Camping and Backpacking GEAR thread

Anyone have one of these?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4z0zAQZf6k

 

No, but very interested now.

 

I got the gray version today. The photos don't show it but it has a silver/chrome type of accent along the sides and silver buttons. So it's either all black or gray with chrome accents. No biggie. I like it.

 

Have it in my cart right now, trying to decide if I want to add another nu25 to the collection.

 

LOL I have the black and the white NU25s in my cart too. I got the yellow and am very happy with it so far.

 

Recently did a trip and it was the third time using my Kodiak Canvas 10x10. Using lag bolts and large washers really makes it easy to set up. I put the small Nite Ize clip lights on either the awning guy lines or zipper pulls for the tent doors.
This was the first trip using a cot and my sleeping pad. First trip using my Swagman Roll. Everything worked great. Sorry no pics of the Swagman. Caution does need to be used when wearing it around a fire. It has parts that hang down and could get caught in a fire or other areas you don't want it to be caught in.

 

The Enlightened Equipment quilt showed up. Really digging it. What did you add to your kit?

 

What does everyone use to spot clean their down sleeping bags and jackets?

I don’t want to wash my jackets and bags too much. My bag is fairly clean since I walkways change into to clean clothes and liner. However it’s just around the face that gets skin oil on there that I want to spot clean. Instead of throwing everything in a washer and dryer.

 

https://www.nikwax.com/en-us/products/down-wash-direct/

 

I have a bottle of that. Guess I’ll try to diluted it just scrub the spot I want to wash.

 

Nikwax, or alcohol. I prefer a wash. That, and a warm, gentle tumble dry with tennis shoes never fails to restore a higher loft to mine.

 

Tennis shoes or tennis balls? I've always used new tennis balls.

 

I use an old pair of Chaco's and 2 tennis balls. Everything I own that's down gets washed in the machine once a year. My oldest piece of gear is a 20 year old Moonstone Denali Ridge -15 bag. It's still got 5 inches of loft. Just dry them on air and for at least 3 hours.

 

Yes, tennis shoes. Obviously a clean pair of tennis shoes. I've used tennis balls too and I think the tennis shoes do a better job of breaking up the clumps of wet down. Unlike tennis balls that impact exactly the same every time, tennis shoes are throw randomly different by the dryer drum each rotation and therefore land differently. That random impact, where the force is applied differently and by varying shapes of the shoe throughout the drying process aids in developing a more complete dispersion of the down in the available space, and delivers a higher loft.

Also, unless you are drying in a large commercial-size dryer like those in a washateria, if you are using a home dryer to dry a sleeping bag or multiple items its a good idea to stop the cycle every thirty minutes, pull the sleeping bag out and put it back in in a different orientation. Once they start to loft they often will not reorient themselves and just continue to rotate in the same position

 

Unfortunately I don’t have a front loading washer or dryer. I would have to go out to one of the laundry mats to do that. Which is why I want to just spot wash my down stuff.

 

How are things out in bishop? Was out there in early Nov. but have been debating on coming back with the rise in cases.

 

Like rubbing alcohol for spot wash?

 

Yes, rubbing alcohol is fine. You only want to get surface oils off, correct?

 

yea. Just the surface oil. The bag and jacket is still lofty as the day I got it. jacket might have a stain or two though. lol

 

Used to have several rental bags. Always used large commercial front loading washers and dryers, the bigger the better. Only with down soap. Never use a fabric softener, it will kill the loft. Also never use Woolite, its about 50% fabric softener. I have used my home front loader on jackets and an ultralight bag or two, but never on high-loft bags.