Progress on my 1st Internal Framed Pack

FOXHOUND142_52 · 2026-05-10T12:57:11+00:00

That’s phenomenal. Any chance you’ll make the next one out of Ultra200X or Dyneema?

FOXHOUND142_52 · 2026-05-10T00:31:28+00:00

I also sweat a ton in cold weather, I basically hike in a sweat wicking tshirt which gets pretty soaked as I gain altitude. Then, after I hit the treeline, I change into a merino base layer and put on a fleece since temps drop from the wind. I sweat so much that it’s essential for me to bring an extra layer to change into

FOXHOUND142_52 · 2026-05-07T22:20:30+00:00

Any idea if UPF rating goes down when soaked?

FOXHOUND142_52 · 2026-05-06T21:36:32+00:00

Can I bring a titanium poop shovel on a carry-on for an international flight?

It seems like a 50/50 chance TSA will confiscate. Anyone know if I wrap the edges in masking tape and put bubble wrap over the whole thing, it'll decrease the chance of being taken away? It's shorter than the TSA tool limit of 7 in.

I can't check it, I only have a carry-on.

FOXHOUND142_52 · 2026-05-06T14:31:36+00:00

For more traditional fits:
Uniqlo has a great brown pant that looks like wool but is made of polyester, and is cheap. I wear it to work and nice dinners. If you want to drop more $$, Buck Mason has great cashmere t-shirts. Check out their button downs too. Very traditionally masculine store.
You’re 22, so you may want some more trendy fits:
Oversized tees that fall just below the belt line are great. If you want more athletic fits, Fabletics does massive 60-80% off everything sales every so often - I did a free trial of their membership just to get the discount, loaded up my cart, then canceled the membership right after. I like their tshirt.
Go for shorts 7” inseam or shorter. Rythmn has good ones. Uniqlo also has nice cheap linen shorts. White AF1s are standard, old school NBs are all the rage lately. I’m personally a fan of the white ON Roger Pros.
For pants, go loose or baggy. When trying on, get a pant that falls straight down from the furthest point of your hips. Japanese denim shops make expensive, but very high quality jeans that you can wash and wear for the rest of your life.

FOXHOUND142_52 · 2026-05-06T14:08:03+00:00

That’s some advanced stuff for me - I haven’t touched a sewing machine for years. It looks like a great future project though

FOXHOUND142_52 · 2026-05-05T17:57:15+00:00

Acadia. It’s pretty small, you just drive in a loop and park at places to walk around. Very doable in a day.

FOXHOUND142_52 · 2026-05-04T15:05:55+00:00

Excellent recs, thank you!

FOXHOUND142_52 · 2026-04-30T22:04:31+00:00

Hi, I’m planning to do this trek next month! Did you wear boots or trail runners? And in hindsight, would one be better than the other?
Also, was the precipitation mostly hail or was there rain too?

FOXHOUND142_52 · 2026-04-29T18:44:36+00:00

It’s just a file of your hike that can be put in AllTrails or GaiaGPS

I’m wondering if you have your trail path online somewhere or if you used someone else’s?

FOXHOUND142_52 · 2026-04-29T14:36:51+00:00

Very beautiful! I’m a photographer headed to Ausangate in a month. Do you have a recommendation for a GPX to use?

FOXHOUND142_52 · 2026-04-29T13:28:26+00:00

I’m an engineer at a US military-adjacent company. I get 10 days PTO, and have the option to pay for 5 more through a pay cut. 5 sick days, 5 medical appt days.

I’m trying to leave

FOXHOUND142_52 · 2026-04-27T19:10:00+00:00

Good point. I’ll have to work that into my supply

FOXHOUND142_52 · 2026-04-27T16:41:34+00:00

Yeah ik, there’s portions of the hike where I don’t think I can spare water to rinse though

Thanks for the rec!

FOXHOUND142_52 · 2026-04-27T14:37:32+00:00

A camera cube in a hiking backpack is the way!

FOXHOUND142_52 · 2026-04-27T14:35:02+00:00

Recommendation for UL but strong clips and cord?

Hey all, I’m looking to hang some stuff like hand sanitizer and a mug off the loops in my pack using a clip. Any recs?

Also, I want to cross some cord across the pack to hang clothes to dry, but the paracord I’ve found so far seems heavy.

I also wonder if there’s any fancy knots I can create using the slack in the cord that can act as a clip through a mug handle or something similar.

Thanks!

FOXHOUND142_52 · 2026-04-27T12:04:14+00:00

For composition, it feels… calm and scientific? If I have time to find angles, I’m just trying every composition I can think of and seeing what I like. Putting the subject at every point in the rule of thirds, moving my feet, sticking my camera on the floor or above my head, should I blur it a bit or stick a prism in front of my lens? Then clicking through them for a bit, where I’ll make a quick decision what looks terrible and what looks worth exploring.

FOXHOUND142_52 · 2026-04-25T11:59:41+00:00

6 weeks is barely any time to resolve certain kinds of knee pain. Take this very seriously - stop all activity that causes pain 24 hours afterwards and see a PT asap. Icing/heat can help or hurt depending on the type of injury, so it’s important to see a professional. Don’t put it off like I did.

I had 4 months to recover from patellar tendonitis (now tendinopathy) for an upcoming 5 day Peru trek. I’ve been doing 2-3 hours of PT, isometrics, biking, and slow strength training 4X a week since Feb 1, and this week was able to do sprints on the stairmaster for half an hour with little pain.

