Hiking, Scrambling, Mountaineering, and Climbing

Ran up the tourist track, it’s very easy to follow but isn’t very interesting running, but has the advantage that the down is very runnable so it’s fun in that respect.
I’ve walked Crib Goch, would be fine either side, but running solo on the scramble up to and on the ridge would only be a good idea if you’re comfortable on that kind of terrain. It’s not hard, but it’s exposed - and I’m reluctant to recommend it as a run without knowing how comfortable someone is on terrain like that.

Fucking lol. I’d have done the same tbf. Touch the top and run back down. Not there for a selfie mind. Madness.

https://www.adventure-journal.com/2020/09/iceberg-rolls-over-while-two-climbers-are-scaling-it/

After 9 years of on and off use, my Keen Targhee II Mids are finally falling apart. Time for some new hiking footwear.

Has anyone made the switch to trail runners for UK hiking? Waterproof or unlined? Low or Mid?

So far looking at the Altra Lone Peaks (or even the RSM Mids) as they seem to be super popular.

They'll be used for 3 season multiday hiking in Snowdonia/Lake District/Scotland. Current pack base weight around 6-7kg.

I've been considering Salomon X Ultra Mids to replace my heavy old Meindl. I've done Winter Munros in North Face GTX shoes before now, didn't really have any problems

Only thing with these Salomon is reviews suggest they're not that durable.

I'd personally go with the mids in those Lone Peaks, if only for the perception of a little more ankle protection. I can turn an ankle over on just about anything sometimes

We had a very pleasant wild camp Sat night in the Pentlands, trying out our new tent

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I hear you on the Mids. Not sure I'm quite ready for no ankle protection after wearing boots for years.

Is that a Force 10 Xenon?

We lucked out with the weather last week in the Lakes too... Friday morning while doing an Ennerdale horseshoe...

Is that a Force 10 Xenon

It is, its the Plus. For the amount of space with the porch, very impressive pack size and weight. Not ultra light, but good enough. What's yours, MSR?

Friends we were with a couple weeks ago had the Plus too. I loved the idea of the porch for shitty UK weather!

Mine's the old Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2.

I looked at the Big Agnes when were on the hunt for a new tent. Mrs EB was set on a porch though. The Xenon is the first non free standing tent I think I've ever had

We have a Big Agnes Copper Hotel, which is the same as the Spur but with a mahoosive porch. It's so good

I think you can buy the be-porched fly separately to put over a normal Spur

Hi hikers, can I ask a few noob questions please. I'd like to do a bit more of hiking in order to do a different endurance/"touring" sport than riding a bike. Think weekend/few days things, like the South or North Downs Way or portions of it. I'm fairly confident and set on the bivvy side of things but lack experience with almost everything else. I was wondering about backpack and shos - what to get, where to buy, this sort of things. Thanks!

I was wondering about backpack and shos - what to get, where to buy, this sort of things. Thanks!

These are quite broad questions...have you looked at any you like? What is your budget?

I know, but I don't really know what to look at either! So I've outlined the sort of things I wanted to do instead. Should I just buy whatever 30/40L backpack Alpkit currently has and go to Decathlon to try shoes on? What are things to look for and to avoid in shoes? Should choose them roomy or tight?

Yes these are broad questions. I feel like the friend who asks "I'd like to buy a gravel bike, what should I get?" :)

No worries, i'll just spew out a few random thoughts about backpacks then. I don't know anything about shoes/boots. :D

Decathlon packs are fine as long as they fit. As with most things, sizing tends to be aimed at people of average build.

40L is a good starting point for multi day stuff. I carry a 40L for up to 10 days of mountaineering staying in huts. Sure, I have a lot of kit you won't such as crampons, ice axes, rope, hiking poles, avalanche rescue kit and all manner of technical hardware but I also don't have to carry bivvy stuff or a sleeping bag so I think it all equals out to compare to a UK multi day hike.

A rain cover is a must but don't be put off by a pack without one as you can buy them to fit pretty cheaply.

Size and fit is really important. Its the difference between forgetting that you're wearing a pack or being in agony after a few hours. Don't be like me and persist with packs that give you back ache for years before finally getting it right. If you're tall, get one for tall people. If you're short, get one for short people. If you're in the middle, finding packs to fit is much easier. When I finally got a pack that fitted me it changed my life. Seriously...finishing a tough day without back spasms was such a gamechanger!

