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I haven't been backpacking in about 20 years and I'm going on two-day trip into the George Washington National Forest (Virginia mountains) in a couple weeks. Needless to say it's going to be cold as poo poo. I wasn't a fair weather camper in my youth but it seems a little more intense now. I'm not worried about freezing to death - just being comfortable (enough). I bought a 65 liter internal frame pack which just arrived today, and it seems fine. That's the least of my worries though. I'm going out today to pick up a tent I found on Craigslist. It's an REI tent - the Camp Dome 2, which gets pretty good reviews. I'm getting it for $25, which is a killer deal. It's mainly clothing and my sleeping bag I am concerned about. The sleeping bag is rated for 20° but it's been compressed into a stuff sack for a few years and I understand that's a Pretty Bad Thing. I plan on keeping an eye out on Craigslist for a deal on a sleeping bag but so far I haven't found anything. I need to find an insulated mat as well. We have an old foam pad in our attic and I'll bring it if I can't get anything else. I'm basically trying to keep this trip as cheap as possible since I don't know how often I'll go, and I also know how expensive gear can be, especially when cold weather is concerned. For clothes I've got several good synthetic base layers. I've also got a nice Westcomb waterproof rain shell I normally use for bicycle commuting and I'll be bringing it. It's what's between those two layers that I'm unsure about. I don't have any fancy high tech slim goose down jackets - just a nice slim LL Bean jacket. I plan on wearing my base layers with a winter-weight biking jersey over that, my LL Bean jacket over that, and then my Westcomb jacket over that, assuming it'll fit over all those layers. I'll also bring my Shower's Pass rain pants I use for commuting. They don't breathe worth a poo poo but they block wind like nobody's business and they fit amply over jeans. I've got Goretex boots so no worries there, and I'm stocking up on wool blend socks. We'll be cooking over a fire and I'll bring some oatmeal, dehydrated food, hot chocolate packets and granola bars and whatnot. I also plan on getting some handwarmers from REI in the next week or so. We'll be at Fridley Gap, for anyone familiar with the territory, and I think we're doing a five mile hike to a campsite where we'll stay for two days. Any other tips/conciderations? me your dad fucked around with this message at 21:24 on Jan 5, 2014 |
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Jan 5, 2014 21:02
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Verman posted:What do you plan to do for water/filtration? It sounds like you already have a pretty decent idea of the cold but always plan to bring enough clothing for 10-20º lower than you expect. I plan on finding a way to fit my 3 liter Camelbak bladder into my backpack for a fresh supply while hiking and as much cooking as it'll supply. I've also got a 64oz Camelbak bottle I may bring. I figure any other water can be gathered from a stream (I know there are some water sources) and boiled. Levitate posted:a 20 degree bag might not cut it, depending on what the weather's going to do. Unless you have a brand like Western Mountaineering or Feathered Friends, the degree rating is usually more of a "well you probably won't freeze to death at this temperature" rather than a comfortable temperature. But, it kind of depends on what the weather is doing, and in the meantime take it out of its stuff sack and let it loft up to try to restore some of that insulation. If you go with the "throw on a bunch of clothes so you're not cold at night" tactic, make sure you don't layer up so much that you don't leave enough room in the bag for it to work effectively. You need to have enough space to trap warm air inside of the bag and if you're crammed in their with tons of layers of insulation and bursting at the seams, the bag can't trap any warm air and you'll get cold. I was definitely planning on wearing some layers in my bag at night. I'll keep your tip in mind about leaving room for things to insulate. I wouldn't have thought of that otherwise. Anyone got any cheap recommendations for a sleeping pad?
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Jan 6, 2014 00:04
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mastershakeman posted:Why not rent better cold weather gear from rei for this trip? It'd be much safer and make you happier and not cost much. I had no idea REI rented equipment. It looks like my not-so-local store rents sleeping bags. So far I've spent $125 on a decent frame pack and a barely-used tent so I can't complain. I plan on taking more trips too now that my gear is building back up. Backpacking has quite a steep entry cost and time commitment so I hadn't even considered it until my friend convinced me to come along for this trip. Levitate posted:I'd probably invest in some aqua mira tablets at least to treat water instead of boiling it. If I'm not mistaken you have to boil water for 10 minutes to steralize it and from the sounds of it, you're going to be relying on a campfire for fire and cooking then trying to wait around to boil enough water could be a giant pain in the rear end, especially since you'll have to bring pots big enough to boil it in as well. I think the tablets take 6 hours or something to treat the water but you can easily make up a whole bunch before bed. I'd just stick it in your tent with you somewhere so it won't freeze at night. Cool thanks for that tip. I'll pick up some of those tablets.
