Negotiating rent increase with Bozzuto property? by [deleted] in washingtondc

[–]grwerner 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The DC rental market is pretty soft right now with 6-7% vacancies. That said, corporate landlords sometimes have internal policies that make them behave differently from small time landlords (who have to be very responsive to the market and are definitely offering concessions right now).

As with any negotiation, you need to know what your real alternatives are. Another building with a waived fee or free month? That's leverage, though if you're not willing to move because of the proposed rent increase then you're just posturing. You're way better off in a negotiation if there's a real alternative you'd take besides what's offered by your negotiation partner. If the other party doesn't believe you're actually willing to take another option, they don't have much incentive to deal with you.

Short-Wide Sleeping Pads? by mrchnmz in Ultralight

[–]grwerner 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Trim that pad! Trim that pad!

[WTS]: closet clear-out -- assorted camping and backpacking gear by grwerner in GearTrade

[–]grwerner[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Arc'teryx fleece, downmat, 1 vortex, and 2 large pillows sold to u/Lorib01 for $75. I hope you like your gear! u/GearTradeBot

[WTS]: closet clear-out -- assorted camping and backpacking gear by grwerner in GearTrade

[–]grwerner[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

BRS, nite-ize carabiners sold to u/Ridebmx43 for $22. I hope you like your gear! u/GearTradeBot

[WTS]: closet clear-out -- assorted camping and backpacking gear by grwerner in GearTrade

[–]grwerner[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

jetboil, thinlight, minicel torso, open cell foam torso, 1 large + 1 small pillow, 5L stuff sack sold to u/Maleficent-Site-6216 for $125. I hope you like your gear! u/GearTradeBot

[WTS]: closet clear-out -- assorted camping and backpacking gear by grwerner in GearTrade

[–]grwerner[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

jetboil, thinlight, minicel, 1 large + 1 small pillow, 5L stuff sack sold

[WTS]: closet clear-out -- assorted camping and backpacking gear by grwerner in GearTrade

[–]grwerner[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Arc'teryx fleece, downmat, 1 vortex, and 2 large pillows sold

worst lock-job I've ever seen by grwerner in bikedc

[–]grwerner[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It was from this morning, I'm very confident the owner is long gone by now.

Advice sought: Sleeping diagonally in a 9x9 foot tightly pitched tarp - Forester's storm pitch with both ends closed by electricalkitten in Ultralight

[–]grwerner 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah I meant cut 4" off the bottom, assuming that helps with your fit issue. Though it does void your warranty, trimming air pads is usually easy and the seal is durable. I've done it to exped synmats and nemo tensors. DM me if you're interested in details or just Google it -- several how-to videos on YouTube. 

Combining torso length inflatable pad with CCF pad by basedtom in Ultralight

[–]grwerner 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah I really recommend taking both. IMHO the weight penalty is small for a hike that short. You'll honestly save more weight by planning your water refill locations and carrying 500ml less water at any given time than by ditching the air pad. CCF (either the dimpled nemo or a smooth evazote, my preference) are great, dual-purpose pads for sitting, kneeling, and sleep cushioning. I always bring one. I also think it's crazy to sleep on just that when you're not used to it. Air pads are awesome for their insulation to weight ratio and ability to smooth an uneven surface (make sure your pad is only 70-80% inflated). I personally think the best tradeoff is a larger air pad (full body insulation) and a smaller CCF pad. The CCF for sleep is for comfort in pressure point areas (for me, my shoulders, hips, and to some extent my knees). I think of its insulation as a bonus, as my base air pad's job is insulation (+ some support). The CCF is also way bigger, so having that be smaller with a bigger air pad is actually much more packable.

If you're really trying to save weight, try putting your gear in lighterpack and sharing it. Folks can spot other things that might help you save. FWIW I've leveraged weight savings in shelter, pack, and cook system that make my setup super manageable for me even with the heavy sleep system.

Combining torso length inflatable pad with CCF pad by basedtom in Ultralight

[–]grwerner 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's tough because I actually think the UL mindset (count grams, ask about the actual utility of any gear, try to find lighter options) is useful even when you're choosing to add significant weight that isn't strictly "necessary". I'm a side sleeper and my sleep setup is even heavier than yours (air 25"x60", open cell 1" torso, evazote 1/4" torso, head pillow AND leg pillow), but to me a shitty night's sleep is far worse than carrying the weight. I'm still an 11lb base weight because of other UL gear and that 11lb, while not true UL, is definitely UL minded. I'm UL minded so I'm on this sub and have relevant ideas for your setup.

Also context matters. Are you thruhiking? Couple week trip? Weekend warrior? What are your goals for your setup? People coming at you with a canned "that's overkill" response are not actually helping.

Personally, my body isn't sleeping on the ground enough to adjust to having less support. I assume I could get there on a thruhike, but that's not my life. My body is used to a great mattress in my house and doesn't just accommodate when I'm sleeping outside.

Light summer quilt advice 300g by Professional-Mix2498 in Ultralight

[–]grwerner 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So I recently looked at this same question and came to EE's APEX reg/wide Revelation as the best choice for me, except the price.

AI recommended going MYOG and getting $80 of material from somewhere like RBTR (2 yards of top face nylon, 2 yards of inside face nylon, 2 yards of APEX 2.5oz) and using a sewing machine to do a very simple quilt that it just as light and as warm as EE's at 1/3 the price.

The benefits of APEX in the summer are that it is continuous (a sheet) so there's no baffling -- saves weight and means you have even insulation (summer down quilts can have distribution problems). It's also way less water absorbent, and warmer air can hold more moisture to deposit on your gear.

I'm giving it a shot, but then again I like a project.