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Blinkman987
Jul 10, 2008

Gender roles guilt me into being fat.

Hungryjack posted:

Here's a couple short films about trail running in Patagonia. It's the closest thing I could find. My dad went down there a couple years ago to do the Patagonia and Antarctiva half marathons, but he was on the CHile side of the mountains. He said it was beautiful. I'm going down there with friends next December most likely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryasKmNBJEc

Hmm, looks like the other one, which I saw at a trail running film festival isn't available for free online.

Awesome. Thank you!


OSU_Matthew posted:

Unless you expect your bag to be wet, down should be fine, though it might get wet if you're sleeping up in the clouds. Just be sure to bring a very good waterproof compression sack for it. I know very little about the area, just that it can get real wet and cold up in the Andes, so I'd be very careful about preparation. Do you speak much Spanish? Otherwise getting around and following signs might be difficult, especially in a remote, rural area.

The Wildnerness Travel Course is a great idea if you haven't done much stuff like this before. Probably wouldn't hurt to go out a few times to state/national parks around you and make sure you and your gear are up to snuff too. I definitely wouldn't make my first trip something so far out of the country someplace so unfamiliar and presumably not very accommodating to foreign tourists. Seems like a recipe for disaster if you've not done this kind of thing before and don't know exactly what to expect.

That is the plan-- to do at least one big trip with my own equipment in the local backcountry in addition to smaller 1-2 night trips in prep. Unfortunately, I don't speak any Spanish but I'd hope to find some site that has other people also looking to do the same things. A co-worker flies around to places and seems to meet up with people to do extreme stuff.

I'm pretty risk adverse and not too dumb, so I won't put my life at risk. But, I also really want to do things and have a hard time letting things go once I've gotten the idea in my head. So, I'll just have to find a way. Much appreciated advice from you. Thanks.

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Catatron Prime
Aug 23, 2010

IT ME



Toilet Rascal

Blinkman987 posted:


I'm pretty risk adverse and not too dumb, so I won't put my life at risk. But, I also really want to do things and have a hard time letting things go once I've gotten the idea in my head. So, I'll just have to find a way. Much appreciated advice from you. Thanks.

Sorry, I didn't mean to sound pessimistic, I think that's a really awesome sounding trip! That's fantastic you're doing what you want to do--I wish I could do more stuff like that.

Just a lotta stuff to consider that you wouldn't necessarily have to think of locally, such as water treatment. Where a Sawyer squeeze will do you fine in most of the continental United States, I'd wanna use some aqua Mira tablets to treat for stuff like viruses elsewhere around the world. I'm not at an expert in that kinda stuff though, so maybe someone else can chime in with better advice. Mainly I'd wanna knock out a few trips somewhere locally to figure out what works and what doesn't for you :)

Keldoclock
Jan 5, 2014

by zen death robot

OSU_Matthew posted:



Just a lotta stuff to consider that you wouldn't necessarily have to think of locally, such as water treatment. Where a Sawyer squeeze will do you fine in most of the continental United States, I'd wanna use some aqua Mira tablets to treat for stuff like viruses elsewhere around the world.

There's no difference in terms of safety. However, water filters will fail if they are frozen, which may happen depending on climate.

Don't use aqua mira tablets. Use the drops instead.

ploots
Mar 19, 2010
What is wrong with tablets?

BaseballPCHiker
Jan 16, 2006

turevidar posted:

What is wrong with tablets?

Nothing, taste can be a bit off and they can take longer. That is it. Some people prefer them though because you dont have to actively pump and they take up less space.

JAY ZERO SUM GAME
Oct 18, 2005

Walter.
I know you know how to do this.
Get up.


I'm gonna be in the Uintas in August. I have a vague idea of what I'm gonna do, but anyone have any experience and wanna suggest something? Staying off the Highline, sounds like a lot of people on it.

EPICAC
Mar 23, 2001

I'll be in the South LakeTahoe area next week, and was scoping out a couple of peaks. I was wondering if anyone here had any useful beta on either of the hikes.

