Essential minimalists gear check list for jungle trail tours

great foto justin, I still havent tried mine in the moat.
It has some cartridge of charcoal or whatever, and I feel that once I start to use it, its not going to last as long.
Is that correct?

I never heard of MMS, but I recall that its a good idea to put a few drops of bleach in a litre of water after pulling it through a particle filter like mine
The filter removes bacteria, the bleach, iodine etc kills viruses (virii?)
 
Lone Rider said:
I would be extremely careful with this MMS stuf. See Miracle Mineral Supplement - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for what it is and this is what the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says about it:

"The product, when used as directed, produces an industrial bleach that can cause serious harm to health. The product instructs consumers to mix the 28 percent sodium chlorite solution with an acid such as citrus juice. This mixture produces chlorine dioxide, a potent bleach used for stripping textiles and industrial water treatment. High oral doses of this bleach, such as those recommended in the labeling, can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and symptoms of severe dehydration."

Personally I would stay very far away from it
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A good find Lone Rider. Especially noteworthy is it references the dosages directed in it's use are dangerous and not just that Chlorine Dioxide is dangerous. Many chemicals are dangerous in the wrong dosages but are fine in limited quantities, the fact they address this products directed amount is dangerous is salient.

I carry Iodine tincture in my first aid kit and have read that 8-10 drops of it will treat a 32 ounce bottle of water. As I'm not a chemist I'm not sure if this works in the real world or not. I've never treated water over here for viruses and so far have not gotten ill. However Bill pointed out in his post it is recommended practice in south east Asia. Food for thought. Keep in mind it takes 30-45 minutes for the iodine to kill the viruses. You can't just put 10 drops in your Camlebak and slurp away.

Some video of Harry and I topping up in Cambodia.


Note it only takes about 58 seconds to get more than two liters into my Camelbak. Some people complain about the effort of pumps versus gravity feeds but as Harri demonstrates that complaint does not hold water.
 
Phil - Are you looking for Iodine water purification tablets sold for this purpose or pure Iodine crystals? The tablets are sold in the archery store just off the SE corner of the moat.
 
bigntall said:
Phil - Are you looking for Iodine water purification tablets sold for this purpose or pure Iodine crystals? The tablets are sold in the archery store just off the SE corner of the moat.
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Did not know that, will get some for sure, thank you.


Always concerned about the liquid iodine exploding in my gear bag, a huge mess it would make and hard to clean.
 
KTMphil said:
I'm hunting for iodine crystals.....now irritatingly hard to obtain.
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As a chemist that did a great deal of hiking around the time of university (late 80s, early 90s), which at that time all ready iodine crystal were falling out of favor. Pure pieces of iodine crystal make it impossible in the field to judge how much iodine you're mixing, most often it would be far stronger than necessary solution, which could be unhealthy over a longer trips. Water purification tablets contain a set amount of iodine per dose, such as 1 tablet per 1 liter, along with sodium diclorosomethingsomething which is a chlorine source. Plus they include a small amount of sweeteners to hide the taste of the active ingredients, and sadly not yet available in Leo or Singha flavors.

Iodine crystals are great for growing your own nitrogen triiodide crystals which can be rather fun for practical jokes (an unstable explosive crystals grown in ammonia from the iodine ones, resulting in tiny land mines to scare the unwary in the cabin in the morning - but can be dangerous even in tiny portions).
 
Found this alternative to Iodine to kill viruses after using your water filter

Stay healthy anywhere you go with Aquamira's water treatment drops. Ideal for longer trips or when treating water for groups, the drops attack Giardia, bacteria, Cryptosporidium, and other contaminants, making it safe to travel in remote areas without getting sick. No cramping, nausea, or other inconveniences that can otherwise stop you in your tracks. Plus, the compact 1-ounce bottle fits conveniently in a pack or pocket, so you can travel as lightly as you'd like. Colorless and odorless, the Aquamira tablets are made using a chlorine dioxide formula, which kills waterborne pathogens better than iodine or chlorine. EPA-registered, a single 1-ounce bottle of Aquamira drops treat up to 30 gallons (120 quarts) of water. The drops are also suitable for disaster preparedness kits, water storage, and emergency water treatment.
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Amazon.com: Aquamira Water Treatment Drops 1oz: Sports & Outdoors
 
will betadine work instead of iodine?
its cheap and available everywhere
 
I'm sticking with a filter and the Steripen.

