My Tassie Gear List. 6kg make it 5kg. Improvements?

[Penguin]

Hi Corvus,
Stove was the Kovea TKB-0101 distributed by GMA elemental...it came with piezo ignition but which I've taken off. From what I've been able to suss out...it looks like the Kovea Titanium may be identical to the Snow Peak stoves. Still sorting mugs etc so I'll definitely check out the BP Barn as well..many thanks.

This is the same stove as mine - but I lost the central little bolt - remember to check the tightness of this every now and then. I also took of the piezo, because the plastic housing failed. Have used a Helios lighter since with no trouble. The spark from the lighter will light the stove even when the lighter has run out of butane. Great little stove for a Snow Peak 600ml billie. Lousy for the larger trangia aluminum (?) bowls as the heat is too concentrated in the centre and it is hard to simmer.

Happy cooking

[corvus]

RC's comments on gas circa 2004
Footnote re gas behaviour in the cold
Butane boils at -0.5 C (31 F), while propane boils at -40 C (-40 F). On a very cold day - say around -10 C (14 F), the propane can still boil but the butane will sit there doing nothing very much. As the propane boils off the rest of the liquid gas gets even cooler, by evaporation. Carried too far in the cold the propane gets all used up and the cartridge is left with lots of butane but not giving any gas out. This is why some people think gas stoves don't work in the snow: they simply haven't managed their stove properly.

[corvus]

Love this comparison between the Kovea KB-0707 and the Sno peak GST-120
http://translate.google.com.au/translat ... n%26sa%3DG

Last edited by corvus on Thu 01 Jan, 2009 5:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[corvus]

This is my latest purchase if anyone is interested
http://www.brunton.com/magnify.php?imag ... TAND_L.jpg

[sirius Tas]

That's a good point Penguin re pots etc....as shape and size is also important. I've decided to stick with my current 1lt Al billy which has a footprint of only 10cm...and weighs only 75g with lid...fine for solo use...so just need to sort out the mug....and one I can boil water in as well...plus fits inside the billy.
Interesting you still use piezo ignition...as I prefer the old match....less chance of knocking the stove over...especially in tight spots....but you're obviously used to it.

Re tent weights...my scales can't be too bad as I found a review...http://v-g.me.uk/blog/outdoor-gear/vang ... mment-7083
which says exactly the same as what I found. Very annoying as it looks as if the Vango 200 is only marginally heavier in real life....AND if I'd known that would have preferred the extra room. Reckon something that Fair Trading and/or Consumer Affairs should take a look at...as I'm NOT HAPPY JAN.
Cheers...sT

[Taurë-rana]

I'm following this discussion with interest as I want to get my weight down as well... I've bought a Kovea KB-0101 as well, 130g in its plastic case or 80g without, a 1l Al billy for $6 and 110g and I also have a lexan cup at 80g. The stove and gas cylinder fit in the billy. After carrying a Trangia at 950g plus the bottle with metho, the stove, gas and billy for 450g seems pretty good and I don't think I'll try and get it reduced any more.

I'm still dithering about puffer jackets, sleeping bags, tents, sleeping mats and tents.
Another thing I've wondered about too, the new style gaiters appear to be heavier than the old style which I have, is that the case?

[sirius Tas]

Hi DA,
Looks as if you're going well re weights. I'm really impressed with the Koveas' size and weight...can't wait to do a field test...god knows when though.
For those interested with various tents....I'll be erecting the Vango 100 after this weekend....anyone more than welcome to take a look. Re real life weights the 200 is apparently only 180g heavier...plus 5cm higher...which maybe worth a thought. I'll confirm when its definitely erected...then can PM re details.
Cheers...sT

[corvus]

G'day DA ,
Double check you weight in the TKB-0101,I concur with the overall weigh including case 130g (132g)however the stove is 95g and dont forget every gramme counts
c

[Taurë-rana]

Oops, caught out. I didn't actually weigh the stove by itself, I thought it said 80g on the box but I may possibly have misremembered. The only concern I have with the Kovea is if it's windy, just have to see what happens.
I'll be very interested in the results of the Vango, sirius.

