I've been following this chap, who I have to say could be one of the most dedicated MYOG guys out there. I have to say, I've no links, commercial or otherwise to Devin or his boiler, I just think this is a story and product that deserves a lot of attention.
If you trawl through his site, go and read the threads from backpackinglight.com Devin has given a lot of thought, dedication and sheer hard work to get his very clever yet simple product into production.
If (hopefully) he does start making a few more of these after the initial production run I'll putting an order in. I've made (like most backpacking tinkerers) a couple of wood burning stoves, they work but they're fiddly and prone to not working too well in windy conditions.
Hat's off to you Devin!
Tuesday, 25 January 2011
Tuesday, 11 January 2011
Optimus Terra Solo Pot
Would you believe me if I told you that I had been abducted by the American Government and held in some sort of suspended animation for months and therefore was totally unable to blog? If you do believe me you're the sort of reader I'm after! If you don't please just, I don't know, just read on.
This offering is slightly unusual in that it's an indoor video of me cooking using a very small frying pan. I saw this pot on the webtogs site* I've been after a light frying pan for a couple of years and this at only £20 intrigued me. As explained in the video sometimes the lightweight approach can lead to slight jealousy when walking with non lightweight friends. I may have less on my back but they have a fry up for breakfast. Hmmm, who's the winner there? So sometimes a little luxury would be nice. It's not often that you can get both the lightweight and the luxury together. In this instance I can add a frying pan to my lightweight kit for just a further 40g, it weighs more than that, you need to see the video for further explanation.
The pot itself which doesn't get much of a look in, in the video is a nice piece of kit. Very sturdy, great heatproof handles so you can dispense with melting various bits of clothing taking the pot of the stove and just the right size for boiling water for dehydrated meals. With the addition of a silicone band around the rim to protect your lips its also a nice mug to drink from.
The price at £20 is great compared to similar titanium pots, allthough slightly heavier, it's just as sturdy as my Ti pot with the advantage of being easier to cook with, try frying anything with Ti, it's not a great idea. Lets see how I got on cooking fried eggs...
I apologise for the poor editing. I seemed to be doomed never to be able to get even simple video editing software to work, there are 10 seconds of silence at the beginning, it's not for artistic effect I can assure you.
As promised the bannock bread recipe
2 cup plain flour
1 cup milk powder
1 tsp baking powder
Good pitch of salt.
This is the very basic recipe. Just google "bannock bread bushcraft" for countless tasty variations. This can be mixed up taken in a ziplock bag and just add water when needed. Very little water at a time as you're making a stiff dough not a cake mix. The wet mix is seriously sticky. Practice at home first, my boys love this and they're very picky!
* Disclaimer - Webtogs have supplied the pot for this review. All views and comments are mine alone. If I didn't like it I would say as much. I have full editorial control. FULL CONTROL I TELL YOU.
This offering is slightly unusual in that it's an indoor video of me cooking using a very small frying pan. I saw this pot on the webtogs site* I've been after a light frying pan for a couple of years and this at only £20 intrigued me. As explained in the video sometimes the lightweight approach can lead to slight jealousy when walking with non lightweight friends. I may have less on my back but they have a fry up for breakfast. Hmmm, who's the winner there? So sometimes a little luxury would be nice. It's not often that you can get both the lightweight and the luxury together. In this instance I can add a frying pan to my lightweight kit for just a further 40g, it weighs more than that, you need to see the video for further explanation.
The pot itself which doesn't get much of a look in, in the video is a nice piece of kit. Very sturdy, great heatproof handles so you can dispense with melting various bits of clothing taking the pot of the stove and just the right size for boiling water for dehydrated meals. With the addition of a silicone band around the rim to protect your lips its also a nice mug to drink from.
The price at £20 is great compared to similar titanium pots, allthough slightly heavier, it's just as sturdy as my Ti pot with the advantage of being easier to cook with, try frying anything with Ti, it's not a great idea. Lets see how I got on cooking fried eggs...
