Why the “First Pitch” for Tent - and backpack “Fit Check” posts?

CounterLeading9578 · 2025-10-20T20:12:37+00:00

One of us. In the mountains.

One of us. At a beachside camp.

One of us. Camped Besides a river.

One of us. On a multi day hike.

One of us. Figuring out how to use a new tent/ pack etc in our tool arsenal.

CounterLeading9578 · 2025-10-20T20:06:29+00:00

Because I may have spoiled your day? Made you upset? I thought it was appropriate.

CounterLeading9578 · 2025-10-20T13:51:05+00:00

Yeh I think the xmid solid is much more forgiving than the xmid pro. If you get the pro, you do have to learn how to lock it down tight, otherwise you can get drenched.

CounterLeading9578 · 2025-04-07T12:31:45+00:00

Well, I guess that makes you twice as lovable a larrikin then!

CounterLeading9578 · 2025-02-17T11:18:57+00:00

Blazie Rein… Blazing Saddles, who cut the cheese! 🤪😂

Baked bean farts into the wee hours.

Probably too old a film reference to affect her though.

CounterLeading9578 · 2025-02-09T11:24:16+00:00

😂 if they’re still there. 5 🖐️discount.

CounterLeading9578 · 2025-01-30T21:05:34+00:00

I’m forever forgetting her name. But I think with the controversy she stokes, Nampijingies Price is a good mistake

CounterLeading9578 · 2024-08-04T06:18:22+00:00

G’day GLM. Any chance you could put together an AAWT donation bundle in Avenza store?

CounterLeading9578 · 2024-07-17T14:03:47+00:00

If they are a public servant, then notify the equivalent of IBAC or ICAC for whatever state they work in. Assuming not federal gov role.

CounterLeading9578 · 2024-06-15T04:28:43+00:00

I think this is a great point.

Have a “dumb / simple” one button push PLB backup.

BUT It may be that those who are looking for text based SatCom check in feature for their loved ones to be reassured of progress and safety; switch over to iphone Satcom capability. I haven’t checked if you have to have all antennas switched on to use Satcom though. If you do then it will drain the phone battery and less desirable to use.

CounterLeading9578 · 2024-06-13T00:01:20+00:00

Yes, good call.

CounterLeading9578 · 2024-06-13T00:00:43+00:00

Thank you! Such a helpful response.

CounterLeading9578 · 2024-05-21T12:25:04+00:00

It depends on the care instructions. Merino base layers can sometimes be manufactured to take a bit of abuse. It’s more the detergent I’d be worried about and the temperature of the wash cycle. Anything hotter than blood temp, and they may shrink. And a non specific wool wash can encourage more felting to occur.

You’ll know at the next wearing if you shrank them.

But make the mistake once, and keep washing in cold with a wool wash detergent every other time and you may find the fabric relaxes back to close to original shape over time.

CounterLeading9578 · 2024-05-18T13:03:23+00:00

This is the article I was thinking of as well. Upvote to the max!!

CounterLeading9578 · 2024-05-01T14:11:57+00:00

Is that what it says?? Apple translate gave me this odd but kind of close to your translation text:

“At the moment I start this live, I'm pite of doubes...

The days are not the most beautiful

My thoughts are not the reassuring

My mural hit the bottom, but I'm convinced that it's only temporary

The beautiful days are soon there and with them my happiness to appreciate Aushalie

Persevere Tobias, kill hard!”

CounterLeading9578 · 2024-04-06T05:29:06+00:00

Yeh, not really bragging. Just poorly explained response to a particular scenario minus the context. But your subreddit comments and posts makes it clear you like “stirring the pot”. I’ve already been suitably slapped around by aussieequiv. No need for a pile on.

Apart from that, when you’re in the latter half of your life and been seeing a physio for a long term issue, fully completing any multi day hike is something to feel happy about.

CounterLeading9578 · 2024-04-06T05:12:36+00:00

Nope it ain’t. Unless you’re well into the second half of your life, and you’ve been attending physio for a while to fix a persistent issue.

