Doing stuff is more fun than buying stuff! I like to try my hand at everything from creating outdoor kit, to repairing and restoring my cars.
There is an old saying that to become a master at something you need 10,000 hours of practice. There is not enough time for me to spend 10,000 hours on everything I am interested in but am pretty happy to reach a level of basic competence instead of total mastery.
There are a lot of projects on the go at the moment, too many, truth be told by a key focus for this blog currently, and the accompanying youtube channel, is creating and using a plastic free wild camping setup. To get the most out of this I am also answering a load of personal questions by testing different natural fabrics for insulation, performance when wet, durability and strength
Always wanted to know which cars have the best and worst MOT pass rates. Read on to find out. The UK the MOT (Ministry of Transport) Test is the yearly roadworthy test that all cars over three years old must pass. It includes all aspects of vehicle roadworthiness, from structural integrity to braking performance and […]
MOT Failure rates by Make and Year – 2023 data – Part 1. Read More »
Liquid fuel MSR stoves have been a staple of expeditions and remote travel since the 80s. And for good reasons. Reliable and field maintainable, capable of operating in low temperature and with the ability to run on fuels available almost anywhere. Petrols (gasoline), paraffin, kerosene etc. For safe and effective function the critical failure point
MSR Fuel Pump o-ring sizes Read More »
Recently the old family runabout came to the end of its life with us due to cam-belt failure. This is car number two and used for all the daily local trips, school runs, shopping trips and general duties so replacement priorities were: suitable for a life of short journeys (so no diesels), small enough for
Buying a used Mk1 Nissan Leaf – What you need to know in 3 minutes Read More »
Solving for stalling at idle on a Honda BF15a 4 stroke Outboard This post is a quick share on my findings when solving idling issues on my Honda 15hp outboard. A fairly common problem for small carbureted outboards, and engines in general, is problems idling, especially after long periods without use, e.g. winter lay up.
Outboard or small engine stalling at idle Read More »
Can this machine allow even a novice make strong usable outdoor kit?? Typical Price: £200-£250Rating: 9/10 Summary: Totally reliable and easy to use, only let down by a flimsy feeling and lightweight foot pedal. To checkout the latest prices see*: https://amzn.to/42Aecnc As an outdoors enthusiast sewing is one of those skills that has potential to
Singer Heavy Duty Sewing Machine Review Read More »
I have been running a range of tests on wool versus synthetic fabrics to help me understand relative performance with a bit of hard data. Whilst insulation has been the main focus of my tests so far, performance when wet is also a key consideration. Whether mountaineering, hiking or bushcrafting it is rare for it
Does Merino Dry Quickly? – Wool versus synthetic base layers Read More »
Thoughts on starting to weld with this popular unit touted as ideal for classic car restoration Probably the most daunting aspect of embarking on a classic car restoration as an amateur is the bodywork. It is also one of the most expensive aspects to have done professionally. So you are left with a choice. Accept
Clarke Pro 90 Mig Welder Review – A beginners perspective Read More »
It’s a long proffered outdoor wisdom that wool keeps you warm when wet. As I have been testing the relative insulative properties of different blanket types to determine the optimum plastic free wild camping setup I thought I would give it a test. The theory – Why wool still works when wet Insulation largely boils
Does wool keep you warm when wet? Read More »
The balloon bed is an attempt to create a plastic free sleep mat for short wild camping trips that meets the following criteria: This post is a quick look at what I made and instructions for how I have made it. Dimensions and costs included. The concept My project objective is to build a plastic
Plastic Free MYOG – Balloon Bed Sleep Mat Read More »
Testing to see whether Alpaca or Cashmere will outshine standard wool blankets for wild camping? And can they even top synthetics? In my quest to find the best warmth for weight for a plastic free wild camping setup I am testing a variety of materials to get a better understanding of their insulative properties. See
Alpaca vs. Cashmere – Which is warmer? Read More »
I have used a silk sleeping bag liner for many years with the twin aims of adding some extra warmth and protecting the sleeping bag from grime and dirt (it being far easier to wash a liner than a bag, especially a down one). However it’s pretty hard to get a clear view on how
How much warmth does a silk sleeping bag liner add? – TESTED Read More »
For those who haven’t seen the YouTube video or read my previous posts on the subject I am attempting to build a natural fabrics based setup for wild camping in UK upland areas. This differs slightly from classical bushcraft setups, where natural fabric based kit is popular, as bushcraft settings allow us to supplement carried
Wool vs. Synthetic fleece blanket test – Insulation face off Read More »
I am aiming to build a plastic free wild camping setup for use in UK upland areas. So slightly different to most bushcraft use cases which are optimised for wooded areas and use of fires (I do love a bit of bushcraft too!). The broader background to this is covered here. I am taking a
Plastic Free Wild Camping – Building the sleep system for all seasons Read More »
Refilling small gas canisters (perfect for light hiking) with larger ones is a great camping sustainability and cost saving “hack” that has become really popular. With a 100g gas canister often costing around £4 in the UK and a 300g can available as low as £6, it is easy to see why (200% more gas
Refilling Camping Gas Canisters/Cartridges – 5 Dangers to avoid Read More »
Building a sustainable and brilliant clothing system for the UK mountains and wild camping out of natural fibres To complement my ongoing make your own gear (MYOG) project, where am working on a completely plastic free wild camping setup suitable for UK mountain and moorland areas, I am pulling together a clothing system to suit.
Plastic Free Outdoor clothing for hiking & wild camping Read More »
