Sunday 8 September 2013

Cam Crag Ridge and Z Packs Hexamid.


A bright and breezy morning and heading up Langstrath for Cam Crag ridge.  The idea is to drop down into Comb Gill and put up my new tent.  Have n't had time to sleep in it yet but want to see what it's like in the field.  It will be somewhere to eat my sandwiches in.


I head left off the path to scramble up a little gill.



The ridge ahead is a classic grade 2 scramble originally classified as a moderate rock climb.


I've just done the introductory buttress and am sat having a rest when a head appears over the rocks and it's an old friend: Murray.
He's with some other lads and they've bivvied in the shelter below the crag.


After a chat I let them get on with the next buttress as they will be far quicker than me.




As I reach the top it's already clouding over and I make a steep descent along the edge of  Dove's Nest into the Combe.

The bottom of Combe Gill.


 So I ordered this tent/tarp from the USA earlier in the year.  It took 5 weeks to come but is an incredible piece of technology.  I've gradually lost weight with my tents, Akto 1600g , Power Lizard 1100g,  but Z Packs Hexamid above is only 454g.
So I'm just having my dinner in it and seeing what it's like.

 I've got the beak, the cuben ground sheet and complete bug protection.  It probably does not cope with wind like the Trailstar but  for summer use I'll give it a go.
I could not see the point of forking out for  the Trailstar as  according to my reckoning by the time I'd added a nest or bivvy for bug protection and included the stakes I might as well use the Powerlizard.


So I'll need some practice at pitching it correctly as I had a crease in the back.


I may need to find a way to extend the trekking poll as it was way beyond it's limits.

Well it didn't leak, I just need some time to try it for real.

2 comments:

AlanR said...

Joe makes excellent gear. Did you get the 0.75 Cuben material. Its more suited to UK conditions. I did a pole extension for my Duomid. It might help you or at least give you some ideas. You can read it at the link.

http://alanrayneroutdoors.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/mld-duomid-pole-extender-myog.html

Greg said...

Thanks for the link Alan I have some old bits of tube in the garage so will have a go one night this week.