Outdoor Gear Thread

[Kat Stevens]

I sent the guy an email because the unit price is NOT listed anywhere on the website, just the accessories.....the basic unit is 99.00...then, when all the accessories are added, it probably the same price as the earlier one mentioned....plus, it sounds like delivery is a problem.

Try this one then, almost identical to the boilerworks, in fact a pretty blatant rip off.  http://www.mkettle.com/home.html

 

[Scott]

I missed something when initially viewing the Dragonfly: it burns all the fuels the WLI does.

So for 20 odd bucks more you get simmer control and a bear scare device.

One lengthy review I saw said it boiled water in just a fraction more time than the WLI and the fuel consumption was near mirror. If you were doing longer simmers and adjustments, or using an Outback Oven, then I'd expect to use more fuel, but for the weekender or treks under 4 days I think this will fit the bill nicely. I always carry two fuel bottles at +/- 900 ml anyway...so LOADS.

If you're still sold on the WLI there is an interesting review on the MEC page that gives advice on how to simmer with it. Basically you fire the unit up per normal (preheat before bucking it open) and let her go for about as long as it would take to boil water. Then shut it off and bleed pressure from the tank. Then open the fuel and attempt to light pumping the canister only enough to achieve fuel flow. Voila, the man says, simmer with the WL or WLI.

 

[acen]

I'm a bit of a stove junkie, different tools for different applications right? I love my WLI, and if I'm doing anything in the cold or with a group, that's what would come, but lately I've been fascinated with some other tools. I've picked up a Jetboil Sol (buddy who works at MEC got me a staff shopping night special), and it's supposed to be good down to -10 due to a regulator that it has, but I have only had it at -5 or so but it worked beautifully. Again, I know it works at that temp, but doesnt mean I would trust it at anything near that temp. Canisters can be warmed, but my stove should be heating me via warm food or drink, not the other way around.

I've been trying to cut down on the size of some gear due to a size constraint with my Gregory Triconi pack (~57L) for winter camping (since solved by an Arcteryx Bora 80), and came across the Optimus Svea 123. It's a white gas (or gasoline) stove, self pressurizing, first built in the 50's, all brass stove. It's tiny (think 110g gas canister and pocket rocket), and fits inside a Snow Peak Titanium Solo pot like it was made for it. Turns out it's a bit of a cult stove amongst the climbing community, and well known for its reliability. I'm going to give it a go this winter, from my current tests, it pure clockwork.

I spent last weekend in Algonquin Park, on the Eastern Pines trail network, and have to say High Falls (and Barron Canyon) are absolutely gorgeous. Highly recommended. The girlfriend loved it, and that's probably where I'll end up proposing to her some day.

As much as I like the summer, I'm really jonesing for enough snow for proper snow caves this year. Any recommendations on bivy sacks?

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Did alittle readin' on the Svea 123; neat piece of kit.

Bivy bags...I have one that looks amazingly like the OD issued one... .  I carry that with me from mid-Sept on.  If I'm goin' somewhere with Mrs EITS and haven't been there before/the weather is getting colder, I add a fleece liner and a Scout tarp to the mix.  If the SHTF and that doesn't cover it, I'll be looking for a nice pine.

OR Bivys

Those are the ones I was looking at last spring.  Here is one review I bookmarked.

 

[acen]

Point taken EITS...I swear I have one of those green ones lurking somewhere! I used that at Algonquin in March, I did suffer from lots of condensation build-up though. Not really an issue for 2-3 days, but longer, week long outings and my MEC Merlin -10 down bag would be starting to get quite damp. My friends Outdoor Research Advanced Bivy looked quite nice, and performed beautifully, i.e. barely any condensation build up and little to no bag compression (the poles kept the bivy off his bag), but it's hard to justify the 325$ if I can hash a solution myself. I guess I'll just stick to putting my head under something for the time being, and maybe put a ranger blanket around my bag, should help with the moisture issue.

 

[antigone33]

How do you like your jetboil? In my last months while working at MEC, I was looking at them and considering the possibilities of that stove. I have wanted a dragonfly for years and at some point i will get one. 

