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on the first aid stuff yeah basically if it's something that's major enough and goes beyond simple abrasions, cuts or tweaks, the idea is that you need to evacuate. You're not going to fix a major problem in the backcountry, don't carry a giant first aid kit because you think you're going to re-attach your arm, the goal is to stop bleeding or stabilize whatever the wound is and either gtfo or call for help.
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Apr 21, 2017 00:41
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Dunno, people like being able to pull it out of the bottom for some reason. I think heavy stuff is best in the lower middle not necessarily the absolute bottom but can't remember where I got that.
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Apr 22, 2017 04:46
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Leokotape works really well as an alternative to athletic tape (better IMO)
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Apr 24, 2017 05:06
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ASSTASTIC posted:Holy gently caress, that Ursack costs 80 bucks for a bag? I mean, I get why people use bear cans, but was that dude's bag that the pony got into hung correctly or on the ground? I've always used a stuff sack/silnylon bag to hang my food and 80 bucks sounds a bit too much for a sack. Any reason why its so expensive? It's tear resistant, basically bear proof if used properly, and lighter than bear cans. Not approved in all places though. Not sure it's rodent proof though
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Apr 25, 2017 04:26
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I just don't bring camp shoes
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Apr 25, 2017 22:07
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Epitope posted:Barefoot, the true way of the hiking master. How many grams are we wasting on boots and socks? Shameful camp shoes aren't hiking shoes I use trail runners for backpacking so generally they're also still pretty comfy to wear around camp but I'll dance around in bare feet going "ow ow mother fucker" as well when trying to walk around camp I'm kind of "meh" on the exofficio boxer briefs. They work alright. I have some merino boxer briefs with a bit longer leg that seemed to fit better and feel better. Might be different if I was always backpacking in humid areas.
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Apr 26, 2017 00:42
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As I understand it that's why you're looking for booty shorts
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Apr 26, 2017 01:08
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http://www.backpacker.com/stories/best-backpacking-in-wisconsin I mean I dunno anything about Wisconsin but there's a few things that seem like they could be a starting point
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May 8, 2017 20:45
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Bought a lightweight 3 person backpacking tent that was on sale for some family camping this year. Gonna be interesting to test it out hopefully later this month
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May 11, 2017 19:43
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bringer posted:What did you get? I'm looking at that exact thing right now and trying to decide between the expensive Big Agnes Copper Spur or a cheap MEC one. Brooks-Range Foray 3 Backcountry had it on sale, under 4 lbs for a decent sized 3 person backpacking tent, not bad. If I was going strictly car camping I'd probably go with a bigger and heavier tent but we're hoping to do some actual backpacking
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May 12, 2017 20:22
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This really isn't the thread to rant about how you feel capitalism is forcing everyone to buy new poo poo they don't need. Make another thread if you want that discussion. Tired of people acting like dicks about stupid poo poo like this.
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May 19, 2017 18:47
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For backpacking or camping? Backpacking I just use a headlamp, but I'm also curious as to what good options there are for camping these days.
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May 19, 2017 20:30
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Hm lemme put it this way, if we want to keep talking about cotton v/ other stuff let's at least keep it constructive and informative and not snarky or other stuff, k?
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May 20, 2017 20:11
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Biggest problem I found with the steripen is that they're basically designed to work with wide mouth nalgeen bottles and they're difficult to use with anything else (because you have to be able to get more than just the long thin light submerged, you need to get the other light up near the base submerged as well). Can't treat more than 1 liter at a time easily but generally for mountain water that's cold and clear they work fine. I'm still more of a chemical treatment w/ aqua mira person. As long as the water is clear I personally don't really see the point of using a filter but that's mainly for my own personal experience in the mountains
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May 23, 2017 02:11
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No they're definitely sold as outdoor water treatment devices. As mentioned they're really just good for cold clear mountain water or so.
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May 31, 2017 03:47
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Heard good things about the Arc Blast though I feel like it used to be cheaper... re: hiking poles...I really like using one pole, don't like 2, my legs and knees are strong enough on their own I haven't had any trouble. your mileage may vary
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Jun 6, 2017 16:39
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Check out stuff on sale from places like REI, Backcountry.com, etc, see if anything looks good. Really kind of depends on whether you're looking for "palatial tent that you can stand up in and have a chair or two as well" or just "big enough for 4 people to sleep in comfortably.
