Ongoing Project List

Project List

Sleep/sit pad
A closed cell sleeping pad cut to save weight that has a removable section to use as a sit pad. Possibly two velcro strips to hold it in place @ night.
It also needs a good way (and shape) to attach to a second sleeping pad next to it.
New insulated cooker for 2
1. Fit to hold MSR Titan Kettle.
2. Keep the same insulation thickness (doubled walls on sides and top).
3. Shorten the walls of the cap (put part of double walls on bottom half of base). This will make the cap easier to use as an eating bowl/plate.
4. Make a section of the doubled top (or bottom if it is doubled) removable to be used as a kitchen prep surface, stove stand, etc. Cut a circle out of the outer layer a bit smaller than the existing circular base. This piece can be put back in to insulate when cooking.
5. Use the blue foam (from REI) instead of the current foam (weighs 40% less).
Windscreen for Primus stove
I have tried mimicking the MSR heat exchanger by using an aluminum windscreen from an MSR stove, corrugating the metal, and placing it around the MSR Titan Kettle so that it hangs down around the stove. It works great, but it is nearly impossible to pack it without ruining it.
The challenge is that the stove is the type that sits on top of the LP fuel cartridge. Traditional windscreens that sit on the ground do not reach high enough - especially when using a full size cartridge. I am hoping to make a light (packable) model that can attach to the stove or the pot.
Winter (water) base for LP stoves
The best technique for using Liquid Propane (LP) stoves in below freezing temperatures is placing the cartridge in a dish of water. Until the water freezes solid, it won't drop below 32� F. The LP works great at or above about 20°. Note that the gas escaping from the cartridge cools the remaining fuel even faster (much like an aerosol can gets cold as you spray away its contents).
The best (untested) ideas I have come up w/ are:
1. To fit the insulated cooker to the fuel cartridge instead of the MSR Titan Kettle. Although you could add a small amount of water at the base of the fuel cartridge, it would mostly rely on the insulative properties of the foam walls surrounding it. (The fuel would need to be warmed before using - In your sleeping bag @ night - coat during day before using at camp)
2. To use the cap from the existing insulated cooker as a water dish by lining it with a one-gallan plastic bag.
Climbing magazine printed a book called "Quick Clips" that recommended using flattened copper wire that ran from the flame of your cartridge stove down to the fuel cartridge itself and then covering the fuel and wire with insulation. While I haven't tried this yet, it sounds like a good idea. Anyone attempting this should be aware of how quickly you will receive a Darwin Award if it blows up in your face.
Lighter
I have been looking for a lighter with a number of important qualities:
1. Fairly lightweight.
2. Does not easily drain itself of butane if jostled or packed in a bag.
3. Windproof (coil-jet is most windproof)
4. I have recently decided against using a torch flame; These are found on cigar lighters or "micro torches". They create a �" tounge of blue flame that burns at 2500�, but are not nearly as wind-resistant as coil-jet lighters.
5. Useable in the rain.
6. Refillable.
7. Holds enough fuel to start a fire every night for a week.
8. Does not have a flip-top opening that makes it difficult to place the flame near kindling.
9. Does not have a design that makes it difficult to keep the lighter lit while holding near kindling - or, preferably, a design that allows the flame to be turned on w/o holding.
10. Start fires faster than Andy-One-Match (not an easy requirement!). :)
I'm still searching for a lighter to match these requirements (or a more wind-resistant torch lighter). Colibri makes a lighter (Colibri Extreme) that seems to match all of these requirements (plus it has an altitude adjustment) but costs $80. ouch.
Bear bag setup
The biggest problem we ran into was the amount of stretch on the parachute cord we were using. To overcome this I have two ideas: cord with less stretch and pulleys/clips.
1. I haven't had a chance to measure the stretch on any of the utility cord that REI sells yet, but I'm hoping to find some low-stretch cord in 3mm or the Kelty Triptease Guyline.
2. By using a small pulley or a smooth oval/pear clip we should be able to set the line up w/o the weight of the food on it and then raise it up on the pulley/clip. This might also allow us to use thinner line by reducing the amount of weighted abrasion on the sheath.
  UPDATE: The thin Kelty Triptease Guyline (spectra) combined with a very small pulley I found at a hardware store and the lightest keychain clip I could find has worked quite successfully. I could probably even do it without the pulley. The 50' of thin, stiff, cord can be a bit unwieldy, but I have been using a daisy chain to store it with success. It adds a little time to the takedown and on cold mornings I sometimes stuff it in the bag as best I can and do the daisy chain during lunch. Just don't forget to do it while its still warm out so you aren't trying to untangle a mess when you get to camp late.
BTW, if anyone would like to share a good way to bear bag your food in a pine stand (wild stuff - not the nice ones planted by loggers), please let me know!! We have had many experiences trying to effectively string a line between two pines, but the amazing flex of the smaller trees combined with the physics of hanging a weighted object at the middle of a line ends up putting our bag at about 8' at best (it becomes a marmot bag instead of a bear bag).
Light way to carry small amount of deoderant
It is a bit anti-climatic when you brave the freezing mountain stream to get fully cleaned and refreshed only to stink worse than before 2 hours later. I realize how trivial this is, but it makes me happy. :)
UPDATE: I used a lip balm container to carry a small amount of unscented deoderant (enough for 2+uses) and it worked fairly well. I'm considering using the mineral deoderants you can find at organic food stores.
Mukluks (insulated overboots/camp boots)
Down or synthetic fill liner mitts for OR mitts
Tubing for starting/maintaining fires
Referred to as a Left Handed Smokeshifter in boyscouts, this allows you to maintain an appropriate amount of oxygen on a small or starting fire. The recommendation I saw was a piece of copper tubing attached to rubber tubing. I might give vinyl tubing a try and hold it further away or add a ceramic end to it (anyone have any ideas where I could find ceramic tubing?).
UPDATE: I have been using a small piece of a plastic straw (w/ flexible bend) with good results. The best part is that it is very light.
Bubble Wrap/Mylar to insulate water bottles
This might be the lightest method of insulating a water bottle (Now if I can only resist the urge to pop the bubble wrap:)).
Protect Gaitor straps w/ tubular webbing
Hacksaw blade saw
The simplest way to do this might be to wrap one end w/duct tape or a foam/duct tape combo and cut the blade down to desired length.
Lightweight fishing rig
Maybe something as simple as this hand reel or a light fly rod set.
Firestarters
I'd like to try those trick birthday candles that never blow out. That seems like a good idea for a firestarter.
Stream Crossing
� I am searching for a light-weight pair of sandals (not thong/flip-flop style) for crossing streams. Currently the models I have found weigh nearly as much as running shoes. I am considering attaching felt soles to the bottom of cheap water moccasins.
� I require a slightly padded or stiff sole to make it possible to walk accross sharp rocks in streams, and I don't want my foot slipping out of the sandal/moc (especially the heel).
Sled
� I'll need to build a sled for our Feb/March trip to the Boundary Waters. This sled from REI seems like a good base. I'll need to add thin pvc pipe, rope, and a hipbelt to finish the job.

