Justin C‭

I've enjoyed hiking my entire life but I have one huge problem. The skin on my feet is extremely soft and sensitive. I wear good wool socks with properly fitting boots and change socks during long ...

13 answers  ·  posted 13y ago by Justin C‭  ·  last activity 7y ago by System‭

I'm pretty tall and I find that to purchase a brand-name sleeping pad means shelling out serious $$$. To solve this I have always just purchased a roll of foam padding that I could cut to make sure...

2 answers  ·  posted 13y ago by Justin C‭  ·  last activity 7y ago by System‭

Two pairs of socks reduces friction and absorbs more moisture, both of which help prevent blisters. Personally, I prefer thin neoprene socks underneath thick wool socks.

posted 13y ago by Justin C‭

When building a fire in any weather condition you need some kind of starter. If you are expecting to experience wet conditions a great planning step is to store some starter in a waterproof locatio...

posted 13y ago by Justin C‭

It's been a couple of years since I last had bad shin splits but I can still recall how painful they can be. I was able to heal them before mostly with a couple weeks rest. If the pain came back ...

2 answers  ·  posted 12y ago by Justin C‭  ·  last activity 7y ago by System‭

For years I used a product called Polar Pure for water purification when weekend backpacking. It was an iodine based solution, so not great for a thru-hike, but fine for a week or less. Specificall...

3 answers  ·  posted 12y ago by Justin C‭  ·  last activity 7y ago by System‭

This could indicate a poor fit, but if they boots are otherwise comfortable then I would not say it is due to a poor fit. It is very possible that as they break in more and more this problem will h...

posted 12y ago by Justin C‭

I look at soft plastic drinking bottles as a great but slightly risky way to trim weight. Soft plastic should always be lighter than hard plastic, even if the difference is minor. The same applies ...

posted 12y ago by Justin C‭

Generally there are no known health side effects to eating mostly or only freeze-dried food. Freeze-dried food tends to hold more nutrients, and hold them longer, than most other shelf-life extend...

posted 12y ago by Justin C‭  ·  last activity 12y ago by System‭

As I understand the technology, your microfilters will not expire on the shelf if maintained and stored properly. Their lifetime is determined by the number of gallons pumped. What can happen is i...

posted 12y ago by Justin C‭  ·  last activity 11y ago by System‭

I think what you are trying to get at is the proper etiquette for hiking on the AT during peak season, when the most hikers and backpackers are on the trail. Exactly when peak season is, and how ma...

posted 11y ago by Justin C‭  ·  last activity 11y ago by System‭

There are no reliability problems specifically with dual fuel stoves. Reliability really has more to do with the design and the manufacturer than the fuel(s). So the best stove for you really depe...

posted 11y ago by Justin C‭

I haven't used this trick for your exact issue but I have used it for similar issues. I would attach a small amount of velcro to the inside of each shoe and the bottom of the insole. You'll want t...

posted 11y ago by Justin C‭

As for the Potomac, it can be complicated because you have a large freshwater river with tributaries in multiple states that opens to the ocean. If you plan to saltwater fish you can find license i...

posted 11y ago by Justin C‭

Polypropylene based rain gear is a subject of great debate. It seems to fit some people's needs perfectly while it is terrible for others. Frogg Toggs is one company, I know DriDucks is another. Th...

posted 11y ago by Justin C‭