Getting ready? Not really…

First of all good luck and a lot of fun to all those Blogkers (Bloggers & Hikers) and other hikers getting ready to traverse Scotland from Sea-2-Sea in this years TGO Challenge. May the weather gods be with you!
And what about my own hiking plans? It is actually more than just a single déjà-vu but like last year and the year before my hiking plans for this year changed once again. This time it finally turned out that Klaus and I where unable to get a common two weeks slot coordinated.
What this means? I got approval from him to continue the Via Alpina on my own. This actually means a different kind of hike, different gear and therefore I’ve chosen to postpone the start from the last two weeks of this month to the last two weeks in June in order to avoid some snow and getting more time for preparation.

What’s new? - GPS Loggers

About a year ago I wrote several postings about GPS loggers mentioning the ones from Ohararp, Sony and Wintec. Since then many new models came to market and others have been updated. I personally find it fascinating being able to record where you’ve walked and looking it up in programs like Google Earth. The logfiles do even show the places where you took a rest stop for a longer time or document those where you missed the right junction and walked into the false direction.
Another dimension is that you can geo-code your digital photos, too showing exactly where you shot them along the trail. This is not only a nice memory for you but also helps others wanting to visit the same areas to envisage what to expect if you publish them on websites like e.g. TripTracker.

GPS loggers are not comparable to normal GPS handhelds from e.g Garmin or Magellan as they do only record and store the GPS data. They usually have no screen or other features of handheld devices. On the other hand their power consumption is very low and they weigh significantly less compared to these units.
The past year has seen some developments in terms of loggers getting more feature rich or handhelds also incorporating logging capabilities. The market for those loggers really exploded since 2007 with many new devices entering the market. And this reflects a tiny niche only as it doesn’t cover GPS trackers which do normally actively send their current position e.g. using GSM technology or something like the SPOT unit which has its very own set of features. This market will develop further and by no doubt we will see more cameras with inbuilt GPS logging capabilities like this one or mobile phones (e.g. Nokias N series) incorporating those features, too.
The following list mentions some GPS loggers and is of course far from being complete. If you want to investigate further details on the topic Richard’s Tech Reviews blog is an excellent starting point.

• Sony GPS-CS1KASP - Already mentioned on my blog last year. This is the third revision now but I see no major enhancements. Operates with AA batteries.
• Ohararp - Also mentioned before and updated to Version 3.0 now including an optional 5MHz GPS module. This is manufactured by a one man cottage company in the US.
• Super Trackstick - The enhanced version of the original Trackstick. Now with 4MB non expandable internal storage. Operates with AAA batteries.
• Rob Keskull - Another homemade GPS logger this time coming from Australia. Several versions with huge storage capacities. Operates with a standard 9V battery.
• GoPass: GDL-601- Depending on your usage small storage capacity but ability to plug an external GPS antenna into its MMCX port.
• Holux M-241- The only one incorporating a small display that shows your current location. Powered by one AA battery. A good review can be found here.
• XAiOX iTrackU - Incorporates voice announcements and has Bluetooth functionalities.
• Transystem i-Blue747 - Very similar from to the Wintec WBT 201.
• Royaltek RBT-2300 and RGM-3800 - The 3800 runs with two AAA batteries and doesn’t have Bluetooth (but a mini-USB connector) inbuilt which are the two main differentiators compared to the 2300.
• GiSTEQ PhotoTrackr series - The producer emphasis on good integration with online photo communities like Flickr, SmugMug, Picasa etc.
• Qstarz BT-Qx series - They offer a hole range of loggers. My favourite is the BT-Q1200 who combines good storage capacity with an inbuilt solar charging panel (picture shown on top of this post).

Sorry for this longish posting but my initial idea of a short update took actually much more time for surfing and writing as expected (Like almost always. I need to improve it).

Pimp my Jetboil

I know many hikers love the Jetboil cooking system. But it is so heavy. Ezy Hiker felt the same and reduced the weight for his Jetboil system from 204g (7.2oz) down to 123g (4.3oz). This is the translated version of his posting and you can find his original one in Japanese right here. This is by the way an amazing blog for lightweight gear fanatics and one of my personal favorites.

