Breakfast with SnowPeak 900

Question was:

Just wondered if the SnowPeak 900 set was any good - interested in fact it has small frying pan, and lightweight - does pan burn and could you use pan as mug.

My answer is:

Although there was some sticking of the potato scone to the frying pan (lid), the lid cleaned up fine for me afterwards.

As to using the pan as a drinking mug – yes, but it isn’t as good as drinking from a separate mug (eg a plastic one).

Although I have used the SnowPeak 900 as my cookset of choice for a couple of years now, this is the first time I used it in this way. I never have anything along to fry, and I always carry a separate mug. As with any hollow solid object in my pack, things can get packed inside.

Dust-Off

As usual, set out my kit on the bed, just to make sure everything is present.

Just food to add. If I have time, I'll make up a couple of FreezerBag meals, otherwise I'll just grab some pre-made from the larder. Just heading for a couple of clicks up Glen Ey in the Cairngorms. See how the leg handles it.

The only extra gear that I'm taking is my poncho-tarp with guylines and pegs. Just to try out some pitches.

These are not the words you are looking for

The new edition of Trail magazine came through the letterbox today. Promising tests of ultra-light tents and backpacks, plus wild camping, plus a 9-page 'mission' on going lightweight.

As I'm not allowed to saw anything negative that may affect sales, all I will say is that there was no Akto tested in their test of lightweight tents. Heavier tents are tested. More expensive tents are tested.

As 'mission' - I couldn't get beyond the introduction. The wild camping laws are, again, incomplete. I felt my BP start rising and my leg twinge. Not a good sign. So I put the magazine away.

I feel the urge to thumb through "Lighten Up" by Don Ladigin and Ryan Jordan's "Lightweight Backpacking and Camping", heck, even Chris Townsend's "Backpacker's Handbook". I just can't be bothered with the over-dramatic stance that is taken. Hike your own hike. If you need someone else to tell you how to pick your own nose, you probably shouldn't be trekking out of site of a main road.

Freezer Bag Cooking Order

The winner of yesterday's lottery is: Sarah from Freezer Bag Cooking.

So, what do I get to play with this weekend? Well, there's the starter pack with

• the book "Freezer Bag Cooking: Trail Food Made Simple" by Sarah Svien Kirkconnell. I'll be reading this and giving it a go. There are also lots of recipes on her website (as well as well-photographed trip reports and trees).
• cozy. I went for the desert camo one. I thought a subdued one suited me, but not so subdued that I couldn't find it in the heather. Just tried it with a Wayfarer's dinner pack, and it fits it perfectly.
• GSI long handled spoon. That's for the outdoor cutlery box, even though it has a spoon end and a "scraper tip". That's the non-spoon end. And in between, there is a handle - wow, they've thought of everything ;-)
• 2 ziploc bags. These are, with good planning, the right size for the cozy.
• Not in the starter pack is the GSI nesting mug and bowl. The mug has an insulated layer, and sipping gaps at two of the sides of the triangular-sectioned. Both are marked in ml and fl oz. The mug's lid could be used as a strainer for the bowl.

I'm off to swap out my Nalgene 'mug' (visible behind the stove in this shot, wrapped in an insulated layer) and put the cozy into a waterproof bag. My mug normally holds the makings for beverages, i.e. ziplock bag with tea bags, a Nalgene container with coffee, an old film canister with whitener and finally a slim container of sweeteners.

Note - the cozy mentioned above is not a pot cozy (home-made one photographed). The idea is that you put the food into the cozy instead of using your stove to simmer it. Here's a link to Sarah's interview with Practical Backpacking. It is where I first heard of this. I was at Geldie Lodge in, 2006, I think. Link.

And Sarah's also got a YouTube channel.

--

PS: as an ex-pat Doonhamer, it would be "unbelievable" (as someone's just said on the radio) if Queen of the South beat Rangers this afternoon in the Scottish Cup Final.

Randonner-Leger

When Claude mentioned this site, of course I thought of "leger and ligne troops, I have some in 15mm". No Napoleonic infantry are photographed, instead it's a lightweight hiking website. I like the "avant/apres" photograph. Reminiscent of this month's TGO article by Eddy Meechan.

On recollection, the term "leger" is very appropriate. Brush up on your French, and visit the site:

http://www.randonner-leger.org

By the way, is it mandatory that everyone starts with a 70 litre rucksack? I did as well!

Primus ETA Express again

More info through on the Primus ETA Express that I posted about recently (Primus ETA Express). Lighthiker is going through his haul from the Friedrichshafen European OutDoor Trade Fare. Thanks for the dedication (both definitions), Roman.

