Sunday, 27 January 2008
A new piece of kit
I ordered an Alpkit Hunka this week. Amazing value for only £25 (as long as it does the job). Very good service - I ordered it one day and it arrived the next. I tried it out on the floor at home and my ME Xero bag fits nicely into it. Can't wait until the 9 Feb weekend which is the next Backpackers Club weekend I shall be going on. I shall be taking the tarp whatever the weather.
Wednesday, 16 January 2008
A cold and wet weekend in the Peak District
Had a really great weekend in the Peak District with the Backpackers Club. Started at Wetton on a farm site. Was dark when I arrived and snow had started falling a couple of hours earlier and was still coming down; quite cold as well. For my first night I’d brought my Khyam Epic tent, having made a footprint for it as the sewn in groundsheet had become porous. It went up within five minutes. It actually sleeps two I think so is quite spacious for one. Unfortunately, it must weigh 4-5 kg so is useless for lightweight backpacking. However, for car camping it’s great and my car was on site.
After getting back from the pub, listened to an episode of Hancock’s Half Hour, downloaded on to my mp3 from www.archive.org – a really great resource.
In the night, the temperature plummeted and by morning the tent was frozen. I had cold feet so really must work out what do to about it as I only have a ¾ length Thermarest. It’s amazing how much difference it makes having a decent mattress. Once or twice in the night, it slipped down a bit, leaving my shoulder touching the tent floor and really feeling the cold.
Walked with two others via Hartington to Reaps Moor, just outside Longnor. The pitch was a field at the back of a pub where we ate that evening. I was using my tarp, a Golite Cave 1. It was a wet and blustery night but it took it in its stride. To make sure I didn’t get wet from the head end, I put up my Golite umbrella from the inside, wedging it in and that was very successful. As I didn’t have a bivy bag, I thought I’d try sleeping in my down bag inside a plastic survival bag, just as an experiment. Definitely not a good idea. It’s amazing how much moisture the human body gives off! After a couple of hours, I woke and, realising it was wet inside the bag, I scrambled out and bundled the survival bag next to me. Next morning it had gone! Blown away! I panned the surrounding countryside for it but no sign. It’s bright orange. In the end, one of my companions located it the other side of a nearby stone wall. I hope that Alpkit get their Hunkas back in stock soon.
My stove is a Mini Trangia, using meths. On more than one occasion over the weekend, I had the devil of a job getting it to light, using a fire strike and matches. I think maybe meths and cold do not mix. I wonder if anyone else has had this experience.
Having tried this winter camping lark recently, I’m starting to think that a tent might be sensible for winter use. It can be a bit chancy leaving a tarp unattended and exposed to the elements. One that was mentioned on a www.backpackinglight.co.uk podzine was the Wild Country Sololite, weighing in at 1.9kg and costing only £120. I can’t find any reviews on it, unfortunately, not can I find anywhere that stocks it to go and have a look. Given that I’d mainly use it in the winter, I’m not inclined to spend up to £300 or so for something like an Akto as most of the year I’ll continue to use the tarp. However, the jury’s out on what I’ll use on my LEJOG next year. A tent may not be as weighty as I'd thought, given that I would do without walking poles and a separate groundsheet (and a bivy bag). There would certainly be some weight offset.
An idea I had to save weight with the tarp would be not to carry a separate lightweight groundsheet but to use a survival bag opened out and pegged down. Can't think why I didn't think of it before because I always carry one.
Heading back to Wetton on Sunday was a wet and windy affair. Still, the company was good, up to twenty of us in the pub on Saturday and, for me, the Backpackers Club has been a great discovery.
After getting back from the pub, listened to an episode of Hancock’s Half Hour, downloaded on to my mp3 from www.archive.org – a really great resource.
In the night, the temperature plummeted and by morning the tent was frozen. I had cold feet so really must work out what do to about it as I only have a ¾ length Thermarest. It’s amazing how much difference it makes having a decent mattress. Once or twice in the night, it slipped down a bit, leaving my shoulder touching the tent floor and really feeling the cold.
