The Hiking/Camping/Backpacking Thread

Discussion in 'The Mainboard' started by Chewie, Jun 27, 2009.

  1. blotter

    blotter Aristocratic Bum
    Donor
    Florida State Seminoles

    Haven't seen anyone mention hammocks itt but I have the Clark jungle hammock and love it. If for whatever reason you're not around trees it can be used in a pinch on the ground. The top is lofted to give a cocoon effect that gives you breathing room to read and even change if need be. I've tied into rock out croppings and been above slopes you'd never consider or be able to throw a tent on top of.

    Some downsides to consider - after windy nights you might experience a similar rocking feeling like the one you get from being in the ocean for extended periods.. I actually like this but doubt most do. Maneuverability inside the tent and especially once you're in your bag is much more difficult so you're not going to be banging your girl in it, or be laying your shit out like you can with a typical tent. It all depends what you do in/with your tent but I don't see myself going back to sleeping on the ground more than I find myself in my hammock
     
    High Cotton and daddy fat sacks like this.
  2. Buenos Nachos

    Buenos Nachos Palabra.
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishMinnesota VikingsPittsburgh Pirates

    Doc Louis and Fargin' Icehole like this.
  3. blotter

    blotter Aristocratic Bum
    Donor
    Florida State Seminoles

    sleeping bag recs? I've been using a tattered golite bag for a while and an army extreme cold bag for winter camping. Been eying montbell's stuff because you can supposedly sit cross-legged inside the bag, but am looking around

    also on that army bag I can't get the zipper closed. what to do?
     
  4. UrsaGrande

    UrsaGrande wait, what?
    Donor

    Set your budget and then find the best combo of weight/temperature rating you can find.
     
  5. eHo

    eHo Fan of teams that never win shit and the Seahawks.
    Donor
    Georgia BulldogsSeattle SeahawksSeattle Mariners

  6. colonelrascals

    colonelrascals Mayonnaise-colored Benz, I push miracle whips
    Donor
    Texas Tech Red RaidersHouston AstrosHouston RocketsTennisTottenham HotspurTexas Tech Red Raiders alt

  7. eHo

    eHo Fan of teams that never win shit and the Seahawks.
    Donor
    Georgia BulldogsSeattle SeahawksSeattle Mariners

    Ordered. I'll let you know what I think. I ordered a .5 size bigger than normal shoes, so we'll see how it goes.
     
    Buenos Nachos likes this.
  8. colonelrascals

    colonelrascals Mayonnaise-colored Benz, I push miracle whips
    Donor
    Texas Tech Red RaidersHouston AstrosHouston RocketsTennisTottenham HotspurTexas Tech Red Raiders alt

    they should work out p well
     
  9. Buenos Nachos

    Buenos Nachos Palabra.
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishMinnesota VikingsPittsburgh Pirates

    Question for those with experience. Wife and I are planning at Yellowstone/Tetons trip. About 7-8 days. Always prefer to avoid the super touristy shit. Any "must see/do" from those who've been?

    Gracias!
     
    daddy fat sacks and Caga palo like this.
  10. Dudley Dawson2

    Dudley Dawson2 Well-Known Member
    Penn State Nittany Lions

    skip Yellowstone, hike the tetons and give the wife a boat ride to jenny lake in the Tetons.
     
    High Cotton and Buenos Nachos like this.
  11. HOOSINSC

    HOOSINSC You're with me leather
    Donor

    I'd like to boat ride her Tetons
     
  12. Dudley Dawson2

    Dudley Dawson2 Well-Known Member
    Penn State Nittany Lions

    In all seriousness, if you want to get away from the crowds, go to Yellowstone and ask a ranger for a good hike, away from the crowds. We did that and still encountered people but got to get up close to smaller geysers and hike to see some vistas. I don't remember the hike though.

    Hike the tetons. Wifey and I did a couple day hike and didn't encounter anyone and to this day, my wife still talks about that hike as the best ever. I'll get the trail for you tonight.
     
  13. dawgonit

    dawgonit Like James Brown only white and taller
    Donor
    Georgia BulldogsAtlanta BravesAtlanta FalconsAtlanta United

    are you looking for backcountry or day trips/camps?

    Grand Teton:
    Death Canyon, Cascade Canyon, and Paintbrush Canyon are all great hikes that won't be accessed by a ton of tourists. Potential to go as long or as short as you want for these.
    There's a huge boulder on the north side of Phelps lake that you can jump off into the water - usually some locals hanging around here in the summer. Good day trip.
    Another good day hike is Two Ocean Lake
    For a true off the beaten path experience, leave the park and take the Gros Ventre road up to the Red Hills Campground, stay up there and hike to Blue Miner lake. Just awesome.

