015 17:41
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I can't find anything about tent insulation factors with a brief bit of googling. That being said, in my experience a tent with it's rainfly on is significantly warmer. I think the versatility of a normal tent along with a normal sleeping bag are worth whatever bit of weight penalties. Sleeping out under the stars is great, but most areas I'm in there are at least some mosquitos that I'd like to avoid while sleeping.
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May 5, 2015 17:52
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mastershakeman posted:Do tents really add much warmth assuming no wind? I assume the smaller the tent the better for that purpose.
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May 5, 2015 17:55
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Terrifying Effigies posted:Jumping on the trip report bandwagon - finally made it up to Dolly Sods for the first time this weekend, and it definitely lived up to the hype. It was a bit odd to see spring just now arriving at ~4,000 feet, but otherwise the weather was perfect. Great pics! If you don't mind me asking, which trail did you take? I'm heading down there in a few weeks with some buddies and just starting to plan things out, and would appreciate any suggestions!
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May 5, 2015 19:13
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If you are interested in making a quilt, the ray-way quilt is awesome, only ~$100 total for instructions and materials, and is rated down to 28F (synthetic fill). Ray and his wife used the 2-person version with the same level of insulation for a ski trip to the south pole. I haven't had a chance to use mine in really adverse conditions yet, but it's lofty as heck, super warm, and the draft stoppers work really well (uninsulated fabric bits that go underneath you).
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May 5, 2015 21:19
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http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/mtn/securiteenmontagne-mountainsafety/accidents/04-2015.aspx Hiking season 2015 has officially begun, now that Parks Visitor Safety is posting scrambling accident reports again!
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May 5, 2015 21:59
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| # ? Apr 24, 2024 05:10 |
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He threw his pack off a cliff? lol
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May 5, 2015 22:09
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