I apologise for the poor editing. I seemed to be doomed never to be able to get even simple video editing software to work, there are 10 seconds of silence at the beginning, it's not for artistic effect I can assure you.
As promised the bannock bread recipe
2 cup plain flour
1 cup milk powder
1 tsp baking powder
Good pitch of salt.
This is the very basic recipe. Just google "bannock bread bushcraft" for countless tasty variations. This can be mixed up taken in a ziplock bag and just add water when needed. Very little water at a time as you're making a stiff dough not a cake mix. The wet mix is seriously sticky. Practice at home first, my boys love this and they're very picky!
* Disclaimer - Webtogs have supplied the pot for this review. All views and comments are mine alone. If I didn't like it I would say as much. I have full editorial control. FULL CONTROL I TELL YOU.
Sunday, 14 November 2010
Great Gable Remembrance Service
I managed to get out on the hills last night for the first time in months. As part of this mini trip I recorded some audio with the purpose of putting together a podcast. At the time of writing this I've not even listened back to a lot of it so I'm not promising anything at the moment. I may have 20 minutes of wind noise, then there's my natural ability to screw up anything technical so please don't hold your breath.
So the following is a little taster of the trip. I managed to get to Seathwaite Farm at 8.45 last night. It was chucking it down. A beer in the car later and it had stopped enough for me to get out, up the side of Sour Milk Ghyll and pitch up with the tarp on a small platform near the top waterfall.
The camp spot just behind the top waterfall (taken the next day)
The tarp in the dark. It was 11pm before I was safely tucked in my sleeping bag.
The forecast was for a clear night and bright sunny day. It chucked it down for the majority of the night, with the delightful surprise of the slight breeze changing direction. This resulted in a good test of my water resistant bivi bag. On two or three occasions I woke up with rain on my face and head, the bivi resisted. I retreated into the foot end of the tarp, as you may be able to tell from the following pictures there wasn't all that much room...
I realised during the night that it was remembrance Sunday and that I had read about a service that takes place on Great Gable so with no other plan I decided I'd plod up there the next day. As per the forecast is was chucking it down, the cloud was down and it was miserable. However... higher up this had fell as snow. The first snow I'd seen this winter. This made for a much more enjoyable and atmospheric walk.
The service was very brief and the sun made a brief appearance and then the cloud rolled in and the temperature really dropped. Forty minutes of standing around had took it's toll on my fingers so it was a quick descent to Sty Head Tarn and then back to the car.
A lovely little winter adventure to start the snowy season off. Maybe commentary to follow...
So the following is a little taster of the trip. I managed to get to Seathwaite Farm at 8.45 last night. It was chucking it down. A beer in the car later and it had stopped enough for me to get out, up the side of Sour Milk Ghyll and pitch up with the tarp on a small platform near the top waterfall.
The camp spot just behind the top waterfall (taken the next day)
The tarp in the dark. It was 11pm before I was safely tucked in my sleeping bag.
The forecast was for a clear night and bright sunny day. It chucked it down for the majority of the night, with the delightful surprise of the slight breeze changing direction. This resulted in a good test of my water resistant bivi bag. On two or three occasions I woke up with rain on my face and head, the bivi resisted. I retreated into the foot end of the tarp, as you may be able to tell from the following pictures there wasn't all that much room...
I realised during the night that it was remembrance Sunday and that I had read about a service that takes place on Great Gable so with no other plan I decided I'd plod up there the next day. As per the forecast is was chucking it down, the cloud was down and it was miserable. However... higher up this had fell as snow. The first snow I'd seen this winter. This made for a much more enjoyable and atmospheric walk.
The service was very brief and the sun made a brief appearance and then the cloud rolled in and the temperature really dropped. Forty minutes of standing around had took it's toll on my fingers so it was a quick descent to Sty Head Tarn and then back to the car.
A lovely little winter adventure to start the snowy season off. Maybe commentary to follow...
