camping

Knife chat: Victorinox Swiss Army 1 and Swiss Army 2

Sometimes all that is wanted is a simple folding blade. The well priced and good looking Swiss Army 1 or Swiss Army 2 from Victorinox may be all that is required

Gear

Favourite gear: GSI sipper mug

Another item of favourite gear for Three Points of the Compass. This time it is something simple- a sipper mug from GSI Outdoors

Cooking

Gear talk: Fire Maple FMS-116 and FMS-116T gas stoves

Some backpackers prefer a wide burner head on their gas stoves. This feature can add both weight and bulk to a cook kit, but not always. Two canister top options from Fire Maple have proven themselves as reliable performers over the years, one is light and expensive, the other is heavier and cheaper, the choice is yours.

Cooking

Gear talk: the Fire Maple FMS-300T ‘Wasp’ gas stove

The Fire Maple FMS-300T gas stove is a well made product from a manufacturer with many years of experience in producing stoves. This particular stove has been on their catalogue for ten years now. In that time Fire Maple have sold tens of thousands of them and they remain a favourite for those looking for a truly lightweight small burner, specifically for heating water rather than cooking. In operation, the stove benefits greatly with protection from the wind and if treated with due care should perform faultlessly for many years. While not the cheapest, or the most efficient, or even lightest for that matter, the FMS-300T will fill a particular niche more than adequately.

Trail talk

Trail talk: the Gritstone Trail

Backpacking along the edge of the Peak District, with hills to my left and the Cheshire Plain stretching far off to my right. It snowed, rained and (occasionally) shone brightly for this three day February trip. The Gritstone Trail went up, it went down, very rarely was it flat. Regardless of the gradient, mud was a frequent companion.

Gear

Favourite gear: the Katadyn BeFree water filter

The Katadyn BeFree filter has been a favourite piece of gear for the past five years. Unsurprising as it is light, compact, easy to use and has been successful in preventing me from getting sick on trail

Gear

Favourite gear: Katabatic Gear Elite and Flex quilts

Katabatic Gear make some of the best down quilts available. Three Points of the Compass is fortunate enough to own two of their range. They have been used for hundreds of nights while backpacking and each is amongst my favourite pieces of gear. They are superb. I take a look here at the Katabatic Palisade 30°F and the Katabatic Flex 15°F quilts

Gear

Gear talk: Nalgene bottles- hydration, hot water bottle and more…

Nalgene bottles are one of the original pieces of modern backpacking gear. Having updated over the years, they remain one of the best options for a rigid sided bottle on trail

Knife chat

Knife chat: which to choose- scissors or pliers? Why not have both, with the NexTool Mini Flagship multi-tool

The NexTool Mini Flagship is a unique option amongst keychain multi-tools. It provides a large pair of scissors together with pliers, alongside a small yet handy set of additional tools

Gear

Gear talk: the search for a pillow for a restless side-sleeper

Three Points of the Compass has spent years looking for a pillow to suit side-sleeping while backpacking. A glance at some near misses and what is now working

knife

Knife chat: The Wenger Esquire and derivatives

The Wenger Esquire was a 65mm knife with blade, scissors and nailfile. There have been subsequent rebrands and changes over the years, many of which deserve consideration

Trail talk

Trail talk: Facilities on the Great Glen Way

The Great Glen Way is remarkable for the number of on-trail facilities provided. This is a simple account of those seen or passed by Three Points of the Compass on a six-day backpacking trip in November 2021

Trail talk

Trail talk: Slighe a’ Ghlinne Mhòir- six days in November. Part two

Three Points of the Compass backpacked the Great Glen Way in November 2021. My final three days take me the length of Loch Ness, to finish in Inverness

Cooking

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.

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