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Things I need to fix/change/tweak for 2015

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    • Astro wrote:

      hikerboy wrote:

      WiseOldOwl wrote:

      HB perhaps you are forgetting the psychology others and their fear. people pack far more of what they are afraid of.


      i get pissed off if i come off the trail with a days worth of food uneaten.


      Then just keep hiking for another day if you can. :D


      i dont really care on a short week section, i kinda overplanned it that way, but thats not an option on lash's
      its all good

    • except for weekend trips. i intentionally bring one days more food than i think i need. allows me to explore if something appears interesting, gives a cushion if i sprain an ankle or get sick, and if its raining like cats and dogs i don't need to make my average daily mileage. an extra 2 pounds gives me a lot of freedom.
      2,000 miler

    • hikerboy wrote:

      Astro wrote:

      hikerboy wrote:

      WiseOldOwl wrote:

      HB perhaps you are forgetting the psychology others and their fear. people pack far more of what they are afraid of.


      i get pissed off if i come off the trail with a days worth of food uneaten.


      Then just keep hiking for another day if you can. :D


      i dont really care on a short week section, i kinda overplanned it that way, but thats not an option on lash's


      Yep, me too hb. Short trips often have multi unexpected side trips and a little extra grub don't hurt. On a multi week trip, I PLAN to roll into town on empty...

    • max.patch wrote:

      ... allows me to explore if something appears interesting, ...


      I already know where the interesting things are going to be before I step on the trail. I plan my distances around them. I will give one example and then stop beating this dead dog. The vast majority of hikers walk right by one of the best views of the Katahdin Range. There is no hope of them knowing it is there without some research. At the south end of Rainbow Lake there is a side trail that leads to a dam at the end of the lake. From this spot the Katahdin Range is seen over the lake. It is not clearly marked. There is no sign saying it is there. It is only a couple hundred yards to this view. Almost every AT hiker misses this view because they wing it. I spent a half hour there. :whistling:

      Okay... enough... Deadhorse
      Non hikers are about a psi shy of a legal ball.

    • I just figure for how many miles at X MPD & bring that much food. Figure lean for first few days. After that eat it all. Best I ever figured was coming into Agua Dulce on PCT. Used the last of my water to wash down last of my advill about a mile from town with no food in my pack. But, if there was trouble I had plenty of bail points.

    • Found this bottle recently.



      I carry my water bottles on the front of my pack attached to the vertical straps.



      I prefer wide mouthed bottles for ease of filling and drinking.

      I was using this bottle.



      However, the tight grooves and their location on the new bottle I found make for a very secure hang using 2 shock cords per bottle.
      Non hikers are about a psi shy of a legal ball.

      The post was edited 1 time, last by BirdBrain ().

    • BirdBrain wrote:

      Found this bottle recently.



      I carry my water bottles on the front of my pack attached to the vertical straps.



      I prefer wide mouthed bottles for ease of filling and drinking.

      I was using this bottle.



      However, the tight grooves and their location on the new bottle I found make for a very secure hang using 2 shock cords per bottle.


      How many oz's are the Tea bottles???
      1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish...

    • 18.5. I had been carrying 20oz bottles. I am willing to sacrifice the 3oz in the name of a more secure hang. I have a 1.5 liter EverNew backup. Once in a while the 20oz ones would come loose if I was on real rough terrain and was really moving. The groove on the zero water bottles is too big. The tea bottles have tight grooves.
      Non hikers are about a psi shy of a legal ball.

    • That Gold Peak bottle sounds promising. Thanks for the suggestion. I didn't use the vitamin water bottles for water because in winter, I use one of those for my relief bottle, and I don't want to get those two confused, ever.

      For the relief bottle, I found that there was one small size of Carabandit that could make a really, really tight fit around the notch in a vitamin water bottle, which provided a convenient way to hang it off the pack. It's one of the things that I don't want inside next to my other gear. Other things that are relegated to outside pockets include the fuel bottle, sunscreen (if I'm carrying it), bug dope (if I'm carrying it), olive oil, Aqua Mira, ... any "noxious liquids", defined as "is this going to ruin my gear if it bursts or leaks?" The poopoo trowel also usually rides outside, since its curve is just right to fit around the fuel bottle.
      I'm not lost. I know where I am. I'm right here.

    • AnotherKevin wrote:

      That Gold Peak bottle sounds promising. Thanks for the suggestion. I didn't use the vitamin water bottles for water because in winter, I use one of those for my relief bottle, and I don't want to get those two confused, ever.

      For the relief bottle, I found that there was one small size of Carabandit that could make a really, really tight fit around the notch in a vitamin water bottle, which provided a convenient way to hang it off the pack. It's one of the things that I don't want inside next to my other gear. Other things that are relegated to outside pockets include the fuel bottle, sunscreen (if I'm carrying it), bug dope (if I'm carrying it), olive oil, Aqua Mira, ... any "noxious liquids", defined as "is this going to ruin my gear if it bursts or leaks?" The poopoo trowel also usually rides outside, since its curve is just right to fit around the fuel bottle.


      Remember when I said I really needed to hike with you sometime? Your possible usage preference for my water bottle is making rethink that desire.
      Non hikers are about a psi shy of a legal ball.

    • I wonder how those bottles hold up to boiling water. I know the Gatorade bottles do very well. I have done it repeatedly to the same bottle. I have not tried on any other type. Not even PowerAde. Has anyone tried any other types of bottles?
      Changes Daily→ ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫ ♪♫♪♫♪♫ ← Don't blame me. It's That Lonesome Guitar.

