Here's a cuppla more pictures from Brian's camera, taken on our Frosterley radging session the other day.
In the meantime, me and my brother have just finally finalised in a final sort of way, my Mum's estate. Well, kindof anyway. The result is that I have a small amount of ready cash to dispose on items of backpacking equipment and as many if not some of my audience are experienced backpackers and all-round gear sluts, I wouldn;t mind some opinions on what I should buy.
I need the following:
1) A pan or pans. I like to cook things like porridge and the odd sausage, tattie scone and/or rasher of bacon. The pan or pans has to be lightweight and easily washed. (I usually heat a bit of water in the pan and sponge it out with a little sponge)
2) A new sleeping bag - lightweight, warm and packs up small, like. Probably down, I shouldn't wonder. Minus 5 would be OK, minus 10 would be abfab. (Or is this too much?)
3) Something to put it all in and carry it about. Light, robust and masculine. A bit like me, apart from the lightness and the robustness. And the masculine.. ahem, anyway.
Send you advice here. No money will be paid. What, oh what, shall I do, I'm in a tizzie.
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15 comments:
Sleeping bag. What for the PHD sale in a couple of days and buy a down one from there
Pan is a Primus eta pot like mine as will do all you want and save fuel. Bob sells it a BPL.co.uk
Sleeping bag would be Mountain Equipment Lighline. I have one for winter/late spring. OK there might be lighter ones than 1130g but I doubt better. I have a Rab 250 for any other time. That is good down to 0.
I would on the rucksack look at the OMM packs. Like the Villain or Mountain Mover. There is the new osprey Exos range as well. They look good. Only thing is every one is getting one. Stand out from the crowd Mike.
Good advice so far Phil and Martin. I saw the primus eta pot somewhere recently (on a website I think) Looks vairy interesting...
My current sleeping bag is ten a years old mountain equipment and is showing its age... I'm a very cold sort of bloke.. I needs me warmth...
Good show so far, though. Any more?
Hi Mike
Sue and I both have the RAB Quantum 400 - 920 gm - an excellent bag. Use a silk liner in it.
Bob C sold me a Go-Lite Quest before last year's challenge - very good at 1400 gm, though aspects take a bit of getting used to, and it appears less robust than the old Karrimor Jaguar.
We use a Snowpeak titanium set for cooking, plus Bob's windshield and cosy (both sort of DIY items) - 300 gm, but you would not need to take the second pan that we have for the two of us.
I'd recommend all those, but appreciate that there are many options.
Martin
Great - thanks for this, Martin.
Yet more options to consider. I can definately manage with just the one pan - although I have been known to illogically take two (only one stove!)
Still not quite confused yet, though - so I'm still open to even more ideas....
Here's my ten penniworth... First up pans. Depending on your stove the AGG 3 cup pan is cheap and fairly lightweight. It's wide so you can use it to cook bacon and sausages. Porridge isnt a problem either and it has a non stick ish finish to aid cleaning.
I've a Marmot Hydrogen that does me fine down to zero and weights a tiny 600g. You could have your bag regenerated - check out http://www.mountaineering-designs.co.uk/
Rucksack - Osprey Exos 46, OMM Villian or Mountain Mover, Mariposa Plus or a Golite bag. Get one that fits your back. All have their unique points.
Pan - AGG 3 cup pan. Lightweight, cheap and available from Windwood. It's a wide pan so cooking sausage or bacon is not a problem, it has a non stick ish finish to aid cleaning.
You could see if your sleeping bag can be resurected - check out http://www.mountaineering-designs.co.uk/
Rucksack depends on what your needs are. OMM, Osprey, Golite or Gossamer Gear all have bags of note.
We use an MSR titanium 2lt pan. It's great for boiling water but it works best if your stove has a broad flame base, not a Pocket Rocket or similar. If you want to buy anything like this try to get it from the US as they are about 1/2 price. We do have, surplus to requirements, a couple of MSR stainless steel cooking pans. 1 11/2 lt and 1 2 lt with fold over handles and lids so you can carry stuff inside them. If you want to borrow one for TGO your welcome but they are not light, however they are the best pan that we have found for simmering, so far.
Grumpy.
Hello Baz - I seem to have had a bunch of duplicate coments from yourself, but I've bounced a few of them cos they were repetitions.
Refurbish the bag eh? There's an idea....
Interesting and useful stuff in all of them, though!
And cheers Grumpy - Yet even more info and ideas.
I do have a stainless steel pan and it is brill, but, as you say, a bit heavy. On the other hand, its pretty tough too
I'm starting to come to some conclusions (I think)
For a -5 sleeping bag, I can't fault my Rab Quantum 400, but my top-favourite bag is the PHD Minim 300 (which for a warm sleeper should be good to the advertised -3, but for me is good to about freezing). I'm lusting after a PHD Minim 500 (good to -10) in the forthcoming sale.
For a backpack, the material on my OMM Villain (same material as on the Mountain Mover) was completely unblemished, and apparently indestructable, after 1600 or so miles of hard use last year (involving inadvertent forest assault courses and all sorts). Very impressive, I thought, for a pretty light pack. Pity the harness padding wasn't quite so durable.
Mick's Osprey Atmos must have seen around 2000 miles of hard (and, so Mick reports, very comfortable) service and, except for being seriously faded, is bearing up well.
No comment to make on the pan. We've got MSR Titan Kettles, which doesn't strike me as being particularly suitable for sausages and the like.
Thanks Gayle - Problem is, now I want three sleeping bags, plus my old one filling up with feathers again. I saw the PHD minus 10 bag and have been lusting after that one too. Maybe just a little too warm for even me.. I may have to remive the woolly hat!
A faded rucksack wouldn't bother me too much. Kinda fits with my image anyway.
Kettle not much cop for sausages unless they're very thin ones....
Mike
would definitely recommend RAB Quantum 400 sleeping bag as have some of your other contributors. The full length zip means you can undo it an use it like a quilt if too warm done up!
I use an Evernew titanium 1 litre non-stick pot which is very easy to clean out (got it in USA a few years back though).
Cheers, David
Cheers David. Is that the one you're inspecting for cold spots?
Where did I see that?
Mind's a blank...
Very heavy recommendations for this bag!
That's the one Mike, though some tgoc folks don't seem to believe me; incredible!
Might be worth seeing if there's anything comparable in PhD sale as has been suggested, though you might have to pay a bit extra to have a zip put in if that's what you want (it's what I want).
David
PS enjoyed latest post on Gunnerside etc. A lovely part of the country is Swaledale!
Thanks David. I daren't do that inspection thing with my sleeping bag - I'd come out covered in toenails and elastoplasts. I did find some money in there last time I looked, mind....
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