Eye In The Sky
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Scott said:
40-45cm's of the white stuff supposedly coming this weekend for CB area.
I took an Annual day Monday; 40cm of snow this weekend
followed by possible rain Tues-Wed. :
Outdoor Gear Thread
- Thread starter Scott
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40-45cm's of the white stuff supposedly coming this weekend for CB area.
I took an Annual day Monday; 40cm of snow this weekend
followed by possible rain Tues-Wed. :
Eye In The Sky
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If I'm lucky, Monday will have me out and about in the Preeper Big Lake/Three Mile Lake area.
Eye In The Sky
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Snow forecast for Sunday. Enjoy!
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TUONELA RAWKS! For the second time.
Awesome conditions, near perfect, actually. Friday was chilly and fast, Saturday was spring skiing and even faster, Sunday was heavy snow and rain down at the highway (raining when leaving I will take)
$145 pp got you three days of trail passes, two nights in a cabin and a night in the sauna. That's a pretty damned good deal, if you ask me.
My only complaint is that there wasn't much of a brief on the trail conditions. We were not informed that NDP (their double black run) was pretty much a powder only trail and so we hit it ungroomed and over a crust - stoopid. I have a pole that resembles something that Steve Podborski would have used now, but whatever, no real harm. The rest of the trails were in fantastic condition and pretty fast. Waxable skis are falling more out of favour there due to the temperature fluctuations and out waxable using gal got to the point of scaring herself more than once when she picked up speed. My Aplina fish skins proved, again, to be an epic set of climbing skis as I was blowing the doors off of everyone all weekend and still having a decent amount of fun on the downhills.
www.skituonela.com
I set up the BD Mesa tent in the living room just to see the dimensions and it already appears larger than my MSR Elbow Room II even though it's lighter. BD doesn't spend a lot of money on laser etched stakes like MSR : nor do they give you flashy reflective guy wires with more monogrammed pull-tights, and I like that. Plus, their all in weight includes heavy guy rope (thicker than 550) and their stakes plus patches! Remove some of the useless things and you bring weight down. Jonesing to try her out.
No canoe booklet update. The manager presented to CKNS and said he thought he kicked their dogs what with the uninterested looks he got in return. Hopefully we get some funding...Cloud Lake is our goal.
Awesome conditions, near perfect, actually. Friday was chilly and fast, Saturday was spring skiing and even faster, Sunday was heavy snow and rain down at the highway (raining when leaving I will take)
$145 pp got you three days of trail passes, two nights in a cabin and a night in the sauna. That's a pretty damned good deal, if you ask me.
My only complaint is that there wasn't much of a brief on the trail conditions. We were not informed that NDP (their double black run) was pretty much a powder only trail and so we hit it ungroomed and over a crust - stoopid. I have a pole that resembles something that Steve Podborski would have used now, but whatever, no real harm. The rest of the trails were in fantastic condition and pretty fast. Waxable skis are falling more out of favour there due to the temperature fluctuations and out waxable using gal got to the point of scaring herself more than once when she picked up speed. My Aplina fish skins proved, again, to be an epic set of climbing skis as I was blowing the doors off of everyone all weekend and still having a decent amount of fun on the downhills.
www.skituonela.com
I set up the BD Mesa tent in the living room just to see the dimensions and it already appears larger than my MSR Elbow Room II even though it's lighter. BD doesn't spend a lot of money on laser etched stakes like MSR :
nor do they give you flashy reflective guy wires with more monogrammed pull-tights, and I like that. Plus, their all in weight includes heavy guy rope (thicker than 550) and their stakes plus patches! Remove some of the useless things and you bring weight down. Jonesing to try her out.No canoe booklet update. The manager presented to CKNS and said he thought he kicked their dogs what with the uninterested looks he got in return. Hopefully we get some funding...Cloud Lake is our goal.
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The canoe booklet, second version, might be shelved for the time being. Canoe Kayak Nova Scotia does not want to commit any funding to it which baffles me but there's nothing I can do about it. I offered personal funds but the thought for now is that we'll just take some time, do some trips and log them, and keep working away at it.
We are talking about:
Cloud Lake area
Liscombe headwaters
Musquodoboit/Portage from Hell
More around Tangier
We are talking about:
Cloud Lake area
Liscombe headwaters
Musquodoboit/Portage from Hell
More around Tangier
Eye In The Sky
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Portage from Hell = Musq --> White Lake area??
Too bad on the funding *but* makes all your trips pure pleasure ones...if that's any consolation (probably not but...).
Too bad on the funding *but* makes all your trips pure pleasure ones...if that's any consolation (probably not but...).
