This review covers my foot care system, boots, socks and insoles.
I was extremely happy to have spent 55 days walking almost 600 miles along the Pyrenees, and to have arrived at Banyuls without having had a single blister, or foot problem of any kind. The same goes for my Pennine Way walk (c300 miles) last Autumn. I have had blisters in the past, but over the years I have evolved a foot care system which works well for me.
Looking after your feet is so important, blisters can be miserable things to have!
This is my system:
1. Each morning before I put walking socks on I put a little CCS cream around the toes as a lubricant. CCS cream is easy to find - Boots sell it - and is not expensive. There may well be other creams that work as well, but whichever you use, make sure it has urea as an ingredient.
2. I always used to use 1,000 mile socks, which have a thin, integral inner liner sock. I think the inner liner really helps. Taken together with the foot cream it means there is nothing rubbing on the feet, nowhere for a blister to start forming. In recent years though I have preferred to use Rohan liner socks and separate outer socks .. the Rohan socks are so light that taken together, they still weigh less than 1,000 mile socks do. But it is a personal thing.
3. I use Brasher Supalite leather boots, see below. Use whatever boots or shoes you find comfortable, but buy them a 1/2 size too big, throw away the insoles, and instead fit good quality insoles such as shockstopper double strike. They are not expensive, bought online, and make a big difference.
4. Feet are not designed to be encased in leather all day! Try to take your boots and socks off at least once during the day and let your feet breathe for a few minutes. Also note that if you are walking all day your feet will swell somewhat during the day. Make sure your boots have space for that!
None of the above takes much time or effort, and the results speak for themselves.
Boots
Once upon a time, I wore Meindl Burma Pro leather boots. They were solid, fully waterproof and bombproof. They were built to last a lifetime. I wore them when I first walked the Pennine Way in 2009, and my son still uses them today. They were quite comfortable (but I did get blisters!) and their only real downside was their weight - 2,253g the pair! (UK size 11) I'm pretty sure that walking takes more effort, when you are swinging more than a kilo on the end of each leg.
Before I went to the Pyrenees in 2010 I had a look around for something lighter, and eventually settled on a pair of Berghaus Explorer Light boots. Light, or at least lighter, they were, at 1,343g the pair, and also comfortable straight out of the box. Unfortunately they were not at all solid or bombproof! They were goretex lined and to start with, waterproof, but that did not last. After a fortnight of admittedly bad weather, quite wet, they leaked like a sieve. After three weeks they seemed to have become the reverse of waterproof... stand in a puddle and the boots seemed to fill, the puddle emptied!
When I got back to the UK I sent them back, and got a refund. Then I started to look around again, for something stronger but ideally, not heavier.
What I found was a pair of Brasher Supalite boots. They are full leather boots, but they only weighed 1206g the pair without footbeds (for size UK 11.5). Add in a pair of sorbothane shockstopper insoles and you get to about 700g per boot, not much more than half the weight of the Meindls. They were comfortable straight out of the box, and I love them. I took them to the Pyrenees the second time I went, and they lasted the course well with no problems, except that the sole treads, never spectacularly deep, had worn down rather by the end. The soles were still adequate, but for clambering about rocks etc I felt I needed a new pair for the third Pyrenees trip in 2013. Since I bought my first pair, the Supalite range had started to attract a certain amount of criticism online. Some said they were not as good as they were. Possibly to counteract this, Brasher brought out the Supalite II. Not long after, they moved production to China (from India) and started using Pittards leather. In the expectation that the original comfy-out-of-the-box qualities would have returned, I bought a pair online (for £105 vs the then RRP of £145) from a very fine shop called Country Innovation. They are similar to the current 2015 version, (now rebranded as Berghaus and with Vibram outsoles), and are still available at discounted prices online. Their claimed weight is 1122g, but that will be for a smaller size than my 11.5 clodhoppers.
At the same time, I found that the older pre-Pittards version was available now very cheaply, and bought a pair for about £60 from Sports Direct. So I now have three pairs:
- original
- intermediate pre-Pittards.
- Pittards, current version
Kept up with all that, have we? This is a very brief summary of my experience with each of them:
- original: excellent boots, have survived a lot of walking including a Pyrenees trek and are still in use today though the soles have worn down rather.
- intermediates: the first time I wore them, I only went about three miles in them but they managed to strip all the skin off both my heels at the back, very painful! The leather on this pair is much harder than the other two. I did persevere with them and they eventually became an excellent, comfortable pair of boots once they were fully worn in.
- current Pittards version: also very comfortable, nice soft leather. I "kept them for best" and wore them when walking along the Pennine Way last year. Unfortunately, I had a disaster with them in that shortly after setting off across the Cheviots from Byrness (ie, the worst possible moment) one of the lugs that secure the laces came adrift from the boot. I redid the lacing, but my feet began to slide around in the boot. In the end, I had to use the Merrill "camp" shoes I had with me instead, and tie the boots to my rucksack.
When I got home I contacted Country Innovation, who told me to send the boots back to them. They had them repaired by Brashers and sent them back to me. All free of charge, which was quality service indeed. By then the boots were out of warranty, although it was clear they had not had much wear.
