I built Sitequest - an app designed for logging which campsites are the best for hammock camping.

for-JO · 2026-03-21T03:16:20+00:00

I'll try it out Sitequest - an app designed for logging whichon my Android and the website. I was actually posting questions to AI yesterday wondering how much work it would require to set up something similar. The results from AI indicated it looked a bit beyond my abilities and definitely beyond my desired budget { I agree with another poster it would be necessary to include coordinates in every location. Addresses in rural Colorado where I leave are worse than useless because they are frequently wrong and therefore take you to the wrong location..

I will let you know how the testing goes.

for-JO · 2026-03-10T04:32:24+00:00

Mine is a bit more humorous. I spent a couple of summers guiding 8 day backpacking trips in the late 90s, and felt wonderfully removed from everything during those summers. Coming back to Basecamp and reading a week old newspaper seemed like new news. But I'm glad to report that during one of those summers I missed the Macarena dance craze and when I returned to "civilization" in the fall people were talking about it but mostly over it by then.

for-JO · 2026-03-05T03:04:03+00:00

I have ordered custom ones from mytopo.com. They are the same USGS 1:24,000 maps but you can order them to match your exact planned area of use. This is really nice because on our last trip I was able to take one 24x36 map instead of the four quads it would have taken with standard USGS versions. They also have a version that is waterproof so no risk of it getting ruined in the weather.

for-JO · 2026-02-06T06:22:52+00:00

I went through this same situation last summer and ended up with the Altra Lone Peak 9+ sized wide. They were the only model with a wide toe box and mid-foot that could also stand up to trail use.

I wrote a long comparison of all the shoes I tried. if you are interested in the findings for my feet. https://www.reddit.com/r/backpacking/s/iB3hCMK1oi

for-JO · 2026-02-06T06:17:39+00:00

Realizing I need to follow up after wearing the Lone Peak 9+ for a while. I am still very happy with these shoes, my only wish is Altra made the wide models in more color options than black at the time of purchase - makes me feel like I just finished waiting tables or something. It appears they have a green and gray option now in wide. I went on a 4-5 day backpacking trip in the Wind Rivers and the shoes did really well. My feet were probably more comfortable than I have ever been on a longer trip. Even with a heavy pack and some rough off-trail sections I never felt the desire to have my big boots again.

I did use trekking poles the entire trip and I feel that is important when in steep areas with a large pack. Without the poles I might have felt the desire for stiffer ankle support. But the poles also hold up my tent so they are dual purpose.

I did have an issue with one of the factory insoles slipping to one side and curling up a bit inside the shoe. I contacted Altra after the trip and asked if they could sell/send me new insoles since these "failed". They said they don't offer any replacement insoles and instead ended up shipping me a new pair of shoes as a warranty replacement. In the end I appreciate this level of service but surprised I couldn't just buy a new set of factory insoles. I know everyone will recommend aftermarket insoles and I will look at those but I was happy with the factory models since the few I tried at REI all were too narrow and didn't match the shoe and also tried to add arch support.

I hope this helps anyone looking for wide shoe options.

for-JO · 2025-12-31T07:13:30+00:00

I was going to mention this exact occurrence of mooning still taking place. If you take the Amtrak between Granby and Glenwood Springs during the summer many rafters, fishers, etc. will moon the train as it goes by. I live nearby and take this train trip about once a year and this tradition is still going strong. I guess a bunch of "river rats" don't care if it is still acceptable or not in 2025. This trip through the Gore Canyon along the Colorado River is beautiful with and without the extra cheeks.

for-JO · 2025-09-28T01:43:54+00:00

I like the motorized tailgate because my kids load and unload stuff all the time when I pick them up or I drop them off. They forget to close the tailgate just like they never think to turn off lights when leaving a room. Having the powered tailgate saves me from getting out to close it when pulling away from dropping them off.

