(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best sports & outdoors

Duluth is an absolute mecca for outdoor winter sports. Gear up properly and you'll love your life in the 8 months of the Northland's winter!

If you're getting outside a lot in Eau Claire, you'll do fine in Duluth. If you plan on spending significantly more time outdoors in Duluth, then that's another story. Depending on where you live in town, you'll have different levels of need for snow tires; either way I'd strongly recommend them. PM me - I'm selling a set of snow tires in great condition over on the Online Rummage Sale for Duluth/Superior facebook group.

• Thermal regulation is the name of the game. Not enough protection and you're cold. Once you're cold, you're done. Too many layers and you start to sweat. If you can't wick the sweat away or stop overheating, you're done
  
  
• Cotton kills. You need 100% wool/poly/synthetic layers. Cotton absorbs moisture from your sweat, then freezes or just becomes a frigid sopping sponge against your skin
  
  
• Layer selection is important. Something like a North Face Thermoball is great as a mid-layer under a parka for those insanely cold days. I have a SmartWool Marino wool base layer that was expensive but it was essential for keeping me warm and dry. Otherwise, synthetic long sleeve Under Armor kinds of shirts are perfect base layers.
  
  
• Jeans are great at breaking wind and worked pretty well for me as a mid-layer. I usually just used synthetic long-johns to take care of wicking water from my skin. Roll both legs of the jeans up your shin to make room for boots and to keep the bottoms away from the snow or they will just get sopping wet. It's added warmth for your shins too. I'd finish off with a pair of snow pants that can go on and off easily
  
  
• I used solid boots that were comfortable and insulated, with 1-2 pairs of various smartwool/puffy wool socks. Don't over-do it with socks. If your boot is too tight, it'll cut circulation to your toes and then you'll be cold. That's a delicate balance between "it's literally too damn cold out" and "I don't have circulation and I feel like it's too damn cold out."
  
  
• A solid parka that goes below your butt is ideal. I got my North Face parka for around $300 and it was an excellent investment
  
  
• Consider a shell that can break the wind. If you're hiking in Lester/Chester/Munger/etc. it won't be too windy; and if you're geared up properly those super cold temps are really a cake walk
  
  
• Ice chains were important for my wife and myself. ICEtrekkers' Diamond Grip were my favorite. They really bite into glare ice where as coiled wire like basic Yak Trax were more slippery
  
  
• I have a stack of the cheapest bandannas I could find in every color and pattern available. They're usually on sale for a buck each. The problem is that they're cotton, so my breath would condense on them quickly and they would freeze solid within 10-15 minutes, but the point is to keep the wind off of your mouth and cheeks. Even when frozen, they worked very well, and at 32° it was easily 30-50° warmer than the ambient air temps! I usually had 2-3 on me at all times for face protection and to wipe my nose/forehead (in case I started sweating) and I was very happy with them considering how cheap they were. Wash them once or twice before you use them to soften them up. I'd be interested in seeing other options for face covering.
  
  
• Nothing beats a nice long wool knit scarf. Wrap it straight around your face and lay the tails flat against your chest or back for another insulating layer, or tie it in various ways for style and function around town
  
  
• Sunglasses are a must to keep sleet and ice out of my eyes. Consider a set of very lightly tinted shades for evening/dark walking. There was nothing worse than hiking at night when it was sleeting. I've been told snowboarding goggles were lame, but ya know, Lake Superior is fierce before it freezes over. Ha. I would snowbaord all the time with amber tinted wrap-around shades that were snug to my head, and I'd hike with light Wayfarer-style frames
  
  
• Finally, gloves are a real mystery to me. I'm not down with leather/animal skin, but it may be the only option to cut wind, and insulate the most efficiently. I usually used a thin woven wool base layer to wick sweat, a medium sized glove liner that usually comes with a decent set of gloves, and the thickest, heartiest, most beefy damn glove you can find. Pro tip: Make sure ALL gloves work with smartphones (capacitive touch). Never take a glove off to do something because you will never regain that heat without going inside
  
  
• Just get a case of hand warmers. They're good in your gloves; next to your Achilles tendon in your boots; and against your camera or smartphone to keep those batteries running longer
  
  FIY: I spent 3 years in Duluth as a Floridian with no experience with real winter. Gear up properly and you'll be outside all winter long! It's expensive, but it's TOTALLY worth the investment. Otherwise you'll be cold and miserable; and that is one hella long-ass winter.

Don't worry about the helmet. None are really safer than others, just lighter and stylish.

You don't mention maintenance. You'll want to start cleaning your chain really regularly. Keep it clean and lubricated and it'll last FAR longer for you. You'll probably need a new chain each year too.

You might already know all about bike maintenance, but if not, get a good thick guide like Zinn's guide to bike maintenance, and start reading. Also watch YouTube videos before you try something the first time -- it'll save you tons of pain and money!

The backpack is fine, it'll just make your back really sweaty. Panniers will fix that, not just a rack (that can work though, just get some bungee cords). Panniers and a well designed bag can be great. I have this, and it's very functional, although I hesitate to recommend it as I haven't tried any others for comparison. It clips into a rack by the same manufacturer making it trivial to hold it down.

Topeak Velcro Strap Version Dxp Trunk Bag with Rigid Molded Panels https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004WSLT2O/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_yxC9wb6QSPKM2

Pack a multi tool and probably two spare tubes. Patches are great, but they can't fix everything. I'd also suggest having a plan for a taxi or uber ride. You won't need it, but if you have a flat just before an important meeting, it's good to have a plan in advance.

I'd plan to ride heavy, so light weight upgrades won't help much (losing weight will help way more than any upgrade). The best upgrade you can do is probably puncture resistant tires. $100 will get you a great set that will save you dozens of flats. I love continental gatorskins or continental 4 season tires, but you'll have to do your own research.

You can get great gravel tires that run fine on asphalt in case some light off roading can save you some time.

Finally get lights for night riding. Get a rear red light that has a mode that's on all the time and still flashes brighter. Then people won't lose your position with the strobing, but it'll still grab their attention so you don't get hit by a texting driver. I really like this one, but there are dozens of decent choices.

Cygolite Hotshot 2-Watt USB Rechargeable Taillight with USB Cable https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005DVA57Y/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_GQC9wbAKFWJVD

The front light is critical so you can see at night. I love the light and motion lights. The more expensive versions are really bright for off road riding, but they also give you far more than an hour with the same brightness as cheaper versions. I suggest this one, but as always, it's a pretty personal choice.

Light and Motion Urban 650 Headlight (Silver Moon) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KAPC2FG/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_IIC9wb7D5E8M1


In order of what I'd purchase first:

Brushes, degreaser and lubricant for the chain if you don't have it.

Rear light for safety.

Front light if you will ever ride at night.

Better tires.

Tools to cover more regular maintenance.

Panniers

Steel is steel mate. You can go with the expensive stuff, or with the cheap stuff - We're talking expensive at several hundred and cheap as under 20-50. I've seen 20 dollars knives made just as well as the 600 dollar knives, they just dont have the name brand. It's a chunk of steel, treated so it stands up to specific conditions and holds an edge better. It looks to be full tang - not sure what is up with the holes in the blade, or the design near the MT-5 logo. I found pictures online, looks like the steel comes out a bunch there? No idea what this design is or what purpose it could have - looks sketchy. And the holes in the blade...I mean I've seen the 5 dollar walmart knives with holes so you can create a makeshift spear but..Other then that, no idea why they are on this knife, and they cause more harm then good. You can use it for basic bushcrafting tasks but I'd be careful batoning, I've personally never heard of the brand - it could be name brand and be great, but it has some weird designs.

​

Really, steel is steel - all the fancy features cause more harm than good.

https://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Companion-Stainless-4-1-Inch-Military/dp/B004ZAIXSC/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=morakniv&qid=1571462370&s=sporting-goods&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&sr=1-4

That is a 12 dollar knife, and you really won't ever need more, but there are better options. The 12 dollar knife has a thinner blade and isn't suitable to as heavy duty work, but is a great beater knife for doing anything.

https://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Bushcraft-Survival-Starter-4-3-Inch/dp/B00BFI8TOA/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=morakniv&qid=1571462370&s=sporting-goods&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&sr=1-7

And their top of the line knives are

https://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Garberg-Carbon-Leather-Sheath/dp/B07B8SP4G9/ref=sr_1_10?dchild=1&keywords=morakniv&qid=1571462370&s=sporting-goods&sr=1-10

https://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-M-12642-Stainless-Compatible-4-3-inch/dp/B01I1GITMA/ref=sr_1_12?dchild=1&keywords=morakniv&qid=1571462370&s=sporting-goods&sr=1-12

There's a carbon version and stainless steel version. I'm gonna be honest...for the most part, they all do the same thing, but people want different things and fancier things - the garberg is the only full tang out of the bunch, but even their half tang knives are bulletproof, they hold up incredibly well and I've batoned with him countless times without issue. Mora, IMO makes the best knives - I have several other brands, and there are some I like better for ergonomics - but that's not the point, the point is any knife will work, steel is steel. Just find what you think looks and feels good, learn how to sharpen it and what you like, it depends on the what materials/types of trees you are working with, and what type of work you do. I prefer convex and Scandinavian grind (V Grind) knives, the Cudeman MT-5 looks to be a full flat grind - which I mean..AFIAK is mostly used in like chef knives and stuff, it's incredibly sharp but it's not durable, hitting hard objects is gonna cause knicks and it's gonna be brittle. This is all from experience, it's not like im an expert - but to be fair, I'd just keep trying different ones and see how you like it, but I wouldn't go spending crazy money, the $300 knives you see all the fancy bushcrafters use...these are what I call wall knives..They use them in the videos cause they look good but most people would just keep them at home and keep using their beater knives, because we are hard on our equipment and honestly, they work just as wall, all the fancy scalings and what not make them expensive, but they don't make them better.

TL;DR: Steel is steel. Get a cheap knife, in a better grind suited for the work your doing. All depends on what work you do, and what tress you have, soft woods, hard woods ETC.

​

Edit: Definately don't have to go with Mora, I've just always used them and they've done me well.

I don't think it is necessary to give a gift card for a lowkey care package, but if you know they are struggling financially or they have a favorite grocery store or clothing shop then it sounds like a great idea. You can utilize things like Groupon, Amazon home services for cleaning and home repairs, BlueApron or equivalent food prep boxes. I have heard that many people like those type of subscription boxes.

My personal favorite care package goodies are shared below. I would wrap a pretty scarf around a small bundle of goodies. And to make it all pretty, I would pin artificial flowers and a thoughtful card to the front.

HotHands Hand Warmers

[Nature's Approach Aromatherapy Neck Wrap Herbal Pack, Celestial Indigo] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0027VH7GK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_VuuYBbQY3GTYH)

Handcrafted Goat's Milk and Olive Oil Soap Bar with Attached Natural Organic Sea Sponge - Sweet Strawberry Scent

Tervis Sunflowers Tumbler

Power Thought Cards

But in terms of "adulting" you could give them Groupon vouchers for cooking classes or yoga/meditation. But if they are strapped for cash, I would definitely include a gift card to their local grocery store.

What size tank do you have?

If you are set on the paintball set up, you can't go wrong with the Aquatek mini regulator. It is the regulator I have set up on my 15 gallon and it has been fantastic. Basically, the parts you will need are:

• Regulator (Aquatek mini or if you have the $$, the GLA model is likely very nice.
  
• CO2 tubing (Aquatek has good stuff).
  
• Some kind of diffuser. These can be had for cheap on Ebay or Amazon. I bought a cheap one on Amazon and was disappointed with it, so I ended up buying this one and I love it.
  
• A bubble counter. There is a bubble counter included with the Aquatek mini regulator, but it is a cheapo unit. If you want to spend a little more money for a good one, check here for some good examples.
  
• Paintball tanks, obviously. I would recommend getting the largest one you can find and maybe getting two of them. That way you can have one on the tank at all times, when it gets low, swap them out and you will have a couple months to get the backup filled.
  
• A drop checker. This is used to estimate the levels of CO2 diffused in the water. It is filled with a pH indicator solution that changes color as the pH of the solution changes as the CO2 levels in the water change. It is a handy little device which will prove it's worth quickly. I use this one and have been very happy with it, but there are nicer ones here if you want that classy glassy look.
  
  Obviously, CO2 setups aren't cheap, but with the paintball route you can do it relatively inexpensively compared to the full scale regulator route. Good luck! I'd be happy to clear anything else up for you if you have questions.
  
  Edit: Make sure you have a check valve in the system somewhere. This will keep aquarium water from flowing up the line into the regulator. Some of those items I listed (like the GLA diffuser) have them built in, which will solve that problem. However, if you choose products without a check valve built in you will need to add one. Here are some (also more tubing there to choose from).

Well, you should certainly have a mirror, yeah. Maybe not a disco ball, but at least one. I like THIS ONE the best. Heck, put one on each bar end if you're feeling nutty.

Use flashing lights even during the daytime. You'd be surprised how well they can increase your visibility in broad daylight. For the rear, the Cygolite Hotshot seems to be the brightest from the research I've done. Not sure about the best front one. I got a CREE 1800 lumen on ebay (brand new) for like $40. They sell 'em cheap outta China. Serfas makes a good one too - the thunderbolt I think? Battery doesn't last too long, though. If you wanna be OTT about it, get 2 front & 2 rear - have one steady and one flash in each direction. Then, of course, wear bright clothing & all that. You can find reflective vests for cycling pretty cheap.

My dad used to commute 18 miles each way to work and used a side flag like THIS ONE all the time. It definitely makes folks give you a little extra room. Oh yeah, get a bell. Seriously. They make small ones if you're too embarrassed by a big one, but they don't have the "classic" bell sound. Nothing says "bike" like that ole' "ring-ring" and you want folks to know what you are before they even see you.

With some of this equipment on, my wife calls me the safety patrol leader. She still worries, but she knows I'm adamant about safety, am always on the defensive and, because of this gear and my practices, am less likely to get hit than if I wore all black and thought I owned the road.

Well, other than those pointers, just always be militant about safety, stop at all red lights & stop signs, signal for turns and try to ride in groups.

> Based on my previous physiotherapy, my glutes are underdeveloped in comparision to my quads - is there a specific technique that helps recruit those muscles, or is it just a case of mindfully trying to engage that whole area?

I think being mindful of proper pedaling technique will go a long way to getting you there. Your quads will remind you when they're working too hard. Think about dropping your heel and generating your power from the hip and split the load.

Some cross-training could help too. Deadlifts, squats, and stair climbing ... concentrate on engaging the rear chain on all of these exercises.

>Is cadence best measured with some kind of cyclocomputer, or again a "get a feel for it"? I've been trying to keep cadence 'high' on my current hybrid, and it feels good, but I don't know what it ACTUALLY is. I just go for 'well, this feels pretty easy on the legs'.

Definitely get some sort of cycle computer. Being an engineer-ey type, you no doubt have a love for numbers and stats. Bicycles are great stats generators :). You could do anything from a cheap computer that handles speed, distance and cadence in the neighborhood of $50 or $60 ... or ... well, the sky's the limit really.

Here's my setup:

1. Nexus 5 Android phone running RideWithGPS (any smart phone will do)
   
2. Wahoo RFLKT (It's like a low-powered display for your data, mounts on your bars)
   
3. Wahoo Blue SC (wireless speed and cadence sensor, mounts on your chainstay with magnets on your crank arm and a spoke)
   
4. Wahoo TIKR (heart rate monitor)
   
   My phone is the "brains" of the operation and the periferals connect via Bluetooth, and the RideWithGPS app is the stats collector. The RFLKT is basically a remote low-powered display. Using this allows me to keep my phone safely tucked away, and saves on battery because the screen is off the whole time. The Wahoo Blue SC sends speed and pedaling cadence data, and the TIKR keeps track of my ticker.
   
   All my stats can be viewed online at the RideWithGPS website, and I also sync my data with Strava because I like the community over there and also the slice/dice the data better. However, the RideWithGPS app I find to be a better phone app for a number of reasons.
   
   Of course, Garmin has some great All-in-one solutions and Wahoo just released the ELEMNT which is an all-in-one Garmin competitor.
   

> The ideal scenario is to have a big club where you can find a group that goes at the pace you want, but in most places your options will be limited. Perhaps start by practicing your group riding skills with a slow group, then go with a fast group and accept that you might get dropped.
The average guy on a Saturday or Sunday morning doesn't care about the gender makeup of the group but does want to get a good workout. They won't mind if they have to wait for you for a few minutes after designated sprints, but if you can't keep up at a normal cruising pace then it's better to wave goodbye.

Oh, totally! I completely understand that. There are some bike shops that have group rides of various levels, but that's about it. Not too many clubs (other than casual ones) around here that I've been able to scope out. But, maybe I'll check out the casual ones to learn some etiquette-- that sounds like a good idea!

>Consider getting started on clipless soon, since clipping in and out quickly is a key group riding skill. Other than that, all you really need is the equipment to repair a puncture (bring a spare tube, not just glue and patches) and the right clothes, including gloves and glasses.

Rodger that! I'll probably get clipless in a month or so. Do you have an opinion on THESE? I want to have the option of using my bike to commute-- so I don't want to commit solely to clipless.

>Sounds like you're on the right track. See if you can bump up to 3 days per week training as this will really help. And if you're only doing short workouts make them count. Towards the end of winter you should be doing some tough interval sessions.
When you have an opportunity to race in the spring, just dive in. Crits are great fun if you can keep your cool when people are riding very close to you. Don't worry about poor results at the beginning.
Women's racing often has small fields or mixed fields, so a lot of races break up. Just keep hammering away.
And if you get a chance, have a go at individual time trialling. It's either the most boring form of racing or the truest, depending on your philosophy on life.

Yeah! I think they have open studio time, so I'm hoping to get in a 3rd training session during the week by myself (I just don't have the cash at the moment to pay for the 3x/week program ;( And biking outside isn't an option here in the winter-- though if the weather holds up like how its been: We might skip winter entirely!)

Re: Racing-- Oh I plan to! The first one is in April, so I'm planning on doing one per weekend (if possible), before the BIG tour comes in June. Provided I finish all of the races I participate in, I think I'd be able to compete in those as a Cat 4!

First I'd make sure you both have all the clothing and footwear you need to be comfortable and the things you'd need for an urban day out (pack, water bottle, some snacks, etc.). Nothing ruins a day like an unexpected blister / rain shower that causes a chill / burned hand from a fire.

After that I'd consider basic survival needs and comforts that might be different in the woods. A small survival kit (and the knowledge required to use it), toilet paper, bug spray, gloves to protect your hands from heat and thorns, a tarp (which you already say you have) to escape the sun or rain, etc.. One suggestion I have that I don't see mentioned often is a lightweight foam kneeling pad. You can get them at the dollar stores in the gardening section usually and for the negligible weight and space they're worth having in my opinion. They are great for kneeling on (obviously), which you'll be doing a lot when practicing bushcraft skills like fire making, and they make a huge difference for the backside when sitting on ground / logs / rocks that are hard / wet / dirty.

With comfort and survival covered you can look at the real 'tools' of bushcraft. The most important thing, in my opinion, is a good knife for each of you. Soooo many projects / skills that are considered 'bushcraft' require / are made easier when you have a decent knife. You don't need to spend a lot (a Mora Companion is a great choice for under 10 dollars), just be sure to do your homework before spending money so you don't end up with something that looks cool but isn't practical for your bushcraft needs.

Beyond the knife I won't go into details about the rest of my suggestions but I think you'll find reasoning behind them fairly self-evident. I've been bushcrafting / camping / hunting for the better part of 2 decades now and all items I list below are all ones that I've personally used many, many times and wouldn't recommend if I didn't find them awesome and reliable. If you look into them further I think you'll find most / all are considered the best 'bang for your buck' option in their given class.


Mora Companion fixed blade knife - carbon or stainless doesn't matter, both are great: ~$12-15

Nalgene leak-proof water bottle - The cheaper HDPE bottle is actually better believe it or not: ~$5-8

Bahco Laplander folding saw - Silky saws are worth the upgrade price in my opinion but are definitely just a 'nice to have', considering Bahcos can't be beat for the price / function / reliability: ~$20-25

Sawyer Mini water filter - filters twice as good as the LifeStraw (0.1 vs 0.2 microns), lasts 10 times longer (100k vs 1k gallons), is much more versatile (you can screw the Sawyer onto a 2 litre coke bottle), and costs less to boot: ~$19

Fiskars X7 hatchet - I know you already have one bust I figured I'd mention it. For a bombproof, light weight, made in Finland hatchet it can't be beat for the price: ~$20-25

Tramontina 18" machete - great balance and blade, just sand or wrap the handle in some tape if yours isn't finished perfectly to avoid potential blisters (this is also where good gloves come in) - ~$15-18

Before I answer your questions, I want you to know that getting more advanced meaning spending a lot more money and time. A lot us learn by making mistakes, and that's how I started, by making a lot of mistakes.

I don't know what level of planting you want to do. It can be as easy as adding a few amazon swords into your tank right now, or as difficult as buying new light, CO2 equipment, fertilizers, etc.

If you want to save a lot of money from mistakes then here is what you should do:

• Buy a new tank. preferably a big one like a 75G at least since you'll probably want a lot of fish and some of those fish will need a good size tank. I think 75G minimum is the perfect size for beginner as oppose to 55G because of the width. It gives you comfort zone for a lot of fish. Look for it on craiglist first, and be patient. Of course you can get bigger tank if you want
  
  
• You'll need substrates. I personally like Eco-Complete. $22.99 on Amazon. You can also have a layer of sand on top. I use pool filter sand. Something like this
  
  
• You'll need light. 7000k Light is great for plants. LEDs will save you tons of money in the long run. Personally recommend Finnex. They simply have the best LEDs out there. There is a used one on Ebay for very cheap. link I don't know how much I can trust them, I personally would buy a new one if I have the money.
  
  
• You'll need plants. If you live close by Miami, I can give you a few good places to go to. If not your LFS can provide you with these. There is also a seller on Ebay called FishRUs who has some very good plants. You can start with amazon swords, anubias, or whatever plants you want. You'll make mistakes and kill plants, but that's what we humans do. Just make sure you utilize google.
  
  
• You'll need fertilizers. Don't waste your money on Seachem. Read this page Fertilizer can be purchased here
  
  
• You'll need a CO2 system. Aquatek Mini for 87.99 + CO2 tank $26.59. Then go to a local paintball shop and refill your CO2 bottle for $3-4.
  
  
• Water change. You can use Aqueon Water Changer $27.99 you can also buy the 50FT version if you need. You won't regret this buy, trust me.
  
  
• You'll need a filter. Sunsun Canister Pro Kit $97.99 Probably the best canister out there for this price. You can go FX5 if you have the money.
  
