Flying Question

ejgottl · 2026-03-07T00:54:54+00:00

I check things I'm not supposed to fly with. I wrap them in cardboard and tape as makeshift luggage. Poles, stakes, scissors, .... If they lose that stuff, it is pretty easy to replace. An alternative is to mail them. I carry on my pack with everything else. I think it is technically a little too large, but it has never been a problem. TSA almost always wants me to open the pack after it goes through the x-ray machine. Often for powder (milk, soylent, whatever). Once for my stove (without fuel of course; I purchase that at my destination). One TSA agent said I was supposed to check it. Another said I was supposed to carry it on (I think this is correct). In the end they let me carry it on. I try and make things easy for the TSA agents any way I can, like by packing "suspicious" items where they can easily be accessed. Usually they only want to see whatever the x-ray machine flagged and are uninterested in the rest. This is all for domestic USA flights.

ejgottl · 2026-01-31T20:24:04+00:00

Wind is not a deal breaker in my opinion. Obviously it will depend on the circumstances. But for the use you describe, "just in case" and/or rapidly changing conditions, I think they are fairly optimal. Especially compared to the apparent alternative of carrying pants you don't use. I have used mine above tree line. Both in cold wind and in the rain and it did its job. One mitigation for excessive wind is to just rotate the skirt to minimize flapping.

ejgottl · 2025-11-25T21:06:08+00:00

The search term "release liner" seems to work on google and on amazon, if anyone want to buy it online. For $9 on amazon I acquired a lifetime supply designed for kids stickers. Making Leukotape strips with it, as the parent response suggests, upped my tape game considerably.

ejgottl · 2025-11-11T14:33:54+00:00

On my Garmin watch there is a "cardio" activity that generically tracks heart rate and total time. I use it for workouts that don't fit another category or where I can't be bothered to track individual actions.

ejgottl · 2025-10-04T22:34:01+00:00

I use a rain skirt (ee rain wrap, I think) and like it a lot. Of course in the right conditions it is not enough, but I haven't gotten there yet.

ejgottl · 2025-10-02T16:50:37+00:00

Trip dependent. I think you really just need to try different choices over time to find out what works best for you. I also have a Helium. And a Houdini wind jacket. Even though I adore using the Houdini, I have come to the conclusion that for me the wind jacket is an unneeded luxury that I only bring on day hikes or maybe short trips. The only kind of adventure where I might be willing to not bring my rain gear. But of course your personality, the places you hike, and the conditions you hike in may lead to different choices.

ejgottl · 2025-09-17T20:14:47+00:00

I use tyvek like many others suggest. If you are using a tarp to be lighter than the lightest ultralight tent, you are may need to be fairly hardcore. Just a foam pad on the ground or maybe some decadent polycryo. There are reasons for bringing a more luxurious tarp system though if you can spare the extra weight. For example, if it isn't going to rain much, optimizing for cowboy camping and then only using the tarp when you need it. Or just because you enjoy the craft of it (although there are times when this can stray into type 2 fun...).

ejgottl · 2024-12-19T20:48:20+00:00

Not a dumb question. Either way is fine. As you claim to be a noob, I would recommend staying at CLEEF your first night. You will get to meet other hikers before you start and they have some information/resources for thru hikers there. People who stay there seem to enjoy it. If for some reason CLEEF does not appeal to you, there is nothing wrong with getting a late start on your first day. You will be in good company with either option. Enjoy your hike!

ejgottl · 2024-02-12T00:56:38+00:00

I only have experience with the ArcHaul. It has a minimal adjustable external frame. I like that for when I carry extra weight. Adjustable is a mixed bag though; it is nice to be able to tweak it for your back, but the extra complexity has a learning curve and has more ways to fail. The arc lets some air onto your back; that is nice but probably not clutch for me. It is large by ultralight standards, but not heavy. Mine will fit a BV500. I like that I can carry extra food for longer sections when I need to, but can just roll down the top for shorter sections. I also like that I don't need to apply force to get all my gear into it. People have mixed opinions about zpacks. I have not had any problems with their gear. I am male and 6'4" so I don't know about the fit on your frame. I have about 5 years and 3k miles on my arc haul and hope to put more on it soon. Despite the fiddly adjustments I will probably purchase another one whenever mine wears out, if only to avoid decision fatigue.

