Surly official camping and backpacking thread

[Biff Tannen 45512]

Yeah, so I was supposed to be in the Davis Mountains next weekend.  Forecasted low for Friday is 8 degrees.  Pass. 

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4968]

Just look at is as an opportunity to acquire more gear.

[Biff Tannen 45512]

1 minute ago, NotActuallyALonghorn said:

Just look at is as an opportunity to acquire more gear.

[NWBuck 8548]

On 2/5/2021 at 4:26 PM, Biff Tannen said:

[Biff Tannen 45512]

On 2/5/2021 at 5:44 PM, Biff Tannen said:

Yeah, so I was supposed to be in the Davis Mountains next weekend.  Forecasted low for Friday is 8 degrees.  Pass. 

Since this didn't happen, I'm thinking about looking at summer dates.  It's at, what, 5k feet?  Is it cool enough in the summer to not die or should I look at fall?

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4968]

Los dos?

[Biff Tannen 45512]

2 minutes ago, NotActuallyALonghorn said:

Los dos?

[Updawg 2261]

Since this didn't happen, I'm thinking about looking at summer dates.  It's at, what, 5k feet?  Is it cool enough in the summer to not die or should I look at fall?

It’s doable. The state park has a pool at the lodge

[Biff Tannen 45512]

8 minutes ago, Updawg said:

It’s doable. The state park has a pool at the lodge

Doable like in the 90s?  Will also have dogs, so pool not an option.

[davidg 4032]

We did a summer scout camp at Buffalo Trails Scout Ranch which is in the northern foothills of the Davis Mountains about half way between Balmorhea and Ft Davis. Hot in the day cool at night. Real nice at night at the the observatory with its higher elevations.

[Your Mom 4798]

I spent part of my summers in Fort Davis quite a few times as a kid.  I bet you could count on about 10° cooler than Austin on average. Still hot but  not quite as unbearable.  
 

[Saint Tacky 1610]

On 2/5/2021 at 5:44 PM, Biff Tannen said:

Yeah, so I was supposed to be in the Davis Mountains next weekend.  Forecasted low for Friday is 8 degrees.  Pass. 

Went out on the Minnesota Boundary Waters a couple of weeks ago. This is sunrise on March 1st. Minus-18. Little brisk changing thermal layers outside of the sleeping bag.

 

[Biff Tannen 45512]

1 hour ago, Saint Tacky said:

Went out on the Minnesota Boundary Waters a couple of weeks ago. This is sunrise on March 1st. Minus-18. Little brisk changing thermal layers outside of the sleeping bag.

 

Beautiful.  A little intense for my tastes, but beautiful.  

[davidg 4032]

4 hours ago, Saint Tacky said:

Went out on the Minnesota Boundary Waters a couple of weeks ago. This is sunrise on March 1st. Minus-18. Little brisk changing thermal layers outside of the sleeping bag.

 

Okpik?  Y’all troop really has a strong high adventure program.

[TexasHooch 5117]

4 hours ago, Saint Tacky said:

Went out on the Minnesota Boundary Waters a couple of weeks ago. This is sunrise on March 1st. Minus-18. Little brisk changing thermal layers outside of the sleeping bag.

 

Nice.  What lake(s) did you cover?.

I've done a fair amount of snowshoeing out of Ely. Winter camping is a different animal for sure, but I always appreciate experiencing an area I know really well from a different perspective.

[Saint Tacky 1610]

31 minutes ago, davidg said:

Okpik?  Y’all troop really has a strong high adventure program.

Yes. We try to do the sled dog trek every other year. Going back next year too. I couldn’t fill a Philmont or Sea Base trek for Summer 2021. SRO for Okpik for 2022. 

[Saint Tacky 1610]

25 minutes ago, TexasHooch said:

Nice.  What lake(s) did you cover?.

I've done a fair amount of snowshoeing out of Ely. Winter camping is a different animal for sure, but I always appreciate experiencing an area I know really well from a different perspective.

Off the top of my head we left from Moose Lake and crossed Newfound, Ensign, Splash, and Vera, to end up in Knife. May have missed a couple in there. Hiked up to the top of Eddy Falls to see Eddy Lake. 

[Firemans4Horn 17853]

On 12/15/2020 at 12:20 PM, baboso said:

So, my girlfriend wants trekking poles for Xmas.  Hiking in N. Georgia mountains, primarily.  Any recommendations on a good brand?

