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NonNCO
Feb 22, 2015

Keldoclock posted:

I prefer Arc'Teryx for their lifetime warranty, since I have gotten really good at destroying gear.

Does Patagonia do similar?


Why bring boots at all? Looking at some other pilgrims
The whole thing seems like you are never more than a days walk from civilization. You could probably ditch almost all of your gear and just run the 800 miles with only a water bottle and a rain jacket in your pack. That might not fit with the philosophy of the pilgrimage of course.

I think you are right, you will be OK for food, just visit a grocery store before leaving town when you get to a town and buy some fruit and a bento box or some onigiri or a sandwich .

You should take a carbon fiber walking stick though. BD Distance Z-pole is the best for you, but you might also be able to make a GG rigid pole work. It would be about half the weight of the bamboo stick.


I did this a few months ago. Mt Hood's Timberline Trail in a weekend. Would have done it in a day if I hadn't gotten sunstroke. Since I did I just stopped at like 4pm halfway through and took a nap, got up at 10:30 PM, cooked up some oatmeal and coffee, and kept right on walking. Wasted like an hour trying to cross a river at night, then wasted 2 more getting stuck in a canyon, but I made it back to the parking lot around sundown on Sunday.


25mi/day or 30mi/day is not much trouble if you walk all day and have a backpack around 15 pounds/7kg. (and of course, you are fit, not necessarily a marathon runner, but fit)

A challenging pace is 40mi/day. That requires you to get your BPW under 2KG/ 4 pounds and then maintain a very brisk walk or slow jog all day. You should have a pretty good aerobic fitness before doing that, it really helps to run a marathon. At this point you have joined the fastpacking club and probably brag about it a lot.

A crazy pace is the unsupported ultramarathoners. These people are genuinely nuts, I am pretty sure if I trained for this and managed it I still wouldn't want to do it again. On the plus side when you go that fast you don't need much gear. Oh its 12PM, time to sleep. That rock looks pretty comfy. *crinkles out emergency blanket*


I see where you're coming from, and I agree (and thank you) for many of your points about gear, but I want to spend some time outside, and that's the reason for the tarp and sleeping bag. I've had enough experience with ants to learn to love and respect the fartsack, but otherwise I really appreciate your gear tips. I'm also not sure if the women in the picture are truly making the pilgrimage by foot, if only because the majority of Shikoku pilgrims take buses of all things these days.

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Jalumibnkrayal
Apr 16, 2008

Ramrod XTreme
Off to Atlanta in the morning and hitting the Appalachian Trail on Thursday with a buddy. We will probably do 2-3 weeks if everything goes well. It'll be a rainy mess but it should be a good time. Hope you all are going to be able to get out this summer.

bongwizzard
May 19, 2005

Then one day I meet a man,
He came to me and said,
"Hard work good and hard work fine,
but first take care of head"
Grimey Drawer

dedian posted:

So that's... 55" wide and 9' 4" long. That might just be a bit too small for someone 5'10", but it might be doable! Try making a ridgeline with some rope if you have it (it probably doesn't need to be super strong, this will just be to test). For 9' 4" length, make the ridgeline about 7' 9", measuring from suspension to suspension. That'll give you a consistent sag so you don't have to worry as much about the suspension angle. If that helps, you may want to make something a little more permanent... get something like some lash-it or zing-it, and look up tutorials on splicing, it's kinda fun!

Also check hammockforums.net for way more information and sperging about hammocks than you'll ever need.

Awesome man, thanks! I never tried a ridge line but have plenty of 5mm cord at hand. I used to be a theatrical rigger so I have a bunch of rope, webbing, and such laying around.

I really don't want to buy a tent or a sleeping bag yet but I really want to do some overnights on the C&O canal in July.

Hungryjack
May 9, 2003

bunnielab posted:

Awesome man, thanks! I never tried a ridge line but have plenty of 5mm cord at hand. I used to be a theatrical rigger so I have a bunch of rope, webbing, and such laying around.

I really don't want to buy a tent or a sleeping bag yet but I really want to do some overnights on the C&O canal in July.