I also have to say you own my dream pack. I have always wanted a pack from the Bora series. When I was fitted for a pack by MEC vancouver- the sales associate put me in the Bora 65 and I loved it but my mom talked me out of spending the $365..had I know that i would still be using my pack 12 years old later, I would have got it.  I was completely disappointed in the Arcteryx woman's pack- I hated the fit when I tried it on for my pack fitting training when I worked at MEC. 

 

[Scott]

I used to use the bivvy bag/Ranger blanket setup. Then the metablosim slowed just enough for me to gank that setup from my hiking package.

Re: Bora. Dooooo it. It took me being flush with cash from a work trip abroad to finally make the jump and to be honest I am still ashamed I let a little bit of money get in the way of the pure bliss that is wearing that pack compared to others I have owned. It is heavier than most packs but it makes up for it in comfort straight away, and also 15 km in to your day.
Features I love, love, love:
-oooooooodles of daisy chains. You can hang loands from them if need be
-side access pocket. For easy access to important stuff
-zippers. I'll never, ever, worry about breaking one. It's been an issue with almost every other pack.
-side compression straps. Most packs have them but the Bora's seem better designed and are awesome for holding skis
-two axe loops
-two bottle pockets. I store one fuel canister here (read up on fuel storage if you're wondering why I do this) and use the other for H2O
-outside zipped compartment. For loose items needed in a hurry like a sweater or Gore-Tex jacket
-the top flap/compartment never interferes with your head/helmet
-durability - mine has seen some serious air travel, serious canoe/portage travel, ski travel, hikes and loads of time in between in the back of my truck. Still looks brand new and I have only done the bare minimum for cleaning/care.

~375 bucks isn't THAT much.

My wife is 5'10'' and could never wear any of the women's packs listed at MEC. She's tried them all on and also borrowed one from a friend to give it a field test - no go. She now uses an old Granite Gear pack I had stowed away for about five years and seems to be okay with it, but she could do better. The whole women's pack thing is a hard go, it seems. I know many girls who can't seem to find something that fits properly. My ex gf (also 5'10'') wears a men's North Face pack I bought for her and happily reported, just a couple of weeks ago, that it's still the bomb for her.

Canister stoves - eww.

We're booked for Cape Chignecto. The Dragonfly is backordered and no sign of it arriving before the trip :-[ so the WLI will be pressed into full time duty for us.

EITS: what has thumbs and found a previously unreported bigass waterfall in the CB Highlands? This guy. Google Earth, of all things, turned me on to it and I used some local knowledge to find the right way in. Not for anyone with less than a 4WD and we couldn't even make it to the bottom of the sucker because of terrain. New project!

 

[acen]

Honestly, I can't speak highly enough of the Jetboil. I can only speak for the Sol, but it's been steadfast and has worked brilliantly. If you need hot water fast, that's your ticket. The Sol comes with a stove plate adapter too, so you can use traditional pots with it as well. Where the Jetboil shines is as a system, everything is made to work together with an almost Germanic attention to engineering detail. I can pick up my just boiled cup, throw a freshly roasted course grind coffee in, and use the french press attachment and voila, coffee. I dont even have to use another cup to drink it out of, the pot works just beautifully for it and no risk of it burning or spilling. If you want some ramen, just throw it in there and strain it with the lid. Again, the system shines. I could have boiled my water for some Mountain House meals and brewed some coffee (all ready at the same time) by the time friends have a WLI set up and primed.

Insofar as wasteful canisters, just get the Jetboil Crunch-it and puncture the empty canisters. You can throw them in any recycling bin afterwards. I generally keep track of how much fuel is in them by their weight, but again, a second canister's weight is negligible and a nice bit of security to have. Different tools for different applications.

I haven't had the chance to try to Bora out on any jaunts, so this is purely anecdotal at this point, but the pack seems bomb-proof. Everything is built to a high standard and it seems like it is worth the money. I'm not too crazy about the side Nalgene pockets, as they are hard to get to and hard to put the bottle back in (in comparison to a Gregory's sideways mounted pockets), and I wish they had some more modern features like small pouches on the waistbelt, but it is what it is. I expect this thing to last me a good chunk of my life. I'm already appreciating the size of the sleeping bag compartment, as I can fit all my sleeping gear in there (including my thermarest prolite, silponcho, etc.), which leaves me tons of room for the bear barrel in the main compartment. The kangaroo pocket should work just dandy for the tent, any wet gear, or the Hennessey A-Sym. It's comfortable. Really comfortable. I haven't slogged with it yet, but in a side by side comparison to my Gregory Triconi (which is no slouch in this department either), it's evident.