    Yellowstone:
    If you don't backcountry here you will run into crowds. No real way around it.
    Heart Lake is a good overnight loop.
    Mary Mountain is a nice out and back to see some geysers
    I've found that most (longer) trails in the northwest section of the park are fairly open

    I used to live out there, let me know if you need more recs
     
  14. Buenos Nachos

    Buenos Nachos Palabra.
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishMinnesota VikingsPittsburgh Pirates

    much appreciated
     
  15. Buenos Nachos

    Buenos Nachos Palabra.
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishMinnesota VikingsPittsburgh Pirates

    bless you! Great info to research here. Thanks man
     
    Dudley Dawson2 likes this.
  16. Dudley Dawson2

    Dudley Dawson2 Well-Known Member
    Penn State Nittany Lions

    UCFartz, Tiffin, Doc Louis and 3 others like this.
  17. Buenos Nachos

    Buenos Nachos Palabra.
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishMinnesota VikingsPittsburgh Pirates

    Perfect distance! The wife likes the 1-2 days overnight, but nothing longer. I can sell this!

    Thanks g!
     
  18. Dudley Dawson2

    Dudley Dawson2 Well-Known Member
    Penn State Nittany Lions

    My wife is the same way. One overnight is great, 2 is pushing it and she refuses to do a 3-nighter. We have 3 kids now, so we aren't doing any overnighters anymore until the kids are older. Before kids we caught the hiking bug and have hiked all over the country, focusing mainly on the national park areas and state parks. We even trained and completed the rim to river and back in a day in the grand canyon. I set an insane pace coming up from the river and paid the price at the end of the hike, was never so tired in my life.
     
    High Cotton and Buenos Nachos like this.
  19. Buenos Nachos

    Buenos Nachos Palabra.
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishMinnesota VikingsPittsburgh Pirates

    Would love to do a rim/rim someday. Similar scenario here, 3 kids and hard to get away! But when we do our annual vaca, it's usually in the parks.

    Might have to hit you up with a few other questions soon - thanks again!
     
  20. dawgonit

    dawgonit Like James Brown only white and taller
    Donor
    Georgia BulldogsAtlanta BravesAtlanta FalconsAtlanta United

    Have done river to rim and would love to go back and do rim to rim (ending on the north rim)
     
  21. leroi

    leroi -
    Donor
    South Carolina GamecocksGrateful Dead

    i was just clicking around TMB, got distracted with something else, and then came back and saw your comment

    for a brief moment, before i realized what thread i was in, i pictured something like this

    [​IMG]
     
    a.tramp, Tiffin, timo96 and 2 others like this.
  22. Dudley Dawson2

    Dudley Dawson2 Well-Known Member
    Penn State Nittany Lions

    Sure man, no problem. We've hit a ton of National Parks, some of my favorites are Glacier, Bryce, Big Bend, Acadia, Rocky Mountain and Mt. Ranier. We circumnavigated Mt. Ranier over 2 separate 5 day hikes over 2 years and the second one was miserable and hence why my wife won't go overnight for more than 2 days. Still, Mt. Ranier is a beaut.
     
    #522 Dudley Dawson2, May 28, 2015
    Last edited: May 28, 2015
  23. daddy fat sacks

    daddy fat sacks shoulda bought an ounce but you copped a dub
    Florida State Seminoles

    Thanks for the info! Will be camping with the gf for 1.5 months starting in the beg of sept and plan to be up by Yellowstone, glacier and the PNW by late September, early October. Will prolly pm some of you around then.
     
    Buenos Nachos likes this.
  24. Tigers

    Tigers Admin of the Year 2011-2014
    Donor TMB OG
    Clemson TigersCarolina PanthersUnited States Men's National Soccer TeamOlympics

    for tent I love my marmot limelight 3p. would be perfect for two people and a dog
     
  25. Tigers

    Tigers Admin of the Year 2011-2014
    Donor TMB OG
    Clemson TigersCarolina PanthersUnited States Men's National Soccer TeamOlympics

    depends on what you are looking for

    do you care about weight? any preference for temperature range?
     
  26. colonelrascals

    colonelrascals Mayonnaise-colored Benz, I push miracle whips
    Donor
    Texas Tech Red RaidersHouston AstrosHouston RocketsTennisTottenham HotspurTexas Tech Red Raiders alt

    get and rei igneo, nemo sonic, montbell downhugger, or feathered friends
     
    Dudley Dawson2 likes this.
  27. Tigers

    Tigers Admin of the Year 2011-2014
    Donor TMB OG
    Clemson TigersCarolina PanthersUnited States Men's National Soccer TeamOlympics

    I have the rei flash and love it
     
  28. Dudley Dawson2

    Dudley Dawson2 Well-Known Member
    Penn State Nittany Lions

    +2 for REI igneo, great for any occasion minus some cold summit sleeps, whereupon I picked up an REI expedition and was perfectly fine at -15 or so.
     
  29. colonelrascals

    colonelrascals Mayonnaise-colored Benz, I push miracle whips
    Donor
    Texas Tech Red RaidersHouston AstrosHouston RocketsTennisTottenham HotspurTexas Tech Red Raiders alt

    I don't like the expedition all that much :(
     
  30. Dudley Dawson2

    Dudley Dawson2 Well-Known Member
    Penn State Nittany Lions

    Curious what didn't you like? I've used it several times in the White Mountains and has served me well. Is a bit heavy though.
     
