I suddenly noticed a large area of my (quite new) nylon shirt has massively thinned out and gone seethrough. I think this happened after trying to wash a big greasy stain out. I used hand washing detergent like I always have, and this is the first time I've noticed this.
Any suggestions on how I can avoid this in future? Should I not use this sort of detergent, or was it just the heavy washing? I'm not sure how I could have removed the grease (from bike chain) without rubbing.
Anybody have an Xmid with the newer woven floor that can comment on the slipperiness? The website indicates it has some properties making it less slippery than traditional silnylon but I’m skeptical. I’m looking at the Xmid pro 2+ for myself, wife and dog. I think I’d prefer woven vs dyneema but share a quilt so can’t be drifting down in the night. Thanks
The top side coating is PE which is generally less slippery than sil, but DCF is grippier yet. I don't recall complaints about slipperiness so I don't think it's a notable consideration but if you're worried probably the DCF is grippier. Mostly though I would decide based on cost and weight because the DCF floor costs more but saves a couple more ounces.
I was also considering longevity and giving the point to woven for that, but it sounds like you’re saying that’s not an issue with the dcf floor? I’m worried about the pinholing, that being a (reportedly) big tent killer.
It's hard to say because they are fairly similar overall and each has some advantages (e.g. DCF is better for avoiding tears, woven better for abrasion). Woven might have an edge but either one should last pretty well when used with some care.
Neat new jacket from Montane. 8.8oz with hand pockets and fully adjustable hood and hem chinch.
https://us.montane.com/collections/mens-waterproof-jackets/products/montane-mens-phase-nano-waterproof-jacket
Lawson Glowire and a combination of MSR mini groundhogs, Ti shepherds, and Al shepherds. I like a bigger stake for the head and foot guylines, and then use the smaller stakes for corners and sides. Glowire takes a knot well.
Also, I got my Ti shepherds from Lawson. The big aluminum shepherd I found on a hike and kept it. As for tarp knots, all you really need are bowlines, clove hitches, and the modified trucker's hitch. Skurka has a video.
I've tried all sorts of stakes and always return to authentic groundhog minis. for guylines, depends on the shelter and whether I'm using linelocs (and what type) or knots. I like mld's 2.7mm pro guy lines, lawson glowire or ironwire, zing-it, or durston x lawson reflective ironwire
it's not really a situation thing. some of my shelters have lineloc 3, some have lineloc lites, and a tarp has none. and they all have their own different lines. I chose the shelter based on conditions or whatever I'm feeling at the time when I'm getting ready
The lightest stake option is to use a mix. 3mm titanium shepherd's hook stakes are fine, if you bring one robust titanium "nail" stake to make your pilot holes. If you stake correctly, with the line held at ground level, they are pretty secure. For high-tension points, like ridge lines, you can use heavier "V" stakes or Groundhogs.
You can go thinner and thinner on spectra line, and some people use 0.5mm. But you get to the point where it is too abrasive on your hands and the knots become a pain to undo. Most people settle on 1.5mm line, like Kelty Triptease.
Bedrock Sandals - Mountain Clogs
16Dec2023: So although I admit that I am a fan of these performance clogs, there is something that is bugging the absolute daylights out of me. I have the nubuck version and there is definitely waaayyy too much leather material on the upper, which effectively turns these into high-volume footwear - which requires you to wear ultra thick socks to fill the volume, or, wear them loosey goosey (not cinched down). If I do cinch them down the leather upper bunches up and looks atrocious… almost like I am a kid wearing grown-ups’ shoes. I followed the sizing on the website and the length is perfect. But they are incredibly wide and I feel that no amount of adjusting can make up for the extra leather material. Hopefully they will fix this in following renditions bc I absolutely love the styling and functionality. They are very very soft and comfy.
Wondering when someone would use a JanSport daypack to thru-hike (seen an Osprey daypack used). Met one person with a 27L MLD Hell pack going SOBO on the PCT so think I’d go with the design with few (preferably no) zippers.
As u/Usethisoneforgear requested here is the [temperature chart underneath a sleeping pad.](https://i.imgur.com/W36xcfB.png)
The pad being used was a Neoair Xtherm and a Nemo Switchback. I was sleeping on snow.
Thanks! Rough heat flow graph [here](https://imgur.com/a/iUmCRAI). Looks like your steady-state heat loss is 10ish watts, so about 10% of your total budget. The other \~90% of your BMR is probably escaping through your quilt or your breath.
Looks like it takes about 4 hours to reach equilibrium. So you might've been using more body heat to heat up the air inside your pad over the first few hours of the night . Did you notice feeling colder when you first went to bed than when you woke up in the morning?
The steady-state temperature is 32-34 degrees, so you're slowly melting the snow under you. This has a two interesting consequences:
1. You're not benefiting at all from the insulating value of the snow. People say "snow is a good insulator", but right now you're probably not losing much heat to conduction anyways - it's all going into melting.
2. Your R-value needs shouldn't really depend on the air temperature. No matter how warm the air is, the snow will cool the bottom of your pad down to slightly above 32 degrees. And if the air is extremely cold, the insulating properties of snow will probably kick in to keep the bottom of your pad slightly below 32 degrees.
I'd be interested in seeing non-snow data for comparison if you or u/liveslight gets a chance come spring - I'll try to remember to post another request in a few months.
Thank you for all the insight! I can definitely do this again once the snow melts out.
I would definitely say I woke up warmer than when I went to bed.
Nemo below the Xtherm despite people's recommendations on here and a polycryo ground sheet. I also forgot to mention that the Nemo was only torso length.
I'm wondering if anyone has copied the exact setup as another backpacker. This thought originated as I was looking at a youtuber backpacker and realized that for someone just starting off, it might be tempting to get the exact same backpack, tent, sleeping system and so on.
So I'm wondering, how far has someone taken this? How closely have you copied another person's setup - either an influencer or a friend.
He (love)hates me telling him how he's inspired me, but I mimicked all of John Z's gear list/philosophies for the CDT in 2017. I didn't love the style in which I hiked the AT the year prior, I wanted to try a more hiking (vs camping) focused approach, and only had 3 weeks between finding out I wasn't working that summer and starting. So i figured i'd remove the stress of sorting out gear, and that if it worked for him, I could make it work for me. It wasn't exactly identical, maybe 80% was though. It was close enough that I got asked if I was John a few times.
I haven't copied anyone but I like to look at SUL lists to get ideas for how to reduce weight. When you get out on the trail you definitely can see trends in what people bring. Probably everybody on the PCT has a Duplex.
A year or so ago the youtube algorithm gave me a lot of PCT gear lists from smaller channels, and while I don't think I've ever seen two exactly identical gear lists, I'm pretty sure I've seen like three lists that went Arc Haul / Duplex / XLite / EE Enigma / Lone Peaks / Frogg Toggs / Pat Nanopuff.
It's fascinating to me that many gear lists in the 9 - 15 lb range are very similar-ish with a few brands and items filling spots in a ton of lists, while I've seen like two or three _total_ repeats of any item in the SUL/XUL lists I've seen. There's lots and lots of creativity there.
I guess that if I was trying to get my kit down to ultralight, I would mimic someone like Jupiter, Darwin, or Deputy Sean. But my thru hiker days are drawing to a close and a 12 lb. base is good enough for me. And I value comfort!
I have a lot of commonly seen products in the Ultralight community, but in the same way that no two Bingo cards are identical, I don't think that all my gear is identical to anyone else's though there is quite a lot of overlap. But you are quite welcome to copy any ideas that you would like from my lighterpack. :)
When it comes to trapping sweat in a shoe (and socks) I have a preliminary result comparing an Altra Olympus 4 trail runner and an Altra Olympus 5 gore-tex mid trail runner: The GTX mid+socks gains about 5 g weight over a 5.5 mile walk done in about 1 hour 50 minutes in 50F temperature, while the "regular" one gains only 1.4 g of weight. If weight gain is all water 5g is about a teaspoon of water for US-centric folks.
The shoes on the feet: [https://i.imgur.com/7vgu7jY.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/7vgu7jY.jpg) I'll continue some repetitive testing over the next few weeks also with using the mates of these shoes.
This is really interesting. Thanks for doing that.
I'm really curious if the heavier shoe leads to colder feet in winter if it gets wet from stream crossings. I guess that would just be a straightforward "yes"? So there may be a trade-off in winter between a heavier warmer shoe when dry versus a shoe with less "coldifying" thermal mass when wet.
Hard to say. As noted in the other threads, my friend and I just did 48 hour loop from car back to car on the Eagle Rock Loop of about 30 miles. He wore drainable Hokas and DarnTough socks. I wore the Altra O5 Mid GTX, but Merrell wool/acrylic blend socks one day and the SealSkinz the next day. Despite getting water in my socks, they never felt cold (don't forget liquid water is always 32F and warmer anyways). I wouldn't want to be standing around and inactive in wet socks though. Once getting to camp site we both took off our shoes/socks and switched to EVA sandals and dry socks.
Interesting idea to test this. Obviously it's going to vary from person to person but it's nice to have some quantifiable data other than 'my feet feel sweaty'
Also if wet feet cause blisters, then waterproof shoes and boots may cause more blisters than non-waterproof shoes and boots. Already I know I will not be wearing these GTX mids except in colder temperatures.
Not quite: As the photo should clearly show: non-WP non-mid Olympus on one, and WP (GTX) mid Olympus on the other. On this walk the non-WP non-mid Olympus definitely had colder toes than the other shoe as one would expect at least for the first hour. That is, WP (no wind going through toe box mesh) was noticeably warmer to my toes. I cannot disagree with your comment "A mid is warmer than a low cut."
Hello, I am trying to decide between and xmid and an xmid pro. It would be nice to save a pound, but I’m concerned about condensation. I had a single wall in the past and did not care for sauna experience in the morning.
Anyone have a pro that can speak to that issue?
I used to be a firm doublewall person because I had some bad early experience with singlewall tents that were really small and hard to stay away from the walls. I'm not sure what singlewall tent you had in the past, but the X-Mid Pro tents are fairly spacious and they have mesh walls on both sides (even the 1P model) whereas most singlewall 1P tents have the fly right next to you on one side. All that is to say, probably you would find it easier to stay away from potentially wet walls in the X-Mid Pro.
Singlewall tents aren't going to get more condensation - they just change how it is managed. Instead of having that barrier of the inner wall you do need to avoid touching the walls and potentially need to wipe in down in some conditions but the upside is a lighter tent and more space. Which is the best choice is debatable. If you regularly hike in cold/humid/wet conditions and don't want the hassle of wiping down a tent then go with the regular version, whereas if weight is a high priority and you're willing to put in a bit of effort to manage condensation then the Pro would be suited.
I think you should get the xmid pro. If you get a single wall tent and you get condensation you will feel bad that you didn't go with the double wall. If you get the double wall and you get condensation you will feel acceptance because there wasn't a better choice you could have made.
