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  1. O

    Long pants and long sleeves in summer? Smart or big mistake?

    Regarding sun protection, I use biking gloves, but don’t see them on other hikers. I first started wearing them to pad a bruise caused by the hiking pole straps and discovered other benefits; sun protection, warmth when it’s cold, and preserved finger dexterity. They have been a regular part of...
  2. O

    Long pants and long sleeves in summer? Smart or big mistake?

    Yes to long sleeves and long pants, for several reasons. Your skin will be protected without the need for sun screen, which has significant downsides, speaking as a physician. You will be more comfortable in a wide range of temperatures, especially high temperatures in the sun. I stick with...
  3. O

    Waterproof Jacket

    Among the variables to consider for rain gear is how they are worn. Generously sized jackets can be worn over the pack in quiet rain with maximum ventilation. In driving rain and cold temperatures, or even high winds and cold, a zipped up jacket is likely to keep you more comfortable than a...
  4. O

    Clothing

    My wife and I carry one extra long sleeved nylon, buttoned shirt with a collar and extra light weight nylon pants. Our main objective is to have dry clean clothes available at the end of the day when the day clothes are drying after washing. On those infrequent mornings when they are not...
  5. O

    1st Time over Xmas week +2 Irish teen boys

    I agree with all the advice to encourage your sons to do as much of the the trip preparation as possible. Now you have time. Raise questions about the itinerary, what to bring, conditioning, route finding, etc. . Acqaint them with the amazingly rich resources on this website, and suggest that...
  6. O

    Headlamp question

    It is called X-Light Micro. LRI. (Blachly, Oregon, significant for Oregonians) Black fishing line is stylish. It's one of my favorite gifts to brand new pilgrims.
  7. O

    Waterproof shoes

    I was curious about how long gortex lasts, especially in shoes where it is subjected to dirt and foot oils. It would be grand if someone did electron microscopy to inspect the membrane after use, with all those pores that only allow vapor to pass thorugh and not water molecules. Anyone know of...
  8. O

    Headlamp question

    Head lamp? So far, never during shoulder seasons. X-Light micro, always; worn on string like a pendant, always available during evenings., Good for hands free searching in pack, dimmible, it has singnal modes like strobe for safety if needed around cars, weighs 7.8 g, and easily replaceable Li...
  9. O

    Umbrella for sun and rain - buy good quality (expensive) or just use a cheap one?

    I like using umbrellas. A relatively light weight, inexpensive, compact, off the shelf aluminum Shedrain umbrella still works fine and survived high winds and multiple hikes. I switched to an orange Euroshirm light trek compact umbrella. It is very well made, durable, more expensive, and the...
  10. O

    Packing List : T shirts : Merino wool or synthetic quick dry ?

    All synthetics are not the same. Check the lables. Polyester and polypropylene breed happy smell producing organisms; Nylon doesn't. Nylon is not hospitable for smells, is extremely durable and dries quickly, and is not expensive. I take a thin merino sweater for warmth, layered over a shirt...
  11. O

    Shoes vs boots (again)

    I recently wore Lone Peaks on a backpacking trip; 2400 ft of elevation gain up an overgrown very narrow trail with rocks and long stretches on scree. The shoes worked fine, in conditions that far exceeded anything encountered on various long hikes and Caminos. My personal conditioning, wasn’t...
  12. O

    Waterproof shoes

    Lots of good advice here, some based on human physiology (feet sweat ounces of water/day), or physics (water vapor will move out of your shoes when the vapor pressure inside is greater than outside the shoe. Shoes soaked with rain don't eagerly allow water vapor to escape, and ventilation...
  13. O

    Where do you carry your valuables?

    I had read about pack snatching before our first Camino. I made a 12 gauge loop of piano wire with a very small tricky latch from fishing equipment. It weighed nothing and seemed like it was a perfect solution to a problem that I later decided wasn't. However, when our daughter-in-law's father...
  14. O

    Lightweight rain jacket

    I second Trecile’s recommendation of trying Frogg Toggs. We’ve been using versions of them for over 15 years on our long hikes. They are more comfortable regarding condensation than Gortex types rain gear. Frogg Toggs‘s water protection doesn’t seem to degrade over time, but I can’t offer any...
  15. O

    How important is a rock plate for CF?

    Agree. Not necessary. Lots of good options. The Topo terradventure 2 model does have a rock plate and a somewhat stiffer Vibram sole than the earlier model.
  16. O

    Gossamer Gear G4-20 Review

    Clayton, you mentioned trying to stiffen the pack. The early Glen Van Peski pack used 4 folds of a Zrest pad. I stiffened that with two wood arrow shafts (Port Orford Cedar) placed between the outside folds. That was an easy improvement with available materials that held up just fine. However...
  17. O

    Gossamer Gear G4-20 Review

    Thanks for your review, which prompted a visit to the GG website for more detail. I’m impressed with the thoughtful improvements that GG has made to their packs over the years. We dumped our heavy packs for the early GVP Gear pack and then have stayed with the first edition of the Mariposa...
  18. O

    Do I need to pack waterproof trousers & jacket?

    If you are still looking for ways to protect yourself from ground moisture and want to add a little weight, bring along a small roll of Tyvek. It just needs to be big enough to lie down on for those welcome little breaks, or a genuine afternoon nap when you can give your feet and body a...
  19. O

    Do I need to pack waterproof trousers & jacket?

    For over two decades our standard gear includes cheap light weight Frogg Togg jacket and pants (large size for the jacket) and an umbrella. As noted by Mattythedog, the jacket can be worn over the pack for rain, or backward in front with the arms for cold wind protection. I find the Frogg Toggs...
  20. O

    Foot Care

    My wife and I each got one blister the first day of our first long cross country hike many years ago; rain soaked shoes, and inadequate socks, not enough training on rocky uneven ground contributed. I also thought my shoes fit so well that I shaved down a callous, thinking it wasn’t needed. It...

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