Number one on my list is Mount Tallac via the SE Chutes Route. Since this involves off trail travel I'm interested in any route finding beta. Specifically, finding the spot where you leave the trail, and also finding your way up the chutes. The route description doesn't give much detail, and the photo of the route on the page above shows the lower part very well, but not the chutes themselves.

The other is Pyramid Peak in the Desolation Wilderness. I was considering the Rocky Canyon Route up that leaves from rear Strawberry/Twin Bridges. Any beta on that trail?

Bottom Liner
Feb 15, 2006


a specific vein of lasagna
If I have a Sawyer mini is there any need to use tablets too? I remember someone recommending tablets if you're using a Lifestraw, so I wasn't sure if this was different.

Levitate
Sep 30, 2005

randy newman voice

YOU'VE GOT A LAFRENIÈRE IN ME

Bottom Liner posted:

If I have a Sawyer mini is there any need to use tablets too? I remember someone recommending tablets if you're using a Lifestraw, so I wasn't sure if this was different.

Where are you going to be hiking mostly?

I think a sawyer is good for pretty much everywhere in north america since viruses in the water isn't common. Aqua mira tablets/drops kill pretty much everything given enough time but again if you're in NA then probably not a big deal and you should just use one or the other

Bottom Liner
Feb 15, 2006


a specific vein of lasagna
Just NA, so that's good to know. I just moved to FL and the water is definitely more sketchy here than the Appalachians, so I didn't know if I should do anything more.

Keldoclock
Jan 5, 2014

by zen death robot

Bottom Liner posted:

If I have a Sawyer mini is there any need to use tablets too? I remember someone recommending tablets if you're using a Lifestraw, so I wasn't sure if this was different.

Probably not. The sawyer filters and other similar micro-sieve designs don't protect against viruses, as viruses are so tiny they slip through the tiny holes in the filters. However.... the odds of a mountain stream containing Hepatitis is pretty low. If you are using it to filter from a city water supply in Panama or whatever, maybe reconsider. But for hiking around in most of the world a filter is adequate. If you are immunocompromised maybe always use chemical methods just to be safe.

turevidar posted:

What is wrong with tablets?

Liquid purification drops are superior to solid tablets, as they last longer in storage, are cheaper, and can be repoured. As long as you can count to 7, they are better.

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
Welp, most of my gear is here and I am off for my test campout tonight. The plan is to start around 6pm and hike the horse trails until 8ish, then find a suitable looking spot and see if I can get the hammock and tarp set up. I have my pack crazy over loaded so that I can tire myself out a bit before I try to make camp. It is going to rain tonight so this should be a good test.

If all goes well I will try my first non-farm overnight next week.

Keldoclock
Jan 5, 2014

by zen death robot

bunnielab posted:

I have my pack crazy over loaded

With steaks and beer, I hope.

Hackan Slash
May 31, 2007
Hit it until it's not a problem anymore

Keldoclock posted:

With steaks and beer, I hope.

This is legit the reason I buy ultralight gear, I'm going to carry 40lbs no matter what.

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

Keldoclock posted:

With steaks and beer, I hope.

No steaks, but like 3-4 days worth of food, two 500ml tetra packs of wine, and two airplane bottles of whisky.

I dont have a scale but I suspect this thing weighs like 40-50 pounds. I have a ~25lb sandbag kicking around and the pack definitely feels about twice as heavy. I also have a ton of extra cordage and such to get the hammock and tarp set up, so that weight will go away next time.

Hackan Slash
May 31, 2007
Hit it until it's not a problem anymore
I'm going on a week long backpacking trip and am going to bring my phone for pictures, GPS, etc.

What's the best way to keep it charged? Rigging up a solar cell to my pack? Just getting the biggest possible external battery? That charging wood stove?

mastershakeman
Oct 28, 2008

by vyelkin
The charging wood stove is a terrible gimmick. It's fun but I'd never use it outside of car camping.

