Showing posts with label camping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label camping. Show all posts

Friday, June 26, 2015

As Tucas Custom Down Quilt - First Look

I have new Gear !! First look at the As Tucas Down Quilt

The inherent design flaw with down sleeping bags is that all the insulation underneath you is compressed by your body weight to a degree where it loses all thermal efficiency. This squashed down is essentially dead weight. The idea behind a quilt is to eliminate this dead weight and instead use the insulating properties of the mat to protect you from the cold ground.


As Tucas Down Quilt bottom ....


... and top


This idea was popularised by legendary America backpacker Ray Jardine and has since become become very popular, particularly within the lightweight backpacking community in the States.

This short video from 'standing bear' explains the concept a little better than I can.





 Personally I've never really got on with mummy sleeping bags. Not so much for the reasons above but more because I'm a fidgety sleeper.  I tend to roll over a lot, throw arms and legs out all over the place and generally not stay in one position for long. As such, I'm forever twisting and turning; trying to move the zip, that was in the perfect position 10 minutes ago, out from underneath me. Or I'm straining the fabric trying to stretch out a knee or an elbow. I'm very envious of those lucky folk who can sleep on their backs without moving from dusk til dawn.

 Quilts are therefore an attractive proposition to me, and after doing a bit a reading around the subject, I bit the bullet and ordered a custom down quilt from Marco at As Tucas. It arrived a few days ago and I thought it would be worth posting a few pics, a few stats and a few thoughts.





  As Tucas offer an increasing number of ultralight outdoor products but they also offer a custom made service. I therefore emailed Marco with my quilt requirements; namely that I like a bit of wriggle room, that I'm 5' 10" and I would like it keep me warm down to about freezing point. He suggested a custom made sestrels quilt with 350g down in size medium length and regular width. The sestrels quilt in its usual form is synthetic and the details can be found here. I understand that Marco will be selling the 'Foratata' down quilt from July 15th, which is almost identical to this one.

  On initial inspection the quality of workmanship is superb. There really isn't a stitch out of place. The quilt is simplicity itself with a roomy enclosed foot box and a open back which can be closed up by fastening 2 press studs.




 This particular quilt uses 350g of pure white 900 cuin down sourced from Poland. It has an estimated comfort rating of 0 degrees C. The fabric is Schoeller 12 denier which is 28g/m2. It is windproof and breathable. It has an 'ecorepel' coating which provides resistance against water and dirt. Full details can be found here.

  Marco tells me that the internal baffles are made from cuben fibre and their height is 25mm.They are sized so that the down is slightly compressed within the chambers. This allows for better control of down movement without a loss of thermal efficiency.


The down lofts really well

  On my scales the quilt weighs 519 grams. It packs down to 30cm x 15cm x 15cm .

This 10 litre dry bag weighs 43 grams.

  As Tucas design their quilts to be a bit wider and longer than the typical equivalent from American makers. This is so the quilt can be pulled up over your neck and head when the temperature drops without necessarily having to use a hat or balaclava. Also, it is not adorned with complex fastenings to secure it to a mat. You simply use it like you would a normal quilt at home and tuck it under your sides as needed in order to keep out the droughts. It certainly seems very comfy on my lounge floor with plenty of room to cover my head.




Plenty of room

 There is also the option of putting the mat inside the quilt. This is not something I can imagine doing but a few people have asked if it is possible and the answer is 'yes'. With the thermarest and me inside its a bit of squeeze with the poppers fastened and is essentially a wide mummy bag in this configuration. There is adequate room with the poppers unfastened though, and the quilt just tucked under mat. However, I don't like this idea and I will be using it on top of the mat and tucking the quilt underneath me as it is designed to do.

With full length Thermarest inside
  

Room for a thermarest prolite plus regular if you want to tuck the quilt in underneath the mat.


