Call of the Revolution! - to the Ultralight Moderate Swing Voter

Is it a tarp or not a tarp that is one of my questions.

Tap the word tarp into the online Oxford English dictionary you get the following:

'An early 20th century abbreviation of tarpaulin. A sheet or cover'

Search the word 'tarpaulin' - the Oxford dictionary suggests that it is a 'heavy duty waterproof cloth, often made of proofed canvas'

It goes on to describe it as a noun, and uses the sentence 'a stretch of roof was covered by a tarpaulin'

I mention all this because the ultralight tarp is having to work very hard to shed its namesake the 'tarp'.

 Say the word 'tarp' here in the UK and seek a response. Response's will range from 'Ray Mears', to 'heavy road haulage' to 'motorcycle cover's' or some such answer. I asked a handful of people recently at North Lees camp site about their thoughts on tarps. Not a very large poll admittedly, but a poll of normal outdoor people, climbers, walkers and campers. Not one person had considered a tarp type shelter for camping or backpacking use. Backpacking forums for years have discussed the pro's and con's of tarps and ultra lightweight backpacking probably to death. Outdoor magazines have been talking about tarps and lightweight backpacking in the UK to the point where I think just to write new copy and to move on in the discussion have had to start a new chapter, which seems to be coming from the standpoint of 'lets avoid any extremes'. In other words a more 'moderate' standpoint on weight. Yet, after all that, even still, in 2014 the vast majority of people setting out on their Pennine adventure or other long distance journey have not considered anything other than a full on mountaineering tent, and are probably setting off with 15KG to 20KG or more in their bag even in summer. I am gathering some more data on this, so will post here once all the results are in.

Now I get why hill goers may prefer a 4 season heavy duty tent for summit camps in mid winter, especially if its only a five mile walk-in from the car, and a one off herculean effort is all that is required. On the trail however, say for example the Pennine Way, when you have a few 'hundred' miles to cover, especially at the time of year we make these journeys, a lighter weight arrangement makes a lot of sense. I think it is important to differentiate between gear for camping at Angle tarn only a couple of miles from the road, and a set up that works at camp 50 or 100 miles miles into the Pennine Way. When you have to carry your gear over 200 miles that Kilo or more in saved weight starts to look a lot more attractive. Applying this to every piece of kit in the bag and that 5KG or more of weight saving looks even better. Just look at the posture of someone carrying 15KG of kit v's someone with 7 or 8KG. More to point, look at their faces. The vast majority of camps along national trails are sheltered or low level camps.

So, after talking a while to my fellow backpackers I pitched an ultra-light silnylon tarp at North Lees, and within moments I had a small audience, 'Never seen anything like that before' sort of scratchy head sort of audience. 'What sort of a tent is this'? I had my tarp pitched with a noseeum net bivi underneath, and at least one of the audience felt bold enough to get inside. 'Cool!'

Now I am going to exclude 'bushcraft' tarp use from the conversation in this post i.e the Ray Mears thread going forward because bushcraft guys do use tarps a lot, often the ones as per the Oxford dictionary definition, preferably square ones that can be set up as flying diamonds that are fire resistant canvas and so on.  I am specifically discussing ultra light tarps for backpacking or scouting or hiking use in the UK, rectangular shaped ultralight tarps used by a user who is moving through the environment on foot and carrying it some distance from A to B.

It seems crazy, but forum discussion among UK Hill-goers,  has all but exhausted the discussion before UK long distance backpackers ever really had a go with ultralight.  The tarp is possibly one of those concepts that has been theoretically discussed for 5 years by lunch hour office workers on the forums perhaps on occasion without actually using one here in the UK for trail walking.  In particular the' tarp v tent' sort of forum discussion gets very confusing, because  although both technically backpackers, hill walkers and long distance walkers face very different challenges. Most of us when hill bagging, hillwalking or fellwalking for much of the time, walk from a base camp or car, and return to camp or the car that day. In which case the weight was left at the campsite or in the car. At other times, we may go high into the mountains for a one night wild camp, in this circumstance its a one off effort, to get all the relatively heavy gear up there. By contrast, a long distance walker covering 200 miles, going up and over over the hills along a route setting up a new camp day in day out can see that this is where lighter weight gear pays dividends. An ultralight tarp serves a different sort of backpacker, and I think this is where much confusion and counter argument surrounding the ultralight tarp sets in. The ultralight tarp serves a different niche of our amazing backpacking pursuit.

I noted on a You Tube video recently that Chris Townsend, (one of my personal hero's by the way) who acts as gear editor to The Great Outdoors magazine reviewed tents v tarps v tarp tents. Chris suggested that 'tarps are a good option for the Pyrenees and the High Sierra', ' or in the UK in a sheltered setting with a dry forecast'  I agree, a stand alone tarp would work well in these environments, but I would also suggest that tarps can be great in the rain too. The video is certainly worth a look. Chris did not really touch upon the 4th option however, which is what I discuss below. The tarp with an inner nest as a combination. Oddly the forums rarely discuss the  merits of the tent v's the tarp / inner nest combo for some reason either. It is this 4th option however that is the real alternative to the tent here in the UK.

I used a stand alone tarp for three years, got a little bit chilly at times late in the season and bitten more than once in high season. After a few seasons I went back to a tent as my primary shelter mainly to avoid the midges and ticks. The tarp became an extension to my tent at a fixed camp or was thrown in my bag to sit on at picnics.

