Well, if you're looking at upgrading your gear and are leaning more backpacking vs. car camping, I'd look at all the options to reduce your pack volume. How bulky are your current sleeping bag and tarp?
A tq should weigh less and have smaller volume vs a similar temp (comfort, not survival) rated sleeping bag.
Any of the HF recommended tarps will weigh less and and reduce bulk compared to your Amazon tarp.
Sorry...Don't want to derail this post.. mostly minor upgrades. Improved finish and slight alteration to the tooth profile. Most folks will not notice a difference. I'll create a post when we get a little closer.Originally Posted by Derch
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I'd recommend sorting upgrade list by weight and cost. whatever will give you the most weight reduction per dollar is where I'd start.
You could save a pound for your sleeping bag, but it'll cost you $200+ if you want a top quilt. Or you could upgrade a tarp and save a pound for 1/2 the price.
best way to save weight is to leave stuff home that you don't need .
Last edited by Dlrocm; 02-27-2023 at 22:40.
Hello All, even more great suggestions!!
@Dlrocm - totally agreed that taking less is less weight I usually overpack so I'm pretty used to toting around a heavier pack haha. My bag is physically just too big though, I just could not fit the bag inside of my pack and ended up carrying it most of the time which is less than ideal. Good news though, I found a cheapish quilt to double up with my lightweight bag and that will work until I have some time to order a nicer one from one of the cottage vendors.
@FLTurtle - very great point and I'm weighing options on a new tarp sooner than later.
@Cougarmeat - I ordered a wasp yesterday from Dutch and also a few hooks from Countrybois along with enough line to make a ridgeline. Once I settle on a tarp I think I will order snakeskins as well, I really like the quick option to stow the tarp that way instead of folding it up everytime. I also purchased some bungee cord and will be transitioning my tie outs that way. SilPoly! - That is definitely the direction for me instead of my SilNylon.
Knots - I learned long ago how to tie a bowline super fast from a former Navy diver, then as a scout leader I had another 'cool guy' show me how to do it with one hand lol.
@Derch - no such luck on the tie outs, but I did see Shug do a video on using the tie outs to make doors. Thanks for the remider there. Width is very important, thanks for the direction to Dutch. The Dutch video was very informative and I really like that internal ridgeline - so many options. Bonded Wide Xenon Winter tarp looks just about perfect.
@Iceman857 - Ordered a wasp, thanks! I still tie knots all the time, I guess I wanted to see what all the buzz was about.... (dad jokes for days)
Ok, so now that we've tackled the big ticket items.. What are some other things that you guys have switched out over the years? Little tricks that you've picked up along the way.
For me, I love the hangtime hook for my cell phone. If I want to watch a movie before bed or read a book it is so much easier than holding my phone.
Thanks again everyone!!
D
Most useful knot for attaching guy lines to trees, is Siberian Hitch. It is tied in the bight, that is in the middle of the rope, without need to access either end of rope.
I always finish Siberian Hitch by first tightening hitch and then add about three stitches of monkey braid or chain stitch to keep Siberian hitch from loosening or elongating.
Siberian hitch can be tied while wearing mittens. It ties very fast, and holds fast. Then when you are ready to break camp—in the rain, it unties with a simple yank on the ripcord (loose end)!
I will turn ninety this summer so that comfort has become more important than tuffing it out on a long distance hike. Both knees are gone, so that it will be very short hikes off trail to base camp. I just purchased the Lone Wolf canvas tarp tent so that a camp fire should not be a problem. Superior gear hammock with the snap on underquilt plus the HG topquilt has become my go to set up. TMJ Metal Works camp grill is next on my list for the Ti fry pan will be used only as a dish from now on. I am also changing out for a heavy chair after distroying two lightweight overpriced trail chairs. Going heavy for a short distance but going often.
Bdh96 - sound like you are getting a good setup. Though you won't have to fold the tarp in the usual sense, with skins you'll need to roll it up (usually putting any attached guylines in the roll) as you slide the skin on. In other words, you don't just start with the tarp hanging down and then pull the skin across the ridgeline. You'll see when you play with it.
I want to be clear that the wasp works great - practice a few times putting that locking twist on the tail so you don't forget. I'm sure that if I held a loop open with my finger as I slid the wasp, it would move easily down the ridgeline. I need to understand that its place is near the tree. I think I stop just behind the tarp and end up having to move it a second (or third) time. So that problem is on me.
The claws have worked great and the "coming out of the jaw" problem (only when the tarp is packed up, not while it is hanging) was solved by adding a loop of cord to the tarp split ring end (like on the WB ThunderFly), twisting the loop into a slippery overhand knot, and cinching that down on the Nama jaw. How that split ring works its way out of the jaw when not under tension is one of those mysteries of life. Not only does the ring have to locate just at the jaw entrance, it also has to rotate so the narrowest part of the split is there. It could be a candidate for one of those Disney nature movies were they show plants moving in slow motion.
I mostly use a alpine or butterfly loop on a ridgeline to anchor an organizer or just to slip in the arm of a pair of sunglasses. I stopped using the tautline hitch on guylines because I didn't like having to wrap a long tail. At times I'd just put a bend in the cord so it was more like a slippery tautline. These day, if I need something like that, I use a prusik-like variant - I tried to google the name but couldn't get close.
For a long time I used Figure-9's on my guylines - which are not Amsteel. Still do on occasion. Wasps, Flies, Figure-9's etc. they all work; take your pick. Or use knots. But know those LashIt, ZingIt, Amsteel lines are not expecting knots.
Last edited by cougarmeat; 02-28-2023 at 16:20.
In order to see what few have seen, you must go where few have gone. And DO what few have done.
Carver- you are an inspiration to me to keep getting out. I'm 18 years younger then you so what excuses do I have? Time to plan an outing.
@Phantom - I will definitely check that out thank you!
@Carver - I am impressed and humbled by you. You are an inspiration to us all! Going out often is definitely key.
@Cougar - I have also used a modified prusik knot for a glasses holder. It works really well. That is also really great advice about those types of lines not being ready for knots. I will keep that in mind. Thanks again for all of your insight.
I received my orders from Dutch and Namagear and have now made a continuous ridgeline with a great line from Nama and the Dutch Wasp, then using some line that is similar to zingit I made little prusik knots to connect to the tarp using the little hooks from Nama.
So here's my next question for the tarp tie outs (not to the continuous ridgeline) I tried a taughtline hitch and the line is so slippery it is just not feasible. So the question is what is best for some more gear, do I utilize the hookworm or fleas with that slippery line? Also I did utilize some bungeeish line that I found at a local small business and will be using that as well. The Bungee appears to work pretty well the way I have it tied.
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