Lucky Bag

The Gods of Fortune and Favour have smiled upon both Al and Phil.

Gentlemen, I have a pair of Grimlocs here with your names on them. If you send your contact details to *redacted*, they will be dispatched post haste.

You'll never lose your hat/gloves/enamel mug again.

Munky Business

It's not often that I'm at the forefront of something new and exciting but there's a first time for everything.

Back in October, last year, I got talking to Sean over on Outdoorsmagic about custom inner options for the  Hex 3. After a wee bit of persuasion, I got him to run me up a "winterised" OookNest (half-nest); bomber waterproof floor, solid panels with mesh higher up. In mid November, a neat little package arrived.

Truth is, I was bowled over by the sheer quality of the finished product; easily on a par with the big boys of the tent world. Sean had even added a couple of storage pockets, spare bungee cord and packed the lot up in a neat OookWorks stuff sack.

That's mine, that is. Image copyright OookWorks 2010

Munky Business

For a bespoke item, it really is seriously impressive. You can, of course, source these things from the U.S but I'd rather support somebody here in the UK. Well, Cumbria and that's practically Scotland :o)

So if you've got a shelter that needs a bit more porch space or whatever, get in touch with Sean to see what he can come up with.

I'm no' 100% certain that I was the first OookWorks customer but there's no doubt in my mind that there'll be many more in the future.

Maxpedition Grimloc D-Rings

I was rooting around the other day and came across some photies in a folder marked "Blogging". There's a bunch of stuff in there, all of it meant to illustrate blog posts that fell by the way side and never saw the light of day. There's no text with them so I can only guess at what might have been.

The Grimlocs are a case in point. As a habitual baseball cap wearer, I've been using clips of some description or another for a number of years. A wee clip thru' the D-ring on a shoulder strap is a handy way of securing a hat, gloves or whatever.

 Open and shut

Dammit, they're good for all sorts of things. I've got a decent selection of carabiners both large and small but it's the Grimloc that's been attached to my pack for a while now. Dead easy to use with gloved or cold hands and they weigh next to nothing. Reasonably cheap too; a pack of 4 can be had for less than a tenner.

There are cheaper alternatives, of course but these are "mil-spec" and that makes them way cooler than anything else :o)

I like them so much, in fact, that I've got two to give away. Simply leave a comment below and your name will be entered into a draw which will take place a week from now. No names or email addresses will be used for anything other than this glorified lucky dip. This blog is strictly a commercial free zone :o)

 Update 12/6/11: "Competition" (such as it is) closes at 3pm today.

Feersum Endjinn

I can't remember exactly when I first saw a wind farm in Scotland but I think it was about 5 or 6 years ago, on the road to Oban. Now, if I want to see one, I just need to drive about a mile and turn left. Go a wee bit further and there's another one. In the next year or so, I'll be able to see one from my front garden.

The proliferation of these things continues apace. Depending on which side of the fence you sit on, it's either driven by an overwhelming desire to save the planet or pure, old-fashioned greed. Personally, I think it's the latter. There's a huge amount of money to be made from "renewables" and there's folk out there grabbing it with both hands, aided and abetted by our (Scottish) government.

The public at large are blissfully unaware of (or perhaps don't care about) what's happening. Maybe if they planted a couple of turbines in Holyrood Park or Princes Street Gardens, folk would feel differently? While they're at it, they can change the sign at the border: "Welcome to Scotland The Klondyke"

It angers me. And I'm not the only one. Alan Sloman has done a power (no pun intended) of work and you can read about it here. It compelled me to get off my arse and do something. I hope it gets others to do the same.

Burn Motherfucker, burn....

Update: Additional Links

John Muir Trust - Info on the Campaign Page

Mountaineering Council of Scotland - Access and Conservation

Finisterre Humboldt Mk II

As it's been a while, I thought my first post of 2011 should be gear related. And what a fine bit of gear it is; the Finisterre Humboldt Mk II.

Some folk will remember Finisterre from a couple of years back when they produced something that looked like a Paramo Velez, was made from the same material as a Paramo Velez, but was cut a tad more on the "athletic" side than anything Paramo produce.

