backpacking

Gear talk- butane canister converter nozzles

Many will be aware that lindal valve gas canisters can be expensive, while bayonet connector butane cartridges can be much more affordable. There is a cheap, tiny, copper transfer nozzle available for putting the contents of one, in to the other...

Cooking

Gear talk: the G-Works Gas Saver Plus

The G-Works Gas Saver Plus is a handy little device for utilising cheap cartridges of butane, or gathering together the contents of almost empty canisters into one. Though simple to use, extreme care must be taken nonetheless.

Gear

Knife chat: Victorinox 84mm Alox Bantam and Cadet

Two Victorinox models provide good options in a modest 84mm frame. Unburdened by unnecessary function, the single-layer Bantam is the simplest while the two-layer Cadet offers just a few more tools. Both models come with attractive alox scales and weigh very little.

Cooking

Gear talk: O-rings- check ’em!

Many of us will have managed to fit in a few weeks of backpacking this year and some gear might have been having a rough time of it. Beside cleaning, re-proofing and condition checking, think about including an inspection of the O-rings fitted to gas and multi-fuel stoves.

Gear

Gear talk: mini-tripods

Three Points of the Compass looks at lightweight tripods for use with phone or camera on trail

Gear

Knife chat: Victorinox horticultural knives- do they have a place beyond the garden?

Victorinox have produced a wide range of specialised knives for horticultural purposes. Despite many specialised aspects, some of these knives can suit other purposes.

Cooking

Gear talk: The BRS 3000-T gas stove

The BRS 3000-T is possibly the smallest and lightest that a gas stove can practically be

Cooking

Gear talk: The Soto Windmaster gas stove

The Soto Windmaster has proved to be a reliable and efficient performer and is now a first choice for three season use

Food

Knife chat: the Swiss Classic Foldable Paring Knives

Victorinox have looked at their kitchen knife range and produced two folding parers that may suit some campers with culinary aspirations

Trail talk

Trail talk: The Speyside Way

Three Points of the Compass hiked the 87 mile long Speyside Way in August 2021

knife

Knife chat: The Spyderco Bug- is this the perfect EDC knife?

Is this the perfect EDC knife? The Spyderco Bug is small enough to always be carried on either neck lanyard or keychain.

Trail talk

Trail talk: The Yorkshire Wolds Way

Three Points of the Compass backpacked the Yorkshire Wolds Way over a handful of days in summer 2021

Electronics

Gear chat: lightweight solar panels

Relying on solar panels while backpacking in the UK is ambitious. Three Points of the Compass looks at his three lightweight solar panel options from Lixada, Duragadget and Link Solar

Gear

Trail talk: Huzzah!- new notebooks delivered

Three Points of the Compass welcomed a recent delivery- a stack of notebooks waiting to become trail journals. A look at their respective merits

ditty bag

Knife chat: Adding functionality on trail with Leatherman accessories

Leatherman produce a small range of handy accessories that may mean a repair of specialised gear can be carried out on trail

art

Art on trail: a lightweight fountain pen

An easy alteration to create a good quality yet small and light fountain pen for use while backpacking

books

A hiker’s library: Knots

One or two books on knots and their uses on the hiker's bookshelf will not go amiss. These are mine and there is not a bad volume amongst them

Skill

Trail talk: knotty years

Three Points of the Compass is looking back on a lifetime of knots. Time to refresh familiarity and learn a couple more

knife

Knife chat: No.07 Mon Premier Opinel

No.7 My First Opinel is an affordable introduction for inexperienced young people to learn safe knife use

Gear

Gear talk: HydraPak flasks

Three Points of the Compass is looking at his hydration system- do the collapsible HydraPak Ultraflasks have anything to offer?

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