Howdie Adventurers!

Below are a few cottage updates that I thought I would share. I am sure there are more, these just happen to be the ones I know about (and have remembered) – some are about new gear and some are directly related to the companies.

Suluk46:

First up, Suluk46, one of my sponsors, has introduced a small table made from 6061-T6 aluminium, called the “Tulimak Backpacking Table” – which came about as a result of Steve (owner of Suluk46) and myself talking about, back in June of 2015, perhaps manufacturing them, so it is great to see Suluk46 has brought them to market!

There are two models, one with full length slots and one with half length slots.

The full length slots version is 101 grams (3.6 ounces) and the half-slot version is 141 grams (5.0 ounces)

The half-slot is designed to have a cutting table for hard cheese, meat roles, two day old hard-as-a-rock bread, and those other items that having a small cutting table around camp becomes useful and nice to have. The other half, with the slots, can be used as a location for a stove – to get the stove up off the ground to prevent ground damage from your stove, as well as to aid in ventilation for those stoves that benefit from ground air flow.

When setup both tables are 9 1/4″ in length, 5″ in width, and 2 1/2″ in height.

One of the thoughts and questions that came up in discussions over on my facebook page was “could it be used to cook fish/shish kabobso on” and Suluk46 responded, “Sorry guys, I didn’t design it to be used as a grill…however, you are welcome to try! It’s made of aluminum so I doubt it will hold up well.”

You can order one of these at the product website page!

Mountain Laurel Designs, Backpack:

MLD has released a Dyneema Composite Fabric (pka: cuben fiber) versions of the Burn, Prophet and Exodus backpacks!

This new option of the MLD backpacks actually are a hybrid DCF+Dyneema X, combining together the highly water resistant DCF for the main body, and Dyneema X for those parts of the pack that receive the brunt of abuse.

The are roll top packs with all the standard features.

Now, it is somewhat important, I feel, to make note that these new versions of the backpacks are not about being lighter weight than their non DCF counterparts.

Let us look at the specs of the ‘Burn’ backpack:

Burn (Non DCF) – 11.75oz / 335g ($180)

Burn (DCF+DynX) – 11.50oz / 325g ($240)

So in the case of the Burn, this new version is only 10 grams (0.35 ounces) lighter on the scale.

Going with this new DCF/DynX option of the Burn, Prophet and Exodus backpacks is about having a higher level of water protection for your gear. These new Dyneema Composite Fabric versions of the MLD backpacks could prove to be especially beneficial for those in really wet conditions. If that happens to be you and you are interested in giving one of them ago, head over to their product web page!

Mountain Laurel Designs, FKT Quilt:

While I am on the subject of Mountain Laurel Designs, I got one of the new FKT Quilts last week.

I only have a couple nights of use with it at this point, but I did figure I would address a few of the questions I have gotten so far.

To recap this new FKT Quilt, it is designed with a multi-thermal insulation, designed with lighter/less thermal insulation at the top of the quilt, to be worn with a jacket for core body; and extra thermal insulation at the bottom of the quilt so you do not need to carry thermal insulation pants.

I have paired up the FKT Quilt with my Montbell U.L. Thermawrap Jacket – this combination, both synthetic, seems like they are going to work very well together.

I asked Ron Bell, founder and owner of MLD a few questions that I was personally wondering, and that I thought some of you might like to know.

Me: Where does the thicker insulation stop? (thinking up around where the claps are for the under-pad-strap, but not sure) Ron: Thicker stops about the belly- can see it if you hold the quilt up to a strong light.

Suppose that was one of those “duh” moments on my part… should have remembered I could see through the fabric and see for myself. Anyway, yes, the thicker insulation stops right were the under pad strap connectors are at.

Me: Have you sewn together the thicker and thinner weight insulations to keep them shifting? Ron: The single layer is bound at the top and the top is anchored so it can not shift.

Again, holding up to a bright light reveals this. There is a thread line that holds the thicker and thinner layers together (again, as indicated above, right at that connector level), and based on what Ron said, the thinner layer of insulation is sewn into the top/neck of the quilt.

Me: The use of snaps over velcro (i like btw) a weight savings thing, or something else? Ron: Snaps for weight savings.

So good to know the answers to those three questions that I have had.

Oh, the one I have also has the head slot. I was giving it a go the other day. Seems to work pretty dang well.

All in all, I very much look forward to giving this quilt a go over the 2016 season! I will report back as I get some decent mileage/usage on it.

Black Rock Gear:

At this time I do not yet have any updates on the synthetic versions of the BRG garments. I had hoped they would already be brought to market, but such is the way things go sometimes within the cottage industry.

Company Updates:

Sawyer, one of my sponsors, made the news in Florida, regarding their Picaridin Insect Repellent. In the light of the Zika Virus Sawyer put together an informative page regarding how effective their products are against the Zika virus.

The company that owns JetBoil and Silva, Johnson Outdoors Inc. (JOUT) has had an interesting few weeks on the stock chart. Earlier this month they dipped below the $20 mark. Back in November the CFO, David W. Johnson, sold 2,000 shares of the business’s stock in a for a total transaction of $48,180. That took his owned shares up to 31,856 valued at $767,411 at the time. Way to go David!

TarpTent has uploaded a few videos to their youtube channel over the last few weeks.

Videos:

The two videos I want to highlight, as I have been in my last few posts, are both from the Flat Cat Gear channel, and they both highlight the primary stove that I have been using the last month or two, called the “Multi-Fuel 2.5 Stove“. I have used it a bit over 50 times, mostly with Swissmar Fire Gel, and I have been super happy with it.

About the stove:

Using Swissmar Fire Gel (the main reason I bought it, because I want a SAFE non-canister stove!)