Bushwalk Australia

Stuff lightweight... I would like to see an equipment sub-section on equipment that is bombproof.

Highly abrasion and rip resistant to stop dolerite and scrub in it's tracks!

WHO'S WITH ME?!

I have a note i wrote above my desk in the design room. It reads "sustainability begins with products that last"
I'm with you .

I'm with you for bombproof as the first priority. If that can be achieved in a lightweight version, all the better, but will probably be expensive.

I think I've seen this (or something similar) before:

- Cheap
- Lightweight
- Robust

Pick any two...

We do have a bit of a history here for considering such suggestions. However, there would need to be enough posts to make it worthwhile. In the linked example for the 'Techno Babble' forum, that forum did not get created until some time after the initial suggestions, because there were not enough topics initially to make it on its own.

Once we get enough topics to make a distinction worthwhile, then it might be considered a bit more seriously. So there would need to be a considerable number of equipment topics that were focussed on the bombproofness of the equipment to make it worthwhile moving them off into their own forum. There would also need to be a good reason why they shouldn't be just left in with the other equipment topics on the main Equipment forum.

Fair call Nik. I guess there is a reasonable expectation for most walking gear to be fairly robust anyway. Maybe I should have started a thread "nominate your favourite bombproof equipment".

Anyhoo... I'll throw my hat in the ring and nomiate Macpac's Cross Terrain Sidetrack shorts and pants. These are my favourite bit of bombproof scrub armour right now. The material they are made of is pretty hard wearing, nigh on scoparia-proof.

Ollster has seen my new gaiters, unused yet but i'm pretty sure just by looking at them that they are going to be bombproof / scrubproof:

http://www.wildequipment.com.au/gaiters ... ?Code=WEBG

Having destroyed maybe 6+ pairs in 2 years I am hoping to get a little more mileage out of these ones.

Sea to Summit Gore Tex ones have been particularly bad as has been discussed on this site before + my latest pair of OR Crocodiles which have only lasted 2 months (apparently they were 'award' winning in the US!?); they SAS don't cut it in the SW that's for sure.

Other favourite pieces of scrub armour: Macpac 'Aspiring' jacket, Mont 'Austral' 3L Hydronaught pants (very tough) & $10 leather riggers gloves from the hardware, tho they do make your hands look a little deathly / jaundiced afterwards due to dye leeching

johnw wrote:I'm with you for bombproof as the first priority. If that can be achieved in a lightweight version, all the better, but will probably be expensive.

I think I've seen this (or something similar) before:

- Cheap
- Lightweight
- Robust

Pick any two...

I believe it was Keith Bontrager, mtb and cycling legend:

'Cheap, light, strong - you can only pick two'

Great decision matrix for many situations.

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Why? Just to stir the 'U/L' guys....?
I sold Tony a Nylon pack reinforced with Dynema strands that I would trust alongside my WE canvas pack (800v2300grams) (150v380$).
If I waffle about how 'bombproof' the thing is, would it make any contribution? If it is to have merit as a topic on it's own what is the point and where and who draws the lines as to what will and wont pass? And just cause local manufacturers arent up to the task of refining their gear, should they still figure?
More information on the concept please?

The other main items would be raincoats, perhaps overpants and boots.
Raincoats and Overpants any goretex or similar multilayer in-house design?
Boots, yer me too (but then those volleys are pretty tough )

Does that cover the topic?

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Brett wrote:

Nuts wrote:Why? Just to stir the 'U/L' guys....?
I sold Tony a Nylon pack reinforced with Dynema strands that I would trust alongside my WE canvas pack (800v2300grams) (150v380$).
If I waffle about how 'bombproof' the thing is, would it make any contribution? If it is to have merit as a topic on it's own what is the point and where and who draws the lines as to what will and wont pass? And just cause local manufacturers arent up to the task of refining their gear, should they still figure?
More information on the concept please?

Nuts why should any discussion on gear suddenly become a UL debate
<snipped>

To be fair, the original post did begin with "Stuff lightweight..."