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Jun 12, 2017 23:56
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CopperHound posted:What do backpackers do about washing clothes? I'm assuming it is bad form to wash in/near a fresh water source, but I can't recall ever seeing any sort of wash basin on gear lists. I mean I do sometimes just rinse stuff out in a lake if we're just talking dust and sweat. I don't use soap or anything. I have been considering trying to be nicer about that and just using the water from my 3 liter camp platy to do the washing instead, but since I often try to go swimming in the lakes as well it's not like I'm saving everyone from some of my sweat getting into the water... re: trail runners, I've been just fine with them doing cross country stuff in the Sierras as well. Just depends on what you like/how your body works with your shoes (I've found I don't really need ankle support) and probably how much weight you're carrying.
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Jun 16, 2017 18:34
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Are you boiling over a campfire? Using a stove can take up a lot of fuel
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Jul 27, 2017 15:12
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thatguy posted:We don't treat. It's overall a total waste of time if you're avoiding people and use a modicum of common sense to avoid point source human pollution. We avoid extremely popular lakes and the massive watersheds. I haven't treated since 2006 in a wide variety of areas. Never gotten giardia or cryptosporodium. But we are not working on extremely popular BLM and NPS areas. For instance, I'd never countenance unfiltered at somewhere like Glacier or Yellowstone. While I agree you can certainly go without treating or filtering in plenty of areas, I kind of hate the whole "it's an entire industry trying to scare you into doing a thing!!!" I'm actually not sure I've heard many horror stories telling us how we must filter/treat everywhere no matter what or we'll die. It kind of makes you sound like Glenn Beck. Also fact is that people often want to go to more popular areas where it'd be more sensible to treat water. Filtering systems also aren't hundreds of dollars.
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Jul 31, 2017 22:13
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Your first paragraph was reasonable Your second paragraph is silly
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Aug 1, 2017 04:00
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OSU_Matthew posted:
I think that's literally his job, like he does a bunch of back country work for the forest service or BLM
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Aug 2, 2017 17:51
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I got a lightweight trowel (not titanium I'm not that crazy) cuz I got tired of using sticks and rocks to dig holes. Bear can chairs are the pro move but if you don't need a bear can then obviously you're SOL using an inflatable pad has the one downside of not really being great to use as a sitting pad for the worry of punctures, but I have a small CCF pad that I use and weighs very little so that usually does the trick
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Aug 25, 2017 04:02
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Leperflesh posted:
Depends on where you're at...lots of forests and parks in CA require bear cans and I would use them if they're required. Most people can't hang bags very well and even a well hung bag can be gotten by a tenacious bear. That said I've heard some PCTers basically ditch the bear cans as soon as it's allowed and then sleep with their food or some poo poo which rubs me the wrong way. Maybe I'm wrong and they hang it, just remembering hearing people saying "oh yeah sleep with your food to keep the bears away".
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Aug 25, 2017 17:25
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Re: inflatable pads, the REI Flash version isn't bad for weight/warmth/price compared to some of the more expensive ones like the Neo Air. If you're thinking about backpacking in the winter or deep into the shoulder seasons then maybe go with an insulated pad with an R-value of 5+ or something but I think for even fall backpacking a "regular" pad with a decent r-value (like the REI flash has one of 3.7, Neo Air XLite is 3.9) should be fine down to freezing or the 20's. Inflatable pads like that do run into the problem of spots that are compressed most often (hips and shoulders for side sleepers, for example) will be more likely to be cold spots since you're reducing the amount of insulating air between you and the cold ground. Also keep in mind if you can stand using a mummy cut sleeping pad or want a full size rectangle one. edit: if it makes you feel any better, I hiked the JMT and several other trips with an older version of the REI flash with no puncture problems (the one way valve for inflating broke however so I got a refund on it...I could still inflate it, it was just more of a pain to do so), and my dad has put in like 700 miles or so perhaps on an Exped without issue. They're pretty good these days and often come with a repair kit. quote:I'm also going to wait on shoes. Gonna try my minimal trail runners I already have and see how that feels to start. I worry they wont be enough support but we'll see. I read a lot of conflicting arguments about ankle support and needing boots for heavy packs etc. My experience is that pretty minimal trail runners can be just fine with pack weights 35 lbs and under, providing you're in decent shape yourself and don't have foot problems. I don't know if I'd consider my ankles good or bad but I've sprained them pretty bad a bunch of times playing frisbee and ultimately didn't have much trouble backpacking in trail runners. There's some school of thought that you're more likely to roll your ankles in boots because you're higher from the ground with the thicker soles, etc, but that could just be people trying to justify their opinions. Levitate fucked around with this message at 19:24 on Aug 28, 2017 |
