Salomon Boots: A Gear Review

I recently exchanged my Vasque Breeze 2.0 hiking boots for a pair of Salomon Quest 4D II GTX hiking boots.  You can read about my initial thoughts on them here.  Since getting this pair of boots, my cousin also decided to replace her Vasque hiking boots  (Of course her Vasque boots are 24 years old-seriously, I'm not joking).  She had been checking out the same Salomon boots, and long story short, she ordered a pair as well.  When she tried them on, she had the same initial thoughts that I did.  The boots seem to "hike for you" (like the magic dancing shoes Porky Pig had to wear for stealing leprechaun gold).  Seriously, the boot moves so well when you walk, it feels like they are rocking your foot forward.  They are also very cushy and feel closer to a sneaker than a boot.
This past weekend, we went for a test hike on the Appalachian Trail.  We hiked nearly 6 miles and had zero complaints.  The couple of little problems I had were due to trying out sock liners for the first time and not from the boot.  I was extremely grateful for the hiker ankle support on this boot compared to my former pair.  Several time I turned my ankle on rocks in the trail, and I never had an issue with injury.  And speaking of injury, I have a bad ankle from a nasty sprain several years ago.  Walking or standing for long periods tends to make it ache really bad.  I had no problems with it whatsoever on this hike, and I should have had problems.  I'm certain the added support helped hold that joint stable and gave it significant support.
According to the sales associate at REI, this boot is popular with the police and military.  It's also an actual backpacking boot, meaning that the sole is sturdy enough to protect your feet while carrying the additional weight of a full pack (regular hiking boots don't always offer the same protection for backpacking). These boots have also been very easy to break-in.  This was mentioned to me when I purchased mine, but I wasn't willing to believe it.  I've only really worn them on 2 trips that involved all day hiking on the trail and both times I was good.  I haven't experienced any blisters or hot spots.  The most annoying thing (and it isn't really that annoying at all) was getting used to having a higher ankle.
So far my cousin and I both are pleased with our choice 

A Good Night's Sleep

On the backpacking trip attempt last October, I took my son's sleeping bag.  Mine was too heavy and didn't fit into the compression sack I had purchased.  Though I tried the sleeping bag out for size to see if I fit in the youth bag, I didn't really try it to see if I could really hunker down in the bag (You know, in case I needed to be comfortable outdoors in a Nor'easter).  Surprise! I couldn't really snuggle into the bag, and I was cold the whole night.  So with the REI member dividend, the first thing I wanted to purchase was a new sleeping bag.
I settled on a Kelty Cosmic Down 20.  I wasn't really looking to get a down bag.  I have this fear of it getting wet and losing its ability to keep me warm.  But this down is treated and is called DriDown.  DriDown stays dry 10 times longer than traditional untreated down, it retains 2.7 times more loft when exposed to moisture and humidity than untreated down and it dries 33% faster than untreated down.  And don't worry about the treatment of the down, the whole process and the treatment were rated non hazardous to human health, safety and the environment from an unbiased 3rd party internationally recognized agency.  Originally I was going to get the women's bag.  But it's a pinkish color.  Let me stop here a moment to ask, why do all companies think women's stuff has to be pink? I hate pink.  I think pink for a sleeping bag is stupid- unless it also has a Disney Princess on it and is sold to a 4 year old.  Seriously, why would any outdoor gear manufacturer think that "Hey women who use this stuff want pink"? 
Anyway, back to my bag.  I checked out the men's version of the bag (in a nice blue color I might add) and found they made a men's short bag.  It saved about 3 ounces of weight compared to the women's bag (and it wasn't pink).  I compared the length (66") to other sleeping bags and found it was comparable to some of the women's bags, so I ordered it.
The bag arrived yesterday, and I immediately took it out to try it on for size.  Definitely enough room to hunker down in, and definitely warm enough.  I was sweating after only a few minutes.

All that is left to do is figure out the food (going with the ease of some Mountain House meals I think), the clothes (waiting to see what the weather will bring) and exchange a leaky sleeping pad and too big compression sack at REI (darn I so hate going to REI....).  That just leaves working on my endurance and planning a test run with the tent and new Tyvek footprint before we go.

New Kicks

After trying different tying methods, 

I finally came to the conclusion that my hiking boots just didn't fit right.

(You can read about the beginning of the boot saga here)

So I headed to REI.

Let me just say how awesome REI is.

I know they're expensive, but this is one instance of getting what you pay for.

By being a member (that is a one time charge of $20 for life),

you get the privilege of a 1 year return policy.

That means, you can buy something, use it, and if it isn't working for you, you can bring it back.

