“There are lighter stools than the GCI stool mentioned above. REI used to have a 16 ounce stool, I bought one there 2 years ago. I don't see it on their web site now. I think it cost me $19. Didn't use it after 1 trip because I need the back support - so I got the SlingLight.

That "off brand" sling chair is way heavier than the SlingLight! Wow, 30 oz. vs. 16 oz. Ouch. I'll keep my 16 oz SlingLight. May not pack nearly as small, but it really doesn't matter since it straps on fine to the outside of my pack.”

“We'll be bringing our thermarest chairs with us. Surprisingly comfy. Pennsy let me use it and I'm afraid I hogged it the whole rest of the trip....”

“they are v comfy when compared to sitting on the ground, back support is good too.
It also works with my insul mat too, which is even more comfy :o)”

“i guess i shouldn't complain with 11 oz then huh? I will try mine for the first time this weekend. Not that I have never stolen a seat before... so I know how comfortable they are.”

“Pennsy let me use it and I'm afraid I hogged it the whole rest of the trip...."

monkeyboy

Note to self: Hog Try Pennsys chair kit.”

“It's all a trade off, I guess. I can save $60 and have something that packs smaller, or I can go lighter, spend a lot and have to strap it to the back of my pack. I'm still on the fence about it all. I might end up with the Thermarest chair kit. Don't know yet.”

“I picked up a pair of New Balance Hikers from Cabela's. Wore them to work yesterday. They seem nice.”

“Overall a good option, too, just be careful of embers and thorns. I know a budget can really knock off some options - been there, done that, still doing it!”

“Man, with all this talk of ThermaRest chair kits I am kind of wishing I'd not opted for the lighter, lung powered pad. The guy in the store even pointed the chair kits out to me. Oh well. Maybe I'll just strap on a regular ThermaRest chair (http://www.thermarest.com/product_detail.aspx?pID=82&cID=4) or something.”

“All the Cool People have Thermarest Chair Kits on TT hikes. ;-)”

“Hell, the pressures on. I have to get one now.:D”

“I found the new Licorice Altoids. Does that count for new gear?”

“Very cool, Tarabull. That's a gift that just keeps on giving!

Public congrats on ditching da man! :)

I was in a position that left me with about 203 bones on in store credit.

I bought mostly clearanced items for every day clothes, but I took a chance and purchased a new sleep pad. While going back and forth over it, I decided on the Max Thermo, by Insul Mat. It was really down to this mat and teh Big Anges insulated mat. Both were hgihly rating in all information that I could find. Those that have the Big Anges enjoy it and have never said a bad thing about them.

Why did I go with what I did? Well, I didn't see anywhere in any of the information on the Anges pad that said it had anti- mirco bacterial elements inside the pad. It might have it, but I could find it. The Max Thermo has syth fill in it, and it claims that that helps with inflation. Plus - It's red! WOO HOO!

Seriously, this mat shrinks down to the size of about a slightly bigger 32 oz Nalgene bottle. Also, it's lighter than hell. 1.5 lbs, for 2.5 inches of comfort.

I can't wait to get it out on the trail!”

“This is the digital scale they sell at Wal Mart. Good enough for me. Lab weights Stove? Lord you're a bigger engineer geek then I am!

”

“LOL!
Only true geeks would use a scale that reads to eights! ;-)

I kept seeing diff weights than what I was reading for the same piece of equipment from other posters over on backpacking.net, so of course I just HAD to know that MY readings were correct on MY scale! The lab weights proved I was getting the best readings. ;-)”

“BowlderGal went to a party last night that "celebrated" the closing of the local office of the big company where she used to work (she left about a year ago, seeing the writing on the wall). Well, they had a raffle, and she won the grand prize, a Sony portable DVD player! We already have one, so we will take it back to where they bought it and trade it in for an MP3 player and maybe a small TV for our spare room. Woo-hoo!”

“The last place I worked at used to sell off their old equipment at regular intervals. Once, they had a few old digital counting scales they were getting rid of. I thought seriously about getting one of them, but didn't. Now I wish I had...”

“Kai - I'm sure I said earlier that they work with other inflatable pads too. Well mine does, just have to inflate it a little, wedge it in there, then inflate it some more.”

“Hmm... You know I'll be trying that! I think I'll go back to my outfitter and see if he'll let me try it with his demo chair. ;)”

“Gee whiz guess I`m missing out on a thermarest camp chair kit,but does a new mountain bike count.I hope so cause I like it.Had her out yesterday at Short Hills Provincial Park.....extreme trail ....extreme fun !!! I don`t get alot of camping in much anymore,but this should get me out more,even if it is just for the day.It`s a Iron horse....hard tail but I still love it.....she`s a sweet thing !!!”

“Gee whiz guess I`m missing out on a thermarest camp chair kit,but does a new mountain bike count.I hope so cause I like it.Had her out yesterday at Short Hills Provincial Park.....extreme trail ....extreme fun !!! I don`t get alot of camping in much anymore,but this should get me out more,even if it is just for the day.It`s a Iron horse....hard tail but I still love it.....she`s a sweet thing !!!”

“Gee whiz guess I`m missing out on a thermarest camp chair kit,but does a new mountain bike count.I hope so cause I like it.Had her out yesterday at Short Hills Provincial Park.....extreme trail ....extreme fun !!! I don`t get alot of camping in much anymore,but this should get me out more,even if it is just for the day.It`s a Iron horse....hard tail but I still love it.....she`s a sweet thing !!!”

“OK Paddles, we get the picture.

We get the picture.

We get the picture.”

