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Hiking!
Uncle Long
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Alright, I'm in Alaska. We've got trails. We've got great trails. I like going on these trails but I've reached the limits of my shabby gear (I don't really have any gear, just a pair of boots really).
Help me kit out. What do I need and what should I consider as something nice to have on a couple day's hike? Most everything is fairly steep uphill around here and, though I've done a good deal of treking above the snow line I'm kind of at the polar end of performance and it's getting about two or three feet deep before I summit; and it's only going to get worse as we head into winter.
I'm looking into doing a bit of mountaineering in the future as there are some decent peaks around here. But for now I'll get my practice in on the trails and wilderness in my local area. Most of the time it's raining around here so things need to be essentially waterproof through and through.
This is what I'm looking into and what I'd like recommendations on:
Hiking Boots
Snowshoes
Packs (big/waterproof)
Jackets (waterproof)
Head Lamp
Compass/Navigation tools
And anything you guys can think of. So, what's good, what should I avoid, what should I look into and what should I make sure not to forget?
Help me kit out. What do I need and what should I consider as something nice to have on a couple day's hike? Most everything is fairly steep uphill around here and, though I've done a good deal of treking above the snow line I'm kind of at the polar end of performance and it's getting about two or three feet deep before I summit; and it's only going to get worse as we head into winter.
I'm looking into doing a bit of mountaineering in the future as there are some decent peaks around here. But for now I'll get my practice in on the trails and wilderness in my local area. Most of the time it's raining around here so things need to be essentially waterproof through and through.
This is what I'm looking into and what I'd like recommendations on:
Hiking Boots
Snowshoes
Packs (big/waterproof)
Jackets (waterproof)
Head Lamp
Compass/Navigation tools
And anything you guys can think of. So, what's good, what should I avoid, what should I look into and what should I make sure not to forget?
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Huge selection and awesome prices. Avoid local shops as they're setup to sucker tourists into paying crazy prices for gear.
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I have a Tikka model headlamp, forget the manufacturer. Love the thing. As for compass/navigation, get a compass and figure out how to use it, and make sure you have a map when you go out. Unless you're trailblazing or going off trail, you shouldn't need much navigation equipment.
Does This Stuff Look Alright?
I'm pretty much going off of reviews. I'm not married to any of these things yet, so any suggestions or changes would be welcome. Or if there is something you know of that I shouldn't pass up on campmor, that'd be good to know as well.
Alright, time to make some food.
Ryan M Long Photography
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I'm assuming this is for more than a day out, if not, stuff below still applies really.
1. Waterproof doesn't really exist. If it's wet enough, very few things will stop you getting wet. Those that do tend to create a vacuum-sealed environment underneath, which what with climbing up mountains etc, quickly becomes pretty tropical. Wet clothes, sweaty clothes = same problem. I've never seen anything much better than the standard US Army style waterproof poncho. Turns your body into a runoff, no crevices, cuffs etc for water to get in as with jacket/trouser combinations. Also easy to get on/off when it starts/stops raining, not bulky, and light. Simple = good.
Instead of spending lots of money on high-tech waterproof stuff, learn dry kit / wet kit routine. Keep everything individually waterproofed in bags (experiment, large seal kitchen bags can be ok, or you can get canoe-bags of various sizes). That means individually - too many people just stick clothes in a dustbin bag, and are surprised when sticking wet stuff there makes the dry stuff also wet stuff.
When you get into your doss bag at night, wet kit off, back into individual bags (so it doesn't soak everything else), put dry kit on. Depending on how long you are out there and/or how much kit you have, you might have to put wet kit on again next morning. Important point is to preserve the set of dry kit for when you need to stay warm. Also, you can dry some important items out this way, socks etc. Just wring them out before you go to sleep, and stick them under armpits / crotch etc as you sleep, they'll be almost dry the next morning.
2. Apart from that, pack light. Resist the temptation to buy that GPS Special Forces Real-Time Locator Beacon with built-in Targeting Software, or the foldable heli-pad incase you need air rescue some day. Lots of people buy kit which they will only possibly ever use if they try to get into that particular situation, ie usually because they have bought the kit. You need: sleeping bag, clothes, food, water, fire-starter of some kind, first-aid / survival kit.