Scott: What have you been using instead of the bivy bag/ranger blanket combo since you ditched it?

 

[Scott]

Honestly, I can't speak highly enough of the Jetboil. I can only speak for the Sol, but it's been steadfast and has worked brilliantly. If you need hot water fast, that's your ticket. The Sol comes with a stove plate adapter too, so you can use traditional pots with it as well. Where the Jetboil shines is as a system, everything is made to work together with an almost Germanic attention to engineering detail. I can pick up my just boiled cup, throw a freshly roasted course grind coffee in, and use the french press attachment and voila, coffee. I dont even have to use another cup to drink it out of, the pot works just beautifully for it and no risk of it burning or spilling. If you want some ramen, just throw it in there and strain it with the lid. Again, the system shines. I could have boiled my water for some Mountain House meals and brewed some coffee (all ready at the same time) by the time friends have a WLI set up and primed.

I know loads of people who use them, I am just not sold on it for all of the reasons mentioned previous. To each their own. Mountain House meals are next to verboten with niner hence why my dreams of getting the stove/bear scare device have come to fruition.

I don't really knock anyone's gear choices, unless I think they are really silly or I have seen a massive failure with my own eyes. But I do choose to speak about the stuff I have owned and/or tested. I wish I had have been more patient when buying a tent...that's one big letdown on my gear shed and so I am pretty upfront about what I like and why.

Insofar as wasteful canisters, just get the Jetboil Crunch-it and puncture the empty canisters. You can throw them in any recycling bin afterwards. I generally keep track of how much fuel is in them by their weight, but again, a second canister's weight is negligible and a nice bit of security to have. Different tools for different applications.

I hear you, I just don't agree. I've been using white gas for so long that it would be hard for me to switch, and I just don't see the need to add a third stove to my mix. The girl who lives beside us, and who makes the majority of our hikes, has a canister stove and quite likes it. In fact, she abhors using my liquid fuel jobby. Again, to each their own. So long as I just have Krakatoa (WLI) we will use her canister jobby for cooking anything that requires a function other than BOIL. But when the Dragonfly hits my mailbox methinks she might become a convert.

I haven't had the chance to try to Bora out on any jaunts, so this is purely anecdotal at this point, but the pack seems bomb-proof. Everything is built to a high standard and it seems like it is worth the money. I'm not too crazy about the side Nalgene pockets, as they are hard to get to and hard to put the bottle back in (in comparison to a Gregory's sideways mounted pockets), and I wish they had some more modern features like small pouches on the waistbelt, but it is what it is. I expect this thing to last me a good chunk of my life. I'm already appreciating the size of the sleeping bag compartment, as I can fit all my sleeping gear in there (including my thermarest prolite, silponcho, etc.), which leaves me tons of room for the bear barrel in the main compartment. The kangaroo pocket should work just dandy for the tent, any wet gear, or the Hennessey A-Sym. It's comfortable. Really comfortable. I haven't slogged with it yet, but in a side by side comparison to my Gregory Triconi (which is no slouch in this department either), it's evident.

The bottle sleeves are a pain in the balls for water. If I have others with me, and can get away with it, I'll have someone else carrying the water in their pouches and I'll put my fuel in mine. Not ideal, but a good compromise.

The Roo pocket is ideal for a tent and some other stuff that suits it. Don't be fooled, it's HUGE.

I hate having things hanging off the front of me so I am fine with the belt setup as is. But it would be nice to have some options. That said, if you're a fan of them, Outdoor Research has some excellent options - specifically for water bottle holders.

Scott: What have you been using instead of the bivy bag/ranger blanket combo since you ditched it?

My wife.  ;D

I have an Asolo Silva. I also have an old MEC down barrel bag for warmer temps. The Silva is synthetic and I find it much better at handling the temps that winter throws us on the east coast. I may get an overbag at some point but no longer see the need for Gore-Tex as my ultra light days are long over.

