Hikers

[cg21]

100% the https://dirtygirlgaiters.com/
They are light,dry quickly,and have kept me from getting rocks in my shoes or boots for thousands of miles. They also last. I still use the same ones I hiked the AT with.

Pants. Sigh. It is a struggle honestly. Light and quick drying? Rugged and durable? It is a fine line. I have yet to find pants that meet all of my needs honestly. I have loads of them,but not all fit for any given hike,and around half of them zip off into shorts for cold morning starts. What I end up using most hikes are Colombia Amazon product ASIN B01MSOLAEO
They are not perfect, but better than the northface ones that have some of the cheapest thread and have come unstitched one to many times do to wear. The cloth of the northface is better,the thread though is not at all durable and once an unravel starts forget about it. Rather it be a pocket or leg seam they just fall apart(quickly). I still own some northface pants. I do like the material feel and fit more,but they are more for a day hike than even a long weekend one(trust issues lol).

Do you need pants or could your solution for debris in your boots be gaiters? These are cheap and light and used by lots of thru hikers.

https://dirtygirlgaiters.com/

Been hiking in Prana Zion pants for a couple years. Been really happy with them even in 90+ degree heat. Dry really fast and have been durable although I am not hard on gear. Like the sizing available based on waist/inseam by inches rather than SML... On the expensive side but been happy with the bang for the buck.

Here is a good forum discussion on pants with post from folks with a lot of days in the backcountry every year.

https://hillpeoplegear.com/Forum/Fo...#/list/forumId/23/threadId/34440/postId/35219

Here we are wearing our Prana Zion pants while hiking in Zion National Park in August.

View attachment 281494

I really appreciate the gaiter idea…… I guess this belongs in the 1st world problems thread…… it is only a 4 mile walk I don’t want my preparation period to take as long as the walk itself lol I already have knee braces - water - shoes - driving doesn’t sound like a lot but at 4am I want to keep it simple stupid so I stick with it. I could just wear jeans they are just very restricting and hurt if I synch the knee braces down

 

[ditcherman]

I like wearing shorts on my morning walks….. but seems I spend half my time clearing my shoes out of rocks and sharp grass and the other half dealing with the rocks and sharp grass in my boots.

Time for some dedicated hiking pants… I know you guys take your equipment and testing seriously so any recommendations? Darn tough and exofficio haven’t done me wrong so I think you guys know your stuff.(tighty whitey guy need not reply sorry forgot who it was lol)

I can’t tell you much about pants, I wear shorts to bale hay and dig ditches and just put up with it, dumping the boots out when it becomes a problem.
What you could do is have one or a few dedicated pairs of tallish socks and pull the tops down over the boots. It’s not 100% but a big improvement. It will really stretch the socks out though.

The way the top of the boot is made makes a big difference on how much it lets in too, or at least how long it is until something becomes bothersome.

 

[cg21]

I can’t tell you much about pants, I wear shorts to bale hay and dig ditches and just put up with it, dumping the boots out when it becomes a problem.
What you could do is have one or a few dedicated pairs of tallish socks and pull the tops down over the boots. It’s not 100% but a big improvement. It will really stretch the socks out though.

The way the top of the boot is made makes a big difference on how much it lets in too, or at least how long it is until something becomes bothersome.

Yeah these boots seem like buckets catching everything

 

[cg21]

Wow some cheap Amazon “hiking” pants and it is a world of difference I highly doubt they are durable but for my purposes they are extremely lightweight and very breathable / fast drying.


Now I need knee braces that go under the pants instead of the over Velcro style

 

[MRockwell]

What is the consensus on Mountain House meals?
I've never had them, but was perusing amazon for a different brand that I saw on a youtoob video. Anyhoo, they had the Essential bucket(22 servings) for 20% off, so I grabbed one. Made it ~$7.50 per pouch. of course, the 20% off is no longer there.

Amazon product ASIN B0843J11JW
I got one bucket, so I figure I'll give them a try, and if nothing else they can be put with other long-term storage stuff and used for emergency food.

 

[smokingman]

What is the consensus on Mountain House meals?
I've never had them, but was perusing amazon for a different brand that I saw on a youtoob video. Anyhoo, they had the Essential bucket(22 servings) for 20% off, so I grabbed one. Made it ~$7.50 per pouch. of course, the 20% off is no longer there.

Amazon product ASIN B0843J11JW
I got one bucket, so I figure I'll give them a try, and if nothing else they can be put with other long-term storage stuff and used for emergency food.

I have been eating mountain house meals backpacking for 10+ years. Grab a long handle spoon if you do not like getting your dirty hands in your food(they are to deep for short spoons,and a fork will poke holes in the bags to easily) and you are good to go with mountain house. Just boiling some water and dumping it in a bag while you set up your camp(10-15 minute soak time) and it is a simple meal after a long day of hiking. I have tried every meal they offer and none are what I would consider bad. My favorite is also the hardest to clean,the lasagna as the cheese sticks to your spoon.

