Outdoor Gear Recommendations

[WFcatamount22]

Tell me more about hammock camping. Prefer one with a bug net and rain fly.

ETA: I've been carrying a tent backpacking for years, and I'm looking to cut some weight.

If your camping by yourself in warm weather and are still using a tent, you are a peasant. If you are planning on sleeping with someone else use a tent. Even with the doubles sleeping with someone else sucks. You inevitably end up crushing each other all night. Seems romantic, in real life meh not so much.

I use the Eno with their rain fly. Never bothered with the bug net and never had much of a problem. You kinda have to be carefull limiting the accessories with the hammocks. It's easy to overkill it and end up with almost as much weight and space consumption as a tent.

In colder months I will throw a sleeping pad in the hammock and it helps keep it insulated down to around 20 degrees. Any colder then that I would use a tent.

 

[ImTheCaptain]

If your camping by yourself in warm weather and are still using a tent, you are a peasant. If you are planning on sleeping with someone else use a tent. Even with the doubles sleeping with someone else sucks. You inevitably end up crushing each other all night. Seems romantic, in real life meh not so much.

I use the Eno with their rain fly. Never bothered with the bug net and never had much of a problem. You kinda have to be carefull limiting the accessories with the hammocks. It's easy to overkill it and end up with almost as much weight and space consumption as a tent.

In colder months I will throw a sleeping pad in the hammock and it helps keep it insulated down to around 20 degrees. Any colder then that I would use a tent.

yes to all this, especially the bolded.

i'll add that i bought the ENO atlas straps (XL); definitely recommend

 

[BeachBumDeac]

Anyone tried the Fox Outfitters neolite hammock? Looks like a fairly new product, but has good reviews on amazon so far. Cheaper than an ENO, and comes with straps for mounting

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PT0YPHU?psc=1

 

[deacs1995]

mounting seems good

 

[lbE08]

Yeah, my tent is less weight than my hammock set-up; it's really not much weight-savings compared to the UL 1 and 2 person tents out there... but man is it comfortable.

 

[WFU Lurker]

I still rock the trusty whisperlight.

I have a whisper light...it just has such awful temperature control. Your water is either going to be at a rapid boil or the stove is off. That's pretty much the temperature control. I don't know if something is off with it or what. The pump is probably 5 years old, the stove is probably 10 years old.

Think I am going to go with one of the canister stoves, probably the pocket rocket, before I go again.

 

[ImTheCaptain]

Yeah, my tent is less weight than my hammock set-up; it's really not much weight-savings compared to the UL 1 and 2 person tents out there... but man is it comfortable.

how much are medium-high end UL 1 person tents?

 

[lbE08]

how much are medium-high end UL 1 person tents?

200-250

...so obviously a hammock is cheaper.
I also just noticed the ENO Sub7 hammock. 6.5oz, but I haven't seen it in person to say anything about its durability. I have a single nest, which is just over a pound, and teh straps are another 12 oz. Add in a tarp of some sort, and suddenly your hammock setup weighs as much as a tent.

 

[ImTheCaptain]

i was just wondering; i was talking about this with my brother in law yesterday and he was saying he was looking to try a hammock but he has a sub 2lb UL tent right now and was a little surprised when i started talking about the weight of a hammock set up;

 

[Biff Tannen]

So I'm going car camping tomorrow night and the only gear I have is the kids' sleeping bags. I'm thinking I can swing an REI tent for $300, grab a few pads for $50 each, and mooch everything else.

 

[BarcaDeac]

Patagonia having a 40% off sale right now. Anyone have a Nano Puff or Down Sweater?

 

[lbE08]

Patagonia having a 40% off sale right now. Anyone have a Nano Puff or Down Sweater?

Both. The down sweater is warmer, but I wear the nanopuff a lot more. It's perfect for that 45-55* weather, and definitely the better option if it's wet out or you're unsure if you'll get rained on. That said, the down sweater is a fantastic jacket, too.

 

[leftcoastdeac]

Patagonia having a 40% off sale right now. Anyone have a Nano Puff or Down Sweater?

I LOVE my Nano Puff. I don't have the down sweater, so I can't compare, but I've been super happy with the NP.

 

[BarcaDeac]

I'm gonna go to a store downtown at lunch that I think has both and try them on, then buy online

 

[deacdiggler]

any recommendations for really good hiking boots? My issues are "toe bang" and that my feet hurt if I walk over too many rocks. I don't have ankle issues though, so don't need too much support there.

 

[leftcoastdeac]

any recommendations for really good hiking boots? My issues are "toe bang" and that my feet hurt if I walk over too many rocks. I don't have ankle issues though, so don't need too much support there.

I have some mid rise Merrill's that are super comfortable if not a bit warm. My next pair of boots will be Danner Mountain Lights II. I've had Danner Crater Rim's in the past and they were an excellent boot as well.

 

[ImTheCaptain]

any recommendations for really good hiking boots? My issues are "toe bang" and that my feet hurt if I walk over too many rocks. I don't have ankle issues though, so don't need too much support there.

getting a slightly larger size solved this (very real) problem for me.

i have vasque ankle high boots and merrill low tops

 

[WFFaithful]

I'm a fan of my Vasque boots.

 

[WFcatamount22]

any recommendations for really good hiking boots? My issues are "toe bang" and that my feet hurt if I walk over too many rocks. I don't have ankle issues though, so don't need too much support there.

Yeah toe bang traditionally happens due to incorrect sizing more so than the boot itself. Also you can try getting an insole with more arch support if you're not ready to give up on your current pair.

 

[lbE08]

yeah, as others have said, toe bang is more a size issue than anything, but go somewhere and try a few on. some brands have bigger toe boxes than others. as for walking over too many rocks and your feet hurting because of it - find something with a 3/4 last in the sole. a lot of times this goes hand-in-hand with a higher boot, but there are some pretty light-weight boot options that give you that support in your foot without being crazy stiff in the upper.