I was a bit busy

Picture made last week

Mesh / Net surplus t-shirt – tests

Some time ago I bought Net T-shirt.
This is like a normal T-shirt but made like a fish net.

In some military shop – this was Norwegian army surplus, almost for nothing compared with prices of thermo-active wear.
This kind of T-shirt was described by Suvorov when he was describing SPECNAZ equipment and I was really curious how this works.
In theory, you are wearing this as a first layer of your clothes.
Holes are helping to evaporate sweat and at the same time they are creating air spaces to keep you worm.
I was testing this for the first time at –15 (degree Centigrade) on one day forest walk.
Was dry and not cold as in theory.
As this one test was not enough for me, I was using this for five days on my holidays while skiing.
There was between –10 to –2.
T-shirt is just perfect. I’m usually wet when exercising – whit this – nothing like that happened.
Before I was using thermo-active wear and usually after coming back my T-shirt was wet, this time – no :)
No any bad feelings, just dry and not cold.
VERY GOOD THING TO HAVE

DIY Sewing kit

I found it somewhere on the net and I copied it.

just look on pictures, idea is quite easy.

 

 

 

 

Whistle in your torch or backpack

One of my friends asked me to write this as not everyone is aware.

There are whistles build in headlamps and backpacks.
Almost everyone has it, not everyone knows it.

You can ask “Why do I need whistle ?”.
In theories this is emergency device – I personally don’t believe if this is useful in emergency situation.

I used whistle once.
We were setting camp near a river in a deep valley.
There was no easy and visible access to the river.

I took one bottle and went down to find best approach to collect some water.
At the time I found proper place I used whistle to inform the rest of our group that someone can go down with the rest of our containers.

I can imagine more cases like that.

Reason was to use minimal amount of energy to maximise effect.

Whistle was just there – waiting for usage.

Picture – whistle in headlight.

Earl – I found something interesting on the net

Check this http://www.meetearl.com/.

They are building android tablet which looks promising – nice one.

IMHO lacks Simm card slot

Season 2014 has started

Actually I got a feeling, that season has not ended but date has changed.
After changing kettle hang to chain version – works perfectly.
Today we were testing it with moulded wine.

Swiss Volcano bottle (surplus) Test

Just received as a present.
Reason for this is to have stove, bottle and mug all-in-one
Looks that I’m going to use two water bottles – this below as main container and smaller one for drinking while walking.
Now about those tests:
First – it fits perfectly in Mole type pocket for water.

This thing is stove, bottle (one litre)  and mug

After disassembling:

I started with igniting some fire:

Then mug



Water was boiled quite fast (I was not measuring time)
There is a possibility to boil directly in this bottle – which gives you an opportunity to use it when it’s really cold and you are caring ice within.
Anyway – this is great idea.
Its nicer to have open fire than using gas stove for making tea or coffee.
You can use normal pot with this, but you have to stich this stove with some sticks to the ground to make it more stable. (no problem with this as there is wire for holding hot stove there)

Wild Mushrooms

 

Now we got time for collecting mushrooms.
This on a picture, we collected on Saturday.
When you find such mushroom, and only one – this is mostly for drying.
I thought, that this would be extremely useful if someone with programming skills would create application for smartphone to recognising mushrooms.
I’m not talking about set of pictures, I imagine some database with shape choices and possibility to match proper colour from palette with showing possible mushrooms at the end.
The best possible would be recognising mushrooms from pictures.
I heard very interesting thing, that in France you are getting wild mushrooms to pharmacy, and they are recognising them for you.
Such service would be extremely useful in other countries.

Tatonka Handle mug

For those who are not aware.

Tatonka handle mug was perfect solution for storing Nalgene type bottle and mug together.

I just found that current model of this mug is slightly smaller.

…Bottle does not fit anymore…..

Backpack vs. Messenger’s bag in tropical regions

During last expedition I decided to test this on myself.
I mean every time I was taking small backpack with me, for time when main backpack is stored somewhere and I need to walk, see something.
This time I took messenger’s bag as I realized that my back will not be fully sweat, and I’ll be able to change arms for this.
I was expecting troubles as backpack is much more comfortable that such bag.
It was surprise  that this bag was quite good idea.
It’s easier to find something as I got plenty of pockets, its better to carry it.
As this is smaller and less handy than backpack, I was forced to think what I actually need to take with me instead of caring everything what was usually in backpack, so it was not too heavy.
This particular model allows to attach military style pockets.
I connected water pouch and this was ideal solution.
Attached solar panel was powering AA batteries for described here charger.

Water bottle and flying

There is a huge chance that you don’t know, that in “less civilised countries” you can get your own bottle with water on board the plane.

This ridiculous idea, (same with removing your shoes, taking laptop off case… )
is practiced in Europe and US mostly.

Using this sanity I was always getting my bottle with water on board to be independent of flight personnel.

At this blog I already described my ultimate water bottle.

Is great as has pipe inside, so you can drink safely while driving your bike or car.

In plane – disaster….

As air pressure is changing during the flight such bottle always leaks.

I’m moving back to pipe less bottle.