All gear has its place, depending on the requirements, usage and budget of the buyer... I'm sure most of us would be interested in swapping experiences of gear that has stood up to some 'rigorous' off-track testing, whatever its weight

Yeah I don't think anyone suggested it as an 'anti-lightweight' thread, more a thread unconcerned by excess weight. If you have a 400g or 4kg pack you have dragged over the Arthurs a dozen times let's here about it, actually I'd say especially if it is lightweight!

I'll start on lightweight stuff:
I had a 750ml 'H2Go' PET bottle that lasted for years. Went all over the place from Kayaking to MTBing to bushwalking. Played brandings with it as well as soccer on gravel, even used it in a water fight or two. Eventually I lost it so it may still be going strong somewhere. (BTW - that makes light, cheap and strong - it's the holy grail )

As for my 'heavy' gear nothing comes to mind, though my raincoat has copped some tough stuff and looks none the worse.

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Brett wrote:

Nuts wrote:Why? Just to stir the 'U/L' guys....?
I sold Tony a Nylon pack reinforced with Dynema strands that I would trust alongside my WE canvas pack (800v2300grams) (150v380$).
If I waffle about how 'bombproof' the thing is, would it make any contribution? If it is to have merit as a topic on it's own what is the point and where and who draws the lines as to what will and wont pass? And just cause local manufacturers arent up to the task of refining their gear, should they still figure?
More information on the concept please?

Nuts why should any discussion on gear suddenly become a UL debate Does that mean if gourmets cooks are debating the merits of a cast iron versus heavy based aluminium pan then it becomes an anti UL campaign Surely selecting gear optimised for strength and longevity is valid as selecting on weight, and yes if you pay the the right amount you might get bot,h but I am yet to see an Iron Chief pulling out a lightweight titanium fry pan but who knows given what they get up to.

'Well that takes the cake as far as your analogies go, cookiest one yet

Why the shot at local manufacturers, is it because it is they are the last bastion of solid packs or they do not supply certain people at the right price? Am I seeing cultural cringe? Is not One Planet a leader in gear or just you do not like them?

Nothin' against them... it's not so much price (though yer that is a big factor) as more the benefits that others seem to have achieved in minimising weight through reducing the unnecessary elements that add it. Theres at least two challenges there for them

Puzzled for the reason for your post?

Awww, c'mon now..... (though i did wonder if my bait wasnt so smooth, what fish would bite?)


Cheers Brett

Though, I am interested in the outcomes for a 'bombproof' list of gear?

PS From the additions:

'Stuff lightweight' is like saying that 'bombproof' has to be heavy, it doesnt.... Its like saying that you'd Prefer Bretts cast iron frypan

Another question is 'What is an 'Aussie Product''?
Something made here?

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An obvious plug, but I agree with Blacksheep. MACPAC is (or was ) made to last. the new tents seem a bit of a let down

ILUVSWTAS wrote:An obvious plug, but I agree with Blacksheep. MACPAC is (or was ) made to last. the new tents seem a bit of a let down

? we've not changed any specs ?

I hear the floors arent what they were, in the ultralights at least?

ILUVSWTAS wrote:An obvious plug, but I agree with Blacksheep. MACPAC is (or was ) made to last. the new tents seem a bit of a let down

I love my Olympus (for when sharing a tent) and my Dads Olympus must be nearly 20 years old and still going strong as is my brother's very well used Minaret. Truly bombproof tents.

And Macpac advertising here has nothing to do with my saying that

ILUVSWTAS wrote:I hear the floors arent what they were, in the ultralights at least?

not true. we have added one new model ( macrolite)with a Torrent wear XP floor- which is rated as a 5000mm floor. This is still a heavier coating than most brands. All the previous seasons models run the same specifications (and have the beefier Torrent wear 10,000mm floor).
All that has changed on our tents is we now anodise the DAC poles with a "green" water based solution so the process is less impactful.

Well thats interesting. Im quite sure I heard the floors arent as thick as they were in the older models.

