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tuswm
06-04-2009, 18:05
I am taking a group of 11 to the grand canyon in late October. I have two friends that are coming but need gear. The main concern is sleeping bags/pads and a tent. My two friends are 6'7'' and 6'10''. They are both in to weight lifting and have huge shoulders. They are more concerned with fitments issues and cost then weight. I have looked in to some 3 person tents for the two of them but even those are too short. I also don't know where to begin with sleeping bags. I was thinking about just using target blue pads and duck tape for sleeping pads.

Feral Bill
06-04-2009, 18:43
A short pad is no problem. At 6'3" I use a 48" pad. Tarps to sleep under should work there. No bug problems if I recall. It can be cold there at night, so sleeping bags are the main issue. Of course, packhorse sized guys can carry more than most.

Phoenixdadeadhead
06-04-2009, 18:46
I would make their bags or have them made. I am sure there is someone in your area that does quilting, so you would need to buy material like ripstop nylon, and insulation, as well as a zipper. Not a difficult build, so it souldn't cost too much. As for a tent, an 8x8 should fit them both. You can order big man gear as well, but you said cost was an issue. I have millitary bags which are 86 inches long which would fit them, but I have a 42 inch chest and it seems a bit snug at times for me.

YoungMoose
06-04-2009, 20:36
I am looking in my backpackers magazine at the gear reviews. they say that a North Face Madraque 23 is a good 2 person big guys tent.its 35 square feet and 42 inches high its 330$ and 5lbs 2oz. a three person tent that is big according to the backpacker is the Black diamond StormTrack its 89 by 61 inches. It says that this is good for 2 six foot up people. which is what you need. Its 500$ and 6.8lbs hope that helps

bigcranky
06-05-2009, 07:56
Here is a weather almanac (http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KGCN/1972/10/18/PlannerHistory.html?dayend=31&monthend=10&yearend=1972&req_city=Grand+Canyon+National+Park&req_state=AZ&req_statename=Arizona) for the Grand Canyon (rim) for the last two weeks in October. Looks like it could get very chilly, but not too much chance of precip. Do you have climate data for inside the canyon?

I was going to suggest a 10x12-foot silnylon tarp, but with that cold a tent is a better suggestion. I'm 6'2 and find most tents are too short for me -- 6'10 is a whole 'nother ballgame. The tent is going to need a floor length of more than 7 feet, closer to 8. You might check the Tarptent Rainshadow II, a 3-person single wall (http://www.tarptent.com/rainshadow2.html) with good headroom and great living space; the floor might be long enough (an email to the owner, Henry Shires, will get the right information.) His newer 4-season tents (http://www.tarptent.com/scarp2.html) might be a better choice, but again I am not sure about the floor length.

Sleeping bag: Given the historic low of 7-F and the average of 27-F (at the rim -- likely colder in the canyon), I'd bring a warm bag or quilt. They might be able to use a long, semi-rectangular bag like this (http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___40072), opened and draped over as a quilt. Their shoulders and head would be exposed, so they would need down jackets and a good hat or hood.

Sleeping pad: their feet are going to hang over the end. Sorry. Bring a short piece of closed-cell-foam pad as a sit pad and pad extender for whatever pad they end up using. The Target blue pad is wider than most, but I found the Ridgerest XL to be more comfortable (it's 25x77 inches.)

Good luck. Sounds like a great trip. Be prepared for cold, and enjoy it.

fiddlehead
06-05-2009, 10:13
The weather at the bottom and even around the Tonto plateau is not the same as the top (rim)
The weather is usually pretty good.
I've had snow storms and rain but never in Oct.

I would recommend a tarp.
Don't know where a 6'10" guy gets a sleeping bag but i imagine they're out there.

A huge friend of mine is doing the PCT right now and just got a new pair of 16EEE shoes.

But, yeah, either two pads taped together or hang feet over. (i always cut those blue pads in half and each half usually lasts a thru-hike anyway)

But, if they are not used to sleeping outside, why not take two? (pads)

Is is a raft trip or a hiking trip? (I've done both and you can take the kitchen sink on the raft trip) (plus the table)

Anyway, they can probably carry a lot more than me.

tuswm
06-06-2009, 01:14
well then can carry a lot I would imagine. I have plenty of time to find gear. Is there a tarptent that would fit them both. I was looking at them and many of them have lengths in the 90"s. BTW this is a back packing trip. 3 weeks, Bryce, Zion, Glenn, and grand canyon for 10 days.

davepaulthomas
06-06-2009, 03:28
A short pad is no problem. At 6'3" I use a 48" pad. Tarps to sleep under should work there. No bug problems if I recall. It can be cold there at night, so sleeping bags are the main issue. Of course, packhorse sized guys can carry more than most.

I have no problems with that myself, I can deal with it. :sun

fiddlehead
06-06-2009, 05:38
I think the INtegral Designs "Sil Shelter" is big enough.
It is 9' long although the pole would be in the way.
But if you use some creativeness to set it up, you could tilt the pole or tie it off to a tripod you could possibly build somehow or similar.

