Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
General => Gear Questions, Information, Reviews and Competitions => Topic started by: 666_pack on June 18, 2009
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What is your favourite piece of kit?
Mine has to be my crusader cook system.
(http://www.survival-school.org/Portals/10/crusader%20cooking%20set.jpg)
I know there are lighter, faster and more Gucci systems out there but for my money this little bugger is bombproof.(except the issue lid )
The stainless steal cup can be used in conjuction with the cooker using Hexi blocks, Green heat gel or a pepsi can stove will also fit nicely. The cup will also work over a fire and a pot stand attachment is available. This system is not designed for proper cooking but it will boil water and for rat pack / dehydrated meals it works great.
I like the way it all fits together and the whole lot fits in the side pouch of my backpack and when I have it I’ll always have a hot meal at the end of a long hike
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Awesome question
Discounting electronics (as a nerd I love my GPS) I think my favourite bit'o gear would be my tarp. Mostly because if I'm using it then I'm wild camping or relaxing in a forest somewhere. I'd never put a tarp up and just sit under it. I have to fiddle and mess constantly getting it just right and it's great fun.
A close second is the trangia because the smell of cooking on meths takes me right back about 20 years or firesteel because, well, who doesn't love playing with fire! I think the hammock will probably rise to the top of this list when I finally get to try it :D
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So all your kit then jonno ;D
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I did realise after the fact that I'd chosen a good few - couldn't decide and since I'm only returning to walking and camping I can't wait to get to play with all my stuff :D
So all your kit then jonno ;D
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If your a fan off Trangia you should check this site out.
http://zenstoves.net/
(http://tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:bAMv22gUuNaSGM:http://www.secretreality.com/pictures/stove/can_stove_000.jpg)
(http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:YsUIAgUFNktYiM:http://www.nhatv.com/TrailTips/Stove10.gif)
DISCLAIMER:Pop can stoves are habit forming.
These are great fun to make and no beer can is wasted. They weigh next to nothing(11g approx) and a new one can be made for each trip or as a back up. The only down side you to dispose of two beers per stove and sometimes I might need 6-8. ;D
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I've been through the Zen Stoves website and had a mooch. I've made a hobo stove:
(http://i550.photobucket.com/albums/ii423/sputnik57/Misc/DSCF0453.jpg)
I have a wood gassification stove half made out of tea/coffee tins but my metalworking skills are crap. I really want to try a pop can stove but I'm a bit wary of messing with meths :D
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A fellow hobo stove user yours look just as rough as mine ;D
The only problem with meths is the smell and to some degree the soot but as a fuel it great. I'm making these bloody things all the time when we do Bernagh I'll grab you one from the cupboard and some fuel so that you can give it a go.
In the right codition they can boil 500mls of water in about 8-9 mins great little bit of kit.
And with a few tent pegs work well in the Hobo in barren areas.
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I actually really love the smell of burning meths, probably an old git reminiscing thing because we used them loads in the scouts :D I've been cooking on the trangia more lately but it causes me problems - sausages tend to split and the insides ooze out - not pleasant to eat. I think it's because I don't use the simmer ring to lower the heat. I have a jetboil too but it's only really useful for boiling water - if you try and cook the stuff in the middle burns. I'm also not really a fan of gas because it seems too much like cooking in the kitchen...
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I'm not as much of a fire bug as you's guys so i'll have to go for my boots they've been put throw a lot and are still in good nick ;D
They are Gri sport everest boots
(http://www.grisport.co.uk/acatalog/Backpacking.html)
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Sorry unable to get the picture up >:(
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A really handy way to cook sausages is to firstly pop them in a zip lock/freezer bag and boil inn said bag for about ten mins. now that they are cooked the whole way through all you have to do is brown the outside. Then use the hot water for a brew.
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I have to say that I have three favourite bit's of kit.
