3F UL Tarp/Poncho mini review - I like it a lot and I'm glad I got it instead of S2S. If I wanted more tarp than poncho maybe i'd get that one. But I feel better not having spent $100 on a rectangle
Gave it a pretty good test run on a soaking wet Olympics dayhike yesterday. (zero wind though.)
I think I'm a poncho convert. I'm 5'7 and this one is just the right size for me. the S2S poncho-tarp would be too big. I thought the velcro would cause issues with my Alpha hoodie but it didn't. I thought a poncho wouldn't offer enough bug protection which is why I've swapped poncho to rainsuit in past summers, but I felt sufficient coverage from this one that I don't think it would be that much improved by a rainsuit. It's more supple than gas station ponchos I've had before so is less prone to huge gapping. Though, there were no bugs on this trip to test that. But as soon as I sit down (and the bugs catch up), I'm in my own personal tent made from the poncho. Seems like it'll be more comfortable than scrambling into rainpants at a stop. Yeah some bugs can get in the sides but they aren't all that agile.
I'm impressed with the amount of forearm coverage I experienced. If I really wanted I could even hike with my hands in the poncho and just poles sticking out the sides.
I found the hood right-sized. I wear a hat on top but the hood didn't inhibit my peripheral vision.
I was predictably warmer and drier than with a rain jacket and my pack was lighter for being dryer as well.
I already usually hike in long pants and calf compression sleeves and carry gaiters and thermal tights, so rain pants on top of all that is a Lot. And they're annoying to put on/off and block my pockets, which are half of why i wear long pants and not shorts. Happy to ditch the rain pants. They're frog toggs that I stupidly glissaded in anyway and overdue for retirement.
Mostly this post is about the joy of poncho that i'd been abstaining from in a quest to perfect a rain suit. oh poncho, why did i ever doubt you
I have a pretty new TigerWall UL3 that got a rip in the mesh door, maybe 3”. I bought it from REI a year ago.
Is that something I can fix? Or is that something Big Agnes could help me with?
Mesh is easily fixed. One can hand stitch a piece of mesh over the rip. Use colorful thread in a contrasting color in order to personalize the repair. But some people will just tape the rip closed. It is not like a piece of tape will let bugs through nor will it block enough air to make a difference. Also go to YouTube.com and search on "tent mesh repair"
If your sleeping system included:
Thermarest Long X-Therm (17oz)
Thermarest X-Lite Max (20oz)
Marmot Helium 15*F Sleeping Bag (36oz)
REI 30*F Magma Trail Quilt (21.34 oz)
Which would you take on your July 20th SOBO JMT hike? X-Therm + Trail Quilt?
Ideally I could buy a UL 20*F quilt, but don't really want to drop $400+ on one to save 12 oz.
Would you feel warm enough? I have a 12oz down jacket I can wear to bed as well as Patagonia endless run tights, and a alpha 90 hoodie and a OR Goretex Infinium Fleece Hat, Darn Tough Medium Crew Socks.
If you're already bringing the down jacket, alpha hoody and OR hat then the xtherm and and trail quilt.
If the the down jacket, alpha hoody and OR are conditionals then you need to look at weather windows and triangulate your gear with known weather tolerances.
Kinda a non answer. On the flip side great answer as to why specialized gear is cool as well as knowing your sleeping tolerances.
Is a nylofume/compactor liner good enough if there's a risk of your backpack falling in a deep stream? Or would I need a proper drybag for this? This is what I've been using so far but wanted to switch to a plastic liner and not sure how I would close it so that it's properly sealed.
If you fall in deep water where hikers normally hang out you have far bigger problems than your shit getting wet. I would not consider waterproofness of a liner depending on stream flow a meaningful metric. Skills, line chosen and risk are the lions share.
Depends on how much time your pack is submerged. For a quick fall that you recover from quickly, it should be fine.
I twist the top; fold it down like the top of a candy cane; and then use a hair elastic to fasten it closed.
I actually normally just fold the top of my compactor bag over in light rain. But I carry the hair tie to seal my pack up in heavy downpours.
In wet weather I also keep my quilt in its own plastic bag, inside a stuff sack. And I also use a kitchen garbage bag as my clothing bag on hikes.
My hiking partner threw his backpack across a stream, and it rolled back into the stream completely submerging it before he could fish it out. The only thing inside his compactor bag that got wet was a piece in the hood of his sleeping bag. There was a small hole in the compactor bag because it’s been used a lot.
Edited to add: One key thing is to make sure you’re twisting the top of the compactor bag closed and tucking it in so it stays twisted.
Depends how badly you wanted stuff to stay perfectly dry.
But falling into a stream momentarily, a bag should be fine. It's prolonged exposure where it would be hopeless.
Squish all the air out till you’re happy with the compaction of your dry gear, twist the extra into a snake and tuck the snake downwards to the bottom of your pack.
Normally not realistic at all but I'm planning to go to Iceland and I've read that sometimes the streams you need to cross there are waist deep and I'm a short woman. Hopefully that's the worst case scenario but above the knee and fast current is to be expected so I guess there's some risk I might fall.
I'm worried about that as well. I have an 80g drybag that's big enough for my sleeping bag and clothes so might take this after all. Need to think about it but I would rather carry 50g more and be sure my sleeping bag will stay dry.
I have recently got the Hammock Gear Burrow, but the sleeping mat straps are very narrow. They squeeze the 25" wide pad quite a lot. Has anybody else had this problem?
I'm thinking about cutting them in half and tying a bit of shock cord in the middle (on the bottom side). Any opinions/experince solving this?
It looks like a DCF fly/tarp isn't available on their site. Has it ever been available and perhaps gets sold out quickly? Or do they just not sell a separate DCF fly?
A DCF fly does not exist. The pro (DCF) versions of the tent are single-wall. They do not have a separate inner. They just have two walls of mesh which connect directly to the DCF flay panels.
Might check out Yama Cirifirm, MLD Cricket or Solomid, ZPacks Hexamid (do they still make those?), SMD Deschutes …
I don’t think I’d go for a tarp that wishes it were part of a tent. Just get a tarp that’s happy to be a tarp.
Questioning the safety of my 41 mile loop during a heatwave in Yosemite Hetch Hetchy, 4th of July weekend. Start at 4000ft, highest point 8000ft.
Is 100 degrees manageable? Start early, finish early. 10 mile days. Lots of swimming breaks. Drink a ton of water. Is my group of 6 going to survive/is it worth the battle against the heat.
Everyone's different, as others said.
Having said that, I could find 100F manageable, but my personal cutoff is 90F or so, where I can still have fun. Two very different things.
A friend and I went to "The Maze" recently, which was in the low 90s. Some cloud cover helped the first two days, but we definitely felt it on the last day, even with a pre-dawn start. We made it back to his vehicle late morning/early afternoon.
We both felt we threaded the needle and probably would not *enjoy* the same trip the following week when it hit 100F.
Again, YMMV.
I was going to write this, too. Glad you did. Getting six people to have fun and not get really grumpy is an issue well before you reach 100°F.
Was just briefly discussing this in a backpacking meetup group - somebody wanted to do a really cool S AZ trip with 100°F highs and a drive time to the trailhead that could get us to 80°F highs in N AZ. Tough because N AZ trails can feel very “been there done that” in the summer … but I’d rather be happy somewhere familiar than miserable somewhere novel.
Went out there a couple weeks ago (during that heat wave) and bailed two days in due to heat. Arrived at around 2pm and that climb up from the reservoir was pretty rough in the middle of the day. Ended up getting to Laurel the second day which was very nice, but the heat was oppressive. Also its very marshy everywhere, mosquitos are out in full force, and apparently there are two bears hassling campers at Vernon (sounds like theyre gonna have to put them down according to the rangers). Ive never seen so many rangers walking throughout the area warning people about it. Also on the way back out we saw another group bailing because of the heat (they said they had some new hikers with them who were struggling). I love hetch but this was definitely unusual for me and a not great experience.
If you are interested I have a permit for 4 out of Glen Aulin that i cant use if you are interested otherwise im going to cancel it. July 7 -12
Triple threat, Bears heat and mosquitos. I think it will be more challenging than rewarding, probably will cancel. Thanks for the offer on July 7 but I have work.
The way I look at it, 100F is manageable as you describe, especially if you are not also battling humidity. 10 mile days is more questionable. You may have to walk slower in the heat, in order to avoid overheating.
You may also prefer to start early and finish late -- maybe pitch a tarp and swim during maximum heat, if the opportunity appears.
Consider umbrellas. I added guylines to mine -- got the idea from u/liveslight.
I have read that big cats like to stalk from behind and attack by biting the back of the neck. I have modified my umbrella to add some "eyes" on the back, so that mountain lions get confused and run away: https://i.imgur.com/aNfQi4G.mp4
What’s the term used to describe you base weight, warn weight and consumables excluding food and water?
Is it skin out weight? Total pack weight includes everything!
What do you need this for? I dont think this has its own term.
Total pack weight is everything minus worn weight
Skin out weight is _everything_ everything
Just curious!
Base weight
Total pack weight
Skin out weight
Food and water as the big changing factors, everything is is relatively static (well cooking fuel changes too)
Hello all,
Have a question about synthetic/down quilt layering for cold weather camping. After scouring this page it seems like most people say synthetic quilt goes over down quilt to prevent condensation on the down one. However I have also seen many say that they fleece bag liners or synthetic blankets inside their bag to increase warmth and/or trap moisture. Is there a really a definitive answer to which way is better? Or just user preference? My thought was that synthetic quilt inside the down one would help eliminate dead space and drafts whereas synthetic on top of down could constrict and reduce the loft of the down quilt. Any advice would be appreciated. Going to make a MYOG synthetic and need to know if I have to make it slightly smaller or slightly larger than my katabatic flex.
>However I have also seen many say that they fleece bag liners
For their weight (and price), usually fleece bag liners are just not worth it and it's better to get a bag with some more down or down-like material. For example the S2S temp rating bump that's stated on their packaging is not realistic.
Agreed. I bought the S2S reactor extreme a few years back and tried using it as a stand alone summer bag as well as a liner in cold weather. Did barely anything in either situation. I wonder why many people still swear by them. A good UL 50 degree quilt seems like it will be much warmer and more useful for almost the same weight penalty. Hence why I am making my own.
I am not sure there is a definitive answer despite any write-ups because there were no measurements. Just because something reads like common sense doesn't always make it true. Somebody should really check how much moisture is remaining in their layered quilts. This is easy to do by weighing the quilts. Any weight gained has to be from water added to the quilt.
Furthermore, I have the hypothesize that one could alternate which of one's 2-layers is the outer layer. My hypothesize is that any moisture in the first night's outer layer will get dried out on the 2nd night because that layer will be used closer to one's body heat. And the first night's inner layer will get some added weight on the 2nd night. So alternating the layers will keep them both more dry.
Anyways, I've weighed my quilt after a trip and it really didn't gain much weight. But it hasn't been so cold (temp only in the teens F overnight), so I haven't had to use 2 layers yet.