Walked with two others via Hartington to Reaps Moor, just outside Longnor. The pitch was a field at the back of a pub where we ate that evening. I was using my tarp, a Golite Cave 1. It was a wet and blustery night but it took it in its stride. To make sure I didn’t get wet from the head end, I put up my Golite umbrella from the inside, wedging it in and that was very successful. As I didn’t have a bivy bag, I thought I’d try sleeping in my down bag inside a plastic survival bag, just as an experiment. Definitely not a good idea. It’s amazing how much moisture the human body gives off! After a couple of hours, I woke and, realising it was wet inside the bag, I scrambled out and bundled the survival bag next to me. Next morning it had gone! Blown away! I panned the surrounding countryside for it but no sign. It’s bright orange. In the end, one of my companions located it the other side of a nearby stone wall. I hope that Alpkit get their Hunkas back in stock soon.
My stove is a Mini Trangia, using meths. On more than one occasion over the weekend, I had the devil of a job getting it to light, using a fire strike and matches. I think maybe meths and cold do not mix. I wonder if anyone else has had this experience.
Having tried this winter camping lark recently, I’m starting to think that a tent might be sensible for winter use. It can be a bit chancy leaving a tarp unattended and exposed to the elements. One that was mentioned on a www.backpackinglight.co.uk podzine was the Wild Country Sololite, weighing in at 1.9kg and costing only £120. I can’t find any reviews on it, unfortunately, not can I find anywhere that stocks it to go and have a look. Given that I’d mainly use it in the winter, I’m not inclined to spend up to £300 or so for something like an Akto as most of the year I’ll continue to use the tarp. However, the jury’s out on what I’ll use on my LEJOG next year. A tent may not be as weighty as I'd thought, given that I would do without walking poles and a separate groundsheet (and a bivy bag). There would certainly be some weight offset.
An idea I had to save weight with the tarp would be not to carry a separate lightweight groundsheet but to use a survival bag opened out and pegged down. Can't think why I didn't think of it before because I always carry one.
Heading back to Wetton on Sunday was a wet and windy affair. Still, the company was good, up to twenty of us in the pub on Saturday and, for me, the Backpackers Club has been a great discovery.
Wednesday, 9 January 2008
Various ramblings from home
I'll be using the tarp again next weekend in the Peak District and will hope for some reasonable weather. I've beefed up the four corner pegs to make sure it stays put and have replaced the two end guys with reflective ones (courtesy of backpackinglight.co.uk ) Such nice people to deal with. I also ordered a head mozzie net and they threw in a tiny bottle opener and Outdoors Station mp3 CD. I also got a Gossamer Gear Polycryo groundsheet from winwood-outdoor to replace my usual space blankets. It should be more durable. I also want to get a bivy bag from Alpkit but unfortunately they're out of stock.
For winter use, I'm thinking of a tent, not necessarily ultra-lightweight, but still light. Contenders are an Akto and various others but also the Warmlite which a couple of fellow-bloggers have. My main question which hasn't been answered yet is whether I can cook inside it with my Trangia. If not, how do Warmlite owners manage to cook? Even with, say, gas-fuelled stoves, what happens if it gets knocked over inside? Cooking outside when it's pouring down is not on.
For winter use, I'm thinking of a tent, not necessarily ultra-lightweight, but still light. Contenders are an Akto and various others but also the Warmlite which a couple of fellow-bloggers have. My main question which hasn't been answered yet is whether I can cook inside it with my Trangia. If not, how do Warmlite owners manage to cook? Even with, say, gas-fuelled stoves, what happens if it gets knocked over inside? Cooking outside when it's pouring down is not on.
Wednesday, 19 December 2007
Tarp update
Thanks to those who commented on my last post. I've gone back to the oracle - Ray Jardine in Beyond Backpacking. His view is that, whilst he has camped in all weathers using a tarp, a tarp is not a four season shelter. I think, also, some of the problems I experienced earlier this month were of my own making:
- I didn't gauge the wind direction properly. The tarp was end on to where the wind was coming from and this produced the wind tunnel effect. I should have rotated it 90 degrees and pegged the windward side right down to the ground.
- Apart from the end guys, the corners of the tarp are most susceptible to wind. As the ground was soft, I should have used more robust pegs which would not have come loose (hopefully).
- It may not be a good idea to use the tarp and leave it unattended, particularly when the weather is bad. On a normal backpacking trip, as opposed to a "static" weekend, I would usually be close by.
- It might be be better to use a tent during the worst of the winter. Unfortunately, my only tent is a Khyam Epic which is heavier than lightweight and does not pack down small. It is really a car camping tent.
