Pine Down Blanket
Ultralight on a budget. Over at Massdrop they have this interesting 3 season down quilt for just US$99.99 (July 2018). It can be used as a blanket or a quilt due to some interesting innovative features. If you pair it … Continued
Pack Raft Saves The Day
Della and I had a foreshortened trip on the Wonnangatta River upstream of the Moroka confluence when she developed a bad chest infection on the second night out which turned out to be pneumonia. Fortunately I had brought along the … Continued
Trapped by Flood Waters
‘I got away up the bush for a few days recently. Lots of rain came in. The rivers were in flood, went up over 2 metres and home was on the wrong side. Also discovered that the seam sealer tape on … Continued
Have you tried the new Pulse Pasta?
Made only from beans and peas instead of grains – and so much better for you. Especially if you have a blood sugar problem. Also gluten free. We have and found it delicious. It has more of a nutty flavour … Continued
Exped Synmat HL Winter M
My thanks to reader (Belle) for alerting me to the Exped Synmat HL Winter M (I had overlooked) which weighs 430 grams and has an R-rating of 5.0 at 183 cm long 52 wide (35 cm at the foot) and … Continued
AXL Air Down Pad
I am thinking of modifying one of Big Agnes’ AXL Air Pads (by cutting it down say to 5’4″) and adding in approximately 4 ounces of Hyper Dry Down. This should give me a pad which weighs around 360 grams … Continued
No Cold Shoulder Spreader Hammock:
I like the spreader bar on this new hammock from Rei. This would stop that annoying thing where the hammock fabric compresses the insulation of your sleeping bag at shoulder-to-elbow and creates a cold spot. There are several other ways … Continued
Clever Titanium Windscreen
Steve Evans at Suluk 46 has a really cleverly designed adjustable titanium windscreen. You especially need a windscreen if you are cooking with alcohol or esbits, but in any case the wind will steal as much as half of the … Continued
Massdrop In Stock
Massdrop now have some of their great specials in stock – so you don’t have to wait for a drop. For example, they have the Enlightened Equipment Quilt I recently posted about for US $219.99 (Jun 2018). Their excellent Fizan … Continued
The Other Kingdom
posted in: Australia, Cooking, Farming, Home & Gardening, Gippsland, Survival Kit, Uncategorized, Victoria |
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This autumn we were in Scotland when our fields were alive with field mushrooms, alas. Mushroom time is one of my favourites. I always collect heaps of them, fry them up with lots of butter, onions and bacon then smother … Continued
The DIY Gunsmith:
In the US this is a popular (and legal) pursuit though quite properly it is an offence to misuse any firearm. In Australia it is definitely a criminal offence to make your own, even a shanghai (see below). Mind you … Continued
More Power to You:
These ‘new’ lithium powered jump starters are amazing. I had been thinking of installing a dual battery system in the (’95) Discovery but it is difficult though not impossible to fit one in, as well as very fiddly. I already … Continued
Garmin Inreach Mini:
posted in: Backpacking, Electronics, Four Wheel Driving, GPS, Hiking, Hunting, Maps, Phones, Survival Kit |
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At last a fully functional GPS, satellite communicator and epirb which weighs 100 grams (3.5 oz!) The new and improved ‘Poor Man’s Satellite Phone‘. I already own the earlier ‘Delorme Inreach’ model (190 grams) which I love, so can’t imagine … Continued
A Quilt for all Seasons
There is no doubt that a quilt can be lighter, more comfortable, and a lot less inconvenient to enter and exit than a bag. A down quilt can weigh under 500 grams for something which will rate around -10C (providing … Continued
What to include in a wilderness cache:
I have a number of favourite spots I visit every now and then sprinkled around the Gippsland bush mainly far from roads. Many are on the other side of large rivers which sometimes rise unpredictably and can cut you off … Continued
Blizzard Bag
A cheap lightweight reusable waterproof sleeping bag/shelter which will save your life in an emergency. I have had one of these in the bottom of my day pack for over ten years. To date (fortunately) I have never had to … Continued
Cold Season Pads:
I have used the Thermarest Neoair Womens for years. It has an (insulation) R-rating of 3.9. I was quite warm enough in it at around zero Celsius with just a Columbia Silver Ridge shirt and trousers and a pair of … Continued
Mattresses I have Known:
I doubt anything else about camping has changed so much as sleeping. When I was a lad I always just slept on the bare ground. As a bit of a sissy, my only concession to comfort was to dig the … Continued
Brawny’s ‘Tarptent’
This is a very useful video on how to create a lightweight shelter from a standard 10’ x 12’ silnylon tarp: Many other fascinating vids by this outstanding lady, Carol Wellman here: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=brawny03 You can buy such a tarp eg … Continued
Car-Camper Conversion: $50
posted in: Automotive, Camping, DIY, Equipment, How To Guide, Shelter, Uncategorized, United Kingdom |
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We have recently been on a car camping holiday in Scotland where we wanted to stay away from people as much as possible on such a crowded island, and save on accommodation costs by sleeping in the rental car wherever … Continued