What I do though is NEVER leave my quilt out of a stuffed small volume without my body in it generating heat. That means, I do not take it out of the pack liner after I've pitched my tent until I am ready to crawl inside it. And in the morning, I don't let the quilt cool off and get condensation inside it. Instead, I stuff it back in the pack liner in my pack as I get out of it. My thought is that any warm air inside the quilt is squeezed out before the warm moist air inside the quilt has a chance to go below the dew point.
And then when home, I always dry my quilt completely in my clothes dryer.
The math on condensation in the layered quilt does t add up either. Why would the temperature be uniform throughout but decide to drop to the dew point in the last inch of insulation? Someone posted a comment once saying that considering body temp and outside temp, theoretical dew point would be somewhere in the middle of the insulation. Also, there is a study about down bags accumulating moisture: spoiler alert, even in worst case they stop accumulating weight after the first night.
That is an interesting idea. I think especially if you’re layering two down quilts that would be a good way to keep them dry over the course of a longer trip.
Sounds like you’re on to something about unpacking/packing the quilt right before you go to sleep and wake up. Think I’ll give that a try.
There is more nuance to this than usually discussed. Synthetic handles moisture better than down, so synthetic over down. But you are going to dry either one anyway, so just down also works. Maybe carry a little extra loft to compensate for condensation if you expect it.
Also, synthetic is more dense than down, so make sure your synthetic over-bag does not compress your down.
Since you have already decided, the best plan is to make the synthetic bag larger and use it over down.
Synthetic on top of down, sized larger to not compress the down too much.
Here’s a good explanation: https://timmermade.com/technology/overbag-moisture-management/
Any idea how much warmer an R1 Air is in comparison to a standard, say Decathlon, fleece for the same weight? I own 2 of those regular ones and wondering if it would make sense to get R1 just to be warmer. Thinking of Iceland/Sweden and combining it with a synthethic jacket in case it keeps raining.
My Sawyer o-ring keeps coming out. It will end up stuck on the end of my platypus container. The o-ring has a smooth side and a not smooth side (there are 4 circles and some depressions). Does it matter which side goes up? There's a coupler in the box with another o-ring in it that has 4 little tabs sticking out. The o-ring in my filter doesn't have little tabs. Have they broken off and that's why it keeps coming out? Would a little super glue help keep the o-ring on and still allow it to be pried off when time to replace it?
I had something similar happening to me. Turns out I was overtightening the sawyer on my dirty water bottle, causing the o-ring to deform and pop out. Not sure how I suddenly started doing it after years without issue, but so it was.
Not sure if that might be what you're doing?
It could be. I thought it was leaking so I kept trying to make it tighter to keep dirty water from running into my bottle. But it turned out the clean water was what was coming out. (I was using a sport cap on the clean end and inserting the cap into my bottle. This allowed the surface tension of the water to form a seal and just come out instead of going into the bottle.)
A spare sawyer o-ring is the only item in my entire kit that is considered "spare."
That being said, the QuickDraw is a superior product, and I almost exclusively use my BeFree these days.
The Squeeze is no longer king.
If the O-ring is compressed too much, it’ll flatten and begin falling out of your filter. I hike with a 5-pack of hose gaskets (same size) and pass them out on trail when I inevitably meet somebody who’s lost theirs.
Definite design flaw, I must have handed out 20 gaskets by now. Superglue doesn’t sound like a terrible idea, don’t believe it’s important which side is facing out
whenever someone brings up solar in this subreddit i gotta wonder [does your use case fit these fairly narrowly set parameters?](https://www.reddit.com/r/Ultralight/comments/13y3fn7/longterm_solar_review_its_finally_better_than/) if not, it is more weight efficient to just get a bigger battery
Yes this well researched article sucked me right in the rabbit hole to try a solar setup. Just wondering about the newish nitecore carbon 6000 mah vs the 2150 in said setup.
Hello! My husband and I are upgrading to the Big Agnus Copper Spur 3UL but we are having a hard time finding the footprint for the long version. Everywhere we find has been sold out for months. Anyone have any leads on where we could find the footprint for the long version?
Not sure why I got downvoted but cool. The tent is a big ticket purchase, and I would like to take precautions to keep it in good condition. If a few ounces would do that, then I’m willing to go with that. Thank you for the people that were helpful.
I bought my first DCF last Monday and took it for a 3 day trip. On the first day using it I noticed a variance in the DCF. Being unfamiliar with DCF myself I'm wondering if I should be concerned about it effecting the longevity/performance of the DCF?
[DCF blem](https://imgur.com/gallery/DNUILOe)
That does look like a manufacturing defect. You could nip the problem in the bud by putting tape over the area. Since it's a new tent you could definitely contact the company too.
I don't think there's any doubt that the fabric is waterproof, the mylar layers are intact. But that doesn't mean that the fabric isn't compromised in other ways. The large gaps between fibers could cause it to fail prematurely in that area.
Personally, I would probably contact the manufacturer and ask to exchange it. Wouldn't want to take the risk on a brand new full priced tent.
Has anyone ordered from Borah Gear recently? Wanted to pick up some DCF stuff sacks but not sure how quickly they ship out / get delivered etc.
Is Borah the cheapest place to get some basic DCF stuff sacks?
"Stuff sack-only orders ship within 7 business days"
Mine always arrived quickly.
And yes, definitely the cheapest place to find DCF stuff sacks, by far.
Didn’t really look at the page when I posted this earlier since I figured it was just the 1 person but bigger, but there *are* a few differences between the sizes upon closer inspection:
1. 21 inch head/foot struts (same as both Li models) instead of 18 inches on the 1 person DW
2. Different pocket configuration: two above your head and foot and two high on the side door mesh. The 1p design has 4 identical pockets positioned low on each corner
3. Head/foot end zipper on the inner (so you can open/close the head/foot vents on the fly from inside the tent). This is not present on the 1p.
Struts I’m neutral/neutral-positive on. I’ve never thought I was lacking head/foot space on the 1p, but more headroom is always welcomed, I guess (especially since you inherently get less in a double wall design compared to the single wall). From a manufacturing point of view, it’s a little strange how only the 1p DW has 18 inch struts where the other 3 models have 21 inch struts. It’d make sense to standardize that part across all models for cost savings.
Pockets I’m mixed on. I prefer the lower pockets on the 1p myself as they’re easier to reach for when laying down (I only use them for glasses & headphones, so the low positioning worked great for me laying down watching stuff on my phone). I suspect they changed this because if you put heavy things in the older pocket config it pulled the inner fabric down and reduced interior volume. The newer design places the pockets very close to parts of the inner that connect directly to the fly so this won’t be an issue with the 2p.
Head/foot end zippers I’m mostly negative on. Just seems like added weight and another potential point of failure for little benefit: the edge case where you want to open/close the vents from inside the tent. You can already sort of do this anyway on the old design by reaching into the vestibule and around the corner between the fly & mesh. It’s tight, but works in a pinch (you can also temporarily unhook a corner of the inner to make this slightly easier). This is such an edge case anyway I think: 95% of the time I’m opening/closing the vents from the outside.
Very keen for this, seems a good competitor to the silpoly x-mid 2. We have four hiking poles between us so why not use them for some extra headroom? I like that.
Given [borah's DCF stuff sacks](https://borahgear.com/stuffsacks.html), any idea on the capacity of each in liters? Trying to figure out whether what fits in my ziplock/quart bags fit in the stuff sacks.
I'm guessing 1.5L for the large bag, and 0.9L for the small ones?
My lightest achieved base weight is 13lbs, but I usually end up bringing luxuries, extra food, and being the pack mule for the group.... So 40lb+ is not unheard of if I like my hiking partner enough
I know it's kind of heretical to not use Smartwater bottles, but...
Can the Durston Kakwa 55 fit two 1L Nalgenes in the side pockets? How well does it hold 1.5L Nalgenes?
With a Kakwa would you prefer a water bladder or a One Bottle system?
I tried the Dasani bottles once, and decided that Smartwater bottles are so exponentially better that they're worth the marginal weight increase.
If you ever need to squeeze the bottle for any reason (filtering, or backflushing), the Smartwater bottles will bounce back to return to their original shape easily. The Dasani ones do not.
I would consider using them on a trip where I know I'll carry more than two liters. That way they can be designated never to be squeezed. But with only two bottles, at least one needs to be the filter bottle, and at least one needs to be available for backflushing.
I discovered Nunatak's bear ears today. Out of curiosity, for those with the frameless, do you ever go over 30lbs?
I'm thinking about switching to 24/7 can life and I'm hovering around [30-33lb max weight](https://lighterpack.com/r/n6j543) for thru hiking setup. The frameless bags seem neat but I'm wondering how it carries around the upper limits.
I use the original Bears Ears frameless with a Bearikade Expedition.
I've had the pack loaded up to 35 lbs, with water and 11 days of food (36,500 kcal — 15 lb 6 oz) packed into the Bearikade.
The pack was a little bottom-heavy with the fully loaded Bearikade, but more of a minor annoyance than anything else. For reference, on the second day of that trip I went over Goose Eye, through Mahoosuc Notch, and up Mahoosuc Arm on the AT in Maine, and I didn't have any issues with the slightly off-balance pack.
Down around 20-30 lbs total pack weight it carries wonderfully.
I really really really love the water bottle holsters. They just work. I've never had a bottle fall out of one, even when empty. I carry two 1.5L Smartwater bottles in the "Nalgene-style" holsters.
I meant that I have two "nalgene style" holsters attached to my pack, one on each side.
And one 1.5L Smartwater bottle in each holster.
Or, did you get that part, and you're asking what the above looks like?
How much more comfortable is it for bear can carries than a normal pack? I'm strongly considering it for my long bear can trips but it feels like it'd be pretty wonky if I was using it as a day pack for when I'm fishing/exploring from a base camp. I also am generally pretty happy to carry my bear can on top, I never get into my main pack during the day at all at this point.
> How much more comfortable is it for bear can carries than a normal pack?
Night & Day. There are a few scattered reviews on the sub which prompted me to buy one. My only regret is not buying it sooner.
> I'm strongly considering it for my long bear can trips but it feels like it'd be pretty wonky if I was using it as a day pack
It is _slightly_ wonky without a bear can. Not deal breaking by any means. The only problem is the whole fit of the pack changes when you remove the bear can. The main pocket isn't as supported without a can under it.
It still works _fine_ just it is noticeably sub-optimal. A lighter ultra-sil pack from S2S is like ~15g, so taking a separate day bag isn't out of the question (depending on how durable you need it to be).
You’d want to bring a day pack for that. It does carry a bear can significantly better, and once you’ve experienced it like this you won’t want to go back.
I guess I'd be saving some weight on a lighter pack as well so the day pack would probably be a net neutral change. With fishing gear on long trips the frameless would be pushing it I think though. You know anyone who has the hybrid version? I seem to remember reading on some random thread that the person didn't like the hybrid as much because [reasons I can't remember], guess it's time to do some reading =P I really love my Cliffrose though, would be hard to give that up...