I failed to pick up on the TGO Gear pages which included articles posted form the show too. Including this one from Cameron McNeish on the ETA Express. Increase efficiency, so less gas used, so longer hikes with smaller amounts of fuel. Cracking stuff.

Must be a TGO diary

Andy Howell's finished his TGO Challenge diary for 2007. You can read it here. Cracking photographs too.

Lightweight Rant

I just caught up on Alan Sloman's day 100 rant (full text). I'll focus in on these paragraphs written by Alan:

So, Cameron, LW Bob, Chris T and other lightweight zealots - if you read this - take a long hard look at who your audience is, and then think hard before advocating the complete lightweight solution. The important thing I am stressing here is the audience; the readership. Not all are as experienced as Cameron and Chris and they should take care when blindly following TGO's latest direction in kit selection.

As I see it, it is far more important to be fit, slim and expereienced in the hills than it is to carry the latest lightweight tarp. TGO should be ramming this message across rather than their current lightweight gear fetish month after month.

Mainly because it reminded me of Ryan Jordan's disclaimer at the start of "Lightweight Backpacking and Camping" (link):

Your mama ain't watching out for you. Don't be an idiot.
...it is not intended for beginning backpackers or those that otherwise do not already know how to stay dry and warm in inclement weather, possess wilderness survival skills, and know how to recognise and avoid dangerous situations. Therefore, be warned that you must exercise your own judgement in evaluating the accuracy, applicability, and utility of the information provided herein.

I used to carry a Berghaus Antaeus 65 litre pack [1.95kg], a New Ilanos tent [2.5kg], a big bulky synthetic sleeping bag, 2-pot cookset and even tinned food. This was only 3 years ago.

Pack is now the Osprey Atmos 50 litres [1.45kg], and the Hilleberg Akto tent [1.5kg], sleeping bag is lightweight down, stove, fuel and utensil are now all inside the titanium cookset, and food is never tinned.

Three years ago it was a struggle hauling my overnight gear up the side of Ben Hope, but with lighter gear and lower volume, I was able to trek across Scotland at Easter.

I'd hate to see the dumbing down of outdoors mags to cater for the possibility that someone thinks they might be able to get to the top of Everest in a pair of trail shoes. But I'm not that way inclined, so I'll say: keep up the good work, TGO.

Pick up the techniques and gear that suit you and the terrain/climate you'll be hiking in. Waken up to the possibilities on offer and think about your kit. I use visualisation techniques, and, unlike some people, I definitely don't rely on weather forecasts to help chose my kit. Prepare for the worst, but hope for the best.

Retail Issues 3

In reply to Darren's comment:

If a magazine inspires a person to buy an item of 'lightweight' kit rather than a big and bulky item from the supermarket, then great. It is a simple premise - carry lighter kit, expend less energy per mile, walk further. People can say that lighter kit is nonsense as you just need to exercise more. I see it as a joint approach (hence attacking Bennachie regularly). If you are replacing kit, why not consider the weight and volume as well as cost and performance. Don't just look in the supermarkets or high-street shops, but consider all the options.

Do you find all the kit options in magazines? No, but some are better than others. Magazines have their limitations on reviews, which is why I like the annual gear reviews.

Forums (eg Country Walking/Trail and TGO folk on OutdoorsMagic) allow us access to advice that we have never had. Previously books, clubs or mates would be it. Niche markets exist in many retail sectors, so why is it different for the outdoors? In wargaming, it is mainly a niche market, and the few big players often get slated for their markup and blister-pack approach. This is because some customers feel left marginalised.

Now, there is nothing wrong with businesses making money. A lot of businesses would like the profits that companies like Tescos have, but look how few (inter)national supermarkets there are in comparison to corner shops. Each provides a different service, and each has a different business model. The aim of both is to make money. One achieves customer loyalty mainly through a pricing strategy, another through business location and convenience. Unlike foodstuff, online shops can offer both convenience and pricing strategy, but have different problems (eg not being able to physically try out gear).

That is why a Day Zero event, amongst others, would shake up the UK outdoors market. If the big guys are dominating the market, the niche players need to use their small size to an advantage. The Internet offers a great opportunity for retailers and customers.

I still like escaping to a gear shop on a lunchtime. Especially when the sales are on.

Retail Issues 2

After yesterday's comment, Darren asked if "being a niche player the way forward?...The real money is in the mass market in the UK, the festival crowds, the cool campers, the family campers. The niche expert market just isn't that big over here, unlike say in the US where it is considerably bigger. So I'm not sure we will ever see a strong thriving specialist market in the UK, but more getting the scraps that make their way over from the US."

