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Brad GLuckman

Any hikers here?

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Anyone here into hiking? 

I live in NY so I hike the Adirondacks a few times every year. Just started getting into the high peaks region a few years ago. I am hoping to get into it more often, as I have grown to love it. I want to get my kids into it as they get older, especially because kids today are so entrenched in there phones. I would love to hike the Appalachian Trail one day, but I don't see how that would be possible with a job. Maybe the John Muir trail is doable.

Finding the right gear has become an obsession, although an expensive hobby. thought maybe we could have a hiking thread to post pictures (if the capability gets restored) and discuss gear and anything else hiking related.

 

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Wife (32D) and I have gotten big into hiking in the past year; we live just off of the Phoenix South Mountain preserve which has tons of trails.  I grew up a boy scout in NE PA and hiked the Appalachian Trail many times, great hikes.  If you ever get the chance to do some desert hikes I highly suggest it.

As far as gear, wife and I both use:

- Altra trail runner shoes.  Shoes are a personal preference but we both like the lighter weight trail runners which allow us to build ankle strength.

- WrightSock socks.  Double layer, these socks are awesome for tough trails.

- Nathan water backpacks.  Hydration is critical in the desert.

- For "winter" wear I like Smartwool (REI) and Lululemon long sleeve shirts.  I quoted winter because one of the challenges of desert hiking is the temp gradient -- it can be fairly cool when you start but you build up a sweat quickly.  Both brands keep you warm but then let you breathe.

 

Someday soon I can see us getting a camper and branching out to other locations.  :cheers:

 

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26 minutes ago, jerryskids said:

Wife (32D) and I have gotten big into hiking in the past year; we live just off of the Phoenix South Mountain preserve which has tons of trails.  I grew up a boy scout in NE PA and hiked the Appalachian Trail many times, great hikes.  If you ever get the chance to do some desert hikes I highly suggest it.

As far as gear, wife and I both use:

- Altra trail runner shoes.  Shoes are a personal preference but we both like the lighter weight trail runners which allow us to build ankle strength.

- WrightSock socks.  Double layer, these socks are awesome for tough trails.

- Nathan water backpacks.  Hydration is critical in the desert.

- For "winter" wear I like Smartwool (REI) and Lululemon long sleeve shirts.  I quoted winter because one of the challenges of desert hiking is the temp gradient -- it can be fairly cool when you start but you build up a sweat quickly.  Both brands keep you warm but then let you breathe.

 

Someday soon I can see us getting a camper and branching out to other locations.  :cheers:

 

I am jealous of those who get to hike in AZ right now. So green, so many wildflowers due to the snow and rain.

I only made it to South Mountain a couple of times, most of my hikes were Camelback, Squaw, and the Catalinas down in Tucson. South Mountain is yuuuge, so many trails.

Which Altras do you rock?

I am looking at the Lone Peaks or Superiors. As well as the Hoka  ATRs.

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36 minutes ago, jerryskids said:

Wife (32D) and I have gotten big into hiking in the past year; we live just off of the Phoenix South Mountain preserve which has tons of trails.  I grew up a boy scout in NE PA and hiked the Appalachian Trail many times, great hikes.  If you ever get the chance to do some desert hikes I highly suggest it.

As far as gear, wife and I both use:

- Altra trail runner shoes.  Shoes are a personal preference but we both like the lighter weight trail runners which allow us to build ankle strength.

- WrightSock socks.  Double layer, these socks are awesome for tough trails.

- Nathan water backpacks.  Hydration is critical in the desert.

- For "winter" wear I like Smartwool (REI) and Lululemon long sleeve shirts.  I quoted winter because one of the challenges of desert hiking is the temp gradient -- it can be fairly cool when you start but you build up a sweat quickly.  Both brands keep you warm but then let you breathe.

 

Someday soon I can see us getting a camper and branching out to other locations.  :cheers:

 

Very cool.When you did Appalachian Trail, did you do section hikes or the whole thing? It's like 7 months to do the whole thing, but I would like to do it someday. 

For your hikes now, do you guys do several days at a time?

We usually hike in, set up camp, and then the next day hike to the summit of a mountain or two, if time permits.

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22 minutes ago, Brad GLuckman said:

Very cool.When you did Appalachian Trail, did you do section hikes or the whole thing? It's like 7 months to do the whole thing, but I would like to do it someday. 

For your hikes now, do you guys do several days at a time?

