I have been giving my new Gossamer Gear Gorilla Backpack a test run. All the gear and food for a couple of days for myself and my dog do fit in the smaller (40 + 8 litre pack) – as you can see. Shrinking your kit (from 52 litres) like this exercises a profitable degree […]
This is a very useful article. The author (http://gossamergear.com/wp/rain-guide-to-backpacking) is certainly right that after a while you are bound to get soaked to the skin. This may mean you have to camp early to get yourself under a roof and warm up (See: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-importance-of-a-roof/) or it can be avoided by using an umbrella or (I
It’s so elevating to venture out for a delightful bit of snow sightseeing (as we did on Saturday) – the coldest June day on record apparently…after a warmer than usual autumn winter has now really hit. We are glad of a warm fire and a cosy bed these chilly nights. The Australian bush colours really
‘Down and synthetics both have pros and cons. Down is: Warmer for its weight, More compressible, and Longer-lasting. Synthetics are: Less expensive, More humane (no live plucking), and Less adversely affected by moisture. In specific regard to the issue of moisture sensitivity, I want to point out that synthetic insulations are absolutely not “warm when
Isn’t this the feeling everyone who ventures far from track or trail is seeking: the freedom of the wilderness, the exultation of the hills, the distant roar of rapids, the whistle of wind in the trees, the ubiquitous echo of birdsong, the warning bark of a deer in a golden sunset… Della and I are
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
Most everyone carries too much gear (whether multi-day hiking, or just as a day pack). After my first solo hike of the Dusky Track Fiordland in 2006 (http://www.theultralighthiker.com/dusky-track-adventures-1/), the first thing I did when I came home was throw mout my old expensive hunting daypack. I had spent some time working out how to carry
My wife Della’s new Xmas sleeping bag has arrived. I used to be such an advocate of Montbell’s Ultralight Superstretch Down Hugger #3, a minus 1C bag – mine (recently) washed weighs 738 grams in its compression bag on my scales; still a great bag. Della’s new Zpacks Medium, Regular, -7C weighs 499 grams in its
If you have difficulty buying stuff online, check out http://www.shipito.com/ They are just great. You can (for example) buy that stuff on Amazon (which has free US shipping but which they won’t send to Oz) and have Shipito forward it (very cheaply). We do this all the time. We usually use Shipito’s cheapest freight rates
Already a lightweight hiker, I have nonetheless managed to shave off nearly 2kg from my pack weight in prep for our next foray into the Fiordland wilderness. These were amongst the savings: Cuben Raincoat (save 334 grams), http://www.zpacks.com/ Waterproof Over Booties (save 365 grams), https://goosefeetgear.com/ Extra Light Down Jacket (save 200 grams), http://www.montbell.com/ New Pot
