How to Clean Your Waterproof, Breathable Jacket

I'm sure some of you are getting sick of videos from my Gore-Tex experience, so I'll back off for a while (even though I have a lot more cool footage to share). So for now, I'll just post this one about how to restore the DWR coating on your jacket. This applies to any garment with a DWR. It's pretty simple but I think you'll find it useful.


If you've exceeded the number of times washing and drying will restore your DWR (10 - 15 times), then here are a couple of after-market products you may want to check out:

McNett Revivex Spray
Nikwax Tech Wash

Event Fabric vs. Gore-Tex

A lot of people claim that Event breathes better than Gore-Tex. This demonstrations shows that they actually transfer water vapor at the exact same rate. Could it be merely psychological that people think Event is more breathable?

My Visit to Gore-Tex

I just got back from the Gore-Tex Experience More Blogger Summit in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. I not only learned a lot about the technology behind breathable fabrics and all of the testing methods that Gore does but also that there is a lot of misinformation about breathable fabrics out there. Over my next few posts, I'll try to share some videos that will hopefully enlighten people, dispel some myths, and spark some interesting discussions. For now, here is a sneak preview of some of the things that go on behind the scenes at Gore-Tex. Enjoy and stay tuned for more!

HEET vs. SLX Denatured Alcohol

A lot of people have touted the virtues of HEET over regular denatured alcohol for alcohol stove fuel and I have always wondered if there really was a difference. Here are my findings:

Snow Peak Trek 700 and 900 Lids are Here!

Thanks to all of you who have been so patient. I finally have the Snow Peak lids back in stock, including the 600, Trek 700, and Trek 900. Here you go: http://pinnaclelids.com/

A Prototype for a One-Piece, Integrated Pot Stand and Windscreen

I hate having to unroll and shape my windscreen when I set up my stove and have been thinking about a solution for a long time. Here's one idea I had for a carefree pot support/windscreen.


Obviously, further experimentation is needed. I need to do a field test and I'd also like to try it out with a regular (0.5 oz.) tea light to see if the narrower flame comes into less contact with the fencing. In the mean time, any ideas for other materials for the skeleton?

My Alcohol Stove Collection

In my gear closet video, I said that one day I would do a video on my alcohol stove collection. It took a year, but I finally got around to it. Here is a good sampling of what I've collected and built over the years. FYI, this is officially my longest video ever.

Spyderco Salt 1 vs. Delica 4 Review

I just got a Spyderco Salt 1 and am very impressed. Besides being totally rustproof, one of the things I like about it is the high-visibility handle. That can come in handy when doing a last-minute spot check before leaving your campsite. Here's a long, boring video of me cutting some stuff with it and comparing it to my venerable EDC Delica 4.



I know there are a lot of people who prefer fixed-blade knives but I like the compactness of folders and find they're more than adequate for most basic backpacking tasks. What do you carry? Are you a fellow Spyderco fan?

Gore-Tex Blogger Summit

Gear Contest - Win a FREE Wood Stove!

That's right, I'm giving away a brand new Jim Falk Bushwhacker stove. All you have to do to win is post the best gear disaster story. Tell us about the most catastrophic gear fiasco you've ever had. The time you accidentally impaled yourself with your own spork. The time both of your pack straps failed, leaving you to carry your pack down the mountain as if you were holding a baby. Or the time you almost set the garage on fire when your new prototype stove unexpectedly exploded. Extra points if you lost an eyebrow or two.


Here are some features of the stove:

- Small ultra-light wood gas stove.
- 3 stoves in 1 - wood stove, slow cooker and food warmer.
- Extremely small pack size of 4-1/4" wide x 4-7/8" high.
- Weighs only 6.7 ounces.
- Double wall construction - 2 piece nesting design.
- Burns twigs and wood for fuel.
- No dangerous liquid or gas fuels to carry, perfect for airline travel.
- Boils 2 cups of water within 12 minutes.
- Keep your meal warm with simmer times up to 30 minutes.
- Adjustable air intake ports allows for heat control and variable cooking times.
- Special design feature allows for easy lighting.
- Hands free cooking, load once with wood, light and walk away, no need to baby sit the fire.
- It even makes charcoal.

I look forward to hearing all of your stories. I will make a final decision Friday September 18th. Good Luck!

WINNER ANNOUNCED!

Thanks for all your stories everyone. They were great. The winner is Chris for his story of Scorpian stove. I love the fact that the hose wasn't on. Very Benny Hill. Chris, send me your address and I'll get the stove out to you. be careful out there!

Snow Peak Lids are Here!

I just got them tonight! Gear Talk followers get preference. This is the first run. The next run will be about a week out so if you miss this one, it won't be that long and I'm accepting pre-purchasing. You have a choice between a lid with strainer holes and a lid without any holes if you want to customize it. Click here to get one. Have fun!

BTW, I'm working on some Snow Peak 700 and 900 lids as well if anyone is interested. Let me know.

