Wish-Lust: Go Outfitters UnderQuilt.

Here's a pre-emptive Kickstarter post for the new project by GO! Outfitters, who bought us one of my favorite camping hammocks, the  asymmetrical GO! Hammock  
and the outer-shell for it, the Apex Camping Shelter & Hammock Camping Tarp and the upcoming, and freshly released Kickstarter Project, the Adventure Under Quilt: Hammock Camping Insulation. 

The idea of the UnderQuilt is to ensure that the underside of the  hammock sleeper stays toasty warm. As more people are switching from tent camping to hammock camping. they are coming across an unusual phenomenon; they often find that their backsides can get cold fast, because it's exposed cool air and wind. Some people use sleeping bags in hammocks but the insulation gets compressed and doesn't work as it would on the ground.

Others sleep on sleeping pads, but keeping them in place can be a nightmare in a hammock. They slide around and bunch up inside the walls of  the hammock, and can be far from comfortable. The UnderQuilt adds a layer of insulation to the outside of the hammock, freeing up the internal space, which is at a premium, as well as adding an extra layer of weather-proofing.

Filled with  100% Polyester Max Loft 10° Insulation.  but we have set the Temperature Rating of the quilt conservatively at 20°F). plenty warm enough for anywhere  I would want to camp in a hammock, to be sure. with a
210T Ripstop Polyester, Calendered, Water and Wind Resistant Shell Fabric and
210 Polyester, Breathable Liner Fabric not that it matters greatly as you won't be touching the liner, as the whole thing sits under the skin of your hammock. Designed with their own Hammocks specifically in mind, but will suit any gathered-end hammock, thanks to the ingenious cinching self-locking drawstrings and built in attachment systems, the UnderQuilt will suit up to a 7' user. 

It is 81 long and " 52" wide, and comes with its own weatherproof stuff-sack packing down to a mere  1lb. 9oz. (Includes: Under Quilt, Compression Stuff Sack, 2 Carabiners, and Built-In Shock Cord Suspension rig) all in a  8" diameter  x 10" long bundle.

I really like the idea of this, and hope to back it myself, for those rare camping trips I get  to take. Winter is coming, and I'm a skinny kind of guy at the best of times, and my bony ass needs all the warmth I can give it.   Do check out the deals on their Kickstarter page, the bundles would make an excellent way of starting your own hammock camping collection.

Review: Platatac microfleece Sniper pants

Here's a very simple post for a very simple product. It's winter here in Melbourne, and you may have gathered that whilst it's actually pretty mild here (today it got down to 7oC (that's 44oF)) so it's not like we have to contend with ice, snow or sleet very often at all, but I still don't like it.

If you've ever had call to stand around in wet windy winters, you may well appreciate having a good base-layer. These are the Platatac Microfleece Sniper Pants.

Cut generously from a 100 wt Microfleece, with an elasticised waistband that at small size sits at 26" relaxed and 51" fully expanded, and all the way up to 38" and 81" fully expanded in the XL size. These are currently offered in khaki and black, although I have a set in dark green from the early runs as well.


Nylon stretch foot loops help to keep the pants from riding up and secured on your legs. I've worn these whilst up at the snow, and also when I go out kayaking but the keen eyed reader may have also seen me donning them when out hammock-camping.

 The elastic waistband isn't really there to do anything more than keep them on your hips, but does so admirably, and I've not had any problems with it digging n, even with a battle belt or pack strap around my waist, over pants in my low key adventuring. They are the perfect companion to the Platatac Half-zip Microfleece tops too.

The leg cuffs do a great job of keeping the pants from riding up, especially if you find yourself crawling through the brush, or legs-up in a hammock, a very desirable trait when the temperature drops and you want to regulate your temperature evenly. IT is light and silky enough so as to not affect socks or boots when on your feet, and don't give rise to hotspots or chafing.

One thing to note though. Microfleese does not wick. These get sweaty and slick if you build up some heat, and can be uncomfortably steamy as a result in some situations. This is especially important if you're expecting to be out where you might re-chill.

They are quick drying though, which is one reason I choose to wear them when I'm out kayaking.
I don't mind getting wet, but no one wants to stay wet. Especially in the cold.

If you find yourself in the market for a light, warm set of underlayer bottoms, you might do well to keep something like these in mind. If you find yourself laying prone, still and running silent whilst stalking prey or providing overwatch, you might well want to add a little comfort to your operation.

Review: SORD - StormTrooper hand warmer

I got in touch with the good folks over at SORD Australia who had previously fixed me up with the long 870 scabbard pouch and a very clever covert-use hoodie. I had seen they had put out a couple of new items, and managed to secure some, just in time to take out camping and adventuring st s Post-Apocalyptic simulation weekend I was attending.