    • Thanks BirdBrain for the Packa mention. I saw something like this many years ago... this one looks much better made. I have bookmarked their site and will save up the money for it.

      Thanks !

      edit:

      And for the water bottle idea on the front of the pack ! I never would have thought of that.
      --
      "What do you mean its sunrise already ?!", me.

    • JimBlue wrote:

      I looked at more of the Packa pictures.

      What I saw years ago was a poncho that went over both the hiker and the backpack. The photos of people wearing it, they looked uncomfortable.

      The Packa looks better.
      Not surprised - Even the best rain gear for backpacking is "uncomfortable"

      They hype breath ability - pit zips - Hydrophobic properties, you are still slogging in a downpour. I have a high quality trench coat from the rainy-ist place in the kingdom (London) and its wonderfully comfortable. Weigh's a ton...Over in Moscow they would cover it in dead animals and it works! Love that fur....

      Anyway - now that uber light is in and dead animals are out... you can't be picky or choosy about being wet.

      Get a Packa or a Poncho they both work.
      Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! :thumbup:

    • Advantage of Packa over poncho is mainly in windy conditions. I also have a coat with "extra" for the pack that I bought in Spain for about half the price of the Packa. It is longer than the Packa so better in heavy rain. For a long hike I would take the Packa, for a weekend the other (it is heavier). There is a photo or two of Annie wearing it in my Camino pics. Altus is the brand name.
      My poncho gets thrown in my day pack when showers are forecast because two can stand under it.
      Resident Australian, proving being a grumpy old man is not just an American trait.

    • Unless wind chill is a serious issue I don't recommend rain pants. Your legs work hard and the inside will get drenched with sweat. They are good for pushing through undergrowth but the ones hikers generally have are easily ripped (lightweight).
      Before rain pants I would consider lightweight track pants to warm up in at the end of the day.
      Resident Australian, proving being a grumpy old man is not just an American trait.

    • Lets see Coleman pvc ran suit. Impermeable in very very light gray text on gray packaging... I guess they didn't want anyone to notice. I certainly didn't notice that in the store, Dicks Sporting Goods.

      I don't move fast when I'm hiking and I hate wet legs and arms. As I get used to hiking I will likely be able to handle it better.
      --
      "What do you mean its sunrise already ?!", me.

    • I bought several things from Campmor recently, including my backpack.

      Its being a bit of a squeeze... I may wind up using it for a weekend pack instead of a long haul. I need to take everything, including 3 days of food and decide what to put in it, weight it, wear it, and then get back off the floor and take some things out of the pack, go from there.
      --
      "What do you mean its sunrise already ?!", me.

    • JimBlue wrote:

      I bought several things from Campmor recently, including my backpack.

      Its being a bit of a squeeze... I may wind up using it for a weekend pack instead of a long haul. I need to take everything, including 3 days of food and decide what to put in it, weight it, wear it, and then get back off the floor and take some things out of the pack, go from there.
      The fun things to do when not actually hiking or looking at maps planning hikes!

    • Mountain-Mike wrote:

      JimBlue wrote:

      I bought several things from Campmor recently, including my backpack.

      Its being a bit of a squeeze... I may wind up using it for a weekend pack instead of a long haul. I need to take everything, including 3 days of food and decide what to put in it, weight it, wear it, and then get back off the floor and take some things out of the pack, go from there.
      The fun things to do when not actually hiking or looking at maps planning hikes!

      Well, I tried this afternoon to just stuff everthing in the backpack and see what i can fit in it.

      No attempt to pack for a weekend, etc.

      Tent, cooling towel, duct tape, and a couple of small items aren't in the pack.

      Later this week I'll take everything out of the pack and plan what I put in and see what fits.

      I can put the tent poles, popup tent, into the mesh side pocket on the pack and the tent under that pack on the frame now that I have several nylon straps.

      I'll get it figured out.
      --
      "What do you mean its sunrise already ?!", me.

    • I call it that.. .but its a 7' x 7' dome tent, it was $50, so I could afford that.

      I did look at some smaller one person tents, but they cost more than I can afford. I'm over 6' feet tall. SOme of the one person tents didn't seem like they had much room length wise. I was tired when I searched, so might have missed one that would work for me.

      The one I bought isn't in the pack.
      --
      "What do you mean its sunrise already ?!", me.

    • JimBlue wrote:

      I call it that.. .but its a 7' x 7' dome tent, it was $50, so I could afford that.

      I did look at some smaller one person tents, but they cost more than I can afford. I'm over 6' feet tall. SOme of the one person tents didn't seem like they had much room length wise. I was tired when I searched, so might have missed one that would work for me.

      The one I bought isn't in the pack.
      I'm about 6'1" and comfortable in a TarpTent Notch. Yeah, I know, they're maybe out of your price range. But it's so nice having a tent that weighs less than two pounds. (I'd be bringing my trekking poles anyway, so don't count their weight.)
      I'm not lost. I know where I am. I'm right here.

    • JimBlue wrote:

      I think I looked at that one. Yup, too much for me. After expenses, I have about $400 a month for fun things to spend money on.
      Yeah, I know. I have a kid in college. I hiked for quite a while with a used REI Half Dome 2 before I took the TarpTent plunge.

      Around here, you can often get great gear for a song at the thrift stores. People will outfit themselves and then decide hiking isn't for them and give all the stuff to Aunt Sally.
      I'm not lost. I know where I am. I'm right here.