 

Sorry for the late response, but for anyone in the future the correct answer is PacerPoles from the UK. Completely different design and you just glide along the trail. Probably the best upgrade I've made for multi-day hiking was switching from the ski pole style to these bad boys.

http://www.pacerpole.com/

 

In Depth Review

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4968]

Hey, buy these gimmicky trekking poles! You have to learn a different technique that is pretty much the same as the technique that every experienced hiker learns to to use, but they are better because they are heavier and have a gimmicky grip angle!

[Biff Tannen 45512]

9 hours ago, NotActuallyALonghorn said:

Hey, buy these gimmicky trekking poles! You have to learn a different technique that is pretty much the same as the technique that every experienced hiker learns to to use, but they are better because they are heavier and have a gimmicky grip angle!

Eh, to each their own.  If I wanted to break the bank I'd pick up some Gossamer Gear LT5s.

[Firemans4Horn 17853]

16 hours ago, NotActuallyALonghorn said:

Hey, buy these gimmicky trekking poles! You have to learn a different technique that is pretty much the same as the technique that every experienced hiker learns to to use, but they are better because they are heavier and have a gimmicky grip angle!

lol, so much hostility.
No, you do not use “the same technique that every experienced hiker learns to use” because the grips/angle are completely different. 
 

I guess you could use a crescent wrench as a hammer if you really wanted to but they are not the same tool.

 

 

 

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4968]

Yeah, I guess I was kinda harsh. I usually hold trekking poles between the thumb and forefinger at the bottom of the grip and use the pressure of my wrist against the straps to push against. So that basically allows the same technique, but with more precise control. I just assumed that was pretty common.

[Biff Tannen 45512]

7 hours ago, NotActuallyALonghorn said:

Yeah, I guess I was kinda harsh. I usually hold trekking poles between the thumb and forefinger at the bottom of the grip and use the pressure of my wrist against the straps to push against. So that basically allows the same technique, but with more precise control. I just assumed that was pretty common.

Same. I also will let the strap hold it on my hands almost entirely and just grip the shaft (hehe) below the grip with my index finger and thumb, if that makes sense. 

[Firemans4Horn 17853]

Looking at Big Agnes UL skyline chair and a Solo Stove Lite 

 

helionix zero is awesome for the weight but I’d rather carry a few extra ounces and not sit so low to the ground. 

[Saint Tacky 1610]

2 hours ago, Firemans4Horn said:

Looking at Big Agnes UL skyline chair and a Solo Stove Lite 

helionix zero is awesome for the weight but I’d rather carry a few extra ounces and not sit so low to the ground. 

I'm looking for something for similar needs as well. I just can't bring myself to spend that much money on something that always seems to get broken.

Edited March 19, 2021 by Saint Tacky
typo

[TexasHooch 5117]

Yeah, with those types of chairs (I have 4) I either go super cheap Amazon knockoff or I buy at REI, where I know I can return if it craps out.

Here's my current favorite when weight and bulk aren't an issue.  

https://www.rei.com/product/128052/nemo-stargaze-recliner-luxury-chair

I got it with a seam rip at an REI garage sale and had it stitched and reinforced for $15.

 

[Firemans4Horn 17853]

1 hour ago, Saint Tacky said:

I'm looking for something for similar needs as well. I just can't bring myself to spend that much money on something that always seems to get broken.

Big Agnes was $89 after the discount. I’ll let you know how I like it when it gets in. 

[Anton Chigurh 3319]

Yeah, with those types of chairs (I have 4) I either go super cheap Amazon knockoff or I buy at REI, where I know I can return if it craps out.
Here's my current favorite when weight and bulk aren't an issue.  
https://www.rei.com/product/128052/nemo-stargaze-recliner-luxury-chair

I got it with a seam rip at an REI garage sale and had it stitched and reinforced for $15.
 

I have one of these. It is sweet.

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4968]

I picked up some Bedrock Cairns this weekend. After doing a little hiking in them, I must say that they are way better than my old Chacos. I got the ones with the more sticky rubber, and you could probably climb North Carolina slab in them.

[Firemans4Horn 17853]

On 3/19/2021 at 12:11 PM, Saint Tacky said:

I'm looking for something for similar needs as well. I just can't bring myself to spend that much money on something that always seems to get broken.

two thumbs up for the Big Agnes chair. 

[blacklab 11852]

Went to North Padre over the weekend. Nothing beats having a mile of beach to yourself.

For those of you who haven't been, the first 5 miles of the beach are pretty packed. At the 5 mile point there's a sign that says 4wd only past this point and there's around 50 miles of beach past that till you hit the breakpoint between North and South Padre.

Dog had a blast

Only annoying thing was the wind. It was even more windy than anytime I've been there. I'd guess at least 30-40 mph winds. 

I didn't even bother putting the tarp up or starting a fire. My portable stove/grill kept getting blown out by the wind. Realized after I left that I left my shovel. It was buried by sand and I forgot all about it. Also left the firewood I brought.