Catatron Prime
Aug 23, 2010

IT ME



Toilet Rascal
Best way to keep your phone charged while backpacking is to put it in airplane mode.

When it can't find a signal, it sucks down extra juice to try to find one and will drain your battery much faster than normal.

I think you'd be surprised at how long it'll last that way.

Also bringing a spare battery pack, somewhere in the neighborhood of 10,000 mAH wouldn't hurt if you don't mind the extra weight. I think mini solar chargers are also pretty good these days, but I can't speak to that personally.

Catatron Prime fucked around with this message at 15:20 on Jul 3, 2015

Tsyni
Sep 1, 2004
Lipstick Apathy

Hackan Slash posted:

I'm going on a week long backpacking trip and am going to bring my phone for pictures, GPS, etc.

What's the best way to keep it charged? Rigging up a solar cell to my pack? Just getting the biggest possible external battery? That charging wood stove?

I have a 10000 mAh external battery about the size of a big smartphone and it charges my iPhone 4s around 8 times. If you have a bigger phone it might do you for a week depending how much you use it. Definitely the most painless way to go.

Bottom Liner
Feb 15, 2006


a specific vein of lasagna
Any recommendations for a light but effective hammock bug net? I have an ENO hammock and tarp I got cheap from a friend, but no way in hell I'm sleeping in it in Florida without full mosquito protection.

Catatron Prime
Aug 23, 2010

IT ME



Toilet Rascal

Bottom Liner posted:

Any recommendations for a light but effective hammock bug net? I have an ENO hammock and tarp I got cheap from a friend, but no way in hell I'm sleeping in it in Florida without full mosquito protection.

I'd personally say just buy the ENO bugnet since its designed to work together with the hammock. Also probably your cheapest option. I think theirs drapes over the entire hammock too, which is nice because it prevents skeeters from sucking you through the hammock underneath you.

My buddy originally bought a Kammock (which was a terrible idea) and soon discovered that only the pricey kammock bugnet will fit it. Different brands have different sizes, so it'd be a process of trial and error to find something else that'd fit the ENO.

alnilam
Nov 10, 2009

I'm rain jacket / hard-shell shopping (will be used for bike commuting, hiking, and town use), and based on my price range, reviews, and trying a few things on at REI, I've narrowed it down to

Mountain Hardwear Pisco for $80
North Face Venture rain jacket

Does anyone have thoughts on these, or other recommendations in the $75-150 price range?
Thanks :buddy:

Hotel Kpro
Feb 24, 2011

owls don't go to school
Dinosaur Gum
So I had a plan to do three mountains this weekend. It didn't really work out. It did involve blood, a flat tire, and a shiba inu.

Some falls on the way up





This point was called Little Matterhorn



Let's play spot the mountain goat! I'll never understand how they can scale seemingly vertical walls.



The basin I came up, looking down on Little Matterhorn



View from the top looking East



Looking down at Big Basin



Left to right: Old Hyndman, Hyndman, Kane Peak, Devil's Bedstead East



Random find of the day. I'm at somewhere around 9500 feet up.



Big Basin Peak was fun, but tough. I hit a class IV ridge to get to the top and my fingers were raw by the end of it. I took another ridgeline down which was less steep, but it meant I had to cross the upper basin and re-ascend the other ridge to get back to the side I started on. The way up was 4.8 miles, 3600 feet and it really wiped me out. I dunno what it was, if maybe the altitude got to me, maybe it was too hot, the sun was too intense, whatever. Only two other mountains have made me feel so beat. I ended up changing my plan to hike a mountain on the 4th and instead decided to hike up to some lakes. On my way there of course my left front tire gets a fat hole and out comes the spare that's been sitting for years under the truck. A bunch of people were camped out and were kind enough to help me out. There was even a portable air compressor that was brought out.