The repaired boots are fine but I did somewhat distrust them after that, what would I do if it happened again miles from anywhere, up in the mountains? [update: they were fine on my 2019 Pennine Way walk] ..In the end I took the the older intermediate pair on my 55 day trek this year. They performed brilliantly and looked as good at the end as at the start - soles worn down a bit, that is all. I did not take any dubbin or wax with me, but about half way through I took pity on them, and bought a small tin of dubbin in Vielha which I used two or three times in all. It is not a good idea in my opinion to treat goretex lined boots too often - the more flexible the leather, the more the goretex liner is stressed.
So, all three pairs of boots are still in use, and all are still fully waterproof even though the oldest pair has deep cracks in the leather now. They are fine boots, they have put up with years of hard treatment, and I fully recommend them.
I recognise that some will see them as rather old-fashioned. These days many wear trail shoes or trail running shoes, and that's fine if they work for you. All I would say is that if you want to do a serious walk through mountainous territory, you must make sure that your footwear has all of the following qualities:
- excellent grip on wet rock
- thick enough soles that you can walk over sharp or pointed rocks without problems.
- sufficiently robust to last the course
- waterproof
I am still looking for a pair of trail shoes that will do all the above. Makes like Innov8 are interesting, but are just not robust enough. Some say that mesh shoes work well, they let water in but they let it out again quickly too. That is fine in some climates, but when there has been an overnight frost and the ground is sodden and cold all day, you will have two blocks of ice in no time. I would not use them even on the Pennine Way, never mind in the Pyrenees. Suggestions welcomed!
Insoles
I use Shockstopper "sorbothane" double strike insoles. I have knee problems and want to reduce transmitted shocks as far as I can, these seem to do the job as well as anything. I have not tried Superfeet, which are also well spoken of, mainly because I just can't bring myself to spend upwards of £35 on a pair of insoles. Shockstoppers cost £15, or less on Ebay.. they are comfortable, and also quite long-lasting.
Socks
Over the years I have tried virtually all known makes of socks... Brasher, Bridgedale, Smartwool, 1,000 mile, Icebreaker, Rohan and more besides. My feet tend to run hot and I found Smartwool and Icebreaker socks too hot to use in leather boots. Surprisingly perhaps I do not find 1,000 mile socks hot to wear even though they are double layer. There is also the blister issue, see above.. 1,000 mile socks and Rohan socks with liner are still the only ones that I have never ever had a blister from.
Now I have settled on a combination of 1,000 mile socks and Rohan. I use the 1,000 mile tactel socks for "serious" walking - 20+ mile days - and the Rohan ones the rest of the time, ie for shorter days, evenings, daywalks etc. I took two pairs of 1,000 mile socks and one pair of Rohan socks to the Pyrenees, and they all lasted the course well and are still in use. The Rohan socks are excellent in that they are not only comfortable but also very light indeed, at only 54g/pair. I use the "Hot & Temperate" ones, which are perfectly warm enough in leather boots. The liner socks only weigh 20g/pair!
Wednesday 30 September 2015
Sunday 27 September 2015
Sleeping Kit
This equipment review is about the third of my Zpacks purchases, the sleeping bag, and also about my Thermarest Neoair sleeping mat.
What sleeping bag have you bought? - a wide width, 20degreeF (-7degC), extra-extra-extra long down sleeping bag with a full-length zip and a draft tube. I paid USD445, + $10 for the zip and $20 for the tube, so USD$475 altogether or £306.60. I concede that is a lot of money, but what you get has been made hand made to your order. I doubt if I could get anything similar "off the shelf."
It has 18 segments and it is huge, just the zip is 81" long. Overall the bag must be about 90":
.. a not very good photo of the bag laid out on a table. Note how wide it is at the top
I have limited sleeping bag experience, having owned only one before this one, a Marmot Helium EQ Long, also rated to -7degC. That cost £280 in 2007, so roughly the same as this one. It weighs 1123g, against the Zpacks' 788g, or 335g more. It is a standard "mummy" shaped bag. It has been a good bag to use, warm and comfortable. I particularly like the pertex outer that is quite water resistant. Bag leakage or tent condensation have never affected it, a very useful attribute for a down filled bag.
The only problem I have had with the Marmot is that its mummy shape is a bit constricting.. very snug in cold weather, but it doesn't cope quite so well with warm or hot conditions. So, I decided the next one would not only be lighter, but would be easier to use as a duvet or a cover, not just something to be inside.
So, what do you think of the Zpacks bag? I like it! It is very comfortable in use. It does weigh significantly less than my Marmot bag, and if you buy a normal size one, it will weigh less still. Zpacks claim that a medium 20degF sleeping bag weighs 473g, or 17oz, which is remarkable! I ordered a draught tube and full length zip, as well as a longer than average bag, all of which adds weight of course.
I haven't slept in the bag at -7degC, so I can't definitively answer for the insulation, but I tend to run cold and like a snug bag, and this one has never let me down; It has been down to 0degc, and felt fine.
