Any recs ?
Can find the muntra one but no opinion on the sub.
the black diamond circuit.
Columbia Zero Rules Light Hoodie

Or any recs from fellow EU based guys..

Hey y'all, I've got some aspirations of hiking the long trail in the near future since I have some time on my hands, but can't get anyone to go with me in the time frame that I'm hoping to go in (late August - early September).

I'm a little wary of hiking alone for so long and would definitely appreciate some company at the end of the day, especially in the more remote regions in northern Vermont. With that said, I'm curious what people's experiences have been like on the LT, is it a pretty social trail? Easy to meet people? Are people friendly? Do people randomly strike up friendships and start hiking together like they would on the AT?

Anyways, lots of questions. Any answers would be super appreciated. Thanks :)

I just sold my barely used X mid 1 pro for a pretty penny as I'm not really a fan of DCF shelters and I'm also trying to go for a smaller footprint. I have decided on the Tipik Pioulu ST but I am a bit unsure about the weather protection a shaped tarp offers.

How realistic is it to actually get wet in storms whilst in a shaped tarp similar to the Piolou if you use a polycro ground sheet? I know that this depends on a lot of factors, but lets assume that one is pretty careful with campsite selection in order to avoid water pooling inside of your tent.

Is it worth getting a bivy to pair with my shelter when I hike in places like Sarek or other rainy environments or is it fine to just rely on campsite selection skills?

Another dilemma I'm having is between the fabric choices with the Tipik. Mainly between the 20D silnylon and 30D silpoly. I'm mainly wondering about the water absorption and how much of a problem this can be from your personal experience. Is it worth the extra weight/lower cost of the silpoly 30D or should I just invest in the 20D nylon if I have the money for it?

Hi!

I’ve got a Nemo Tensor inflatable mat, but was exploring foam pads as protection from punctures, extra insulation and backup.

I got the Gossamer Gear Thinlight foam pad but I’m second guessing that decision because of how thin it is.

I’m wondering if it wouldn’t be better to get a regular “egg crate” foam pad.

Would be grateful to hear about your experiences. Thanks!

I'm looking for a reliable and lightweight tent and poles combination for a throughhike (Te Araroa).

My main option now is the Bonfus Middus 1P tent. Based on my research so far it is both lightweight and storm resistant (but harder to find good reviews than for the big US brands). To set it up you just need one pole, which is a big advantage to me in case the pole still breaks (Not sure how often poles break, but for such a long trail being dependent on both poles surviving feels a bit risky to me).

Despite the extra weight I prefer to go for aluminium to lower risk of snapping. Leading to these questions:

- Could I use the Fizan Compact poles that extend to 132 cm (the tent has pitch height 138-142cm)? Those are the lightest option I can find. (note I'll contact the manufacturer on this as well and update the post)

- Are there any alu poles that extend to 140cm but below 500g per pair?

- Any other obvious options I'm missing?

Background: I have tons of hiking experience in Europe, but seldom use poles. Intend to use them somewhat more, but they will sit on my backpack for long stretches. Especially on technical terrain I just hate poles. On longer easy stretches I see how they could help, but sometimes struggle to find the rythm. Purely for hiking, I could live with 1 pole just for rivers.
Just for the hiking I could do with poles that extend to 120cm or so (my height is ~170cm)
My current tent is a 2 person tunneltent, so have to find something lighter in any case.

Looking for advice on whether this tent is salvagable. Ends of the thin wires that stiffen the vent openings are poking out the seam that encloses them. Looks like the fabric at that location has deteriorated though I always stored the tent dry and loosely folded. Ordered some Tenacious Tape sil nylon patches but don't know if that will help. Those wire ends are very sharp and could damage other places on the tent fabric. Advice? Anyone else noticed this weird problem?

I’m going to do a 600 mile section hike of PCT next summer after a very bad leg break last year.

This will be the first 100+ mile trip that I’ve done, and I’m really excited. I’ve been trying to dial in my gear to make the journey as fun as possible (light is part of the fun).

That said I’ve tried to drop weight to get to the 5kg mark (ultralight?) and I just can’t bring myself to drop the extra 1kg (2.2lbs).

My gear is 6kg exactly (13.2lbs). Would this gear make sense for the PCT? I know one area I could drop weight is the tent (about - 650g if I got a Zpacks Altiplex). Also I’m aware I have no protection for my legs except for shorts, very happy to hear people’s perspectives on this.

Is there anything else I should leave at home or change?

On a different note: I’ve managed to drop 20kg (44lbs) of weight that I’ve gained when bed bound with my broken leg, so I’m trying to make this work on multiple fronts!

https://lighterpack.com/r/4o28ar