SUL Gold Gear

Information for bushwalkers from bushwalkers

A place to chat about gear and the philosphy of ultralight. Ultralight bushwalking or backpacking focuses on carrying the lightest and simplest kit. There is still a good focus on safety and skill.

Forum rules

Ultralight Bushwalking/backpacking is about more than just gear lists. Ultralight walkers carefully consider gear based on the environment they are entering, the weather forecast, their own skill, other people in the group. Gear and systems are tested and tweaked.
If you are new to this area then welcome - Please remember that although the same ultralight philosophy can be used in all environments that the specific gear and skill required will vary greatly. It is very dangerous to assume that you can just copy someone else's gear list, but you are encouraged to ask questions, learn and start reducing the pack weight and enjoying the freedom that comes.

Common words
Base pack backpacking the mass of the backpack and the gear inside - not including consumables such as food, water and fuel
light backpacking base weight less than 9.1kg
ultralight backpacking base weight less than 4.5kg
super-ultralight backpacking base weight less than 2.3kg
extreme-ultralight backpacking base weight less than 1.4kg
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GPSGuided
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SUL Gold Gear

Tue 19 Aug, 2014 9:26 am

Just came across this SUL (Super Ultra Light) gear site with transparent tarp shelters. Anyone tried that Polycro material and a transparent tent? Guess there's a psychological factor there. Amazing.

http://www.goldgear.co/shelter.html
DanShell
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Re: SUL Gold Gear

Tue 19 Aug, 2014 9:49 am

GPSGuided wrote:Just came across this SUL (Super Ultra Light) gear site with transparent tarp shelters. Anyone tried that Polycro material and a transparent tent? Guess there's a psychological factor there. Amazing.

http://www.goldgear.co/shelter.html


It would certainly be warm if you wanted to have a nanna nap during the day :)
Orion
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Re: SUL Gold Gear

Tue 19 Aug, 2014 9:52 am

People have been using polyethylene plastic sheets for tarps for a long time. They're either heavy or tear easily, sometimes both. The polycryo (not polycro) material is stronger but is still far from bombproof. I considered using it. One of the grades of polycryo is only about 10% heavier than the Cuben I used to make a translucent pyramid tent recently. It sure would have been a lot cheaper. Ultimately I went with Cuben because I didn't want a shelter that could tear easily, something that polycryo sometimes does.

The main advantage with polycryo is that it is relatively inexpensive.

edit: Looking at the specs for the tarps linked above it doesn't appear that they offer that much, if anything, in the way of weight or cost savings compared to tarps made with silnylon.
GPSGuided
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Re: SUL Gold Gear

Tue 19 Aug, 2014 10:27 am

It's quite funny on the creation of a "super" UL category. Doesn't sound like it's justified given the weight comparison with existing UL cuben gears.
michael_p
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Re: SUL Gold Gear

Tue 19 Aug, 2014 10:34 am

You can DIY your own tarp like those ones:
http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=window+shrink+film&_sop=15
or
http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=a9_sc_1?rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Apolycryo&keywords=polycryo&ie=UTF8&qid=1408407929

For the price this kit seems pretty good value:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Double-Glazing-insulation-kit-shrink-film-draught-excluder-for-window-3-2M-x-3M-/231301741905?pt=AU_Building_Materials&hash=item35daa87d51&_uhb=1

I thought about trying to make my own tarp using polycryo but decided not to as it just seemed to be a bit too weak to handle any real winds.

Cheers,
Michael.
GPSGuided
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Re: SUL Gold Gear

Tue 19 Aug, 2014 10:41 am

Does the transparency worry you guys?
DanShell
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Re: SUL Gold Gear

Tue 19 Aug, 2014 10:48 am

GPSGuided wrote:Does the transparency worry you guys?



Not particularly, my tarp tent has a certain amount of transparency when Im in it with a light reading but obviously nothing like those.

However I wouldn't go for something that transparent unless the product suited in regards to weight and strength and there was nothing else out there that could match it! Most of the time I don't have any other campers around me to worry about it but for the times I have had I think it would be a bit weird.
walkerchris77
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Re: SUL Gold Gear

Sat 23 Aug, 2014 8:38 pm

Looks like glad wrap.
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