Seeing as the forum is stagnating a bit with people moaning about not going to IOM and waiting for news on NAVITAC, lets get back to talking basics:
10 kilogrammes including 3 litres in my camel-back bladder. All packed in a Lowe Alpine competition.
I ditched the idea of having a camelbak in my rucksack, as it was too much dead weight. Instead I carry a 750ml bottle the bike, filling up where I need to from steams etc - just add a sachet of high5 and a couple of puritabs and your away ;)
I seem to recall from days in the weekend warriors (Territorial Army) that if getting water from streams, you were advised not to use water purification tablets and drink mixes at the same time as the latter stops the former from working. It was OK to stick the drink mix in after 30 minutes.
anything with vitamin c in will neutralise the iodine/ chlorine you put in to sterilise water. that's what those expensive neutralising tablets are that you put in an hour or two after putting in the chlorine (or half an hour with iodine).
In response to the last, (and yes I know it was humour), myself and my teammate neglected to use purification tablets on the last PC in the Lakes. We both had major bad S**T's for about 1 week afterwards. Crazy notion on reflection, 500 people washing their bikes, clothing and pots in the stream. The PC team could help save people like myself, from myself, by setting out a designated clean area, upstream of the pot-washers?
Bit of a diference between taking water from a crystal clear mountain stream in the middle of nowhere and taking it from the middle of a Polaris campsite! Which is why I have always boiled water at the campsite.
I didn't think I would end up starting such a varied discussion about water purification, especially in a thread about the weight of you rucksack. I must admit I am pretty careful where I fill/ don't fill my bottle, looking for signs like slime on rocks, speed of flow, effluent on the surface, adjacent land-use etc. I chance only to luck that there isn't a dead sheep 100 yards upstream...
I didn't comment at first as I thought you were talking purely about comfort. Do you really think that you gain enough speed to make up for the time wasted in finding a suitable stream, filling water bottles and adding powder? What do the top riders do?
I personally take a 2 litre camelbak when I do the PC.
I take a 750 ml bottle and also a 2 litre
As I have had a long break from all things Polaris, (the training programme is going well, I eventually found my bikes in the back the garage....unfortunately that's it so far) I have been digging out my gear and wondering about it's suitability. A new pack is on the cards but it would be interesting to compare what type of kit people use as opposed to just how much it weighs. I've never gone for the ultimate in light weight, rather using what I had already or what I considered practical. So for those of you who want a bit of a laugh at my retro collection:
This site has a lightweight KIMM list....
As I expected the old 'bak or bottle thing is down to personal preference. I use a bottle on the bike mainly for comfort. In the Blacks last March my pack weighed 20lbs with water in it, and it was too uncomfortable to ride with. When I did the Lakes in autumn, I hardly noticed the weight penalty of placing 750ml of water on my bike, but greatly appreciated a 13lb pack.
Amazing!
And what about the 38g of toilet paper! Don't they use both sides like the rest of us?
Even more Lightweight.....
what you have to do with the toilet paper is poke your finger through the paper, then scrape off the poo with your finger, then pull the toilet paper over the end of your finger thereby wiping your arse with one slice of andrex's finest. it worked in the gulf 10 years ago, i'm sure it'll work now. is this getting away from the point somewhat.......sorry if it is
How light have you managed to get your polaris pack - all up (and legal) including food?
Probably a bit of an anorakie question, but what else are you supposed to do on a wet evening?(answers in a different thread please)
By Falk ( - 172.196.119.4) on Thursday, January 16, 2003 - 10:19 pm:
By IanB ( - 217.158.132.2) on Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 10:42 pm:
By Ferrari T, Trooper, 24864208 name, rank and number if you hadn't guessed! ( - 193.132.31.237) on Monday, January 20, 2003 - 01:39 pm:
OK the technology was lower, the tablets seemed to be nothing more than solid Chlorine (the water certainly tasted that way) and the "energy" drink was lemon or orange flavoured drink mix (quite nice I recall but I don't think "Isotonic" had even been invented then) but I wonder if the same might apply?
The fact that you haven't caught anything yet is most probably testament to the fact that the water in mountain streams is not that bad in the first place. Plenty of properties in mountain areas take their water supply straight from them without any problems.