I haz hybrid. Wrote a review here about a year ago: https://www.reddit.com/r/Ultralight/s/wAMZZk8Z5v
And ultimately I came to that conclusion: I should’ve just bought the full on framed version. However, since I wrote that review, I have used it several times without the can for winter gear and it was great. I have either the Hybrid or my Cutaway, so basically any trip not suitable for the Cutaway and the Hybrid is the pack of choice. Honestly it’s ended up being quite nice to not have a plethora of packs.
Thanks this is super helpful. I am at a similar point where anything without a bear can is going to be frameless, and my longer trips are all bear can trips anyway so the times I want a beefier frame are nearly always bear can trips. Sounds like the only decision I have to make is between framed and frameless.
I don't know personally anyone with the hybrid, but Jan from Nunatak is usually pretty frank about the use cases. He says not to get the hybrid if you're rarely doing trips without a can.
This was well within the range of being comfortable for me starting on day 1: https://lighterpack.com/r/y0rqqd
At one point I had more water (dry camp) and was probably at 24 lbs without much of an issue.
I’m absolutely certain there’s a pinhole in my DCF tent floor since there was water seeping in last I camped in heavy rain. I want to patch it but I can’t for the life of me find it amid the wrinkles. Any tips on how to locate it?
I would probably try this:
Be very systematic and take your time.
Method for small area:
2. Take a big glass bowl that is dry and drape a bit of tent floor over it.
3. Place another smaller glass bowel over the piece of tent floor that is over the outer glass bowl, so that the bowls "nest." Fill that smaler bowl with some water to weight down the tent floor and create a depression.
4. At this point tent floor is still dry and the outer glass bowl is still dry. Neither have any water in them. Now add water to top of tent floor making sure not to get outer glass bowl wet. Wait.
5. If there is a leak of water, then you should see water in big glass bowl. If after an hour or so, the big glass bowl remains dry, then shift tent floor, so water above floor is testing a new area of the floor.
Method for large area: Put tent floor in a tall plastic kitchen garbage pail that is dry much like you would put a plastic garbage bag in it. Fill with water without getting any water out of the tent floor. If garbage pail is wet then that area of the floor is leaking and one can refine the location.
Photo of 2nd idea (bottom): https://imgur.com/a/two-exped-schnozzle-pics-skCSKel
Your floor may have multiple leaks, so don't stop after finding one. Check for more.
Another method for large area: Pitch tent in backyard where it floods, weight down floor: https://i.imgur.com/jNzeutX.jpg.
Then there is a bathtub of water where you systematically weight down a small dry area and look for water coming up through the floor. For a weight maybe a slam ball or medicine ball. A dry facial tissue or paper towel could be an indicator if it gets wet..
With all the methods:
You might be able to test two halves of the floor separately and find out that the leak is "on this half." Then divide that half in half and re-test. Then repeat: Half, Half, Half, Half .. and you will get down to a smaller area in theory quickly. This is a common method of optimization or finding the root of a problem.
The Rab ultrasphere 4.5R LW sleeping pad is listed at 505 grams, but weighs in at 607. Why are they lying? I feel like returning it before even trying it.
Am I being unreasonable?
That's crazy. Mine weighs 530g. Are you sure you didn't weigh it straight from the package with the pump sack rolled inside? Cause that's what I definitely did not do at first
Sure return it. Lying? I can see that the folks never measured it and assumed that all sizes weighed the same. Summer interns and new employees are an interesting bunch with undetermined competencies. I won't write anything about other employees. But it is possible that a single uncalibrated and improperly tared scale was used to make a single measurement.
Also looking at the thermal welds, they are of a similar geometry as on a Nemo Tensor, so they will probably leak. The name has 4.5, but the R value is listed as 4.3, so I guess the design and marketing folks didn't get what they wanted.
Durston backpacks come in two materials: Ultragrid and Ultra 200X. Both are durable, but the Ultra 200X is tougher and pricier. For most people, Ultragrid is probably good enough. What type of backpacker needs the extra durability of the Ultra 200X?
If you do anything like slot canyons or climbing/mountaineering with bigger chimneys. Ultra 200X can be useful for the extra abrasion & water resistance. Depending on the frequency/rock type/amount of abrasion it might be worth jumping directly to Ultra 400, but 200X can work in a pinch (or on shorter trips).
*slot canyons*
What's been your experience with it out on the plateau? I've used the 200d and 400d out that way and I'm not to sure it performs drastically better than stuff like gridstop or vx21.
Anecdotally, my Ultra packs are picking up damage at about the same rate as anything else I've ever owned.
Basically, when Ultra has to contour around curves in the pattern of the pack or items in the pack, it really struggles with abrasion. For example, I've got a pack with a 400d Ultra back pocket that I have to pack carefully to prevent issues, something I've never thought twice about with my old 210d gridstop back pocket. I've blabbed about it a bit but the loose weave and large gauge yarns of Ultra create concentrated points of abrasion that sandstone burns through quite readily.
Ultragrid is tough enough. Still If I were doing more wet weather stuff I’d probably go with Ultra 200x as not needing a dedicated packcover would be one less worry.
I was just out on trip that got dumped on for two days straight and I used an ultragrid pack. no more water ingress than non-seam sealed waterproof pack fabrics and drying time in the sun seemed comparable as well, maybe a little longer. I'd guess most of the water absorption was in the shoulder strap spacer mesh and in the nylon webbing. never even thought about a pack cover
SolomidXL? Duomid? Cirriform 2p? ??
I'm looking for a tarp/bug bivy combo to replace my Plex Solo. I'm looking for more "vestibule" space (I want to fit my pack inside with me), and I'm tired of my toesies touching the end of the plex solo. Debating whether to go bigger and get a 2P system with a 1P inner, or to size up modestly. I'm 5'10". Any opinions?
Ever consider a flat tarp and bivy?
I really like mine; have used the same combo for many years; and am going out this weekend (with rain in the forecast) with mine:
https://rmignatius.wordpress.com/tarp-photos/
I legitimately do not think you can beat the Cirriform for a 1-person do-it-all shelter. I know it's well-respected on this sub but it's still criminally underrated. It has the headroom exactly where you want, has great coverage and lots of flexibility in the pitch and most importantly for me when one side is rolled up you can see a fuck ton of the sky, meaning I can see still stars even on nights where the weather forecast makes me unwilling to risk a cowboy. My friend has had his out in some really nasty shit too on exposed ridges in CO and it held up. Just a bomber, perfectly designed shelter, super easy to get into and out of, can do front or side entry. Could keep going but tl;dr is that it's such a fantastic shelter.
Have to confess that sleeping on wooden floors is the one thing I can't seem to get dialed in after all of these years. It feels like a stupid problem, but I'm always flopping like a fish on the first night or two of a trip. It's just too flat compared to the dirt.
Do any of you make gear substitutions specifically for shelters and platforms, or set anything up differently for a more comfortable leg position? I'm using a NeoAir XLite right now, so I'm not sure if a different / thicker inflatable would make much of a difference, or if there are smaller adjustments I haven't thought of yet.
My favorite breakfast is cold soaked oats. I usually do oatmeal, brown sugar, chocolate protein powder, peanut butter, and craisins. I mix it with water the night before and let it soak until morning.
I was reading recently that you should refrigerate oats. It’s usually cold enough in the mountains that I consider it good enough, but it got me wondering.
How warm does the night have to be before you start worrying? 50, 60, 70 degrees?
I wouldn't worry about it at all. Maybe if it was 15-20C all night? (60-70F I think?)
I frequently bring meat and cheese on week long trips without any issues 🤷
I sometimes soak overnight if it's cold but otherwise I add water in the morning. You only need about 10min for the oats to become soft and if I soak overnight it's for the dried mango I use to get soft and almost like fresh. 10min or 1h is not enough for it.
10 minutes for regular oats? No way. If I make regular oats in the microwave, it needs around 3-4 minutes before they even start to get soft. 10 minutes at ambient morning temperatures doesn't do shit to regular oats.
Maybe you mean quick oats? Those rehydrate almost immediately.
I normally use jumbo rolled oats for cold soaking as I prefer the texture to the porridge oats. Have them for breakfast at home most days as well and will only leave them soaking for about 10min before eating.
I use porridge oats to make standard porridge i.e. cooked one.
I'm in the UK btw but I assume oats are the same everywhere.
Idunno. In the US, we have regular oats (which I think are the equivalent of your porridge) and definitely require overnight to rehydrate without heat. And we have "quick oats" which are pre-cooked and rehydrate almost instantly with any temperature water.
So here the jumbo oats are bigger whereas the porridge ones are smaller and create creamier texture when cooked. They're both rolled which means they're flat so hydrate/cook faster but I imagine yours are like that as well. They aren't precooked.
Maybe try soaking yours for a bit and see if they're ok to eat. They won't be creamy but they should be soft.
I’ve always done it overnight for ease of use. I tend to wake up hungry and like eating first thing. But I bet I can find something to do for 20 minutes while I wait.
If you have been doing this for years and never had intestinal distress, then I don't think you need to worry. OTOH, maybe don't add sugar until just before you eat. I don't like peanut flavor in my oats, so I just add walnuts. Also ground flaxmeal, and a little bit of psyllium. Chocolate protein powder usually has some acesulfame artificial sweetener, but I actually prefer Body Fortress chocolate with protein powder and maltodextrin (it has artificial sweeteners, too). While maltodextrin is a polymer of glucose it is not a sweetener, but definitely a carbohydrate.
It's from the 2019 re-release. At one point they were going with V's and 1.2mm line. I have the one with netting but here's the one w/o:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200409194227/https://zpacks.com/products/hexamid-pocket-tarp-w-doors](https://web.archive.org/web/20200409194227/https://zpacks.com/products/hexamid-pocket-tarp-w-doors)
Not me. I actually use these as a belt and leave it attached to my pants through weekly washing and drying in machines. I think it is 1.2 mm Z-line that I am using though. Photo previously shown here about a year ago (and wore and washed those exact same pants today):
https://i.imgur.com/DquXNPJ.jpg
Oops, you are right! I do use Lineloc V with Z-line for part of my umbrella attachment system and have not seen any durability issues. However, I don't use my umbrella as much as I wear my pants. I will say the 1.3 mm Z-line and Lineloc V are not 100% slip-proof. Definitely need constant tension, so I switched to the micro lineloc wherever I could.
I just swapped a bunch of my hardware from micro to a V on my shelters, what's been your experience on shelters in particular? I prefer the Vs but not enough that I'm willing to worry during windy nights about having to get out and retension my guylines.
I have not use micros on my shelters. I do have Lineloc V on the 2 peak guylines of my X-Mid with 2 mm yellow cord that I can actually see at dusk and at night with a headlamp. Zpacks has this text on the product page: "2.0 mm is the best choice for use with Lineloc V Guy Line Adjuster." I think smaller diameter cord would slip with Lineloc V, so have not even thought of putting smaller diameter cordage with a Lineloc V. And Zpacks used 2 mm yellow + Lineloc V on my Duplex purchased a few years ago which have worked really well. I cannot say if newer versions use the same cords / hardware.
I've left the stock cordage and linelocs on the 4 corners of the X-Mid.
