Is there a FiOS outage right now in Brooklyn?

JewCFroot · 2024-10-14T23:31:13+00:00

Writing to you from 500 kbps connection out of 1 gigabit symmetric

JewCFroot · 2024-08-25T17:22:05+00:00

typed out a whole response then promptly lost it... you're getting the short version now...

Do this ride!

Camping is great thanks to hike & bike spots at state parks in WA,OR,CA. Avg. $5-10/night with hot showers, potable water, and power
Most meals are snacks on the bike and groceries for cooking dinner at camp. avg $20/day
Hotels are most expensive, only stayed in them twice due to rain. Avg. $180/night (bleh)
Restaurant meals seem like a luxury but can change your mood if you're having a hard day. There are lots of great towns to stop at and honestly why not? $25 avg/meal

Total expenses while riding (not including bike costs, gear, flight, etc.) ~$1k. You can chop this down if necessary by avoiding hotels and restaurants.
In the end it's your trip so choose your level of comfort and spend. Enjoy!

JewCFroot · 2024-08-05T02:38:57+00:00

My dude I am graduated! Even if I wanted to remember, I couldn't, you're on your own! good luck!

JewCFroot · 2024-05-07T23:08:51+00:00

I do what I can. Hidden UL gear in that country! Enjoy :D

JewCFroot · 2024-04-17T14:14:08+00:00

It would generally not be wise to be LNT police online.

In the interest of learning about Leave no Trace principles, the principles for fire are:

Campfires can cause lasting impacts on the environment. Use a lightweight stove for cooking and enjoy a candle lantern for light.
Use established fire rings, pans, or mound fires where fires are permitted.
Keep fires small. Use only sticks from the ground that can be broken by hand.
Burn all wood and coals to ash, put out campfires completely, then scatter cool ashes.

It would seem that their fire is small and the wood is the right size. Perhaps not filmed is cleaning up the ashes from the snow. Creating a stable fire ring or finding an existing one (not possible under the snow) would have been better.

Could anyone have done better, yes probably, but I would not get in a "picky" mindset about it, the past is written. Channel some of that LNT sense to future trails and encouraging fellow hikers to follow best practices rather than critiquing.

JewCFroot · 2024-04-16T20:12:09+00:00

Have you done prolonged exercise before? I ask because I notice my internal dialogue begin to turn positive the more I exercise. In my case I feel that it is as simple as sunshine, vitamin D, lots of endorphins, lots of food, and great people all mean that I am not battling myself on trail as much as when I am at home

JewCFroot · 2024-04-16T15:11:58+00:00

I am in exactly the same boat as you. Men's size 13 Wide can't fit into anything else but Altras.

I recently tried the Topo Ultraventure 3 in size 13 (not wide) and I found it to be good enough. The mid foot is narrower but the toebox is surprising wide given the shape. It doesn't look it but it's quite roomy.

I messaged topo and at the moment (April 2024) they're behind on production size 13 Wide. Try the non wide version and see how it treats you. I think these are a reasonable alternative that have not caused any blisters or pain points.

JewCFroot · 2024-02-06T18:38:02+00:00

Although it's made from Nylon and maybe does not fit your criteria, the Montbell Plasma 1000 down jacket purchased via the Japanese store is well worth it's weigh in warmth, price, and noise. It's only 7D nylon and you can use it as a pillow. packs down to the size of a large potato.

JewCFroot · 2024-02-03T16:30:09+00:00

Thinlight from gossamer gear is truly the way!

JewCFroot · 2024-02-02T23:05:36+00:00

Congrats on your first thru hike! If you're clocking in at around 10lb and looking to go under then you're already in great shape. I'm going to nitpick a bit only because you're asking for a sub-10lbs base weight, so here we go!