 The one thing I'm not sure of is what to wear whilst in it? In a sleeping bag I usually use a liner bag to protect the down from my general sweat and grime but of course that would kind of defeat the object of using a quilt. I think perhaps a very lightweight base layer top and bottoms will do the job. Perhaps something like these from Rohan. Any other suggestions welcome :-) 

  I intend to use the quilt for 3 season use in the Cumbrian mountains, the first trip being described here - 
'first night in the as tucas down quilt'. I will post an update as to its performance in the field later in the year.



I should also make it clear that I have no affiliation with As Tucas or Marco personally and I paid for this quilt with my own hard earned dosh.



Saturday, April 18, 2015

An Eskdale Wander and Wildcamp



Date : 17th & 18th April 2015
Start/Finish : Jubilee Bridge, Brotherikeld, Eskdale.
Wainwrights : Green Crag, Harter Fell, Hard Knott
Distance : 13.3 miles
Height Gained : 3455 feet
Social Hiking Interactive Map : Click Here


The route: Anti-clockwise from the cross-hairs

I knew this was going to be a great little trip. The omens were good as I drove over the Wrynose and Hardknott passes without even seeing another car. One of life's little pleasures. 

So I set off from near Jubilee Bridge heading for Green Crag. Perusing the map, the Birker Force waterfall looked like it might worth a detour and there did seem to be a vague path of sorts which climbed up along it. I soon found the waterfalls and the path which was indeed vague and required the use of hands and feet at some points.


Penny Hill Farm ... complete with spring lamb and mum


Old Lower Birker Farm ... being renovated into a rather nice pad 


Quintessential Lake District -  A moss covered dry stone wall


Views towards Scafell


Birker Force



Views from the top of Birker Force

 From the top of the falls it's an easy ramble along boggy ground towards the crags. There are many crags around this area, with Green Crag being the highest and so I decided to visit a few of them along the way.


Low Birker Tarn


Crook Crags (left) and Green Crag (right)


Views over the Eskdale valley from Crook Crags


Green Crag from Pike Crag


Green Crag summit view back towards Eskdale and Harter Fell

From Green Crag I headed for Harter Fell but took a minor detour over Dow Crag (no not the Coniston one - that would be a detour!). The ground is really wet in places around here. I had, until now, managed to keep my trail shoes dry ... but no longer. I finally succumbed to wet feet.



Next stop ... Harter Fell


The lovely Eskdale valley from Dow Crag


A local on Harter Fell


Harter Fell summit


From Harter Fell I made a bee line for Hard Knott just pausing to collect water from Hardknott Gill along the way. The wind was quite a bit stronger than the insignificant wafts that were forecast so I looked for a sheltered spot and managed to find one with good views of both the sunset and the Scafells. Like I said, the omens were good for this trip :-)



Hard Knott from Harter Fell


Pitched up on Hard Knott with views of the Scafells

The eagle eyed among you will note the deliberate mistake that I have pitched the tarp 'inside out'. This is because I wasn't using the 2 lifter points in the middle of the tarp (I forgot to bring 2 short bamboo canes for this) and so instead used them on the inside to attach my little tent light.  


 
The rudimentary tarp pitching video



A nice view of the sunset




 It was a cold clear night. I spent a long time just watching the night sky which was pitch black and bursting with stars. I watched the space station pass over, saw many satellites and a few shooting stars. It was a mesmerising scene from the comfort of my sleeping bag. This is the great selling point for tarps but of course, being a certified wimp, had there been a hint of rain forecast or indeed any other such inclement weather then I would have brought the tent or the trailstar instead. Tonight though, it was perfect for a 'roofless' night under the stars. I forgot the bivvy bag (schoolboy error!) and so needed to wear my down jacket and insulated trousers to stay warm as the temperature got down to just below zero.

Apart from a bit of wind (the weather that is, not the effects of my delicious Fuzion chicken tikka masala) it was a quiet night. I woke to frosty surroundings and a crispy tarp. I was up and away by 6am and onto Hard Knott summit to watch the sun rising over Cold Pike. All along the ridge towards Lingcove Beck are stunning views of upper Eskdale and the Scafells. It was a joy to watch the sun first touch Scafell summit and then move its way slowly down to illuminate the whole huge massif in an orange glow. My futile efforts with the camera really didn't do justice to this majestic scene.


