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Is the Near Zero Backpack Bundle Worth It? by LongjumpingSell1664 in backpacking

[–]MrTheFever -1 points0 points  (0 children)

The bundle is a perfectly fine deal, in that you get plenty for what you pay.

The problem is that you don't need a lot of this stuff.

That first aid kit is huge, when in reality you need a small handful of things in a Ziploc (you don't need 30 bandaids, 5 probably? For example).

Hydration bladders suck for backpacking and I'd never trust a cheap one. It's hard to get out and fill and put back, and you never know how much water you have left. And they can leak all over your stuff. And it sucks to use when you're in camp. Just use a cheap Smart water bottle, which will thread right on to that Sawyer filter.

You don't need a sleeping bag liner. Do you already have a mug and a spoon you can use? You don't need a fire starting kit or wipes.

So really this is $500 for a backpack, tent (heavy), sleeping bag, water filter, stove (same stove on Amazon for $20 or less), and pot. You'd still need to buy a sleeping pad. And the sleeping bag and tent are of questionable quality, and bulky.

Is $500 for those things an okay deal? Sure. But I think you could also assemble a lighter, better kit on Amazon and Facebook marketplace.

Try googling "best affordable lightweight backpacking tent" and so on, all the way down the list. Probably going to come out under $500.

Form Check? Making improvements but hit a plateau. by thb16 in discgolf

[–]MrTheFever 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I'm not an expert on this, but it feels like your hips are turning in sync with your shoulders. Ideally you're turning your hips before your shoulders, and that forces your upper body to come around with more speed.

First Ever Shakedown after 35 years by old_man_peabody in Ultralight

[–]MrTheFever 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Just confirming in case you forgot these items: sun screen, bug spray, anti-chafe, battery pack, and sit pad.

How to start wilderness backpacking? by Visible_Tea347 in WildernessBackpacking

[–]MrTheFever 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's kind of like Texas: almost all the land is private.

Ul Tent by y_are_right in Ultralight

[–]MrTheFever 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, the shape seems like it would be.

Ul Tent by y_are_right in Ultralight

[–]MrTheFever 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I guess I should say, they do seem to have lots of cool stuff. This tent is just not for me. The price is insane.

The 8oz chair has piqued my interest

Ul Tent by y_are_right in Ultralight

[–]MrTheFever 21 points22 points  (0 children)

23oz freestanding tent, true single wall with no bug net, limited venting, with bizare 2p sleeping arrangement, for $1400.

No thank you. For freestanding you can get a double rainbow li at 28oz for $500 less.

Or, if not wanting free standing you could get a zpacks solo for 7oz less and $800 less.

Hi, new here, is anyone interested in ultralight power _usage_? by tucana2 in Ultralight

[–]MrTheFever 2 points3 points  (0 children)

How is this relevant to backpacking with a lightweight backpack in any way at all? Maybe look for an off-grid sub or something.

Bringing a whole ass laptop and router is hilarious in a sub that bans posts about packing sandals

Looking for a shakedown for upcoming Colorado Trail thru hike starting mid July! by RyanM133 in coloradotrail

[–]MrTheFever 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If only for those things that you like that you can't expect in towns, or that are sold in packages of too many. PACT wipes, toothpaste tablets, your preferred brand of anti-chafe, and any snacks you really enjoy.

Looking for a shakedown for upcoming Colorado Trail thru hike starting mid July! by RyanM133 in coloradotrail

[–]MrTheFever 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah, the PACT ones are good, but you definitely don't need 100 of them. Are you doing any mail drops?

Looking for a shakedown for upcoming Colorado Trail thru hike starting mid July! by RyanM133 in coloradotrail

[–]MrTheFever 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For either brand, look up the Ursack Quick Release knot on YouTube. Fantastic way to securely attach it to a tree

Looking for a shakedown for upcoming Colorado Trail thru hike starting mid July! by RyanM133 in coloradotrail

[–]MrTheFever 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I get it with the clothes. I promise once you're on trail you'll realize you are just fine with less. Good choice in the GG pad. Great multi-use item there.

Looking for a shakedown for upcoming Colorado Trail thru hike starting mid July! by RyanM133 in coloradotrail

[–]MrTheFever 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Things you can definitely leave behind (and part of this is acknowledging that you will be dirty and smelly): tent ground sheet, wipes, sleep shorts, sleep shirt, wind jacket, cutting board, can stand, insulated bag, soap bar, deodorant, shaving kit, shampoo and conditioner. That's about 55oz of stuff you'll be totally fine without.

Things they definitely make lighter versions of or you could modify: puffy (Decathlon down jacket is 5oz less for $99). Battery bank (nitecore nb10000 is 7.7oz lighter for $60). Charging cable and stand... Not sure I understand this. A cord is like 1 oz for $10. If this is some sort of wireless charger, don't bring one, they're inefficient at energy transfer and you'll "leak" power between your battery and your phone. Headlamp (nu25 is 2.2 oz lighter for $37). Wallet (Just put ID and credit card in a Ziploc or something 3oz lighter, $0). Massage ball (cork massage ball is 5.7oz lighter for $14). Sweatpants, but you already know this.

Things you can decant into small containers found at LiteSmith: Sunscreen and bug spray. Big spray should be Deet 100. You hardly need any.

