I will agree that Gen is a great vendor and makes great gear. I have a Bug Tent 1.25 that is as well made as any peice of gear I own. He was very concerned that I got what would fit my needs and answered a lot of questions.

Another great interview...I always enjoy putting faces to names. I haven't ordered from him but he was very responsive when I inquired about his body suit thingy-ma-jig.

A double interview with the two esteemed owners of Jacks 'R' Better, Jack Tier and Jack Myers, is this week's interview!

Steven, Bradford, et al, thanks for your feedback! I got some more interesting interviews lined up for this spring, next week is going to be a three person interview...

The is a "Favorite Cottage Gear" thread at http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=57843 about "cottage industry" backpackers for backpackers.

More interviews?

Hei Connie, thanks for that link. I got the interview for next Monday ready, and also the ones afterward, they're scheduled and ready to go online while I am out backpacking. Best is to become a Follower or subscribe to the RSS feed, that way you don't miss and interview =)

The three guys behind Trail Designs took out time from making the Caldera Cone.

This set of interviews is one of the best things I have discovered via the BPL forums and site. My hat is off to Hendrik, and to the various people that so kindly allowed themselves to be interviewed. Great stuff and nice job all!

Hendrik,

Great job...how about the father of them all...Ray Jardin?

couch

Dave:

It's Jardine. I think he's grandpa by now.

Got into the thread late but then I didn't have to wait for the next interview. win/win hahaha Great Job! Keep em coming.

Hendrik,
Excellent job at giving us some insight as to who is behind the gear. Truly enjoyed all of the interviews, especially the Fritz Handel one. Keep up the good work!

It was a bit silent here, with me being hiking. Nevertheless, Here is the next interview, featuring Judy Gross from LightHeart Gear. Interviews should now continue as usual =)

I have really enjoyed your interviews, and have a suggestion for you. Joe from Zpacks.

Hei Gary, thank you! I'd really like to interview Joe, but he was interviewed here not too far back, and I am not certain if an interview with me would add more value at the time being. Maybe later in the spring, though =)

for the link, it was an interesting read.

George Andrews of AntiGravityGear is answering my questions today, and tells what we can expect besides pot cozies from them in the future =)

Well I guess it's time for me to do a little pimping!

I stopped by George's home shop in early December and he gave me a hand full of those profile maps as a promo-treat. (I kinda figured OK whatever) but a couple of weeks later I did a hike including a stretch of the AT near Standing Indian. I must say those profile maps are perfect. They are tiny compared to a map being 3.75 x 17 inches and weighing 4 gr.



and the one I have at hand covers a 90 mile stretch of the AT. It's Tear-proof & folds up about the size of a couple of playing cards.



The best part is that except for situations where you are switching trails and need info along the new trail.... they actually have more readily available info than either a gps or a contour map providing at a glimpse the trail profile in an easily readable graph format along with the distance to major trail intersections, shelter, water,gaps and peaks, and highway intersections with mileage to adjoining towns for re-supply.



The graphic also includes info on access to food, supplies, water, shelter, motels and etc as shown. ( That's elevation on top of the image and trail miles running down the right side so each cube in the graph is 500 feet of elevation up or down and one mile left and right)



The best part is how easy it is to get the some of the main questions one typically has when on the trail; how far is X and how much of a climb or descent, answered in a flash. No more waiting for a gps signal or fumbling with a huge trails illustrated map which really won't accurately ( or hardly even approximately ) answer those questions anyway. How can a gps tell you the distance from Standing Indian to Albert Mountain? Even if you have those points marked it will only give the distance in a straight line. And try calculating the elevation gain and loss. So these are a nice litle tool! Hope they become available soon for lots of major routes.... Like George if you read this how about the mountainous part of the MST here in the good ol Tar Heel State? or the Bartram trail, foothills trail ............etc....etc....

Edited by obxcola on 03/03/2010 11:03:31 MST.

Rod Java from TheStickPic.com answers the questions and tells us that there's a backpack in the making from their company!

Matthew Lagas-Rivera from Elemental Horizons answers my questions this Monday morning - Enjoy!

Donald Kevilus from Four Dog Stove answers my questions today, so grab a cup of tea and learn about the inventor of the Bushcooker LT!