Good outdoor gear shops in LA

Hi - in Los Angeles, where is a good place to buy a Bear Vault bear canister and an insulated cooking pot cosy?

Thanks!

Lap Swimming in Istanbul

I posted on the Turkey forum, but I thought I would try here as well. Anyone know of a hotel with a 25 meter pool in Istanbul? Or a sports club open to the general public for a swim? I am a lap swimmer. I read about some sports clubs which have a 50 meter pool, but it's hard to figure out where it is and whether it is open to visitors. Thank you.

How many shoes?

Hi All

I plan to backpack Central and South America and want to travel light but don't think I'm very good at this :-) On the subject of shoes I'm thinking that I need: (1) a pair of hiking shoes (not boots); (2) flip flops for the beach and dirty bathrooms; (3) The most stylish sandals or Tevas that I can find for walking round towns etc; (4) A black pair of canvas shoes for slightly smarter occasions.

Now this seems far too many to me but I don't know which to ditch. My wife would like me to keep the 4th but this would be my first to go.

Anyway I would like to know what footwear others take when travelling?

Many thanks,

Patagonia Chacabuco vs North Face Borealis

Hey

So the family are going to be doing some limited travelling this year (turkey, germany, scotland) but we want to buy packs that will see us through for when we're travelling longer term (currently in planning stage).

So far my pack weighs just over 5kg including all the electronic stuff. I think by the time I finish I will be about 6-7Kg.

I like both packs mentioned above but can't decide. Both packs are around 30ltrs. Has anyone got experience of either pack/companies packs?

Would welcome opinion.

EDIT: I have tried on both packs so this isn't about fit. Both are okay.

Edited by: innowaybored

Backpack Vs Wheeled Backpack?

Hi
I'm soon to begin a world trip for 12 months and I'm looking for advice as to what type of backpack I can buy for cheap. Should I get a wheeled backpack or a carry only one?
How much should I spend to get a decent one that'll last 12 months around South America, Central America, Oz, NZ & Asia?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
John

European Winter Help

Hi guys,

I am heading over to the UK in roughly 2 and a half months and will be there for about 6 months before spending 2 -3 months traveling through Europe in their winter. Now coming from Australia winter for me is usually 16-17 degrees Celsius so my biggest concern at this stage is finding the most suitable clothes, especially jackets that will be able to handle the conditions. Due to the fact that I will be backpacking I am hoping for a type of jacket that will be light as possible and wont take up too much room in my bag.

Does anybody have any suggestions ? Also would it be worth waiting until I get over their buying most of my winter clothes as I would be assuming it would be slightly cheaper and more suitable?

Thanks!

Duffle bag - North Face base camp v OverBoard

I'm looking to buy a 90 litre duffle bag and have ended up with a choice of the above mentioned two.

Can anybody say anything good or bad about either ? any pro or cons ? or if you have good experience with another brand, throw that into the mix for my consideration.

Thanks, I can't decide on one or the other.

Where to buy Women's Frontloader Backpack in UK?

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping to travel this summer (destination currently undecided!) and really need to get a backpack. I've had trouble finding the right one so wondered if anyone could give me any advice on particular models/where I can try them in the uk...

I want a women's fitted one, as I'm fairly small (dress size 8-10), not particuarly tall and have found women;'s ones much more comfortable on my fairly bony hips in the past! I've also tried Osprey before but they were very uncomfortable on the hips/chest.
I want the pack to be fairly large (I'm thinking at least 70litres) as I'm likely to be using it for extended travel. Last time I travelled (7 weeks in Ecuador) my ~70litre Berghaus backpack (borrowed from a friend) was just about the right size. I'd rather have a bit more weight but sufficient space, as I like to be able to carry medical equipment etc with me (as a medica... more »