So if you want a free shovel and firewood drive down to mile marker 20. About 200 yards past it is a blue barrel. About 20 yards past that are a few logs and a shovel is burred in the sand in front of them. Shovel is old as shit, pretty rusty and it's about 50/50 you'll get a splinter any time you pick it up.  Replace the blade and the handle and you'll have yourself a very nice shovel.

So i

 

 

[thunderlounge 7760]

3 hours ago, blacklab said:

Only annoying thing was the wind. It was even more windy than anytime I've been there. I'd guess at least 30-40 mph winds. 

I didn't even bother putting the tarp up or starting a fire. My portable stove/grill kept getting blown out by the wind. 

What kind of stove?

I have a Camp Chef 2-burner and it did better than expected last weekend in 25mph sustained with gusts 40-45. 
 

It struggled on low, but get it up to almost med and it was solid.

 

 

What I will do eventually is make a little bi-fold wind break for it out of some thin type of plywood. Just enough to give it an extra hand. 
 

On the lighter side of sports, it did get that coffee pot perking in about 3 minutes, so that was nice. Obviously not a backpacking stove, but I’m damn well impressed. I also got the griddle accessory. It’s solid. Add in a $20 off brand carrying bag and good to go. 

[TwiceHorn 31314]

Hope to God you weren't canoeing with that kind of wind.

I had to do a mile or half-mile one man trip in a giant Grumman two-man aluminum canoe at Camp Constantin on Possum Kingdom.  We had to cross this cove, turn around and paddle back.  The morning of, the wind was blowing like a mofo and everyone's canoe turned end for end at least twice no matter how hard you paddled.  It did make the turnaround easy, though.

Shortly after we all finished, there was a Lake Wind Advisory issued and all boats were removed from the water.  I have only been that wobbly after physical exertion a few times in my life.

 

[thunderlounge 7760]

20 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

Hope to God you weren't canoeing with that kind of wind.

Not when it was super gusty, but I did use it a good bit. Not pictured is the minnkota and two batteries for it. Single battery was perfect for tooling around the 35ac pond. Second battery is a backup. 

Also has a rail installed for my humminbird. 
 

Same sonar and trolling motor I use for my yak. Just added the necessary hardware to switch between. 

[blacklab 11852]

I got this

I could get the grill side going but it would blow out. The small burner was a bitch to get lit but stayed on after a few tries. Probably should have moved it right next to the truck.

No canoeing. I did rent a canoe one time on town lake with 20-30 mile an hour winds. Had my two boys with me and that was a bitch. Rental person said to be sure to go up wind so you can go down wind to come back. Wind said fuck you you're heading west. About 10 minutes in I turned around to go back and it took about 50 minutes to go the 1000 yards or so we went downwind in.  I was thinking I was going to have to beach it somewhere and tell them to go get it.

 

 

[Biff Tannen 45512]

1 hour ago, blacklab said:

I got this

I could get the grill side going but it would blow out. The small burner was a bitch to get lit but stayed on after a few tries. Probably should have moved it right next to the truck.

No canoeing. I did rent a canoe one time on town lake with 20-30 mile an hour winds. Had my two boys with me and that was a bitch. Rental person said to be sure to go up wind so you can go down wind to come back. Wind said fuck you you're heading west. About 10 minutes in I turned around to go back and it took about 50 minutes to go the 1000 yards or so we went downwind in.  I was thinking I was going to have to beach it somewhere and tell them to go get it.

 

 

Ha yep. We were kayaking in Elkhorn slough off Monterey Bay last summer and the wind made the trip back to the dock twice as long. Got to see a fuck ton of otters and seals. Highly recommend if you’re ever in the area. 

[Hmbre97 6297]

Drove out to PINS Saturday for the maiden beach voyage for the truck and also test out the new Bestop camper I installed to see how it will fare for camping out of the back of the truck at the beach. I will definitely need to invest in some mesh side panels for air circulation. I tried to do some fishing at the end of Big Shell @ mile 30 but it was too fucking windy + seaweed everywhere getting blown in.

 

Pretty postive I saw @blacklab or at least his FJ on Saturday afternoon too. 

[thunderlounge 7760]

11 hours ago, blacklab said:

I got this

I could get the grill side going but it would blow out. The small burner was a bitch to get lit but stayed on after a few tries. Probably should have moved it right next to the truck.

