Halp.. I have an REI giftcard, coupon, and my REI yearly dividen that all expires soon to spend.. I'm planning another trip to Mt. Whitney and not sure what to spend my $$ on..I have: tent, boots, sleeping bag, a nice backpack, knives, food. What should I buy? Help!
pic related, was taken the last time I was there. This time we are going when there is no snow thankfully..
>>724879
>whitney
i know you said you've been before, but do you already have your permit reserved (i ask because it looks like last time you were outside the high season which changes the game), and are you aware they're doing roadwork on whitney portal road and trailhead parking is fucked? and which route are you taking up whitney, how long will you be taking, and how much $ are we talking about?
>mfw $4.49 dividend because fuck spending oney at rei
>mfw i don't have a face because i'm posting from my phone
>>724879
Go wild in the Coghlan's section at REI. Maybe a bladder if your pack has space for it. Sawyer mini, etc.
>>724889
Hey, thanks for the reply! Yeah last time we just did a one day hike. This time we are going to stay at one of the camps over night making it a two day one night trip. Around $150 to $200, I don't mind spending a little over from my own pocket too. We aren't taking the mountaineers route, just the normal one.
We were so ill prepared the first time.. No picks or anything. 5ft of snow at one point, maybe more. Looking back at it, mistakes were made.
>>724897
Solid advice, was looking at that section. I've been looking for 2 days lol..
>>724900
>Looking back at it, mistakes were made
iktfb. when i did it a few years back i went as fast as i could. 14 hours car to car, after coming straight from sea level. altitude fucked me up at 13500' (still made it to the top, just miserable there). next time i'm staying at boyscout lake and climbing the east buttress.
re: you'r money, how's your sleeping pad?
>>724900
You can get a nice sleeping pad (thermarest neo air, etc), compressible/inflatable pillow something like that. Stuff to maximize comfiness.
>>724917
>>724920
Yeah, I got a really nice one from Amazon when it was on sale. ALPS sleeping pad I think is the brand. Self inflate, super lightweight. I made this thread in poor time I must go to work now.. My mistake, will keep this thread open though, hopefully it won't be closed when I get back. Either way, ty everyone, I'll make a new thread later.
I might get some cooking items. I think I could borrow a friends micro grill,. but I'd rather have my own. Might also get this Benchmade 162 Bushcrafter Knife, if I can't find anything useful at REI tomorrow when I go.
Last pic I can find from Whitney.
>>724933
it'll be fine. /out/ threads live untended for 2-4 days.
>>724939
Good to know, thanks, will be back later tonight haha.
>>724933
Get an MSR pocket rocket+fuel canister. Or a jet boil if you want to blow more $$.
>>724946
OP here again. Out of pictures, back from work lol.
I've heard about the MSR, I think I will get this one. Thanks for posting it.
>>724879
you can exchange dividend for cash you just have to ask for it and fill a form iirc.
>>725329
=p really? lol wtf, didn't know that
>>725331
Perhaps buy a balaclava? Some comfy gloves? a Badass headlamp? Maybe stock up on REI dehydrated food to save you that expense? Some cool rope? Tough Carabiners?
Maybe you can buy a cheap bike- or put money towards it? Think about stuff in REI that ISNT for you trip.
You can get a nice set of Binoculars! A camp chair if you dont have one, Maybe a higher quality sleeping bag if you have a meh one
I would buy their sick $150 hatchet. That thing is fucking nice, surely overpriced but real nice.
>>725348
That hatchet is sick, can't justify spending $150+ for it tho.
>>725368
oh, you can buy a quality set of walkie talkies. Might come in handy if you feel like splitting up or emergency shit
>>724879
Zip off Nylon pants, inflatable sleeping pad, wool socks
>>724879
You missed out on the REI garage sale a few weeks back. That was the time to buy all your gear.
>>725726
fuck the garage sale. there is no amount of money i could save that would make that shitshow worth my time.
So I went to REI today with some of the advice that you(everyone) gave me. Ended up buying some IOWA boots that work really well in hot environments, TNF long sleeve to protect from sun burns.. Last time I was there, it was snowing like no other and I left the mountain with some nice farmers tan sun burns lol, ladies loved it.. =p Also picked up the MSR stove/tank + some food supplies. The socks suposidly help with anti-blister, but I bought some blister pads just in case. Might go back for more socks as I have plenty of wool socks, but not that many that help air flow.
>>725833
This. Even the employees convey their disdain for the Garage Sale. It was so much better all around to just stroll into the store and go to the lower level and browse through the daily offerings without being punched in the face from some hipster diving for a broken Suunto.
Sure...I did the Garage Sale when I was younger, but if you didn't pull a number in the lottery that was lower than 150, good luck on finding anything of value to you in your size. People literally run in and grab as much as they can carry, then retreat to an area where they can mull over the sizes to pick out things that will fit them and either leave the stuff they will not buy laying there or just buy the entire arm full to flip it on eBay that weekend.
The Garage Sale is liking the white equivalent of watching a bunch of Basketball Americans at Walmart on Black Friday (minus the stabbings - yet).
>>725893
OP here, glad today wasn't a garage sale day for REI. A year ago they told me about it and they said to expect lines stretching blocks down the road. That sounds horrible lol. As someone else mentioned Time>Money. The only thing I really want is that ice pick that they only made so many of selling at $350. It's pretty cool looking but I doubt it would be offered at the garage sale.
>>725833
Lmao, how bad is it where you live?
I had absolutely no problem getting everything I wanted for 30% of the original cost.
>>725956
south sf bay area. lines are already out of control by 4 am. fuck. that.
>>725966
wew
I live in San Diego and I hope it wont be that bad when I go my first time
Anyone live in California Orange area and go to that one in Tustin? Everyone is pretty cool here, I bet it's crazy AF on the sale days tho.
>>725966
Ah, I live near Raleigh, NC. I was the first one in line when I got to the store at 7 AM.
You should see the garage sales in Washington. I was looking at a pair of boots from across the room, some lady saw that I was eyeing them and just put them in her shopping bag.
As for Op's question I'd say the zippo ax is nice, converts to a saw.
>>726040
that's not too bad. unfortunately our regional competitiveness, one-upmanship, name brand whoring, and profiteering combine to make a stew of unparallelled assholery.
>>725883
>beef stroganoff
this past month my and my girl were exploring areas along the 395 and we decided to try and hike to barney lake just past twin lakes. we are new to hiking in the snow and snow crept in over us on top of high winds, our feet were soaked from not having snowshoes or gaiters. my girl starts to freak out and panic thinking we are going to die because she cant feel her feet, she makes us put the beef stroganoff we just cooked away so we can head back to the car. we bushwacked to avoid the deep snow and when we found the trail and knew we were cool she asks me if i smell something funny. the stroganoff turned over and covered all her stuff in her pack. its smelled absolutely horrible and i ended up having to clean it because she was exhausted when we got back to our cabin. never going to buy that shit again lol
