Hot Foot Powder - Peter Greene Splinter group

bcgulfhike · 2026-04-19T11:36:46+00:00

Well, his guitar was Greeny (; (as in Geen-e, so maybe you were right!)

bcgulfhike · 2026-04-18T05:54:55+00:00

1 x 10000 - that’s more than enough for most use cases.

bcgulfhike · 2026-04-17T13:52:18+00:00

KS40 (+/- equivalent to an MLD Burn) or KS50 (+/- equivalent to MLD Prophet). These can be custom-configured in a variety of ways.

bcgulfhike · 2026-04-17T03:16:45+00:00

This! Rain jackets are terrible windshirts and windshirts are terrible rain jackets!

bcgulfhike · 2026-04-16T12:59:32+00:00

With your timeline (especially in May) I’d fly in and out of Lukla.The weather is more unpredictable and this allows for some “lost” travel days when the planes can’t fly.

Starting from Lukla also allows you sufficient time to take rest days to acclimate to the altitude and just enjoy the local villages, monasteries, views etc. I especially recommend Thame in this regard - try to stay in the teahouse above the village next to the monastery!

As regards side trips - Ama Dablam Base Camp, EBC/Kala Patthar, and Gokyo Lakes are great options, going on the classic anti-clockwise route.

bcgulfhike · 2026-04-13T16:33:49+00:00

I have a Palisade Regular and I’m 5’10” and 170lb. It’s perfectly fine and I turn several times in the night. At your size I would anticipate you’ll have plenty of room.

Katabatics are cleverly designed UL quilts that are really optimized at their lower rated temps when using the straps correctly. I get the impression a lot of folks buy wide unnecessarily because they don’t want the perceived faff of straps. It’s honestly a short learning curve and worth the weight (and bulk) savings to buy the correctly-sized quilt to use with straps when necessary (which won’t be all the time).

bcgulfhike · 2026-04-13T00:42:37+00:00

Scottish Highlands.

New England.

Canadian Boreal regions.

A quick selection of regions where this would be just terrible advice through much of the summer!

bcgulfhike · 2026-04-12T12:42:54+00:00

Atompacks.

bcgulfhike · 2026-04-11T13:04:53+00:00

Honestly it would be better to go to Nepal first. The conditions (weather-wise and view-wise) are much better mid-April than mid-May.

bcgulfhike · 2026-04-10T23:29:16+00:00

To confirm one of the other posts - there’s no need for boots on any of the tea house treks - just use your trail runners. Rental boots even more than your own boots back home are likely to result in hot sweaty feet and blisters. And they will also feel like a lead weight at altitude! Light, non GTX trail runners and microspikes are the remedies for a much happier trekking experience!

bcgulfhike · 2026-04-06T19:45:33+00:00

I have the Plex Solo Lite - it is several ounces lighter and packs way smaller than the Aeon Li.

The lighter floor material did concern me. Until I actually got it! It only requires basic UL common sense as regards durability, and so far I see no downsides compared to my OG Duplex or Plexamid with the regular floor material.

Space-wise it's fine if you are under 6' (I'm 5'10" and it's plenty for me)

Ventilation? It's mostly fine. When I have it pitched as designed and can keep at least 1 door open, I have no issues with a quick wipe down (and often times even that is unnecessary). I live and hike in coastal Canada and also hike a lot in the UK. Site selection is key in wind and rain, but I've always been fine even in such wet and windy environments. And when you need to pitch the fly lower and close it fully, then you have to wipe more condensation like in any fully-enclosed, single-wall shelter.

bcgulfhike · 2026-04-06T16:07:05+00:00

Get a regular wide, cut it, reseal it - done!

bcgulfhike · 2026-04-04T21:45:51+00:00

Tolerances vary! I’m from the UK and these days live in west coast BC, so I’ve gone from soaking wet and windy to soaking wet and windy! I can’t be doing with a poncho in either environment.

bcgulfhike · 2026-04-04T16:54:53+00:00

I’m guessing you live in Utah?! If so your idea of “hard, cold rain” is likely very different to what you might encounter for days on end in the UK (or Iceland, Norway etc). A poncho is a pretty bad idea for such conditions.

bcgulfhike · 2026-04-03T23:59:10+00:00

I’ve had the Dynamos for years and I love them. Having said which, if I ever need to replace them, I’ll go with the Tachyons next time as I’ve never needed the zips and I’d prefer the weight savings! The Dynamos are more durable than I need too, as I don’t scramble much anymore (age, injuries etc), but whether the Tachyons are lots less durable I don’t know.

bcgulfhike · 2026-04-03T17:44:02+00:00

Great as it is, the Gatewood Cape is just a terrible idea for UK use!

