Video Review : Skills of the Survivor

Today I wanted to talk about a DVD video by Peter Kummerfeldt.  I first learned of the video when I attended a University of Scouting presentation on Wilderness Survival.  As an Eagle Scout, I earned my Wilderness Survival Merit badge, but that was almost 25 years ago... so I thought the course would be a good refresher.  But I digress... I'm not blogging about the course, I want to tell you about the video.

Quite simply- I loved it and strongly endorse it.  I'll also add I'm not getting paid for my endorsement nor do I even want it- as if Peter needs *my* opinion to validate his expertise.  :-)  The thing that appealed to me so much was it was just great common sense.  Read on and i'll see if I can explain.

The video has several topics including: proper attire, preparing your survival kit, obtaining safe water, emergency shelters, signaling, and fire starting.  To talk about each section briefly in ascending order of value to me:

PROPER ATTIRE
One of his sections is clothing selection.  Admittedly important, I'm cerntain I don't dress planning to find myself in a survival situion.  Quite simply, I follow the Boy Scout motto of "Be Prepared" and dress according to the weather I expect to encounter while I'm out.  There was little content in his material that I didn't already know.  I suppose it is good material for anyone entirely new to the idea of dressing for the weather, but with almost 30 years of outdoor experience, I didn't get a lot.

SIGNALING
I won't talk long about it because there isn't much to say.  he just gives good advice about ways to signal and the benefits of each method.

PREPARING YOUR SURVIVAL KIT
He talks about the importance of preparing your survival kit in advance.  There are some places I differed from his suggestions (and I'll discuss those), much of his advice i liked and followed.  the point he made that I really liked was that a survival kit must be small enough to carry with you if you are going to use it.  A survival kit that is large (e.g. in a number 10 can) will just never be used- but I admit that we built more than one when I was a Boy Scout years ago.  Anyway- very sage advice.  As expected, he offers much of the equipment he recommends for sale on his website outdoorsafe.com.  Some of the items are difficult to find anywhere but his page, some are much more readily available.  I purchased several items from him because I wanted to support him directly (as opposed to REI or Cabels who already gets enough of my money).  :-)   The one item I didn't like was the cordura pouch.  I got it and ended up giving it to my son shortly thereafter.  I was able to buy an EMT pouch on eBay for only $3 more.  The EMT pouch had various pockets and straps and fully unzipped on 3 sides to allow easy access.  In other words, the EMT pouch gave me a much better way to keep my gear organized compared to the pouch he offered on his site.  Finally, I wish he would have talked about several items that I added to my personal kit (e.g. zip lock bags and a wire saw).  I consider these items arguably useful- but I'll talk more about that the day I blog about my own survival kit contents.

OBTAINING SAFE WATER
Again, sage advice about purification tablets.  I liked his information on the benefits of Nalgene water bottles also.  However, my Nalgene water bottle doesn't fit in my survival kit.  Ziplock bags do... so I thought that although it was good advice, I didn't see it tied closely with the whole survival theme.  While I admit the benefits of using purification pills as a backup, I have personally opted to go with the aquamira emergency filter straw.  They cost about $10.  It doesn't expire.  Water is instantly safe to drink.  The carbon filter takes out most tastes and all the nasties.  It is SUPER lightweight and small.  And it filters 20 gallons of water- which is fine for a survival situation.  I'll do a seperate blog one day talking about water filtering options, but I respectfully chose a different solution than Mr. Kummerfeldt recommended.

Not for the GREAT stuff- emergency shelters and fire starting.  The video would have been worth the cost if it had just these two sections alone. 

EMERGENCY SHELTERS
Every wilderness survival class I ever attended as a scout had us build a shelter.  But Peter makes the point quite right- that when you need shelter, you often need it quickly.  You won't have the time to find a great spot, cut the branches, cover it with boughs, etc.  You need something instant to get out of the elements.  He reviews space blankets, bivys, and yes- trash bags.  I won't steal his thunder because he makes the point much more eloquently than i might- but get the video to see his section on emergency shelters.

FIRE STARTING
I could not tell you how much time the Boy Scouts spends teaching boys about fire starting, fire safety, etc. etc.    We learned about lean-to fires, teepee fires, log cabin fires, and probably 4 other techniques I can't even recall.  We learned ways to start fires with magnifying glasses, sunlight and punk cloth; we learned how to use batteries and steel wool, we learned matches, lighters, and even the bow and stick (which I never could master).  Peter gets rid of all this complexity and shows one sure fire way to start a fire that just works.  It doesn't take 12 different ways to start a fire if you have one way that is ALMOST fool proof...