River crossing on fixed lines
� A simple traverse harness can be made using 15' of 1" tubular webbing. This is similar to the homeade harness shown in "Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills" (The climber's bible). Near the center tie two overhand leg loops about 6" apart. Place your legs in the loops with the 6" connector at your front. Pull the two loose ends around your back (right leg end goes around the right side of your back, left goes to the left) and tie at the front using a tape knot. If you are not familiar with this knot, do not use this harness until you are.
� The harness listed in the climber's bible is designed for climbing, THIS ONE IS NOT FOR CLIMBING. Be aware, however, that this is less comfortable than any store-bought harness. If you can, place some type of padding around the back of the belt (extra clothing), and scoot the leg loops a few inches lower on your leg once you are hanging.
� You will need a pulley, a 1.5' loop of �" webbing, and a carabiner to connect to the line. Use a lark's head to attach the webbing to the harness (both center straps - leg/waist) and a carabiner to attach the webbing to the pulley. Lastly, use your bear bag line and anything other line you might have to connect to the pulley so that the next person can pull the contraption back for anyone else to cross.
� There are a few things that you might find it necessary to add to the setup (that will add more weight):

A chest harness to let you relax your arms occasionally. Use a 8-9' piece of webbing (�" or 1"), tie it in a loop, cross it into a figure eight and put your arms through it so that the crossed straps are at your back. When clipping into the line, run the �" webbing from your harness to your pulley through the chest harness, or use another small piece of webbing to attach directly to the carabiner on the pulley (ideal).
A second pulley and utility cord to allow you to pull your pack behind you. This is important when dealing with heavy packs. That is a lot of weight to support on your arms/hands especially crossing a cold/wet cable. Give it enough slack so that your feet can hook on the cable without the pack getting in the way. You may need to wrap your feet around the pack when starting a line with a lot of slack since you will coast down and the pack will slam into you if you are not ready.
An ascender would be nice for 'climbing' back up a cable with lots of slack, but I don't know if a prussik/bachman knot would be very effective on cable or if manufactured ascenders exist for cable.
Full harness would be more comfortable, and double as a climbing harness.