The shape is really good. It is just as snug as the traditional mummy shape when it is cold, and much better when it's hot because you can use it as a quilt or lie on it and leave the zip open. I do recommend the full-length zip option. You can buy a down hat/hood to go with it if you want, I didn't and didn't miss it.
showing the full length, double pull-thingy zip, the internal draft tube, and the foot section of the bag
No problems at all then? No, no problems at all. The fill is a little loose, so that your feet, for example, can ruffle through it during the night and end up feeling cold. This would only affect you if you had no sleeping mattress, or a short one (like I do) that doesn't go under your legs. Once or twice I had to put a fleece under the bag below my feet to stop them getting cold. The filling seems rather looser than the Marmot's.. perhaps that just means that it is higher quality down. Certainly it felt just as warm. I do feel the cold easily, but I had no problems with the Zpacks bag and never had to wear extra clothing in it to feel warm.
I think the outer shell is supposed to be waterproof. Several times the toe end of the bag did get wet, usually because I had slid to the end of the tent and made contact with the inner tent lining when there was condensation. The water didn't seem to bead and run off, but so far as I could tell, the down inside stayed dry, which is the important thing.
The bag comes in its own cuben stuff sack, and moreover not a tiny one but one that is big enough for me to actually get the bag into. However I don't use it. What I do instead is to stuff the bag straight into the bottom of the rucksack liner bag, and then put the other stuff on top. Usually this means that the bag does not get so compressed, unless the bag is really full. It also shifts the centre of gravity of the rucksack nearer the top, which I like. Another worthwhile bonus is that you now have a nice medium size cuben bag (worth $23) to use for something else; in my case I put my spare clothes in it, and also used it as a pillow.
I saw a review that said it wouldn't stand up to rough treatment.. but who treats their sleeping bag roughly anyway? I used it every night in the Pyrenees for 55 nights, even when staying in refuges etc., and stuffed it into the bottom of my rucksack each morning and piled everything else on top, and it coped fine with that, still looks like new.
In summary? This is a very fine sleeping bag. It lives up to its temperature rating, it feels toasty in cold weather but because of its shape it is also great for warmer temperatures too. Highly recommended. Get the full length zip and ideally, pair it with a full length sleeping mat. Oh, and order it in good time, it is made individually for you, and that takes time. That is a plus not a con though, and will make it feel all the more special, when it arrives!
No it isn't cheap, but it is excellent value for money.
Thermarest Neoair sleeping mat
My first sleeping mat was a Thermarest Prolite 4, and I used it for some years. It sprang a leak, but I repaired it and after that it was fine, easy to inflate and warm. Quite thin though, and not the most comfortable.
When the Neoair came out I spent £80 and bought one from Amazon. It is lighter than the Prolite - 274g, in its stuff bag, whereas the Prolite weighs 392g - and because it is much thicker when inflated, I do find it far more comfortable. It also packs down very small. I bought mine in 2010. It is rectangular in shape, silver underneath and bright yellow on top. The current model is the Neoair Xlite, which apparently weighs even less, only 230g for the small size.
The Neoair takes a fair bit more inflating than the Prolite, about a dozen breaths. Not usually a problem, but once or twice a bit of a struggle. You can buy a pump to do the job for you, but that rather defeats the object of buying the lightest mat around.
It is comfortable , I found it best to let a little air out so you sink into it a bit more. I have the small size, and small it is. It comes down on me to about mid-thigh, and it is wide enough so long as you keep still, and don't roll about!
So no problems then?
Yes, at some point early in my Pyrenees walk it developed a slow leak. To start with it would last the night, it just felt a bit spongy in the morning (don't we all? :-) but by the end of the walk it needed blowing up again about twice a night. Irritatingly, all efforts to trace the leak have so far failed.
It is also quite small.
Would you get another?
I guess I would, though both my Thermarest mattresses have sprung leaks despite never having been used outside a tent. They are very light, and the Neoair packs down very small. If I bought another though I would get the regular size, and swallow the extra 70g weight.
What sleeping bag have you bought? - a wide width, 20degreeF (-7degC), extra-extra-extra long down sleeping bag with a full-length zip and a draft tube. I paid USD445, + $10 for the zip and $20 for the tube, so USD$475 altogether or £306.60. I concede that is a lot of money, but what you get has been made hand made to your order. I doubt if I could get anything similar "off the shelf."
It has 18 segments and it is huge, just the zip is 81" long. Overall the bag must be about 90":
I have limited sleeping bag experience, having owned only one before this one, a Marmot Helium EQ Long, also rated to -7degC. That cost £280 in 2007, so roughly the same as this one. It weighs 1123g, against the Zpacks' 788g, or 335g more. It is a standard "mummy" shaped bag. It has been a good bag to use, warm and comfortable. I particularly like the pertex outer that is quite water resistant. Bag leakage or tent condensation have never affected it, a very useful attribute for a down filled bag.
The only problem I have had with the Marmot is that its mummy shape is a bit constricting.. very snug in cold weather, but it doesn't cope quite so well with warm or hot conditions. So, I decided the next one would not only be lighter, but would be easier to use as a duvet or a cover, not just something to be inside.
So, what do you think of the Zpacks bag? I like it! It is very comfortable in use. It does weigh significantly less than my Marmot bag, and if you buy a normal size one, it will weigh less still. Zpacks claim that a medium 20degF sleeping bag weighs 473g, or 17oz, which is remarkable! I ordered a draught tube and full length zip, as well as a longer than average bag, all of which adds weight of course.