Trail Designs Caldera Cone for the Heineken Pot

I've always been a little skeptical of the Caldera Cone because of issues with storage, but I recently got one that rolls up and fits inside of a Heineken pot and am pretty impressed with the design. This initial kitchen test passes but I'd really like to get it out in the field and see what it can do in real-world conditions.

Why You Shouldn't Spend a Lot of $$$ on an Insulated Mug

The Bushcooker LT 3-Fuel Stove

If you picture a metal bucket the size of a small bear canister when you hear the word "wood stove", check out the Bushcooker LT. I think this just might be the smallest wood stove on the market. But, it's more than just a wood stove. Bring some Alcohol or Esbit along because the Bushcooker can burn those too! In this video, I demonstrate its wood-burning capabilities but there's a quick shot of it's mesmerizing "cyclone" flame pattern when being used with alcohol.



I really like this little gem because of it's compactness. But, because its so compact, I've found that you need to use really small wood (twig size is best). If you put pieces that are too big, the stove might not perform. Also, in order to feed wood into the burning chamber while it's running, tall, narrow pots work best. If you want to use a wide pot, I would suggest using one with a bail handle. Then, just take the pot off, throw in some wood, and put the pot back on.

The stove is designed and manufactured by FourDog Stoves in Minnesota.

Weight: 2.5 oz.
Boil Time: 6-7 min. (wood)
Material: Titanium
Price: $90

The Perfect Lid for the Snow Peak 600

OK, so I cheated a little on this one. Not exactly DIY but I think I have the ultimate lid for the Snow Peak 600 titanium mug. I might see if I can get another, lighter version made but for now, this is great. If you're a 600 owner, what are you using for a lid?



UPDATE: OK, for those of you who want one, I will be able to sell you one within a week or so. It will be an improved and lighter version with a wooden handle. If you can wait, I'll give you an update a.s.a.p. They're on their way! Also, there will be some slight design modifications including a wooden handle like the ones below. We're trying to make it lighter by using thinner aluminum as well.

An Ultralight Candle Lantern: The Glo Toob

For most Ul backpackers, heavy, bulky candle lanterns are out. But it's always convenient to have ambient light inside your tent or around your campsite. Here's a great alternative that is compact and super light.

The Glo-Toob comes in different colors and is practically indestructible. It's LED lights and array of settings give you a lot of versatility and ample battery life. The high and low settings are perfect for lighting up the inside of your tent while the various blinking settings can be used as "beacons" for finding your way back to the tent after a late-night bathroom run. I'm going to add this to my list of regular gear that I carry since the convenience factor far outweighs the weight. Did I intend that pun? Anyway, here are the specs:

Weight: 1.1 oz.

Battery Life: 30 hrs. useable light

Operating Temperature: 14 degrees to 176 degress F

Waterproof Depth: A mere 11,500 ft.

Battery Type: 24A 12 Volt

Remember, if you get yours from scorpionsurvival.com, you'll get a 10% discount if you enter the promo code "GEARTALK"

Trail Designs Vari-Vent Windscreen

Anyone who has ever built their own windscreen has, at some point, taken a pause to consider the following: Where should I put the ventilation holes? How many should there be? How big should I make them? It's a delicate balance. To many holes and you lose wind protection. Too few and you suffocate your stove. Check out this design...you'll get the idea.



The windscreens come in 3 sizes and you can easily trim them to size: Here are the available heights and their respective weights:

4" 1.1 oz. (31 grams)
6" 1.6 oz. (46 grams)
8" 1.9 oz. (54 grams)

The one shown in the video was a 4" Vari-Vent that seemed to fit the MSR Titan Kettle perfectly. Click here for more info. Also, here's a cool page with tips & tricks for using the Vari-Vent.

TOP SECRET: Gossamer Gear Rain Covers

After a harrowing mission, I was able to steal some of the latest prototypes from the Gossamer Gear Laboratories. Here's a sneak preview:

Drying Hydration Systems Quickly

This is blast from the past but still a good tip. While I made this video a long time ago, to this day, I dry my Platypuses (Platpus, Platypi?) using this simple technique after every trip. It's definitely not the best video I've made but enjoy (or "endure" as the case may be).



I forgot to mention in the video that you can also hook up your hydration tube to the aquarium pump nozzle (one of the trickiest components to dry out quickly). What's your method for drying out hydration bladders, tubes, water bottles, etc. What tricks do you have up your sleeve?

Fire, GOOOOOD! - A Unique Ultralight Fire Starter

OK, so who doesn't love playing with fire? While many of us are addicted to lighting up alcohol stoves in our kitchens and diligently logging boil times, fire starters are pretty cool too just because they're much more primal. I've experimented with a lot of well-known methods including waterproof matches, flints, cotton balls, dryer lint, and char cloth, but I recently discovered one that took me by surprise. Watch this:

As soon as I saw these Chemfire capsules, I just knew I had to try them. The flame looks strong enough to be able to start a fire even in a downpour and it seems pretty UL. Rest assured, I've got some on the way and there's a video coming soon. Does anyone else have experience with these?