The thought however, the dream of something a lot lighter than my tent, for distance walking never went away.  Ultralight still makes more sense for long distance walking than a moderate or heavier weight alternative. Our hiking friends on the American side of the Atlantic, the ones that walk great distances along the Appalachian trail for example, love their ultralight tarps, why is this? In fact no self respecting thru' hiker on the trail would be seen dead without one it seems. Their tarp self brands as, 'trail savvy', 'experienced' and perhaps even brands still as 'revolutionary'. In the UK it could self brand judging by the forums chat as 'off your rocker', 'what are you messing about at son?'.

Then it dawned on me. OMG! how had I missed it!, how had so many of us here missed it. I now know what we were missing. It was the nest! A re-look at all the pictures . Time to read the books again. The thru-hikers often use a nest! They use a tarp and they use a nest. Look once again, yes, there's a friend of Ray Jardine, smiling in his nest!

Many of us spotted that one too in passing,  and then incorrectly deduced that if you had a tarp and a nest, i.e. an outer skin and an inner you might as well have a tent, it's the same!  but there is so so much more to it than that. They really are 'not' the same at all.

So, tarp and a nest. Well isn't that just another way of building effectively a light weight tent? Well yes, it is, but also no it isn't. There is a world of difference between a tent and a nest/ tarp combo. Try configuring a tent in an alternative pitch for example.

So now we look at it, the thru' hikers don't really use tarps, well they kind of do, what they really have is a very very lightweight tent arrangement. More to the point their revolution was and still is really all about a very very lightweight tent inner called a nest and a super simple very light flysheet called an ultralight tarp.

That's it then, we can still have our British ultra-lightweight revolution. It doesn't have to die with the tarp v tent argument. Our revolution is not going to be about the tarp v's the tent, it never was, it was a discussion point only. Our revolution is to be about the 'nest and tarp combo' v's the 'tent'. Or put another way 'the cutting edge cottage gear nest and tarp combo product' v's the 'mass produced tent offering' at a given price point. Once we bring into the equation an ultralight nest design, even a super ultralight nest, that caters for the relevant British season the tarp idea then all makes sense again. A nest that will help keep out the elements, a nest that keeps out the midges, a nest that only weighs similarly to a can of beans ( I use beans, we are talking about British camping after all, and sustenance may be required for revolutionary talk) .

It is this notion that has been playing on my mind for long enough now to have sparked a renewed interest in 'nest design' and to start designing solutions for Pennine long distance walking, trying them out in anger on wet and wild nights, and in midge season. After all this I can report my tarp is so back in my bag!

Tarps are inexpensive, even ultralight ones. Genuine cottage gear manufacturers cut out the middle man, so are able to offer a very high quality product made from durable and strong but light weight fabric. They are able to offer a very lightweight solution for half the price of a sub kilo tent via the normal retail channels. A silnylon tarp for one 295g, an ultralight solid walled nest for at least 1 and a dog  495g, so an 800g tent effectively for around £150 with sitting headroom, elbow room and won't fall over in a gale. This is what we can have. This is now possible. I struggled for so long to find what I wanted, in fact I never found it without having to spend over £400, so now I produce what I see as the solution for UK distance walkers under the Wrath Outdoor brand. Specifically I have produced the 'Jetstream nest' and based every element of its design around my own and fellow hikers needs for our very own thru hike style routes in the UK - The Pennine Routes in particular. The Jetstream has solid breathable walls, which reduces wind chill, creates a micro climate and helps keep condensation to a minimum.  It can be used on a campsite, it also works well in a wild setting.

So lets get back on the trail with something nice and light that does meet our needs, a solution which neither breaks the bank or our back. A solution which probably looks like and is an ultralight tarp / solid walled nest combo.

Thank you for reading, please as always let me know your thoughts.

So is it a Tarp then?

Sean

Sharpening up on the trail

If you are going to carry a knife on the trail then it might as well be a sharp knife. maintaining a sharp knife is very easy and takes seconds. Resharpening a really dulled knife is much more difficult. I am not trying to achieve a scalpel edge as this weakens the edge. I sharpen to achieve a useful edge only, which can cope easily with any task I am likely to put it to.

The fine sharpening stone is the item which looks like a stick of chalk

As new the Swiss army knife has a v shaped profile - a flat grind, gradually sloping down from the spine to the tip of the blade on both sides. A steepish secondary bevel is then placed right on the edge. After 10 years of use the primary blade on mine is pretty scratched up, and the scales no longer look new but even after so much use every tool still works perfectly! Irrespective of the fact that the knife looks pretty beat up all the blades need are a couple of minutes attention to retain the factory edge.

There are many ways of sharpening your knife, so I will highlight the main one I use first, using a fine Victorinox sharpening stone, which weighs almost nothing and is carried in mt EDC kit.

Brace the end of the stone against a solid object to prevent movement.
Pull the blade a few strokes from handle to tip slicing  along  the stone as you go ( watch fingers) then turn the knife and push the blade a few strokes. Again handle to tip as if slicing off the surface.

To maintain this secondary bevel takes just a few strokes on each side of the blade against a small Victorinox abrasive stone such as the one in the picture. If you do not have access to such a sharpening stone or ceramic rod, then wrap a small quantity of very fine wet and dry around a dowel or stick. In the field carrying a small piece of fine wet and dry instead of the stone would do the trick. Once you have decided on the angle repeat this every time you sharpen.

