Walking across England from the North Sea to the Irish Sea along Hadrian's Wall

[melensdad]

That makes me think, do you have cellphone coverage over there?

Yes, in most areas. I use AT&T and before I go there I add the "international" packages, then when I come home I discontinue them. It lets me call home, receive a call, TEXT, etc.

I use a relatively inexpensive Silva. I've had it for 15 years or so. Kind of looks like their Ranger CL model.

I've got a cheap Brunton, it works. I found a Silva that has a slightly bigger, high contrast compass, I may switch to that just because its easier to read.

 

[actaeon277]

Amazon.com: Silva Explorer 203 - Compass: Sports & Outdoors

 

[BravoMike]

Amazon.com: Silva Explorer 203 - Compass: Sports & Outdoors

Agreed that this is all you need. Just make sure you understand the difference between True North & Magnetic North and where to find the declination on your map.

 

[BravoMike]

I admit to having never heard of that tent, looks like an interesting 1 person design. But having a wife, I have no desire to get a 1 person tent for myself.

The tents that I am finding attractive now are the "Trekking Pole" tents. Since my wife and I hike with adjustable Leki poles, we can use the poles as tent support and eliminate the need to carry multiple poles.

In 2 person tents, Big Agnes Scout UL2 was named tent of the year by Backpacker magazine for 2013, it certainly looks like a nice 3 season tent but lacks a vestibule. 1 pound, 9 ounces! Great interior volume created by the side walls give you a spacious tent and feather weight. => https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/Detail/Tent/scoutul2

Nemo's Meta 1 and Meta 2 are 1 and 2 person tents that also look very interesting and use trekking poles for their support and have the added benefit of a vestibule. While the square footage is slightly larger than the Big Agnes Scout UL2, the interior volume seems more constrained by the slope of the side walls => NEMO Meta 2P Two Person Backpacking Trekking Pole Tent | NEMO

The BA Scout was one that I was considering, but not having a vestibule ended up being a deal breaker for me. The Nemo Metas do look intriguing.
Six Moon Designs does make a two person model called the Duo. Also as another option, consider Henry Shires Tarptents. These all use trekking poles to set up. IIRC, they both have a 30 day return policy so you can order each and set them up, then return the one you don't like or both. One word of advice for these is to get the seam sealing done by the companies as it is a PIA to do yourself. It doesn't look or sound hard, but if I had it to do over again, I would have just paid the $20-30. I don't know how this effects the return policy.
Six Moon Designs - Lunar Duo - Explorer
Tarptent Ultralight Shelters

 

[melensdad]

Another problem has come up.

I lost my detailed topographical MAP of the Hadrian's Wall path. Been looking for the thing for over a week. Found the guide books (2) but can't find the map. Its making me nuts. I really don't care to spend the money to buy another detailed map.

Very frustrating! But we are preparing for out of town visitors so all the stuff is getting moved around. Some stuff gets moved 2 or 3 times. I'm sure that is what happened to the map. Damn!

 

[mdmayo]

The Sawyer is a great filter, but still...just a filter. Adequate for most needs, just doesn't give me the warm fuzzy that a purifier does.

 

[hooky]

The Sawyer is a great filter, but still...just a filter. Adequate for most needs, just doesn't give me the warm fuzzy that a purifier does.

What purifier do you use?

 

[mdmayo]

This one: First Need XlE Elite . I've had the system for over 20 years, since they purifier cartridge was only the deluxe model. It was awesome then, and is even better now. While bulkier than almost any other "hiker" system, It will also serve as base camp, boating, or emergency system for groups/home use. It comes with a sediment pre-filter, a float to keep it submerged yet off of the bottom of streams/lakes/puddles, and a gravity bag for fixed camp use. Canister replacements are ~$40, rated for 180-gallons before replacement (I've analyzed water from my really old deluxe canister, well over 500-gallons through it and found it still does its job admirably).

As for compasses, The Brunton Pocket Transit is my 1st choice, but hardly necessary for hiking. I usually carry this plotter, a Suunto GPS/Plotter, which can be had for <$40 (mine is an older model, new ones look very much like the Silva).

 

[hooky]

I guess I'm not seeing the whole picture when it comes the difference between the First Need and the Sawyer stuff I posted. Neither the First Need or the Sawyers will remove viruses. Sawyer Squeeze and Mini both filter to .1 micron absolute, while the XLE is only .4 micron absolute with a .1 micron nominal.

Plus, there is the huge weight/space savings with the Sawyers and the guarantee of 1,000,000 gallons for the Squeeze ($30) and 100,000 gallons for the Mini ($20).

 

[BravoMike]

I guess I'm not seeing the whole picture when it comes the difference between the First Need and the Sawyer stuff I posted. Neither the First Need or the Sawyers will remove viruses. Sawyer Squeeze and Mini both filter to .1 micron absolute, while the XLE is only .4 micron absolute with a .1 micron nominal.

Plus, there is the huge weight/space savings with the Sawyers and the guarantee of 1,000,000 gallons for the Squeeze ($30) and 100,000 gallons for the Mini ($20).

Not to mention that if one wanted to also purify their water with either of the sawyer filters you mentioned, all you have to do is add Aquamira drops or tablets. This weighs much less than 1lb (weight of XLE) and is what I do, some would say it is excessive, but crypto can take a long time to kill whereas they are easily filtered out. Chlorine Dioxide takes care of viruses rather quickly. Also, tape worms give me the heebe geebes (That may be my own paranoia!) and chlorine dioxide cannot kill those.