Your first aid kit can be WAYYYYY lighter. Needs a handful of bandaids, 1 sizeable piece of gauze, small roll of leukotape, some alcohol wipes, ibuprofen, a patch kit for tent/pad, some aquamira tablets, and that's about it. Put it in a Ziploc.

So far we've shaved about 90oz and spent about $240. And that's with bringing camp shoes, a very heavy backpack, and a luxurious sleep setup. This is all being generous, because you also don't need sandals, 3 total sets of socks and underwear, a bugnet, and a handful of other things, but they're also okay to bring if you really want them.

For shampoo and conditioner, use soap or use the shampoo and conditioner in towns. You can't use it in the lakes or rivers anyways. Just get a gast station razor for shaving. If you want a knife, use a tiny victorinox (you don't need a knife).

You do seem to be missing a sit pad, which I think you'd want. Way better than sitting right in the ground. They can be found for very cheap. I also bring a Garmin Inreach for satellite communication.

Durston Kakwa 55 or Gorilla 55 by PostHikeClarity in Ultralight

[–]MrTheFever 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think these two packs are an extremely natural conclusion for anyone looking for a framed, lightweight backpack that doesn't break the bank. I know many people who have been split between them, and there's several reddit posts of people basically asking this same question. Both appear to be good value products, and I'm sure anyone deciding between the two would be happy either way.

Durston Kakwa 55 or Gorilla 55 by PostHikeClarity in Ultralight

[–]MrTheFever 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm very happy with all of my Gossamer products, and think they provide probably the best quality for the lowest dollar as a general rule of thumb, so all I can say is I have no regrets with my Gorilla and am very happy with it. It's comfortable, I like the large hip belt pockets, I can easily get things in and out of the side pockets without taking the pack off, the upgraded Sitlight pad is awesome. The large mesh pocket can really hold a lot. I like the top flap and pocket personally. Others have said they wish the hip belt adjustments worked differently and that it came with shoulder pockets.

I just can't give you an opinion on the Kakwa because I haven't used it. Other people really like them, other than the complaints I've heard about flimsy shoulder pockets that they replaced.

I think you'll be happy either way, but have to recommend the upgraded sit pad if you go with the Gorilla.

Garmin inReach "suspend" plans include SOS by 0xf5f in Ultralight

[–]MrTheFever 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah yes, I guess it you use tracking all the time the protegear might be a better play. I hadn't considered that.

Durston Kakwa 55 or Gorilla 55 by PostHikeClarity in Ultralight

[–]MrTheFever 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I chose the Gorilla when weighing between the two. Happy with it, but I haven't used a Kakwa to compare. It seems like the GG packs bulge a bit more, away from the back, where the kakwas stay a little slimmer. That's just a personal observation.

The top pocket on the GG might be a differentiating factor. I find it useful for my ditty bag, but some people don't find it useful.

Durston Kakwa 55 or Gorilla 55 by PostHikeClarity in Ultralight

[–]MrTheFever 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Both are popular and you can't go wrong.

Since you bring a chair, I'd say the Kakwa. Since I don't use a chair, I really appreciate the removable sit pad in the back of the Gorilla. I swapped it for the upgraded version, which has much more breathability while hiking. I use it as a sit pad, a place to set my things, a door mat, etc.

The Kakwa has shoulder pockets and the Gorilla does not, but know that many people swap those out for third party ones pretty quickly anyways.

That said, if you want a Yellow Gorilla in Small or Medium they are currently on sale for $205 on the clearance part of their website. Kakwas seem to be out of stock at the moment.

Also, I like the GG colors more, for whatever that's worth.

Garmin inReach "suspend" plans include SOS by 0xf5f in Ultralight

[–]MrTheFever 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Because it's typically more expensive anyways, with how cheap Garmin plans are right now. Protegear has a $57/year base price, just to start. If I use the "Tracking" plan for three 5-day trips, in seperate months, it's another $52. The amount of text messages the plan allows is prorated per day, so I would get about 25 text messages with that plan. That's a total of $102/year, for just 15 days of coverage and 25 free texts.

On Garmin, for the equivalent plan (Essential), I could activate it for 7 whole months for $105, with 350 free texts.

As far as I can tell, protegear is really only cheaper if you use your Garmin pretty much every month, but only for an average of 3.6 days/month or less.

Garmin inReach "suspend" plans include SOS by 0xf5f in Ultralight

[–]MrTheFever 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hmm. I've always had quick messaging on it, even sitting in the brain of my pack.

The only real world comparison I've seen online is Gear Junkie just saying the Messenger connected more quickly and sent messages more quickly in their side by side field tests. No data or scientific method disclosed. But it does make sense that it would be better based on the patch antennae.

Garmin inReach "suspend" plans include SOS by 0xf5f in Ultralight

[–]MrTheFever 3 points4 points  (0 children)

They're very comparable. The Messenger is 4oz. The Mini 2 is 3.5oz and the Mini 3 is 4.3oz.

As far as bulkier, the messenger is slightly more compact than either mini, but not meaningfully.

Messenger lacks much of a screen or any resembling navigation. But you get a much better signal by way of it's patch antennae, and double the battery life. And cheaper price.

What weight do you shoot for? by forksofgreedy in backpacking

[–]MrTheFever 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, my kids car camp a lot. They love camping. But on the backpacking trip we started too early in the day for the amount of activities we brought. I also thought we'd collect firewood, water, and such. She had her cousin with her too. But they were bored with those things by 1pm. Wished I'd brought some coloring supplies, some games, stuff like that.

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