I sharpen with very light pressure and much more slowly than such as with a kitchen knife on a steel. The secret of sharpening this knife is to hold the knife at the same angle every time. I go for somewhere around 20 to 30 degrees. Go slowly, and apply only light pressure whilst drawing the blade across the stone, slightly lifting the handle as you approach the tip. Usually as few as 10 strokes per side will do it. I do not remove any burr that forms just as with the kitchen knives at home on the steel but if you wanted to do this you could use anything from your leather belt as a strop to the back of a leather bound note book which I carry to make my field notes. This method, even without the stropping will maintain your blade to the point where it will slice up paper edges by way of a test no problem. To slice hairs from your arms etc which many see as the ultimate test you will need to strop maybe up to 50 strokes per side, but to be frank if I can cut veg easily and cord and other such items with ease that is all I am trying to do. This level of sharpness can be achieved in seconds.

It is also possible by way of another option to file the stone against the blade, keeping the blade static and moving the stone or rod against the blade. Personally I prefer to move the blade over the stone as I find it easier to control the knife angle, and hold the stone steady.

Alternatively if you are carrying larger cuting tools, carry a slightly heavier diamond / ceramic stone for sharpening and honing in the field, such as this portable offering from Fallkniven called the DC3. The stone has the benefit of a fine ceramic honing side and coarser grit diamond side for serious sharpening.

One method of sharpening with such a stone is to use tiny small circular movements whilst holding the bevel against the stone, this works well on larger knives. Maintaining the angle throughout the length of the blade but lifting the handle slightly as you sharpen the tip.

Alternatively try to slice a microscopic layer from the surface as in the picture below, repeating both sides alternately. When you turn the Climber knife as in the picture below you will need to place the stone on the edge of something to give hand clearance. The blades are offset against the handle. Repeat the same number of strokes each side whichever method is used. The stone may slip around so it may need to be braced or held as I am doing in this picture. Watch fingers!

Personally I prefer the first method as shown above, but its personal choice.

try to slice a thin layer from the stone starting at the handle end and lifting off from the tip.
10 reps one side, 10 the other, then alternate a stroke each side for a few strokes. 

Victorinox also provide a number of portable ceramic sharpeners which simply require the blade to be pulled through them a few times. The problem with sharpening this way is that the blade develops a hollow in the middle over time.


To sharpen the scissors I simply cut through a sheet of tin foil once in a while. Do not try to fold the tin foil as you will sprain the scissors making them useless.

Concentrate at all times when sharpening, a serious injury could occur at a very difficult time once miles away from civilization. Carry a suitably well equipped first aid kit. Remember only light pressure and slow movement is required to sharpen a SAK, the steel is relatively soft.  Whichever method is deployed look at what you are doing, move methodically, pay attention to the angle between the blade and stone. Do NOT draw the blade upwards ( backwards ) across the stone so that the knife wants to fold onto fingers. You should always be pressing or pushing the blade open.

Take care and enjoy the process. Its all very relaxing. Any hints and tips on the subject of field sharpening in the field always greatly received.

Thank you for reading

Sean

Cutting Tools for the Trail

In the previous post I showed the everyday carry gear that comes with me at all times on the trail - a basic first aid / gear maintenance / fire kit. In this post I wanted to drill down into one of the specifics, - The Swiss Army Climber. Mine is the Victorinox version, as opposed to the Wenger version. Victorinox now also have a version with a wooden scale which I really like, but since it would be potentially lost if I dropped it I will stick to the red handled version which shows up well against both grass, and forest floor. Whilst this knife accompanies over 90% of  my outdoor trips I will also touch upon some of the other cutting tools I occasionally carry instead of or alongside this multitool.

My well used Victorinox has provided sterling service for over 10 years. Here shown with a small whetstone and pouch.

The choices for the second tool in my collection include a very nice hand made single carbon blade Ettrick style folding knife by Arthur Wright & Sons with a 2" blade (51g), a Bahco Laplander folding saw (185g), a Sabatier kitchen knife (80g), and a very light weight Victorinox paring knife (14g). My most recent addition to these options is a Roselli R110 Puuko knife (77g)

At a fixed camp or if cooking for large groups on the trail I would supplement the Swiss army Climber with a fixed blade knife such as a 3" Sabatier or Victorinox paring or rabbit knife for food prep. Unfortunately the kitchen type knives do not come with a sheath so are not great for backpack use hence my more recent aquisition. My current favorite being the Roselli Carpenter knife.

If I were requiring a small to modest cooking fire, or using a wood gas stove and needing to size small logs into kindling I would supplement the Swiss Army climber with the puukko & perhaps the folding Laplander saw. In the UK nowadays along the trail building a fire is very unlikely. In the real world, whenever a land owner has been asked, the option to build a fire is generally declined outright, or a reason put forward, 'ground too dry', 'not just there' etc.  Not to say that if a relationship is built with the land owner permission may be granted on a local level, but when trail walking contacting land owners at each stop over point is not really possible as we traverse such vast distances and sometimes we not know where we will be at a given point in time, so the Laplander saw is rarely used, the fixed blade puukko knife is more than adequate to size kindling for the wood burning stove.