I haven't slept in the bag at -7degC, so I can't definitively answer for the insulation, but I tend to run cold and like a snug bag, and this one has never let me down; It has been down to 0degc, and felt fine.
The shape is really good. It is just as snug as the traditional mummy shape when it is cold, and much better when it's hot because you can use it as a quilt or lie on it and leave the zip open. I do recommend the full-length zip option. You can buy a down hat/hood to go with it if you want, I didn't and didn't miss it.
No problems at all then? No, no problems at all. The fill is a little loose, so that your feet, for example, can ruffle through it during the night and end up feeling cold. This would only affect you if you had no sleeping mattress, or a short one (like I do) that doesn't go under your legs. Once or twice I had to put a fleece under the bag below my feet to stop them getting cold. The filling seems rather looser than the Marmot's.. perhaps that just means that it is higher quality down. Certainly it felt just as warm. I do feel the cold easily, but I had no problems with the Zpacks bag and never had to wear extra clothing in it to feel warm.
I think the outer shell is supposed to be waterproof. Several times the toe end of the bag did get wet, usually because I had slid to the end of the tent and made contact with the inner tent lining when there was condensation. The water didn't seem to bead and run off, but so far as I could tell, the down inside stayed dry, which is the important thing.
The bag comes in its own cuben stuff sack, and moreover not a tiny one but one that is big enough for me to actually get the bag into. However I don't use it. What I do instead is to stuff the bag straight into the bottom of the rucksack liner bag, and then put the other stuff on top. Usually this means that the bag does not get so compressed, unless the bag is really full. It also shifts the centre of gravity of the rucksack nearer the top, which I like. Another worthwhile bonus is that you now have a nice medium size cuben bag (worth $23) to use for something else; in my case I put my spare clothes in it, and also used it as a pillow.
I saw a review that said it wouldn't stand up to rough treatment.. but who treats their sleeping bag roughly anyway? I used it every night in the Pyrenees for 55 nights, even when staying in refuges etc., and stuffed it into the bottom of my rucksack each morning and piled everything else on top, and it coped fine with that, still looks like new.
In summary? This is a very fine sleeping bag. It lives up to its temperature rating, it feels toasty in cold weather but because of its shape it is also great for warmer temperatures too. Highly recommended. Get the full length zip and ideally, pair it with a full length sleeping mat. Oh, and order it in good time, it is made individually for you, and that takes time. That is a plus not a con though, and will make it feel all the more special, when it arrives!
No it isn't cheap, but it is excellent value for money.
Thermarest Neoair sleeping mat
My first sleeping mat was a Thermarest Prolite 4, and I used it for some years. It sprang a leak, but I repaired it and after that it was fine, easy to inflate and warm. Quite thin though, and not the most comfortable.
When the Neoair came out I spent £80 and bought one from Amazon. It is lighter than the Prolite - 274g, in its stuff bag, whereas the Prolite weighs 392g - and because it is much thicker when inflated, I do find it far more comfortable. It also packs down very small. I bought mine in 2010. It is rectangular in shape, silver underneath and bright yellow on top. The current model is the Neoair Xlite, which apparently weighs even less, only 230g for the small size.
The Neoair takes a fair bit more inflating than the Prolite, about a dozen breaths. Not usually a problem, but once or twice a bit of a struggle. You can buy a pump to do the job for you, but that rather defeats the object of buying the lightest mat around.
It is comfortable , I found it best to let a little air out so you sink into it a bit more. I have the small size, and small it is. It comes down on me to about mid-thigh, and it is wide enough so long as you keep still, and don't roll about!
So no problems then?
Yes, at some point early in my Pyrenees walk it developed a slow leak. To start with it would last the night, it just felt a bit spongy in the morning (don't we all? :-) but by the end of the walk it needed blowing up again about twice a night. Irritatingly, all efforts to trace the leak have so far failed.
It is also quite small.
Would you get another?
I guess I would, though both my Thermarest mattresses have sprung leaks despite never having been used outside a tent. They are very light, and the Neoair packs down very small. If I bought another though I would get the regular size, and swallow the extra 70g weight.
Thursday 17 September 2015
Tent - Zpacks Duplex Tent
What did I buy? I bought the Zpacks Duplex tent in 0.51oz/sq. yd Olive standard cuben fibre. In its bag, it weighs 580g (20.5oz) without pegs. I use the titanium pegs that came with my previous tent, they weigh 68g (2.4oz) for 11 pegs (there should be 12, don't ask!) in their bag. The stakes are very similar to the tough titanium stakes that Zpacks sell.
At High Cup Nick, on the Pennine Way, in Sept 2014. Ready to start cooking...
I bought it in July 2014. It arrived in August, and in September I took it along the Pennine Way. It did well, so I took it along the Pyrenees in July and August 2015. Altogether I have used it for perhaps 30 nights, and carried it for about 1,000 miles. How did it get on? very well indeed...
What did it cost? USD$570, or £342.60 at the then exchange rate. That may seem a lot, but you can pay much more. A Terra Nova Solar Ultra, which weighs more and is smaller (but is a double-skin tent) will set you back £1,200, no less!!
The model currently on sale is a little different to the one I bought. Now, it comes with two internal mesh pockets for storing stuff, which I covet and think are a great idea. Also, the tent doors are secured by metal clips rather than the plastic toggles mine has. I suspect that is also a good idea, as the toggles are a bit fiddly.
