u/Hockey618

Hey everyone!

I’m currently looking for my first real day hiking backpack and I feel like I’m overthinking LOL

I’ve read a ton of reviews and tried a few packs on at Bass Pro, and the Osprey Talon 22 was by far the one that felt the best on me. I really liked the way the hip belt felt and how the pack sat on my back.

My only hesitation is the size. Is 22L actually enough for longer/all-day hikes? The longest day hike I’m realistically planning for is hopefully Half Dome next year, so I want something that can handle a full day without feeling like I’m playing Tetris every time I pack it.

I usually carry around 3-ish liters of water, plus food, an extra layer/rain jacket, gloves/hat depending on the weather, sunscreen, first aid stuff, etc. I also like having a padded hip belt since I’m carrying that much water.
For anyone who has the Talon 22, do you feel like you have enough room for longer hikes? Or would you recommend going up to something around 24–26L?

I’m not looking for an overnight pack or anything huge (Not yet at least), just something that works real well for typical day hikes and can handle some bigger hikes when I want to push myself and will be worth the money, firm believer in “Buy Once, Cry Once” lol

What’s your go-to daypack? And am I overthinking the 22L capacity? 😂

Hello!

A couple of friends and myself are currently planning a trip to Utah from the last week of October and leaving the first week of November.

My question is, how should the weather be around that time? Is it worth going? We did get the Angels Landing permit for the last week of October but I am overthinking everything now weather wise. We would also be doing the narrows and renting gear to not freeze lmao

The goal is to do all 5 national parks and some state parks in our 8-9(ish) days out there. We would start at Zion then work our way towards Moab, however, we can always start in reverse.

Any advice, reassurance, or personal experience would be great!

Hello!

A couple of friends and myself are currently planning a trip to Utah from the last week of October and leaving the first week of November.

My question is, how should the weather be around that time? Is it worth going? We did get the Angels Landing permit for the last week of October but I am overthinking everything now weather wise. We would also be doing the narrows and renting gear to not freeze lmao

The goal is to do all 5 national parks and some state parks in our 8-9(ish) days out there.

Any advice, reassurance, or personal experience would be great!

Hey everyone,

I’m in my late 20s and trying to decide between the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Capital One Venture X as my first travel card.

I’ve spent way too much time researching both cards at this point. I’ve read Reddit posts, watched YouTube videos, used AI to compare them, read blog articles, and somehow I feel even less certain than when I started.

For some background:
Good credit and over 4 years of having my discover
Biggest spending categories are dining out, Walmart, gas, and entertainment
I travel anywhere from 1–4 times a year
Most of my travel is domestic right now, but I’d like to do more international trips in the future
I usually stay in Airbnbs, although I do use hotels sometimes
Not loyal to any airline or hotel brand

What I really want is a card that gives me good value and helps me earn free flights without making travel rewards feel like a second job.

For those of you who have had one or both cards, which would you choose in my situation and why?

Also, if there’s another card I should be looking at instead, feel free to tell me. Thank you all in advance!!

EDIT: should probably mention my home airport is Pittsburgh

Hello! I’m 27 and finally ready to upgrade my Discover card after 4.5 years. Credit’s solid, always paid it off, just ready for something that actually rewards me.

Looking for the best two-card combo for everyday spending and travel. Easy to use ecosystem, flexible points, worth the fee.

Any recommendations would be helpful! Thank You all in advance!

Planning a Colorado trip and I’m trying to make sure I don’t accidentally overdo it with altitude sickness.
I’m coming from basically sea level, and I’ve got this stacked itinerary in Colorado Springs:

Day 1 — Arrival
Land in Denver, drive to Colorado Springs
Take it easy, maybe a short walk at Red Rock Canyon

Day 2 — Incline
Early morning Manitou Incline
Afternoon at Garden of the Gods (assuming I’m still functional lol)

Day 3 — Pikes Peak
Drive up Pikes Peak Highway
A few scenic stops, nothing crazy
Maybe Cheyenne Canyon / Helen Hunt Falls if energy is there

Day 4 — 14er attempt
4:30am start
One mountain attempt
Back down by midday, full recovery mode after

Day 5 — Leave
Check out
Quick stop at Red Rocks on the way to Denver
Fly home

Here’s what I’m unsure about and honestly a little nervous about:

I’m doing the manitou Incline, Pikes Peak, 14er all within a few days after coming from sea level. My friend and I are in good shape but I know altitude sickness can hit randomly with anyone.

Is this too aggressive for acclimation?
Is doing the Incline that early a bad idea or actually fine?
What are the “this is going sideways” signs I shouldn’t ignore?

Right now I think keep everything planned.

What would you actually change if the goal is still pushing ourselves, but not gambling the whole trip on altitude luck?

Thank you all in advance for tips!

Hello! I’m 27 and feel like I’ve finally hit the point where I want my investing life to become simpler instead of more “optimized.”

I started investing young and opened my brokerage account as a teenager, which I’m grateful for, but over the years, a family friend who works as a financial advisor kept suggesting different ideas, tilts, funds, strategies, etc., and now my brain feels completely fried from trying to build the “perfect” portfolio.

Right now:
My Roth IRA is invested in total US + international index funds

My 401(k) is entirely S&P 500, but it’s still relatively small compared to my other accounts since I only recently became eligible for it at my current job

My taxable brokerage is the account I’m trying hardest to rethink…

My goals are:
-long-term growth
-tax efficiency
-simplicity/KISS
-flexibility before retirement age
-something I can stick with during bad markets without constantly second-guessing myself
-I may eventually use the brokerage account as an early retirement bridge, so accessibility matters to me too.

I went through all the usual rabbit holes:
-growth tilts
-QQQM
-small cap value
-trying to make every account “complement” each other perfectly

I think I’ve reached the conclusion that simpler may actually be better for me.

The setup I keep coming back to is:
-keeping international exposure mainly inside the Roth
-keeping the 401(k) simple with S&P 500
-making the taxable brokerage just a total US market ETF and leaving it alone

Part of me worries that would leave me too US-heavy overall, but another part of me thinks I’m overthinking something that may not matter nearly as much as consistency, staying invested, and continuing to buy for the next 20–30 years.

I’d really love to hear from people who simplified their portfolios after years of chasing optimization.
Did you regret simplifying?

Did going “boring” actually help you stay invested long term?

*Apologies for the long post*