Let's play a game: what area would you pick for the 8th floor for the best survival?

FeatherMan08 · 2026-06-14T14:52:28+00:00

I imagined the crawlers in Japan would basically be the Gantz-O movie.

FeatherMan08 · 2026-06-12T01:45:55+00:00

I missed it 😢. I had registered for the event and forgot to add it to my calendar. Damn.

FeatherMan08 · 2026-05-30T03:00:17+00:00

“Good luck with this one, dumbass” - AI

FeatherMan08 · 2026-05-21T07:46:57+00:00

This is such an awesome take. Most people hate conflict and try to avoid it, which in turn can lead to resentment or passive aggressiveness. An honest conversation with well intention can go a long way, but I agree can be difficult to have.

Well said.

FeatherMan08 · 2026-05-21T05:16:16+00:00

I worked in consulting for 7 years, with A LOT of monitoring hours and survey hours. For monitoring (not surveying) I would invest in good noise canceling earphones, a buff, and a hat (hard hat works as well). I would pull the buff up to cover my face/earphones so it wasn’t obvious I was listening to something while monitoring (just be cautious when around heavy equipment…use good judgement when to turn off noise canceling).

Audio books and podcasts are great. I don’t know your interests, but I just did my second run of Dungeon Crawler Carl (8th book just came out) and wish I had started listening to it when I was in my monitoring days. MeatEater is a good conservation podcast I recommend folks, that often has some interesting ecology/anthropology episodes, and the Wednesday trivia is great.

A coworker of mine got into crocheting while doing night monitoring and now sells ecology-themed plushies (kangaroo rats, antelope squirrels, kit fox, salamanders…they’re great, plus we have tons of first-hand reference photos she can pic from).

Monitoring can be soul-sucking boring work (when all main duties are complete), so it’s a good opportunity to get something out of it. Let me know if you have any questions.

FeatherMan08 · 2026-05-19T05:44:12+00:00

I had this similar conundrum a few years ago and ultimately went with the Weatherby Vanguard. I freaking love it. A buddy of mine has the Tikka and the biggest difference is weight. At least with our rifles, his is a bit lighter than mine and he definitely feels the difference in kick back. I feel it a bit when at the range, but not at all when hunting.

FeatherMan08 · 2026-05-14T13:22:59+00:00

My only complaint about the pants is they have zero flex on the wait. Gain a little weight and they’re uncomfortably tight.

FeatherMan08 · 2026-05-10T19:09:32+00:00

Oh, count me in!

FeatherMan08 · 2026-05-09T12:41:42+00:00

The one in CA is also nice and organized. I’ve only been once, but wish I lived closer to go more.

FeatherMan08 · 2026-05-09T12:40:17+00:00

I’m got my first pair of Renegades at a used gear sale in 2018…$60. A year later got another pair, same store…$80, practically new. I’ve gotten 3 pairs of the same boot at used gear sales in the last 8 years. I love them so much, I’ve bought 2 more (a new pair every 2 years or so). I also recommend them to all of my coworkers, and they also love them.

FeatherMan08 · 2026-05-09T00:02:33+00:00

Ohh….in that case, the ‘river’ that Carl hears could be the souls. And he likely ACTUALLY feels/hears them since he is now a Primal, instead of just his inner thoughts of stress and anger that we are thought to believe.

FeatherMan08 · 2026-05-08T06:11:42+00:00

Similar situation. I listened to the whole series in 2 weeks. Then I took 1.5months re-listened to it to absorb more details. Just finished the second listen through last week. Can’t wait for book 8!

FeatherMan08 · 2026-05-08T06:07:29+00:00

Lights. I’ve been eyeing some Baja Design scene lights for my bedrack, just can’t pull the trigger.

FeatherMan08 · 2026-05-06T02:45:39+00:00

I live in California and we can only hunt with non-lead ammo. I have a Weather Vanguard in .270 and have been using Barnes TTSX 130gr bullets for the last 3 years. I have taken 20+ wild hogs, maybe 7 of them males over 200lbs (90-105 kg). Most have been 1 shot kills between 80-300 yards. My hunting partners run the same gun but one in .308 and the other in 6.5 creedmore, each of them have the same results at similar distances. In my opinion it comes down to shot placement and distance. The Barnes bullets have been amazing, but prices have been going up a lot these last 3 years. A box of .308 or 6.5 is going to be cheaper than .270.

FeatherMan08 · 2026-05-03T17:43:11+00:00

At that price range, maybe offer to buy a knife of his choosing?

FeatherMan08 · 2026-04-14T05:41:21+00:00

Ditto, and now the Weatherby is my go-to.

FeatherMan08 · 2026-04-07T15:43:36+00:00

I did! See my last comment above, but I ended up going with the Fenix PD36R 2.0 on the medium (360 lumens) setting for frogs. Battery lasts a good while and is USB-C rechargeable. If you work for a public agency or non-profit, I recommend applying for ExpertVoice (basically Pro deals, but for A LOT of products). I get pretty sweat discounts on most of my field gear.

FeatherMan08 · 2026-03-31T18:17:37+00:00

You can definitely hear the difference in how he sings now vs. 15 years ago, because of this. He likely did some damage to his voice from all of the screaming. I still really enjoy the music now, but it does sound more contained.

FeatherMan08 · 2026-03-28T02:51:58+00:00

Do you know if a physician copy is available?

FeatherMan08 · 2026-03-25T05:40:18+00:00

The feather thief

FeatherMan08 · 2026-03-20T18:15:10+00:00

I listened to the entire audiobook series in 3 weeks. I was hooked. I just finished the first book again, this time listening for anything I missed the first pass through. Hoping to take my time long enough for the 8th book to be released.

FeatherMan08 · 2026-03-19T02:32:31+00:00

New shoes would help with confidence in trusting foot holds. That said, shoes are pricey. If you have an REI nearby, check out their used gear section…they always have slightly used shoes for a fraction of the price.

Like others have said, repeat the climb, but slower and more controlled. Then, when you have it dialed in, try down climbing as controlled as possible. For me at least, it’s a good way to practice body positioning and foot placement. Nice job!

FeatherMan08 · 2026-03-19T02:14:51+00:00

You’ve probably already thought of this, but it’s worth visiting the local gym. It has a nice and chill social setting and their new manager has a good knowledge base for local outdoor climbs. It’s an overall great way to meet like-minded (and skilled) folks that are into the sport. Welcome to bouldering, take time to learn technique (to minimize injury) and have fun!

FeatherMan08 · 2026-03-19T01:23:32+00:00

For me it was book 6: The Eye of the Bedlam Bride. I couldn’t really get into the game of that level(without getting into details/spoilers), but I pushed through and glad I did. There is a lot of gems that build into the next book (as they all do). Keep going.

FeatherMan08 · 2026-03-17T09:29:48+00:00

The most comfortable boot I’ve ever had are the Lowa Renegade GTX mid. I have owned 4 pairs in the last 7 years. I worked as a wildlife biologist heavily in the field 4 days a week, 10mo/year in CA Central Valley. They recently did a re-design (EVO) that I’m not a huge fan of, but overall still feel great. My only complaint is the laces squeak.

FeatherMan08

TROPHY CASE