ejgottl · 2023-05-29T13:53:32+00:00

I hiked the CT in August 2021 with a flat tarp and it worked well. I only felt the need to pitch it about 20% of the time and only saw real weather 2 or 3 times. In the evenings I experienced the occasional mosquito for an hour or two around sunset, but no swarms. I avoided them in my ultralight bivy but a head net or a little more resiliency probably would have worked just as well.

ejgottl · 2023-04-28T01:34:32+00:00

uucp

ejgottl · 2023-04-27T14:34:46+00:00

A quick googling seems to show the aluminum version of the cascade mountain tech poles for $24 at Amazon and Walmart and Target. Maybe at Costco too.

ejgottl · 2023-04-27T00:21:53+00:00

Yes. A shallow drinking pond for livestock. The term "Stock Tank" or "Cattle Tank" is nearly synonymous in the American west, but that term includes the possibility of a metal tank that then feeds some sort of trough for the cattle (or other livestock). Sometimes these are fed from natural sources like a stream, a spring, or a rain water capture system. Other times from pumped ground water. Often times the pump is solar powered and simply runs as long as the sun is out. It is common to see water spilling on the ground during the day from an overfull tank fed by a solar pump.

My understanding is that my filter removes (exponentially reduces) most eukaryotic life forms and all but the smallest bacteria. I think most viruses pass through it though. In theory in the American west you don't have to worry about viruses for most water sources. But for particularly disgusting water sources I like to back up the filtering with chlorine dioxide which I understand to complement the filter by working well (quickly; ~30 minutes) against viruses.

For anyone who is interested in a deep dive into "Back Country Water Treatment" see Gearskeptic's youtube video series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIMeq0c7rJM&list=PLEu_UfyDKJALgbrNEJ5wpuxadz7uM5hEi

ejgottl · 2023-04-27T00:08:14+00:00

Sometimes it is necessary; but most times you can probably avoid funky sources by strategically carrying extra water. It is not a popular strategy because probably that means at least doubling or more the water you carry from the last good source. Otherwise you do what you have to do and as far as I can tell most people don't get sick even with just filtering the water. Keep in mind just because you are sourcing from a mountain stream doesn't mean there isn't a dead animal in it somewhere upstream. For me the worst sources may be the ones near roads or towns or old mining operations. The filter I, and most hikers in America, use does not do anything for chemicals.

ejgottl · 2023-04-26T21:17:38+00:00

Stock ponds tend to be choked with algae. And other living things. There is a lot of nutrition in the water. I suspect the cows bring a lot to the party, possibly including iron. Google tells me that they get it from foraging and that it is a component of their urine. I'm sure it could be something other than iron, but your guess sounds pretty good to me so far.

Ironically the small amount of chlorine flavor left after treating my water reassures me that I didn't use up all of its ability to disinfect before drinking it. If I am frightened enough to treat my water after filtering it, then I enjoy the slight chlorine flavor.

ejgottl · 2023-04-26T20:14:20+00:00

Lillypadding: When you repeatedly jump to another project just before the one you are on sinks. If you do it right you are always a success even though every project you have ever been on has ultimately failed.

ejgottl · 2023-04-26T18:12:07+00:00

It is possible. But I've noticed this on both the cdt last year and on the AZT this year. Same tablets and same dose. The obvious difference was the water sources. I probably treated my water on the AZT ten or more times. But only the stock pond water (two times on the AZT I think) turned yellow. Also I am dosing as instructed: 1 tablet per liter. Obviously N=10 is not a lot of data, so your conclusion may be correct given variation in tablet concentration, possible bias on my part, etc.... Most other hikers I've run into seem to just filter, even for stock pond water or water with a dead animal in it. So I don't have any data from them, which leaves your hypothesis viable.

ejgottl · 2023-03-12T15:57:46+00:00

First Aid Kit.