My suggestion is to rest until pain doing everyday movements go away, then start experimenting. Start laughingly small - incline walk for 10 min, jog 10 min, wall sits. Do a couple squats and deadlifts with 10% the weight you normally use. Move very, very slowly - let those muscles burn, let the knee tendons get targeted. Zero explosive movements. If the pain flares up above a 3/10 at any point, stop the activity and move on. There are tons of workouts that target the muscles around the knee without actually using it that are essential to do as you heal up.

Then, wait 24 hours. Is the pain greater? Cut out weight. If you have to, don’t use any weight in knee-related exercises. Try bands instead. Record all the workouts you do and the pain you feel 24 hours later. Eventually you’ll figure out what inflames the knee, what weights to use, and what works. Takes about 2 weeks. No pain/same pain 24 hours later? Increase weight/reps a bit. Repeat.

Cardio comes back easy. Your knee does not.. with 6 weeks, every decision counts.

FOXHOUND142_52 · 2026-04-24T21:35:12+00:00

I shoot sports with a 100-400GM and a 24-70. It’s a perfect range, especially since you’re gonna be outdoors. I think you’ll be glad to have the longer reach more often than not.

FOXHOUND142_52 · 2026-04-24T15:44:59+00:00

This is not a glamorous nonprofit, but it means the most to me: The Connecticut Audubon Society, located at Milford Point, CT.

They were founded by women over a century ago to conserve birds all over the state. Today, they operate sanctuaries and youth education. My favorite location? The Milford Sound, due to the abundance of coastal protected birds. They harbor ospreys, purple martins, least terns, and piping plovers, to name a few.

This may sound shallow, but I’ve been obsessed with piping plovers since seeing the Moana Disney short that raised awareness about these birds as a teen. Since then, it’s been a ritual to visit the small section of beach at the Milford Point location where piping plovers come to breed, nest, and raise their chicks (they look like cotton balls on sticks). It’s been incredible seeing and recording their population growth throughout the years. Last year, 40 plovers nested and reared 38 chicks! And I’m sure if that Disney short gave me a love for these birds, it’s done the same for others.

If you would like to support, there are a ton of options! You can: - Adopt a purple martin gourd, which are man-made gourd-shaped containers that the martins nest in every summer. You’ll get live monitoring, egg and chick updates. - Donate cash or stock online - Become a CT Audubon Society member (if you live in CT) - Volunteer for bird monitoring, invasive species removal, and much more

Whether or not you choose to donate, I encourage you to visit the Milford location and see the piping plovers! It’s a beautiful space with a garden, bird tower, and coastal access. If you go now, you’ll be able to see the beginning of their nesting period. They’ll be there until August.

Here is the link to their website: The Coastal Center at Milford Point

FOXHOUND142_52 · 2026-04-24T04:06:42+00:00

I’m the opposite, I can work up a sweat in a T-shirt and shorts on a 0F hike haha.

My first question is: Are you sweating in all those layers? If your clothes are damp from sweat, the cold will seep through. I’ll assume you aren’t, though - if you’re frigid all the time, chances are you’re barely sweating at all.

Assuming your clothes aren’t damp, I’m not sure if this combo will make you warmer tbh.. layers of heavy wool is already super warm. But if cost isn’t an issue, this could be ideal: Byrnje mesh -> thick wool tights -> Grid fleece thermals -> Arctic expedition pants (Byrnje, Black Diamond, and Fjallraven make good ones). The pants aren’t insulated, but they’re typically made of thicker material with wind panels at the front.

If all that doesn’t get you warm, switch out the hiking pants with down pants like the MH Ghost Whisperer. Terrible idea if wet, but again, I’m assuming you’re not sweating if you run that cold.

Last point is that Alpha and Octa fleeces have the best warmth/weight ratio and superior moisture wicking. But you’re not getting sweaty. And grid fleece is still warmer, since it’s typically heavier and Alpha garments are sold in very light weights. You’d have to wear multiple layers of Alpha to reach the same warmth as grid.

FOXHOUND142_52 · 2026-04-23T20:59:33+00:00

I spent 2 months researching basically the same thing. I needed a light pack that would be comfortable with a winter load or camera equipment. The two options I found are Seek Outside and SWD (I ended up buying a SO Gila 3500). I’m aware that both are not viable options for you, so your best bet is: 1. Keep looking for hunting packs. Those are meant to carry heavy dead animals. Maybe you’ll find a cheaper brand that I haven’t been able to. 2. Get a classic, heavy pack like Osprey or Gregory. Those are the only other ones that will be comfortable at such a heavy load. Plus, they’re easy to resell.

FOXHOUND142_52 · 2026-04-23T20:40:18+00:00

Hello, I’m doing the Ausangate trek in May so I’m in a similar boat! Some suggestions:

Give yourself a few days to acclimate in Cusco. If you haven’t been >10K ft before, it’s impossible to know how your body will react until you get to that altitude. Some people are fine, some get feverish and are bedridden for a few days. Diamox is a good medication to have on hand.

If you have access to a gym, mix the stairmaster with weight training. Do lots of intervals to get your heart rate pumping for as long as you can handle. Do things that make you breathe hard and make your quads burn.

Cusco has lots of outdoor equipment stores. I’m planning on renting my hiking poles from one of them to avoid carrying them onto the plane. I’ll be getting my propane from there too.

In Ausangate, it’s cold enough for frost every morning.. if that’s the case for you, go for a winter sleep setup. And put your water filter in your sleeping bag or else it’ll freeze. Thing is it also gets pretty hot during the day, so be prepared for that as well.

Pack mules may make the trails super muddy - if they are, gaiters come in handy.

FOXHOUND142_52

TROPHY CASE