In all probability the pressure on the land would be too great if everyone wanted to build a fire anyway. 12000 people a year walk sections of the Pennine Way for example. I have considered the use of a wood gasifier type stove, and carrying a laplander saw instead of stove fuel. In the end I decided that like disposable BBQ's the wood stoves are a form of fire that camp site owners will tolerate if they allow BBQ's but other land owners in the main do not. There are quite a few camp sites which strictly ban the use of BBQ / open flames already. It only takes a couple of such sites to ban their use along a 'hiking trail' and effectively one would end up carrying two stoves to make the whole journey. To allow for all eventualities might as well just take a standard cartridge gas fuel stove, or perhaps as is my preference an adaptable alcohol fuel stove of some kind - one which works as an  alcohol / wood burning hybrid. It is many years since I actually carried the Laplander saw on a national trail.

Whilst on the move, backpacking and cooking for up to 3, I carry only the Swiss Army Climber, which covers 90% plus of the trips I make. The Laplander saw and the second fixed blade knife may be taken occasionally if I really think I will need them. I do not carry these other cutting tools 'just in case'. It is the Swiss army knife that has accompanied all my trips for the last ten years. The recently aquired Puuko knife is very light and actually quite useful for kitchen duties, and is great for chopping a few sticks into kindling for the wood burner. I forsee this knife being increasingly used in the future as I really like using the wood burning stove due to the weight saved in carrying additional fuel and find I can use this most evenings, reserving the alcohol fuel for the morning brew or if lighting the woodburner is not possible.

My Swiss Army Climber is kept scrupulously clean, even to the point where it has been through the dishwasher a couple of times, which I do not now recommend. To clean - remove the toothpick and tweezers, and open out all the blades and tools. Use an old toothbrush and a cotton bud in warm soapy water to remove pocket lint or dust, rinse off thoroughly and leave to dry. Using the tooth pick dipped in olive oil - drop two drops of oil into the spring holes on the rear surface, and a couple of drops at each end where the tools and blades rotate. Opening and closing the respective tools will work the oil in. On the trail a good rinse and occasionally a dunk in boiling water to sterilize is all that is required.

The reason for this attention is that this knife is not really something used for processing fire wood etc, but as a tool for the camp kitchen, a tool for the first aid kit and a tool that may be used for personal hygiene prior to being thoroughly cleaned again. I use a small belt case for the Climber and it lives in this attached to my belt or in a zipped pocket once I hit the trail, this keeps it clean and accessible. I would even consider tying the knife to my clothing through the lanyard ring in any critical situation. Interestingly if you buy the slightly larger sheath, you can fit both the Camper and a BIC lighter in there, so retaining a cutting tool and a fire lighting option in one small package which is attached to my person should I ever be separated from my pack.

So why the climber and not say the Camper or the Hiker model? why no saw? Why not just go with a a 2" single blade knife?, or even a razor? or some other cutting tool variation? To answer this I will need to explain how the  knife and tools are utilized on the trail.

The most used tool is the larger blade for processing food prior to cooking, chopping shallots, garlic, chorizo, carrot and the like (yes I carry shallots on multiday day hikes, not as mad as it sounds, but that's a post for another day). The Climber is a similar size to a kitchen paring knife so great for peeling veg, and fine cutting garlic, or onion. Any knife under 3" makes cook duties a chore in my book. The blade also has some flex so it will fillet modestly sized fish and bone meat really well also. The 3" rounded end spearpoint blade is a good shape for chopping duties. The hand and knuckles are raised above the chopping surface when using the first 2 to 3cm of the blade, or its light enough to be held from above if you want to use the length of the blade. The Climber also has a secondary 2" blade which can be brought into play if the first blade becomes dull mid task, for whittling small pieces of wood, or for cutting the occasional bit of cordage or plaster.

The next most used tool are the Scissors, which are used almost as much as the blades. Scissors make it easy to open packets of food, cut sticking plaster to length, sewing cotton, and will trim nails, even a beard easily on an extended trip. The scissors are sharp, to illustrate this I recently made an ultralight pop can stove using these and a drawing pin ( well you never know when you might need one along the trail ), sweet :)

The other tools are used less, but again in the camp kitchen a beer bottle opener, can opener and a wine bottle screw pull will get used at some point on a longer trip, especially in a group setting. All the tools really do work, and work exceptionally well. Most of the food consumed along the routes, and ways in the UK that I travel, involve shopping every few days at a village shop, and then packing out the rubbish, so tackling packaging is a very common occurrence, the scissors and other tools work well for this.

There is an optional little tool for tightening spectacle screws, there is a hole punch reamer for driving  thread through a leather belt, there is a hook which turns the Climber into a carry handle to save your hands when fetching water, tweezers, and a tooth pick. You can replace the tooth pick with a small biro type pen as an option. I prefer to carry a stub of pencil and keep the tooth pick as its great for cleaning and maintaining the Swiss army tool itself, rather than to be used as toothpick.

Every item on this knife is justified, and every item will get used on a longer trip more than likely. It has all the tools you are genuinely going to use and none of the ones you are not.

So what does the Climber do without:

This knife does not have a saw. If I am on a wilderness trip where I shall be processing wood and other biomass for cooking etc,  I would carry a separate and really decent folding saw. My knife is thus kept clean for the other uses. I could not manage with a penknife only saw as the cooking knife then gets really dirty and full of sawdust and bacteria which is not ideal.

