Experiences with some gear during my holiday

Bagheera

Bagheera

Joined
Oct 6, 1998
Messages
957
Hi guys,

I’ve had 2 marvellous weeks at the banks of the river Ardeche in the South of France and had a chance to test the equipment I took with me here’s a short evaluation of some of the stuff I used.

The weather was bad at first with 2 days of continuous rains that looked like I was standing under Niagara Falls but the rest of the 2 weeks holiday the weather was very nice.

I guess the rain was just put there by some higher force to let me test the standard US Military poncho (woodland) that I took with me in “my bag of goodies”.

Well, everybody (rest of my family) first made some comments on me wearing the poncho but after there light jackets were completely soaked through I had them crawling one by one under my poncho J .
During the 2 rainy days one could often observe a kind of upper camouflaged group of 4 persons moving close together under a poncho with me having my head through the hood guiding them along.

Needles to say, this piece of gear passed my test and will be taken with me anytime I’ll be out in nature.

Second indispensable item that saw a lot of use, my SAK Hunter (variation of the Camper) with saw and locking main blade, no one should go outdoors without one period.
I had it in an small Nite Ize pouch together with my third item that I’m carrying (almost) always when I’m awake my SwissTool multitool.
I was the X-variant with scissors and curved serrated blade (replacing the file/iron sawblade and serated strait blade of the original) .
I love the scissors but they should have kept the file/iron saw (it’s available but I traded this one).
After 2 weeks and having used it for numerous tasks, like holding the super large fishhooks in the Military fishing survival kit in a wood coal fire to straiten them to make into a fish spear J.
I concluded that 1 I love the scissors but still want the file/metal saw blade so I’m back to the original SwissTool.

I also carried a Micra which has superior scissors in my view.

My fourth tool was the Sliver Grippers Tweezers, anybody who doesn’t find them indispensable after picking 6 pounds off blackberries and having more thorns in ones legs then a hedgehog carries “needles” on his back let me know.
These tweezers are superior to any SAK tweezers or the Micra tweezers that I’ve used.

Fifth “tool” a Green Glowring was attached to my key-chain along with #4, my Micra, modified ACME 2000 Tornado whistle, miniature magnesium/flintsteel , metal-match, Photon II and tick remover.
While doing some night walking I somehow managed to rub against some brushes and discovered after 25 yards that I lost part of my key-chain goodies. Lucky for me it was a splitring with 4 of the above goodies that included my Glowring.
I spotted it easily when I backtracked a little. I have discarded the little clamps that attach groups of goodies to my abundant key-chain as I don’t want to risk loosing them again.

Sixth tool: I took with me a set of small LPD transceivers, Alinco’s model SQ41 .., slightly home modified to give me more range ;).
While hiking up a rather steep mountain path having heavy under growth we sometimes split up me and my son trailing ahead and “the women” (wife and daughter) following and through the transceivers we kept in perfect contact. Also when I sometimes ventured out myself to get some quiet they were handy to have with you.
Another piece of equipment I wouldn’t leave home anymore.

Seventh and for now last tool, my Garmin Etrex Vista, I tested it during the whole holidays and it recorded our whole trip all 1850 miles of it and it works very nicely. I miss some refinements that are standard on my older GPS 12 MAP but still the small package , light weight and 24 MB memory to store maps is unbeatable.
I normally clip it in it’s carrying case clipped to a D-ring of one of the shoulder straps of my daypack.

I just wished I had Garmins Roads and Recreational CD-ROM of France loaded into the 24 MB of memory (at least of the region we stayed in).

More will follow later, especially some equipment that just didn’t perform the way I expected it to perform, when I have more time to write.

Best Scouting wishes from Holland,

Bagheera
 
I've spent a lot of time under a US issue poncho. More uses for that thing than you can imagine. Shelter, Rain, Emergency stretcher, water catch, etc...etc. I'll dump a lot of gear for a patrol, but never my pancho.
As for the SAK Hunter, I've owned one for nearly 18 years or so and will swear by it. Of all the knives I use regularly, none gets used more than that little red knife. I have managed to wear the Victronox logo off of the side, but the rest of the knife still looks near new. Now that's a knife.
Glad you had fun.
recondoc
 
Bagheera,

I'm glad to see you bring up the Uncle Bill's Sliver Grippers tweezers. I don't go anywhere without mine. They are the best splinter removers, and I've used mine for ticks several times too. People laugh at me when they see them, but it's amazing how glad they are to use them when they have that 2" piece of wood rammed under their skin. The splinters I hate more than anything are steel wool splinters, and most regular tweezers won't touch them, but the Sliver Grippers will. Four of the best dollars I've ever spent.