So, despite he guilt of wearing the boots for nearly a year, 

I returned them.

I then went about trying on several different kinds.

I tried the same boot I had in a different size, I tried Keens, Salomons, Vasques and who knows what else.

None felt right.

Finally, discussing the issues with the sales associate, 

he suggested I try the Salomon Quest 4D II GTX as they have a narrower heel cup

and that seemed to be part of my problem-

I have narrow heels

(I have duck feet, narrow in back, wide in front).

They were, of course, $70 more than the pair I was returning.

I wasn't going to try them on because I wasn't planning on spending any more money

(other than maybe $10-$20).

But my mom said to try them, 

and my husband said to see how they fit.

Of course, they fit perfectly.

My toe does not slide forward at all.

and when I lace them one of the fancy ways, 

my foot doesn't even budge a millimeter. 

I'm lucky I have such a great husband who said to go ahead and spend the extra money.

I love them!

They have excellent ankle support which I need because of a bum ankle.

And I can attest to the waterproof ability.

I wore them to go take care of my chickens

and proceeded to accidentally dump 3 gallons of cold water on them.

I never felt a thing.

I'm pretty sure these new boots will make me hike faster.

What Do You Do WIth a Drunken Sailor?

I received my Frogg Toggs yesterday and was anxious to try them on.  I got the Ultralight 2 and they are very light weight.  And they're very bright yellow.  My cousin has the same ones.  She mentioned we'd look like a couple of fishermen hiking the trail.  So I said we'd just sing some sea shanties.

Everything is coming along good.  I have my Frogg Toggs packed in an easy to get to spot along with my jacket.  The stove, cookset and sleeping pad should arrive by the end of the week.  I'm purchasing the rest of the clothing I need this week/weekend.  Food has been tested out a little and I just need to make a specific list to have it completely organized.  I do need to order another sleeping pad since mine has that leak.  I'm hoping I still have time to order it, otherwise I'll have to pay more to get it from the store. 

Only 10 days!

Gear

Last night 3 of us headed to REI to pick up a couple of things.  My husband was finally going to purchase his pack.  He went with my suggestion of the Osprey Atmos 65L.  It's the same pack my cousin, my mother and I have and we all love it and think it's super comfortable.  The hubby agreed. 
I had my husband try out the sleeping pad I'm going to order for him to make sure he thought it would work.  Last night I also inflated my sleeping pad to make sure that it stays inflated and doesn't have any leaks.  But one issue I didn't think of is that my pad is an extra long and it might not even fit in the tent (oh darn, I might have to get a new one).
Back to the shopping excursion, I also picked up a "Feminine Urination Device" called the Freshette.  Basically, it's something that let's women pee standing up.  I was unsure about getting one or if I needed one, but during our planning meeting, (and after 15 minutes of serious gut busting, tear producing laughter) both my cousin and friend said it's definitely something that is a must.  It just makes things easier.  The Freshette even has hose extensions for those women with hose envy.  Can't beat that.
After getting the back and some socks and some other various things, we headed home.  The peas were done dehydrating so I got some blueberries and apples going.  I have a feeling the dehydrator will be going nonstop for the next week.

Sleeping Bag Saga Solved

All this time that I've been preparing for this backpacking trip, I've been worrying over my sleeping bag.  I have a great bag, but it isn't a backpacking bag and therefore isn't very light.  My husband's bag is rather old and I know (from experience, or rather my cousin's experience camping at the UFO Ranch in Trout Lake, Washington) that sleeping bags loose their effectiveness over time. 











Since we're on a budget, my husband and I didn't really want to purchase new sleeping bags.  So I attempted to see if mine would be compressed small enough to at least fit easily in my pack.  But it didn't fit in the compression sack I purchased. The thoughts of sleeping bags and compression sacks were shelved for a while.  I'd figure it out later. 










So while discussing the issues recently, my 9 year old son suggested my husband use his bag.  I explain that his sleeping bag is a youth size so my husband would never fit.  "So why don't you use it, Mom" was his next suggestion.  So I tried it out.  We won't dwell on the fact that I am short enough to fit into a youth bag.  We will dwell on the fact that I fit, it's lighter than mine AND it fits into the already purchased compression sack.

Only a few other items to work on getting and we'll be set!

It's Here!

When I arrived home from work, my new tent was sitting on the porch waiting for me.  I didn't really have a chance to even open the box because I had to head out to clean out our Cub Scout Pack's camping trailer. 

It was dark by the time I got home, and I immediately opened up the box to check things out.  I was disappointed that it was already late at night and I wasn't able to go outside and set it up.  And they were calling for rain the next day so I wouldn't be able to set it then either.