I say almost because I'm foolish enough to mess it up- which is why I practice.  As a tip, one of his recommendations is to cover cotton balls with vaseline... I'll tell you from experience, don't use too much vaseline.  I did and I couldn't get it to start right.  Two other observations on his fire starting... I'm not certain I like the idea of preparing my cotton balls in advance.  It may be because i had an embarrsing situation where I went to show the Webelos how to start a fire using a metal match with the cotton bals and couldn't do it- but again, i suspect that was because I had too much vaseline on the cotton balls.

Finally re: fire starting, he advocates the REI matches.  I went out and bought some and tried them.  I wasn't as enamoured with the matches as he was.  Yes they are waterproof and windproof, but the phospherous on the matches burns REALLY fast.  You need to make sure that whatever you are trying to light is readily igniteable.  In my practice with the matches, I found the matches burned up faster than I could ignite my tinder.

Despite the apparent shortcomings, the firestarting still had a lot of common sense/good advice that makes it worthwhile viewing.

Bottom line conclusion- I like the video and got some really good advice from it.  I used much of his advice when building my own survival kit and I am certain I will incorporate much of his instruction into teaching the Webelos/Boy Scouts wilderness survival skills. 

If you want the video yourself, check out http://www.outdoorsafe.com/ and look for the DVD video called "Skills of the Survivor".

ENJOY!

p.s. - I will also note that I had a problem with my order that I did not receive the items I thought I had ordered (mutual mistake).  They were quick to correct the problem without hassle.  This kind of customer service is rare and very appreciated.  Just another reason to order directly from his website instead of shopping around to save $2.

DESTINATION: Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC

At 1,001 acres, Stanley Park in Vancouver BC is larger than Central Park in New York City and is one of the largest city maintained parks in North America- so when I went to Vancouver for a computer security conference, Stanley Park was on my list of MUST SEE landmarks.  You wouldn't camp in this park- I'm pretty certain it isn't even allowed... but it makes for a great day hike.  I'll show you the path I chose and then some points along the way.


As shown on the map below, I started my walk at the Sheraton One Wall Center, walked almost straight to the seawall trail, followed the trail around the edge to the north shore by Burrard Inlet, then cut back through the forest to make my way past Beaver Lake, and the Lost Lagoon and then back to the hotel.  Unfortunately, I didn't have my GPS or pedometer so I can't say exactly how far I walked but it took me about 4 hours with all my stops and observations.

The start of the trail is like most parks... except the scenery is much more

breathtaking to a guy that lives in Texas.

You don't walk far before you see a large stone Inuksuk... although not ancient, it was still cool to see. 

As you go farther north, the crowd starts to thin out rapidly and development fades away...

but the path is still fantastically maintained:

After crossing underneath Lion's Gate Bridge, I stopped following the trail along

the shoreline and decided to cut through the forest.  Although the pavement ended
the paths were wide, smooth, and well cared for.

I really enjoyed seeing the large redwood trees...

and the lost lagoon was simply beautiful on it's own.

Bottom line conclusion: I see now why the park has a ranking of 16th best park in the world (or 8th best in North America).  It really was a fantastic, well maintained, beautiful park.  I'll make a point of revisiting if I every make it back to Vancouver.

Sleeping pad overview

One of the parents in my scouting unit asked me which sleeping pad I used.  Well, the answer isn't as simple as just one pad.  Here is the reponse I provided:

·         The standard blue foam (modeled after Army sleeping pads):  Rugged, tough, indestructible, absolutely dummy proof and the least comfortable of the list.  However, they keep sharp things out of your back and at least let you sleep.  These are good for boys or if you are in a location you are concerned about durability.  You can get these much cheaper at Wal-Mart.  http://www.rei.com/product/374053/standard-blue-foam-pad-regular

·         Thermarest ridge rest.  Tries to make the blue sleep pad more comfortable by softening the foam and adding small ridges.  You’ll take a slight hit on durability but get a slightly more comfortable sleeping pad.  Still have a dummy-proof sleeping pad that any one can setup and use.  http://www.rei.com/product/810386/therm-a-rest-ridgerest-solite-sleeping-pad

·         Thermarest Basecamp.  This one is my high dollar pad- and the most comfortable one I’ve ever slept on for a sleeping pad.  It is a self-inflating pad and reasonably rugged.  The existence of a patch kit tells me they can fail, but mine never has.  I can tell you that I let my wife sleep on this once and she now prefers sleeping on this instead of the Army cot.  At 4lbs, it is also the heaviest and largest pad in the bunch.  I’m generally unlikely to carry it on backpacking trips.  http://www.rei.com/product/797485/therm-a-rest-basecamp-sleeping-pad   [Note – there are several other brands that follow this same self-inflating model with similar specs for less money.  I just have a good track record with Thermarest and like their products. 