So, how has it been for you? This really is just an awesome tent. It is well made and robust - it still looks new, and I have had nothing break or go wrong at all. The design is really effective - see below, re condensation - and the tent is big, much bigger than the Terra Nova Laser (full size, not competition, 1,380g) that it replaced. Unlike the TN it is a two person tent that two people actually could use. It would be cosy, but not unduly so. For me, at almost 6' 5", it is very spacious. The tent fabric is a teensy bit translucent, but not so much as to cause any problem. If you are particularly shy, you can have camo or some other colour material that is less see-through.
Erecting, and knocking down, the tent are easy once you've done it a few times, a little less so perhaps if it's unduly windy, but not hard even then.
Condensation, don't tell me there isn't any.. well, indeed you can avoid it altogether if you want. The tent has four doors, two each side. I found that if two of them were left open, ideally one on each side, there would be no condensation. If one or none were open, then sometimes there could be, if it was cool or cold outside and if there was little or no through ventilation. A through draft is the key, if you want to avoid having any condensation. This goes for all tents, single or double skin, not just this one. The TN Laser had it too.
Another point about the Duplex is that the outer overhangs the bathtub floor all around by an inch or two, so if there is condensation it runs down and outside, and not into the tent. In the morning it is very easy to give it a quick wipe down with a microfibre cloth or similar before demounting it. The overhang also means that doors can be left open in the rain, unless it is windy as well.
So, no problems at all then? No, no problems at all.
There are three more points worth mentioning. The tent as supplied does not have lineloc or other guyline length adjusters. I found that awkward, and after a while I ordered and fitted some micro lineloc adjusters, and I recommend you do too since it enables you to choose where to put the stakes in, to avoid stones etc. It also makes it easier to fine-tune the pitch tautness. They are light and cheap, and I've had no problems fitting or using them.
The second point is about performance in high wind. I had some problems on two occasions in very windy mountain conditions. However, the wind on that first occasion was unexpected, and thinking about it since, there are things I could do that would help next time. In particular, I think a couple of high performance stakes, such as the V stakes Zpacks sell, one for each of the main guylines, and/or a supply of stones to secure the pegs would be good. The thin titanium spikes I use are not spectacular for grip. Zpacks say that so long as the pegs stay in the ground the tent will be OK, and that is probably true. The tent is strong and despite the problems I had, the tent fabric was undamaged. However the sides of the tent are quite tall - normally a good thing, of course! - and can allow strong winds to create quite a push, which is transferred to the pegs and can pull them out. All I can really say is that next time, I will try harder to prepare the tent well, and will report back here afterwards!
Finally, note that the tent makes use of two walking poles - though if you don't use them, you can buy dedicated tent poles separately. Using walking poles can be a (admittedly, very slight) nuisance since you can't easily use the poles while the tent is up, to get to a water source for example. Also if you break a pole, as I did twice, you potentially have an issue. I had to tape my broken pole together so I could use it for the tent, but that was OK. I wouldn't say it was a problem, more just something to be aware of.
Especially given its weight, I think that overall this is a really, really impressive tent, both in design and in build quality. I love it! I happily recommend it, as the best tent of its type that I have ever seen.
2,700m up, in the Spanish Pyrenees
Near Refugi Enric Pujol, Spanish Pyrenees, dwarfing a 1-person tent next door..
Near Refuge Arlet, French Pyrenees, surrounded by Spanish scouts & guides! But they were very well-behaved...
I bought it in July 2014. It arrived in August, and in September I took it along the Pennine Way. It did well, so I took it along the Pyrenees in July and August 2015. Altogether I have used it for perhaps 30 nights, and carried it for about 1,000 miles. How did it get on? very well indeed...
What did it cost? USD$570, or £342.60 at the then exchange rate. That may seem a lot, but you can pay much more. A Terra Nova Solar Ultra, which weighs more and is smaller (but is a double-skin tent) will set you back £1,200, no less!!
The model currently on sale is a little different to the one I bought. Now, it comes with two internal mesh pockets for storing stuff, which I covet and think are a great idea. Also, the tent doors are secured by metal clips rather than the plastic toggles mine has. I suspect that is also a good idea, as the toggles are a bit fiddly.
So, how has it been for you? This really is just an awesome tent. It is well made and robust - it still looks new, and I have had nothing break or go wrong at all. The design is really effective - see below, re condensation - and the tent is big, much bigger than the Terra Nova Laser (full size, not competition, 1,380g) that it replaced. Unlike the TN it is a two person tent that two people actually could use. It would be cosy, but not unduly so. For me, at almost 6' 5", it is very spacious. The tent fabric is a teensy bit translucent, but not so much as to cause any problem. If you are particularly shy, you can have camo or some other colour material that is less see-through.
Erecting, and knocking down, the tent are easy once you've done it a few times, a little less so perhaps if it's unduly windy, but not hard even then.
Condensation, don't tell me there isn't any.. well, indeed you can avoid it altogether if you want. The tent has four doors, two each side. I found that if two of them were left open, ideally one on each side, there would be no condensation. If one or none were open, then sometimes there could be, if it was cool or cold outside and if there was little or no through ventilation. A through draft is the key, if you want to avoid having any condensation. This goes for all tents, single or double skin, not just this one. The TN Laser had it too.
