Posts by njzk2
Use warmer water to begin with (even hot. possibly tea if you don't like drinking hot water) Use a thermos or an bottle insulation sleeve (typically made of neoprene, it will help a bottle stay wa...
Several peaks on the north shore have broad 360 views that should include nice sunrise views. For example, Holyburn in Cypress, First Pump on the way to Mt Seymour. Winter conditions for both are...
Timing is key. A lot of times, your outdoor activity will involve more intense parts (for example, going up is more intense than going down). Remove a layer before starting an intense activity, p...
Disclaimer: I never got lost in the forest. Before leaving Tell someone where you are going, when, with whom, what is your expected itinerary when they should expect you, and when they should st...
I find that whenever I have to perform fine manipulation that require removing my gloves, in those temperatures (even up to -20 or -15), I feel my hand cool down really fast to the point of hurting...
I would add one suggestion to the other answers: Since you are coming back by the same way, you can cache your food on the way up. The first day will be heavy, but the weight will go down much fa...
Pads have several measurable characteristics that may be important for you when you make a decision: Weight. How much you carry is important if you actually carry it. Weights ranges from ~250g to...
If you find that: The avalanche risk is close to null (listen to reports, ask professionals, don't take any chances) You have the necessary equipment and you can carry it (you'll have to carry mo...
The needle size depends on the size of the thread. With that material, you would possibly use MARA 50 (Tex 60) to get strong seams, but you can also use a Tex 40, which is already plenty strong. I...
For the characteristics of the pads you selected, here is what I can say: Weight Crucial when backpacking. 1lbs 1oz (740g) is on the heavy side, but still doable. 2.5 lbs (1140g) is enormous. I...
On reason why the Bison costs less is simply because it has less down. At 8oz for 35$, that's not a big difference though. The bison is warmer because it is more snug. The semi-rect shape of the C...
That's one gigantic backpack! Let's look at it item by item: Tent: Your hillberg is pretty light by several standards, but indeed far from ultralight. Of course the Big agnes is lighter, and the...
I would recommend starting by making a list of the gear you'll need, not forgetting anything. (Note separately fuel, water and food as the amount will change, consider if you'll be carrying water o...
In a nutshell: when the weather goes bad, pressure drops, your perceived altitude increases when the weather clears, pressure rises, your perceived altitude decreases Using a precise topographi...
A few points on your kit: you can get rid of the folding chair. what is the use of the brewberry flask? the underblanket seems overkill compared to the sleeping bag. your towel is huge your backp...
Make a list (much more detailed) of your gear Weight everything For each item, consider whether or not you really need it. For example, the extra pants, the tarp, the extra batteries, the multitoo...
When you start packing lighter, usually it comes with smaller margins of error. It seems that it is typically your case here. Basically, the first thing is to be more careful. It is a habit to tak...
A 1/25000 map gives you roughly 5 km by 7,5. With 4cm overlap between maps, you have 1km overlap, that should be enough. What I did last time was to scan all the maps for the whole trip, join the...
I find that horizontal is often not convenient. It will get caught in narrow paths, it will get in the way of your arms if you use poles to go up, and it can easily get unbalanced, pulling strongly...
Given the description of the problem, it seems you have to replace the zip entirely. You can bring it to a tailor, they should be able to do most of it. They may not have the waterproof zipper, th...
Snowshoeing is ridiculously easy, will get you everywhere, and is quite cheap. Where I live you can rent them for the entire season for, IIRC, 60$. Cross-country skiiing (off trail, that is) requi...
Not really. The only long-distance communication method phones have is GSM/CDMA-based, and requires a tower (at which point, just call each other). Other signals they carry are usually Bluetooth a...
Tents, as far as replacement goes, are usually made of 3 parts: Fly Inner Poles Poles can usually be repaired (to a point), or replaced with equivalent or with similar models with a little work...
I am seam-sealing a tent made from silpoly with silicone sealant (generic 100% silicone, couln't find any silnet around me). The fabric is very slippery, much more than regular polyester fabric or...
I'll answer anecdotally. I started lowering the weight of my pack by - weighting stuff I put in, - considering whether I need each item or if it could be replaced, - considering that some cottage ...
