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07 September 2008

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

With Gayle & Mick dropping in on a pub all decked out for Christmas it brought me round to happy smiley thoughts rather than the less than happy thoughts of the night before.

On our recent Ridgeway Daunder, I had been spending the day in Darren's wake, noticing his fleetness of foot in his Inov-8's and the fact that he was whizzing along with some quite fancy lightweight kit. Later that same day Darren had remarked that there were quite a few ways that I could lose a few pounds from my rucksack. For instance, he had noticed that I was lugging my Quarter Cask Laphroaig around in my faithful old blue Sigg bottle.

Anyway, I promptly forgot all the good advice (the contents of the Sigg bottle helped with that one), until yesterday morning when our Postie knocked on the door with a small parcel, and it was for me!

Yippee! Christmas! I had no idea what it could be. (Had I been ordering stuff on the internet after coming back home from the pub?)

 

 

Inside the packaging was a lovely little note from Bob & Rose over at backpackinglight.co.uk saying that a little bird had let them know that I had been lugging around huge heavy bottles around Britain. Unwrapping the package completely, this is what I found: 

Yes - a very pretty Nalgene 12 ounce flask. It    comes with a red polycarbonate sleeve, a removable 1 ounce shot cap and the PET flask itself.

 

 

 

This picture shows it stripped down into it's component parts on the scales, weighing in, in total at 121 grams.

My old Sigg bottle weighed in at 124 grams, but it did encourage you to lug about the full 75cl of Cask Strength.!

 

 

 

So - I think this last picture says it all! This shows the flask as I would carry it across on the TGO Challenge; stripped down to the important bit and weighing only 53 grams. That's a saving over the Sigg of 71 grams, but more importantly I will be carrying half a bottle less of Scotch - which is not a problem as I can send up the rest of the nectar in my food parcels to be collected on route.

Another advantage of this system is that on a cold evening you are holding a material that is warmer to the touch than the cold aluminium of the Sigg flask.

I believe that this is the first of these wonderful flasks to hit the UK shores! So - if you want to spoil yourself, Bob, & Rose will soon be stocking these excellent flasks in time to treat yourself for Christmas.

Thanks Bob, and thanks Darren. A wonderfully kind thought!

8 comments:

  1. That would come in handy on the Challenge. That reminds me to fill in the application form.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Alan.
    I'm almost ready to buy a Warmlite 2R for Scottish winter use.
    I've recently been informed that there is a mesh 'gutter' that runs along the floor in the single skin ends. This seems like a possible entry site for standing water. I wonder if you ever had a problem with water leaking into the tent.
    Thanks, Mike.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Mike

    If you take a close look at the following pcture (Copy and paste the link into your browser) you will see that the bottom of the mesh vent at the front bottom of the tent is a good 6" above the ground, so the snow shouldn't get in. Besides that you can 'drop' the very bottom of the tent doorway and peg it down so that the mesh can be completely covered over to stop wind-blown ssnow or sand being blown in the bottom vent.

    http://lh5.ggpht.com/alan.sloman/RciQ8Ib4bzI/AAAAAAAAAGk/j2E-PHzucu8/s640/IMG_0271.jpg

    The top front vent is adjustable and so can be adjusted depending upon the conditions. It can be closed completely as well.

    The rear vent at the bottom (shown here:

    http://lh6.ggpht.com/alan.sloman/RciQ4Yb4byI/AAAAAAAAAGc/VL56Ax-n3ns/s512/IMG_0270.jpg

    can be adjusted from inside the tent as well, so that the groundsheet 'stands up' whilst still allowing air (though less, obviously) to flow into the tent to provide the 'chimney effect' venting.

    If you look at the Stephensons' website you will see their tents parked up on top of mountains in the snow, so it really shouldn't be a problem.

    Good luck.

    If you need anymore info, don't hestitate to ask. If you want to see one in the flesh, then you could always come rouns and see mine

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks Alan.
    I was under the impression that there was also a mesh 'gutter' that ran along the floor/wall intersection at the ends. I've obviously picked this up wrong! I'm not worried about the vents.
    Now i have to make my mind up on size. Should i go for the 3R for those long 18 hour winter nights! Finding a mountain pitch might be difficult for the 3R's footprint though.
    Oh the joys of gear buying!
    Cheers, Mike.
    Cheers, Mike.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Alan.
    I've ordered a 2RL in a nice light blue end, navy blue centre combo. Can't wait to play with it!
    Cheers, Mike.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Alan

    sorry to be a pest, but I have a couple of questions for you; I own a Warmlite 2R with windows - I've only just got it, but it's not been used yet. I was wondering how you cope in foul wet windy weather, in two ways: (1) do you cook in tthe tent and (2) did you find the tent fine in when all your gear was wet? Any feedback would be welcome as I'm considering altering my tent, but maybe I don't need to!

    Thanks

    Peter

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  7. Wowee and wowza!

    A wonderful spurt of Warmlites. There could be a Willamena, Wilma...

    Well done Mike. When she arrives email me a picture!

    Hi Peter - No need to alter the tent at all! Wherever you pitch your tent there is ALWAYS a slight gradient to the ground. Just have a 'wet' side and a 'dry' side. There is oodles of room inside. After about five minutes just use your 'J' cloth to mop up the water from your sodden gear and wring it out through the door. It only takes seconds every now and then.

    By the time you are ready to cook you will have cleared all the puddles from your Paramo, Rucsac and soggy socks up.

    As for cooking - slide your mat and sleeping bag down the tent to the 'shallow end' and sit across the tent at the front - there is loads of room to do this.

    I use a gas canister stove and use a plastic three legged stabiliser beneath the canister to give the outfit stability. Because of the cooking system I use (Real Expedition Turmat main meals) all you need to do is boil a kettle of water and tip it into the bag and seal it. The remaining water is used to make soup while the meal rehydrates.

    Nope - be happy with your new friend. No need to make changes.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanks Alan - it's good to hear from a frequent user who finds the criticisms directed to this tent as not being issues at all (lack of a separate vestibule): I'll let you know how I get on with this beastie!

    Cheers

    Pete

    ReplyDelete

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