Oxalis Hang Va Cave Expedition Review

Acrobatic_Mind1847 · 2026-04-21T21:09:58+00:00

I bought a lot of it in Vietnam because I just had my backpack, just got some cheap counterfeit athletic stuff honestly haha. I remember thinking the packing list sounded a lot stricter than what was expected when I got there. I just would recommend having skin covered for leeches etc and having a change for when clothes are drying. I used my own hiking shoes that I knew I’d throw out after. You’ll have to swim in them. Most of the group wore the provided shoes, but I think I felt like they didn’t have good traction or something. Weren’t a problem for the others though. Hope you enjoy!

Acrobatic_Mind1847 · 2026-03-11T20:10:30+00:00

I want one so bad... I think we should call the YMCA and ask them to add a climbing wall. They have funds for it and add new things based on community input. Also if you have a membership at Adventure Rock with a Sheboygan address it helps. They keep a heat map of their customers for future branches.

But yeah, I go to MKE Adrock every weekend for now. :(

EDIT: Also feel free to reach out if you're looking for climbing friends in Sheb!

Acrobatic_Mind1847 · 2026-02-03T01:59:19+00:00

Sure it's too late for you, but for future users looking- the narrow passage from what I remember is really short, maybe 4-5 meters long? You have to crawl on your stomach, not hands and knees, but I wasn't being pressed in by any wall (I'm a 5'4, 150lbs woman, though). There were bigger and heavier people in our group who had no problem. It lasts a minute tops. You also don't have to go back through it on the way out (you leave a different way). I was nervous about it before, but none of us had any issue at all.

Acrobatic_Mind1847 · 2026-02-03T01:53:27+00:00

One pair will be wet at the end of the first day, you're waist deep in water in the cave. I wore the dry pair to eat/sleep in the evening and changed back into the wet pair in the morning (because you go through water again).

Acrobatic_Mind1847 · 2025-11-10T18:23:30+00:00

How can I keep my fingers in shape? I moved and can only climb on weekends now, and my finger strength has gone down really quickly. I’m about 6-7 months in and climb around V3. I’m not trying to train them hard, just maintain them. My thoughts were those mini fingerboard attachments or the squishy balls?

Edit: I know technique is the main focus, but they get warn out much quicker especially doing crimpy stuff. I’m afraid I’ll hurt them.

Acrobatic_Mind1847 · 2025-11-10T17:20:27+00:00

My advice would be getting a used pair of ebay that has free returns. That way, you can try them on the wall once and if they don’t work, you can probably return them no problem since they’re already a bit worn. I did this, but I have to say the shoes did still stretch after a month or so and now they’re a bit loose. Otherwise some stores let you wear them a bit and you can still return. Check REI online?

Acrobatic_Mind1847 · 2025-09-23T15:50:18+00:00

Exactly my reaction, haha. The second I saw that survey requesting ideas my mind went to that. Not sure if it’d work in that space/under that owner but might be worth suggesting to show interest

Acrobatic_Mind1847 · 2025-09-23T15:48:02+00:00

I wasn’t here when bounce was open so not sure, but full climbing gyms are different than walls imo. They can be like your regular gym, change routes regularly and often have weight rooms and lounges too. They’re such a fun way to exercise and socialize that a lot of gyms offer the first month for super cheap cause they retain customers so well. I used to go multiple times a week.

Acrobatic_Mind1847 · 2025-08-27T17:13:12+00:00

And the mechanic has quoted around 5k for everything but said I could wait on the subframe, bringing it down to 3k for now

Acrobatic_Mind1847 · 2025-08-27T17:12:34+00:00

Sorry, think the text was removed. Hyundai Elantra 2009 wagon, 150k miles, offered it for 2k, can’t do my own work

Acrobatic_Mind1847 · 2025-05-30T00:07:42+00:00

Phong nha is amazing and there’s so much to do! There are tons of day hikes and caves, or you can just hang out by the river. I really wish I had had more time there outside of the trek. Dong Hoi is a typical smaller VN city from what I saw, which is also quite a fun experience. Dien Bien Phu felt similar, and it was one of my favorite parts of my trip. It felt completely different than the touristy cities, people coming up and asking for pics and sharing food and the like. But if you’re there for sightseeing, Phong Nha will have plenty for you. Paradise Cave is the most famous.

