A companion for my solo (stoves)

I was recently on a thread in a bushcraft forum, and there was some discussion regarding wood gasifier backpacking stoves and, if people bring backup stoves, in the event they cannot find fuel, there are burn bans, or, in some cases, you just want to light a stove and boil some water. So, me, being curious, and always looking for new stoves (we all have our addictions!), I started poking into potential backup stoves for my Solo. I came across the Zelph companion stove for the Solo/Bushbuddy wood gas stove. Well, intrigued, I sent a couple of messaged through the Bushcraft forum, and he responded, saying that he will send some goodies along as well as the stove.
So, in typical fashion, each day, coming home from work, I looked for the package. It finally arrived! I opened it, and, to my surprise, he sent me, not one stover-which I paid for-but 4 additional ones, to toy around with! This is what I received:

The top right one, is the one I ordered. The other four, are different sized ones, as well as two models of another stove he sells. Talk about customer service! Before I go any further, let me just say that, if you're looking for a quick, reliable, spill free stove, go to Zelph's site and order one. You will not be disappointed!
Now, in typical fashion, I wanted to test this stove out. I ran out, last night, and got some Methyl fuel antifreeze (generic brand). I wanted to do a test burn, to get an idea of how well this burned in a control environment. So, I did one in my kitchen, during a snowstorm (snowstorm outside, of course).
I used the following:
a generic bottle of gas line anti freeze, methyl alcohol

a measuring cup for the fuel, measuring out 1 oz

the Zelph companion stove
The Solo Stove
The Solo Stove 900 Pot
2 cups (.4l) of cold tap water

My GS5 as a timer, and camera

First, I wanted to make sure that the companion stove would actually store inside the Solo stove. I checked, and it did:

From there, I lit the stove, set it all up, and began timing it:

Then, the wait began. I wanted to test 3 different results: time to boil, time of useful flame (where its still licking the bottom of the pot), and time to burnout (where the flame is completely out). I came up with the following:
Time to boil, 05:44.10

Time of useful flame, unfortunately, I missed, as I was also eating dinner (multitasking), but estimate it to be about 10:30.

Time to burnout was 12:46.39. I took this pic (I turned the lights off, so I could actually witness the flames) right before it burned out:

So, in my controlled environment, this companion stove is well within the realm of useful gear to carry. I will do some real world testing with it, but, my initial feelings are that, yes, this will be carried, yes, it will be used for morning coffee, and, yes, it was a great investment on my end.

New WarBonnet RidgeRunner test hang, and initial thoughts

As you may know, I havent been a tent camper since about 2006. I was introduced to hammock camping about that time. I went through a couple of decent hammock setups, before I finally settled upon a WarBonnet BlackBird in about 2008. That faithful hammock served me for a great 6 years. I have camped in all kinds of weather-summer heat, -7 winter, wind, rain, you name it. Never once had an issue.

Then, I discovered the RidgeRunner. This is a different style hammock, a bridge hammock. The WBBB is a gathered end. I tried one out a couple weeks ago, and decided it was time for a change. I sold my WBBB on hammock forums (within 20 minutes), and immediately purchased a WBRR. Today, I got the chance to hang it in my back yard, to become a little familiar with it. So, here are my initial thoughts.

First, I am not a gram counter. There was a time when I tried ultralight camping, but, it just isnt me. I like to sleep comfortable. So, I dont mind a few extra ounces . This hammock does have aluminum spreader poles, which add to the weight. The entire setup weighs in the vicinity of 40 oz-which comes out to 2.5 lbs. Now, add a tarp, you're probably looking at about 3.5 lbs for your sleeping setup. For me, thats acceptable. Some, that may be too heavy. But, the advantage over this, in my opinion (hammocks in general), is that you have flexibility of setup. You can pitch a tarp tight to the weather, pitch one side up, so that you have a porch, or even choose not to pitch one at all. Additionally, a hammock can be pitched anywhere where you can hang it. No need for flat ground, no removing rocks that you are sleeping on-in other words, more convenient.

Pitching the WBRR is even easier than the WBBB. With the WBBB, you need to hang it correctly, based upon tension of the ridgeline. Now, after years of practice, this becomes second nature. But, there is a  bit of a learning curve to get it right. The WBRR, there is no ridgeline. You simply hang the tree straps, snug it up, and you're done. Its really that simple! The whole process takes about a minute. Seriously. 

