There is much debate about which is better, a sleeping bag or a quilt? But why not have both? In most cases it is easy to convert your old bag so you can use it as a quilt. I just did this with my old Montbell bag – and it works a treat. The conversion […]
If you are into DIY (as you should be unless you want to be a perpetual victim/pauper) then it’s about time you discovered these wonderful plastic gadgets, an amazing (ultralight) improvement on the traditional press-stud. I had a need to modify a couple of quilts I have been trialing as they weren’t quite right for
(or, A Further Use for Toilet Trowels) Disaster will sometimes happen upon you in the wilderness. The important thing is to survive it – as less experienced folk frequently don’t! For months I have been ‘stir crazy’ what with slow recovery from my back operation and (seeming to) need a new knee, but I have
While we are on the topic of sleeping (which we are), I have also really ‘lashed out’ and added an excellent $2 pillow to my sleeping arrangements from Aliexpress. I should add that I have modified my Waratah Quilt so it is a little lighter and easier to enter and exit. It is already delightfully
So, as you know I bit the bullet and bought myself a new Thermarest XTherm at 440 grams for its standard 6′ model. Though I definitely did not ‘need’ a new pad I wanted to see whether I could reduce size/volume in my pack – and I was just curious whether the improvement in the
The Pad Pal weighs only 9 grams, costs a mere US$48 (July 2024) and will pump your pad up in a little over 30 seconds. This tiny device will revolutionise how you inflate your sleeping pad. Eat your heart out Flextail – which otherwise I was going to buy some day, but at nearly 100
We have had a hydraulic log splitter for a number of years, probably since I had some joints replaced in my arthritic hands such that the doctors recommended would not handle heavy work such as swinging a sledge or block buster (though I still do). I think it was rated at about 8 tonnes when
Ponchos, Umbrellas or Raincoats? That is the question. What’s the best way to stay dry in the rain and enjoy yourself in the outdoors while doing so? I have been soaking wet, all over, every ‘warm’ layer down to my skin, more times than I can count. Mostly of course it was when I was
As a deer hunter I have failed to follow my own advice on this one more than once to my regret as you can read in my account of my recent Dusky walk below. Trust your nose, Somewhere upwind possibly just in sight is something important you need to pay attention to. More about New
Most of the ‘great’ walking tracks (like the Alps’ for example) head along the tops where I admit the views outward and downwards can be truly awe inspiring. They do lack for water (and fish) however, are often windy and/or with very changeable weather that can be a challenge for tents and even survival. Often