Another point about the Duplex is that the outer overhangs the bathtub floor all around by an inch or two, so if there is condensation it runs down and outside, and not into the tent. In the morning it is very easy to give it a quick wipe down with a microfibre cloth or similar before demounting it. The overhang also means that doors can be left open in the rain, unless it is windy as well.
So, no problems at all then? No, no problems at all.
There are three more points worth mentioning. The tent as supplied does not have lineloc or other guyline length adjusters. I found that awkward, and after a while I ordered and fitted some micro lineloc adjusters, and I recommend you do too since it enables you to choose where to put the stakes in, to avoid stones etc. It also makes it easier to fine-tune the pitch tautness. They are light and cheap, and I've had no problems fitting or using them.
The second point is about performance in high wind. I had some problems on two occasions in very windy mountain conditions. However, the wind on that first occasion was unexpected, and thinking about it since, there are things I could do that would help next time. In particular, I think a couple of high performance stakes, such as the V stakes Zpacks sell, one for each of the main guylines, and/or a supply of stones to secure the pegs would be good. The thin titanium spikes I use are not spectacular for grip. Zpacks say that so long as the pegs stay in the ground the tent will be OK, and that is probably true. The tent is strong and despite the problems I had, the tent fabric was undamaged. However the sides of the tent are quite tall - normally a good thing, of course! - and can allow strong winds to create quite a push, which is transferred to the pegs and can pull them out. All I can really say is that next time, I will try harder to prepare the tent well, and will report back here afterwards!
Finally, note that the tent makes use of two walking poles - though if you don't use them, you can buy dedicated tent poles separately. Using walking poles can be a (admittedly, very slight) nuisance since you can't easily use the poles while the tent is up, to get to a water source for example. Also if you break a pole, as I did twice, you potentially have an issue. I had to tape my broken pole together so I could use it for the tent, but that was OK. I wouldn't say it was a problem, more just something to be aware of.
Especially given its weight, I think that overall this is a really, really impressive tent, both in design and in build quality. I love it! I happily recommend it, as the best tent of its type that I have ever seen.
Near Refuge Arlet, French Pyrenees, surrounded by Spanish scouts & guides! But they were very well-behaved...
Rucksack - Zpacks Arc Blast
High in the Pyrenees... not very flattering of me, but a nice view of the Arc Blast in action, on the summit of the Pic d'Orhy. I lived out of it for 55 days.
What did I buy? A Zpacks Arc Blast 52 litre backpack, indigo and grey, 22" torso, 34" belt, at a cost of:
Backpack: $279.00 USD
Shoulder Pouch at $21.95 USD
Belt Pouch $21.95 USD
Load Lifter Straps $8.00 USD
Top Side Pockets Pair $35.00 USD
Lumbar Pad $12.00 USD
So that was a total of US$377.90, which at the exchange rate then ruling was £277. Quite a lot of money, but it is a premium product. Would I buy exactly the same again, if I were starting now? Yes I would indeed, though I might buy the 60l instead of the 52l pack. Same price, more space! Volume - getting everything in - was an issue for me throughout the walk, though I did manage OK. On the other hand, sometimes it is good to be pressed for space: inessentials will be left out! It was one factor in my decision to buy the 52l size.
My rucksack currently weighs 684g (1lb 8oz). The Zpacks website says 595g for the 52l pack, but don't forget in addition to that I have a belt pouch, two upper side pockets, load lifter straps, some extra shock cord, a lumbar pad, and a shoulder pouch. And some dirt, probably. Overall that's a similar weight to my Gossamer Gear Gorilla - but the current model Gorilla weighs 800g+, and that's without any of the add-ons.
I bought it in July 2014. It arrived in August, and in September I took it along the Pennine Way. It did well, so I took it along the Pyrenees in July and August 2015. So now it has had two good long distance walks; it has travelled about 1,000 miles altogether. How did it get on?
This is the Arc Blast sitting on a chair towards the end of the Pyrenees trek. It has the Zpacks tent strapped on top, various items stuffed in the main back pocket, a spare walking pole stuffed down one side, and a pair of socks drying in the ice-axe straps at the bottom..
I do try to treat my gear well and look after it, but the plain fact is, on a walk like this, through all sorts of terrain, it will get wear and tear and not a lot can be done about that. However after almost 1,000 miles of walking in very mixed country, the rucksack is still in excellent condition and still entirely usable. I reckon it could do the same again.
The main body of the rucksack is pretty much as new. The two bottom side pockets both have small holes, tears and other signs of wear. The mesh pockets have small tears too.
The underside of one of the bottom rucksack pockets
I do have a slight issue with this, as to me it seems entirely predictable that this will happen. The bottom of the rucksack is subject to a lot of stress and wear and tear. The rucksack itself is specified to cope with this, and indeed the base of mine still looks pristine. The main bag is very strong and abrasion resistant, it looks in mint condition. But the bottom pockets are not as strong, even though they are just as much in harm's way as the main bag, and always seem to suffer more. My previous bags, a Gossamer Gear Gorilla and a Miniposa, were exactly the same. The bottom of the bottom pockets really need to be made as strong as the rest of the bottom of the pack is...
