Outdoors Multireddit

Positives:
The fit is exceptional—like the boots were molded specifically for my feet, and I have fairly wide feet. I’ve never owned footwear with a fit this good, so kudos to Lowa for nailing this aspect. The ankle support is excellent, providing stability without compromising too much on mobility for walking or running. I’ve used these boots for hunting, military activities, and even as everyday school shoes, and they’ve performed well across all these settings. Additionally, they’re surprisingly breathable, even during the hottest summer days.

Negatives:
Unfortunately, there are some notable downsides. First, the boots feel extremely slippery during the winter, particularly on packed snow or plowed, slightly steep roads. I’ve worn them through two winters and consistently struggled with traction, which is a significant issue if you live in northern climates.

This might be due to the injection-molded soles, which are quite hard. The provided insoles do little to absorb impact during long hikes or rucks, although this can be mitigated by investing in aftermarket insoles.

Another recurring issue is water resistance. Despite being equipped with Gore-Tex, all the pairs I’ve owned became wet in the toe area even after walking through snow. Snow that melts on the boots soaks through, leaving them moist. If they get completely soaked, e.g. I had to hike trough a field with wet grass, they take days to dry. I returned my first two pairs due to this, but the third pair had the same problem, so I gave up. In my experience, these boots are unsuitable for environments where stepping into deeper water or snow is unavoidable, as they take up to three days to dry fully once soaked.

Conclusion:
While the Lowa Z-8N boots excel in fit, comfort, and ankle support, their lack of traction on snow and poor water resistance limit their usefulness in certain conditions. They’re great for dry environments or moderate use, but not ideal for winter or wet conditions.

I don't want to keep buying cylinders. So what are the longest lasting/safest/thickest refillable propane cylinders?

I am looking for an entry level/budget tent to use to camp in the snow. I live in Richmond, VA and want to came when it snows but I’m not sure what a good budget friendly/entry level 4 person tent would be. I’m 6’4” and 300lbs and I’m more comfortable in a 4 person tent. What are y’all’s suggestions?

was looking for a waterproof packable jacket that could also keep me warm and i stumbled upon this jacket. it says its 10000mm waterproof but i dont see them say it has any membrane. does anyone have experience with this model? or does someone have a better recommendation??

My dad has a 533, it was some how leaking raw liquid gas, so we took it apart , and cleaned the generator with carb cleaner and let it evaporate,

Poured the old fuel out and put in some fresh clean real branded Coleman fuel.

And it still leaks pure fuel, out of the bottom. We’re not sure what else to check. Any tips would be cool for us. Thank you

They're upwards of $15-30 for a Buff gaitor on Amazon. I am just looking for something that protects from the sun for cool weather and keeps dust out, but is also breathable. Is it worth buying a Buff gaitor if so, which would you recommend? Or is there a cheaper knockoff on Amazon? Thanks in advance!

I am going to South America for 3 months, going through areas both cold snowy and with rainfall like Patagonia then up to areas like the Atacama desert (hot) and further on to the Amazon Rainforest (humid).

Im am unsure on whether to buy Gortex/Waterproof walking boots or not as they may be invaluable in Patagonia but a pain further on in my trip. I wont be able to bring more than one type of walking boot.

What is your opinion? and What would you do?

edit: March and April in Patagonia, End of April-Atacama, May- Peru and Amazon

Im looking for an alternative to Hilleberg Keron 4 GT Do anyone here have a good alternative that is like half the price or even better less? We need to fit a 60inch/152cm wide pad inside the rent.

I've been watching review videos mostly... mainly from the channel Camping Guidance (great YouTube channel).

I've ended up really liking the Gazelle T4. The only problem is when stored in-bag it's 68" long. This is way too long to fit into my sedan.. whether it's back seats or trunk (seats do not fold down and there is no passthrough large enough for this bag).

So is there something else similar which packs smaller?

I haven't used a tent since the 2000s. I've never owned one of my own.

The main needs are:

1. Easy & fast setup and disassembly (hub systems look really cool)
2. Does a good job withstanding rain/wind (I don't mind applying sealant if needed)
3. Tall enough inside to support a 6 foot 3 person standing up (preferrably with shoes on)
4. I want enough room for a wide sleeping pad, a large duffel bag, and a few other things like a helmet and a 36" x 11" x 5" box. It's only for one person, but having room for 1-2 plus a few items is what I'm looking for.
5. Ventilation is important because it's the south and humidity/temps can be rough.

I intend on using this when it's dry, but being in Arkansas (well, I'd primarily and at first use it in Oklahoma but I assume it's the same story there) it could hit heavy rain and/or wind sometimes. I wouldn't mind something cheaper than the gazelle, too.. as I am actually trying to buy a lot of things right now to start being able to camp.

All the different shoes I have researched seem to have so many reviews talking about how bad they are, and that the soles fall off or the waterproofing fails. For example the Merrell MOAB 3 GTX Mid, some say they are very good, other say they are terrible.

Any shoes that seem to actually be decent around the $150 price point?

