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Levitate posted:How heavy is your pack usually and what kind of terrain do you usually hike on? I was looking at the Inov-8 Roclite 295's today and liked how they felt but I'm curious how they would hold up over long hikes and long backpacks. Of course footwear is somewhat subjective but I'm curious if people have to get used to using lighter footwear that doesn't have as much support, etc Usually between 20 and 30 pounds, mostly depending on how much food and water I'm packing. I hike mostly on-trail, on pretty wildly varying terrain. Anything from the rocks of Pennsylvania to the sandy desert trails of Joshua Tree to the stock trails in the Sierras. If I plan to go off-trail through thick brush for significant distances I wear boots (sometimes). You do have to sort of get used to lightweight shoes. Your feet will get more beat up from rocks and pebbles, and your ankles will hurt until they get stronger. Once you're used to it, it's smooth going though. I find my shoes last anywhere from 500 to 1000 miles a pair, though past the 500 mile mark, whatever cushioning foam is in the shoes is just completely toast. I keep wearing them until the toeboxes fall apart. I've got some pairs that are well past the 1000 mile mark and are pretty destroyed looking, but they're still comfy enough for walking around at home or at work. They're pretty smelly though, so wearing them to work isn't always the greatest idea. I highly recommend getting some Dirty Girl gaiters. My shoes fill up with rocks and poo poo without my gaiters and it gets pretty annoying. Plus, my gaiters are rainbow colored with peace signs. BeefofAges fucked around with this message at 02:27 on Mar 9, 2014 |
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Mar 9, 2014 02:25
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Terrifying Effigies posted:Speaking of backpacks, I'm looking for a new multi-day pack in the 55-65 liter range to replace my old external frame backpacking pack. Looking in REI both the Osprey Atmos and Aether look close to what I'm interested in, but I'm having difficulty finding similarly sized packs in other brands (like the Gregory Savant or Boreas Lost Coast) at the local stores to try on. Any recommendations? I really like my Osprey Atmos, but I don't have much to compare it against. My wife really likes her Deuter pack of about the same size, but I think the Atmos is nicer. Has more external pockets, better side mesh pockets for water, and a couple of other niceties. If you're looking at packs that size, I don't think you can go wrong with the Atmos.
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Mar 9, 2014 05:56
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Terrifying Effigies posted:Speaking of backpacks, I'm looking for a new multi-day pack in the 55-65 liter range to replace my old external frame backpacking pack. Looking in REI both the Osprey Atmos and Aether look close to what I'm interested in, but I'm having difficulty finding similarly sized packs in other brands (like the Gregory Savant or Boreas Lost Coast) at the local stores to try on. Any recommendations? I really enjoy my Aether 70. It by no means is an ultra lightweight pack, but it is wonderfully durable and a load rides well for me. It has a few bells and whistles it could probably do without (like the trekking pole holders) but I like some of the others, such as the front zipper to the main compartment. This was my first internal-frame pack, and it is so much better balanced than my old external frame one was. I haven't tried the Atmos, but that looks like a great pack, too. Hard to go wrong with Osprey. Business of Ferrets fucked around with this message at 06:23 on Mar 9, 2014 |
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Mar 9, 2014 06:21
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If you're looking for something lightweight, reliable, and not too expensive, check out a Golite Jam.
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Mar 9, 2014 06:45
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Though the max recommended weight on the Jam's is 30 lbs so if you normally carry significantly more than that you probably want to either cut weight or get a beefier pack. I've seen a lot of Golite packs on the trail though and people seem to love them
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Mar 9, 2014 12:57
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I'm planning on getting a zpacks arcblast but drat are they expensive.
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Mar 9, 2014 14:46
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Did a tiny hike yesterday to get to a natural hot spring and do some cliff jumping into the frigid Colorado river. I'm so stoked to get out into the woods this coming summer, will be my first in Colorado.
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Mar 9, 2014 17:44
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Saint Fu posted:I'm planning on getting a zpacks arcblast but drat are they expensive. Cuben fiber is pretty neat but dammmmn is it expensive. I'm pretty happy with my ULA pack for now even though it's a heavier "light weight" pack
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Mar 10, 2014 00:48
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I would not get a cuben fiber backpack. They seem to fall apart pretty quickly. I think cuben fiber just isn't a good material for abrasion resistance.
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Mar 10, 2014 01:01
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alnilam posted:Can anyone recommend a daypack that doubles well as a daily use sort of backpack? A good back that can go back and forth from hiking to commuting / school / work is the The North Face Angstrom 28. The hip belt stows away when not needed. Plenty of space and good organization. And if I remember correctly the hydration pouch doubles as a padded laptop sleeve.