We usually hike in, set up camp, and then the next day hike to the summit of a mountain or two, if time permits.

As I recall our AT hikes were day hikes only.  We camped but I don't associate those with the AT.

Current hikes have been 1-3 hours, but most of the trails we hike are double black diamonds so they are challenging.  As I mentioned I can see us adding a camper to expand out to other mountains in AZ.

30 minutes ago, SenatorRock said:

I am jealous of those who get to hike in AZ right now. So green, so many wildflowers due to the snow and rain.

I only made it to South Mountain a couple of times, most of my hikes were Camelback, Squaw, and the Catalinas down in Tucson. South Mountain is yuuuge, so many trails.

Which Altras do you rock?

I am looking at the Lone Peaks or Superiors. As well as the Hoka  ATRs.

There has been so much rain, the plants are amazing.

I don't know the Altra style.  I just looked, they say TMP, Gaiter Trap, Inner Flex, Zero Drop.  :dunno:

Camelback and Squaw/Piestawa are hella crowded; one of the things I like about South Mountain is that it is relatively empty other than major trail heads.  :thumbsup:

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Hiking is for losers that can't afford motorized transport. 
 

So yes, there are prolly lots of your faggity earth biscuits here.  

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i plan on bagging a couple of peaks this summer.

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I used to hike the flatirons outside of Boulder.  I miss it ☹️

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18 hours ago, SUXBNME said:

Hiking is for losers that can't afford motorized transport. 
 

So yes, there are prolly lots of your faggity earth biscuits here.  

This is one of the dumbest posts I've ever seen here.  Thank you for setting the bar so low, and may god have mercy on your soul.  :thumbsup:

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I hike a good 18 holes on sunday...hilly terrain.. sand traps worthy of a sarlacc...

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19 hours ago, SUXBNME said:

Hiking is for losers that can't afford motorized transport. 
 

So yes, there are prolly lots of your faggity earth biscuits here.  

I wear Merrell trail runners and naked fits. :wub: (can't believe they got rid of the cheerleader/pom-pom emoji)

I have hiked Colorado and California. I go to the wild animal refuge here in Fort Worth now. I have the AllTrails app on my phone. It finds all the nature trails close to you, anywhere in the U.S., with trail ratings from hikers. I think it has a feature that stores the whole trail, so if you walk out of cell tower range, it will continue to show your location, so you can save your gay ass. 

 

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We trail run and hike, and we’re blessed to live in SoCal where there are so many wonderful places to go...  We even got some snow this winter up in the Angeles National Forest.

 

As far a gear:

AllTrails Pro subscription. Keeps you from getting lost.

Hoka Speedgoats for trail runs. Great traction and excellent cushion.

Nike Wildhorses for most hiking. Super comfy and they have a rock plate. Not good for wet slippery surfaces, though.

La Spotiva Nucleo boots. Lightweight, waterproof, and feel like sneakers. Cannot recommend these enough for when you actually need to wear hiking boots.

Osprey hydration packs. We have the Duro/Dyna for short hikes. Holds 1.5 liters. And then I have an Osprey Syncro pack which holds 3 liters for longer/tougher hikes where I might want to carry more stuff. 

I also have a Salomon Sense waist pack with collapsible bottles. I find this to be adequate when the weather is cooler and I won’t need as much water.

 

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If you want to get the kids interested, look into geocaching. You can do it with a phone. Some areas are sketchy with service so maybe look into a good handheld gps. Good to have anyway along with a first aid kit. Carry a good whistle with you always. 

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On 3/22/2019 at 6:54 PM, jerryskids said:

Wife (32D) and I have gotten big into hiking in the past year; we live just off of the Phoenix South Mountain preserve which has tons of trails.  I grew up a boy scout in NE PA and hiked the Appalachian Trail many times, great hikes.  If you ever get the chance to do some desert hikes I highly suggest it.

As far as gear, wife and I both use:

- Altra trail runner shoes.  Shoes are a personal preference but we both like the lighter weight trail runners which allow us to build ankle strength.

- WrightSock socks.  Double layer, these socks are awesome for tough trails.

- Nathan water backpacks.  Hydration is critical in the desert.

- For "winter" wear I like Smartwool (REI) and Lululemon long sleeve shirts.  I quoted winter because one of the challenges of desert hiking is the temp gradient -- it can be fairly cool when you start but you build up a sweat quickly.  Both brands keep you warm but then let you breathe.