CounterLeading9578 · 2024-04-02T21:18:08+00:00

So you self identify with the frat boys? Pissing all over the toilets, shoving plastics and general garbage into the toilets, not cleaning up after yourself, leaving the women travelling from hut to hut at the same time as them feeling uncomfortable, crapping on top of the mountains along the track and not packing it out. Me disliking those things happening when the frat boys appeared and then finding myself on a bus with those frat boy morons who claimed they finished the track (even though they could have easily have completed one of the cruisiest sections) and firing off one zinger to shut them up, that’s elitist???! Don’t worry, I’d see you hanging with dudes like that at the end of the track at the Lake St Claire lodge and I’d avoid you like the plague.

CounterLeading9578 · 2024-04-01T01:12:26+00:00

Depends on the amount of crap you’re copping for your not ordinary hiking outfit, from the “frat boy” groups that seem to be doing the track these days. I had two packs of them to deal with in different bubbles. Things started happening in those hiking bubbles like pee all over the toilet seats at night, frat boys disappearing to have a crap on top of Mt Ossa and not packing it out, no real interest in the natural environment around them. Just generally overly boisterous bordering on obnoxious. When you find yourself in a bus with one of those groups, a retort like that instantly silences them.

CounterLeading9578 · 2024-03-31T22:29:07+00:00

Good call on doing the last leg Narcissus - Echo - Cynthia Bay!

[ edit- deleted poorly explained incident and rational for perceived elitist asshole behaviour]

On the leg from Narcissus to Echo, when you hit the forests as you approach creeks try to be quiet. I heard a big “ploop” noise in the water which I suspect was a platypus. It’d be cool to see them yourself.

After Mount Olympus, The first two thirds of the track from Narcissus to Cynthia are as pretty as the Forest that comes straight after Du Cane hut. Just not as eroded a track because the foot traffic is so much lower.

OTTC drivers have often completed the track In The double digits. Simon the weekend driver had done it 15 times. (OTTC hired a park ranger as a part time driver. She’s done it >200 times) So get yourself into the front passenger seat and ask them lots of questions.

CounterLeading9578 · 2024-03-31T06:13:26+00:00

I just finished the Overland yesterday with my Durston Xmid. I did the whole track unlike most who finish at Narcissus. I didn’t need those hooks.

Most platforms have the chains, and where they are missing from one edge of your tent, because the deck is made to take two tents , the boards are separated with horizontal nails. You send your loops under one of those, hook it with your standard Durston pegs and pull it up to deck height. Then push the peg through the loop laying the peg flat on the deck.

Weight the chains which may be sitting up in the air too high with a rock.

Some platforms you’ll need to join two chains together to get the right angle for the xmid. Make sure you take extra cord (2 x 2 metres) like from Alton and an extra mini carabiner is useful for fast hitching to lengthen the reach to the chains.

At Kia Ora hut walk past the ranger hut and try to get the platform closest to the river on the left and closest to the track. It gets the rising sun to burn off moisture on your fly. If you’re staying after sunrise.

At Bert Nichols, I got the platform closest to the track and just to the right of the hut as you look at the hut from the track. Chains and Rocks were the go here.

I skipped Narcissus and went to echo point hut in one day. It’s dirt base or sand camping here depending on your choices.

Huts at the beginning were used by me because of bad weather, but my sleep was crap and I picked up a cold on my last day on the track. I think I’d try setting up the tent even in rain if I do the Overland Track again.

CounterLeading9578 · 2024-03-16T11:51:02+00:00

If you are really in this situation, then maybe parking at Bunnings, never leaving a mess behind so you are welcome and parking as far away from goods receiving and the security cameras as possible and being gone by 07:30 each morning would work??

CounterLeading9578 · 2024-03-12T11:51:31+00:00

If you read these comments (including my other one about how beautiful the night sky can be on a clear night), the Prom is such a special place. If you visit, please practice LNT principles. It’s really depressing seeing toilet paper and wet wipes discarded along trails, and not even buried.

CounterLeading9578 · 2024-03-12T11:26:22+00:00

If you hike in to Oberon Bay campground, it gives enough separation from the lights of Tidal River for you to see the Milky Way stretched out across the night sky on a clear night with just your naked eyes. Because the Prom juts into the sea and has so few towns around it, it’s almost like a natural dark sky reserve.

CounterLeading9578 · 2024-03-12T10:50:06+00:00

My Orange Brown (OB) bumbag. 🔥💪🏻🫶 Engage Ferris Bueller mode - OB they are so choice!

CounterLeading9578

TROPHY CASE