SQT - Simple/Stupid Question Thread

Gear won't make you better. How do you think you'll fare with the physical part?

I'd get with an experienced backpacker, and pick their brain about a good lightweight setup.

I'm sure you'd rather be wet with energy than sweaty (still wet) and fatigued.

A rain proof shell should be part of any hike of any length.

Hope you have fun. I wish I had people in my life more motivated than me to get /out/

>>659145
What kind of temperatures are you expecting?

>>659233
Also, stupid question:
Are there any backpacks that hold two hydration bladders? I have a camelbak bag, but its only made to hold a single bladder.

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>>659238
Get yourself a geigerrig hydration system. The hoses are detachable, and render the bladder leaks proof. Bladders are indestructible too. There's videos of them being run over with a truck. I use a 3L when backpacking, and then fill my kleenkanteen with another liter.

Why you would need 2 bladders or anything more than 4 liters is beyond me. That shit is going to be almost half your pack weight at 4L..

>>659145
You can get synthetic hiking clothing very cheaply. You'll probably want 2 base layers, 1 pair of trousers, 1 lightweight fleece, 1 rain jacket and maybe something to wear at night around your camp e.g. another fleece or a lightweight down/synthetic jacket or bodywarmer.

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whats the thing for on which it says camelbak?

>>659292
Tighten that across your chest to take some weight off your shoulders.

>>659238
Is this a trick question? Why couldn't you put 5 bladders in a backpack?

>>659327
5 full water bladders would weigh a ton, think about carrying that on your back all day.

>>659330
The question wasn't about carrying it and your implication that I couldn't carry 10 or even 20 pounds on my back is quite odd.

>>659292
Sternum strap

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If he's taking you on the trip, your best bet would be to talk with him about his gear. If he's going for 5 days, he probably has some experience. Most all hikers and backpackers I know have tons of extra gear. He may very well have an old pack, tent, sleeping bag.... all kinds of extra stuff you could borrow. I'm not expert myself, but I still have almost enough extra gear to outfit another person for a few nights.

Yes cotton sucks. When it gets wet, you get cold. I'd get some hiking clothes. For cheap shirts, walmart has polyester active wear shirts for cheap... usually a off brand or something like Spalding. They're not bad.

Another place for hiking stuff on the cheap is gander mountain. I have a pair of convertible hiking pants from there, Guide series brand, and they're really nice. Look for sales online, they have them all the time. Can get a pair for like $25. Add in a shirt or 2 from there for $10-20, and a few fair of lightweight wool hiking socks, and you have a whole set of hiking clothes for like $50.

Make sure you have comfortable hiking boots/shoes. Ones that have some traction. I like waterproof hiking boots, some people dont.

Get yourself a mora too. Not that you'll need it that much, or that it's so amazing.... but it's about $14 on amazon, may help you get inspired.

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>>659145
should I take this deal? can anyone show me a cheaper alternative comparable to this or the arc'teryx atom lt
On REI and backcountry its 200 USD which is like 280 CAD so its less than half the price

>>659523
Get the anode hoodie instead, and stay positive.

>Holy shit I'm nerdy.

>>659261
>>659327
The point wasn't to increase my capacity necessarily, but to better accommodate my hydration setup. I currently have a camelbak backpack that has a sleeve for a single bladder, and I carry a second bladder strapped on top, with an inline filter between. This way, I can filter the water as I walk. What I'm looking for is a backpack that would hold two bladders vertically so the weight is closer and higher and so I don't have to strap it to the top. I'm kind of starting to expect that I'll have to make one myself, though.

>>659523
Looks to be quite faggy. Probably why its not selling

>>659490
I've asked him a few questions thus far and don't wish to annoy him with too many.


When it comes to clothing it seems to be a battle between the proponents of synthetic/polyester (and nylon?) and those of wool. Are the rumors of stinky polyester true? Is nylon the same way with bodyfunk? Is wool significantly less durable than synthetic options?


I got an Osprey Atmos 65 AG for Christmas that I didn't expect and am thus thinking of potentially saving up and shelling out for some more higher-end gear such as the TarpTent Moment DW, Therm-a-rest NeoAir XTherm, and Mountain Laurel Design Spirit Quilt 28 to go with it. How will I know if everything will fit? This lighter weight stuff seems really expensive, but I also hear that it can be miserable to carry heavy gear too.

>>659547
not sure what you mean by that
>too edgy4me
it is selling.. there almost sold out. its on sale because it's last season

>>659556
>When it comes to clothing it seems to be a battle between the proponents of synthetic/polyester (and nylon?) and those of wool. Are the rumors of stinky polyester true? Is nylon the same way with bodyfunk? Is wool significantly less durable than synthetic options?
Yep, you smell after a day in poly, wool is much better in that respect. If you like to keep it balanced, a wool baselayer and a poly fleece midlayer make a good combo smellwise.