No canoeing. I did rent a canoe one time on town lake with 20-30 mile an hour winds. Had my two boys with me and that was a bitch. Rental person said to be sure to go up wind so you can go down wind to come back. Wind said fuck you you're heading west. About 10 minutes in I turned around to go back and it took about 50 minutes to go the 1000 yards or so we went downwind in.  I was thinking I was going to have to beach it somewhere and tell them to go get it.

 

 

I have 3 of those style. No problem until the wind kicks up, or you need more space for a pot of chili or something.

You can build a little wind break for those too. If space isn’t a premium I’ll be taking the big one every time. Well worth it for me. 

[blacklab 11852]

8 hours ago, Hmbre97 said:

Drove out to PINS Saturday for the maiden beach voyage for the truck and also test out the new Bestop camper I installed to see how it will fare for camping out of the back of the truck at the beach. I will definitely need to invest in some mesh side panels for air circulation. I tried to do some fishing at the end of Big Shell @ mile 30 but it was too fucking windy + seaweed everywhere getting blown in.

 

Pretty postive I saw @blacklab or at least his FJ on Saturday afternoon too. 

 

 

Was  probably in the back of the truck taking a siesta.

What do people fish for on the beach?
How big a rod/weight line do you need?
How far do you need to cast?

Oldest son is big into fishing but hates the beach so he's torn on weather or not he's going to come down next time. 

 

[TXLNGHRN10 341]

I've been wanting to go camping out on the beach for the longest

I have a sportster tent that'll set up in the bed of my truck. all kinds of camping gear, kayaks etc. What would y'all recommend for first time trip out there? Tips Tricks Pointers etc......

Edited May 10, 2021 by TXLNGHRN10

[PatrickMcHorn 376]

 
Was  probably in the back of the truck taking a siesta.
What do people fish for on the beach?
How big a rod/weight line do you need?
How far do you need to cast?
Oldest son is big into fishing but hates the beach so he's torn on weather or not he's going to come down next time. 
 

It's easy to surf fish without much more than what he'd have for bass. 10 lb test with a spoon on a medium spinning reel will take you pretty far. Not sure how old your son is, but the trick with surf fishing - in my experience - is to drive around until you see birds, then wade in. You can catch all kinds of shit without necessarily targeting any one species. Reds, trout, smacks, whitefish. Hardheads if you're unlucky, but I'll fight 6 pound hardheads all day long. Better than not fishing.

Shore fishing would typically require a big ass rod and staying put (may be better for camping). You have to chunk it a ways, or even run the line out in a kayak to get it really far out.

Not sure how old your son is though. It's a completely different answer depending on if he's 6 or 16.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

[blacklab 11852]

He’s 12 and has done a few lakes around here, mostly Lake Austin. 
 

I was dreading buying a huge pole and some pvc but it sounds like we could leave his brother at base camp and drive around looking for birds. 
 

I’m assuming most of the fish you listed would be good grilled up with some butter, lemon, salt and pepper?

[PatrickMcHorn 376]

He’s 12 and has done a few lakes around here, mostly Lake Austin. 
 
I was dreading buying a huge pole and some pvc but it sounds like we could leave his brother at base camp and drive around looking for birds. 
 
I’m assuming most of the fish you listed would be good grilled up with some butter, lemon, salt and pepper?

Yeah, absolutely. They're all delicious other than hard heads (they look like catfish - throw them back). Just know what you're catching and what the size limit is.

Yeah, just wade in until he can cast at the birds, then real it back in slow, or use a popping cork with bait: https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/betts-billy-boy-popping-floats?ds_e=GOOGLE&ds_c=Shop%7CCAB%7CTopPerformers%7CFishing&gclid=Cj0KCQjws-OEBhCkARIsAPhOkIbFP0XC-bBXhlTg-lBU3JCMyLnRZXudz9514-6rGsyu8cC2TsCgoY8aAgEsEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

[blacklab 11852]

1 hour ago, TXLNGHRN10 said:

I've been wanting to go camping out on the beach for the longest

I have a sportster tent that'll set up in the bed of my truck. all kinds of camping gear, kayaks etc. What would y'all recommend for first time trip out there? Tips Tricks Pointers etc......

Sand is going to get into everything no matter what so don't take anything that you don't want covered in sand.

At least at North Padre it's windy as fuck. Be prepared for that. Stoves are hard to light, tents and anything light will get blown away if not tied down. A few six inch spikes into sand is not going to keep a tent in place. Need coolers or boxes to keep it down.

I bought a few of these:

Plano storage boxes, available at acadamy, cabella's or amazon. They come in different sizes and stack nicely. I take one for truck stuff like tow ropes and trailer hitches, one for food related items, and one for bedding stuff. Use these boxes to weigh down tents.

Take a table of some sort. You can't put anything on the ground or it's going to get sand on/in it.