  
• Purigen filter media ~$20
  
  
• API Test Kit $22.99
  
  
• There are a wide variety of cichlid. I don't know what you like, but I personally LOVE South America cichlids. These fish are also compatible with your gouramis. You can get a few rams, and 4 angelfish to begin. Discus are beautiful, but don't try it until you feel comfortable with the basics and do enough research. Along with those, you can also get some tetras and corys catfish.

Thanks for playing along.

> Busch and Muller Ixon IQ Premium

Good This might be one of the most amazing light out there. Unlike many other lights they recognize that "good" isn't just pumping out tons of lumens. They put the light where it needs to go, on the road and not where it shouldn't be - in drivers eyes and in the trees. Them and Light and Motion have the best optics I've seen. There's a few tunnel beam test out there which show beam patterns well.

This review sold me on the light

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwM7vDvvGhU

They cover the beams at the end.

Now the thing is in this vid he's shooting pitch black, which all lights look bright in. Either way the flood is great.

Bad The high run time is listed at 3hrs (standard pretty much..) which is just long enough or a little too short depending on you. I wish more lights ran 4hrs on high as I take long rides with breaks in the middle. Itd be nice to not worry.

It doesn't have any side cut outs for visibility which do seem to help, even on very low powered lights.

Ugly

The main downfall for this light is its price, which I think is over $100. For some people $100 for one light isn't great. Some people might prefer to spend $100 on a different lighting setup (albeit likely with worse optics).


>Cygolite Hotshot



good

Crazy popular and a pretty neat light. I like the strong strobes and customizable flash settings for traffic

bright, unique flash patterns, affordable, good company.

bad

My big beef is it lacks a gentle pulse like this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UthVrhsbRr4

for group/night trail rides i dont want to blind people. also id love to run a pulse/flasher combo.

PDW (I think) makes a light that combines a crazy flash pattern with a gentle strobe, that might be king...

ugly

lots of complaints about the mount, going back to at lease 2012. last thing i want is to lose a light on a ride w/o knowing.

"This light is great for visibility and can be seen from far away. MAJOR DRAWBACK - the light is mounted to the bike with a very flimsy mount. every time i go over a bump the light is jostled and ends up pointing straight down at the ground which of course defeats the purpose."

http://www.amazon.com/Cygolite-Hotshot-2-Watt-Rechargeable-Taillight/product-reviews/B005DVA57Y/ref=cm_cr_pr_top_recent?ie=UTF8&filterBy=addThreeStar&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending

Depends a lot on what your vision and current understanding of what "Bushcraft" is.

TL;DR: Start basic, check it's for you, be comfortable in a new learning journey.

The craft part of the word is important - it's about actually doing something, not just knowing and understanding the what and why. And certainly not about just possessing things and displaying them.

So - there are two aspects of this - you need to be comfortable "in the woods", and there's the creative aspect of doing and making "stuff" in that environment.

Being comfortable: It's important to be comfortable - otherwise the learning experience aspect is jeopardised. You'll see that some Bushcraft course providers have really minimal kit requirements on their courses, because they provide shelter, food and drink in order to get on with the particular skills they're teaching.

There's a really big marketing led "Leisure Camping" industry in the UK, with a lot of gear aimed at festival goers. If you're starting out on this journey, use all that to your advantage - get a basic tent (but one with a porch so you can sit outside, under cover, to make things and talk with others if you're at a communal event/course), sleeping bag, gas stove.

Pretty much everything else can - and I would suggest should - come from your normal, regular home kit. Perhaps the second-rate things that have been replaced, but not yet scrapped. If you lived with them once - you can do so again. This enables you to maintain home comforts and the security of being able to provide for particular personal necessities - diet, health, cultural etc. as a starting point, and then modify things as you learn more.


You'll find after a couple of outings why some things work "outside" and others just fail: Too heavy, too complicated, too dependent on other infrastructure after time (the gas stove for example).

Just make sure the basic Survival needs are met of:

// Protection / Water / Food / Fire / Navigation / Communication / First Aid, Medical, and Self Care / Illumination / Documentation and Information / Repair, Construction and Maintenance / Entertainment / Cash //

and you can support a good camping experience at the very least.

Turning to the craft - there's so much to observe, learn, understand and practice.

The activities you choose initially will reflect your existing abilities and interests, but some basic skills involve fire starting with just a spark or two - or an ember, careful precision woodworking with knife and small saw, and structure construction, that will likely require cordage and knowledge of knots.

So - a small starter kit specifically for the Craft:

• ferro-rod and scraper
  
• folding saw
  
• small fixed-blade knife - and the usual one suggested isn't too bad at all ... Be wary of UK knife law, especially if you are essentially "urban".
  
• big hank of paracord. At the beginning you don't need the more exotic types, and natural fiber alternatives may be something you come to appreciate later.
  
  
  EDIT: s/hunk/hank - the mind boggles as to a paracord "hunk". Perhaps best not to go there ...

I'm a college student, so I totally understand buying cheap stuff. Here are some of my personal finds.

I bought these cute rain boots for myself about a year ago, and they've held up well! They come in a lot of patterns; I have the argyle plaid just because I like plaid, but the polka dots are cute too. :)

I have this scarf in red. It's super warm and comes in multiple colors. :)

I'm pretty attached to my phone, so I have these gloves. I love the knitted pattern, and it's a must for me to still be able to do stuff on my phone while I have gloves on.

I have some heated purple slippers (battery operated) from Sears, and they're really nice since my floor is wood. I have my eye on these adorable slippers though because they're just so cute. I love food with cute faces on them. :D They're kinda pricy though.

Also, Hot Hands are a savior. I would buy them from Walmart or Target; it's cheaper, and you can get however many you want. These kept my hands warm when I was outside in freezing temperatures from midnight to 10 am!

I went to Iceland this past February and took my Mavic Pro. Some tips I have for you are:

• Keep your batteries warm! The color temperature can really kill your battery life, or prevent the drone from turning on if the batteries are too cold. I put some of these hand warmers (https://www.amazon.com/HotHands-Hand-Warmers-Odorless-Activated/dp/B0007ZF4OA/ref=sr_1_3?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1536981832&sr=1-3&keywords=hand+warmers) into a sock and placed them next to my batteries in my backpack. They did wonders to keep things just warm enough to maintain charge, but didn't make me worried at all that the heat would damage the batteries or anything else in the bag.
  
• Be careful of the wind! The wind in Iceland can be super unpredictable, especially as you move over steep drops or cliffs. I saw someone lose their Phantom when they flew it up over a ledge (we were standing below a cliff). My best guess is the wind gust above the cliff was much stronger and took the drone in the opposite direction from where we were standing. He tried to throw it into sport mode (I think) and fly it back, but the wind was too strong up over the cliffside.
  
• Be prepared to bring your drone back from flight at a moments notice. Again, the weather is unpredictable and can change in minutes. I arrived at a landmark and it was bright/sunny with barely a cloud in sight. I took the drone up and no joke, ten minutes later it was full on snowing with sleet and the entire sky above me was overcast. Just be aware and be ready to bring the drone back when things change. In Iceland they say if you don't like the weather, wait 10 minutes. This is 100% true of my experience in the winter.
  
• Be respectful to others. Icelanders are SUCH nice people. If there's a no drone sign I'd really encourage you to respectfully keep the drone in your bag and just enjoy the amazing scenery.

Obviously check craigslist for deals, but be careful. I'd get the rack new (I have the 'valor fitness bd-9', which is fine since I don't squat 350 lb). I got a good deal on used weights + bar, but I'd still echo other ppl's suggestion to get the bar new, especially if you want to do oly lifts and/or already lift a ton of weight. Works ok for me since I don't jerk/snatch any more, and my numbers aren't very high. If you do get a used bar, be super sure it's not bent even the tiniest bit. You probably also want mats, too, so don't forget that. Some ppl buy horse stable mats from farm supply stores or w/e for cheap, but you can also get something like https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B4IHXRU. When you DL, it'll eventually smash a super compressed rut into the mat, but you can rotate/swap the tiles when the happens if you're concerned. For weights, buy them used or on sale only. You may have to collect your weights over a longer period of time to get good deals. Make sure to weigh any weights you buy.

​

It'll still end up being pretty expensive, and depending on your area and the deals you find it might take 2 years to pay for itself. The real value is in the convenience and flexibility, which should let you work out more often in less time with any schedule.

​

FWIW, if I had space I would have gotten an actual cage, but those individual stands get the job done, at least at my modest weight (my garage barely fits the current equipment comfortably).

• Hi! I first want to thank you for this contest, which is amazing! Good luck to all who have entered here. Also, that potato is crazy creepy. ❤
  
  
• UNREALISTICALLY I'd love to have either these for my husband or this for me. Those are both on my Only In Our Dreams list. Because who REALLY wants awesome dumbbells and a FitBit scale?!?
  
  
• KINDA REALISTICALLY are these for me because who really needs that many Sharpies? I LOVE Sharpies. I WANT ALL THE SHARPIES, pleaseandthankyou. They are on my 'Coloring is Calming' list.
  
  I never talk about what I want, so this is huge for me, haha. 💕💕

We love our popup, it's a 2001 Flagstaff that is only a couple years old to us, but was well cared for by the previous owners. I live up north so keeping food out of it so mice aren't lured in in the winter is a big priority up here.

Really there isn't much to keeping them nice. If you are able to keep it stored out of the weather when you're not camping with it, that will really help it hold up longer. If you ever have to pack up while the canvas is damp or wet be sure to pop it back up to dry fully when you get home. I would also use something like 303 protectant to cover the solid vinyl portions of the tent if you have that material. https://www.amazon.com/303-30306-Protectant-Plastic-Fiberglass/dp/B000XBCURW

We pretty much never eat in ours and never cook in ours. It's so much easier to cook and eat outside and it keeps food from getting on cushions and prevents crumbs from luring in mice like I stated above.

It sounds like you plan on camping mostly with power based on your AC requirement, if you will be at more primitive sites every be sure you have a good battery. If you were serious about getting the most out of your battery you'd want to switch to LED lights and install dual 6v batteries.

http://popupportal.com is a useful resource.

In that case I was also thinking for a budget of $200 you could get him a nice fixed blade and a nice folding pocket knife. Without more details you may have to just go with your gut feeling on a couple of the more popular brands mentioned since they rarely fail to please. Fallkniven, Benchmade, Bark River, Buck..

The Buck 110 is always a well received pocket knife and I would happily receive any of their fixed hunting knives.

I've also read that Morakniv makes a great all around blade even for working with game. I love all the Mora's I own and the best thing about them is the price. You could add one of those in for only an extra 15 bucks and it may end up being a really well used knife he likes and can beat up using it for things he may not want to do with his nice pretty knife his wife got him. Just a possible thought there if you can't land that perfect single knife for him. A nice little folder, solid fixed blade that will last and he can admire, and an all around utility knife covering all 3 bases.

CO2
-------

Some on here we'll advocate buying CO2 parts individually, but I feel that it took too much research to do that myself. In most cases, a kit of some kind will do well. Cheaper kits, such as the aquatek regulator will work, but occasionally you do run into a dud or faulty needle valve.

Personally I have a GLA Regulator kit but they are pricier. In this case, you get what you pay for and they are excellent quality and a no-fuss solution. CO2 gas should be pretty cheap in your area, it costs me only about 15-17 dollars to fill a 5lb.



Light
-------
You noted you want the breeder to be high-tech, so in this case you will need to buy light that fits high light tanks. The two types of light I recommend are T5HO (High Output) or LEDs. I use LEDs on all my tanks now.

Most on this sub highly recommend Finnex lights. For the 40 breeder you would want something from their RAY II line, which is their strongest light. If you are looking more for medium light you can get a Planted+ 24/7. It all depends on ultimately what you want to grow and what your goals are.

A pricier option is something like BuildMyLED, there fixtures have slightly better optics and build quality, and all of there fixtures can be dimmed. They can be purchased at many different light color temps. I have some of these as well and they do well.

If you still like fluorescent T5HO is the way to go for bright tanks. I can't comment too much on recommendations, just be wary that the quality of the fixture (the reflectors) can really make a difference on PAR light intensity. Obviously you'll want to buy daylight bulbs (4500-7000k).

For tail lights I highly recommend the Planet Bike SuperFlash, PDW Radbot 1000 and PDW Danger Zone. Here's a direct link to Portland Design Works' selection of lights. I can't speak for PDW headlights as I have yet to purchase one but the quality of their tail lights is outstanding. All three of these lights cost $25-$30. I purchased them on Amazon.

As for a headlight I use a Fenix LD20 which will set you back $60 but the light is way better than any dedicated bicycle light with the same output (180 lumens @ 2xAA) for that price (e.g. Light & Motion/Magic Shine/NiteRider/etc). The LD20 can be used as an EDC with an assortment of attachments which can also be used on your bike. I've been experimenting with the white diffuser tip and have found that it provides a great 360 degree illumination of my bike at night when mounted on the down tube.

You can mount the light just about anywhere on your bike with either this mount or this one. The first I use on the handlebars and second I use to mount the light on my helmet. They're also good for mounting a lock on the frame.
I also invested in a pack of Sanyo Eneloop rechargeable Ni-MH batteries on amazon.

Whatever lights you decide on settling with I strongly recommend they take AA or AAA batteries as CR123's and 18650's are expensive and hard to come by when on the road.

You can never have too many lights. I've invested over $140 in several lights to be better seen and that's much cheaper than having to pay a hospital bill because I wasn't illuminated enough.

Lastly, I recommend the Delta Airzound Air Horn. This thing is a beast and impresses everyone that sees it and scares many that hear it. It has saved me from two very near collisions at night when my lights just weren't enough because the drivers weren't paying attention at all.

A soft pool noodle could be a really gentle way to start! Can't say I've ever used them myself but I could see how it would work. This high-density foam roller is the kind I started on and is great for foam rolling beginners as you get used to the sensation and technique; this grid-type roller is what I use now, and it can be quite intense if I haven't rolled in a while. This is what I'd consider the most advanced roller and I honestly haven't even tried it myself but I imagine it would be very effective but kinda ouchy, even if you're used to rolling! I also recommend a lacrosse ball or any other small (3-4 inches in diameter) pure rubber ball for targeting particular spots-- a tennis ball would also work as a slightly softer option.

The trickiest thing with foam rollers is getting used to the sensation enough that you don't tense up and fight it, which is why it's good to start with softer options. YouTube videos can show you safe form for rolling, and always hydrate extra after you roll! :) I hope this is helpful, let me know if I can share anything else!

• These giro winterproof shoe covers have been lifesavers when I want to wear normal shoes/non-boots. I just wear them with my gym shoes and platform pedals and they work fine. They're not waterproof, but they're water-resistant enough and warm. I've found they're good enough that my shoes keep totally dry in snowfall. Just don't try except them to stave off heavy rain
  
• champion base layers from Target keep my legs just warm enough. I don't even wear the thermals, but I'm sure they'd be great
  
• Topside's helmet light is bi-directional (front and back) and really bright with steady and blinking modes. I find it's handy to have a light this high up when visibility is tough in winter
  
• Showerpass waterproof socks are fantastic if you think your shoes are going to get soaked. I've had days where my shoes are drenched from the rain but these keep my feet dry. The only downside is they get a bit clammy if your shoes are soaked
  
  I typically adjust my helmet so I can just put my hoodie or a normal winter hat under it, which keeps me pretty warm on my ears and head. Barring that, a balaclava is nice too
  
  I have yet to find gloves that are good enough to keep my hands from freezing so I often take the time at lights to rub my hands together. I really want to try out Bar Mitts or similar "pogies". I keep Hot Hands in my backpack in case of emergencies
  
  I've found that cheap light waterproof non-breathable jackets can be helpful because they're thin and really trap heat. Most rain shells are breathable so they don't suffocate you in warmer weather, but I've found that the crappy non-breathable ones are great for winter for that same reason. I can go with just a sweatshirt and one of those and I'm usually sweating by the end in freezing temps. The only problem is I have to keep moving. It's useless if my body's not doing work to keep the heat building up, which is problematic if you may get stuck somewhere remote.
  
  I want some clear glasses as well, for windy/snowy days when the precipitation stings my eyes. I think something like these would probably do the trick. REI sells, Tifosi, a brand of bike glasses, but I think these would be overkill for me

I hike the mountains in MT multiple times a month. Mostly day hikes but I also do 1-5 day trips whenever possible. I prefer the cold so my gear is oriented to that. I won’t give full descriptions but I’ll link you what I use very comfortably. You can check the items out up/downgrade as needed. At least you’ll have an idea of what can work.


Also, the bulk of my gear money is spent on comfort clothing, not the main items I list below. All wool. Head to toe. Can score nice wool at the good will/thrift store sometimes. Good luck!


Tent – 110.00 got mine on sale for 75.00 so look for deals


sleeping bag – ICW 84.95. I’m certain I paid less so shop around


backpack – Tenzig 2220. 149.95. Most comfortable pack I’ve owned. Currently year 2 of using it. I think I paid 200 so this might be a good deal


Boots – for day hike I use Field Blazer – 100ish bucks for above 0, and Woody Elite – 200ish bucks for below 0.


For multi day trips with no snow I use Ventilator – About 100ish bucks. They have low and mid. I own both but prefer the low.



My kit is always evolving but these are some things I always carry no matter what -


--My knife + ferrocerium rod. (I put hundreds of dollars into my knives - but you can carry a mora for 10.00)

--A lifestraw. (10 bucks?)

--My own medkit (pieced together based on needs over the years) (10-25ish bucks?)

--Extra socks. (Good wool socks - 6-15 bucks)

--Day hike - plastic military canteen. (buck or two at thrift) Multi day - Stainless steel cup/bottle system (40-80+ bucks, or can go aluminum for short term and half the price)

--Paracord + tarp. (15 bucks or less for both and in good weather + fire the tent isn't even necessary with these. If the bears are out I always use a tent though)

--Pocket fishing kit I made with extra fishing line. (5 bucks)


What's in my pocket - Bic lighter, phone, compass, chapstick, whistle, hand warmer packx3, instant coffee.


This is for me, solo hiking in the mountains. I often carry much more depending on what i'm out to do, but these are items that in my experience will never leave my pack. I also always carry my Alaskan.

I've been working out at home for 6 months now with, IMO, significant improvements. I'll mention that my goal is to gain muscle, not lose weight, but you should still be able to take away something from my advice. I get a lot of my cardio from the youtube channel fitness blenders. They are super nice, easy to follow, and they have a ton of videos. I owe my budding ab definition to their videos. Secondly, I use resistance bands for all sorts of different exercises. I bought these specific ones for $25 and they're still going strong. You can double them up for added resistance as you progress. Lastly, I wound up buying adjustable dumbbells recently. They are costly, but are compact and I can change the weight in a flash. These may not be needed right away. I personally waited to get this 5 months in to make sure I was persistent with working out, so I didn't waste the money. I hope some of this helps! Good luck!

I would not recommend this. choices differ between if you are backpacking/hiking to a camp or just driving in/car camping. Gear can be expensive or reasonable but If you are just starting out, I would not recommend buying expensive gear before you know what provides you value. Everyone's different so some questions only you will be able to answer once you go a few times. I would recommend going conservative on cost to start out until you know what you prefer (Checking out other peoples gear on camping trips/ REI browsing sessions are a gold mine)

​

Sleeping Bag depending on what the night time low temps are (based mostly on how high the elevation youre going to be sleeping at this time of year) you don't need a sleeping bag, I would instead recommend a light packable down quilt like the one from Costco or This cost: $20-$40

​

pricier sleeping bag option

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XE2SKG2/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=darwionthe-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B00XE2SKG2&linkId=faa0813c08ae84dc66e192d16eef9fde

​

​

Sleeping Pad Basic sleeping pad :https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LZWW2FD/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=darwionthe-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B01LZWW2FD&linkId=7f466defe405f13e4d8f457436a33b6c $35-$40

​

I personally use the Klymit Static V, You can get them refurbished for very little on Amazon/Ebay

​

Tent Lots of options here, a few of them good for a low price. Decision is if you're going to be going solo or taking company (Size) and again how light you want to go on the weight. Freestanding tents generally provide more shelter but can be hotter in the summer and generally heavier. Some people choose only a light tarp setup for ultralight backpacking. its a personal choice but I would definitely take some time to think what suits your need on this. A few options.

​

(requires trekking poles) light

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01J9XWJEI/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=darwionthe-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B01J9XWKHY&linkId=df511cfe28f404892810dfcda5f5560d&th=1&psc=1

​

Freestanding option $112

https://www.amazon.com/Kelty-Salida-Camping-Backpacking-Tent/dp/B00NFCFO0Q/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1563337921&s=gateway&sr=8-1

​

Cheaper $95

https://www.amazon.com/ALPS-Mountaineering-Lynx-1-Person-Tent/dp/B00BMKD1DU/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=1p+tent&qid=1563338006&s=gateway&sr=8-3

​

​

For the tent I would recommend spending a little more if you are strictly buying for car camping, itll have more longevity and youll be using it for a few years. This is my car camping tent. $260

​

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M87LPMU/ref=twister_B07BWCR88J?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

​

I would highly recommend investing in some permethrin/bug spray, a good hat and a Head Net to go along with it.

​

Happy trails.

I am like you, and have done DIY until very recently. Spend the money. You won't regret the purchase. I was only slightly over 100 bucks on mine, but it was worth every penny to be rid of the hassle. The only issue with the valve I'll recommend is that you can't go over 1500 PSI even though the bottle I'll recommend is rated for 1800. Make sure to mention that when you get the bottle filled. The regulator is only rated at 1500. Here is what I bought.

CO2 Regulator
CO2 Tank
CO2 Diffuser

So yea, some tips. Don't fill tank over 1500 PSI. Make sure green knob is all the way in off position and it's not plugged in when you screw on the regulator. Screw on the regulator ALL THE WAY. Plug regulator in, slowly open the green knob. This assumes you have all the tubing hooked up. The bubble counter is super handy :) It only costs me 5 dollars to fill up the tank at Dicks sporting goods store. So after the upfront cost, I can run multiple tanks with a splitter off this, for a 5 dollar every few months fee. Totally worth it for the consistent bubbles and lack of hassle from DIY. If you get a timer, you can plug your regulator and light into it and you can control when the CO2 and light come on. You just need to trust us man, 130 bucks for this is worth it... so worth it. The bubble counter comes in the regulator I linked. The only things you'll need to buy other than what I posted for a 100% system is silicon tubing to link it all up, and maybe some suction cups. I didn't list this because that's a few dollars at most on Amazon. Don't listen to the 300 dollar crowd, my system is sub 150 and works just as well as theirs.

Would highly recommend a system.

