Author Archives

Jools

UK backpacker, striving for lightweight while body gets increasingly heavyweight. Completed all of the UK national trails while fitting in local day hikes and other multi-day trails both in the UK and overseas. Walked across mainland UK on five month 2500 mile 'Three Points of the Compass' hike in 2018

Cooking

Gear talk: matches

Anyone who has dropped their Mini-Bic lighter into a puddle or wet vegetation is all too aware on how difficult it can be to light afterward. A handful of old-school matches in reserve might mean that you still enjoy a hot meal or brew.

Electronics

Gear talk: ThermoDrop zipper-pull thermometer

Another luxury purchase. Still on the search for perfection, Three Points of the Compass splashes out on yet another thermometer. Will this prove to be ‘the one’? Three Points of […]

knife

Knife chat: a blast from my dad’s past- his British Army knife

Amongst my dad’s belongings when he died some years ago […]

map measurer

Map measure of the month: Lutz metric and imperial

This month's measure was imported into the US by the Lutz Company following World War II. Simple in operation, with just two-measuring scales, it is a fine example of the well crafted instruments coming out of Japan at that time.

Cooking

Gear talk: Toaks FRM-02 and FRM-03 windshield and pot stands

The Toaks FRM-02 and FRM-03 are small and simple titanium three or four-piece combined pot stand and windshield. Each is suited for use with smaller meths/alcohol burners, solid fuel and gel.

Cooking

Gear talk: Camping Moon Rocket Stand Z-23 OD

The Rocket Stand Z-23 OD from Camping Moon provides a stable platform that converts a favourite canister top stove to a remote canister stove. It also allows you to use two stoves from a single canister. However, it isn't a particularly lightweight option and may not suit everyone.

Gear

Knife chat: minimalism in the pocket, the True Utility ‘Bare’

The TU580 Bare "skeleton style minimalist knife" knife from True Utility is a very well-priced knife and worthy of consideration by those looking for a simple little blade, at a decent price.

Trail talk

Trail talk: Fjällräven Classic Sweden- heading north on the Kungsleden. Sälka to Abisko

Three Points of the Compass continues northward on the Fjällräven Classic Sweden, toward the Abisko National Park and finish line.

map measurer

Map measure of the month: a Turkish military measure

This months measure has an uncertain history. Was it produced for Turkey's military during or following the last World War, or for Turkish troops under German command?

Gear

Gear talk: HydraPak 42mm Filter Cap

Eschewing fancy names, HydraPak adds their own filter to the small but growing choice of 42mm water filters that will connect to wide mouth bottles, bladders and flasks.

Trail talk

Trail talk: Fjällräven Classic Sweden- heading west to the Kungsleden. Nikkaluokta to Sälka

Three Points of the Compass hits the trail in Swedish Lapland, participating in the annual Fjällräven Classic, a 110km walk above the Arctic Circle.

Gear

Gear talk: converting a 42mm neck HydraPak bladder to fit a 28mm water filter- Plug-N-Play

HydraPak have produced a number of accessories to fit their wide neck bladders and bottles. Three Points of the Compass has a glance at two of these, that permit a 28mm threaded water filter to be fitted.

Gear

Gear talk: converting a 42mm neck HydraPak bladder to fit a 28mm water filter- the hack

In the first of two posts, Three Points of the Compass looks at two ways to fit a 28mm thread Sawyer Squeeze water filter to a 42mm neck HydraPak water bladder.

Trail talk

Trail talk: Fjällräven Classic Sweden 2023- application, logistics and stats.

In the first of three posts, Three Points of the Compass looks at his participation in Fjällräven Classic Sweden 2023, a 110km hike through Swedish Lapland.

Gear

Gear talk: Mountain Laurel Designs Bug Head Net

Midge ridden evenings on the Cape Wrath Trail, clegs on an evening walk through Kielder Forest to a bothy on the Pennine Way, mosquitoes on a lakeside section of Sweden's Kungsleden, these are amongst the times I have scrambled for a bug headnet and been relieved to pull it over my head to distance myself from the wee beasties.

map measurer

Three Points of the Compass

Long Distance Trails, lightweight backpacking and gear, map measures and anything outdoorsy

Author Archives

Jools

Gear talk: matches

Gear talk: ThermoDrop zipper-pull thermometer

Knife chat: a blast from my dad’s past- his British Army knife

Map measure of the month: Lutz metric and imperial

Gear talk: Toaks FRM-02 and FRM-03 windshield and pot stands

Gear talk: Camping Moon Rocket Stand Z-23 OD

Knife chat: minimalism in the pocket, the True Utility ‘Bare’

Trail talk: Fjällräven Classic Sweden- heading north on the Kungsleden. Sälka to Abisko

Map measure of the month: a Turkish military measure

Gear talk: HydraPak 42mm Filter Cap

Trail talk: Fjällräven Classic Sweden- heading west to the Kungsleden. Nikkaluokta to Sälka

Gear talk: converting a 42mm neck HydraPak bladder to fit a 28mm water filter- Plug-N-Play

Gear talk: converting a 42mm neck HydraPak bladder to fit a 28mm water filter- the hack

Trail talk: Fjällräven Classic Sweden 2023- application, logistics and stats.

Gear talk: Mountain Laurel Designs Bug Head Net

Map measure of the month: Wuilleumier Frères four-scale curvimètre

Gear talk: the Pad-Pal v5.1 sleeping pad inflator

Gear talk: a Primus Micron retrospective

Gear talk: cleaning a tent zip

Gear talk: some thoughts on gear used on the Laugavegur and Fimmvörðuháls Trails