Thursday, 28 October 2010
Mugs and Nikwax
I'm still making stuff honest! But in the mean time I thought I'd just share a couple of little solutions to minor problems that I've encountered over the last couple of weeks.
Firstly mugs. As you know from my last post I use an Alpkit MyTiMug as my only pot/mug thingy. A lot of the time I especially in the mornings when I’m wanting to get up and go I really wish I had a separate mug to drink tea from whilst having breakfast. Also during the day if you stop for a brew as all my cook kit fits inside the MyTiMug I have to wait until I finish said brew before I can pack up and put stuff in my bag. A separate mug, oh how useful you would be…
Now the thought of carrying extra weight, even that of a mug is pretty repugnant to most normal people, it is to me anyway, the lightest I had seen was this,
I’d never considered one of these
It’s an Orikaso Mug. I picked up a full set of Mug, Plate and Bowel from eBay for £3.99 including postage, just search on the site for Orikaso (I’m in no way connected to the seller by the way).
It weights 37g and folds flat. I know they’ve been around for years, for some reason I’ve never clicked that this is a solution to the mug problem and remains in the realms of acceptability for weight. It could also be used as a chopping board or a lure to attract giant tadpoles.
Now on to Nikwax. I apologise now if this is teaching grandmas to suck eggs. I’ve always had a bit of a hit and miss experience with reproofing clothes with Nikwax, mainly miss. I’ve always used a washing machine, done the washing the dispenser thing and running it through empty on the hottest wash to clean the machine of detergent.
Combinations of drip drying, tumble drying all sorts and stuff never has a DWR like it does new from the shop. I tried hand washing this week instead. Absolutely bloody brilliant, quicker, less energy and DWR just like out of the shop. I do have to point out this was the first time I had used Nikwax on Paramo, I know the two were developed to work together so perhaps I should expect better results than on Goretex but by Jingo it worked. That is all.
Monday, 11 October 2010
Cooking Gear
I think most of us would put stoves and cooking gear in general, in our top two of most desirable bits of kit. Shelters/tents/tarps taking up the other place. I do anyway.
I realised that I’ve not posted much about the cooking equipment I use. I’ve never done a dedicated post anyway. Over the years I’ve used most types of backpacking stoves. I started out way back when, with a full Trangia set, two pans, kettle and frying pan. A brilliant bit of kit more suited to car camping than backpacking due to its weight.
When I started on the lightweight revolution I got a Coleman F1 gas stove - £15 and about 80g. For the money a brilliant bit of kit, easy, fast, convenient. The main problem was the gas you had to screw on the bottom of it. Big metal canisters being thrown away and stored half full in a cupboard. Again I still have this stove and I’m gradually using up the half full canisters when car camping.
Two or three years were then dedicated to making and messing about with meths stoves. This is a very addictive pastime. Be warned! I developed a small side burner stove made from Red Bull cans which an Alpkit MyTiMug could sit directly on top off. This was quite efficient, very fast and did away with the need for a pot stand, just a wind screen. I used this stove for about a year, but there were always problems with balance. You needed a flat, preferably dead flat area. I had a couple of spills and started looking for something else.
Woodburners, although fun are not massively practical when you just want a quick cup of tea in the morning. I made a couple of stoves out of food cans with roughly the same dimensions of the Bush Buddy. They worked reasonably well, very environmentally friendly but just not quick enough when you take into account the time for fuel collecting and prep.
I’d never tried solid fuel tablets or esbit. I had dismissed these as stuff boy scouts used years ago. After reading on the web of a lot of American hikers using them and then finding Colin Ibbotson's design I decided to give them a go. I haven’t looked back since. You can pick them up in most high street camping shops.
Having just finished making a copy of my cooking system for a friend’s birthday present I thought I post a few pictures and a brief description. I make no claims for the design of the below. They are copies of Colin’s ideas. This is the most convenient, stable, quiet, and just down right brilliant way of cooking I’ve used. I do just tend to heat up water for food and drinks.
