Here's a quick and easy one: take-out chopsticks and 2 inches of 1/4 inch od poly tubing from the hardware store. In the first photo I have the tubing pushed down onto the chopstick for packing. The second photo shows the normal position.

Edited by jhaura on 12/13/2006 22:01:42 MST.

Take-down Kwai-ze (sp???). BRILLIANT!!!

I've used TiGoat Take-down trekking poles, so this idea intrigues me.

Hope no one experiments with a fully adjustable twist-lock version.

Outsiders must think we're all insane here in UL land!

"Outsiders must think we're all insane here in UL land!"

Not just Outsiders pj, ;-) instead of cleverly making my own low-cost type like Jhaura did, I paid $25 for the HEAVIER store-bought type!
http://www.prolitegear.com/cgi-bin/prolitegear/montbell_chopsticks
Yes, they twist lock like trekking poles..

Methinks I'll ask my friend Marzsit to make me a pair. He is an engineer by trade and loves doing stuff like this.....

>>"I paid $25 for the HEAVIER store-bought type!...Yes, they twist lock like trekking poles.." [emphasis mine]


NOOOOOOoooooo o o o o o o....


[please, say it ain't so!!? pinchin' myself to make sure i'm awake.]

You spent $25 on the twist lock?

Chopstix (can be found other places)

Snowpeak makes a set as well. I like yours though 'cause they probably cost less than a nickel.

http://www.snowpeak.com/gears/sct003.htm

Edited by sharalds on 12/14/2006 11:55:57 MST.

pj, you had me lol here at work, thanks. Actually I paid in yen, and it came to less than the US price. I like to have some pieces of quality heirloom quality gear. I think of some items this way: titanium pots, snowpeak lantern, the steel/wood folding chopstics(hashii in Japanese), Trianga brass stove, mechanical (automatic) field watches, etc.. It makes me think I'm borrowing this gear from my future children (wishful thinking so far)
The point of having folding hashii is so they can fit into a lidded cup, in case anyone's wondering.

Interesting to read about 'foreign devils' backpacking with UL chopsticks. Moi, I am proud to be Chinese, and yes, we have the best civilization, and yes, Tibet is ours, yaddy yaddy yadda,... but I only use a spork when backpacking. :)

Edited by ben2world on 12/15/2006 00:47:15 MST.

Benjamin, all true; and you guys invented astronomy (and the same chopstics we are discussing). Much of Japanese culture was...um "borowed" from China. And of course, Japanese are ethnically Chinese, but don't try to push that subject with them.. Going to MB for your you-know-what in about an hour.
zai jien
-from the evil gwai-lo

Edited by Brett1234 on 12/15/2006 01:00:01 MST.

Have fun at the MB adult candy store -- and thanks!

Hey, you seem to know a few Chinese words... have you visited or lived there as well?

Edited by ben2world on 12/15/2006 01:02:31 MST.

Glad you didn't take my Post as a criticism. I totally agree w/you on the "heirloom" quality gear aspect. Glad to see you include Trangia in there (i count my Svea alongside it).

We all have our penchants. In most cases, one's is no better or worse than another's, IMHO.

You could easily say to me, "Hey, pj, how many of those bivy sacks can you sleep in at the same time?". Or, (and my wife would be saying the same in 'stereo' with you) "How many headlamps can you wear at the same time?!!!". And, I'd say, "Point well taken", or "Touche'", or "Ippon" (to borrow a old Judo term which i hope you understand, and which i haven't heard in many years - though i usually heard it from my back!!).

Thanks for educating me on the point of the folding hashii/kwai-ze (sp???). Didn't know the reason for the folding aspect. I just use cheap 'take-out' ch-stks for my noodles (on the rare occasion that i eat noodles on the trail).