Light gear is expensive and not as durable as regular. You save most weight by packing smart, only after you master that one and still think you are to heavy you should invest in UL gear.
My preference is a solid mat (Ridgerest, until that mutha breaks) and a good quality sleeping bag. The bag is worth splurging, you'll spend a considerable time in it and a good sleep is invaluable.
For shelter, in high humid environments a double wall tent is the way to go, doesn't mean it has to be a tarptent.

>>659556
Unless you're trying to get laid on this trip, why does it matter how you smell? Merino and angora both fall apart under moderate wear, but if you're not staying out long and have the cash, it's much warmer and lighter than anything else. Weight is only a concern for longer trips. You don't want to carry more than 1/3 your weight for more than half what you'd walk without weight. For me, that's about 50lbs for 10-15 miles.

>>659556
Just ask. You'll get more out of the trip if you ask first. If you don't feel comfortable asking then you might want to look into why. Most serious recreationalists love to talk about gear, just ask. Eventually you WILL have to make a few decisions, but it's not a crime to talk through them first.

>>659556
The osprey pack is awesome, and will last your for years. Great gift.

Sam's Club has poly/merino wool blend base layers. Sold under the omni-wool brand. They're honestly awesome. For like $15. Can't beat it.

I keep a small stick of deodorant with me. I know it's not necessary, but I don't like to stink. Keeping a small pack of baby wipes really goes a long way to smelling and staying fresh. Also, can't beat a good swimming hole. I always pack super light nylon gym shorts in case I wanna swim (and people are around).

Look into hammock set ups, can get some cool options there. Check the hammock thread on here.

You don't need super expensive stuff, just decent stuff until you gain experience. The Xtherm is worth it's weight in gold, and a good quilt will last and be warm. A cheaper option isn't a bad I sea though, or just a lightweight mummy bag.

I always tie my boots too tight, should I loosen them?

I thought loose boots cause blisters and hang nails?

Should they be so tight they hurt, so I can prevent injury?

>>659145
OP I went to pictured rocks last year
Don't worry, you should be alright with not great gear.
Get a sawyer filter, and it's not like you're going to go swimming.
Watch out for the mozzy attacks

I'm going camping in Syria next month, should I tell people I'm a Jewish American homosexual or just say Canadian?

>>659695
What's the difference?

>>659675
No. Loose enough to not affect yer damn blood flow, and not slip off.
It aint hard.

>>659675
> hurting yourself to prevent injury

So crazy, it might just work!

For outdoor clothing (not necessarily performance-tier) I'm seeing Arc'teryx, Black Diamond, Columbia, Icebreaker, L.L. Bean, Mountain Hardware, Outdoor Research, Patagonia, Prana, and The North Face.

Any ones to avoid? Any good ones missing?

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/k/ directed me here for this one.
What do i need to pack for a turkey hunting outing? I was told hunting is a lot like camping.

>>659772
Most of your list is performance tier, some walmrt tier, some brando.

But, Khul, Keen, Vasque, Seirra Designs, Marmot, Merrell, Western Mointaineering, Alps Mountaineering, Kelty (having a personal quality issue with them and one item right now) and Eureka! are all good to me.

Got a $50 LL Bean gift card for Christmas, should I use it on some overpriced mittens ( http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/60315?page=mens-buckskin-chopper-mitts ) or an overpriced wool sweater ( http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/51737?page=heritage-sweater-irish-fishermans-crewneck )? Other?

>>659238
Condor 125 fits 2 3L packs.
http://www.condoroutdoor.com/condor-125.aspx

>>659884
I have a very similar sweater and ger compliments from the ladies when I wear it.

Do rec.

>>659776
If you're not staying overnight? Just your camo, blaze orange per state regs, and your gun. Bring a small pack with some water and a few snacks, and you're fine.

I don't love most of wild turkey. About all I like is the breast. It's a little greasy if not prepared right.

Any hunting outings I go to, we use our vehicles as a base camp, so we can have tons of stuff waiting for us when we end hunting. Coolers full of beer mostly. We never camp overnight when we hunt though since we all live local to our family farm, where we hunt.

If you're camping overnight, I would use your vehicle as your base camp, and bring everything you need to camp normally. If you need more advice on what to bring camping, it's probably better off in another thread (there's a few newbie camper threads here).

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Organising a gear list for my partner and I to start getting /out/ with our dog and go camping/fishing/exploring.