Anyway this one guy I guess is real bored and joins me on my way back to Ketchum to search for a real compressor while he goes and gets his bike tire fixed. He wanted to head up to the lakes as well so we set off after lunch with his dog which is an adorable as hell Shiba Inu that I totally missed out on taking a picture of. He said she was good for a hike but it's hot and that poor dog was panting hard after a half mile. We ended up having to carry her part of the way up (it was only a couple miles to the lakes) and all the way down. The lakes were also near another mountain that I knew of, so dude and the dog hung out at the lake while I went for a summit. It wasn't one of the original three I had in mind, but whatever, a summit is a summit.

Not the lake we went to



Also not the lake we went to



The lakes we did go to



Norton Peak was a bit over 3 miles and 2600 feet of gain. Didn't get a pic of the wildflowers either but drat they were gorgeous. I decided that I was way too dirty and didn't want to bathe in a freezing cold river before I got into my sleeping bag, so I drove home. On the way back I was graced by a beautiful sunset, so I think I made the right choice.

GoodbyeTurtles
Aug 18, 2012

:suezo:

alnilam posted:

I'm rain jacket / hard-shell shopping (will be used for bike commuting, hiking, and town use), and based on my price range, reviews, and trying a few things on at REI, I've narrowed it down to

Mountain Hardwear Pisco for $80
North Face Venture rain jacket

Does anyone have thoughts on these, or other recommendations in the $75-150 price range?
Thanks :buddy:

I'm also looking for a new rain jacket/ hard shell but with respect to sizing, should I go for something a couple of inches larger to accommodate the extra layers underneath? Or should I be looking for a snug fit, assuming that the sizing already allows for layers underneath?

Probably a silly question but my last hard-shell was much too big and, though great for packing extra layers in underneath, it was always loose and terrible in summer downpours.

Ropes4u
May 2, 2009

Hiked around Horse tooth park outside of Fort Collins today. I had to pick up my bike and time was limited, still a beautiful day.

Hungryjack
May 9, 2003

I just got back from a three-day camping trip out at Colorado Bend state park in Texas. Not a whole lot to report, but the hiking is solid, the caving is cool if that's your thing, and springs are loving amazing on a hot day, and hammock camping was the bomb on those hot nights. I had that cheap $20 50 degree sleeping bag on standby just in case I got cool in the middle of the night. The first night I woke up at about 4AM just a tiny bit cool and so I grabbed it. The second night, I didn't wear anything besides running shorts and it was still hotter than I'd like


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:

I just got back from a three-day camping trip out at Colorado Bend state park in Texas. Not a whole lot to report, but the hiking is solid, the caving is cool if that's your thing, and springs are loving amazing on a hot day, and hammock camping was the bomb on those hot nights. I had that cheap $20 50 degree sleeping bag on standby just in case I got cool in the middle of the night. The first night I woke up at about 4AM just a tiny bit cool and so I grabbed it. The second night, I didn't wear anything besides running shorts and it was still hotter than I'd like




I have one of those $25 bags on order. I spent the night in my hammock on Thursday and froze my rear end off. It was in the mid 60's too, I have no idea why I was so cold. Very glad I packed a hoodie or I would have had a very very unpleasant 1.5mile walk back to my house.

Bottom Liner
Feb 15, 2006


a specific vein of lasagna
Hammocks sleep a lot colder because the air below you cools you constantly (plus more airflow all around). That's why underquilts are so effective.

Catatron Prime
Aug 23, 2010

IT ME



Toilet Rascal

bunnielab posted:

I have one of those $25 bags on order. I spent the night in my hammock on Thursday and froze my rear end off. It was in the mid 60's too, I have no idea why I was so cold. Very glad I packed a hoodie or I would have had a very very unpleasant 1.5mile walk back to my house.

Seconding the underquilt--you need something to prevent convection from sucking all your heat out underneath. It's the same effect as sleeping on the ground, and a cheap blue ccf pad will do the job till you feel like investing in a much nicer/comfier underquilt.