·         Thermarest has one level above the basecamp called the luxury pad.  I don’t have personal experience with it but it gets great reviews if you’re willing to drop the dough.  http://www.rei.com/product/797494/therm-a-rest-luxury-map-sleeping-pad 

·         My most recent acquisition to my sleeping pad line is the Thermarest Neoair Trekker.  It isn’t quite as rugged as the basecamp pad and I have to blow this one up (as opposed to self-inflating) and it is also more expensive that my Basecamp pad and just slightly less comfortable.  So why did I get it and decide to keep it?  It’s only 16 ozs and rolls up incredibly small.  In other words, this is my backpacking sleeping pad.  http://www.rei.com/product/810375/therm-a-rest-neoair-trekker-sleeping-pad

  

Note: contrary to what it may appear, I'm not getting any kickback to endorse REI or Thermarest.  REI was a convenient place to list all the thermarest products, and as i explained, I have a good track record with Thermarest and will probably stick with them until given a motive to do otherwise.

Eddie Bauer Dome Tent - Round 2

So in my previous review, I lamented about the poor design of the Eddie Bauer 10x10 5 man dome tent.  My most specific complaint was a design that guaranteed the tent would leak.  In addition- and I didn't mention this in my previous review- but the only people that could fit this tent in the carrying bag are the people the pack this tent off the assembly line.  As you can tell... I'm really unhappy with Wenzel/Eddie Bauer.  However, today's blog entry is not to bash them further, but to describe what I did to work around their ineptness.

First for the obvious and quick fix... I purchased a $5 stuff sack at Wal-mart for packing the tent.  Not nearly as stylish as the Eddie Bauer case, but I don't bust a neck vein trying to put the tent back into it.  I don't expect anyone to find this particularly clever either- I'm just sharing because I'm letting you know that if you get this tent you'll probably need to do the same.

To fix the leaking tent required a bit more work.  I purchased several yards of black 210D waterproof nylon.  I cut the material into a 5ftx5ft square and sewed a loop on one corner and grommets on two of the corners.  I was able to run the ridge pole through the loop and attach bungee cords through the grommets on the corners so the finished product looked like this (repeated on over both doors):

I had hoped it would look more like it came from the factory- but alas, I wasn't so lucky.  However, I'll accept the looks of this in return for staying dry.  It's also easy enough to put on or remove, I can leave it off most of the time except when I am expecting rain.

The proof is in the waterproofing though... all this is for naught if the tent still leaks.  Fortunately, there is a 70% chance of rain over the next 2 days so I'm going to leave the tent setup and see how it fairs.  With any luck, it should stay bone dry.  I'll update this blog after the rain.

U PDATE:  So the flaps made a large difference.  Although some water still managed to make it in the tent, it is probably because I have yet to waterproof the exposed black areas of the tent.  Water accumulation in the tent was negligible... probably about 2~3 tablespoons if I were to guess.

DESTINATION REVIEW: Martin Creek Lake State Park

I've reviewed this destination at one of my other sites, but I wanted to offer a high level review of this state park.  Martin Creek Lake State Park is a Texas State Park south of Longview, Texas.  (I believe Tatum is the closest town.)

The unique draw to this state park was an island accessible via a footbridge where primitive camping is allowed.  You will not find a map anywhere that shows the exact locations of the primitive campsites.  Even when I asked the ranger, he said the sites are dynamic and people move the steel fire rings around the island.  Consequently, you rather find yourself wandering the trails until you find a spot you like.  To help out though, I've produced a map that shows the approximate locations of several of the primitive sites shown as blue stars.  However, I would strongly recommend the site we stayed at marked with the red star.  It was definitely one of the largest sites on the island.  We setup 6 tents for our Webelos and could have fit another 6 rather easily.  By comparison, some of the primitive sites we walked past would have only fit 2~3 tents.  Another benefit of the site I am suggesting is that it is on the back side of the island so you don't have people walking through your site on the way to their own.