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Mar 10, 2014 01:49
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Has anyone seen the Patagonia Ascensionist 45L Pack in person? Wife and I will both need packs. Deuter and Osprey are on the lair but I'm a bit of a patagucci fanboy so...
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Mar 10, 2014 03:32
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Ropes4u posted:Has anyone seen the Patagonia Ascensionist 45L Pack in person? Wife and I will both need packs. Are you anywhere near a Patagonia store? They invariably have a mannequin wearing one around (maybe not the 45L, but should have those, too). I recently bought a 35L for climbing and day hiking, but it hasn't been delivered yet. The price was pretty decent, and the feature set looks nice.
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Mar 10, 2014 10:47
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BeefofAges posted:I would not get a cuben fiber backpack. They seem to fall apart pretty quickly. I think cuben fiber just isn't a good material for abrasion resistance.
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Mar 10, 2014 13:24
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Levitate posted:Cuben fiber is pretty neat but dammmmn is it expensive. I'm pretty happy with my ULA pack for now even though it's a heavier "light weight" pack BeefofAges posted:I would not get a cuben fiber backpack. They seem to fall apart pretty quickly. I think cuben fiber just isn't a good material for abrasion resistance. evil_bunnY posted:It's actually brilliant for that, except it's too expensive to use enough of it. Most companies will laminate it with a woven outer for abrasion resistance. The thing I like about the ArcBlast is the exterior suspension system they have set up. The two carbon fiber stays running down the sides which are flexed to provide airflow on your back and also transfer load to your hips look really well thought out. I'm looking at ULA packs too, most likely the Circuit. Not sure how a single aluminum stay would work as a frame though. Also considering an HMG Windrider. Two internal aluminum stays, supposedly more durable nylon/cuben blend, and more water proof than the others. Also the most expensive...
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Mar 10, 2014 14:15
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I have the Circuit. In addition to the aluminum stay (which you can also take out if you'd like but it's a bitch and a half to get back in...which makes shaping it kind of a pain if you want to do that) it has a kind of inverted U made of carbon fiber that runs up the sides and over the top to also help some with the structure and load. It's plenty big, I like the belt pocket (good size), and the padding on the hip and shoulder straps is pretty good for a lighter weight pack. I took off some of the extra straps and shock cord cuz I didn't feel like I needed it. There is no ventilation for your back though. I probably carried between 30 and 35 lbs (probably more like 35 on the first day) in it for my last six night trip in the Winds (including a garcia bear can) and felt like it carried that weight fine. I also have a small section of CCF that I brought as a pad for sitting on or whatever and I carried that up against my back (on the inside of the pack) for some more padding and structure, just cuz.
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Mar 10, 2014 14:46
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I have a ULA Circuit too! It's an excellent pack. Never had any problems with it not being rigid enough, though I've never put more than 35 pounds or so in it, and I normally put well under 30 in it.evil_bunnY posted:It's actually brilliant for that, except it's too expensive to use enough of it. Most companies will laminate it with a woven outer for abrasion resistance. Ah, interesting. I didn't know that.
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Mar 10, 2014 15:25
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I too have a Circuit, I used it on most of my 2011 AT hike (from NOC onward). Great pack and the massive hip pockets are great. It held up fantastic. Last year I picked up a HMG pack, and I am still coming to a conclusion. Since my wife had our kid last summer, I have not been able to take it out more than once for an overnight on the priest. It rode about the same as the Circuit with maybe 22 lbs or so. With luck I will have time for a few overnights this spring and I can have a better idea. It is super light though, and both packs are made in Amurrica, unlike most of the gear available.
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Mar 10, 2014 15:46
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BaseballPCHiker posted:Looks like the Enchantment lottery results got delayed until this Sunday. Did anyone get lottery results? I'm expecting yet another year of failure 
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Mar 10, 2014 17:37
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mastershakeman posted:Did anyone get lottery results? I'm expecting yet another year of failure I haven't heard anything yet. If you don't get in, going end of Oct is pretty nice. The larch are still beautiful that time of year.
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Mar 10, 2014 18:00
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Ropes4u posted:Has anyone seen the Patagonia Ascensionist 45L Pack in person? Wife and I will both need packs. I have the 25L that I've been trying out for a light summit pack, which I like it for. Not sure what you're using it for. It's definitely geared more towards climbing than backpacking. The back panel doesn't look super breathable and there's no hydration compatibility if that's your thing. Other than that it's a super nice and very light pack. Here's a nice review of the pack. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1tJ3OmzvaM
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Mar 10, 2014 18:13
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So I'm looking into getting a small solar charger for a thru hike this summer. Needs to be able to keep an mp3 player topped off and charge a camera. Also needs to charge a petzl headlamp and recharge my cell phone about once a week. It sounds like a lot, but most of the items either don't pull that much power, or they get very little power use per day. I'm thinking of getting one of the cheaper battery/solar chargers on amazon like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Poweradd-trade-Apollo-Portable-USB-charged/dp/B00DLUYSPO/ref=zg_bs_2407762011_2 Thoughts?