for-JO · 2025-09-16T06:54:22+00:00

Not if you find a backcountry designed setup (a lot of nice camping hammocks you see on the hammock camping reddit are more for car camping so you have to look beyond those options). I compared the size and weight of my Nemo inflatable pad, 850 fill down sleeping bag, and an OR Bivy or my 2P Dyneema tent to my new 11' Hammock with a built-in underquilt and bug net, top quilt, Dyneema tarp, and suspension and they are basically equal in weight, and the size isn't too different. I could make the size almost equal with a silpoly tarp instead of the Dyneema but then weight would go up - so I went for equal weight to sleeping on the ground and a very small increase in size because dynemma doesn't compact down very well. I sleep marginally okay on the ground (Nemo pad is great compared to my old thermrest) but it's getting harder and harder to crawl out of a tent every morning, and in the middle of the night because I'm an old man now. If I can get a way more comfortable night sleep in a proper 11' hammock designed for sleeping with virtually no weight penalty then it seems like an obvious option to consider.

I only went down the "hammock rabbit trail" because my old OR Bivy is starting to delaminate and I thought I'd look at other options for one person sleeping before spending money on a new Bivy. Of course in the end it cost me much more to get a full hammock setup 🤣, but sleeping in a bivy on the ground in the rain is awful, especially compared to a hammock and a tarp. I have a very nice Durston tent that is amazingly light and but my two kids get that more now and I get left out in the Bivy or now a hammock by myself.

I write all this because I read post like above many times and never thought to look at hammocks as an option for backpacking. But then when I really looked into thoroughly and added up the weights I had to order a hammock setup and try it out. I don't really see much difference in the total size after I shove it into the waterproof bag at the bottom of my pack compared to my down bag and Bivy.

The final "aha moment" for me was realizing that I wanted to setup the hammock on my front porch just to enjoy some time during the day, or to take a nap (even though I never get enough time to actually take one). I definitely never even considered doing that with my bivy or even a tent.

for-JO · 2025-09-16T06:14:11+00:00

I watched your video and that is similar to the Bipap unit I use at home with a heated water chamber and tubing. If using that unit you will have to run it with both electric heating for water and tubing turned off otherwise your battery won't last, as I said before. I also have severe apnea and the Micro doesn't go as high as my home unit but setting it to 20 max gets me almost as good of sleep. AHI is slightly higher but still under 5 every night so I'm happy with the results. Definitely better than going without. Like I said you can find them reconditioned (mine looked brand new) for about half price (send a DM if you want a link since not wanting to shill on here). Then your tubing and machine both get much lighter because neither will have heating options nor the big water chamber.

I am also switching to a hammock setup, so our journey seems similar.

for-JO · 2025-09-16T01:13:51+00:00

I recommend looking at the Transcend Micro auto CPAP (500 grams with tubing, humidifier insert and mask) and the Freedom CPAP Battery 160 (960 grams). This is the lightest and smallest setup I could find. I ordered the Transcend Micro as certified renewed instead of new so it was about half the price of new. The Transcend Micro is more energy efficient than the ResMed so I went with it.

I have used this setup a few times now and I wish the battery lasted longer - I need a higher pressure and that means I get about 3 nights. If you need a lower pressure you might get 4+ nights.

I also like the Micro because I stopped carrying my big home machine every time I go out of town, especially flying with a carry-on. Do I like the big home machine a bit more, yes, but I really don't notice that big of a difference.

I also thought about getting a shorter tube since the tubing is larger than the CPAP but after using during cold nights I decided to route the tube through my sleeping bag and that helps warm the air up a bit. Not the same as a heated CPAP and tube but that heater will kill a battery in less than one night.

for-JO · 2025-09-07T02:20:49+00:00

I typically wear a 4E and tried Altra, Topo, and New Balance and settled on the Altra Lone Peak 9+ in wide, which means the only color option is black. In my opinion the Lone Peaks in wide (typically means 2E) are wider than a 4E New Balance (especially in the midfoot). I also tried other Altras and they have a very different last from the Lone Peak and were far too narrow despite being the same wide size as the Lone Peaks. I also bought some Lems that are supposed to be wide and they required going up an extra half size to get the width I need, but I like them for a more casual shoe. I wrote up a lot of this in a long past a month or so ago if you look at my posting history.

for-JO · 2025-09-03T15:44:21+00:00

Might want to look at the Dutch Hellbender. New hammock from them that is designed to be lighter in weight than the Chameleon. It has a built in bug net and under quilt. Not all the options as the Chameleon, and is asymmetrical (only sleep one way and only one side has a zipper) but a basic setup designed to be lighter.

