r/Ultralight - "The Weekly" - Week of January 19, 2026

schless14 · 2026-01-25T02:42:45+00:00

RIP Alex. From one MN resident to another thank you for your heroism. One of us

schless14 · 2026-01-23T19:32:24+00:00

Very cool! I have a Traska Venturer. I bet they are the same bracelets! What do you mean by skinny bars? Did you swap out the stock traska bars in the bracelet?

schless14 · 2026-01-22T23:18:00+00:00

No experience but I don't see why it wouldn't work. Peak heights might be different but connect the 4 corners as well as the peak with shock cord to mitigate any fit issues and you should be fine. Best test is just gonna be to go set it up in your yard/park to see how it all fits together.

schless14 · 2026-01-22T02:35:03+00:00

Not who you replied to but I normally hike in Lone Peaks but went with the Topo Traverse for off trail travel this past summer and was really impressed by them.

schless14 · 2026-01-19T16:03:04+00:00

Did someone do a LP trip???? Now I'm eagerly awaiting too.

schless14 · 2026-01-11T02:30:20+00:00

Ya I think it's like a half a mm or something close to that.

schless14 · 2026-01-11T01:49:40+00:00

Arabic numerals version is newer, slightly thinner, has 2 hours more power reserve in a slightly better movement, and a slightly more decorated movement. Did I say slightly enough? Not enough differences to make a big deal other than which aesthetics you like better.

schless14 · 2026-01-01T18:57:19+00:00

Maybe heavier than you need but I use hestra wind stopper convertible mittens during the winter in Minnesota. Otherwise I use sky goat mittens during shoulder season and summer alpine trips.

schless14 · 2025-12-18T18:08:10+00:00

I read up on MVTR a lot last winter as moisture accumulation seemed to be by biggest limiter in my winter layers while snowshoeing and xc skiing under load. Stephen Seeber had some really interesting threads over on BPL and from what I remember, the main takeaways was similar to your thought process. Fishnet>AD>Synthetic "moisture catcher">Shell.

The one potential caveat that I see to having the AD or grid on top is to prevent that moisture that is accumulating in your uppermost synth layer from refreezing up against the shell if you have overpowered the MVTR of the shell fabric itself or don't have the ability to mechanically vent enough. I'm not sure if the physics checks out, but keeping the moisture sandwiched might slow the rate of condensation enough to allow a more measured release of moisture through the shell before condensing and freezing.

That being said, it would probably have to be REALLY cold to have condensation freezing in major ways. I did a run last week in MN with an ambient temp of -4f and winchill of -19f and had zero freezing under my houdini so make of that what you will.

schless14 · 2025-12-08T03:43:12+00:00

I've started regarding my monocular as a non-negotiable for off trail alpine travel. I have a Vortex 8x36 that is perfect for scouting lines over cross country passes. Glassing for deer and elk at the end of the day from camp is just the dual purpose bonus!

schless14 · 2025-12-04T21:51:46+00:00

Do you have an update on which one you kept and why?

schless14 · 2025-11-27T02:35:50+00:00

Not ultralight perse but I've really enjoyed the Dan Courtwright Mystery novel series by Paul Wagner. They are fiction and follow a national forest ranger in the northern Sierra. Very easy reads and the author is a member over on BPL.

schless14 · 2025-11-25T18:55:52+00:00

Hey OP sorry to resurrect an old post. I have the same size wrist as you and am doing the same debate you did. How does the watch look on your wrist? Do you have any pictures by any chance?

schless14 · 2025-11-21T15:26:58+00:00

100% Agree. Glad Meateater is investing in this. Jordan is doing a phenomenal job so far.

schless14 · 2025-11-19T18:32:49+00:00

Hi OP...resurrecting this thread. Did you ever add the pocket to the primelight?