To start with is the Alpkit MyTiMug, this is the newer one. Mine’s got a small wooden knob on the top, this one is slightly lighter at 116g on my scales (including the lid). My original apart from being sooted up is as good as new after about five years use and for £25 is probably one of the best bargains out there.
The stove itself is made from an aluminum foil baking tray. I got two trays for £1 from Poundland and you can get two stoves out of one tray making the total cost of the stove 25p. I say stove, when in reality it’s a dual pot stand/wind screen. The two ends are clipped together with paper clips and a tent peg is slipped through the holes either side of the vent holes. The pot with its handles extended sits on the tent peg and the side of the stove. The stove can easily take the weight of a full pot despite its flimsy appearance. The solid fuel tabs sit on the round piece of foil and just left to burn under the pot. The stove weighs 9g
The pot cozy is made from three pieces of old closed cell foam mat to form a cylinder with one end that can be removed. This is much more robust and efficient than the silver bubble wrap pot cozy. It also provides a strong cover for the pot in your bag to stop the soot rubbing onto your other kit. This weighs 25g. I’ve just fixed mine with gaffer tape, Colin has used Araldite on his. I didn’t have any. The savings in weight and cost of fuel by using a pot cozy are immense.
The whole lot fits inside the cozy and this can also accommodate enough fuel tablets for a weekend trip making a very neat little package costing well under £30 and tipping the scales around the 150g mark. As there are no special tools needed, apart from a single hole punch which can be picked up on the high street. It’s a making moment most people can do.
Tuesday, 28 September 2010
New Backpack
I've had an attempt at a backpack before. It was a good project and did produce a useable backpack. However some of the stitching and seams were a bit iffy. I used a variety of seams to see which one worked best and came to a way in which I thought worked. This seems to be how some commercial backpack companies also stitch up their bags. I'll post a photo when the sewing starts so you can have a look. My previous pack was made from very lightweight PU coated ripstop nylon. This was the wrong choice. Substantial holes developed around the stitching after a bit of use. They didn't get any bigger and the material has proved to be tougher than it looks but it didn't inspire confidence and I don't use the pack now.
The new fabric is this. Apparently it's the stuff that some hot air balloons are made from. It's strong, very very strong and waterproof and cheap! Now the colour I got hold of is yellow, the photo below does not show the full glory of this fabric, it's the brightest sunshine yellow EVER! As you can see (from the link) they also do black. It's tempting to get some and do a stripy wasp style backpack. That's got to be first for the lightweight backpacking community (and probably the last).
So where was I..? Ah wasps... So that's the fabric sorted. The design was the next step. I have been really impressed by these packs. I got one at the beginning on the summer and it's been well used and lent out to friends. Everyone's reactions when they see it is that I've bought something that's the lightest because it the lightest and not that its functional. Believe me it is functional and featherweight too. Brilliant kit. So I wanted a larger version around 35l. The pack was picked apart over the course of a couple of evenings and a pattern taken from the individual panels. These patterns were enlarged using a photocopier and then panels from the new fabric were cut and pinned together. Although time consuming this part is relatively straightforward.
A couple of further evenings were spent creating the pattern for the straps and the pockets. Pinning all these together and seeing how it looked. I've still to do the hip belt. The level of adjustment on the straps is minimal as I making the pack for me. The small amount of adjustment will save on weight and materials and be enough to cope with changes of clothes and the adding of layers.
I have realised that the sewing machine I have can't cope with heavy weight thread or do bar tacks, or even zig zag stitching any more. Luckily my next door neighbour is a professional seamstress. So a bit of sweet talking and hopefully I can borrow her machine to sew up the final version.
At the moment I have most of the bits ready to sew up. To get to this stage I reckon has taken around 15 hours of work and countless of hours of thinking.
Backpacks are hard to get right. I've a feeling that this may be too wide across the shoulders. So I'm going to quickly put this version together and see how it works out. There will be adjustments to make and a couple of working models before the final version is done. I'm hoping to take this across Scotland on the TGO if I get on. I'm aiming to get the weight under 300g, halving the weight of my current pack, the original GoLite Jam.