“Just got some Merrell Whitewater sandals. So far they feel great. I got them to replace the Nike sandals I've worn out the past few years. The Nike sandals served me well and I even lay claim to the fact that they saved my life on a hike...but that's another story.”

“Went to my wife's favorite store the other day...Old Navy. I found a mock turtleneck zip shirt that was polyester for $16. I'm sure being Old Navy it's not top shelf polyester so it's gonna stink like prison ass but it is a good fitting shirt.”

“Just got some Duofold Hydroduct tee shirts from Campmor. They aren’t the best shirts, but they do dry pretty fast and you just can’t beat $6 for a wicking tee shirt.”

“Oohh la la

They were clearing out two colors. Pewter and Ember(dk red) at the store near me. Red happened to be the color I was drawn to so I got it for nearly 50% off. Woo hoo.

I'd been eyeing this coat for a while but couldn't justify buying it. Two things changed that. The first was the fantastic sale price, the second was the REI gift card burning a hole in my pocket.

Can't wait for fall so I can try it out.”

“I've been wanting a windproof fleece. Congrats on the great buy!”

“I like this fire ring”

“I see nothing”

“the link doesn't work for you?”

“The link brought me to a Cables Page with no picture or description.”

“doesn't work for me either”

“I don't get it anymore either...weird...

It's a fire ring with moose and tree cutouts. If you want to see it, the product number is TE-590389. There's another one with deer as well.”

“I happened across this in the Portland factory store for Beans. A widproof fleece vest was 29.99 and a jacket was 39,99. Comes in 3 colors, primary blue, primary red and forest green. We got forest green. A vest fom me a jacket for her.

Seems Beans had excess fabric and few orders to fill so they made these up and only sell it in the factory store. Very comfy garments. Only feature lacking is the flap on the inside of the zipper to stop the wind at that point. For the price, these will serve us well.”

“That thing is pretty cool looking twigeater.”

“Just got home from REI. Whoo Hoo!

Returned my Asolos as they were giving me too many foot problems. I am so pleased with REI. The Asolos were $160. When I bought them I got them 20% off. So I figured I would only get a $128 credit as that is what I paid. The nice guy told me, no, I was going to get $160 credit, plus the tax. So it was $170 credit. The sweet thing is that the new boots I bought, Montrails, were only $150. Sweet credit.

So I bought an REI bag for Tucker and a North Face bag for Luke. Then Tucker also got a Kelty pack, his first. We bought some additional items that we will need for our upcoming trip: pack towel, skeeto stuff, sunscreen.
Each of the boys also got a head lamp and one of those Clever toothbrushes. They love those things.

Needless to say, I spent my $20 remaining credit and then some.”

“good deal Ruby!”

“ruby, did you wear your asolos on the trail yet? I bought me some the other day.... and was wondering what would happen if they would give me blisters. I have now about 5 pair of good and expensive boots at home that I am not wearing because I get blisters. Tired of spending $$ on boots.”

“What's with REI and giving deals all the time.

A few weeks ago a dood I work with told me that REI screwed up their order and instead of getting a cheap windbreakeer they got a tent (can't remember which one, but it was nice). Anyways...REI told them to keep the tent in apology to the mishap.”

“Hey Gem, Do you have an REI around you? I purposefully bought my boots there because I had been told they always accept any return, no matter how old it is. I had been using those Asolos since March, mud, water, you name it. But the guy didn't even bat an eyelash tonight. I had the Adrenalines, which are now called, if I remember correctly, Styngers. Or maybe Spryngers? Same boot, new name. They are supposed to be a good boot, but they just didn't work for me.

The boot fitting guy tonight spent a lot more time with me fitting my new boots than the chick did back in March. Maybe these will work better. If not, I know I can return them no questions asked.

Another note, I planned to just get another pair of boots tonight. But if I had wanted, the customer service guy told me I could also get the $170 cash instead.

Good, good store, that REI. At the rate I'm going, my dividend will be enough next year to buy something really expensive.”

“Ruby, that's the boot I just bought. I don't have a REI here, but I did buy them in a store in cary, NC. It's about 4 hours for me. No problem to drive if I have to. :) I can make it a REI packing trip weekend. LOL

anyway, I hope they will work for me. I am really tired of this boot business. LOL

Thanks Ruby!!
btw: hope you're okay and well. busy hiking?”

“Gem, have not been hiking as much as I would like, although I have gotten a few 10 mile day hikes in. Jon was in training so I saved my weekends for him. But he's in Afghanistan now and I'm hitting the trail again. I guess that's okay as I missed most of the summer heat that way.

With your stash of boots, you should try to ebay them. Maybe you can get something for them yet. Or advertise them on here for crying out loud. Think what else you could buy with that money.

Geez, girl, I bet you put more miles on your car to go backpacking than anybody else on this board.”

“Ruby, Abby has the TNF TIgger. It's a nice little bag.”

“Heart rate monitor.”

“I think I am not even going to buy things local anymore. Well, at least certain gear.
REI is great and def gets most of my business. He didn't take much time fitting my boots, so we'll see. Almost scared to wear them the first time. :)


yeah, my car is about 3 years old and I have 53000 miles on it. One of those 3 years I haven't hiked.”

“Well since Mr. BOBO never got back to me about going to REI, I got gear all by myself!... well, mostly clothes. I still need to get boots.

got a new mess kit
zip offs
2 wicking shirts/tanks
2 microfleeces
a clever toothbrush ; )
goretex gloves and silk liners
snow/rain pants
undies
turtle skin neck warmer
baclava (sp?)

yup... gettin ready for the winter. i think that's it.”

“What's the "clever toothbrush" ??”

“toothpaste on one end, toothbrush on the other”