- I shall buy a bivy bag, probably the Alpkit Hunka. This should prevent the sleeping bag getting wet.
- I plan to upgrade the tarp guys to fluorescent yellow (from black) so that I don't have the problem of others on site tripping over them.
Tuesday, 11 December 2007
Backpackers Club Christmas weekend
The weekend with the Backpackers Club was brilliant; I wish I could say the same of the tarp! For anyone who does not know, I have a Golite Cave. I pitched it in the dark and, because rain was expected, I pitched one end and the sides completely down to the ground. The entrance end was at normal height (although, because one end was really low, the entrance was lower than usual), using a trekking pole fully extended. Although the rain kept out, the tarp was too low for reasonable use because:
Condensation formed and, whilst not enough to drip, nevertheless was unpleasant and it came into contact with my new down sleeping bag. The entrance was really too low to comfortably get in and out of the tarp and I tended to pull one of the front guys out whenever I went in or out.
It resulted in insufficient usable space, particularly at the lower end.
Anyway, I survived. In the morning, I adjusted the tarp by increasing the height at the foot end which appeared fine and, as a precaution, I put my down bag in the car which was nearby. I then went off and left it for a few hours. This was a bad move. The weather took a turn for the worse. It was windy and there was blizzarding snow, followed by rain. When I returned, I found that although the main guys at either end were still firmly in place, the two pegs at the foot end had pulled loose in the wet muddy ground and the guy points had lifted off the pegs. The end of the tarp was flapping in the wind and my Thermarest was wet. As the car was there, I packed up and slept very comfortably in it that night.
I’ve used the tarp a lot over the past five years or so but only over the summer months (apart from the Dartmoor trip a month ago when the weather was calm) and so this was my first experience of using the tarp in really inclement conditions. One of my reasons for testing it is to check whether it is likely to be suitable for my LEJOG in May 2009. The jury is definitely out on this at the moment.
More robust pegs at the corners of the tarp are called for, I think (I now use stout plastic T-section ones for the guys at either end and these are very effective). This might have prevented the problem of the flapping end.
Although pegging down to the ground at one end kept the weather out, I would prefer not to do this. Maybe pitching higher at the foot end with hiking umbrella opened up from the inside and secured to the ground would be feasible.
Apart from that, a sheer lack of "cosiness" was evident – the tarp was like a wind tunnel! When it’s really cold and horrible, I can’t see myself looking forward to spending night after night in a wind tunnel (although the LEJOG won’t start until May and it won’t be as cold). However, I’m not giving up yet. I think maybe a bivy bag (perhaps the Alpkit Hunka for £25) would be sensible, for a fraction extra warmth and to prevent the sleeping bag getting wet.
Comments/suggestions from folk would be most welcome. I wonder if anyone uses a tarp all year round in the UK.
A couple of short walks rounded off the weekend - one at 7am on Sunday, down Biggindale some distance and then back along to Dalehead and the other stopping off on the way to Ashbourne and parking the car at Milldale and striking up to head down Hall Dale to the Dove and back to Milldale - both only about three miles each but at least it wasn’t raining.
Condensation formed and, whilst not enough to drip, nevertheless was unpleasant and it came into contact with my new down sleeping bag. The entrance was really too low to comfortably get in and out of the tarp and I tended to pull one of the front guys out whenever I went in or out.
It resulted in insufficient usable space, particularly at the lower end.
Anyway, I survived. In the morning, I adjusted the tarp by increasing the height at the foot end which appeared fine and, as a precaution, I put my down bag in the car which was nearby. I then went off and left it for a few hours. This was a bad move. The weather took a turn for the worse. It was windy and there was blizzarding snow, followed by rain. When I returned, I found that although the main guys at either end were still firmly in place, the two pegs at the foot end had pulled loose in the wet muddy ground and the guy points had lifted off the pegs. The end of the tarp was flapping in the wind and my Thermarest was wet. As the car was there, I packed up and slept very comfortably in it that night.
I’ve used the tarp a lot over the past five years or so but only over the summer months (apart from the Dartmoor trip a month ago when the weather was calm) and so this was my first experience of using the tarp in really inclement conditions. One of my reasons for testing it is to check whether it is likely to be suitable for my LEJOG in May 2009. The jury is definitely out on this at the moment.
