Papa's got a brand new bag!

“Yup, I have stepped into the new millennia and got an internal frame pack. She's bad azz. Gregory Alpinisto. http://gregorypacks.com/prod.php?ID=80

No It's not the lightest, but an improvement from the huge tank I have been using, and all the climbing features should be useful in the future too. The fit was great even for my long torso too!

Along with the pack I got a pair of Keen sandals, too. Yup I'm braggin, but it's pretty rare that I get new gear, especially something that's not home made.

(Hopefully somebody here wont immediately tell me they bought one and it's total crap.)”

“Nice looking bag. Report directly to the new gear thread for bragging!”

“This is MY new gear thread Tango! LOL!
I guess I should announce I have smiley girls nearly new trekking poles too.

KT HERE I COME!!!!!”

“Hey Tango HYD?”

“I bought that pack and I hate to tell you but I would have given it to you mine for free. Let me know if you can return the one you bought. I'll give you the piece of crap just to get it out of my house.”

“SWEET! You can return the pack, take Ductapes and buy MORE GEAR!!!”

“Monty Hall would be proud ---”

“Hey Sirpete! How are you and your lovely bride?? When ya going to make it out this way??”

“Nice bag MG!”

“Seriously Ductape? The tags are still on it. I suppose I could ship it back to the store I bought it from in MI.

What was so bad about it? Fit, function, workmanship?

It seems to be pretty good to me. Let me know would you please?”

“This thread makes me think of soul singer James Brown and an old coworker.
He (the coworker) was a part time singer in a band and he could do James Brown's special 'yell and scream'. He would be sitting quietly reviewing a tech drawing and all of a sudden let loose a James Brown yell. Funny as he11 and a good way to stay awake.”

“I am looking to ge out your way to see you and hopefully Adventurist in Colorado later this fall....we will se how it works out”

“DUCTAPE!!!! Gimme the low down on the pack, would ya?

Did the straps blow out on ya or something?”

“I gotta get that sarcasm font installed on my machine.

(Hopefully somebody here wont immediately tell me they bought one and it's total crap.)”
meangreen
4:00:09 PM
7/18/07
ignore this user”

“Oh phuk!
LOL! and to think I went home last night and looked it all over and was trying to figure out what was so bad about it, loaded it up and walked around the house for about 20 minutes, then gave up and went back to drinking. LOL! I kept thinking "damn this is a $200 pack it can't possibly be that crappy!"

LMAO! Dude, we gotta work on your sarcasm...”

“Heading out for Extreme outfitters, and rusted moon this weekend. Top priorities: climbing helmet, and 15* sleeping bag. The finances are looking up, and Daddy's thinking "down". WOO HOO!!!”

“:-)”

“Ductape, that was classic. I need that sarcasm font too for general use. Let me know when you get yours. :)

MG, what a mental picture of you in the panicked test run in the house! I would have done the same thing. LMAO”

“

“Dirt Nap”


last edited: 10/27/07 10:33:48 AM”

“Doesn't look like I'll get to go gear shopping after all. I just found out this morning that the ex is unemployed again so no more child support. I wonder how long it will take for johnny law to catch up to her in Louisville KY and lock her azz up.

Bummer.”

“Good luck wit Dat.”

“She's moved a lot, but this is the first time she's gone out of state. It'll be an education.
Thanks.”

“Nice pack, was it the Wraptor stabilizer that got you?

Funny but.....I was in REI yesterday trying on packs (Like I really need one)

I was considering going to a slighter larger and heavier pack, than I currently use, for snow free winter trips and the like? (3,500-4,000 ci 4lbs or less.

Anyway I tried the Osprey Aether 70, Osprey Atmos 65, and the Gregory Z-55, all loaded with 30lbs

The padding on the Aether 70 seemed way too stiff, but the Atmos 65 and Gregory felt nice, with the nod going more to the Atmos 65. The only thing I didn't like with the Atmos was all the straps and the alum. wire frame seemed to be at an area of the hip-belt (rear) were it might dig into your back?

I wasn't planning on buying anything right away, whch was a good thing, because when I got home, I remembered I had a Gregory Z pack that I haven't used in a few years.

I had cut the top pocket straps off in a gram weenie rage, so I spent an hour or so last night and sewed all the straps back on.

This is pretty bad, forgetting about a pack that I already had and was going to buy another pack, very simular?
The Atmos and Z-55 do have hipbelt pockets though and improved back ventilation too.
last edited: 10/27/07 11:46:43 AM”

“thanks NCT. That wraptor design is awesome! freakin welds that baby to my back. The padding gets a bit thin on really long days, but ther than that, I love it.”

“She's moved a lot, but this is the first time she's gone out of state.
Sorry to hear that Meangreen. It seems just when you start getting ahead, she goes and does something crazy to set you and the girls back.”

“I know. I was planning to take them shopping this weekend for new clothes and to look at computers. I was finally gone get a home pc. Now I gotta hang on to the cash because who knows when I'll get her regular payments again. I'm just bltching because I've had a rough week and this is like the icing on the cake. Sorry to all, for whining.”