Hmm. Lets see. If everyone who bought Trail, TGO and Country Walking bought one item of lightweight kit, where would they get the items from? Probably not the high street. Would it still be a niche market? I don't think so.

But the year after, maybe, we'd start to see the weight of items being considered as a design feature. Lighter cars burn less fuel. Lighter bullets travel faster. Why is there such a disagreement about humans using lighter kit? I blame the Scouts. Years of "being prepared" by taking extra kit - but now, being prepared means having knowledge, attitude and decent kit. Little of it comes easy, and much takes time and effort. All part of an ongoing process.

We have only a few specialist lightweight retailers in the UK (with a bigger customer base in the US, I'd guess that there would be proportionately more retailers). I like buying from different stores as it supports different retailers. I liked Bellingham, and hope that there's another "Day Zero" event next year. For me, it would be the great outdoors show.

Niches survive in other industries. Niches get overlooked when markets fall. Niches have customer loyalty and good word of mouth. If you have the right profit-margin and know your market, what is wrong with being petite? Not everyone wants to be a "Famous Army Store" or "Millets".

Retail Issues

Weird Darren, after finding a cheap tent in a supermarket asks:

For me our biggest loss will be the independent retailer whether it be bricks and mortor or web based. As this is where most of the knowledge tends to be had when people buy gear, as these businesses are usually run be people that are into the outdoors and have experience of it.

Across in Germany, Lighthiker commented that:

One of the most prominent advertisement slogans in the past years in Germany was “Geiz ist geil” which means “Stinginess is awesome”. It was so successful because it is not only a slogan but describes what a big portion of Germany’s society is looking after: Spending less and less money for all sorts of things but still expecting high quality products.

Could this be the usual triangle of time-cost-quality?

Quality. For example, when I buy a dvd months after its release date, I pay less, but expect the same quality. However, if I pay less for a tent (excluding sales), I am probably getting a poorer quality tent. Materials may be heavier, or not as water resistant.

Time. I like buying kit in the sales. Some retailers have online sales, others have sales at their factory shops, or at shows. And eBay, or other auction sites (there must be other auction sites).

So, who loses from the supermarkets? I've previously commented on the differences between online and real-life shops. Supermarkets are too big to specialize. They buy and sell in bulk. To a beginner, wet-weather gear is just something to keep the rain off. Bulk and weight probably don't come into the picture. Cost does.

So, do specialist shops lose out? Only if they cater to the beginners' end of the market. Some sell festival packs - the sort of area that is ideal supermarkets.

Supermarkets don't have knowledgeable outdoors sales assistants. Specialist shops do.

We've already seen Millets and Blacks hit. High-street outlets selling festival packs, but offering more.

I'd be worried if (or, when) the supermarkets start a specialist DoE aisle, with a personal shopper.

Then, maybe, the specialist shops would need to look at the online world and see what people were doing there, and how a company like Alpkit fosters a brand-name. How retailers of lightweight kits are winning customer loyalty. How online communities are bursting out of print magazines.

(background music)

Cumulus Ultralight 350

The down sleeping bag I've been using since I got it: the Cumulus Ultralight 350 (link), stuffed into its own stuff sack and the into an Exped Small drybag. The magazine is there for scale.

Ultralight350L Hosted on Zooomr

CGNP 19/05

1315. Back at car at Linn of Dee. Namche's did well, only problem i have is that i need the next size up. It's my footsize that is on the cusp. Worse case scenario is that i flog them used on ebay. Despite the rain, the X-socks were no more than damp. I'll wear my ZG65's for the Glenshee climb this afternoon. See how that goes. Sky lightening up, but still chucking it down. Final 2 Munros to do to complete Glenshee. But first, lunch and gearshop in Braemar.

CGNP 19th May

1030ish. Walked back to Bob Scott's with a couple of Challengers. Gave them a head start after the bothy stop as i didn't want folk to think i'd walked all that way too. Sorry there was no Telegraph in the bothy, Mr P and even the local papers were out of date.

Schroedinger's Buff

1010. Turning back to bothy. Buff either there or in rucksack or lost. I'll only find out when i look for it, as it isn't where it should be. Oh, and i definately need the next size up of Namche's. Nice to be skipping over streams and over taking a party of mechanised infantry.

Sgian Worf. Found an antler shaped just right for a short bat'leth - i noticed that i was playing with it as such as walking, so had to secure it on my 'sack.

