Emergency fire starter storage: http://www.instructables.com/id/Fire-Tube-Drinking-Straw-Hack/ This is a top idea. It is also easy to do. All you need is some drinking straws, a pair of needle nosed pliers and a lighter. See also: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/single-use-antibiotic-packs/ See also: http://www.instructables.com/id/11-unusual-uses-for-straws/
49 grams and five minutes that may Save your Life: Follow the instructions here: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hole-less-ponchoshelter/ As you can see you can sit down against a tree in front of a fire wearing it and be perfectly dry – with a little help from your small dog, Spot! See also: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/more-fun-with-sticky-tape-ultralight-mylar-vest/ Actually you can buy
7’ x 5’ of ‘Tyvek Homewrap’ (and some waterproof zippers) is all you need to make this multi-use piece. Most people who use a tarp use a Tyvek groundsheet/footprint anyway. If it can double as a bivi, before bed you will have a spacious comfy floor, and when you turn in you can be confident
Here is my poncho/shelter which I promised some time ago. When we first made this (back in 2000 – for my first ‘moose hunting’ trip to Supper Cove, Fiordland) there was no such thing as a waterproof zip. As you can see we used 2 oz ripstop and Velcro. Della made three of them in
Every child (in us) should own one of these to help eradicate Australia’s ‘national bird’ the blowfly: http://www.ohgizmo.com/2012/07/24/bugasalt-is-a-shotgun-that-kills-flies-with-a-pinch-of-salt/
Prompted by Spot’s near-miss (http://www.theultralighthiker.com/spot/), I have been working on a JR-Proof fence (I know you will say, Good Luck with That!’, but I am an optimist. This section has him stymied at least. The electronic gate controller also has the local ‘tea-leaves’ in somewhat of a quandary. We used to have some low-life drive
Two products which will ensure you always have sharp kitchen knives and a happy marriage: First: ‘Smith’s 2-Step Knife Sharpener features two tungsten carbide blades with pre-set angles to ensure the perfect edge every time. Three or four strokes through the carbide sharpening slots will restore the edge on a very dull knife. The two
If you don’t know that you must NEVER wear COTTON in the bush (if it gets wet, hypothermia and perhaps death will follow soon after!), then these elementary tips ARE for you: http://www.theadventurejunkies.com/backpacking-hiking-tips-for-beginners/
If you don’t use one you are likely using twice, maybe three times too much fuel – which you most likely had to carry many hard miles. You can check this out for yourself: 250 ml of water should boil with about 7 ml of methylated spirits. Try it yourself on a home-made ‘Supercat’
You can save some weight and have fun by making your own head torch with a length of hat elastic, a couple of O-rings (or elastic bands) and a micro cord lock to convert eg any AAA torch into a head torch – or you can sew a couple of pieces of elastic together to