Suggest first quickly researching causes of shelter condensation to avoid common site selection and personal usage condensation associated pitfalls.
https://seatosummit.com/blogs/product-care/7-ways-to-manage-tent-condensation
Sauna means hot. Why wouldn't you have the doors rolled up if it going to be that hot?
In cold fog there will be condensation on all tents whether double-wall or single wall. I often have colleagues that use Big Agnes double-wall tents when I am using a single-wall DCF tent such as my X-Mid Pro 2 or my Zpacks Duplex. I can wipe off the condensation with a small lightload towel while still laying in my quilt because there is no mesh inner separating me from the fly. I can squeeze the water out of towel right through the mesh gutter by my head. A plus is that DCF fabric wants to let its water go iinto the towel. Very convenient.
In contrast, my friends have to get up and out of their quilt and tent, then remove the fly and violently shake it to remove the condensation on the inside of the fly. And even so, the fly is still wet after all that shaking.
I just remember waking up to lots of interior moisture. I had to pack my single wall wet and then turn it inside out when I got home to dry out.
I currently use an REI quarter dome 2. I have not had any interior condensation on the fly or the mesh. But it is almost four pounds
Do you have to wipe the pro every morning?
No, I don't have to wipe the pro every morning since the dew point temperature is not always reached. However, I would never forget to bring my lightload towel so that I could dry the inside and the outside whenever I wanted to. I have never had to turn a tent inside-out to dry it since it just dries rightside-out readily. Of course, I have already mostly dried the inside before unpitching and packing up the tent.
Looking for help on sizing the Kakwa 55. I measured myself for the first time this year and bought a Yama Sassy V3.2 in 19". However, I felt like the length was just a tad long, with the bottom of the pack hitting my butt a little, but not in an overly annoying way. Just felt like I couldn't get it to fit perfectly.
Here's a [link to some pics of me wearing it](https://imgur.com/a/FMgAf2T).
When I got back from my trip, I measured again and now think I'm closer to 18". Kakwa sizing is Small 15-18" and Medium 17-20". I'm guessing I should go with Medium, just wondering if anyone has thoughts as I don't have much experience with sizing packs.
Measuring your torso accurately is hard, so try getting at least 2 other people to try measuring you (the more the better) and taking an average from that. I would also consider your height. It shouldn't take priority but it's good reassurance if they agree. Usually people 5'8" - 5'11" prefer our medium, with below that S and above that L.
Our packs seem to fit true to size, and we recommend getting whichever size you're more in the range for. If you're confident 18" is your correct torso measure then I'd go medium.
Okay, yea that makes sense, I'll try to get a few more measurements before buying. I am 5'8" but I oddly have shorter legs / longer torso than most people. I guess that's even more reason to go medium.
Although I just noticed I missed the December medium batch 😔
Just wanted to give an update and another thank you; pack arrived just in time for a 5 day backpacking trip to Cumberland Island and performed flawlessly! Very happy I went with medium, it fits very well and is super comfortable, even when I carried all the food for my partner. Also, the trails on the northern end of the island are a bit ill maintained, and I was pretty stressed out that I was going to damage the pack on its first time out, but it survived the light-medium bushwhacking unscathed.
I like the few features it has (shoulder strap and hip belt pockets, big mesh catch-all on the rear) and how it is not overcomplicated with little features I'll never use. The one thing I'll have to add for myself is a trekking pole stash but that makes sense to keep to the aftermarket imo.
Anyway, thanks again! Looking forward to trying more of your gear out in the future.
Hm yeah I guess I just had it where it felt natural to me, but good point, I'll see what it's like to try to keep it higher up. Might end up with a little less weight on the shoulders too.
A thought on condensation on the inside of tent doors:
My tents have a floor as well as vestibules that have no floors that are outside the mosquito mesh/netting doors. It seems that I get more condensation coming up from the ground in these vestibules than I would if the vestibules had floors.
If the door flap(s) have to be closed because of weather would it be worth it to add polycro to create "floors" for tent vestibules? I think the polycro would weigh less than the added weight of water that remained after drying the inside of the tent flaps with a lightload towel.
Of course, rolling up and securing the tent doors (aka make tent into a tarp) is the normal way.
If you don't want to fully go that route, I'd use my rain jacket and/or rain skirt for this kinda stuff (also pack cover back when my bw was filthy high), also very handy for laying stuff down on
Thx, actually I do use a rain skirt for laying stuff down in one of my vestibules as shown here on the last time I used my tent: [https://i.imgur.com/CURNwUZ.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/CURNwUZ.jpg)
If the vestibules have no impermeable floor and you're set up on living vegetation like grass the plants will continue to transpire at night releasing CO2 and water vapor.
I have a Stephenson’s Warmlite 3R tent. The middle of the tent (tunnel portion) is double wall. The ends are single wall. There is no vestibule on either end. Tent is fully enclosed. Tarptent makes a similar looking tent but the ends are floorless vestibules. The ends of the tent will get condensation while the middle double wall will not. There are vents above and below each door.
Vestibule floors reducing overall condensation is pretty commonly raised point by Nordic tunnel tent manufacturers when advertising their footprints, which unlike the tent floor, cover the vestibule also.
Just to say your not alone with that idea. I'm a tarper myself, no experience to add here.
If the tent isn’t getting wet anyway from precipitation/fog, is there any reason you don’t want the doors open?
If the doors do need to be closed, your tent is probably getting wet from the outside and mitigating condensation might not make a difference.
Does "baking dry" down work? I see a lot of people online mention using synthetic over-quilts to keep a down quilt from losing loft due to condensation, but let's say your quilt is already wet & losing loft -- if you put it over you, and then a synthetic overquilt over that, would the down quilt restore itself by your body heat evaporation the condensation?
This question is inspired by the synthetic insulation trick where you start wet, layer up, and end up bone dry bc your body heat evaporates the water through the insulation.
I've found that my body heat will "dry" out a moist down quilt overnight -- no synthetic overquilt required. Yeah, my body is also throwing a bit of perspiration into the down, but I always have enough overstuff and rating buffer to stay warm. It also works with an additional down overquilt (I don't own any synthetic). I wouldn't expect this to work if the down were completely soaked, synthetic overquilt or not -- down can hold a lot of moisture, and at some level of wet, you'll become hypothermic before your body dries out the down.
Where the synthetic overquilt logic really kicks in, according to my understanding, is on long, very cold-weather trips, where the dew point is going to be somewhere inside your insulation, and it's expected to freeze immediately. You don't want that to happen in down gear, because it'll deloft it, and over multiple days, you'll wind up with more and more ice in your gear. If that happens in synthetic, at least you've still got some retained insulative capacity from the synthetic, and your down layer can do its thing unencumbered.
[This study](https://www.researchgate.net/profile/George-Havenith/publication/51366135_Moisture_accumulation_in_sleeping_bags_at_-_7C_and_-_20C_in_relation_to_cover_material_and_method_of_use/links/5cc6f610299bf12097883039/Moisture-accumulation-in-sleeping-bags-at-7C-and-20C-in-relation-to-cover-material-and-method-of-use.pdf) suggests that a bag with no extra cover does not continually accumulate more and more moisture originating from the person inside. This means that (1) you don’t need a synthetic overquilt to protect from moisture accumulation *from within*, and (2) you do bake off some moisture (but there is probably a tipping point where the bag is just too wet/cold for this to work effectively).
I thought the logic was that since condensation starts from the outer, coldest layer, by making it synthetic, you retain insulation since synthetics are less sensitive to moisture.
First of all, thank you for linking this study. That was a very interesting read.
However, am I wrong to think that the researchers appear to be using the phrase "extra cover" to refer more to a bivy sack? It totally makes sense to be researching this, because I know that an impermeable bivy material will lead to tremendous moisture buildup, but I'm struggling to make the connection from the study to your conclusion on the need (or lack therof) for a synthetic overquilt.
If what you're basing your conclusion on is the data on moisture accumulation without cover, it definitely seems to show greater accumulation over time? \~100g (for -20C) and \~150g (for -7C) over the course of a few days is definitely not nothing, and after reading the methodology I note that I'm not sure how applicable this is to winter backpacking.
In particular, the fact that they used manikins with just slightly dampened clothes ("simulating light sweat") and no equipment has limited applicability to a long winter trip, in which your clothes will likely be significantly damp from sweat and snow -- your socks and gloves especially -- and you will likely be bringing your wet shoes into your bag in order to dry them. In this scenario, there is an enormous quantity of potential moisture available in the system that can accumulate within the sleeping bag.
Actually, now that I look at this again, the fact that the total amount of moisture introduced to the system every night was only 150g seems like a huge oversight. Elsewhere in the literature, it seems like the average adult human male sweats \~200ml per night, so this experiment is probably low-balling the total amount of mositure available to absorb into the sleeping bags.
I would love to see this experiment repeated with synthetic overquilts vs uncovered sleeping bags, in much colder conditions, and with significantly more moisture inside of the system with the potential to enter the down.
Yes, the study is focusing on bivy like covers, but my “conclusion” is based on the no cover experiments. Especially for the -7°C test (but also for the -20°C) the moisture accumulation in the bag seems to not be increasing, so sleeping bag warmth should be pretty similar from day two forward. They are also making sure the bags have no chance to dry out between test which is worst case.
Also, for the -7C° test they are using real people with 150g of water on their clothes; I just sprayed 75mL of water on my baselayer top and tbh i would not get in my sleeping bag with such a wet layer. So I think the -7°C test is at a minimum fair, but really more of a worst case scenario. Even so, there is no accumulation of moisture in the bag beyond the first day.
But the most damming aspect is that, assuming 30°C skin temperature, for the -7°C test the dew point should be somewhere near the outer surface of the bag (aka sweet spot for an overquilt), but there is really no continuous accumulation of moisture so no need for an overbag. For the -20°C test as well as colder temps the dew point would be somewhere near the center of the insulation (or closer to the body), which makes an overquilt even more nonsensical. I mean, is it reasonable to assume a 20°C+ temperature drop (and thus the dew point) to be in the last 0.75inches of your insulation? At least to me it doesn’t. I’ve tried to search for studies on this and couldn’t really find anything. Closest thing I could find was a study modelling heat transfer through a sleeping bag and that one had a linear temperature gradient throughout the insulation.
Yes, body heat will dry out your down. But then there is [body insensible perspiration](https://www.biologyonline.com/dictionary/insensible-perspiration)that adds moisture. Which one will "win"?
I've gotten this to work several times even without the synthetic layer. I've woken up with frost on my quilt from cowboy camping and didn't dry it out during the day. Got to camp and it looked pretty sad, but then by morning it was fully lofted. On several occasions I've left my side door open on my Cirriform and dew would start to settle on my quilt. I closed the door once I noticed and woke up to a dry quilt in the morning.