I'd be surprised if those sleeping bags are of any use below 70°. The way they're sewn lends itself to cold spots where there's simply no insulating material, and it's not like the manufacturer discovered some new space age lightweight insulation. 1.5 lbs total just means that they just didn't put much insulation in there to begin with. Sleeping bags and shoes are the absolute last places I'd skimp. Pick two--cheap, warm, light.

quote:



Just a quick suggestion since comfort is relative, but you might want to check your hang angle if you found sleeping that uncomfortable. 30° is usually the magic angle for getting a flatter/comfier lay

Catatron Prime fucked around with this message at 04:29 on Jul 6, 2015

Hungryjack
May 9, 2003

bunnielab posted:

I have one of those $25 bags on order. I spent the night in my hammock on Thursday and froze my rear end off. It was in the mid 60's too, I have no idea why I was so cold. Very glad I packed a hoodie or I would have had a very very unpleasant 1.5mile walk back to my house.

No need for an underquilt down here in Texas, but the bug net does a fair job killing the breeze blowing on me, which is a negative for me but might be a positive for you. I used it last winter as an effective counter against windchill at Big Bend. But again, it depends on your environment.

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
Yea, I assume I need a better bag but for now it has been so loving hot and humid at night, I am willing to roll the dice on a $25 bag. At the very worst the dog gets a new place to sleep.

I am really perplexed about why I was so cold. I am usually a super super hot sleeper, even in the coldest winter in a poorly insulated house, I sleep naked with a very thin comforter. The other night I would actually wake up shivering, but when I got out of the bag to pee I felt fine.

In anycase, I am less excited about the hammock in general. By the time you have the hammock, tarp, bug net, straps, and such, you have as much weight and bulk as a small tent. I guess I was so used to hammocks being an "under the stage with an anchor point every 4 and 8 feet" thing that I didn't realize how much gack there is in camping in one. My friend wants to try it out so next time we are going to swap and I am going to see if I like sleeping on the ground any better. I am going to keep trying the hammock though, I just found my bag of old rigging gear so I am at least confident I can simplify and speed up the setup time.

Tomato Soup
Jan 16, 2006

So I'm starting to shop for gear, already got trekking poles and rubber tips so I can use them on the local paved trails too to practice my gait with the poles :neckbeard: My knees are kind of screwy (patella issues) because my gait without the poles isn't the best either, something about me moving my knees too much as I walk.

What do I need to pick up ASAP? I have a 60L backpack already that's fairly light (not ultralight) but it's comfy and supportive so I'm happy with it I don't really want to spend 200+ for something I have already either.

My dad has a bunch of gear but he's old school so they're older than me and fairly heavy :v: I figure that I still can use some of his stuff though like sleeping bag/pad/footprint and stove & cooking supplies & some misc stuff such as iodine for water purification (I don't mind the taste) to tide me over on my practice trips until I can replace them all with better stuff before I do PCT next year.

Cowboy camping is fun and I've done that before but the mosquitoes here and in the Sierras are merciless in summer and I refuse to camp without a tent until the fuckers go away :colbert: So I figure that I'll need a tent soonish and I've been looking at the ultralight options online but there's just so many and it's overwhelming me.

I definitely want a tent that I can sit up in comfortably (I'm 5'5 so lengthwise most tents should be ok) and a removable fly so I can see the stars :3: Free standing is a plus too but not required, I just don't want to get hosed over if I have a pole break or lose one. I don't need a two person tent, a solo tent is fine as long I can sit up in it.

What do you guys use and would you recommend it? Or any other suggestions?

PS regarding Sawyer Mini, I've seen a lot of people complaining about how they hate Mini's reduced flow because it takes a lot longer compared to the Squeeze to filter and end up just using the 0.6 oz heavier Squeeze for that reason but ymmv.

edit: my budget for a tent is around $300ish~ I'd prefer to not spend more than that but if it's really worth it, I might go to 350.

Tomato Soup fucked around with this message at 09:51 on Jul 6, 2015

ploots
Mar 19, 2010
Do two or three one night trips with all of your secondhand gear. That will tell you which pieces need to be replaced the most, and you will know what you do and don't like about the item you're replacing, so you can make the right purchase.