The balance of functionality to weight is just about right as far as I am concerned with the Climber. The 82g covers every tool I need in the kitchen drawer, and then some. I believe leaving this tool at home to save weight, or trying to save 40g or so by downsizing it would be a false weight economy in most scenarios. If really pressed I think I could manage with a smaller blade, and a pair of scissors for a short or solo trip. On a longer trip though at some point I am going to miss the other tools, and I would really get frustrated processing food with anything smaller.

Could this knife serve in a survival situation to split wood to build a great survival fire? The answer is - not really. I have split wood by making a hardwood chisel wedge with the army knife, cutting a small nick on the corner of the wood to be split, and hammering the wedge in repeatedly with another hefty lump of wood. It works eventually to split modest logs in a haphazard way, but its very very hard work. It can however be done. In 20 years I have never needed to build a survival fire, so I usually carry only this knife. If I really have to I can split small wood sticks in the short term to get a fire going and split larger logs in other ways.

The only small niggle I have with the Climber is that the second smaller blade would be better as a flat lambsfoot type blade, such as that on the Camper, instead of the spear-point. A flat edge blade is better for cutting little notches, certain whittling tasks and cutting cord. It is a very minor niggle, and one I am more than happy to live with.

The climber has no pliers. I agree pliers can be useful for lifting hot pots and pans, and pulling thread etc. I agree pliers, even better pliers or grips that can be locked closed, can be useful. I genuinely do not miss them however as I carry a lightweight dedicated pot grabber with my pots that need one on group trips and my solo pots have fold out handles anyway such as the 750ml Vargo Titanium cup. If the pot grab was lost then a  wet cloth could be utilised.  I have seen two sticks being fashioned and tied with cord in the middle being used similarly as fire tongs to lift pots. I have seen tent pegs being used also if the pot has suitable slots or holes. You can pull cotton etc by effectively pushing it from the entry side with a sharpened stick or the point of the reaming tool on the climber. I have not used a pliers tool for over 10 years.

So, will I ever change my mind on the Climber? or is this now my knife for life? Would I swap it for a single blade again? I doubt it, but never say never. I think however that a single blade on its own is especially suited to day hiking or for carrying as a secondary tool for back up in remote areas as the weight really is neglible, honestly that extra 100g or so is really not going to be noticed,

There are always times when that second or even third cutting tool is useful particularly if you are tasked with being camp chef, or any sort wood processing is likely. A small kitchen knife will serve for the former and a folding inexpensive Bahco Laplander would be more than suitable for the latter. Quality hard wooden handled full tang stainless steel kitchen knives are mass produced and cost a fraction of bushcraft type knives, the original American pioneers used - 'butcher' type knives,  You can get a fantastic one that will keep a strong edge for around £20.00. Other knife options here include lightweight Puukko or Tommi knives such as the Roselli Carpenter which weigh around 77g, take a phenomenal edge and will double as a bushcraft or carpentry tool which is what they are designed for. Other options include the frontier style knives such as the A Wright of Sheffield-  Green River, or boating knife - again lightweight options weighing less than 100g and will admirably step up to the plate in a survival or bushcraft use scenario. Other good options include the Grohmann knives of Canada - in particular the trout and bird knife. Enzo and Esse also produce some great little neck knives.

Full on heavy duty Bushcraft  and Bowie style knives, often costing hundreds, at least the ones I have had a go with are not the best option for light weight trail hiking, cooking and camp duties in my opinion. For starters they are very poor as kitchen knives due in part to blade thickness ( typically 4mm ) and also because the finger knuckles often have no clearance against the chopping surface when chopping food, plus the full tang and 4" to 5" blades make them heavy, which means you have to grab the whole handle securely in a fist.  The blade with means you will have to force them like a wedge through vegetables and fruit. Stiff deep blades are not great for filleting meat or fish along a bone either. Finally the polished carbon steel blades will rust or develop a patina super quickly if neglected in any way. Further-more you can't open a bottle of french wine or cut a bandage to length easily with one, never mind fixing your sunglasses or opening a beer. Would I swap one on the trail for my Climber? / Puukko combination - honestly my answer is no. On the other hand the bushcraft knife or Bowie style knife may serve better as an option for skinning a deer or taking a small tree down or splitting 4" diameter logs into kindling should the need arise - In all seriousness I cannot for-see needing to do any of this personally. A better second knife option for light weight backpacking is a Scandinavian Puukko knife, which is still robust but weighs many times less. A typical puukko including sheath is usually less than 100g versus the 250 to 300g including sheath of many full on bushcraft knives.

I have never carried an axe, even small hatchets will weigh around 500g - in my opinion a small folding saw is a safer and lighter weight option for processing wood if this is something expected in the backpacking area, the one I use is a Bahco Laplander which weights 185g. Even allowing for this modest weight I would only consider carrying this saw on a truly wild trip well away from civilization. In the UK it is rare to get into such a remote place that carrying a saw is really necessary. Furthermore, most of our wilder areas are mountainous areas with few trees.

So to summarise, I use a small single blade folding knife for day hikes, but carry a Victorinox climber on multi-day hikes and leave the single blade folder at home. Where I expect to be cooking for a group or processing kindling for the woodburner I now carry a puukko knife in addition to the Victorinox, but have used small kitchen knives in the past. Very occasionally I may take the Laplander saw as a third tool. I have never seen any reason to carry an axe ever.