As you look at the map above, you'll notice there is a large field/meadow in the middle of the island.  Ironically, the meadow proved to be a lousy place to try and setup camp.  Even in mid-April, we found the grass in the meadow so high it simply wasn't practical to try and setup camp.  Furthermore, the absence of fire rings that can be found in some of the wooded campsites make the meadow a poor place to try and setup camp.

As a final tip/note about the developed campsites (as opposed to the primitive sites), there is a WIDE variation in the different sites even though they are all categorized the same.  For example, there are multiple lakefront sites, but several had a marshy waterfront that made fishing access impractical.  There were others that you could pull a canoe on.  As another example, some sites were large enough and level enough for 3~4 tents.  Other sites however, were significantly sloped enough that the only place to setup a tent was on the tent pad.  As yet a third example of the variations, certain sites have a pre-built shelter/covered picnic table but other sites do not (see pictures).

Sites are first come, first serve so arrive early.  To get a preview of some of the sites, look at the pictures on my review at ScoutDestinations.com

Cabela's Heavy Duty Army Cot

So first let's look at what Cabela's says:

• Built to exacting specifications demanded by the military
• Heavy-duty polyester oxford
• Heavy-duty aluminum frame with steel tube inserts
• Will support up to 500 lbs.
• Easy to set up and take down
• Folds into a compact package

We built this cot to exacting quality standards demanded by military specifications. The sleeping area is 77''L x 28''W and constructed of heavy-duty polyester oxford for years of use. The frame is heavy-duty aluminum with added strength supplied by steel tube inserts that will support up to 500 lbs. The cot is easy to set up and take down, and it folds into a compact package secured by attached webbing straps with ladder locks. Imported.
Dimensions: 77''L x 28''W x 18''H.
Carry weight: 18 lbs.
Weight capacity: 500 lbs.

Now for my review... I actually purchased two of these cots so my experience isn't limited to a single defective unit.  (See I'm already being negative again.)  I suppose it's because I demand quality from my camping gear and I am sorely disappointed when it doesn't deliver.  As I review more items, I'll disclose some that truely are stellar products that I strongly endorse, but the cot today won't make that cut.

Well, the cot certainly handles weight well enough.  I didn't try to verify the 500lb limit, but it handled my 6'1" frame @ 270lb frame with relative ease.  It was stable in most directions and did not wobble or otherwise unduly sag.  I never felt like my heft was concerning to the cot.  However, the term "heavy duty" should be constrained to the weight bearing capacity of the cot and not the build quality.  I had problems with one of the straps that actually came off the rivet the first time I tried to use it.  Also, most of the plastic plugs did not want to stay in the holes.  I even lost 2 of them transporting the cots back and forth and campouts and never did find the plugs again.

That said, it was VERY squeaky from the polyester oxford against the aluminum.  I never did find a way to quiet it down, so any time I rolled over or repositioned myself, it was VERY creaky. 

I take significant issue with the claim of easy setup and take down.  The practice is much easier to describe than to perform- much in the same way as rock climbing.  "Just pull yourself up using the natural cracks and ledges and don't fall down."  Reality shows the physical strength to do this is much greater than the simple directions might suggest.  So it is with the Cabela's Heavy Duty cot.  While it is probably true of all Army style cots), the fact remains it was VERY difficult to stretch the material tight.  There was *NO WAY* that my 10-year old son could do it... nor even my wife.  In fact, with a small amount of embarrassment I admit that it was difficult for me to set it up and pull it tight enough to get the end pieces over the pins. 

One day after unsuccessfully trying for almost 10 minutes, I developed a technique that made it MUCH easier!  I discovered I could put the end pieces on rotated 90 degrees from where the holes needed to be.  Then by using a tent stake, dowel rod or large screwdriver I was able to excert a fair amount or torque and twist the bar into place.  This still proved too difficult for my wife and son, but was a technique I used repeatedly with pretty good reliability and minimal strain (that's compared to what it was previously).

I discovered I could also remove the plastic plugs that so easily fell out and it was MUCH easier to slip the end pieces in place as well.  This works as a solution as long as you're not planning to use the uprights to hold a mosquito bar in place, but the plastic pieces are necessary to keep the bar from needlessly rotating when the mosquito bar is up.