BTW, I'm guessing the XLE has something in the filter that kills viruses (chemical?) and that may also be why it has a rather short life (180gal). I think in order for a filter to be considered a purifier, it has to be 0.01 microns absolute.

 

[melensdad]

I guess I'm not seeing the whole picture when it comes the difference between the First Need and the Sawyer stuff I posted. Neither the First Need or the Sawyers will remove viruses. Sawyer Squeeze and Mini both filter to .1 micron absolute, while the XLE is only .4 micron absolute with a .1 micron nominal.

Plus, there is the huge weight/space savings with the Sawyers and the guarantee of 1,000,000 gallons for the Squeeze ($30) and 100,000 gallons for the Mini ($20).

The First Need specifically says they WILL REMOVE viruses.

 

[mdmayo]

Also notice that Sawyer makes no claims for pesticide/herbicide(s). Can't seem to locate a spec sheet on one with details on construction or capabilities. Sawyer's claim that it can filter 264,000-gallon on a single stage 0.02 filter is almost laughable.

My use of the XLE is based on laboratory analytical results (Various USEPA test methods for different analytes, source me, not published), and experience in the field depending on it day-in/day out.

 

[hooky]

I wasn't trying to get into a pissing contest with you. I have questions that your link and the manufacturers site don't answer. Given that Sawyer is .1 micron absolute vs. the First need at .4 micron absolute, why can it be claimed that FN is a better filter? How can it claim to filter viruses when a hepatitis virus could pass through a .1 micron filter? How does the First Need filter pesticides or herbacides? Why is the claim of 264K gallons laughable?

If you don't have the time to educate me on the differences or don't want to, just tell me.

 

[melensdad]

From what I can tell the Sawyer filters are designed to be back-flushed or somehow otherwise cleaned. That is the only way they can filter the high volumes of water that they claim. Simply put, unless the filter is cleanable it will clog up with debris (be that tiny bacteria or simply mud from the stream). Most of the filters on the market are NOT cleanable. I don't know how to clean a Sawyer, but that would be the only way it could handle so much water. . . and honestly I doubt it can actually filter more than a few hundred gallons of water based on some of the reviews where people have had them clog, have backflushed, and then never gotten good flow again.

My question would be, how many gallons of water can it filter BEFORE it clogs up and becomes unusable? 50 gallons, 150 gallons, 300 gallons? Probably would totally depend on the purity of the source.

Here is a review of the Sawyer system, the good, bad and otherwise => Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter Review - OutdoorGearLab

For what I may need, it might be a very good option. But it does not seem ideal for a group.

 

[mdmayo]

Didn't mean to come off as pissy, sorry mate.

I've been looking for the analytical results I obtained for the FN unit to add here (this may be my favorite thread atm) and will post some up when (if?) I find them. It's been a while, and I've moved (and slept, lol) since then.

The Sawyer from what I've seen so far has no activated carbon in it, thus why it is still only a filter despite its smaller ceramic matrix. Assuming the FN has ~200gallons as a purifier (though my data indicated it was still purifying after ~700 gallons at the time), It would still function as a high-quality filter once expended. The FN canister was redesigned some years back so that it is easily back-flushable just by plugging the discharge port and unscrewing a purge cap, then pumping through clean water.

 

[hooky]

The sawyers are based on hollow fiber membrane technology that is used for kidney dialysis. It's very different from anything I've ever seen or used. It comes with a syringe that fits on the output. You fill the syringe with clean water and back flush it that way with as much force as you can.

mdmayo, I got a little sand in my vag earlier. Looking forward to hearing more.

 

[melensdad]

The sawyers are based on hollow fiber membrane technology that is used for kidney dialysis. It's very different from anything I've ever seen or used. It comes with a syringe that fits on the output. You fill the syringe with clean water and back flush it that way with as much force as you can.

Yes, but people still report that the systems can clog and that proper flow is not restored after flushing.

That is my biggest concern. I'd also really like an activated carbon filter component to eliminate bad taste and Sawyer doesn't do that.

Searching the 'user reviews' all over the internet shows crappy customer service and also shows that the systems can/do/will clog. Some report that the backflushing works, some say it doesn't. Seems like REI has a good return policy and takes care of their customers in regard to returning Sawyer products.

If I buy one I probably won't buy it from Amazon, but rather will probably buy it from REI if I decide to try it.

 

[hooky]

I've only been using mine for one season, so I'm of no help to you on customer service or how it holds up. So far, it's been no big deal to backflush and restore the flow. I can vouch for the fact that if you don't put the coal to it, the flow doesn't improve.

 

[mdmayo]

Okay, so I learned something here... The Sawyer uses an osmotic membrane (like Gore-tex or our skin)? It would explain the hard back flush followed by lower flow rate I've read in reviews.

If you really lean on it during the back flush it will flow again, Hooky? That sounds to me more like a rupture of the filter, given the media. Osmotic membranes are by their nature a one-way semi-permeable street. Hmmmmf...more dang research.

Good read right here... REI

 

[melensdad]

So I have a question about compasses.

I have a Brunton and I know how to set the declination with my compass. Its a tool-less design but it can get loose and move around if you don't pay attention.

Maybe asking for a new compass for Christmas but I want to know, if you have a SILVA and you want to change the declination, how do you do it? Does it require a tool?

Same questions for the SUUNTO compasses . . . how do you set the declination and does it require a tool to set the declination?