Justifiably, they flew off the racks and quickly sold out. Happily, they're back, albeit in a slightly different form. Ah. Just checked and they're sold out again. Sorry about that. The Analogy fabric is gone and what we have now is something that looks like the bastard offspring of an unholy union between Buffalo and Paramo.

The similarity to the Velez is obvious but there are a few welcome refinements: the cut is oh-so much slimmer which suits me and my Racing Snake frame.

 Large Humboldt laid atop Large Velez Adventure for comparison

The sleeves are nice and long, something that Paramo never managed. The Humboldt has no internal, and frankly useless, handwarmer pocket. The hood volume adjuster runs up both sides of the head and works well.

The only niggle so far is the adjustable cuffs. I didn't know they made Velcro that wide.

 World's Widest Strip of Velcro

I've been kicking about in it and it's been great but I'll try and give it a proper outing soon.

The Last Post

It's been a quick year. Highlight was getting married to my beautiful Mrs, closely followed by the birth of our beautiful grandson.

Very little outdoor stuff happened. Quietest year in the last decade, in fact. Two or three bits of kit bought and a whole lot more sold on. I've little or no interest in such things right now but that may well change in the coming year. We'll see.

But this year is nearly done and there's a new one waiting just over the horizon.

I've no idea what it'll bring but I hope it's a happy one, not just for me and mine but also for you and yours.

So wherever you are, have a safe, and prosperous, 2011.

No more excuses

Well, they weren't really excuses, more like stuff that I knew was coming and would have to dedicate time to. In all honesty, I'm the King of Procrastination, I don't actually need an excuse. And the motivation to get out on the hills wasn't really there although I did at least get some outdoorsy stuff done, just nothing worth writing home about.

So we had the wedding and, as stated previously, we couldn't have asked for a better day. Just marvellous.

Next, was the detrioration of the sight in my left eye. The visit to the opticians in April had led to only one conclusion; no prescription on Earth was going to fix it and surgery was required. Now, Eye and Surgery are two words that should never be uttered in the same sentence but it had to be done. I had no choice. Well, I did; I could go around half-blind.

In truth, it was making me miserable. Driving was a chore and work was just plain frustrating. And I'll blame it for me not wanting to get up a hill more often. You don't realise just how much you rely on your sight until you start to lose it. So, 3 days after my birthday, I went under the knife. Or micro-scalpel or whatever the hell they use. I was awake but couldn't see anything other than a very bright light. I did see the syringe that delivered the local anasthetic beforehand though. And that's every bit as rubbish as it sounds, btw.

It's made a huge difference tho'. I can actually function without glasses for the first time in years. And by function I mean I can get about without walking into anything. I still need spec's for the usual stuff but I wouldn't be completely fucked without them.

Now that I can actually see the hills again, I want to get back out on them as soon as.

The last thing that was stopping me getting away anywhere was the anticipated arrival of our first grandchild. I couldn't very well go gallavanting off when I might be called on at any moment for emergency dog-sitting duties.

But he turned up yesterday, all 8lbs 12oz of him. John Connor William McLean. If that's not the coolest name for a boy then I don't know what is.

Action Hero

I'll try to resist putting on an Austrian accent when I speak to him but I make no promises :o)

So aye, early September should see me back outside. I owe The Boy a walk and it's long overdue.

And may your days be good and long upon the Earth

I'd be lying if I said there were no pre-wedding jitters because there were. Not about the getting married bit, more the social side. See, I don't do crowds and I'm not known as a party animal. Then there was the whole stand up and make a speech routine. So aye, a degree of trepidation was felt.

But when my wife pointed out our mystery guest, I knew all would be well. There, providing overwatch from the high ground of the "cutting sponge"*, was Master Chief.


Sometimes it's the little things that mean the most and can turn a great day into a perfect one.

Magic o)

Now you will feel no rain,
For each of you will be shelter to the other.

Now you will feel no cold,
For each of you will be warmth to the other.

Now there is no more loneliness,
For each of you will be companion to the other.

Now you are two bodies,
But there is one life before you.

Go now to your dwelling place,
To enter into the days of your togetherness.
And may your days be good and long upon the earth.

*Cutting Sponge - for lightweights that don't actually like fruit cake. I know. Fuckin' weirdos.