Camping

R.A.T.

R.A.T.

Randall's Adventure & Training
Joined
Feb 4, 2004
Messages
10,400
Decided to try out this new Eureka bivy last night so I hiked about 5 kliks into the woods and set up camp. Used the Sven saw and the Junglas to gather firewood and never batoned the first thing. Go figure. Of course, rich pine makes it easy down here. You can move to arm sized firewood really quick. To be honest I really didn't need the Junglas or the Sven saw to build a fire. Could have done it all with just a folder and dead wood, but I needed something to occupy my time in between sips of Scotch.

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Those bivies don't look too bad for the price. How did the bivy work out overall? I just bought a new hammock with net to try out and am currently tarp shopping.

I like these threads whenever members post up their pics of outings, but when the owners of the company the forum is centered around contribute theirs, it's really cool. Nice to see what gear you guys try out and some of the ways you set up camp, etc.

ETA: There are more pines in the background of that pic than there are within 15 miles of here. Nice to see some fatwood porn. Wait, that might have came out wrong.
 
I like the bivy (first time using it) but it could have been done a little better. It's lightweight and packs up small, so that's a real plus. You can enter it from the top if you don't pull the fly over (the screen mesh has a zipper down the center) - another plus. Zipper should have extended slightly longer though. The fly is easy to pitch. I tried it last night in the dark even though it didn't rain. Simply unzip the overhead, step out, pull the fly over and attache with the shock cords to the two stakes you already have at the foot of the bivy. Then crawl back in through the front end (like a normal tent). So, fly goes on in less than a minute.
 
Oh, and another plus is this bivy seems to have a little mroe room than others I have used.
 
adaman04 said:
Nice to see what gear you guys try out and some of the ways you set up camp, etc.
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My ultimate goal on setting up camp, whether it's here or in South America is organization. I want to know where everything is and for it to be in easy reach. I hate camping with disorganized folks that are always running around asking "have you seen my...." I use a lot of S-Biners and short lanyards to keep things organized. It works really well.
 
Nice cap. Nice Glock! G19?

I'm likin' the looks of that pack, too. Is that the one you currently have on your website?

Whups! Went and chcked on your site. Yes, same pack, but not available until made in USA. I had confused the Laserna with the survival pack with knife sheath. Or are those pending a US manufacturer, too.
 
sovereign said:
It looks so... warm there. What is the rope for?
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It was warm here ;)

The rope is just to add pack weight for the time being. I do, however, play around with rapelling, river crossing, etc in some areas that we train in. The rope is just a handy addition. The point of my loadout on this pack is to have everything I need for my enviornemnt. I'm constantly fine tuning the gear but I'm pretty much there at this stage.
 
R.A.T. said:
It was warm here ;)

The rope is just to add pack weight for the time being. I do, however, play around with rapelling, river crossing, etc in some areas that we train in. The rope is just a handy addition. The point of my loadout on this pack is to have everything I need for my enviornemnt. I'm constantly fine tuning the gear but I'm pretty much there at this stage.
Click to expand...

I'm sure you know how to use it. I was just hoping for stories of some death defying Bear Grylls type stunts, but without a camera crew/support team.
 
Thank you for sharing.. its one type of thread that I always check versus all the "got my first esee" or "which one to buy" threads.

Im curious since i know nothing about rapelling and climbing rope.. how much weight can this one take and how much lenght do you feel safe carrying for all your needs ??
 
What was in the pouch with the fatwood sitting on top and steaming away? That's a new one on me. Also, How much weight do you estimate your pack to be with your essentials. That is always the big one for me what to pack and what is extraneous.
 
Jeff,
You mentioned that your gear is pretty much at the stage you want it to be at in your loadout pack. It would be great if you had the time to do a thread on its updated contents with pics!
Thanks
 
Awesome stuff. I'm looking at bivy setups right now for this summer in Wisconsin. Thanks for the thread!

JGON
 
lukeeson111 said:
Jeff,
You mentioned that your gear is pretty much at the stage you want it to be at in your loadout pack. It would be great if you had the time to do a thread on its updated contents with pics!
Thanks
Click to expand...

Ill second that motion...maybe a "whats in your pack" thread would be cool??
 
I like the looks of that bivvy, and from the sounds of it I like the design, wouldn't mind a less bright color though. Some people say using rich pine is the lazy way out which may be true at times. To me it just simplifies things. Sometimes I would feel stupid walking past, and stepping over a lot of it to get to something else that would work. When I'm out with the family I just want the fire started so I can get on to enjoying my time out with them. I figure in the cosmic scheme of things the stuff is there for a reason, may as well use it at need...

hagusofnwn said:
What was in the pouch with the fatwood sitting on top and steaming away? That's a new one on me.
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That's an MRE entree heater. Just add water to the fill line, add entree, fold over and let the reaction take place. I have used those to thaw frozen water lines before, but sometimes it takes two to get a meal hot if it is really cold out.
 
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Jeff,

Is that the Solitaire or another model?

Like the M-Walker, I'd like to have one in a more subdued color. Like the O.D. Green and Khaki of my Eureka USMC Tent.
 
DocBurN said:
Thank you for sharing.. its one type of thread that I always check versus all the "got my first esee" or "which one to buy" threads.

Im curious since i know nothing about rapelling and climbing rope.. how much weight can this one take and how much lenght do you feel safe carrying for all your needs ??
Click to expand...

This is a 7/16" static line so you will never have a problem rapelling on this line or suspending a volkswagon from it. This was is about 70 feet long. Typically more than enough fro my area.
 
hagusofnwn said:
What was in the pouch with the fatwood sitting on top and steaming away? That's a new one on me. Also, How much weight do you estimate your pack to be with your essentials. That is always the big one for me what to pack and what is extraneous.
Click to expand...

That was supper heating up. An MRE beef stew pack.

35 pounds with everything I need for this area not counting long term food rations. That includes bivy, Snugpak jungle bag, small sil tarp, poncho and even a thermarest pillow :)
 
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