Carrying knives is a very contentious issue, along with fire building, camping wild and so on. As a consideration the smaller folding knives such as the Swiss army Climber is not likely to get you into any bother from a legal perspective. If you are caught wild camping without permission and have to answer for it do you also want to be answering questions about illegal longer blades, lock knife features or even fixed blades intended for camp kitchen use. Whilst these knives at camp are seemingly justifiable they could still be seen as potentially breaking the law here in the UK. I really feel uncomfortable travelling through security barriers. on public transport and through the town centres on the way to trail head when carrying anything else but a perfectly legal 3" folding Swiss army knife. I would never ask anyone else in my group to carry any of the other tools I occasionally carry, even if that is to spread weight among a group.


Next post - Keeping your knife sharp.


Thank you for reading as always

Way of the Backpacker

An EDC Kit for Ultralight Backpacking and Day Hikes.

Gear selection and 'hunting' for just the right thing is great entertainment in its own right. Searching for that one thing to last a lifetime will keep the outdoors with us even when we are not in it.

Gear items that form regular use 'staples' and 'modular' items that work coherently into an integral system provide for many many hours of safe and enjoyable time in the outdoors.  In this post we look at the 'EDC Kit', a list of basic items that covers basic first aid, fire lighting, a cutting tool and few extra items which will cover a multitude of events ranging from a blister to an unexpected night in the hills. In this post I run through my own EDC kit of items that I always take for trail or hill-walking here in the UK.  I have tried to focus on what has worked for myself and my family free from marketing hype.

A little background. I was lucky enough to be raised on the outskirts of the Peak District National Park.  It seems hard for me to comprehend now when I look back, but I and my companions once roamed the edges of the moors and scrambled and climbed the crags in the sort of clothes that every young person would go out to scuff around in. We are talking here of patched jeans, woolly jumpers, and trainers or wellies, and a parka or anorak if it was really cold or snowing. No map, no compass, no backpack, no boots, not really anything that would nowadays be considered bare minimum essentials for a day in the hills. Our gear pretty much consisted of a tin assembled by myself and a good friend which we referred to as a 'survival tin' and pretty much this plus a few items in our pockets was our gear to cover all eventualities.

Now I am not suggesting for a moment that we set off along the Pennine Way with only such a tin, but it is probably a good starting point for putting together our EDC kit list. So what was in that tin?

Well in that tin, which had formerly housed mints of some kind were matches dipped in wax, kindling ( cotton wool), safety pins, sewing needles and thread, string, plasters, oxo cubes, a whistle, a pencil and paper ( for writing and more kindling) and a few coins for the phone box. In our pockets would be a penknife or two a handkerchief, maybe sandwiches wrapped in tin foil and a couple of plastic bags for sitting on for lunch stops. We guessed time by the sun, and direction by which way the clouds were blowing that day We could cover 20 or more miles in a day and still be home for dinner. Our knowledge of the terrain and features of the woods, the moors and crags built over a decade into encyclopedic knowledge of that area for 10 or 15 miles in any direction. The tin we had was fairly sizeable, and could easily hold 500ml or so for boiling water.

Most regular backpackers I know put together a small bag of  'items', which forms a basic first aid kit with survival elements. Some now refer to it as an EDC ( everyday carry) so the tin now has the dignity of a technical name. The backpackers EDC can be anything you want it to be. To my  mind it should cover basic first aid, fire making equipment, cordage, and some means of purifying water, items to raise an alarm, and a decent cutting tool and perhaps a basic survival blanket to make a tarp shelter ideally. Once you are satisfied that you can make a sustainable small fire from the contents of the EDC, boil water to disinfect it and ride out a night with primitive shelter, consider items to mend basic cuts, sprains and scrapes. Items that will patch up broken footwear plus items to alert passers by that help is required. The options for what you put in your EDC are limitless, but from my own observations most of the considered ones finish up pretty much like mine.

I have had lots of fun putting together these items and reviewing what others put in theirs. I have added things and taken things out over the years, and I expect its always going to evolve and change. Here's a list of the items in my current 'pouch' or items I always stick in my pockets and are  taken out on every day hike in the hills as well as on the trail.

A first aid pouch, a survival blanket, a drawing pin, selection of needles and polyester thread one needle magnetised, 5 to 10  Metre hank of paracord, 1 metre repair tape, selection of plasters, vaseline, compeed, mini torch, whistle, lighter and matches in a waterproof container, crepe bandage, Chlorine Diox tablets, anti-histamine, knife sharpening stone, tick remover, pencil, paper, elastic band. I usually carry also a titanium cup, which nests around my water bottle and a handkerchief or bandana or two separately. I also have my Victorinox Swiss Army knife in a small pouch which is attached to my belt or in a zipped pocket, this pouch also contains a BIC type lighter.


As mentioned an EDC is a very personal thing and one which is always evolving. In my case the first aid kit has shrunk hugely, but the means to sanitise water has increased and I can now effect a simple shelter also. Set a weight limit to ensure your EDC doesn't finish up including unnecessary items.  If I could change one thing, it is probably the 'pouch' itself. I am sort of reminiscing for the tin again as I write. On a practical note, a tin can be used for signalling, boiling water or for use as a tinder tin which the pouch cannot, so, time for a bit of fun looking for that perfect tin?

Anyone for a mint?

Thank you for reading,

Way of the Backpacker

'One' Sleeping Bag Option.

