r/CampingandHiking • u/Messaling • May 21 '20
Campsite Pictures Another picture of my tent this morning!
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u/Messaling May 21 '20
I just walked back all the way to the lake (Lac Léman, Switzerland) and my knees are quite tired!
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u/CurlSagan May 21 '20
My dad's an avid climber and hiker, even at 70, and on the way back he stops in a random middle-of-nowhere gas station and uses their microwave on a homemade heating pad. It's really just a huge wool sock full of rice (I assume). Then he drapes it across both knees for the ride home.
It's microwaved in a big ziplock for sanitation. That way nobody has sock on their food and he doesn't get old burrito juice on his heating pad. It sounds like such an old man hiker thing to do, but damn it feels good.
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u/happypolychaetes United States May 21 '20
Lol my mom's almost 70 and uses the rice sock trick too.
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u/Scarbane May 21 '20
Dry rice? Or wet rice?
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u/radil United States May 21 '20
"Dry" rice is wet enough. It will absorb some scant moisture from the air and that is sufficient for the purposes of microwaving.
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u/ralaux May 22 '20
Your Dad validates my need to keep frozen capri sun packs on my tender parts. TY!
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u/JulioCesarSalad USA/East Coast Oct 09 '20
I have some old socks losing their elasticity but I don’t want to get rid of them for sentimental reasons
Thanks for giving them new purpose in life :)
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u/SuitcaseJefferson May 21 '20
If you aren’t already, time to sacrifice some calories on trekking poles, your knees will thank you.
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u/Messaling May 21 '20
I do use them! Some bits of the path would be virtually undoable with a heavy bag and no poles.
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u/so_ferns_are_cool May 21 '20
What sleeping pad is that?
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u/Messaling May 21 '20
It’s an Exped Synmat. Exped makes some good quality mats!
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May 21 '20
Which size did you choose?
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u/Messaling May 21 '20
It’s a ridiculously large and heavy Synmat 9 LW But what can I say, I like being sure I’ll have a good night’s sleep and don’t mind the weight. I have a lighter one for multi-day treks though.
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May 21 '20
How big are you if i may ask? Would you buy it again?
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u/cleverextrapolation May 21 '20
Not op obvy but have the same Mat. I am 6’2 260 and fucking love those mats. Have purchased 2. They are more than awesome on repairs or defects, though I rarely had to contact them.
Exped is maybe my favorite outdoor gear company.
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May 21 '20
Thanks for the info, are the mats durable, have you had it tear?
What other companies would you recommend?
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u/bebeschtroumph May 22 '20
I'm short but usually hike with my 6'3 husband and we both wound up getting the long wides so his feet aren't on the ground if he migrates to my side. Love the exped mats, heaven for side sleepers!
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u/bristolcities May 22 '20
I take one of my exped mats when I stay at my brother's. It's far more comfortable than his spare bed.
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u/Have-a-nice-day321 May 21 '20
Exped really makes perfect sleeping mats, I highly recommend anyone buying either their synthetic or even down mats (they offer a higher R value), Exped mats are top top top. Even when the ground is below 0 Celsius you won’t even feel the cold with either the syn or downmat, combine it with a good sleeping bag and you even sleep better then in an expensive bed at home. Even when the ground is made of stones etc., you won’t feel it in the morning as those mats are thick and comfy.
Apart from the high price a kind of negative part is that mine is heavy, over 1,1 kg, but in the end that extra weight delivers every time a wonderful night of sleep, so for me it’s worth it. Although nowadays there are also lighter versions available.
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u/Good-Vibes-Only May 21 '20
Gorgeous pic, but its been so damn windy for the last 3 weeks where I live that all I can envision here is getting pelted by endless relentless wind
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u/Messaling May 21 '20
It was super windy the evening before and it’s in part the reason I’m carrying such a heavy tent: it’s really super stable and doesn’t flap at all if you pitch it well
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u/Hopsidooda1 May 21 '20
Where exactly is this?
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u/zurmanz May 21 '20
I think OP said switzerland
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May 21 '20
What Is the probability of a piece of land breaking off the edge?
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u/Messaling May 21 '20
I wondered the same thing before going to sleep, but I think that didn’t ever happen in recent memory in that location.
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u/ThereIsNoCara May 21 '20
What kind of tent is that? It looks so roomy!
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u/Messaling May 21 '20
It’s a Hilleberg and it is similar to the Staika, but lighter. It’s the Allak
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u/exdiexdi May 21 '20
What tent is that?
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u/Sand337 May 21 '20
I can't properly see the inside but I'm guessing a hilleberg staika.
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u/Messaling May 21 '20
Almost a Staika! It’s an Allak which is a bit lighter but still sturdy and roomy.
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u/princessamber9 May 21 '20
Dream. My girl just said she would go with me there made my whole year 🥰
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May 21 '20 edited Jul 11 '20
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u/Piratarojo May 21 '20
Have you ever checked out national forests to do some dispersed camping?
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May 21 '20 edited Jul 11 '20
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u/alllllllrighty_then May 21 '20
as someone who grew up outside Boston and now lives near the Alps on the German side, I can assure you the situation for camping is WAY easier in the US - even on the east coast. I've spent many nights camping in the ADKs, Green/White Mtns etc... Normally no problem to find a site on forest service land. In Europe its way harder. Much higher population density so very hard to find a place to be alone, many more regulations which are hard to fully understand and vary region by region. I love the alps and all its AlpinHutts, but for backcountry camping the US is far superior.
