Search found 15 matches

by jmrees
30 Jun 2011, 8:03am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Tent repair
Replies: 7
Views: 2154

Re: Tent repair

I bought the McNett Cotol 240 and the McNett seam grip on the internet, reasonable price but ridiculous p and p. They are both on Amazon. Peeled back the failing seam tapes, painted on the Cotol 240 and rubbed off the old adhesive to get clean surfaces (care needed, it's quite strong stuff, started to dissolve the tapes). Spread the seam grip on the seams and the back of the old tape which was still attached at one end but peeled back, left both to cure for 15 mins and then applied the tapes to the seams. Hardened in the garage over night. Didn't bother to use the Cotol 240 as a cure accelerator as not needed. Job done, an old tent given a new lease of life, though I won't find out if those seams are watertight until I take it to Scotland in a few weeks. Thanks for your help.
by jmrees
21 Jun 2011, 1:56pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: That is what I call travelling light!
Replies: 16
Views: 2394

Re: That is what I call travelling light!

Kit rinsed through every night? That works with most things that dry overnight but what about the pad in padded cycling shorts which seem to always take two days to dry, or have you found some quick drying ones?
by jmrees
21 Jun 2011, 1:19pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Electrical gatgetry on tour
Replies: 42
Views: 3669

Re: Electrical gatgetry on tour

I'm going camping for three weeks in the summer, some cycling some walking, and need to keep my smartphone charged. I took up a recommendation from an earlier post and bought one of these battery packs on Amazon: New Trent Extreme Pack IMP1000 11000mAh. When it arrived I charged it up fully and it took about 5 hours. Since then I have only charged my phone from that to see how many charges I can get. i have fully charged my HTC Wildfire from empty to full 6 times so far, and the battery pack is still showing 2 of the 3 LEDs, so there is clearly plenty more charge in it. The phone charges in about the same time it takes from the mains. If I get another 2 charges of the phone off it, I reckon that will get me through three weeks of camping, though I may need to recharge the pack once, certainly not more. It's heavy at 270gm and quite bulky, and also not cheap, but will certainly do the job for me. Comes with mains charger, neat drawstring bag and two adaptors, neat retractable USB cable.
by jmrees
5 Jun 2011, 10:07am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Tent repair
Replies: 7
Views: 2154

Tent repair

I have an old Vango Strata tent. Brilliant tent, very roomy though a bit on the heavy side. I have used it on and off for 10 years now and am distressed to discover that on the front porch inside the heat sealed tapes inside the seams are beginning to peel off. I have seen this happen before and enquired in shops about what to do but usually got a vague reply about how it's all done in yhe factory and you need a new tent. Surely there has to be a nylon adhesive which could be used to stick the tape back where it has come adrift? I have tried seam sealer but that seals but doesn't seem to be adhesive. Any ideas gratefully received.
by jmrees
2 Jun 2011, 11:42am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Tour kit planning
Replies: 39
Views: 3380

Re: Tour kit planning

The larger Trent IMP1000 which I bought recently comes with a mains charger.


There are two listed on Amazon, the New Trent Extreme Pack IMP 1000 and the New Trent iCruiser IMP 1000. Which did you get? The first one doesn't show a mains charger in the photos, the second one does. Grateful for the help.
by jmrees
1 Jun 2011, 4:15pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Tour kit planning
Replies: 39
Views: 3380

Re: Tour kit planning

though do have a msr hubba hubba lined up for when I can.


Could you translate please.
by jmrees
31 May 2011, 5:34pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Tour kit planning
Replies: 39
Views: 3380

Re: Tour kit planning

Hi al-yrpal, I looked at the battery you mention on Amazon. Looks really good and I have read some reviews which testify to how powerful it is. Only problem seems to me it doesn't come with a mains power charger, but needs to be recharged from a computer. How do you get around that? Also if you have it in a plastic bag overnight hooked up to an electric hook up presumably it's outside your tent and therefore just as easy to nick as if it was in the toilets, or am I missing something? Thanks.
by jmrees
31 May 2011, 6:20am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Tour kit planning
Replies: 39
Views: 3380