So here's the challenge - one sleeping bag that does it all. In this article I am looking to consider which single sleeping bag works best across a range of outdoor situations including long distance trail walking, family camping, base camp set up's and everything in between here in the UK all year round. The one bag to do it all scenario. I am looking at the best options for dependable kit which covers the widest range of circumstances - if not every eventuality. I am not talking neccessarily about the cheapest kit, in these articles I am looking at kit which is durable and will cover almost every outdoor camping experience without needing multiple or specialized items. Here are my personal views on the subject of sleeping bags.

So here are my initial thoughts.

Temperature rating: First things first from my own experience the temperature ratings on bags are only a guide. Some of us sleep warmer than others, the level of exercise and energy expended during the day, relative humidity, wind speed and a whole host of other factors can affect whether you feel warm or cold at a given temperature. However, for me I generally choose a bag rated by a quality manufacturer to -5 Celcius as my one bag option. You can easily unzip a bag and lay on top if you are warm, but you need to comfortable on cold nights. Nights colder than -5 are not really all that common in usual backpacking season, and a bag rated to -5 can be made warmer by the addition of liners or extra clothing in the worst conditions. If you are a cold sleeper add 5 degrees C to this.

Weight - is a factor for backpacking but not for car or base camp set up's - a lighter weight bag can still be used for car camping but a heavy bag cannot be used for backpacking. Therefore we need a lightweight bag. So how light will we need to go and what fill options should we consider?
Well the weight is a factor of the warmth and the insulation used, and as mentioned we are going for a bag rated to -5 C.

Fill Options - Down or Synthetic fill? Personally I prefer down as not only is the weight of the bag lower for a given temperature rating but also it can be compressed to make a smaller item which fits easily in my backpack. The one concession here is that down cannot be allowed to get soaking wet. Its probably not a good idea to get a synthetic bag wet either, but a soaking wet down bag will be very hard to dry out and may completely ruin it. Cost is also a consideration. Down is more than double the cost.


Quality down sleeping bags are expensive, no two ways about it. for a solo backpacker the difference in price is probably only a modest consideration. For a backpacking family, the cost of three or four of these items will certainly make an eye watering one off purchase. My own view is that if you really want your family to truly enjoy their outdoor adventures they need outfitting correctly. Being warm at night is fundamental. If you plan to backpack with your family then invest in good bags. It only takes one or two cold nights to put them off for life.

So, whats the big deal with the sleeping bag? Years ago blankets were used at camp, true, but also building a raging fire was customary at camp also.  These blankets weighed a couple of kilos each and were made of 100% wool, which is really hard to find in a modern blanket. Fire building is no longer considered acceptable behavior in almost all camping scenarios, so effectively your sleeping bag has to perform as well as a 100% wool blanket and fire combined. Without the fire the blanket becomes redundant. There is no equivalent weight blanket that will perform as well as a quality down sleeping bag. 

Often families spend hours looking over tent designs, spending a small fortune sometimes, but then manage with second rate sleeping arrangements. Personally I would concentrate on the sleeping set up as first priority, as this is where most of the budget goes if being warm at night in all but the height of summer is your priority. A tent will provide a micro-climate, but only a few degrees above outside ambient temperature at night. During the day it is clothing which really keeps a backpacker warm and dry and its the sleeping bag that really keeps you warm at night. Spend the money on the bags. 

A solo regular backpacker with a healthy disposbale income may build a collection of bags and quilts, one for each season or destination, 400g trek and travel bags, top bags, bags for Everest base camp, but a solo backpacker on a budget or a family wishing to get the most from the money spent is going to want one core staple bag that can be opened out into a quilt when the night-time weather is warm, say above 15C, but can be cinched down tight into a mummy bag with a hood and draw cord neck baffle when it starts to approach or go below freezing. To effect this a full length zip is an essential feature. 

Mummy liners in my opinion are not a necessity. Cotton liners are useless on the trail as they gradually soak up condensation as the trip progresses, they are really difficult to dry out, so ultimately make you cold, silk is very expensive, fleece liners are very bulky. Instead it is best to carry additional base layers which these days can be purchased for very little, wear them as pj's to help keep your bag clean. A whole family worth of synthetic base layers in the March sales can be purchased for the price of one silk liner. From my experience the additional base layers offer much more flexibility than the mummy liners. In fact base layers could be worn during the day if the weather turns unexpectedly really cold a mummy liner is just dead weight in the pack. 

Wet goose down doesn't work, but there is a huge difference between a sodden literally soaking bag and a bit of condensation at the foot or head which is usual by morning. Once the sun comes up or the wind gets up you can air a down bag in 5 to 10 minutes,  even if its raining just do your best inside the tent or shelter, your best is always good enough. Once packed inside your rucksack keep the bag stored inside a protective plastic or dry bag. 

I have found that sleeping bags rated to around -5C from quality bag makers such as Mountain Equipment and Rab with a tapered mummy shape, a full length zip, drawcord hood and neck baffle are ideal for all year round in the UK . As mentioned, in summer they are simply opened into a quilt. As the temperature falls the other features of the bag are used in turn until every feature of the bag is being used below say 5C. We don't see too many nights below those temperatures and most of us with families in mid winter / Christmas are unlikely to be backpacking. Add hats, and additional clothing layers to a -5C bag to see you down to -10C. Such sleeping bags usually weigh around one kilo or thereabouts, and should have 500 to 600g of quality goose down in a baffle arrangement which keeps 30% of the down around your feet. This one bag option will pretty much cover all eventualities.