I have an ENO double nest and my wife has a single nest. Reviews on REI and Amazon say most people only run into length issues on the single when they are over 6'2". Also to the guy who threw out all those super-exact figures (Was the ridgeline about 83% of the length and the angle of the dangle about 30 degrees?) I think you're way overthinking things, man. It's a hammock. Set it up and lay in it. If it's not comfortable, change it around. You'll know when you get it right.

Or maybe I'm just an easy sleeper.

mastershakeman
Oct 28, 2008

by vyelkin
For a good nights sleep you need a protractor, compass and astrolabe.

SeaborneClink
Aug 27, 2010

MAWP... MAWP!

mastershakeman posted:

For a good nights sleep you need a protractor, compass and astrolabe.

Do you have any recommendations for titanium or UL setups? My old steel slide rule is starting to get really heavy in my pack. I'd go with wood but I need durable equipment.

alnilam
Nov 10, 2009

Do you have a smartphone? There are apps that can measure angles and star positions based on photos, even without data. Probably the lightest hammock geometry reckoning setup you can have imo.

runawayturtles
Aug 2, 2004
Hey guys, I'm pretty new to hiking, but did a decent amount at Zion and a bit at Bryce Canyon and Grand Canyon a couple years ago, and am going to Yosemite soon. I need new shoes though, and am wondering which of the shoe types in the OP would be the best for me to go with.

So far I've done shortish hikes (5-8 miles or less) of varying difficulty using just plain old sneakers. For example, I hiked about 6 miles in my partial day at Grand Canyon, and at Zion did Angel's Landing (5 miles) among others. The plain sneakers have ranged from less than ideal in the former case to probably pretty dangerous in the latter.

I'm not sure if it would be better to get trail runners, boots, or the minimalist shoes that I didn't even know about until I saw this thread. It's worth noting that I thought Angel's Landing was kind of crazy and probably won't do something similar any time soon, so I'm mostly just planning on medium difficulty hikes of short to medium distances. Any thoughts?

prinneh
Jul 29, 2005
prince of denmark

TheEye posted:

Hey guys, I'm pretty new to hiking, but did a decent amount at Zion and a bit at Bryce Canyon and Grand Canyon a couple years ago, and am going to Yosemite soon. I need new shoes though, and am wondering which of the shoe types in the OP would be the best for me to go with.

So far I've done shortish hikes (5-8 miles or less) of varying difficulty using just plain old sneakers. For example, I hiked about 6 miles in my partial day at Grand Canyon, and at Zion did Angel's Landing (5 miles) among others. The plain sneakers have ranged from less than ideal in the former case to probably pretty dangerous in the latter.

I'm not sure if it would be better to get trail runners, boots, or the minimalist shoes that I didn't even know about until I saw this thread. It's worth noting that I thought Angel's Landing was kind of crazy and probably won't do something similar any time soon, so I'm mostly just planning on medium difficulty hikes of short to medium distances. Any thoughts?

Unless you're carrying a heavy backpack burden, I'd suggest trailrunners. They're as comfortable as sneakers, grip great, not as expensive as boots and nicer to put on in the morning. I've heard good things about the Brooks Cascadia 9 shoes, I haven't been able to try them myself, but last year I saw a lot of people using these on their thru hikes, so if they're good enough for that they'll probably be good enough for you :)

Catatron Prime
Aug 23, 2010

IT ME



Toilet Rascal

bunnielab posted:

Awesome man, thanks! I never tried a ridge line but have plenty of 5mm cord at hand. I used to be a theatrical rigger so I have a bunch of rope, webbing, and such laying around.

I really don't want to buy a tent or a sleeping bag yet but I really want to do some overnights on the C&O canal in July.

http://theultimatehang.com/hammock-hang-calculator/

Punch in your height/weight/hammock length, get your ridgeline length, and just set it up so said ridgeline is barely taut. It'll be right everytime, no muss, no fuss.


