Mobile Phone Battery Life: Here’s some good advice. Another important point: choose a phone which has a removable battery such as my Galaxy S4 Mini or Della’s Galaxy K – with a 10x optical zoom! We always carry a couple of spare batteries on longer hikes – and a solar charger http://www.theultralighthiker.com/charging/ – I went […]
Of course there must be some (lower) limit to how light things can go. It seems insulated clothing & sleeping bags are about to experience one of those quantum falls. Introducing Aerogel & Graphene: http://futurism.com/jackets-withstand-liquid-nitrogen-made-using-solid-material-thats-99-8-air/ You can already buy Aerogel blanket insulation eg here: http://www.buyaerogel.com/product-category/blankets/ Could be the ‘must do’ for DIYprojects? It will probably
What a lovely section of track! The high country has so much beauty, so many surprises. Phillack Saddle is a wonderful spot to camp on lawns tended by nature’s gardeners amid the alpine heath. There is beautiful clear water just off the saddle and a lovely stream (below) at Freemans Flat. It will be about
Upper Yarra Track Section Eight: Phillack Saddle to Block 10 Road: Read More »
Put yourself in that picture! There is something grand and aspiring about dreaming of the wild places – and these are some of the wildest places on earth. This is an indispensable companion to bushwalking/tramping in New Zealand. Even if it remains forever a ‘coffee table’ book, do buy it anyway. If you have a
Moir’s Guide South: ‘The Great Southern Lakes and Fiords’: Read More »
We can choose to do anything. The corollary: we can do anything we choose. This is a priori. Truth. Though many people find it hard to choose, choosing instead the mob. (Horace: ‘odi profanum vulgus et arceo’ = ‘I deplore the vulgar throng & put it from me’). There is this other truth: Many of
Mountain Laurel Designs: Event Rain Mitts: Della and I both have a 42 gram pair of these. I can tell you they are well made and durable, and enormously welcome when cold rain would otherwise result in frozen hands (I have had this happen in surprisingly mild warm autumn weather when a sudden squall comes
This an interesting, innovative concept. It provides a huge shelter area for a small weight spend (18 oz – 513g in Silnylon; 11oz – 313g in Cuben) . Could be good for a small group of hunters. I think you should consider one of these shelters and some kind of groundsheet (eg a mylar space blanket)
I have been playing with Col. Whelen’s famous ‘Forester’ Tent design: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/col-townsend-whelens-forester-tent/ I have certainly come to the conclusion that the classic A-frame tent sloping away to the back has seldom been bettered. I reduced some of his dimensions and increased others. We do not need such a tall tent as his, particularly at the
Della: Steve and I, with Tiny and Spot, spent the last 2 days walking over the Baw Baw Plateau from Baw Baw across to Newlands Road on the Upper Yarra Walking Track. It was a delightful walk and we selected good weather for it (which is needed!). One section on the first day was particularly
Upper Yarra Track Section Eight: Baw Baw to Newlands Rd Read More »
At first glance these excellent tasty mixtures might seem a bit too lean for backpacking, but I used half the recommended water, so a packet made up to one litre with water (so it would fit in my 1100 ml billy). I used the stock sachet and added a 50 gram sachet of tomato paste
