Welcome to the AppalachianTrailCafe.net!
Take a moment and register and then join the conversation

Things I need to fix/change/tweak for 2015

    This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse this site, you are agreeing to our Cookie Policy.

    • TrafficJam wrote:

      Drybones wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      The only thing I really need are new shoes. I haven't worn the Brooks Cascadias since I hiked to Erwin, I decided they were too big and the traction isn't as good as my running shoes. I've been wearing my Sauconys but they are worn out.

      I'd like some Dirty Girl gaiters to keep the dirt out of my shoes.
      I'd like a warmer sleeping bag but I'm still thinking about that.
      I'd like new pants, mine are too big and they stretch out even more after wearing them for a day. Why do they do that?
      I'd like that altimeter thingy of Llhikers, that is pretty cool.

      BB, based on the comments in the sleeping bag thread, it sounds like you need a BA Ranger.


      Are you sending this list to Santa? Those Dirty Girls may make him wonder if you've been naughty or nice. What do you have in mind for the new bag, weight, rating, etc.? I have an REI, 15*, 2 lb, 750 down ladies bag that's never been in a pack and slept in one night car camping I need to do something with.


      I get really cold. I have a 20* synthetic bag that doesn't keep me warm even when it's 40* so I'm torn about what to get. I've been thinking about a 10* down bag. My worry is that a 20* synthetic bag is not comparable to a 20* down bag and the 10* down bag will end up being overkill. I hope that makes sense.


      IMO, it is not comparable...I bought a 15* synthetic bag when I started and froze my a** off at 25*, in a tent with the Helium 850 down I had to take the long johns off and sleep in boxers at 15*, the Pennacle I have (800 down) is rated at 15* but is more like a 0*, at 28* I was sweating bullets, had to get up at midnight and walk around in the snow in my shorts to cool off...don't underestimate the importance of a well insulated pad, that's where I have most of my problems...I have several good bags but for some reason I keep taking the 750 down REI bag that I added some down to and is taped together, it's like an old pair of worn out shoes, they feel good and you just hate to give them up...BTW, I miss the mad scientist.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.

    • I'm a big fan of down sleeping bags. I think I own five of them now. The two best and newest were purchased in 2007 and 2008, they're both Mountain Hardwear Phantoms, one rated 45 degrees and the other rated 35. 800 grade down, and a tough, light shell material. Just doesn't get much better, I don't think, in terms of warmth for unit-weight.

      I carry a silk base layer for use in camp and while sleeping -- it's in the keep-dry-and-clean category within the pack hierarchy, never worn while hiking. The silk adds some warmth and keeps my skin from contacting the actual nylon surface of the bag. A hat is a good idea too -- humans lose a lot of heat from their heads!

      A good pad/mattress is essential, of course. One "UL" trick I've made use of: I use a shortie pad, which saves a few ounces. At night, my pack is emptied completely and used as a rest for my heels and feet, ie. as the bottom extension of the mattress pad.

    • CoachLou wrote:

      I say......go look at the bag YOU WANT...............buy it. Get THE warmest lightest one you can save your pennies for.......You will never regret it.......especially in January :thumbsup:


      Finally bit the bullet and bought the Western Mountaineering HighLite for my birthday. Should arrive tomorrow. :)
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General

    • I was sitting in front of the computer last night, actually 3AM when I got home from work, looking at the Western Mountaineering Puma sleeping bag. It's rated to -25F. I was staring at the Add To Cart button thinking I'm gonna do this. I even have the cash stashed away (shhhh, don't tell Kathy) but just couldn't get myself to click it. All I could think of was how warm and cozy I'd be in the winter and how that one bag would take up less space in my pack than the 2 bags I carry in winter now. Stay tuned, I'm sure this story isn't over just yet.

    • TrafficJam wrote:

      I get really cold. I have a 20* synthetic bag that doesn't keep me warm even when it's 40* so I'm torn about what to get. I've been thinking about a 10* down bag. My worry is that a 20* synthetic bag is not comparable to a 20* down bag and the 10* down bag will end up being overkill. I hope that makes sense.