Camelbak compatibility is a must for me but is really down to personal preference.

If you're curious as to what I use, I'm a big MIllet fan (unrelated to UK highstreet brand Millets).

This my current favourite:

https://www.millet-mountain.com/ubic-40-backpack-hiking-khaki.html

I'm 6'4 and its spot on for me size wise. I know a mountain guide who is 5'10 and loves it too.

EDIT: One more pearl of pseudo wisdom. While a few external pockets can be handy, generally I find that having fewer pockets and bigger main compartment to be much more practical in use.

Personally I would say unless you have good technical kit that is lightweight and packs down small then 40l is a bit small, especially heading into the colder months when you may wish to carry more clothes and a warmer bag.

Although the bigger the pack you have the more tempted you are to stuff it with crap you don't really need

Just for comparison, 40L is fine for me for:

In winter for technical day trips (temps from -25 to -5):

3L camelbak, 50m rope (on outside), 2 ice axes and 2 poles (on outside), advanced first aid kit, crampons, shovel and probe, spare gloves, spare hat, 2 meals worth of food, 1l thermos flask and mug, mid layer, down jacket & shell with space to spare.

In summer for multiday trips:

3L camelbak, 50m rope, 1 ice axe, 2 poles, crampons, 1 x spare clothes, advanced first aid kit, 2 x meals, down, shell, rain poncho, hat, gloves, mid layer, sleeping bag liner and still has enough room for my harness and climbing hardware if I decide to stow it rather than wear it.

I genuinely believe, based on my experiences, that if you need more than 40L for a ten day trip without camping or more than 50L if you're carrying a tent, you're packing too much.

Just did some googling on this and finding it quite amusing that some people take twice as much to walk the pennine way as people take to do a ten day 100mi technical traverse across the alps on ice and snow. What are people packing?! :D

When I did the Pennine Way it was 20 years ago and I didn't have a lot of technical kit. I had a 60 l rucksack with the following (from memory):

bulky synthetic bag
half a Wild Country Quasar (bulky >3kg tent)
half a Trangia plus fuel
Big 3-layer goretex
overtrousers
thick windproof fleece
quite a lot of other spare clothes espec. socks
quite a lot of food (prob not very light)
lots of maps
small radio (!)
1st aid kit
torch
hat / gloves
camera
rolled up Karrimat on the outside
probably lots of other crap like paracord, penknfes, spare compass, spare batteries, chunky retro phone, etc etc etc

This is what my wife and I took on our JMT thru hike in CA (this time last year). We did about 190 miles. Temps from 30 to -3 ish at night. Doesn't include food and water - think the most food we had was 7 days each for one stint, which weighed a tonne.

Second tab is a sheet of food worked out by calories per oz (we were working in Freedom Units to fit in). Arsed that up and were pretty damn hungry at one point.

Weighing all the stuff was weirdly fun.

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• JMT kit list.xlsx

And my pack was a 65litre Osprey, which was comfy, but obviously fairly large. I didn't quite fill it. Bear canisters take up loads of bloody room - could have managed a smaller pack without one.

Theres always going to be a lot of personal opinion on pack size, and you will only know what suits you as you gain experience. I have several packs for different types of trip. The key to them all is a good fit to my back, and waist, and crucially neck. Narrow strap fixings at the top of the pack make it impossible for me to use, but thats a personal fitting thing.

For long hiking style trips I have a 65l Lowe Alpine pack that expands up to 90l at a pinch, which I find very useful. On top of a tent, multi day cooking kit, food, water, change of clothes, emergency clothes and sleeping kit I always bring a good first aid kit. You can cary a lot less, but I dont like being caught with out kit I need, especially extra warm clothes in case of emergency.

For 90% of my short trips I use a 40L Low alpine pack, which is almost never properly full. but as soon as I am carrying a tent is too small. If I was buying a pack Id start here.

Whenever Im climbing I use a 50l Grivel pack, it has very little externally so it doesn't snag on climbs and is easy to haul, and its 50l so I can fit 2 ropes and a full set of trad kit in it.

TL:DR Find a comfy 40L pack that really fits.

Bear canisters take up loads of bloody room

You needed bear canisters but kept them in your bag?!