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Mar 10, 2014 18:52
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Levitate posted:How heavy is your pack usually and what kind of terrain do you usually hike on? I was looking at the Inov-8 Roclite 295's today and liked how they felt but I'm curious how they would hold up over long hikes and long backpacks. Of course footwear is somewhat subjective but I'm curious if people have to get used to using lighter footwear that doesn't have as much support, etc I wear 295s and absolutely love them. I have tried Goretex & leather WP boots and have never NOT gotten a blister from moisture due to sweating. I did spend a lot of time in Vibram FF KSOs, which I think went a long way in preparing my foot and ankle muscles for a more minimalist shoe when backpacking. My pack will range in weight from 12-25lbs, depending on the season. I recently spent a cold weekend backpacking a loop trail with probably 30+ water crossings, one of which was at least 50 yards wide - wearing my Roclites, trading off between Darn Tough wools and some lightweight nylon socks. I had been rock hopping my way through the crossings before realizing how dangerous it was, so I just started plowing though them. 27 miles without a single blister or hotspot. My feet would stay pretty wet with the wool socks, but the water would warm up and it was comfortable. The nylon socks would just shed water and my feet would be pretty dry after about a half-hour after a crossing. Needless to say, I'm a convert.
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Mar 10, 2014 19:31
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Jumping back to daypack as urban pack talk, I just saw and played with this year's new Mammut Neon Crag and Neon Pro with waxed canvas exteriors, and I think they're definitely stylish enough to use around town. Mammut makes good packs, so I'd trust them outside, as well.
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Mar 10, 2014 20:33
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Vaga posted:The back panel doesn't look super breathable and there's no hydration compatibility if that's your thing. Other than that it's a super nice and very light pack. I was hoping it would be adequate for one to three night trips. Might have to go try one on in Denver
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Mar 11, 2014 00:53
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mastershakeman posted:Did anyone get lottery results? I'm expecting yet another year of failure I didnt get it yet again.  But now I'm looking into alternate Summer trips! Really focused on The Grand Tetons, Alberta Canada, and following parts of the Lewis & Clark trail in Montana. Just doing the research now. Does anyone here have any suggestions for alpine lakes with minimal crowds and breathtaking views that I can stay on trail at least 3 days? Gearchat: REI dividend coming out soon. Might invest in a new sleeping bag. My Cats Meow 20 degree bag has seen better days, if I cant revive it with a good wash and tennis ball drying I might look into some new options. Or splurge on a canoe. Anyone ever try a folding or backpack canoe? Do we have a canoe/kayak thread anywhere?
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Mar 11, 2014 02:43
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Speaking of sleeping bags, what should I be looking for if I'm dealing with 30 degree nights? I just bought a Marmot Cloudbreak 30, took it out for a couple of nights, and I still found myself pretty drat cold at night. Meanwhile my girlfriend had a cheap $30 0-degree bag and was just fine. I know it has a lower temperature rating, but am I missing something else here?
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Mar 11, 2014 04:34
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Fitzy Fitz posted:Speaking of sleeping bags, what should I be looking for if I'm dealing with 30 degree nights? I just bought a Marmot Buttbreak 30, took it out for a couple of nights, and I still found myself pretty drat cold at night. Meanwhile my girlfriend had a cheap $30 0-degree bag and was just fine. I know it has a lower temperature rating, but am I missing something else here? What kind of sleeping pad were you using? Those can make a huge difference. A closed foam pad will be really cheap, durable, and weigh hardly anything while give you a bit of warmth. At those temperatures it's probably all you would need. You can also move up to inflatables which are bit heavier and can be popped, but they have more cushion which some people really like when camping and depending on the model can be extremely warm.
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Mar 11, 2014 04:49
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Fitzy Fitz posted:Speaking of sleeping bags, what should I be looking for if I'm dealing with 30 degree nights? I just bought a Marmot Cloudbreak 30, took it out for a couple of nights, and I still found myself pretty drat cold at night. Meanwhile my girlfriend had a cheap $30 0-degree bag and was just fine. I know it has a lower temperature rating, but am I missing something else here? The rule of thumb I was always taught was to be warm aim for a bag 10-20 degrees below the lowest temp you need it for. Also if you store a bag stuffed up it will lose most of the insulating properties. You could also get a sleeping bag liner which will add warmth to the existing bag as well.