      Do check the EN 13537 rating of your bag. (Don't trust manufacturers that don't publish them.) Ladies, particularly the ones who sleep cold, need to look at the 'comfort' rating. Gentlemen, particularly side sleepers and the ones who sleep warm, can use the 'lower limit' rating, which is usually the one advertised. Either sex will likely survive without hypothermia (but be unable to sleep) at the 'extreme' rating. The ratings are calculated assuming a 5'8" 160-lb man or a 5'3" 132-lb woman. The skinnies usually sleep colder than the chubbies.

      Also, remember that your bag is only as good as your pad. When I start expecting 20°F temps, I start carrying a blue foam in addition to my Thermarest. The Backpacker Lite is surely not a cold weather pad. In cold weather, two pads are safer than one, unless the one is closed cell foam (and then things get very bulky!). With two, you have at least some insulation under you even if one deflates in the night.

      You do wear a baselayer and a beanie or balaclava to bed, right? The ladies' styles usually have a distinct advantage over the gentlemen's as far as wearing a hat goes. The luxuriant fur that a lot of the ladies carry on their heads is warm. The temperature ratings assume a midweight baselayer, except the 'upper limit' rating, which measures how warm can it get without you getting sweaty if you unzip and put your arms outside. That rating assumes sleeping nude or in light underwear.

      If multiplication and division scare you off, ignore the following.
      Display Spoiler

      Oh, another way to guess at the temperature rating is to estimate the loft of the down. Look at the spec sheet of the bag and take pi, divided by length, divided by the sum of girth at the shoulders and at the hips, times fill weight, times fill power. 4 inches is a summer-weight bag for either sex. 6 inches is a 20 degree bag for a gentleman, a 30 for a lady. 8 is a 0° for a gentleman, a 15° for a lady. 10 inches is -20° for a gentleman, 0° for a lady. 12 inches is -40° for a gent, -15° for a lady. If you don't know the length and girth, assume a length of 72 inches for a Regular bag and 78 for a Long, and girths of 62/58 for a Regular or 66/61 for a Wide.

      For me, my 20 degree bag (looking at the spec sheet on the REI web site) is 78 inches long, 62 inches at the shoulders, 58 inches at the hips, and has 24 oz of 650-fill-power down. The formula gives 3.14 / 78 / (62 + 58) * 28 * 650 = 6.1 inch loft, a nice comfortable 20° bag for me.

      My 0-degree bag is 78 inches long, 63 inches at the shoulders, 57 inches at the hips, has 32 oz of 700-fill down..3.14 / 78 / (63 + 57) * 32 * 700 = 7.5 inches, a little light on the fill for a 0° bag, but I've certainly slept comfortably in it at single digit temps.

      If I were to spring for, say, a Marmot Col winter bag (I need a Long), that would be 78 long, 66 at the shoulder, 62 at the hip, 42 ounces of 800-fill down. That's 10..5 inches of loft, which is generous for a -20°F bag.
      I'm not lost. I know where I am. I'm right here.

    • LIhikers wrote:

      I was sitting in front of the computer last night, actually 3AM when I got home from work, looking at the Western Mountaineering Puma sleeping bag. It's rated to -25F. I was staring at the Add To Cart button thinking I'm gonna do this. I even have the cash stashed away (shhhh, don't tell Kathy) but just couldn't get myself to click it. All I could think of was how warm and cozy I'd be in the winter and how that one bag would take up less space in my pack than the 2 bags I carry in winter now. Stay tuned, I'm sure this story isn't over just yet.


      Go for it.....go for it....go for it.....go for it.......I love mine!!!!!
      Cheesecake> Ramen :thumbsup:

    • LIhikers wrote:

      CoachLou wrote:


      Go for it.....go for it....go for it.....go for it.......I love mine!!!!!


      Before I do I want to find my wife's cloth tape measure so I can measure my girth.
      It would be embarrassing to have to return it because I'm too rotund :huh:
      I'm even considering the overfill.
      Hey coach, do you have the overfill in your bag? or no?


      No, and I don't think it would be necessary. I have never zipped it all the way up. most times I unzip the foot end and use it like a quilt. I do wish I had bought the wider chest size one.
      Cheesecake> Ramen :thumbsup:

    • Astro wrote:

      CoachLou wrote:

      I say......go look at the bag YOU WANT...............buy it. Get THE warmest lightest one you can save your pennies for.......You will never regret it.......especially in January :thumbsup:


      Finally bit the bullet and bought the Western Mountaineering HighLite for my birthday. Should arrive tomorrow. :)

      You are never gonna regret it. I'm down with down, and you soon will be too. Happy Birthday!
      Changes Daily→ ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫ ♪♫♪♫♪♫ ← Don't blame me. It's That Lonesome Guitar.

