...I knew had to be added to this thread...

Edited by sharalds on 10/15/2007 06:58:31 MDT.

hah David, to be honest, i'd love to see that kit in action, would deffinitly be fun. i think you could turn a hobo into a backpacker with that kit.
mikE!

Now heres my SUC gearlist
he-he ... glad to see that we can make fun of ourselves

$2 cotton taboggan 2oz
not quite sure what a "cotton taboggan" is, pls educate me

$5 scout mess kit pot 3 oz
You could beat that cost probably without more weight using a tin can, if you can borrow a sidecut can opener you'll even have a lid

I feel the need to use this gearlist for a 2 nighter.
looking forward to the trip report:-)

i think most people refer to a toboggan as a snow sled, but I always knew them as hats. i can see how people could conjure an image of a kid sliding down a mountain on cotton cloth.
sadly, we don't have snow sled lingo in georgia :(

>sadly, we don't have snow sled lingo in georgia :(

Sure we do! It's called "WTF?", right? ;)

Or maybe that's just southwest Georgia specific :D

Tom

While cruising dollar tree again, i found a few new SUC (Super Ultra Cheap) things of interest. First, I saw a pair of gloves for $1. Not just any gloves though, they are fleece lined nylon shell gloves. Windproof, warm, and the kicker is they only weigh 2.5 oz for the pair. Of course, they probably wont hold up too well, but i can see them lasting for a few seasons at least. I also found some of those 4oz teriyaki flavored tuna packets, not cans, for $1 each. Also, i found some classy sunglasses for $1. they are lighter than most too because of the cheap materials.

Forget REI, I'm shopping at Dollar Tree from now on.

Better yet, I'm going to start a company called "The South Face". It's Super Ultra Cheap and Super Ultra Crap. The thing is, it will be so cheap you can afford to replace it every time it craps out on you. It will also, of course, be extremely light.

It's spring time, which means SUC is in need of a new find. I have a $1, 5.75 oz hiking pole to offer. It is made from a mop pole from Dollar Tree. It played double duty as a spear for Halloween. 44" Tall, it seems pretty durable for now. the grip is made from blue foam and duct tape. Some people may be confused though and ask "why make a hiking pole in the name of SUC when you can pick up a stick from the woods?". The answer is that you stand a slightly lower chance of throwing this stick in the fire than a wood one, and the perfect stick is very hard to find. Other acceptable answers include weight and the hobo=awesomeness factor.

Edited by willspower3 on 04/02/2008 17:32:56 MDT.

I wonder how PVC would work for hiking poles? add the grips and good tips like with the DIY carbon poles.
With all the tyvek gear and these, you could completely outfit yourself at the local hardware store...

Or your neighbor's yard when they remodel.

David Wills,

ROFL. Some of your posts on this site are hilarious, and just what I needed right now whilst the GIS software I am using continually crashes on me wasting days of work.

But seriously, this thread was awesome, and has really opened my eyes a bit and made me remember how little we really do need to survive, and how we don't need thousands of dollars worth of unobtanium to survive comfortably, relatively safely and more importantly HAVE FUN in the wilderness.

I think I will try my upmost to minimise the expense and materialism of my bushwalking from now on.

In about 3 months it will be mid-winter in the desert in Australia, and I'll try and head out and try camping with nothing but a box of matches one night (it will be sub freezing). I promise I'll post the results.

Drying my eyes,
Adam

David, thanks for the idea on the SUC trekking pole.

I have some broom handles laying around. Maybe I can rig a Leki type tip and use it with my Gatewood Cape. Can't beat the price that's for sure.

I think it would be a great development if ultralighters began 'competing' with each other to see how cheap they can get their lightweight gear and actually take it out into the wilds and prove it works and then brag about it at forums like this:) Not to actually replace the whole high-tech goods, but as a sort of compensatory movement to engage more people in wilderness activities and self-reliance. Maybe this is something we will develop more in Ukraine/Russia due to the lower incomes of most backpackers.

Edited by Legkohod on 04/03/2008 05:30:47 MDT.

"Other acceptable answers include weight and the hobo=awesomeness factor"

Hilarious!

Honestly though, that kit looks pretty good...for summer backpacking, you'd be good to go!

An old fashioned bicycle handlebar grip might go well with the mop handle.

I've made them from bamboo and glued in the bottom section off a broken aluminum pole giving a carbide tip and the basket mount to boot. About the same weight as a tin pole, but naturally shock absorbing and warmer to the touch. Decorate with line wrappings and/or wood-burned designs.

MYOG version

Edited by guesting on 06/12/2008 19:02:42 MDT.