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Eye In The Sky said:
Yup, river to the lakes. I'm more than game, but only if Paul gets his ultra light boat first 8)
I kind of want to tell CKNS to eat a bag of dicks, but I am remaining positive. All the trips are pleasure anyway, so no worry there, we're just a bit dumbfounded at their stance
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Just wondering if anyone can recommend a good pack for camping? My old one unfortunately met its demise at the hands of a campfire, so I'm in the market for a new one. I pretty much plan on replacing most of my gear. Any recommendations? I usually make 3-4 day trips in the woods with a couple buddies. Also, there's a plethora of sites online to buy outdoor gear, though some of them are pretty shifty. Can anyone make recommendations for a site? Thanks, guys. Greatly appreciated -Badger 
-Badger
Eye In The Sky
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Price range will affect what pack ppl recommend. I am not a pack guru so much, but might also help if you have a size idea. I try to 'minimize' so my biggest is a 65L, etc.
A list of the gear you are replacing would help ppl provide recommendations.
Some folks have posted the kit-outs on this thread as well.
I've bought online from Ebay, Cabelas, GPSCity, a few smaller places from Alberta to NB (the names elude me, I have them bookmarked at home) and never had a problem. I'm also a member of REI and MEC and consider online shopping from them worry-free as well.
A list of the gear you are replacing would help ppl provide recommendations.
Some folks have posted the kit-outs on this thread as well. I've bought online from Ebay, Cabelas, GPSCity, a few smaller places from Alberta to NB (the names elude me, I have them bookmarked at home) and never had a problem. I'm also a member of REI and MEC and consider online shopping from them worry-free as well.
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Thanks, Eye in the Sky. My post got cut short by a call, we were called off though so I can elaborate a bit more.
Pack price range anywhere up to 175$ I've been looking at the Maxpedition Falcon II though I hear a LOT of mixed opinions.
As for the gear I'm replacing, just a bunch of little things. I need a new tomahawk/axe, New Magnesium starters and a new Camelback. Ideally the pack will have one built into it already, a new tarp etc. I'm mainly looking for a single source for whatever I can. I don't like paying a metric tonne for shipping. I'll take some time and read through the book that is this thread. Thanks again!
Pack price range anywhere up to 175$ I've been looking at the Maxpedition Falcon II though I hear a LOT of mixed opinions.
As for the gear I'm replacing, just a bunch of little things. I need a new tomahawk/axe, New Magnesium starters and a new Camelback. Ideally the pack will have one built into it already, a new tarp etc. I'm mainly looking for a single source for whatever I can. I don't like paying a metric tonne for shipping. I'll take some time and read through the book that is this thread. Thanks again!
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As with everything in the outdoors world, it all depends on your price range. If you plan on doing this a lot and want a bag that will last almost as long as you will, making the investment in an Arcteryx bag could be worth it to you. I have a Bora 80 for the winter stuff and I can't recommend it enough.
Otherwise, just a step down on the price range, Gregory and Osprey make fantastic packs. I was actually quite impressed with the new gregory pack features when the girl bought one, made my Bora seem a little dated (it has now been replaced in Arcteryx's line).
The biggest recommendation I can give you though is to actually go and try on the packs if you have the ability to. You might find that a medium frame but large harness fits you best and the stores will generally have the spares to make it happen on the spot. You'll also find out what company is best for you too. The old saying in the pack world was that you were either an Osprey or a Gregory person, and I found that out quickly when the girl was researching her pack. She went in committed to a certain model of Osprey (that she had read umpteen reviews on) and yet the second I told her to try on a Gregory, she forgot about the Osprey. Some people have it the opposite way. Generally speaking (and grossly oversimplifying the situation), Ospreys are lighter but Gregorys are better padded. Depends on your body style as to what you will like better.
Good luck in the hunt for the perfect pack!
Otherwise, just a step down on the price range, Gregory and Osprey make fantastic packs. I was actually quite impressed with the new gregory pack features when the girl bought one, made my Bora seem a little dated (it has now been replaced in Arcteryx's line).
The biggest recommendation I can give you though is to actually go and try on the packs if you have the ability to. You might find that a medium frame but large harness fits you best and the stores will generally have the spares to make it happen on the spot. You'll also find out what company is best for you too. The old saying in the pack world was that you were either an Osprey or a Gregory person, and I found that out quickly when the girl was researching her pack. She went in committed to a certain model of Osprey (that she had read umpteen reviews on) and yet the second I told her to try on a Gregory, she forgot about the Osprey. Some people have it the opposite way. Generally speaking (and grossly oversimplifying the situation), Ospreys are lighter but Gregorys are better padded. Depends on your body style as to what you will like better.
Good luck in the hunt for the perfect pack!
