nklr -- black hills national forest new travel management rules

[Arden Kysely]

I love my Half Dome +2 tent from REI. It's very airy when you just need a bug shelter, or you can pitch just the fly if you like. It's also reasonably priced. I use a down bag because they compact smaller than anything else. Mine's a 2.5 pound North Face (total wight, not fill). I've slept in the open with it below freezing wearing thermals, down booties, and a ski cap. For a compact, lightweight pad, I like my air mattress: six individually inflatable tubes let you tailor the fit. I got it from here: http://www.redlinegear.com/. Yeah, I know air mattresses can leak, but this one hasn't yet and it packs really small. I always use a ground cloth and carry some Goop to fix it with. __Arden

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, Tim Nielsen wrote: > OK, I'm getting ready to invest in some camping gear, and would love to > hear opinions on the following: > > 1) Tents. Have to be 6 lbs and under, so a backpacking tent. I've heard > good things about the Eureka Apex (but also heard from Moose that he > hear they weren't very waterproof). Also Moose recommended the Kelty > Vortex. There seems to be so many tents... > > 2) Sleeping bags. I suppose down to 30 to be safe. Has to compact > small, and would prefer synthetic insulation, like Qualofil or > Polarwhateveritscalled. > > 3) Sleeping pad. OK, I bought a Therm-a-Rest Expedition, 1.75" thick, > and for me it's not so comfortable. I'm a big guy, and it just doesn't > have the support. So now I'm thinking an inflatable kind, looking for > something light and comfy. Any thoughts? I found a 4" self- inflating > one, like a Therm, but another company, but it's $160. Yikes. > > And what the heck, anything else camping related that you've found > invaluable, love to hear about it. > > Reply on list or off. > > Tim

[Russell Dyck]

About a month ago I was need of a tent, sleeping bag, and pad for a weekend camping trip down to Adams Lake, me being me left it all till the last minute, so of to Canadian Tire and Walmart I go. From Walmart I picked up the sleeping bag, a World Famous 2 lb good till about 0c and is just big enough to fit my tall frame into, I found it to be very comfy, payed about 30 bucks for it. Next I went over to Canadian Tire for the tent and sleeping pad. The tent is a Escort 3 person tent, wind and water proof, the rain we got all night and half the next day proofed that well enough, when I set it up when I got it home I found that for 30 bucks the quality was prety good and found that it was missing a peg, but hey what can you excpect for 30 bucks. Next the sleeping pad, made by Woods and cost me again another 30 bucks, what can I say, unroll it, open the valve, and poof!! one sleeping pad ready for sleeping. As I have a funky back even more so after riding 8 hours on a klr w/stock seat I found to be very comfy, so much so I didn't want to get out of bed the next morning. Spent about hundred bucks. I find that the tent packs kinda long but once I get a dry bag that is big enough to pack all three items in to I'll refold the tent to fit around the bag and pad, right now it's packed siz is 5" round x 24" long, but I think think there is room for improving there. Now all I need is a stove and utensells and I should be complete Russell Quesnel, BC

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "The Mule" wrote: > > > > 1) Tents. Have to be 6 lbs and under, so a backpacking tent. I've heard > > good things about the Eureka Apex (but also heard from Moose that he > > hear they weren't very waterproof). Also Moose recommended the Kelty > > Vortex. There seems to be so many tents... > > .......Mule agrees with Moose on the Kelty V-series. I use a V-3 solo for > economy, simplicity, and roominess on soft core trips. For extreme > lightweight ruggedness, I use a Mountain Gear Thru-Hiker. Both purchased > from Campmor. > > > 2) Sleeping bags. I suppose down to 30 to be safe. Has to compact > > small, and would prefer synthetic insulation, like Qualofil or > > Polarwhateveritscalled. > > ...........In this category, rated at 35, I use a North Face Flight 3D. It's > 2lb. 4oz., and stuffs into a 6x11 sack. > > > 3) Sleeping pad. OK, I bought a Therm-a-Rest Expedition, 1.75" thick, > > and for me it's not so comfortable. I'm a big guy, and it just doesn't > > have the support. So now I'm thinking an inflatable kind, looking for > > something light and comfy. Any thoughts? I found a 4" self- inflating > > one, like a Therm, but another company, but it's $160. Yikes. > > .........Looking to go light and tight, getting too luxurious with the pads > can blow the whole plan. Pads are as much for insulating your body from the > ground as for cushioning. I've used a Therm-a-Rest Expedition for years with > no complaints. If you need more support, you're gonna have to pay for it in > size/weight. > > > > And what the heck, anything else camping related that you've found > > invaluable, love to hear about it. > > .........Fire sticks, magnesium firestarter, MSR stove, headlamp (Black > Diamond or Petzl), Camelbak (or Platypus), Sierra cup, gloves, candle > lantern. > > > Steve > The Mule > A17