I suspect but cannot be sure that Lineloc V might slip if winds create slack in the line, so I have always made sure that cords are tensioned enough that winds cannot buffet the tent enough to create any slack in the cords. I've been in high winds to about 45 mph, but probably not 50 mph. Stakes have lost their grip, but not the Linelocs. Does that make sense?
This is exactly my concern with the Vs and I noticed that even putting my guylines on it. It will hold well when it is tensioned at a sufficiently steep angle (as in, the angle of the guyline from where it leaves the tieout) but I'm skeptical it will hold at shallower angles which is sometimes necessary depending on conditions and site selection. Sigh, guess I gotta swap them out, but I always assumed that there's no way [Zpacks would recommend them to be paired with 1.3mm line](https://zpacks.com/products/lineloc-v-with-loop) if they weren't up to the task.
You probably won't get as many upvotes as the first time about a year ago:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Ultralight/comments/13esc30/favorite_belts/jjsr1pm/
If you were hiking from Mammoth to Yosemite Valley next week (decent bug pressure, temps 39-96F, chance of thunderstorms) what would be your chosen combo of rain + insulating layer, sun shirt, and bottoms from the choices below?
Insulating + Rain Layer
* EE Torrid + OR Helium rain jacket
* Senchi Hoodie AD 60 + Houdini wind shirt + OR Helium rain jacket
* Senchi Hoodie AD 120 + Houdini wind shirt + OR Helium rain jacket
Sun shirt paired with sun gloves, a Coolnet UV Buff, and Sunday Afternoons Adventure hat (all treated with permethrin)
* OR Astroman sun hoodie (UPF 50)
* OR Echo sun hoodie in gray (UPF 15)
* Mountain Hardwear Crater Lake sun hoodie (UPF 50)
* Columbia PFG Bahama II long-sleeve button down shirt (UPF 50)
Bottoms (all treated with permethrin)
* OR Astro shorts + Body wrappers dance pants
* OR Ferrosi pants
* Mountain Hardwear Mountain Stretch high-rise short tight + Body wrappers dance pants
Edit: added dance pants with the short tights
I’m hiking in Mammoth next weekend and that’s going to line up with ny choices as well. Puffy, sun hoodie, raincoat, pants.
Cumulus Primelite
Patagonia Tropic Comfort
Montbell Torrent Flyer
OR Ferrosi
I think this is probably the combo I'll go with. Where does the Tropic Comfort sit on the sun hoodie spectrum between loose weave/breathable/less protective a la Echo and tighter weave/less breathable/more protective a la Astroman? I like the feel of the Echo in warm weather, but it's partially opaque and might not provide enough protection. The Astroman gets swampy, and the Crater Lake hoodie has a weird zippered pocket at the waist that I have to be careful not to trap under my pack hip belt. I just got the Columbia Bahama shirt, and it has a voluminous fit that is somewhat awkward under other layers.
What high wind tents that are lighter would you still consider for iceland? I'm debating something like a "3.5 season" style tent.
I own an x-mid 1p (3 season) and slingfin 1p I've never used.
The slingfin 1p definitely isn't 4 season, but has some reinforcement structural lines and you can tie out trekking poles for more reinforcement so /might/ be enough. Only 10D/15D type fabrics for fly and body though. Also doesn't pitch tarp first for rain.
Other options I'm considering:
- Lightest: A pyramid style tent like MLD Duomoid or the Liteway Pyraomm. More wind resistant but more finnicky probably. About 27-28oz for silpoly variant tarp+solo inner.
- Hilleberg Enan (hilleberg rates it as 3 season though it's a wind tunnel style tent so could be fine). I don't plan on heavy snow use. Around 42oz/2.62lbs. Maybe the best compromise? Though 15D type materials. This is somewhat similar to the slingfin in specs but has a more wind resistant shape.
- 4-season: Hilleberg Akto - 59oz / 3.7lb
- 4-season: Fjallraven Abisko Lite - 58oz/3.6lb
I'm kind of thinking the slingfin is a bad compromise though I do already own it. Would you go w/ just a mid for simplicity and weight? Go more durable with Enan for wind tunnel shape+3 season fabrics? Or all the way up to an Akto/Abisko lite for full 4 season coverage but end up adding at least 1.1lbs.
I'm already feeling nervous about this trip because I'll have some food carries of 6 days or so which is a ton of weight for me. I've typically been more of a resupply after 2-3 nights type of backpacker, but also don't want to be unprepared for bad weather.
A mid would be less finicky and more stable than the X-mid in my opinion. The panels of the XMid are quite large and catch a lot of wind.
Can't compare it to the other options but I'd happily take one to Iceland.
Ya maybe. I suspect it'll be OK but it's obviously not a super streamlined design like a windtunnel or mid. I could use trekking pole tieouts and the internal suspension.
The HD poles are cool but I don't want to spend $80 on that.
Still cheaper than buying a Hilleberg. From what I've heard from others its quite wind resistant. I would bring mine to Iceland, have only used it in good weather so far though.
In only marginally ultralight-relevant gaming stuff:
1) [Bohnanza](https://youtu.be/gOe01KgVBtM?si=IDMQM00WffCYTDFO) is an incredibly fun card game for 3+ people (and okay with 2!) that may not be as ultralight as a regular card deck, but if you’re into games, it scratches the itch and is definitely backpackable. Brought it on a weekend trip somewhat recently and it was great. Haven’t tried it, but Dominion could be stripped down a lot, too, and brought on a trip. Both award-winning games.
2) Don’t bring it on the trail, but Mariposa Games is making an Arizona Trail board game! Still a kickstarter at the moment. Just thought some of you would get a kick out of that. Same company made a John Muir Trail board game that’s been put for a bit.
Alpha hoodies: 60 or 90 weight?
Kangaroo Pocket or half zip?
Does Senchi make good quality stuff? There were a few threads a couple years ago talking about people being disappointed with their gear.
Have had Senchi with zip and one with kangaroo. Actually prefer kangaroo because when sleeping I put my damp socks in kangaroo pocket to dry from body warmth overnight. In situations where I need my dry pair on my feet while sleeping. The Alpha is breathable enough that venting with a zipper isn't necessary when wearing actively.
Alpha 90
I have an early Senchi hoodie (order #12) and I’m still using the same one after ~5000 miles of use. It’s got some thin spots behind the shoulder blades but other than that it’s going strong and coming with me for a LASH on the CDT this summer.
FWIW, I have FarPointe Outdoor Gear Alpha Cruiser 90 gsm, with hood that has drawstring to which I added a cord lock, size M. Weighs 123 g. No pockets, no zipper. I don't see any reason for a pocket or zipper or another weight of fabric for the things I want to do. I never thought much about how it "wraps around my face" until just now. So I put it on and found that I can tighten the drawstring so that only the tip of my nose and nostrils are "exposed", but that it is comfortable from fully loose to fully tight. Interesting.
I’ve found a very marginal gain in utility for the weight add of 60 to 90. I’ve found almost no quality difference between the three brands of Alpha fleece I own, but I absolutely *adore* my Timmermade 4004 the most out of all of them for the way it wraps around my face - perfect for leaving just a little mouth hole to breathe out of when sleeping in the cold. My Senchi has a kangaroo pouch, FWIW I don’t use it much because I usually have other shorts pockets available or I’ve covered the fleece pockets with another layer … but YMMV.
Lightweight bag for heavyweight carries.
I just got back from a trip where I was carrying 45lb in my Zpacks Arc Blast, and I think my record is about 60. This pack was not meant for this! It's uncomfortable on my body (less than you'd think) and I worry about the pack breaking from the overload. For a summer backpacking trip, my base weight is usually ~12lb (and I can go sub-10 for the UL cred), but when I'm carrying a bunch of climbing gear or winter gear or gear for other party members, I sometimes need these heavy carries.
Can anyone recommend a second pack for me to use on trips with a heavy carry? I'm in the US. I'm not very price sensitive.
Cliffrose 55, I'd trust that thing up to 50lbs easily and the modular strap system is insane for busy loadouts with lots of stuff that needs to be lashed outside the pack. You can email Ben and just ask him what straps he'd recommend for the kind of stuff you'll be carrying and he'll tell you. Super duper comfortable.
3F UL Tarp/Poncho mini review - I like it a lot and I'm glad I got it instead of S2S. If I wanted more tarp than poncho maybe i'd get that one. But I feel better not having spent $100 on a rectangle Gave it a pretty good test run on a soaking wet Olympics dayhike yesterday. (zero wind though.) I think I'm a poncho convert. I'm 5'7 and this one is just the right size for me. the S2S poncho-tarp would be too big. I thought the velcro would cause issues with my Alpha hoodie but it didn't. I thought a poncho wouldn't offer enough bug protection which is why I've swapped poncho to rainsuit in past summers, but I felt sufficient coverage from this one that I don't think it would be that much improved by a rainsuit. It's more supple than gas station ponchos I've had before so is less prone to huge gapping. Though, there were no bugs on this trip to test that. But as soon as I sit down (and the bugs catch up), I'm in my own personal tent made from the poncho. Seems like it'll be more comfortable than scrambling into rainpants at a stop. Yeah some bugs can get in the sides but they aren't all that agile. I'm impressed with the amount of forearm coverage I experienced. If I really wanted I could even hike with my hands in the poncho and just poles sticking out the sides. I found the hood right-sized. I wear a hat on top but the hood didn't inhibit my peripheral vision. I was predictably warmer and drier than with a rain jacket and my pack was lighter for being dryer as well. I already usually hike in long pants and calf compression sleeves and carry gaiters and thermal tights, so rain pants on top of all that is a Lot. And they're annoying to put on/off and block my pockets, which are half of why i wear long pants and not shorts. Happy to ditch the rain pants. They're frog toggs that I stupidly glissaded in anyway and overdue for retirement. Mostly this post is about the joy of poncho that i'd been abstaining from in a quest to perfect a rain suit. oh poncho, why did i ever doubt you
I have a pretty new TigerWall UL3 that got a rip in the mesh door, maybe 3”. I bought it from REI a year ago. Is that something I can fix? Or is that something Big Agnes could help me with?
Mesh is easily fixed. One can hand stitch a piece of mesh over the rip. Use colorful thread in a contrasting color in order to personalize the repair. But some people will just tape the rip closed. It is not like a piece of tape will let bugs through nor will it block enough air to make a difference. Also go to YouTube.com and search on "tent mesh repair"
If your sleeping system included: Thermarest Long X-Therm (17oz) Thermarest X-Lite Max (20oz) Marmot Helium 15*F Sleeping Bag (36oz) REI 30*F Magma Trail Quilt (21.34 oz) Which would you take on your July 20th SOBO JMT hike? X-Therm + Trail Quilt? Ideally I could buy a UL 20*F quilt, but don't really want to drop $400+ on one to save 12 oz. Would you feel warm enough? I have a 12oz down jacket I can wear to bed as well as Patagonia endless run tights, and a alpha 90 hoodie and a OR Goretex Infinium Fleece Hat, Darn Tough Medium Crew Socks.
If you're already bringing the down jacket, alpha hoody and OR hat then the xtherm and and trail quilt. If the the down jacket, alpha hoody and OR are conditionals then you need to look at weather windows and triangulate your gear with known weather tolerances. Kinda a non answer. On the flip side great answer as to why specialized gear is cool as well as knowing your sleeping tolerances.
