Ordered yesterday, this Shiny New Gear arrived today, efficiently as ever, from Bob and Rose at backpackinglight.co.uk.
My old X Socks wore out last week; I left my torch under a pillow in Italy (this one is heavier but better); the Phreerunner's pegs are twisted and mangled (these are better, if heavier); the dry bag is a replacement as they don't last for ever despite liberal application of duct tape; the pot cosy and windshield material will be there when needed to replace the existing gear, which is on its last legs; and the 260 gm NeoAir mattress is an experiment - heavier than my Multimat, but more compact - ok for trips where weight isn't really an issue - for instance this coming weekend.
The jelly babies won't last long!
13 comments:
New gear is always nice. A walk to use it on at the weekend even better.
I dunno...
Thought this was a walking blog...
Gear Monster!
This is only the start, Alan. I think I've become a compulsive gear shopper.
Haven't time to go for a walk now; when do the shops open?!
Lovely, the NeoAir is almost worth it for the colour alone. Nice to see you're treating the Phreerunner to some new pegs :-)
Hmmm, better not use the NeoAir after a heavy night of beer and curry!
The old pegs are in a terrible state - it has been hard to find a couple of the old vee shaped pegs worth retaining to create spring water taps (Bob's titanium efforts have too many perforations for that essential service!)
Try Clamcleats Tornado titanium V shaped pegs (link can be found on my blog side bar)
I use them: (Cannot get my head round pegs with holes in them)
(Ooh - I talked about gear!)
I do like Bob and Rose's perforated titanium pegs - they are light, difficult to bend, but expensive (and useless for extracting spring water). I like a mixture of pegs to suit different types of ground. I've got plenty now!
I enjoyed the anarchistic angle of the large bag in the picture - adding such excitement - but the footcream package could surely have been squared up a little?
On closer inspection, is the bag in fact a pair of socks?
The bag (not the grey one) is in fact (yes your eyesight has not failed you) a pair of socks, with the foot cream (an added extra, courtesy of B & R) placed contrapuntally in segmental alignment with...do you see the light?
I'm surprised that you haven't dissected the positioning of the pegs in this image, which, given the added interest of the 'Thermarest' label, and the involvement of Jelly Babies, I am thinking of exhibiting....in the 'Gear Monster' category.
I'll get my waterproof - you surely need to try on your suit and make sure you can fix your tie. Will you get into the waistcoat?
Let us know how the new thermarest goes... My old one is over 12 years old, and although it till works, it has become a little smelly... time for an upgade... Will watch this space.
The new NeoAir short Thermarest was fine, but the jury is still out. It certainly was softer on the hips on the first night of our Across Wales trip, but given the second night's deep grassy pitch didn't make much difference in those conditions. The downside is that it is shorter than I'm used to, so I rested my legs on my rucksack, which luckily was dry. If wet, I'd have covered it with my inside out waterproof jacket, but then...what to use for a pillow?
I think I'll use it on short trips in fair weather, but I'll hang on to the lighter Multimat (closed cell foam) for more demanding or longer trips.
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