Wet hike. An AHHA moment, a review, some misc

[JackBauer24]

Went for a hike with the mutt Friday. It was raining, just a hair more than a steady drizzle. I figured it would be a good opportunity to find/build shelter and start a wet fire.

First I had now new shoes I wanted to test. I've been a hard core boot man for years. I'm tired of spending hundreds on boots so I grabbed a pair of Gortex salomon shoes.
http://www.zappos.com/product/7304500/color/71946

Although it ended up MUCH wetter than I expected, my feet were the only dry part of my body by the time I got back. They were awesome, I may never use boots in the summer again. I do miss the ankle support though. The leather around the edges that got mashed into the ground when I was fire building stayed kinda wet looking for a little longer than I'd like, but they never leaked.

The AH HA! moment came when I was building the fire. I got under the shelf of a cliff where the leaves/tender were fairly dry. The moisture content was still very high. I have a problem when striking my fire steel of hitting my tender bundle with the knife. This time I took a stick, roughly 1" in diameter and lay RAT5 across it in a cantilever type situation. It got the tip within 1.5" of the tinder. So instead of moving the knife, I moved the fire steel. I was able to control the sparks and I feel get a hotter spark. I also didn't knock over my tinder. I did however break my firesteel. Good thing I had a spare. Got it lit, dried up a little and headed back. It was a good day.

 

[vret]

Not sure what kind of boots you had previously, but I can't give enough :thumbup: to just about anything with a waterproof/breathable insert. Gore-Tex is great, but there are definitely other options from other companies that I'd consider to be just as good and sometimes 50% the price of a similar Gore-Tex product.

Glad to hear you enjoyed your hike.

 

[PB Wilson]

Except in the winter I've been wearing hiking shoes instead of hiking boots. My pack weight is getting lower all the time as I pare down my gear and replace heavier stuff with lightweight alternatives. I'm finding that I just don't need heavier boots and my ankles have grown stronger. I've had good luck with Merrels and Scarpa hiking shoes and I'm not sure if I'll go back to over-the-ankle boots. Your Salomon shoes look pretty nice!

 

[JackBauer24]

Not sure what kind of boots you had previously, but I can't give enough :thumbup: to just about anything with a waterproof/breathable insert. Gore-Tex is great, but there are definitely other options from other companies that I'd consider to be just as good and sometimes 50% the price of a similar Gore-Tex product.

Glad to hear you enjoyed your hike.

I've had all different kinds of boots. I don't scrimp on boots either. I'm about to drop $450 on some Whites for work.

I'm not stuck on gortex at all. I'm good at tearing it. I have some scrapa boots that are my backpacking boots and they're just leather. Great boots, just heavy.

 

[vret]

You've managed to tear gore material? I'm impressed! Most of the stuff I have seems like its a ripstop style material. Are the boots you've had mostly leather ones? I find synthetics with a insert to be a little more weather resistant and more easily maintainable, but I've also never had a really good pair of leather boots.

 

[desmobob]

You've managed to tear gore material?

I tried a pair of New Balance hikers that are just a tad higher than regular athletic shoes, nice and light, and equipped with a Gore-Tex lining. They were great for the first two seasons, then developed massive leaks in the waterproof lining at the flex point in the shoes.

I'm still a leather boot guy. you can always put on another application of Sno-Seal when they start to lose their waterproof qualities. But those nylon hikers are so light... it's hard not to love 'em.

Stay sharp,
desmobob

 

[JackBauer24]

You've managed to tear gore material? I'm impressed! Most of the stuff I have seems like its a ripstop style material. Are the boots you've had mostly leather ones? I find synthetics with a insert to be a little more weather resistant and more easily maintainable, but I've also never had a really good pair of leather boots.

it's a pretty common thing for simple things like toe nails to puncture the liner. Not usually that for me, but just representative of how easy it can happen.

 

[C Bryant]

Congrats on the AHHA moment, it all seems so much easier now doesn't it! lol I had a similar experience when I got my first flint striker. I kept trying to knock a spark onto the char cloth laying on the ground with no luck at all (Which you can do....) but, my AHHA came when I realized I can just put the char cloth on the flint and whack that with the steel and bingo, easy as 123.

 

[BOOMSTICK]

I have some asolo boot that I love. waterproof is wonderful. then you don't have to worry about walking through shallow streams or mud either.

 

[JackBauer24]

Congrats on the AHHA moment, it all seems so much easier now doesn't it! lol I had a similar experience when I got my first flint striker. I kept trying to knock a spark onto the char cloth laying on the ground with no luck at all (Which you can do....) but, my AHHA came when I realized I can just put the char cloth on the flint and whack that with the steel and bingo, easy as 123.

I have made the mental note and filed it under "frustration" so I can find it when the frustration kicks in.

I have some asolo boot that I love. waterproof is wonderful. then you don't have to worry about walking through shallow streams or mud either.

really dude, I know. I was a boot guy for years. Still am to be honest. The actual words have come out of my mouth "anyone who goes in to the woods with out real boots is an idiot". I was wrong.

Now normally if it's gunna be real wet, I'm gunna wear boots. I'm just saying it's not all cut and dry. get it.. dry. I kill me.