Sunrise over Cold Pike from Hard Knott summit


Hard Knott summit view back to Harter Fell ...


... and over to the Scafells






Scafell and Scafell Pike
  At the end of the Hard Knott ridge I followed the path down along the gorges and waterfalls of Lingcove Beck. 


 

 It always amazes me how the old Lingcove packhorse bridge stays up. I have no idea when it was built and a quick google search was unrewarding but it looks like it has seen a good few decades and will likely see many more.



Lingcove Bridge


... defying gravity

 From here its a lovely quiet walk following the course of the River Esk back to Jubilee bridge. Only here did I see another person since leaving the car the day before.









Back to the road and the start of the Hardknott Pass

Kit List

Shelter : Backpackinglight solo tarp (278g) & Integral Designs solo ground sheet (140g) 
Mat : Exped SynMat7 UL LW (595g) 
Sleeping Bag : Rab Alpine 400 (970g) and Rab silk liner (132g)    

Stove : High Gear Blaze titanium stove (48g)  + Primus 100g Gas Cart   
Pans : Evernew Solo-set (250g)
 

Rucksack : Osprey Talon 44 (1.18kg) 
Fluid : Deuter Streamer 2lt Bladder (185g) and 600ml Sigg bottle (100g empty) + Sawyer Squeeze filter (84g), 100 mls milk, coffee  
Food : Fuizion Chicken Tikka Masala & Rice, Buttered Bread, Supernoodles,various sugary snacks.
Bits & Bobs : headtorch and spare batteries, Iphone + Anker 5800mHh battery,  victorinox knife, map & compass, basic first aid kit and Petzl e-lite, spork, various fold dry bags, flint & steel, plastic trowel.  

Camera : Panasonic DMC-LX7 & lowepro case.  

Clothes : Ron Hill wicking T-Shirt, Rab 100 wt fleece (250g), Montane lightspeed jacket (160g), TNF Meridian Cargo Shorts (190g), ME beany, Rab phantom grip gloves, sunglasses, Buff, Innov8 short socks. PHD wafer down jacket (about 200g). Montane Prism insulated pants (295g).
Trail Shoes : Merrell Moab Ventilator (680g pair)


Total weight excluding water = 8.5kg

___________________________________________________________

If you've made it this far then how about some summit panorama video's from Harter Fell and Hard Knott.


 

 

Ok thats it. Shows over. Move on now.

Saturday, May 3, 2014

A Grasmoor round & wild camp : From Crummock Water

Date : 2nd & 3rd May 2014
Route: From Rannerdale to Grasmoor in an anticlockwise loop over Wandope & back over Whiteside
Wainwrights : Rannerdale Knotts, Whiteless Pike, Wandope, Crag Hill (Eel Crag), Grasmoor, Hopegill Head, Whiteside.
Distance : 11.2 miles (18km)
Height gained : 4586 feet (1398 meters)
Time taken : Day 1 = 5 1/2 hours : Day 2 = 4 hours. 

Social Hiking Link : click here




The route - anticlockwise from Rannerdale

 The weather forecast was about as good as it gets in the Lake District; cold but clear skies, patchy high cloud, no wind and excellent visibility. I therefore decided to head high. Last years Coledale Horseshoe route onto Grasmoor summit had provided some of the best mountian views I have ever been fortunate enough to witness & since then I had intended a wild camp up there. There were a few fells on my 'to do' list on the western side of Grasmoor so a route was devised to link them all up and off I went.

Rannerdale & Rannerdale Knotts

 The first objective was Rannerdale Knotts. A path leads straight up from Crummock water but hold on .... it was a spring day .... in Rannerdale .... that rings a bell. Bluebells in fact, the famous Rannerdale bluebells would be out! I thought there were more cars parked on the road than expected. A minor diversion was therefore in order to have a look see. It was a worthwhile detour.


Mellbreak

Grasmoor

Whiteless Pike

The High Rannerdale Valley

Rannerdale Knotts

 Back on track I headed up the steep path to Rannerdale Knotts. Thankfully there were lots of photo opportunities along the way to masquerade as rest stops.