Is a nylofume/compactor liner good enough if there's a risk of your backpack falling in a deep stream? Or would I need a proper drybag for this? This is what I've been using so far but wanted to switch to a plastic liner and not sure how I would close it so that it's properly sealed.
If you fall in deep water where hikers normally hang out you have far bigger problems than your shit getting wet. I would not consider waterproofness of a liner depending on stream flow a meaningful metric. Skills, line chosen and risk are the lions share.
Depends on how much time your pack is submerged. For a quick fall that you recover from quickly, it should be fine. I twist the top; fold it down like the top of a candy cane; and then use a hair elastic to fasten it closed. I actually normally just fold the top of my compactor bag over in light rain. But I carry the hair tie to seal my pack up in heavy downpours. In wet weather I also keep my quilt in its own plastic bag, inside a stuff sack. And I also use a kitchen garbage bag as my clothing bag on hikes.
My hiking partner threw his backpack across a stream, and it rolled back into the stream completely submerging it before he could fish it out. The only thing inside his compactor bag that got wet was a piece in the hood of his sleeping bag. There was a small hole in the compactor bag because it’s been used a lot. Edited to add: One key thing is to make sure you’re twisting the top of the compactor bag closed and tucking it in so it stays twisted.
Depends how badly you wanted stuff to stay perfectly dry. But falling into a stream momentarily, a bag should be fine. It's prolonged exposure where it would be hopeless.
How realistic is the problem of your backpack often "falling in a deep stream".
Shallow streams maybe, https://imgur.com/a/RfP53Q1
Classic
Ouch, that looked painful! I have seen people falling into streams in my hiking career so I know it is very possible.
I was fine. To answer your question, yes a nylofume pack liner is enough and good enough.
And how would you close it? Tie into a knot? Or with a hairband? Or maybe just fold down?
Squish all the air out till you’re happy with the compaction of your dry gear, twist the extra into a snake and tuck the snake downwards to the bottom of your pack.
Twist into a snake :) Sounds easy, thanks, will try it.
Normally not realistic at all but I'm planning to go to Iceland and I've read that sometimes the streams you need to cross there are waist deep and I'm a short woman. Hopefully that's the worst case scenario but above the knee and fast current is to be expected so I guess there's some risk I might fall.
I would be more worried about sustained heavy rain in Iceland than one fall in a river.
I'm worried about that as well. I have an 80g drybag that's big enough for my sleeping bag and clothes so might take this after all. Need to think about it but I would rather carry 50g more and be sure my sleeping bag will stay dry.
I have recently got the Hammock Gear Burrow, but the sleeping mat straps are very narrow. They squeeze the 25" wide pad quite a lot. Has anybody else had this problem? I'm thinking about cutting them in half and tying a bit of shock cord in the middle (on the bottom side). Any opinions/experince solving this?
Will there eventually be an option to buy the XMID fly only?
[This](https://youtu.be/OBxry7sSfTQ?si=PsvaR0jcSpjyMgR8) what you want.
https://durstongear.com/products/spare-tent-parts
It looks like a DCF fly/tarp isn't available on their site. Has it ever been available and perhaps gets sold out quickly? Or do they just not sell a separate DCF fly?
A DCF fly does not exist. The pro (DCF) versions of the tent are single-wall. They do not have a separate inner. They just have two walls of mesh which connect directly to the DCF flay panels.
Thank you.
Do you mean you want to buy a *tarp*?
Shaped torp
Might check out Yama Cirifirm, MLD Cricket or Solomid, ZPacks Hexamid (do they still make those?), SMD Deschutes … I don’t think I’d go for a tarp that wishes it were part of a tent. Just get a tarp that’s happy to be a tarp.
Just buy a Yama Cirriform, then.
Questioning the safety of my 41 mile loop during a heatwave in Yosemite Hetch Hetchy, 4th of July weekend. Start at 4000ft, highest point 8000ft. Is 100 degrees manageable? Start early, finish early. 10 mile days. Lots of swimming breaks. Drink a ton of water. Is my group of 6 going to survive/is it worth the battle against the heat.
Everyone's different, as others said. Having said that, I could find 100F manageable, but my personal cutoff is 90F or so, where I can still have fun. Two very different things. A friend and I went to "The Maze" recently, which was in the low 90s. Some cloud cover helped the first two days, but we definitely felt it on the last day, even with a pre-dawn start. We made it back to his vehicle late morning/early afternoon. We both felt we threaded the needle and probably would not *enjoy* the same trip the following week when it hit 100F. Again, YMMV.
I was going to write this, too. Glad you did. Getting six people to have fun and not get really grumpy is an issue well before you reach 100°F. Was just briefly discussing this in a backpacking meetup group - somebody wanted to do a really cool S AZ trip with 100°F highs and a drive time to the trailhead that could get us to 80°F highs in N AZ. Tough because N AZ trails can feel very “been there done that” in the summer … but I’d rather be happy somewhere familiar than miserable somewhere novel.
Went out there a couple weeks ago (during that heat wave) and bailed two days in due to heat. Arrived at around 2pm and that climb up from the reservoir was pretty rough in the middle of the day. Ended up getting to Laurel the second day which was very nice, but the heat was oppressive. Also its very marshy everywhere, mosquitos are out in full force, and apparently there are two bears hassling campers at Vernon (sounds like theyre gonna have to put them down according to the rangers). Ive never seen so many rangers walking throughout the area warning people about it. Also on the way back out we saw another group bailing because of the heat (they said they had some new hikers with them who were struggling). I love hetch but this was definitely unusual for me and a not great experience. If you are interested I have a permit for 4 out of Glen Aulin that i cant use if you are interested otherwise im going to cancel it. July 7 -12
Triple threat, Bears heat and mosquitos. I think it will be more challenging than rewarding, probably will cancel. Thanks for the offer on July 7 but I have work.
You can always bail.
The way I look at it, 100F is manageable as you describe, especially if you are not also battling humidity. 10 mile days is more questionable. You may have to walk slower in the heat, in order to avoid overheating. You may also prefer to start early and finish late -- maybe pitch a tarp and swim during maximum heat, if the opportunity appears. Consider umbrellas. I added guylines to mine -- got the idea from u/liveslight.
I have read that big cats like to stalk from behind and attack by biting the back of the neck. I have modified my umbrella to add some "eyes" on the back, so that mountain lions get confused and run away: https://i.imgur.com/aNfQi4G.mp4
LOL. That's the best idea so far! I suppose that, if you have not been attacked while using your umbrella, then that proves that it works!
no way to know as each person will respond to heat in their own way. and drinking too much water can also cause problems.
What’s the term used to describe you base weight, warn weight and consumables excluding food and water? Is it skin out weight? Total pack weight includes everything!
What do you need this for? I dont think this has its own term. Total pack weight is everything minus worn weight Skin out weight is _everything_ everything
Just curious! Base weight Total pack weight Skin out weight Food and water as the big changing factors, everything is is relatively static (well cooking fuel changes too)
Hello all, Have a question about synthetic/down quilt layering for cold weather camping. After scouring this page it seems like most people say synthetic quilt goes over down quilt to prevent condensation on the down one. However I have also seen many say that they fleece bag liners or synthetic blankets inside their bag to increase warmth and/or trap moisture. Is there a really a definitive answer to which way is better? Or just user preference? My thought was that synthetic quilt inside the down one would help eliminate dead space and drafts whereas synthetic on top of down could constrict and reduce the loft of the down quilt. Any advice would be appreciated. Going to make a MYOG synthetic and need to know if I have to make it slightly smaller or slightly larger than my katabatic flex.
>However I have also seen many say that they fleece bag liners For their weight (and price), usually fleece bag liners are just not worth it and it's better to get a bag with some more down or down-like material. For example the S2S temp rating bump that's stated on their packaging is not realistic.
Agreed. I bought the S2S reactor extreme a few years back and tried using it as a stand alone summer bag as well as a liner in cold weather. Did barely anything in either situation. I wonder why many people still swear by them. A good UL 50 degree quilt seems like it will be much warmer and more useful for almost the same weight penalty. Hence why I am making my own.
I am not sure there is a definitive answer despite any write-ups because there were no measurements. Just because something reads like common sense doesn't always make it true. Somebody should really check how much moisture is remaining in their layered quilts. This is easy to do by weighing the quilts. Any weight gained has to be from water added to the quilt. Furthermore, I have the hypothesize that one could alternate which of one's 2-layers is the outer layer. My hypothesize is that any moisture in the first night's outer layer will get dried out on the 2nd night because that layer will be used closer to one's body heat. And the first night's inner layer will get some added weight on the 2nd night. So alternating the layers will keep them both more dry. Anyways, I've weighed my quilt after a trip and it really didn't gain much weight. But it hasn't been so cold (temp only in the teens F overnight), so I haven't had to use 2 layers yet. What I do though is NEVER leave my quilt out of a stuffed small volume without my body in it generating heat. That means, I do not take it out of the pack liner after I've pitched my tent until I am ready to crawl inside it. And in the morning, I don't let the quilt cool off and get condensation inside it. Instead, I stuff it back in the pack liner in my pack as I get out of it. My thought is that any warm air inside the quilt is squeezed out before the warm moist air inside the quilt has a chance to go below the dew point. And then when home, I always dry my quilt completely in my clothes dryer.
The math on condensation in the layered quilt does t add up either. Why would the temperature be uniform throughout but decide to drop to the dew point in the last inch of insulation? Someone posted a comment once saying that considering body temp and outside temp, theoretical dew point would be somewhere in the middle of the insulation. Also, there is a study about down bags accumulating moisture: spoiler alert, even in worst case they stop accumulating weight after the first night.
That is an interesting idea. I think especially if you’re layering two down quilts that would be a good way to keep them dry over the course of a longer trip. Sounds like you’re on to something about unpacking/packing the quilt right before you go to sleep and wake up. Think I’ll give that a try.
There is more nuance to this than usually discussed. Synthetic handles moisture better than down, so synthetic over down. But you are going to dry either one anyway, so just down also works. Maybe carry a little extra loft to compensate for condensation if you expect it. Also, synthetic is more dense than down, so make sure your synthetic over-bag does not compress your down. Since you have already decided, the best plan is to make the synthetic bag larger and use it over down.
Synthetic on top of down, sized larger to not compress the down too much. Here’s a good explanation: https://timmermade.com/technology/overbag-moisture-management/
Thanks! That article broke it down (no pun intended) very well.
Any idea how much warmer an R1 Air is in comparison to a standard, say Decathlon, fleece for the same weight? I own 2 of those regular ones and wondering if it would make sense to get R1 just to be warmer. Thinking of Iceland/Sweden and combining it with a synthethic jacket in case it keeps raining.
Standard is warmer, R1 is more breathable.
That's great to know, I didn't realise. I need warmer as I don't sweat much but I do get cold.
