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The Ultralight Hiker

Ultralight hiking, backpacking, bushwalking, deer hunting, canoeing, pack rafting, tips, trails, adventures, gear, reviews...Over 1600 posts & 70 years' experience.

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Tyvek Solar Reflector

8 Comments / Backpacking, DIY, Electronics, Equipment, Hiking, How To Guide, Hunting / admin

This device boosts the electrical output of my solar panels by approximately several  times (and weighs approx 28 grams). Its output is only limited by the input circuitry on the USB outlet of the solar panel. The wonders of Tyvek once again! Tyvek reflectivity is just about as good as it gets: 97% eg as […]

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Slow Walking NZ’s South Coast Track

Leave a Comment / Backpacking, Fiordland, New Zealand, South Coast Track (Fiordland) / admin

I called the post ‘Slow Walking NZ’s South Coast Track’ as that was what we intended to do with both of us now in our seventies and not really fit enough for the rigours of the track, ie 7+ hour sections etc. I thought I had worked out ways to shorten each section (and I

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Asta Gear Yun Chuan 2 Tent

Leave a Comment / Backpacking, Hiking, Hunting, Shelter / admin

This is a Chinese version of a two-pole A-frame design which has been around for a few years since at least 2016 – before the X-Mid anyway, I believe. Other examples of it are the Sierra Designs High Route, the Black Diamond Beta Light and the Durston X-Mid to name a few. I have read

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Paper Maps App

2 Comments / Backpacking, GPS, Hiking, Hunting, Maps / admin

This is a great App I have just discovered. It opens Pdf Maps and many other types. If you are tired of Avenza’s version of Pdf Maps only allowing you to open three maps before you hand over cash to them every year – and taking forever to open every map into the bargain (I

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Black Snake Creek Revisited

Leave a Comment / Canoeing, Wonnangatta River / admin

A year ago…Our adult kids were so motivated by our post Paddling into History they all readily agreed to a return trip (after an absence of over twenty years) to our old holiday spot on a very fine day last weekend with a water level of just under 1.8 metres on the Waterford gauge. Here

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A Visit to Port Craig

Leave a Comment / Backpacking, Hiking, South Coast Track (Fiordland) / admin

This is the fifth installment of my post Slow Walking NZ’s South Coast Track. The second was Long Point Hut – A Hidden Gem, the third was Wonderful Waitutu Lodge and the fourth was Waitutu to Port Craig. After having walked further than we intended the previous day (32,000 steps rather than the 20,000 just

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Waitutu to Port Craig

Leave a Comment / Backpacking, New Zealand, South Coast Track (Fiordland) / admin

The fourth installment of my post Slow Walking NZ’s South Coast Track. We had intended to break our journey at the Percy Burn hut, making for two reasonably comfortable days but unfortunately the hut is now rented by the Hump Ridge people and locked (though it can be booked), so that we had another long

Waitutu to Port Craig Read More »

Glenaladale Weir Walk

Leave a Comment / Australia, Gippsland, Victoria, Wonnangatta River / admin

An amazing ‘ancient’ stone monument. Without visiting ancient Egypt or similar you will never see anything like this anywhere in Australia, so the trip is definitely worth the effort. Glenaladale Weir (on the Mitchell-Wonnagatta River, Gippsland Vic) was constructed c 1891-2 and destroyed by floods within only about a year. Some history is available on

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Deer Hunter’s Tent #2

Leave a Comment / Backpacking, DIY, Hiking, Hunting, Shelter / admin

A tent that is also a tarp and a hammock shelter. This tent has been evolving in my head for a number of years and I realise that some of you are impatient that you have not been able to buy one or other of its iterations. However your wait might soon be over. Be

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Silnylon Hammock Tent

4 Comments / Backpacking, DIY, Hiking, How To Guide, Hunting, Shelter / admin

I have completed sewing a silnylon version of my 10 x 10 tent (actually 3 x 3 metres) out of some 1.25 0oz/yd2 (43 gsm) silnylon I sourced from China for US$2.50/metre. The key to understanding how it works is where to put the tie-outs. The photos below show it erected as a tent (for

Silnylon Hammock Tent Read More »

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