 

Someday soon I can see us getting a camper and branching out to other locations.  :cheers:

 

I live in North Phoenix. Hooooooot womenz all over the trails up here. 

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53 minutes ago, shorepatrol said:

I live in North Phoenix. Hooooooot womenz all over the trails up here. 

Camelback on a Saturday or Sunday morning is a buffet of hot, fit women from 18-50.

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3 hours ago, OldMaid said:

We trail run and hike, and we’re blessed to live in SoCal where there are so many wonderful places to go...  We even got some snow this winter up in the Angeles National Forest.

 

As far a gear:

AllTrails Pro subscription. Keeps you from getting lost.

Hoka Speedgoats for trail runs. Great traction and excellent cushion.

Nike Wildhorses for most hiking. Super comfy and they have a rock plate. Not good for wet slippery surfaces, though.

La Spotiva Nucleo boots. Lightweight, waterproof, and feel like sneakers. Cannot recommend these enough for when you actually need to wear hiking boots.

Osprey hydration packs. We have the Duro/Dyna for short hikes. Holds 1.5 liters. And then I have an Osprey Syncro pack which holds 3 liters for longer/tougher hikes where I might want to carry more stuff. 

I also have a Salomon Sense waist pack with collapsible bottles. I find this to be adequate when the weather is cooler and I won’t need as much water.

 

Alltrails is a great app. What does pro version get you?

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On 3/22/2019 at 11:07 PM, jerryskids said:

As I recall our AT hikes were day hikes only.  We camped but I don't associate those with the AT.

Current hikes have been 1-3 hours, but most of the trails we hike are double black diamonds so they are challenging.  As I mentioned I can see us adding a camper to expand out to other mountains in AZ.

There has been so much rain, the plants are amazing.

I don't know the Altra style.  I just looked, they say TMP, Gaiter Trap, Inner Flex, Zero Drop.  :dunno:

Camelback and Squaw/Piestawa are hella crowded; one of the things I like about South Mountain is that it is relatively empty other than major trail heads.  :thumbsup:

1-3 hours is not a hike.  That’s a stroll through the woods.

 

and lululemon?  Bwahaha

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51 minutes ago, Alias Detective said:

1-3 hours is not a hike.  That’s a stroll through the woods.

 

and lululemon?  Bwahaha

Day hikes are quite common, especially if you live close enough to trails where you can do it in a few hours. I camp out and stay 2 or 3 nights because its a 4-5 hour drive for me.

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On 3/22/2019 at 10:30 PM, SenatorRock said:

I am jealous of those who get to hike in AZ right now. So green, so many wildflowers due to the snow and rain.

I only made it to South Mountain a couple of times, most of my hikes were Camelback, Squaw, and the Catalinas down in Tucson. South Mountain is yuuuge, so many trails.

Which Altras do you rock?

I am looking at the Lone Peaks or Superiors. As well as the Hoka  ATRs.

Im not that familiar with out west.  But it was funny hearing some family in town from Colorado.  I figure Colorado, beautiful place. (Which it is in the mountains) then I see how amazed they are with how green it is out east.  Saying everything is brown out west.  They are stabding there looking at the bright green grass like they are standing at the gates of heaven.

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2 hours ago, Alias Detective said:

1-3 hours is not a hike.  That’s a stroll through the woods.

 

and lululemon?  Bwahaha

1-3 hours is a stroll through the woods if you are strolling through the woods.  These are steep trails which are often as much climbing as they are hiking.  

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2 hours ago, Alias Detective said:

1-3 hours is not a hike.  That’s a stroll through the woods.

 

and lululemon?  Bwahaha

Lululemon swiftly tech shirts are freakin awesome. I rarely wear anything else. They somehow have this magical ability to wick sweat and not feel wet and gross. 

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2 hours ago, listen2me 23 said:

 

Im not that familiar with out west.  But it was funny hearing some family in town from Colorado.  I figure Colorado, beautiful place. (Which it is in the mountains) then I see how amazed they are with how green it is out east.  Saying everything is brown out west.  They are stabding there looking at the bright green grass like they are standing at the gates of heaven.