What have I forgotten on this list, apart from Knives and an Axe/Machete (sourcing locally first, I live fairly rural so we may have some good hunting knives at the local stores).

I have to shop online for a lot of camping gear, as I said, I live very rural (and some of which has to come from the US due to our insane pricing on local items, and the fact half the stock doesn't even come here).

Anything with a red dot is for further down the track when we are doing 3+ day trips. For now with the dog's current behavious, we'd be lucky to get /out/ for 48 hours.

>>659772
Columbia is pretty bottom tier stuff, but they are also cheap. I have no problems wearing a columbia fleece though. Cheap warm, and don't care if I trash it.

I don't wear expensive outdoor gear because I hate to ruin a $250 jacket from ripping it up in some thick brush.

A $20 columbia fleece? I'll beat that thing like it owes me money, and not care.

Are blended things like http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/mens-merino-daily-t-shirt?p=36305-0 51% wool 49% polyester any good? I get the feeling it'll be both fragile AND stinky instead of the reverse.

>>660082
I'm wearing blended wool/poly base layers right now.

They're awesome. They're soft and durable, don't stink.... prob the best base layers I own. Mine are more poly than wool, like a 70/30 blend.

>>660092
How does this layering thing go?

t-shirt 'base-layer' + sweater 'mid-layer' + rain/winter coat 'outer-layer'?

what are these shell things I keep seeing; is a 'soft shell' pretty much techwear equivalent to sweaters and 'hard shells' are the actual water/wind-proof outer-layers?

How do you deal with hydration when doing a 9 days, 370km hike? I've never done anything this big, I usually setup camp and stay in the same place for a few days, close to a water source.

>>660159
I usually do:

1st. Layer: breathable comfortable interior t-shirt, no cotton. The ideal is a long sleeve, cool, Synthetic and elastic, snug (like a second skin) t-shirt.
2nd. Layer: wool sweater or fleece
3rd. Layer: winter jacket OR rain jacket + extra sweater (wool/fleece)

plus extras like scarf and gloves depending on the time of the year.

>>659893
Not quite what I'm looking for, but appreciated anyway. At least now I know that they're available.

>>659988
Also women code for "the bastard hasn't proposed yet" and occasionally "we don't like labels" by hipsters.

>>660162
Map your route on Google maps, make know how far up/down hill you can walk, and tag the locations on your GPS where you need to get water. It's helpful if you can set alarms to go off when your near your water sources. If you plan on going blind, just follow a river to a stream, to a lake.

>>660159
Whatever is comfortable for you, and depends on weather.

Let's say it's 20 degrees out.

I start off with thermals. Merino wool poly blend. Nothing fancy, they're warm, without being bulky, and keep me from getting damp with sweat.

Then a long sleeve polyester t shirt or long sleeve tee. With any pants I wear for the day

Usually have a fleece on over that.

Then I'll have a jacket, something that's windproof and water resistant at least.

That's the basics of how I layer. If is hot, I don't need to layer at all. Layering is nice for cold weather when you're walking/hiking because you can take layers off if you start to get hot. And put layers on when you stop and start to cool down.

>>660164
>>660199

Is it possible to be fresh while inna city and going /out/ with the same gear? Thinking about the possibility of roaming/vagabonding around Eurasia in the future to see both the tourist hotspots and the wilderness while there.


Wondering how viable/ridiculous something like this would be; I imagine the wool pieces might deteriorate pretty quickly due to backpack shoulder straps or just general abrasion.


http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/mens-long-sleeved-merino-daily-t-shirt?p=36330-0-FEA

http://woolandprince.com/collections/button-down-shirts/products/blue-oxford

http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/mens-reclaimed-wool-quarter-zip-sweater?p=50355-0-GLSB

>>660227
Cities can be 3 to 12ºC hotter but the good thing about layers is that you can take one off, maybe keep the middle layer in a backpack while /urban/.

>>660173
>>659988
I'm male, she's female. Technically she's my fiancée, but I don't like calling her that, as we're 'partners in crime'.

>>660287
Oh, how mod and retro at the same time!

How old are you two hipsters?

>>660391
Did Mod even make it out of the 80's in First World Countries?

>>660568
Mod didn't make it past 1984, even in Canada. I had to turn New Wave once I left middle school.

Source: 45 year old Canadian ex-Mod.

>>659772
It depends on the item. Some things like fleeces and base layers are always going to be pretty similar and brand doesn't matter that much, but other things like waterproofs you might want to spend more on. For things like stoves and other hardware you can get decent lightweight stuff from amazon/ebay/DX cheaply.

>>660568
>>660609
> mfw mod is retro
> what does that make retro?

The irony.