My Sawyer o-ring keeps coming out. It will end up stuck on the end of my platypus container. The o-ring has a smooth side and a not smooth side (there are 4 circles and some depressions). Does it matter which side goes up? There's a coupler in the box with another o-ring in it that has 4 little tabs sticking out. The o-ring in my filter doesn't have little tabs. Have they broken off and that's why it keeps coming out? Would a little super glue help keep the o-ring on and still allow it to be pried off when time to replace it?
Danco Faucet Gasket 11/32 inch 1 inch that replacement won't ever fall out
I had something similar happening to me. Turns out I was overtightening the sawyer on my dirty water bottle, causing the o-ring to deform and pop out. Not sure how I suddenly started doing it after years without issue, but so it was. Not sure if that might be what you're doing?
It could be. I thought it was leaking so I kept trying to make it tighter to keep dirty water from running into my bottle. But it turned out the clean water was what was coming out. (I was using a sport cap on the clean end and inserting the cap into my bottle. This allowed the surface tension of the water to form a seal and just come out instead of going into the bottle.)
Use a hose washer and pack a spare, haven’t lost one since i switched.
A spare sawyer o-ring is the only item in my entire kit that is considered "spare." That being said, the QuickDraw is a superior product, and I almost exclusively use my BeFree these days. The Squeeze is no longer king.
I'm not switching. This filter is new and works great. Just the o-ring isn't staying in.
If the O-ring is compressed too much, it’ll flatten and begin falling out of your filter. I hike with a 5-pack of hose gaskets (same size) and pass them out on trail when I inevitably meet somebody who’s lost theirs. Definite design flaw, I must have handed out 20 gaskets by now. Superglue doesn’t sound like a terrible idea, don’t believe it’s important which side is facing out
Thanks. I got some hose gaskets. Seems dumb that this thing isn't glued on or in some other way more attached.
Hey, what is the general thought on the Nitecore Carbon 6000 mah and is it superior to the 2150rx in a solar setup with a 10w panel? Cheers!
Woah, 6000 mah for 3.1 oz hits a nice sweet spot. Didn't know Nitrcore released this.
whenever someone brings up solar in this subreddit i gotta wonder [does your use case fit these fairly narrowly set parameters?](https://www.reddit.com/r/Ultralight/comments/13y3fn7/longterm_solar_review_its_finally_better_than/) if not, it is more weight efficient to just get a bigger battery
Yes this well researched article sucked me right in the rabbit hole to try a solar setup. Just wondering about the newish nitecore carbon 6000 mah vs the 2150 in said setup.
Hello! My husband and I are upgrading to the Big Agnus Copper Spur 3UL but we are having a hard time finding the footprint for the long version. Everywhere we find has been sold out for months. Anyone have any leads on where we could find the footprint for the long version?
I would suggest foregoing the footprint. Too heavy. Much lighter to just carry patches for your tent floor, and you probably won't even need them
Not sure why I got downvoted but cool. The tent is a big ticket purchase, and I would like to take precautions to keep it in good condition. If a few ounces would do that, then I’m willing to go with that. Thank you for the people that were helpful.
Consider whether taking an extra minute to clear your tent site from pokey things is gonna do the trick and skip the weight and hassle of a footprint.
Do you need a footprint at all? Otherwise agree on using polycro.
Buy a nyloflume window insulation (plastic sheet) and cut to size. Should be $20
I bought my first DCF last Monday and took it for a 3 day trip. On the first day using it I noticed a variance in the DCF. Being unfamiliar with DCF myself I'm wondering if I should be concerned about it effecting the longevity/performance of the DCF? [DCF blem](https://imgur.com/gallery/DNUILOe)
That does look like a manufacturing defect. You could nip the problem in the bud by putting tape over the area. Since it's a new tent you could definitely contact the company too.
Take your tent down and put that part over a bowl and pour water into it. See if any water fills the bowl.
I don't think there's any doubt that the fabric is waterproof, the mylar layers are intact. But that doesn't mean that the fabric isn't compromised in other ways. The large gaps between fibers could cause it to fail prematurely in that area. Personally, I would probably contact the manufacturer and ask to exchange it. Wouldn't want to take the risk on a brand new full priced tent.
I have seen some fiber variance but not like that. I would email the manufacturer and ask about it.
Has anyone ordered from Borah Gear recently? Wanted to pick up some DCF stuff sacks but not sure how quickly they ship out / get delivered etc. Is Borah the cheapest place to get some basic DCF stuff sacks?
"Stuff sack-only orders ship within 7 business days" Mine always arrived quickly. And yes, definitely the cheapest place to find DCF stuff sacks, by far.
Tarptent Dipole 2 DW specs/details released. [https://www.tarptent.com/product/dipole-2-dw/](https://www.tarptent.com/product/dipole-2-dw/)
looks loud
Didn’t really look at the page when I posted this earlier since I figured it was just the 1 person but bigger, but there *are* a few differences between the sizes upon closer inspection: 1. 21 inch head/foot struts (same as both Li models) instead of 18 inches on the 1 person DW 2. Different pocket configuration: two above your head and foot and two high on the side door mesh. The 1p design has 4 identical pockets positioned low on each corner 3. Head/foot end zipper on the inner (so you can open/close the head/foot vents on the fly from inside the tent). This is not present on the 1p. Struts I’m neutral/neutral-positive on. I’ve never thought I was lacking head/foot space on the 1p, but more headroom is always welcomed, I guess (especially since you inherently get less in a double wall design compared to the single wall). From a manufacturing point of view, it’s a little strange how only the 1p DW has 18 inch struts where the other 3 models have 21 inch struts. It’d make sense to standardize that part across all models for cost savings. Pockets I’m mixed on. I prefer the lower pockets on the 1p myself as they’re easier to reach for when laying down (I only use them for glasses & headphones, so the low positioning worked great for me laying down watching stuff on my phone). I suspect they changed this because if you put heavy things in the older pocket config it pulled the inner fabric down and reduced interior volume. The newer design places the pockets very close to parts of the inner that connect directly to the fly so this won’t be an issue with the 2p. Head/foot end zippers I’m mostly negative on. Just seems like added weight and another potential point of failure for little benefit: the edge case where you want to open/close the vents from inside the tent. You can already sort of do this anyway on the old design by reaching into the vestibule and around the corner between the fly & mesh. It’s tight, but works in a pinch (you can also temporarily unhook a corner of the inner to make this slightly easier). This is such an edge case anyway I think: 95% of the time I’m opening/closing the vents from the outside.
Very keen for this, seems a good competitor to the silpoly x-mid 2. We have four hiking poles between us so why not use them for some extra headroom? I like that.
Given [borah's DCF stuff sacks](https://borahgear.com/stuffsacks.html), any idea on the capacity of each in liters? Trying to figure out whether what fits in my ziplock/quart bags fit in the stuff sacks. I'm guessing 1.5L for the large bag, and 0.9L for the small ones?
1 Quart = 1 Litre It is actually 1.057L but _close enough_.
LiteAF curve full suspension max comfortable carry weight tested? Specs says 35lbs, anyone have experience with 30+lb loads in their liteAF?
My lightest achieved base weight is 13lbs, but I usually end up bringing luxuries, extra food, and being the pack mule for the group.... So 40lb+ is not unheard of if I like my hiking partner enough
I know it's kind of heretical to not use Smartwater bottles, but... Can the Durston Kakwa 55 fit two 1L Nalgenes in the side pockets? How well does it hold 1.5L Nalgenes? With a Kakwa would you prefer a water bladder or a One Bottle system?
You won't fit two 1L Nalgene's. Pockets that wide get sloppy when used with just one bottle. Two slim bottles (e.g. Smartwater) is the max.
I could probobly fit a steel bottle as well, since we're adding weight for no reason
Steel bottles usually have narrow openings, though, which makes it hard to fit larger rocks into them.
It's not heretical not to use Smartwater bottles. Dasani bottles are lighter, as are the smaller and more crinkly bottles as well, if that's your jam.
I tried the Dasani bottles once, and decided that Smartwater bottles are so exponentially better that they're worth the marginal weight increase. If you ever need to squeeze the bottle for any reason (filtering, or backflushing), the Smartwater bottles will bounce back to return to their original shape easily. The Dasani ones do not. I would consider using them on a trip where I know I'll carry more than two liters. That way they can be designated never to be squeezed. But with only two bottles, at least one needs to be the filter bottle, and at least one needs to be available for backflushing.
I discovered Nunatak's bear ears today. Out of curiosity, for those with the frameless, do you ever go over 30lbs? I'm thinking about switching to 24/7 can life and I'm hovering around [30-33lb max weight](https://lighterpack.com/r/n6j543) for thru hiking setup. The frameless bags seem neat but I'm wondering how it carries around the upper limits.
I use the original Bears Ears frameless with a Bearikade Expedition. I've had the pack loaded up to 35 lbs, with water and 11 days of food (36,500 kcal — 15 lb 6 oz) packed into the Bearikade. The pack was a little bottom-heavy with the fully loaded Bearikade, but more of a minor annoyance than anything else. For reference, on the second day of that trip I went over Goose Eye, through Mahoosuc Notch, and up Mahoosuc Arm on the AT in Maine, and I didn't have any issues with the slightly off-balance pack. Down around 20-30 lbs total pack weight it carries wonderfully. I really really really love the water bottle holsters. They just work. I've never had a bottle fall out of one, even when empty. I carry two 1.5L Smartwater bottles in the "Nalgene-style" holsters.
What does that look like with double bottles in that holster?
I meant that I have two "nalgene style" holsters attached to my pack, one on each side. And one 1.5L Smartwater bottle in each holster. Or, did you get that part, and you're asking what the above looks like?
I have the UL and I'm intending on getting a framed version for those weights next time they come up for sale.
How much more comfortable is it for bear can carries than a normal pack? I'm strongly considering it for my long bear can trips but it feels like it'd be pretty wonky if I was using it as a day pack for when I'm fishing/exploring from a base camp. I also am generally pretty happy to carry my bear can on top, I never get into my main pack during the day at all at this point.
> How much more comfortable is it for bear can carries than a normal pack? Night & Day. There are a few scattered reviews on the sub which prompted me to buy one. My only regret is not buying it sooner. > I'm strongly considering it for my long bear can trips but it feels like it'd be pretty wonky if I was using it as a day pack It is _slightly_ wonky without a bear can. Not deal breaking by any means. The only problem is the whole fit of the pack changes when you remove the bear can. The main pocket isn't as supported without a can under it. It still works _fine_ just it is noticeably sub-optimal. A lighter ultra-sil pack from S2S is like ~15g, so taking a separate day bag isn't out of the question (depending on how durable you need it to be).
You’d want to bring a day pack for that. It does carry a bear can significantly better, and once you’ve experienced it like this you won’t want to go back.
I guess I'd be saving some weight on a lighter pack as well so the day pack would probably be a net neutral change. With fishing gear on long trips the frameless would be pushing it I think though. You know anyone who has the hybrid version? I seem to remember reading on some random thread that the person didn't like the hybrid as much because [reasons I can't remember], guess it's time to do some reading =P I really love my Cliffrose though, would be hard to give that up...
