Snarkin' in the USA.....

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Tried the Haglöfs Roc Speed 25L on a short (3.25 mile) hike with the family yesterday. Great day pack. Super comfortable and lots of space. If I really wanted to go UL, I could probably overnight in this thing without breaking too much of a sweat. I was worried the hip belt would wind up being a belly belt, but the pack adjusted to fit my torso (~20"-21") just fine. I didn't carry enough gear to use the belt though. It tucks neatly behind the back pad when not in use.

Also got the Haglöfs Roc Hard 30L in yesterday. The materials and workmanship are great, but it will be going back. It was mislabeled on the vendor website as having a hydration sleeve and port. It does not. My intentions for this pack were as a slim and trim overnight bag in the summer, but the lack of a workable hydration system is a deal killer. I know it is designed as a mountaineering bag, and lots of those folks don't care for hydration bladders because of freezing reservoir lines, etc. Here in the muggy South, however, I don't want to stop and pull out a water bottle every time I want a sip of water. Based on one review, the pack DID originally have a hydration sleeve/port, but it was redesigned without it. Looks like I got the old description and the newer bag. Oh well.
 
Guyon said:
Tried the Haglöfs Roc Speed 25L on a short (3.25 mile) hike with the family yesterday. Great day pack. Super comfortable and lots of space. If I really wanted to go UL, I could probably overnight in this thing without breaking too much of a sweat. I was worried the hip belt would wind up being a belly belt, but the pack adjusted to fit my torso (~20"-21") just fine. I didn't carry enough gear to use the belt though. It tucks neatly behind the back pad when not in use.

Also got the Haglöfs Roc Hard 30L in yesterday. The materials and workmanship are great, but it will be going back. It was mislabeled on the vendor website as having a hydration sleeve and port. It does not. My intentions for this pack were as a slim and trim overnight bag in the summer, but the lack of a workable hydration system is a deal killer. I know it is designed as a mountaineering bag, and lots of those folks don't care for hydration bladders because of freezing reservoir lines, etc. Here in the muggy South, however, I don't want to stop and pull out a water bottle every time I want a sip of water. Based on one review, the pack DID originally have a hydration sleeve/port, but it was redesigned without it. Looks like I got the old description and the newer bag. Oh well.
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Glad to hear you liked it, although I don't remember you talking about getting the packs in the first place.


I fully understand the hip belt thing, drives me crazy when a hip belt buckles across my rib cage. I'm currently looking at getting a GoRuck.
 
Murphnuge said:
I don't remember you talking about getting the packs in the first place.
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Murph, you've got to stop drinking so much Bud Select 55 out of urinals. How did you miss these two gargantuan posts (below)? :D

Top one is the one I'm keeping. It does have a bladder sleeve and tube port.

Guyon said:
Gus, I ordered a Haglofs Roc Speed 25 pack. Is Haglofs decent gear? The few reviews I could find were positive.

It's a climbing pack and as such is light (less than 2 pounds) and purportedly durable. At ~1500 cubic inches, it should repurpose nicely as a general day pack.

Got it for $71 and change due to a coupon. Tacked on a few more inexpensive items and qualified for 99 cent shipping.

haglofs-roc-speed-climbing-backpack-in-black-charcoalp5573h_0115003_zpsdde6a190.jpg
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Guyon said:
tradewater, that's a nice looking knife. Ethan got the Tackett I thought about buying at the Gathering. Guess I should order one.

After Gus filled me in on Haglofs gear, I went ahead and ordered another pack to try out.
This one is suitable for an overnight trip, and is made from bombproof 840 denier ballistic nylon and 1680 denier ballistic nylon.
Heavier, but actually made for sliding down rock faces. Should hold up well.
I'm waiting to see about torso fit, but if that checks out, I think I'll like the pack.

haglofs-roc-hard-climbing-backpack-in-black-charcoalp5573k_0115003_zps0352a18b.jpg
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While we're on the topic of BS 55... :p

Just Stop It – Bud Select 55 vs. MGD 64
August 16th, 2009 · 79 Comments · Beer Reviews

I rarely mention anything other than craft beer on this site, but this is just getting ridiculous. Seriously, is this what it is coming down to for the big boys to sell beer these days? Are consumers really that focused on their calorie count that they’d rather drink something that resembles tap water more than a real beer?

Anheuser-Busch is advertising the new Bud Select 55 as “the lightest beer in the world”. Miller tells consumers that the MGD 64 is “As Light As It Gets”. How often do people really go out to a bar and say, “Can you please bring me the drink with the least amount of calories, regardless of how awful it tastes?” I’d like to think that people are smarter than this. Beer is supposed to be enjoyed, not endured. If you are that focused on calories, just drink a little less of your usual beers (even if it is the “regular” Miller/Bud Light….) then go for a freaking walk or something.