3. My essential kit is usually; leatherman tool or similar, hunting knife (serrated edge one side, personal choice but very good for general use), first aid kit, survival kit. For the latter two, there are lots of pre-packaged things, but a) ensure you have plenty of water puri-tabs in one of them, often the commerical kits don't even include these, and b) don't take stuff you don't know how to use. Don't take the whole commerical kit just because it came in the box. Also, very important that you have a fire-starter that you know how to use, something simple like a lighter flint.
4. Large, good quality waterbottle. The one thing where bigger = better.
5. A couple of extra things that make life easier; good thermos flask, roll-mat, and something like a jet-boil heater. Not strictly necessary, but good for moral, comfort & saving time.
6. Essential piece of kit - one 4-5 foot long hardwood stick, strong enough to take your weight. Seriously, going up mountains a stick makes it a hell of a lot easier, and coming down it can save your life.
Boots & stuff are very personal, and I still use military ones anyway which probably aren't what you are looking for. Don't get them off the web though, you need to try them out in person.
I also recommend doing the same with boots, but the backpack is essential.
Compass looks needlessly complicated. Standard silva plastic seethrough compass is a) much easier for map nav, and b) perfectly hardy, I've never had one break despite throwing heavy things on them, ie me.
Those boots aren't boots. They have no ankle support. Those are summer bimbling shoes, if you go anywhere near snow, mountains or undergrowth in those you'll have problems.
Also, unless things are very different in the US, the backpack looks way too cheap for that size, which would suggest to me that it has bad stiching & shitty parts. Having straps snap or strap clips break when you are in the field is not good, so a proper pack is worth the money.
There is one store on the island for this sort of thing and their selection is extremely limited. I'll be checking out what they do have sometime this week so far as boots go but I can already tell you that they have next to nothing for big packs. They've got about one middle sized columbia pack and it just wasn't quite right.
They've got a few different pairs of boots that I'd like to try out but, again, selection is extremely limited and, seeing as how they are the store on the island they have the corner on the market and charge ridiculous prices. (They do cell phones too and charge $100 activation fee in addition to doubling the price of their phones; they buy them retail from the cell one outlet in juneau and bring them back and double the prices. This is the kind of operation we have to deal with, so the web really is the only option. Though using their product to try on isn't a bad idea).
Seriously awesome advice folks.
t: Not Sarastro,
Yeah, I'm a light packer. First off, I don't have the money for all the fancy gadgets, and second, I wouldn't want them even if I did have the money. I generally like to bring as little as I can and, even then I think I end up bringing more than I needed (but it's usually stuff that I'd be screwed without if the situation came up where I did need it).
Are the magnesium fire starters any good?
Ryan M Long Photography
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All depends on the product though, and I can't tell you who makes good ones. Check out some bushcraft forums or similar, they might know a good brand.
And, by extension, what are some good bags out there? Seriously, talk to me like I'm ignorant, because I am.
Ryan M Long Photography
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internal frame vs. external frame backpack
external frames are oldschool but you can carry a lot more stuff by straping things to the frame. Most people go internal frame. If you are going for 2-3 day trips look for something about 5000 cu in, this will be a good size, go bigger if you want to be out longer.
Check out www.cilogear.com
i have their 40l bag and its awesome. superlightweight too. he has a new 70L bag that will be perfect for longer trips. I know the guy and he is standup.
merrel makes good boots, but you want to make sure they fit.
make sure you hook up with people who know what they are doing. someone can tell you everything you need to buy, but its useless if you don't know how to use it. plus being in alaska, you need to be concerned with bear and other travel considerations
I wish I had more access to these things so I can try them on. Especially the boots. I'll ask around and see if there is anything around here (on another island that is) which has more of a selection and then maybe wait until I can get over there before picking up a lot of this stuff. But it's good to know what I should be looking for and I'm not opposed to learning.
Ryan M Long Photography
Buy my Prints!
I use a down sleeping bag in CA, but that would probably be stupid in alaska.
Down bags are nice because they have much more loft. They will keep you warmer and they can pack down into a much smaller size in a stuff sack. The problem is if they get wet. If a down bag gets wet it loses the ability to keep you warm when you need it to. In fact it will kill you faster. A man-made fiber filled bag will at least still keep you somewhat warm even while it is wet.
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How does this look?
Of course I don't need to have everything at once, but I'd like to start accumulating some decent gear so I can really get out there; if not immediately then heavily in the summer.
Ryan M Long Photography
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I have that gerber multitool, and it's really nice. The saws are excellent and can be really useful. It's just a well made knife.
