another 2-nighter: 2 types of shelter used.

[HDBeav]

Great thread, great pictures! Thanks for sharing your trip, and what works and what doesnt.

I have enjoyed your reviews similar to this one. After four years of wanting one I finally bought a Kifaru Zulu after studying your review in another post.

Nice to see somebody getting out and testing gear, looks like a great time!

 

[Rockywolf]

Thanks for sharing! What knot did you use with the tarp? I'm just learning knots...

 

[JV3]

Great thread.
I love my kukri machete.

thanks! did you stick with the stock sheath? i'm thinking about kydex but man it's going to be pricey.

A superb review
And great photos

Very interesting that the shelter was not warmer

thanks! i need to make it much smaller and cover up the rocks with plastic too (they acted like giant heat sinks) if i ever do it again.

Awesome pictures man! As I was looking at them I thought the scenery looked very familiar. I live in Harriman, NY and my backyard is Harriman State Park. Haha pretty weird. Where in Jersey are you from?

thanks! jersey city but i'm there all the time. i call harriman, ringwood & jungle habitat (in west milford) the bermuda triangle. if i'm mia, chances are high i'm in one of those 3 areas either hiking or mountain biking coming from there i get to stop-by campmor or ramsey outdoors too. i think campmor employees now know me as that guy who always smells like smoke, haha!

Awesome pictures, saimin and spam, can't beat it. Are you filipino? There are filipinos in NJ? and they like snow? i call BS, no such thing!!!!

thanks! i think i'm pinoy...let's see, machete in hand looking all pissed off even though i wasn't...check.

my go-to camping food is spam, white rice, and eggs...check. i think i'm filipino

Great thread, great pictures! Thanks for sharing your trip, and what works and what doesnt.

I have enjoyed your reviews similar to this one. After four years of wanting one I finally bought a Kifaru Zulu after studying your review in another post.

Nice to see somebody getting out and testing gear, looks like a great time!

thanks! glad my kifaru review helped you. people balk at their prices but once they see one in person they change their minds.

Thanks for sharing! What knot did you use with the tarp? I'm just learning knots...

you're welcome! this is a great site for knots: http://www.animatedknots.com/knotlist.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com. i used a constrictor knot around those wood pieces (i used wood toggles instead of using the grommets directly to distribute pressure), slip knot for quick release after wrapping the paracord around the end of the tarp, and adjustable grip hitch to tighten the lines. people like to use taut line hitch which is similar but i like the adjustable grip hitch better.

adjustable grip hitch:

 

[David Sharp]

Awesome thread!!! A lot of stuff packed into a small trip. I will admit I am happier looking at the pictures; I hate snow!

 

[Battle Creek Knives]

DUDE !!! I hate you with envy.. Excellent post and pics!!!!

Awesome time for sure!! What are you sitting on when you took the pics with your wool encased feet chilling by the fire??

the CS Kuk has had a major bad rap a couple years ago, haven't heard much about it since but I will say I've had one for a little over 3 yrs, picked it up for $13 then and while the factory edge wasn't super steel I convexed it and its a beast, I've hit rocks, dirt you name it and its fared better then most high end equivalents. After all the hate back then I just chalked it up as a fluke proto type I must have in my possession, although I haven't used it in well over a year I did use it extensively and it has by far been the best $13 I ever spent...

fwiw, In my limited experience some factory edges tend to have better retention after they've been sharpened once or twice as some decarb may be left on the bevel..

I so wished you would have got all hockey masked with the 'bandaid companion" and snapped that sucka

 

[JV3]

Awesome thread!!! A lot of stuff packed into a small trip. I will admit I am happier looking at the pictures; I hate snow!

thanks! around 11 pm while i'm shivering in my sleeping bag i start hating the snow/cold weather but next morning i love it again

DUDE !!! I hate you with envy.. Excellent post and pics!!!!

Awesome time for sure!! What are you sitting on when you took the pics with your wool encased feet chilling by the fire??

the CS Kuk has had a major bad rap a couple years ago, haven't heard much about it since but I will say I've had one for a little over 3 yrs, picked it up for $13 then and while the factory edge wasn't super steel I convexed it and its a beast, I've hit rocks, dirt you name it and its fared better then most high end equivalents. After all the hate back then I just chalked it up as a fluke proto type I must have in my possession, although I haven't used it in well over a year I did use it extensively and it has by far been the best $13 I ever spent...

fwiw, In my limited experience some factory edges tend to have better retention after they've been sharpened once or twice as some decarb may be left on the bevel..