So I did whatever any crazy camping person would do, I decided to set it up in my bedroom.

The only real negative review on this tent was about the ability to set it up.  They said it was confusing and impossible.  Other reviews contradicted the negative ones explaining it was actually pretty easy.  So I spread it out and put the poles together and made an attempt.  10 minutes later I was nearly in tears and was certain I had made a huge mistake.  Then I looked down and realized that not only were the corner grommet tabs color coded for pole placement, but there were actually color coded lines on the tent showing you where to place the poles.  So I realized I had to flip the poles over and then it took maybe 2 minutes to set it up.  I felt like an idiot, but at least I figured it out.  I haven't had time (or room) to put the rain fly on, but I'm sure it's no problem either. 

My cousin ordered a new tent as well.  She went with a Eureka Spitfire 1 person tent.  And while it appears she took her time and waited to set up her new tent outside, she actually opened the box and set it up in her living room. 

This is the tent my mom is thinking about ordering as well.  My cousin gave it high marks.  She said there was a lot of heavy dew in the morning all over the rainfly, but inside the tent was bone dry.



Now we're hoping we have a chance to test out the tents on an actual camping trip before we hit the trail!

Expectation

Photo from REI

I mentioned in my last post that I went ahead and spontaneously ordered my backpacking tent.  My original game plan was to purchase the REI Half Dome T2 2 person tent.  This decision was based on cost and reviews.  During my last trip to REI, I climbed into the Half Dome tent that was set up on the sales floor.  When I realized just how small the inside was, I became concerned about the ability of my husband and I both to fit inside the tent. The Half Dome T2 Plus which offers more floor space, was heavier, and I was not thrilled about adding any more weight than I absolutely had to.  I liked the Quarter Dome T2Plus, but it was a lot more expensive and more or less out of my price range.

I had received a 25% off coupon for 1 Clearance item.  Last Friday I sat down to use the coupon on a sleeping bag (I'm thinking of getting a new bag that is lighter in weight).  When I clicked on the link to shop Camping Clearance, the first item that popped up was the REI Quarter Dome T2 Plus tent.  With the coupon I ended up paying less for the Quarter Dome than I would have for the smaller Half Dome T2.  And today my lovely new tent is being delivered while I'm at work.  I am anxious to get home and set it up and see how it is.  It's like the expectation you have on Christmas

Trekking Poles or No Trekking Poles

When I began looking into the things I would need for this hike, I was on the fence about trekking poles.  I knew they were a popular accessory, but I wondered how useful they really were.  Honestly, they seemed more like a cool toy than a trail necessity.  Then I began to read about how they can help take some of the stress off your joints- like your knees and hips.  And since I have pretty beat up knees from various horse riding injuries, I figured trekking poles might be worth the try. My brother, who is one of the 7 going on the trip, got me a pair of poles for Christmas.  I began using them right away.  No, really, I used them in the house.
I took them with me on my first hike of the New Year.  I had been pretty sick the night before (and I was still running a low grade fever when I went out on the hike) and I was feeling a bit run down.  The poles were a Godsend on that particular day even though we were hiking a very easy trail.  I also discovered that they are extremely useful in distracting 8 year old boys from whining about how much further and if we're almost done.  And they helped him maintain his balance and gave him confidence in crossing a small stream.  Score one for the poles. 
Since then, I've had them with me on several occasions and they've been used by a few people.  On a winter camping trip with my son's Cub Scout Pack, one parent who had recent arm surgery used one of the poles to help her with balance and keeping her footing (I used the other one for the same reason- ice was everywhere).  I've taken them on each of my hiking trips, and it's true that they help build up your upper body muscles.  Each hike not only are my legs feeling sore, but my arms and shoulder are sore from using the poles- which is a good thing.  The last hike that we went on was closer to the terrain we'll encounter on the AT, meaning it had a few steep inclines.  The poles were a definite benefit in hauling my butt up the hills and took strain off my knees on the downhill.  The trail also had quite a bit of ice covering it so they were again useful in keeping my footing.  I'll definitely be taking them with me on the big trip, and I'm also going to be getting a set for my husband and my 8 year old.  Then maybe I can use both of my poles at the same time instead of sharing.
So, basically I'm saying Yes, trekking poles are definitely worth having on any trail.  They build upper body strength, take strain off joints, help with balance (a plus I'm guessing when carrying a pack), help cross streams and counteract boredom.  And that's just in the winter.  I'm sure they're helpful in the event there might be a snake around, an unleashed dog, a bear, mud, etc.