Backpacker pantry has been hit and miss for me. Their "chili" is the worst backpacking food I ever tried.

 

[ditcherman]

What is the consensus on Mountain House meals?
I've never had them, but was perusing amazon for a different brand that I saw on a youtoob video. Anyhoo, they had the Essential bucket(22 servings) for 20% off, so I grabbed one. Made it ~$7.50 per pouch. of course, the 20% off is no longer there.

Amazon product ASIN B0843J11JW
I got one bucket, so I figure I'll give them a try, and if nothing else they can be put with other long-term storage stuff and used for emergency food.

My buddy ate one last night in Deam, he said he bought it because his grandma used to make beef stroganoff and he missed it.
I asked him if it tasted like grandmas and much to my surprise he said yes. That's about as high of a rating as you can get.

 

[ditcherman]

Just got back from the most unorganized backpacking trip ever, but that's kind of how we planned it, if that can make sense.

We went with the only goal in mind to have a relaxing walk, and relaxing campsites, which is a lofty goal for us. Usually destination oriented and pushing it.

We poked around a bit on the North end of Tecumseh, making camp at the northern end of the dispersed sites in the pine woods, before deciding to check it out from the south end with a base camp at Yellowwood, and even though there were only 4 campers in the state park we were reminded of why we have a hard and fast rule of not staying in a state park. The screaming children and mother were cute compared to the generator with no muffler running til at least 11:15 and the all night whippoorwill.

We just felt like we had probably seen the Tecumseh.

So we bailed on that idea, went down to Deam and had a great time on the Peninsula trail, very easy going in and out, beautiful camp with the whole shore almost all to ourselves.
Perfect hammock hanging site and we were a little bit lazy all afternoon, out this morning.

 

[KittySlayer]

My buddy ate one last night in Deam, he said he bought it because his grandma used to make beef stroganoff and he missed it.
I asked him if it tasted like grandmas and much to my surprise he said yes. That's about as high of a rating as you can get.

Beef Stroganoff is my favorite MH meal although I like others, particularly the Biscuits and Gravy for breakfast before a big day of hiking. Peak and Backpackers Pantry are good too and have had a few boutique brands that are good. Have found that I need to add a little less boiling water than suggested as many come out too soupy, plus you can add a little more water later if needed. +1 on the long handled spoon.

Grab yourself some condiment packages to add a little flavor. Soy sauce, parmesan cheese, chili flakes, garlic salt, olive oil, etc.

Make a little Cutting Board so you can add some zing to your dehydrated meals. Get a flexible counter cutting board and cut to size so it fits in with your cook kit. Then just slice some fresh ingredients thin and add to the bag before you pour in your boiling water. All of the following are light and travel well for a few days: garlic, ginger, scallions, carrot, sun dried tomato, and if you’re lucky you might find a morel mushroom on the trail to add in.

A Tyvek Placemat so you can dine in style instead of eating in the dirt like a heathen. Cut off the adhesive flap and if it gets dirty turn it inside out. Also works to keep your seat dry on a wet log or to stuff a wet, dirty groundsheet inside.

 

[ditcherman]

Beef Stroganoff is my favorite MH meal although I like others, particularly the Biscuits and Gravy for breakfast before a big day of hiking. Peak and Backpackers Pantry are good too and have had a few boutique brands that are good. Have found that I need to add a little less boiling water than suggested as many come out too soupy, plus you can add a little more water later if needed. +1 on the long handled spoon.

Grab yourself some condiment packages to add a little flavor. Soy sauce, parmesan cheese, chili flakes, garlic salt, olive oil, etc.

Make a little Cutting Board so you can add some zing to your dehydrated meals. Get a flexible counter cutting board and cut to size so it fits in with your cook kit. Then just slice some fresh ingredients thin and add to the bag before you pour in your boiling water. All of the following are light and travel well for a few days: garlic, ginger, scallions, carrot, sun dried tomato, and if you’re lucky you might find a morel mushroom on the trail to add in.

A Tyvek Placemat so you can dine in style instead of eating in the dirt like a heathen. Cut off the adhesive flap and if it gets dirty turn it inside out. Also works to keep your seat dry on a wet log or to stuff a wet, dirty groundsheet inside.

View attachment 282624

I use my food bag coozie/keeper warmer as my toilet paper storage during travel, does that make me a heathen?

 

[smokingman]

I use my food bag coozie/keeper warmer as my toilet paper storage during travel, does that make me a heathen?

Only if you pull it up into a tree and need to go #2 after,without taking down your hang.