Take more water than you think you'll need. Lots of rinsing off sand. Dog bowls get sand in them and you end up having to refill with water all the time.

Bring a shovel and get some of these:

I got mine on amazon
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TS3SJJ6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They work as a shovel too. If you get stuck in the sand these are a lifesaver. There are no trees to wench to and if ways down the beach may not be anyone around.

Figure out what you're going to do with trash. I typically duct tape a trash bag to the bumper or table. 

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4968]

On 5/9/2021 at 4:05 PM, blacklab said:

...the blade and the handle and you'll have yourself a very nice shovel.

So i

 

 

He who is valiant and pure of spirit...

...may find the Holy Shovel...

...in the Castle of Aaargh.

Edited May 10, 2021 by NotActuallyALonghorn

[Biff Tannen 45512]

5 minutes ago, NotActuallyALonghorn said:

He who is valiant and pure of spirit...

...may find the Holy Shovel...

...in the Castle of Aaargh.

[thunderlounge 7760]

9 hours ago, blacklab said:

Sand is going to get into everything no matter what so don't take anything that you don't want covered in sand.

At least at North Padre it's windy as fuck. Be prepared for that. Stoves are hard to light, tents and anything light will get blown away if not tied down. A few six inch spikes into sand is not going to keep a tent in place. Need coolers or boxes to keep it down.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Common-0-375-in-x-2-ft-Actual-0-375-in-x-2-ft-Steel-Rebar/50429924

 

3/8” x 3’ rebar. (Link shows 2’ so dig around  for 3ft.)

 

Great to have and use for tent stakes in sand. Check your stake loops for fit, and use a d-clip if needed.

Use stakes like this on the river all the time. Great shit. 

[Hmbre97 6297]

 
Was  probably in the back of the truck taking a siesta.
What do people fish for on the beach?
How big a rod/weight line do you need?
How far do you need to cast?
Oldest son is big into fishing but hates the beach so he's torn on weather or not he's going to come down next time. 
 

Yep, that was you then. I remember now driving by and seeing someone laying down in the back , all sprawled out. Thought to myself "That man is living right".

Pretty much everyone else covered it as far as surf fishing goes. My go to setup is throwing out live or chunk bait on my 9-10 ft surf rods with 4' PVC rod holders. You need a bigger pole for that so your line is up as high as you can get it so it doesn't rub on the sand bars that you cast over. That and you will be throwing a good bit of weight out between baits and a spider weight. I then use my 7' inshore rod to walk around in the surf and throw plastics or other lures along the different guts while the big rods are soaking.

Easiest thing to catch in the surf is whiting. They're a type of smaller drum. They're good eating too. Grab some Pompano rigs and throw on some Fishbites. Fishbites is cheat mode for surf fishing. I always have the best luck with the bright pink shrimp strips.

https://www.amazon.com/Fishbites-Saltwater-Longer-Lasting-Easy-to-Use/dp/B0084EGVGG/ref=asc_df_B0084EGVGG/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312134190667&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6545947122765583241&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9028244&hvtargid=pla-570330525348&psc=1

[Johnny Sack 8397]

On 5/10/2021 at 1:13 PM, blacklab said:

Sand is going to get into everything no matter what so don't take anything that you don't want covered in sand.

At least at North Padre it's windy as fuck. Be prepared for that. Stoves are hard to light, tents and anything light will get blown away if not tied down. A few six inch spikes into sand is not going to keep a tent in place. Need coolers or boxes to keep it down.

I bought a few of these:

Plano storage boxes, available at acadamy, cabella's or amazon. They come in different sizes and stack nicely. I take one for truck stuff like tow ropes and trailer hitches, one for food related items, and one for bedding stuff. Use these boxes to weigh down tents.

Take a table of some sort. You can't put anything on the ground or it's going to get sand on/in it.

Take more water than you think you'll need. Lots of rinsing off sand. Dog bowls get sand in them and you end up having to refill with water all the time.

Bring a shovel and get some of these:

I got mine on amazon
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TS3SJJ6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They work as a shovel too. If you get stuck in the sand these are a lifesaver. There are no trees to wench to and if ways down the beach may not be anyone around.

Figure out what you're going to do with trash. I typically duct tape a trash bag to the bumper or table. 

I keep a big roll of contractor trash bags in my toolbox.  They are great for a lot of shit.  Rain poncho.  Trash.  Floor and seat coverings.

[Saint Tacky 1610]

 

 

Took the Scout Troop down to North Padre in 2018 on a shake-out hike and to just to let them have some fun in the sun. 2.5 years later and I'm still finding sand in my gear.

Edited May 12, 2021 by Saint Tacky