The first item I want to cover was their very fancy StormTrooper Hand Warmer. Available following a three year development development cycle in which it was put through high altitude parachute descents from around 7600m (25,000ft), and resisting wind speeds in excess of 250kph (135knots/155mph) as well as extended periods in mountain / cold weather environments in multiple countries. That was sales pitch enough for me. I've lived in Calgary, and a couple of other places which have snow, I've even taken a few pieces of kit to the limited snow we get here in Melbourne to trail. I hate the snow, generally, and being cold. Sometimes "hands-in-pockets" is not an option and I like to have options.

Check out that spacious muff!

This is where the StormTrooper comes in. Made from an outer shell fabric of Duro Industries LiteLok  (with a 500D Cordura option in Kryptek Yeti also available), the StormTrooper is filled with 40gsm Prima Loft fill (in double/triple layers), and is lined with the same lightweight lining as used in SORD's jackets.

It attaches in a variety of ways;  with three ITW Web Dominators on shock-cord loops, for attachment to a PLAS/MOLLE platform like a plate carrier or chest rig. There is also a broad hook-and-loop sandwich panel for attachment to platforms with a corresponding hook-and-loop bottom, like the Platatac MAC, I already have as it happens (loop-field faces forward).

Rear view showing belt loops, D-rings and storage cords

The back face is fitted with three belt loops wide enough to take 50mm belts (and feed over riggers belt buckles and Cobra buckles alike). It is also fitted with two D-rings for fitting a neck-strap to sling it around your shoulders.

Zippered blow-out section on the belly of the StormTrooper

The StormTrooper is fitted with 2 separate internal pockets with weather resistant zips for heater packs, or small items, one larger external front zippered pocket for small easily accessible items, like a compass, a light or other small tools and a lower zippered blow out section that increases internal capacity for large hands, especially useful if you have bulky gloves, a mounted GPS or altimeter or a map pouch on your wrist.

Second internal hand-warmer pocket, under recess to stow hook-and-loop flap

Elasticized, adjustable wrist cuffs, let you hunker the muff section down to fir your hands, without leading to a snag-risk in case you need to respond quickly. I found that the muff was perfectly shaped to hold my hands, and let me drop my shoulders, giving me a really relaxed posture, without having my hands stuck in pants-pockets, especially useful when my top was covered in a vest, or obscured by pack-straps.

The internal pockets gave a a couple of places to stash more needfuls, and certainly fit the hand-warmers I have. I also found that the Web Dominators allowed be to quickly roll it up, and stow it away, rolling down to almost nothing thanks to the LiteLok fabric and light down used, and its built in stash sack packs the muff down to almost nothing.

The internally secured storage baggie

Thankfully it's not yet been could enough to -need- the StormTrooper here yet, although it did rain rather miserably on the first night of my last camping trip, and the long walks around the site make for a good chance to stow my hands away. I also found it was a pretty good place to stash some small, light and often used items.

The multiple attachment options, multiple pockets as well as the spacious and comfortable muff section make this an excellent addition to anyone's kit, especially if you are going to find yourself in a cold and miserable place or two. It stayed out of the way when I wasn't using it, and even acted as a quick dump-pouch when I had to stow a long item and keep my hands free.

Post-Apocalyptic Roleplay, with the SORD Stormtrooper at my belly band

You might find that all the accessory shock-cord gets in the way, but they're all removable, and you can set it up as low-drag as you need it.

Next winter, I have a feeling I will be keeping this in my pack, to whip out  when the weather does a Melbourne on us. I look forwards to again being the guy people look at thinking "why didn't I think of that?"

Home Front: Ikea as a bug-out location

In the past, I have discussed several different situations where relocating from the relative security and comfort of home might be useful or needed for your ongoing safety and well-being. I don't live in an especially rugged house, but it's what we can afford, and it's in a very good neighborhood. House-hopping to one our better equipped neighboring properties is an option we've discussed, in the event of a bug-in situation in a fall of society type event. I've also covered some of the strategies and philosophies regarding sheltering from fall-out and CNBR type events. Given where I live is rather close to the Port Phillip Bay, sea level rise and storm surge type events are a more likely type of natural event that would cause us to bug-out. I've investigated the suitability of a self-storage facility as a quiet, out of the way place to dig-in, and even discussed the relative security of major infrastructure facilities like a hospital.

