Recent content by retrohiker

My wife got me the DVD as a father's day present. Bless her heart!!! Now I know she really loves me :D

Deitz kerosene (parafin) lanterns are popular over here in the states although the Coleman white gas or propane lamps still outnumber them by a wide margin.

Well, I won't challenge your claim that a monkey could do it, and that may be true but you haven't seen my sewing skills !! :) I think I'll try to bribe the wife with some trinket and have her do it up right for me.

Fanastic! Now that you've done it, you have to share the details of how you did it. Any backing material on the underside of the tarp? What stitch pattern did you use - bar tack or just a box and "x" pattern? Length of the ridge line guy outs? I've been wanting to do this to a tarp of mine...

Love this type of design for a shelter. Simple and effective. How's it compare to a Black Diamond Megamid (or Golite Hex/ShangriLa)? Other than being able to unzip it into two parts, it appears to be about the same size and geometry (maybe a little taller). I've already got numerous tarps for...

This is a reasonable place to start. Also look on his page for instructions on whipping the ends of the hammock instead of tying them in a knot. I made one this way (but hemmed the edges so it wouldn't fray) and it turned out fine. Probably spent less than $20 USD total...

I started out as a "kit junkie" buying up each little trinket with the justification that it was on sale or that "I'd gotten a good deal" on it. Ended up with a too heavy pack and too much stuff to keep track of. It also made camping "too easy" and I found my thoughts drifting back to work and...

Great thread! I've had a bivi bag for probably 10 years and only used it 2-3 times. I haven't found it to be that useful. I carry an 8x10 silnylon tarp that weighs less than a pound and provides more than sufficient shelter in the worst thunderstorms that I've ever encountered. My bivi only...

If I'm not mistaken, I read that they've changed the material of the hammock to a waterproof one so it can be used as a bivi if there are no trees available. A real mistake in my opinion if this is true. The hammock material should be breathable so your body moisture can escape rather than be...

Neil's mod is amazing to admire. I wish I had the skills (or courage) to undertake such a complex project! I have a LK35 that I simply moved to a LK70 frame (actually the "medic" frame) in order to get a hipbelt. It's my "go to" pack for all my spring, summer and fall trips. Found it's too small...

I've had pretty good luck drilling Stainless steel using drill bits meant for cement/concrete. You might try that. if the other ideas don't work out. Good luck!!

I've used them before (got a Wetterling's Large Hunting Axe for $25 USD) with good service. Of course I only live about 75 miles up the road from them.

Do a search in the Gallery for "longback bergan frame" and you'll see how simple it is to make a replacement. I got a PLCE bergan over here in the states that had a broken frame (no too many around so I didn't want to pass it up). It didn't take me any time to find some aluminum stock to work up...

I've only had my Hex 3 out a couple of times. No rain either time so can't comment on the rain issue....BUT..........the last time I camped was in the middle of a winter storm with high winds that dropped about a foot of snow at my campsite. I did get some spindrift through the vents that made a...

Does anyone know if the IKEA drainer will fit a 12cm Zebra billy??? It looks like it may, but it would be a tight fit.