CGNP 190507

0800. Slept on OMM mat in bothy. I could have slept on the floor instead. Real test in tent tonight. Warm in bothy, so slept with zip of sleeping bag open. Past one definate Challenger and 2 potentials on track last night. 4 gents here when i arrived. An evening listening to squaddy stories...and talking about gear. A late night party arrived. Slept after midnight. Shower outside. High winds outside. Toasty inside.

Lightweight CGNP

Got the bag packed for a weekend in the Cairngorms National Park. A strange one this, but I'm ticking off some Munros that I didn't get to over the last couple of years, and sit there on their own.

The Philosophy of Lightweight

"Take enough gear to be safe, comfortable and confident" - Don Ladigin from "Lighten Up!"

For me, that weighs in at 13.4kg including 2 days worth of food and 1 litre of water, and treats to leave at the Bothy for folk. And walking poles strapped to side of pack.

The mission is: up to Bob Scott's Bothy on Friday night, and Carn a' Mhaim (1037m/3402ft) on Saturday morning. Relocating on Saturday, and head up to Glenshee. Depending on the time, maybe crack on up to Creag Leacach (987m/3238ft) and overnight on the hill, and along to Glas Maol (1068m/3504ft) on Sunday.

All depends on the time. I'd rather camp near water (i.e. before heading up through the scree), and tackle Creag Leacach and Glas Maol on the Sunday.

Gear: standard fare. Trying out the new Namches, carbon fibre pole for Akto, Roberts radio, and will be wearing the Backpackers Club buff.

The only 'sacrifice' is trying out the new OMM Dual foam mat. This slid down the back of the Osprey Atmos pack, and freed up space normally taken by a bulkier inflatable mat.

I lightened out the first aid kit, which had grown to cover blister repairs for a 2-week long trek. Also ablutions kit and lotions & potions bag got minimised.

I could probably fit it all into a smaller pack, but I can't be bothered as the Atmos is a comfortable pack.

Sleep system: Hilleberg Akto, Cumulus Ultralight 350, OMM mat.

Cook system: SnowPeak, 100 gas canister, Primus Micron, home-made windshield, folding spork, all in pot cosy.

Waterproofs: Berghaus trousers, Montane Quick-Fire jacket. In OD Small bag.

Weekend in May

I was planning on heading to the Cairngorms in June, but note that there is an walking festival that same weekend.

The plan was to tab it to Bob Scott's on Friday night (tent if it was full), and on to Carn a' Mhaim on Saturday. Back to the car and relocate to Glenshee to tackle the last 2 Munros there.

I feel the urge to head away this weekend instead, and am wondering about taking similar kit to Matt Swaine. But why should I? I've spent time under the AktoFly in a bivvy bag and can't be bothered with just a bivvy bag to prove someone else's point. I'd rather have a night in a lightweight tent and leave the bivvy behind.

I'd take a stove and cook breakfast instead of fig rolls and pork pies.

In fact, about the only kit I'd take would be the OMM foam mat to try out.

And the Namches and the new carbon-fibre pole for the Akto. The stove would be the new alcohol White Box Stove.

Hmm, I seem to have missed the point of Trail's lightweight Lakes, as that was most of the kit I took out to Glen Etive (once I'd listened to Simon's advice).

Mission accomplished? Not yet.

Trail June 2007

"Lightweight gear is revolutionising what we can do in the outdoors, so if the idea of walking further, faster and getting more out of your hill time appeals, this issue of Trail is your essential hill companion." (p4, Matt Swaine, editor)

My comments below. Nailing my colours to the mast: Trail was the first outdoors mag I bought, and Ronald Turnbull's "Book of the Bivvy " was the first outdoors book I bought. For me, Trail is a fitness mag, and I still subscribe to it as such.

Get Into...Wild Camping (p12)

6 of the best lightweight stoves (p20)

The Philosophy of Lightweight (p26-39, but 9 pages of text by Matt Swaine, 2.5 col inches by Claire Maxted)