One thing I've seen over and over is that Dwarf Hairgrass needs pressurized CO2 in order to get an established carpet so you really might want to consider that. Our set-up consists of an AQUATEK CO2 Mini Regulator, 2 Empire 20oz CO2 Tanks (which are the same as what they use for paintball and very cheap to fill - and they last for months), a Reactor 100 diffuser (our Fluval broke...sucks), a Fluval 88g Bubble Counter, and a Fluval CO2 Indicator Kit. You'll need airline tubing too and a drop checker. It very simple to set up and use, if you'd ever consider it and your hairgrass would love you for it...but it really looks like everything in there is thriving so nicely!



Hairgrass also needs light so maybe cut back on whatever is blocking light from getting down to the hairgrass. If you do go with CO2, make sure you shut it off when your lights aren't on, since the plants can't use it without light and watch the indicator so you don't gas your tank and fauna. CO2 would also help regulate your pH, which your shrimp would love. Mine holds at a steady 6.8.



Maybe you could cut back your sword a bit and plant some of the runners in another tank, or if you don't have one, maybe you have a friend that would like some?



I think your tank looks great, a little jungly, but I bet the shrimp love that! Love your variety of Fauna!



Good luck!

I used to carry it with the help of my FuelBelt Bottle. A bonus if you need help with hydration.

Once I felt comfortable running without water (about the time that intervals went away), I bought a FlipBelt. I was very skeptical of the belt since I have wide set hips, but much to my surprise, it stays in place and is super comfortable. Great for keys as well.

They also sell this kind of thing if you're interested. I've seen better versions, but that's the only one I can bring up right now.

Waterproof gloves.

I know you said you have shoes, but these covers are reasonable. I'm not a huge fan of the color, but winter above the 45 parallel is a dark time of the year and a little extra "I'M HERE" never hurts.

This jacket might seem a little expensive, however I own a few Shower Pass items and cannot say enough good stuff about the quality, durability and comfort of their gear. In my book, they are one of the best wet weather bike clothing outfits around.

There are a TON of options for lighting. Basically you want something on the front that is 400 Lumen or better. For the rear, I've been buying Cygolite's Hot Shot for years. They've always delivered and I've actually had several riders comment on how visible they make me to traffic.

Not sure if that model Schwinn has braze ons for a rear rack? Would strongly recommend adding one and getting a bag if you do. It's really nice not having the weight on one's back in the wet. Good luck, and welcome to the non-fair weather cycling gang. :D

i love rigging random hanging items from my basement ceiling. I am a rock climber and train ninja warrior obstacles so I like to hang all types of stuff.

My favorite way is to create loops with 1" tubular webbing (climbing stuff not hobby). You can buy rolls of one inch webbing for pretty cheap.

http://www.amazon.com/BlueWater-Tubular-Climb-Spec-Webbing-Black/dp/B004AGOHT0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464207699&sr=8-1&keywords=1%22+climbing+webbing

Then cut to size and use a water knot to make a loop out of the webbing. I loop it around the rafter on my ceiling and I clip a beaner or any thing else to the webbing and it supports a ton of weight. You can easy move it if you want. Or i just have slowly made a ton of loops around the basement so it is easy to create different courses or routes.

With your pullup bar you can drill holes in the end of the bar and bolt on eye loops. Then create two loops of webbing over the rafters in the garage and hook up the bar.

In my opinion a swinging pull up bar is not fun and personally i would want it fixed with no swing on it. gymnastics rings are a better option for pullups with movement.

These Nayoya ones are great. They come with the rings and easily adjustable webbing. pretty cheap and if you can work pull ups, muscle ups, dips and all kinds of bodyweight exercises. rings are the shit.

http://www.amazon.com/Nayoya-Gymnastic-Strength-Crossfit-Training/dp/B009RA6C1K/ref=sr_1_5?s=sports-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1464207888&sr=1-5&keywords=gymnastics+rings

For me, this: https://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-PH-1-2-P-Handled-Wrench/dp/B003FPONCI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1541802830&sr=8-2&keywords=park+tool+allen+key&dpID=419-T8tUMxL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

​

I was too stingy to buy good allen keys for a very long time because I had a ton of really cheap ones, and the cheap ones did work. But every time I use the ones above, I think: "These were so worth it". I say that to myself every single time.

​

Not a tool, but since someone else mentioned a tire: 200 miles ago I put on some Maxis Hookworms - best commuting tires I ever had. Wow. I had Vee Chinane and then Vee Speedster before - I got flats every other week, none on the hookworms and the hookworms are much more stable on less grippy surfaces either. Every time I reach a place I think: Wow, those are the best tires I ever had.

​

Other tools I use constantly:

- my bike repair stand, i use this one: https://www.amazon.com/Bikehand-Mechanic-Bicycle-Repair-Stand/dp/B00D9B7OKQ/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1541802939&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=bikehand+bike+stand&psc=1

- my chain link tool: https://www.amazon.com/d/Bike-Shop-Tools/Park-Tool-Master-Pliers-MLP-1-2/B00D9NW32I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541803019&sr=8-1&keywords=park+tool+chain+link+tool

- A good portable multitool with chainbreaker: https://www.amazon.com/d/Bike-Multifunction-Tools/Topeak-Alien-31-Function-Bicycle-Tool/B000FIE4AE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1541803074&sr=8-2&keywords=alien+tool

​

​

Check out this guy: https://www.amazon.com/ALPS-Mountaineering-Lynx-1-Person-Tent/dp/B00BMKD1DU/

It's lighter (just under 4 Lb), it's listed as JUST too wide for your bag, but do you think you can squish it in? It's lighter, cheaper, really well reviewed, and a much bigger floor space. Your tent only has 20 sq feet!

Listed as 6"x17.5" so the volume works, may just need some re-configuring? Ditch the stuff sack.

I have a tent which is almost exactly these dimensions and man, I love it. I backpack, so it has room for my sleep pad, stuff next to me (water, phone charger), room for my pack at the end by my feet, and I never ever feel cramped. It sucks to be unconstrained by weight (motorcycle) and still sleeping like you're UL hiking. It's heavy, so it's not my ultra-light setup, but it takes literally 45 seconds to set up camp.

edit: You can get the Static V insulated for cheaper. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Klymit-Insulated-Static-V-Sleeping-Pad-06IVOr01C-/191504068900 $62.76 right from the manufacturer - it's a great pad. I have the regular and the insulated as my only sleep pad (side sleeper, wide dude), just switch out based on weather. You have the best in price/class product there.

edit2: This could be had for $90 if you're an REI member, or can find one who will let you use their coupon. https://www.rei.com/rei-garage/product/110867/kelty-dualist-22-sleeping-bag

This one is 8x13: https://www.amazon.com/Kelty-Tuck-Degree-Sleeping-Bag/dp/B00NFCFIR0/ref=sr_1_14?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1491157929&sr=1-14&keywords=20+degree+sleeping+bag

Can't really speak to any of those specific bags, but if price is a primary concern it looks like you can do all around a little better, especially if that tent can fit. I think youll have a much comfier trip.

Replying to my own comment with some purchasing recommendations:


2. Next level folding chair. The locking feature is sick, most comfortable camp chair I've owned.

My goto folding table. I've got a bigger 8 foot one if I'm camping with a big group but this small one is perfect for 1-4 people.

3. Highly recommend this charger. Will charge a typical iPhone like 5 times and has QC 3.0 built in (quick charge, which is a nice feature at a festival). Currently on sale for $40 if you clip the coupon, I've seen it as low as $30, they'll probably go on sale for black Friday and Christmas too.

5. Bring a box of these babies and if it gets cold, you've suddenly made like 40 friends.

6. Something like this is a good choice for makeup. In case you have to go back to camp and freshen up, the light is a nice touch.

IT IS AWESOME.

Anywho. You'll want at least two discs, a driver and a putter. It might be easy to start with a "fairway driver." Here's a good starter pack on Amazon. You might also consider checking out 42 Degrees South in L5P. It's mostly a smoke shop, but they have a decent selection of discs too.

My favorite places to play in Atlanta are:

Perkerson Park - It's the only one ITP, and it's really pretty. They recently added a bunch of signage and new tees, and they keep it in good shape. But it's tough for a beginner. You might want to start out on...

Redan Park - It's a few miles East OTP, but not too far away
. Good for beginners, not a whole lot of water hazards. I usually take new folks here.

JP Moseley - I haven't been since they redesigned it, but it's apparently very impressive now. 27 holes, one of the highest rated courses in Georgia, but slightly farther away than I'd usually want to travel (40 minutes from my house).

There are other courses around too, such as Deer Lick Park, but Perkerson and Redan are my go-to two.

Lots of us commuters use SPD shoes and pedals. You don't have to, but they're pretty nice. The shoes you'll have to check out for yourself as every foot is different, but I would recommend the Shimano M520 as a great and cheap starter pedal.

I'm not a big fan of campus pedals (one side flat, other side clip), but some folks are. If you really want the best of both worlds I think you'll be better off with something like the Shimano M424.

.. in 2013, a few months after the divorce, about this time of year I bought myself a present that I am still very happy with. Everyone who see's them/uses them comments positively. I went back to my amazon cart and got exact links to the products to make sure I was describing exactly what I got.

I left most of my good kitchen knives behind when we separated, and needed to replace them. as a single guy, I have no use for "pretty" kitchen gadgets and what-nots. I also did not have thousands to spend on the things I needed, but I was adamant I wanted good stuff. Stylish is fine, but functionality trumps all.

on my list was two of these, (knife blocks)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004X6M97O/

8 of these (mora knives.. cheap but awesome)

www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004ZAIXSC

and 8 of these - (kershaw knives - slightly more pricy, but damn good)

www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009VC9YA

..
Of course, it could easily be halved by only picking one style of knife.. read the product reviews on your own. both of those are fine blades, regardless of pricing/marketing.

Best self gift to myself in years. Use them every day and love them.
oh yeah -- not affiliated with any of the above companies..

Since people seem really interested in how I could possibly spend what I spent, allow me to share what I bought.

This is the lighter set:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001ARYU58/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1417133375&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX200_QL40

This is the heavier set:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00COQTLNU/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1417133588&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SY200_QL40

They aren't gold- or diamond-encrusted, but they did offer me flexibility in the very limited space I had available at the time, and they've served me well.

And remember that my earlier post mentioned that the right answer for OP depends on his/her goals and priorities. For me, living in a small place, $700 (or whatever I spent) gave me a way to conveniently train in-home and save $100/month and commuting costs on a gym membership.

Am I as swole as the guy posting that you can't get "a full workout" with the setup I have? Of course not, have you seen that guy? He's a total beast. Super tough.

But with these dumbbells and a pull-up bar, I've managed to make great personal improvements that I'm quite happy with.

My husband and I have our DIY setup in our garage and absolutely love it! I was hesitant to purchase a new Peloton since I had never been the workout-at-home type and was worried this expensive piece of workout equipment would become a dust collector in our garage. We decided to try the DIY workaround before investing a lot of money into the "real" thing.

We use a Sunny B1805 with the Wahoo Cadence sensor attached to the crank arm. I really wanted a magnetic belt drive and this one was probably the most affordable we found. I wish we had spent a little more and invested in a bike that comes with SPD pedals since I know we will be upgrading those in the near future. Other than that the bike is great and I highly recommend it!

We live in CA where the weather is mild pretty much all year so we decided to put the bike in our garage. We screen cast the classes to a TV we have hung up on the wall using an AppleTV and use our phones to view cadence in the Wahoo app. I also have a FitBit Versa that I use for HR purposes, though it does not sync with the Peloton app (huge bummer).

Other odds and ends we have in our setup: WiHoo Mini Handheld Portable Fan we attach to the tablet holder, floor fan, a set of Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbells for strength classes (we don't do weights on the bike), and a basic Yoga mat.

It has surprised me just how happy I am with this setup! I thought I would feel like I was missing out by not having the leader board and not being able to track my stats. But I have yet to take a live class since the times don't work well for us west coasters with 9-5 jobs and commutes. And while I would like to be able to see output and resistance, I don't feel like my workout is suffering for not having them. I used to take spin classes regularly and most of those were about feel rather than exact numbers.

We've been using this setup since July and, honestly, I don't see myself buying a Peloton now. If anything I may upgrade to a better bike at some point. But for $20 a month I am getting an excellent workout that dips and sways with my schedule. I don't think I could justify being locked into $40 a month when I don't feel I am missing out much on the extras that come with the full price.

Here's a pic of our setup.

So for shelter, I'd suggest this tarp. I also suggest checking out the forum that the tarp is from (www.bushcraftusa.com) because it's a forum all about bushcraft but has sub forums in ultralight and backpacking. The tarp is https://bushcraftoutfitters.com/coyote-tarp-10x10/ which is priced at $67. The reason I suggest this is because this tarp specifically, there's lots of way's to set it up. Check out this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxtHJm51NPY&t=


So for cooking, it's pretty simple. This video will show you what most bushcrafters use and the links that follow are the two items. I use it myself and in fact have two sets because of how much I enjoy it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00gwQ4z_nQQ&t and the following links for the items. https://www.walmart.com/search/?query=Ozark%20Trail%2018-Ounce%20Stainless%20Steel%20Cup
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Stanley-Adventure-Camp-Cook-Set/16784406
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-9-5-Round-Frying-Pan/49332895


Hammocks are over rated, sleeping pads are a mess to figure out, get a cot. In fact, get this cot. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Outdoor-Super-Ultralight-Portable-Folding-Aluminium-alloy-Cot-Camping-Tent-Bed/112355265955?hash=item1a28e54da3:g:-PUAAOSwTM5Y365i:rk:2:pf:


And now you need a knife, saw, and hatchet right? Well let's tackle all three.
https://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Companion-Stainless-4-1-Inch-Military/dp/B004ZAIXSC?ref_=w_bl_hsx_s_sp_web_6501052011
https://www.amazon.com/Bahco-396-LAP-Laplander-Folding-Inch/dp/B0001IX7OW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1540606867&sr=8-1&keywords=Bacho+Laplander
https://www.amazon.com/Fiskars-X7-Hatchet-Inch-378501-1002/dp/B0002YTO7E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1540607032&sr=8-2&keywords=Fiskars+X7+Hatchet+14+Inch%2C+378501-1002
And as a added bonus here's a fire steel.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-x-2-5-Drilled-Ferrocerium-Ferro-Rod-Steel-Flint-Fire-Starter-w-Lanyard-Hole/131485475489?hash=item1e9d2522a1:rk:4:pf:


And finally to end it all, we have a sleeping bag. This one is well known in the world. Kelty Cosmic 20 Degree. It's a dry down bag which means it's made of down that can handle some moisture but still keep you warm. It's rated for 20 degree's. I'll post the same bag as well but is rated for 0 degrees'. It'll be more expensive but it'll let you stay warm during the winter.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kelty-Cosmic-20-Sleeping-Bag-20-Degree-Down/253894865275?epid=1152349824&hash=item3b1d50317b:m:mFpUvLXnvtZZETXdugDHwvw:rk:2:pf:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kelty-Cosmic-0-Sleeping-Bag-0-Degree-Down/253375355468?epid=28012067594&hash=item3afe591a4c:m:mCrEnOYV72CJ257e08pGR4Q:rk:2:pf:


Check the sizes of the sleeping bag before you buy.


Also a pack, this one works as two in one. Really nice for a 60L https://outdoorvitals.com/products/rhyolite-60l-lightweight-internal-frame-backpack1
________________________________________

If you do plan on doing any winter camping, I'd edit a few things. One of them is I'd get the 0 Degree sleeping bag posted. Instead of the tarp I'd get this pup tent. https://www.ebay.com/itm/USGI-Military-Issue-2-Man-Canvas-PUP-TENT-w-Poles-Stakes-Complete-VGC/392111853275?hash=item5b4bb00edb:g:JEQAAOSw~jJarA5E:rk:1:pf: Which comes with poles and stakes. I normally toss the poles and get some branches outside. I get four branches and make a bipod that I tie off on either end. That gives me more room inside the tent and less weight I have to carry on my person.


I'd still get the cot but I'd also include Thermarest Z-Lite sleeping pad to put on top of it https://www.ebay.com/itm/Therm-a-Rest-Z-Lite-Sol-Ultralight-Foam-Backpacking-Mattress/132801349129?epid=1900010560&hash=item1eeb93c609:rk:1:pf: as well as one of those super heavy duty emergency blankets. It's a reflective blanket but it's also the same thickness as some of those heat reflectors you use for a car windshield. Not those flimsy things you see "survivalists" use. Those placed on the cot, with that zero degree bag, and that shelter works amazingly. Just don't throw a heavy blanket on the sleeping bag and don't wear a lot of clothes in it either. That'll make everything for naught.
______________________________________
So with everything listed, the pack, cooking stuff, tools, cot, sleeping bag, and either the canvas shelter or tap, you'd be looking at around $560 assuming you got the 0 Degree Sleeping Bag instead of the 20 Degree. Which you really should. A 0 Degree is much better in my case.


Also if you do get a down sleeping bag, NEVER STORE IT IN THE COMPRESSED STATE!!! Always store it someplace with it out of it's bag. If you keep it compressed 24/7 until you use it, you'll destroy the down.

The bike started life as a 2012 Motobecane Fantom Cross Pro, which came with some good components already. SRAM Rival partial group,
FSA crankset, and Mavic Aksium Race wheels. I've had good luck with this bike and it's got almost 2k miles on it, so I kept most of it, but not all.

Once I decided to make it my commuter bike, I started adding things.

For lights I picked up the Cygolite Hot shot rear light and use one of my MTB lights if needed for the front, a
Chinese knock-off CREE XM-L2 front light

For tires I went with the Panaracer RiBMo 700x32c based on feedback from users on here.

You can't go wrong with a Tubus Logo Evo Rear Rack and Ortlieb Back Roller Classics.


I wanted some extra gearing for those climbs along the way, so I went with the SRAM FORCE Rear Derailleur so I could run a SRAM PG-1050 11-32 Cassette.

Of course, I needed a new KMC X10SL chain for the new gear combo.

I picked up a new road bike and pulled the Ritchey Pro Streem Saddle and Ritchey Pro Biomax bars off of that bike and used them on my commuter, along with some new Lizard Skins DSP 3.2mm bar tape and some Soma Road Flares for added visibility.

For a little less weight and possible shock absorbtion, I threw in a Chinese knock off carbon seat post.

I also wanted something besides my regular riding shoes, so I opted for the Shimano Click'R PD-T700 pedals and
Shimano SH-CT40 Cycling Shoes
, which I love and highly recommend.

I also needed to adjust the fit so I picked up a Kalloy Uno 6 90mm stem because I've had great luck with them on other bikes.

And for added safety, I picked up two rolls of 3M Scotchcal Reflective Striping Tape in white and black, and added white stripes to the white frame and black stripes to the rims and the back of my helmet.

Not televised, but they do have coverage on Youtube. Jomez Pro is the top dog, CCDG is up there as well. Even though it's on youtube the quality and commentating are top notch! Most coverage is put out the day after (sometimes the day of) and live streaming has picked up in popularity as well. 2018 Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFmEKbAeL0Q

​

I HIGHLY recommend trying it out. Get a start set for ~20$ https://www.amazon.com/Innova-Disc-Golf-3-Disc-Colors/dp/B000Q838XW/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=disc+golf+set&qid=1556733164&s=gateway&sr=8-5

​

Check out Danny Lindahl on youtube for some basics. Download uDisc to find local courses, 99% are probably free to play. /r/discgolf is always welcoming!

You and I have had virtually identical experiences. Granting that I still struggle with getting my trich under control, here's the humble advice I can offer:

1. Identify times/situations when you tend to pull more frequently and then if possible, create uses for your hand(s) that prevent them from automatically migrating to your face. For me, driving is a big auto-pull time. With one hand on the wheel and my mind wandering, my left hand will find its way to may beard and start wreaking havoc. What I did to combat this is is buy a hand strengthener like this one which I keep in my car. When I recognize that I'm pulling, I'll grab this thing instead. I also keep silly putty in my car for the same reason.
   
   
2. Medication/therapy can and does help. Though I personally haven't yet had much luck in this department, trich is an anxiety-based behavior for which treating the underlying causative factors helps significantly. In fact, we've all tried willing ourselves to just stop and we've all seen just how effective that can be. Getting to the root (so to the speak) is the sustainable way to rectify this destructive behavior.
   On that note, try to take note of when you tend to pull more and when you tend to pull less. That is to say, try to pay attention to what else is going on in your life when your trich gets worse. Are there possibly certain triggers that are influencing the rate of your pulling? Become more mindful of how you're doing generally and how that relates to your pulling. Creating these links are important in coming to understand the behavior and ultimately stopping it.
   
   
3. Lastly, eye-shadow. Yes that's right. Go to a beauty supply store or Walmart or whatever and find a color that closely matches your beard color. I have a dark auburn/copper colored beard and ended up with a color called "latte". It's not an exact match but its close enough to where it fills in the hole(s) and blends everything together fairly seamlessly. Oh, also pick up an applicator. You can either get a small paint brush type thing or the eyeliner applicator itself (which is what I use and is pretty effective).
   
   That's all I've got. Best of luck man, I wish you many full bearded years ahead!

Hey,

I just got this for around $160 and it's been great. It has everything you need to follow the FAQ routine and do other exercises too. There are a variety of those kinds of towers with different prices and add-ons, but for me that one has worked great.

Specifically, the one I got is pretty stable and has a good finish, plus it feels great. If you're willing to shell out $150, that's probably a good bet. (But then again I don't know which routine/what the goals are so it's just a suggestion)

It depends entirely on what you expect to do with the knife.

Food prep is a common task, which is best done with a small, slender fixed blade knife (folding knives are harder to keep clean - very important with food prep! - and slender blades cut food better than thick blades do). If the food prep knife is carried with the cooking gear, it does not require a belt sheath. A $9 victorinox paring knife is light and strong and would work fine for all but the largest jobs.

A saw or hatchet is far superior to a knife for preparing firewood, if that's going to be necessary.

General woodworking tasks - such as forming tent stakes, or notching wood to build a shelter or something like that - is best done with a thicker, stronger knife. A $20 stainless mora is very hard to beat for these sorts of tasks. If the hatchet/saw are lost, they can help with firewood prep, too.

See /r/Bushcraft for lots of helpful advice and knowledge.

$150 is plenty of budget for a good knife. This one is just slightly over that budget but will last you the rest of your life. It's kind of my dream survival knife.

The Fallkniven F1 is very popular as well and right in your price range.

Currently I use this knife which is also very good.

If you want to go a little less expensive still, Becker makes some good ones such as the Bk16. I know the Becker doesn't look anything like "hand made", but I have the BK2- I used paint remover to take the black coating off the blade, replaced the plastic handles with micarta and stained it to look more like wood, and built a leather sheath for it. It's a beautiful knife now. Too bad it's so goddamn heavy.

You could also go with something like the Mora bushcraft. I have that one also, very decent knife.

You could even just get a regular Mora or a Condor bushlore which are even more economical options.

