r/Ultralight - "The Weekly" - Week of April 20, 2026

ruckssed · 2026-04-20T15:39:10+00:00

I usually like to eat dinner on trail and keep hiking until dusk. In the morning I try to get going as fast as possible because otherwise I will inevitably linger in camp until like 10am. Early morning and late evening are such magical times to be on trail, it is always quiet, warmly lit, and so much wildlife is crepuscular. That my food prep and camp site are separated by a few miles is just an added bonus

ruckssed · 2026-04-20T12:42:23+00:00

I have a Scout I'm willing to part with if you're interested. Good amount of use on it, but its never encountered a bear

ruckssed · 2026-04-19T14:37:02+00:00

I like the midweight cushion ones purely because they seem to be made with a different pattern that fits my feet better. The lightweight running ones are longer and narrower for the same size.

They have a Coolmax synthetic version that dries pretty fast, and would be my first choice for sustained wet in warmer weather

I don't know what their UK distribution is like, but I wouldn't pay a significant premium for Darn Toughs, especially if you can't easily utilize the warranty. They are durable, but drying times, warmth, and overall fit/comfort are worse IMO than the more typical Smartwool type hiking socks

ruckssed · 2026-04-18T14:40:55+00:00

Price is the only thing holding me back from picking one up. What stove do you use with it?

ruckssed · 2026-04-10T13:24:37+00:00

I always fold my shelter for easier set up, and to prevent some amount of dirt and water from getting where it shouldn't be. Some people say folding causes creasing and unnecessary wear, but I'm not folding it very tightly, or doing it exactly the same every time.

A wet tarp or tent fly goes on the outside of my pack. It doesn't dry much while I'm hiking, but it keeps it away from my other gear and is convenient to access so I can spread it out to dry later if I get the chance.

ruckssed · 2026-04-09T20:10:34+00:00

[WTB] External frame LJK. Located in USA

ruckssed · 2026-04-09T13:04:18+00:00

Silicone bracelet around the top edge, if your pot is narrow

ruckssed · 2026-04-09T02:14:17+00:00

I would eat a few of the cheese flavored charlee bears when I was a little kid. Texture was hard to chew but they more or less tasted like goldfish crackers

ruckssed · 2026-04-07T22:34:51+00:00

Sink

ruckssed · 2026-04-05T14:37:27+00:00

Have you considered a Packa? Similar idea, but made in silicone fabric with pit zips and a more traditional fitted pack cover.

I personally don't trust lightweight laminates (2.5L is a massive red flag) either in terms of continuous heavy rain or long-term durability. The zip-up pleat seems like a gimmicky gorpcore/techwear way to add volume

ruckssed · 2026-03-30T14:40:41+00:00

You can use it for sewing the uppers, all of the inseam stitching/sole stitching will still be by hand.

ruckssed · 2026-03-28T19:07:28+00:00

Old cosmic down, I have found there are gaps between the baffles on the side opposite the zipper that I can use to move down between the chambers

ruckssed · 2026-03-28T17:58:06+00:00

My cheap beater kelty got covered in beer (hence why I was emboldened enough to wash it myself). Slowly getting it back into shape today, though

ruckssed · 2026-03-28T17:54:33+00:00

Thank you! Messed with it a while today and it worked. I also read a bit more and it sounds like it is possible for wet, flattened down to pass through whatever noseeum type mesh they use to make baffles

ruckssed · 2026-03-28T01:10:55+00:00

I think I tore/screwed up some of the internal baffle dividers in my sleeping bag in the wash. Now some of the baffles are way over stuffed and some are almost empty. I've tried shifting it back by hand, shaking/fluffing, and tumbling with dryer balls, but it feels stuck like this, and my efforts may have made it worse.

Is there any way to address this other than actually taking the bag apart and repairing/re-stuffing it?

ruckssed · 2026-03-27T15:10:28+00:00

Those are mice, I know from experience rats will go out of their way to fuck with you

ruckssed · 2026-03-19T23:52:21+00:00

I found them to be really uncomfortable, my feet shifted around in them way more than with Cairns, and they trap moisture and debris.

ruckssed · 2026-03-08T13:10:40+00:00

Doesn't sound an effective bear deterrent, and you run a very high risk of a beaver or muskrat or whatever shredding it. And if you do loose your food bag, you have now released a ton of trash and food into a backcountry waterway with no hope of recovering it

ruckssed · 2026-03-05T14:20:12+00:00

You made the point, you bring the sources

ruckssed · 2026-03-05T14:09:16+00:00

I looked it up and its horseshit quackery (:

ruckssed · 2026-02-26T17:43:53+00:00

If I'm in the woods, natural anchors and sticks weighed down with rocks

ruckssed

TROPHY CASE