Ropes4u
May 2, 2009

Tomato Soup posted:

So I'm starting to shop for gear, already got trekking poles and rubber tips so I can use them on the local paved trails too to practice my gait with the poles :neckbeard: My knees are kind of screwy (patella issues) because my gait without the poles isn't the best either, something about me moving my knees too much as I walk.

What do I need to pick up ASAP? I have a 60L backpack already that's fairly light (not ultralight) but it's comfy and supportive so I'm happy with it I don't really want to spend 200+ for something I have already either.

My dad has a bunch of gear but he's old school so they're older than me and fairly heavy :v: I figure that I still can use some of his stuff though like sleeping bag/pad/footprint and stove & cooking supplies & some misc stuff such as iodine for water purification (I don't mind the taste) to tide me over on my practice trips until I can replace them all with better stuff before I do PCT next year.

Cowboy camping is fun and I've done that before but the mosquitoes here and in the Sierras are merciless in summer and I refuse to camp without a tent until the fuckers go away :colbert: So I figure that I'll need a tent soonish and I've been looking at the ultralight options online but there's just so many and it's overwhelming me.

I definitely want a tent that I can sit up in comfortably (I'm 5'5 so lengthwise most tents should be ok) and a removable fly so I can see the stars :3: Free standing is a plus too but not required, I just don't want to get hosed over if I have a pole break or lose one. I don't need a two person tent, a solo tent is fine as long I can sit up in it.

What do you guys use and would you recommend it? Or any other suggestions?

PS regarding Sawyer Mini, I've seen a lot of people complaining about how they hate Mini's reduced flow because it takes a lot longer compared to the Squeeze to filter and end up just using the 0.6 oz heavier Squeeze for that reason but ymmv.

edit: my budget for a tent is around $300ish~ I'd prefer to not spend more than that but if it's really worth it, I might go to 350.

Good the below companies and pick your comfort / $$ level. We have a six moon designs lunar duo that is perfect for two, ymmv


Six moon designs
Zpack
Tarp tent

Catatron Prime
Aug 23, 2010

IT ME



Toilet Rascal

Tomato Soup posted:


My dad has a bunch of gear but he's old school so they're older than me and fairly heavy :v: I figure that I still can use some of his stuff though like sleeping bag/pad/footprint and stove & cooking supplies & some misc stuff such as iodine for water purification
What do you guys use and would you recommend it? Or any other suggestions?
edit: my budget for a tent is around $300ish~ I'd prefer to not spend more than that but if it's really worth it, I might go to 350.
Don't use iodine, especially old and expired iodine. Park rangers used to use iodine back in the sixties/seventies and then they discovered it leads to a lot of health problems.

If you're using chemical treatments, use aqua Mira drops/tablets. Calcium hypochloride is the same thing used in municipal water treatment.

I personally use a Sawyer, because most of the streams I drink out of in the continental US are free of really nasty viruses, which the Sawyer can't filter.

As far as tents go, check out the REI half/quarter dome. It's occasionally on sale for ~160ish and both my buddies really like theirs (until one converted to a Hennessy Hammock)


bunnielab posted:


I am really perplexed about why I was so cold. I am usually a super super hot sleeper, even in the coldest winter in a poorly insulated house, I sleep naked with a very thin comforter. The other night I would actually wake up shivering, but when I got out of the bag to pee I felt fine.

In anycase, I am less excited about the hammock in general. By the time you have the hammock, tarp, bug net, straps, and such, you have as much weight and bulk as a small tent. I guess I was so used to hammocks being an "under the stage with an anchor point every 4 and 8 feet" thing that I didn't realize how much gack there is in camping in one. My friend wants to try it out so next time we are going to swap and I am going to see if I like sleeping on the ground any better. I am going to keep trying the hammock though, I just found my bag of old rigging gear so I am at least confident I can simplify and speed up the setup time.