For bottom insulation, I use a pad. I have a Big Agnes Q core inflatable insulated pad. The WBRR has 2 layers of fabric. Designed specifically for pads. Simply flip the hammock over, insert the pad, flip it back, and you're done. Simple.

The bugnet unzips on 3 sides, with only the foot side sewn in. This allows you to stow it away, when bugs arent an issue. When its being used, the bugnet has elastic string, and mitten clips, at each end-the head and foot. To use, you simply clip the head end onto the anchor point around the tree, and the foot end to the buckles. Done. When in the hammock, the bugnet is pulled well off your body, allowing plenty of room.

Getting into the hammock was a little different than what I am used to. You grab behind you, plant your butt in, then pivot into the hammock. Not hard to do. It does feel a little tippy at first-but, I think thats just because I am not used to it yet. I moved around quite a bit in it, and had no issues. I dont feel like I will roll out of it. 

Inside, there is plenty of room, the bugnet is well off the body. I dont feel squished, pinched, or anything. I only laid in it for a few minutes, but I doubt I will have any issues sleeping in it. There are saddle bags inside the hammock, which hold little items like a book, headlamp, etc. There is also a small storage area at the head, where you could also store small items.

All in all, this is a fantastic product and, my initial feelings are that I will be very satisfied with it. I will, of course, need a few nights in the hammock before I can make a long term decision, but, I thoroughly enjoyed my WBBB, and fully expect to get years of satisfied camping with the WBRR.

I took a few pics of the initial setup. Here are the few I took.

Initial setup, no spreader bars, no bugnet yet

Set up with spreader bars, bugnet, and my pad, which you cannot see.

View from inside, without the bugnet. As you can see, the view is great. There is no obstruction at all.

View with bugnet installed. As you can see, the clearance is amazing. The bugnet doesnt come close to the body at all-the foot end is the lowest point of the net.

New Hammock

So, in case you are new to this blog, or were otherwise unaware, I am NOT a ground dweller. I discovered hammock camping early in 2006. I bought my first "real" camping hammock from DD hammocks, which are manufactured in England. It was OK, but a little finicky with setup. And, the bug net came ripped. The cost to ship it back and replace it was more than the hammock, so DD simply refunded me the money.
From there, I went to Hennsey Hammock Expedition Asym, and purchased a Supershelter from them, which provided under insulation. I also had modifications made, so that the mosquito screen could be zipped-allowing me side access (the HH models, at that time, had a bottom access into the hammock). This model served me well for 2 years.
Then, I discovered Warbonnet hammocks. My first foray was the venerable WarBonnet BlackBird. I purchased this in about 2008 or so, when they were still new. He was making them out of his garage at that time. This was a revolutionary gathered end hammock, with a shelf, a footbox-and a cult like following (that, by the way, still exists today). It was the end-all be-all for hammocks. And, I was an EXTREMELY satisfied customer! That hammock served me quite well, up until last weekend.
As per my previous post, you saw I was hammock camping. I had the opportunity to try the Warbonnet RidgeRunner, which is a bridge style hammock (I will explain the differences below). Well, I was sold on it. I wanted one. I got home, put my WBBB and the accompanying underquilt up for sale. I got it sold within 20 minutes. I immediately ordered a RidgeRunner. The site states that orders for these (I got a double layer) wouldnt be fulfilled until February, due to a backup for material. Well, a day later, I got notification it shipped-and got it this past week. Talk about fast shipping!
So, I look forward to spending many nights out in this, my latest acquisition from Brandon. I have his Superfly tarp, so I, too, and a cultist for them. But, the quality, craftsmanship, and attention to detail, are what sold me initially-and keeps me a customer. So, look for my initial impressions coming soon, and some trip reports later this year!

Ok, as I previously stated, there are, essentially, 2 different types of hammocks-both have many people singing the praises of each-its like a Ford vs Chevy debate. Nothing wrong with either-just depends on your taste!
A gathered end hammock is, essentially, exactly as it sounds. The ends are gathered, and tied, and the suspension is rigged from there. Gathered end hammocks normally require a diagonal lay, to lay flat. Some hammocks make this easier than others. The ideal way to lay in them is to imagine a line running from the head to the foot of the hammock, dividing it in half, the long way. To lay as flat as possible, your head would be on one side, your feet on the other, thus, laying diagonally. Some hammocks work better doing this than others-and, in my opinion, Warbonnet has nailed this process down.
A bridge hammock is a little different. I am new to this type, but familiar with the design, overall. a bridge is, in essence, a rectangular piece of fabric, which has its suspension coming from the 4 ends-not gathered in a knot like a gathered end hammock is. The 4 corners are normally spread apart via some sort of spreader bar-be it tent poles, hiking poles, etc. The result is somewhat like a suspension bridge. This method results in a flatter lay, and, for people like me, a flat side lay too. The trade off is usually in weight. These types are typically heavier, due to the use of spreader bars.