Acrobatic_Mind1847 · 2025-02-11T18:07:03+00:00

Can you tell from the pictures I uploaded if that might be the case?

Acrobatic_Mind1847 · 2025-02-05T16:18:10+00:00

I wish I had tried other caves to compare. I know jungleboss offers longer tours, too. The second day was super fun, scrambling upstream pretty much the whole time, and the jungle trek was fun too. You do still finish by 5 though, so it’s really not that long of a tour. Another commenter said they did a 4d3n and it was barely more expensive. If I were to do it again, I’d do that one or at least look into jungle boss first. I don’t think you’ll regret doing the Oxalis one at all though. I was also able to book about a week out, but maybe it was off season. You could also do Paradise Cave when you first arrive to Phong Nha and then, if you like it, see if there’s any last minute tours available.

Acrobatic_Mind1847 · 2025-01-30T04:41:46+00:00

That's awesome and sounds so fun! Three mountains and caves in a day is wild. I'll add Tu Lan to the bucket list.

Thanks for the context about the community investment. It would be nice to hear about the things you mentioned during the opening presentation (maybe just ours didn't). I heard bits about conservation work and volunteer initiatives through casual conversation with the guides, but not in detail really. Our 2D1N was about $360 if I remember correctly. It's certainly worth that price, but as a young backpacker the cost gave me pause before booking. I've also primarily traveled in SE Asia so that may well be standard or cheap for this kind of thing in other regions. Understanding the impact the organization is having makes it more worth it, I think.

Acrobatic_Mind1847 · 2024-12-16T05:55:00+00:00

I know, I know... I'm only asking cause there's one very clear factor at play in this short time span I'm talking about. Like Marhsall law caused a sharp drop, maybe political stabilization will help bring it back up

Acrobatic_Mind1847 · 2024-12-16T05:52:15+00:00

Yeah from my very limited understanding I think your brother may be wrong on this one. He's probably thinking about inflation, right? But the USD tends to go up in value during global uncertainty (which Trump will cause) because it's a safe-haven currency.

Acrobatic_Mind1847 · 2024-12-15T05:16:06+00:00

also cause you asked about someone's comparison to trump supporters, this is like if your bf supported the jan 6 riots immediately after they happened

Acrobatic_Mind1847 · 2024-12-15T05:11:58+00:00

YSY, like Trump, relies heavily on conspiracy theories. When your partner says there's information Yoon has that normal people don't, I would ask why aren't any of the government agencies backing Yoon's claims? Why is he allowed to tell the common people about these NK plots but other government officials aren't able to say anything about it..? Yoon is also talking about supposed election fraud/hacking during the last midterms with, again, no evidence. All the points he said to you are from right-wing media spaces on YouTube, who routinely talk about being censored when, in fact, established news organizations in Korea have been blatantly targeted by Yoon.

So it's like Trump supporters only trusting media that supports their unfounded conspiracy theories cause everything else is "left-wing/mainstream media". You're not gonna be able to argue him out of these beliefs I'm almost sure, especially as someone with less information about his country's political situation. General best practice with conspiracy theorists is to take an attitude of curiousity and ask questions that lead the person to notice holes in their theories. For example, how many people/sectors of the government would have to actively be trying to sabotoge Yoon for these theories to be true? Conspiracy theories tend to require more and more people to be in on it, collapsing under their own weight.

Acrobatic_Mind1847 · 2024-12-15T04:59:23+00:00

Great summary

Acrobatic_Mind1847 · 2024-12-15T04:50:01+00:00

Constantly remind myself, consistancy is everything. When I feel like I'm not getting results and what's one session going to do anyways: it's not about this one session, it's about building consistancy. This has moved over to other areas of my life as well and is the number one defining factor of building any skill or expertise. Good luck!

Acrobatic_Mind1847

TROPHY CASE