TheEye posted:

Hey guys, I'm pretty new to hiking, but did a decent amount at Zion and a bit at Bryce Canyon and Grand Canyon a couple years ago, and am going to Yosemite soon. I need new shoes though, and am wondering which of the shoe types would be the best for me to go with.


Get a nice pair of full grain leather, ankle high boots, and they'll last you forever. It'll protect your foot from twisting and rolling your ankle, and leather will be comfortable temp wise and protect your feet from getting soaked and soggy. Don't do gore tex because it doesn't breathe much, so it's like sticking your feet in a plastic bag. Also get some good nylon/wool socks to wick away moisture from your feet. Nylon liner sock + wool outer sock = awesome.

Just don't hang out in front of a fire with shoes you like, because the heat well reactivate the glue and the soles will start flopping around.

Trail runners are nice if you have an ultralight pack (<15 lbs). I think the calculation is 1 pound on the feet=5 on the back, so it's less effort to swing your feet. But if you're in an area that'll be wet, I honestly think you'd be better served with boots. Yes mesh shoes will eventually dry, but not for a long rear end time, especially in high humidity, and your feet will be wrinkly hamburger by the time you're done. Mostly depends on what part of the country you're in.

Catatron Prime fucked around with this message at 12:17 on May 14, 2015

alnilam
Nov 10, 2009

Nowadays it's extremely hard to find a pair of non-dress boots that will last a lifetime. Most boots these days cannot be resoled.

I hate to be all :corsair: "in my day" but even as recently as the 90s, any boot you got was gonna last 10 years. Now even with good care, a boot usually only lasts me 2 or so :(


Also non-waterproof trail runners dry really fast OSU_Matthew :confused: mine dry in like 15-20 minutes on my feet, as opposed to waterproof boots which take forever even off the feet.

alnilam fucked around with this message at 13:20 on May 14, 2015

Levitate
Sep 30, 2005

randy newman voice

YOU'VE GOT A LAFRENIÈRE IN ME

OSU_Matthew posted:

Trail runners are nice if you have an ultralight pack (<15 lbs). I think the calculation is 1 pound on the feet=5 on the back, so it's less effort to swing your feet. But if you're in an area that'll be wet, I honestly think you'd be better served with boots. Yes mesh shoes will eventually dry, but not for a long rear end time, especially in high humidity, and your feet will be wrinkly hamburger by the time you're done. Mostly depends on what part of the country you're in.

You don't have to be carrying 15 lbs or less to use trail runners...I was fine with some pretty lightweight ones carrying 28 lbs over 200 miles. I don't think I'd want to use them if I was carrying 40 lbs or something though.

Marshy areas in trail runners may indeed suck though and I'd want something that was more waterproof if the trail is very wet. Biggest problem for me has always been socks drying rather than the shoes.

spf3million
Sep 27, 2007

hit 'em with the rhythm

Levitate posted:

You don't have to be carrying 15 lbs or less to use trail runners...I was fine with some pretty lightweight ones carrying 28 lbs over 200 miles. I don't think I'd want to use them if I was carrying 40 lbs or something though.

Marshy areas in trail runners may indeed suck though and I'd want something that was more waterproof if the trail is very wet. Biggest problem for me has always been socks drying rather than the shoes.
+1 to this. I am a big proponent of trail runners but when I had a 40 lb pack immediately after a resupply, my feet were wishing I had a tougher sole. Fortunately that was an extreme case for me and my pack is usually comfortably under 30 lbs fully loaded, which is what I'd consider the upper bound for trail runners when on rocky trails. If the trail is soft dirt, I bet you could comfortably go heavier.

BaseballPCHiker
Jan 16, 2006

Saint Fu posted:

+1 to this. I am a big proponent of trail runners but when I had a 40 lb pack immediately after a resupply, my feet were wishing I had a tougher sole. Fortunately that was an extreme case for me and my pack is usually comfortably under 30 lbs fully loaded, which is what I'd consider the upper bound for trail runners when on rocky trails. If the trail is soft dirt, I bet you could comfortably go heavier.