Geonav - A Satmap competitor?…

… No, not yet but the Geonav has some very unique features and if they add map material for the hiker community soon (as they promise) this might change.
One of the most innovative gadgets released in the GPS sector last year was the Active 10 unit from Satmap specifically designed around the needs of walkers and other outdoor people. What it is mainly lacking in my opinion is the fact that only map material covering the UK is currently available.
Geonav from Italy who have a large footprint in maritime navigation recently released their new Geonav 3S which looks like a competitor to the Active 10 including a magnetic compass and barometer functions. No AA battery option to power the unit but beyond that many similarities. Check it out. More choice is always a good thing.

Via Alpina: 2007 in retrospect

The recent past saw a lot less postings from me than usual. The main reason for it? Keeping my promises!
A few months ago I promised to summarize our lessons learned the hard way last year walking parts of the Via Alpina (VA) yellow trail and with a new hiking season approaching it was high time getting those things out of my way. And as usual it took many, many more hours than expected.

One result is a set of photos in combination with our recorded GPS data which I published on the excellent TripTracker website. It provides a rough idea about the hike and is written in english.

Far more detailed informations about each stage can be found in the PDF document available in the download section on the right side of the blog. Because much of the information there is based on the excellent prework from Hans Diem written in German I decided to add our comments in German, too. Otherwise this document would have never been finalized. I wrote a short intro in English and given the nature of the text you might succeed using some translation tools.

And hopefully best for last…the long awaited walking guide for the whole yellow trail of the VA seems to be available (in German language at first) now! The title is “Gelber Weg. Von der Adriaküste bis zu den Almen des Allgäus”. Hans told me he was not overly satisfied after his first perusal but I’m eagerly awaiting the arrival of the guidebook the next days making up my own mind. Why? Because preparation phase for the next part of our trip which is starting in Imponzo near Tolmezzo where we stopped last year and ending in Bolzano is heating up!

P.S.: In the meantime I received the guidebook and made up my own mind.
What is positive?

• You get the 86 pages guidebook for free (I can’t remember the last time when I got something really useful for free).
• Each stages is presented on a double-sided page with a stage description (direction Trieste/Monaco plus a very brief description of the opposite direction). Possible stage variations, things to visit and accomodation facilities.
• The stage figures for walking times, ascend and descend are much closer to reality than what you can (still) find on the VA homepage.

What could be improved?

• The stage descriptions are somewhat brief but much longer and much more useful compared to what is mentioned on the VA homepage.
• I’m missing remarks about water sources and descents in case of emergencies. Also for most stages alternative accomodation options along the stage are missing.
• The descriptions about the things to visit and the overnight stops are pretty brief.
• There is a big mismatch in the guides description about walking hours, ascent/descent for each stage and what is mentioned for the same stage on the VA homepage. I’ve checked the first 14 stages and none of them was identical. The ones in the guidebook are much more realistic.
• I personally would have preferred to see more information instead of the 1-2 pictures included for each stage. Maybe a seperate picture session at the end would have been better.

My personal summary. This free of charge guidebook is a huge step forward and highly recommended for your planning phase. I can’t say it to often. Don’t rely on the information on the VA homepage only!
Will this book make my personal information sheet obsolete? I don’t think so therefore I will add more information into it after this years hike.

P.P.S.: Please check the comments line! This guidebook is also available in English and Italian now!

Tissue time

Yes, I’m aware that this entry is a bit strange but who cares, right?
The Minitissue is a hydraulically compressed 100% biodegradable non-woven cotton tissue made from cotton based viscose. A single tissue individually sealed has approx. the size of a dishwasher tablet and weighs less than 1g (0.03oz). If you pour water over it unfolds into a size of 22 x 25cm (8.6 x 9.8 inch). This is the same size as the refreshment tissues they hand over in some of the better airlines and also the same kind of material.
Main usage I can think of is in the area of personal hygiene (if you are tired of using the leaves…), wiping something dry, cooling your head, dishwashing etc. A box containing 96 tissues can be purchased here for Europe.