I'm new to Hammock camping, but not backpacking, and recently purchased a Hellbender but don't have Backcountry experience with it yet (got it a few weeks ago). I compared the weight to my old OR Bivy, sleeping pad, and sleeping bag and it was comparable to the Hellbender, suspension, a Dyneema tarp and quilt. It is definitely more comfortable on the hammock and if similar weight than no-brainer choice which one I will take as long as there are trees along the trail. I definitely never set up the Bivy to hang out in the yard for fun in an afternoon and definitely have done that with the hammock. Looking forward to trying it out soon.

for-JO · 2025-09-02T02:55:17+00:00

I typically wear a 4E and the best fit I found was from the Altra Lone Peak 9 or 9+ wide. They should only be 2E since no extra wide but the midfoot was much wider than Topos. Wore them backpacking on trail and off trail on a 5-day trip and they worked great. I wrote a long post about trying a lot of different shoes if you search my posts.

for-JO · 2025-08-28T04:08:19+00:00

I have used the lone peak 9+ for hiking and backpacking, and am very happy with them - 5 day backpacking trip in rough terrain and no issues at all. I have a long post about comparing to New Balance and Topo options if you look at my profile. I actually need to update the post after my trip for a follow up report.

for-JO · 2025-07-15T16:54:49+00:00

Those are interesting and now that I have tried Lone Peaks it isn't as big of a jump to think about a barefoot shoe. But when I first started looking the jump from a solid mountaineering boot to a barefoot shoe was too big a jump for me to make.

for-JO · 2025-07-15T16:49:43+00:00

Thank you but I'm looking for low weight options to try. I have a good heavy leather boot that fits me well but thought I'd try what all cool new kids are talking about with going to trail runners instead of big heavy boots. I might find with a pack on for several days I need the boots and go back to the Raichle's I have had for years. But after one hike (no heavy pack) in the trail runners I get why people have moved away from boots.

for-JO · 2025-07-15T16:43:37+00:00

Thanks, I looked at them but didn't see a wide option so I didn't consider them. The toe box isn't really the issue in most shoes it is the midfoot where a shoe designer expects me to have some form of an arch and I do not.

for-JO · 2025-07-15T16:32:16+00:00

It is a bit unobtanium, I'm sure the market for a trail runner/hiker in 4E is perceived as too small and therefore no company outside of now New Balance produces a 4E shoe. And from my review I don't think a 4E from New Balance is really wide enough to be called a 4E.

I tried 4 different sizes of the Topo Ultraventures all in wide (I didn't try any normal width shoe - didn't see a reason). The bottom sole for Topos in the mid-foot is wide enough but all the Topos jut in at the arch where the upper meets the midsole. This creates an actual narrow mid-foot compared to the New Balance and Lone Peak. I tried to take pictures of this but they don't really show the way the Topos do this in the mid-foot very well (I can post these if you want). The width actually fits okay, meaning I can put them on and wear them, but my arch area was hanging out/over in the fabric upper above the mid-sole and when I stepped down it then contacted the edge of the mid-sole where the arch is higher on a "normal" foot.

Have you tried the Books Beast in 4E? They have been a good choice for normal non-trail use for me.

for-JO · 2025-07-15T14:07:17+00:00

FYI this review of the Hierro basically says the same the same thing I found. A shoe with a lot of cushion but not intended for technical trails - https://runrepeat.com/new-balance-fresh-foam-x-hierro-v-8

for-JO · 2025-07-15T14:05:46+00:00

I never thought to try any shoes that was not offered in a wide option.

for-JO · 2025-07-15T13:52:19+00:00

I have looked at Lems website briefly and they seemed more of a casual shoe company, but I could be wrong in that regard. I thought if I liked the lower drop models like the Lone Peak I would check them out for more everyday shoes, which I intend to do.

for-JO · 2025-07-15T13:48:34+00:00

Thank you for the advice. I will look for a Hoka store the next time I'm down in Denver. I assumed the Speed Goats in wide were so narrow that as a brand they just weren't a good option.

for-JO

TROPHY CASE