 

[acen]

Had I not gotten it for about half of it's listed price, I dont think I would have gotten it, but now that I have it, I'm very happy that I do. The girlfriend is a former navy cadet gun commander turned professional mechanical engineer, she's eaten IMP's and appreciates just how good some of the MH meals are. She is a darn good cook, but even she said that some of the MH meals would be worth eating outside of a backpacking context. I think I'll keep this one haha.

Is your Asolo Silva the 0 degree one? If so, I happen to have the same one. I tend to sleep a little on the cold side, so that's my summer bag. The Merlin -10 fits my winter needs (with a Sea to Summit Reactor liner, that thing is gold).

 

[Scott]

One and the same fartsack. It works awesome for me.

I would make do with anything that comes cheap. But since I was replacing a lot of my gear from an insurance claim I got to be choosy in most cases.

Niner WILL be trying the boil in the bag meals at some point. She's even volunteered to do so. I am down with them because they make a 2+ night trip a hell of a lot more manageable than trying to live off of pasta and pesto or fricking sausages. But since meeting her I have become a bit of a backcountry gourmet and I do enjoy the options presented by being able to do more than just boil my water.

I have been asking for weeks what the plan is for food on our Cape Chignecto trip (it's next weekend, FFS) and have yet to receive a reply.  :

 

[acen]

Might I suggest the MH lasagna, noodles and chicken, and grilled chicken breast with mashed potatoes? haha it was worth a shot!

I have a feeling we'll eventually get into making some more elaborate backcountry meals, but this will be a gradual transition. I'm going to bring some bannock mix next time, simple food but mighty good.

If I were kayak/canoeing, my food choices would likely be quite different, but if we're slogging 15kms one way through Algonquin hills for the sake of enjoyment, my only food luxuries weight wise are the bottle of wine in a platypus and maybe some m&m trail mix.

 

[antigone33]

so true on the bora- $375 isnt that much..i might see if one day I can get to their factory outlet in Squamish...it might be cheaper.

I am also 5'10" and managed to get a Gregory diva 60 and a Black diamond Innova 60 as well. my torso is short so I can fit into the woman's pack with the Innova 60, I don't think Black Diamond figured that woman came in size 14 and above so the hip belt is kind of tight but it was the pack i used on my wilderness first aid course for all that stuff you end up carrying with you.  I have not used the Diva 60...still going to get a bora one of these days!

I have eaten more then my fair share of instant camping food products. I agree with your friend on the MH products being eaten outside of the backcountry and Some of Backpacker's pantry are edible as well. There are few staff who have eaten those brands for lunch one more then one occassion.  I love the freezed dried strawberries and apples which i snacked. Also if you can get it and you can spare the cash- Mary Jane's makes a Pesto Fry Bread which is awesome. it sells out at MEC all the time...i used to make that at home every once in a while. I loved the Peanut butter oat meal (i believe it was from Backpackers pantry.) I used to buy it for my lunch breaks when i worked at MEC. 

I believe it is alpine aire that does some great desserts- like mudslide pie which was too rich to eat on a normal day but if I can try it on a hike, i think it would be fun.  The freezed dried ice cream is good- I alway though when I worked at MEC that it would be a great product for a kid doing a space class at school. We were so much cheaper then Telus world of Science...There was another type of cobbler thing from Alpine Aire that wasn't bad either.

The scrambled egg products from Mountain house/backpackers pantry seem good- my coworkers recommend putting them in pitas or wraps as they don't look good but they taste fine....I usually go for Chicken stuff...

Natural high makes mashed potatos with turkey gravy- it tastes great but it is a bit awkward to do in backcountry as you need like two bowls...it was my favourite from that company..

We got to cook some of this stuff in the training to be MEC staff- and a few of my coworkers decided to mix this tex mex rice with butter chicken. It was good tasting but i don't know if you would want to share a tent post experiement.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

We're booked for Cape Chignecto. The Dragonfly is backordered and no sign of it arriving before the trip :-[ so the WLI will be pressed into full time duty for us.

Had a friend give it a go last month, and they made it 17 km's total.  I tried to say "make sure you are ready for it".  But, if you aren't physcially fit at all and your workout routine doesn't go beyond "grocery shopping" and you don't minimize (70lb pack) and weight about 130-140 yourself...well.