The choice between the two is solely dependent on the end user. Some swear by gathered end, some by bridge. This is my first foray into the bridge hammock, and, I no longer have a backup, so, I'm hoping I made the right choice!

A weekend winter freezing hang!

This past weekend, my hammock camping group, NEHHA (New England Hammock Hangers Association) had their annual winter hang. We have a get together several times a year, but, the one most of us look forward to, is the winter hang. Being in New England, you cant always predict the weather. We have had snow, rain, 60 degree weather, and, this weekend, sub zero (literally) temps. My sleeping gear was as follows:
Warbonnet Blackbird hammock
Warbonnet Superfly tarp
CCF sleeping pad
Reflectix pad (for additional warmth)
Wiggy's FTRSS sleeping bag system, rated to -20.
I also sleep with a medium weight long underwear system, for heat management.
So, first, lets discuss the comfort range of the sleeping system. Was I warm? Well, thats kind of debateable. I wasnt uncomfortably cold. BUT, here's the deal. The FTRSS system consists of 2 sleeping bags: a +20 bag, which is the inner bag, and a +35 bag, which comprises the outer bag, when they are zipped together. Each bag has 2 sets of zippers: and inner one, that closes that bag, and an outer one, that mates with the other bag. Now, here is where the issue arises. When the bags are on their own, the oversized draft tubes work fantastic. They block the air coming through the zipper, and dont allow you to inadvertently come into contact with the (cold) zipper. However, when the bags are mated, the draft tube is JUST big enough to cover the zipper, with minimal overlap. Now, here is something that isnt taken into account: Sleeping in a traditional tent, one can reasonably assume that you are flat. In a hammock, you arent. You will, even in the BEST hammocks, lie in a somewhat U shaped position. Combine that with a lack of leverage when moving (in a hammock, when you move, you more slide to a new position, sometimes contorting yourself, rather than just move), and you can compromise this tenuous defense against the outside temps. In short-you end up byassing the draft tube, and touch the zipper. Which is COLD. So, even though the bags are rated to -20, when combined-this takes into account that you are a ground dweller. And, as such, dont resort to contortions and poor adjustments. My ratings for this bag? It got down to -7 one night, and I was comfortable, except for that issue. So, I would say that I would rate this ideally at a -10 system.
Its important to note that I was NOT cold anywhere else, except along the zipper line. My bottom insulation was fine. But, on to the trip.
So, the first day, I arrived about 2, and set up my gear. I wasnt the first, by any means, but I did want to get there before dark. I got set up (I took my time), and then proceeded to hang out with friends, new and old, by the fire. Coincidentally, the fire is kept going pretty much all weekend, as its our only source of heat for the weekend. We spent the afternoon catching up, welcoming new members, and shooting the breeze. Before long, it was dinner time!
About food: we have pretty much come to a perfect solution. As our camp is a drive in, and no need to walk any real distance, we do pot luck for meals. We generally do dinner, and breakfasts, and leave lunch and snacks up to the individuals. You will NEVER leave hungry. The first night, we had soup, a crockpot chicken stew, and some hot sausage with onions. All done over either the fire, or camp stoves. We ate like vikings!
Then, later that night, we had a special treat. My friend Joe is an amateur astronomer. He brought his telescope for all of us to look through. So, we spent some time looking at stars, galaxies, and planets. Where we are, there is no light pollution, and the sky was clear, so we had a great view. After that, we all pretty much went to bed.
Waking up in -2 weather, is rough. I had a rough night, as I did, what came to be called, the "zipper dance", which I alluded to earlier. So, I was up, and cold. I quickly got dressed, then sat by the fire. Once warmed, I was fine. Then, the breakfast feed was on. Again, a communal feeding, with enough food to feed twice as many people as were there-but, we ate it all!
After breakfast, we pretty much were on our own. I went for a nice hike around the pond. The frozen pond was a nice, WARM contrast compared to the relative cool woods. The sun reflecting off the snow was nice. When the wind blew though, that disappeared instantly-the wind chill was in the -20s. I had on an anorak, with a fur ruff, which was a godsend. With a wind chill like that, your sinuses freeze up, causing pain. The ruff creates a nice little micro environment right in front of your face-essentially a warm air cushion.
So, that evening, we had some venison stew that was AWESOME. We also had some cowboy stew, that was venison and boar meat, that was ALSO awesome. Basically, we ate like kings, again. We also tried to make a Swedish Torch (by "we", I mean Tim), but, it failed. I think that this was due to wood selection more than lack of trying. We used hemlock, which is a fantastic hardwood-but doesnt make a good fire log, as it smoulders, not burns. We also had a raffle, which has become traditional for our hangs. We had plenty of awesome donations from local vendors, and all proceeds went to the local Boy Scouts. We raised over $500 that night for them! We then went back to camp (we used a building for the raffle) where we ate, told stories, and went to bed.
Night 2, I had my sleeping system largely worked out. It was a better night, even though the night lows were colder, at -7. I heard coyotes calling across the pond, and, at one point, was woken up by a barred owl screeching. Normally, I detest being woken up. But, theres something about being outside, and hearing nature do its thing, that has NEVER bothered me!
Next morning, got up. Had another amazing breakfast, then began to break camp. I said my goodbyes, and drove home. Most people at work think I am crazy for opting to sleep out in negative temps. I dont even try to explain it anymore. If your heart is in the woods, its simply a calling. You learn to dress, you adapt, and deal. Its really that simple. I had a weekend of cameraderie, good food, plenty of laughs-and even tried out a new hammock, that I then ordered as soon as I got home. Yes, I'm selling my WBBB, which I have had since 2008. But, I tried a bridge style hammock ,and feel that, with this type, I can alleviate the zipper issue, due to the way the lie is in the hammock. So, I will be doing a test night within the next month, with a new hammock, to try it out! Look for a blog post regarding the Warbonnet RidgeRunner coming soon!
Last, as usual, I will leave you with some pics from the weekend!

