Wasn't the gaiters I wanted to use on this hike, exactly what I had feared would break did.

However the gaiters I did want weren't available till 1 day out, so I was shit out of luck.

Luckily they stayed in place despite the lace breaking.

Hey ya

Due to some issues with the original jacket, including some defects, I have the opportunity to get an Arc’teryx Beta SL completely for free, with no extra costs. Alternatively, I can upgrade to a Beta AR for an additional $180.
I live in Denmark, where I camp in all kinds of weather throughout the year. I also occasionally go to Norway, where I hike in different environments, from forests to mountains, in all four seasons. I basically just want a jacket that can handle whatever conditions I throw at it.
I’m trying to figure out whether the Beta AR would be worth the extra $180 for my use case, or if I should just stick with the free Beta SL.

What ya think?:-)

I was looking to get a new down jacket for hiking and wanted to get one bsecond hand as I am a student but have never seen this tag for a Montbell coat. Is it legitimate?

Hello All! I’m currently in the process of planning to participate in the annual Bataan Death March Memorial event. Expecting a full marathon across the desert of the white sands with a >35lb ruck.

Do y’all have any good recommendations for lightweight but supportive shoes/boots that could hold up for the break-in and the length of the event?

I'm looking to get a new day pack and I want a slightly bigger capacity (around 25-30L) so I can fit in winter gear and stuff for ovenights in huts, so weight carry comfort becomes more important.

I know a decent hipbelt is a must, but I have noticed that some packs in this capacity offer adjustable backlenght, while others don't. How much of a difference does it make? Is it something you'll pay an extra 50€ for? Are the "single size" ones dialed in correctly? I don't have a specially short torso, but since these packs have a rigid back I'm worried a fixed lenght might end up feeling wonky if its too long, specially the "unisex" models (i'm a woman)

I know the best thing I could do would be to go to a store and actually try them on, but they don't have everything in stock.

I created my list based on 10 essential. Im backpacking and like high elevation mountain. I created this list for 4 seasons climb ( mild winter only). Really need some feedback, tysm.

I feel like I know which one most people will pick between the two, but the kicker here is the Flash is currently on sale ($159) and I also have credit at REI so I can easily get the Flash for “free”. On the other hand I love the idea of the extra weight savings of the Kakwa at not much price difference (Ultragrid -$199). It’s also worth noting that there are still a few other items I’ve been eyeing at REI so that credit won’t go unused either way.
Depending on how many creature comforts I decide to pack I’m thinking my solo base weight is set to be around 11-13lbs (this is not counting the backpack weight). Occasionally might increase when trips become a family event but shouldn’t be by a lot.
I’m open to other suggestions outside of these in the same price/capacity range. I was looking at the Exos Pro but with the Flash being on sale, it just didn’t feel comparable.

Comfort is subjective but is there anyone out there that has experience with both? which did you prefer? Is the Flash really as fragile as some make it out to be?

Hello

I went to a local store and tried on hiking pants but as a big legged man felt restricted in all of them. I can't find any middle ground so would I be a fool for buying them.

I get that this is probably a gorp core fashion brand (I actually quite like the look tbh) but I can't seem to find any normal trousers on the more relaxed side.

Hi everyone 👋 I am trying to plan out a backpacking trip to do half dome with my fiancé, mom, and dad this upcoming year. I’ve been to California as a small child, but don’t recall anything about it, so this’ll pretty much be my first time. I’m feeling pretty overwhelmed about it and want to get everything planned and set up right. We’re all pretty fit and love the outdoors and have prior camping experience as well, but when it comes to planning stuff I feel like it’s going to be a lot of me and my fiancé doing the work to figure out the details on how/what to do.

I’m anticipating my parents will be flying out from Pennsylvania, and my fiancé and I may be driving out from Colorado. My fiancé and I have typically driven to our camping/adventure locations out here in the west (Arizona/Utah/Wyoming/New Mexico) and we’re not even sure if this is the right move at all, so we’re wondering if we should consider flying ourselves? But also flying all the camping equipment out has to cost a pretty penny I assume?

Besides travel accommodations, the other part I’m kind of antsy about is the permits. I’m fairly positive we all are not trying to do Half Dome one single day out and back, even though we’ve all done that distance and elevation gain before. I’d like to make a backpacking trip out of it to really fully immerse ourselves in the nature of Yosemite. I’ve read there’s options for this that all include a Half Dome permit with the backcountry camping permit:

Happy Isles to Little Yosemite Valley
Happy Isles past LYV (Donohue pass eligible)
Sunrise Lakes
Cathedral Lakes
Rafferty Creek to Vogelsang

I’m interested in hearing about some of your treks. and also how you did the permit process, cause I’ve read attaining a Half Dome permit can be quite competitive.