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Mar 11, 2014 04:58
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Think of the temperature ratings as survival ratings, not comfort ratings.
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Mar 11, 2014 06:13
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Fitzy Fitz posted:Speaking of sleeping bags, what should I be looking for if I'm dealing with 30 degree nights? I just bought a Marmot Cloudbreak 30, took it out for a couple of nights, and I still found myself pretty drat cold at night. Meanwhile my girlfriend had a cheap $30 0-degree bag and was just fine. I know it has a lower temperature rating, but am I missing something else here? What were you wearing, what kind of sleeping pad if any, what was the weather like? As mentioned above those are more like survival ratings than comfort. Your girlfriend's $30 bag was rated for 0 degrees and yours for 30. That's a huge difference at a very critical temperature zone so trying to compare the two is apples and oranges. You should have a bag rated for lower than you plan for by 15-20°. If you're expecting 30 get a 15. Weather changes and nothing is worse than wearing everything you've got to bed and still being cold all night. Also take this into consideration. Hey cheap bag might have been warm because it was rated for significantly lower temps than the weather was and get bag probably doesn't weigh les than 5 lbs and doesn't pack up small. If you're car camping it's no big deal. If you can't return your bag then look at getting a fleece or silk liner which will add some warmth to your bag. And like was said earlier a sleeping pad will make a difference. Non insulated air pads won't do anything for warmth but closed cell foam and insulated pads will.
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Mar 11, 2014 08:17
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All right, that's what I figured. I have a pretty nice sleeping pad that I rarely bring because I have a fairly heavy tent and I need to cut out weight somewhere. At night I start off with as few clothes on as possible and then add layers if I need to. When I was a kid I didn't realize how cold sweats worked so I had some pretty awful nights and now I try to avoid those. The weather wasn't too bad. We were having 50-60 degree days, and it was really only in the middle of the night that I was uncomfortable. I've dealt with it in the past by putting the end of my bag into my pack so that my feet have a little more insulation. I bought this thing from REI so I can return it if I need to. They actually have a 20 degree version for only about $20 more. Seems like a better investment.
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Mar 11, 2014 14:55
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Unless you enjoy having a bunch of bags, think about a liner. My basic setup is a 30 degree bag, a fleece liner and a thin cotton liner. In august, I'm usually OK if I just use both liners, spring and fall I like the cotton liner in the bag so it feels like I'm sleeping on sheets, not nylon, and in winter I'm usually fine with the fleece liner and the bag (and a base layer, and a fleece top, and a hat, and dry socks). Though I haven't slept out in temps below 20 in a long time, so I may be blocking out a night or two of shivering. All of this is while sleeping on a traditional thermarest. To me, the weight is worth it for waking up without that "I just slept on the ground" feeling. I also occasionally bring a really lightweight fleece blanket (it's actually just fleece from the fabric store cut to 9'x6') with me for sort of general "I could use a piece of cloth here" use, which gets thrown over me and the other person in the tent too.
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Mar 11, 2014 15:06
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Fitzy Fitz posted:All right, that's what I figured. I have a pretty nice sleeping pad that I rarely bring because I have a fairly heavy tent and I need to cut out weight somewhere. At night I start off with as few clothes on as possible and then add layers if I need to. When I was a kid I didn't realize how cold sweats worked so I had some pretty awful nights and now I try to avoid those. Which model do you have? If it is the Radiant, their web site shows it sold out (cause I was looking for one). It's really hard to find sleeping bags if you are broad shouldered. You can get one of these: http://www.rei.com/product/705534/sea-to-summit-reactor-thermolite-mummy-bag-liner. I carry one and a non insulated one since the weather in Georgia at this time of the year is bipolar.
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Mar 11, 2014 15:17
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I'm in Georgia and yes the weather is bipolar. It's the Cloudbreak that I'm looking at: http://marmot.com/products/details/cloudbreak-20 I have the 30, want to return it and get the 20 maybe. It's only $30 more. Or I could get a liner like you guys are saying. I dunno.
