hwyhobo

Thanks for a lot of good info. I don't think it's an overkill. While I am very happy with the boots I have, I will need to look for another pair in the future, and I want to buy something that will serve me well for years, so knowledge will help.

I wish you could have included some pictures. I think quite a bit of it went right over my head. Perhaps you have links to pages that explain some of the things you mentioned?

I've looked at some of their boots online. Are these off the shelf, or did you have them made to measure? I also wear 3.5 lb leather boots (from Merrell) and would never consider any other style - they're heaven. However, Merrell doesn't make them anymore, so one day I may have to look around again - hence my question.

Some people like to go from one extreme to another, each time believing they found a true religion. which they then preach to others convinced that if you're not a member of the same church, you must be insane.

That is one thing I cannot understand about some much more expensive headlamps - the lack of red light. Why wouldn't you want to have it?

You may have noticed I was replying to someone else who specifically talked about helping someone caught in barbed wire. And no, I do not worry about getting entangled in barbed wire on the trail. To be honest, I am not sure I can imagine a situation in which that would be a worry for me. But, since you're saying this is a concern for you, then by all means, you should have an appropriate tool with you.

Has this happened ever to you on a hike? I come across barbed wire all the time. My question was, what was the last time you saw a person or an animal trapped in barbed wire on a hike?

Has this happened ever to you on a hike? That's slightly different. Emergency blankets are for protection from cold, which is a regular, common threat if you stay in the woods overnight. Flashlights help with darkness (which happens every night). People trapped in barbed wire, on a trail? I don't know... In other words, I would look into solving 95% of possible threats, not the 0.05%. If you wanted to cover all of the esoteric ones, you would run out of storage space in the backpack. Unless you just want to buy a multi-tool, and you're looking for an excuse to get it. That, of course, is a fine reason.

I gotta look around on the trail so I don't run into CurmudgeonlyGal head on as I do on the forum. But, it seems once again, GMTA.

I will answer this seriously. If you are thinking of cutting wood during a day hike, I assume you are talking about emergency overnight stay. You want to cut branches for emergency fires with the saw in a multi-tool? Break one off, then break it into pieces (and first try to just pick up enough dry, dead wood). By the time you are done cutting one into nice pieces, you will be sweating and will have spent too much energy. It's an emergency, not woodwork. Whose barbed wire are you intending to cut? Are you planning on invading someone's private property during a day hike and just cut your way through it? You're not intending on following trails? I am not trying to be overly harsh, just realistic about a need for some of those toys you will never use. What else is there in the multi-tool that you think you cannot live without? Throw it at me and let's talk.

How long a trip? Day hike? Weekend? Longer? In what terrain?

Unfortunately, boot makers have an annoying tendency to discontinue and replace their models with new, "improved" ones. The ones I have are no longer made by Merrell. I can only hope that the new one is as good as the previous one. Oh, to the list above I would also add Limmer & Sons. Never used their boots but heard many good things about them.

Like others said, it's individual, and it also depends on where you hike and how you hike. I like heavy leather boots with reasonably stiff sole. Merrells are my favorite, but I am open to other brands similar in style, as long as it's one piece of leather (no fancy stitching up front, just more places to cut your feet and to leak water).

Check this article.

Okay, I will have to think of better phrasing next time.

Perhaps it has a sociological or anthropological value. However, when it is done in a public park, for which I and others pay our taxes to keep it in pristine condition, I would still like to shove their spray cans up their posteriors and chase them naked through manzanita forests. When they get home, they can spray paint the interiors of their homes to their hearts' delight. They can even mark their territory by urinating in the corners, and then they can wallow in it. Long time ago I used to work in projects. The picture I am painting is actually fairly common, and I don't care how much it offends a few bleeding hearts. I don't want that in a public park.

You're not defending graffiti? Could have fooled me. So, what exactly are you saying? Answer me this: Do you want to allow people spray paint rocks in public parks? Yes or no. No meandering.

A man after my own heart.

No, the differences are at least two: 1. The art you showed was done by men living in that cavern. The hooligans do not live in that cavern. 2. The ancient cave art was just that - art - an expression of fears and joys and perhaps even storytelling of everyday life. Graffiti as we see it in parks is like urinating by animals to mark territory. There is no other purpose to it. So, a hooligan goes to a park owned by the public and urinates (but in a much more permanent way) all over the place. And you want to call it art? What is wrong with people that they want to justify vandalism? Don't our cities already look like garbage dumps? You want our parks to look the same?

You really fail to see the difference?

Alas, the last time I went to Summit Rock (off Hwy 35, SF Bay Area), it was completely covered in graffiti. It takes anywhere from 25 min to 45 min to get there, depending on where you park (there is no easy parking at the shorter route). I don't see it as art or any kind or a potential future historic find. I see it as vandalism and would like it to be treated as such by park authorities.

Mine hasn't arrived yet. I thought I read 4 AA, I may have been wrong. I can't comprehend the idea of using odd number (larger than 1) of batteries. It is dumb. AA is still better than AAA.

Where do I sign up?

I decided to get Myo XP because I want the diffuser option. I have the Energizer he talks about, and while the light is strong, it is narrow angle, and I get tired of regularly panning my head just to get a decent view of my surroundings. I didn't see enough difference in the angle of the light beam between the Energizer and the Tikka. As for the longevity of the batteries, I do not make it a habit of hiking repeatedly in the dark, so 150 hours vs. 70 hours doesn't mean anything to me. Once thing I would like though is red color diffuser in addition to the white one. For night hiking in easy terrain it helps you maintain night vision, and it also has another benefit - eyes in the dark immediately catch your attention when they glow red against black background, but easily escape detection when they are whitish against dark grey background . Oh, one more item (may not be important to others) - I hate AAA batteries. And of course, the Tikka (like the Energizer) uses three of them . Have you ever seen AAA batteries sold in a package of three? Either Alkaline or rechargeable? Nothing else I have uses AAA, and I keep losing the fourth one. Aarrgghh. Myo XP uses four AA.

This website gives good visual comparison of various lamps. It sure helped me decide which one to buy next.