More robust pegs at the corners of the tarp are called for, I think (I now use stout plastic T-section ones for the guys at either end and these are very effective). This might have prevented the problem of the flapping end.
Although pegging down to the ground at one end kept the weather out, I would prefer not to do this. Maybe pitching higher at the foot end with hiking umbrella opened up from the inside and secured to the ground would be feasible.
Apart from that, a sheer lack of "cosiness" was evident – the tarp was like a wind tunnel! When it’s really cold and horrible, I can’t see myself looking forward to spending night after night in a wind tunnel (although the LEJOG won’t start until May and it won’t be as cold). However, I’m not giving up yet. I think maybe a bivy bag (perhaps the Alpkit Hunka for £25) would be sensible, for a fraction extra warmth and to prevent the sleeping bag getting wet.
Comments/suggestions from folk would be most welcome. I wonder if anyone uses a tarp all year round in the UK.
A couple of short walks rounded off the weekend - one at 7am on Sunday, down Biggindale some distance and then back along to Dalehead and the other stopping off on the way to Ashbourne and parking the car at Milldale and striking up to head down Hall Dale to the Dove and back to Milldale - both only about three miles each but at least it wasn’t raining.
Thursday, 6 December 2007
A wet weekend coming up
Am I looking forward to the coming weekend? Well, yes and no. It's a Backpackers Club weekend in the Peak District, on the same pitch for two nights. I'm determined to take the tarp, rather than a tent and the forecast is WET. With the Lands End to John O'Groats trip coming up (albeit not until May 2009), I'm keen to put the tarp through its paces. I have to know that it will withstand rough weather. The car will be nearby if it blows away.
Tuesday, 13 November 2007
Backpackers' Dartmoor weekend
A turnout of around a dozen. The first night's camp was on a site behind the pub where we were scheduled to meet. A good carvery meal and a couple of pints of Courage Best stoked up the fires for the next day's hike. The walk was across the A30 on to Dartmoor via Great Nodden, Nodden Gate and then to a wild camp in a depression just south of a bridleway SSW of Great Links Tor. Three of us stopped there for the night and others went on, presumably to find somewhere better but that's the last we saw of them! Our stop was good enough with a decent water supply nearby. It wasn't that cold but having eaten, we retired to our respective shelters (me to my tarp) around 7.30pm. It was a cloudy evening with no moon so it made sense to get into sleeping bags. It was my new bag's first outing (Mountain Equipment Xero 350). I was impressed with it, certainly warmer than the one it replaced. I think I could still be cold in it on a colder night. One reason may be the fact that I had the tarp open at both ends so inevitably it was going to be affected by this. I think as winter comes I must pitch one end (the foot end) down to the ground. This will certainly keep rain out. I'll also try shoving a fleece top or similar down to the bottom of the bag and wrap my feet in it.
Much of the evening was nicely spent listening to Outdoors Station podcasts (from the CD that came with a recent TGO magazine) covering this year's Challenge across Scotland - well done Podcast Bob (of backpackinglight.co.uk fame) and Andy Howell. The sound was very good - so much so that I heard a cock crowing in the background and took my earplugs out, thinking that the sound was from outside in the middle of Dartmoor. Next day, I found that one of the others had also been listening and was alarmed to hear the sound of running water which he thought was outside his tent.
Up early next morning after some nine hours sleep (three more than I'm used to) and we set off, past the Bleak House ruin, heading back towards Sourton Tors. I left the others to go down to Meldon Reservoir and back to the pub to leave for home. A really good morning's walk to cap a great weekend.
Much of the evening was nicely spent listening to Outdoors Station podcasts (from the CD that came with a recent TGO magazine) covering this year's Challenge across Scotland - well done Podcast Bob (of backpackinglight.co.uk fame) and Andy Howell. The sound was very good - so much so that I heard a cock crowing in the background and took my earplugs out, thinking that the sound was from outside in the middle of Dartmoor. Next day, I found that one of the others had also been listening and was alarmed to hear the sound of running water which he thought was outside his tent.
Up early next morning after some nine hours sleep (three more than I'm used to) and we set off, past the Bleak House ruin, heading back towards Sourton Tors. I left the others to go down to Meldon Reservoir and back to the pub to leave for home. A really good morning's walk to cap a great weekend.
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