Less is More, LIM 45 and Trail Shoes

I sold my Laser recently and for the time being I'm not looking for a replacement so I thought I'd invest the money wisely......... in a new rucksack and trail shoes. I liked the look of the Haglofs LIM packs and managed to find a LIM 55, it seems that the 55L version has been dropped either by Haglofs themselves or by the importer. I found that while I liked the pack it didn't fit very well, others have had similar complaints so maybe there's a reason why it's been dropped. In any case I liked the design and taking into account that I wasn't even close to using the 55L capacity of my Gregory Z55 I returned the LIM 55 and exchanged for a LIM 45.



I really like this pack, it holds a surprising amount for a 45L, the roll top closure is I guess something you either like or dislike.






The small top pocket is indeed small but I can manage, it also has a key clip. The side and front pockets are really stretchy and unlike the Gregory take the form of 3 individual pockets rather than one large pocket that wraps around the pack. The side pockets have an internal compression strap and dual openings, one horizontal at the top and one vertical at the bottom which allows you to use them as normal wand pockets or use the bottom opening for easy access to a drinks bottle.



There are two mesh pockets on the hipbelt with a rigid plastic loop to help open them (the side pockets have a similar loop)They don't have a zip but the plastic loop can be tucked under the pack/hipbelt stabilising straps to keep them closed.



The hydration bladder sleeve is on the outside between the main pack and the padded back panel, again I like this as I find it easier to reinsert a filled bladder when the pack is fully loaded. The hydration pocket also has a short mesh pocket for valuables and a key clip.

The pack weight is 1035g according to Haglofs, I haven't actually weighed mine yet but it looks like a 500g saving over the Gregory.

The pack is what I would call an Internal/External frame and the frame and shoulder straps take the weight rather than the pack due to the way the straps go under the pack. It also has a perforated foam backpad so is more prone to causing a sweaty back than a true external frame or indeed the Gregory Z55 which has a Mesh back and a good air gap between mesh and pack but possibly not as bad as a pack with a simple foam/aluspar back system. The fit works for me and I expect I'll use it unless I need the extra capacity of the Gregory in winter (the back system of the Gregory might be better in winter too)




As usual I added a few bits and pieces to suit my needs, 2 x dogclips added to the top tension straps same as I did on the Gregory and a shockcord and lock through the webbing loops on lid to hold my Aquaguard Eliminator filter and Source feed tube.



It's different and possibly wouldn't suit everyone but well worth a look if you want a 45L pack at around 1kg.





This little lot all packed in, Left to right, ME Xero 250 in S2S Ultrasil Roll Top, Wee Airic, Tesco Pillow, Phreeranger (Blue Stuff Sack), Spare base Layer/socks (orange Stuff Sack), Windshirt & Micro Fleece Gloves (Black Stuff Sack), Above those, Spares/Repair (Small Red Stuff Sack), 1st aid, Trowel (Red Stuff Sack), Above that Food and Cooking Gear (Orange and Camo Stuff Sacks), Camera Batteries, Gorillapod, MPS, Glasses, Wash Kit and Midgie repellant, ME Xero Duvet Jkt (S2S Blue Ultrasil), Above that Rain Gear and Hydration kit, Top Right ME Ultrafleece. Thats everything I need, the only thing that would change depending on duration is the amount of food, I carried 1 x day ratpack above. I used the lid pocket, one side pocket and the Hydration Pocket but still had the front pouch/pocket, one side pocket and both hip belt pockets spare.

What about the trail shoes? I've never used trail shoes before only moving to fabric boots last year but I thought it would be worth trying a pair. I looked at Innov8 but happened to see the Karrimor trail shoes on the Field & Trek website at £18. They're unlined which is what I wanted and weigh 770g/pair size 9. In Black with Lime Green trim they almost match the LIM 45, not that it matters of course, but one doesn't want to be too clashy ;-) I've no idea how well they'll take the abuse but at the price I figured it was worth a shot in case I find out that I prefer boots.

Phreeranger Upgrade

With the Laser gone I'm now left with no alternative but use the Phreeranger so I've started to make a few upgrades that I'd been thinking about. I replaced the original guylines/Alloy Rings/Alloy Sliders with 2mm Dyneema/Mini Lineloks from Team IO. The Phreeranger should have 3 lines along the back and 3 at each end attached to the pole sleeve. I've reduced the pole sleeve guys to 2 at each end mainly to reduce the number of pegs. I also ordered 6 alloy V pegs from Shelby Finland which as it turns out are made by Hampton Works, the makers of the original pegs and poles for the Phreeranger. The V pegs weigh in at 10g each. My provisional peg set is made up of

6 x Terra Nova Titanium Skewers (Voyager Type) at 5.5g each from Sub Zero Store
6 x Hampton Works V's at 10g each from Shelby Finland
2 x Vargo Nails at 15g each from Team IO
2 x Camcleat Y's at 16g each from Camcleat

Total weight including an Alpkit A6 Stuff Sack is 163g



One thing about the Phreeranger compared to the Laser is that the porch is a bit narrower, fortunately the inner is a bit wider so it's easy enough to unhook the front corners of the inner and push it back to create a bit more porch space. With the inner pushed right back to the centerline it can still take a full length rectangular sleeping mat although the inner is pretty close to your face when lying down.

I had an idea a while back that I intended to use on the Laser and that was to make a roll/slide back inner. Basically it involves having a cord tied to the rear corner loops of the inner tent which then runs along the ends of the inner, through the front corner loops and through a captive cordlock before hooking to the normal inner/fly shockcords. To move the inner back I simply press the cordlocks and slide the inner back on the cord in much the same way as curtains on a flexible wire. It took a bit of adjusting to get the tension right but it works really well, the inner can be pushed back to any point on the cord on one or both ends as required. The porch can be up to half the total area covered by the fly while still giving me enough inner tent space. I used a soft braided cord to give the cordlocks something to grip on but I may change to shockcord as it might be easier to balance the tension which changes as the inner is pushed back. I didn't have any captive cordlocks so I just tied them to the front attachment point with 2mm Dyneema which still left space for the cord.