I've done 40+ pounds with trail runners and agree that they aren't the best option at that pack weight. The terrain was dry so I didn't have issues with mud and rain and sole grip or anything but my feet did hurt more than usual after a full day of hiking, and more importantly the soles wore down WAY more quickly than they would have otherwise. I got maybe 40 miles out of the shoes at that weight and they were ground down to pretty much no tread by the end of the trip. To expensive for me at least to be burning through shoes like that.

bongwizzard
May 19, 2005

Then one day I meet a man,
He came to me and said,
"Hard work good and hard work fine,
but first take care of head"
Grimey Drawer

alnilam posted:

Nowadays it's extremely hard to find a pair of non-dress boots that will last a lifetime. Most boots these days cannot be resoled.


Cowboy boots?

I know no one hikes in cowboy boots, though I do have an old pair i resoled with grippy rubber to use as winter chore boots and they are comfy for hours of work.

Hungryjack
May 9, 2003

Down here in Texas, cowboy boots are frequently considered under the label of dress boots. You see them in the field as well as in the board room.

But yes, your point stands.

Tsyni
Sep 1, 2004
Lipstick Apathy
This debate reoccurs but I think boots are best for muddy/marshy environments as well as most hiking off trail. There is nothing worse than a shoe full of rocks and dirt and cacti and whatever else that pours into it when going up an unstable slope. This can be mitigated by wearing gaiters, of course.

Catatron Prime
Aug 23, 2010

IT ME



Toilet Rascal

alnilam posted:


Also non-waterproof trail runners dry really fast OSU_Matthew :confused: mine dry in like 15-20 minutes on my feet, as opposed to waterproof boots which take forever even off the feet.

I never said waterproof boots--those are just miserable for hiking. Leather is a great barrier that's durable, comfortable, and naturally water resistant. Letting your shoes dry out all depends on where you are, the temperature, humidity, and especially the construction. If it's just straight mesh on the shoe, sure it'll dry quickly. Most shoes though have a bunch of extra padding that just sponges water, especially around the tongue, so it all depends on what you buy.

My experience, for instance, with Merrell Moab ventilators, was that I sank in one stinking puddle, and those suckers were wet for the rest of the trip. Freaking miserable. Even in all day downpours, my feet are nice and dry in my Lowas.

If I were perhaps out West where it never rains, and generally low humidity, I'm sure I'd have better results than hiking around Appalachia.

It's all situationally dependent, different things work better for different people. Good quality leather boots are a great compromise that'll cover most things quite well, and last a heckuva lot longer than trail runners.

alnilam
Nov 10, 2009

OSU_Matthew posted:

I never said waterproof boots--those are just miserable for hiking. Leather is a great barrier that's durable, comfortable, and naturally water resistant. Letting your shoes dry out all depends on where you are, the temperature, humidity, and especially the construction. If it's just straight mesh on the shoe, sure it'll dry quickly. Most shoes though have a bunch of extra padding that just sponges water, especially around the tongue, so it all depends on what you buy.

My experience, for instance, with Merrell Moab ventilators, was that I sank in one stinking puddle, and those suckers were wet for the rest of the trip. Freaking miserable. Even in all day downpours, my feet are nice and dry in my Lowas.

If I were perhaps out West where it never rains, and generally low humidity, I'm sure I'd have better results than hiking around Appalachia.

It's all situationally dependent, different things work better for different people. Good quality leather boots are a great compromise that'll cover most things quite well, and last a heckuva lot longer than trail runners.

I agree with everything in this post expect that the ventilators are a bit heavier than most trail runners, maybe that's your issue. My salamon xa pros dry out in like 20 minutes after getting soaked, in PA humidity.

But yeah, boots are gonna be better for marshy places for sure, or for heavier packs.

bongwizzard
May 19, 2005

Then one day I meet a man,
He came to me and said,
"Hard work good and hard work fine,
but first take care of head"
Grimey Drawer

Hungryjack posted:

Down here in Texas, cowboy boots are frequently considered under the label of dress boots. You see them in the field as well as in the board room.

But yes, your point stands.

That's actually what I bought my Tony Llamas for, hillbilly dress shoes.