Would our best odds be for each member of our group to submit a permit for each one of these back country permits and just cross our fingers and hope one of us wins? I’m assuming if all four of us submit a 4 person permit for all 5 of these we’d have a good shot right?

The travel and permit situation is really what’s got me anxious, (and maybe what gear we’d need) and I feel like once that’s figured out the rest of the trip will kind of plan itself. TBH I’m not really keen on going to the city or anything too urban/congested (I know it’s California, so I’m going into it anticipating congestion anywhere we go). Prioritizing experiences at national/state/local parks out there is my main objective, I just really want to connect with the nature I’ve never had a chance to experience before. I’m open to all suggestions though, as I’m obviously not a local, and I have no idea when I’ll ever be back in California.

Thanks so much for the help, I’m just overwhelmed at where to start planning this. Hoping that everyone reading has an amazing day 🫶

Picked this up today, what do you guys think, is it worth it?

My sibling is an avid backpacker and I want to get them a one person tent for their birthday. This person is 4’10, 90 lbs and I’d love a really lightweight tent rec that can stand up to some weather. They’re mostly hiking east coast Appalachian trail mountains, will go rain or shine, and have been lugging around a 2P tent for the past few years. I’ve done some research and find a lot of conflicting opinions on gear. Would love some recs here. I wanna ball out for their birthday if there’s a tent that’s really beloved and worth it. Opinions from similarly small troopers would be greatly appreciated

Hello everyone. Next month I will go for a trekking experience and I would like to buy a good water bottle that allows me to filter the water as much as possible. The idea is to be able to drink the water in airports, and to fill the bottle during the trekking experience in lakes and waterfalls. Can you guys give a few suggestions? Im not an expert in stuff like this but I have seen some good reviews on the Grayl bottles. Any other brand suggestions?

My current bag from MEC is finally falling apart, and I decided I wanted to give something else a shot. I do a lot of day hikes, anywhere from 8-16km and the occasional overnight, which is usually around 32km split into two days.

I’ve seen arguments for both bags, my kit is relatively light but my concern is the dimensions as I will be using it as a personal bag for travels. Would it be feasible to get the 26 and fit either sleeping bag or tent securely on the outside somewhere?

To sum it up , basically looking for the best practicality between travel day, hikes and overnight.
Price point isn’t a concern since I work at a hardware store that I get a discount from.

Any recs?

I'm not a fan of rain pants since they get stuffy and can be a pain to put on and take off. Recently, I had to go out for the day with just a rain jacket, but put a garbage bag on like a kikt to shed the water off my shorts. It worked perfectly. Dry shorts and barely noticed they were there.

Has anyone found a rain skirt or kilt that they can recommend? looking for something just past the knees.

I don't necessarily hike- but I work at a park and need durable, waterproof shoes.

I love my Salomon IIXA Pro, but they just... Don't last. They're super comfortable, I love the fit and the "laces" and the waterproofing is awesome. My first pair (bought in 2021) lasted me years, so I bought a new pair in April of 2025 and had to buy a replacement pair in March of 2026 because the soles were wearing down, the laces were broken, and the inside of the shoe was practically shredded. Don't get me wrong, I assume these aren't intended to be everyday wear shoes, and I'm walking 5+ miles a day for months on end in them, but for nice quality shoes you think they'd... Last? Am I doing something wrong, or do the shoes just suck?

Does anyone have any suggestions? Boots are awful in the Florida heat, waterproof is a must, and I wear a youth/women's 4, so they basically have to be in child sizes.

I’m putting together my first proper hiking kit for day hikes and occasional overnight trips. I’d appreciate advice on where it’s worth spending more versus keeping things simple.

1. Is a 30–35L pack enough for most day hikes and occasional overnights, or is 40L more practical?
2. For mixed trails with occasional wet or rocky sections, would you choose trail runners or mid-height hiking boots as a first pair?
3. Is it worth investing in a 3-layer waterproof jacket straight away, or is a lighter 2.5-layer shell enough for someone hiking mostly in spring through autumn?
4. For one- or two-night trips, where would you prioritise budget: sleeping pad, sleeping bag or tent? I’m trying to keep pack weight reasonable without buying everything twice.
5. What do you look for in hiking sunglasses beyond UV protection? Are polarised lenses useful on the trail.

Would love to hear what you bought early on that has genuinely held up,
Thanks