When you sleep, your body temperature and metabolism drop. This is aggravated by having open air/ground underneath you, which acts like a giant heat sink. Even when it's hot out, you have to have some sort of bottom insulation. A sleeping bag won't cut it--it'll get squished and have no insulating value.

Also your time and aggravation in a hammock is directly related to the type of suspension/setup and how well it's hung. For instance, the Hennessy you just wrap the straps around the tree, clip in the hammock (with tarp, bugnet, and sleeves all built in and contained in the snake skins), and pull the ends on each side to get it tightened to the right angle, and you're done. Just gotta find what suspension system works best for you.

Plus, bulk wise, my setup is so much lighter than my ground dwelling cohorts, and without gangly tent poles and sleeping pad, I can stuff it all inside my bag. No need to screw around clipping and tying junk to the outside and worrying about it falling off.

Levitate
Sep 30, 2005

randy newman voice

YOU'VE GOT A LAFRENIÈRE IN ME

Ropes4u posted:

Good the below companies and pick your comfort / $$ level. We have a six moon designs lunar duo that is perfect for two, ymmv


Six moon designs
Zpack
Tarp tent

Not gonna find a new ZPacks shelter under $450 unless you want to use just a tarp (which then necessitates some kind of insect netting in addition)

Tarptent and Six Moon tents are cheaper since they use silicon impregnated nylon as their material which is much cheaper than cuben fiber. Tarp tents probably don't let you open up and see the sky as well since there isn't an individual fly to remove. Looks like you can roll up the sides of the Six Moon tents though

JAY ZERO SUM GAME
Oct 18, 2005

Walter.
I know you know how to do this.
Get up.


alnilam posted:

I'm rain jacket / hard-shell shopping (will be used for bike commuting, hiking, and town use), and based on my price range, reviews, and trying a few things on at REI, I've narrowed it down to

Mountain Hardwear Pisco for $80
North Face Venture rain jacket

Does anyone have thoughts on these, or other recommendations in the $75-150 price range?
Thanks :buddy:
I've had the North Face jacket (or, their previous design, probably) for about 5 years. It's great. Waterproof jackets in that price range are largely the same: solid, not heavy, not light. Just choose for fit/color/etc.

Hungryjack
May 9, 2003

bunnielab posted:

In anycase, I am less excited about the hammock in general. By the time you have the hammock, tarp, bug net, straps, and such, you have as much weight and bulk as a small tent. I guess I was so used to hammocks being an "under the stage with an anchor point every 4 and 8 feet" thing that I didn't realize how much gack there is in camping in one. My friend wants to try it out so next time we are going to swap and I am going to see if I like sleeping on the ground any better. I am going to keep trying the hammock though, I just found my bag of old rigging gear so I am at least confident I can simplify and speed up the setup time.

This is something I struggle with as well. You'd think a hammock is nice and minimal, but it really isn't. My pack this weekend had a hammock, straps, bug net, rainfly and drat that was a lot of bulk and weight when it was all said an done. The rainfly is the biggest and heaviest of all. So what I think I'm going to do is get an ultralight 1-person tent anyway. That way I can leave the hammock rainfly at home and maybe even the bug net. If I get to a campsite with no good hammock trees, I'm set with the tent. If it looks like rain, I'm set with the tent. If bugs are really annoying, I'm set with the tent. If not, then I haven't really given up any space or weight and I'll just sleep in the hammock anyway. In fact, I'm debating taking the rainfly back to REI especially considering I've never used it. I'm not sure I'll ever really need it now and it was like $80 that could go toward the tiny tent.

Also, I've decided that, except in really unusual circumstances, I don't think I'll ever need to pack heavier than what my Kelty 48L pack can handle, and that I should be able to keep things under 30 pounds. So there's my baseline. If it doesn't fit in the Kelty, it stays home. I still kind of want to get that Ultimate Direction 30L fastpack and try to pare things down even further. I'm going to hit a point where I need to commit to hammock or tent, but not both.