Pre hunt scouting

I went out yesterday. to do some scouting in the area I will be hunting next week (shotgun season opens December 1st, I'll be hunting black powder though). I went with my nephew Joey, and my friend Joe. We got about 6" of snow, so it made tracking a little easier-moving through it, not so much. We started where I THOUGHT the trail was-but, the trail, a single track that is unmarked (not blazed), that is easy to follow when there isnt any snow-all but disappeared with the snow, and the trees bent over touching the ground. ANY side trail was difficult to locate, never mind walk through. Unmarked (illegal) single tracks, even more so! But, we found it, eventually. We also found PLENTY of deer tracks. Looking at what we saw, there were at least 2 bucks, and several does, some much smaller, possibly fawns or yearlings? I dont know-but, the area I scouted before, yielded more tracks, so I'm satisfied that my chosen area is at least used.
We also came across what appear to be moose tracks. I will attach them here, but, they were LARGE. They were bigger than an adult sized fist. The area that I am hunting, I played in as a child. I never once remember seeing a moose, or tracks, out there at all. But, these could only be moose, or cow. Now, that being said-there are farms, close by, and cows have been known to escape. But, cows dont wander through thick mountain laurel, brambles, and thick underbrush. We are pretty certain it was moose.
Anyway, thats just an update. I will be out hunting this Thursday and Friday, my first time ever. So, expect an update next weekend! PS-the last pic, is simply the area we were. The main trail is used by dog walkers, snowshoers, cross country skiers, and snowmobilers. Just wanted to illustrate the woods, in their current condition :)

A day out scouting

I had the opportunity the other day, to get out and do a little scouting, for the upcoming shotgun/black powder season. The weather was, well, miserable. It was raining, and 35F. A perfect day to be in the woods, right?
Actually, it wasnt bad. I put on all wool clothing-I had on wool swedish army pants, a polypro long john top, a thrift store 100% wool flannel shirt, an LL Bean wool vest, and a wool fedora. On my feet, wool socks and my unlined Bean Boots. I had a small haversack with me, with what I will take hunting-some food, a small wood burning stove, things like that.
All in all, it was a great way to spend the afternoon-even with the weather. Found some deer beds, saw a ton of tracks-got an idea where I want to stalk. Two more weeks!

As an aside, I created a video of my lunch time. Hope you enjoy!

Lunch time by the stream

Do bears shit in the woods?