Finally, even after getting the cot up, it was still uncomfortable.  :-(  Ok, let me be fair, it's an Army cot, not a serta.  I used my thermarest base camp pad and achieved a decent level of comfort, but that is a credit to the Thermarest pad, not the cot.  I get near similar comfort with the Thermarest pad on the ground.  Consequently, I decided to sell the cots.

All-in-all, they just weren't worth keeping.  I wouldn't discourage you from buying them if you want an Army cot but it's not going to make the grade for Anthony's encorsement.

Eddie Bauer 10x10 Dome Garbage- ahem- I mean tent

So I was unhappy with the Coleman Family tent because it leaked during rains.  The primary failure is an inadequate rain fly and poor engineering of the tent, but I'll do a full review of that tent another day.  Today's review is about the 10x10 Eddie Bauer 5 man Dome Tent (Model EB30004 made by Wenzel).

My goal was pretty simple, to find a tent large enough I could setup 2 army-style cots and still have room for 2 kids and our gear.  Oh- and I wanted two doors and one that was waterproof- the primary reason I didn't like the Coleman tent.

I found the 10x10 Eddie Bauer tent on eBay for $75 plus $35/S/H so I knew I was getting a cheap tent.  Although the size was on the small side of what I needed for a family tent, I was drawn to what appeared to be the good rain fly coverage (See this pic)

and screen sides (desirable for camping in Texas).

So I was optimistic and eager to review the tent.  Well, it arrived yesterday and there was a chance of rain so I hurried to set it up in advance of the storms because I wanted to see if the rainfly coverage would keep the tent dry like I expected.  My results led me to provide some of my own picture of the product:

So why would I be so judgmental about a product I just received and haven't even used for one night?  It all amounts to the same problem but I'll try to express it in several ways:

• Poor engineering
• Lack of field testing
• Absence of common sense
• Inattention to detail
• Ultimately, a tent design that GUARANTEES the tent will leak.

At the risk of revealing the obvious prematurely, a picture will help me clearly explain the problem:

So here is what happens, during a rain, even the slightest wind will blow the rain on the portion of the door that is NOT under the rain fly.  The rain today wasn't even heavy- somewhere between a drizzle and a sprinkle. 

1) Anyway, the rain fell on the screen mesh which provided virtually zero stoppage (it's not supposed to, it's screen!)  and stopped at the nylon tent material of the door. 
2) At this point, it ran down exterior of the door until it hit the cloth zippers that hold the exterior screen door and the nylon tent door (yes, there are two seperate zippers). 
3) Water that drains down, accumulates between the exterior screen door and the interior nylon door- right where the cloth zipper lies.

4) At this point, there is nowhere for the water to go.  It just waits until it saturates the cloth zipper material (which doesn't take long) and starts to drip into the interior of the tent.

5) Even if the zipper material were entirely waterproofed, I suspect water would still find its way around the teeth of the zipper.

So my conclusion, with the current design of this tent, it is IMPOSSIBLE for the tent to remain dry in even the slightest of rain.  Although I purchased the tent new off eBay, I don't suspect I am going to get any solution from Eddie Bauer or Wenzel although I will certainly try.  In the meantime, i want to issue a caution to anyone else who may consider the 10x10 family dome tent from Eddie Bauer/Wenzel.

p.s. - Lest you think my opinion is biased somehow, I found several additional reviews that I WISH I would have discovered before buying this tent.

http://www.trailspace.com/gear/eddie-bauer/eb-30004.2/

  "I was concerned when I saw large cloth zippers around the windows."  ...  " This tent leaks like a sieve !!!"

http://www.hiking-gear-and-equipment-used-for-camping.com/wenzel-tent.html
  "Be aware though that you still might get wet because at least some of the Wenzel
   tents are designed in such a way that water will fall off the rainfly and stream
   down the tent wall where it may leak through the zipper."

http://www.hiking-gear-and-equipment-used-for-camping.com/eddie-bauer-tent.html
  "I've heard of everything from snapped poles, to leaks, to tears, to more leaks
   (even after the seams were sealed), to zipper problems, and even zipper leaks."

10/11/2011: UPDATE - So I called their support department and the person I spoke said that the company would not honor the warranty because I purchased the tent off eBay (even though it was claimed to be new).  Her only solution was to offer me a discount if I wanted to buy a new Wenzel tent.  I cordially but firmly declined explaining that I would not give any more money to Wenzel if I had a choice in the matter.