Grasmoor

Fleetwith Pike & Haystacks over Buttermere

The Red Pike / High Stile ridge

Mellbreak over Crummock Water


Looking down Crummock Water towards Low Fell

 Now I'm not usually a grumpy fella. I don't really like conflict and tend to let most things slip by without a word but this time I broke from my typical placid demeanor. From about 300 yards away I could hear them well before I saw them. A couple, middle aged and with accents south of the Watford Gap were sat by the summit cairn. She was 'shouting' into her phone while he was eating his lunch and loudly chirping into the conversation at frequent intervals. The cacophony was a sharp contrast to the otherwise peaceful surroundings. It was like something from a Dom Joly sketch. As I very slowly meandered towards the summit it was clear that they had no intention of moving on. I therefore wandered over and stood on the summit cairn taking my photos while receiving annoyed looks as I trod carefully around their sandwiches. As I moved off I asked him if he had ever heard of a 'summit hog'. After repeating myself in order to be heard above his wife, he said "Na Mate, a Sammit Hawg?" "Yes I said, look it up when you get home", and with that, I set off on my way. I hope he did look it up. He would have found something like this which I think sums it up well - Summit Hog. It's common courtesy to move off the summit if someone else arrives. After all, everyone wants to to get the highest point & take their photos without others being in them. Sitting on the top while having lunch and shouting is just rubbing salt in the wounds in my book. Anyway, rant over. If you want to read more of me moaning about this then I have vented my spleen here.


Summit Hogs on Rannerdale Knotts

The superb panorama from Rannerdale Knotts

I was virtually stood on his lunch to get this picture towards Buttermere

  My mood quickly improved a further 300 yards on as I finally moved out of Mrs Summit Hog's earshot who was still barking into her phone. The ridge continued on towards the head of the Higher Rannerdale valley before climbing back up the other side towards Whiteless Pike.


Whiteless Pike

Robinson

The Sale Beck valley - Causey Pike in the sunshine

 At this point the numerous other walkers around Rannerdale fizzled away and the fells became quiet and secluded. By the time I reached Crag Hill it was 5pm and the few other walkers I had seen were now heading down. I had taken a leisurely 4 hours to get here and I now just had a simple stroll over to the Grasmoor summit plateau to find a suitable place to make camp. 

Looking back over Rannerdale Knotts from Whiteless Pike

Grasmoor from Whiteless Pike

Crag Hill & Sail from near Wandope

Grasmoor from Wandope

Crag Hill summit view towards Skiddaw & Blencathra

 So far it has been exceptionally dry under foot and since leaving Crummock Water I hadn't had any sight or sound of water. I was beginning worry a little as I didn't really have enough to get me through the night, at least not if I wanted a hot meal, coffee and then noodles for breakfast. Luckily I came across some standing water in a few peat hags at the shallow col between Crag Hill and Grasmoor. I filtered 2 litres with the trusty sawyer squeeze filter and made my way up onto the expanse of the Grasmoor summit plateau.  

 Just past the summit shelter the land dropped down to a little grassy area which was sheltered from any easterly or westerly winds whilst having great views down to Crummock Water. A perfect spot. And so at 6pm and with no other hikers in sight I made camp and settled down to watch the sunset over the Irish Sea.





A room with a View

Camp - just below Grasmoor summit

Enjoying the sunset

Loweswater glowing in the evening light



 The last time I was on Grasmoor it was first light on a February morning after a camp on Sail summit. The scene as the morning sun lit the Buttermere Fells & beyond was stunning and so I was hoping for more of the same. Unfortunately it wasn't to be. I woke to a somewhat hazy & overcast scene with no chance of seeing a sunrise. Ahh well, you can't have it all. I'd been very lucky so far. Despite the disappointingly 'washed out' light, all the high fells were still in view and I headed off towards Coledale Hause well rested and with a spring in the step.