I don't know, but I almost did!
I decided yesterday that, it being a blustery, rainy afternoon, and my only day off this week, I wanted to go do some Tenkara fishing (which, I just realized, I havent done an article on-one will be forthcoming!). Instead of going to my usual fly fishing spot, I decided to hit up a local river, only a couple minutes away, in a wildlife refuge area. All I carried was my fishing rod, my fly necklace, and a pocketknife. Oh, and a phone.
So, I was bushwhacking down to the river's edge. The first 50 yards or so are through blackberry brambles. Lots of fun. I had a pair of firehose pants on, and a waxed cotton jacket, so I pushed through, but it wasnt easy. I must've sounded like a pack of horses going through that!
Anyway, I get into the "open" woods. Open for New England woods, anyway. Light underbrush, some random brambles, lots of blowdowns. You know, woods. Everything was soaking wet. Well, except me :).
So, I am just walking along, minding my business, trying to pick a path through the woods, to get to the river. I look ahead, about 50 yards or so, and see a giant burl off the side of a tree. Of course, me being me, I decided to investigate.
I get to within 20 yards of the burl-when it stands up on its hind legs! What looked to be a burl, was the hind quarters of a mature black bear! Well, when he figured me out, he did what bears do-turned tail and took off! The bear was tearing up dead wood for grubs, when I startled him.
This was my first encounter with a black bear in the wild-despite spending YEARS traipsing through the woods. I feel like I was truly blessed with seeing him. It was awesome. I only wish I had taken pics. Had I recognized it for a bear, I would have been MUCH quieter and had my camera out. But, honestly-who stalks burls????

Coffee in the rain

Ok, I made my first official video. It was shot using my Galaxy S5. I wanted to do a video showing the Solo Stove in use, during the rain. Its been raining the past couple days here, so I figured it would be a good time to go out and play around. The weather was about 50 F, drizzling when I started, then turned to a mist. When I left, it started raining. Its been raining on and off for 2 days now, so everything was soaked. Still got the water going fine though.
Anyway, enjoy the video!

Fall foliage hike in New England

Yesterday was my only day off this week and, as it was a nice day, I went for a little 5 mile hike. The area I went to is Leominster State Forest. I grew up in the area, and have been in these woods many, many times, and always enjoy wandering here. There are miles of trails, most marked, quite a few not. Its a popular mountain bike riding area too.
The day was cool, but sunny. Cool, being about 60, with a steady wind. Later in the day, storm clouds rolled in, but, although threatening rain, nothing came of it.
A couple things I did notice, was that, one, per usual, in New England, there is such a variety of vibrant colors this time of year, its breathtaking. Many times, I stopped, just to admire it. And, because of the unseasonably warm weather recently, the tree frogs were out. I don't ever recall hearing them this late in the year. Doesn't mean they aren't out-I just don't remember :).

So, enough chatter. On to the pictures!!! This outing is picture heavy, so, if you are on a mobile phone, keep that in mind:

First up, my pack for the day: its an Italian mountain ruck. Its ideal for day trips, as there isn't a lot of room to pack things, so you limit what you pack. I also prefer wearing a brimmed hat, at most times, for shade. Summer, I wear a Real Deal Brazil tarp hat. I wanted something a little heavier for the cooler weather, so I have a Woolrich crushable felt hat. This also has the advantage of deflecting the barrage of dropping acorns this time of year :).

I also put some REAL trail miles on my Arrow Moccasins. I absolutely love these things. Although, I do find that, after a long day, my knees hurt-because these lack any kind of cushioning. It will be some time until I develop the muscles there, as I have spent a lifetime in regular shoes. But, so far, these things are far more comfortable than any hiking boots I've ever worn:

As we had recent rains (Thursday we had a deluge), that broke up an almost 2 week long dry spell, I came across several mushrooms. I don't know my mushrooms at all, so I just took some pics. Some on the ground, a couple on a log I thought was pretty cool:

The stone marker separating the town borders (erected in 1908):

My lunch spot, overlooking Rocky Pond:





My requisite stove shots. What can I say? The more I use this Solo Stove the more I love it. The wood you see here is all that was needed to boil water for coffee. It was, literally, a single stick.

This tree is called the Haunted Tree. Why? Who knows. Local legend was that they hung someone there. But, this tree isn't old enough to have been around when this legend allegedly occurred (sometime in the late 1700s to 1800s). But, that's the story that goes with it (there is also a geocache located within the tree):

 



There was also a paper wasp nest hanging right over one of the trails. I didn't see any wasps going in or out, but, I wasn't about to tap it to see if it was occupied:

And, some gratuitous beautiful foliage shots:

 

Last, a short vid (I got the date wrong. oh well) of the tree frogs, near Rocky Pond:

So, that was my little day trip. Hope you enjoyed!