I'll have to disagree here. The Mora Bushcraft Triflex is one of the finest blades I've used. It is light weight, yet, is extremely durable. It sharpens easily, holds and edge, and is about the right size for bushcraft in my hands.

I've used them to prep meat and vegetables, carve wood needles, baton firewood, cut cordage, fell tiny trees, and most other tasks one needs in the woods or at home. It is a joy to use.

I've used other brands at 20 times the price and have been left not nearly as satisfied.

Don't take for granted that you won't feel bad about really using this blade. At less than $30 you won't worry about replacing it (but you might never need to).

I've held and used the Mora Companion and the Mora HighQ Robust, I give them to folks that go into the woods with me as gifts. They are fine knives as well, with the same qualities as the Triflex.

If you are cheapo, grab one of these knives and try it. I'd bet most people like them.

As for the knife is not an axe part, we'll disagree there too. The Parang type machete, and other long knives of similar design is a type of tool used in many parts of the world. It can be used very skillfully for rather delicate tasks, such as food preparation, or it can be used to cut down a tree. In some areas that's all a person carries.

Firesteel, I'm with stupid_guy, hit Amazon: Light My Fire Scout has been working for me. I like that when it feels like you are holding it right, you are. Works good in the dark that way.

Guyot Stainless Steel Bottle, 32-Ounce

And one more thing you didn't ask for, but I love. And I like to spread the love:

GSI Halulite Ketalist

I've got a compass that I've used for 30 some years, but can't find it anywhere.

Let us know what you get and how much you like it after using it a bit! :-)

I hate my local gym(s). So. Damn. Much. I know it's just me. I'm impatient, intolerant, and generally just can't stand the douchers everywhere. So, I finally finished up my garage gym. It's not pretty, but it works. I just need a few more plates, and a really good deal on a row machine (and to clean up the other half of the garage).

Strength Training:

• Titan T2 Squat Rack with dip attachment
  
  
• Deadlift platform (~170 bucks - 8x8, 3/4 inch underneath, birch on top, horse stall mats, had screws already)
  
• Fitness gear adjustable bench (got for free a year ago, it's ok, I'm not comfortable benching more than 225-250 on it)
  
• CAP barbell, 350ish lbs worth of plates (got this for under 200 on sale at Dick's)
  
• Bowflex SelectTech 552
  
• 35lb kettlebell
  
• Misc. bands
  
• Ab Wheel
  
• Belt, wrist wraps, knee sleeves (because camo...)
  
  Mobility:
  
  
• 10lb kettlebell
  
  
• Misc. bands (not the exact brand, but I think I got them cheap at a garage sale or something, definitely didn't buy them new)
  
  Conditioning:
  
  
• Ab Straps
  
  
• Weighted vest
  
• E-Prowler
  
• 20lb smash ball
  
• 300 pound tire (not pictured) - $65 on craigslist. I use it for conditioning, but might pick up a 500+ for stregnth training
  
• Sledge Hammers (had these for misc. home projects, I think like 20-30 each)
  
  Recovery:
  
  
• Yoga mats (not sure, they're my wife's, I just sweat all over them)
  
  
• Foam rollers (not sure, got them as a gift)
  
  Cardio:
  
  
• Good quality jump ropes (these are actually really nice, I just got them)
  
  
• Rollerblades
  
• 29er Mountain Bike (I have the 2014 model).
  
  Edit: Links + words.

A few tips for getting a clean bar chord:

• Make sure your thumb is behind the neck, not over the top. Improves your leverage on your bar finger.
  
• Make sure your bar finger is as close to the fret you want to bar as possible.
  
• Try a lighter gauge string, it'll reduce the tension on the strings and require less hand strength for a clean bar
  
• Make sure your guitar is properly set up where the string heights are even and your action is correct. Also try lower action as long as you aren't getting a lot of fret buzz.
  
  If none of those work, you just need to keep practicing and develop your hand strength. Bar chords take a fair amount of pressure from your hand to get them clean, especially on acoustics. I used to use one of these things when I was a beginner and they seem to help.

I ran into this type of problem a few years ago. Option one - go straight to the gym so you don't see his puppy dog eyes (I tried doing this and it didn't work for me haha). Option two, take that $40/month, put it in a cookie jar or something where it is out of sight and out of mind, then buy some equipment when you have enough. I'd recommend only getting one thing at a time in order to make sure you don't get overwhelmed by your sudden choices. For example, when I did this I found a set of dumbbells on Craigslist for $30 that had 3 different weights. Not a huge discount but reduce reuse recycle and all that. Next thing I did was buy a prohands grip master to work on my finger strength https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0006GCBL4/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1467465386&sr=8-2&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=prohands&dpPl=1&dpID=51-bY1uRjzL&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1 . Next I bought new shoes because mine were causing foot pain (apparently I'm a wide who knew?).

It's a few years now and I have a decent home gym. My commute isn't 4 hrs round trip anymore but I still like the flexibility, especially when I woke up early this morning and decided to do my workout then instead, and didn't have to wait for the gym to open.

We just got a new puppy, the previous dog I couldn't bear to keep cooped up is now an old man. She gets antsy because he gets tired. I've made a game of running sprints with her. Also probably going to pick up some random PVC or something to start doing pole weaving and etc.

I know it sounds daunting and just impossible. Going to the gym can be great at helping you focus and get out of the house. I found that for myself trying to get to the gym was adding so much stress. It sounds like you still get the chance to get out and socialize (unlike I did at the time haha) so I wouldn't focus too heavily on the gym. Heck, if you have the space you could probably find some 2x4s and create an outside area to workout that is flat. My uncle lives in a trailer in rural Texas and that's what he did. He says his favorite part is the ice cold showers after.

Sorry this post was so long, I really understand the difficulty you are feeling and I hope one of my ideas helps!

Disc racks can work on non-disc brake wheels. I use a Blackburn EX-1 Disc Rack on my bike. My bike does not have the eyelets by the wheel hub for pannier racks, but strangely it does have the eyelets on the seat stay for them. I found this rack works very well on my bike.

For USB rechargeable lights, I use a Cygolite Metro 500 and a Cygolite Hotshot. Both lights are easily removable so you can take them with you when you leave your bike locked up. There are cheaper versions of the Cygolite Metro which are also quite good (300, 360, 400), but not quite as bright. The Metro 300 is probably enough light for most people, and is what I used first. The only reason I switched is because my girlfriend's bike needed a better headlight, so I used that as an excuse to upgrade mine and give her my old one. Currently the 360 is cheaper than the 300 on Amazon, and is brighter. So there's no reason to get the 300 right now.

For multi tool, I like the Topeak Hexus II. Someone else on Reddit recommended it to me months ago and I'm quite satisfied.

For a full time commuter, I recommend some puncture resistant tires. I use Continental Gatorskins with Mr Tuffy liners inside them. Haven't had a single flat in several months now. Having a flat on your way to work would really suck, especially in crappy winter weather.

I use Ortlieb Front Rollers on my rear rack, as I was worried the Back Rollers would be large enough to cause heel strike. The Front Rollers are very nice. I love how easy they are to put on and take off, plus they're quite rugged and keep everything dry. The Front Rollers are just barely large enough for a 15" laptop, though I can't roll the top down well with it in there.

Welcome here! I'll jump in on some of this....

I've worn Fitbits for several years - like 'em and think they're probably very good as pedometers and overall activity trackers during the day. But they really don't work well for strenuous exercise. The technology with the optical sensors simply doesn't react quickly enough to be accurate.

Much more accuracy with a chest strap heart rate monitor (I think gold standard) - my choice, a Wahoo tickr (https://www.amazon.com/Wahoo-TICKR-Monitor-iPhone-Android/dp/B00INQVYZ8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496324625&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=heart+rate+monitor&psc=1). But I've used cheaper models in the past like this Garmin (https://www.amazon.com/Garmin-MAIN-61562-Heart-Rate-Monitor/dp/B000UOD5QM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1496324625&sr=8-4&keywords=heart+rate+monitor) and they do fine. A lot of people seem to like the Scosche arm bands (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JQHTJS2/ref=twister_B00KWHQJJW?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1) - I can't speak to the accuracy of those compared to a chest strap.

Regardless of what you go with, you'll want accurate heart rate feedback to sync with your bike (Bluetooth and/or ANT+ connectivity). Unless they've changed things with the newer Fitbits, I don't believe your Fitbit will sync with the bike's Android tablet - you'll want your HR monitor to "transmit" to your tablet so you can follow your heart rate data/zones on the tablet as you ride. [One nice thing you've probably noticed tho - the bike now syncs/uploads your workouts to your Fitbit page - with accurate heart rate data from the bike assuming you're using an accurate HR monitor, so you don't have to log your workouts separately to Fitbit.]

Here's the mat that we use under our bike (https://www.amazon.com/SuperMats-P-V-C-Treadmills-Machine-2-5-Feet/dp/B004IJI7HW/ref=sr_1_1?s=sports-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1496325854&sr=1-1&keywords=supermats) - priced reasonable enough, and works fine. One note - if you're putting the bike on anything other than a hard surface (i.e. carpet), get a thick piece of plywood to go under the mat - really helps with stability.

I use Jaybirds and wouldn't ride without them, but there are much cheaper (and more expensive) options for Bluetooth earbuds. My wife doesn't like riding with earbuds and went with a small external speaker (https://www.amazon.com/SoundTorch-Generation-Bluetooth-Portable-Waterresistant/dp/B01GY84TFI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496325454&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=bluetooths+speakers&psc=1) that seems to put out pretty decent sound. Regardless of what you go with, you'll want to use something other than the speakers on the bike - they put out plenty of volume, but they're on the back of the tablet and sometimes the instructors sound "muffled" and can be hard to hear.

For what it's worth, my input.... ;-)

ps - Final thought on your concerns about moving the bike. Wheels are at the front, where most of the weight is with the flywheel and tablet, so I think you'll be fine - it's designed to be tipped at the front and wheeled into place.

The person overtaking is responsible for overtaking safely.

I ride on multi use trails, as well as in traffic. Every time, and I mean EVERY time I pass someone, be it on a bike, roller blades, or walking, they get a "DING" from my bell, or if they are wearing earphones, a friendly but firm "On your left!"

When I'm on the road, however, I use my air horn... Yes, I have an air horn on my bike. Best thing EVER! You use your bike pump to pressurize a bottle that sits in one of your water bottle cages, and there is a small tube that runs up to the actual horn on the bars. You press a button, and an ear piercing shriek comes out of the horn. One pressurization of the tank will be good for a good 30 second long blast, but many many more "normal" length toots.

This is similar to what I have. It even has a volume control of sorts. (It's a valve that limits the amount of air admitted to the horn, so you can mash the button, but it won't be ear splittingly loud, in case you want to use it to give people friendly "toot toots" on the trail.

I can't speak to that Bose product, but that's way more money than you need to spend. I would recommend just getting a standard Bluetooth heart rate monitor from a reputable company like Wahoo.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00INQVYZ8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_rvlIybY9TTXSG

And then a decent Bluetooth set of headphones. I've been using these ones for about 7 months and they are great.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BV2BPVS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_DylIyb4X7HYKQ

This combination will cost you about $80, rather than the $150 will. Good luck!

I'd recommend a light weight small 1 person tent. The lighter the better. Some people get larger tents to fit there stuff waste of weight in my opinion.

Next comes your budget, you can spend a lot of money on a tent. Just like buying a car you can get a 1990 Honda or a new Ferrari.

If your on a budget I hiked the PCT with this tent:

Alps mountaineering Lynx 1-person tent. Used ones going for $78. 3.8 pounds. Held up does the job. https://www.amazon.com/ALPS-Mountaineering-Lynx-1-Person-Tent/dp/B00BMKD1DU/ref=sxin_7_af-pna-1_c600956ebde1baf8592371faedf0cf781eb071ae?keywords=tent&pd_rd_i=B00BMKD1DU&pd_rd_r=33b407bc-ebcb-4ba9-818d-a3a3e7db6d0d&pd_rd_w=e3KvM&pd_rd_wg=Zf92I&pf_rd_p=3892bc23-5fa8-4a18-8855-22c23bd2e202&pf_rd_r=4P2HDHKKN7KQE3CPKBGR&qid=1573250503

If you got a little extra money, you get what you pay for. These tents are lighter and some of them are lighter and a little bigger. You are fighting between size and weight. Some tents are bigger but weigh more, some weigh less but are too small for some people. This is a preference and only you can pick the right answer. Everyone has a different opinion. Here are some awesome tents Ive seen hiking:

Big agnes copper spur

https://www.backcountry.com/big-agnes-copper-spur-ul1-ultralight-tent-1-person-3-season?skid=BAG00B3-GRA-ONESIZ&ti=UExQIEJyYW5kOkJpZyBBZ25lcyBUZW50cyAmIFNoZWx0ZXJzOjE6MTM6MTAwMDAwMDEyX2JjLXRlbnRzLXNoZWx0ZXJz

NEmo Hornet (My personal favorite. )

https://www.nemoequipment.com/product/hornet/

MSR Elixer

https://www.moosejaw.com/product/msr-elixir-1-tent_10368196?hybridPLA=true&ad_id=GooglePlusBox&utm_source=GooglePlusBox&utm_medium=PLA&utm_campaign=MSR&scid=scplp4197589&sc_intid=4197589&adpos=1o1&cm_mmc=PLA-_-Google-_-SC_Shopping_NoPromo_Brand_Desktop|SC_Shopping_NoPromo_Brand_Desktop-_-google|762455646|39930674093|182268966899|aud-223426839163:pla-840516347932|c|9016466|4197589&gclid=CjwKCAiAwZTuBRAYEiwAcr67OVfNzVg9Dx6vr7IfpqP6uLZJNCL0nIHtVHhK7KeYErN6jYeBIASwnRoCCJcQAvD_BwE

These style tents are very light but are very expensive. They are also a pain to set up and break easily. As a begginer id stay away. They are for rich people who backpack all the time.

https://zpacks.com/products/duplex-tent?variant=9365267316772

Hyperlite has a similar style for a stupid

You can also use a tarp, or a hammock. I stay away im a tent person.

A lot of backpacking is what you like! Its personable, if you go with any of the middle tents you cant go wrong! Just recomend finding a light one person tent! let me know if you need help choosing a style! Happy trails!!

This looks awesome!

I don't have too much to input, but I do have the same setup (Aquatek Mini) and I can vouch for it. I haven't had any issues, but I have heard that the Customer Care is great. Also, my paintball co2 lasted about 4 months in a 29g.

Adding some references...

• http://www.amazon.com/AQUATEK-OF-CALIFORNIA-Regulator-Mini/dp/B008TJCPSY/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1380759544&sr=1-1&keywords=AQUATEK+paintball
  
  
• http://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Ceramic-88g-CO2-Diffuser-Ounces/dp/B004GCO35G/ref=pd_sim_petsupplies_3
  
  
• Also --> Grab a tank at your local paintball/sporting goods store.
  
  
  Profit!
  
  EDIT:The regulator comes with a bubble counter, but for NOT come with tubing! You will need to buy the tubing, diffuser, and the co2 indicator. Amazon sells everything you need and is free shipping with their Super Saver option.

I have a set of Shimano PD-A530 on my Salsa Vaya that I use daily for commuting (platform) and longer rides on the weekend (SPD).

http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-PD-A530-Dual-Platform-Pedal/dp/B001MZ2AGO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376967521&sr=8-1&keywords=shimano+pd-a530

I really like them, they have not failed me after 2000 miles and are a solid feeling pedal. Even though they do not have the more 'spikey' surface on the platform side I have yet to have my feet slide off even in the wet. It may be a smidge out of your price range, but honestly it was for me as well, but I do not regret it one bit!

The big thing to keep in mind with dual pedals is will you be able to easily flip them to the side you need. With the A530s the SPD side is always on top in it's equilibrium position which means I don't have to look down to find the side I want. I just reach for the pedal with my foot and either clip in, or flip the back of it forward to get to the platform side.

Personally I think the design of the pedals you are looking at would make it really hard to determine which side of the pedal you are on. But, just like everything if you get used to it I'm sure it will work great. It all comes down to personal preference I guess!

Snowboard clothing is overkill unless you plan on staying through a winter storm. Just remember: cotton kills and wool is your friend. If nothing else get yourself a pack of wool socks and some wool underwear and then wear your normal clothes over those. The coldest I've seen Yosemite get to (in the last ~7 years of visiting every winter) was about 30F in the day and ~0-10F at night (really easy to manage). A good wool hat also helps for staying warm at night.

I'm jealous; I just moved from SLO to Oregon and won't be able to do my normal yearly winter Yosemite trip :( I'll miss wandering around in a kilt and tshirt when it's 30F and making everybody think I'm insane, but I can give some misc advice on Yosemite winter camping:

• Bring snow chains appropriate for your car. Even if the road is clear up into the park it's not guaranteed to be de-iced the entire stretch into the valley, and for most of winter the park rangers will deny you entry if you say you don't have chains even if the road is clear. There's stores not far out of the park that sell them but they're far more expensive than your local car parts store.
  
• Use the bear boxes for all food, deodorant, hair spray, tooth paste, and anything with a scent you could imagine a pet animal trying to consume against all logic because the bears, coyotes, and racoons will try and are much larger and smarter (and I have watched them all try).
  
• Last time I was there sleeping in your vehicle was verboten. I'm not sure on the exact reason why, but I think it's because bears are known to break into (and ruin in the process) cars while looking for food. You're safer outside the car than in it.
  
• Good sleeping bags are great but don't forget to put an insulating layer between yourself and the ground. Air mattresses are okay but suck for temperature control; one of those thin roll-out insulating pads are seemingly worthless but great for staying warm through the night.
  
• For $25 you can get 40 chemical handwarmers -- activate two or three (or four if you're cold) at night and toss them into the bottom of your sleeping bag to stay warm at night. Wear a shirt with chest pockets and put another two there, then get a wool beanie and slip another one between it and your head (if there's a blizzard...)
  
• Don't go to bed wearing wet (including sweat) clothes! It will cool through the night and wisk away your body heat. Before going to bed change into a fresh suit of dry clothing.

They're expensive but I absolutely love my Lake winter boots. Got them used on eBay about 5 years ago for $180 in excellent condition. For gloves I use Pearl Izumi lobster gloves.

I've always had cold hands and feet and sometimes even the above isn't enough. When it's really cold I put Hot Hand hand warmers in my gloves, against the palm/base of fingers, and in my boots on top of my toes. They are very toasty.

Tip: The Hot Hands last quite a while and are still useable after a ride. They heat up with air contact so when I finish my ride I put the Hot Hands in a plastic bag and squeeze out as much air as possible. They can't stay in the bag forever but will stay in limbo for a few days. I've used one pair on three different rides. Another trick is that they get hotter the more you shake the package so the first time I only shake it a bit. That way I can be sure they'll be good for another ride.

I have used 2 different kinds of adjustable dumbbells. At home I have a York set - the smallest version of these:
http://www.amazon.com/InfiDeals-Adjustable-Cast-Iron-Dumbbells/dp/B004UY5CR8/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1463887207&sr=8-8&keywords=york+dumbbells

Super simple, it just takes a minute to put the plates on and off. I really like them, they're pretty basic but they get the job done.

For a while I shared a tiny weight room with some workmates and they got a super swoopy high-tech set, I think they were these Bowflex ones:
http://www.amazon.com/Bowflex-SelectTech-Adjustable-Dumbbells-Pair/dp/B001ARYU58/ref=sr_1_2?s=exercise-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1463887273&sr=1-2&keywords=adjustable+dumbbells

Much easier to use, but after a few weeks they were constantly broken! Much more expensive too.

One down side of adjustables is you can't do supersets that require different weights, so you have to plan your workout accordingly.

Good luck, I hope this helps!

Welcome to Bodyweight. First off, read the FAQ so you understand everything. I recommend this routine (assuming that you are not too weak): http://i.imgur.com/o3bRo.png. The routine is good for beginners. Do it every other day, and you should be getting back in shape. Just remember to eat well and get enough rest. As for your dumbbell, you CAN switch out certain exercises, but I do not recommend isolation work until you get back in shape (in other words, don't do it yet).

You would really want to get a pair of gymnastic rings too. They're not too expensive and they're awesome.

Here's a good pair for $30.

And a better pair for $55

Enjoy your stay and read the faq!

I have the Lynx 2 person tent and like it.

The Lynx 1 person also looks like a fantastic option.

Only thing I don't like is their performance in the wind. If the wind hits the sides it'll blow into you a little but if you are not in a field you should be more than fine.

Are you trying to put your bike into it too? I just ran a chain around a tree and through the bike and then ran one of the tents supports through and made it supported by the bike so noone could remove it while I was sleeping.

Here is something that kinda includes your bike but it's not going to shield your bike if that's what you want.

My personal recommendation is to go with one of the lynxs and then use the rest of your budget for a decent flashlight/lantern, and a sleeping pad.

This is my sleeping pad and while nice, I would recommend getting something a little bigger because I would roll on the edges pretty frequently.

I have to say that this sounds extremely unlikely. It might not look like the casing above the door could support significant weight, but I am 260 lbs and it can support me just fine. However, if there is no molding or casing, or it is too thin or uneven to safely support, there are alternatives to the one posted above.

If you don't have the option of the hook on one, you can always get the type that bolts into the door jambs.

You could bolt a bar on your floor joists in the basement.

If you further do not have this option, then you could buy gymnastics rings and hang them from your floor joists in the basement (you should be allowed to drill a hole through them that would accommodate straps or ropes while still meeting structural building code requirements)

If you you do not have this option, as you are in an apartment or something similar, and have no suitable doorways to use for bars, then I think you will have to be creative in your solution for this... but there are still other bar types, such as wall mounted or free-standing, that you could purchase or construct.

http://www.treadmillfactory.ca/add-on-xm-wall-mounted-chin-up-bar-add-on-only-for-100-3245?gclid=Cj0KEQiA_ZOlBRD64c7-gOzvrP0BEiQAAYBnd8Cn3g3cDDscflQ6bsd1_bhUS9YKr09cyqyPLySoHrAaAgkg8P8HAQ

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002Y2SUU4/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687522&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B001KUURTS&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=18DKJX1R6RST84RJRQZC


Hope this helps. Good luck.

Amazon, Walmart, and some of the other big box stores sell them online.

In-person purchases are trickier. I've had luck with internet searching local disc golf stores but there are definitely areas where they really don't exist. Party stores, gas stations, media stores - it's weird who sells them and who doesn't.

Premium discs run about $15 a pop. Base discs around $8. There is a very real difference in the quality of the plastics here. A lot of people recommend DX plastic to start with because it's cheaper and easier to throw. Personally I found they went to crap waaaaay too quickly - big gouges and scrapes pretty much from the start.