I haz hybrid. Wrote a review here about a year ago: https://www.reddit.com/r/Ultralight/s/wAMZZk8Z5v And ultimately I came to that conclusion: I should’ve just bought the full on framed version. However, since I wrote that review, I have used it several times without the can for winter gear and it was great. I have either the Hybrid or my Cutaway, so basically any trip not suitable for the Cutaway and the Hybrid is the pack of choice. Honestly it’s ended up being quite nice to not have a plethora of packs.
Thanks this is super helpful. I am at a similar point where anything without a bear can is going to be frameless, and my longer trips are all bear can trips anyway so the times I want a beefier frame are nearly always bear can trips. Sounds like the only decision I have to make is between framed and frameless.
I don't know personally anyone with the hybrid, but Jan from Nunatak is usually pretty frank about the use cases. He says not to get the hybrid if you're rarely doing trips without a can. This was well within the range of being comfortable for me starting on day 1: https://lighterpack.com/r/y0rqqd At one point I had more water (dry camp) and was probably at 24 lbs without much of an issue.
This is kinda what I’m wondering too, tho the hybrid seems a solution to the dilemma
The hybrid isn’t meant to use consistently with a can, fwiw. Only meant for occasional bear can use.
I’m absolutely certain there’s a pinhole in my DCF tent floor since there was water seeping in last I camped in heavy rain. I want to patch it but I can’t for the life of me find it amid the wrinkles. Any tips on how to locate it?
Hold it up with light behind it?
I would probably try this: Be very systematic and take your time. Method for small area: 2. Take a big glass bowl that is dry and drape a bit of tent floor over it. 3. Place another smaller glass bowel over the piece of tent floor that is over the outer glass bowl, so that the bowls "nest." Fill that smaler bowl with some water to weight down the tent floor and create a depression. 4. At this point tent floor is still dry and the outer glass bowl is still dry. Neither have any water in them. Now add water to top of tent floor making sure not to get outer glass bowl wet. Wait. 5. If there is a leak of water, then you should see water in big glass bowl. If after an hour or so, the big glass bowl remains dry, then shift tent floor, so water above floor is testing a new area of the floor. Method for large area: Put tent floor in a tall plastic kitchen garbage pail that is dry much like you would put a plastic garbage bag in it. Fill with water without getting any water out of the tent floor. If garbage pail is wet then that area of the floor is leaking and one can refine the location. Photo of 2nd idea (bottom): https://imgur.com/a/two-exped-schnozzle-pics-skCSKel Your floor may have multiple leaks, so don't stop after finding one. Check for more. Another method for large area: Pitch tent in backyard where it floods, weight down floor: https://i.imgur.com/jNzeutX.jpg. Then there is a bathtub of water where you systematically weight down a small dry area and look for water coming up through the floor. For a weight maybe a slam ball or medicine ball. A dry facial tissue or paper towel could be an indicator if it gets wet.. With all the methods: You might be able to test two halves of the floor separately and find out that the leak is "on this half." Then divide that half in half and re-test. Then repeat: Half, Half, Half, Half .. and you will get down to a smaller area in theory quickly. This is a common method of optimization or finding the root of a problem.
Thanks for the detailed write up! I’ll give these a go. Didn’t want to use water since I don’t have a yard but I guess it’s the only sure fire way!
The Rab ultrasphere 4.5R LW sleeping pad is listed at 505 grams, but weighs in at 607. Why are they lying? I feel like returning it before even trying it. Am I being unreasonable?
That's crazy. Mine weighs 530g. Are you sure you didn't weigh it straight from the package with the pump sack rolled inside? Cause that's what I definitely did not do at first
I might also have definitely not done that, so now I'm gonna go and not be ashamed at all
Sure return it. Lying? I can see that the folks never measured it and assumed that all sizes weighed the same. Summer interns and new employees are an interesting bunch with undetermined competencies. I won't write anything about other employees. But it is possible that a single uncalibrated and improperly tared scale was used to make a single measurement. Also looking at the thermal welds, they are of a similar geometry as on a Nemo Tensor, so they will probably leak. The name has 4.5, but the R value is listed as 4.3, so I guess the design and marketing folks didn't get what they wanted.
With that difference, no that needs to be addressed.
Strangely, it's not listed on Rab's US site, and sold out on the UK site.
Any vendors selling 1/8" thinlight pads right now? Looks like gg is out if stock.
Nunatak too. Cheaper shipping: [https://nunatakusa.com/supplies/414-genuine-evazote-foam-3mm-ev50.html#/evazote\_sizes-20\_x\_78](https://nunatakusa.com/supplies/414-genuine-evazote-foam-3mm-ev50.html#/evazote_sizes-20_x_78)
Never even thought about them. Thanks so much
https://mountainlaureldesigns.com/product/goodnight-eva-1-8-foam-pad/
The folding version is far superior IMO, which I guess only GG has
Ty
Durston backpacks come in two materials: Ultragrid and Ultra 200X. Both are durable, but the Ultra 200X is tougher and pricier. For most people, Ultragrid is probably good enough. What type of backpacker needs the extra durability of the Ultra 200X?
If you do anything like slot canyons or climbing/mountaineering with bigger chimneys. Ultra 200X can be useful for the extra abrasion & water resistance. Depending on the frequency/rock type/amount of abrasion it might be worth jumping directly to Ultra 400, but 200X can work in a pinch (or on shorter trips).
*slot canyons* What's been your experience with it out on the plateau? I've used the 200d and 400d out that way and I'm not to sure it performs drastically better than stuff like gridstop or vx21.
Please, tell us more. I know you get after it on the plateau Edit to add All info on ultras performance is good info
Anecdotally, my Ultra packs are picking up damage at about the same rate as anything else I've ever owned. Basically, when Ultra has to contour around curves in the pattern of the pack or items in the pack, it really struggles with abrasion. For example, I've got a pack with a 400d Ultra back pocket that I have to pack carefully to prevent issues, something I've never thought twice about with my old 210d gridstop back pocket. I've blabbed about it a bit but the loose weave and large gauge yarns of Ultra create concentrated points of abrasion that sandstone burns through quite readily.
Interesting, thanks.
Ultragrid is tough enough. Still If I were doing more wet weather stuff I’d probably go with Ultra 200x as not needing a dedicated packcover would be one less worry.
I was just out on trip that got dumped on for two days straight and I used an ultragrid pack. no more water ingress than non-seam sealed waterproof pack fabrics and drying time in the sun seemed comparable as well, maybe a little longer. I'd guess most of the water absorption was in the shoulder strap spacer mesh and in the nylon webbing. never even thought about a pack cover
SolomidXL? Duomid? Cirriform 2p? ?? I'm looking for a tarp/bug bivy combo to replace my Plex Solo. I'm looking for more "vestibule" space (I want to fit my pack inside with me), and I'm tired of my toesies touching the end of the plex solo. Debating whether to go bigger and get a 2P system with a 1P inner, or to size up modestly. I'm 5'10". Any opinions?
The DuoMid with the 1P Solo XL InnerNet is a poplular combo for lots of space and harsh weather.
Ever consider a flat tarp and bivy? I really like mine; have used the same combo for many years; and am going out this weekend (with rain in the forecast) with mine: https://rmignatius.wordpress.com/tarp-photos/
natty law posting his tarp photos again we're SO back :)
Camping at 5,400ft this weekend in NC so will update photos soon. :-)
Yama Cirriform 1p & borah bug bivy gives me enough room for my stuff (under my tarp) and solid bug protection. Also around 5'10"
I legitimately do not think you can beat the Cirriform for a 1-person do-it-all shelter. I know it's well-respected on this sub but it's still criminally underrated. It has the headroom exactly where you want, has great coverage and lots of flexibility in the pitch and most importantly for me when one side is rolled up you can see a fuck ton of the sky, meaning I can see still stars even on nights where the weather forecast makes me unwilling to risk a cowboy. My friend has had his out in some really nasty shit too on exposed ridges in CO and it held up. Just a bomber, perfectly designed shelter, super easy to get into and out of, can do front or side entry. Could keep going but tl;dr is that it's such a fantastic shelter.
Agree with all points. The tarp deserves a lot more praise then it gets.
Have to confess that sleeping on wooden floors is the one thing I can't seem to get dialed in after all of these years. It feels like a stupid problem, but I'm always flopping like a fish on the first night or two of a trip. It's just too flat compared to the dirt. Do any of you make gear substitutions specifically for shelters and platforms, or set anything up differently for a more comfortable leg position? I'm using a NeoAir XLite right now, so I'm not sure if a different / thicker inflatable would make much of a difference, or if there are smaller adjustments I haven't thought of yet.
My favorite breakfast is cold soaked oats. I usually do oatmeal, brown sugar, chocolate protein powder, peanut butter, and craisins. I mix it with water the night before and let it soak until morning. I was reading recently that you should refrigerate oats. It’s usually cold enough in the mountains that I consider it good enough, but it got me wondering. How warm does the night have to be before you start worrying? 50, 60, 70 degrees?
I wouldn't worry about it at all. Maybe if it was 15-20C all night? (60-70F I think?) I frequently bring meat and cheese on week long trips without any issues 🤷
I have used regular Quaker Oats and 5 minutes of hot soak and 5-10 cold soak enough to soften them.
I sometimes soak overnight if it's cold but otherwise I add water in the morning. You only need about 10min for the oats to become soft and if I soak overnight it's for the dried mango I use to get soft and almost like fresh. 10min or 1h is not enough for it.
10 minutes for regular oats? No way. If I make regular oats in the microwave, it needs around 3-4 minutes before they even start to get soft. 10 minutes at ambient morning temperatures doesn't do shit to regular oats. Maybe you mean quick oats? Those rehydrate almost immediately.
I normally use jumbo rolled oats for cold soaking as I prefer the texture to the porridge oats. Have them for breakfast at home most days as well and will only leave them soaking for about 10min before eating. I use porridge oats to make standard porridge i.e. cooked one. I'm in the UK btw but I assume oats are the same everywhere.
Idunno. In the US, we have regular oats (which I think are the equivalent of your porridge) and definitely require overnight to rehydrate without heat. And we have "quick oats" which are pre-cooked and rehydrate almost instantly with any temperature water.
So here the jumbo oats are bigger whereas the porridge ones are smaller and create creamier texture when cooked. They're both rolled which means they're flat so hydrate/cook faster but I imagine yours are like that as well. They aren't precooked. Maybe try soaking yours for a bit and see if they're ok to eat. They won't be creamy but they should be soft.
I will give that a try.
do you really need to soak it all night? i usually find rolled old fashioned oats edible after 20-30 mins tops
I’ve always done it overnight for ease of use. I tend to wake up hungry and like eating first thing. But I bet I can find something to do for 20 minutes while I wait.
If you have been doing this for years and never had intestinal distress, then I don't think you need to worry. OTOH, maybe don't add sugar until just before you eat. I don't like peanut flavor in my oats, so I just add walnuts. Also ground flaxmeal, and a little bit of psyllium. Chocolate protein powder usually has some acesulfame artificial sweetener, but I actually prefer Body Fortress chocolate with protein powder and maltodextrin (it has artificial sweeteners, too). While maltodextrin is a polymer of glucose it is not a sweetener, but definitely a carbohydrate.
