OT: Space Blankets

Thanks for the responses everyone. I'll just stick with my sleeping bag then. For those curious, my tent is a bivy shelter one that sleeps up to two. I might consider getting a tarp someday though.

Bob
 
Kismet said:
Down needs to be dry, but it compacts nicely. If you are dry, go that way.
. . .

And, I love my Svea 123 stove, or the Optimus 8R stove; both white gas, single burner, and make a wonderful noise while they work for you.


Be well and safe.
Click to expand...

Unless you have dry - really dry -- conditions, a down bag absorbs insensate perspiration every night, slowly losing loft.

My 123 got stolen, but I still use my 8R. Love it.
 
oh, and bring a hat...fleece helmet liner, stocking cap...something. :)

Oh, Bob?

Hollowdweller has backpacked all over the place and has used a tarp at least once, as I recall. He may have some temperature/bug/rain insights.
 
Kis, I'm going to go rummage thru my stuff this week and see if I can find my Svea stove; last time I used it it had a hitch in its gitalong. If I can find it I will send it to you to live happily ever after, even if only as parts for your stove. Mine is old time from before they had the pressure pumps ~ I retro'd it with a new cap w/valve and carried a tiny pump with it. Worked good for many years, not sure why it died :( :confused:

I think if I buy a new light weight stove I will get a MSR.

I used to back pack in the Ventana Wilderness on California's central coast (Svash, that's not too far from you bro). Weather in late spring is nice and moderate, and they have fire pits that were put in by the CCC way back when ~ kinda weird to be 10 miles back and come across a concrete fire pit with a cooking grate. The nice thing, though, is that you didn't need to bring your stove. You could burn pine cones and branches to cook. :) Most times past early summer the fire danger prohibits fires.
 
Um, and Kis? I second the hat thingy for summer and winter ~ you see, I suffered from "premature exfoliation" :footinmou
 
stevomiller said:
Kis, I'm going to go rummage thru my stuff this week and see if I can find my Svea stove; last time I used it it had a hitch in its gitalong. If I can find it I will send it to you to live happily ever after, even if only as parts for your stove. Mine is old time from before they had the pressure pumps ~ I retro'd it with a new cap w/valve and carried a tiny pump with it. Worked good for many years, not sure why it died :( :confused:
Click to expand...

Most common problems:

1. clogged valve
2. wick charred from running too often low on fuel (lean mixture too hot)

Not much else to go wrong.
 
Thomas I'm sure that you are right, they are awful simple gizmos. I still want to get a MSR for snob reasons though :rolleyes:
 
Thomas Linton said:
We had a kid who used no pad under him in winter camping. His body shape would be melted into the snow the next morning. "Weren't you cold? Heck no."
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That's me. :D


Hunting/camping buddies are always perplexed.....I don't use a sleeping pad/mattress, and sleep in only one layer...I still end up "ventilating" my bag a little by morning time to stay cool. (most of my recent camping trips in MD/VA were 30s, 40s). I do wake up a little stiff, but that wears off in a few minutes. No muscle soreness. Comes from sleeping on the floor for years.

I prefer to pack as light as possible. Guess my advice would be to get a good light tent and the bare minimum in sleeping bag.


Re: foil blanket
As a teen, I spent the night in a tent at 20 below with no sleeping bag and only a "space blanket". The only thing cold in the morning was my feet which I had left squished in my boots. Had I removed the boots (and used an extra pair of socks instead - I would have been just fine. One kid got hypothermia, same camping trip - and he had a sleeping bag. You see, my bag got wet and was worthless. I didn't tell anybody...just used my space blanket. When Mom found out - she freaked. Looking back - it was kinda nuts, yes. Could have froze to death. But I didn't, ya know? ;)
 
years ago on an exercise in virginia in the winter. was trying to lighten my load and I did survive , but it is no substitute for a bag (froze my @ss off) . It was miserable....Don't do it.
If its warm weather you could go for a ponch liner laced into a poncho that does work but only for summer ,but in early fall and late spring you could end up suffering the elements. They started making ponch liners again in the last couple of years, they were a vietnam era thing( and shortly after) and I kept my old poncho for many years . heck I use it in the summer now ( its hot in ga even with ac sometimes) even when sleeping at home. They are made of the same type stuff as cool max and polar fleece and wick mositure away so they are comfortable in when it warmer and are surprisingly warm when it cools a bit. I even use to over my bag in colder weather.I retired my old friend last year, when I found a good one like my original. There are some cheap knockoffs, I wouldn't waste my time. I can vouch for the poncho liners sold by Brigade Quarter Masters. Heck I bought 4 and gave them to friends and family , they used to tease me about my " blanky" ( especially my wife), now they have one and use them( wife included) as I do now..... Oh and the tie downs work well on a hospital bed as well , the covers can't be kicked off , a sick friend counted it as a god send....
 
"as a teen......"

One of the strongest arguments in favor of the existence of a God...

is the mere fact that teen-age boys survive at all.

Most should have died a dozen times over doing stupid stuff, long before becoming adults.
:D





Be well and safe.
 
One of brantoken's poncho liners, a mylar blanket, 8X10 plastic sheet and a silnylon 8X10 tarp are in my bug out bag. Not enough when it's miserable, but likely enough to keep me alive, but not too heavy either. It does take the majority of the packs volume though.
 
My standard camping kit consists of a ground cloth - just builder's plastic, closed-cell foam pad (more expensive ones tend to be a bit cushier in my experience, but you might find a good buy!), sleeping bag rated to 20 degrees, and a tarp. Tarp is about the size of two soda cans. I'd much rather trade space and weight there than in the sleeping bag department.

If you're worried about getting your bag muddy, just get a stuff sack to put it in - all the mud will end up on the stuff sack, and you'll have a clean bag when you get to camp. Waterproof ones are also available. Outdoor Research Hydroseal is a good bet if you want a waterproof one. If you just want a cover, get whatever looks reasonably well made. If you're cheap and industrious, you could even sew your own - it's about the easiest piece of camping gear to make after the marshmallow stick.
 
Marshmallow toasting instructions:
Find a straight grain hickory or other suitably stout piece of wood. Select a suitable branch at least 3 " in length. The branch should terminate in a fork of suitable width, though not too wide or too narrow to accommodate a standard marshmallow. Warn all bystanders of your intention to impale the marshmallow on the stick before the actual impalement occurs. Should marshmallow rights advocates object to the impalement and subsequent toasting, They must file a grievance in court before the aforementioned toasting.
 
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