Author Topic: What's Your Latest Walking Kit Purchase?  (Read 292248 times)

sussamb

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Re: What's Your Latest Walking Kit Purchase?
« Reply #1185 on: 19:49:12, 25/05/20 »
Sounds like an exciting trip for you to look forward to, Owen.  O0


Should be a good TR  :)
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BuzyG

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Re: What's Your Latest Walking Kit Purchase?
« Reply #1186 on: 09:31:01, 26/05/20 »
Their not your normal walking kit but it's for a long distance trip I'm planning for in three years time. At times they can be something of a mixed blessing, their like having a mad dog chasing you down hills especially when you're going diagonally. But trying to cross country ski with a big heavy pack on isn't that easy either. The route I'm doing can for the most part be done hut to hut but there are a few gaps, the largest one is 80km. This means carrying tents, sleeping bags, stoves, food etc. I'll have to take everything with me all the way even though I'll only be camping around 30% of the time.
Sounds like a proper adventure.  O0  Can you tell us where you are headed?

Owen

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Re: What's Your Latest Walking Kit Purchase?
« Reply #1187 on: 13:10:55, 26/05/20 »
Skiing the Kungsladen from Hemavan to Abisko, then hopefully on to the three country cairn https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-Country_Cairn and finishing at Kruna.


I'll need a couple of months so I'm having to wait until I retire in three years time.

gunwharfman

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Re: What's Your Latest Walking Kit Purchase?
« Reply #1188 on: 13:22:33, 26/05/20 »
I bought a short-sleeved Brynge 'string vest' recently, so impressed I've just about another one, this time with long sleeves. I will not know until I try it out but it may also be very useful as night attire under my sleeping quilt as well?

SteamyTea

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Re: What's Your Latest Walking Kit Purchase?
« Reply #1189 on: 13:38:55, 26/05/20 »
I bought a short-sleeved Brynge 'string vest' recently, so impressed I've just about another one, this time with long sleeves. I will not know until I try it out but it may also be very useful as night attire under my sleeping quilt as well?
Is there not an issue with static electricity.
Could save packing a torch.
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gunwharfman

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Re: What's Your Latest Walking Kit Purchase?
« Reply #1190 on: 13:51:16, 26/05/20 »
Not noticed anything at all to do with static as yet. I did notice on a hot but breezy day a couple of days ago I wore my thin Columbia hiking shirt that with the Brynge underneath my torse, I didn't feel cold as I sweated. During my run, I took the Brynge off and just wore my shirt, the wind immediately made me cold as my sweat cooled. It just offers me a bit of versatility as I mix and match my clothing, that's all I want from it really.

BuzyG

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Re: What's Your Latest Walking Kit Purchase?
« Reply #1191 on: 14:45:23, 26/05/20 »
Skiing the Kungsladen from Hemavan to Abisko, then hopefully on to the three country cairn https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-Country_Cairn and finishing at Kruna.


I'll need a couple of months so I'm having to wait until I retire in three years time.

Not sure which I like the sound of most.

The Trip or Retiring in three years time.  I plan another 4 1/2 years working at the moment.

pdstsp

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Re: What's Your Latest Walking Kit Purchase?
« Reply #1192 on: 21:26:16, 27/05/20 »
Just acquired a Satmap 20 with full OS maps.  Only arrived today but initial impression is favourable. Out for the day tomorrow to give it a good test. Satmap are offering 30% off, but it's still a chunk of cash.

WhitstableDave

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Re: What's Your Latest Walking Kit Purchase?
« Reply #1193 on: 22:35:08, 27/05/20 »
Just acquired a Satmap 20 with full OS maps.  Only arrived today but initial impression is favourable. Out for the day tomorrow to give it a good test. Satmap are offering 30% off, but it's still a chunk of cash.

I've had an Active 20 with full 1:25K UK maps since Oct 2017. I debated for a long time as to whether I could justify getting one, but I needn't have worried. It's been a huge success and I can't imagine doing without it.

A couple of things... I bought a Kent map card to begin with. Then I started buying cards when we went on holidays to other areas. It occurred to me that a full UK card would save money in the long run so I bought one. The downside is that the full card doesn't have 1:10k street maps, which I sometimes found useful with the 'local' cards. Also, (and I can't remember exactly why) putting my routes on local cards was more convenient than putting them on the Satmap's internal memory, but although I can put them on the full UK card, my routes aren't accessible from there - even though there's sufficient space for them. I'd be interested to know if you get that issue.