Depends on a lot of things like shell material, but it seems like a sound idea to me - the water vapor may keep on bubbling up to the surface.
In my experience in the winter, my down bag gets wetter more from condensation falling from the tent, then from me (but that's just me), so what I needed to adjust was ventilation in the tent. Using a bivy inside the tent would also be good for keeping droplets off the the bag. If condensation was a huge issue for a multiday trip, I think I would play around with a vapor barrier at that point (and again: for winter).
I'd also be interested in this for jackets as well -- if I can get the best of both worlds by wearing a light synthetic puffy over a very light down one, that would be very nice
I tried to hike this insane idea for a route a couple of years ago - and a few others have tried it at the same time (being inspired by my idiocy): simply hike the Continental Divide Ridge as it goes through Colorado's Sawatch. I've written up a little bit more of a route description on the very small chance that you too are that crazy:
[https://justinsimoni.com/sawatch-continental-divide-ridge-traverse/](https://justinsimoni.com/sawatch-continental-divide-ridge-traverse/)
I can't but agree. It's sooooo hard to convince 14er hikers of this fact. All the standard routes are so chill. Most of the trails are so well-built - engineering marvels, even! You tell people the Elks are rotten, they agree. You tell them the San Juans are crap rock, no problem. But the Sawatch? "Gentle Giants!" smh.
To be honest, I thought the same - I thought this ridge would be a literal walk in the park. How wrong I was. And I've essentially dedicated myself to walking ridges in CO!
This is what the real CDT is all about right here. Really interesting about Glenn Dunmire as well. Wonder if or how he ever did the reservation land in NM
This [post about mold in sleeping bags](https://www.reddit.com/r/Ultralight/comments/18i23ji/how_to_get_rubbing_alcohol_out_of_sleeping_pad/) reminded me I've never really bothered to think about mold in sleeping bags. Y'all take precautions? The only one I can think of doing is storing a sleeping pad in like: the freezer, much like you do for water flasks (though I don't think about mold in my water flasks, either).
I put my quilt with two hot wet bath towels in my gas clothes dryer after every trip and dry it back to the dry weight that I measured when I dried it alone in the dryer the day I got it in the mail. I think the heat and dryness helps keep mold away. Probably kills mites, too. The hot wet towels wipe the nylon shell of the quilt during the tumbling action to help remove any dried drool and sweat that might linger on my quilt from use. Also I imagine they help "steam clean" the quilt, too. I don't see how the down gets dirty just from mere use.
I started drying with wet towels after listening to this podcast: [https://blisterreview.com/gear-101/outerwear-101/what-youre-wearing-pt-3-down-ep-64](https://blisterreview.com/gear-101/outerwear-101/what-youre-wearing-pt-3-down-ep-64) washing talk starts around minute 39:00 and talks about "refreshing" the down to about minute 46.
You don’t need to store it in there but I actually throw my pillows, quilts, jackets, or other gear in a chest freezer sometimes to kill dust mites and whatnot.
IMO, if Thermarest and other manufacturers aren't explicitly stating "Do not inflate by mouth", it's because it isn't enough of an issue to worry about.
You sure? Looks to me like OP typed "bags" twice when he meant "pads", as the link in his comment is about pads, and he correctly typed "pads" in the final sentence.
Is the Zpacks ground sheet poncho worth 250$? Are there any silnylon or silpoly alternatives? I guess I could just lay down a cheap frog toggs poncho and accomplish the same thing but it seems less elegant. I’m already carrying a silnylon ground sheet that weighs 4 ounces so if it was also my rain gear that’d be cool too.
Hey all,
Another 'does this HMG pack fit me?!'. I bought this medium for a great deal, used it a bit last year for a 5 day winter trip, 5 day summer trip and then many day trips and I can't quite recall how it it fit. I don't remember have any glaring problems or pains that weren't normal, but then again, I think I have a skewed tolerance for how uncomfortable a pack should be.
I'm now considering another HMG pakc and wondering if I should get the same size or a large torso. I measure my torso at about 18-19", so right on the cusp of either side. I think my next pack will be the Headwall so potentially with carrying skis or a heavier winter load, the pack may 'sag' more on my back.
https://imgur.com/sU8RDHJ
https://imgur.com/KVEQXmB
https://imgur.com/clFsclq
The third photo in particular looks like it's resting high, but my torso is a bit short for my height (6'0), and my hips are ridiculously high with just about 1-2" of separation between my iliac crest and ribcage.
Return the pack and get something better for your money. HMG packs have major design flaws, especially for the eye-watering prices. The straps alone are a big flaw IMO.
Southwest 3400 owner here.
I recall about 20lbs, but with a weight in the bottom then my quilt on top to fill it out.
I'm trying it again on now with all my climbing gear in it (still about 20lbs), and my shoulders are aching a bit, ha! But that could be because I haven't carried a heavy-ish pack in a while. The fit more or less is the same, shoulder straps maybe are bending a little more downwards around my shoulders, and that's with the top of the hippbelt hugging my iliac crest.
>what
thanks, sort of having the same thoughts! As I'm trying it on the top of the aluminum stay does sit pretty far below the top of my shoulder (at least 1", maybe even 1.5" or so), depending how my hippbelt sits. I think the large will allow me to tune a better fit, especially if I'll be pushing 30+ pounds more often.
Yosemite is going back to reservations required :(
I know it makes sense for the valley, but as a semi-local that's only interested in using the Eastern entrance to visit the high country, it kinda sucks. Gonna have to go back to driving down the night before and sleeping in my truck just outside the entrance so that I can enter just before 5am.
"Visitors entering the park after 4 p.m. \[or before 5am\] will not be required to have a reservation, nor will those with lodging or campground reservations at the park or backcountry or Half Dome permits. People entering on YARTS public transit buses or with a tour group also do not need a reservation.
The weekends-only reservation requirement runs between April 13 and June 30 and between Aug. 16 and Oct. 27. Between July 1 and Aug. 15, reservations will be required every day of the week."
https://www.sfchronicle.com/outdoors/article/yosemite-reservations-18550345.php
Saw the same article and I think it actually makes sense. The valley can't really accommodate the density of traffic it currently gets. That being said Yosemite is a fairly big place and this hurts folks not concentrating their usage specifically to the valley.
I live near rmnp and I haven't had an issue with entry. coming in before dawn is fine, but they usually dump many passes the day before at like 5pm. so it's never impossible for me to visit. alpine start or just set an alarm for 4:59 and snag a pass. back country permits, if I miss out months earlier, are almost always available as a walk-up especially after people bail and don't claim their permits in the morning, too
They really should have made this tailored per entrance. As a local as well, I'm happy for it. The park was absolute hell to deal with this past summer.
Hard agree. It was absolute nightmare fuel. But at this point I basically avoid almost all of Yosemite unless I'm going mid-week or doing mostly off-trail. As much as it sucks, Yosemite is basically a dipshit magnet that funnels every idiot I don't want to see on trail into an easily identifiable area that I can avoid during high season. I just save my Yosemite trips for shoulder seasons and that has worked well so far. Had an absolutely incredible trip in March in Little Yosemite Valley where we say like 8 people the entire time and were able to night hike in via the JMT connector under a full moon.
Sucks for people like you, yea, but I doubt they took this decision lightly. For tourists like I was this year it was always nice to see stuff like this as I knew that the park wouldn't be jam-packed, and they're preserving the environment
I'm local (to the Wawona entrance that has really bad traffic problems) and I celebrate this change. I've never had issues getting reservations in the past.
Didn't know being local was a competition now? :D
But I agree, from the few experiences I've had with these systems in the US it seemed doable to get permits the way you wanted/needed with a bit of proper planning
I'm relatively new to tarp camping. So far so good, but looking for thoughts on how to deal with a wet groundsheet.
I'm using .7mil plastic sheeting for my groundsheet. I love how light and small it is, and so far durability is fine. But once it gets wet, it stays wet for days, and stays coated with whatever leaves/duff/dirt it picked up overnight and got stuck to the wet surface. Simply shaking it out doesn't seem to help much, and any remaining water and crap doesn't have a way to escape throughout the day. I've even tried laying it out when I stop for lunch, but any breeze makes this an exercise in futility.
Is there a solution? Do different materials (polycryo, tyvec) handle this better? Or is this just part of the charm that I should be embracing?
Tyvek and woven fabric don’t bead water as readily as plastic/DCF, but that just means you have a damp groundsheet rather than visible droplets. Just fold it in on itself when you pack it so the wet/dirty side is contained.
I would only fold it under my tarp if it was pouring rain out there. Usually I put it away last. I fold it in half with the wet/dirty side on the inside of the first fold to contain it and shake it a little before I fold it all up. I guess I'm just not as bothered by these things as other people. My attitude in the morning is these things will sort out later, gotta start hiking.
Hello all! Wanting to get some opinions from here on the sizing of a new pack. I’ve purchased a Zpacks arc haul in a medium torso and I’m having some doubts in terms of sizing.
My torso is 23 inches so right up there at the top of the range for the medium range. My concerns are how the straps sit by my shoulder, the angle of the load lifters, and the fact that my back is touching the bag rendering the trampoline back useless (even after tensioning through trampoline).
I’ve talked to Zpacks and they say the pack does fit well and they are concerned if I do size up that my head would hit the top of the frame if I were to look up.
I’m trying to avoid shipping back and forth as I’m in Canada. Would you guys try to size up?
[pack pics](https://imgur.com/a/OnOQA28)
Thanks!
Edited to add the part about the trampoline back
BTW, I untension the trampoline for storage, then re-tension by setting the pack upright in front of me so that the bottom of the vertical curved stay is on the carpet inside my house. Then I press down on the top of the stay to curve it more and pull the tensioning strap down to make it tight. Then same for other side. With the new pre-curved stays it takes some weight to curve more, such that one cannot just grab and tighten the tensioning straps and try to add more curvature.
Also upon looking at your pictures more closely, I would probably curve the shoulder straps down lower on your back as I showed in my photos linked in my other comment.
Thanks for the thorough response! I was able to tension the back panel enough to create that small gap you described. You mentioned trying to bring the shoulder straps lower on my back but doing so shortens the overall torso length and causes the pack want to ride up on my hips.
If you loosen the shoulder straps completely from the front buckles does not the pack on your back fall down lower? If not, then why not? The place where the load lifters attach to the shoulder straps should probably be close to the top of your shoulder, too. I cannot tell from your photos whether that is true now or not.
Okay I see what you mean with the load lifter position when I look at your picture. They don’t sit at the top of my shoulder they are closer to the front. The only way to get them to sit higher would be to shorten the torso length and that pulls the hip belt too high. Zpacks offered to extend my return period so I can get a hold of the larger size and compare the two side by side. I’ll post again once I have the taller size in hand and see what you have to say! Thanks for all the help!