About the flint striker: I've used ones similar to those that were just flint and steel, but I was not pleased with their performance. I much prefer these kinds of strikers. I wouldn't buy something as small as that from amazon though. I would want to see it in person to make sure it's what I want. One thing about these strikers though is that they don't provide the steel. You could technically use your multitool, but I wouldn't want to do that in any situation short of survival. So maybe you could pick up the smallest little pocket knife you can find to go along with it.
and don't be afraid to get the big bladders. For water is life
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Yeah, I've got a gerber pocket knife that has stood up really well to the test of time and weather and takes an edge and holds it really well. It's good to hear that their quality extends to their other products.
So the starter without the handle is going to be a better bet? I think I can get something like that around these parts.
Camelbak: I'll probably just go with getting extra bladders and stashing them and routing. I have a smaller bag that I've used on cycling trips and dune hikes, and I liked that a lot, but honestly just used the bladder with an old book bag whenever I wanted to go out for any extended period of time. Both ways worked pretty well.
I'll keep looking. There's no hurry, really. I don't have a hike coming up where I need to have my kit all together by a certain date. But the sooner I can get things squared away the sooner I can plan these things out and the more land opens up for me and my friends at the Forestry.
Ryan M Long Photography
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There's a reason Goretex clothing has become super popular. Because it's waterproof (to the point where to be considered goretex, the various seems and zippers need to be treated such that they are waterproof too), and because it allows SOME breathing to avoid sweat. A cheapo goretex jacket should last you at least a year, and then stock up on some cheapo goretex pants as well and poof! waterproof.
I got caught on a dayhike once in a big overnight deluge near Vancouver (which has big big deluges...), and they kept me nice and dry without a tent or proper sleeping bag.
edit:
just to continue on this, MANY people in the vancouver area have a goretex jacket regardless of hiking or not. The freak rain nature of this area means some type of portable water shelter (whether it's an umbrella or a jacket) is essential, and it isn't overly cold here so you want something that breathes to some extent. If you're a hiker in this area, EVERYONE has goretex EVERYTHING and swears by them.
edit: also for your list you need a first aid and survival kit. I'm in TN and the smokies are meh. I'm betting Alaska is very extreme.
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What is good to have in those. I'll admit, that's something I know absolutely nothing about. I had CPR in eighth grade, haha. Actually I'm training for the volunteer fire department which requries EMT certification in addition to their own fire training so I'll be up to my neck in first aid by next month.
But what makes a good hiking first aid kit and survival kit? I know there's got to be a fine balance between being prepared and seriously overpacking.
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It depends on how long you plan to be out, and the type of country you plan on traversing. I have never been to Alaska though I would give just about anything to go some time. Are you going on day trips or are you going backcountry trekking? Are you on trails or are you using an orienteering map and compass to get around?
I'm in TN and the Smokies are what I would consider not advanced in terms of hiking and trekking. During the winter the terrain can get rough with fallen trees and stuff but for some reason I just don't think it will compare to Alaska. I could be completely wrong though. I don't hike on trails. I took a Wilderness Orienteering class in college and learned to work a map and compass properly so it is much different from trail hiking. It is serious trekking through rough terrain and dealing with hazards and animals. My last trip in Cades Cove I ran into no less than 13 black bears. Not including cubs.
Your first good bet was that multi-tool. That's something I don't have and plan on getting soon. This thread is making me want to get back out into nature haha.
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=40000000226&storeId=226&productId=99839
That is a 'ten essentials' kit. It has first aid as well as 10 items that could save your life provided you get into a tight spot out there. I feel that the first aid kit it comes with is a bit light, but it isn't bad by any means. The main bits are things like emergency blankets, a loud whistle, compass, fire starter, storm matches, a medicine guide, and some other misc. stuff. It also has something that can purify some water if you need to. That kit is by no means a standard, but it is a good starting point. I bought one of those and have also added things I've picked up along the way. Ideally you never want to use any of that stuff. But it packs a good punch and is small and light weight. You need stuff like this but don't want to sacrifice a large amount of space in your bag. You have a large bag however. I just have a day-pack. The main thing though, is I would never be caught outside without a kit like this. At the very least a small first aid kit. I always plan for the worst though.
Shogun Streams Vidya
The trails on this island aren't too tough at all, I mean they're rated "difficult," but I think that is more to keep the few tourists who would more or less find out that they didn't feel like climbing a mountain that day off of the trail; because I've done most of them myself and they are pretty mild at best. The only real wildlife that I've run into on them were a few porcupines here and there which quickly scampered up a tree and scowled down at me, which I didn't know they did. Though we do have a decently sized population of black and brown bears on the island.