1: My Wilkinson sword Woodlore knife, I never leave home without it when I am heading out into the woods
2: My stainless steal Crusader mug, as said above you can boil water in it over the open fire, A great piece of kit and one I would recommend to anybody into any type of outdoor pursuits.
3: My fire-steel, there's nothing like sitting beside a fire and staring into the flames, I think if you were stressed out and got a fire going you can stare into the flames and forget about all your worries the fire seems to burn all your worries for the time your there.
As for the hobo stove, Would it be possible for you to put a tutorial on as to how to make one?? They seem to be be a great piece of lightweight kit.
Davy.
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its pretty tough to pick one thing, but i'd prob go for my montane extreme smock. There's nothing better than when you stop whipping your old sweaty shirt off and pulling this bad boy on! keeps you so toasty, its def worth carryin it if your out in the hills for a few days or gonna be stopping for breaks and stuff.
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Have you a picture of your Wilkinson sword Woodlore knife, Mouldsy
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Probably be my cutting tools. Either my axes
(http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee291/garyminiss/099.jpg)
Or my Bernie Garland custom knife with Desert Ironwood handle
(http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee291/garyminiss/knivesand91stbirthday026.jpg)
(http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee291/garyminiss/knivesand91stbirthday024.jpg)
Though I also like my Leuku camp knife.
(http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee291/garyminiss/015-2.jpg)
(http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee291/garyminiss/009-3.jpg)
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Being a lightweight, or aspiring one, backpacker I wear trailshoes with no waterproof membrane so they generally get wet very quickly unless in the thrones of summer, for this reason my goretex socks are my fav. bit of kit at the minute; keeping feet dry when my inov-8s get soaked through and making putting wet cold shoes on in the morning a non issue.
Wore them on and off during the ulster way and the only problem, which happened during a very wet days walking, was when rain water ran down the inside of my trousers and into the socks. walking with permanent puddles around your feet isn't fun! However bending your knee with feet up behind your bum and watching the water pour off your knee, from your feet, is quite amusing for everyone involved. :D
The crusader cooker + water bottle etc. is a good bit of kit, used one for a good couple years, far prefer it to gas when in the field, however when backpacking I'm using a GSI soloist cookset, which is the mutts nuts, keeping everything I need to cook in a small package is defo handy.
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Very nice kit there Celt_Ginger, how big is the Bernie Garland custom knife with Deseret Ironwood handle in mm ?
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it's a 105mm blade and 220mm overall
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These little boys are my fav bit of kit for the hills
(http://www.buncup.com/commerce1/images/product/large/MINIGAITERS-L.jpg)
and these for long days or weekends......... (http://www.racingtheplanet.com/store/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/266x/8a02aedcaf38ad3a98187ab0a1dede95/f/i/file_22_49.jpg)
Product Weight 240 grams / 8.47 ounces...!
For the speed of cooking think its hard to beat the jetboil..........
And for putting it all in you cant beat the omm 20ltr pack
(http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t215/ptcs-photies/DSCN4963.jpg)
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perfect size of knife Celt_Ginger, im looking for one the same size, how mush did it cost if you dont mine me asking ?
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my non-stick mess pans and non-stick 58 patt cup i got from SASS a rite few years ago.
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My Montane Featherlite Smock - one of my most used items over the past 2 years, and for £30 one of the best purchases ever! 85g, packs to nothing, super breathable. Keeps me warm when on the move - more comfortable than gore-tex when it's wet - dries in no time. When mates ask my advice on gear for the outdoors they don't believe me when I advise one of these over an expensive jacket. Maybe something hardier for freezing winter rain, but perfect for 3 season UK use.
Also my Raichle Mountain Trail GTX boots which fit my feet like gloves. I've done silly things in these boots and they never let me down. Will last forever. I'm very keen to try some Inov8's as the philosophy suits me better than a boot, but I worry about the longevity. A 3 season option and then a pair of winter/crampon boots to usurp these 95% jack of all trades??? Tough call.
* oh yes, Raichle have been taken over by Marmot - but the boots are the same.