Blinkman987
Jul 10, 2008

Gender roles guilt me into being fat.

alnilam posted:

I'm rain jacket / hard-shell shopping (will be used for bike commuting, hiking, and town use), and based on my price range, reviews, and trying a few things on at REI, I've narrowed it down to

Mountain Hardwear Pisco for $80
North Face Venture rain jacket

Does anyone have thoughts on these, or other recommendations in the $75-150 price range?
Thanks :buddy:

This may have to more with the layers than the jacket itself? Base layer > insulation layer > shell. So, base layer > light wool sweater > shell. At best, it's base layer > light sweater > fleece jacket > shell. How thick can that setup be if you're planning around using a shell?

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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

OSU_Matthew posted:

When you sleep, your body temperature and metabolism drop. This is aggravated by having open air/ground underneath you, which acts like a giant heat sink. Even when it's hot out, you have to have some sort of bottom insulation. A sleeping bag won't cut it--it'll get squished and have no insulating value.

Also your time and aggravation in a hammock is directly related to the type of suspension/setup and how well it's hung. For instance, the Hennessy you just wrap the straps around the tree, clip in the hammock (with tarp, bugnet, and sleeves all built in and contained in the snake skins), and pull the ends on each side to get it tightened to the right angle, and you're done. Just gotta find what suspension system works best for you.

Plus, bulk wise, my setup is so much lighter than my ground dwelling cohorts, and without gangly tent poles and sleeping pad, I can stuff it all inside my bag. No need to screw around clipping and tying junk to the outside and worrying about it falling off.

I had never heard of the Hennessy brand before, it does look much more streamlined than the ENO stuff I have now. In anycase, adding an insulating quilt/pad is going to add even more bulk. I spend some time this morning re rigging my hammock and tarp and I think I have simplified the rig a good bit. However, all my gear is old theatrical rigging stuff and is insanely overrated and overly heavy for what I am using it for now. If I like the way it works I will start swapping stuff out with lighter line and hardware. Those Snakeskin things look amazing though, even just buying a pair for my tarp would speed poo poo up a ton.

Hungryjack posted:

This is something I struggle with as well. You'd think a hammock is nice and minimal, but it really isn't. My pack this weekend had a hammock, straps, bug net, rainfly and drat that was a lot of bulk and weight when it was all said an done. The rainfly is the biggest and heaviest of all. So what I think I'm going to do is get an ultralight 1-person tent anyway. That way I can leave the hammock rainfly at home and maybe even the bug net. If I get to a campsite with no good hammock trees, I'm set with the tent. If it looks like rain, I'm set with the tent. If bugs are really annoying, I'm set with the tent. If not, then I haven't really given up any space or weight and I'll just sleep in the hammock anyway. In fact, I'm debating taking the rainfly back to REI especially considering I've never used it. I'm not sure I'll ever really need it now and it was like $80 that could go toward the tiny tent.

Also, I've decided that, except in really unusual circumstances, I don't think I'll ever need to pack heavier than what my Kelty 48L pack can handle, and that I should be able to keep things under 30 pounds. So there's my baseline. If it doesn't fit in the Kelty, it stays home. I still kind of want to get that Ultimate Direction 30L fastpack and try to pare things down even further. I'm going to hit a point where I need to commit to hammock or tent, but not both.

My thinking was going that way as well. The other night I ran into the issue of where to store my pack while I slept. It looked like it was going to rain and I didn't have a good way to suspend it under the hammock as it is heavy enough to drag everything to the ground if I clipped it to the end of the hammock. I ended up keeping it in my friend's tent and looking online for a solution, it seems like buying/making a mini hammock for your gear is the common solution. Which just adds another piece of gear to lug around. If I had a tiny ultralight tent, I could keep my pack in there and sleep inside incase of rain or a cold snap.

I am going to go do an overnight on the C&O canal this week and give the hammock another go. I also need to get a scale to see what my pack weighs. I have it packed now and even without the 3L camelback it seems super heavy.

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