The sewn in groundsheet isn't waterproof anymore and I'd toyed with the idea of sewing in a new one from lightweight groundsheet fabric but I'm going to have a go at making a complete new inner tent with a few modifications. I'll probably make it narrower than the original which might mean I can dispense with the roll back mod, I want the door to fall away to the side like most modern tents and I'll make the top half from mesh, depending on how it turns out I might make a plain cover panel. I already have all the materials in the form of a Robens Double Dreamer that got flattened at the May Day weekend last year. It was it's 1st run out, 2 of the poles were trashed. I didn't like it anyway as it was too big and the poles were going to cost almost as much as the tent did it's been lying in the garage. I'll have to dismantle one of the other Phreerangers to use as a pattern but it shouldn't be too difficult to put an inner together as all the seams are overlocked (serged) and my wife has an Overlocker (Serger). In the meantime I'll just have to use a footprint.

It has crossed my mind that although I can replace guys and pegs, can probably make a new inner and even buy a new poleset from Hampton Works the critical component is the fly which I can't replace and it's unlikely that I could make a new one. All I can do is carry on, use the best of the 3 flysheets that I have and keep my fingers crossed. Fortune favours the bold but fools rush in...............

Ultralight Mug

I like to carry a separate mug in addition to the Alpkit Mity Mug that I use for cooking. My current mug is a Tibetan Titanium 450ml. I like it as I can use it directly on the stove for a brew although it doesn't come with a lid (I normally just set the Mitymug lid on) It only weighs 61g, is pretty tough and doesn't take up much space, in fact I could carry it inside the Mitymug along with my Meths stove if I didn't take one of my woodstoves which are designed to be carried in the Mitymug. As it is I stuff my repair kit into the Tibetan ti mug so it isn't wasted space.

I think I've come up with a better mug though. I found a 6 pack of Heineken in 330ml keg shaped cans and thought they might make a nice light mug. I couldn't cut the lid off with a safety can opener due to the shoulder on the can but I eventually figured a way to achieve the same result. I simply used a small metal file and filed the top edge of the rim away all the way around until the lid came free then smoothed it off with a scotch pad. Unfortunately the lid wasn't usable but using another can I carefully sawed my way around just below the rolled edge until I had the lid cut off. This works perfectly.

The result? a 16g Mug c/w lid. I'll give it a shot although it'll be more susceptible to damage than the Ti Mug. I might try to get one of the bigger versions then I could have a co-ordinated cookset, of course then I'll need some Green Lexan cutlery, it'll be almost like the new MSR sets only cooler ;-)

Fuel Bottles

I'm always on the lookout for bottles suitable for carrying Meths and I have a variety of sizes ranging from 30ml to 500ml some of which are spun alloy type while the rest are plastic. I also have a variety of different caps from plain screw caps to flip caps and even pull top sports bottle type. My current favourite is an Oval 300ml bottle. This is a liquid soap bottle and I'm pretty sure it was Carex, most bottles of this type are 250ml or 500ml but I specifically wanted a 300ml. It came with a pump dispenser but I found that a standard PET bottle cap fitted so I've used one from a 'Fruit Shoot' bottle, Blackcurrant flavour as I wanted the purple cap. I've used this on my last 2 trips and so far it has been fine. I find that the shape makes it easier to pack than a round bottle. These bottles come with a clear safety cap which can be clicked back on to help reduce the chance of the Pull Top being pulled up. I've started carrying a small measuring cup (25ml max) as I only need about 15ml for a cuppa and it makes it easier to measure the required amount. The bottle c/w 300ml weighs around 265g.



Plastic, 100ml, 250ml, 300ml & 500ml with Screw, Flip & Pull Caps

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Aluminium, 250ml, 100ml, 50ml, 30ml with Screw and Flip Caps

The Round Plastic and Aluminium are the ones I sell on my website, www.einzel-kocher.webs.com

No More Laser Mods!!

I finally admitted defeat and sold the Laser. It was a great tent once up, plenty of room for 1, nice and light even with the added footprint that I made and the upgraded pegs but I found it to awkward to pitch/strike. I've no idea what I'll go for next, I like the look of the Big Agnes Copperspur but PTC has one for review so I'll wait and see how it performs, the other contender would be the Terra Nova Voyager Superlight.

In the meantime I'm going to use the mk1 Phreeranger fly with a later inner (the later one has a full mesh door as well as a full plain one, the early one only has a plain door) it should easily see me through the summer. I'm using the same footprint I used with the Laser for the time being. I'd bought some Terra Nova 5.5g Titanium pegs with the intention of using them with the Laser so including a Sea to Summit Ultrasil 8L drysack and pegs the all in weight is 1860g, the last trip my complete Laser set-up weighed in at 1709g so there's only about 150g difference.

Of course when I last used a Phreeranger I was happy enough with it as it was, now I'd like to make a few changes to reduce the weight. I'm going to replace the guylines complete with their alloy rings and alloy sliders with 2mm Dymeema and Mini Lineloks, I might change the fly pegging points, they're all webbing with alloy rings but I think I can swap out the 4 corner ones for shockcord loops and cut the rings off the remaining webbing loops. I also have some mozzie net so I'd like to use my mk 1 inner but make the door half mesh, that would save the weight of the extra zip on the later inner.

Anyway, all good fun and I didn't lose too much on the Laser.