Which reminds me... I've got two Steripens.
 
The Bigfella said:
I'm sticking with a filter and the Steripen.

Which reminds me... I've got two Steripens.
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Lets say you've just filled your 3 liter camelbak with filtered water from a stream.
Can you then place the Steripen in the fill hole of the Camelbak and effectively purify the full 3 litres ?
Reason I ask is because if it only does around 1 litre at a time, then one needs an additional container on hand.
 
Iodine for me

bill said:
Lets say you've just filled your 3 liter camelbak with filtered water from a stream.
Can you then place the Steripen in the fill hole of the Camelbak and effectively purify the full 3 litres ?
Reason I ask is because if it only does around 1 litre at a time, then one needs an additional container on hand.
Click to expand...
 
bill said:
Lets say you've just filled your 3 liter camelbak with filtered water from a stream.
Can you then place the Steripen in the fill hole of the Camelbak and effectively purify the full 3 litres ?
Reason I ask is because if it only does around 1 litre at a time, then one needs an additional container on hand.
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Stir it around and do it a few times.

Alternatively, use an empty bottle (I always carry a bottle or two of water in addition to my Camelbak as emergency water)
 
The Bigfella said:
Stir it around and do it a few times.

Alternatively, use an empty bottle (I always carry a bottle or two of water in addition to my Camelbak as emergency water)
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Thx, that's what I thought. If I got one I think I'd treat 1 litre at a time just to be sure.
 
Probably the direction forward

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Anyone got any ideas of where to find a small,sturdy plastic tool bag about the size to have under the seat of the bike?
 
My original KTM one died... lots of holes and I think I lost some tools. I now use a Wolfman tool roll. The mesh, zippered pocket is great for the small stuff

tool_wrap_ml.jpg


.... one more thing.

After my tibial plateau fracture, I saved some of the super dooper drugs... and now carry Endone and Targin with me, just in case (with a doctor's letter). I got out of the jungle and back to Chiang Mai and in the middle of the night got a bloody awful toothache... couldn't sleep a wink type of pain. I'd never thought to pack ordinary painkillers... Panadol. If I'd had that toothache at the wrong time in the jungle... I'd have been stoned to the eyeballs on the wrong sort of painkillers... or been in agony for days.

So... enough of each for a couple of days in the pack.
 
Had a great full day of plenty of food and talk of expedition riding with several guys that have ridden from Alaska to South America, this easter weekend, and a mutually agreed upon item as a must carry was vapor barrier liner for a sleeping bag. Now I've owned one of these 20 years ago when the thought of camping in double digits freezing temperatures was more attractive than it is today, and they still are really just not much more than a high quality garage bag. Not counting the reasons for northern temperature, they agreed the were comfort savers even in southern temperatures, when you're soaking wet in location where the temperatures drop dramatically in the night time. Basically a survival blanketed shaped like a sleeping tube. I had thought these liners would only be useful in below zero temperatures, but after being assured that they are not something you use often in the tropics, but in the right situations they will keep you toasty and let you sleep well in situations that you read about in trip reports (here) where the riders have been caught out in the rain.

Western Mountaineering

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Can you imagine how hot you would get in that in Thailand or Laos? I suppose around January it might feel good with plummeting night time temperatures.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk
 
^ i'd hate to think what a Thai stumbling through the bush at night would do upon seeing that........pee lawk!! 55
 
Ultra-lightweight tarps (tents with no built in ground sheet)


Hammock camping works for a lot of people, for me, I can sleep but never sleep well even doing the diagonal thing, so time to get out there and try a new jungle camping setup.




hammock-cold-butt-syndrome2.png









A little bit on jungle camping & why I'm trying this setup.


