Backpacking

Upper Yarra Track Historic Photos:

Courtesy of Thomas Osberg, here are some wonderful photos of the track in bygone days. http://www.finnsheep.com/THE%20UPPER%20YARRA%20WALKING%20TRACK.htm They begin at approx McVeigh’s Hotel (now under the Upper Yarra Reservoir), and finish at Walhalla. The captions are my surmise (and might not be correct). The changes in hiking costume and gear from that day to this are […]

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Tray-Top Camper

This is our rig. We have a Landrover Defender – the 1995-99 models with the 300TDI engines are best – after that vehicles all became electric and impossible to fix when things go wrong, especially in the bush. In 2010 the camper cost us under $20,000 delivered. The vehicle cost us $10,000 around 2005. This

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Ultralight Knives

Can Knives get any lighter than this 3 Gram Knife: http://www.traildesigns.com/accessories/ultralight-knife It makes the ‘Dermasafe’ I posted about here (http://www.theultralighthiker.com/dermasafe-ultralight-knives-and-saws/) positively cumbersome, as is the Gerber zip-Blade mini knife: http://www.countycomm.com/gdczipblade.html by comparison.   I really like this new one which weighs 16 rams including the sheath: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultimate-blades-for-the-ultralight-hunter/  This is a beauty too: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-ultra-sharp-knives-3-grams/

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Toaks Ultralight Titanium Cook System:

This Toaks ultralight cooking system would be hard to beat: US$58. Weight: Total: 4.4 oz (122g) Includes: Pot with lid: 550 ml; 3.0oz (85g) Dimensions: Pot: 3 1/2″ (95mm) (external lower part) (D) x 3 1/8″ (80mm) (H); Solid alcohol folding stove: 0.5oz (13g); Folding spork: 0.7oz (18g); Windscreen: 16″ x 2 7/8″ (405mm x

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Hiking Food: Continental Spring Vegetable Simmer Soup

Making (delicious use) of everyday supermarket dehydrated food instead of those awful backpacking meals: Continental Spring Vegetable Simmer Soup + 500 ml water (1/2 quantity) + I Tablespoon (approx) Surprise Garden Peas + 8 Teaspoons Continental Deb Instant Mashed Potato. Try it. Yoou could try adding some of this to it if you want some

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DIY Head Torches:

You can save some weight and have fun by making your own head torch with a length of hat elastic, a couple of O-rings (or elastic bands) and a micro cord lock to convert eg any AAA torch into a head torch – or you can sew a couple of pieces of elastic together to

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Spot’s Hunting Adventures: Mystery River #2:

So, Spot and I headed back to the ‘Mystery River’ for another look-see. I have become more vague about naming such places as I see lazier folk wanting to track me there – someone had visited only the day before, though last time I was there clearly no-one had been there for YEARS. (I will

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