Whiteside from Grasmoor

Coledale Hause : Hopegill Head (left) & Grisedale Pike (right)

The Coledale valley

 From Coledale Hause its a steady trudge up to Sand Hill and then Hopegill Head which has the lofty position of occupying the head of 4 converging ridges. It's a great vantage point.

Looking back to Crag Hill from Sand Hill

Grisedale Pike from Hopegill Head

The path to Whiteside from Hopegill Head

The Gasgale valley from Hopegill Head
  
 From Hopegill Head an exhilarating ridge is followed towards Whiteside. A steep drop falls way abruptly on the left down to Gasgale Beck, over which the huge bulk of Grasmoor dominates the valley on the other side. To the right (west) are uninterrupted views to the coast and over the Solway Firth to Scotland. 


Looking back along the ridge to Hopegill Head

Grasmoor

Grasmoor from Whiteside panorama

 From Whiteside summit onwards the terrain becomes decidedly steeper. Crummock Water looks spectacular far below & entices the eyes away from feet which is most unwise on this section. A few stumbles later I learned to pause when gazing down to the waterside 2300 feet below. 


The steep descent from Whiteside

 At this point I met the first of a string of hikers making the upwards journey. Most were curious as to why I was coming down (it was still only 9am) but a few spied the large pack and enquired as to where I'd camped. 

Looking over Whin Benn to Crummock Water

Mellbreak

 Eventually the road is reached and I enjoyed a nice stroll along Crummock Water for the last mile to the car back at Rannerdale. Overall this was a great route which would also be achievable in a day and I can highly recommend it. The benign weather and the views from from Grasmoor made for the best wild camp I've had yet. So thats 4 new Wainwrights and 3 old favourites which brings the count up to 132. I'm in no hurry to complete them though. This is something to be savoured, not rushed.

 I also did a video of the hike which somehow managed to end up 25 mins long. I have posted it here in case anyone wants a look but please make sure you are sat comfortably and with a strong coffee to keep you awake.


Kit List  
 

Tent : Tarptent Scarp 1 (1.36kg)  
Pegs : 6 x 6 inch Easton, 4 x 6 inch titanium V pegs, 2 x aluminium scewers, 1 x MSR blizzard stake (doubles as a trowel) 
Mat : Exped Synmat UL 7LW (595g)   
Sleeping Bag : Rab Alpine 400 (970g)  
Pillow : Backpackinglight - Backpacking Pillow (62g) stuffed with Montane Prism 2 jacket.  
Stove : High Gear Blaze titanium stove (48g)  + Primus 100g Gas Cart 
Pans : Evernew Solo-set (pot & mug 250g)  

Rucksack : Osprey Talon 44 (1.09kg) 

Fluid : 1 litre Sigg Bottles (147g empty), OMM Garny pouch & Ultra bottle + an Aquatina collapsible bottle + Sawyer Squeeze filter (84g)  

Food : Fuizion Tai Green Chicken Curry, Buttered Bread, Supernoodles,various sugary snacks, coffee, cup-a-soup.  

Bits & Bobs : headtorch and spare batteries, Iphone + Anker 5800mHh battery, tent light,  victorinox knife, map & compass, basic first aid kit and Petzl e-lite, long handles titanium spoon, various fold dry bags, flint & steel.  

Camera : Panasonic LX7 & lowepro case. 

Clothes : Base layer = Rohan Ultra Silver long sleeve T (95g) & leggings (80g) (used in sleeping bag instead of a liner), Ron Hill wicking T-Shirt, ME Astron Hooded jacket (400g), The North Face Meridian Shorts, Montane aero cap, ME beany, TNF 'E Tip' gloves, sunglasses, Buff, Bridgedale socks.  Thermal = Montane prism 2 jacket (423g) - doubles as a pillow when packed into its own pocket. Shell = ME Firefox jacket (320g) & trousers (295g). Spare gloves (Buffalo Mitts & Extremities tuff bags) & socks (sealskinz) 

Trail Shoes : Meindl Respond GTX (820g pair)
Poles : Black Diamond Trail Compact (488g pair)  

Loaded rucksack weight = approx 11kgs (excluding water)