Stop moaning. Was it OK otherwise? - Yes, I am extremely happy with the way it coped. It was filled absolutely to the limit, and then had more stuff strapped to the outside. I am sure I exceeded the recommended load weight at times. And if/when I go on another long walk, I will take it, it is still in perfectly good condition.
Was it waterproof? Very nearly. Not quite, but I reckon it could be. If it were a bit less full, so that you could turn over the top a couple of times as you are supposed to, I think it would then be fully waterproof. I usually had it so full that the top couldn't be turned over, and then I strapped the tent on top. I thought this would protect the top but I suspect that the rain ran down and round the tent cover, and then crept in the top. Even so, there was not much damp inside. I had a cuben liner bag, and nothing got inside that at all.
Bottom line is, I think all the seams were waterproof, and any water ingress was my own silly fault, not the fault of the pack.
Was it comfortable? It was for me, yes. I can only compare it with my two previous Gossamer Gear backpacks, and it was better than them. I was able to arrange matters so that the hip belt rested on my hips and took pretty much all the weight. I used the shoulder straps to keep it balanced and in place. So long as your waist measurement is less than your hips, you should find the same. I do recommend the load lifter straps, they add little weight and give you another adjustment possibility that I found useful.
One of the features of the Arc Blast is the carbon fibre frame, which can be bent to create an air gap between you and the pack. I like the concept of this, and in general it worked well; it is much more effective than the foam or air pad idea Gossamer Gear use. I did have a couple of problems occasionally with the frame ends coming out of their sockets, and with the cord adjusters slackening off without my noticing. I think though that this may also be connected with the overloading issue - it is certainly much easier to adjust and tension the frame when the pack is unloaded or lightly loaded.
So, no problems at all, then? Yes, I did have three incidents, as follows. I relate them below as this is a comprehensive review. But I don't think any of them reflect on the quality of the design or manufacture:
- on my first day on the Pennine Way, the plastic clip on the top strap, that fits into the socket to secure the strap, broke. Looking back, I think this was actually user error. Make certain when you close the clip, which is quite small, that all three if the little prongs are going to go inside the socket. If two of them are and one is not, the third may snap off... When I mentioned what had happened to Zpacks, even before they replied to my email, they had put two more clips in the (transatlantic) post to me. Quality service. I was lucky to break a clip that could be threaded on, and was not sewn in place as most are. But I haven't broken any since!
- about half way along the Pyrenees, one of the shoulder straps broke. Below the padding parts, there is an adjustment strap and the top part of that is a loop sewn from the padding part that secures the plastic clip in place. This had frayed through. Now, as I said above I do not use the shoulder straps as heavy load bearing items, the weight is kept on the hip belt, so I am totally mystified as to how that could have happened. The corresponding loop on the other strap is pristine, so I really don't know. I did fall over twice while wearing the pack, maybe it was stressed and torn when that happened. No idea. I had to sit down with my little sewing kit and sew the loop back in place, there and then. The result is not pretty, but it has held OK since.
- the upper side pockets, the belt bag and the shoulder bag were all really useful additions. However the upper side pockets were held in place by little thin bits of elastic cord sort of twisted in place, and they kept coming undone. This was more an irritation than anything else - I never actually lost one, they hung on, or fell into the lower pockets - but when I next use the pack I will sit down beforehand and make certain they are all properly secured.
In summary? Definitely the best rucksack I've ever had. It is a Mercedes, or possibly a Bentley, among backpacks.
Zpacks is a decent sized company nowadays, or so I believe, but it doesn't feel like one. It seems more like an old-fashioned tailor, who listens to what you want, takes measurements, and then makes something by hand that fits you perfectly. Joe Valesko gave me lots of good advice about what to buy and in what particular size. I think Zpacks are excellent value, for what you get.
High in the Pyrenees... not very flattering of me, but a nice view of the Arc Blast in action, on the summit of the Pic d'Orhy. I lived out of it for 55 days.
What did I buy? A Zpacks Arc Blast 52 litre backpack, indigo and grey, 22" torso, 34" belt, at a cost of:
Backpack: $279.00 USD
Shoulder Pouch at $21.95 USD
Belt Pouch $21.95 USD
Load Lifter Straps $8.00 USD
Top Side Pockets Pair $35.00 USD
Lumbar Pad $12.00 USD
So that was a total of US$377.90, which at the exchange rate then ruling was £277. Quite a lot of money, but it is a premium product. Would I buy exactly the same again, if I were starting now? Yes I would indeed, though I might buy the 60l instead of the 52l pack. Same price, more space! Volume - getting everything in - was an issue for me throughout the walk, though I did manage OK. On the other hand, sometimes it is good to be pressed for space: inessentials will be left out! It was one factor in my decision to buy the 52l size.
My rucksack currently weighs 684g (1lb 8oz). The Zpacks website says 595g for the 52l pack, but don't forget in addition to that I have a belt pouch, two upper side pockets, load lifter straps, some extra shock cord, a lumbar pad, and a shoulder pouch. And some dirt, probably. Overall that's a similar weight to my Gossamer Gear Gorilla - but the current model Gorilla weighs 800g+, and that's without any of the add-ons.