Anyway I do love my minaret

My trangia

stubowling wrote:Ollster has seen my new gaiters, unused yet but i'm pretty sure just by looking at them that they are going to be bombproof / scrubproof:

http://www.wildequipment.com.au/gaiters ... ?Code=WEBG

I like these. My son has a pair and used in them in WOJ end of last year for a week, including some trackless scrubby walkng. I'd say that they are generally bombproof but the weakness is the elastic cord that goes under your boots. Strongly recommend that you carry spare cord. He managed to destroy the cord on one of them first day out with them. I then had to listen to him cursing that night while trying to repair them (he cut the spare cord too short, but that's another story). Anyway they are easily field repairable so it need not be a major problem.

I'd also consider my STS Quagmire Canvas Gaiters to be bombproof. The downside is that I find the thick underboot strap can cause problems occasionally on slippery rocks etc.

Some other gear I own that comes to mind that I would consider "bombproof":

WE Second Arrow tent
Pallin Vista Jacket
Scarpa Trek boots

To be a bit contradictory I also own a lot of lightweight stuff (which I like). Much of the walking I do up here doesn't require more than that. But when in Tassie I usually choose to take the most robust version of whatever I have.

johnw wrote:I'd also consider my STS Quagmire Canvas Gaiters to be bombproof. The downside is that I find the thick underboot strap can cause problems occasionally on slippery rocks etc.

Hopefully by now STS have fixed their damn gaiters, but my last 2 pairs have been rubbish. There is a thread on them somewhere. My current pair was first used at Easter, and pretty much instantly started falling apart. Stiching is ripped out, the ankle strap is mostly chewed through, and the scratch pads are coming apart. Oh, and the velcro top strap always curves back and flaps about and that drives me mad.

I've seen Stu's new gaiters, and they do look tough. Think I'll be getting a pair and replacing the idiotic elastic strap with wire or something.

ollster wrote:

johnw wrote:I'd also consider my STS Quagmire Canvas Gaiters to be bombproof. The downside is that I find the thick underboot strap can cause problems occasionally on slippery rocks etc.

Hopefully by now STS have fixed their damn gaiters..

Yeah, I've read the topic about wear problems with them. I haven't had any so far, just normal wear and tear. But mine are not that old, maybe less than 12 months, and not a huge number of Kms yet.

ollster wrote:Hopefully by now STS have fixed their damn gaiters, but my last 2 pairs have been rubbish. There is a thread on them somewhere.

The Quagmire Gaiters topic is HERE.
Joe did an excellent job with his STS rep, my and my wife's gaiters were replaced with new ones - newer model, design changes. I will do a review of the new ones in that other topic sometime.
Suffice to say, yes they are better!

johnw wrote:

ollster wrote:

johnw wrote:I'd also consider my STS Quagmire Canvas Gaiters to be bombproof. The downside is that I find the thick underboot strap can cause problems occasionally on slippery rocks etc.

Hopefully by now STS have fixed their damn gaiters..

Yeah, I've read the topic about wear problems with them. I haven't had any so far, just normal wear and tear. But mine are not that old, maybe less than 12 months, and not a huge number of Kms yet.

Had mine about 6 months, starting to come undone at the stitching.

I had to restitch mine
I then covered the stitching(where ever there was exposed stitching) in freesole or some other gunk.
Roger

For under the boots, spectra type cord threaded thru plastic fuel line size tubing (and/or even heat shrinked) seems to make them get through a few weeks.

Mont Tool jacket, (15yrs)
Mont 'Austral' 3L Hydronaught pants,
Macpac Ascent pack (15yrs and still good!)
WE Lost world pack
Cactus climbing canvas pants
Petzl Zoom headlamp
WE quagmire gaiters
Spyderco Salt, endura and delica.
Thermarest ultralight (15yrs too)
Nalgene bottles

The Mont Tool goretex jacket was my fave. Tough as nails, but it was starting to delaminate.
I stupidly replaced it with a Rab event jacket in a moment of UL delirium- and it's already holed!

Canvas, oilskin, leather, moleskins... all the stuff the farmers, bushies etc use. BOMBPROOF!
Up in the vic snowfields lots of boarders are wearing tough commercial FISHING gear! Rubberised pants etc. LOL.