[corvus]

DA never had any real problem with the wind as I have always been able set it up in a sheltered area however I have purchased the canister stove stand so I can use a windshield with safety (who am I trying to kid I bought it cause it looks cool and will convert the TKB-0101 to a Moonwalker ) it will be interesting to see if the performance is improved as in reduced gas use.
You were correct in reading 80g on the box (88g actually) but that is the weight less the piezo ignition like sirius T said the manufacturers need to put accurate weights on their packaging and web sites ,Kovea actually have the TKB-0101 listed on their web site as weighing 340g

[sirius Tas]

I think the 340g Kovea weight was meant to include the 100g cannister...though it didn't actually say. The 88g should include the piezo...as after I took it off it came back to 60g...but I didn't do that to save wight...just that I don't like it...and less chance of knocking something over...especially in a tight spot in the tent or vestibule...sT

[Tony]

Hi Corvus,

This is my latest purchase if anyone is interested
http://www.brunton.com/magnify.php?imag ... TAND_L.jpg

Where did you get the Brunton stand from.

Tony

Last edited by Tony on Fri 02 Jan, 2009 9:37 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Tony]

Hi sirius Tas,

Have you tried out your Vango helium yet, I am have been researching the Vango F10 Helium 100 at $320 from Wildearth it seems good value, I would like to know if anyone who owns one has had it in high winds yet.

Tony

[corvus]

G'day Tony,
I got it from REI
c

[Earthling]

Hi sirius Tas,

Have you tried out your Vango helium yet, I am have been researching the Vango F10 Helium 100 at $320 from Wildearth it seems good value, I would like to know if anyone who owns one has had it in high winds yet.

Tony

I found some reviews/comments by users online, however no real high wind use and most users thought 3 season use only.
Vango promote their Vapour (or Ultralight as its called overseas) as being good for high winds but very limited reviews again.
Ive contacted Vango regarding the Vapour but no reply as of yet.....

http://www.vango.co.uk/products/f10tent ... &modelid=3

Be good if sirius could put her up the next time a front comes through for some high wind testing.

All this chatting of cooking gear reminds me I still havent decided on a product to go with......

[Tony]

Hi Corvus,

G'day Tony,
I got it from REI
c

Thanks

Tony

[Tony]

Hi Earthling,

Hi sirius Tas,

Have you tried out your Vango helium yet, I am have been researching the Vango F10 Helium 100 at $320 from Wildearth it seems good value, I would like to know if anyone who owns one has had it in high winds yet.

Tony

I found some reviews/comments by users online, however no real high wind use and most users thought 3 season use only.
Vango promote their Vapour (or Ultralight as its called overseas) as being good for high winds but very limited reviews again.
Ive contacted Vango regarding the Vapour but no reply as of yet.....

http://www.vango.co.uk/products/f10tent ... &modelid=3

Be good if sirius could put her up the next time a front comes through for some high wind testing.

All this chatting of cooking gear reminds me I still havent decided on a product to go with......

Thanks for that info, I only found 1 review in not so good weather and that was it was only OK, it did flap a bit in the wind.

My favourite stove pot combination is not the lightest but it is the best performer especially in the cold when most other gas stoves stop working, I have used it at -17C, it is a Coleman Extreme stove (not made any more) and a JetBoil GCS 1.5l pot, I had to modify the pot stand to fit the jetBoil pot .

Tony

[sirius Tas]

Hi All,
Will get it erected on Monday hopefully.....will then leave up for quite a while to test it out...though backyard is a little bit sheltered....but anyone close by is welcome to take a peak for sure.
Cheers...sT

[corvus]

sT dont forget you have to sleep in it to give it a real test

[bluewombat]

Hi Earthling
Fascinating thread. I'm curious about why you chose the Western Mountaineering Megalite over something like their Ultralite. For an extra 140gms you get an extra 5 degrees to play with, and picking up that much more warmth might allow you one less layer in bed, not to mention a better safety/comfort margin. You could drop the sleeping bag liner to claw back 130gms. My tent/hut boots are simply polar fleece socks with some insulation mat glued to the bottom, the pair weighs 75gms which I suspect is lighter than a pair of Crocs, they work suprisingly well
cheers
bw