- You are trying to minimize bulk carried

- You are trying to keep the bike as light as possible

- If you're intending to camp, you want to make it as pleasurable as possible, so that you get a decent night's sleep & not dreading it

- To me Bivi sack camping is for emergency, unexpected camping only

- Often, hut shelter is not available, even with a hammock, because of the dew/ falling moisture you need some kind of flysheet/ tarp cover to keep you dry & of course of the risk of rain

- You need to have adequate thermal insulation to deal with the 1am - 6am cold period (catches everyone out they first time the camp in the jungle, huge drop in temperature)


- You want something simple that can be rigged and put away quickly



So I did to some extensive research and hunted out the best ultra lightweight tarp you could possible buy, with cost being not important. You only buy it once and comfortable sleeping after a nightmare day in the jungle when it's raining is worth a million dollars when you're in the middle of it. So after all the research i decided on the Mountain Laurel Designs Solomid. See the link below for manufacturer details:



Mountain Laurel Designs


It had been tested in the most brutal conditions:


This is the shelter used by Andrew Skurka on his incredible 4700mi Alaska -Yukon Expedition. - Andrew Skurka // Adventurer, Guide, Speaker, Writer





The whole thing weighs 280 grams!!!!! You need at least one carbon trekking pole which weighs almost nothing too.



Two versions available:



ULTRA STRONG- Uses two poles in an inverted V for support- Poles also work to keep the large side panels supported when big wind blows then inward. It can also be pitched with one pole slightly offset to the front when big weather or wind is not expected.

$185 15.5 oz Pro Silnylon Gray , Yellow, Brown

$355 10.5 oz Cuben Fiber- Highly Durable .75 oz sq/yd Style Cuben Fiber - Light Olive Green Only





IMG_8098_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr


Why use expensive cuben fiber?


Cuben Fiber is fully waterproof in hard rain and can be field patched with duct tape. It's been used successfully on multiple CDT/ AT and PCT thru-hikes- and even on the record breaking fist ever CDT thru-hike YoYo. Less than half the weight of Silnylon but four times the cost. It's the cutting edge of Solo Super Ultra Light in low weight.





IMG_8101_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr




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The one shown below doesn't have the 3 " bugnet option - this is highly recommended for SE Asia and still lets plenty of ventilation into the tarp


solomid2.jpg







Perfect size to get all your gear inside below your feet, nothing will be wet from the dew



IMG_8100_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr



ML Designs sell an ultra light grounsheet that works very well


polyolefin1.jpg








Rigs in seconds - just peg the shape out square, push the poles in and its done, literally 30 seconds all rigged


1: Adjust the corner guylines short - no more than 2\" of slack from the linelocks.
2: Stake out the rear corners to the ground. The rear wall baseline between the corners should be medium tight with no slack.
3: Stake out the front corners. The side baseline of the shelker should be tight. Watch the angle formed by the rear and side walls of the shelter at the rear corners and position the front corners so that the rear corners form 90 degree angles. The goal is to have a perfectly square/rectangle floor base. As viewed from overhead the corners and corner guylines form a perfect X shape right out to the stakes.
4: Unzip the front door leaving the bottom buckle snapped.
5: Reach or step in and insert the center pole - adjust it\'s height to make the shelter tight.
6: Now you may cut and add any other mid panel or mid baseline guylines as needed. The lengths needed will be obvious. NOTE: Use a small bungee loop on any center panel tieouts to limit wind force on that tieouts. DO NOT stake out a center side panel tieouts too much- it should only move the wall a couple of inches out at most. DO NOT pull it so far it changes the shape of the mid wall.




Sleeping bags are great but take up a huge amount of volume even in a compression sack, so for this trip didn't bring one and experimented with an ultra light bivi sack to use inside the tarp. Reasoning was that the tarp would retain more heat than a hammock would (both setups using a sleeping pad - Thermorest Neo Air XS), so only a thin bivi sack needed to keep warm.


Again, ML designs came up trumps and sell a bivy sack that would almost fit inside a cigarette packet, serious.

The ML Designs Superlight Bivy - 170 grams !!!

http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=30



The theory was when the cold period hits around 1am, slip into this until the morning. It worked perfectly. In January you would need maybe a thermal shirt on too, but i'm sold on this setup too. The Bivy didn't retain moisture and get wet and clammy inside which was a worry, fantastic construction.










