FL to Fairbanks (2009, apartment, buying)

[zeus87]

Hello,
Long story short...21 y/o male born and raised in upstate NY moved to SW florida 3 years ago. Anway my girlfriend and I are heading to Fairbanks in August to attend UAF. We will be taking a 2000 Subaru outback, outfitted for the cold, block heater etc. Luggage includes 2 yakima cargo boxes (roof mounted) mountain bikes on a hitch rack and a few essentials inside the car. We are avid outdoors people, but regardless AK is a new world, and i'm not going to get up there and be ignorant. I'm looking for suggestions on gear. I want quality, and want to buy once. I used to have all military spec gear (father was a SEAL, so he knew what was good) grew out of it all. What should I look for in terms of Boots, Coat, etc...there are too many companies out there, and i dont want to waste time returning crap. How about a tent? i hear northface makes a quality tent, 3 or 4 season? If you have any tips please let me know. I'm good on a computer, and money is tight (work and school full time) but i still want good stuff, ebay craigslist....i will find good deals. Also should i wait to get up there? I'm going to camp alot on the way up (save money, enjoy the Great outdoors, parks etc, then upon arival we will be on campus for the first semester, then finding an apartment (jullian square? anyone familiar?) Also, whats the routine for firearms across the Canadian border? ive got a few handguns, highpower and shotguns i want to take up. Thanks a million! -Justin

[warptman]

We just discussed this in a different thread yesterday, pay attention!

http://www.city-data.com/forum/alask...ng-canada.html

[Grannysroost]

Originally Posted by zeus87

Hello,
Long story short...21 y/o male born and raised in upstate NY moved to SW florida 3 years ago. Anway my girlfriend and I are heading to Fairbanks in August to attend UAF. We will be taking a 2000 Subaru outback, outfitted for the cold, block heater etc. Luggage includes 2 yakima cargo boxes (roof mounted) mountain bikes on a hitch rack and a few essentials inside the car. We are avid outdoors people, but regardless AK is a new world, and i'm not going to get up there and be ignorant. I'm looking for suggestions on gear. I want quality, and want to buy once. I used to have all military spec gear (father was a SEAL, so he knew what was good) grew out of it all. What should I look for in terms of Boots, Coat, etc...there are too many companies out there, and i dont want to waste time returning crap. How about a tent? i hear northface makes a quality tent, 3 or 4 season? If you have any tips please let me know. I'm good on a computer, and money is tight (work and school full time) but i still want good stuff, ebay craigslist....i will find good deals. Also should i wait to get up there? I'm going to camp alot on the way up (save money, enjoy the Great outdoors, parks etc, then upon arival we will be on campus for the first semester, then finding an apartment (jullian square? anyone familiar?) Also, whats the routine for firearms across the Canadian border? ive got a few handguns, highpower and shotguns i want to take up. Thanks a million! -Justin

Clothing, outer gear...buy here as you have plenty of time...no handguns...go read and no ammo for long gun...

[RayinAK]

Good choice of automobile. No guns, no drugs, no alcohol. Vacuum clean the car thoroughly: floors, under the seats, ash trays, and very little cranny to make sure there isn't something illegal. Have passports and documents in order. Buy winter gear when you get to Fairbanks. Also, when you get here buy a lighted 15' Arctic-grade (blue color) extension cord to plug the car into the outlet in the parking lot at UAF. These cords have a very small light bulb in the plug at the end of the cord. If you plug the cord and the light doesn't illuminate, then the circuit breaker in the parking lot has been tripped. Buy the extension cord at NAPA, M&O, etc. in Fairbanks. Almost forgot: buy a cheap antifreeze tester (around $5.00), and check the antifreeze of your car. It should be mixed around (60% antifreeze/40% water), or something that will be around -65 degrees.

[fairbanks101]

oh god, another subaru on campus

dont get overconfident in those things or i'll be pulling you out of a drift

[Barkingowl]

I've had Canadian customs go through my car before. If you're thinking about hiding something in the vehicle, don't bother. Save yourself some grief.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by fairbanks101

oh god, another subaru on campus

dont get overconfident in those things or i'll be pulling you out of a drift

The new Subaru are pretty nice, and expensive. One of the most reliable traction systems around, for the price of course. We aren't talking Mercedes and BMW traction here, but superior to the average GM and Ford traction, although both of these companies have made great changes and have incorporated new traction systems to some of their vehicles. Not all Subaru incorporate electronic traction control, but several models do, while with a couple of others it's optional.

[ColdDayz]

Originally Posted by Grannysroost

Clothing, outer gear...buy here as you have plenty of time...no handguns...go read and no ammo for long gun...

To Justin, and whom else it may concern- Backcountry.com is a great place to look/shop. They have expert chat pop-ups for each need, along with all the top line products. Not too mention excelent customer service. Happy Trails

[BudinAk]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

The new Subaru are pretty nice, and expensive. One of the most reliable traction systems around, for the price of course. We aren't talking Mercedes and BMW traction here, but superior to the average GM and Ford traction, although both of these companies have made great changes and have incorporated new traction systems to some of their vehicles. Not all Subaru incorporate electronic traction control, but several models do, while with a couple of others it's optional.

The new ones are indeed nice. I don't think they are any more expensive than any other decent vehicle...you can get a brand-new Forester for somewhere around $19K. That's the model that was selected #1 car of the year by Motor Trend magazine. 2009 Subaru Forester - 2009 Motor Trend Sport/Utility Of The Year - Motor Trend

About traction: Subaru's aren't just a wee-tad better than GM and Ford, they are considered better than all of the others, including Toyota, Honda, BMW, Mercedes, etc. I watched a film clip where some auto engineers tested the traction of AWD vehicles. One test was where the car sat on a test bed where all 4 tires sat on rollers. You could "lock" the rollers on any selected tire, or just let them free-roll, simulating icey road conditions. Some of the AWD vehicles failed to move if 3 of the roller sets were not locked. (meaning only one tire had traction) Another test was to climb a gravel hill that had a 40-degree slope. Only two AWD cars made it to the top: Subaru, and Volvo. All the others couldn't do it...

If Subaru ever comes out with a real pickup truck (not like that funky little toy one with the seats mounted in the bed), that you can actually carry stuff in (like a sheet of plywood and lumber), then I'll be on it in a heartbeat...


Bud

[Moose Whisperer]

Originally Posted by BudinAk

Only two AWD cars made it to the top: Subaru, and Volvo. All the others couldn't do it...

I can certainly attest to that. My wife's Volvo can easily climb up the (steep) hill out of our driveway when it's covered with ice without so much as a shudder, even while my 4WD Nissan with a limited slip diffy is a slipin and a slidin. We did allot of research before buying it and while I don't claim to fully understand how the newer Volvo AWD system works - some kind of complicated pre-charged electro/hydraulic setup - all I know is that it works like a champ!