Originally Posted by Bekologist
do you think, viper, that i don't do the same types of things you do out in the woods, trails and mountains? Duuude...... and what makes you think I don't have a siltarp, an Integral Designs Svarsky ski guides silshelter, a silpyramid and assorted lightweight shelters?
Viperx, I've been sleeping in snowbanks for nearly 30 years now. I honed my teeth on long wilderness trips in winter before I was a teenager. I've served on a mountain rescue team, volunteer with the rangers on Mount Rainier in the winter, tested gear for MSR, I founded a climber's festival, I worked for Marmot, making plans with Fred Beckey to go skiing this weekend....
I go out and find goretex is not the golden fleece, it does not breathe enough for active sports. You are still convinced goretex is the greatest thing for outdoor sports since synthetic fabrics were invented, and I soundly disagree. I think people that still wear a lot of Gore (and laud it) as being stuck with 20th century fabric technologies.
Here's an anecdote I've seen repeated in high mountain terrain, in full conditions, both as a member of a Mountain Rescue Team, and as a backcountry ski patroller on Rainier.
ME: Wool, softshells. OTHER TEAM MEMBERS: Traditional synthetic layers, goretex shells.
REPEATEDLY, I have been out all day on searches or patrols, and once the team stops, the people in Goretex and synthetics immediately experience evaporative cooling and begin to suffer miserably once stopped. Me, in wool and softshells, am dry and comfortable. Little to no evaporative cooling.
WHY? Because by NOT WEARING A GORETEX SHELL, I've avoided building up a layer of sweat inside my clothes. Goretex is a sweatbox during activity.
I could care less about your muddy feet. you taking pictures of them shows you must be amused by the novelty of it all. Personally, I could care less.
I've been dirtbagging it out in the woods for most of my life. Someone that thinks goretex is the greatest thing since sliced bread is obviously a tenderfoot. I KNOW the limitations and poor performance characteristics of wearing goretex as your outer layers.
think about this word too - its a case of greenhorn Goretex love.
You can delude yourself all you want, ViperZ, but you can't fool a bonifide dirtbag. I had a Bibler toddtex tent for years, replaced it with an Epic canopied tent. I'm am suitably impressed by it. and it ISN'T WATERPROOF.
Even your tents you've mentioned are pigs. Heavy tents, bro. I last carried a VE-25 when it was still the VE-24 with the snow tunnels. That's too heavy of a tent for everything short of a winter himalyan expedition. You brought one to hike the beaches on the West Coast Trail. (hahahaha) And the Big Dipper? You actually backpack with that thing?
There are MUCH better fabrics for your everyday wear and weather than Goretex.
Wow, no need to get all snotty, with hate... Did I hit a nerve or something?
You're still not pissed about how badly you were shown the door on the Tinkerbell HID/ LED thread are you? Let it go man, go outdoors and relax.... Arguing on the Internet isn't worth it.
I think nothing of the sort, I'm sure you have experience, however your experience does not mesh with mine. So what? You want to pin me down and have me say you're right, even though I think differently and I know what works for me? If you were really experienced as you say you are, you should realise different things work for different people, depending on the situation and many other factors.
I have submitted goretex can be over kill for cycling, however I have also submitted that it works for the situations I used it in.
I'm not trying to fool you, or convert you, just telling you my experiences. Regardless of what you say, to me, you are wrong when it comes to my experiences. As I may be wrong when it come to you and your experiences.
As to the muddy feet, just showing how those Short gaiters you say are better than Crocodiles would not have worked as well in that situation. In a different situation, the shoties will have their day, just nothing I have done recently.
The Big Dipper, actually we bought it for car camping, but we have backpacked it. One time 3 of us headed out winter camping in the Rockies and we split the tent between the 3 of us. It was lighter than carrying 2 smaller tents.
The tent on the beach is actually an Expedition 25, it was the smallest tent I had at the time, but it kept us dry and comfortable. I bought it for winter ski camping.
It's seems a pissing match is all your looking for.... Simmer down, that's not what this is all about, I respect your opinions even if they don't apply to me.