Today is a milestone. It is my 35th wedding anniversary. But today was also my first trip to my local REI! Okay, full disclosure: my wife had to work today until 8pm and it’s raining; so, it was a good day to explore. We'll share a little celebration when she gets home later tonight.
At REI, I had the goal of looking at day packs – I want to get a new one before our upcoming trip to Spain and Greece. My Eastern Mountain Sports 4WJive day pack is probably 20 years old and has been my steady EDC bag; it’s still as solid as ever, but I really want to get an Osprey pack to start looking at that line’s quality. And I did buy a pack: Osprey Ozone Duplex 65 Travel Pack; this interesting design combines a day pack with a carry-on duffel (see below). I was immediately curious when I came across this pack by chance; I had never seen it online during my virtual explorations. It felt great in the store; we’ll see how it does in a field test traveling to Europe. The day pack will even get a chance to support a hike up a portion of Mount Olympus. I also took the opportunity to look at the Osprey Exos 58; this remains my prospective choice of a pack – I liked the look and feel of this pack. Additionally, I looked at the Osprey Kestrel 38 as a potential day/overnight pack; I liked this one as well and I will likely purchase the Kestrel sooner rather than later for potential short hikes with my son and grandson. I also bought a pair of Columbia Silver Ridge Convertible Pants; these are my choice for the thru-hike prospectus. I tried on REI’s Sahara Convertible Pants; didn’t quite like the fit, especially in the waist. I also tried KUHL Renegade Convertible Pants; nice fit, but the 30” inseam was actually longer and would drag on the ground. So, my online research has been confirmed by in-store fittings; plus, Columbia’s pants are the lowest price point at $60 and even come with a belt. And only weigh 12oz; another plus for these pants. These will also get an initial test on the Spain/Greece trip. Finally, I tried on some shoes: both the Salomon XA Pro 3D Trail-Running Shoes and the Merrell Moab Ventilator 2.0 hiking shoes; a pair of these will also make the Spain/Greece trip. I really liked the fit/feel of the Salomon shoes; but I am not so sure about the look for a European vacation. (I know that “look” really shouldn’t be a criterion and it won’t be when it comes to thru-hike purchases.) The Merrell’s have a great look, but the fit/feel as a bit stiff and chunky. I really doubt these are the shoes for a thru-hike; so, I am wondering if they are even worth a preliminary field test. My online prospectus research actually pointed to the Salomon X Ultra 3 hiking shoes, but my local REI didn’t have these in stock. So, I am still undecided about a shoe purchase for the trip. A final note: I’ve been testing out Darn Tough socks – a couple pairs will make the Europe trip. First up are the CoolMax 1/4 Ultra-light Cushion running sock; I like these, they feel great in my standard running shoe (Asics Gel Nimbus) and felt good trying on shoes at REI. But ultimately, these won’t be my thru-hike socks. My online prospectus suggests CoolMax Hiker Micro Crew Cushion, but these will need a serious hiking field test. In the meantime, I picked up a pair of Merino Wool Hiker 1/4 Cushion socks; it will come down to these and the CoolMax hiker socks. Now, my bride will be home soon; time to make sure the champagne is chilled.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Quiet Man
I don't have a bucket list. At 61 years old, I have already had the adventures of a lifetime, especially after a 30-year Army career, five years of teaching high school, and a 37 year marriage still going strong. But I still have this deep desire to complete the Appalachian Trial. Archives
February 2022
Categories |