Hiking, Scrambling, Mountaineering, and Climbing

Yeah, 60L is big big. Depends how light you wanna go. Personally I take no change of clothes lol, just one spare pair of socks and one spare pair of underwear. Wash the day you're not using them, hang on the outside of your pack to dry them.

Seems big considering you're taking no camping equipment, but like I say, doesn't sound like you're trying to go particularly light lols

But just on general pack advice, I'd look for something with external pockets that are actually functional. I don't access the inside of my pack unless I'm at camp. The rest of the day, everything else is in mesh pockets on the outside. E.g. in photo 1, I can quickly grab stuff that I need throughout the day (this pack is for up to 10 days in bear country, hence the size, and has an inside storage area of 38 litres). And then the other one which is for shorter trips with no bear cans, but again, everything I might need in the day is in a mesh pocket on the outside. And that pack is 40L. I don't think you need a 48L pack.

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Fair comments all round but these walks are just an excuse for two old mates to annually catch up and we don't take it too seriously. As my back begins to give up I will probably get a weight weeny mentality but for now it's fresh pants, socks and t-shirts... pure lux.

@JB. That first pack looks good - is it a US brand? My 33 is a cracking day bag and I won't be retiring it yet but there are definitely times where I could do with something bigger... beach towel springs to mind. Or whenever I'm with my son and have to carry double crap.

@el_presidente. Sorry, you're right 3L is mental, I meant 1.5 (2x750ml water bottles).

Fair enough!

Err yeah, its American and its beyond niche for 95% of the population. Its mandatory to carry a bear can in most of the Sierra but fitting bear cans inside of packs sucks. This is a great option. Conventional wisdom says have your heaviest item (food) in the middle of the pack directly against your back, but with it here, the weight is attached directly to the floating hip belt and it doesn't feel like you're carrying one at all.

Either way: nunatakusa.com - very nice, very pricey. My quilt is also made by Nunatak and its the definition of luxury.

Yeah, water shouldn't be a problem on SDW.

Just a couple from Wales

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Anyone use poles for walking (or running for that matter)

Had a knee problem over the last few months - i'm, touch wood, on top of it, but we're going up to Assynt in a few weeks with a plan to do Suilvan and maybe one or two others. Never thought about poles before but they seem pretty ubiqitous, so wondering if they'll help on the super steep ascents and descents you get on the hills around that area.

Any advice, thoughts, experience?

Yes all the time. Both up and down steep.

Get some folding ones but not ajustable. I really like the leki hand gloves, so much better than straps. You don't grip the pole, you use the strap pit weight into. Learn how to use properly.

Get some folding ones but not ajustable.

I carry telescopic as can shorten them for steep ups and lengthen them for steep downs (if required). Much bulkier though.

Yes, absolutely. They're standard equipment for backpacking and hiking in my eyes. And you definitely don't need anything fancy.

But here is a nicer, much lighter option for not much more money in the grand scheme of things.

Did a 45 mile loop in Joshua Tree National Park in under 24 hrs this weekend, including having a five hour sleep, which I was pretty stoked about. I was a bit worried about water as the park is totally dry, so I cached 4 liters and had a carry capacity of 4.5 liters but in hindsight that could've been 3.5, probably. Also carried too much food in case of emergencies, so could've used a much smaller, lighter pack. Oh well! It was resplendent. It's been so dry for the last few years that the park was dead every time I visited. The recent rain in California meant everything was blooming and it was just fantastic. I went to bed at 8pmish and woke up at 1.30am. I couldn't get back to sleep so I did the return leg under moonlight only. Had so much type 2 fun.

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Stunning. Proper distance too!

We’re currently day three on the South Downs Way and I’m regretting packing all-the-things in my oversized back pack.

I can’t admit my sister was right because I’m still getting mileage taking the piss out of the fact she ‘squared’ the ends of her fingers with an 🪓 last week 🤮. The plastic surgeon says she’ll be fine and can still stick two fingers up.

Ooft fucking hell

Bit behind the curve.
Is there any fun sport climbing to be had in the south aside from Portland/dorset?

Cheddar?

Oh there’s sport there? Interesting. Only ever done trad in SW. Good chance my guidebooks for there are a bit out of date.
Will have a look.

https://rockrun.com/blogs/the-flash-rock-run-blog/sport-climbing-at-cheddar-gorge-destination-article

Article is a decade old - so not sure about how up-to-date the info is

But just up the road from there is Fairy Cave Quarry (not sure about there though)

And then Brean Down nr Weston for a three-destination trip to Zummerzet?

Have done fairy cave a few times. Wildly unstable and ripped a chunk off the size of a microwave last time I was there 😅😅
There was also a cave rescue as some punter fell down a ladder and broke his leg on the way in.
Lovely place tho!

Brean Down out near Clevedon / Portishead is also supposed to be good (EDIT - obviously missed that this had been suggested already)

If you go further South West, then there’s good sport climbing near Torquay as well (e.g. Anstey’s Cove, Torbryan quarry)

Cheddar is good but was polished a decade ago!

Yes, my experience of trad in cheddar is everything below 6a is pretty polished. Lovely setting makes up for it though.
I asked because got a friend who wants her first taste outdoors so chances are will end up at Hedbury in dorset as there’s tons at the lower end she can enjoy.
I’ve been meaning to go to Brean for a while though.

Jesus fuck that sounds painful. Hope she's okay.

We did tell you not to pack all of the things! :)

I suspect Brean might be better for higher grades just because it was always the destination of choice for a mate of mine who climbed harder than I did back then! But he loved it.

To be honest anywhere you go in this country, I think sub 6s are fairly likely to be polished or a bit rubbish... Could try somewhere like Wye valley? I've only been once to one of the quarries but it was pleasant

Yeah for anything fun below 6 you need to get the trad rack out.
Plenty of the lower grade stuff in dorset is still top notch, especially the harder to access ones.
I’m a bit rusty anyway and fell off a 6a lead route at The Castle on Saturday. I’m happy going for adventures at lower grades but yeah, not so much low grade sport routes.

I know this to be true so should really learn trad but CBA to learn a new skill or buy new stuff, plus my head game is not amazing... So I have to try and get stronger instead. Also not easy!

Trad was a game changer for me. Can climb absolutely anything that gets in your way!
We love a good sea cliff, nothing like a sunny summers evening halfway up something easy with no one else for miles around. There’s probably a lifetime of weekend climbing on the south coast up to HVS5c. Just need to get comfy with abseiling blind onto ledges and hope you land on the one for your route, not something completely different.

Nice change from the crowds on Portland huddled into the last sunny crag each day ;)

Gonna hopefully spend a week fucking around Boulder Ruckle later in the summer once all the bird restrictions are lifted. Silhouette Arête looks ace.

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