The new fabric is this. Apparently it's the stuff that some hot air balloons are made from. It's strong, very very strong and waterproof and cheap! Now the colour I got hold of is yellow, the photo below does not show the full glory of this fabric, it's the brightest sunshine yellow EVER! As you can see (from the link) they also do black. It's tempting to get some and do a stripy wasp style backpack. That's got to be first for the lightweight backpacking community (and probably the last).
So where was I..? Ah wasps... So that's the fabric sorted. The design was the next step. I have been really impressed by these packs. I got one at the beginning on the summer and it's been well used and lent out to friends. Everyone's reactions when they see it is that I've bought something that's the lightest because it the lightest and not that its functional. Believe me it is functional and featherweight too. Brilliant kit. So I wanted a larger version around 35l. The pack was picked apart over the course of a couple of evenings and a pattern taken from the individual panels. These patterns were enlarged using a photocopier and then panels from the new fabric were cut and pinned together. Although time consuming this part is relatively straightforward.
A couple of further evenings were spent creating the pattern for the straps and the pockets. Pinning all these together and seeing how it looked. I've still to do the hip belt. The level of adjustment on the straps is minimal as I making the pack for me. The small amount of adjustment will save on weight and materials and be enough to cope with changes of clothes and the adding of layers.
I have realised that the sewing machine I have can't cope with heavy weight thread or do bar tacks, or even zig zag stitching any more. Luckily my next door neighbour is a professional seamstress. So a bit of sweet talking and hopefully I can borrow her machine to sew up the final version.
At the moment I have most of the bits ready to sew up. To get to this stage I reckon has taken around 15 hours of work and countless of hours of thinking.
Backpacks are hard to get right. I've a feeling that this may be too wide across the shoulders. So I'm going to quickly put this version together and see how it works out. There will be adjustments to make and a couple of working models before the final version is done. I'm hoping to take this across Scotland on the TGO if I get on. I'm aiming to get the weight under 300g, halving the weight of my current pack, the original GoLite Jam.
Monday, 27 September 2010
Apologies for the extended interval.
Hello all. I would like to apologise for the rather large gap between posts. This is due to a number of real life matters, non serious you'll be glad to know and generally a lack of time.
However normal service is soon to be resumed. I still have to get round to doing the extended Lakeland Bloggers video which will probably appear on either Phil’s (http://lightweightoutdoors.com/) or Steve’s (http://www.stevenhorner.com/) blog, being as they’ve had to wait months for me to get my arse into gear, sorry chaps.
An application has been submitted the TGO Challenge*. This year, if I’m selected, I shall be walking with two friends, Seth and Tom. After last years trip which was held in unusually good weather I reckon my kit can be reduced somewhat (cue dramatic music and claps of thunder) and I hope to be making some new bits and bobs for May’s crossing.
Shelter - I wish I had taken a tarp. I really like the MLD DuoMid but you still have that fully enclosed feeling of a tent which I don’t like. This time I am putting together a version of the cat cut tarp which I trialed in the lakes. I would like some Tarp user’s views on this one. I’ve got some spinnaker material which I reckon will bring the weight of the tarp itself down to around the 200g mark, pegs and guys on top of that. This one will have substantially more tie out points to secure it. I am also making a full size beak for it which will cover the opening at the front. This is removable and will provide protection during changeable weather. On paper I have a design that will allow the walking pole to be situated under the main canopy and the beak to clip next to this. It’s hard to explain but hopefully a prototype will soon become reality. I would like to get the views of regular tarp users who have used spinnaker tarps, mainly how flappy/loud are they? I’m presuming a lot is down to shape? Also have any of you had catastrophic failures of spinnaker?
Bivvy – I’m also looking to make a much lighter bivi than I used last year, that was half way to becoming an inner tent.