I bought it in July 2014. It arrived in August, and in September I took it along the Pennine Way. It did well, so I took it along the Pyrenees in July and August 2015. So now it has had two good long distance walks; it has travelled about 1,000 miles altogether. How did it get on?
This is the Arc Blast sitting on a chair towards the end of the Pyrenees trek. It has the Zpacks tent strapped on top, various items stuffed in the main back pocket, a spare walking pole stuffed down one side, and a pair of socks drying in the ice-axe straps at the bottom..
I do try to treat my gear well and look after it, but the plain fact is, on a walk like this, through all sorts of terrain, it will get wear and tear and not a lot can be done about that. However after almost 1,000 miles of walking in very mixed country, the rucksack is still in excellent condition and still entirely usable. I reckon it could do the same again.
The main body of the rucksack is pretty much as new. The two bottom side pockets both have small holes, tears and other signs of wear. The mesh pockets have small tears too.
I do have a slight issue with this, as to me it seems entirely predictable that this will happen. The bottom of the rucksack is subject to a lot of stress and wear and tear. The rucksack itself is specified to cope with this, and indeed the base of mine still looks pristine. The main bag is very strong and abrasion resistant, it looks in mint condition. But the bottom pockets are not as strong, even though they are just as much in harm's way as the main bag, and always seem to suffer more. My previous bags, a Gossamer Gear Gorilla and a Miniposa, were exactly the same. The bottom of the bottom pockets really need to be made as strong as the rest of the bottom of the pack is...
Stop moaning. Was it OK otherwise? - Yes, I am extremely happy with the way it coped. It was filled absolutely to the limit, and then had more stuff strapped to the outside. I am sure I exceeded the recommended load weight at times. And if/when I go on another long walk, I will take it, it is still in perfectly good condition.
Was it waterproof? Very nearly. Not quite, but I reckon it could be. If it were a bit less full, so that you could turn over the top a couple of times as you are supposed to, I think it would then be fully waterproof. I usually had it so full that the top couldn't be turned over, and then I strapped the tent on top. I thought this would protect the top but I suspect that the rain ran down and round the tent cover, and then crept in the top. Even so, there was not much damp inside. I had a cuben liner bag, and nothing got inside that at all.
Bottom line is, I think all the seams were waterproof, and any water ingress was my own silly fault, not the fault of the pack.
Was it comfortable? It was for me, yes. I can only compare it with my two previous Gossamer Gear backpacks, and it was better than them. I was able to arrange matters so that the hip belt rested on my hips and took pretty much all the weight. I used the shoulder straps to keep it balanced and in place. So long as your waist measurement is less than your hips, you should find the same. I do recommend the load lifter straps, they add little weight and give you another adjustment possibility that I found useful.
One of the features of the Arc Blast is the carbon fibre frame, which can be bent to create an air gap between you and the pack. I like the concept of this, and in general it worked well; it is much more effective than the foam or air pad idea Gossamer Gear use. I did have a couple of problems occasionally with the frame ends coming out of their sockets, and with the cord adjusters slackening off without my noticing. I think though that this may also be connected with the overloading issue - it is certainly much easier to adjust and tension the frame when the pack is unloaded or lightly loaded.
So, no problems at all, then? Yes, I did have three incidents, as follows. I relate them below as this is a comprehensive review. But I don't think any of them reflect on the quality of the design or manufacture:
- on my first day on the Pennine Way, the plastic clip on the top strap, that fits into the socket to secure the strap, broke. Looking back, I think this was actually user error. Make certain when you close the clip, which is quite small, that all three if the little prongs are going to go inside the socket. If two of them are and one is not, the third may snap off... When I mentioned what had happened to Zpacks, even before they replied to my email, they had put two more clips in the (transatlantic) post to me. Quality service. I was lucky to break a clip that could be threaded on, and was not sewn in place as most are. But I haven't broken any since!
- about half way along the Pyrenees, one of the shoulder straps broke. Below the padding parts, there is an adjustment strap and the top part of that is a loop sewn from the padding part that secures the plastic clip in place. This had frayed through. Now, as I said above I do not use the shoulder straps as heavy load bearing items, the weight is kept on the hip belt, so I am totally mystified as to how that could have happened. The corresponding loop on the other strap is pristine, so I really don't know. I did fall over twice while wearing the pack, maybe it was stressed and torn when that happened. No idea. I had to sit down with my little sewing kit and sew the loop back in place, there and then. The result is not pretty, but it has held OK since.
- the upper side pockets, the belt bag and the shoulder bag were all really useful additions. However the upper side pockets were held in place by little thin bits of elastic cord sort of twisted in place, and they kept coming undone. This was more an irritation than anything else - I never actually lost one, they hung on, or fell into the lower pockets - but when I next use the pack I will sit down beforehand and make certain they are all properly secured.
In summary? Definitely the best rucksack I've ever had. It is a Mercedes, or possibly a Bentley, among backpacks.
Zpacks is a decent sized company nowadays, or so I believe, but it doesn't feel like one. It seems more like an old-fashioned tailor, who listens to what you want, takes measurements, and then makes something by hand that fits you perfectly. Joe Valesko gave me lots of good advice about what to buy and in what particular size. I think Zpacks are excellent value, for what you get.
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