>>660227
If you're vagabonding, this may be more than you want to spend, but something to consider is that when traveling by foot you can ground-ship items you don't need every day a couple weeks ahead of you. This is a great way to cycle clothing and buy things like shampoo in regular sized containers to refill your mini bottles rather than carrying the extra weight or paying for overpriced travel soaps every time you need a refill.

Merino is a short fibre, so the yarn separates a lot faster than synthetic. It's also slightly brittle by comparison. The only merino item I carry is a beanie. Well worth the cost for something that doesn't experience much wear. For everything else, standard wool and synthetics are just more economical.

Don't have a separate outfit for towns. Most people are more than happy to buy a drink for a traveler in exchange for a story, but in city clothes you'll still stink and be carrying a backpack. That just makes you look homeless.

Florida here. Looking to start hiking the AT in February. How cold are the southern states (Georgia, North/south Carolina, etc.) right now? Will it get colder in the future?

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>>659238
Pic related. The Fox Outdoor advanced mountaineering pack. 65L. I have one but not for bladders. I use one as a mics slot and the other for food. Comes in a variety of colors. Pretty solid pack for something made in China.

>>660759
Spring has arrived because of global warming. The temperature all the way thru Virginia won't get below 65. It was all over the news a few days ago

>>660764
What about up in the mountains?

I planned on hammock camping.

>>660764
It was 5 degrees here in PA a few days ago. Def not spring here.

I'm considering making a portable 12v power supply and selling them to /out/ists. If I did this, what features should it have?

So far, I'm planning on these:
>Waterproof/shockproof
>Clip for mounting on belts or straps
>A few spots to attach straps to
>Under 5 pounds
>Solar rechargable
Would plexiglass or fiberglass make a better case?

>>660889
how do you plan to improve on what the market currently offers?

keep in mind that with the low low prices for lithium ion cells, many people are simply bringing enough batteries to last the duration of the trip, with a recharge every 1-2 weeks. 5lbs would be a lot of batteries.

>>660748
Yeah the homelessness factor is some thing I was hoping to attempt to avoid, but the very nature of what I'd be doing probably makes that an impossibility. It's certainly tempting to try th o piece together a one-size-fits-all-situations loadout, but it's likely foolhardy of me.

Just pick one, eh? Either go full city slicker and sleep in hotels/hostels with /in/ gear or go full /out/?

In my social autism part of me hopes to try to associate with other folks while over there, but it likely won't happen much at all thanis to selfsabotage/avoidance, in which case full /out/ autism gear is probably the way to go.

>>660764
Arizona just got 21" since yesterday and more today.

Spring ain't sprung here!

>>660761
That looks pretty awesome. Where are those side-zippered hydration pockets?
Also, how chinesey is it? It needs to last 2650 miles and five to six months non-stop.

>>660889
There's no way I'd carry an extra five pounds just for a battery pack, and I've yet to see one with built-in solar that isn't little more than a gimmick.

I carry a small battery pack with a flashlight function (I don't carry a flashlight/headlamp) and when necessary, a 7w solar charger.

If you want to cater to the /out/ market, it has to be one of two things: 1, the cheapest POS that'll do the job. Or 2, the highest watt production in relation to weight, compared to competitors.

>>661031
I feel ya buddy. I can fake normal long enough to hitch a ride a few miles or bum a cigarette when I realize I'm nowhere near a store, but I'd be screwed if I had to rely on my charm to trade work for a hostel stay.

Do you speak unspecified Eurasian language?

So I've recently come into possession of some fairly dense eucalyptus I think may be red gum.

I understand it can be a little difficult to carve but does the weight make good game pieces like chess or checkers?
I'm thinking about carving and selling a set or two.

>>661130
I was going to make it cheap as fuck and barely charge more than shipping and parts, along with using lifepo3 batteries so they last a long time and have good wattage for the weight.
I was thinking a larger version and a small version.
What I'm really looking for is how the case should be designed for ease of use.

>>661122
>Where are those side-zippered hydration pockets
Yes they are on both sides.

Made out of what seems to be a military grade nylon Holds what I have pretty well (about 40 lbs). However not much of it is double stitched so just be weary of it when in very dense bush and when scrambling between rocks.

Just found this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkorMXvqsgM

>>659945
Head light. Also, just do some 24 hour trips and you will quickly find out which things you're missing.

>>660227
Taking this niggas post further; throwing in an Arc'teryx Atom LT and goretex shell be pretty much ready for anything down to 0F?

How the fuck do you find good trails? I can only find the national park trails and man they are shit. Do you guys seriously just pick a spot on google maps and go walking to it? Isn't that [spoiler]dangerous?[/spoiler]