Re: Tour kit planning

Hi al-yrpal, could you explain what you mean by a small battery for charging your smartphone. I'm going to be camping this summer and I'm on despair about. how to keep it charged. Carrying a caravan hookup seems heavy and paying a nightly charge for an electric hook up seems over the top as well. Thanks.
by jmrees
12 Mar 2011, 1:16pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Sleeping Bag choices
Replies: 24
Views: 3664

Re: Sleeping Bag choices

To Paul Dormer, I have been looking at the Mtn Equipment Zero 350 you mention. A really nice bag but although it looks good for summer I wonder if I took it on a trip in October whether it would do the Job, are you sure this works as a three season bag? I wonder if the zero rating makes it really a two season. What's your experience of using it in colder conditions? Thanks for your help on this.
by jmrees
11 Mar 2011, 5:40am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Sleeping Bag choices
Replies: 24
Views: 3664

Re: Sleeping Bag choices

Thanks Godlykepower. I also am looking for a sleeping bag and have been reading these posts with interest. You mention only going for the big nanes and I can see that that is good advice, but I'm not sure I know the big names. You list a couple but I wonder if you could say what else you have in mind for the "big names"? And any particular retail chains you recommend for them, I'm not really prepared to buy such an important item on the web. Thanks for your help.
by jmrees
14 Feb 2011, 5:24pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Sat nav or Map?
Replies: 57
Views: 5520

Re: Sat nav or Map?

I'm interested to hear about this talk of netbooks as I have recently been thinking of getting one. A few questions: do they really give the battery life they claim to, is there a lot you could do on a normal laptop which you can't do on a netbook, can anyone recommend some of the best they've found so far. They look ideal for touring, but I'd like to think it would be useful at home as well and I wonder if that will be the case.
by jmrees
22 Oct 2010, 9:59pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Seat packs and rack bags
Replies: 11
Views: 1501

Re: Seat packs and rack bags

Thanks Raleigh Steve. I have been reading some dodgy things about the bagman. For example, the screws that hold the rack into the seat rail clamp come loose and the frame gradually creeps out; also you can get the bag out of the quick release easily, but it won't go in, because it's hard to align the QR pins with the leather loops, so that means undoing and redoing the leather loops when putting the bag on the bike. Have you had any of these probs? Or any others?
by jmrees
22 Oct 2010, 6:05pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Seat packs and rack bags
Replies: 11
Views: 1501

Re: Seat packs and rack bags

Thanks Mechanic, I'd be quite interested in buying that off you. If you could put up some pics, that would be good. On another issue, I was talking to a guy in a bike shop today who said that putting a seat post rack on a carbon bike like the Madonne would be risky, could damage the frame, because "it's not what the frame is designed to take". I'm not sure I believe that, but if I did fit one maybe I'd be tempted to change the carbon seat post for an ali one just in case it couldn't take the weight. Any one got any thoughts on that one?
by jmrees
22 Oct 2010, 12:15pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Seat packs and rack bags
Replies: 11
Views: 1501

Re: Seat packs and rack bags

Thanks for the many helpful replies. Meic, I like the sound of a saddlebag but my saddle is a racing saddle and does not have the eyelets to thread the straps on a saddlebag. Is there a way around that? Thanks.
by jmrees
21 Oct 2010, 6:01pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Seat packs and rack bags
Replies: 11
Views: 1501

Seat packs and rack bags

I have a Trek Madonne 4.7 and I would like to start using it for more sedate, long day rides rather than the short fast bursts I used to do. I need a bag to carry my bits and pieces for a whole day out and of course there is no option to fit a rear rack. I'd rather not use a bar bag. I have thought of the Carradice super c saddlepack, but that only takes 8 litres capacity and I could do with a bit more. I'd like to look at seatpost fitted racks, preferably quick release, which could take a top bag, but the Topeak is ridiculously expensive (about £65 with rack and bag?) and the bag that comes with it only takes about 7 litres, a lot of money for a tiny amount of space. I haven't found any other seatpost racks. Any ideas any one?