 

[smokingman]

Beef Stroganoff is my favorite MH meal although I like others, particularly the Biscuits and Gravy for breakfast before a big day of hiking. Peak and Backpackers Pantry are good too and have had a few boutique brands that are good. Have found that I need to add a little less boiling water than suggested as many come out too soupy, plus you can add a little more water later if needed. +1 on the long handled spoon.

Grab yourself some condiment packages to add a little flavor. Soy sauce, parmesan cheese, chili flakes, garlic salt, olive oil, etc.

Make a little Cutting Board so you can add some zing to your dehydrated meals. Get a flexible counter cutting board and cut to size so it fits in with your cook kit. Then just slice some fresh ingredients thin and add to the bag before you pour in your boiling water. All of the following are light and travel well for a few days: garlic, ginger, scallions, carrot, sun dried tomato, and if you’re lucky you might find a morel mushroom on the trail to add in.

A Tyvek Placemat so you can dine in style instead of eating in the dirt like a heathen. Cut off the adhesive flap and if it gets dirty turn it inside out. Also works to keep your seat dry on a wet log or to stuff a wet, dirty groundsheet inside.

View attachment 282624

I am a true heathen apparently. I use my foam thermarest sleeping pad as a seat anytime I stop,and while setting up camp/dinner. Occasionally I have to pull a stick out of it,but it has survived the journey so far(compared to the 4 inflatables I tried at various times it is a reliable piece of gear).

 

[MRockwell]

Thanks for the replies guys. The only thing I had heard was they were a bit high in sodium, and sometimes that can make things not worth eating.

 

[hooky]

I learned how to dehydrate meals and haven't bought a Mountain House meal in years.

 

[ditcherman]

I learned how to dehydrate meals and haven't bought a Mountain House meal in years.

I make an awesome dehydrated chili, but that’s it.
What do you make?
If you counted your time do you think it’s any cheaper to make your own?

 

[hooky]

I make an awesome dehydrated chili, but that’s it.
What do you make?
If you counted your time do you think it’s any cheaper to make your own?

I make a lot of different things.

If I was going do one off stuff and counted my time, no way is it cheaper. Looking at just food costs, it's probably break even in the worst case.

The easiest, least expensive way to go about is dehydrate the leftovers from your regular meals at home (assuming you cook) for a couple of weeks before the trip.

Beef Strog, pasta and meat sauce, shepherds pie, burritos of all sorts, pita pocket pizzas, chilli, beef stew, hashbrowns (usually buy the hungry jack version though), hummus, vegetables (broc, apsparugus, corn, green beans, etc..),

Sometimes I do complete meals for shorter trips of a few days. anything over 4 days, I usually do pantry style in addition to a few meal faves.

When I get some time, I'll post up some details with pics and some sources for how to do it and additional recipes.

I might already have a post or two on here somewhere with details.

 

[ditcherman]

I make a lot of different things.

If I was going do one off stuff and counted my time, no way is it cheaper. Looking at just food costs, it's probably break even in the worst case.

The easiest, least expensive way to go about is dehydrate the leftovers from your regular meals at home (assuming you cook) for a couple of weeks before the trip.

Beef Strog, pasta and meat sauce, shepherds pie, burritos of all sorts, pita pocket pizzas, chilli, beef stew, hashbrowns (usually buy the hungry jack version though), hummus, vegetables (broc, apsparugus, corn, green beans, etc..),

Sometimes I do complete meals for shorter trips of a few days. anything over 4 days, I usually do pantry style in addition to a few meal faves.

When I get some time, I'll post up some details with pics and some sources for how to do it and additional recipes.

I might already have a post or two on here somewhere with details.

The leftovers thing makes a lot of sense.

 

[DCR]

I have eaten several MH bags, but as a camper. I can see a definite benefit of eating MH as a backpacker. Lately I've just been taking my own food camping and passing on the MH bags. The last one I had was a breakfast and I ate half of it and pitched it. That said, the Beef Stroganoff gets very high marks and not just from me. Pass on anything with rice in it, but maybe that's just my taste.

 

[teddy12b]

So we bailed on that idea, went down to Deam and had a great time on the Peninsula trail, very easy going in and out, beautiful camp with the whole shore almost all to ourselves.
Perfect hammock hanging site and we were a little bit lazy all afternoon, out this morning.

I'm surprised there weren't more people there at the Deam. Seems like it'd be a perfect place to visit in the summer.

 

[teddy12b]

As far as mountain house goes I like it. The lasagna is my favorite and I completely agree with getting a long spoon. I also make a notch in the handle end of my spoons so I can use them to grab the bail of my Toaks 750ml pot from a fire if needed. I attached a picture where you can kind of see that notch.