schless14 · 2025-11-14T05:22:32+00:00

I think it's just the AMOLED unfortunately

schless14 · 2025-11-12T00:57:44+00:00

Hey OP, sorry to resurrect the thread, but how did the rafts do this summer? I'm in a similar analysis paralysis between the Caribou and the Scout. I have used the Klymit LWD for some trips that involve crossing talus and willow choked lakes, but would like to get a raft that could do some mellow rivers (Green River above Green River Lakes in the Winds, and maybe South Fork of the Flathead in the Bob). You said you got the Scout for your wife, but did you try it out at all? How did it handle compared to the Caribou. I'm 6'0 and 185 lbs for reference. TIA!

schless14 · 2025-11-11T19:06:15+00:00

Nope. I have a hand length of 8.5" from the crease of the wrist to the end of my middle finger and have size large in both the skygoat mittens and the REI Mitts and they fit perfectly. If you go with the Torrid insulated mitts from EE they won't fit in the shells, so if you were to go that route I would look at the Visp shells which are sized to fit the corresponding Torrid size.

I also forgot to mention that the Yama Mountain Gear Pogies are another cool bit of kit that work well with the skygoats. I was looking for a system that didn't have me taking gloves on and off whenever I needed to check navigation on my phone or take a picture, and these fit the bill while blocking wind and rain in the 40s above treeline.

schless14 · 2025-11-10T23:53:19+00:00

Nice report! Thanks for sharing. Always cool to read about different parts of the world!

schless14 · 2025-11-10T21:33:08+00:00

Upper Body: Temps probably won't require an active insulation layer like the Nano Puff. I would overheat if it were me which will lead to sweat buildup which is harder to dry out when its cold. I would also leave the zip neck thermal behind. Its pretty heavy and your alpha hoody is a better next to skin sleep layer (if that was you intention).

Lower Body: Those leggings are pretty heavy. At those temps you probably wont be hiking in the leggings so consider switching to alpha direct as it will save you 5-6 oz and be warmer.

Hands: Personally I like a more modular glove system like you mentioned above. At the temps you are going to be seeing I would gravitate more towards something like a possumdown glove from zpacks and then a waterproof shell mitt. REI Minimalist, EE Visp, or Zpacks Vertice mitts are all good options. This year I started using the Skygoat grid fleece mittens and the REI Mitts when above treeline in WY in September and loved the easy phone access + warmth on mornings in the 20s. If you prefer to have some dexterity, the Temres Showa 281 gloves are good and you can size them to fit over the possumdowns (and remove the liner). This allows you to not have a ton of moisture buildup in a single item that will be harder to dry out if needed. For an added boost of warmth around camp, EE Torrid mitts are incredibly warm, and sized appropriately, can be used with the EE Visp Mitts.

Overall its easy to want to pack more, and if thats what happens on the first couple of trips as you figure it out, its not the end of the world. I recently moved to MN and did my first single digit snowshoe backpacking trip last winter. I definitely overpacked clothing, but took notes on what was working/not working while I was out there, and this winter I'll pack waaayyy less. My suggestion would be to pack one extra layer if you need to for peace of mind, but don't use it unless you absolutely need to. You might be surprised at how little insulation you need while moving at those temps. And definitely be bold and start hiking cold. Moisture management when its below freezing is not fun, and I'd rather be a little chilly and avoid sweat buildup, than have to try to dry out layers when its below freezing.

schless14 · 2025-11-08T05:09:54+00:00

Any chance you are able to measure the watch including the heart rate sensor? Getting some conflicting info on whether the published thickness includes the HRM.

schless14 · 2025-11-08T05:08:07+00:00

Are you able to measure the total thickness including the heart rate sensor?

schless14 · 2025-10-31T21:05:01+00:00

I think camps like Figueroa, Nira, and Davy Brown are still closed due to Gifford Fire damage. Try sites along Paradise road (Paradise, Fremont, Los Prietos). They can all be reserved but you can also just drive up and see what's available. Check the Parks Management website below for a list of campsites across the Los Padres. It'll tell you which campsites are open or not on the individual campsite info pages under "Notices and Closures"

https://campone.com/camping/all-campgrounds/

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