The regular Bud/Miller Light beers are often consumed by people that could care less about what the beer tastes like in the first place and they are just looking to catch a buzz. With MGD 64 weighing in 3% ABV, and Bud Select 55 weighing in at a whopping 2.4% ABV….it’s going to take a few more bottles to catch that buzz anyways. I’m all for session beers, but I don’t think that was the point here…

No, I haven’t tried these beers. I wouldn’t spend my money on them, but I’d gladly try a free sample. And, no, these beers are definitely not marketed toward the craft beer drinker market. But, just for fun here are some of the highlight reviews from Ratebeer.com:

Bud Light Select 55 – Aroma: Severely skunky. Appearance: Very pale golden; off-white head. Flavor: VERY, very light, water with beer flavor (barely). Palate: Very, light-bodied, dry and fizzy. Overall: This isn’t a drain pour, but it is severely lacking aroma, flavor, and body! This has to be as close to beer-flavored water as it can get without being just water! Even NA beers have more flavor and character than this “beer” does! - Review from shigadeyo (2,111 total ratings) on Ratebeer.com

MGD 64 – Really pale straw colour. Smells like cud, pee and other animal effluvia. The taste is watery, grassy…kind of like urine but without the ammonia. Truly noxious stuff. – Review from Oakes (7,924 total ratings) on Ratebeer.com

MGD 64 – This would be pretty vile stuff if it wasn’t watered down so much. Very pale yellow with a short lived bubbly head, it smelled of mineral water and gym socks. It tasted like watery creamed corn with sugar. The finish was wet. Not too offensive, since there’s so little to it. This is a true waste of water. Review from Cornfield (4,812 total ratings) on Ratebeer.com.

Tags: Crap
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Source: http://seattlebeernews.com/2009/08/just-stop-it-bud-select-55-vs-mgd-64/
 
Few images from yesterday's hike...

Here's the Roc Speed in tow. worldwood, you don't have to say it. Yes, I have a great ass.
Note how the stripes on my shirt color-match the bag strapping. tradewater, eat your heart out.

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Part of the hike paralleled a gorgeous stream that ran over near solid rock in spots.

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Family unit on its way up to the ridge.

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Overhead view of hike.

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Wasn't gonna mention your ass, sounds like you get told that enough.

That pack is a lot smaller looking than I would've thought. What's the pack your youngest daughter is carrying?
 
Murphnuge said:
What's the pack your youngest daughter is carrying?
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Quit sucking up to my wife. She doesn't even read Bladeforums. Still, I'll tell her you said it and make her feel good.

Both my son (red pack) and my daughter (pink pack) are humping the Camelbak Mini-M.U.L.E.

camelbak-mini-mule-raspberry-swirl.jpg
 
I have a hard enough time exactly matching my pants with my Beckerhead hat.
 
Whatta buncha metrosexuals. :rolleyes: I'm happy if my socks match. Heck, I'm happy if I can even find clean socks.

In other news, I seem to be getting old and weak. I ate one of the first (green) serrano peppers from our garden the other night and it made me cry like a little girl. Maybe next year I'll stick with jalapenos and poblanos :o
 
This is not bad. Not bad at all.

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Hat and shorts match very well indeed.

The shirt/pack/socks co-ordination is actually brilliant.

The shoes however are just "okay". If the accent stripe around the top were a bit closer, this would have been a homerun.

I'd give the ass a 7.6 or possibly 7.7 (depending on actual firmness)



On a side note, the kids are growing like weeds.
 
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LMAO. Just about spilled my first-breakfast whiskey!

Actually, Whiskey Before Breakfast put me in a Norman Blake mind. He and Tony Rice do a classic version of the tune.
Couldn't find video of them actually playing the song, but now I'm jamming to Norman, Nancy, and James Bryan.
I've had the pleasure of seeing Norman live a couple times--once at a coffee house in Virginia, another time down in Huntsville, AL.
Damn, the man can pick. All fluid and loose and right on time.

[video=youtube_share;UEkVkJax2Co]http://youtu.be/UEkVkJax2Co[/video]

Okay, I'll stop with the videos now.
 
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james terrio said:
Whatta buncha metrosexuals. :rolleyes: I'm happy if my socks match. Heck, I'm happy if I can even find clean socks.

In other news, I seem to be getting old and weak. I ate one of the first (green) serrano peppers from our garden the other night and it made me cry like a little girl. Maybe next year I'll stick with jalapenos and poblanos :o
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Forget crying like a baby and getting old. What the hell is up with your new avatar?:D
 
james terrio said:
Whatta buncha metrosexuals. :rolleyes: I'm happy if my socks match. Heck, I'm happy if I can even find clean socks.
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Get with the program and bedazzle your entire kit. Murph probably has some extra rhinestones.

Murphnuge said:
No idea who Norman is, but I'll raise you The Clancy Brothers.
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I know the Clancy Bros. I like traditional Irish and Scottish music.
There's a really good series of bluegrass/Irish/Scottish collaborations called the Transatlantic Sessions. Worth a look on YouTube.
Past two or three years, I've wanted to catch Scottish singer/historian Julie Fowlis when she came over to tour, but the timing never worked out.
She's hit the big time now. She has a song in a Disney movie (Brave).


tradewater said:
Hat and shorts match very well indeed.

The shirt/pack/socks co-ordination is actually brilliant.

The shoes however are just "okay". If the accent stripe around the top were a bit closer, this would have been a homerun.

I'd give the ass a 7.6 or possibly 7.7 (depending on actual firmness)
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I'm thinking of adding this page to my resume.
 
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