I couldn't figure out why I was slipping all over Franconia Ridge until I realized the tread on my beat-up pair was basically bald after 4 years of weekend hikes, and the new pair with Vibram soles grabbed that wet rock like glue on the first try.
I always put the heavy stuff at the bottom because it felt more stable, but after a 12-mile hike in the Cascades last weekend my shoulders were killing me and a random thru-hiker pointed out my center of gravity was off. Has anyone else had that lightbulb moment where you realized you'd been doing something basic backwards the whole time?
I was getting my gear sorted at the Pine Creek trailhead Saturday morning and this older dude was telling a ranger his car got trashed overnight. Said a bear popped his back window open just by leaning on it, smelled a granola bar wrapper under the seat. The ranger told him bears in that area have learned how to open doors that aren't fully locked. Has anyone else upped their car security at trailheads or am I being paranoid?
I bought this no-name 50 liter pack for a trip to the Smokies last fall. Thought I was saving money but the hip strap snapped on day two and the zipper jammed with my gear inside. Ended up buying a used Osprey from a gear shop in Gatlinburg for $80 that actually works. Anyone else get burned by bargain outdoor gear online?