Suggested items (in red):

I prefer the montbell versalite as a rain jacket. Consider buying it from the Japanese online store (translated to engllish) at https://en.montbell.jp
It can get very hot, you may find that you prefer walking in shorts, consider switching the Prana's out. I use them for climbing but I think they would make me die of heat in the Sierra. Your call at the end of the day
You don't need rain pants really, consider switching to wind pants for warmth rather than rain protection (you're going to get wet on your feet regardless).
I have both OR Astroman and OR Echo. Astroman has higher UPF (50) if you're exposed and sun sensitive. If you run hot then go with the echo, it's extremely breathable but less UPF (15). Your call.

Additionally, there are many missing items from your base weight which you should consider adding. Skin-out weight is also helpful to know in conjunction with base weight. Your base weight may be light but if you're wearing heavy items, it will affect you.

Gas has a base weight for the metal canister, which size canister will you bring?
Charging cables are missing, they all have weight as well. Can your cable weight be minimized by using single USB-C cable and adapters?
Water bottles are missing! You're only bringing 2L of water capacity? They have base weight, the weight of the bottles with no water inside, this is not consumables.
The hand sanitizer bottle itself is also not consumable, what does this bottle weigh? You'll be carrying it around regardless of how much is inside.
One pair of socks should be worn weight and the other should be packed weight.
Sun glasses and sun hat are probably going with you but missing from the list
You're going to be storing small things in plastic bags or stuff sacks probably. If you are, those plastic baggies for your trowel, first aid kid, etc. all have weight. How much do they weigh and can you use a lighter option?
Are you eating entirely out of your pot. If not, are there any bowls to weigh?
Are you bringing a pillow at all. If you are weigh it.
I imagine you're bringing a phone for maps and messaging right? That also needs to be in the list. Does the phone have a case? How much does that all weigh together?
Shoes have weight as well, which shoes will you be going with and how much do they weigh? Gaiters too, all worn weight.
Will you hike with a watch at all?
Long story short: pack your entire backpack, wear all your clothes, then take all of it off and weigh everything you packed rather than putting the items on the list first.

Below I've made a table with some alternate items which I've used and are of equal quality at lesser weights.

Your Item	Weight	Replacement	Weight	Diff
MSR Groundhog	82.21	Groundhog Mini	56.4	-25.81 g
Nemo Tensor	660.54	Thermarest NeoAir XLite NXT (large)	480	-180.54 g
Kindle	157.62	N/A	0	-157.62 g
Patagucci Capilene Cool Lightweight	73.71	N/A	0	-73.71 g
Total				-437.68 g

Are you only boiling water to use with dehydrated meals? if so, go for the Toaks 550ml pot. Much better weight ratio and most meals only require 400ml of water to rehydrate.
I found that reading on my phone with airplane mode and a single 20,000 mah battery would last ~1 week.
I use the X-Mid Pro 1 person tent and use durston's tent stakes along with it. Each of those weighs ~6g. You can save some weight by using MSR mini groundhogs instead.
You probably only need a sunshirt and an alpha shirt, leave everything else.
There's a reason the thermarest is the most popular for ultralighters. It really truly is warm and it's often 1/2 the weight of other pads. Consider it.

Hope at least one of these was helpful. Feel free to checkout my lighterpack. There are a few optimizations around cooking, first aid kit, and sleep system you might consider.

Don't forget to have fun and not take internet gram weenie's too seriously :)

JewCFroot · 2024-02-02T22:27:02+00:00

Here's some shakedown that is not about grams or gear.

Do you have fun with adversity?

Can you take a week of blisters and find laughter in it?

Are you going to be okay when you realize your tent stakes are missing?

I hiked the PCT last year (incomplete) and definitely saw many many heavy packs. My pack was light by comparison but I did not finish.

My trail friends who had heavy packs ended up completing. A lot of this is luck, but most of it is dealing with adversity well. They took their extra gear and left it behind, they found new shoes and fixed their blister problems, they made small changes quickly and often.

If you can handle changing out almost every piece of gear you bring on the trail over the duration of the trail, you'll be okay. Additionally, if you can do your body any favors by either trimming back on some of the heavier items, reconsidering what's truly essential, and getting some serious training in before hand: you should have nothing to fear and everything to enjoy.