Finally: although access to Satmap's Xpedition2 mapping system was included, I didn't like it at all and I use OS Maps to plot routes and copy them to the Active 20.
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Requiem

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Re: What's Your Latest Walking Kit Purchase?
« Reply #1194 on: 16:07:18, 28/05/20 »
I've just ordered a Trekmates Squall bivvy for £86 from t'internet - Its a bit of a risk as its sufficiently new as a product to have zero reviews that I can see, but it reminds me of a cheap version of the Terra Nova Saturn bivvy and is about 900g in weight. All I need now is a triangular micro tarp for the top end of the tent, but I'm been struggling to get one from backpackinglight for the past three months
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gunwharfman

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Re: What's Your Latest Walking Kit Purchase?
« Reply #1195 on: 16:57:20, 28/05/20 »
I use a bivvy, started with a Snupack Stratosphere but I now mostly use an Alpkit Hunka. It has been fitted with a 4' side zip so I can get in and out easily. I also use a tarp, a 3.5 Alpkit rectangular one which is fine but having just looked at the triangular one that you want if I could go back in time I would buy that one instead, and it's cheaper as well.

My only difficulty is that I've not been able to test the waterproofness of my Hunka, when I've hiked with it it just hasn't rained.

Requiem

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Re: What's Your Latest Walking Kit Purchase?
« Reply #1196 on: 09:37:31, 29/05/20 »
Yeah the Micro Tarp that BPL sell seems perfect for me but its been out of stock for quite a while - All I really want is a windbreaker kind of format over the entrance to the Squall but other than the Micro Tarp there's nothing really out there for choice. TBH if I could go back twenty years I'd learn a little more about design and production and start selling some of these niche things as there are a LOT of wildcampers and bivvy-ers now - far more than you'd imagine.

Must admit I had an Alpkit bivvy a while ago but like a lot of their recent gear the quality was really bad. I used to adore their gear but tbh these days I doubt they're in my top 20 of goto gear sellers now.


R
« Last Edit: 09:46:10, 29/05/20 by Requiem »
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SteamyTea

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Re: What's Your Latest Walking Kit Purchase?
« Reply #1197 on: 09:52:53, 29/05/20 »
Yeah the Micro Tarp that BPL sell seems perfect for me but its been out of stock for quite a while - All I really want is a windbreaker kind of format over the entrance to the Squall but other than the Micro Tarp there's nothing really out there for choice. TBH if I could go back twenty years I'd learn a little more about design and production and start selling some of these niche things as there are a LOT of wildcampers and bivvy-ers now - far more than you'd imagine.

Must admit I had an Alpkit bivvy a while ago but like a lot of their recent gear the quality was really bad. I used to adore their gear but tbh these days I doubt they're in my top 20 of goto gear sellers now.


R
What size are these Micro Tarps.  I have a large, very cheap, rectangular one, and now a working sewing machine.
How hard can it be to modify into a triangle.
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pdstsp

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Re: What's Your Latest Walking Kit Purchase?
« Reply #1198 on: 09:58:04, 29/05/20 »
I've had an Active 20 with full 1:25K UK maps since Oct 2017. I debated for a long time as to whether I could justify getting one, but I needn't have worried. It's been a huge success and I can't imagine doing without it.

A couple of things... I bought a Kent map card to begin with. Then I started buying cards when we went on holidays to other areas. It occurred to me that a full UK card would save money in the long run so I bought one. The downside is that the full card doesn't have 1:10k street maps, which I sometimes found useful with the 'local' cards. Also, (and I can't remember exactly why) putting my routes on local cards was more convenient than putting them on the Satmap's internal memory, but although I can put them on the full UK card, my routes aren't accessible from there - even though there's sufficient space for them. I'd be interested to know if you get that issue.

Finally: although access to Satmap's Xpedition2 mapping system was included, I didn't like it at all and I use OS Maps to plot routes and copy them to the Active 20.


First impressions in use yesterday were excellent - highly accurate and visibility of screen very good.  My full card does have the street maps, so perhaps they have changed the spec.  It's chunky, so I am working on where to carry it so that it is accessible - I have got a belt clip for it and a lanyard.


I also got a subscription to Xpedition2 - and I have an OS subscription.  I think the Xpedition software has been worked on, though I am not yet convinced by it. For example, I cannot find an Aerial view on Xpedition, which I find useful on the OS app for paths not shown on the map etc.


Not sure about the accessibility of routes on the card - I saved yesterday's on the internal memory - I will report back when I have used the card memory.


First impression is that it is a step up from my old Garmin 64 - time will tell, though.

Requiem

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Re: What's Your Latest Walking Kit Purchase?
« Reply #1199 on: 10:38:30, 29/05/20 »
What size are these Micro Tarps.  I have a large, very cheap, rectangular one, and now a working sewing machine.
How hard can it be to modify into a triangle.


Yeah good point. Make us one then  ;)
Here the link to what we're discussing - https://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/tarps-and-bivy-bags/WE102.html   - specs are in there



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