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Jan 6, 2014 01:28
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Verman posted:Don't forget Rei also sells used gear for super cheap. A lot of my local store is mostly items that people bought for a single camping or backpacking trip and returned when they got back. A really lovely way of abusing their return policy when they could have just rented instead. I went to one of their garage sales a couple months ago and bought my nice Westcomb rain shell for bike commuting. It's too bad I didn't have these camping notions then because they had several nice backpacks and other gear for cheap. It looks like the next ones are in June so I'll have a much better idea by then of what I need.
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Jan 7, 2014 14:50
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I posted earlier about my Slumberjack sleeping bag which has sat unused and compressed for an unknown number of years (at least five, maybe ten or more). I think I'm going to keep it as a warm weather bag and invest in a new bag for cold weather. I don't want to be miserable when it drops below 20° at night. Can I get some recommendations? I'd like to spend under $150 (but preferably under $100), and I'm 6'5" so it will have to be a long bag. Which brands/bags offer the most comfort for the buck? And what's the difference between a $60 Coleman bag rated at 20° and a $450 Marmot rated at 20°, other than quality in construction, which I don't have too many concerns about since I won't be going too often (likely one winter trip per year) me your dad fucked around with this message at 14:47 on Jan 10, 2014 |
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Jan 10, 2014 14:41
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Yiggy posted:Keep an eye on Steapandcheep.com, you can find some sleeping bags on there for pretty cheap, though you may need to watch for a few days to a week before one pops up. I found a mountain hardwear extra lamina 20 degree bag on there for 75% off, about $50.00 and I've been very happy with it. Tested it in the 20's and it kept me plenty warm. Thanks. I forgot about steepandcheap. I'll keep an eye out there for a few days.
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Jan 11, 2014 14:26
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I ended up going to REI yesterday and bought the REI Polar Pod 20. I think it'll do the trick. Temperatures in the closest town show lows in the thirties next weekend. We'll be about 2,500 feet up above the town so I expect it to be in the low twenties for us.
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Jan 12, 2014 12:31
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How many changes of clothes do you all typically bring? I'm going on a trip this weekend with lows in the teens and highs in the low 40's and I feel like I've grossly overpacked.
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Jan 16, 2014 04:32
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Levitate posted:Where are you guys going to go? I think around the beginning of February I'm going to just do an overnight at the Elizabeth Furnace campground to test out cold weather gear, etc (so if we have any problems we have a car full of stuff right there), and assuming that goes well, probably will look into some 2 day backpacking trips in the area Duncan Knob Hollow in the George Washington National Forest. And thanks to all for clothing advice. This evening I'm taking out a good portion of my clothes, leaving only a couple shirts, a jacket, and socks and underwear. This will provide the space I need for beer 
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Jan 16, 2014 20:17
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Got back this morning from two days in the George Washington National Forest of Virginia at Duncan Knob Hollow. We did an easy three mile hike to a great campsite with a rock-sofa, a great fire pit, plenty of space and a stream a few steps away. My friend had gone to the same site about a month earlier and we found it just as they had left it on the previous trip. Not a person had camped there in a month and not five minutes after we were there, a group of five backpackers came down a hill toward our camp. They stopped at the intersection near us, obviously deliberating what to do, and likely pretty disappointed that we had beat them to the spot. It was a good jump back into backpacking, having not gone in over twenty years. I was worried about the cold January nights but I had plenty of layers and we built a nice fire. An old Jeep trail, now unused, leading off from the campsite:  All set up. This was the second day after the snow had melted.  The stone sofa made posh made up with a tarp, wool blanket, sleeping pads and sleeping bags    Living well 
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Jan 20, 2014 20:47
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Do one lb propane fuel canisters expire? I've had some for at least eight years and I'm just getting around to using them this weekend.
me your dad fucked around with this message at 11:10 on Oct 15, 2014 |
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Oct 15, 2014 11:06
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Thanks. I was actually coming back to edit my post to say I found this on the Coleman site:quote:An un-opened container of Coleman® Fuel stored in a dry area with no rapid extreme changes in temperature will remain viable for five to seven years. An opened container stored in the same area will remain viable for up to two years though will be at its best if used within a year. Coleman® Propane Cylinders can be stored indefinitely in a dry area. The propane fuel inside the cylinder will not break down. I suppose that first sentence refers to Coleman brand fuel in a third-party container? And the last sentence specifies fuel stored within their own branded containers.
