Possibly looking into snowshoes. Record stuff here.
Category: Activities
Black Diamond Women’s Liquid Point GTX Shell
So my wife just bought this. It’s rained every day since. So far so good. I know a few days doesn’t make a solid review, but we’ll see after a few downpours.
Basic technical data:
- GORE-TEX Paclite 2.5L
- 75d plain-weave face
- DWR finish (125gsm, 100% polyester)
- Two-way armpit zip vents
- Weight : 350 g (12.3 oz)
It fits nicely over her Mountain Hardwear StretchDown DS jack.
Winter Sleeping Bag
By far the best budget buy I found for a down bag was the REI Co-op Magma 10. Haven’t used it yet, but will report back.
Report: sleeping bag was comfortable at 25 degrees. Plenty of space, weighs next to nothing, packs down very small too.
Update: Next trip at 25 degrees, I froze. Horrible. I returned the bag.
Ultralight on the cheap
So I’ve discovered there’s a decent sized community of doing ultralight on the cheap. Links will be stored here.
Rejuvenating old water-repelling gear
I have a few old jackets that were water-proof/resistant in their prime. Currently researching the best products to make them as functional as possible so I can avoid simply donating them away.
Products to Try
Sport Wash
Sport Wash Laundry Detergent
Gangers
… populate …
ReviveX
Gear Aid ReviveX Durable Water Repellent For Outerwear
Nikwax
… populate …
Tectron
Performance Polymer Water Proofer
Opportunistic buys
I picked up the REI Co-op Amorphum Utility Parka today for 50% off. Feels very comfortable. About as heavy as a coat as you’d want in San Francisco. We’ll see how well it does.
Update: It did well at Lake Tahoe in 25 degrees dry conditions. I wouldn’t use this for wet, but it was good in the dry, and the removable liner comes in handy when you warm up.
Update 2: Returned the parka because it was just too big. It’s no longer on sale so I couldn’t downsize.
Winter boots
We don’t get any snow in the San Francisco Bay Area, so I only need winter snow boots when I go winter camping. For that reason, I didn’t do a ton of research and just picked out the Columbia Men’s Bugaboot Plus IV Omni-Heat Mid Calf Boot.
We’ll see how well it holds up.
Update: These were fantastic in 18 inches of snow at 25 degrees. I wasn’t working up much of a sweat, mostly standing around, and my feet were quite warm in wool socks and these boots.
We’ll see how they hold up in wet conditions.
Off-road shoes chosen
I ended up getting The North Face Ultra 110 GTX. I went out today for a rainy hike and they were quite comfortable, light, kept my feet dry through shallow puddles, etc.
We’ll see how well they do in six months.
Project Hemingway 