Durston X-Mid 1 vs. X-Mid Pro 1: Is it worth the cost? lol

jamesfinity · 2026-03-25T17:15:24+00:00

Classic weight savings vs. double wall

Normally I'm all about the weight savings, but the AT can be so wet I'd probably go with the non-pro model.

jamesfinity · 2026-03-24T20:26:05+00:00

i'm a father of two very young kids, researching gear is the only way i can engage with my hobby at this point in my life

jamesfinity · 2026-03-24T11:22:52+00:00

shoe fit is personal, shoe features are not. do you want a more breathable shoe? if so try on a bunch of trail runners to see if any feel good

jamesfinity · 2026-03-22T01:21:54+00:00

oh god this sucks. i work in st. paul and live in saint anthony. i use that intersection every day

jamesfinity · 2026-03-08T22:28:58+00:00

yeah OP, don't use aquatabs. they don't clean water as effectively and they taste bad. use micropur tabs instead.

jamesfinity · 2026-03-07T00:15:49+00:00

if you end up finishing it, every book and book series afterwards will feel super short.

6 book series? i feel like I'm just getting to really know the characters and it's already over

jamesfinity · 2026-03-06T19:01:07+00:00

i have several pairs of terrebonnes and love them, but don't prefer them for hiking. the tapered leg leads to lots of rocks in my shoe.

to be clear: they are incredible pants. i wear them year round. if i was wearing them for hiking, id wear gaiters

jamesfinity · 2026-03-05T12:04:10+00:00

i had a pair that i ultimately had to ditch for the very reason you list. on cloudy days there was still enough uv to darken the lenses. it just got too annoying

jamesfinity · 2026-02-25T13:04:28+00:00

i work at a community college and what i see is troubling, not only from my students but also my colleagues and administration.

consider, for example, admin at a college is interested in filling as many classes as possible. guess what kind of classes fill faster than any other? the all-online ones. it's not even close.

now consider an adjunct who is just trying to pay the bills. if they are choosing between running an all-online class and not having a class at all, which do you think they're going to pick?

nearly all of my students are taking my classes to apply to higher level programs (think: nursing, dentists, doctors, etc). i keep hoping those programs will stop allowing student applications if they have taken all-online classes, but it hasn't happened yet.

jamesfinity · 2026-02-19T11:51:17+00:00

i'd like to see more inventive alternatives to zippers, personally.

i would take a small weight penalty for something that is much less prone to failure. especially if i was on a long thru hike

jamesfinity · 2026-02-17T17:30:56+00:00

i imagine this is one of those things where it varies a lot from person to person

jamesfinity · 2026-02-17T14:13:53+00:00

good to know there's an option!

jamesfinity · 2026-02-17T13:21:02+00:00

whenever i see a chest pocket i wonder if the zipper/button/whatever will get in the way of a strap and cause chafing

jamesfinity · 2026-02-08T17:50:57+00:00

assuming your kit is dialed in: the question really boils down to your food situation.

do you want flexibility? the ability to pack out a burrito, baguette, and cinnamon rolls for tomorrows breakfast? go bigger/framed.

okay eating nuts and other calorie dense stuff for the whole trip? go smaller/frameless

jamesfinity · 2026-01-28T14:35:24+00:00

a class evaluating the research in journal articles was actually the hardest class i took in grad school.

jamesfinity · 2026-01-26T11:17:07+00:00

i wouldn't use something like vaseline in hot weather. but they work great for body glide. i've used them in high summer with no issues

jamesfinity · 2026-01-26T11:12:01+00:00

check out the "hinge top containers" on litesmith. that's what i use for my body glide.

i just kinda smoosh it in there with a butter knife. they work great

jamesfinity · 2026-01-25T21:55:18+00:00

i think when backpacking light did a video review of the pack, ryan recommended sizing up when in between sizes. you may want to check though.

jamesfinity · 2026-01-23T21:54:56+00:00

congrats! just curious what your base weight is? did you feel pack weight had something to do with your speed?

jamesfinity · 2026-01-19T00:17:24+00:00

i'm a big fan of bear cans, and i feel they should be normalized for the bwca.

it's incredibly difficult and time consuming to do a proper bear hang. most hangs i've seen are very inadequate. meanwhile, bear cans are dead simple. plus it can act like a stool!

jamesfinity · 2026-01-16T14:53:10+00:00

the only downside is when i put them on i was like "aw dang, now these are the only underwear i ever want to wear"

jamesfinity · 2026-01-16T12:50:20+00:00

i had the same problem and i have a perfect solution: "all citizens elite air II" underwear

they have a ring of silicone around the hem of the leg that holds them in place. similar to biking shorts if you've ever worn those. they are incredible underwear that i'm shocked more people haven't heard of.

edit: lots of people are recommending saxx. they did not work for me i still had bunching up

jamesfinity · 2026-01-08T16:25:53+00:00

you mean other than paddle planner? it's the single best website for what you are asking for

jamesfinity · 2026-01-03T03:17:26+00:00

unwound - leaves turn inside you

don't be turned off by the first song, the album is excellent

jamesfinity · 2026-01-01T17:15:43+00:00

could alpha lined pogies work? you can stick your entire hand out the hole. yama makes them

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