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Oct 15, 2014 11:19
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I'm looking for camping recommendations in Virginia for a mid-November trip. We'll be driving from metro DC and we'd like to keep the drive under three hours. Last January we did Duncan Knob Hollow in the GW National Forest and enjoyed it but it'd be fun to check out some other spots. I'd like to keep the hike to 4 miles or less. The more secluded the better. I don't want to camp on top of other people. Duncan Knob was great for this reason, but it was also 20° out, which I imagine contributed to the solitude. We want primitive camp sites and we'll of course need a good fire. It'll just be me and a friend in two tents so there's no need for large accommodations. We'll also have a dog with us.
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Oct 27, 2015 20:44
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Terrifying Effigies posted:Closer to DC - the Great North Mountain area has some good trails with backcountry camping spots not too far from the road, and outside of Big Schloss its pretty secluded with very few people. I always run into a lot more wildlife on the trails there than in SNP and elsewhere, so I figure there's never a lot of humans around. Thanks - Schloss looks great. Is Little Schloss recommended over Big Schloss because of the potential of more people at the latter? The two campsites close to each other look really great but I'd be worried they might both be taken. me your dad fucked around with this message at 12:04 on Oct 29, 2015 |
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Oct 29, 2015 11:59
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Does anyone know a good way to trade gear? I have an Osprey Radial 34 backpack that's way too big and I want to trade it for a smaller pack.
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Jun 24, 2019 15:50
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I have an old school rectangular sleeping bag with a cotton liner that needs to be washed. Most sites have instructions specific to down or synthetic modern mummy type bags. Are there any special considerations for washing a bag like this? I worry because I washed a comforter not long ago and it hosed up the filling and caused it all to lump together. I have a front load washer, which I see is recommended for mummy bags.
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Oct 10, 2019 14:37
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Thanks - reaching out to the manufacturer is a good idea, and I'll have to locate some tennis balls 
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Oct 10, 2019 14:56
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I wound up hopping on my bike and I rode up to my neighborhood park which has tennis courts. Three minutes in the woods netted three nearly-new tennis balls and now the sleeping bag is drying and looking and feeling and smelling great. Thanks for all the tips! This bag is going to be my daughter's so I'm happy it's nice and clean.
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Oct 10, 2019 22:44
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Virginia folks - would an Old Rag hike in late February be a bad idea, due to icy conditions and or snow?
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Jan 2, 2020 16:12
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Ihmemies posted:
Where is this? At first I thought it was Louisiana or something and then I noticed the sign on the shelter (and now that I am quoting I see the URL you hosted on). Is this a spot in Finland? Is it as humid as it looks? I'm getting ready to take my family on our first camping trip together. It's car camping but I am very excited to expose my kids to the fun of camping. We've taken them on some nice hikes so now it's time to get them sleeping in the woods and once they're old, backpacking time
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Aug 7, 2020 20:31
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Had to cancel a car camping trip this weekend with the kids, due to rain. It would have been our first family trip and it was literally the only thing I have looked forward to in the last eight months. I'm so beyond bummed right now.
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Aug 13, 2020 14:07
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me your dad posted:Had to cancel a car camping trip this weekend with the kids, due to rain. It would have been our first family trip and it was literally the only thing I have looked forward to in the last eight months. So we were really bummed out about this situation, but an hour or so after making this post, I was like, "What the gently caress are we giving up for just because it's raining at one campground?". So we started searching more broadly and soon found a massive storm system all over the eastern U.S. We found a pocket where it wasn't forecast for rain, up in north-central Pennsylvania, right in the heart of the coal mining industry. We camped at Locust Lake State Park, which was overall a great time. The park (obvious by its name) had a lake with a little beach for swimming. The water was incredibly clear, with visibility of about three feet. We fished and swam and had a good time. The only thing I didn't like was that the camp sites were very close together. Our neighboring camper was nice enough - a solo dude just looking to escape the confines of his apartment in a nearby town; and even though he wasn't intrusive in the least, it would have felt nicer to have at least a natural border of trees between us. Since we were in north-central PA, it only stood to reason to visit nearby famous burning internet town of Centralia, PA. A stretch of abandoned road in Centralia, separated by the main highway by some lumps of dirt  .What used to be "Graffiti Highway", now covered by lumps of gravel and dirt. With another ten years of rain, the lumps will eventually erode and cover the old road, leaving a natural dirt surface. The whole thing will disappear one day and it's rather sad.  The nearby "Big Run Geyser", in Ashland, PA  I haven't spent much time in central Pennsylvania but I loved it. Having grown up in Georgia, and mostly familiar with the southeast U.S., the little pockets of mining communities were endlessly fascinating to me. We drove through a little town called Mahanoy City and I could have spent a full day just walking around. I'm sure people who live there would be mystified as to why it holds so much interest to me but it's unlike anywhere I've been. me your dad fucked around with this message at 22:09 on Aug 17, 2020 |
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Aug 17, 2020 21:40
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