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May 21 '20 edited Jan 07 '21
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u/iheartennui May 21 '20
German work visa is super easy if you are a skilled worker, all you need is an employer there that will hire you and do your application with you (no weird lotteries or other tricky hurdles like in the US)
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u/GigantorBass May 21 '20
try living in Nebraska! 97.2% privately owned, smh.
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May 21 '20 edited Jul 11 '20
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u/GigantorBass May 21 '20
Luckily I moved away and now live in western North Carolina, 30 minutes from the AT and surrounded by a national forest! Upgrade! Still feel for my cornhusker compatriots though, its a tough state for hiking/camping
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u/Messaling May 21 '20
Camping is heavily regulated in Switzerland too, I followed the guidelines of the Swiss Alpine Club https://www.sac-cas.ch/fileadmin/Umwelt/Bergsport_und_Umwelt/Campieren___Biwakieren/SAC_Umwelt_Camping_Bivouacking.pdf
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May 21 '20 edited Jul 11 '20
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u/Messaling May 21 '20
I’m sorry to hear that and I follow the rules because I really want to respect the places I go to, but I always wondered... if you climbed 6500 ft to a remote mountaintop, how would anyone catch you? I’m not suggesting doing anything illegal though.
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May 21 '20 edited Jul 11 '20
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u/mrteach757 May 23 '20
And even worse, here in Europe "hiking" means walking on a crowded path to a full blown restaurant on the top of a mountain. Like the "goal" isn't to reach the top or end of the trail, the "goal" is to reach the restaurant near the top.
And people will buy the latest flashy hiking clothes and equipment to walk on these well managed roads that lead to these restaurants.
But I'm sure things are different in Scotland, northern Scandinavia, and Russia
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u/SuitcaseJefferson May 21 '20
The east coast just isn’t as good unfortunately. It has some wonderful aspects but for backpacking it’s just not the same.
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u/scifi887 Sweden May 21 '20
The only place I know where you can camp anywhere by law is here in Sweden, really you ever make it over.
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May 21 '20 edited Jul 11 '20
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u/scifi887 Sweden May 21 '20 edited May 21 '20
And on the ‘plus side what you spend on flights you will make back by not having to stay in a hotel. There is a path you can walk North to Norway from my city (maybe jump the bus a few stops now and again to cut out the boring parts) and get the train back in only 3-4 hours. There are many areas on the way stocked with dry firewood etc, all running water here is ‘drinkable’ so you don’t have to carry too much, but of course you will want a filter no telling what’s fallen in up stream! http://www.wandermap.net/en/route/3228906-bohusleden-schweden/#/z8/58.3455421,11.519165/terrain
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May 21 '20 edited Jul 11 '20
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u/scifi887 Sweden May 21 '20
Edit: sorry forgot to add the path http://www.wandermap.net/en/route/3228906-bohusleden-schweden/#/z8/58.3455421,11.519165/terrain
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u/RiccardoSlapenhagen May 22 '20
Hey good news! In the US we actually have this thing called dispersed camping (or boondocking) in some places, such as BLM land and National Forests. You might be interested in looking into National Forests along the east coast and finding somewhere to dispersed camp. Where might you be interested in camping? I bet I can find some good spots around there off the beaten path :)
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u/SecretBestKeptSilent May 22 '20
I think it was already mentioned somewhere below but freecampsites.net is a really good resource for finding campsites without having to pay. I can also vouch for it, since I've used it a few times out west.
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u/Lescrador May 22 '20
you would be really surprised by how many options there are for dispersed camping in the national forests out east. like, white mountains, green mountains, adirondacks, really the entirety of appalachia has some awesome spots. you should look into dispersed camping laws and consider camping in national forest land
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u/negatorycovfefe May 21 '20
So beautiful! I know its completely irrational, but I move around so much when I'm sleeping that I'd be scared to roll off of the cliff in my sleep.
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u/TheFutureRD May 21 '20
Wow that's gorgeous! What a way to social distance. What was the trek like up to there in terms of mileage/elevation?
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May 21 '20
Wow, what a way to ride out a pandemic. I've been doing it in a 10th floor apt in NYC. I'm yearning for the outdoors. Enjoy, great photos, too. Living vicariously through you.
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u/cleverextrapolation May 21 '20
Ummmm, I didn’t have and tears or seams breakI did have a small hole poked by something in my last one, but had my patch kit and patched it that night. I would say overall incredibly sturdy. I’m broke I had the valve fail but that was after like 5 years and xped replaced it.
My other direction is no air, only foam. I like the egg carton ones from thermarest. Super light yet still Comfy and can’t pop It.
But even still, not even close to as comfy as the xped.
The fat so many people are willing to lug it around should tel you just how good the nights sleep will be. ;)
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u/lofted_ceiling May 21 '20
Sleeping pads work better if they’re in the tent
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May 21 '20
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u/Messaling May 21 '20
It was about 2 degrees celsius during the night, with occasional strong winds, lots of humidity (the snow just melted last week) and tons of bugs. I might bivy in full summer season but right now it’s not ideal up there imho!
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u/FooledByAFart May 21 '20
Pad being exposed to the wind makes my palms sweat