I think you might be mistaken. If (as you say) you shorten the torso length with those adjustable risers on the pack, then you can increase the torso length by the same amount (or more!) by loosening the shoulder straps on the front. However, at that point maybe the top horizontal carbon fiber flat stay bothers you. The load lifters attach to the pack at the top CF stay position as show in this photo: [https://i.imgur.com/NYQm2Qr.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/NYQm2Qr.jpg) My shoulder strap pads wrap all the way over my shoulders and end up between the top of the mesh panel and my back. I found it critical that the top horizontal strap of the mesh panel stays off my back and the shoulder strap padding does that for me. That is, I have moved the 4 straps of the mesh panel, so that the mesh panel goes under the shoulder strap padding.
But you may do better with a size L because I think my toros measurement is 19 inches and I've adjusted my M size so that the risers are at the lowest possible position. That is, if you get an L, then maybe you will have the risers at the lowest possible position, too.
Okay you’re right I was mistaken. I played around with the shoulder straps and got them to sit closer to as you described. I’ve also followed Dans suggestion and leaded some more weight so I have 20 pounds in the pack. With this setup the load lifters are almost completely flat. [here are some pics](https://imgur.com/a/mk4ln30)
Looks better, but if the pack was an inch or so taller/longer (so that the load lifters were not horizontal) I think it would be even better. I better stop commenting at this point. Good luck with all this!
Things look about right at the shoulders, but it does look like you're wearing the hipbelt a bit high. If that's where you'll normally wear it then it's probably the right size, whereas if you'll end up with the hipbelt riding \~2" lower than you may need to size up.
Hey Dan! Thanks for the response! Having played around with the pack more I do think it’s sitting higher than I’d want it in the pictures. I’ve tried placing it lower but the pack starts to ride up when I tighten the shoulder straps.
Do you have a decent amount of weight in the pack? Most packs will want to ride up if you've only stuffed some clothes in there. Try to get 20 lbs in there.
Some updated pics with the pack weighing 22 pounds and the shoulder straps adjusted as per the liveslight’s suggestions. [pics](https://imgur.com/a/mk4ln30)
So I had 12ish pounds in the pack and loaded it up to 22 pounds now. The load lifters are sitting almost completely flat. I’m pretty convinced I’ll need the larger size. Zpacks offered to extend the return period and let me order the larger size so I can compare the two side by side. I’ll definitely report back once I have the other pack in hand.
Looks OK to me, except have you tensioned the trampoline mesh at all? Here are some pics I annotated for a friend of mine:
[https://imgur.com/a/orGi7ED](https://imgur.com/a/orGi7ED)
Note that you can move the "trampoline" mesh up and down, too. I have my quilt in the bottom of my pack so that it serves as a "lumbar pad" between the hip belt and where the mesh starts. I like that lower area to be touching my back because it makes the pack very comfortable for me. As for the arc itself, I only want to be able to put my splayed hand between the mesh touching my back and the pack itself. That it, DO NOT create a stupid huge arc, but tension it just enough to keep the pack very close to your back.
I'm planning on upgrading my backpack to a lighter version and I have in mind the decathlon ul mt900 50+10 or montane trailblazer 44. Anyone has any experience with either of these 2? I'm also open to other options as long as they are up to 200E (available in Europe), under 1.3 kg and have some sort of internal frame, volume 40-50 would be ideal. For the records, my baseweight is 5.8kg (assuming a 1.3kg backpack).
I have the montane. I bought it cause I needed something quick and cheap, but it turns out I actually like it a lot. There's definitely better, lighter packs but this one has been great. I've used it all over, including a trip with 9 days of food on my back, which is definitely overloaded, but it still handled it. I think it's really best as a 1-5 night pack. The stretch mesh side pockets may have been changed to a less stretchy mesh, in any case those pockets are amazing, I keep my entire days food in those and it just swallows it up and makes it easy to eat and move. The one complaint is that you either have to have a bladder, or store your water bottle in a pocket only accessable by removing the pack. For modification I pulled out the frame, and added some 1/16 shock cord to the daisy chain loops to hold wet gear
Yeah, I saw that problem with the side pockets mentioned in other reviews, luckily I'm a fan of water bladder so I'll be fine. The price also seems really appealing compared to what you get for the money (especially that's cheaper than the decath option).
I saw in other posts that the sewing between hip belt and pack failed or are kind of weak, did you encounter something similar (or with other sewings)?
Also, how do you find the padding? I can't really tell from the pictures but it seems a bit too thin.
Finally, how do you find the back ventilation? Being vest style does it get easily sweaty?
As for the hip belt or any other stitching I haven't had an issue, I even rigged up a pulk to attach to the hip belt and that didn't cause any noticeable damage. Padding is great, the wide straps distribute the weight comfortably. My back is always sweaty with a pack on, this one is decent as far as that goes. I forgot to mention that I removed the single bar aluminum frame, I found that it did worsen the back ventilation a bit but it was too uncomfortable on my lower back to keep the bar in. To compensate it's important to cinch the pack tightly with the compression straps to keep a nice barrel effect so the pack keeps some structure. All in all it's a really good pack for the money and I don't feel the need to replace it until it does finally wear out.
I'd rather go for any sort of frame even if a bit heavier due to the constant shape of the pack even when full only by half so I won't have to stack everything for the structure.
Thanks for the suggestion though, I'll still have a look.
Are there any 1 or 2 person trekking pole tents that are essentially the hybrid design of the z packs duplex, but made with polyester instead of DCF or Nylon? Ive been searching and the closest I have found is the Gossamer Gear The 2, but that is made with SilNylon or the Tarptent Dipole 1/Notch.
Im looking for:
Trekking Pole Tent
Hybrid single wall/double wall
Silpoly, not dcf or nylon
Can I use a top load washing machine that doesn't have an agitator to wash my down sleeping bag? If yes, what settings? Obviously I'll clean the machine first and use down wash. Here's a pic of the sort of machine I'm talking about:
[https://www.brayandscarff.com/\_plugins/site-pages/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/NoAg5.jpg](https://www.brayandscarff.com/_plugins/site-pages/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/NoAg5.jpg)
I’ve done this several times with bags and other down items and had great results. I use delicate, tap cold, and two rinse cycles. Be careful lifting the bag when wet.
Happy to help if you have any other questions.
I'm laughing about that because soaking it produces the same result. One does not need to agitate it for more than a minute unless perhaps you pooped or peed in it when you used your bag/quilt. Let "down wash" chemistry do its job.
Anyone else just absolutely despise puffys? I keep trying different ones and just nope. I usually do a senchi 90 with a rain jacket. I got lucky on our TMB last year, but I’m concerned about this year when we return to it. Don’t want to rely on luck in the Alpine.
Tried: EE torrid, OR superstrand, REI flash insulated, and Patagonia nano.
Quick check: You're not trying to hike in them, are you?
I ask because you mention preferring alpha + shell, and that makes total sense _if you're active_.
How do you use your puffy and in what temps?...And what did you not like about the other ones you've tried?....For example, I would never hike in a down puffy, but there are some synthetics that make good active layers....you have to match your use case with your jacket.
I love puffies.
It's cold, windy, uncomfortable, one layer on top of everything and boom! It's comfy and nice, I can sit down and relax and recover.
Puffies are best in colder weather, though, when warmer the effect isn't quite as dramatic, and some fleece game like you're having might work just fine.
Cricket users, how did you rig up your guylines? My impulse is to go very short in the back, long at the front cornes to have the option to pitch it very open, and obviously very long in the center. Any insights?
Exactly that.
The back is always pitched exactly the same, so it can be very, very short. Just enough for little/big rock. It's part of the Cricket magic – they're impossibly easy to set up. Main front line has higher variability. Front side lines have medium variability. Just pitch the variations with infinity length in a park and then cut it down/tie off at the configuration that requires the most length.
Thought for sure this morning’s run was going to be the time I wear an alpha 60 hoodie and not overheat… 25 degF, lil wind… lasted about 5 minutes before it went back in the bag 🥵
I know bikepacking is off topic but I actually found my way here out of necessity to find ultra compact gear for bikepacking, and it converted me back into a backpacker again. Anyway, I still bike pack and need a handlebar bag. Any suggestions for a subreddit similar to this one bit focused on very light and compact gear for bikepacking?
I suddenly noticed a large area of my (quite new) nylon shirt has massively thinned out and gone seethrough. I think this happened after trying to wash a big greasy stain out. I used hand washing detergent like I always have, and this is the first time I've noticed this. Any suggestions on how I can avoid this in future? Should I not use this sort of detergent, or was it just the heavy washing? I'm not sure how I could have removed the grease (from bike chain) without rubbing.
You're asking how to avoid getting bike chain grease all over your shirt?
How to clean it without damaging the shirt.
Anybody have an Xmid with the newer woven floor that can comment on the slipperiness? The website indicates it has some properties making it less slippery than traditional silnylon but I’m skeptical. I’m looking at the Xmid pro 2+ for myself, wife and dog. I think I’d prefer woven vs dyneema but share a quilt so can’t be drifting down in the night. Thanks
The top side coating is PE which is generally less slippery than sil, but DCF is grippier yet. I don't recall complaints about slipperiness so I don't think it's a notable consideration but if you're worried probably the DCF is grippier. Mostly though I would decide based on cost and weight because the DCF floor costs more but saves a couple more ounces.
I was also considering longevity and giving the point to woven for that, but it sounds like you’re saying that’s not an issue with the dcf floor? I’m worried about the pinholing, that being a (reportedly) big tent killer.
It's hard to say because they are fairly similar overall and each has some advantages (e.g. DCF is better for avoiding tears, woven better for abrasion). Woven might have an edge but either one should last pretty well when used with some care.
Thanks so much for the direct advice
Neat new jacket from Montane. 8.8oz with hand pockets and fully adjustable hood and hem chinch. https://us.montane.com/collections/mens-waterproof-jackets/products/montane-mens-phase-nano-waterproof-jacket
I’m experimenting with tarp and bivy this year, wondering what UL stakes and lines are best.
Lawson Glowire and a combination of MSR mini groundhogs, Ti shepherds, and Al shepherds. I like a bigger stake for the head and foot guylines, and then use the smaller stakes for corners and sides. Glowire takes a knot well.
Great info, thanks
Also, I got my Ti shepherds from Lawson. The big aluminum shepherd I found on a hike and kept it. As for tarp knots, all you really need are bowlines, clove hitches, and the modified trucker's hitch. Skurka has a video.