Levitate
Sep 30, 2005

randy newman voice

YOU'VE GOT A LAFRENIÈRE IN ME

Tsyni posted:

This debate reoccurs but I think boots are best for muddy/marshy environments as well as most hiking off trail. There is nothing worse than a shoe full of rocks and dirt and cacti and whatever else that pours into it when going up an unstable slope. This can be mitigated by wearing gaiters, of course.

Yeah I'd also mention that I use low gaiters to help keep debris out. The combo is still much lighter than boots

slothzilla
Dec 19, 2003

alnilam posted:

Nowadays it's extremely hard to find a pair of non-dress boots that will last a lifetime. Most boots these days cannot be resoled.

I bet a good pair of Red Wings would last 30. Whites are basically indestructible. I probably wouldn't have toes on my right foot if it wasn't for a pair of whites that stopped an errant chainsaw blade. Not that I'd want to wear either unless my pack was really heavy.

Any recommendations for good spring hikes in Yellowstone? Currently planning on day hiking and maybe some overnight stuff and any suggestions would be great.

Blinkman987
Jul 10, 2008

Gender roles guilt me into being fat.

slothzilla posted:

I bet a good pair of Red Wings would last 30. Whites are basically indestructible. I probably wouldn't have toes on my right foot if it wasn't for a pair of whites that stopped an errant chainsaw blade. Not that I'd want to wear either unless my pack was really heavy.

Any recommendations for good spring hikes in Yellowstone? Currently planning on day hiking and maybe some overnight stuff and any suggestions would be great.

I was buying a pair of heritage Red Wings and the salesperson was telling me about how he backpacked and hiked through Switzerland for two weeks on those things with their like 1/16th inch cork midsole. 0_o

No thanks.

cheese
Jan 7, 2004

Shop around for doctors! Always fucking shop for doctors. Doctors are stupid assholes. And they get by because people are cowed by their mystical bullshit quality of being able to maintain a 3.0 GPA at some Guatemalan medical college for 3 semesters. Find one that makes sense.

OSU_Matthew posted:

Trail runners are nice if you have an ultralight pack (<15 lbs). I think the calculation is 1 pound on the feet=5 on the back, so it's less effort to swing your feet. But if you're in an area that'll be wet, I honestly think you'd be better served with boots. Yes mesh shoes will eventually dry, but not for a long rear end time, especially in high humidity, and your feet will be wrinkly hamburger by the time you're done. Mostly depends on what part of the country you're in.
Many people, including myself, find the the opposite to be true. A good pair of trail runners like Saucony Peregrines will dry rapidly and are far more comfortable in just about any scenario. Hiking in leather boots strikes me as an almost comical throwback to an era of 6 pound sleeping bags and external frame packs. Just because you CAN backpack in them, doesn't mean you should - technology has advanced and the leather boot should stay on the worksite.

Tsyni posted:

This debate reoccurs but I think boots are best for muddy/marshy environments as well as most hiking off trail. There is nothing worse than a shoe full of rocks and dirt and cacti and whatever else that pours into it when going up an unstable slope. This can be mitigated by wearing gaiters, of course.
On the flip side, I can't imagine trying to pound my way up a steep, debris filled slope with 2 pound boots on each foot.

cheese fucked around with this message at 23:40 on May 14, 2015

runawayturtles
Aug 2, 2004
Thanks for all the input. Since I'm mostly doing shorter hikes and as a result my bag is pretty light, I'll go ahead and start looking at some decent trail runners.