“Hey, I might be able to see if I can help you out with a computer. It wouldn't be anything super great, but it would be something. If your interested, I'll check with my hubby and see it theres anthing available.”

“mean, sorry :(. Really sucks when a parent doesnt hole up thier end of the responisbiities. I hope the fuzz get her quick.”

“Thanks for the offer Windi, but I was really wanting something for pictures, and the kids to play and help with school work etc. I'll pass for now but keep it in mind.”

“Mean, we have a mac we got free from a local school who were upgrading. All it needs is a keyboard. They are great for pictures. We don't use it. If you want it we could meet somewhere halfway and exchange it. I jsut remembered it. Its jsut collecting dust.
last edited: 10/27/07 1:22:40 PM”

“for real SC? I was really wanting a mac but wow. Hell, I'll drive up to your door step unless you are just coming down this way for some unholy reason. YOu guys gonna be home tomorrow? I'll run up with my curtain climbers, and pick it up.”

“Mean, Mike will be home. I'll be at work. Since we haven't used it once, I don't see why we should keep it :) Can't get ahold of mike right now on the phone but I am sure he will agree with me that you can have it :) As soon as I get a hold of mike I will send you and email with our address if you want it.

For now-----> work is just getting busy. Will check in later tonight.
last edited: 10/27/07 3:25:42 PM”

“I'll be leaving work around 9 eastern after that you'll have to call me. Thanks!”

“O'l Meanie CLEANED THE PHUK UP the last couple weeks!

First for Christmas I got some polar guard long johns, and some fleece pants from Cabelas.

Then I was in Gander Mountain on the 31st, and bought my self a Columbia Core coat with fleece liner, and stumbled upon a Timberland down liner that just happened to fit the Columbia shell! (YKK zippers. Gotta love 'em) Well they were both listed at $250 each, but the coat was marked down to $119 and the Timberland liner was only $30! I almost knocked over a little old lady in my rush to the register. LOL!

Then for my birthday, I got a new sleeping bag! A Sierra Designs Iceray Long 0* mummy. It's a bit big but very warm and comfy!

Now I just gotta get out on a winter trip before I run out of cold weather to use it all!”

“Mean, don't be in too much of a rush, it's damn cold out there in some parts....and down right deadly in others....but with all that new shlt it sounds like your set for comfy stuff....”

“It was a balmy 6 degrees here this moring Chappy, and the windchill made it sunbathing weather at a puny -4. LOL! It's gonna be in the 50's this Sunday though. We'll see how much winter we get this year. I don't think it's gonna be much. I long for a foot or two of snow, and a couple straight weeks at zero degree temps. That would be a winter.”

“I long for a foot or two of snow, and a couple straight weeks at zero degree temps. That would be a winter.�

that was us until yesterday - first day above freezing in at least a couple weeks - today was in the 50's though.”

“Thanks Roam. Just make me a little bit MORE jealous of you and your mountainous way of life. LOL!

As god as my witness, one of these days.... I'll move.”

“all gotta do to do it, is to do it.”

“gots me some legal stuff for a few more years, but then I'm gone, man. Maybe live out of an RV for a while and just BP around the west... That'd be sweet.”

“Hit Rusted Moon outfitters for the first time yesterday. What a great place! The staff are absolutely phenomenal! I did drop a chunk of change though. New boots, helmet, socks, hat, shovel and some cliff bars.

The boots were the biggie: Asolo TPS 520 GTX
Break-in is gonna take some time because of the full grain, all leather uppers but they feel good already. I hope they live long enough to justify the price.

Petzl climbing helmet. What can I say? It's orange, and it's a helmet. I need to take it to my tattoo artist and have him paint some cool art on it. It's just so dang plain!

odds and ends included some smartwool socks, poo shovel, and some interesting flavors of cliff bars.

The only thing they didn't have was a bear can, but I can understand why they'd have trouble selling them in central IN.”

“Those are great boots! I've had mine for about 7 years. They are still in good condition. They take some serious breaking in time though. I wore mine around town for about a month before I used them for backpacking.”

“RIGHT ON!”

“I'm really glad to hear that CD. My last pair (Columbia's) only made it a year, but these seem to be built like a brick shlt house. The lady said they were the toughest boots they carried. I have plenty of time for break in, so that's good news too.”

“Oh, they are definately tough! I probably have 600 or more backpacking miles on mine.”

“good. That is exactly what I need. Something that can stand up to lots of ugly rocks too.”

“Meangreen - try Randall's way of breaking in boots. He says to get them really wet and wear them till they dry. They form to your feet. He says it works well.”

“My new pack is suppose to be here tomorrow, Yeah!!!”

“Nice Mr Green.. You climb? GONZO! Sceneca Rocks WV. 10.5mm bluewater. hey....


Windigrrl/ what pack did you buy?”

“No offense but I don't think I'll take that advice Windi. The last time I saw Randall he was limping from many many large open blisters from a pair boots he had been trying to get broken in for a year. LOL! They're already starting to soften up a bit, but it's gonna take some walking in them before they really conform to my feet.”