I so wished you would have got all hockey masked with the 'bandaid companion" and snapped that sucka

thanks! it's an rei folding camp chair - really lightweight and sturdy!

it's fine for an overnighter but by the 2nd or 3rd day my back is already asking for something to lean against. i tried my foam pad against my pack many times but it only works for a few minutes until i have to shift around again or my back gets stiff. i guess i'm getting old! i'd like to try this kifaru field chair later since i can still sit close by the fire too any place i want.

i'm very happy with my kukri - the proof is the edge is well serrated from constant use in the backyard my junglas is gone now actually (sold it a few days ago) because i like the kukri so much...can't believe i didn't take it out hiking until recently! as far as the hockey mask deal, i learned my lesson with the izula - little knives bite when i least expect it so i didn't want to get the "bandaid companion" any reason to. besides, it's one of your early knives - i'll wait until you become famous and ebay it for $500

 

[mamun1024]

Great post! :thumbup:

 

[tknife]

Awesome pics! :thumbup: Your shelters looked very comfy for sure. That little knife is sweet, what are the specs on it?

 

[brewcitymike]

Amazing pics brother! Wish I could get out for a weekend like that, that's the perfect weather.:thumbup: Thanks for so many pics. It makes the thread much more enjoyable and tell a way better story when there is so much visual aide. Hope to see more soon. I really wish I had somewhere in WI that I could camp and make fires and stuff. Here I don't know of any place where you can even camp, not on a posted site. Even our hiking trails only allow sleeping in designated shelters. It sucks :grumpy::thumbdn:

 

[Bigfattyt]

Fun stuff. I have an overnighter coming up with some scouts in Blewett pass. We are sleeping sans tents (will have them just in case).

Then snow shoeing for fun. It will be a "car" camp with all our gear within walking distance to the camp.

Hopefully all the kids bring enough warm stuff (I usually pack an extra coat, pack boots and pad and sleeping bag when we cold weather car camp). If we are hiking in the snow, they can carry their own stuff!!!!!

Last winter camp I did, was on Mount Spokane, during one of the Snowpocalypse years. We got 91 inches of snow in town. I have no idea how much was up on the mountain. All I know was that the hike in hauling all that gear and wood was nasty. It was a short hike, but we had to make about 10 or so trips, because we could not burn any of the wood there, had to haul it in! We did not get the tents up till almost 11pm!

 

[crossada]

I label this thread "epic"

Thanks for taking the time which must of been considerable to put it together, it was great.

 

[JV3]

Great post! :thumbup:

thanks!

Awesome pics! :thumbup: Your shelters looked very comfy for sure. That little knife is sweet, what are the specs on it?

thanks! the poncho shelter wasn't comfy since i made it too low (i like to toss and turn a lot and i was constantly rubbing against it/condensation issues) but it was significantly warmer though! knife specs in rob's giveaway thread: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/909035-Knife-FireStarter-Bill-Shredder-GIVEAWAY-!!

Amazing pics brother! Wish I could get out for a weekend like that, that's the perfect weather.:thumbup: Thanks for so many pics. It makes the thread much more enjoyable and tell a way better story when there is so much visual aide. Hope to see more soon. I really wish I had somewhere in WI that I could camp and make fires and stuff. Here I don't know of any place where you can even camp, not on a posted site. Even our hiking trails only allow sleeping in designated shelters. It sucks :grumpy::thumbdn:

thanks, man! glad i got out while it was snowing since it's gone now due to the rain last week. i'd be kicking myself if i waited until this weekend to get out. i just ordered an emberlit so i'll be testing that one against my hobo stove on the next outing.

Fun stuff. I have an overnighter coming up with some scouts in Blewett pass. We are sleeping sans tents (will have them just in case).

Then snow shoeing for fun. It will be a "car" camp with all our gear within walking distance to the camp.

Hopefully all the kids bring enough warm stuff (I usually pack an extra coat, pack boots and pad and sleeping bag when we cold weather car camp). If we are hiking in the snow, they can carry their own stuff!!!!!