USBCell

Sometimes you discover things and think: Why has nobody thought of it before?
One example is the following in the area of rechargeable batteries. USBCell is selling a AA NiMH battery which you can recharge using its inbuilt USB connector and charging electronics. A fully re-charge takes about five hours. Think about it…you can recharge by connecting them to your solar panels on the go. You can recharge plugging them into any powered USB port and you can also use a normal charger if you want, too. You can find a little video review here.

The downside:

• Only available in AA size at the moment but they are working on a AAA model with integrated mini USB connector.
• Capacity of 1300mAh only. They need to improve this keeping e.g. power hungry digital cameras in mind.
• The price. O.k. there is always a price for convenience but 16 € (25 US$) for a pair of batteries is a bit too much imho.

But still…another little interesting gadget saving some weight on the go.

Ray wants to do it again…

If you read in the Internet how people describe in which way their thinking changed towards carrying lightweight equipment and reducing the amount of items they carry most of them mention Ray Jardine and his book “Beyond Backpacking” as a starting point.
Some of the content of his book and his views expressed there generate heated debates but no matter what you think about it there is no doubt in my mind that the book represents the nucleus of the lightweight movement and it took off from there. Unfortunately the book is out of print for a while now but there is some light on the horizon!
Harald Löffel aka Hikingharry mentioned that Ray is planning to publish a revisited and expanded version of his book by the end of the year. In Rays own words:

“The book will have a new title, as I am re-writing the book with a whole new slant. I am changing the info in large part, to accommodate what we have learned in these past 9 years. And I’m switching the presentation by 180 degrees throughout. Also I will be including about 400 color photos taken during our many long-distance hikes.”

I’m really crossing my fingers that this project will materialize!

Bits and Pieces

Sometimes people inform you about things happening but it is not “big” enough to justify a lengthy posting. The following is a collection of this kind.

Franco made me aware about a 7g (0.2oz) alcohol stove made out of titanium from the people at Titaniumgoat. It is called the Ti Microtus and will be available mid April.

He also told me that Luxe Outdoor will release a next 1-2 person shelter called the Speedup. You can watch the video here. Very versatile and good spacing but still not available in Europe and being made out of Polyester which means durable but too heavy with 1400g (49.4oz).

Over in the forum section of Trekking Ultraleicht the new Refuge X tent from Sixmoondesigns has been mentioned. This Cuben Fiber tent (with a Silnylon floor) is the first one Ron produces out of this material and claims to be the lightest 2 person tarptent currently available with a weight of 454g (16oz).

Sabine informed me that the Via Alpina homepage has been redesigned with added information and a new forum section. This comes in time for my trip preparation and I’m confident as always that any news is good news in this area.

And finally the New York Times suggest that people blog until they drop. Looks like blogging can be potentially life threatening if you do it professionally.

Camping for real man!

Let’s face it! We are wimps! Always looking for the lightest items. Weighing all our gear. Sleeping under tarps. But watch out. The true man and real campers are fighting back. Watch them giving tips on “How to pack for camping“or “How to put up a camping tarp“. Those two videos alone made my day today. Each to his own but for me this was pretty funny.

Stuff for your ears

Very intense readers of my blog may be aware that my link list of podcasts has grown recently. They are a few new (well, for me…) out there which I thought are worth mentioning:

James Mills presents SNEWS Live possibly the most commercial oriented podcasts on todays list. They describe their service as: “Specialty News…the best, most reliable, outdoor and fitness industry source for: Late-breaking insider news – trend reporting – business education – dynamic product reviews – company info – community chat – juicy celebrity gossip.” Very US centric but some of the podcasts in their Outdoor audio section are worthwhile listening.

Gary Mittelholtz is the driving force behind Doing Stuff Outdoors. He describes his professionally produced podcasts as something which “is all about outdoor recreation, active living and adventure. It’s sort of a grab bag for everything outdoors.” He produced more than 40 shows by now mainly around topics in the area of winter outdoor activities and if you like the style of Bob Cartwright you will like him, too. Highly recommended.