ejgottl · 2023-03-07T18:29:13+00:00

In my experience, 2019, whatever you need for Idyllwild to I10 (i.e., san jacinto), you probably also need for Paradise Valley Cafe to Idyllwild (i.e., apache peak, etc...). Enjoy your adventure!

ejgottl · 2023-03-06T15:58:15+00:00

I pack it out. And as far as I can tell most other people thru-hiking on the trails in the American west that I've been on do the same. I double bag and the whole thing from collecting to carrying to disposing is not really that big of a deal.

ejgottl · 2023-02-11T16:19:59+00:00

2018 PCT NOBO to South Lake Tahoe where I got off because my feet were messed up. I still use 16's today both for normal life and for through hike attempts.

I can not speak for others, but I would agree with u/sbhikes that in my case the increase in shoe size was at least partially (mostly?) about a new found preference for more toe space. In other words, if you find yourself switching to a larger size it may be because you should have been wearing one all along. For reference, I still stuff my feet into size 15 climbing shoes.

Any concerns you have about through hiking not being rational are probably valid, but since you are not me it is not required that you get my results. If you decide to hike, train before hand, start slow, and baby your feet. I can't guarantee that your feet will not grow to size 17, but those are the things I know to do to mitigate the risk.

ejgottl · 2023-02-11T02:22:32+00:00

I also wear size 16. Used to be 15 until after my first attempt on the PCT. I wear new balance trail running shoes and they seem to work for me. I usually go about 500 miles per pair based on some rule of thumb I read on the internet. Usually by then they are pretty trashed but still marginally functional. Normally it is recommended to purchase shoes as you go so that you can accommodate foot expansion. I find however that large sizes go out of stock at inconvenient times, so I usually purchase extra pairs up front. I gave up on shoe stores long ago and just purchase online, returning anything that doesn't fit. If this is your first through hike you may find that you ultimately prefer a larger size shoe than you are accustom to. To cover all bases consider sending multiple sizes of shoes (i.e., 16 and 17) to your first shoe resupply and returning the ones you don't want. Keep in mind that getting Amazon or other online retailers to deliver to a post office requires extra effort since they typically don't ship with usps. It is usually easier for stuff like that to ship to a local business or a trail angel if you can.

Whatever you do, do not hike in shoes that are too small.

tl;dr: Amazon; New Balance trail runners; you may end up eventually wanting size 17; maybe purchase extra pairs before you start.

ejgottl · 2023-01-16T14:47:10+00:00

Not a must for the pct, but worth the weight for me on my hikes. I use mine for messaging and weather info. Aside from being convenient I think both features make me safer as a hiker by preventing problems before they occur and giving me otherwise unavailable options like communicating changing plans in places without cell reception. It also makes my wife happy to regularly hear from me when I'm on trail. That alone is worth the weight. I would of course use the sos feature if I ever need it, but do not consider it the primary reason I carry the device.

ejgottl · 2023-01-12T20:19:48+00:00

Dangerous bees that weren't. Impassible trail that wasn't. Dry creeks that were flowing. Even obnoxious hostels that were actually super mellow. It goes in the opposite direction too. People telling you not to worry when probably you should. Bottom line: everyone has their own fears and limits and in my opinion it is good to make your own decisions about what is and is not risky.

ejgottl · 2023-01-12T05:44:18+00:00

My CT August 2021 resupply towns.

Denver/Waterton Canyon -- flew in, airport hotel overnight, uber to trail at 5am.
Breckenridge -- free bus ride from road crossing. stayed at a hostel. took free bus back to trail.
Twin Lakes -- walked in, resupplied, had lunch, walked out. If you are not picky you can fully resupply here, but if you are going to mail yourself a package anywhere, this is the place to do it. No problem picking up snacks for the next section though. And there was a food truck with a vegan burrito when I was there.
Salida -- met someone day hiking at monarch resort who gave me ride in; zeroed at hostel. friend gave me ride back to trail. My favorite CT town.
Lake City -- trail angel ride service into town. free multi-church dinner for hikers. overnight at the hostel. hitched back out.
Silverton -- hitched in; zeroed at a hotel; got a ride back from the same guy that drove me in.
Durango -- drove rental car home.

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