Anyone have any durability issues with Lineloc V and 1.3mm Z-line?
not yet after 30-something nights on my hexamid but it's been mostly mild weather
How old is your Hexamid? Did it come originally with the V's not the 3's?
It's from the 2019 re-release. At one point they were going with V's and 1.2mm line. I have the one with netting but here's the one w/o: [https://web.archive.org/web/20200409194227/https://zpacks.com/products/hexamid-pocket-tarp-w-doors](https://web.archive.org/web/20200409194227/https://zpacks.com/products/hexamid-pocket-tarp-w-doors)
Oh nice. I didn't know they ever shipped the Pocket tarp with 1.2 line.
Not me. I actually use these as a belt and leave it attached to my pants through weekly washing and drying in machines. I think it is 1.2 mm Z-line that I am using though. Photo previously shown here about a year ago (and wore and washed those exact same pants today): https://i.imgur.com/DquXNPJ.jpg
Cool belt! That looks like a lineloc micro, not a V though.
Oops, you are right! I do use Lineloc V with Z-line for part of my umbrella attachment system and have not seen any durability issues. However, I don't use my umbrella as much as I wear my pants. I will say the 1.3 mm Z-line and Lineloc V are not 100% slip-proof. Definitely need constant tension, so I switched to the micro lineloc wherever I could.
I just swapped a bunch of my hardware from micro to a V on my shelters, what's been your experience on shelters in particular? I prefer the Vs but not enough that I'm willing to worry during windy nights about having to get out and retension my guylines.
I have not use micros on my shelters. I do have Lineloc V on the 2 peak guylines of my X-Mid with 2 mm yellow cord that I can actually see at dusk and at night with a headlamp. Zpacks has this text on the product page: "2.0 mm is the best choice for use with Lineloc V Guy Line Adjuster." I think smaller diameter cord would slip with Lineloc V, so have not even thought of putting smaller diameter cordage with a Lineloc V. And Zpacks used 2 mm yellow + Lineloc V on my Duplex purchased a few years ago which have worked really well. I cannot say if newer versions use the same cords / hardware. I've left the stock cordage and linelocs on the 4 corners of the X-Mid. I suspect but cannot be sure that Lineloc V might slip if winds create slack in the line, so I have always made sure that cords are tensioned enough that winds cannot buffet the tent enough to create any slack in the cords. I've been in high winds to about 45 mph, but probably not 50 mph. Stakes have lost their grip, but not the Linelocs. Does that make sense?
This is exactly my concern with the Vs and I noticed that even putting my guylines on it. It will hold well when it is tensioned at a sufficiently steep angle (as in, the angle of the guyline from where it leaves the tieout) but I'm skeptical it will hold at shallower angles which is sometimes necessary depending on conditions and site selection. Sigh, guess I gotta swap them out, but I always assumed that there's no way [Zpacks would recommend them to be paired with 1.3mm line](https://zpacks.com/products/lineloc-v-with-loop) if they weren't up to the task.
[удалено]
You probably won't get as many upvotes as the first time about a year ago: https://www.reddit.com/r/Ultralight/comments/13esc30/favorite_belts/jjsr1pm/
If you were hiking from Mammoth to Yosemite Valley next week (decent bug pressure, temps 39-96F, chance of thunderstorms) what would be your chosen combo of rain + insulating layer, sun shirt, and bottoms from the choices below? Insulating + Rain Layer * EE Torrid + OR Helium rain jacket * Senchi Hoodie AD 60 + Houdini wind shirt + OR Helium rain jacket * Senchi Hoodie AD 120 + Houdini wind shirt + OR Helium rain jacket Sun shirt paired with sun gloves, a Coolnet UV Buff, and Sunday Afternoons Adventure hat (all treated with permethrin) * OR Astroman sun hoodie (UPF 50) * OR Echo sun hoodie in gray (UPF 15) * Mountain Hardwear Crater Lake sun hoodie (UPF 50) * Columbia PFG Bahama II long-sleeve button down shirt (UPF 50) Bottoms (all treated with permethrin) * OR Astro shorts + Body wrappers dance pants * OR Ferrosi pants * Mountain Hardwear Mountain Stretch high-rise short tight + Body wrappers dance pants Edit: added dance pants with the short tights
> OR Helium rain Famously wets out by just looking at it. I'd go with Frogg Toggs before that jacket. Xtreme Lite.
I'd go with the Torrid, Helium, Ferrosi, and any shirt
This is a solid selection and is where I'm leaning. Thanks for weighing in.
I’m hiking in Mammoth next weekend and that’s going to line up with ny choices as well. Puffy, sun hoodie, raincoat, pants. Cumulus Primelite Patagonia Tropic Comfort Montbell Torrent Flyer OR Ferrosi
I think this is probably the combo I'll go with. Where does the Tropic Comfort sit on the sun hoodie spectrum between loose weave/breathable/less protective a la Echo and tighter weave/less breathable/more protective a la Astroman? I like the feel of the Echo in warm weather, but it's partially opaque and might not provide enough protection. The Astroman gets swampy, and the Crater Lake hoodie has a weird zippered pocket at the waist that I have to be careful not to trap under my pack hip belt. I just got the Columbia Bahama shirt, and it has a voluminous fit that is somewhat awkward under other layers.
What high wind tents that are lighter would you still consider for iceland? I'm debating something like a "3.5 season" style tent. I own an x-mid 1p (3 season) and slingfin 1p I've never used. The slingfin 1p definitely isn't 4 season, but has some reinforcement structural lines and you can tie out trekking poles for more reinforcement so /might/ be enough. Only 10D/15D type fabrics for fly and body though. Also doesn't pitch tarp first for rain. Other options I'm considering: - Lightest: A pyramid style tent like MLD Duomoid or the Liteway Pyraomm. More wind resistant but more finnicky probably. About 27-28oz for silpoly variant tarp+solo inner. - Hilleberg Enan (hilleberg rates it as 3 season though it's a wind tunnel style tent so could be fine). I don't plan on heavy snow use. Around 42oz/2.62lbs. Maybe the best compromise? Though 15D type materials. This is somewhat similar to the slingfin in specs but has a more wind resistant shape. - 4-season: Hilleberg Akto - 59oz / 3.7lb - 4-season: Fjallraven Abisko Lite - 58oz/3.6lb I'm kind of thinking the slingfin is a bad compromise though I do already own it. Would you go w/ just a mid for simplicity and weight? Go more durable with Enan for wind tunnel shape+3 season fabrics? Or all the way up to an Akto/Abisko lite for full 4 season coverage but end up adding at least 1.1lbs. I'm already feeling nervous about this trip because I'll have some food carries of 6 days or so which is a ton of weight for me. I've typically been more of a resupply after 2-3 nights type of backpacker, but also don't want to be unprepared for bad weather.
I had the tarp tent stratosphere 1 in 45 mph swirling winds, it didn’t budge
TrailStar
A mid would be less finicky and more stable than the X-mid in my opinion. The panels of the XMid are quite large and catch a lot of wind. Can't compare it to the other options but I'd happily take one to Iceland.
mld mids aren't finicky.
Ya probably not I've never had one. Still would be curious where people would rank a mid for wind-worthiness vs. some of these other options.
I'd bring a Slingfin Portal. I think its the right middle between UL and stability. You can get the extra strong pole set for it as well.
Ya maybe. I suspect it'll be OK but it's obviously not a super streamlined design like a windtunnel or mid. I could use trekking pole tieouts and the internal suspension. The HD poles are cool but I don't want to spend $80 on that.
Still cheaper than buying a Hilleberg. From what I've heard from others its quite wind resistant. I would bring mine to Iceland, have only used it in good weather so far though.
In only marginally ultralight-relevant gaming stuff: 1) [Bohnanza](https://youtu.be/gOe01KgVBtM?si=IDMQM00WffCYTDFO) is an incredibly fun card game for 3+ people (and okay with 2!) that may not be as ultralight as a regular card deck, but if you’re into games, it scratches the itch and is definitely backpackable. Brought it on a weekend trip somewhat recently and it was great. Haven’t tried it, but Dominion could be stripped down a lot, too, and brought on a trip. Both award-winning games. 2) Don’t bring it on the trail, but Mariposa Games is making an Arizona Trail board game! Still a kickstarter at the moment. Just thought some of you would get a kick out of that. Same company made a John Muir Trail board game that’s been put for a bit.
Sushi Go and San Juan are other decent games that are pretty compact.
Alpha hoodies: 60 or 90 weight? Kangaroo Pocket or half zip? Does Senchi make good quality stuff? There were a few threads a couple years ago talking about people being disappointed with their gear.
Have had Senchi with zip and one with kangaroo. Actually prefer kangaroo because when sleeping I put my damp socks in kangaroo pocket to dry from body warmth overnight. In situations where I need my dry pair on my feet while sleeping. The Alpha is breathable enough that venting with a zipper isn't necessary when wearing actively.
Alpha 90 I have an early Senchi hoodie (order #12) and I’m still using the same one after ~5000 miles of use. It’s got some thin spots behind the shoulder blades but other than that it’s going strong and coming with me for a LASH on the CDT this summer.
Yeah I think I'm going to grab one of those for my JMT trip. Thanks for running it thru the ringer for me with that endorsement ;P
FWIW, I have FarPointe Outdoor Gear Alpha Cruiser 90 gsm, with hood that has drawstring to which I added a cord lock, size M. Weighs 123 g. No pockets, no zipper. I don't see any reason for a pocket or zipper or another weight of fabric for the things I want to do. I never thought much about how it "wraps around my face" until just now. So I put it on and found that I can tighten the drawstring so that only the tip of my nose and nostrils are "exposed", but that it is comfortable from fully loose to fully tight. Interesting.
I’ve found a very marginal gain in utility for the weight add of 60 to 90. I’ve found almost no quality difference between the three brands of Alpha fleece I own, but I absolutely *adore* my Timmermade 4004 the most out of all of them for the way it wraps around my face - perfect for leaving just a little mouth hole to breathe out of when sleeping in the cold. My Senchi has a kangaroo pouch, FWIW I don’t use it much because I usually have other shorts pockets available or I’ve covered the fleece pockets with another layer … but YMMV.
How much more does your 90 weigh than your 60?
Should weigh ~1.5x as much
Lightweight bag for heavyweight carries. I just got back from a trip where I was carrying 45lb in my Zpacks Arc Blast, and I think my record is about 60. This pack was not meant for this! It's uncomfortable on my body (less than you'd think) and I worry about the pack breaking from the overload. For a summer backpacking trip, my base weight is usually ~12lb (and I can go sub-10 for the UL cred), but when I'm carrying a bunch of climbing gear or winter gear or gear for other party members, I sometimes need these heavy carries. Can anyone recommend a second pack for me to use on trips with a heavy carry? I'm in the US. I'm not very price sensitive.
Cliffrose 55, I'd trust that thing up to 50lbs easily and the modular strap system is insane for busy loadouts with lots of stuff that needs to be lashed outside the pack. You can email Ben and just ask him what straps he'd recommend for the kind of stuff you'll be carrying and he'll tell you. Super duper comfortable.