Hypnolobster
Apr 12, 2007

What this sausage party needs is a big dollop of ketchup! Too bad I didn't make any. :(

Dirty girl gaiters and trailrunning shoes (or just hiking shoes, there are no trailrunning shoes that fit my wide gently caress feet) is the greatest combo ever. The first time you step into something wet and water gets inside your big heavy goretex hiking boot, you're hosed.

bongwizzard
May 19, 2005

Then one day I meet a man,
He came to me and said,
"Hard work good and hard work fine,
but first take care of head"
Grimey Drawer
I think all this shoe chat is kinda pointless without people discussing where you actually hike/live. I'm in MD right by the bay, so most of the parks are in tidal marshes so in the spring or really anytime with a heavy rain, your shoes aren't going to get a chance to dry.

cheese
Jan 7, 2004

Shop around for doctors! Always fucking shop for doctors. Doctors are stupid assholes. And they get by because people are cowed by their mystical bullshit quality of being able to maintain a 3.0 GPA at some Guatemalan medical college for 3 semesters. Find one that makes sense.

bunnielab posted:

I think all this shoe chat is kinda pointless without people discussing where you actually hike/live. I'm in MD right by the bay, so most of the parks are in tidal marshes so in the spring or really anytime with a heavy rain, your shoes aren't going to get a chance to dry.
That sounds like a place where your boots will probably end up wet as well. It all seems to boil down to "Boots try to keep your feet from getting wet, but are pretty useless if they fail at it" while "Trail runners don't even bother trying, but dry out fast and are usable while wet".

Tsyni
Sep 1, 2004
Lipstick Apathy

cheese posted:

That sounds like a place where your boots will probably end up wet as well. It all seems to boil down to "Boots try to keep your feet from getting wet, but are pretty useless if they fail at it" while "Trail runners don't even bother trying, but dry out fast and are usable while wet".

You hate boots, we get it, haha...I've hiked for days and days on a trail that had three inches of mud, my feet were dry and comfy in boots, but I can't imagine the same could be said for trail runners. I think trail runners are probably best for most hikers who are just doing nice trails and day hikes, even longer hikes on nice trails, but there is some terrain the boot is just superior.

Tashan Dorrsett
Apr 10, 2015

by Deplorable exmarx

OSU_Matthew posted:

Trail runners are nice if you have an ultralight pack (<15 lbs). I think the calculation is 1 pound on the feet=5 on the back, so it's less effort to swing your feet. But if you're in an area that'll be wet, I honestly think you'd be better served with boots. Yes mesh shoes will eventually dry, but not for a long rear end time, especially in high humidity, and your feet will be wrinkly hamburger by the time you're done. Mostly depends on what part of the country you're in.

huh my trailrunners dry in a half hour in the winter and maybe 5-15 minutes if there's any amount of heat or sunlight. its boots that take fuckoff amounts of time to dry, which is why boots are inferior unless you absolutely need them for X reason. get trailrunners with the breathable mesh running-shoe like uppers, not the overly padded crap. i've ran though marshes or whatever in trailrunners, the key is with runners pack +1 pair of socks for everything. they hold so little moisture it doesn't matter if the shoe is dry or wet if you have dry socks. if it's assumed your feet will be wet 100% of the time i'd at least like the standing water to drain out. i know the topic is played out but 99% of trailrunner complaints can be addressed by knowing how to use them (when to pack gaiters, when to swap socks, how to drain them without stopping etc) boots are cool too but i only use them when absolutely possible. most boots these days aren't even real boots, just glorified eva-midsole shoes pretending.

Tashan Dorrsett fucked around with this message at 03:36 on May 15, 2015

Vivian Darkbloom
Jul 14, 2004


I have a Jetboil that prepares boiling water but gets totally hosed up if I try to cook in it. I tried using and reusing one Mountain House pouch to rehydrate stuff (like couscous or oatmeal that doesn't need continuous heat) but this is pretty unhygienic and untasty. What's the best option - freezer bags to cook in, a titanium bowl, or just get a stove that simmers and a cookpot? I think having the ability to do real cooking would be kind of fun, if I have the energy by the time I camp.

SeaborneClink
Aug 27, 2010

MAWP... MAWP!
Jetboils do one thing well, that's boil water.

They're complete poo poo for trying to do anything else on. I'll have had a Minimo for a year come the end of September but the more I use it, the more I genuinely feel I won't make it to that milestone. I just find it cumbersome to use and I think I'll probably return it for an MSR Dragonfly or Whisperlite II maybe an XGK.