    • TrafficJam wrote:

      Astro wrote:

      +1 on the gloves, hat, and socks, you gotta keep those extremities warm. :thumbup:


      Yes, I wear all those, plus long-sleeved merino shirt and pants.
      I was at my local outfitter today and they had the ladies version of the BA Ranger...I liked it a lot. It felt like it would be much warmer than my synthetic bag.


      I tried BA once, a 35* Horse Thief (I believe it was the name that made me buy it), froze my fanny off at 40*.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.

    • Re: Things I need to fix/change/tweak for 2015

      Go for the down. Just be sure to use a compactor bag or contractors trash bag or other heavy plastic bag to line your pack. As others have said a good pad is a key part to staying warm. I use an insulated inflatable and a thin blue pad (always have it because it is the frame for my pack).
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference

    • The one caveat with down is that it must be kept dry. Fortunately, that's not difficult. The bag's going to be in a stuff sack, so just line the stuff sack with a plastic bag first. Keep the bag compressed only when it needs to be -- ie., while hiking. While storing it at home, let it decompress somewhat. When you arrive at camp, take the bag out of its stuff sack at the earliest opportunity. With proper care, it'll last pretty much forever. I have a down bag from 1972 that's still in excellent shape. It would be "mint" except one of the internal baffles broke. It's got 2.5 lbs. of down fill in it and has kept me warm at -10F in the Whites in winter.

    • milkman wrote:

      Astro wrote:

      CoachLou wrote:

      I say......go look at the bag YOU WANT...............buy it. Get THE warmest lightest one you can save your pennies for.......You will never regret it.......especially in January :thumbsup:


      Finally bit the bullet and bought the Western Mountaineering HighLite for my birthday. Should arrive tomorrow. :)

      You are never gonna regret it. I'm down with down, and you soon will be too. Happy Birthday!


      I have had down pretty much since I started the AT, a Ketly 40 and 20. The only problem I have had with them is the weight, 2 and 3 pounds respectively. Combined together they were closer to half than the full price of this one.

      Got my package today, and rolled it out on the living floor and got in. Then I put it in the stuff sack, so small and so light (1 pound). :thumbup:
      Now I just need to catch up on all these extra classes I am teaching (to pay for my 5 week trip in Summer 2015), so I can get out and use it.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General

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

    • rafe wrote:

      The one caveat with down is that it must be kept dry. Fortunately, that's not difficult. The bag's going to be in a stuff sack, so just line the stuff sack with a plastic bag first. Keep the bag compressed only when it needs to be -- ie., while hiking. While storing it at home, let it decompress somewhat. When you arrive at camp, take the bag out of its stuff sack at the earliest opportunity. With proper care, it'll last pretty much forever. I have a down bag from 1972 that's still in excellent shape. It would be "mint" except one of the internal baffles broke. It's got 2.5 lbs. of down fill in it and has kept me warm at -10F in the Whites in winter.


      Now with 3 bags "hanging loose" in my closet I guess I am well on my way to being a true hiker. :)
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General

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

    • Drybones wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      Drybones wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      The only thing I really need are new shoes. I haven't worn the Brooks Cascadias since I hiked to Erwin, I decided they were too big and the traction isn't as good as my running shoes. I've been wearing my Sauconys but they are worn out.

      I'd like some Dirty Girl gaiters to keep the dirt out of my shoes.
      I'd like a warmer sleeping bag but I'm still thinking about that.
      I'd like new pants, mine are too big and they stretch out even more after wearing them for a day. Why do they do that?
      I'd like that altimeter thingy of Llhikers, that is pretty cool.

      BB, based on the comments in the sleeping bag thread, it sounds like you need a BA Ranger.


      Are you sending this list to Santa? Those Dirty Girls may make him wonder if you've been naughty or nice. What do you have in mind for the new bag, weight, rating, etc.? I have an REI, 15*, 2 lb, 750 down ladies bag that's never been in a pack and slept in one night car camping I need to do something with.