[KLR Rider - Scott Adams]

Russell - one trick I learned a long time ago was to put everything but the poles in a normal dry bag. Assuming the poles aren't "integral" with the tent you can put all the other stuff in a bag not so long and just leave the poles separate, thereby eliminating the need to have the bag hanging wider than you might like. -Scott

----- Original Message ----- From: "Russell Dyck" > the next morning. Spent about hundred bucks. I find that the tent > packs kinda long but once I get a dry bag that is big enough to pack > all three items in to I'll refold the tent to fit around the bag and > pad, right now it's packed siz is 5" round x 24" long, but I think > think there is room for improving there.

[kdxkawboy@aol.com]

In a message dated 2004-07-17 10:06:10 PM Pacific Daylight Time, tim@... writes:

> > OK, I'm getting ready to invest in some camping gear, and would love to > hear opinions on the following: > > 1) Tents. Have to be 6 lbs and under, so a backpacking tent. I've heard > good things about the Eureka Apex (but also heard from Moose that he > hear they weren't very waterproof). Also Moose recommended the Kelty > Vortex. There seems to be so many tents... >

I have used several different two-man tents and think I've learned the following - the fewer poles the better for setup and takedown, my current two man is a modern update of the old pup tent that uses a single pole; a rain cover that reaches the ground, when and if you get caught in a nasty rainstorm it wont take but an hour to understand this logic. However, I've just upgraded to a new type of tent. They are four season tents in which the rain cover is designed to be used as the snow camping tent. I just got a Go-Lite brand: a single center pole that raises to 5'4", 72' square feet of space, total weight is about 5 pounds.

> 2) Sleeping bags. I suppose down to 30 to be safe. Has to compact > small, and would prefer synthetic insulation, like Qualofil or > Polarwhateveritscalled.

For 3-season camping in the Sierra Nevada and the Rockies I'd go get a bag that is good to 20 degrees. The synthetic fills are better than down because the hold their insulation value when wet, but better yet, you want a bag with a waterproof outer covering. I've got a good quality Slumber Jack that works but for the waterproof covering which prevents me from just rolling out the bag to catch some z's - if there is any sort of dew fall, and my bag is not under a tarp or inside a tent and I need to dry it out a good half day before packing it.

> > 3) Sleeping pad. OK, I bought a Therm-a-Rest Expedition, 1.75" thick, > and for me it's not so comfortable. I'm a big guy, and it just doesn't > have the support. So now I'm thinking an inflatable kind, looking for > something light and comfy. Any thoughts? I found a 4" self-inflating > one, like a Therm, but another company, but it's $160. Yikes.

To go the inflatable route you find you want to carry a pump for the mattress. As thin as my sleeping pad is it's not bad enough to drive me to the hassle of blowing up an air mattress. Currently I'm looking into collapsible cots since I know have a tent large enough to house one. Its looking that I can get one that is under 10 pounds of weight. As a side note, I just got a Camp Time Roll-A-Chair. Costs around $25, weighs only 2.6 pounds. It looks to be a viable alternative to the Kermit char at a 5th of the cost.

> > And what the heck, anything else camping related that you've found > invaluable, love to hear about it. > > Reply on list or off. > > Tim > >

Pat G'ville., Nv [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[yahoo@smc62.com]

I'm a big Go-Lite fan too. My current tent is their Cave2 system with the bug insert. I'm still learning how to pitch this setup but am very pleased with it so far. Our first night together it handled a Southeast AK downpour nicely. A few weeks later we spent a comfortable weekend in British Columbia. No rain then but the bug netting worked perfectly - and that's saying something for BC/Yukon this time of year. It doesn't get any smaller or lighter than this. http://www.golite.com/products/prodlist.asp?category=9 Scott Juneau, AK kdxkawboy@... wrote:

>I just got a Go-Lite brand: a single >center pole that raises to 5'4", 72' square feet of space, total weight is about >5 pounds. > >

[Svantwuyver]