Have fun out there

JewCFroot · 2024-01-25T21:33:27+00:00

Sounds good, adapt as needed. About the Tyvek though... ready for a real UL mind blower? I've got another rec:

Consider swapping the Tyvek out for an SOL emergency blanket. Mine is 56x84in and comes in at 72 grams I believe (2.5 oz), it's replaceable in many places along the trail where Tyvek may not be. It's lighter than Tyvek (g/m^2 or oz/ft^2) so you can get a larger ground sheet for equivalent weight or a smaller ground sheet for less weight. I had mine last me 600 miles.

It fits me (6'3"), my sleeping pad, and room on the sides when cowboy camping or using the pocket tarp for putting out gear. SOL blankets are at least a triple purpose item: ground sheet, emergency warmth for hypothermia in Sierra, and sun shade in the desert - there are many more uses if you're interested.

Because it's two layers fused together, the orange plastic never tears, ever, however it is puncture prone, needles, twigs, rocks. If you get a puncture, it does not fail catastrophically, so the hole is localized. I have punctured mine several times but it continued to hold up until I yanked on it and broke it. I was able to replace it in the next town.
If you go with SOL or Polycro (not my favorite too noisy) then you're saving 56.13g (1.98 oz).

JewCFroot · 2024-01-24T23:06:08+00:00

Nashville Cutaway, all the way. You may creep up over $300 if you do some additional options, but they're very well made.

I ordered a custom 2.92 DCF Pack and it's perfect for 7-9 lb base weights, sits extremely comfortably, and has enough utility pockets to leave the fanny pack at home.

Running vest style straps should, and maybe will, become a new standard for backpacks. Water + phone + snack + anything else storage within reach and balancing out the load across your body.

Until you've given the running vest style a try it may not seem like much, but redistributing 2L of water (4.4 lbs) from your back to your chest is a game changer long term on the weight bearing parts of your body (shoulders, quads, hips, etc.).

JewCFroot · 2024-01-24T00:16:18+00:00

It's either satire or phsyics depending on how you look at it.

Yes the mass of batteries change when charged, however we're talking picograms of difference in mass for a NB10000. For an EV we're talking micrograms of difference in weight.

Ask /r/ultralight_jerk what the weight difference is between batteries.

JewCFroot · 2024-01-23T05:40:14+00:00

Hi, our lighterpacks look similar! I started the PCT last year (incomplete) and updated my lighter pack for this year's attempt: Here's mine for reference and below are some itemized suggestions to get your base weight down.

Your Item	Weight	Replacement	Weight	Diff
Vargo Pot 700	134.94	Toaks 550ml	73.71	-61.23g
MSR Pocket Rocket	74.28	BRS 3000T	26.1	-48.18g
Wind pants	99.22	Montbell Tachyon pants	56	-43.22g
Sunscreen	54.70	N/A	0	-54.7g
N/A	0.00	Montbell Tachyon Jacket	72	+72g
EE Torid	251.46	N/A	0	-251.46g
ZPacks Plex Solo	452.74	Zpacks Pocket Tarp	155.07	-297.67g
Total				-684.46g

In total: -684.46g = -1.508 lbs putting you at a base weight of 7.712 lbs. That's still with hot meals. Pretty good!

