Some new packrafts and paddles will make it easier to cross rivers and lakes. These two (suitable for flat water/Grade 1 rapids) weigh less than a kilo: Alpacka ‘ghost’: https://alpackarafts.com/product/ghost/ @ 1.5 lb & $595 and Klymit LiteWater Dinghy: http://www.klymit.com/index.php/litewater-dinghy-lwd.html now 35 oz & $199. Note also this ultralight paddle: http://www.packrafting-store.de/Paddle/Special-paddle/Supai-Olo::472.html @ 365 grams! Many […]
My first one of these was my Armalite AR-7 .22 calibre. What a beautiful little gun it is: the way it folded up into its own stock with its 8 shot magazine is just excellent. At 1100 grams (2.5 pounds) and 400 mm (16”) long it is ideal for backpacking. Unfortunately as it is a
I have had some feedback to my posts about the Tanjil River (http://www.theultralighthiker.com/tanjil-river/), Latrobe Rivers & etc. Some people phoned to thank me for an enjoyable trip on this section of the Tanjil. They are WINTER canoeists employing sit-on canoes and wet suits to access the much higher river levels usually available in the cooler
Your choice with dry bags can save you quite a few grams. Without them, you could have some sadly wet gear and maybe a disastrous trip. You need to check the seam sealing on the inside of the bags before each trip to ensure they remain waterproof. If you have any doubt, pour a few
WHAT a guy! Not many in modern times (save perhaps Thor Heyerdahl: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/kon-tiki-thor-heyerdahl/) have adventured like this chap, eg: The Brendan Voyage (1976–1977), The Sindbad Voyage (1980–1981), The Jason Voyage (1984), The Ulysses Voyage (1985), The China Voyage (May–November 1993), In Search of Moby Dick: Quest for the White Whale (1999): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Severin
If you have difficulty buying stuff online, check out http://www.shipito.com/ They are just great. You can (for example) buy that stuff on Amazon (which has free US shipping but which they won’t send to Oz) and have Shipito forward it (very cheaply). We do this all the time. We usually use Shipito’s cheapest freight rates
A transparent canoe would be great for a while but unfortunately I would soon scratch it up: http://www.dudeiwantthat.com/outdoors/watersports/see-through-bottom-canoe.asp For many other cool gift ideas, see their main web page: http://www.dudeiwantthat.com/
We spent yesterday (5 ½ hours) white water canoeing on the Macalister River in our new ‘Old Town Pack Angler’ canoes which worked wonderfully. What was not so wonderful was that our JR, Tiny fell out of Della’s canoe unnoticed on an entertaining 1 metre drop. When we stopped a couple of km further on
Aloksak make really great waterproof to 200 metres snaplock bags. This one is even big enough to put your rifle in (great for canoeing/boating/hunting trips). It is the only waterproof gun bag I know of: http://www.survival-pax.com/aLOKSAK-Bags-Extra-Large.html
If you are interested in hiking/fishing, these lightweight rods and reels are interesting too (http://penfishingrods.com/shop/products.php?category_id=13) and these are just about the best hand casters in the world: http://www.moontrail.com/accessrs/a-misc/handline.html See also: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/pen-fishing-rods/
