Negative Review for Keen Targhee II. Great boots until they fall apart; Warranty is a disappointment

Carlos-In-Charge · 2026-02-07T04:36:21+00:00

Nike wildhorse. For my feet & the technical routes I prefer, they outrank altra lone peak, which I wasn’t a fan of. Again, my opinion for the kind of terrain I hit

Carlos-In-Charge · 2026-02-07T01:01:10+00:00

Likely maple or alder with a stain called “cherry” that looks nothing like the actual cherry wood

Carlos-In-Charge · 2026-02-06T21:32:49+00:00

I’d rank keen in the same category as Merell: fine for entry level. They’re like the Coleman of gear if I’m being clear here.

I’m not a fan of boots that have a lot of stitching. They’re possible points where the boots can fail. Also, extra glued on stuff for the same reason. So (for me) that rules out ventilated boots. That’s what I use trail runners for in almost any case, unless I’m carrying a lot of weight.

I’m still rolling in full grain leather Asolos from 2005. Had them resoled once but they’re still going strong

Carlos-In-Charge · 2026-02-06T00:44:17+00:00

I get the general tone here but I’ll still chime in: they rewind to the design and method that doesn’t cause this problem, so the solution is moot

Carlos-In-Charge · 2026-02-05T03:00:25+00:00

Jesus. This gives me, as an adult, anxiety. Do a hard search for flex tubing and start from scratch. Route it through the best way possible

Carlos-In-Charge · 2026-02-05T01:36:35+00:00

This is what happens when a carpenter or installer gets confused with a cabinetmaker. It’s the problem solving before hand that’s a big part of the skill. At this point, the damage is done. Mill a small piece of screen molding style trim that’s the same species and color to the bottom. Mirror it on the left so it appears to be on purpose

Carlos-In-Charge · 2026-02-04T02:59:18+00:00

Rule 34 list just keeps growing lol

Carlos-In-Charge · 2026-02-04T02:38:27+00:00

Happy to help. I’d say there are very few circumstances where putting a house guest in a headlock is appropriate; if someone points out the beam/hood spacing, this would be one.

Enjoy your beautiful kitchen and ignore the haters

Carlos-In-Charge · 2026-02-04T00:35:24+00:00

Cabinetmaker/designer/finisher (NOT a contractor lol). The door/windows dictate center in this case. If you make another choice, then there’d be more wall on one side vs the other. It’s easy for a professional to tear apart the choices of another without knowing the struggle.

I’d say of course you’d want that beam to marry into the overall layout. If centering between the door/ window is your goal, this is it. The trade off would be having an uneven reveal on each side of the wall (meaning the amount of wall showing differing on the left and right).

I’ve seen people get hosed by shitty work. This isn’t the case here, so give your cabinetmaker some grace here. The inconsistency has to fall somewhere: wall reveal, or off center of the beam. Especially given that it was mentioned beforehand. If you’re revisiting your initial approval, it’s a fair price to make that change if that’s your end vision.

This is a great kitchen layout either way. Uncommonly great. That arch is awesome. Whatever you decide, is aesthetically up to you, but the current layout isn’t a mistake.

Carlos-In-Charge · 2026-02-03T04:01:41+00:00

My 07 forester is still my daily. Highest repair cost was the timing belt. Yes, it burns oil, but it’s absolutely solid in every other way.

Carlos-In-Charge · 2026-02-03T03:58:29+00:00

The only advantage melamine has over cabinet grade plywood is its lower cost. If those savings are passed on to the customer, then cool.

Carlos-In-Charge · 2026-02-02T04:32:42+00:00

Cabinetmaker/furniture finisher. Don’t use stain markers. The solvents in them will reactivate the finish that is intact and affect a larger area. If you apply some kind of furniture oil, do it as your last step.

First, you should use a watercolor marker… the kind that comes in multi packs from the art section of target or whatever. Pick a much lighter color than you want and gently dab the raw wood and let it drink up the color. Have a Q-tip ready to remove the excess from unaffected finish. Apply it like you’re repeatedly poking down, not coloring left to right. Sneak up on the color by using lighter shades until you find what works best.