But today, I'm going to discuss the relative utility and safety of bugging out to another kind of location, dear to my The main showroom, with its labyrinth of lounge rooms, kitchens and bedrooms is situated on the second level, at my local Ikea, which is itself two stories up, above a dual-layer car-park. The warehouse starts our under the showroom, but also runs beside it, and stretches three to four stories up. Stairwells and escalators give main entrance to the facilities, as well as lift wells, but the broad concrete construction is fairly stark. Exits are clearly marked, as per whatever construction codes that must be adhered to, but I also noted that there not too many "other ways in". heart. Ikea!

 Tall plate glass windows faced some walls, the rest were enclosed. Skylights dotted the majority of ceilings, allowing natural lighting. Exposed wiring and piping throughout the facility gives a clear indication of the infrastructure, and adds a sense of space.

There is loot, so much loot. Essentially, whole houses can be fitted out by what is in stock at Ikea, so as far as establishing a livable space, there is so much to choose from, and room to do so. Big spaces are hard to heat however, and leaks in the roof could make for a lot of cold wet concrete flooring on exposed levels.Being raised up two floors from ground level gives you a lot of clearance for the "livable" areas, assuming you don't have tectonic collapse to worry about. Lots of concrete and little to no fuel (other than stock) in the construction means it is pretty fireproof.

There are a lot of resources to be had at an Ikea, and our local one is pretty well put together. The concrete ramps and stairwells would be hard to blockade and fortify easily, but that's the price one pays for accessibility in a pre-Apocalypse shopping center.

It's not inconceivable to me that an Ikea could be converted into a reasonably livable village for a small community. It's not a fort, by a long shot, but it is a stocked piece of real-estate, and even comes with more than just Allen keys, these days. A small restaurant and deli section offer only limited edibles, and there are only limited spaces for indoor crop growing, but plenty of materials for glasshouses.Remember that other people might have the same idea, however, and might not want to share.

Something to consider when you are next at a big center like this; look around, check the exits, look for structural flaws and the resources on hand ... You never know where or when you might need to hole up...

Review: Tribe Provisions - Go-anywhere Blanket

I managed to lay my paws on a prototype from the good people of Tribe Provisions, who have an ongoing Kickstarter for what they call their "Go-anywhere Blanket for Sports, Camping, Hanging Out" which is a very good summary of their creation, a multi-purpose outdoor blanket: comfortable, durable, machine-washable, and comes with a compact stuff sack.

It arrived in the mail just in time for our weekend away camping with friends. Perfect timing, and just what I needed. Triceratops Girl and Tactical Baby won't stay in chairs too long, so I needed options.

Its very mild camping in  Victoria at this time of year. The days get as high as the low 30's (33oC on Saturday, that's 91oF for all you Imperials)but the nights can get down to 6oC (42oF) or so, where we went, so I wanted to make sure that we had plenty of light weight blankets to add to the pile.

It a 172cm x 140cm (68" x 55") quilted nylon blanket, weighing in at 800g (1.7lbs) which comes in its own attached stuff-sack. I love stuff-sacks, and am always terribly sad when I have lost them in past. (Or rather, when I have loaded out a sleeping-bag, and it is returned bound in string, no stuff-sack to be found.) My Aurora Wanderer sleeping bag weighs 980g.
The machine washable ripstop nylon outer shell, which is overlaid above a strong, soft inner polyester shell for comfort.

Mildew-resistant hollow fiber polyester filler offers a variety of benefits; it compresses easily, retains body heat, dries quickly and as mentioned does not give organisms like mildew fungi habitat to flourish. 

With  double stitching at all the edges and seams, and a single quilt-stitched body to maintain durability and integrity, the Go-Anywhere blanket is built to last under the rough-and-tumble of outdoor use. 

My girls are not especially delicate, and romped about with it to no ill effect. The scattered bindi weed prickles at the campground we were at were no match for the Go- Anywhere, and in those rare moments I got to sit down, I found myself looking for my woobie!

My prototype model features a black and a grey facing, with the production versions being a green and tan to cream colour. 

I especially liked wrapping myself up as I lay in my hammock early in the day, before it heated up, as breakfast cooked, but also found that it was very comfortable to wear draped as a shawl, or wrapped around me as I sat on it. 

I'm a very long-limbed creature, so often have trouble staying all in a sleeping bag, so having the extra blanket option made for warmer nights too, when needed. You could even use the attached stuff-sack as a field expedient pillow, when stuffed with clothes. 

Overall I was very happy with the Go-Anywhere blanket. It has been well thought out and put together. It's simplicity, comfort and durability are its biggest assets, and it certainly performed as intended. If I had to add anything, I'd think that a set of compression straps to the stuff-sack, just to reduce its bulk. I'll probably do that to my prototype, and perhaps to my production versions too when they arrive, as needed; webbing and buckles aren't hard to come by in my house ... Check out the Kickstarter before it closes, and  the other kit that Tribe Provisions produce ...