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Aug 28, 2017 19:18
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I'd rather just spend more on a good inflatable than a cheaper one and also a CCF pad just to get the r value up
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Aug 29, 2017 05:59
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I think liners only add a couple of degrees, maybe up to 5. Maybe a bivvy inside of a tent could take it lower? Other option is warmer clothes inside your bag, like a down jacket, booties, etc. Really probably depends on how extreme the temp swings between winter and summer are where you're trying to do this
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Aug 31, 2017 22:56
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Take a look around this site a bit: http://www.backpackingchef.com/
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Sep 5, 2017 20:46
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Great Metal Jesus posted:Thanks guys. I'm in the CA bay area and I'd say mostly dry. I could see trips to Yosemite and Big Sur being possible. I'm definitely looking at trail runners and am planning on stopping by REI to grill them and try some shoes on. As far as aesthetics go I think the Arc'Teryx Acrux shoes look really cool but I don't know if they're actually something I would want or need. Summers in the Sierra's are mostly dry and you're more likely to get wet crossing a stream. Trail runners have been good for me.
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Sep 18, 2017 19:13
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I haven't been closing any threads, not sure if there's some auto archive if there hasn't been any activity in awhile
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Nov 13, 2017 20:35
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Tigren posted:Wow! I was in REI over the weekend trying to find something to use my 20% coupon and dividend on and I see Big Agnes has a new UL tent out that combines the best features of the Copper Spur and Fly Creek. Looks smaller than the FC UL2, though getting it to come in around the same weight while adding another door probably does that. Still, two side entries versus a front/head entry is pretty sweet. re: Piezo's at altitude, I've never had a problem even when camping at near 12k feet. Maybe it's more of an issue higher than that?  Guest2553 posted:I'll pimp ULA packs as well. Circuit/ohm are both lightweight (sub 40 oz) internal frame 60+L bags that are fairly versatile and have good reputations. No suspension though, if you care about it, but last year's models are sub $200. My wife and I have Circuit's and love them. Chard posted:Anyone use the Petzl e+LITE as a primary headlamp? I'm trying to decide on a replacement for my heavy AAA-eater and leaning towards that one based on weight, but I don't have a good sense of what 50 lumens looks like, but it's 1/4 what the Tikka puts out Yes I've used one while backpacking. If you're doing any hiking at night, don't do it. If you just need something around camp when it gets dark and you're packing up for bed, or for when you get up to piss at night, it's fine. In a pinch I'm sure you could hike with it on a good trail and being careful. Someone posted this light just a bit ago and it seems interesting http://flashlight.nitecore.com/product/nu20/ 360 lumins max, 1.65 oz though I bet that doesn't include a strap I gotta prep for our first "real" backpacking trip with a kid coming up in a few weeks. Need to see how much gear I can shove in his carrying backpack and if the rest will fit in my wife's pack so she doesn't have to carry all the kid weight...
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Jun 7, 2018 23:58
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FogHelmut posted:Any ideas for sleeping situation for a toddler? I'm thinking about sticking him in a dog bed, as they're cheaper than pads, and the bumpers should keep him from rolling around too much. We're gonna do a sleeping in the tent test run in the back yard this weekend. We just use an old sleeping pad of mine and put him between us. I don't think a dog bed would contain him since when he tends to move around now, it's more of a sit up and throw himself in a direction. Depending on where you're at and how cold it gets at night, I'd also worry that a dog bed doesn't provide enough insulation from the cold ground compared to an actual sleeping pad. I got a synthetic quilt for him that should last a little while and right now can just lay it over him like a blanket (or...quilt), but when he gets older he'll hopefully get interested in closing the bottom and setting it up like a proper backpacking quilt.
