Gear

Map measure of the month: the Corriere dei Piccoli chilometrometro

This months measure was a gift with one of the most successful of Italian comics. It is cheap, is simple to make and, most importantly, introduced children to the wonderful world of maps and working with them.

Gear

Trail talk: Camino de Santiago de Gran Canaria- day one

Three Points of the Compass travels to the Canary Islands to walk a little known Camino: "the way of St. James among volcanoes"

ditty bag

Gear talk: what I took on the Arctic Circle Trail

Three Points of the Compass takes a glance at what he wore and carried on an eight day 100 mile summer backpack across Greenland's Arctic tundra.

map measurer

Map measure of the month: Ecobra pocket dividers

This month's map measure is from a German firm that manufactured almost exclusively for one of the largest US importers of drawing and surveying instruments.

Gear

Gear talk: Matador FlatPak Soap Bar Case

Three Points of the Compass takes a glance at a lightweight soap case with 'dry through' technology. Spoiler- it's expensive, but good!

Gear

Gear talk: five favourite pieces of gear in 2024

As 2024 rolls to an end, it is time for the Three Points of the Compass annual retrospective of five items of gear that were especially appreciated on longer trails.

Gear

Gear talk: Bach 60 litre Cargo Bag Lite

Three Points of the Compass recently travelled to Patagonia to hike a couple of trails. The journey there and back entailed seven flights and the backpack was protected in transit by a useful 'travel protection bag' from Bach.

map measurer

Map measure of the month: ‘Wanderer’ Route Marker No. 1114, with compass.

This months map measure is an uncommon combination instrument that brings together various functions, but ultimately fails as a collective.

map measurer

Map measure of the month: Roulette métrique brevetée S.G.D.G

This month's measure is a French made opisometer capable of measuring centimetres and lines on kilometre scale maps

Gear

Gear talk: Pure Clear have improved their water filter mouthpiece

Pure Clear have introduced a small but welcome improvement to their squeeze type water filters.

map measurer

Map measure of the month: Henri Chatelain’s twenty-five inch to one mile measure

This month's measure is a bit of an oddity. It is made specifically for large scale maps and measures at 25.344" scale, also known as twenty-five inch to one mile. It was primarily used by governmental organisations, landowners, estate agents, solicitors, and those engaged in land management.

ditty bag

Trail talk: the Coast to Coast- my gear

Three Points of the Compass takes a glance at the gear he carried on a recent walk across northern England on the Coast to Coast Path

map measurer

Map measure of the month: a mystery opisometer

This is a simple and easy to use little instrument capable of just one thing- measuring a line. But who made it?

map measurer

Map measure of the month: Morris’s ‘Patent Cartomètrè’

The Cartomètrè is a miniaturised metric version of the innovative mechanical measures invented by Englishman Edward Morris. Despite its modest dimensions, it had remarkable capability for its time.

Gear

Gear talk: a visit to Atom Packs

Three Points of the Compass was driving to Scotland to tackle the Skye Trail. An ideal opportunity to stop by the Atom Packs workshop deep in the Cumbrian fells, both to see what was going on, and get measured up for a custom pack.

Gear

Gear talk: Flextail Light Repel mosquito repellent

The Flextail Light Repel is a small lightweight portable heater element that takes less than a minute to activate mosquito repellent soaked pads. How useful is it to the backpacker and camper?

map measurer

Map measure of the month: “Made in Japan”- a Chadwick-Miller / Fedtro / Stesco combination map measure

These are almost identical Japanese made map measures sold by three companies, on opposite sides of the Atlantic.

Cooking

Gear talk: Fire Maple’s Petrel heat exchanger pot and stove compatibility

Fire Maple's Petrel cook pot was specifically designed to work with their Hornet II stove. However it is not confined to just that stove. Three Points of the Compass has a glance at this heat exchanger pot and dives into his gear locker to see what else might suit.

map measurer

Map measure of the month: Aristo 1323 Fächermaßstab

The handy Aristo 1323 fan scale can be used for many types of measurement, including maps. Sold for over half a century, it is still produced today in almost unaltered form.

map measurer

Map measure of the month: Henri Burnat No. 61 TP ‘Special Grand Modèle’

The model 61 measure from Henri Burnat has heft and balance. Not only is it solidly made and accurate, but has also squeezed in a surprising amount of measuring capability.

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