Best for last? Yes, at least to some extend because Fitz Cahall’s The Dirtbag Diaries are really something special. This is a true storyteller who uses the Outdoor as a background to come up with some magnificent narratives. I was almost laughing to death listening to his hilarious story about some guys job climbing up the Matterhorn mountain daily. Not the real one but the slightly smaller version in Disneyland. On the other end of the scale his story about a woman who turned from a Eco Activist into a Eco Terrorist (at least this is what the FBI described her) was quite thought provoking for me. This is my personal podcast of the day.

All of the above are available e.g. through iTunes. Something to enjoy over the coming weekend!

New Globetrotter catalog 2008 arrived & more

Do you have a dejá vu? Yes, you have because about a year ago I wrote an entry about the 2007 catalog from Globetrotter. Why I’m writing about it again? Simply because they are the leading and biggest (online) shop for Outdoor equipment in Germany and if you want to get a general overview about what is available and what are potential trends in this market you will at some point knock on their door.
In addition they have the budgets to launch something new and innovative like the 4-Seasons TV I wrote about earlier which gathered 1.5 Million pageviews in his first month of existence. They also have stores across Germany and their biggest one in Cologne is 7000qm (75350 square foot) big and has 100 employees working in it. The new catalog got even bigger than last years one - 708 pages loaded with outdoor stuff of all kind which you can also download but be aware that the PDF file is 152MB big.

Looking at their offerings from a lightweight (no, nothing really to find for the ultra-lightweight hiker there) customer perspective I found that it didn’t changed much compared to the previous year. All items from Montane, Icebreaker, Crocs, Western Mountaineering, Hilleberg, Helsport, Primus, Komperdell and Aloksak are still being sold. The only relevant lightweight addition was the Laser Competition tent from Terra Nova.

And once again I couldn’t resist for this years foolish backpacker competition. Grab the Easy Camp Napoli and you have a 2-3 person tent for summer use only which weighs just about 8.4kg (296.3oz). Add your new 4.7kg (165.8oz) Helsport Tempelfjorden sleeping bag which can be a bit toasty with -19 °C (-2.2 °F) comfort temperature but who cares if everything fits into your 4.4kg (155.2oz) Bergans Alpinist Escape Standard backpack.
And we end up with 17.5kg (617.3oz) for the three essential items alone. Happy walking.

I recently visited one of their shops to look around and had a unplanned talk with somebody who turned out to be the store manager and we chatted about the market trends from his perspective which I found pretty interesting. He currently observes the following trends for Germany:

• The “Best Ager” is a new target group which are all people above 50. Their kids are out, they are financially set and willing to spend their money and enjoy their lives (which is different from the previous generation). It makes sense if you just have a look at Germany’s demographics. Average age of 51 at 2030. 35.4% overall are 60 years or older by this year.
• More FairTrade and Ecological friendly products will enter the market.
• And finally the retailers are discussing a consultation fee. The problem is that customers enter the shop, squeeze all the knowledge out of the (hopefully knowledgeable) shop clerks, leave and buy for the best price over the Internet. Therefore they are discussing a fee of approx. 20-30€ to be fully refunded if you purchase the product in the shop. They also discuss dividing shops into an area where you can get advice and a purely self-service part. Interesting and I wonder if the same kind of discussions are taking place somewhere else.

Still alive…

Sorry that my postings became very infrequent…

Reason is that my job is still driving me mad and keeping me busy and in order to recover a little bit I took a day off over Eastern to discover an area mostly unknown to me which is former Eastern Germany. It is still remarkable but growing up during the Cold War era the wall and the division of Germany was always a fact to me. In addition my family never had any relatives living in this part of Germany. Even now almost twenty years after the wall came down it still feels like going to Terra Incognita for me. Strange, isn’t it? Anyhow, we decided to visit Dresden which is really worthwhile seeing and I spend some very needed time with the family and no time in front of the computer…

But of course hiking is not out of my mind and I ordered some items from Rose and Bob, from Racelite and I’m also considering some shopping in the US in the near future, too. You need to buy some new and shiny stuff to be ready for the next hike, don’t you?

