This travel trailer was reduced to ashes in less than 15 minutes.
No one was seriously injured.
I won’t speculate on the cause of the fire, but will share the details as I witnessed them.
Last will be a review of some fire safety reminders that all of us RV owners should follow.
We got back yesterday from a 2 month trip. Day 58 of 60 was Easter, so we celebrated with a ham dinner.
Over the past 15+ years I have purchased two sleeping bags and three quilts. I still have and use both sleeping bags. I only have one quilt remaining in my gear closet — the Nunatak Arc Specialist.
My first quilt purchase was a used warm-weather piece and cost me $65. It had synthetic insulation and was not very warm. I bought this to test out and determine if a quilt would work for me. It did and I gave it away; to buy a quality quilt.
At the beginning of 2009 I bought my Nunatak Arc Specialist for $457, which I am still using.
In 2010 I bought a super ultralight quilt with a Cuben Fiber (a.k.a. DCF) shell from Enlightened Equipment. It was one Tim Marshall’s first quilts when he was a one-man show working out of his house after he came home from his “real job.” (Today Enlightened Equipment has over 50 employees and operates out of a 50,000 square foot facility). Given that Cuben fabric does not breath, Tim created an adjustable ventilation foot-box that worked well. But, alas, Cuben doesn’t last long and I had to retire it. I knew this before I bought it.
Of all my sleeping solutions, the Nunatak Arc Specialist is my absolute favorite.
Continue reading Nunatak Arc Specialist Quilt: 15 Year Review
Yes, backpacking quilts can work well for side-sleepers, but it depends on personal preference and the specific design of the quilt.
For side-sleepers, the key consideration is the design of the quilt and how it accommodates different sleeping positions. Some backpacking quilts come with features like straps or snaps that can be used to secure the quilt around the sleeper, providing a more secure fit and prevent drafts. These features can be adjusted to allow freedom of movement for side-sleeping.
But first, for those who are not familiar with backpacking quilts, an overview of these specialized backpacking sleeping systems needs our attention. Continue reading Backpacking Quilts for Side-sleepers?
I bought this sleeping bag in 2012. Since then, it is the sleeping bag I have brought with me for over 50% of my backpacking trips.
Today I have two sleeping bags and one quilt that I use for backpacking. All are over 10 years old. Which one I bring is decided by the environmental conditions (temperature) I expect. Temperature is the only determining factor.
The Zpack sleeping bag does what I need to do, with the caveat that is does have some limitations and faults. So let’s delve into this piece of gear.
Continue reading Zpack 20° F Classic Sleeping Bag: 10 Year Review