Did you get any pictures of your fishing spear?

Paul
 
Hi Paul,

You're right about the Sliver Grippers, I once got 3 off them through a trade with a fellow forumite and I consider them, weight/size/price wise among the best basic "survival" tools one can get.

By the way I aquired a very strong small 1/2" diameter permanent magnet on a about 3 foot nylon string in France. The "Petange" also known as Jeux de Boules players over there use them to pick up those up to about 1.8 lbs heavy metal balls that they use.

The little gadget is very powerfull and easily lifts some metal object weihing 2-3 pounds. I've had some luck with it getting those nasty steel wool 'splinters' from my fingers after I opened up the skin to expose the burried steelwool splinter. Still my liver gripper always works.

Paul, my wife spend the WHOLE day yesterday downloading pictures from the 4 mm digital video tape. Our JVC camcorder also makes "still shots" besides the normal moving stuff the only drawback is that downloading a picture onto the hard disk takes about 2 minutes a picture! :(

When I'll find it I'll zap it onto my photpoint pages and post a message.

Best Scouting wishes from Holland,

Bagheera
 
I'm a SAK Hunter lover too; been carrying one since I was ten (25 yrs).

Where can you find Sliver Gripper Tweezers? (Europe)and who makes them?

Love the magnet tip, thanks. Good those glow rings, aren't they.
 
Hi Greenjacket,

www.globetrotter.de a big German outdoor sports company has them although they don't have the Sliver Grippers with the handy keychain attachement, the ones they sell come in a little clear plastic tube.
Go to http://www.globetrotter.de klick on the German flag to enter their site and then type in the article number (upper left corner) AT 04 001 and you'll see the Tweezers by Uncle Bill for DM 12,90 about £3.60

The best thing however to do is ask some US Forumite to send over a few, Campmor (http://www.campmor.com ) carries them and they are cheaper when you get 3 or more I think and also are the versions with the nifty keychain carry attachement.

Best Scouting wishes from Holland,

Bagheera
 
Hello People: The Sliver Gripper Tweezers are listed on Page 217 (under First Aid) in the Fall 2001 Campmor publication. I just got my recent copy last Monday. They cost $ 4.99 for one or $4.50 for two or more. They come complete with convenient holder and key ring hole. Item number 81291-E.

Greenjacket: I do not have any of these and will be ordering two or more. If you want me to pick-up one or more for you, please let me know and I will do it.

Ahhh,Bagheera what a nice trip you must have had. I could spend two weeks on the French Riveria with no problem. Just grab a g-string, some sun tan lotion and money. Thank you for the review of the equipment, and I look forward to your future post for results of the testing of the remaining equipment.

I added the word "hole" after key ring above. The tweezers,and I quote...complete with convenient holder and key ring hole." It does not include the ring. No big deal, I guess. But I got it right this time.
 
Hi Fred,

Yep it was a nice vacation :cool: but not to many semi nude women around were we were as we were about 100 miles above San Tropez in the "mountains".

No G-String for me with my 200+ pounds body ;) this would scare the s..t out of most spectators :D

I send you an email, best scouting wishes from Holland,

Bagheera
 
That was funny, I'm still laughing. I see what you mean. Sort of like one of those TV wrestlers comming down the trail with a hugh back pack and G-string on.:D

I think I would turn around and run in the opposite direction, don't care if that bear is still tracking me...:) :)
 
Those hills above St Tropez are harsh. Hot and unforgiving and then a storm blows in and it rains hard and cold for three days. I've driven there often and the roads are the kind that cries that you drive an open top sports car with a pretty girl at your side. (Lots of hairpin bends and fantastic scenery).
I've trecked in the Masife(?)Central when much younger; fun but hard work. Those wild blueberries were heaven. Not much to live off other than crickets and lizards or french farmhouse cuisine - hard life isn't it ;)

Yep, those girls on the beaches are a sight for sore eyes :eek: Its the place where cheap Rose wine tastes great; best very cold with an ice cube in it.

I like things that work and I need to use tweezers all too often. There is something satisfying about digging thistle thorns out of ones knees whilst in the hot tub. Thanks Bagheera for the thread, and FF for the offer.
 