Jayboflavin04
06-06-2009, 10:16
Though this would cost you a pretty penny. I would contact feathered friends or Western Mountaineering. You may be able to special order a bag.
http://www.featheredfriends.com/Picasso/Headmenu/CustServ.html

tuswm
06-10-2009, 09:55
I was thinking about your post last night. I was actually thinking along those lines. I am handy with a sewing machine. I was thinking It might be real easy just to make him one. I have all summer. I also have a solo tent where the vestibule is inline with the tent. I am going to try and set it up foot print and rain fly only and see if that works. we will be in the desert so I am not too worried about rain. if it gets bad he can curl up in a small tent for one night.

thanks for the ideas.

Dogwood
06-10-2009, 11:22
And I thought I had gear issues being 6'4".

There are companies that offer longer wider bags for the giants you are mentioning. Larger bags mean more materials and labor; they will cost more than regular sized sleeping bags. No way around it. Look at Big Agnes, Feathered Friends, and Western Mountainerring to start. I don't know if you've looked into quilts, but that may be an option also. Tarps may be a solution for shelter, but several tent manufacturers offer longer wider, and yes heavier tents. I would start asking questions from gear manufacturers. Have your friends measure how much length they require when laying down. Add a few inches and that's about how long the interior length of your shelter needs to be.

Hiking at GCNP under the rim in late Oct is one of the best times of the year, in terms of crowds and weather, IMO. Visit www.nps (http://www.nps/) Grand Canyon NP for monthly weather avgs. and general info and for info on all the places you plan on visiting

Snowleopard
06-10-2009, 13:05
It they're that big and strong, try cheap heavy rectangular sleeping bags. They can certainly be warm enough. For tent, probably a tarp, such as campmor nylon (cheaper than silnylon and only a little heavier).

JAK
06-10-2009, 13:13
Don't forget the spiked club. Real giants gotta carry a spiked club.
None of those carbon fiber poles with a titanium tent stake either. :)

Feral Bill
06-10-2009, 17:21
Don't forget the spiked club. Real giants gotta carry a spiked club.
None of those carbon fiber poles with a titanium tent stake either. :)

Nice touch. Maybe a nice leopard skin outfit, too.

On the serious side. A tarp, set up with the open side downslope, will break the evening down canyon winds just fine. No need for anything fancy or expensive. Those sleeping bags will cost enough.

Feral Bill
06-10-2009, 18:36
I just found this. (http://www.sierradesigns.com/bags.display.php?id=78) Not even crazy expensive. Problem solved.:)

Have a great trip.

FB

tuswm
10-06-2009, 14:23
I just found this. (http://www.sierradesigns.com/bags.display.php?id=78) Not even crazy expensive. Problem solved.:)

Have a great trip.

FB


wow that was a good find. I wish I had seen that earlier.

just in case other big people find this thread I wanted to give you an update one a few things we are doing. I did take more work then I thought to find reasonably priced gear for the big man.

sleeping bag = kelty xl $28
http://www.kelty.com/kelty/products.php?type=1&cat=68&id=572

sleeping pad = walmart special 25" $11 feet will hang off.

tent = mountain hardwear meridian 1. its a ~ 4 lb solo tent with a vestibule by the head. planning to set it up fast and light. we Will be in the desert so the bug screen and bathtub floor don't matter so much. But he CAN fit in the bug netting but his head and feet touch.

boots. its amazing how many manufactures do NOT make boots in size 17 even though you can order them off sites. we got calls like 4 times saying sorry but you ordered something off our site that doesn't exist. We ended up getting boots directly from Hi Tech. you can order directly off of their website.

good luck big men

PS Trojan magnum now comes in Ecstasy but only 14% larger then normal size while the XL doesn't come in Ecstasy yet but is 44% wider.

Evil Eye
10-06-2009, 15:30
Try Stephenson's Warmlite tent line.
www.warmlite.com (http://www.warmlite.com)
I am 6'4" and have plenty of room.
Expensive but very light for the size & excellent quality.

tuswm
10-06-2009, 18:59
I think that at this point My goup has all the gear it needs. My friend set a budget of 200 bucks for all his gear including boots. he kept to it. this is his first time backpacking so he doesnt want to invest several grand in equipment like some of us. Also we are all celebrating a perfect season on back patrol (no drowning while on duty).

But this is a great place / thread to share about gear for big guys.

I was at gander mountain today. They have a store brand of sleeping bags. The temp ratings were 30 15 0 -15 and -30. we were looking at the $90 15 deg bag. It was about largenough for the 6'7'' guy. the 6'10'' was kinda tight but it would work if you couldnt find anything else. I was surprized with how small the bag was and how light it was for a synthetic but when i pulled it out and looked at the loft I think 15 might be a bit optomistic. It was a fraction of the size of the kelty we just got mentioned above. But it came with a compression sack also, not just a stuff sack. Looked like a good bag for a big man on a budget. here is a link.
http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=402036&pdesc=Backside_Group_Mummy_Sleeping_Bag&cname=Mummy-Bags&aID=505B2&merchID=4006&r=view (http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=402036&pdesc=Backside_Group_Mummy_Sleeping_Bag&cname=Mummy-Bags&aID=505B2&merchID=4006&r=view)

tuswm
10-06-2009, 19:00
I ment to add our season is over just like our income so investing in gear at this moment is not wise.

Mags
10-06-2009, 19:37
At times like this, I am glad I run on the shorter side (5'6"). :sun

( I have a friend back east who is 6' 6" IIRC. When he started hiking and camping (not backpacking quite yet), he had a hell of a time finding shoes that would fit!)