  31. colonelrascals

    colonelrascals Mayonnaise-colored Benz, I push miracle whips
    Donor
    Texas Tech Red RaidersHouston AstrosHouston RocketsTennisTottenham HotspurTexas Tech Red Raiders alt

    If I'm spending 500 + on a -20 I'm going to spend a little more for better design (ie. open baffles) and better down. I also think the dual zipper is kind of bleh.
     
  32. xec

    xec Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Florida State SeminolesUtah UtesReal Salt LakeLas Vegas Golden KnightsPorto

    Yellowstone and Glacier in late September, early October? Good chance of considerable snow.
     
  33. xec

    xec Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Florida State SeminolesUtah UtesReal Salt LakeLas Vegas Golden KnightsPorto

    racer , camping in the Vegas vicinity?
     
  34. Fargin' Icehole

    Fargin' Icehole 50% soulless
    Donor
    Georgia BulldogsAtlanta BravesAtlanta HawksBayern Munich

    Just ordered mine. I went a tried them on in the store 1st. .5 size bigger than normal was exactly what fit best. Came home and ordered online and saved $70.
     
  35. eHo

    eHo Fan of teams that never win shit and the Seahawks.
    Donor
    Georgia BulldogsSeattle SeahawksSeattle Mariners

    Same. Got the gray ones for $195. Unbelievable how comfortable they are right out of the box.
     
    Fargin' Icehole likes this.
  36. Lefthook

    Lefthook token Oregon State fan
    Donor

    I've been wearing these for summer hikes - they are literally, bar none, the most comfortable shoe I've ever owned, and the traction on loose soil is outstanding.

    [​IMG]
     
    Hugo Boss likes this.
  37. UrsaGrande

    UrsaGrande wait, what?
    Donor

    I have some Keen Targahee's for now, but really like the trail runner idea. I might give them a try for my next pair.

    I did the Lost Coast back in April and have the Rae Lakes in the Sierras coming up in a couple weeks. California's drought sucks but it means all the passes are already snow free.
     
    Dudley Dawson2 likes this.
  38. colonelrascals

    colonelrascals Mayonnaise-colored Benz, I push miracle whips
    Donor
    Texas Tech Red RaidersHouston AstrosHouston RocketsTennisTottenham HotspurTexas Tech Red Raiders alt

    Helios SR:
    [​IMG]

    I wear them for almost everything I do outside.
     
  39. BP

    BP Bout to Regulate.
    Donor
    Atlanta BravesGeorgia BulldogsAtlanta Falcons

    Should definitely spend a day in Jackson Hole if you're in the Tetons.
     
  40. thunderstruck

    thunderstruck I'm a Boss

    What online resources do yall use to find good/interesting trail to hike and camp? Work has me stuck in north Florida so I'm not exactly in a popular area for it.
     
  41. Hugo Boss

    Hugo Boss The poster formerly known as CarolinaRPh
    South Carolina GamecocksPhiladelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia EaglesTottenham HotspurCharlotte FC

    Bought these. If my feet hurt this weekend I will rescind my like.
     
    Lefthook likes this.
  42. dawgonit

    dawgonit Like James Brown only white and taller
    Donor
    Georgia BulldogsAtlanta BravesAtlanta FalconsAtlanta United

    have you checked out the Florida National Scenic Trail? runs through some awesome spots, especially on the panhandle.

    Florida National Scenic Trail Map
     
    thunderstruck likes this.
  43. thunderstruck

    thunderstruck I'm a Boss

    I have not.. Looks like it would have some close options though. Thanks
     
    dawgonit likes this.
  44. dawgonit

    dawgonit Like James Brown only white and taller
    Donor
    Georgia BulldogsAtlanta BravesAtlanta FalconsAtlanta United

    I recommend the stretch through St. Marks NWR and Apalachicola NF - both have nice, established campsites and the scenery/wildlife is great. watch out for pygmy rattlers this time of year though. they love to sun on the trails before noon.
     
  45. Lefthook

    Lefthook token Oregon State fan
    Donor

    [​IMG]
     
    Hugo Boss likes this.
  46. Hugo Boss

    Hugo Boss The poster formerly known as CarolinaRPh
    South Carolina GamecocksPhiladelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia EaglesTottenham HotspurCharlotte FC

    I don't get the dude where's my car reference at all, but will award another like because my feet feel so much better than my calves right now,
     
    Lefthook likes this.
  47. Lefthook

    Lefthook token Oregon State fan
    Donor

    haha it's the scene from the drive in Chinese food joint where the lady keeps yelling "AND THEN??"

    :laugh:
     
    Hugo Boss likes this.
  48. Hugo Boss

    Hugo Boss The poster formerly known as CarolinaRPh
    South Carolina GamecocksPhiladelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia EaglesTottenham HotspurCharlotte FC

    I need to rewatch that movie.
     
  49. UrsaGrande

    UrsaGrande wait, what?
    Donor

  50. gopack2104

    gopack2104 Well-Known Member
    Donor TMB OG
    North Carolina State WolfpackAtlanta Braves

    I have this pack and I absolutely love it. I would recommend Gregory to anybody. I also have a ton of MSR gear and have never had an issue.

    [​IMG]
     
    colonelrascals and thunderstruck like this.