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Mar 11, 2014 15:30
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Can anyone recommend any trail runners or other lighter hiking shoes (or maybe even just regular shoes) that don't look super flashy/tech'd out? Looking for something that would look passable on the street, but also has some tread. Something simple without bright colors. I'm going on trip and will be doing equal amount of walking around cities as I will be doing some light hiking and I'm trying to consolidate to one pair of shoes. Right now I'm looking at these Tevas and these patagonias for reference. hbf fucked around with this message at 17:19 on Mar 11, 2014 |
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Mar 11, 2014 16:51
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Since biking is a gently caress-off expensive game for rich people to play, I'm thinking of hiking for an outdoor hobby that gets me outside and doing something physical. I can put together a good hiking ensemble for a couple hundred bucks and go on a nice 2-4 hour hike the following weekend. Biking, I'll have to save up for months and drop 2 thousand dollars on a bike. Not gonna happen. Does anyone have any exposure to Keen brand hiking boots/shoes? hbf posted:Can anyone recommend any trail runners or other lighter hiking shoes (or maybe even just regular shoes) that don't look super flashy/tech'd out? Looking for something that would look passable on the street, but also has some tread. Something simple without bright colors. I'm going on trip and will be doing equal amount of walking around cities as I will be doing some light hiking and I'm trying to consolidate to one pair of shoes. I wore some Salomon trail running shoes in cross country. Anything buy Salomon is great. lite_sleepr fucked around with this message at 17:56 on Mar 11, 2014 |
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Mar 11, 2014 17:43
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Joe Videogames posted:Does anyone have any exposure to Keen brand hiking boots/shoes? My wife has a pair of Keen hiking shoes. Not sure what model. She seems to like them although we have very little experiencing hiking in our "real" hiking shoes.
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Mar 11, 2014 17:56
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Joe Videogames posted:Since biking is a gently caress-off expensive game for rich people to play, I'm thinking of hiking for an outdoor hobby that gets me outside and doing something physical. I can put together a good hiking ensemble for a couple hundred bucks and go on a nice 2-4 hour hike the following weekend. Biking, I'll have to save up for months and drop 2 thousand dollars on a bike. Not gonna happen. Two thousand big ones you say?  Try $300 to start out maybe? Are you getting your bike prices from a super spandex racer squad? I'm all for you getting into hiking, but biking does not have to cost $2000. I've biked for transpo just about every day for 7 years and haven't spent more than $600 the entire time, including replacing many a lost blinky light, and the one time my bike's frame broke and I had to buy a used frame and build most of a whole new bike. I am not a rich person. Granted I save money by knowing how to repair my bike, but (1) you, too, can learn this skill pretty easily, and (2) my friends who pay for repairs have probably spent something like $9 to my $6. Still not breaking the bank even after years of riding almost every single day. Beyond the cost itself, depending on where you live, biking is empowering in a way that hiking is not - you can use a bike to actually get around town, do errands, get to work, etc. You can walk around town too (and I do), but you can cover a lot more ground on a bike. The only bikes that cost $2000 are expensive racing bikes that rich people having mid-life crises buy, or people who are honestly interested in race biking. Anyone else can get by in bikes that are $300 new, or even better, $300 used (will likely be a better bike overall). If you watch craigslist a while, you can even get a nice old frame that needs some work for $50, and find someone to help you fix it up. After all the time and parts you spend it might end up being $150 + time anyway, so probably forget about that option. gently caress, I made fun of my friend once for putting together an $800 bike once because it was so much more expensive than what any of my friends had. (It was a pretty awesome bike though, but it was a bike geek's bike and we were just poking fun) Sorry for the bike rant but holy poo poo I can't read "biking is a gently caress-off expensive game for rich people to play" and stand idly by. edit: Obviously as I post in the Hiking and Backpacking Megathread, I also love hiking and backpacking, and I don't mean to put it down in favor of biking or anything. No idea about keen shoes. alnilam fucked around with this message at 18:40 on Mar 11, 2014 |
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Mar 11, 2014 18:35
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I need sleeping bag recommendations. I'm looking for something that goes down to around 0ºC (doesn't need to go lower) and more importantly that it's small when packed since aside from backpacking I also plan on carrying it when bike touring/bikepacking. Since I'm going to SF in some days (I don't live in USA) I was planning on checking out REI and North Face so if you have some other places to check out there, that'd be great.
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Mar 11, 2014 18:56
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alnilam posted:Sorry for the bike rant but holy poo poo I can't read "biking is a gently caress-off expensive game for rich people to play" and stand idly by. Biking is like any hobby, even backpacking. You can certainly spend a lot of money on backpacking gear and better gear can often make the experience more enjoyable or sometimes even more possible than it would be without spending money. You can also just get out and enjoy things without spending a ton. Really compared to hobby's like cars or something, biking doesn't have to be that expensive even if you do buy a nice bike. making GBS threads on someone because they wanted a nice bike, even if they aren't racing, is dumb. If you can afford it and you use it a lot, then go for it. e: and yes you don't NEED to spend a lot of money to find a good bike that works for you and shouldn't be scared off by the price tag of new road bikes
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Mar 11, 2014 19:06
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