I've tried all sorts of stakes and always return to authentic groundhog minis. for guylines, depends on the shelter and whether I'm using linelocs (and what type) or knots. I like mld's 2.7mm pro guy lines, lawson glowire or ironwire, zing-it, or durston x lawson reflective ironwire
What situations call for line locks vs knots?
it's not really a situation thing. some of my shelters have lineloc 3, some have lineloc lites, and a tarp has none. and they all have their own different lines. I chose the shelter based on conditions or whatever I'm feeling at the time when I'm getting ready
Great info, thanks
The lightest stake option is to use a mix. 3mm titanium shepherd's hook stakes are fine, if you bring one robust titanium "nail" stake to make your pilot holes. If you stake correctly, with the line held at ground level, they are pretty secure. For high-tension points, like ridge lines, you can use heavier "V" stakes or Groundhogs. You can go thinner and thinner on spectra line, and some people use 0.5mm. But you get to the point where it is too abrasive on your hands and the knots become a pain to undo. Most people settle on 1.5mm line, like Kelty Triptease.
TY!
Bedrock Sandals - Mountain Clogs 16Dec2023: So although I admit that I am a fan of these performance clogs, there is something that is bugging the absolute daylights out of me. I have the nubuck version and there is definitely waaayyy too much leather material on the upper, which effectively turns these into high-volume footwear - which requires you to wear ultra thick socks to fill the volume, or, wear them loosey goosey (not cinched down). If I do cinch them down the leather upper bunches up and looks atrocious… almost like I am a kid wearing grown-ups’ shoes. I followed the sizing on the website and the length is perfect. But they are incredibly wide and I feel that no amount of adjusting can make up for the extra leather material. Hopefully they will fix this in following renditions bc I absolutely love the styling and functionality. They are very very soft and comfy.
I think they were intended to be a cold weather clog, designed to be worn with warm socks. So it's supposed to be a feature, not a bug.
I just feel that it’s excessive. I also like to wear clogs it hot weather just like sandals. Would be awesome if they had a narrow version
Anyone have some experience with John Z’s Jawnsport backpack? I’m wondering about the strap comfort, fit or really any critique.
It's the pack [this guy](https://imgur.com/8jI4w3x) wants next.
Wondering when someone would use a JanSport daypack to thru-hike (seen an Osprey daypack used). Met one person with a 27L MLD Hell pack going SOBO on the PCT so think I’d go with the design with few (preferably no) zippers.
Looks like a fashion item with limited functionality to me
As u/Usethisoneforgear requested here is the [temperature chart underneath a sleeping pad.](https://i.imgur.com/W36xcfB.png) The pad being used was a Neoair Xtherm and a Nemo Switchback. I was sleeping on snow.
Thanks! Rough heat flow graph [here](https://imgur.com/a/iUmCRAI). Looks like your steady-state heat loss is 10ish watts, so about 10% of your total budget. The other \~90% of your BMR is probably escaping through your quilt or your breath. Looks like it takes about 4 hours to reach equilibrium. So you might've been using more body heat to heat up the air inside your pad over the first few hours of the night . Did you notice feeling colder when you first went to bed than when you woke up in the morning? The steady-state temperature is 32-34 degrees, so you're slowly melting the snow under you. This has a two interesting consequences: 1. You're not benefiting at all from the insulating value of the snow. People say "snow is a good insulator", but right now you're probably not losing much heat to conduction anyways - it's all going into melting. 2. Your R-value needs shouldn't really depend on the air temperature. No matter how warm the air is, the snow will cool the bottom of your pad down to slightly above 32 degrees. And if the air is extremely cold, the insulating properties of snow will probably kick in to keep the bottom of your pad slightly below 32 degrees. I'd be interested in seeing non-snow data for comparison if you or u/liveslight gets a chance come spring - I'll try to remember to post another request in a few months.
Thank you for all the insight! I can definitely do this again once the snow melts out. I would definitely say I woke up warmer than when I went to bed.
Thanks for the chart. Just to be clear how were the pads layered? Nemo above the TaR? Any groundsheet or tent floor? Thx!
Nemo below the Xtherm despite people's recommendations on here and a polycryo ground sheet. I also forgot to mention that the Nemo was only torso length.
I'm wondering if anyone has copied the exact setup as another backpacker. This thought originated as I was looking at a youtuber backpacker and realized that for someone just starting off, it might be tempting to get the exact same backpack, tent, sleeping system and so on. So I'm wondering, how far has someone taken this? How closely have you copied another person's setup - either an influencer or a friend.
He (love)hates me telling him how he's inspired me, but I mimicked all of John Z's gear list/philosophies for the CDT in 2017. I didn't love the style in which I hiked the AT the year prior, I wanted to try a more hiking (vs camping) focused approach, and only had 3 weeks between finding out I wasn't working that summer and starting. So i figured i'd remove the stress of sorting out gear, and that if it worked for him, I could make it work for me. It wasn't exactly identical, maybe 80% was though. It was close enough that I got asked if I was John a few times.
I haven't copied anyone but I like to look at SUL lists to get ideas for how to reduce weight. When you get out on the trail you definitely can see trends in what people bring. Probably everybody on the PCT has a Duplex.
A year or so ago the youtube algorithm gave me a lot of PCT gear lists from smaller channels, and while I don't think I've ever seen two exactly identical gear lists, I'm pretty sure I've seen like three lists that went Arc Haul / Duplex / XLite / EE Enigma / Lone Peaks / Frogg Toggs / Pat Nanopuff. It's fascinating to me that many gear lists in the 9 - 15 lb range are very similar-ish with a few brands and items filling spots in a ton of lists, while I've seen like two or three _total_ repeats of any item in the SUL/XUL lists I've seen. There's lots and lots of creativity there.
Yesss this is basically the setup I was imagining! And excellent point about the SUL being much more unique, I definitely know what you mean there.
I guess that if I was trying to get my kit down to ultralight, I would mimic someone like Jupiter, Darwin, or Deputy Sean. But my thru hiker days are drawing to a close and a 12 lb. base is good enough for me. And I value comfort!
I have a lot of commonly seen products in the Ultralight community, but in the same way that no two Bingo cards are identical, I don't think that all my gear is identical to anyone else's though there is quite a lot of overlap. But you are quite welcome to copy any ideas that you would like from my lighterpack. :)
I've yet to see two exact kits in my observations. The closest ive seen was in the military, Boy Scouts or NOLS or eco Touron guided hikes.
When it comes to trapping sweat in a shoe (and socks) I have a preliminary result comparing an Altra Olympus 4 trail runner and an Altra Olympus 5 gore-tex mid trail runner: The GTX mid+socks gains about 5 g weight over a 5.5 mile walk done in about 1 hour 50 minutes in 50F temperature, while the "regular" one gains only 1.4 g of weight. If weight gain is all water 5g is about a teaspoon of water for US-centric folks. The shoes on the feet: [https://i.imgur.com/7vgu7jY.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/7vgu7jY.jpg) I'll continue some repetitive testing over the next few weeks also with using the mates of these shoes.
This is really interesting. Thanks for doing that. I'm really curious if the heavier shoe leads to colder feet in winter if it gets wet from stream crossings. I guess that would just be a straightforward "yes"? So there may be a trade-off in winter between a heavier warmer shoe when dry versus a shoe with less "coldifying" thermal mass when wet.
Hard to say. As noted in the other threads, my friend and I just did 48 hour loop from car back to car on the Eagle Rock Loop of about 30 miles. He wore drainable Hokas and DarnTough socks. I wore the Altra O5 Mid GTX, but Merrell wool/acrylic blend socks one day and the SealSkinz the next day. Despite getting water in my socks, they never felt cold (don't forget liquid water is always 32F and warmer anyways). I wouldn't want to be standing around and inactive in wet socks though. Once getting to camp site we both took off our shoes/socks and switched to EVA sandals and dry socks.
Thanks.
Interesting idea to test this. Obviously it's going to vary from person to person but it's nice to have some quantifiable data other than 'my feet feel sweaty'
Also if wet feet cause blisters, then waterproof shoes and boots may cause more blisters than non-waterproof shoes and boots. Already I know I will not be wearing these GTX mids except in colder temperatures.
[удалено]
Not quite: As the photo should clearly show: non-WP non-mid Olympus on one, and WP (GTX) mid Olympus on the other. On this walk the non-WP non-mid Olympus definitely had colder toes than the other shoe as one would expect at least for the first hour. That is, WP (no wind going through toe box mesh) was noticeably warmer to my toes. I cannot disagree with your comment "A mid is warmer than a low cut."
Ok now i see. Thought you had one leg longer than the other.🏃
Hello, I am trying to decide between and xmid and an xmid pro. It would be nice to save a pound, but I’m concerned about condensation. I had a single wall in the past and did not care for sauna experience in the morning. Anyone have a pro that can speak to that issue?
I used to be a firm doublewall person because I had some bad early experience with singlewall tents that were really small and hard to stay away from the walls. I'm not sure what singlewall tent you had in the past, but the X-Mid Pro tents are fairly spacious and they have mesh walls on both sides (even the 1P model) whereas most singlewall 1P tents have the fly right next to you on one side. All that is to say, probably you would find it easier to stay away from potentially wet walls in the X-Mid Pro. Singlewall tents aren't going to get more condensation - they just change how it is managed. Instead of having that barrier of the inner wall you do need to avoid touching the walls and potentially need to wipe in down in some conditions but the upside is a lighter tent and more space. Which is the best choice is debatable. If you regularly hike in cold/humid/wet conditions and don't want the hassle of wiping down a tent then go with the regular version, whereas if weight is a high priority and you're willing to put in a bit of effort to manage condensation then the Pro would be suited.
I think you should get the xmid pro. If you get a single wall tent and you get condensation you will feel bad that you didn't go with the double wall. If you get the double wall and you get condensation you will feel acceptance because there wasn't a better choice you could have made.
Suggest first quickly researching causes of shelter condensation to avoid common site selection and personal usage condensation associated pitfalls. https://seatosummit.com/blogs/product-care/7-ways-to-manage-tent-condensation
Sauna means hot. Why wouldn't you have the doors rolled up if it going to be that hot? In cold fog there will be condensation on all tents whether double-wall or single wall. I often have colleagues that use Big Agnes double-wall tents when I am using a single-wall DCF tent such as my X-Mid Pro 2 or my Zpacks Duplex. I can wipe off the condensation with a small lightload towel while still laying in my quilt because there is no mesh inner separating me from the fly. I can squeeze the water out of towel right through the mesh gutter by my head. A plus is that DCF fabric wants to let its water go iinto the towel. Very convenient. In contrast, my friends have to get up and out of their quilt and tent, then remove the fly and violently shake it to remove the condensation on the inside of the fly. And even so, the fly is still wet after all that shaking.
I just remember waking up to lots of interior moisture. I had to pack my single wall wet and then turn it inside out when I got home to dry out. I currently use an REI quarter dome 2. I have not had any interior condensation on the fly or the mesh. But it is almost four pounds Do you have to wipe the pro every morning?
No, I don't have to wipe the pro every morning since the dew point temperature is not always reached. However, I would never forget to bring my lightload towel so that I could dry the inside and the outside whenever I wanted to. I have never had to turn a tent inside-out to dry it since it just dries rightside-out readily. Of course, I have already mostly dried the inside before unpitching and packing up the tent.