      I get really cold. I have a 20* synthetic bag that doesn't keep me warm even when it's 40* so I'm torn about what to get. I've been thinking about a 10* down bag. My worry is that a 20* synthetic bag is not comparable to a 20* down bag and the 10* down bag will end up being overkill. I hope that makes sense.


      IMO, it is not comparable...I bought a 15* synthetic bag when I started and froze my a** off at 25*, in a tent with the Helium 850 down I had to take the long johns off and sleep in boxers at 15*, the Pennacle I have (800 down) is rated at 15* but is more like a 0*, at 28* I was sweating bullets, had to get up at midnight and walk around in the snow in my shorts to cool off...don't underestimate the importance of a well insulated pad, that's where I have most of my problems...I have several good bags but for some reason I keep taking the 750 down REI bag that I added some down to and is taped together, it's like an old pair of worn out shoes, they feel good and you just hate to give them up...BTW, I miss the mad scientist.



      Drybones,,,, you are elevated to Hero! - Willing to freeze off most buttocks for the rest of us cyber hikers.
      Serious I wish I could afford a Helium!
      Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! :thumbup:

    • WiseOldOwl wrote:

      Drybones wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      Drybones wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      The only thing I really need are new shoes. I haven't worn the Brooks Cascadias since I hiked to Erwin, I decided they were too big and the traction isn't as good as my running shoes. I've been wearing my Sauconys but they are worn out.

      I'd like some Dirty Girl gaiters to keep the dirt out of my shoes.
      I'd like a warmer sleeping bag but I'm still thinking about that.
      I'd like new pants, mine are too big and they stretch out even more after wearing them for a day. Why do they do that?
      I'd like that altimeter thingy of Llhikers, that is pretty cool.

      BB, based on the comments in the sleeping bag thread, it sounds like you need a BA Ranger.


      Are you sending this list to Santa? Those Dirty Girls may make him wonder if you've been naughty or nice. What do you have in mind for the new bag, weight, rating, etc.? I have an REI, 15*, 2 lb, 750 down ladies bag that's never been in a pack and slept in one night car camping I need to do something with.


      I get really cold. I have a 20* synthetic bag that doesn't keep me warm even when it's 40* so I'm torn about what to get. I've been thinking about a 10* down bag. My worry is that a 20* synthetic bag is not comparable to a 20* down bag and the 10* down bag will end up being overkill. I hope that makes sense.


      IMO, it is not comparable...I bought a 15* synthetic bag when I started and froze my a** off at 25*, in a tent with the Helium 850 down I had to take the long johns off and sleep in boxers at 15*, the Pennacle I have (800 down) is rated at 15* but is more like a 0*, at 28* I was sweating bullets, had to get up at midnight and walk around in the snow in my shorts to cool off...don't underestimate the importance of a well insulated pad, that's where I have most of my problems...I have several good bags but for some reason I keep taking the 750 down REI bag that I added some down to and is taped together, it's like an old pair of worn out shoes, they feel good and you just hate to give them up...BTW, I miss the mad scientist.



      Drybones,,,, you are elevated to Hero! - Willing to freeze off most buttocks for the rest of us cyber hikers.
      Serious I wish I could afford a Helium!


      Paid $294 for it...not bad when you look at $500 for WM bags.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.

    • Headed over to get this today. You have about 4 hours to talk me out of it. I am a warm sleeper. I have a 45° Big Agnes bag. I love it down to the temperature rating. I doubt I will ever hike below freezing.

      ems.com/product/index.jsp?prod….11597014.4241083.4372489

      Non hikers are about a psi shy of a legal ball.

      The post was edited 2 times, last by BirdBrain ().

    • as a self professed gram weenie (you, not me :) ) i would check the weight/size of a bag using 800 fill and see if the savings is worth the price difference.

      i would make sure that the zipper goes all the way to the feet and isn't one of those half zips (i have no idea).

      looks like a heck of a deal. i only chimed in because you asked.
      2,000 miler

    • BirdBrain wrote:

      Headed over to get this today. You have about 4 hours to talk me out of it. I am a warm sleeper. I have a 45° Big Agnes bag. I love it down to the temperature rating. I doubt I will ever hike below freezing.

      ems.com/product/index.jsp?prod….11597014.4241083.4372489



      OK, BB...you asked for it :). I think you should save your money and buy this instead.
      westernmountaineering.com/inde…ite%20Series&ContentId=19

      It'll save you a pound and it sounds like you need to cut as much weight as possible for the Long Trail.