This is the gold standard for starting:

https://www.amazon.com/Innova-Disc-Golf-3-Disc-Colors/dp/B000Q838XW/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1506561217&sr=8-6&keywords=disc+golf+starter+set

Personally I like this set more from a mold stand-point (although the Escape is probably fast for a beginner).

https://www.amazon.com/Dynamic-Discs-Prime-Disc-Starter/dp/B00T6TBNX4/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1506561217&sr=8-16&keywords=disc+golf+starter+set

This set is pricier, but you'll use it forever. Plastic is darn near indestructible and they are useful discs at several play levels - you'll need an arm for the volt though.

https://www.amazon.com/MVP-Disc-Golf-Neutron-Straight/dp/B00OS9ZN4C/ref=pd_sbs_200_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=KC5V01K22CEXT3DVJ35M


Personally though, I'd probably piecemeal one together for a starter kit. A 175g Judge Classic, 170+ E-Mac Truth, 170+ Neutron Switch or Lucid River, and then a light 150g driver like an Opto Air Diamond maybe.

Incorporate usage of a foam roller into your daily life. It will help loosen your muscles so that you may stretch. You can find cheap ones on Amazon ($20) but I recommend this sturdy one:

TriggerPoint GRID Foam Roller with Free Online Instructional Videos, Original (13-Inch), Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0040EGNIU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_zfwZCbCTAK2QV

Watch some YouTube videos on how to roll out your muscles. I have tight hamstrings and It's a very helpful tool for me. Good luck to you.

Morakniv makes some great budget fixed blades, some are quite small and most have a general utilitarian use. Here's a model for less than $17 and these have built a really good reputation for value and hard use.

However, maybe that isn't quite what you're looking for. Maybe you want something thicker, more substantial? Continuing with fixed blades is the ESEE 4P which before shipping is $99. Another option would be the Ontario Knife Company's RAT-7 for currently $63. Being an avid knife collector, I have maybe 150 total knives total. That said, I think if I had only 1 knife to take out with me and feel secure in doing so, the Kabar/Becker BK7 would be it. For ~$78 new on Amazon, it's just a big hunk of steel (1095 steel specifically) that can tear through almost anything you put in front of it from wood to meat to a car door panel lol. I would recommend looking into some customization for it for a couple for reasons. The black plastic handle scales that it comes with are not so great. This can be resolved by using a bike tire inner tube mod OR just grabbing those ~$40 micarta scales that the link suggests below the photos of the knife itself. The sheath is definitely serviceable for your needs, but you may eventually want to upgrade it to a kydex sheath, or even a leather one if you really like leather. Finally, the coating that's on all of the Becker knives has the benefit of protecting the blade very well but the cost is a lot of friction and eventually that coating will wear off and it'll look different. Many modders just strip that coating off and blue or force patina it and frequently oil after use. Or go the other route and spend hours up front polishing it to a mirror polish and now you have a knife that will look really Bowie-ish.

I had an Ontario RAT-5 for a while. About the same size as an ESEE 5, but with a thinner blade and full-flat grind. The handle was uncomfortably bulky and although it held up to my abuse, I just didn't like it. The blade was thin enough to do finer carving tasks, but it was too wide and the edge profile was terrible. I ended up using my Mora knife and Fiskars hatchet more and the RAT-5 was relegated to batoning duty and even in that I preferred the hatchet. In fact, I carved my first bow drill kit with that Fiskars.

I was considering stepping up to an Ontario RAT-7, but instead I traded the RAT-5 for a KaBar Becker BK7, which is a BEAST of a knife. Longer than an ESEE 5, but just as thick and with a similar profile. It really impressed me with the amount of work it could do and how easy it was to use, but it was heavy and just too fat to do anything but chop and split, so again, I was using my Mora and hatchet for most stuff.

I finally decided to try a different direction and traded the BK7 for a much smaller ESEE 4. Around the same time I bought a Bahco Laplander, and I am in love with this combo. The Bahco eats through 1-2" branches with ease (while generating plenty of sawdust for tinder) and the ESEE is just long enough to baton them into kindling and carve up some feather sticks. The best part is, the ESEE 4 and Bahco together weigh about as much as the BK7 in its sheath, and take up about as much space, but they are FAR more versatile.

I realize the ESEE 4 may be just out of your price range, but Kabar makes a similar knife called the BK16. However, the ESEE comes with a lifetime warranty.

I still take my Fiskars with me occasionally, but for weekend camping, I can process plenty of firewood with the ESEE and Bahco faster than I ever could with any of the bigger knives. If I needed to build a shelter or was venturing into unfamiliar territory, I'd want the hatchet because it's such a capable tool.

The ESEE 5 was designed for downed pilots who can't fit a hatchet or folding saw into their kit but may need to build a shelter, so they made it big and heavy. I understand first hand that big knives are appealing and certainly have their strong points, but their size, weight and thickness can make them difficult to use in a lot of ways and in reality, a big knife will never chop as well as a decent hatchet, because the knife's weight is centered just above the handle, not directly behind a huge wedge that drives into the wood. What you really want in a survival knife is versatility and I've spent a lot of time, money and energy figuring out that size doesn't add versatility.

I think you could find good citizen Eco Drive that has similar function as PRC200 : http://www.amazon.com/Citizen-AT0200-05E-Eco-Drive-Chronograph-Canvas/dp/B000EQR6H0/ref=sr_1_6?s=watches&ie=UTF8&qid=1335766853&sr=1-6

Or a Seiko Kinetic
http://www.amazon.com/Seiko-SSB045-Special-Value-Kinetic/dp/B00756FJJ4/ref=sr_1_5?s=watches&ie=UTF8&qid=1335767001&sr=1-5

Another option for quartz since you were looking at PRC200, is Orient TT0Z001B Limited Edition STI Ion Plated chronograph.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=TeMpz-cxl8A

The Orient used to give out 50% off coupon but they don't do that anymore just 30%.. so $440 retail, 50% would have been $220.
http://orientwatchusa.com/tt0z001b

For what you get, I think it's good deal at $170. 5 left until sold out. 4 left.
http://www.discountwatchstore.com/Orient-TT0Z001B-Mens-Limited-Edition-STI-Black-Ion-Plated-Chronograph_p_27651.html
_____
If you want an automatic mechanical watch, I would suggest Orient Mako, Seiko 5 series, or Sea-Gull watch.

http://www.amazon.com/Orient-Mens-CEM65002D-Automatic-Watch/dp/B001EWEQ3K/ref=sr_1_1?s=watches&ie=UTF8&qid=1335767894&sr=1-1

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-MENS-ORIENT-ORIGINAL-DIVER-AUTOMATIC-STANLEY-STEEL-WITH-BOX-GIFT-/350497575972?pt=Wristwatches&var=&hash=item519b489424#ht_1402wt_901

http://www.ebay.com/itm/350497575972?var=620037004130&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_1402wt_901

http://www.amazon.com/Seiko-Sports-Automatic-Watch-SNZG13/dp/B006BUE84M/ref=sr_1_31?s=watches&ie=UTF8&qid=1335767513&sr=1-31

I have that Seiko SNZG13 and it's great on my wrist. I think for smaller wrist, you should look at 38mm~42mm. I have a 43mm watch and the lugs hover over my wrist. I have two 41mm watches that I wear most frequently and those are Orient and Seiko SNZG13.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Sea-Gull-M186S-automatic-designer-watch-multi-purpose-comfortable-to-wear-/280841797985?pt=Wristwatches&var=&hash=item416379c161#ht_642wt_1141

I'm getting this Sea-Gull next. For the price this is a beautiful piece with classic roman numeral dial with blue hands. I have a cheap Parnis with ST-25 but the movement is just dead accurate. More so accurate than my Orient and Seiko 7s26. I'd say accuracy is Sea-Gull>Orient>7s26 in this order with Seiko being most elusive sometimes. Plus with Sea-Gull automatic, you get the movement that you can hand wind as well as hack. So all in all the Sea-Gull may be your best bet at EXACTLY $120. You'll get a penny back.

Hope it helped.

I have used both wrist based and strap based (? haha). For gym training, running and 24*7 hr, the wrist based one is great (I have a vivoactive 3 but in the past I used a 920 xt with a strap). I love not having to wear a strap for these activities but still wear one on the bike since wrist based hr is shit while cycling. This is standard across all devices and I wouldn't expect it to get better for a long time. I don't see the value of hr while swimming since you can't check your heart rate easily while swimming anyways, I would get used to training by the clock or RPE for swimming. As someone mentionned the garmin HR Tri or swim strap would record your heart rate while swimming but you still couldn't check it as you swim since your watch and your strap need to be fairly close to each other to transmit in water. I believe that your heart rate from a given set would be recorded by the strap and then transmitted to the watch while you wait at the wall between intervals and I'm not even sure it would display during the workout (you'd have to check DC rainmaker's review on those strap to get this detail). Anyways the conclusion is: swimming HR is useless don't bother with it.

A simple HR strap on amazon is pretty cheap and I would get a dual Bluetooth ANT+ one such as this one: https://www.amazon.com/Wahoo-TICKR-Monitor-iPhone-Android/dp/B00INQVYZ8/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1510255379&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=wahoo+tickr&psc=1

It ain't shitty, it is just another fashion brand watch. It will likely last a long time, but that really is all I can say for it.

Were I you, I'd buy the dude a good mechanical watch as a (inexpensive) gift. The Orient Mako is, I believe, the absolute best wristwatch that one can buy for $250 or less. They are owned by Seiko (another company you can't go wrong with).

Anyway, these are just my opinions, and I doso hope that I was at least a little helpful.

A fixed blade would be perfect. Mora knives are excellent inexpensive knives that are quite commonly used for camping. They make some with wooden handles, composite handles, stainless blades, and carbon blades. My understanding is that their stainless blades don't hold an edge quite as well as their carbon blades, but carbon blades have the disadvantage of being susceptible to rust. So for an outdoor camping application where you're likely to be running around in dirt and mud and rain and lakes and streams and not likely to have a supply of rubbing alcohol, clean cloths, metal polish, and mineral oil, a stainless blade with composite handle would probably serve you best.

On the other hand, Cody London, that hippy dude from Dual Survival pretty much exclusively uses classic Moras with wooden handles and carbon blades. On the other other hand, he also doesn't wear pants or shoes.

Here are a few to look at.

Disc Golf is a big one for me. I've put $50 into the sport and have all the equipment I need.

✅ Cheap cost of entry (link)

✅ Free to play (some courses are pay-to-play, make sure you check)

✅ Exercise while you play

✅ Fun with friends who are both good at the sport or have never played

✅ Outdoors

✅ Can play anywhere in the country (find a course)

--
It's an awesome hobby. Check out /r/discgolf for more. But watch out for those guys. They will have you thinking you need to buy 10 discs a year. You don't.

You don't really say where you are and what type of riding you'll be doing but here's my $0.02 on what I've done and would recommend to others.


Clipless Pedals + Shoes --> These are the newer version to what I use on my roadie, but if you want the versatility of the dual clipless or the single+flat on the other side, you can do that. Or you can go with full-road-cleated pedals, of course. For the shoes, try some out at a store, the internet hasn't replaced this step.

Saddle bag -- I err.. duct taped a tube to my seatpost and carry the rest of my crap in my jersey pockets.

Water bottle -- If you ride in extreme weather, consider an insulated bottle, it's sooo nice to fill with iced water and have cool water to dring on 100F+ days

Pump -- I have one that came with a bracket to bolt under the water cages, maybe look for one like it (can't remember the brand of mine)

??? (I have no idea what else I will need) -- you'll need/want:

• a multitool to adjust or fix anything that can come up. I have the park multitool and I don't really recommend it as there's probably better tools out there for road bike use, just make sure that it has a chain tool included.
  
• Tire levers, if they aren't included somehow in the multitool. I always carry one extra so I can have 3 leverage points if I get a flat.
  
• With a new bike you might need bottle cages.
  
• Get some chain lube if you don't have any.
  
• Depending on chain brand, a power link or quick link
  
• For patch kits, the park one is pretty much OK but do stay away from the self-adhering ones, they're garbage!

Okay, thanks for the tip! It would at least be something for me to do at my desk, and make me feel like I am doing something that will help me improve haha. Do you think that something like this or this would be more beneficial since it seems to be targeting the fingers more, or are they all exercising the same muscle? I'm not really a workout person, so my terms are probably all off haha.

It's always suggested to get a new helmet. You don't know if it's been involved in a slight crash or had anything happen to it that would compromise its safety.

What kind of lights did you get??

I'd like to think I have some properly good lights and I've only spent ~$70 on them

Here's what I have: 2Watt Cygolite hotshot tail light ~$30 and another Cygolite headlight that can do short 600lm flashes, but has a few modes around 500lm or so, $50, but this is what I ordered last month for a friend who recently got into cycling, same 2W tail light & another headlight that's just a bump below the 550 I linked above for $60

Unless you've got some whopping mountain trail lights, I feel like $130 is a bit high, I'm all for supporting LBSs, but sometimes they get silly.

Anyways, stay safe & nice fucking deal on the bike.

I built up a Disc Trucker last spring. I stuck closely to Surly's build in the gearing department as it mainly is a touring bike. I went 9-speed because the chains are a touch more durable and when you get into 10-speed, Shimano's road and mountain offerings start having some incompatibilities. With a 9-speed drivetrain, you can mix and match road and mountain to whatever extent you like.

I actually have two different gearing setups. One for true touring with a mountain rear derailleur and an 11-34 cassette and another with a road rear derailleur and a 12-26 cassette.

Here's relevant parts off my list:

|Part|Model|Other|Notes|
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|Crankset|Shimano Deore M590|175mm arm length|Has the trekking gearing 26/36/48 and Hollowtech because why not.|
|Rear cassette|SRAM PG-950|11-34 for touring, 12-26 for commuting|Yes, as far as casettes go, it's a heavy bugger. But when we're talking about LHTs, who really cares overly much about weight? As a side note, you'd need a mountain derailleur to use the 11-34, but you'd be just fine with the 12-26 for your 105.|
|Shifters|Shimano Dura-Ace 9-speed bar-end||If you're using this for touring, I'd recommend the bar ends. Otherwise, get whatever brifters you like, use a couple of Travel Agents and get some V-brakes.|
|Brake levers|Tektro RL520|Long-pull|Those guys are long pull, so they work with V-brakes and mountain-pull disc brakes. Ergonomics are decent, if a tad too pointy for my tastes.|
|Handlebars|Salsa Bell Lap||No longer being produced, sadly.|
|Saddle|Brooks Champion Flyer||I've put thousands and thousands of miles on this saddle. Love it. It's a little heavy if you're doing light commuting. For daily commuting and touring, though, it's hard to beat.|
|Pedals|Shimano M520||They're pretty low on the totem pole as far as component level, but I've had nary a problem with multiple sets. Clipless that won't break the bank.|
|Chain|SRAM PC-951||It's a cheaper chain more than adequate for commuting and touring.|

All the drivetrain stuff is 9-speed, but you can find the 10-speed equivalents rather easily. In your case, if you're not setting off across the country or across the world on your LHT, I'd say go for a set of brifters. If you want to go 9-speed, I'd look for an older set of Ultegra shifters. For 10-speed, I'd keep it 105 or above...or Rival or above for SRAM. SRAM has a lot more tactile feedback on the shifts while Shimano tends to be smoother. I prefer SRAM, but to each their own. Bar-ends are great and low maintenance, but not being able to shift from the hoods can get a little annoying after a while.

As to online retailers, a lot of parts can be had reasonably from Amazon. I also use Jenson USA. They ship fast, have free shipping on orders above $50, and price match on parts. I use Nashbar occasionally, but their shipping department is woefully slow and I avoid buying from them whenever possible.

Keep it simple at first. Find an easy loop (less than 10 miles so you don’t have to plan for water) near you. Alltrails is a good app that will help you start doing that.

There’s no need to start with car camping unless you already have the gear for that. Part of the fun of backpacking is gradually figuring out what gear you do and don’t need, what to bring, and what to leave behind. So release yourself to that journey. There is a joy in the ignorance of starting a new hobby.

That being said, your “big four” items are going to be a sleeping bag, tent, sleeping pad, and cooking system. For a cooking system, I would say an MSR Pocket rocket is absolutely the best go-to. That, plus fuel, and a lighter will be enough for you to get dehydrated meals made. I like to bring a measuring cup if I’m using dehydrated meals. That little bit of precision is really worth it.

To start fires at your campsite, you can put cotton balls in a plastic bag and soak them in isopropyl alcohol. Lint from your dryer also helps to start campfires.

Not sure what your budget is on gearing up, but absolutely avoid Walmart/Coleman brand stuff. Speaking from experience on that point.

You can find affordable, entry level stuff on amazon. A good starter tent for one person is here:

ALPS Mountaineering Lynx 1-Person Tent https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BMKD1DU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_UG5QBb04ZP4E1

High quality sleeping bags that are warm and lightweight are going to be pricey, but you can find some inexpensive ones on amazon that will get the job done.

I really like the Big Agnes sleeping pad. Been using that for a while now. Also, Osprey backpacks are very much worth the price tag.

I realized I need to buy some stuff to maintain my bike, and was looking for some input on what to get for the 'essentials'.

I need a repair stand. I was thinking about this model from Amazon. Seems to have decent reviews. I have a step-through bike so I guess I just hold it by the seat post and that's fine?

I also wanted to adjust my saddle position and the seat post length, do I need a torque wrench for this? I found this one. Should I just get a fixed torque one? Or just use normal hex keys and save my money?

For cleaning the chain and drive train, is it worth getting one of those special chain cleaning tools and cycle specific degreaser or can I just use "LA's Totally Awesome" cleaner and degreaser from Dollar Tree and a couple of floor scrub brushes held together? The Dollar Tree product I have already because I use it diluted as a general cleaner. At full strength it can soften certain plastics and remove some paints so it's pretty strong.

Is there any other stuff that I'm missing that I need for basic maintenance that I'm missing?

I transitioned into working on my bikes almost entirely by myself (Wheel building/suspension service/bearings excluded) and this is the exact path I went down as well. Here is everything I bought from Amazon:

The same $50 tool kit

Torque wrench

Cable/housing/wire cutter

Chain/quick link pliers


Wet/Dry Chain lubes

Park Tool grease

Degreaser

Blue Loctite

Carbon grip paste

And some additional small things like cables, cable end caps, ferrules, zip ties, etc. A set of needle nose pliers can be handy to help push/pull stubborn cables/housings as well.

Also, to make working on the bike 10x easier, I recommend getting a stand. I use this one because I am space constrained and it folds up nice and small, but there are probably better ones out there.

It seems like a lot of $$ to lay out at first, but it pays for itself pretty quickly compared to taking the bike to a shop every time you need to do something to it. Basically everything you need to do can be found on YouTube as well.

Most of the time I'm living in a flat so what I do it use a quick detailer (US link / UK link) and microfibre (US link / UK link) to keep things clean between proper washes. In fact I keep a bottle of quick detailer and a one of glass cleaner in the car at all times (I wrap a microfibre cloth around the spray head and put the combo in the driver/passenger door pocket).

Basically if you can catch any big, obvious dirt e.g. bird crap, early then it makes things easy.

If you manage to get some time, putting on a good coat of really hard wearing wax (US link / UK link) or sealant (US link / UK link) will be really helpful. It should last a year and make cleaning with quick detailer much easier.


As for the headlights, the yellow colour comes from the plastic oxidising. You need to scrub away that layer and then protect it. Toothpaste works quite well but there are dedicated products like (US link / UK link). Afterwards I'd apply some 303 Aerospace protectant (US link / UK link) which is also great for the interior plastic.

Biking in the rain isn't very fun. It's not too bad, but your tires can slip on some surfaces (usually metal). I had to cross some railroad tracks on my route and the tires could easily slip on the metal surfaces.

Also, in the winter, you'll want to wear gloves, otherwise your hands will get pretty cold from the cold air.

Develop a system to make sure you packed your clothes. I've left a few times for work without packing a shirt.

You may want to invest in a bike horn. I have one like this. It helps to alert cars to your presence, but will probably scare pedestrians, so be careful.

Also, you'll probably want to wear sunglasses, otherwise debris can get into your eyes.

I'd invest in a decent quality road bike. Mine was a $1000 Trek, but that's maybe a slight step above entry level. A good quality bike will cost you over $500. Road bikes are so nice. I was able to consistently go around 20 MPH. with bursts up to 25-30. I actually used to take a lane in rush hour traffic when I lived in my downtown area. I could keep up with the stop and go traffic and it was a great workout.

Wear a helmet!

Get lights, especially for winter when it gets dark earlier.

Visibility is key when riding near traffic, get reflective tape for your bike and reflective ankle bands so cars can see you.

Bike defensively. Worse accident I got in was when I was going by an alley and a car came out of the alley and didn't see me. Luckily I saw them so was able to avoid too much damage.

Either learn to do the maintenance yourself or take your bike into a shop to get maintenance every year or so.

Anyway, good luck! I enjoyed biking into work. I need to get back into it, but it takes good self discipline to wake up early enough to bike into work. I was lucky enough to have a locker room and showers at my workplace, and a bike locker. I really have no excuses other than the fact that driving is so much easier.

Have you tried using a foam roller? If you are enrolled at a gym they definitely have one, if not I highly recommend getting one -- I use this one though this one is good as a softer variant for more tender areas


edit: I'm reading more 'focused' massage (lacrosse ball or a tennis ball) benefits the lower back specifically due to how the muscles work together to support that region of your back^source though foam rolling in general is a great form of self-massage. Here's a pdf of a book that's got great diagrams and very well written to help you understand trigger points.

Pedal: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000WYAENC/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1395772017&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40

There are other options, but those are the most common, they're cheap, and use the same cleats as the bikes at spin class. You can always upgrade later if you find a reason not to like these; pedals usually come with cleats and most or all MTB cleats use the same 2 bolt mount so they will work with your MTB shoes.

Shoes: go to LBS and try some on. All MTB shoes should be good for walking, but different brands fit differently. Or order online from somewhere with free returns in case they don't fit; the Shimano M-088 are a good start, I love the ratchet buckle.

I recommend checking out /r/bikecommuting. Although it sounds like you have already been commuting by bike, so I apologize if you already know what I'm saying. I'm assuming because you are asking about what you wear for winter cycling that you do not regularly commute in winter/have a short commute.

You will need to get lights for commuting, especially as winter approaches (assuming that you are in the Northern hemisphere). I have the Cygolite Expillion 350 and the PDW Danger Zone. I once read that a blinking rear light is good for being noticed but a solid light is good for driver depth perception, so my helmet has a red light in back that I keep solid in the evening/night. I will eventually get a second real rear light.

As for clothing - what is your climate going to look like this winter? I was commuting in upstate New York and wore generic winter running tights, wool socks, UA coldgear shirt, a down vest, gloves, and a thin scarf that went around my neck and over my head under my helmet. When I wore thick wool mittens over my gloves, I was toasty in that down to 14 F. I never got goggles/glasses, but they would have been nice when it sleeted.