Interesting.  I grew up in PA but have lived in Phoenix 30 years.  When I go back now all I see is a bunch of trees blocking the view.  Or grass, but grass all looks the same.  Here, a few weeks ago we drove through Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument on our way to Mexico and had views like this:

https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x80d5588a70508043:0x6358b8129694d4a0!2m22!2m2!1i80!2i80!3m1!2i20!16m16!1b1!2m2!1m1!1e1!2m2!1m1!1e3!2m2!1m1!1e5!2m2!1m1!1e4!2m2!1m1!1e6!3m1!7e115!4shttps://lh5.googleusercontent.com/p/AF1QipMj_R_fBiXIhEkbngLt7FF4iP1VZvdWlB95tSfa%3Dw320-h240-k-no!5sorgan+pipe+national+monument+-+Google+Search&imagekey=!1e10!2sAF1QipMj_R_fBiXIhEkbngLt7FF4iP1VZvdWlB95tSfa&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjO4q-cm5vhAhVdCjQIHWBODXsQoiowFHoECAwQBg

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2 hours ago, OldMaid said:

Lululemon swiftly tech shirts are freakin awesome. I rarely wear anything else. They somehow have this magical ability to wick sweat and not feel wet and gross. 

But you are female.

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53 minutes ago, Alias Detective said:

But you are female.

I wear just regular T-shirts for short sleeves; if it is warm enough to wear short sleeves here I know I'm going to sweat heavy and nothing will stop it.  But there is often a large temp gradient here because of the dryness, and if I start in a long sleeve, odds are I'll be sweating a lot by the end.  Plus I mentioned the Nathan water backpack, that adds a big sweat source.

OM, you should try a Smart Wool.  The one I have is a little heavier than the two Lulu shirts I have.  :thumbsup:

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5 minutes ago, jerryskids said:

I wear just regular T-shirts for short sleeves; if it is warm enough to wear short sleeves here I know I'm going to sweat heavy and nothing will stop it.  But there is often a large temp gradient here because of the dryness, and if I start in a long sleeve, odds are I'll be sweating a lot by the end.  Plus I mentioned the Nathan water backpack, that adds a big sweat source.

OM, you should try a Smart Wool.  The one I have is a little heavier than the two Lulu shirts I have.  :thumbsup:

I wear smart wool socks.  I will look into their base layers.  Thanks.

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3 minutes ago, jerryskids said:

I wear just regular T-shirts for short sleeves; if it is warm enough to wear short sleeves here I know I'm going to sweat heavy and nothing will stop it.  But there is often a large temp gradient here because of the dryness, and if I start in a long sleeve, odds are I'll be sweating a lot by the end.  Plus I mentioned the Nathan water backpack, that adds a big sweat source.

OM, you should try a Smart Wool.  The one I have is a little heavier than the two Lulu shirts I have.  :thumbsup:

I have Smart Wool socks and love them. 

l like to keep my long sleeves on the thinner side, and layer a jacket over it, if I need to. Easier to take off and put back on than a crew neck.

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Hmm... I think I mentioned earlier I wear Wright Socks.  I'll have to look into Smart Wool socks when I'm next in the market.  :cheers:

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Some. Used to hike quite a bit, now. meh.....

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Darn tough makes a good sock.

Jerry, you should check out Hike Arizona, it is the most detailed trail website/app I have seen, but is limited to mostly AZ so not relevant for people elsewhere.

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If you are interested, Angel's Landing in Zion is now open again....:banana:

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I always assumed you didn’t need anything for hiking other than hiking shoes and a water bottle. :dunno:

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10 minutes ago, MDC said:

I always assumed you didn’t need anything for hiking other than hiking shoes and a water bottle. :dunno:

Depends on where you are hiking.  A compass is sometimes valuable, walking poles can make it easier, water shoes if you are doing something like the Narrows.   Depending on the level of hiking, you may need a few extra things.  But in general, for your average situation, i think you dont need very much

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When I was in college I was a camp counselor in Yosemite.... did many great hikes.   Wife and I used to hike around northern california, and then breckenrdige, keystone, vail, beaver creek in the summers with the dogs.   while we will take some nice walks on vacation, nothing strenuous these days... and not up to date with gear.  we would take a back pack with picnic items, water. just normal tee shirts, shorts, hiking boots.

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9 hours ago, MDC said:

I always assumed you didn’t need anything for hiking other than hiking shoes and a water bottle. :dunno:

Depends on what you're doing. We usually hike to a nice open area and set up camp. The next day, we  hike up a mountain or two. We stay at least one night, so we need a tent, sleeping bag, camp stove, food etc. It adds up. The pack I hike in with typically weighs 35 lbs. Same with every other person I'm with. 

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