Shirt in tropical regions

Based on own experience I thought that breathable T-shirt is good idea for “expedition”.
It is light, so you can get five breathable T-shirts in weight of three standard cotton.
It dries very fast, so you can wash it and hang by your backpack.
It’s not smelly.
I was not aware, that in tropics I’ll be fully wet in 10 minutes.
Wearing breathable T-shirt in humidity close to 100% is like wearing wetsuit.
Just insane.
Standard T-shirt is mistake as well, as it is completely wet you can be friction burned while walking.
Thank goodness, as a part of our plan we had wedding of our friends, I took two cotton shirts (not T-shirts).
Definitely the best solution, dries fast on you and you have some kind of comfort.
Sorry for showing sweating body on a blog, but this is totally connected to above text.

Tropical regions - tent

In previous post I wrote, that I haven’t seen tent suitable for tropical areas and then I realized that I’m wrong.
In 90% of places where I was using tent average temperatures were from 0 to 15 degrees Centigrade and there was a chance for rain.
I mean rain which is cold, wet and makes you feel not comfortable.
In tropics you are already wet, and rain makes you happy (me).
I made major mistake choosing proper tent.
For ages I was trying to find tent with external frame, as it is good to have flyer up with internal part inside especially when it rains.
For tropics much better tents are those with internal set of masts as you can remove flayer….. and take a breath.
Picture – our proper winter type tent on Easter Island

Night in tropics

After we came back from Borneo, I got a little bit more experience with choosing the right gear.

What was not acceptable for my body was heat.
It’s basically too hot and too wet there.

I was sweating so much that  I had an impression of ants doing mountain kayaking competition on my back.

Sleeping just on a ground is not advised, too many weird insects around.

Once we slept in hammocks (with integrated mosquito net) but we had no tarp, as I took tent instead.
So when started to rain at # AM we moved back to tent.

Tent is just disaster in such conditions.
I have an impression that every possible tent was constructed to keep us worm and secure us from wind and water.

Every wind is blocked by tent… terrible.

If you are planning to sleep in a jungle, my recommendation is hammock with integrated mosquito net AND tarp.

Main mistake was not to take tarp as we took tent.

What to do with backpacks ?

Put backpack in transport bag (was described at some stage in this blog)
and cover with military style poncho punched to the ground.
will work. (tested with tropical storm)

For fast starter–Tropics

 

Just came back from Borneo and European heat has not made any bad impression on me.

As result there will be set of articles (hope interesting)

I got a few specific subjects to describe:

Night in tropics – why tent is not good.

Breathable T-shirts as a form of wet suit.

Water bottle again.

Messenger’s bag instead of small backpack.

as attachment – found in Kuching,  (Malaysia)

Corns on your palms

Two weeks ago I used machete to cut some fire wood.

I just found fallen pine tree and decided to use it instead of finding loose branches.

I consider this way of picking wood extremely effective, as for whole evening tree logs were enough.

This was quite fast when I realised that I forgot to take my gloves.

Effects are barely visible as this is two weeks after.

Todays tools got very good grip made of rubber or special something, but I’m sure, that there would be no such thing as corns with handle made out of wood.

Anyway.

Remember to take your working gloves to avoid such sensation.

I’m using gloves as on picture below.

They are designed for such job.

Sorry for not updating

 

But I’m busy, for example busy camping.

If you don’t know – most of camping places in Poland before or after holiday season are just empty.

Quite, peace and singing birds…..

Powerbank DIY

Usually I’m taking multiple electronic devices with me.

GPS can be handy – main works with two AA batteries.
I’m thinking about not taking it as my android phone is quite enough with offline maps.

Anyway – I got always phone (usually switched off).
At some stage I bought solar charger for AA acus and when I’m thinking about not taking GPS with me it would be wasted.
So, I decided I need to do something about it.

AA batteries are the most common power source on this planet and most devices can be powered off USB.
Even my torch is USB powered.

Stared to look for something on the net… nothing special.

“Professional” powerbanks  are using own batteries.

I found battery pack for four AAs in my electronic debris.

USB socket was not a problem.

We can have approximately 1.3V out of each AA battery.

4* 1.3V= 5.2 – looks good.

In USB socket you need to connect opposite connectors to + and – .

Those in the middle should be connected to each other
Looks that my electronics skills are not same as 20 years ago, but I made it.

This thing is powering my phone.

Liquid fuel stove

 

On Polish version I was posting my tries for making DYI stove just for fun.

Looks that I got ultimate version – you will be surprised at the end of this post.

Started about two years ago with creating wood gas stove out of two tin cans.
Construction can be found on youtube. Or by searching Google with "DIY woodgas stove".

Waste of time – when reasonable – too bulky too take it, when small – not working on found fuel.

Second attempt was to create liquid based stove,

pictures here:

http://ps1560.blogspot.com/2012/10/kuchenka-spirytusowa.html

Effects – zero to none – water was not boiled.

Third attempt – wood gas again – I came to an idea that air can flow within central kind of pillar instead double walls.

Too much smoke and totally ineffective on wet wood.

AT THE END

I found ultimate DIY stove, for the time when we are at the other site of the ocean, there is no proper gas bottle standard  for our stove.

Receipt is easy:

1. Take one soda can.

2. Remove top with a knife

3. make holes near the top – as many as you want, they shouldn't be too small.

4. make holes in the middle – as above

5. fill it with liquid fuel (any) till those middle holes.

6. Put your pot/mug directly on soda can.

7. Ignite though holes in the middle

Works perfectly.

Easiest DIY water filter

This was tested a few times (not at home).

You can buy cartridge for water filter (they are cheap over here – close to 2 Euro)

Such filter is perfect for most bottles

Cut the corner of plastic disposable bag and put filter in it.

Tight is with rubber cut out of bike inner tube.

Ready to rock and roll :)