[at-l] Cheap Gear (was Re: The COLOR of Stuff)

[JPL3]

I'm still intrigued with the idea of cold eating.  The second thought is carrying an alcohol stove (tin-can) to heat water for coffee/tea; comfort stuff, but not depend on that for "cooking".  (cooking in quotes since most camp cooking is simply rehydrating; does anyone really "cook" anymore?  In the early days, I seem to remember that we actually cooked food over fires and the like, but those days seem to be long gone.).


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jim Bullard 
  To: EHamilton 
  Cc: at-l at backcountry.net 
  Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2008 9:06 PM
  Subject: Re: [at-l] Cheap Gear (was Re: The COLOR of Stuff)


  Art's suggestion of Hennessy hammock is nice but I'd recommend you go to <http://www.hammockcamping.com/> and consider making your own.


  2008/11/2 EHamilton <imagainst_the_wind at yahoo.com>

    >Making your own gear and going as light as possible will save you a lot of money. 

    Yeah, I've made a lot of my stuff. That's how I got my trail name.... I was staying at Ethan Pond shelter/camp in NH and a thru-hiker loved my cooking gear (Pepsi can stove, tomato-can pot, tinfoil lid, pot lifter was a shedding blade gizmo, a dog-grooming tool that looped around my "pot" and formed its own handles. Since then a friend surprised me with a JetBoil. It's super-efficient and super-nice, but it's way heavier than my own cookset made from trash. I'm still undecided which to take. I'll probably go with the JetBoil, though; it's hard to argue with that 2-minute boil time for a pint of water. especially since I used my MacGyvered one today in the backyard just for the heck of it and it took 9 minutes. I didn't remember it being that slow.

    I've got a Eureka! Zephyr one-person tent that my husband used on a bike trip several years ago. I bought a Therma-Rest for $50 (closed-cell pad from Wal-Mart just wasn't cushy enough for me; I use a square of closed-cell under my hips even under the Therma-Rest.) I found a huge multi-person tent discarded in a dumpster and cannibalized a window of that so that my Eureka! now has two windows. I'm working on making a vestibule.

    I've discovered that Wal-Mart has merino wool hiking socks in the hunting section. I bought a pair ($6.97) and am pleased with how they wear for 3 days and how they wash and dry, so I'll probably get more of those instead of SmartWool. 

    I've got an Eddie Bauer backpack that started at 6 pounds that I've altered down to 3.2 pounds; however, I'm looking for another pack for my thru. I'm looking at different patterns and plans for making one but will probably end up using Christmas money for a new one.

    MacGyver




----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    From: Art MacAilein macailein at gmail.com


    Making your own gear and going as light as possible will save you a lot of money. Consider:

    Caldera Cone System - $60
    DIY SuperCat w/Grease Pot - $10

    Nunatak Down Quilt- $300
    DIY Down Quilt - $100

    Hennessy Backpacker Hammock and Tarp - $250
    DIY Speer-style Hammock and DIY BlackCat Tarp - $150


    Art



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