Hi Paul,

I put up a few pictures of me, the bamboo spear and the fish caught with it (my son caught a slightly smaller one with the same spear later on.

Also a picture of the rest of my familly.

Go to: <a href=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=130364&a=13612199>See my photos of France 2001 at PhotoPoint</a>

Enjoy, best scouting wishes from Holland,

Bagheera
 
That looks like an excellent job on the spear. The fish proves it. I find that when I wear my G-string it discourages other people from setting up camp too close to mine. :D It will also teach you to recognize poison ivy and fire ants real quick.

When I was in France I loved watching people play Les Boules in the town squares. Saw some pretty serious discussions about whose ball was closer to the marker/target. I'll have to give the magnet trick a try the next time I get some steel wool fibers under my skin.
 
Excellent pictures, thank you. What a nice family!! My 16 yr. old daughter would fit right in there.

What is the final attachment to the end of the spear...is that a thin piece of bamboo? Did you catch any more fish with the spear? I cannot identify that beauty you are holding...did you eat it,I hope.
 
Hi Fred,

I tried sending you an email from 2 different e-mail addresses from my site but all got rejected?

Fred, the spear is just a nice piece of handiwork and the 3 (originally) spearpoints were constructed by splitting the end of the bamboo (thinnest piece) lengthwise just up to about 1.5" above the node. Essentially that means every 120 degrees I cut the Bambo.

TAKE CARE as the resulting bamboo pieces are extremely sharp (like a razor) then I took a piece of bamboo that had a diameterinside that could slide over the pieces, so I cut a 1.5" long piece and slipped it over the split pieces down to the node.
I made it stronger by tightly fitting a 2mm (about 1/16" nylon rope around it (like a hangmans nose) and I got the 3 individual bamboo spearheads to be to go apart by pressing down the center hollow a smaller piece of bamboo that ended in a node. so by pressing that down the 3 pieces forming the "spearhead" came nicely circular apart as I pressed the pieces between the outer ring and the inside thinner tapered bambo plug.

I sharpened the tips them fitted small togling kind of barbs to it fixing them with strong sewing thread that we call "iron thread" in Holland.

The whole thing worked perfectly only I broke one of the 3 spearheads of by trying to lift the fish I speared strait from the water.
My son caught the other one with only 2 spearpoints on it.

The fish was good food and 2 people enjoyed it, I don't know it's name but it ate algae from the rocks had his mouth not in front but more to his belly side and had 4 feelers atatched to his mouth like cats whiskers.

That's it.

Fred please let me know if you received my email(s)

Best Scouting wishes from Holland,

Bagheera
 
Must be the zulu-slits in the putonic atmosphere interfering with the gooloke tricons of cyber space at this time of the year, or something like that. I'm not sure. But all is well, I got one of your emails. The other has to be hung up on those widget winders that cross the ocean evey now and then and bump-off a good email.:p FF:confused:

Very nice, effective spear...I took notes. Thanks
 
Hi Greg,

It was a Barbel (Barbus barbus) for shure, thanks for helping me finding it's name.
It tasted just fine, although it had quiet an number of "fish bones" in it.
I guess it was one of the leanest food I had/ate during the whole holiday.

Best Scouting wishes from Holland,

Bagheera
 
Bagheera-
Can you post the info on what didn't work as expected? Thanks in advance.
 
I ground down the ends of the Leatherman Micra tweezers into points, then ground the edges sharp. It was a trivial task that took just a couple minutes. I like them better than my Sliver Grippers, now; but it may depend on what sorts of splinters you tend to get.
 
Hi Evolute,

I have thought about doing that to my Micra tweezers also but just left them as they are.

My main problem with the Micra tweezers is that they are very thin bodied, I mean not wide enough for my thumb & indexfinger so I easily loose control over it. the tweezers "disappear" in my fleshy fingers when I press on them ;).
Also having the rest of the Micra attached to them doesn't really help in my case.

The Sliver grippers have a very wide body and can be controlled very securely even with numb cold fingers.

You can even modify the Sliver grippers by honing the sides (leading to the 'point') carefully with a diamond hone so you really get a smooth extremely sharp poit that grabs even the smallest/thinnest hair or splinter.

Because I now have a Victorinox Swisstool with scissors I'm contemplating of leaving the Micra at home and just have the Sliver Grippers attached to my keychain, it relieves my belt of some extra weight ;)

Best Scouting wishes from Holland,

Bagheera
 
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