One of the best thought out stoves I've seen is the JetBoil. It is a backpacker's stove that runs on cartridge propane. This stove will boil a pint of water in 90 seconds and because it uses propane the flame is instantly ready to go. The lid is a cup, it has a built-in Piezzo sparker and the main pot has a build-in heat exchanger with a neoprene covering and handle. It is super light and the fuel will store into the pot. A little pricey at $80. I don't own one, but I've almost convinced myself. It is probably not the best for cooking elaborate meals, but does anyone realy do that? -svt- __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Vote for the stars of Yahoo!'s next ad campaign! http://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/yahoo/votelifeengine/

[kdxkawboy@aol.com]

In a message dated 2004-07-19 11:51:04 AM Pacific Daylight Time, svantwuyver@... writes:

> > One of the best thought out stoves I've seen is the > JetBoil. It is a backpacker's stove that runs on > cartridge propane. This stove will boil a pint of > water in 90 seconds and because it uses propane the > flame is instantly ready to go. The lid is a cup, it > has a built-in Piezzo sparker and the main pot has a > build-in heat exchanger with a neoprene covering and > handle. It is super light and the fuel will store > into the pot. A little pricey at $80. I don't own > one, but I've almost convinced myself. It is probably > not the best for cooking elaborate meals, but does > anyone realy do that? > > -svt- > >

After years of trying most every back packing stove design I keep coming back to the Seva 123 stove from Sweden, also a simplistic design. No pump, you put about a teaspoon of fuel in a little cup at the base of the burner, light it and when it burns off you have a pressurized fuel supply - you can get a pump for extreme high altitude pressurization. It comes with its own wind shield, a small pan for a top cover that works to brew a quick cup of coffee, and it al packs into a size smaller than a 5lb coffee can. The key for turning on the gas double duties as the tool to completely disassemble the stove. I got my first one of these back in the early 70s and it is still working. Pat G'ville, Nv [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[kdxkawboy@aol.com]

In a message dated 2004-07-19 6:57:30 PM Pacific Daylight Time, KDX Kawboy writes:

> and it all packs into a size smaller than a 5lb coffee can.

OOPS, made a mistake, O mean it fits inside a 1 pound coffee can. Pat [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Arden Kysely]

I've also had a Svea 123 for a long time. They're a little like a KLR- -rugged, dependable, a tad heavy, and can take on some cantakerous characteristics. In the meantime, I've have couple of propane stoves and the original MSR multi-fuel. Propane gets expensive, and it's not always easy to find replacement cartridges. The MSR is great, but too heavy and loud. Just bought a Whisperlite, we'll see how that goes. If I don't like it, I'll just go back to the Svea. BTW Pat, I think you meant a 1-pound coffee can, unless you've got a mega-Svea. __Arden

> > > > After years of trying most every back packing stove design I keep

coming back

> to the Seva 123 stove from Sweden, also a simplistic design. No

pump, you put

> about a teaspoon of fuel in a little cup at the base of the burner,

light it

> and when it burns off you have a pressurized fuel supply - you can

get a pump

> for extreme high altitude pressurization. It comes with its own

wind shield, a

> small pan for a top cover that works to brew a quick cup of coffee,

and it al

> packs into a size smaller than a 5lb coffee can. The key for

turning on the

> gas double duties as the tool to completely disassemble the stove.

I got my

> first one of these back in the early 70s and it is still working. > > Pat > G'ville, Nv > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[ron criswell]

I have had 2 of those little Seva (actually Taiwan copies but same thing). Those things work great ....... ah.... except in real hot weather. I live in Texas and a buddy was over once and we were always trying to convince each other who had the best gear (you know the old male ego thing). Well I just had to show him my little Svea copy out in the backyard (did i mention it was about 100 degrees at the time). Well, the stove got so hot it blew the safety valve thingy and shot a flame out about 3 feet. He was not impressed. Another time me and a friend was trying to start his after a long day of canoeing a river. He could not get it going right (it was dark). He forgot to put the filler cap on before he tried to light it. He is supposed to be a member of Mensa. I know have an MSR that I really don't like as well and one of those propane ones I have never used. The Svea runs like a blow torch. Criswell kdxkawboy@... wrote:

> In a message dated 2004-07-19 11:51:04 AM Pacific Daylight Time, > svantwuyver@... writes: > > > -svt- > > > > > > After years of trying most every back packing stove design I keep coming back > to the Seva 123 stove from Sweden, also a simplistic design. No pump, you put > about a teaspoon of fuel in a little cup at the base of the burner, light it > and when it burns off you have a pressurized fuel supply - you can get a pump > for extreme high altitude pressurization. It comes with its own wind shield, a >