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Thanks, Acen. I live in Moncton, New Brunswick at the moment and am having difficulty finding stores which actually sell a fair amount of camping/hiking equipment. I like to try before I buy, that's why I'm so skeptical and cautious when buying equipment. I'm liking the Gregory packs, though unfortunately they're all out of my price range. I may just get a 5.11 Tactical RUSH 72 hour pack and use the MOLLE webbing to make up for some space lost. It's a bit outside of my planned price range, but I'm not afraid to splurge a bit for something. I use quite a bit of 5.11 Tactical gear already and have no problem with it.
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BadgerTrapper said:
Those are sometimes the hard ones that you'll want to work 'when you really effin need them to' but the $ can add up quick. I get picky on spending my $ so usually make deliberate choices and I prefer to deal with MEC if at all possible. If you're not a member, it costs $5 for a lifetime (it is a co-op), shipping is free over $50 and I've never had a problem taking something back for repair or exchange. On top of that, the stores I've been in (Halifax, Montreal and Ottawa) are staffed with great people, IMO.
I went with the Gerber Sport Axe. Light, decent handle length and hollow handle I can "put stuff in'. Not the toughest one but suited my needs, and I also carry a laplander saw. Love the saw, used it on my BSERE course and immediately bough one and always carry it in my SHTF kit.
Another piece of kit from my BSERE course that I added to my SHTF kit; Blastmatch (avail at MEC now); you can see a short demo video on it under the Demo Videos page on their site. It works and I can use it with one hand. Its part of my firekit regardless of the season.
I use a Big Mountain Fountain from MEC (an older vers of this one). My wife has a Gregory one that she is very fond of and the suspension system is fairly superior/comfy to mine and rang in about $80 taxes in. Mine is a 15 or 20L capacity one that I can carry enough crap for a long day hike if I want.
I got this one, Scout Tarp in orange. Might as well make it easier to spot for the SAR folks if I go FUBAR in the bush if needed. ;D
MEC might be your gig then.
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Ditto on MEC being great at customer service and refunds. Before I got the new tent I had a guy telling me to daring in my old one if I as really unhappy and they would make it right...decent! I didn't take them up on it it if the new one fails I most certainly will.
WRT packs: I own a BoRa and swear by it. Close second is the North Face Terra, all around good pack but still not in the league of Arc'teryx. Yes, you pay more...and it pays back! There are others out there worthy of a look ate the MEC gear keeps getting better.
My Bora And I are off to Europe next week, no real hiking planned, save for what's off the Alpenstrasse, but it will lug my stuff for me like a beaut.
WRT packs: I own a BoRa and swear by it. Close second is the North Face Terra, all around good pack but still not in the league of Arc'teryx. Yes, you pay more...and it pays back! There are others out there worthy of a look ate the MEC gear keeps getting better.
My Bora And I are off to Europe next week, no real hiking planned, save for what's off the Alpenstrasse, but it will lug my stuff for me like a beaut.
Eye In The Sky
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Scott said:
Damn! And here I was looking forward to an afternoon jaunt at Pennant Point!
8) enjoy!
Eye In The Sky
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You know your wife loves you when you get something like this for your anniversary (and that she also hopes you'll use it and take off for a few days and leave her alone in the house maybe?). 8)
The good folks at MEC are shipping one to me and I can finally add this to my gear.
Haven't had much luck getting out at all lately, completely missed the spring and late winter; busy, sick, or some other form of Real Life got in the way, but I'm starting some planning for a fall session again with a overnight solo trip to Carleton in Oct. I've already contacted the folks there and the Center and cabins shut down after the last weekend in Sept. Houch or hammock it is then.
Some car camping planned at a few of our fav spots to break up the activity around the new house construction and all the usual posting 'stuff'. Looking forward to another Maritime fall and some overnights now with that Whisperlite to brew up on. Aiming to catch the Perseid's this year along the coast (Big Pennant Head perhaps?); last year didn't work out...again.
Happy trails. 8)
The good folks at MEC are shipping one to me and I can finally add this to my gear.
Haven't had much luck getting out at all lately, completely missed the spring and late winter; busy, sick, or some other form of Real Life got in the way, but I'm starting some planning for a fall session again with a overnight solo trip to Carleton in Oct. I've already contacted the folks there and the Center and cabins shut down after the last weekend in Sept. Houch or hammock it is then.
Some car camping planned at a few of our fav spots to break up the activity around the new house construction and all the usual posting 'stuff'. Looking forward to another Maritime fall and some overnights now with that Whisperlite to brew up on. Aiming to catch the Perseid's this year along the coast (Big Pennant Head perhaps?); last year didn't work out...again.
Happy trails. 8)
Eye In The Sky
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Finally was able to get my hands on a Asolo Silva. It took a few tries but snagged a new one off Ebay. Also picked up a Siena for a friend (same bag but barrel vice mummy). Still looking for the Cristallo for Mrs EITS. They are the newest models of the bags, which made me even happier to pick them up for $38 USD/each. 8)
Happy Canada Day
Happy Canada Day