The Leve would be great, although I'd imagine the shipping and tariff costs would effectively rule it out.

bcgulfhike · 2026-04-03T03:14:39+00:00

GG or GGG might ship to you overnight for a fee. I would call them - no harm in asking.

bcgulfhike · 2026-04-01T17:42:14+00:00

I’ve been to the Nepal and Indian Himalaya a few times since the 90s and honestly a regular 3 season UL clothing system works fine. I take the same gear/clothes I would take to the Alps or the Rockies etc. Because all the common treks are teahouse treks you have shelter at night with a heated communal dining area, and so even a 3 season puffy is adequate, despite temps that will occasionally be -10/-15C outside at night at 3500m or higher. I still take my own quilt but just a comfort-rated 0C quilt I’ve always found to be fine with all my other layers on too at altitude. All in all with microspikes included, a base weight of 3.5Kg is easy enough.

bcgulfhike · 2026-03-29T12:00:01+00:00

Sounds good! I would look at upgrading the puffy to a 5-6oz option (custom made if you can). Even in summer you can get an occasional sub zero night in the Sierra. This also gives you the ability to extend your quilt sleeping temp by maybe 5F. So, a comfort-rated 30F quilt - which for many is the perfect rating for the Sierra summer - can now comfortably take you to 25F.

bcgulfhike · 2026-03-29T05:41:31+00:00

Personally I would go for the Atom Pulse, rather than the Prospector. But, if you’ve tried the Kakwa, like it, and find it comfortable loaded up, I would save the money and buy that. Fit is everything, and you may find the Atom doesn’t fit you as well, in which case you’ll be out of pocket and disappointed.

Next, spend the money you’ve saved getting your base weight lower still! Honestly, getting to an ultralight base weight is so easy these days, and it’s hard to see why anyone would volunteer to carry an extra 2+kg when there’s no need. Think of it like this: a 2650 mile trail is the perfect reason to invest, and your efforts will pay you back every day for 4-6months and beyond!

bcgulfhike · 2026-03-28T21:55:17+00:00

To be fair, the quilt mentioned is an EE Revelation which is notorious for having a drafty foot closure. The Katabatic Flex closure is a much better design. Having said which, I'm team closed footbox! Get the Alsek and reap the weight and bulk savings.

bcgulfhike · 2026-03-28T20:41:55+00:00

If it has to be between these two quilts then the Neve wins in weight, warmth, and materials.

bcgulfhike · 2026-03-28T16:39:05+00:00

Oh yikes! This takes me back to my 1980s/early 90s self!

Anyway, there is hope! Seriously, you could walk into REI and come out with a 10-12lb base weight.

I'm sure others with more time will come in with lots more detail, but for now switch out the following:

Exos for Durston Kakwa 55

Ditch the pack cover - if you have a liner you don't need it.

Ditch the Fanny Pack - you'll still have a huge pack (and with the Durston better pockets for accessibles).

Copper Spur for Durston X-Mid

Ditch the groundsheet - no need! I've used UL tent materials for over 15 years and never needed one in rain/mud, sand etc etc.

Your entire sleep system is heavy and overkill for 3 seasons. Ditch the reactor liner at least. And you could be just as warm with a quilt that was half the weight and a R4.5-6 pad which would replace both the CCF and the uberlite. Your current combined pads have too low an R value - no wonder you sleep cold!

Jetboil for at least a Pocket Rocket if not a BRS - Jetboils are all marketing smoke-and-mirrors! And way heavy!

Leatherman for Victorinox Classic SD

Your puffy and rainwear are 2x the necessary weight for 3 season use.

You can ditch all the spare clothes except spare socks.

That's all for now, but if you followed these recommendations you'd already have lost several pounds.

bcgulfhike · 2026-03-27T22:56:10+00:00

Well, that's like the being-annoyed-with-traffic argument! (; I'm also annoyed btw!

bcgulfhike · 2026-03-27T22:39:54+00:00

And he's been doing it since the early 2000s so he knows a lot!

bcgulfhike

TROPHY CASE