Making a pillow out of your gear is ok and kind of works, i've found that this pillow x inflatable pillow really works well



30 bucks and helps give me a great night's sleep, compresses down to the size of a matchbox


http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=42&products_id=207



1PillowX.jpg
 
great pics as always Phil, i'll be in Kathmandu in a few days ,very inspired to get some climber's gear that may be available..extralight n fit in the jungle tour pack
 
2wheels said:
And a few sachets of this into the saddlebag.

Palcohol powdered alcohol could be available this year

:DD
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Now that is a good find


Bikers, hikers, campers and anyone else interested in the potential of carrying around lightweight, powdered alcohol that only needs a little water to become a cocktail now have reason to be excited about a new product called Palcohol - so long as it manages to make it through the final regulatory hurdles in the United States.
 
The Cuban Tarp is a nice bit of Kit. I think the star of the show was the Bivi bag with the mossie net that you slept in under the Tarp.
Take a Silk sleeping bag liner (very small and light, and give 1 season ratings worth of comfort) instead of the Sleeping bag and you've got all your bases covered.

if you was exhausted and wet and it was blowing a hoolie you could at least get out of your wet gear and into a nice dry breathable Bivi bag and be as snug as in a mother womb
 
lakota said:
The Cuban Tarp is a nice bit of Kit. I think the star of the show was the Bivi bag with the mossie net that you slept in under the Tarp.
Take a Silk sleeping bag liner (very small and light, and give 1 season ratings worth of comfort) instead of the Sleeping bag and you've got all your bases covered.

if you was exhausted and wet and it was blowing a hoolie you could at least get out of your wet gear and into a nice dry breathable Bivi bag and be as snug as in a mother womb
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Interestingly, didn't have a mosquito problem. Might have been because there was a storm and some breeze at the time, with no wind, maybe mosquito's would have been more of an issue but not one got into the tarp.
 
all respect for the cuben tarp ,but outdoors I prefer to zip myself in a tent,which is a mosquitoes/snakes/leeches/etc-free space.it's a magic moment to pull up that zip eg. in a mosquito infested area...........
an example:

Snow Peak Penta Ease - Inner Tent |Tarps | BackcountryGear.com

lakota said:
The Cuban Tarp is a nice bit of Kit. I think the star of the show was the Bivi bag with the mossie net that you slept in under the Tarp.
Take a Silk sleeping bag liner (very small and light, and give 1 season ratings worth of comfort) instead of the Sleeping bag and you've got all your bases covered.

if you was exhausted and wet and it was blowing a hoolie you could at least get out of your wet gear and into a nice dry breathable Bivi bag and be as snug as in a mother womb
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Forest/Rider, the problem with Tents/hammocks and such like is finding a place to pitch in anger (anger is a dark place where your exhausted, cold, wet and disorientated) and close to the edge. I go for the breathable waterproof Bivi bag every time
 
KTMphil said:
Interestingly, didn't have a mosquito problem. Might have been because there was a storm and some breeze at the time, with no wind, maybe mosquito's would have been more of an issue but not one got into the tarp.
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I've noticed that too. maybe they don't have anywhere to breed Riverside !? :?
 
fair enough .easyest choice for emergency..

lakota said:
Forest/Rider, the problem with Tents/hammocks and such like is finding a place to pitch in anger (anger is a dark place where your exhausted, cold, wet and disorientated) and close to the edge. I go for the breathable waterproof Bivi bag every time
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KTMphil said:
Can you imagine how hot you would get in that in Thailand or Laos? I suppose around January it might feel good with plummeting night time temperatures.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk
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I suppose it's down to your intention. If your planning to Camp you take a tent/Tarp/hammock set up with all the comforts, if you intend to sleep in a hotel/guesthouse but don't mind camping or it's expected that sh%t will happen then Hammock/tarp/Bivi Bag. if you have no intention to Camp except for in an emergency then the vapour barrier/bin liner/survival bag thing makes sense or a big roll of cling film :D
 
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