Last winter camp I did, was on Mount Spokane, during one of the Snowpocalypse years. We got 91 inches of snow in town. I have no idea how much was up on the mountain. All I know was that the hike in hauling all that gear and wood was nasty. It was a short hike, but we had to make about 10 or so trips, because we could not burn any of the wood there, had to haul it in! We did not get the tents up till almost 11pm!

snowpocalypse, haha. whoa, 91". i remember back in '95 winter where we were getting a blizzard dumping 2-3' of snow every freaking week...including 3' in late march!

I label this thread "epic"

Thanks for taking the time which must of been considerable to put it together, it was great.

thanks! i enjoy taking these pics and doing the write-ups. i save them and someday when i'm too old i can read what i wrote and re-live those times...even now i read the stuff i did 2 yrs ago - interesting to see my gear choices evolve.

 

[spoolup]

Dude, how did I miss this? Seriously. I feel like a fool. After reading your write up I go and pull my poncho from the BOB and sure as flies on a fresh one... yup, the hole is there. Now you got me wondering, thinking back on my usage of it and issues, and I never noticed it. Thanks for finding that, need to find a way to prevent leaks. Just curious did it actually take in moisture? Also that spam rice and eggs looks good, Ill have to try that sometime. Word of advice, Im not a fan of the kifaru chair. I move too much, and when I do the chair will keep slipping between me and ground till I need to readjust. But it sure is light weight. My newest luxury item is the alite monarch. I know I have a photo of it somewhere, but its basically a chair will just the rear 2 legs. You legs provide the front support to keep you off the ground. It packs up really well, takes about 30 seconds to set up if that, the only down side... Drinking and using. Tried it on the elk hunt. About busted my head open or ended up in the fire.

Still cant believe I missed that middle tail snap issue. Great catch however, and as always great post and AAR. If your ever in Utah, look me up and Ill hit the trails with ya.

 

[trailbum]

I did stick with the stock sheath.
Priced kydex at around $65-75.

 

[beanbag]

Wow, JV, I can't believe I missed this epic post until just last night. That's a lot of pics there man. Good job.

 

[JV3]

Dude, how did I miss this? Seriously. I feel like a fool. After reading your write up I go and pull my poncho from the BOB and sure as flies on a fresh one... yup, the hole is there. Now you got me wondering, thinking back on my usage of it and issues, and I never noticed it. Thanks for finding that, need to find a way to prevent leaks. Just curious did it actually take in moisture? Also that spam rice and eggs looks good, Ill have to try that sometime. Word of advice, Im not a fan of the kifaru chair. I move too much, and when I do the chair will keep slipping between me and ground till I need to readjust. But it sure is light weight. My newest luxury item is the alite monarch. I know I have a photo of it somewhere, but its basically a chair will just the rear 2 legs. You legs provide the front support to keep you off the ground. It packs up really well, takes about 30 seconds to set up if that, the only down side... Drinking and using. Tried it on the elk hunt. About busted my head open or ended up in the fire.

Still cant believe I missed that middle tail snap issue. Great catch however, and as always great post and AAR. If your ever in Utah, look me up and Ill hit the trails with ya.

it didn't let in the snow but i'm betting it'll let rain in. it's an easy fix though, i just plugged up the hole from the inside with a piece of tape so the jb weld won't flow into it and interfere with the button's function. i then snapped the button together to hold the tape in place.

the outside is ready for the glue:

i used jb weld to seal it completely:

i'll have to check out that alite monarch at rei. i did order the kifaru chair already though - if it slides on me i'll see if i can return it. i'll take you up on that offer if i find myself in utah

I did stick with the stock sheath.
Priced kydex at around $65-75.

thanks!

Wow, JV, I can't believe I missed this epic post until just last night. That's a lot of pics there man. Good job.

thanks!

 

[rivertamer]

All your post are great bro........ Makes me want to pack up and head out each time.... Thanks for your cool posts.... Mike

 

[Ultraman]

Great photo documentation. Thank you the post.

 

[Mike-The-Knife]

JV3 that was an excellent job of the pics and naration . What a cool area you have there for your wilderness time and bushcraft .


.............................................
HOLD MY BEER AND WATCH THIS !

 

[DOC-CANADA]

Hey JV3, excellent thread and I know how much effort you put into posting it - excellent!

You mention that friction fire is on your short list - friction fire is not all that hard.

Ever get up to Ontario? If so, give me a shout, and we'll get you tuned up.

Doc