I will of course keep all of you posted…

Hikes…

2008 seems to be a calm year. At least in the sense of long distance hiking. Of course we gonna see the various LEJOG, PCT, CDT and AT attempts but nothing really which caught my imagination compared to last year with the ambitious projects from Judy Armstrong, Francis Tapon and Andrew Skurka. Each of them is taking a well deserved rest this year but they already plan something for 2009. I was curious if e.g. Matt Hazley would consider something but he seems to have totally disappeared from the hiking scene.

At least one hiking project is out there which I find interesting and this is the one from Chris and Ian from Australia attempting a journey of six months and 3500km (2175mi). They will split up and one is walking from the east to the west and the other from the south to the north of… Japan. Sequentially they call their blog Four Corners of Japan. This promises to be a very interesting journey both from a landscape/cultural perspective but also from their overall hiking concept. And they already think about going as lightweight as possible.

This morning I saw a billboard trying to motivate people to visit Scotland which kept me thinking that the start of this years TGOC is less than 60 days away now. But I wonder how many lightweight aficionados will give it a try after Andy and Bob haven’t made the cut. Maybe Colin? Will Darren complete it this year for his first time?

And my own plans? Well, after the usual struggle finding a suitable time slot for Klaus and myself it looks like that we are able to continue our Via Alpina hike the last two weeks of May. So we will indeed see an overlap of one weeks time with the folks doing the TGOC which makes it interesting comparing the different weather conditions. I would expect something more stable and a bit warmer in northern Italy but also quite a good chance of remaining snow fields higher up. Needless to say that I haven’t been able to do anything in terms of preparation yet (I’m the unofficial team route master) not even speaking about properly finishing our hike from last year. Gosh…I need more time!
The only good thing form a gear point of view is that I don’t think I need anything major. Well, maybe different shoes, some changes in outerwear and carrying a different cooker but nothing really major. I will of course mention any changes on this blog.

P.S.: The internet is so big and the same time sometimes so small. Just a few hours after posting this entry Craig Stanton commented on it saying that he also plans to hike through Japan in the same timeframe than Ian and Chris. You can find his blog here. Funny enough when I saw his picture on the blog I thought… I’ve seen this guy before! And yes I did - virtually! I got his reference from Ryan O’Hara from whom I purchased my GPS logger last year and it is the same Craig who finished a PCT thruhike in 2007 using his logger. I read his well written blog back then from time to time checking how he was doing and how the logger performed. And Craig… I was the one who informed Ryan about the Otterbox…
What a world full of surprises it sometimes is.

Clingfilm? Parafilm!

My hiking partner Klaus who is working in a chemistry lab made me aware of a nice little thing called parafilm. It is similar to clingfilm but much better!
It is semi-transparent, almost colorless, odorless, and tasteless and supplied in 0.127mm (0.005″) thickness. Parafilm adheres quickly and firmly to itself, has excellent resistance to air, other gases and fluids. At 21°C (70°F), it stretches 200% and returns partially to its original size. At 82°C to 93°C (180°F to 200°F), it softens enough to make an adhesive bond between papers, cloths, leathers, etc.

So if you want to wrap something making it waterproof or simply want to protect it this is great stuff! You can buy it in stores for lab supplies like e.g. this one in the US or eBay.

Do it yourself?!

If you look into the blogs of Bill Fornshell and Anders Jonsson you are amazed what is possible when you start making your own equipment with the help of a sewing machine and some practical skills. Unfortunately I’m not a sewing master but I thought it would be worthwhile summarizing a few locations in the Internet where you can search for advice and purchase the necessary parts if you want to go down that path.
I know it is a long list and far from being complete but a good start to jump into this parallel universe of making your own gear. Happy surfing!