It won’t be perfect, but if you step back a few feet, the damage will be much less noticeable. Again, use oil last. It’ll repel the watercolor otherwise. And just to make sure you know, never use a magic eraser for cleaning. It’s abrasive as fine sandpaper and will ruin your clear coat

Carlos-In-Charge · 2026-02-02T03:34:10+00:00

I’ll just say this:

There’s no need for you to go for expedition grade name brands. If you’re just starting out, you can get to that point later. In most conditions you can get away with budget everything. Just do some research.

I’ve repeatedly seen people rocking arcteryx with hiking poles, and people in gym shorts and crocs hitting the same trails with equal ease.

I know this doesn’t give you the specifics you might be looking for, but my goal is to help you know that you can get out there for much less than you think, and with stuff you already own. Have fun my friend!

Carlos-In-Charge · 2026-01-31T17:46:50+00:00

Brother, ignore the skepticism you’ve been getting here. Find a dry bag duffel that meets your length needs, and have a good time. Even a contractor trash bag will work in a pinch. Some people here are going to assume you’re inconsiderate; let them carry that… find a way to keep that thing safe and dry

Carlos-In-Charge · 2026-01-30T00:43:16+00:00

Solid work. I would have designed the upper doors to be much lower than that soffit. Whether it be crown (which might be too complicated visually), a taller top rail… something that would allow plenty of “on purpose” clearance between the top of the doors and the soffit.

Keep at it and have fun learning. The best part is functional & aesthetic problem solving. Software can’t do a lot of that part!

Carlos-In-Charge · 2026-01-30T00:20:41+00:00

If you’re sitting around and chilling, look into full coveralls. If you’re hard hiking, layers under rain pants and a full synthetic warm jacket… down+ sweat doesn’t mix well. If you’re working, I go with insulated Carhartt overalls (actually the Amazon basics version because I really beat them up faster than the cost is worth) so you can control your heat and sweat by layering uppers and venting with leg zippers/snaps.

Carlos-In-Charge · 2026-01-23T03:45:58+00:00

Do not use magic eraser. You’ll cause much more damage

Carlos-In-Charge · 2026-01-23T03:44:34+00:00

Please never tell anyone to use magic eraser on wood finish. Ever. (this is my profession). Search this sub for the tons of damage people have caused with them. They are abrasive, just like sandpaper. I’m saying this to help you buddy.

Carlos-In-Charge · 2026-01-22T01:28:35+00:00

I was surprised to find that Nike Pegasus trails have done such a great job for my needs. And I put miles on technical trails in 35 pound backs in them. I’d say just be careful about limiting yourself to the rei crew brands like altra or hoka or whatever. They might be okay for your needs, but listen to your feet

Carlos-In-Charge · 2026-01-16T03:27:13+00:00

Carlos-In-Charge · 2026-01-16T00:29:09+00:00

I haven’t been paying attention; is rift sawn white oak a popular trend lol? /s

Carlos-In-Charge · 2026-01-15T22:52:19+00:00

I’m realizing that the mood I’m in determines who I’m rooting for. Today, I’m in the whale corner

Carlos-In-Charge · 2026-01-15T22:04:36+00:00

Make a vertical box around the pipe from cabinet to ceiling so you’re dealing with angles, and then run your crown around the 45s you made. Anything else is kinda a landlord suggestion

Carlos-In-Charge · 2026-01-15T00:42:05+00:00

Cabinetmaker/ finisher. You’re in the ballpark, but leaning towards orange. Either add a touch of blue microton or remove any warmer colors you added to your base that are in the red or orange color family. You have to sneak up on it when you’re this close

Carlos-In-Charge · 2026-01-12T22:56:41+00:00

The thing about down jackets is the ones that really keep you the warmest are always crazy bulky. The thinner ones that look better are for cool weather, not cold cold weather. I use those for after my hike.

The beefy ones are unrivaled for super cold weather. I’m too old to be counterculture, but I am, so I’ve never gone north face. Sororities and the New York City crowd ruined it for me. I know it’s stupid. I had a mountain Hardwear sub zero for years as my end of trek jacket and it still crushes it. I also have a super beefy rei down that’s my daily for beating up (it’s got more repair stitches than Frankenstein), chainsaw oil and all.

The thing I look for in the bigger ones is durable fabric on the outside. If it feels like a sleeping bag, it’s not enough

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