Weights:
Harness: 6oz
1.5' runner loop: 1.1oz
BD Neutrino carabiner: 1oz
REI mini pulley: 1.8oz
Total: 9.9oz Chest harness: 4.2oz
Second Pulley: 1.8oz
Second Carabiner: 1oz
Utility cord: 1.2 oz
Full Harness: 13oz+
Total: 24.1oz+

Convertable Pant Options
I would like to make new bottoms for my zip off convertable pants. I would like a rain pant bottom option (w/ gaitors on bottom) and a zip on bug pant option.
Alcohol Stove
Alcohol stoves are light and durable. Trangia makes some nice stoves or try these links:
http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/3481/
http://www.fulton-net.com/~sgraber/stove.htm
www.backpacking.net/stove3/stove.html
www.backpacking.net/makegear.html
� I made the stove from the first URL, and it works great once it gets going, but it seems difficult to light. The third URL suggests putting your stove in another dish (tuna can) with alcohol to prime it. I modified the soda can one using the screw from the third URL.
UPDATE: I stopped using perlite and shortened the stove so that the top and bottom were touching. This smaller height increases heat transfer to the alcohol. I increased the height of the side rim and placed one small fueling hole high along the inside of the depression. The dish below the hole is filled with fuel for priming. Much easier to light than the original model. I've had to use fewer, smaller holes in this model since it burns a 10" blue flame for about 7-10 minutes. I'm looking for a slightly smaller flame and about 15 minutes burn time.
� I happened along a chinese decorative alcohol stove (http://www.solight.com.tw/ep2.htm) that vaporized the alcohol by running it through copper tubing that passed above the flame then back through the fuel much like many white gas stoves. The boil time on their stoves was excellent for an alcohol stove (10min/liter). I bought some small soft copper tubing, but I'm having trouble getting it bent into shape without creasing the tubing.

Backpacking Quilts
� Ray Jardine includes instructions for making ultralight backpacking quilts in his books, or you can check out this site: www.backpacking.net/makegear.html where some guy takes credit for Ray's work. These quilts only insulate on top, but that is because you have a sleeping pad below you to keep you warm. If you make a quilt for two, the weight savings is incredible.
� Also on that page is another individual who makes his own sleeping bags. He uses 1.1oz ripstop nylon and no-see-um mesh to construct baffles. Very light. If you want a down quilt, this is the way to go.
� I would like to add no-see-um netting to the top of the quilt (as per Ray's suggestion) to throw over my head at night and keep the bugs off.
� Where to get supplies?

Quest Outfitters 800-359-6931 (Kaye) FAX: 941-377-5105 619 Cattlemen Rd. Sarasota, FL 34232	Kaye has silicone impregnated ripstop nylon, normal ripstop nylon and she is considering picking up Polarguard 3D
Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics 208-466-1602 800-693-7467 FAX: 800-333-6930 16415 Midland Blvd. Nampa, ID 83687	They have 1.1oz silicone impregnated nylon and they can send out a sample pack of 100 different kinds of fabric for $2.75

UPDATE: The Ray-Way quilt rocks! We took it to CA. Check it out here.

Tarp tents
Besides the Golite tarp/screen combo, I've also been interested in a tarp tent at this site: www.backpacking.net/makegear.html. It seems that 1.1oz silicone impregnated ripstop nylon is the only good and light way to make the tarp.
� I'll be using this site (www.home.earthlink.net/~lscholte/location.htm) to get some more info.
UPDATE: The tarp rocks too! We took it to CA. Check it out here.
Winter kitchen cleanup
� A small plastic/vinyl/latex/coated nylon glove or mitt would be great for cold weather kitchen clean-up. No-one wants to have frozen, wet hands nor gloves that smell like food (and attract bears at night). Wear liner gloves underneath.
Vest
� Make a vest out of very light ripstop nylon and polarguard 3D. Very basic - maybe no pockets? For ventilation, however, I do need a full zip front and 6" zippers or velcro below the armpits and tabs to keep it open.
� It would be nice to be able to have velcro inside the shoulder (loop side of velcro) to attach the same arms that I would like to make for the Rock Wren Sleeping Bag.
Sleeping Bag Arms
� Make Polarguard 3D Arms for the Rock Wren Sleeping bag. The softer loop side of the velcro would go inside the sleeping bag, and the hook side would go outside the arm sections at the shoulder. Include a thin adjustable cuff w/velcro.
Cold weather sleeping mask
After a bivy in -10 F° weather, I realized that the wind blowing accross the breathing hole in my sleeping bag was allowing the very cold winds to freeze my face/nose (even with a noseguard on my balaclava). I'm building a face mask with two tubes that would exit the bag. Each tube is 1" diameter light plastic (bilge pump tube) and has a one way valve attached to it. I got the 1" one-way air valves from cheap filter masks.
The reason I need two tubes instead of one (like a snorkel) is to get more oxygen in my system during high-altitude bivies. The exhaled breath trapped in the tube would contain less oxygen as I breathed it back in. These tubes can then be placed through a nearly completely cinched VBL and sleeping bag, minimizing heat loss. Total estimated weight 3 to 5 oz.
Mylar projects
On winter trips where you can have a fire, I usually take off my boots and socks and dry out my feet and socks. The bottom of my feet are nearly burnt and the tops are nearly frozen. A small sheet of mylar could solve this by reflecting heat back to the socks. While I've strung up a large sheet of mylar to reflect heat or held it around me like wings, the smaller piece would be more convenient. Secondly, I might be able to use a more durable form of reflective fabric for the smaller piece. Ideally, I would like to fashion a light frame or use my existing gear to give it a flat or surface to reflect heat without having to continuously stretch it out with my hands. Possibly thin electrical wire?

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws