Archive for the Reviews Category

Z Packs Duplex: 19.5 OZ of joy in the backcountry

Posted in backpacking, Captain's Personal Log, Photography, Reviews, Travel, ultralight techniques with tags on October 27, 2018 by William Hooks
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ZPacks Duomid (blue), MLD Duomid DCF (gray), MLD Duomid Silnylon (citrus)

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Thermarest NeoAir X-Therm regular pad included for scale

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I decided to add this shelter to my selection because it’s extremely light, made of cuben fiber/DCF, provided full protection including from insects, is one-piece and not modular (ie, very simple/fast setup), and has no zippers except for the 2 interior windows. Very spacious- a palace for one, very adequate for 2 persons.

I got one of their bargain bin shelters said to have minor cosmetic defects, for $25 discount ; haven’t yet had any issues with it.

Its weight is similar to those of my Duomids, especially the one also made of DCF. It is not in my opinion a 4 season shelter like  Duomids or my Black Diamond Megalite, and will not handle high winds as well as those; can’t dig beneath it into snow. But for 3 season use-especially where mosquitos or other insects are an issue, and for rain protection- this has become my default tent. No center pole….[yes, I know that the mids can sometimes be used that way]. Unlike mids, this shelter comes pre-rigged with guylines.

Very important features include the 2 spacious-ventilating- windows also allowing 2 people to use without going over each other;  simple setup with 8 stakes (I’m using 6 carbon ZPacks and 2 MSR Carbon Cores); ease of packing up in wind since it doesn’t require folding. The 2 vestibules are of useful size.

I plan to rig a very light transverse cord over the interior ridgeline to allow hanging of gear, and add a ridgeline micro-LED  as with the Duomids and the Megalite. Eventually I may add the $125 Flex poles, to allow this to be a freestanding tent when I wish; this 2018 model is already set up to adapt for flexpoles.

Postscript: it’s useful to realize that for air travel, the ZPacks carbon stakes will pass inspection. Not insigificant…

MLD Silnylon Duomid shelter/ Big Agnes Air AXL Insulated sleeping pad

Posted in backpacking, Captain's Personal Log, mountaineering, Photography, Reviews, Travel, ultralight techniques on July 23, 2018 by William Hooks

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I can now select between the silnylon and previously described Dyneema Composite Fiber (DCF) versions of Mountain Laurel Designs’ Duomid shelter. I plan to use the silnylon orange ‘mid as my default for these reasons:

1- Half the price of the DCF shelter and almost twice the weight (24 vs 14.5 oz with guylines): reserve the cuben fiber shelter for trips where weight is at a premium, and to reduce wear on that ‘mid

2- Absorbs water, but I do not often visit locales where rain is incessant (at least so far): so little penalty on that score

3-Slightly larger dimensions: slightly more desired for 2 persons or larger gear loads; but still accepts all accessories, such as my inner mesh attachment for insect portection

4- Much easier to pack because it can be stuffed, instead of folded- especially in wind

5-Color easier to locate in snow than white shelter

 

The new BA pad is very comforatble, offers larger sleeping are than the Thermarest NeoAir for the same weight, and is simple to inflate and deflate especially using the matching Pumphouse Ultra

 

Using the MLD Solo Inner Net as a mesh shelter @10 oz

Posted in backpacking, Captain's Personal Log, Photography, Reviews, Travel, ultralight techniques with tags , on December 11, 2017 by William Hooks
Solo Sil Inner Net (1)

Elastic pullout to stake

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modified pullout

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2 poles used to erect shelter

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detail of UL cords securing pole tips

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side view of shelter-set poles @ 120 cm or longer

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detail of shock cord to pole handle

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enter via zipper at right

MLD Solo Silnylon Inner Net for Duomid shelter

Posted in backpacking, Captain's Personal Log, mountaineering, Photography, Reviews, Travel, ultralight techniques on December 5, 2017 by William Hooks

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Mountain Laurel Designs Cuben Duomid shelter

Posted in backpacking, Captain's Personal Log, mountaineering, Photography, Reviews, ultralight techniques with tags , on November 10, 2017 by William Hooks

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2 black button-type snaps on the front panel allow closure from inside, releasing tension on the zipper. A third snap is located at the foot of the same panel

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This shelter height is achieved using a total pole length of c 145 cm, including pole jack

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4 corner anchors using MSR Carbon Core stakes

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Detail of mid-corner guylines attached to bungee cords

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If needed, the attachment clips shown on the interior of the shelter can support a biv sack netting away from the user’s face- as well as use for inner mesh net

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Large peak vent- from inside, the upper larger wand or strut can be removed to allow closure in storms

front view

The apparent translucency of the cuben material changes with exterior light intensity and direction

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peak view from interior

next to the top of the trek pole is the black, small plastic clip which allows hanging of the inner mesh net- I connect this to microcarabiners to prevent damage to the clip

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6 in =10cm pole jack attached to trek pole tip

The Duomid ($440) arrived 5 weeks and 3 days after ordering online from MLD.com, located in Roanoke, VA. The shelter weight is 14 oz for 1-2 persons; I will be writing separately about the modular, Solo silnylon inner tent which hangs within this shell as needed for insect protection ($175).

The tarp was sent with a 10 cm= 6 in pole jack, which extends a standard trek pole if needed for a taut pitch. I find that to pitch near the ground, my 130 cm trek pole alone can work but the pitch is probably more wind-resistant using the extension. I use 12 stakes as standard. The shelter has 8 ground-level tieouts and 8 mid-tieouts, with a peak hang tieout=17 total.

With the option of hanging the tarp from its apex if desired, no pole or stick needed in appropriate locations.

There’s a great deal of  covered space – over 45 sq ft- a palace for one with a huge covered vestibule… I would be fine using for 2 so long as the conditions were not very wet, because one person would need to cross the other inside.  The peak vent is well designed including an integral stiffener, and can be completely closed if need arises.

Being made of Dyneema/cuben, this shelter is extremely light and does not absorb water, with almost no stretch after pitching.  I like that there is adequate privacy, but at the same time I can judge weather as it is translucent and do not need a dedicated window built in.

I will be treating the one front door zipper with care, including closing the base buckle before operating it to reduce stress. I opted to use Zip Care lubricant as well, available from MLD.

Asymmetric tarp setup: The Bat-wing

Posted in backpacking, Captain's Personal Log, mountaineering, Reviews, Travel, ultralight techniques on April 25, 2017 by William Hooks

I’ve settled on this setup as an alternative to the ‘storm’ mode of using an 8.5 sq ft Hyperlite Mountain Gear tarp. What I like about this mode is the ease of entering and leaving the tarp from one side of the front end, and the degree of weather protection from the batwing feature- while preserving excellent ventilation from the other side of the front of the tarp .

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Rear view showing asymmetry of the front portion of the tarp, peaking on the right and dropping on the left where the ‘bat-wing’ partly covers the entrance

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Front view with bat-wing dropping lower over the entrance on the right

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To enter or leave the tarp or insert gear, simply slide it from the near front edge ( my HMG Windrider 3400 pack was placed that way)

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To enter or leave the tarp or insert gear, simply slide it from the near front edge ( my HMG Windrider 3400 pack was placed that way)

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Full-coverage mode with 8.5 ft HMG square tarp

Posted in backpacking, Captain's Personal Log, mountaineering, Photography, Reviews, Travel, ultralight techniques on April 7, 2017 by William Hooks
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A compact setup for wireless audio using 3 Rode-Link sets

Posted in Audio, Captain's Personal Log, Photojournalism, Reviews, Video on February 22, 2017 by William Hooks

I’m using this system to allow dual-system audio and video recording wirelessly, finding that 2 Rode-Link Filmmaker kits and a Newsshooter Kit work very well. A third lavalier microphone was added for use with the Newsshooter transmitter, in situations where 3 lavs are needed instead of 2 lavs and an XLR microphone- a Sennheiser ME-4N cardioid. The supports consist of a round-base microphone stand, Matthews Clamp and round platform with 1/4″ screw connected to a straight Matthews rod for the audio recorder (an H5 is shown here), OnStage strut with 1/4″ screw mount  for the 3rd receiver below, dual 5/8″ mic mount with adapters to allow attachment of the other 2 receivers above. The add-on dual XLR module works because each receiver is self-powered, so there’s  no phantom power issue.

Add a 3.5 mm cable to connect the Line Out from the recorder to the GH4 camera, a remote control for the recorder, and perhaps a USB power bank/mounting bracket (see prior post) for the recorder and we’re in business. The camera receives excellent-quality audio and there’s a separately recorded copy of each file available for sync, using Plural Eyes 4.x.

The Rode Newsshooter Kit and my project: THE FIGHT AGAINST TRUMPISAN (2017)

Posted in Audio, Captain's Personal Log, Photography, Photojournalism, Reviews, Video on February 15, 2017 by William Hooks

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p67601081p67601221p67601242p6760105p67601252p67601253I ‘ve been actively applying the wireless Rode Newsshooter Kit to supplement the 2 Filmmaker Kits I’ve had for some time, allowing excellent ENG sound production directly into my Panasonic GH4 4K mirrorless camera covering major events in California. The latest were 2 protest events in Los Angeles and San Francisco, against the incoming Trump regime. In Los Angeles, I had assistance with handheld mic interviews from one of my still shooters, Carmen Rosales and my old friend Mark Chambers did those honors at San Francisco International Airport, during the anti-Muslim ban event. Jim Garrett was the B-roll GH4 shooter in Los Angeles, and he has collaborated with me on editing and writing.

I was very impressed by the build quality and water resistance of the transmitter unit in driving rain at Los Angeles- I was concerned that the unit would fail at any time due to being soaked for hours, but it never missed a beat and the sound was remarkable when connected to my Sennheiser MD-46 dynamic microphone inside of a plastic bag.

It’s very convenient that the Newsshooter and Filmmaker receivers are identical, so that I can switch between them any time  simply by matching the channels with the corresponding transmitter or lav mic. There ‘s up to 40 v phantom power on the transmitter, more than enough to provide great gain for a Shure SM 58 or the Sennheiser dynamic mics; I can also use my Sennheiser ME-4 N lav mic with the transmitter and actively monitor its output using the headphone jack near the USB power jack. In addition, it can be powered by standard Sony FPS batteries as well as ubiquitous AA batteries.

Because it runs on wi-fi instead of RF, I have found it to be extremely reliable in field use even when surrounded by cell phones and other devices- and no need to manually match any frequencies. I can use up to 8 units at at time on individual channels.

My opinion: if you have $500 to spend on an XLR wireless system, this is by far the best option I have ever seen. Avoiding use of cables in an ENG environment has proven to be a significant advantage from the standpoint of safety, mobility, simplicity and reliability.

We’re going to be using the Newsshooter and Filmmaker Kits extensively, for continuing to document the rise of resistance to the Trump regime over the next several months.

What to use today: tarp or tent?

Posted in backpacking, Captain's Personal Log, mountaineering, Reviews, Travel, ultralight techniques on March 17, 2016 by William Hooks

If I want  a full floor, insect protection and very light but not lightest shelter, for me it’s a no-brainer: some sort of tarp-tent or a tent such as this Nemo Hornet 1p, which I obtained from REI using my 2015-6 dividend and -20% coupon for $135.

It uses the same Tyvek footprint that I already have for my tarp; the total weight for its pole, pole bag, canopy, fly and lines is 24 oz.

I feel that its setup is straightforward, comparable to the basic skill level needed for deploying a tarp (simpler than advanced tarping). the tent is very compact when packed, livability is much improved over my Ptarmigan or REI biv sacks. I like the 8 sq ft side vestibule, and much prefer the right side entrance to a front entrance for a 1-person shelter partly because of the relative ease of including a larger vestibule with that design.

This tent is freestanding. Headroom =40 inches, I can easily sit up inside.

Inclusion of the Light Pocket at the apex of the tent body allows a headlamp to double as a lantern- something I find very practical at no weight penalty.

Compared with my HMG Square Tarp: slightly heavier; no need for any additional components such as biv sack for insect protection; less ventilation and cannot cook inside the tent itself; simple to keep gear separate from living space because of vestibule, which is on my right while living in the tent (and I’m right-handed). Not as versatile as a tarp, but can opt to pitch just the canopy for improved ventilation and/or to save additional weight. Can combine the canopy with the tarp depending on the locale. No need for trekking poles but risk breakage of the single pole, as with any tent. Since it’s green, in forests that color simplifies stealth camping style. Needs 8 stakes for full pitch, vs up to 14 for the tarp. The guylines are reflective, another practical advantage.

I wish there was more fly coverage especially at the head end, and/or a guyout at the tip of the front of the fly. The fabric materials are notably delicate, and require more care in handling than the cuben fiber tarp.

Otherwise, I’m very pleased to use this shelter when I don’t mind a few extra ounces and seek complete enclosure at night, with no insects to deal with.