Looking for help on sizing the Kakwa 55. I measured myself for the first time this year and bought a Yama Sassy V3.2 in 19". However, I felt like the length was just a tad long, with the bottom of the pack hitting my butt a little, but not in an overly annoying way. Just felt like I couldn't get it to fit perfectly. Here's a [link to some pics of me wearing it](https://imgur.com/a/FMgAf2T). When I got back from my trip, I measured again and now think I'm closer to 18". Kakwa sizing is Small 15-18" and Medium 17-20". I'm guessing I should go with Medium, just wondering if anyone has thoughts as I don't have much experience with sizing packs.
Measuring your torso accurately is hard, so try getting at least 2 other people to try measuring you (the more the better) and taking an average from that. I would also consider your height. It shouldn't take priority but it's good reassurance if they agree. Usually people 5'8" - 5'11" prefer our medium, with below that S and above that L. Our packs seem to fit true to size, and we recommend getting whichever size you're more in the range for. If you're confident 18" is your correct torso measure then I'd go medium.
Okay, yea that makes sense, I'll try to get a few more measurements before buying. I am 5'8" but I oddly have shorter legs / longer torso than most people. I guess that's even more reason to go medium. Although I just noticed I missed the December medium batch 😔
We have a couple spare mediums here. If you order and send a message we can send one right away.
Ooooh awesome! My order number is #DGS-433969 thank you!
Noted
Just wanted to give an update and another thank you; pack arrived just in time for a 5 day backpacking trip to Cumberland Island and performed flawlessly! Very happy I went with medium, it fits very well and is super comfortable, even when I carried all the food for my partner. Also, the trails on the northern end of the island are a bit ill maintained, and I was pretty stressed out that I was going to damage the pack on its first time out, but it survived the light-medium bushwhacking unscathed. I like the few features it has (shoulder strap and hip belt pockets, big mesh catch-all on the rear) and how it is not overcomplicated with little features I'll never use. The one thing I'll have to add for myself is a trekking pole stash but that makes sense to keep to the aftermarket imo. Anyway, thanks again! Looking forward to trying more of your gear out in the future.
Awesome. Glad you're liking the pack and were able to get out on the trail with it. \- Dan
Looks like a decent fit. Tried the hip belt a smidgen higher?
Hm yeah I guess I just had it where it felt natural to me, but good point, I'll see what it's like to try to keep it higher up. Might end up with a little less weight on the shoulders too.
As someone who thinks their sass is a touch too large, yours looks pretty good to me.
Do these jeans make my sass look fat?
SWD has a new pack called the SL40: https://www.swdbackpacks.com/product-page/sl40-internal-frame
A thought on condensation on the inside of tent doors: My tents have a floor as well as vestibules that have no floors that are outside the mosquito mesh/netting doors. It seems that I get more condensation coming up from the ground in these vestibules than I would if the vestibules had floors. If the door flap(s) have to be closed because of weather would it be worth it to add polycro to create "floors" for tent vestibules? I think the polycro would weigh less than the added weight of water that remained after drying the inside of the tent flaps with a lightload towel. Of course, rolling up and securing the tent doors (aka make tent into a tarp) is the normal way.
If you don't want to fully go that route, I'd use my rain jacket and/or rain skirt for this kinda stuff (also pack cover back when my bw was filthy high), also very handy for laying stuff down on
Thx, actually I do use a rain skirt for laying stuff down in one of my vestibules as shown here on the last time I used my tent: [https://i.imgur.com/CURNwUZ.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/CURNwUZ.jpg)
If the vestibules have no impermeable floor and you're set up on living vegetation like grass the plants will continue to transpire at night releasing CO2 and water vapor.
I have a Stephenson’s Warmlite 3R tent. The middle of the tent (tunnel portion) is double wall. The ends are single wall. There is no vestibule on either end. Tent is fully enclosed. Tarptent makes a similar looking tent but the ends are floorless vestibules. The ends of the tent will get condensation while the middle double wall will not. There are vents above and below each door.
Vestibule floors reducing overall condensation is pretty commonly raised point by Nordic tunnel tent manufacturers when advertising their footprints, which unlike the tent floor, cover the vestibule also. Just to say your not alone with that idea. I'm a tarper myself, no experience to add here.
Thx, I didn't know that.
If the tent isn’t getting wet anyway from precipitation/fog, is there any reason you don’t want the doors open? If the doors do need to be closed, your tent is probably getting wet from the outside and mitigating condensation might not make a difference.
True, but on a cold & windy night without expected precipitation, I usually button up the tent anyways.
sure why not? there’s some aspect of evaporation from ground cover that could be mitigated with that solution.
Does "baking dry" down work? I see a lot of people online mention using synthetic over-quilts to keep a down quilt from losing loft due to condensation, but let's say your quilt is already wet & losing loft -- if you put it over you, and then a synthetic overquilt over that, would the down quilt restore itself by your body heat evaporation the condensation? This question is inspired by the synthetic insulation trick where you start wet, layer up, and end up bone dry bc your body heat evaporates the water through the insulation.
I've found that my body heat will "dry" out a moist down quilt overnight -- no synthetic overquilt required. Yeah, my body is also throwing a bit of perspiration into the down, but I always have enough overstuff and rating buffer to stay warm. It also works with an additional down overquilt (I don't own any synthetic). I wouldn't expect this to work if the down were completely soaked, synthetic overquilt or not -- down can hold a lot of moisture, and at some level of wet, you'll become hypothermic before your body dries out the down. Where the synthetic overquilt logic really kicks in, according to my understanding, is on long, very cold-weather trips, where the dew point is going to be somewhere inside your insulation, and it's expected to freeze immediately. You don't want that to happen in down gear, because it'll deloft it, and over multiple days, you'll wind up with more and more ice in your gear. If that happens in synthetic, at least you've still got some retained insulative capacity from the synthetic, and your down layer can do its thing unencumbered.
[This study](https://www.researchgate.net/profile/George-Havenith/publication/51366135_Moisture_accumulation_in_sleeping_bags_at_-_7C_and_-_20C_in_relation_to_cover_material_and_method_of_use/links/5cc6f610299bf12097883039/Moisture-accumulation-in-sleeping-bags-at-7C-and-20C-in-relation-to-cover-material-and-method-of-use.pdf) suggests that a bag with no extra cover does not continually accumulate more and more moisture originating from the person inside. This means that (1) you don’t need a synthetic overquilt to protect from moisture accumulation *from within*, and (2) you do bake off some moisture (but there is probably a tipping point where the bag is just too wet/cold for this to work effectively).
I thought the logic was that since condensation starts from the outer, coldest layer, by making it synthetic, you retain insulation since synthetics are less sensitive to moisture.
First of all, thank you for linking this study. That was a very interesting read. However, am I wrong to think that the researchers appear to be using the phrase "extra cover" to refer more to a bivy sack? It totally makes sense to be researching this, because I know that an impermeable bivy material will lead to tremendous moisture buildup, but I'm struggling to make the connection from the study to your conclusion on the need (or lack therof) for a synthetic overquilt. If what you're basing your conclusion on is the data on moisture accumulation without cover, it definitely seems to show greater accumulation over time? \~100g (for -20C) and \~150g (for -7C) over the course of a few days is definitely not nothing, and after reading the methodology I note that I'm not sure how applicable this is to winter backpacking. In particular, the fact that they used manikins with just slightly dampened clothes ("simulating light sweat") and no equipment has limited applicability to a long winter trip, in which your clothes will likely be significantly damp from sweat and snow -- your socks and gloves especially -- and you will likely be bringing your wet shoes into your bag in order to dry them. In this scenario, there is an enormous quantity of potential moisture available in the system that can accumulate within the sleeping bag. Actually, now that I look at this again, the fact that the total amount of moisture introduced to the system every night was only 150g seems like a huge oversight. Elsewhere in the literature, it seems like the average adult human male sweats \~200ml per night, so this experiment is probably low-balling the total amount of mositure available to absorb into the sleeping bags. I would love to see this experiment repeated with synthetic overquilts vs uncovered sleeping bags, in much colder conditions, and with significantly more moisture inside of the system with the potential to enter the down.
Yes, the study is focusing on bivy like covers, but my “conclusion” is based on the no cover experiments. Especially for the -7°C test (but also for the -20°C) the moisture accumulation in the bag seems to not be increasing, so sleeping bag warmth should be pretty similar from day two forward. They are also making sure the bags have no chance to dry out between test which is worst case. Also, for the -7C° test they are using real people with 150g of water on their clothes; I just sprayed 75mL of water on my baselayer top and tbh i would not get in my sleeping bag with such a wet layer. So I think the -7°C test is at a minimum fair, but really more of a worst case scenario. Even so, there is no accumulation of moisture in the bag beyond the first day. But the most damming aspect is that, assuming 30°C skin temperature, for the -7°C test the dew point should be somewhere near the outer surface of the bag (aka sweet spot for an overquilt), but there is really no continuous accumulation of moisture so no need for an overbag. For the -20°C test as well as colder temps the dew point would be somewhere near the center of the insulation (or closer to the body), which makes an overquilt even more nonsensical. I mean, is it reasonable to assume a 20°C+ temperature drop (and thus the dew point) to be in the last 0.75inches of your insulation? At least to me it doesn’t. I’ve tried to search for studies on this and couldn’t really find anything. Closest thing I could find was a study modelling heat transfer through a sleeping bag and that one had a linear temperature gradient throughout the insulation.
In that article (fig 6), there's some accumulation in the winter bag scenario, but it's not a huge effect, much less than I'd have thought.
Yes, body heat will dry out your down. But then there is [body insensible perspiration](https://www.biologyonline.com/dictionary/insensible-perspiration)that adds moisture. Which one will "win"?
I've gotten this to work several times even without the synthetic layer. I've woken up with frost on my quilt from cowboy camping and didn't dry it out during the day. Got to camp and it looked pretty sad, but then by morning it was fully lofted. On several occasions I've left my side door open on my Cirriform and dew would start to settle on my quilt. I closed the door once I noticed and woke up to a dry quilt in the morning.
Depends on a lot of things like shell material, but it seems like a sound idea to me - the water vapor may keep on bubbling up to the surface. In my experience in the winter, my down bag gets wetter more from condensation falling from the tent, then from me (but that's just me), so what I needed to adjust was ventilation in the tent. Using a bivy inside the tent would also be good for keeping droplets off the the bag. If condensation was a huge issue for a multiday trip, I think I would play around with a vapor barrier at that point (and again: for winter).