DIY discussion forums:

• Outdoorseiten.Net (German): MYOG
• Trekking Ultraleicht (German): Make Your Own Gear
• Randonner leger (French): L’Atelier des Bricoleurs
• Backpacking Light: Make your own gear
• Practical Backpacking: Gear Workshop
• Whiteblaze.Net: Homemade Gear
• Yahoo: MakeGear

DIY Kits and Projects:

• Flusslinie (German)
• Leichtgepäck (German)
• Homemade Backpacking Gear
• Ray-Way Kits
• Homemade Outdoor Gear
• DIY - Making and modifying your own kit

DIY Materials:

• Extremtextil (Germany)
• Pointnorth (UK)
• Pennine Outdoor (UK)
• Shelby (Finland)
• Textile Outfitters (Canada)
• Rockywoods (USA)
• Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics (USA)
• Quest Outfitters (USA)
• Thru-Hiker (USA)
• Seattle Fabrics (USA)
• Oware (USA)
• Top Value Fabrics (USA)

DIY Specialty Materials:

• Drachenladen (Germany)
• Drachenladen Hennes (Germany)
• Kite Magic (Australia)
• Thai Silks (USA)

2008 Lighthiker’s Lightweight Gear Competition - Done and over

As most of you did already recognize Bob re-started his weekly podzines and competition this week therefore last weeks competition was my final one! My intention for this competition was always to cover the time before the real prizes from Bob returned so I’m gladly handing it all back to him and leaving me with a much emptier cellar.
Maybe I should ask my wife now to start her own blog and competition in order to get rid of some of her stuff…

Thanks to all who participated and it gave me a chance to discover readers I haven’t envisaged before. If I’m in a real good mood I might run some of those competitions from time to time just for the fun of it….and you wouldn’t believe that I still have one Caldera Cone left…

Newsletter from Gossamer Gear

One of the best gear newsletters I receive is the one from Gossamer Gear. Straight to the point and packed with useful information. In the just released one they give an update about their gear plans for 2008:

1. Their new Murmur backpack which is a Whisper/G5 hybrid will be released on July 1st.

2. Their Gunga Din hipbelt water carrier which should have been available by now needs to be postponed because Cascade Designs decided to change the design of their one liter Sport Bottle which the Gunga Din is supposed to fit.

3. Their spinnaker pack covers will be released on May 1st.

4. Glen will redesign their G4 backpack because of the 10th anniversary at GG. Release date is scheduled for July 1st.

5. They are introducing a Contoured Spinal Support System (= bendable aluminum stays that can replace the normal non-bendable carbon fiber stays resulting in more weight but probably better fit) for the Mariposa Series. This is a one piece, yoked twin stay set that will fit in any Mariposa series pack they’ve ever made. Prototypes showed good result but they are now looking for someone who is able to produce them.

6. They introduce shoulder strap pockets which will be released on April 1st.

7. Their Mariposa backpack series will be redesigned for 2008. They will have a smaller upper right pocket to make it easier to reach into the lower pocket. Second, the size small will be modified in a way that their torso length will be increased by one inch so that it will overlap the size medium better. The 2008 Mariposa Plus will be released in April. The Miniposa and Mariposa Standard will be released later in the year.

2008 Lighthiker’s Lightweight Gear Competition #6

What? One competition posting after another? Well, I’m on business travel this week and if I don’t post it today I will not be able to get it all together until next week so here we go this time with a Déjà-vu competition…

Yes, again a Caldera Cone stove from Traildesigns but this time he is built to fit a 1400ml (47 fl oz) titanium pot from Snowpeak. You can win the whole combo (stove, cone, fuel bottle, mesh bag and pot) as always for free! Cone and stove are brandnew and the pot used once. Retail price is about 27 (US$ 40) for the cone and approx. the same for the pot (which you can’t buy solo).

As usual you post the solution to the following question into the comment field of this posting if you agree to my terms and conditions explained previously if you want to win this weeks price:
Bob Cartwright is hosting his podcasts on his Outdoors Station website. What was the former name of this site before some US lawyers forced him to change it in 2007?

2008 Lighthiker’s Lightweight Gear Competition #5

This weeks competition is about water purification. Surely not the most lightweight option but a comfortable and easy to use gadget is the original SteriPEN which runs with 4 AA batteries and weighs about 105g (3.7oz) excluding batteries. This is a brandnew unit and retail price is around 68€ (100US$).

As usual you can win this item for free if you post the solution to the following question into the comment field of this posting and if you agree to my terms and conditions explained previously:
John Manning, former deputy editor of TGO magazine, hiked the PCT in 2004. What was his main (biographical) reason why he undertook this hike?