• Lightweight gear lets you go further and faster - at a price.
  I have heavy boots that were recommended, caused me blisters, cost more than lighter boots, and more than trail shoes; I have sleeping bags that are big and bulky, total the price and it comes to more than the down bag I use all the time now.
• Ronald Turnbull's advice:
  I cannot comment on this, as I haven't seen it written in the two books of his that I have, I recognise item 2 though, and his likeness of fig rolls and pubs, but hike your own hike:
  1. If you want to go out really light, then simply leave stuff out.
  2. Always buy the second cheapest bit of kit in the shops.
  3. Eat at pubs then live off pork pies and fig rolls on the hill.
  4. Swap tents and sleeping mats for bin bags and bubble wrap.
  5. Walk late into the night and get to the summits for dawn.
• A warning that lightweight could mean a very cold night's camping.
  On the planet Zog maybe! In the photos, there is snow and ice on the ground, yet Matt is in a 0'c rated sleeping bag, and on a thin OMM mat. My down bag is also by Cumulus, slightly heavier, but is rated to -3'c. I've already blogged about the sleeping mat, and have yet to try the OMM mat because I don't go adventure racing and so got it to try out one of these days.
• By leaving stoves and extra food in the car, I reckon we knocked about a kilo off our pack weight. And by taking in some of the best walkers' pubs in the country we would eat well, fine-tune our route over a beer or two, then head out into the night...
  Alcohol and a cold night. Duh! But each to their own. I certainly couldn't do that as I'd be too tempted to just ask for a room for the night. Strangely, Claire's kit includes a Primus Micron - perhaps for a civilised brew or proper breakfast that Matt seems to be foregoing in some masochistic purge.
• I might have been backpacking with a rucksack smaller and lighter than my regular daypack, but I would have carried twice that weight and bulk if it meant I could get a solid hour's sleep.
  Cumulus Ultralight 350 = 0.765kg. Therm-a-Rest Prolite 3 Short = 0.37kg. I make that 0.4kg extra for a good night's sleep. But hey, each to their own.
• Tom, who'd made few conscessions to the world of lightweight, was sleeping soundly in his hooped bivvy and 3-season bag.
  So, a hooped bivvy and a warm sleeping bag isn't considered lightweight?
• "That's a good 20 miles we've covered today," said Tom... "That's got to be a good advert for lightweight backpacking," said Claire. ... If I'd been better equipped, my pack might have weighed more but staying out for the night wouldn't have been an issue.
  So, for an extra 0.4kg, Matt admits that he could have stayed out longer. For the difference in weight between a big heavy pair of Scarpa SLs and lighter Scarpa ZG65's. I'm not sure what big boots Matt is wearing in shot.
• ...just to finish this rant...Why head out onto the hills with a talismanic rucksack that almost defies gravity when shedding some flab and boosting your aerobic capacity would deliver real long-term results and cost you absolutely nothing? Why are we so happy to throw money at a problem that doesn't really exist ... and far too lazy to tackle the real root of the problem: the fact that we're simply not as fit as we'd like to be?
  Now, I found this insulting. This diatribe against using your intelligence to look at kit and think "do I need a big, heavy stove when a lighter one will suffice". It isn't a "problem" if you are happy to be sold 70 litre packs for a weekend in the hills by a salesman in Blacks, or heavy 4-season boots for the West Highland Way.
  After years of going to the gym, I lost 1 1/4 stones in 15 days on the Southern Upland Way. A walk I'd never have dreamed of tackling if I continued to traipse to the gym on a weekly basis. One of the reasons I get out doors is to get fit. Just watch my Bennachie times.
• ... the great lightweight debate kept going right up till last orders.
  I can't be bothered defending an intelligent approach to hiking against such nonsense. I'm off to the Lakes in June - I hope it is similar weather to the Trail outing. But then, I don't do 6kg of base weight, as I'm not that proficient at lightweight hiking - and neither, I would guess, is Matt Swaine.
  As to the debate, it is just a shame that Claire Maxted's points were left to such a paltry afterword, and much was re-quoted from Louise Alexander. Personally, I'd have preferred to see Claire's side of the mission written alongside Matt's rant. She's in the lead in most shots, and smiling.

Light Routes (p40-44)

Setting up a bivvy bag (p57)

Sub-2kg tents for two (p67-72)

Make yourself lightweight (p80-83, part of the Trail academy)

• Top-end lightweight gear is great, but before you spend a fortune why not learn how to walk faster and lighter for free...
  See comments above on this idea that going lightweight is all about gear. Oh, and there is nothing in the article about learning "how to walk faster"

Benn' 100507

Sponsored by "that 70's show". Yup, that's my shanks in a pair of Ronhills. Recently i've not been wearing my main hiking gear when going up Bennachie, but still faced the issue of waterproof trousers. Hence the Ronhills. 40 minutes to get from car to trig point. Oh, and saw a lorry on its side outside inverurie. Ambulance and police arrived a few minutes later. Driver climbed out of cab as people were heading over. I was too late and on wrong side of dual-carriageway.