Mountain Equipment send end of lines to a factory outlet shop in Glossop near the Peak district called Magic Mountain. I have purchased all my bags from there in the past, I have generally paid around £100 or so for bags as described, this represents around 50% discount. I also believe that Mountain Equipment have an outlet shop at their Hyde location. 

A discounted down bag is still more expensive than a full priced synthetic bag. Well cared for however such bags will last 10 years or more. 

Being cold at camp cannot ever be an option. 

Thanks for reading, let me know your thoughts.

Way of the backpacker

A nest in the Pennines

       

I recently completed a favourite section of the Pennine Way, with a brand new nest I designed especially for Pennine trail walking in the inclement weather we often experience here. The nest is called 'Jetstream' and will soon by available from Wrath Outdoor. To give the shelter a proper soaking I waited for a nasty spell of weather with some heavy rain expected and thunderstorm or two in the mix.

To give the shelter a thorough testing I also decided to pitch the shelter under the smallest tarp I own, at 2.7m by 1.5m (a bit on the small side really to go over the generous proportions of the nest ). By way of experiment I purposely left a little slack in  the guylines in readiness for the windiest conditions ( 40mph gusts expected) just to see what would happen. The Jetstream in its current form is to be classed as a 1.5 person size and weighs 495g, the tarp weighs 278g. I took 10 titanium pegs 70g and my walking poles to support the set up. 

As I nested down that night with my faithful miniature schnauzer on Fieldhead camp-site in Edale I prepared myself for a rough night, at the very least a re-adjustment of guy lines during the night. As it turned out everything stood up well, all my equipment, including my down sleeping bag stayed dry without having to adjust anything! The gusts came from the East which was head on to the front quarter. 

The sides of the nest are made from breathable but water resistant coated nylon fabric which shed all of the spray without wetting out anywhere. The zip dripped a little here and there as I had not left any overhang from the tarp at the front, easily rectified with pitch. Some minor condensation formed inside which was understandable in the heavy down pours, but no more than I have experienced in any other smaller tent. 

Once the sun came up the following day, after the rain had stopped, the whole set up dried out in minutes, whilst I ate breakfast. I then set off for Crowden along the Pennine Way. More rain on the way.  

The solid nest walls allied to the end ventilation panel provided a micro climate which was a little warmer than I am used to in my usual noseeum mesh net tent, so a real treat in the weather experienced. My miniature Schnauzer 'Hettie' seemed especially happy with herself the next morning also. For the Great British hill climate this large solo nest offers more than I could have wished for, a lightweight carry, a simple and tolerant pitch, sitting headroom, and most importantly for use along the Pennine way, complete privacy on the camp sites. 

I have changed the design slightly for the product going live, increasing the height by 5% for added headroom, as at 6 feet tall I could have sat at the entrance but my head would just touch the apex. I also recommend a more suitable tarp size to go over the Jetstream of say 2.0m by 2.7m, a Wrath Outdoor Kite 1.5 would be ideal. I only used the smaller tarp to put added pressure on the nest. I am also looking at 2 side pull outs to provide maximum elbow room. Looking forward to using this as my go to choice for colder weather trail walking this autumn in the West Highlands. If offered a place next year for the 2015 TGO Challenge this will almost certainly be my shelter of choice, teamed with a Kite 1.5. Really looking forward to The West Highlands in October :).

Two Ultralight Shelters that have done it all

As a backpacking family there have been 2 shelters which have covered every camping eventuality we have ever needed. These two shelters have  provided space enough for a base camp set up as well as being a light weight option for backpacking. These two shelters can be pared down for solo backpacking use when required or used in combination to provide a comfortable set up for up to 4 family members.

The first shelter is a Golite Hex 3, with a standard mesh inner, the second is a simple light weight silnylon tarp with an appropriate inner noseeum nest for one person. 

Both shelters offer incredible floor space for the weight. Both the Hex 3 and tarp set up combined weigh less than 2.5 kilo's.

For solo hiking spring to autumn the tarp and bug bivi cover that eventuality. For solo use in winter, the outer shell of the Hex, which can shed snow, is used on its own pitched low to the ground, with the tarp acting as a groundsheet inside the Hex rather than acting is its usual role as a shelter. 

Two family members - the Hex on its own provides plenty of room.

When we are fortunate enough to have everyone coming along,  then the two shelters in combination provide all the space needed. The Hex becomes the bedroom area and the tarp is the covered kitchen area, come drying room come dry storage or drying room. 

Furthermore younger family members love tipi's  and A frame type shelters. The tarp in particular provides great fun as it can be pitched in so many different configurations. 

The key to comfort in the Hex is to ensure that everyone arranges their sleeping area so that feet are pointed to the doorway. This means anyone can leave without having to climb over anyone else. 

Prices for such shelters are also more than reasonable for the quality and based upon my own experience will last and last for years. The Golite Hex 3 is no longer available, but a replacement called the Shangri La 3 is now available from the Golite European distributor for around 300 Euro's at this time, a larger 5 person option is also available.  A medium sized quality tarp such as the Wrath Outdoor  Kite 2, and a bug bivi   - will cost around £150 directly from the Wrath Outdoor site, so all up around £400.00. Bargain when you consider the number of camping trips a family will make over the years. 

* Update 10/07/2015

Golite no longer trades but alternatives to the Hex would be available from the Luxe  Outdoors range available at www.backpackinglight.co.uk

Many Thanks for reading

Way of The Backpacker