Catatron Prime
Aug 23, 2010

IT ME



Toilet Rascal

Vivian Darkbloom posted:

I have a Jetboil that prepares boiling water but gets totally hosed up if I try to cook in it. I tried using and reusing one Mountain House pouch to rehydrate stuff (like couscous or oatmeal that doesn't need continuous heat) but this is pretty unhygienic and untasty. What's the best option - freezer bags to cook in, a titanium bowl, or just get a stove that simmers and a cookpot? I think having the ability to do real cooking would be kind of fun, if I have the energy by the time I camp.

It's hard to cook with such direct heat in such a thin pot. Casseroles are usually the best bet in my opinion for cooking. Or, if you're winter camping and can deal with a few extra pounds, cast iron is amazing for camp stoves. My buddies and I have done everything from reeses pancakes to hash browns and bacon burritos with cast iron, and it's amazing. Totally impractical for most trips though.

I'm looking forward to trying the freezer bag meals someone here linked awhile back:

https://web.archive.org/web/20071016093037/http://www.freezerbagcooking.com/dinnerricedishes.htm


alnilam posted:

I agree with everything in this post expect that the ventilators are a bit heavier than most trail runners, maybe that's your issue. My salamon xa pros dry out in like 20 minutes after getting soaked, in PA humidity.

But yeah, boots are gonna be better for marshy places for sure, or for heavier packs.

I think you're absolutely right--despite their name, those ventilators don't do a very good job of, well, ventilating. Comfy, but not very breathable. Not at all what I was hoping for when I bought them :(

Everybody has their preferences. There are tradeoffs no matter what you choose, you just gotta decide where you're hiking and what works best for you in that environment, as well as what your hiking style is.

Personally, I hike principally in Appalachia, and the extra weight is worth the extra protection, dry feet, and durability boots offer. Six to one half dozen to the other. Just getting out and enjoying all the spectacular scenery this world has to offer means you're doing it right, regardless of your choice in footwear.

cheese
Jan 7, 2004

Shop around for doctors! Always fucking shop for doctors. Doctors are stupid assholes. And they get by because people are cowed by their mystical bullshit quality of being able to maintain a 3.0 GPA at some Guatemalan medical college for 3 semesters. Find one that makes sense.

Tsyni posted:

You hate boots, we get it, haha...I've hiked for days and days on a trail that had three inches of mud, my feet were dry and comfy in boots, but I can't imagine the same could be said for trail runners. I think trail runners are probably best for most hikers who are just doing nice trails and day hikes, even longer hikes on nice trails, but there is some terrain the boot is just superior.
Fair enough.

Vivian Darkbloom posted:

I have a Jetboil that prepares boiling water but gets totally hosed up if I try to cook in it. I tried using and reusing one Mountain House pouch to rehydrate stuff (like couscous or oatmeal that doesn't need continuous heat) but this is pretty unhygienic and untasty. What's the best option - freezer bags to cook in, a titanium bowl, or just get a stove that simmers and a cookpot? I think having the ability to do real cooking would be kind of fun, if I have the energy by the time I camp.
I think a lot of people "cook" when backpacking by boiling water and pouring it into a freeze dried pouch. I don't think you actually want to try to cook on one.

Vivian Darkbloom
Jul 14, 2004


OSU_Matthew posted:

It's hard to cook with such direct heat in such a thin pot. Casseroles are usually the best bet in my opinion for cooking. Or, if you're winter camping and can deal with a few extra pounds, cast iron is amazing for camp stoves. My buddies and I have done everything from reeses pancakes to hash browns and bacon burritos with cast iron, and it's amazing. Totally impractical for most trips though.

