Finally got out for a two night quick and fast backpack trip on the North Country Trail. Joining me was an old friend and noobie backpacker Wander'nFool. He did wonderfully .... he studied here on HF and bought tons of new and terrific gear and practiced with it! That is the way to do it. He had a Warbonnet BlackBird hammock, a Warbonnet Yeti UnderQuilt, ULA Circuit pack, MacCat Tarp from OES, a JetBoil stove, Leki Hiking Poles and some SmartWool.
Shug $ Wander'nFool.jpg

Packed the Kelly Kettle wood-burning stove in the outside pocket of my ULA OHM backpack. Stripped it down to backpacker mode by removing the cork, putting on a lighter handle, leaving the base home and testing out a light-weight home brewed base I made from a pie tin and hardware cloth. Saved about 6 ounces overall.

Used the Dutch Clips for the first time in the woods on my hammock suspension. Flawless and ever-so light. Replace you biners and save some weight .... for food!

I brought my DIY hammock and since we passed one car on the hike at a shuttle point I traded out for the BlackBird the second night. Just testing comforts. Both get 5 stars but BB has a bugnet and on my DIY I left it off. Did get a skeeter or two buzzing me in the morning of camp one. Drats!
Camp 2 hammocks.jpg
Camp 2 .jpg


One tiny issue with the BB hammock is the ridge line when you use it as a lounger at camp. It tends to droop in your face depending on your tree spread on the hang. As we sat lazing around I saw a solution to that ...... easy fix to a wonderful piece of gear. It is at 4:05 in the video...

We ate well ... the Kelly Kettle was a terrific and easy to use as long as you take time to make sure your initial fire is done right. As always .... I made my breakfast from the hammock with my Mini-Atomic Alcohol stove from MiniBullDesign. 3/4 oz of fuel and I am chowing on grits and having instant espresso! Man ... livin' right
The Jetboil is a rocket. The Dutch Clips are super fast. Our ULA packs rode like a dream.

Had coyotes both nights and one came into camp on the first night and howled his drunken warble. Wander'nFool had a small air horn his wife made him take along for bears aso he blasted that and the coyote was back with his pack in the woods in no time.

All secure in sector seven,
Shug
Shug & Wander'nFool Do The NCT