Trangia 25

Testing my new Trangia 25 aluminium storm cooker. Overall I love it and love the idea of camping without gas. 

Solo stove with pot

Check out the pics of my new solo stove and pot. 

I used twigs I picked up off the ground - free fuel. It produced a lot of heat with almost no smoke. A great piece of equipment that will serve me well in mild conditions. 

Sleeping on the ground in the bush

I sometimes get asked about sleeping in the bush, the best way to sleep to avoid cramping and sleeping equipment. For ultra-lightweight trekkers, the luxury of a sleeping mat may not exist so we have to pay attention to a sleeping area before it's time to go to bed. If you leave until the last minute to set up your sleeping area, you are less likely set yourself up for a good night sleep due to fatigue - try and do it while it's still light. Here are some points on the sleeping area:

1. Look for an area that is flat or has a slight slope (head upwards) and clear the area of rocks and sticks.
2. Check above for dead tree branches that may fall.
3. In extreme cold, a tree with thick foliage will provide some protection from exposure to the cold air that sinks rapidly in the early hours of the morning.
4. Ensure the area is not in a watercourse.
5. Consider laying an insulating blanket of grass for cold climates where you are not using a sleeping mat.
6. If you sleep on your side naturally (like me), consider digging a shallow hole for your hip and placing the soil around the head area to raise it. 

I know from experience, the best way to sleep and avoid cramping is on your back. The benifits of sleeping on your back are the legs and back  are kept straight reducing the risk of muscles contracting and cramping and also there is a protective layer of air between the torso (vital organs) and the cold ground. This is because the buttocks and shoulder blades support the torso keeping it of the ground. However, if you are like me and find it hard to get to sleep on your back, using natural insulation and the points above at #6 will be the next best thing. 

This is probably the best piece of advice I pass on to trekkers. If you wake up feeling sore and cramped up, the best thing to do (as I have learnt in the military) is to rapidly pack up your gear as fast as possible (even before you relieve your bladder - it makes you work quicker!) and hit the trail again. Aim for under 10 minutes from wake-up. Trek for about 45 minutes to an hour before stopping for breakfast and a hot coffee and you will thank yourself - guaranteed!. If you sit around for an hour in the morning feeling sore and sorry, you will regret it because the cramps will take longer to 'walk off' and it makes the day longer overall.

I hope the above points help for your next trek,  please leave a comment if you wish and suggest any topics you would like me to cover, thanks.

rb

A waterproof pocket sized world map

Pocket Earth installed on your iPhone in a LifeProof case gives a waterproof map of the world in your pocket down to street level. It gives me peace of mind knowing that wherever I go, I have the entire world downloaded on my iPhone to be used in any weather conditions and without mobile phone reception.

The three ingredients:

1.       iPhone

2.       Pocket Earth App

3.       LifeProof case

You will need a good strong Wi-Fi connection to download the entire planet and plenty of capacity on your iPhone (11GB +). Once installed, simply tap the ‘search’ function and navigate through the continents, tapping the star (should become yellow) to start downloading countries (stars turn green when downloading is complete). The map is not as detailed overall as Google Maps however Google Maps can’t be downloaded permanently. Pocket Earth uses Open Source Maps which will always be free.

  

Of course, doing this is pointless if you drown your phone on your first creek crossing. Wrap your life-saving device in a LifeProof case  to ensure it’s working when you need it most.

Enjoy, shoot any questions below!

rb