Everything that is outside of the main settlement is bush, a lot of muskegs to be specific; so I'll probably be getting into off trail stuff when the weather permits (It's getting dark at aroudn 1530 right now, so there isn't a lot of time to really enjoy a hike in the middle of the day and I don't want to do a lot of head lamping work because, for me, I'd like to be able to enjoy seeing the wilderness, not just navigating through it). But for now there's plenty of on trail stuff that I can do and some decent day trips to get me ready for some bigger adventures; and of course give me time to build up more cash to get more specialized kit.
But this looks good for starting out? I mean, I'm not going to be mamby pamby about getting out there and putting it through its paces when I get a chance. Just, you know, I want to have some decent kit that will be good for now and versatile for later.
Ryan M Long Photography
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NEVER HIKE ALONE
I don't care what kind of mountain-man you think you are. Its easy to hurt yourself, its easy to get in trouble, its easy to cost the state several hundred thousand dollars to rescue your sorry maldirected ass (as happens all to regularly around here), its easy to get eaten by a fucking bear and have your family and friends never really know what happened. Take at least one buddy, lodge a walk plan with a local ranger, give them your contact details and a description and photo of yourself and your gear. If you're that much of a noob, you'd also be very sensible to take whatever local wilderness survival courses are offered in your area. They are a lifetime investment, even if it does mean spending the weekend attempting to set fire to damp things in the company of a twitchy war vet.
Is it a good idea to bring a radio along? None of my forestry friends have mentioned it, but a few of the older locals have.
And Cat, no worries, part of the fun around here is going out with other people. There are a lot of really great hikers around here to learn from and I get along with most of them and enjoy their company. There isn't the "other people are going to be slowing me down," mentality around here; probably because the environment is harsh enough that people really try extra hard not to underestimate it (well, I'm sure they do from time to time, but I think you know what I mean).
Ryan M Long Photography
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B.net: Kusanku
Let me back track a bit. REI has a killer return policy, so if you don't care on being screwed on shipping go ahead and order to try. They'll take it all back, even after it's been used. Just don't abuse it or they won't do business with you.
Yes, this is the problem. I'm open for suggestion. But, as I've said, I live on an island and there is one store here that has this sort of thing and they've only got a few different sort of boots. I've tried them on and they might work, but that's about all I can say for them.
This kind of applies to the pack as well. Yeah, I know, it's going to suck ordering things I've not tried before. I'm fully aware of this.
I might just wait until I can get off of the island and can then go and try out a few more things; but I have no idea when that might be.
Ryan M Long Photography
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Shogun Streams Vidya
Try on boots before you buy them. And make sure you reaaaaaaally break them in before you go out, otherwise you'll suffer. Maybe that goes without saying, but...maybe it doesn't.
And make SURE your sleeping bag is warm enough. This happened to me once when I was camping in snowy NM...and it was miserable.
Also, I recommend external frame backpacks. They're just much easier to use, in my experience. And you can strap stuff to the frame, etc. They're convenient.
I'm a climber and people constantly ask me about that Aron Ralston guy...as if I personally knew him. Or they use that as an argument for why they think I shouldn't climb or that climbing is unsafe. Which is why I have a news clipping in my office that compares the number of people who have died in normal around-the-house accidents vs people who have died doing so called "extreme" sports
Sorry to derail, I just hear that name a lot
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One, hiking is rarely prone to short-duration emergencies where immediate action is required, the drills for which need a buddy system, like diving for example.
Two, hiking emergencies (generally getting lost) tend to revolve around scarcity of food, water, and require fitness, endurance, skills and such. Multiple people exacerbate those scarcities, and mean that the group has to travel at the pace / ability of the slowest. Since the first rule of an emergency in the wild is to keep the group together, having multiple people does not raise your chances of finding help by covering more ground. Furthermore, the well documented tendency of not-particularly-skilled groups of lost hikers to break down under duress and make extremely bad or time consuming group decisions is not good.
Three, NEVER HIKE ALONE is for most people who do it frequently, far from practicable, so you might as well address what to do if it's your only choice.
The majority of people I know go trapsing around the wilds alone in places like Norway, the Alps, Australia, and obviously Britain. Aside from dear old Blighty, not terribly welcoming environments. And these people tend to have been trained to do this stuff in groups, remember; they're not daredevils. Logging a route + estimated times with someone at home is obviously good standard practice, but again, don't think it's a panacea and that you can just sit tight and expect rescue - there are enough stories of people getting lost where the accidental deviation from the route plan that got them lost was precisely what frustrated the rescue effort.
OP, since you live in the area, I would suggest that you only explore incrementally. Since you have been out on these trails already, make sure that you have a couple of routes to & from civilisation that you know without a map - I would suggest some obvious feature like a river, trail, ridgeline etc. When you want to go further afield, only ever go a slight distance off the route you know by heart, then return to it. Next time, having memorised the new piece of ground, you can go further off that, etc etc. Point being, even though far from civ, you are only ever a small distance off a piece of ground you know well, and that you can find your way home from.
It's essentially a longer-term version of what you should be doing everytime you go out anway. You should constantly be mentally marking points along your route that you recognise (mark them on your map as well if you like, but it is more important to have them in your head incase you lose the map, or you become uncertain of where you are on the map) and always know the last good place that you passed to set up camp for the night if the weather / situation suddenly changes. If you get lost or things go wrong, you then always retrace your steps without using the map rather than trying to be clever and nav your way out of problems, which is liable to get you more lost.
That method will take longer, but it will a) make it much harder for you to get lost, the major cause of bad stuff when hiking, b) ensure you know your estimated times etc for the area well, which makes your route plans more accurate, which makes it easier to find you, c) mean you know the area better if your kit disappears down a river/cliff and you need to live off the land for a couple of days. Once again, if you do get in trouble, always retrace your route. If you follow this method, you shouldn't ever find yourself lost and going in circles, because you would have retraced your route to the last rendevous point as soon as your map nav became uncertain.
[Another point here is to always keep vital items in a piece of clothing that you never take off, trousers usually best. Your map, compass should always be there, preferably attached by string, as well as a firelighter & knife of some kind, ie hunting knife attached to belt. Compass in a different pocket/side to knife or anything metal so that the needle isn't magnetically affected. I've seen a number of allegedly experienced people demonstrate very bad skills in sticking their map in the top flap of a rucksack, in a jacket which they then remove & stick in a rucksack, or keeping their emergency firelighter in their survival kit in their rucksack, which are going to be fuck all use if the source of their emergency is losing said rucksack. Personally I keep map, compass, knife, flint in / attached to trousers; leatherman, gas lighter, mini survival kit, chocolate in jacket pockets; camelback on back; rest of kit in bergan. That way, you always have a tool, firestarter, navigation equipment & some food and importantly a water carrier on your person if you lose your main kit]
Finally, since you sound a little inexperienced, I agree with Cat that you should still try and find someone, a local woodsman if you can convince them to let you tag along, and go hiking with them first to learn some basic skills before you go all Lewis & Clark.
I just want to make it perfectly clear that I have plenty of experienced people to go hiking with. I have no intention of running off by myself into the bear-ridden wilderness. I know my own abilities and I know that I need to have experienced support with me. Luckily I do know and have talked with people who are willing to take me along with them and show me the basics as well as the particulars about this piece of land.
Also: hunting knife? Who makes a good one of these and what's a good size?
Ryan M Long Photography
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This thing has a surprising amount of utility. It also is not very big. Good for protection, can dig with it if necessary, and can chop wood incredibly well. It also looks badass. That isn't as important though.
Shogun Streams Vidya
Again, don't know about US makes, but there are lots of both shitty toy blades out there, and ultra-expensive carbon things which are also unnecessary. If you're going to get one, you just want a solid blade with a full tang (metal of blade extends into hilt), one that you are comfortable with, and which has some utility for cutting / chopping / sawing.
[Shogun, just looked up what hunting knife means in the US - I'm talking about a Bowie / commando knife in Americanish]
That isn't the knife I have, just an example of a kukri. Have to watch out because there's a lot of shitty makes out there. Mine was just a kukri and the scabbard. No compass or extra little blades with it. My blade is also not polished at all which I prefer. I like kukris because they offer good protection while being useful out in the wilderness, mainly for clearing brush and chopping wood. I used to carry a fiskars hatchet with me for chopping wood when I went camping but the kukri can do it all. Its a great farmhand tool as well. I also enjoy the fact that is exotic so very few people carry them. I always get lots of interesting looks and questions when I'm up in the cove.
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Ryan M Long Photography
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Anyway, point being, it is a hunting knife. Just not necessarily for hunting animals.
I smell bullshit.