I don't have any cycling specific wear. I re-purpose what I already have or buy things that will work for multiple activities.

I wash my bike (or at least rinse it off) after any ride where salt from the road was kicked up. Last winter I had a toothbrush and would gently scrub my derailleurs to get off the ice and would use a damp rag to wipe it down. Again, I was biking in upstate New York. I have since moved south and don't yet know what this winter will mean for biking. I'm assuming a lot less ice and a lot less salt.

A few more things:


Camco 40043 TastePURE RV/Marine... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006IX87S?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

303 (30306) Aerospace Protectant,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XBCURW?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Camco RV Brass Inline Water... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003BZD08U?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

These are fun but not a requirement:

MPOWERD Luci Solar String Lights https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KYPDPKC?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

MPOWERD 1004-005-001-002 Luci Lux... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076JSCMPG?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Again not a necessity but I like it, keeps your water house pointed down not out

The Everything Candida Diet Book:... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003BZD03K?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Love this because depending on where you are, it’s really nice to have an extra water source for washing things and keeping dust down on the road

2wayz All Metal Body Garden Hose Splitter. Newly Upgraded (2017): 100% Secured, Bolted & Threaded. Easy Grip, Smooth Long Handles y Valve https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019MS0HK8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_fOhxDb2J6NVSQ

[foam box, apply duct tape to hold shut] (https://www.grainger.com/product/12F276?gclid=CjwKCAiAwZTuBRAYEiwAcr67OYmFsxWbQPsZ6q6G2LcJL5M4zB0FDx7diAlZz8JqX1lQ9P6GeFZPjBoCnbAQAvD_BwE&cm_mmc=PPC:+Google+PLA&ef_id=CjwKCAiAwZTuBRAYEiwAcr67OYmFsxWbQPsZ6q6G2LcJL5M4zB0FDx7diAlZz8JqX1lQ9P6GeFZPjBoCnbAQAvD_BwE:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!2966!3!50916733197!!!g!82129239837!)

just a thing to hold your electronics in to keep them insulated from the cold during flight, and cushioned for the impact of landing.

[piezo electric buzzer, attach to arduino to give an audible alarm to help track down your payload after landing] (https://www.adafruit.com/product/1536?gclid=CjwKCAiAwZTuBRAYEiwAcr67OVsUCcFPwRh9nBWLsDKDr9_VNEnteEJxQoZ5P8Z_j0ddqz6boPAyfRoCeLkQAvD_BwE)

not required but can be helpful when hunting down your payload

[hand warmer] (https://smile.amazon.com/HotHands-Hand-Warmers-Odorless-Activated/dp/B0007ZF4OA?sa-no-redirect=1)

also optional, i've never used them, generally used to keep your batteries warmer as warm batteries perform better than cold.

[GPS Antenna] (https://store.uputronics.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=72&search=gps)

gotta get GPS signals somehow, i highly suggest the MAX M8Qs from Ublox

[AA battery packs, i suggest using the energizer ultimate lithium batteries] (https://www.digikey.com/products/en/battery-products/battery-holders-clips-contacts/86?k=battery+holder&k=&pkeyword=battery+holder&sv=0&pv91=355996&sf=0&FV=-8%7C86%2C32%7C306832%2C1989%7C0&quantity=&ColumnSort=0&page=1&pageSize=25)

you'll likely use a 4-6 pack that has the batteries connected in serial to supply the 5v the arduino needs

[trackuino shield and guide] (http://hab.education/pages/trackuino.html)

this tells you where your payload is via sites like aprs.fi

[cheap external temperature sensor] (https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/maxim-integrated/DS18B20/DS18B20-ND/956983)

the trackuino code already has provisions for this temp sensor so it requires very little modification to the code to use.

[antenna, no coat hangar required] (https://www.byonics.com/antennas)

Any antenna thats made to operate on 144.390 mhz (assuming you are in the US, other countries you'll have to check your band plan) will work. I make mine from 2 19" pieces of 20 gauge wire.

The only thing I can help with is floor mats. Get WeatherTech floor mats. They fit the best and hold a ton of water/mud/whatever. Use some 303 Protectant on them and they will look brand new for a very long time.

303 protectant is also excellent for your dash and any interior plastic. It's like sunscreen for your interior and won't dry out your dash like armor all or other petroleum based protectants. Also doesn't leave a super glossy finish like armor all, that just attracts dust right after you put it on.

People downvote me because I'm a little weird, but some of these are good, they have the capacity of being clipless, but still having the option of using regular shoes if you feel like it. If you want to save the weight and use only clipless these are good, they're simple clipless pedals, both are rather inexpensive, and if you feel like spending more money

/r/EatCheapAndHealthy is great.

When I wanted to put on weight it was 3-6 eggs, toast and a juice or a protein shake each day for breakfast, turkey sandwich for lunch, fruit and nuts throughout the day, and either two chicken breasts or whatever I felt like for dinner. Didn't plan on it being "health food," but that's more or less how it turned out. Once your main diet shifts to natural foods the shit becomes less appealing.

Bodyweight workouts can do a lot more than you might think, as well. Get a set of gymnastic rings if you can, they make any bodyweight workout dramatically harder and more productive by forcing many more muscles to work in order to maintain balance and form. The set I got served me well for a time, but shop around. Use them for pushups, pull ups, dips, anything. Get creative with them. Invent your own exercises.

I've had some close calls. You can see in the stats that isn't particularly safe but I enjoy it and do my best. I got one of these for my bike and it helps to blast cabs and j walkers. much more effective than a bell, which I still use for passing etc

I actually have a lot of experience with this sort of issue from a previous relationship. The TL;DR is i spent a TON of time researching the female orgasm, and G Spot stimulation.

*Disclaimer: I gained a ton of new information and new techniques, but guess what - still no orgasm. Kinda screwed me up cause I kept trying to place blame (on me, then her, then me again...etc) but really i should have continued to keep an open mind and communicate more with her. I was immature. I mention this because you shouldn't make it a "goal" that you or her get pissed off that you don't reach. Every girl is unique in the way that she prefers to be pleased. You have to learn to read body language and react properly to her subtle hints. It's more like obtaining a degree, takes a long time and a lot of hard work, but in the end it pays off.

You should absolutely research g spot stimulation. Every girl i've been with afterward has been completely amazed, and some squirted for the first time from just my fingers. If you really wanna make a girl cum, the majority of women are going to be brought to orgasm with your fingers, not your cock. This does take time and excersize, I would literately work out with my fingers. There's a ton of information and how-to videos on the web about this, i suggest you watch and readas many as you can and combine all the information. And remember that your girl is unique, and you have to adapt techniques to her and her body.

Also, you're idea about adding another guy is a separate thing. If you both want to live out that fantasy, that's awesome, but it shouldn't be used as a "i can't do it, let him do it!" What happens when he doesn't make her cum either? Research, exercise, and communication dude. Good luck, and have FUN!

I have these and really like them. They're cheap (at least at the moment - currently at 1/3 their normal price according to Amazon), sturdy, big enough to be comfortable while still being small enough to pop into a backpack, and the straps are easy enough to set up after you get used to it. The straps also have built-in velcro thingies to hold them rolled up. They're also easy to adjust mid-workout when going from rows to pull-ups or whatever.

As a disclaimer, I've only owned the one pair of rings, lol. But they are perfectly adequate for the RR.

Long story short.

I got a treadmill.


A bench


pair of dumbells

all brand new.

I was gonna sell all of this. But I just got out of school from the summer, and now with work all day I feel like I could get into fitness. I'm 200lbs 6' so not terribly overweight, but I don't really know what I'm doing. I don't know any workouts besides picking up a dumbell, but I don't want to be that guy that does 1 workout, has massive biceps, and is tiny everywhere else all around.

I guess what I'm asking is... what kind of workouts should I do so that I'm all-around fit. I'd like some muscle, but nothing crazy.

Also, if anyone can recommend what kind of weights/bar to get for my bench let me know as well. Thanks

There are some things you can do like practicing with a pick on some sort of edged surface that sort of approximates the feeling of strumming/picking strings just to practice your grip.

Using grip strengthening tools while your hands are free can be helpful as well. And I mean the normal grip exercise tools like this and NOT those janky little 'Gripmaster' things with the individual finger springs you'll sometimes see marketed to guitarists or hanging out at the GuitarCenter checkout counter. IMO they do a terrible job of emulating the feeling of pressing down on strings and are awkward and sometimes even painful with the strange angle you'll be holding it to attempt and build fretting finger strength.

Spend time doing paper music practice - transpose music/tabs, draw out the fretboard and fill in the correct notes, anything that might serve you as a learning tool AWAY from the guitar.

There are small travel size guitars or 'silent' guitars on the market you may be able to fit in your backpack as well as partial-guitars meant for practice but, honestly, I'd just bring your damn guitar with you. Nothing is going to beat having your hands on the actual instrument and all the tools/training aids I've seen just aren't quite the same enough that I'd want to spend money or time on them.

Aside from that just relax. Having time away from your instrument is good for rest and focus as well.

Nice looking discs, and good choices too, but if you're just starting out, these discs might be a bit frustrating to throw. It might do you well to leave these at home for a bit, and pick up a starter kit (like this one by Innova, or this on by Discraft) or just a midrange like the Discraft Buzzz. Learning how to drive with a midrange or putter is one of the best ways to develop good form and work up your arm speed before moving up to fairway and distance drivers! :)

Make sure you have a good mouse/mousepad(would recommend EC2 Evo [or DA4G if you're 1.83+ meters tall] and Allsop XL Raindrop mousepad) and a high framerate config like this: http://pastebin.com/UV6usP3C
Using eagle pistol and nova colt(you can try going for max accuracy with nova colt and shooting each shot with long pauses inbetween like you would with a sniper rifle) will warm your fingers up better than using chain since the hitboxes for chain are bigger. Something I found that helped me both in getting my fingers ready and in relieving some stress(in general not just for games) is using handgrips: http://www.amazon.com/Gripmaster-Exerciser-Tension-9-Pounds-Finger/dp/B0006GCBL4/

This starter set will get you off to a great start and will be the best discs for you long-term if you decide to stick with it.

The /r/discgolf community is great overall especially for new players wanting to ask questions.

There is also quality coverage on YouTube of professional disc golf tournaments. Check out any of the following channels: Jomez Pro, Central Coast Disc Golf (these are the two biggest channels), The Disc Golf Guy, Par Save Productions, or GK Pro.

For channels about how to get better once you get bitten by the disc golf bug, check out Danny Lindahl's channel or search Physics of Flight on YouTube.

Looking good! Nice work! Now that you've got them nice and clean be sure to give them a generous coat of protectant. I have been extremely pleased with 303 UV Protectant. It will not only give the pads a great shine, but it also will protect them from UV and hinder future mildew growth.

There's a good chance that you need to keep your thumb lower on the back of the neck, it gives you much more mobility. If your pinky isn't strong enough, either use it a lot or get one of these to work out your pinky. I definitely think it's your grip, though. Slide your thumb , it should help.

And to get a clearer tone, make sure your fingers are as close to the right side of the fret as possible, it eliminates buzz and gives your tone more clarity. Obviously, make sure you push the string all the way down and don't mute any other strings.

Good luck!

I use the FlipBelt, you can get it on Amazon. It is absolutely a lifesaver. It's just a belt made of like workout clothing material? It's got lots of pockets and my iPhone 6S Plus fits perfectly, as well as my keys and whatever else I need. Great for when I'm wearing leggings that don't have pockets.

Edit: here's the link
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00JF9DWWU/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1475002040&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=flipbelt&dpPl=1&dpID=31-9rotYqZL&ref=plSrch

I've found that thicker exercise mats are better for two reasons: (1) they muffle noise better, which is because (2) they reduce more impact and save your knees a lot. There are several kinds of exercise mats, some that are yoga-mat thickness (which don't reduce impact as much, I didn't like mine for insanity at all because it just helps you grip the floor but not cushion jumps) and puzzle-mat thicker ones like this here that I've found help me a lot. I'm only 24 and fairly light (125lb female, 5'5") but my knees are awful so I've found those are the best for me.

I know a lot of people that do Insanity on carpet just fine (I have hardwood), so it's really what you're most comfortable with but especially for the noise factor I'd use something on the floor. :)

I do all my riding at night but mostly paved trails. I did a ton of research before buying my lights.

Front:

MagicShine 872 - This is what I use. For Price per lumens you can't beat this thing. It's crazy bright. I have it on 50% most of the time sometimes lower. For distance it's about the same at 50% or 100%. 100% is just much brighter immediately in front of you.


I would actually recommend the MagicShine 808 though. It's a little cheaper and all my research showed the side by side comparisons the 808 actually throws light out a little father. It's just not as bright in the first 25 feet. Since I leave my 872 on 50% it wouldn't matter and I would get a little more distance.

http://www.amazon.com/MagicShine-MJ-808U-Bicycle-Improved-1100-Lumen/dp/B009GSLUR4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1409954087&sr=8-3&keywords=magicshine+872

Both have an external battery pack and don't use a USB charger though. Which for some people is a problem. I don't mind strapping the battery to my top tube.

Edit to add: Neither of these has a flashing or pulse feature. They do have an adjustable brightness level though. 872 has last for roughly 2 hours for me at 100%. The power buttons illuminate to give you a rough estimate of battery level. After a 2 hour ride with it on 50% the entire time it will show that it has more then 50% left. They say it will last 3 hours at 100% but reviews I read said it last 2 1/2 at 100% then dropped its self down the 75% then 50 > so on until it completely died at 6 hours. I've not actually done that myself though.

Rear:

I use Light & Motion Vis 180 - This thing is ridiculously bright and I love it. Full 180 degrees of visibility from the amber lights. It's very expensive though for a taillight.

http://www.amazon.com/Light-Motion-Tail-Silver-Moon/dp/B00LH1W9AU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=8-1&keywords=light+and+motion+180

My research pointed to Cygolite Hotshot 2W USB being the best bang for your buck. I would have bought this but my LBS didn't carry it and I needed something that night for riding so i got the Light and Motion.

http://www.amazon.com/Cygolite-Hotshot-2-Watt-Rechargeable-Taillight/dp/B005DVA57Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409954733&sr=8-1&keywords=Cygolite+Hotshot+2W+USB


Hope this helps.

your price is just about right for shoes + pedals. Most new bikes dont come with a pedal so unless you know otherwise about the bike you are getting you will probably need to purchase a pedal and if you are purchasing pedals you might as well purchase shoes :] right? if you give a cyclist a bike, hell want pedals, if you give him pedals, hell want shoes... :P Also im a big fan of just splurging on what you can and enjoying the full package. This is all dependent though on your budget.

http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-PD-A530-Dual-Platform-Pedal/dp/B001MZ2AGO

this is the pedal i ride on my commuter. its a good dual duty pedal and the platform feels solid. Its a bit bulky so i dont ride it on my nice bike but if your planning on clipping in only sometimes i would suggest this one. If you are planning on riding clipped a majority then i would suggest a pedal without the platform.

Here are the differences in clips. (i think they are called the cleat but i am going to continue calling them the clips)

road clip

road clip shoes notice these have 3 holes where you screw the clip into the shoe in a triangular pattern.

spd clip

spd clip on shoe

notice the spd clip is smaller and recessed. This makes the shoe feel more like a normal shoe and you dont notice the clip as much

road v spd, road on left

road v spd clips and pedals

As a late disclaimer, I have never used road clips but this is the information i gathered in the process of purchasing. Road clipped shoes also usually have a stiffer sole, i believe.

As far as your question goes. I cant imagine long rides anymore without being clipped into the bike. You feel and are more attached to your machine. Your pedaling will most likely be more fluid, you can pull the pedals on the upstroke, your feet wont pop off the pedals on hard shifts letting you pedal through the shifts (something i couldnt do so well without clipless), and you have to learn to trust your bike because your stuck in it :]

That said, I did ride without clipless shoes for quite a while and didnt have any problems but if you asked me to go back now i wouldnt do it. I think if you cant swing a set of shoes and pedals right now, you wouldnt die because of it, but i would suggest investing in them if you are looking to be more serious about riding.

I hope this helps your decision and doesnt make things even more confusing :P

heres my setup for reference.

shoes $100

pedals $70

if your not sure how to use them. You slide the front of the clip in and then start pedaling and push the back of the clip in and it will click in. To get out you twist your ankle away from the bike and the clip will pop out. After i get my pedals i always loosen the spring on the pedal to the loosest setting, then tighten to preference. Looser settings will allow you to still twist your foot side to side while clipped in. Also i think spd clips will give you more side to side play than a road clip.

EDIT: i changes the road clip picture, it was a bit confusing before

I have used a stick before, but one with rollers like this one: http://www.amazon.com/The-Stick-Original-Massage/dp/B000YDO1NA

In my experience, the stick doesn't work nearly as well as a foam roller. For what it's worth, this the foam roller I use: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0040EGNIU

The reason I like the roller more is because I can put a lot more weight on the area I am massaging with a foam roller. I feel like I am getting a deeper massage that way.

The stick is very nice for travel, though.

You run in jeans?! Damn, I don't get that, but to your question, both the FlipBelt and Spibelt are very popular. I've had the SPIbelt for... 3 months now, and it's held up pretty well. The elastic band has stretched just a bit, but it controls bouncing very well and will fit more than just your phone if you want to bring gels or cards/cash with you.

Most ppl around here recomment these MDUSA rings, theyre pretty sturdy and have a lifetime warrenty (noone has ever said they failed them. I also commonly see Nayoya rings _~30 bucks on amazon IIRC) being toted as well priced but great quality wooden rings

Edit- Nayoya rings also Woot has pretty constant discounts on Body by Jake rings (Quality seems ok but Im not sure about shipping to uk?)

I'm a big fan of things that you can set up, and then as you walk by them in your house like do a rep just because. Much better than free weights which as you said, just gather dust!

Pull up bar (that has other useful uses)

Gripper (Can use at your desk!)

listen to music while you exercise - regardless of what mp3 player you use Music makes workouts fun!

Write yourself a reminder of how to start a fire with the items within your car:

How to start a fire with your car battery

You know, in case you do not have a cigarette lighter working in your car.


It is REALLY. IMPORTANT. To stay dry. Get a slicker for each member of your family, as well as sturdy, water proof foot gear. If you can get a combo snow coat/water proof whatchmacallit, that is perfect. I personally take all items, and vacuum seal them in ziplock Space bags (including first aid, flashlights, flares, everything, to ensure they are protected from moisture before being placed into the duffle bag)

Handwarmers. A buttload of handwarmers. The can last up to 10 hours!


first aid kits, -40 degree sleeping bags, solar rechargeable/hand cranking latterns/flashlights, a simple manual on field survival (scavenging for food, simple traps, signaling for help, a small sum of money in case you need to purchase gas/towing/food, flares, freeze dried, high calorie foods (nuts work amazing))

Water. I am a bit miffed at the person that said he does not store water, but carries a water filter. ALWAYS. CARRY. WATER. A 24 pack of water bottles in the trunk with the tire is good, or a few liter bottles with some air space for expansion. Having a water filter does nothing if you do not have a source for water, or the means to melt snow/ice. Get a water filter as something supplementary. Pack a cheap multi tool and a good knife as well.

A fire starter (flint) and some simple kindling(a sandwich baggie of cotton balls) added tip--coat your cotton balls partially in vaseline, it will increase the flammability of the cotton, and help repel water.


Something I also include, is a pair of foot long 2x4 pieces. I name them the 'clackers'. Smacking 2x4's together is akin to a gun shot, and will get the attention of someone if you do the typical SOS morse code pattern. They also scare away wildlife. Although I always travel armed.

A typical portable jump starting battery
You can often find these little systems with ports which can charge your phone.

A tarp or tent in case your car is compromised and cannot provide adequate shelter

Maps, both local and national (in case you travel) and a compass.

A simple dig out kit for getting your car free (shovel, kitty litter, or a tin can and candle trick, ropes, tire chains, etc)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Innova-Disc-Golf-Set-3-DXSET/dp/B000Q838XW/ref=sr_1_10?keywords=disc+golf+set&qid=1556639104&s=gateway&sr=8-10

I think that could work well for you. Aviar is a great putter (what I started with); Shark I've never used but seems like it would be good as a disc you know will finish left; Leopard I still use a lot.

If not, I also would second getting an Aviar and a Champ Mako3. I bought a couple Mako3s when starting and used them exclusively for a couple months. I still play 2 disc rounds with them from time to time to practice form and shaping.

It's a bit more price but this tracker is what I have and it does both bluetooth (for phone) and ant+ (if you ever get a bike computer) for $50. It will be far more accurate than a fitbit and you can map your heart rate to climbs etc. It will also improve calorie counts.

My wife uses a fitbit blaze when we ride and it works fine. It's not perfect but it's just fine. The downside to the Blaze is no GPS built in so you have to carry your phone anyway. The Surge has GPS tracker so no phone needed. Your heart rate should be reasonably accurate just make sure the band is snug.

I'm assuming you bought this set back then. For a forehand(flick) throw I would pick up an Innova Orc, preferably one in Champion plastic. This is the first disc I owned and I would get beautiful s-curves out of my flick. here is a link to one. Champion plastic is super durable and will not get destroyed by hitting trees. Read up on some of the discs on that site I linked too, it has some decent insight on which discs do what.

Ha. I haven't had a doorframe pull-up bar in a while, in part out of fear of bringing the door down, but in just as large part because of the lowered clearance. I just got one of these, and am pretty happy with it so far: https://www.amazon.com/Weider-WEBE99712-Power-Tower/dp/B0098MAYNY/

Not ideal height-wise, but sturdy and a better option than a doorframe pullup bar almost certainly; I think the height is 7 foot, with the leg-tuck (or extension) not awful as an option.

Also, here's a similar product which people in /r/bodyweightfitness seem to regard well: https://www.amazon.com/Stamina-50-1690-1690-Power-Tower/dp/B002Y2SUU4/

Very cool. I have also been researching co2 setups. Is this the one you used on amazon? I also noticed that aquatek makes a mini regulator. Am I correct in assuming that the only difference in them is that the mini regulator uses a 24 oz paintball co2 tank and the standard size uses the 5 lb tank?

Also, absolutely gorgeous tank you have! I really like the open top style. May I ask also what kind of lights you are using? I really like how they look. Thank you!

I am wrong and you are right, but the market is still dominated primarily by two types: SPD and SPD-SL. OP, I still recommend you do your own google research and LBS research because everyone has different preferences on pedals and cleats. I ride SPD on my road bikes, yet these are considered mountain bike pedals. Talk to someone at your LBS. As far as cost (and the reason I ride SPD), these are some of the most affordable/cost effective pedals on the market. If you are new to clipping in, you can get nice mountain bike style shoes that will allow you to walk around comfortably also. Also, I apologize, I didn't intend to sound condescending, but I do think a google search will give you more info faster than reddit.