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Jun 9, 2018 05:28
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the yeti posted:Permethrin is extremely toxic to cats, keep that in mind. Is that just when it’s wet or after it dries too? I’d still probably keeps cars from laying on treated clothes I guess
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Jun 16, 2018 22:53
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I'm reading "Early Days in the Range of Light" which is about a guy who researched a bunch of the early explorers and first ascents of peaks in the Sierra and a lot of it is basically about how little they carried (mostly just a hobo sack at most and a blanket for sleeping if you're lucky) and while it's crazy the stuff those guys did and with so little, it also makes me feel a little ridiculous how much technology creep we're getting even into the back country. People want to stay connected, gotta be able to communicate, gotta get all their stats or have exact directions of where they're going...it's a little sad so much adventure has gone out of things in some ways. On the other hand, it feels dumb to crap on what are basically safety items. It makes sense to carry emergency beacons, maybe GPS to know where you are, etc, but it's all in all a vastly different experience now. That all said... incogneato posted:All this talk of GPS stuff reminded me: I bought Gaia GPS years ago and don't use the subscription stuff (since I bought it so long ago I guess I'm not forced to upgrade to that version?) and I found it great to import CalTopo routes that I created and then I can use the GPS feature to see where I am if I need to. I wouldn't pay a ton for it now but since I have it, it works well.
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Jul 19, 2018 22:00
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Hdip posted:Wouldn't a big factor nowadays be, having to be back at a certain date, so you can go back to your actual job? I'd imagine those early explorers could just disappear for however long they felt like. Yeah some of them were involved in stuff like the US geologic survey of the mountains, some of them made it their job to be out there all the time (John Muir), etc. At that point it was only the people who were really drawn to the mountains and were willing to either do it as work or commit to being a "mountain bum", while these days it's much more possible to just hit up the trails for a weekend and then head home for work on Monday. I mean poo poo, these days you drive through all the scrubby low laying land near the foothills of the Sierra and you're through it in a few hours while for them it took days from the nearest down to get there. It was probably the Sierra Club that started making the mountains more accessible to people in general. It wasn't only the lone explorers, the club put together trips where they'd pack in all kinds of poo poo and have what amounted to big parties in the mountains.
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Jul 19, 2018 23:13
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oh for sure. reading about John Muir's ascent of Mt Ritter and the guy was hanging off a cliff with nowhere to go and was like "well poo poo, I'm hosed" until he focused enough to find some hand holds and finish his climb Or the first ascent of Mt Clarence King where the guy literally had to lasso a rock outcrop and climb up the last section dangling thousands of feet over thin air there are probably people who never made it back because they tried such things and it didn't work out too well for them e: but seriously Muir was insane. He climbed Ritter in the shoulder season with the threat of snow storms and all he took with him from a base camp in Lyell Canyon was some bread and the clothes on his back. He slept over looking Thousand Island lake under a pine tree and considered that nice and comfortable. Then again, those guys also always lit nice big fires to keep them warm when they needed it
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Jul 19, 2018 23:56
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Leperflesh posted:Also they brought guns with them and hunted for food, and there were probably often native americans around to have a nice chat with too. "I was delighted to be the first person to have discovered this spectacular new place!" <has dinner with the locals> I was actually wondering about that and if I get around to it want to do a little research. most of the stories I'm reading of the first recorded peak baggers etc in the Sierra seem to be when there weren't many native americans around there anymore (if ever, I honestly don't know their history of the Sierra very well). Seems like they'd have to horse pack in a poo poo ton of stuff to a kind of base camp in the lower altitude because it's not like they could drive to a nice trailhead, but then they'd do their excursions to the peaks with just a rucksack or something.
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Jul 20, 2018 00:18
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With quilts, strapping to your sleeping mat can help prevent opening up gaps or such that in cold weather would be really noticeable. I don't really do it if it's not going to be low 40's or below but at that point it can help keep drafts from forming if you move around while sleeping.
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Dec 2, 2019 22:51
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I got a nitecore NU25 and it's a great little headlamp. Light, rechargeable, different kinds of light and pretty bright though if I was doing serious night hiking I'd probably go with some black diamond headlamp cuz those get bright as gently caress
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Jan 13, 2020 19:58
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| # ¿ Apr 25, 2024 10:22 |
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Are the Brion pants a real slim fit or still baggy? I vastly prefer a slim fit and hate the boot cut look
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Jun 12, 2020 00:05
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