I was asked this by a friend of mine who was planning his first overnight hunt (in winter) years ago in an area I often visit too. I have never needed a bag warmer than -1 to -3 C (and weighing just over half a kilo) even though I often sleep out in winter – […]
Yesterday was. Our 45th wedding anniversary – so naturally we went for a walk! Mt St Gwinear to Mt St Phillack return makes an enjoyable 12 km on a very hot day down here in the valley (34C). Up there (in the clouds) it would have been at most 21C but with a cool wind
It weighs less than 600 grams. Here is my plan for an excellent one person shelter which will keep you safe from just about everything and can be warmed by a cheery fire out the front. You can cut it in one piece (as shown) from a single sheet of 3 metre wide Tyvek ‘Homewrap’
The Tarptent sleeps 1+ (me, gear, +) and weighs 18 ounces complete with poles, stakes, tie lines etc. The Tarptent-for-2 sleeps 2 (or huge for one), weighs 24 ounces complete including generous beak, and has some additional room for gear. Both tents are floor-less, completely screened with zipper opening door and made from 1.1 oz
We had a programmed ‘acclimatisation day’ at Namche and another at Dingboche. Tully had decided we would use these days to climb up to the next 500 metre ‘step’ and then descend again to sleep. This proved to be a good preventative for altitude sickness as was taking half a Diamox twice a day starting
I am busy getting ready for this (and trying to finish some jobs around the farm) so posts have been rather light of late. I am a guest on this trip, so this is mostly Steve Hutcheson’s itinerary for the trip. I will be editing/adding to it over time, so come back and check. I
I found this image on Pinterest but could not find who to recognise/praise for it (my apologies to the clever inventor). I have been going to make one of these (see: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/tarp-bathtub-groundsheet/) out of Tyvek (will be soon for my new tent). I think it will be a simple matter to add some ‘pockets’ as
On Massdrop this morning Big Sky’s Wisp one person tent @ 567 grams (300 grams in Cuben!) for US $159.99 & US$11.75 postage: http://bigskyproducts.com/big-sky-wisp-1p-trekking-pole-super-bivy-tent.aspx This has got to be good value, and must start to make you question why you might still be lugging around that perhaps 2 kg tent. There is even room in
This is an interesting concept and should be easy enough to emulate in Tyvek. I had already tried to shape a groundcloth so the sides stood up like this, but without pegs or other supports it was less than perfect. Using some elastic cord to make it conform to the shape of one’s sleeping mat
I guess I started doing this over 50 years ago before I was 13 (or so). One of my first projects was (what is now called – there was no name, or thing then) a bivy bag (or swag) which I sewed out of PU coated 2oz green ripstop nylon as I didn’t have a