I have two Leatherman tools. I have used them for over a decade and have never had any trouble with them. They are easy to sharpen and they don't have a single dot of rust on them. Every tool is going to have its limits. I wouldn't use the knife on a Leatherman as a crow bar. I have never heard anyone complain about their Leatherman.

I have seen many people complain about the Sven Saw. It seems to be high quality and the design is very convenient. However, because of its triangular design, it actually can only cut smaller branches. Perhaps you aren't intending to cut a 6 inch limb. Just know that anything thicker than probably 3 inches is probably a big pain to cut with the Sven. Also, from what I understand, the Sven Saw only takes Sven Saw Blades, which is an added inconvenience and expense.

I have a basic cheap bow saw (one piece, non foldable) that I think works great. Bonus is that you can, if needed, use it with standard hack saw blades.

I don't currently own a Mora knife, but they do seem to be universally loved. Please note however that there are several Mora knives that range from $8 to $18 (both stainless and non-stainless). They don't seem to be substantially different from the one you mentioned that is $65.

This is the Mora Bushcraft Survival knife you mentioned ($65):

http://www.amazon.com/Mora-Bushcraft-Survival-Stainless-Steel/dp/B005CAPU80


Different Mora knives are either non-stainless carbon steel or stainless. Also, the thickness of the blade varies. You can get the thicker stainless steel knife in the cheaper model ($14):

http://www.amazon.com/Lime-Green-Mora-Companion-Knife/dp/B00BU9ATS8/ref=pd_sim_sg_12

I'm sure you can find one without a lime green handle. There seem to be a thousand models of Mora knives.

Another example, slightly thinner but still stainless ($11):

http://www.amazon.com/Mora-Stainless-Steel-Camo-Knife/dp/B005K994QM/ref=pd_sim_sg_11

This one is not stainless but the steel is even thicker than the one you mentioned ($40) if durability is your priority:

http://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Bushcraft-Sandvik-Stainless-4-3-Inch/dp/B009O01H0Y/ref=pd_sim_sg_9

This last one is almost exactly the same as the knife you mentioned, except that it is $17 instead of $65:

http://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Companion-Stainless-Military-4-1-Inch/dp/B004ZAIXSC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376873143&sr=8-1&keywords=mora+knife+stainless+steel

Perhaps the price of the one you mentioned is inflated because of the sheath, but the reviews rate that sheath badly. They mention the clip disconnecting unexpectedly and also it does seem like the sharpening stone and the fire steel to be a bit of a gimmick. Fire steels are like $3 at Walmart and maybe $5 if you want the bigger military style model. The sharpening stone attached to the sheath seems to be toy like and not really functional.


Another one that seems to be the same as yours without the gimmicky sheath ($38):

http://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Bushcraft-Outdoor-Stainless-4-3-Inch/dp/B003FYJU9A/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1376873143&sr=8-12&keywords=mora+knife+stainless+steel

There seems to be a huge variation of prices on Mora knives. The best ones seem to be the ones that are Stainless Steel and the thickness is around 0.1 or 0.098 inches.

I already own several high quality expensive knives, so I don't have a need to purchase the $65 range Mora knife. But the ones that are around $11 seem to be a great deal to use in situations where I might want to avoid damaging my expensive knife.

My favorite to purchase cheaply right now is:

http://www.amazon.com/Mora-Stainless-Steel-Camo-Knife/dp/B005K994QM/ref=pd_sim_sg_11

Because it has the hook at the front of the grip, which will help prevent your hands from slipping on to the cutting edge if you have to push into something. I think in survival situations, you hands may be tired, shaky, wet and dirty, which might make them prone to slipping. And of course, a survival situation is the absolute worst time to cut your hand.

Those are my 8 cents worth of contribution.

That's awesome! You're definitely free to come by shop hours and ask advice and use the tools there. We've got all the bike tools you'd need for sure.

I'm sure if you post the picture on our Facebook page you'd get lots of helpful suggestions. To start you off, I'll recommend an Airzound horn. They're ridiculously loud and refillable with your bike pump.

I have been using THIS for my interior (dashboard and door panels). So far I am liking it.

I heard positive reviews of 303 Spray

Which one do you recommend? Or is there any product more best bang for my buck?

Thank you!

1. This article explains the differences. Basically the 2016.5 gives all models more base features, like heated seats as standard in the Touring, and navigation as standard in all models.
   
   
2. The dash has that weird texture at first but I find that goes away after a few months. Or maybe it's based on temperature. Regardless, my normal microfiber works fine on it.
   
   
3. In my Mazdas I use this product. It works on all surfaces but glass, and is one of the best products out there, especially for leather.
   
   
4. I put my mount in the place you've described, I really can't find any place much better. No issue with heat though. This is the mount I use.
   
   
5. The only other thing I recommend to everyone are the Weathertech Floor Liners, for every car you buy. They're expensive but worth every penny if you live somewhere it snows or rains constantly.

This one is a litttle bit pricey but it's bluetooth and the best model. If you get it I can help you out, it's hella fun.

https://www.amazon.com/Wahoo-TICKR-Monitor-iPhone-Android/dp/B00INQVYZ8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1491374489&sr=8-2&keywords=heart+rate+strap+bluetooth

If you get those, you limit yourself to a certain weight and you also don't, since you can adjust them, but it takes time.

If you're serious about it, you may want to consider investing in something like these:

https://www.amazon.com/Bowflex-SelectTech-Adjustable-Dumbbells-Pair/dp/B001ARYU58

Because you can change them super quickly in between workouts. It'd probably be really helpful during incinerator, where you're moving from curls to triceps back to back.

Or just do a mix of bands and dumbells. Nothing wrong with that.

I have a small gym at my house that i use for working out in the holidays when im bk home so ill share with you my personal experience and lay down some advise.

1 - Make sure u either buy good quality metal weights or go for rubber protected ones. Reason beeing if u invest in sht quality metal weights they will start degrading super fast and will stain ur shirts and floor.

2 - You will want to always do that last bench press repetition, so get a self spoting bench since u dont wana rely all the time on Erisan or someone else to help u. I prefer the type of power rack that has the bar fixed to the cage, the ones that only let you move the bar in a vertical axis wich makes ur movement for either squats, sholders, arms and chest super clean. The same cage contains 2 security pistons that you can set for self spoting. Not neceraly this model or price but jsut to give you an ideia of wat im talking http://www.amazon.com/Marcy-Diamond-System-Linear-Bearings/dp/B001D78PCE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1453428177&sr=8-3&keywords=gym+cage

3 - You can try these weights wich will save you some space and time, i have worked with them before and personly they fell a bit wierd in the begining but once you get used to them your set.http://www.amazon.com/Bowflex-SelectTech-Adjustable-Dumbbells-Pair/dp/B001ARYU58/ref=pd_sim_200_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=51nnMxox1bL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0H7KD5QGQ6XDAG37ANR2

Where in CA are you headed? What is your budget? Will you be using this tent in the future? Is it just yourself or you and a partner? Are you car camping, or are you hiking 10 miles a day?

If it's just you and you want a relatively cheap solo tent, check out the ALPS Lynx 1.

https://www.amazon.com/ALPS-Mountaineering-Lynx-1-Person-Tent/dp/B00BMKD1DU

Under 4lbs, freestanding, aluminum poles, full coverage fly, vestibule.

Cheaper and a bit lighter is the Stansport scout tent.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006V2B2I

It's pretty much a no-frills tent, but used by countless scouts over the years. It's not free standing so it does need to be staked down. Says 2-person but a bit tight for 2 adults. And getting out of the tent without knocking over the pole...

If you're car camping, with other people, have a decent budget and will use the tent regularly in the future, well there are a lot of bigger, nicer tents out there.

Another option is to rent gear. If you're going out for a few days, you'll probably need to stock up on gear like fuel canisters, so you can check with REI and see what they have for tent rentals. Might cost you more than buying a cheap tent like the Stansport, but it's an option.

A third alternative is not to get a tent at all but just sleep under the stars. Might bring a tarp to set up for protection from the sun and a stray shower.

I use a flipbelt, and its been great so far. The addition of some bluetooth headphones would be a great addition, but other than that I'm happy with my solution. I've tried several armbands and none have suited me as well as the belt. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00JF9DWWU/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1421191480&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX200_QL40

Games (in no particular order):

• Chronos
  
• Lone Echo
  
• Echo Arena
  
• Gorn
  
• Superhot VR
  
• Thumper
  
• Blazerush
  
• Eleven: Table Tennis VR
  
• Edge of Nowhere
  
• The Mage's Tale
  
  
  Honourable mentions: Space Pirate Trainer, Audioshield, Soundboxing, theBlue, Apollo 11 VR, New Retro Arcade: Neon, Defense Grid 2, Pinball FX2 VR, The Climb, The Gallery - Episode 1: Call of the Starseed.
  
   
  
  Accessories:
  
  
• WidmoVR face cover - Keep your Oculus fresh.
  
• Zeiss Alcohol-free Lens Cleaning Wipes - Take good care of your Rift lenses.
  
• Cheap camera wall mounts - Stable mounting for the Rift sensors.
  
• Halo Skull Cap - For sweat intense VR sessions.
  
• Interlocking exercise mats - Turn your play area into a tactile zone.
  Gives the additional benefit of padding.

Buy some hot hands they work miracles. I remember someone last year gave me one for my wife and I definitely made the cold bearable and they're pretty cheap for big pack maybe you can pass them out like I will be doing!!
HotHands Hand Warmers 40 Pair Value Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007ZF4OA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_vq2hAb1GVX2GY

One of the things I like most about living here is not needing a car. There are certainly some places I avoid biking to/through, especially at night, out of concern for my safety. If I need to go there, I just use lyft, or get a ride from a friend.

Someone else mentioned that there are no bike lanes - this is not true. There are bike lanes on some roads, but not as many as I personally would like. That said, there are a lot of pretty narrow streets, especially in the quarter/marigny/bywater that simply don't have room for bike lanes.

One recommendation I would make is to get a bike airhorn for the moments when drivers aren't paying attention/don't care about bicyclists/aren't exactly sober, which seems to happen a lot here. This has saved me on quite a few occassions.

Just be aware when you're shopping, if you ask a Canadian for recommendations you're going to get stuff that is much lighter than you will probably want to get. Up to -10C many of us consider this light winter wear weather, but you will probably be wanting full on baselayer, gloves, boots and heavy jacket.

Calgary winters are fairly mild (averaging lows of -10 to -15C), but they come with wild swings due to our proximity to the mountains, you might go to work and it's -20C and when you leave its +10C so be prepared with layers as other have mentioned.

In the middle of Jan/Feb it's going to get real cold, often reaching -30C to -40C for a few days and a couple weeks below -20C. Be prepared for these days, if you have a vehicle make sure to plug it in (all vehicles sold in Canada have a block heater installed) if you take transit make sure to get some hand and feet warmers (like this). Wind chill is no joke it's not usually is listed as a "feels like" when looking at forecasts, if you're outside a lot pay attention to that number.

Also if you have a vehicle and street park at home or work make sure pay attention if you're in a snow route, they will ticket you if you're parked there during/after heavy snow fall.

Yeah, any other non-road bike pedal will be more than enough. I have these on my Felt, and they're not true road or mountain bike pedals, more like commuter-esque/urban riding pedals. A lot of people like the Shimano SPD pedals because they are really great value for the price point. These ones are the most common and are very versatile.

Unless you're pro-cyclist level, there really isn't a huge gain (at least imo, ymmv) between the two. Comes down to preference really. I have noticed in a few bike shops that road shoes/cleats tend to run a little bit more as well, but I also wasn't really looking into those, so obviously there's going to be variation.

Yup, I wear those to bike and 4-5/7 days of the week at work. Really not complaints at all - very sturdy shoe, good design, and the vibram soles work great in any wet/non-ideal conditions.

It sucks to say, but you are definitely going to eat shit at least once while getting used to clipless pedals. Just a part of the initiation into biking culture!

I agree. Foam roller (Trigger Point is awesome), protein, and fish oil are great. I would also add that having a recovery drink that has protein
and carbs (like Mike's Mix) really helps. The carbs will help with muscle recovery so you feel back to normal strength sooner after a hard workout.

That's an airzound. (Or a knockoff... Does anyone make a knockoff?) I have one but the can is starting to rust out, and I'm genuinely unsure if I'm going to replace it or not. (Don't like the idea of a rusty pressure vessel!)

Here's the thing... when you need one, it's great to have. But the problem I have is that the actual trigger mechanism is so fucking huge that there's nowhere to place it on my bike that's within easy reach. As a result it's wayyy off-line for my thumbs so that I have to deliberately take my hand off my bars, search for the mech, and then push it. The upshot is that I'm only able to do that when I have a few seconds warning that I'm going to need to use it (this video would be a good example); it's definitely not something that you can place to reflexively hit in an emergency.

I guess if you had a cruiser with a coaster brake or a fixie that wouldn't be a problem. But I have a gear shifters and brake levers on both sides; there's absolutely no place to fit this giant butt fucking monstrosity on my bars within easy reach.

I havn't had a chance to use a "real" camping sleeping pad before, but I have used these foam puzzle mats and for the low price they provide pretty good comfort under a sleeping bag!

https://www.amazon.ca/ProSource-ps-2301-pzzl-black-Exercise-Interlocking-Tiles-Covers/dp/B00B4IHXRU

If you can still feel sharp rocks through 1 layer you can easily lay another on top

Sounds to me like you'll be after either a cyclocross/gravel grinder bike or a commuter. Both styles have clearance for wide 700c tires and (usually) mount points for racks and fenders, which are invaluable commuting accessories. The cyclocross/gravel bikes have drop (road style) bars, while the commuters have flat (mountain style) bars. Both are equally at home on pavement or gravel roads, but will struggle with true mountain biking.

Here are a bunch of new commuter bikes for ~$500:

• Kona Dew
  
  
• Trek 7.1 FX
  
  
• Scott Sub 40
  
  
• Giant Escape 2
  
  
• Specialized Sirrus
  
  
• Cannondale Quick 6
  
  
• GT Traffic 2.0
  
  
• Diamondback Insight 2
  
  Most of these can be had with better components for a few hundred more.
  
  Cyclocross/gravel bikes:
  
  
• Surly Cross-Check
  
  
• Surly Straggler
  
  
• Niner RLT 9
  
  
• Kona Jake/Jake the Snake
  
  
• Specialized Tricross Series
  
  
• Trek Crossrip Series
  
  Of all those, the one I'd be most likely to buy is the Straggler.
  
  Another thing I'd recommend investing in is clipless pedals. For rides of more than a few miles they make a huge difference. These are what I use on my commuter because they allow use with bike or street shoes.

The feedback sports stand(s) get a lot of love.

But some friends and I have this Bikehand one from amazon. Pretty well reviewed and has worked fine for me over the past year:

https://www.amazon.com/Bikehand-Mechanic-Bicycle-Repair-Stand/dp/B00D9B7OKQ/

My $30 tail light Cygolite Hotshot 2-Watt USB Rechargeable Taillight with USB Cable by Cygolite that was recommended to me on Reddit. Its like Ron Jeremy the Hedgehog. IT just goes and goes its small but mighty but smells better than Ron. . I charged it once and it lasted approximately 42 hrs of use in warm weather.

Link: https://amzn.com/B005DVA57Y

also my REI Flash 22 pack for $33.93 is awesome you have to love the dividends.

If only the Urban lights and motion 200 was as good its a total piece of crap in cold weather it lasts one ride before needing charging in hot weather it needs charging every 5 hours. Their claim of 12 hours on low pulse is bull crap

hotshots are good, built in battery, and really bright if you want them to be ( adjustable settings )

https://www.amazon.com/Cygolite-Hotshot-2-Watt-Rechargeable-Taillight/dp/B005DVA57Y

Not good for aero seatpost though

Cygolite has really good customer service too, i've contacted them on two separate times about replacement rubber buttons ( lost one in a crash, the other during my ride ) And they mailed me some at no cost.

My headlight from them is kinda poopy, but these taillights are great, mine is going on 2+ years with tons of use and never had any issues and battery still holds fine. Really easy to turn on/off while riding the bike too.

Innova starter pack is a great place to 'start'. Should be around $30. Don't buy more discs until you know a lot more. This subreddit is a great resource. As others have said, read the stuff at the right.

You can order on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000Q838XW/ref=asc_df_B000Q838XW1974822?smid=A2NMB0M9XDBFPF&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=asn&creative=395105&creativeASIN=B000Q838XW&hvpos=1o2&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1703658721432219585&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=

Otherwise, please support your local disc store.

Awesome thanks. And great gif!

I'll definitely read the FAQ. Since I have no experience running, I have no idea how tough this is actually going to be. My only comparison is starting hockey four years ago having never done it before. It's easily the most intense workout I've ever experienced. Having learned to push through your body saying "dude, what the fuck, this isn't cool anymore", I'm not as worried about the discipline aspect of it. The thing I'm most worried about is getting fatigued or injured and having my schedule slip. It's so tight, I can't afford any mistakes.

I recently picked up this, because I write software all day and my back is always tight, and it's awesome. I also just picked up some running shorts and shirts today, so the only other major purchase on my list is shoes. I think I'll wait until I'm up around 5+ miles before making that purchase.

I can keep people updated -- maybe do a weekly update on my progress -- if there's interest.

I would also throw in some hand warmers in cold climates.

I'm in Austin so it's not as cold but the few cold nights we get can really Suck since you don't have any exposure to come weather.

That's why when I know it's going to be cold at night. I bring a few extra hand warmers to pass around the bus stops that I know homeless people frequent.

For $20 you can get a nice box of 40.

HotHands Hand Warmers (40 pairs) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007ZF4OA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_L.4myb4QDPH1A

So a set like this seems solid? Like, if price was no issue, this would be a solid set to purchase? Thanks again!

http://www.amazon.com/Pellor-Gymnastic-Workout-Exercise-Buckles/dp/B00DW2DJOM/ref=sr_1_4?s=sports-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1451710231&sr=1-4&keywords=gymnastic+rings&refinements=p_n_feature_keywords_browse-bin%3A4576559011


EDIT: OR, this one looks to be the best and by far the most rated item on Amazon - any thoughts?

http://www.amazon.com/Nayoya-Gymnastic-Strength-Crossfit-Training/dp/B009RA6C1K/ref=sr_1_13?s=sports-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1451713450&sr=1-13&keywords=gymnastic+rings

Not sure where you're located, but this bad boy is awesome. It's nice to rep out some pull ups, dips, sit ups, and such. Kinda pricey, but well worth the investment

https://www.amazon.com/Stamina-50-1690-1690-Power-Tower/dp/B002Y2SUU4/ref=mp_s_a_1_20?keywords=pull+up+bar&qid=1565623631&s=gateway&sr=8-20

I only have two legs and I rarely fall over.

Seriously though, unless you're being careless they are plenty sturdy. I'd recommend this one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00D9B7OKQ/ref=ya_aw_oh_bia_dp?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And I've heard good things about the Aldi stand if you want to go super cheap.

You should definitely get a torque wrench. I've been happy with the Nashbar branded one.

• [Crank Brothers multi tool] (http://www.amazon.com/Crank-Brothers-Bicycle-19-Function-Silver/dp/B0012Q41HY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418363910&sr=8-1&keywords=crank+brothers+multi+tool)
  
  
• [Topeak saddlebag] (http://www.amazon.com/Topeak-Aero-Wedge-Buckle-Medium/dp/B000FIAU8O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418364745&sr=8-1&keywords=topeak+saddle+bag)
  
  
• [Cygolite Metro 400 Headlight] (http://www.amazon.com/Cygolite-Metro-400-Rechargeable-Headlight/dp/B00LXTOT6I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418364255&sr=8-1&keywords=cygolite+metro+400)
  
  
• [Cygolite Hotshot Taillight] (http://www.amazon.com/Cygolite-Hotshot-2-Watt-Rechargeable-Taillight/dp/B005DVA57Y/ref=pd_bxgy_sg_text_y)
  
  
• [CatEye Wireless Bike Computer] (http://www.amazon.com/CatEye-Wireless-Bicycle-Computer-CC-VT220W/dp/B004RE783W/ref=sr_1_16?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1418364327&sr=1-16&keywords=cateye)
  
  
• [Finish Line Chain Lube] (http://www.amazon.com/Finish-Line-Bicycle-4-Ounce-Squeeze/dp/B002IDZXRM/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting)
  
  
• [Genuine Innovations CO2 Inflator] (http://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Innovations-G2628-Ultraflate-Inflator/dp/B002AGI1QW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420015344&sr=8-1&keywords=innovations+co2+inflator)
  
  If you're looking to up your riding game, everything listed above will save you from any trouble you have on the road. Cycling computer is always neat to have too!
  
  Cygolite Metro 400 and the Hotshot are brilliant. The lights definitely pack a strong punch. I'll tell you right now, unless the lighting in your town sucks ass or you go off road riding, the metro 400 is a great light and you don't really need to go much higher than that.
  

I recently purchased my home gym, all in all, it was about $1300.

I bought this half rack - $350

This bench - $100

This bar and set of plates - $250

These Dumbbells - $600

These Rings - $34

This belt - $27

Total if you buy it all today: $1361

I looked to get as much of it as I could while it was on sale, or discounted. I also went to raise.com and got something like 15% off a Dick's Sporting Goods gift card, so I got it for an even better price.

It allows me to do basically everything I need to do, and I've bene loving it! Let me know if you have any questions.

1: pullup bar. You don't need some fancy $50 one.

2: Pushup stands. Again, you don't need to spend $40 on 2 pieces of angled plastic or metal. (don't use the pushup stands to start with. Do the first 3 weeks without them, then step up to them after your chest has built up a bit).

3: Weights. If you have some money, I would suggest the select tech dumbells. They're $300, but you'll save time by being able to easily adjust them for every workout.

Or, get a starter weight set like this. There's probably something like that at walmart too. But, DO NOT GET THE SET THAT HAS WIDE PLASTIC WEIGHTS!!!! You won't be able to use them for anything else because they take up the whole bar. After you get the weight set you can buy individual plates like this.

But, if you really have the money, then I would really suggest the select tech ones. When you have you 1 minute break between sets you'll want to sit down and rest for a second, not sit there and have to take the collars off, put on new weights, then collar them back on every single time.

4: Take a "before" picture while shirtless from the front, and from the side. Take one while flexing as well. In 3 weeks you're going to be tired. You'll want to stop. You won't think you've made any progress. That's when you pull out that picture and compare it to yourself now. You see yourself every day, so you don't notice the gradual changes. You see that progress with your own eyes....and then you get excited. "I did that in 3 or 4 weeks?!? Holy shit! I can't wait to see what the next 30 days brings my way!!!". That's going to be your reward, and it will keep you motivated.

