Camping and Backpacking GEAR thread

I'm still wanting to get a new sleeping bag myself. I've been using my Northface Snowshoe(https://www.rei.com/product/763629/the-north-face-snowshoe-0-sleeping-bag-regular) for years and need to get a decent down bag.

 

Just spent the Patagonia coupon you sent at the store in Reno. Though it was posted here that it was valid for entire purchase, I missed that little detail.

At checkout, I had my new coat and was separating out my husbands stuff and some misc stuff. The staff kindly informed me that it was good for the entire thing... I promptly said 'hold this, I'll be back.' Grabbed a few other things i had put back thinking it had no discount... needless to say, we did real good! A huge thank you for sharing!!!

 

That there is some fancy shizz

 

I've owned lots of hiking shoes and boots. Maybe not as many as other people have, but a lot. Merrells, Oboz, Altra lows, Keens, Hi-Tec, and a dumpster of other mid to lower level brands of heavy leather boots that never fit right or fell apart. I've searched high and low for the magic pair of boots that let me cover ground fast and efficiently, and will allow me to get the miles I need on a long day with mixed terrain.

Well, I've found them. The elusive boots that can do "most" and cover many different terrains. The boots that are light, supportive, have that proper zero-drop heel, have the tread for nasty terrain, and are semi-waterproof while still able to breathe. The boots that are going to get me through all of the conditions of this summer's JMT trek through hot days, but also allow me to across the snowy and icy high passes.

The Altra Lone Peak 3.0 NeoShell Mids.

I have now put just over 50 miles on these shoes, and I'm so highly impressed that I had to share my excitement. My wife calls them my "ugly shoes", and rightfully so. These suckers are as gawdy as it gets, and I couldn't care less. Just changing to these boots has literally cut my hiking times by an actual measured 15% over terrain I've literally hiked hundreds of times and have timed myself most of those times down to the exact minute and second). That's right. 15% improvement by only changing my shoes.

The zero drop is insane. It has changed my stride into a more efficient form, and has reduced my knee pain to nearly zero. My feet are so much stronger, and I'm landing more mid-foot than I ever have in my life. Painful heavy heel-strikes be gone! I come off the trail not only quicker, but with no foot aches or that feeling of hot bruised feet.

Huge toe box. Your toes can really spread out, which gives you significantly improved balance. This is where my downhill time has really improved because I'm much more balanced than with any of my other boots. The others were just too narrow.

The traction is as sticky as glue. I live in a very rocky area with mixed basalt and granite. The traction pattern in these shoes goes both forwards and backwards so you have traction in the direction you need it based on what part of your foot is making contact. The tread faces towards your heel on the front half of the shoe for great uphill grip, and the tread faces forward on the heel half of the shoe which grips the downhills. But on the loose pea gravel, I'm surprised at how few times I've slipped at all, and never once have I been put on my butt yet.

The big squishy sole is like walking on pillows, but with stability. I've deliberately hiked heavy over the sharpest of scree and you just can't feel the rocks through these. Nothing but pure control with comfort. And they're strong enough to fit a set of K10 crampons without flexing at all.

Ankle padding is pretty darn thick. After 50 miles, it hasn't even broken down yet, so I put these on and they feel like new. I can even lace these up rather loosely, and the support is still great. With all of my low hiking shoes, I had to lace up pretty darn tight and do the ankle lock lacing trick to keep my feet from shifting forward on downhills. I haven't had that issue on these shoes because the ankle area is so much more supportive and takes less lace tension to keep them in place. The circulation in my feet has been fantastic in these.

The built-in velcro gaiter traps on the backs of the heels allow you to secure your Altra or Dirty Girl gaiters without having to glue anything to your shoes. The toe area of the laces has a metal wide loop to clip the front hook of your gaiters to as well. Dirty Girls do fit over these shoes perfectly.

I wear a size 13 hiking shoe, and I was worried about the weight. On my digital scale, this pair weighs exactly 31.50 oz, or basically right at 2 pounds. For a pair of mid height boots, that's damn good in my book. While lightweight, these boots are built with a more durable and slightly more rigid outer material than their low-cut trail runners. I've scuffed this pair through quite a bit of rock and gravel, and the sides show no cuts, tears, or damage at all. Just dust.

Neoprene waterproof layers always make me skeptical. They have to be perfectly clean to be waterproof. My shoes will never be clean, so I'm not expecting these to handle any kind of saturation without wetting through to my socks pretty quickly. With gaiters I may be able to do a quick stream crossing and stay mostly dry, but I won't count on it. I do know that after a couple hours of 90 degree desert hiking so far, my feet aren't getting sweaty. That's great news for blister prevention. But hey, if they do help keep my feet a little more dry during stream crossings, trudging through some snow, and during rain, then it's just a bonus.

Here's the gallery. Again, this is after 50 miles of tracked hiking in desert rock conditions:





This view shoes how the toes are holding up, and shoes the gaiter trap. The velcro is on the inside of the flap AND on the back of the shoe for double coverage. Uncleaned, you can see that the areas of wear or pretty well protected and have sustained no damage so far. Padding is not breaking down at all yet, either.





Tread pattern, holding up quite well at 50 miles.

 

How much did they pay you for that?

 

Your wife is right...
.but in the woods, who's going to judge your fashion? Bears?
I DGAF, what bears think.

 

even if they think you look delicious?

 

Your wife is right those are ugly

 

I try to dress stealthy for hiking. On the street, those things are pretty bad. In the woods, they might actually help to hide.

 

Are they waterproof?

 

How i feel about them:

But tbh ive seen lots of people wearing them now.

 

Shoes/boots are so fidgety for everyone. Even models of brands. I loved my HiTecs I wore for work. Their hiking footwear I hated. Vasque boots-great. Vasque shoes-horrible on my feet. Some Merrells, not others...
Dammit @Seabass now I gotta go spend some $$ and give them a try.

 

I am delicious

 

They surprisingly arent. I thought they were going to be super hot, but was pleasently surprised. Even if they are i can rotate out between those and my merrel trail runners.

Ill get back to you after my 6 day hike in august lol.

 

I was actually looking at those, Seabass! How is the toebox? it doesn't need to be super wide but needs to at least be normal. I have heard that Altras are pretty wide anyway.

I am currently in Panguitch figuring out what to do in GSENM tomorrow. I finished my Kolob backpack today and did Angel's Landing for the second time on Sunday. I also checked off the Grand Canyon and Petrified Forest NP from my list on the way.

 

What did you do at the GC?
I'm going there next month.

 

Just drove in thru Tusayan to the main entrance to South Rim. Stopped at several viewpoints going east out of the Desert View side. It was more of a National Lampoon's approach but I had to get to Zion!

 

I've decided me rim-river-rim (south rim) whatcha need?

 

Great hike. Did it last October. Went down South Kaibab, spent a couple of nights at Bright Angel campground, then headed up Bright Angel Trail and spent a night at a Indian Garden. I like that fact that other than South a Kaibab, there's good water available.

If everything works out, I'm doing north rim to south rim this coming zoctober.

 

Oh, nothing. Was just wondering if I should do one trail over the other. I might be wrong but, since we are starting at the N Rim, there isn't really an option. I have a pretty good plan of what we are going to do...... N Kaibab down to Bright Angel Camp, spend the day exploring the canyon/Colorado river, spend another night at BrightAngel, then back up N Kaibab.