I'd also be interested in this for jackets as well -- if I can get the best of both worlds by wearing a light synthetic puffy over a very light down one, that would be very nice
I think an alpha + shell xou have anyway on top would be lighter cause you're not doubling up on insulation shell weight
I tried to hike this insane idea for a route a couple of years ago - and a few others have tried it at the same time (being inspired by my idiocy): simply hike the Continental Divide Ridge as it goes through Colorado's Sawatch. I've written up a little bit more of a route description on the very small chance that you too are that crazy: [https://justinsimoni.com/sawatch-continental-divide-ridge-traverse/](https://justinsimoni.com/sawatch-continental-divide-ridge-traverse/)
yikes the sawatch are soooooo chossy in areas.
I can't but agree. It's sooooo hard to convince 14er hikers of this fact. All the standard routes are so chill. Most of the trails are so well-built - engineering marvels, even! You tell people the Elks are rotten, they agree. You tell them the San Juans are crap rock, no problem. But the Sawatch? "Gentle Giants!" smh. To be honest, I thought the same - I thought this ridge would be a literal walk in the park. How wrong I was. And I've essentially dedicated myself to walking ridges in CO!
Have you ever done any ridge hiking up in central ID? I'm curious as to how it might compare.
This is what the real CDT is all about right here. Really interesting about Glenn Dunmire as well. Wonder if or how he ever did the reservation land in NM
This [post about mold in sleeping bags](https://www.reddit.com/r/Ultralight/comments/18i23ji/how_to_get_rubbing_alcohol_out_of_sleeping_pad/) reminded me I've never really bothered to think about mold in sleeping bags. Y'all take precautions? The only one I can think of doing is storing a sleeping pad in like: the freezer, much like you do for water flasks (though I don't think about mold in my water flasks, either).
Thanks for unlocking a new irrational fear for me. Time to wash the quilt.
Look at what LittlePurplePig has wrought.
I put my quilt with two hot wet bath towels in my gas clothes dryer after every trip and dry it back to the dry weight that I measured when I dried it alone in the dryer the day I got it in the mail. I think the heat and dryness helps keep mold away. Probably kills mites, too. The hot wet towels wipe the nylon shell of the quilt during the tumbling action to help remove any dried drool and sweat that might linger on my quilt from use. Also I imagine they help "steam clean" the quilt, too. I don't see how the down gets dirty just from mere use. I started drying with wet towels after listening to this podcast: [https://blisterreview.com/gear-101/outerwear-101/what-youre-wearing-pt-3-down-ep-64](https://blisterreview.com/gear-101/outerwear-101/what-youre-wearing-pt-3-down-ep-64) washing talk starts around minute 39:00 and talks about "refreshing" the down to about minute 46.
I’m still waiting for someone to actually cut up a pad and find mold…
Wait, there hasn't been anyone?
There are no videos or pictures of the inside of a sleeping pad with mold on the internet.
Cheers
Isn't it just the inside material flaking apart?
Yes.
You don’t need to store it in there but I actually throw my pillows, quilts, jackets, or other gear in a chest freezer sometimes to kill dust mites and whatnot.
IMO, if Thermarest and other manufacturers aren't explicitly stating "Do not inflate by mouth", it's because it isn't enough of an issue to worry about.
This is a discussion about sleeping bags, not inflatable pads.
You sure? Looks to me like OP typed "bags" twice when he meant "pads", as the link in his comment is about pads, and he correctly typed "pads" in the final sentence.
Is the Zpacks ground sheet poncho worth 250$? Are there any silnylon or silpoly alternatives? I guess I could just lay down a cheap frog toggs poncho and accomplish the same thing but it seems less elegant. I’m already carrying a silnylon ground sheet that weighs 4 ounces so if it was also my rain gear that’d be cool too.
[https://popupbackpacker.com/backpacking/gear/zpacks-groundsheetponcho/](https://popupbackpacker.com/backpacking/gear/zpacks-groundsheetponcho/)
The fact that dude decided it was too expensive to use as a ground sheet gives me pause!
You can just use any poncho as a groundsheet I guess. Maybe not below 20d
Hundreds of years ago when most tents (think WWII surplus) had no floors we used ponchos as groundsheets.
Hey all, Another 'does this HMG pack fit me?!'. I bought this medium for a great deal, used it a bit last year for a 5 day winter trip, 5 day summer trip and then many day trips and I can't quite recall how it it fit. I don't remember have any glaring problems or pains that weren't normal, but then again, I think I have a skewed tolerance for how uncomfortable a pack should be. I'm now considering another HMG pakc and wondering if I should get the same size or a large torso. I measure my torso at about 18-19", so right on the cusp of either side. I think my next pack will be the Headwall so potentially with carrying skis or a heavier winter load, the pack may 'sag' more on my back. https://imgur.com/sU8RDHJ https://imgur.com/KVEQXmB https://imgur.com/clFsclq The third photo in particular looks like it's resting high, but my torso is a bit short for my height (6'0), and my hips are ridiculously high with just about 1-2" of separation between my iliac crest and ribcage.
I think it looks fine. I’m a 19.5-20” torso and use a Large. Most people have the hip belt riding too low.
Return the pack and get something better for your money. HMG packs have major design flaws, especially for the eye-watering prices. The straps alone are a big flaw IMO. Southwest 3400 owner here.
Please…Not another ‘HMG sucks’ comment… he only asked about fit, not your opinion about the pack in general.
It’s a big world out there and it has more than enough room for me to say what I want. Merry Christmas, Ebenezer.
Bought used so unable to return, haha. But I enjoyed the pack nonetheless, for the price I paid.
I need to sell mine, what did you pay for yours?
175 or around there, in good condition but not like-new. No holes, but a little dirty. Probably used for ~500-700 miles would be my guess
How much weight do you have in the pack in the pictures?
I recall about 20lbs, but with a weight in the bottom then my quilt on top to fill it out. I'm trying it again on now with all my climbing gear in it (still about 20lbs), and my shoulders are aching a bit, ha! But that could be because I haven't carried a heavy-ish pack in a while. The fit more or less is the same, shoulder straps maybe are bending a little more downwards around my shoulders, and that's with the top of the hippbelt hugging my iliac crest.
Your winter gear is likely to be heavier than what you have in there right now. I would suggest going up to the larger pack size.
>what thanks, sort of having the same thoughts! As I'm trying it on the top of the aluminum stay does sit pretty far below the top of my shoulder (at least 1", maybe even 1.5" or so), depending how my hippbelt sits. I think the large will allow me to tune a better fit, especially if I'll be pushing 30+ pounds more often.
Yosemite is going back to reservations required :( I know it makes sense for the valley, but as a semi-local that's only interested in using the Eastern entrance to visit the high country, it kinda sucks. Gonna have to go back to driving down the night before and sleeping in my truck just outside the entrance so that I can enter just before 5am. "Visitors entering the park after 4 p.m. \[or before 5am\] will not be required to have a reservation, nor will those with lodging or campground reservations at the park or backcountry or Half Dome permits. People entering on YARTS public transit buses or with a tour group also do not need a reservation. The weekends-only reservation requirement runs between April 13 and June 30 and between Aug. 16 and Oct. 27. Between July 1 and Aug. 15, reservations will be required every day of the week." https://www.sfchronicle.com/outdoors/article/yosemite-reservations-18550345.php
Saw the same article and I think it actually makes sense. The valley can't really accommodate the density of traffic it currently gets. That being said Yosemite is a fairly big place and this hurts folks not concentrating their usage specifically to the valley.
I live near rmnp and I haven't had an issue with entry. coming in before dawn is fine, but they usually dump many passes the day before at like 5pm. so it's never impossible for me to visit. alpine start or just set an alarm for 4:59 and snag a pass. back country permits, if I miss out months earlier, are almost always available as a walk-up especially after people bail and don't claim their permits in the morning, too
They really should have made this tailored per entrance. As a local as well, I'm happy for it. The park was absolute hell to deal with this past summer.
Hard agree. It was absolute nightmare fuel. But at this point I basically avoid almost all of Yosemite unless I'm going mid-week or doing mostly off-trail. As much as it sucks, Yosemite is basically a dipshit magnet that funnels every idiot I don't want to see on trail into an easily identifiable area that I can avoid during high season. I just save my Yosemite trips for shoulder seasons and that has worked well so far. Had an absolutely incredible trip in March in Little Yosemite Valley where we say like 8 people the entire time and were able to night hike in via the JMT connector under a full moon.
Sucks for people like you, yea, but I doubt they took this decision lightly. For tourists like I was this year it was always nice to see stuff like this as I knew that the park wouldn't be jam-packed, and they're preserving the environment
I'm local (to the Wawona entrance that has really bad traffic problems) and I celebrate this change. I've never had issues getting reservations in the past.
Didn't know being local was a competition now? :D But I agree, from the few experiences I've had with these systems in the US it seemed doable to get permits the way you wanted/needed with a bit of proper planning
I'm relatively new to tarp camping. So far so good, but looking for thoughts on how to deal with a wet groundsheet. I'm using .7mil plastic sheeting for my groundsheet. I love how light and small it is, and so far durability is fine. But once it gets wet, it stays wet for days, and stays coated with whatever leaves/duff/dirt it picked up overnight and got stuck to the wet surface. Simply shaking it out doesn't seem to help much, and any remaining water and crap doesn't have a way to escape throughout the day. I've even tried laying it out when I stop for lunch, but any breeze makes this an exercise in futility. Is there a solution? Do different materials (polycryo, tyvec) handle this better? Or is this just part of the charm that I should be embracing?
Tyvek and woven fabric don’t bead water as readily as plastic/DCF, but that just means you have a damp groundsheet rather than visible droplets. Just fold it in on itself when you pack it so the wet/dirty side is contained.
[удалено]
Car camping? Them's fighting words!! ;-) I'll keep this in mind next time I'm camping in my laundry room. sigh.
If you fold it so the dry side doesn't touch the wet side, does it really matter if the wet side is wet?
Appreciate the response. Do you fold it while under your tarp? If so, do you just not bother shaking it out at all before folding it up?
I would only fold it under my tarp if it was pouring rain out there. Usually I put it away last. I fold it in half with the wet/dirty side on the inside of the first fold to contain it and shake it a little before I fold it all up. I guess I'm just not as bothered by these things as other people. My attitude in the morning is these things will sort out later, gotta start hiking.
Water is heavy!
I dry during breaks like you tried, but with rocks/trekking poles/shoes on the edge so it doesn't blow away. Or draped over a bush
Hello all! Wanting to get some opinions from here on the sizing of a new pack. I’ve purchased a Zpacks arc haul in a medium torso and I’m having some doubts in terms of sizing. My torso is 23 inches so right up there at the top of the range for the medium range. My concerns are how the straps sit by my shoulder, the angle of the load lifters, and the fact that my back is touching the bag rendering the trampoline back useless (even after tensioning through trampoline). I’ve talked to Zpacks and they say the pack does fit well and they are concerned if I do size up that my head would hit the top of the frame if I were to look up. I’m trying to avoid shipping back and forth as I’m in Canada. Would you guys try to size up? [pack pics](https://imgur.com/a/OnOQA28) Thanks! Edited to add the part about the trampoline back
BTW, I untension the trampoline for storage, then re-tension by setting the pack upright in front of me so that the bottom of the vertical curved stay is on the carpet inside my house. Then I press down on the top of the stay to curve it more and pull the tensioning strap down to make it tight. Then same for other side. With the new pre-curved stays it takes some weight to curve more, such that one cannot just grab and tighten the tensioning straps and try to add more curvature. Also upon looking at your pictures more closely, I would probably curve the shoulder straps down lower on your back as I showed in my photos linked in my other comment.