EITS: what has thumbs and found a previously unreported bigass waterfall in the CB Highlands? This guy. Google Earth, of all things, turned me on to it and I used some local knowledge to find the right way in. Not for anyone with less than a 4WD and we couldn't even make it to the bottom of the sucker because of terrain. New project!

Sweet find!!  So you did a drive-by recce and got a trailhead waypointed kind of thing, or did you get to the falls??  I get the sense you get to CB alot when you're home, family that way? 

I love Google Earth for recce's (and the way it plays with Basecamp; Easy-smeasy, techno-peasants can figure it out). 

Mrs EITS and I are milking these last few wknds of the summer as 'beach time' and Mother Nature cooperated with a 'nothing short of awesome' day today @ Psyche Cove.

I am itching for mid-Sept and to get into my solo hike plan for the fall.  Still hopin' for a trip to Carleton at the peak of the colors.  While I am planning alot of solo daytrips,  I told Mrs EITS I want to do atleast one overnight solo, but am undecided on where.  Bluff is a possibility, Kenomee is another.  She thinks I bonkers...

Soon time to start pickin' people's brains for winter snowshoeing stuff in NS & NB.  I have a new pair of Atlas 1035s that yet to see powder.  :nod:

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I wish they had some more modern features like small pouches on the waistbelt, but it is what it is.

Few ideas on that.  I mentioned these a few pages ago IIRC, but I got them and like 'em.

MEC 1L holster

MEC 500ml holster

OR stuff

I use/like the MEC ones, as I mentioned before just add a few stitches to the corner and they are good to go (if you are goin' to use them for full 1L Nalgenes, etc).  Good piece of kit for the price IMO.  I already carry my bearspray on the right side of my hipbelt and my Truflare/Bangers kit on the left side, but I like to use 1 of them  on the right side for gloves/beanie/snack/etc. 

Ever heard of something called Ribz?  If you are looking for more carriage on the front, etc, check those out.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I have been asking for weeks what the plan is for food on our Cape Chignecto trip (it's next weekend, FFS) and have yet to receive a reply.  :

Lotssssss of time to figure that out...its just 4? more nights!

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Tks to the discussion on the Asolo bags as well, I am looking around for a 3-season'er and had kinda set my mind on the Perseus from MEC, but the Silva looks swept-up as well and a tad less $$.  No info on the weight on their website, any info on that?  Comparably, the Perseus is under 2kg. 

 

[Scott]

The Silva is about a pound, maybe pound and a half. Lighter than any comparable down fartsack.

Yeah, we're running out of time. Mind you I've still got to get across the Atalntic as well. She said she got some packaged soups...guess I'll lsoe weight this trip! I'm as ready for it as I was for Pollett's, Kenomee and any time I did Granite Ridge. It's going to such, some of it anyway, but we'll batter through.

I Basecamped the waypoint after overlaying it direct from Google Earth. That gave me a good indication of what I was looking for. Then we drove until we crossed the desired stream and parked up. No trail whatsoever. So we donned water shoes and went straight down the creek. Fairly overgrown and a lot of cursing coming from her :-X Either way it took about 35-45 minutes to make it to the top of the falls.

Like I said, I never got to the bottom. But looking down from the top is pretty cool in itself. About twenty feet from the top there is a pool where the stream makes a hard left and continues over another ledge and, presumably, down to the bottom. We definitely plan to do more with this one. Either from the top again or approaching from Big Intervale. Basecamp makes planning a route pretty easy.

Also, I am sure I saw photos of the bottom of the falls at the Salmon Camp so I might ask them for some route advice. The photo on Google Earth is taken from the same vantage point so there may just be a trail at the bottom end.

My Dad is from Belle Cote and has a cottage there so I do make fairly frequent trips up. And the Highlands (what you can only see from gravel roads) certainly do not harm the allure.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Mind you I've still got to get across the Atalntic as well.

Hope you make it home in time, there isn't much left now seeing as tomorrow is D-Day.

 

[Scott]

Made it. So did the Dragonfly and I just finished giving it a test. Fuuuuuuuck that thing does emit some sound!!!!! But it's gnarly sound that makes me feel all the more manly.

We've gt a group of five for Chignecto and de to some time contstraints we're cutting off the inland portion of the loop.

More after I nurse myself back to health