      I know you love your bag and your pack and don't want to change, but how do you know you won't love something else even better? So...what's a pound worth to you? If you don't like it, sell it and try something else. Just my inexpert 2 cents.
      Lost in the right direction.

    • FWIW, 43 oz appears mighty heavy to me. I just paid $340 to get down from 32oz to 16oz. Stuff size 8x17.5 is bigger than my 6x12 (previous 7x12).

      We all get to choose where we carry our weight and consume pack space. On the other hand, right now there is no way I would consider an alcohol stove over my JetBoil, which you probably think is nuts.

      HYOH :)
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General

    • Too late. I bought it. Got another 10% off because they could not find the stuff sacks. It was display model. Last one in store. I don't use stuff sacks.

      I know there are lighter bags. 2 things force me to this type. I can't sleep in a mummy bag. I need to have the sleeve for my mattress. I considered the 800 down, but it is a lot more money for a few ounces. I will likely regret that later.
      Non hikers are about a psi shy of a legal ball.

    • BirdBrain wrote:

      By chopping off everything I can and leaving the brain behind, my pack weighs 488 grams or 17.2oz less. Who says it does not pay to leave your brain at home. It is now about at 3lb 10oz. I can live with that. I just don't think I can live without the Osprey suspension.


      If I cut 17oz off my Arc Blast, I would not have a pack :D ...
      1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish...

    • BirdBrain wrote:

      hikerboy wrote:

      i understand bb's preference. if you have a big agnes bag with the pad sleeve, theres nothing else like it. personally id rather carry an extra pound for a good nights sleep on the trail.


      Now if JJ figures out the pillow thing I might become Rip Van Winkle.


      My pillow quest odyssey continues. I have been having neck issues and going to a chiro for several months so I've got to solve this pillow thing so I can hit the trail in earnest come spring. Funny thing is when I strap on my pack and trudge up and down mountains- my neck pain goes away- its when I stop and lie down it comes back-weird.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference

    • hikerboy wrote:

      i understand bb's preference. if you have a big agnes bag with the pad sleeve, theres nothing else like it. personally id rather carry an extra pound for a good nights sleep on the trail.


      HB, when I sell you typing in all small letters it reminds me of the C++ code I have been helping my son with. :)
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General

    • TrafficJam wrote:

      BirdBrain wrote:

      Headed over to get this today. You have about 4 hours to talk me out of it. I am a warm sleeper. I have a 45° Big Agnes bag. I love it down to the temperature rating. I doubt I will ever hike below freezing.

      ems.com/product/index.jsp?prod….11597014.4241083.4372489



      OK, BB...you asked for it :). I think you should save your money and buy this instead.
      westernmountaineering.com/inde…eLite Series&ContentId=19

      It'll save you a pound and it sounds like you need to cut as much weight as possible for the Long Trail.

      I know you love your bag and your pack and don't want to change, but how do you know you won't love something else even better? So...what's a pound worth to you? If you don't like it, sell it and try something else. Just my inexpert 2 cents.


      I agree with TJ...six months after you buy either bag you'll have forgotten about the money spent...but you'll still have to sleep in that bag.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.

    • hikerboy wrote:

      Astro wrote:

      hikerboy wrote:

      i understand bb's preference. if you have a big agnes bag with the pad sleeve, theres nothing else like it. personally id rather carry an extra pound for a good nights sleep on the trail.


      HB, when I sell you typing in all small letters it reminds me of the C++ code I have been helping my son with. :)


      im not a capitalist


      I AM
      Non hikers are about a psi shy of a legal ball.

    • AnotherKevin wrote:

      ..........All elevation profiles lie........

      If you folks are like me, you pull out your map, look at the elevation profile, figure it can't be right, and then go on your way.
      I almost never stop to consider that the vertical and horizontal components of that profile are different so the "picture" it presents isn't the same as the ground I'm going to walk over. I do much better when using plain topo maps where you have to consider the spacing of the contour lines.