Backpack – This is a project that I’ve already started. I want a streamlined backpack around 35l-38l in volume with mesh pockets and very lightweight. It doesn’t have to feature rich but it does have to be comfortable to carry. I’ll do a separate post about this project in the near future. I’ve got some odd material, which I’m told is used for hot air balloons! It’s not a ripstop but you can’t rip it, even if there is a nick in the edge. I can’t anyway. I’m hoping the full pack will come in around the 300g mark.
I’m also looking at starting to do some podcasts. I’m slowly coming to grips with the technical aspect of things. This is a project which I’m giving myself a budget of say £20 to start up. I’m not sure it can be done, my phone makes an adequate recording device. Indoors it’s very good, outside the wind noise can be overpowering, I’m thinking of making a furry mic cover that you see on other devices to see if that has any effect. Any suggestions welcome!
So hopefully you’ll get some regular content from now on in and pictures/videos/podcasts too – but don’t hold me to that.
* http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk have done podcasts of last years TGO Challenge which can be found here http://www.theoutdoorsstation.co.uk/The_Outdoors_Station/2010_Listing/2010_Listing.html I also understand that you can buy a CD of the previous four years podcasts with a slideshow of pictures directly from Bob, the proceeds going to the Mountain Bothies association and Mountain Rescue.
However normal service is soon to be resumed. I still have to get round to doing the extended Lakeland Bloggers video which will probably appear on either Phil’s (http://lightweightoutdoors.com/) or Steve’s (http://www.stevenhorner.com/) blog, being as they’ve had to wait months for me to get my arse into gear, sorry chaps.
An application has been submitted the TGO Challenge*. This year, if I’m selected, I shall be walking with two friends, Seth and Tom. After last years trip which was held in unusually good weather I reckon my kit can be reduced somewhat (cue dramatic music and claps of thunder) and I hope to be making some new bits and bobs for May’s crossing.
Shelter - I wish I had taken a tarp. I really like the MLD DuoMid but you still have that fully enclosed feeling of a tent which I don’t like. This time I am putting together a version of the cat cut tarp which I trialed in the lakes. I would like some Tarp user’s views on this one. I’ve got some spinnaker material which I reckon will bring the weight of the tarp itself down to around the 200g mark, pegs and guys on top of that. This one will have substantially more tie out points to secure it. I am also making a full size beak for it which will cover the opening at the front. This is removable and will provide protection during changeable weather. On paper I have a design that will allow the walking pole to be situated under the main canopy and the beak to clip next to this. It’s hard to explain but hopefully a prototype will soon become reality. I would like to get the views of regular tarp users who have used spinnaker tarps, mainly how flappy/loud are they? I’m presuming a lot is down to shape? Also have any of you had catastrophic failures of spinnaker?
Bivvy – I’m also looking to make a much lighter bivi than I used last year, that was half way to becoming an inner tent.
Backpack – This is a project that I’ve already started. I want a streamlined backpack around 35l-38l in volume with mesh pockets and very lightweight. It doesn’t have to feature rich but it does have to be comfortable to carry. I’ll do a separate post about this project in the near future. I’ve got some odd material, which I’m told is used for hot air balloons! It’s not a ripstop but you can’t rip it, even if there is a nick in the edge. I can’t anyway. I’m hoping the full pack will come in around the 300g mark.
I’m also looking at starting to do some podcasts. I’m slowly coming to grips with the technical aspect of things. This is a project which I’m giving myself a budget of say £20 to start up. I’m not sure it can be done, my phone makes an adequate recording device. Indoors it’s very good, outside the wind noise can be overpowering, I’m thinking of making a furry mic cover that you see on other devices to see if that has any effect. Any suggestions welcome!
So hopefully you’ll get some regular content from now on in and pictures/videos/podcasts too – but don’t hold me to that.
* http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk have done podcasts of last years TGO Challenge which can be found here http://www.theoutdoorsstation.co.uk/The_Outdoors_Station/2010_Listing/2010_Listing.html I also understand that you can buy a CD of the previous four years podcasts with a slideshow of pictures directly from Bob, the proceeds going to the Mountain Bothies association and Mountain Rescue.
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