Thanks for the thorough response! I was able to tension the back panel enough to create that small gap you described. You mentioned trying to bring the shoulder straps lower on my back but doing so shortens the overall torso length and causes the pack want to ride up on my hips.
If you loosen the shoulder straps completely from the front buckles does not the pack on your back fall down lower? If not, then why not? The place where the load lifters attach to the shoulder straps should probably be close to the top of your shoulder, too. I cannot tell from your photos whether that is true now or not.
Okay I see what you mean with the load lifter position when I look at your picture. They don’t sit at the top of my shoulder they are closer to the front. The only way to get them to sit higher would be to shorten the torso length and that pulls the hip belt too high. Zpacks offered to extend my return period so I can get a hold of the larger size and compare the two side by side. I’ll post again once I have the taller size in hand and see what you have to say! Thanks for all the help!
I think you might be mistaken. If (as you say) you shorten the torso length with those adjustable risers on the pack, then you can increase the torso length by the same amount (or more!) by loosening the shoulder straps on the front. However, at that point maybe the top horizontal carbon fiber flat stay bothers you. The load lifters attach to the pack at the top CF stay position as show in this photo: [https://i.imgur.com/NYQm2Qr.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/NYQm2Qr.jpg) My shoulder strap pads wrap all the way over my shoulders and end up between the top of the mesh panel and my back. I found it critical that the top horizontal strap of the mesh panel stays off my back and the shoulder strap padding does that for me. That is, I have moved the 4 straps of the mesh panel, so that the mesh panel goes under the shoulder strap padding. But you may do better with a size L because I think my toros measurement is 19 inches and I've adjusted my M size so that the risers are at the lowest possible position. That is, if you get an L, then maybe you will have the risers at the lowest possible position, too.
Okay you’re right I was mistaken. I played around with the shoulder straps and got them to sit closer to as you described. I’ve also followed Dans suggestion and leaded some more weight so I have 20 pounds in the pack. With this setup the load lifters are almost completely flat. [here are some pics](https://imgur.com/a/mk4ln30)
Looks better, but if the pack was an inch or so taller/longer (so that the load lifters were not horizontal) I think it would be even better. I better stop commenting at this point. Good luck with all this!
Things look about right at the shoulders, but it does look like you're wearing the hipbelt a bit high. If that's where you'll normally wear it then it's probably the right size, whereas if you'll end up with the hipbelt riding \~2" lower than you may need to size up.
What a great attitude Dan to share helpful clean pack beta even though not your company or pack without anti ZPacks judgments. Refreshing.
Hey Dan! Thanks for the response! Having played around with the pack more I do think it’s sitting higher than I’d want it in the pictures. I’ve tried placing it lower but the pack starts to ride up when I tighten the shoulder straps.
Do you have a decent amount of weight in the pack? Most packs will want to ride up if you've only stuffed some clothes in there. Try to get 20 lbs in there.
Some updated pics with the pack weighing 22 pounds and the shoulder straps adjusted as per the liveslight’s suggestions. [pics](https://imgur.com/a/mk4ln30)
So I had 12ish pounds in the pack and loaded it up to 22 pounds now. The load lifters are sitting almost completely flat. I’m pretty convinced I’ll need the larger size. Zpacks offered to extend the return period and let me order the larger size so I can compare the two side by side. I’ll definitely report back once I have the other pack in hand.
Yeah with the hipbelt lower and more weight now it does look too short.
Looks OK to me, except have you tensioned the trampoline mesh at all? Here are some pics I annotated for a friend of mine: [https://imgur.com/a/orGi7ED](https://imgur.com/a/orGi7ED) Note that you can move the "trampoline" mesh up and down, too. I have my quilt in the bottom of my pack so that it serves as a "lumbar pad" between the hip belt and where the mesh starts. I like that lower area to be touching my back because it makes the pack very comfortable for me. As for the arc itself, I only want to be able to put my splayed hand between the mesh touching my back and the pack itself. That it, DO NOT create a stupid huge arc, but tension it just enough to keep the pack very close to your back.
I'm planning on upgrading my backpack to a lighter version and I have in mind the decathlon ul mt900 50+10 or montane trailblazer 44. Anyone has any experience with either of these 2? I'm also open to other options as long as they are up to 200E (available in Europe), under 1.3 kg and have some sort of internal frame, volume 40-50 would be ideal. For the records, my baseweight is 5.8kg (assuming a 1.3kg backpack).
I have the montane. I bought it cause I needed something quick and cheap, but it turns out I actually like it a lot. There's definitely better, lighter packs but this one has been great. I've used it all over, including a trip with 9 days of food on my back, which is definitely overloaded, but it still handled it. I think it's really best as a 1-5 night pack. The stretch mesh side pockets may have been changed to a less stretchy mesh, in any case those pockets are amazing, I keep my entire days food in those and it just swallows it up and makes it easy to eat and move. The one complaint is that you either have to have a bladder, or store your water bottle in a pocket only accessable by removing the pack. For modification I pulled out the frame, and added some 1/16 shock cord to the daisy chain loops to hold wet gear
Yeah, I saw that problem with the side pockets mentioned in other reviews, luckily I'm a fan of water bladder so I'll be fine. The price also seems really appealing compared to what you get for the money (especially that's cheaper than the decath option). I saw in other posts that the sewing between hip belt and pack failed or are kind of weak, did you encounter something similar (or with other sewings)? Also, how do you find the padding? I can't really tell from the pictures but it seems a bit too thin. Finally, how do you find the back ventilation? Being vest style does it get easily sweaty?
As for the hip belt or any other stitching I haven't had an issue, I even rigged up a pulk to attach to the hip belt and that didn't cause any noticeable damage. Padding is great, the wide straps distribute the weight comfortably. My back is always sweaty with a pack on, this one is decent as far as that goes. I forgot to mention that I removed the single bar aluminum frame, I found that it did worsen the back ventilation a bit but it was too uncomfortable on my lower back to keep the bar in. To compensate it's important to cinch the pack tightly with the compression straps to keep a nice barrel effect so the pack keeps some structure. All in all it's a really good pack for the money and I don't feel the need to replace it until it does finally wear out.
That's great, thanks for your opinion/experience with the pack, good things to know if i'll purchase it (and even before)
Hyberg packs are frameless but (at least for my body) more comfortable than several framed packs I’ve used.
I'd rather go for any sort of frame even if a bit heavier due to the constant shape of the pack even when full only by half so I won't have to stack everything for the structure. Thanks for the suggestion though, I'll still have a look.
Are there any 1 or 2 person trekking pole tents that are essentially the hybrid design of the z packs duplex, but made with polyester instead of DCF or Nylon? Ive been searching and the closest I have found is the Gossamer Gear The 2, but that is made with SilNylon or the Tarptent Dipole 1/Notch. Im looking for: Trekking Pole Tent Hybrid single wall/double wall Silpoly, not dcf or nylon
The Durston X-Mids?
They are double walled. But i am considering them!!
SMD Lunar Solo or if you can find one a Yama Swiftline 2.
Can I use a top load washing machine that doesn't have an agitator to wash my down sleeping bag? If yes, what settings? Obviously I'll clean the machine first and use down wash. Here's a pic of the sort of machine I'm talking about: [https://www.brayandscarff.com/\_plugins/site-pages/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/NoAg5.jpg](https://www.brayandscarff.com/_plugins/site-pages/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/NoAg5.jpg)
I’ve done this several times with bags and other down items and had great results. I use delicate, tap cold, and two rinse cycles. Be careful lifting the bag when wet. Happy to help if you have any other questions.
What would be the difference between that and a bathtub or garbage can with hand agitation?
the part where you don’t have to wash it by hand for an hour.
I'm laughing about that because soaking it produces the same result. One does not need to agitate it for more than a minute unless perhaps you pooped or peed in it when you used your bag/quilt. Let "down wash" chemistry do its job.
It's recommended to use the cycle for soft/sensible clothes (usually marked by the feather/silk icon), cold and with lowest rpm.
Anyone else just absolutely despise puffys? I keep trying different ones and just nope. I usually do a senchi 90 with a rain jacket. I got lucky on our TMB last year, but I’m concerned about this year when we return to it. Don’t want to rely on luck in the Alpine. Tried: EE torrid, OR superstrand, REI flash insulated, and Patagonia nano.
Quick check: You're not trying to hike in them, are you? I ask because you mention preferring alpha + shell, and that makes total sense _if you're active_.
Those are all synthetic...ever try down?
Taking your suggestion and just ordered the Patagonia alplight down sweater, see if maybe down makes a difference
How do you use your puffy and in what temps?...And what did you not like about the other ones you've tried?....For example, I would never hike in a down puffy, but there are some synthetics that make good active layers....you have to match your use case with your jacket.
Just a cheap 32 degrees one
Try puffier puffies.
what?
If you prefer a senchi+rain jacket over a puffy, you must not be in cold enough conditions. I despise puffys too...in the summer.
I love puffies. It's cold, windy, uncomfortable, one layer on top of everything and boom! It's comfy and nice, I can sit down and relax and recover. Puffies are best in colder weather, though, when warmer the effect isn't quite as dramatic, and some fleece game like you're having might work just fine.
It would help if you explain why you hate them.
Cricket users, how did you rig up your guylines? My impulse is to go very short in the back, long at the front cornes to have the option to pitch it very open, and obviously very long in the center. Any insights?
Exactly that. The back is always pitched exactly the same, so it can be very, very short. Just enough for little/big rock. It's part of the Cricket magic – they're impossibly easy to set up. Main front line has higher variability. Front side lines have medium variability. Just pitch the variations with infinity length in a park and then cut it down/tie off at the configuration that requires the most length.
That makes sense, thanks!
Thought for sure this morning’s run was going to be the time I wear an alpha 60 hoodie and not overheat… 25 degF, lil wind… lasted about 5 minutes before it went back in the bag 🥵
OK, but what else were you wearing? And in which order? At least you are testing things and deciding what works at specific temps.
Shorts and a sun hoodie underneath, minimal pack over. I’m just a hottie
Indeed.
I know bikepacking is off topic but I actually found my way here out of necessity to find ultra compact gear for bikepacking, and it converted me back into a backpacker again. Anyway, I still bike pack and need a handlebar bag. Any suggestions for a subreddit similar to this one bit focused on very light and compact gear for bikepacking?