I'm looking forward to trying the freezer bag meals someone here linked awhile back:

https://web.archive.org/web/20071016093037/http://www.freezerbagcooking.com/dinnerricedishes.htm

I've seen a lot of one-pot recipes online, but maybe they're better-adapted for steel pots - no way am I lugging cast iron anywhere. With the titanium pots do you think some basic sauteeing is out of the question? It seems like it would also be good for stews and other liquidy food.

gohuskies
Oct 23, 2010

I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.
What do the trailrunner fan club folks do about snow? Especially in the spring and fall, most of my hikes end up in snow at some point, and I can't imagine my feet not being wet and freezing in knee-deep snow and in my Merrill Moab ventilators. Something like the Salomon Quest keeps feet pretty warm and dry even in the snow portions of the hike, while being lighter and more maneuverable than Scarpa Mont Blancs in the dry section of the trail. I really appreciate the jack-of-all-trades flexibility of leather/goretex boots in these shoulder seasons and on hikes that go from dirt and rocks and streambeds up to ice and snow climbing.

Edit: "trailrunner fan club folks" is not intended to be derogatory by the way - I read that back and seemed like it could come off that way. Just interested in how/if the ventilated shoe approach works for snow.

gohuskies fucked around with this message at 06:29 on May 15, 2015

spf3million
Sep 27, 2007

hit 'em with the rhythm

Vivian Darkbloom posted:

I have a Jetboil that prepares boiling water but gets totally hosed up if I try to cook in it. I tried using and reusing one Mountain House pouch to rehydrate stuff (like couscous or oatmeal that doesn't need continuous heat) but this is pretty unhygienic and untasty. What's the best option - freezer bags to cook in, a titanium bowl, or just get a stove that simmers and a cookpot? I think having the ability to do real cooking would be kind of fun, if I have the energy by the time I camp.
This is my set up: stove and pot.

Jetboils definitely boil faster but I don't like dealing with a bunch of used freezer bags on longer hikes. For me it's worth it to carry the small Ti pot. And the stove is tiny and works great. Doesn't boil as fast as the Jetboil but it's definitely adequate. IMO, Jetboils are great if a bunch of people are sharing one stove, each with their own pot/cup.

e:

gohuskies posted:

What do the trailrunner fan club folks do about snow? Especially in the spring and fall, most of my hikes end up in snow at some point, and I can't imagine my feet not being wet and freezing in knee-deep snow and in my Merrill Moab ventilators. Something like the Salomon Quest keeps feet pretty warm and dry even in the snow portions of the hike, while being lighter and more maneuverable than Scarpa Mont Blancs in the dry section of the trail. I really appreciate the jack-of-all-trades flexibility of leather/goretex boots in these shoulder seasons and on hikes that go from dirt and rocks and streambeds up to ice and snow climbing.

Edit: "trailrunner fan club folks" is not intended to be derogatory by the way - I read that back and seemed like it could come off that way. Just interested in how/if the ventilated shoe approach works for snow.
Trail runners kind of suck for miles of snow if the air is cold as well. Neoprene socks can help keep your feet warm but, yeah they're mostly for warmer weather hiking.

spf3million fucked around with this message at 11:36 on May 15, 2015

alnilam
Nov 10, 2009

Yeah it's gotta be boots in lots of snow i think.

I did hike thru miles of old snow this spring in light trail runners and i did just fine, but the snow was only a few inches deep and fairly icy/crunchy, plus the air was about 40 F. If i had been in deeper snow or colder temperatures, i would have wanted a boot.

Apprentice Dick
Dec 1, 2009

Hypnolobster posted:

Dirty girl gaiters and trailrunning shoes (or just hiking shoes, there are no trailrunning shoes that fit my wide gently caress feet) is the greatest combo ever. The first time you step into something wet and water gets inside your big heavy goretex hiking boot, you're hosed.

Asics makes some trail runner in 3E - 4E, maybe try those out. As someone who requires a 13 2E I feel your pain (from narrow shoes).

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Levitate
Sep 30, 2005

randy newman voice

YOU'VE GOT A LAFRENIÈRE IN ME

OSU_Matthew posted:

Personally, I hike principally in Appalachia, and the extra weight is worth the extra protection, dry feet, and durability boots offer. Six to one half dozen to the other. Just getting out and enjoying all the spectacular scenery this world has to offer means you're doing it right, regardless of your choice in footwear.

Lots of people hike the AT in trail runners as well, but ultimately yeah I think whatever you're most comfortable with is the best. Do what works for you and makes your feet happy

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