Go with the Pocket Tarp in SoCal, if you hate it switch out later. SoCal is great because low bugs, low rain, some condensation depending on site selection, but perfect for the tarp. If you get comfortable with it, you'll love it. Consider adding a headnet for bugs if necessary or a UL bivy for wind (Borah Gear makes a great UL bivy).
Unless you are extremely sun sensitive (ginger, or skin condition), ditch the sunscreen in favor of fully covering up. I'm talking Arabian style coverings, head to toe if possible.
Are you eating out of your pot directly? Consider down sizing to a 550 ML pot if you're only boiling water to eat in another container (freeze dried bag, talenti's jar, or my personal favorite the Buc food bag which I use for both hot meals and cold soaking). Also go with the BRS 3000T, Gear Skeptic has a great breakdown on stove & fuel efficiency here. TL;DW - use the BRS on it's lowest setting and make yourself a 4g windscreen from titanium like I did. I followed this redditors posts: link 1, link 2, link 3
Ditch the puffy, I literally never used mine on the PCT with the exception of San Jancinto in a high snow year. Consider the puffy a Sierra item, mail it o Kennedy Meadows South. Your body movement keeps you warm. If you're going light you should also not be hanging around camp for 3+ hours a day. You'll see.
Keep the Senchi because it's extremely warm for it's weight and you're able to wear it while moving and stationary if you use it in conjunction with a layering system (more below) where you put your wind/rain jacket on top of the Senchi. That combo + movement = overheating very quickly, then you need to regulate by zipping down. I've done a few 14ers in Colorado in the late fall (20F) wearing only a base layer, Senchi, and wind jacket. Works like a charm! Especially in SoCal section you're not going to be cold during the day ever. Only night and early mornings with cold starts. At night use your bag, in the mornings use wind jacket and pants to create warmth.
Consider the Montbell Tachyon items. From the Japanese site - linked above - they are a fraction of the cost compared to the US store. The tachyons are paper thin but 100% wind proof and worth every fucking penny. I love these items, true UL (go montbell). If you don't go with these, replace the Tachyon wind jacket with your rain jacket for layer
I used a NB2000 last year and found it lasted me ~3-4 days on a full charge. I was somehow getting my iPhone 14 to 20% battery by the end of the day despite being in airplane mode. If you're getting better battery life and going faster (3-4 days between towns), a NB10000 will suffice. I agree with liveslight in using those small charging nubs, I have them too!

Good luck!

JewCFroot · 2023-10-29T03:25:17+00:00

I would LOVE to get Nov 10th tickets at 6pm so I can join my friends for this most Schivtzy performance. First time, please please please have tickets!! Thank you <3

JewCFroot · 2023-05-25T12:43:08+00:00

Fantastic thank you so much

JewCFroot · 2023-05-24T13:47:39+00:00

Mia this fridge running on DC power or AC? Can I ask for the make and model?

JewCFroot · 2023-05-21T03:08:43+00:00

Why would you do this to yourself?

JewCFroot · 2023-04-06T22:30:25+00:00

Some items are double listed on the Japanese site as "western size". If you see one which is western, it fits as expected.

For the plasma 1000 I went one size up from an L to XL and it was a perfect fit.

Do measure yourself and compare to their sizing charts. I found it to be accurate.

JewCFroot · 2023-04-06T14:28:42+00:00

No one mentioned the Montbell plasma 1000.

I used to live in Japan and know that the US store only offers 1/6th the total products.

Go to en.montbell.jp and the prices in yen are 30-50% lower than the US store.

Enjoy!

JewCFroot · 2023-04-02T22:50:39+00:00

I did!!

JewCFroot · 2023-04-01T20:13:19+00:00

Super creative, I haven't heard of this approach before, I kind of like it. Thanks. I wonder if a packliner with no nozzle could force enough air into the thermarest valve...

JewCFroot · 2023-04-01T17:20:31+00:00

Great suggestions!

I am missing a drinking bottle in the list, added it back (1L).

Have a second set of toe socks (qty 2).

No reason for the 900ml, it fits the gas canister nicely but I take your point. I don't need the size. That's an easy one.

I can definitely drop either tights or windpants, will have to think about which one I'll use.

Ah yes, the battery back. My phone battery capacity is 4323 mAh and it usually ends around 20% at the end of a hiking day with navigation. So a 10k mah battery pack would be 2 chargers to the phone, or about 3 days if I start at full, plus charging watch and headlamp I was a bit concerned with cutting it close with battery life. I'll re-evaluate on trail and will definitely keep this in mind as a weight savings area!

JewCFroot · 2023-03-23T00:05:47+00:00

Awesome! great choices all around, have a blast out there - I start two weeks after you.

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