Self Explanatory, looking for a genesis basecamp system but don't feel like paying out the nose for it if I don't have to. Do they ever offer sales, or is there a reputable alternative that anyone could suggest? I'm upgrading what's left of my old camping/backpacking gear and cook systems are one of the last things on my list.

I'm trying to decide between the Patagonia Down Sweater Hoody and the REI Co-op 650 Down Jacket. I know the Patagonia one is pretty expensive compared to the REI jacket, so I’m curious if the extra cost is really worth it.

For those who have tried either or both, what are the pros and cons? How do they compare in terms of warmth, durability, and packability? Does the Patagonia justify the price tag, or is the REI one a solid option for the value?

Also, has anyone been able to score either of these jackets on sale recently? Would love to know about any deals if they’re out there.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

P.S. I live in Atlanta, so it's not crazy cold all winter, however it does get pretty frigid for a few weeks. I'd also be using this during travel to colder places.

Hi guys,

I’m currently getting ready for a winter hike, and while packing my water badder I noticed that there is a tiny amount of excess water that was left in the straw part. It’s tap water (safe here in Scotland), and it’s from the summer.

Initially I couldn’t get any water to run through it, so I sucked the little water out, spit it out and rinsed my mouth. Once I got it working, I flushed the bladder out fully, then finally I filled it back up to store in the freezer.

I don’t think that I will have enough time before I have to go on my hike for it to fully freeze, but I’m hoping it will do something?

Anyways, it was a small amount of water, and I’m hoping this protocol is safe?

I do motorcycle camping. So while volume is a concern weight is not. I used to be in boy scouts and I know that blow up sleeping pads tend to pop eventually. I have have used mostly fome ones for a long time but I wanna switch to blow up because of volume. Is there any heavy duty but not over sized sleeping pads?

Ones in Walmart are 18 bucks plus. Any cheaper ones you know of?

Hi, so not sure if you all can help. I’m looking for a cot. I’m 6’6” and I have very broad shoulders.

I tried a tall one I found at Walmart, but it’s too narrow. If I lay on my back, my shoulders hang over the side. If I try to lay on my stomach I have the same issue.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-Adult-Camp-Cot-Green-80-2-inches-x-30-2-inches-x-23-5-inches/844752648

I see that Coleman used to make a “big n tall” cot, but it looks like it is discontinued.

Additionally, I have a hell of a problem with my shoulders if I try to sleep on my side. My shoulders just start hurting and I spent the whole night flipping over every 45 minutes because my shoulders hurt. I have some rotator cuff issues, so this isn’t helping. Any ideas? I tried a self-inflating mat, but I’m think of just going full-foam. But I need something thick

TLDR - hours of research looking for a 2-2.5" slim stainless water bottle and I'm coming up empty.

I need for a small personal item backpack that I also use for camping, short hikes. Normal sized bottles (2.75"+) invade the main compartment way too much.

1. Very slim for fitting easily in the side pocket. Around 2" diameter preferred, 2.5 inches max.
2. Non-plastic. Stainless preferred, but doesn't even need to be insulated
3. Cylyndrical so it can stand up on its own - no memobottles
4. A strap of some kind on the lid for carrying and securing onto the backpack
5. 20oz minimum, totally fine if the bottle is tall and skinny to achieve that

I have looked like a crazy person at this point. Everything I see - Klean Kanteens, Hydroflask trail series, all the other big brands and lots of the not so popular ones like Primus, Miir, Purist, etc - everything "seem" slim and narrow, but everything I found found is 2.75" or bigger or just the super skinny/small pockets stuff that is like 8 oz.

I'm starting to wonder if I'm gonna have to try re-using a path water bottle and figuring out a strap. I found a 1.8" diameter, 18oz bottle for $1 at walmart, but its plastic. I'm grasping at straws at this stage.

Any help appreciated.

I was sent a Stratos 34 and it's nice but I was looking for a Talon 26 for a week of day hiking internationally. This is my first hiking specific backpack.

For those more familiar with hiking backpacks, I was wondering what your opinion on the bags were and if I should just keep the larger bag instead of asking for the correct bag.

Thank you in advance!

I have two Nemo Stargaze chairs which Nemo replaced with new chairs under their lifetime warranty. The Fabric on the original chairs had issues. They told me to keep the frames and to recycle them, but it seems very wasteful. Does anyone have any interesting ideas on how to repurpose these? Does anyone need these frames? (Whatever I do with them I will be removing the serial number stickers).

Most of the cheap stuff on Amazon is 'fake' USB-C, that only charges with an A-to-C cable (rather than either A-to-C or C-to-C), and can't charge other things out of it's USBC port.

Also that's at least the size of a can of parmesan cheese, not a 'glow in the dark small rock'.

Other than buying and returning stuff until I find one that did the right thing with their USBC circuitry, what options do I have....

Hi everybody,

First post here, sorry for formatting if it’s incorrect.

I bought this canteen at Jotex Army Surplus in Vienna as a souvenir I’d use as a water bottle. Thing is, when I came back to my country I found this tiny hole which leaks water.

Is there any way to fix this?

This “metal” doesn’t look like a regular China Aluminium canteen, it feels more like steel/metal whatever.

Anyone faced this? Please help.