[corvus]

G'day bluewombat,
Good idea for you tent/hut shoes however if you had a boot failure I suspect they would not be much of a substitute unlike "crocs"

[Earthling]

Hi Earthling
Fascinating thread. I'm curious about why you chose the Western Mountaineering Megalite over something like their Ultralite. For an extra 140gms you get an extra 5 degrees to play with, and picking up that much more warmth might allow you one less layer in bed, not to mention a better safety/comfort margin. You could drop the sleeping bag liner to claw back 130gms. My tent/hut boots are simply polar fleece socks with some insulation mat glued to the bottom, the pair weighs 75gms which I suspect is lighter than a pair of Crocs, they work suprisingly well
cheers
bw

It was all to do with roominess bw. I like a bag with a little bit of room in it..not a full snug mummy. The megalite compared to the Ultralite should fit the bill.....umm...bod. Plus, I wont dump the liner, as I prefer to be able to clean a smelly liner, rather then the whole bag regularly, which is definetly not good for the down. Ive heard from reviews and others that the megalite is good for a few degrees below zero...cant remember the exact figures thrown at me (-4?)...but with a silk liner (-6?) and the option of throwing on some layers if it gets way cold(-13c coldest recorded in Tas) I should be easily comfortable to what ever Tas can throw at me.

I like your after walk foot wear idea! I just weighed the crocs, which came in at 345grams!...with a few layers of paint from spraying the house added on them.... . I will have to give your idea a go! Thanks for the input.

Corvus, Ive never had a quality pair of boots disintegrate to the point of not being able to wear them, I change them before that time comes. If that did happen though...Im sure I could improvise something to deal with the situation...without having to rely on a backup pair/crocs.

[corvus]

Earthling improvisation on the track ,in the past I have handed out 25mm wide circles of inner tube to unfortunates who had boot failure (doubled over like lakky bands ) they lasted from Kia Ora to Cynthia Bay and scored me a really nice bottle of Red at the Cafe on the last night from the recipients.
I dont carry inner tube any longer but also did a running repair for an unfortunate Americans boots with some soft wire to "re stitch his departing soles" dont carry wire any longer .
Would trust "crocs" over any of my repairs any time and at $3.00 a pair I could donate them to any idiot who had crappy sub standard boot failure on a big walk
Any improvised repair information from you should be shared around

[corvus]

Earthling how old are your boots

[Earthling]

Earthling how old are your boots

My boots are 5 years old.
How come?

[bluewombat]

G'day bluewombat,
Good idea for you tent/hut shoes however if you had a boot failure I suspect they would not be much of a substitute unlike "crocs"

True corvus, you would not want to walk too far in them. My in the wild boot repair kit consists of strapping tape (like you use for strapping an ankle). It is better than duct tape because you can roll it up a bit to fit between the cleats on your boot sole, so it lasts longer.
cheers
bw

[Taurë-rana]

Strapping tape, how sensible, especially as I already carry it Dual purpose gear, that's the way to go.

[corvus]

G'day Earthling,
Just curious and it helps to expand the thread

[Earthling]

Well I finnaly recieved my reply from Vango on the Vapour 200 (Ultralight 200, overseas) tent they sell as being "....which increasses stability in high winds and TBS Pro allow this tent to survive serious weather." They said in my email "This tent is a Single pole Single skin tent, with a 2/3 season rating designed primarily for late spring to late autumn use. "
Definetly not able to survive serious weather......
As the Vapour is designed for 'serious weather' and the Helium they dont even mention the weather, I have my doubts as to the Heliums durability in adverse conditions. I will email Vango regarding this tent and others now. Will keep updated.

[Earthling]

I asked Vango on their range of 3 & 4 Season tents. This is what he sent me. I also asked about the helium, not no comment from him and shes not on the list....

3/4 season tents would be
F10 Nitro
Vango Spirit
Vango Tempest
Vango Omega
Vango Equinox.

4 season
Vango Typhoon
Vango Tornado
Vango Hurricane
F10 Spindrift
F10 Baltoro
F10 Vortex
F10 Sentinel