5: Download a calorie counter for your phone. I used the one by Fat Secret. TRACK WHAT YOU DO AND WHAT YOU EAT! It's really not that hard, and you can simply scan in most labels on things you eat, or look them up in its database. THIS IS CRUCIAL! 80% of your results will depend on what you eat. If you eat shit, you'll look like shit, even if you workout every day :-/

But, the MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU NEED is self-will. You will not want to do it. You will be tired, you will be sore, you will want to quit. DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF. You're tired, yes...but I promise you that you'll have more energy AFTER a workout than you did before it. You're sore? Too bad, still do a workout. Working those muscles drives blood to them, which is crucial to getting that soreness out.

I give you this 100% promise....If you eat right and if you exercise for 90 days, I PROMISE YOU that you won't look at yourself in the mirror and say "damn. I wish I'd never exercised". I promise you.

A foam roller is a more or less a big log of foam that can be used as a fitness tool or massage device. Placing the foam roller on the ground and rolling different muscle groups over it is very delightful. Using it on the legs and back can offer a great solo massage that is a great release after a hard workout.

I recently bought The Grid and couldn't be happier!

> is alcohol permitted?

Lol

That’s like asking if you’re allowed to drink outside an Eagles game.

As for buying discs? Just buy a very stable, bright colored driver and a putter on amazon. You really only need 2-3 discs starting out.

Something like: https://www.amazon.com/Innova-Disc-Golf-3-Disc-Colors/dp/B000Q838XW/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1536084686&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=disc+starter+set&dpPl=1&dpID=51ABavZHDCL&ref=plSrch

When you learn to throw and place the discs where you want them then you’ll begin to notice how different discs have different flight paths, you’ll use that like you would a different club in golf for different situations. But buy a cheap set because you’ll beat up your discs (beat up discs become understable) and probably lose a couple in the time it takes to build up the skills you will need to utilize a good disc.

Don’t forget to write your number and an email on your disc, if you lose it then people typically reach out to try and get it back to you.

My initial set up when I didn't want to spend a huge amount, but wanted the capability to do any major lift was as follows:

Bench and Rack


Barbell and weights


Plate Rack


Mats


Plate compatible dumbbells



I highly recommend buying a few extra plates if you plan to go heavier, I picked up 2 more 45's, 2 25's, 2 10's on top of what that set comes with. I was happy with it until I upgraded the rack and bench as my gym grew.

I went with a ALPS Mountaineering Lynx 1-Person Tent for sleeping with a Camp Solutions Lightweight Self-Inflating Air Sleeping Pad. Had a 40 degree bag/quilt from Walmart since I was traveling in August time frame.

Took this chair that really came in handy Moon Lence Outdoor Ultralight Portable Folding Chairs with Carry Bag Heavy Duty 242lbs Capacity Camping Folding Chairs Beach Chairs

Cooking set I used was 12pcs Camping Cookware Stove Canister Stand Tripod Folding Spork Wine Opener Carabiner Set Bisgear(TM) Outdoor Camping Hiking Backpacking Non-stick Cooking Non-stick Picnic Knife Spoon Dishcloth. It was good enough for the 3 weeks on the road and im still using it to this day.

Seat cushion which was good but I needed something much thicker by the end of the trip MadDog GearComfort Ride Seat Protector

​

I just put all that into a waterproof 45L bag I had and then shoved my clothes into a backpack on top. Jerry rigged a canvas bag on the side for quick access things like tools and such. The net thing on top of my bags was very very helpful as well. I used these hammock straps to tie everything down on the bike since I could use them again PYS outdoor XL Hammock Straps Heavy Duty 20FT & 40 Loops&100% No Stretch (Set of 2) Fits All Hammocks

Other than that it was miscellaneous stuff...

It doesn't have to be. You can play an adequate game of casual disc golf with a starter kit.

Sure, it's easy to go overboard, build a huge disc collection, and become neurotic about selecting the best disc for every shot.

I wouldn't recommend DIY. Once you start doing it, you'll get tired of changing the solution every couple of weeks and it's not as consistent as pressurized. It's a good solution in a pinch, but you'll definitely want to look into pressurized eventually.

You could find a decent build for ~$100-200. If you get anything <$100, keep in mind that it's priced that low for a reason (cost vs quality).

I'd look into a paintball setup. A 20 oz tank on Amazon is $20. About $5 per fill at Dicks sporting goods (Buy 5 get 1 free or something like that). $15ish for the adapter (you don't need it if you buy a regulator designed for paintball tanks - see: Aquatek mini regulator

In that scenario, it'd cost slightly over $100 for that setup.

Here are a couple options with brands that have a bit better of a reputation. Ultimately it’s your choice, but I would recommend going for a company that has a bit more of a following:

Kelty Salida 2:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NFCFO0Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_PhXyCb0V6QC8Y


Kelty Acadia 2:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JBSFI1M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_RiXyCbT3QEMH0


Alps Mountaineering Lynx 1 (also has a 2 person available):

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BMKD1DU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_pdXyCb85G6NR9


I don’t personally own these tents, but I know the quality should be there and the price point is in line with what you were thinking. Hope this helps ✌🏻

Makes sense. I'm doing NYC too, but probably won't practice much until I do runs over 10 miles (I just started training for my first half).

I see you said you don't want a fanny pack and someone suggested a spibelt below. I wear a flipbelt and love it (and I would never wear a fanny pack). A flipbelt is just a stretchy flat tube of fabric that I can't even feel while I'm running and it doesn't bounce. Holds my phone (in ziploc bag to not get wet), stroopwafels (also in ziploc bag), keys, and whatever else and works great to tie my jacket around if I get hot.

I do construction in Michigan and feel like I need extra warmth for my hands. I use the nitrile or rubber coated gloves that are insolated for winter. Then wear a knit or cotton glove inside the insolated one. On really cold days i add the small hand warmers in between the glove layers in my palm. I can hammer, carry stuff and never be bothered by the handwarmers. I use one set of both kinds of gloves in the morning and then put on a dry set after lunch. I use these hand warmers.... http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0007ZF4OA/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1418862991&sr=8-1&dpPl=1&dpID=51%2Bk8z12gRL&ref=plSrch&pi=AC_SY200_QL40

I guess everything is relative, I use this one, which is 50$ and very good (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00INQVYZ8/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1486428875&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=heart+rate+monitor+chest+bluetooth&dpPl=1&dpID=41ui6M-FjML&ref=plSrch). Polar and Wahoo, both $50, will be reliable and very durable. I see some cheaper options in the $25-$30 range that have pretty good reviews but I don't have personal experience with them. Just search "heart rate monitor chest bluetooth" in amazon!

I have a Cygolite Metro 1100 and Light & Motion Urban 650. Both are enough to see with and ride around 20mph on paved surfaces. They are supposed to last ~1.5hrs at peak output. After dark, I ride with both.

I find that the typical advertised runtime on 500+ lumen lights doesn't go past 2hrs without an additional battery pack (not all have swappable batteries). Only the cheap lights aren't weather resistant.

Other brands such as Nite Rider, Lezyne, and Cateye make some really bright lights. I wouldn't go below 500 lumens if you ride with any pace.

As for taillights, a Cygolite Hotshot and Light & Motion Vis 180. I think I go a good week before recharging. I ride with both after dark and one all the time.

As far as flashing and constant, I do one of each in back when in traffic, constant on trails. Headlights are always constant and I turn off the super bright one on trails.

Can’t help with sleeping bag but just picked up this tent and really like it.

https://www.amazon.com/ALPS-Mountaineering-Lynx-1-Person-Tent/dp/B00BMKD1DU

Also that’s such a fun trail ! Make sure to bring a front light for the pawpaw tunnel.

Here are a few possibilities to explore:

(1) You're not doing enough strength training. Having big ol' muscles helps stabilize your other muscles. An expert would put you on a treadmill and show you that many of your muscles aren't stabilizing the others as they should.

(2) Look up Active Release Technique and you'll see all the sorts of things that can happen to a muscle over time, especially if you were inactive for a long time as is implied in your post. A physical therapist can work these things out rather quickly. Make sure you see a PT with a specialty in sports-related injuries.

(3) Running form. Small issues are exaggerated over longer and longer distances and as your muscles stretch during a long run. I don't think I need to say much about this besides the recommendation to get a running coach.

(4) If you have been sedentary for a while, your muscles/tendons will still require a few more months to regrow into runner's form. Your bones will take more like 9-21 months.

(5) Stretching is good, add a foam roller. Use YouTube videos and this foam roller: http://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Point-Performance-Revolutionary-Roller/dp/B0040EGNIU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408324025&sr=8-1

Hope this helps. Just some guesses and general advice.

I bought one of these a couple weeks ago to help with the carpel tunnel / RSI I get in my left hand. I bought the red (medium tension) one and while I could use it I couldn't get many reps which is recommended over strength so I bought the blue (low tension) one as well. It's easy for my index and middle but then my ring finger and pinky get a workout. Now instead of twiddling a pen or something I'll use this throughout the day. Goal is to get all fingers to the same strength and then go back to the red one. It's definitely worth the $10.

Also as much as you don't want to. If you start to notice tingling in your fingers STOP PLAYING. That's a sign that you're getting carpel tunnel / rsi and you MUST STOP. Trying to get this message out to as many people as I can because I didn't stop and I've been dealing with this carpel tunnel stuff for a couple years now. If you have one of those foam stress balls squeeze that while you look over your battlestation. If it's the hand you're using the mouse (which apparently is more common but it wasn't for me, but also I got it while typing a lot) see if one finger bothers you more than others. If it's the finger you use for your right mouse button don't blame having to hold it down constanly, shift things around so it's easier to hold it down.

The foam is the interlocking tiles of puzzle piece looking foam you can get at most stores. If you have a harbor freight nearby, that's the cheapest place to get foam.

If you want to go with EVA, it would need some structural support so it isn't floppy. For that you could use 1/4" cpvc pipe and bend it into the shape with some heat (just be careful that the pvc doesn't burn and turn yellowish/black since it can release toxic fumes!). Another option could be something like plywood or aluminum cut into the shape with foam layers over top of that.

Carving it out of XPS foam is an option as well. It's the pink or blue insulation foam at hardware stores.

I hope that helps a bit

Jump rope, run, do body weight exercises (push-ups, pull-up, air squats, crunches, burpees, etc), stretch out, buy a set of rings and do pull ups and ring exercises.


I have the Bas Rutten workout, and you can do them with air punches/kicks if you don't have a bag. The kickboxing CD has 10 2-minute rounds with 1 minute rest in between or 10 3-minute rounds with 1-minute rest in between. If you can do the 2-minute round set with good technique, you have pretty decent cardio. IF you can do the 3-minute round set, you're bangkok ready.

​

There's also the Precision Strike app that you can get for your phone, where it calls out combinations and does round timers. I used to use it more, but I find I like the pacing of Bas's workouts better.


Finally, you can always just pull up a workout video on youtube. Some might require you to work a heavy bag. Some won't.

I've used a Cygolite Hotshot for years now all-weather year-'round riding. The standard bracket is just the plastic clip one, there are some others available as additional purchases like a rack bracket (a must for any light I buy, personally). It's been through more storms than I can count, so, the water-sealing is fine. It's visible even in bright summer daylight, and at night I have to angle it down if riding with friends or they can't see very well when behind me. Recharges with micro USB. Great product, haven't been tempted by anything else since. http://www.amazon.com/Cygolite-Hotshot-2-Watt-Rechargeable-Taillight/dp/B005DVA57Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449153336&sr=8-1&keywords=cygolite+hotshot

https://www.amazon.com/Innova-Disc-Golf-3-Disc-Colors/dp/B000Q838XW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467063156&sr=8-1&keywords=innova+starter+pack

CCDG has a great instructional video about how to use them from top pros.

Alternatively, go to proshop.innovadiscs.com and try to build your own starter pack. http://i.imgur.com/C7tcFsb.png would be my suggestions bases on what they have atm. True starter packs will be more likely to be 150g, but since you are used to ultimate you will be used to 175g-ish discs. Aero and Shark will be good transitions from lids to discs, and Leopard is in a slightly better plastic because you will want to hold onto it longer.

Yeah, the volume seems pretty high. Three days of that should help a lot with making gains. Otherwise, maybe squeeze in a couple of quick workouts at home?

You should also check into buying some cheap gear, like bands or a weight vest to supplement your workout. I wrote this up for someone a while back:

Here’s what I would recommend for starting home training balancing cost and utility. Obviously, if you afford all of it and have the space, just do that.

1-pullup bar or rings

2-resistance bands

3-dumbbells (shop for used, if possible, if space is tight try these)

4-adjustable bench (same, used benches go for as low as $30)

5-barbell set (time to start deadlifting)

6-power rack (don’t go cheap here)

Last year I got my first "real" bike and decided to take the plunge and get some clipless pedals, after about 2k miles I will never look back. A friend in the cycling industry recommended Shimano SPD pedals, they are cheap and easy to exit, (road specific pedals and shoes tend to be more expensive) and also tend to have a recessed cleat. I have Shimano shoes they are comfortable, and relatively inexpensive (as far as bike shoes go) you might be able to find some better deals on nashbar or other sites like that though.

I am about to order some Shimano PD-A520 which is more of a touring pedal, it has a bigger platform which will reduce hotspots on long rides (which wasn't a problem until recently, probably due to shoe wear.) You may also want to check out these which give you the choice to use clipless shoes or just regular shoes.

*sp

tl;dr: Here's a dumb one. Given the equipment I have at home (below), what are the best exercises to work in some total-body / complex lifts to my weekly schedule?

• 2x Selectech dumbells (up to 55lb each)
  
• Misc resistance ropes
  
• Parallette bars (small parallel bars ~1ft off the ground)
  
• Std size exercise ball
  
• Destabilized pushup bar (it sits on a ball, so it requires stabilization)
  
  Details: I quit the gym a couple years ago in favor of martial arts and bodyweight exercises. I'm happy with this in general, but I want to maximize gains/growth with exercises LIKE squats, deadlifts, OHP, etc. How can I safely/effectively do this at home. (For instance, do squats have a dumbbell equivalent?)
  
  Ideally looking to add two 30min sessions per week. My other routines would still be the majority of my workout schedule.

I run with my bulky phone. But I use/wear a Flipbelt, which I highly recommended. The phone slides into the belt (along with my keys) and when I’m running, I don’t even know it’s there.
Paired with Bluetooth headphones and it’s a perfect solution in my opinion. I use Runkeeper as an audio coach, played from my phone.
$20 from Amazon, much less than buying a new smart watch,

FlipBelt Level Terrain Waist Pouch, Medium, Black
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JF9DWWU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_GVGBCbEYP0273

I really recommend the wahoo tickr

http://www.amazon.com/Wahoo-TICKR-Monitor-iPhone-Android/dp/B00INQVYZ8

It works over both bluetooth and ant+, so if you ever want to connect it to your phone or some other device you can. In fact, it can connect to an ant+ device and at least one bluetooth device simultaneously, so if you feel like using your vivofit 2 to display your hr while simultaneously using your phone to record your whole run (hr and gps), well, you can.

I bought a wahoo and a refurbished vivofit 2 a couple of weeks back, so I can confirm that they connect easily and have so far have played well together.

Bike originally retailed for $1,129.99 source

He does say that the shifters need replaced, which is going to run you about $40-$50 for the parts, if you can install it yourself.

I'm a fan of the pedals on the bike, although they aren't that expensive to pick up, about $40. If he isn't selling cleats with the bike, and you don't have cleats, they are going to cost you about $16. I can't tell what kind of bike computer is on there, but low end bike computers can be had for $10-$20, so they usually don't drive up the bike price.

It is nice that it was overhauled recently, but the items listed sound like the bike has not been used gingerly, however that is the norm for mountain bikes. The bike seems reasonably priced, but if you are looking to talk him down I would quote the "scratches and stuff", shifter replacement, possible lack of cleats, and the fact that the drivetrain is previous generation 9 speed, not 10 speed. From the unwillingness to ship and the overall state of the bike, especially the lack of cleaning prior to picture taking, I would bet that the seller is largely trying to get rid of it, as he quoted, "I am buying a new bike & do not have room for a lot of bikes".

My personal strategy, were I negotiating on this bike, would be to cite the problems with the bike, give a lowball offer at $300, and be happy if you were able to scoop it up for $350, though $400 does not seem unreasonable considering the equipment.

Overall I have found that X-7 and X-9 perform well, and personally do not mind running 9 speed kit in my mountain bikes. I have had a lot of success picking up older bikes on craigslist / ebay, and the huge cost savings far outweighs the fact that your bike isn't as shiny.

>http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-PD-M545-Downhill-Clipless-Pedal/dp/B000XNXUUG

I wouldn't recommend those for riding any distance in normal shoes as the clip mechanism is by necessity proud of the platform.

My brother used to have M545s on his hybrid but got rid of them for that reason he's much happier with the M324 pedals he switched to instead. Getting the wrong side some of the time when you set off is preferable to having no right side. The new [A530 looks even better](http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-PD-A530-Dual-Platform-Pedal/dp/B001MZ2AGO/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1397424911&sr=1-2&keywords=shimano+hybrid+pedals
) with a really nice big platform on the clip free side.

Personally I'd go for Time Allroad Grippers because I like the float atac pedals give you.

I use the ALPS Mountaineering Lynx 1. It's 3 pounds 8 oz and only $78. Not the absolutely lightest, but I've used it for dozens of nights camping in all conditions and it has never let me down. I also have an ALPS 20 degree mummy bag that is fantastic. I love their gear

On long bike rides, I found my battery to be near dead on the Watch (mostly due to the heart rate monitor being active). I would usually charge in the car on the way home.

Recently, I've paired a Bluetooth heart rate monitor to the Watch and found the battery life to be greatly improved. I use the Wahoo Tickr and love it:

https://www.amazon.com/Wahoo-TICKR-Monitor-iPhone-Android/dp/B00INQVYZ8/

I'm a little late on your post, but as someone who only recently got serious about cycling and even more recently went clipless, I'll share some thoughts:

> more speed/acceleration

As others have said, there isn't a substantial speed increase. However, in my opinion, it does become easier to get up to speed if you pop out of the saddle and floor it. It also makes climbing feel far easier to me. The biggest advantage is the added stability in your feet. After 5-10 miles, I don't even feel the pedals so much anymore and it becomes a fluid process.

> But does this tire you out faster?

Not really, but if I'm being honest, "pulling" uses a set of muscles you may not be used to using, so your legs may get unexpectedly sore for the first couple of rides if you do that. Once you're past that (which was quick for me) there are no real downsides.

> Are they hard to get out of in a pinch?

This depends. There are different types of cleats/clips, and you can vary the tension on each, making them easier or harder to get out of. I've been using mine for about 6 months and have always been able to clip out in time, even once when a car cut me off and I had to get out in a split second.

> Are good/light ones terribly expensive?

Prices vary widely, but you can easily get a solid set of pedals for $50 or so. I have these pedals here, since I ride recreationally and also use my bike to commute in to work. Notice there are clips on one side and a flat platform on the other. They aren't the lightest, but they aren't super heavy, and the versatility is great.

I apologize, there have been a lot of "what watch should I get for $xxx?" threads lately and I seem to have gotten confused.

AsianEnigma has some good recommendations, but if you aren't dead-set on a chronograph, I suggest looking into some Orient's. The Mako is gorgeous and extremely good quality for the price.

I hit up Amazon for a stamina 1690 bar. It works pretty well, not much wobble and it seems sturdy enough. I'm 6'0 and 195 lbs. If there's a discount sports equipment store around, go hang off a few things and see what you like. Be sure to measure the height of your ceiling before you buy.

https://www.amazon.ca/Stamina-50-1690-1690-Power-Tower/dp/B002Y2SUU4

Another option is a door frame bar. It will probably mark up the door frame. I've done the RR off of both without a problem.

Ground cover. You're going to want to first clear your tent area of as much snow as possible, and stake down a tarp on which to put your tent. Ideally, I'd love to have some of this stuff to add another layer of insulation and to keep any moisture from leftover snow from seeping in.

Have multiple ways to create fire.

Being cold eats more calories. Plan on consuming more food.

Stay hydrated, of course.

Make sure your gear is rated for the temperatures you'll be at, and above all make sure you have a solid method of communicating with the outside world if you get lost, or the weather gets extreme.

Not sure what your budget is exactly, but I went with this:

Bikehand Pro Mechanic Bicycle/Bike Repair Rack Stand
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D9B7OKQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_tDCNAbDC2DC6Z

It’s been solid, I’ve had it for over a year and have worked on all our bikes on the rack. It’s light but doesn’t feel flimsy. In the future I’d love to own something more heavy duty like a park tools one, but for now this is a gem.

Note: I’m not in any way affiliated with Bikehand, just a customer who would def vouch for the repair stand!

Sure! Here's [a list of youtube videos] (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=foam+roller+exercises) that show foam rolling in action. I don't know specifically how you're exercising but you should be able to find something that works for you. I foam roll for about two minute after lifting. I started with a roller like [this] (https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-High-Density-Round-Foam-Roller/dp/B00XM2MRGI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1492957245&sr=8-3&keywords=foam+roller) but recently someone gave me this [fancy one] (https://www.amazon.com/TriggerPoint-Roller-Instructional-Original-13-inch/dp/B0040EGNIU/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1492957245&sr=8-5&keywords=foam+roller). It's a bit "harder" which makes it better for me after rolling for months.

The only heads up I will tell you is that rolling hurts the first few times you do it. After a few days it's just uncomfortable. And then it doesn't hurt really at all. But it really really helps with doms.

You mean one of these?

It only really helps for grip. You get better at musical instruments by playing musical instruments. Better at playing video games by playing more.

Check out this post I wrote up
and this

and This for a bench if needed. Cheap combo IMO, but I can't bench 500 lbs yet, so I can't tell u max weight on this bench.

I bought this mat from Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/ProSource-fs-1908-pzzl-Puzzle-Exercise-Interlocking/dp/B00B4IHXRU?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00

I probably would end up buying 2 if I did it again, but honestly the horse stall mats are probably going to work best. The tiles keep coming out when I do some aggressive lifts or HIIT. I'm yet to get a rack, but I'm certain I'll be getting a Titan 21.5" rack for my garage since I can put it back into the wall when not in use and can park my car.

You can get a very clean Christopher Ward watch with a Swiss movement for under $500. I just purchased this Christopher Ward "flieger" (German flight watch) style piece, and I love it.

I'm finding that at the $400-$500 range you have a huge variety of decent quality timepieces to choose from. I can afford more expensive watches, but I'm still uncomfortable with the idea of anything more than $1K on my wrist.

By the way, by no means do you even have to spend that much for a great watch. The Orient Blue Mako and the Seiko Monster are popular and well regarded, and they're both inexpensive.