Ireland Climate

[Sullly]

Thanks Slack Packhiker and Rouskof.

Ireland has it's advantages of fresh air and not having to worry about been attacked by bears or bitten by snakes etc. The only critter to be aware of is (Ticks) although not all ticks carry the lime disease, they do seem to lodge themselves into awkward areas on the body, like under armpits or behind knees. They are mostly found under fern. This is also why when choosing colours for my quilt I was thinking to not opt for the colour black so as I could see possible unwanted hitchhikers like the tick or now, new on the scene is the "false widow spider". Luckily I have not yet had an encounter with any of them. I yet have to treat some gear with the sawyer permethrin spray which I read good reports about. It smells like petrol though so will try it out first on some gear I don't use anymore to smell the end result.

I cary an MSR mesh house 2 person which weighs 400g, it's good to have the option of both worlds.

Here's a cabin I worked on taking picks of and ended up returning to because of the location and because it was such a nice lodge. It's well away from the city in the heart of the garden of Ireland. A car would be needed though. This also gives close access to trails leading up to Lugnaquilla which is the highest mountain in Leinster. This is the view from the deck >> Cold Morning Frost & Thunder-3.jpg And here's a link to the cabin >> https://glenmalurepines.com/the-cabin/

Gadget, I am now looking at the Warbonnet superfly.

[Slack Packhiker]

http://www.tickinfo.com/permethrin.htm

[Sullly]

@Slack Packer

Interesting read. I have the sawyer version in the link above although I have yet to apply it to gear. I stopped using deet based products as I was a bit concerned about it damaging my camera equipment but it looks like if I use a 33% deet content it should be ok. For skin application I use "Repel PLANT-BASED LEMON EUCALYPTUS INSECT REPELLENT" http://www.repel.com/products/person...ucalyptus.aspx We don't have mosquitos here in Ireland but we do have midges which give a similar symptom bite to the mosquito and don't carry any diseases like malaria etc. So the repel seems to work ok but needs to be applied often.

[Rouskof]

I prefer midgets to midges.

[Sullly]

@Rouskof
Oh! funny, I better edit that, thanks. And the horse fly I forgot to mention which gives a nasty nip.

[bamudd]

RBTR's membrane silpoly is the next lightest thing after Cuben at 0.93oz/yd.
I made a 11'8"x10' winter tarp that came in under 400g (before adding lines).

Just be aware that membrane is fragile. It tears easily, and it's only .2 oz/yard lighter than 1.1 silpoly so it's not like you're really saving all that much weight. I have both a Xenon tarp and a Cuben tarp and honestly I use the Xenon more. Again, in Ireland I'd really tend towards wanting a rectangular or door tarp rather than hex. Being able to protect those ends is important.

As to permethrin, in the states you can buy it in concentrated form from farm supply stores (anywhere up to about 30% concentration). Farmers use it to treat livestock for ticks. See if you can get it at farm stores in Ireland, and then dilute it to 0.5% permethrin. Spray on your hammock, clothes, boots, etc, but not directly on your skin. Once it's dry it's completely safe for contact with humans and most birds and mammals except cats (very dangerous to cats, safe to cows, horses, sheep, dogs, etc). Don't pour it in the water though, it's dangerous to fish also. Great stuff, best way there is to keep ticks off. Respray about once a month for clothing your wear often.

[GadgetUK437]

Just be aware that membrane is fragile. It tears easily

From personal experience?


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Gadget

[Sullly]

@bamudd and @Gadget that's great info.

I was looking at the vids on UTube and did say to myself that it looked feeble alright.

If there's a moderate wind and the cueben is pitched tight does it still sound like a rattling plastic bag?

Thanks.

[jms53]

I started out with DD equipment, namely the frontline hammock and tarp. By using some tarp-clips I was able to go to ground and use the hiking poles as supports for the tarp. Not ideal but it worked for me for the couple.nights it was necessary.

Sent from my SM-G389F using Tapatalk

[GadgetUK437]

looking at the vids on UTube and did say to myself that it looked feeble alright.

My membrane silpoly is still going strong after a year of abuse.
I would like to see links to experiences of failures. I've only seen one, he got small holes thru abrasion.


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Gadget