I'm quite interested in this idea as I'm weighing up whether to return to Polaris on my full suspension bike (only room for one 500ml bottle) or the fully rigid Cannondale (ouch) that at least has room for two 750ml bottles if required. I think I know the answer so it looks like a camelback is required (at least I can use it as a hot water bottle).
As to weighing my kit, no idea but where did I put those bathroom scales?
By ribena spotter ( - 130.209.6.40) on Monday, January 20, 2003 - 06:21 pm:
The colder the water the longer you should leave it with the sterilising tabs in before adding any vit c because it takes longer to kill all the worms and cow crap and stuff (that people wash off their bikes into the streams).
There are 2 solutions to this time lag problem.
1. Stop for a cuppa every 30 mins and boil your water. The extra gas doesn't weigh much!
2. Feel the fear and do it anyway. Risk the water and take the pain 2 days later when you get the shits- the race is over- it doesn't matter. Take some more time off work.
(thread hijack)
By duncan ( - 57.250.229.136) on Tuesday, January 21, 2003 - 11:48 am:
By Tony Ferrari ( - 193.132.31.237) on Tuesday, January 21, 2003 - 03:12 pm:
Basic common sense should dictate that washing bikes etc in the primary water source is a bad idea, but since when did that matter to some people.
Perhaps some signs should be trucked in for the overnight camp:
No washing of bikes, pots or bodies above this point (and definately no peeing)!
By IanB ( - 217.158.180.214) on Tuesday, January 21, 2003 - 07:26 pm:
To get back to the real issue, loosing the camelbak from my rucksack has allowed me to get my pack down to 12.8lbs (5.8kg) including food. The result is much improved comfort, less bulk, faster riding and hopefully more checkpoints. If it isn't on the PC Essential Kit List it doesn't get packed...
By JamesA ( - 192.244.231.102) on Wednesday, January 22, 2003 - 01:12 am:
By Rupert Finn ( - 193.113.37.7) on Wednesday, January 22, 2003 - 09:02 am:
Trying to fill bottles and purify water is not the best idea when you are cycling fast. Best done at the campsite or if the camelbak is empty then once again during the day.
Also I would rather have a couple of kilos of water on my back than a kilo on the bike.
By Jon B ( - 62.64.208.254) on Wednesday, January 22, 2003 - 11:00 am:
Platypus bladder in the bag with about 750 ml
of drink in it. Not filling the bag fully helps it to
pack better whilst the large size also means
you can make less trips for water at the
overnight and have a bigger hot water bottle if
necessary. I use the bottle first and fill up
ASAP, using the 'reserve' backpack fluid until I
find water. Towards the end of the day I just
drink the backpack stuff.
I never bother with puritabs and got sick after
every event for the first couple of years that I
did them, but I don't seem to anymore.
Haven't weighed all my gear togehter recently
but it's pretty light - maybe not as light as John
H's although he does go a bit overboard with
an unecessarily heavy 125 gm stove.
By Tony F ( - 193.132.31.237) on Wednesday, January 22, 2003 - 01:47 pm:
I have a Saunders Jetpacker tent, traditional ridge design with separate flysheet but still pretty light, very small and worth it when split between two for the added protection it affords, mind you not much room in there for two! (didn't matter when I used compete in the mixed category)!
I use a snugpack softie sleeping bag (can't remember the model) but it is small, light and not particularly warm.
For a stove I use a little epigas one that does a passable imitation of a blow torch (I even use it as one at home)! Always take a new gas cylinder as they are so small, so always had a collection of part full ones.
Still using a Freestyle Classic goretex jacket, a freebie from the BMBF (remember them) in 1992 but still going strong.
Overtrousers are a cheap nylon pair I have had for years, because they pack down to virtually nothing, weigh even less and are only there because they have to be. I've only ever worn them at the overnight camp, never when riding.
Used to use a specialised l.e.d. rear light (tiny and only one between two) and the smallest version of the petzl headtorch, but as the headtorch got "borrowed" by a friend, I will most probably go for a "zipka".
"Sliver foil" emergency blanket in lieu of bivvy bag (thankfully still in its bag after 15 years of ownership).
By 5Kg solo target ( - 62.254.64.4) on Wednesday, January 22, 2003 - 07:29 pm:
http://www.collinsr22.fsnet.co.uk/KIMMWeight.htm
... though he seems to have forgotten his sleeping bag!
I've just entered solo for the first time, and by my reckoning anyone carrying much under 5kg (excluding water) on day1 must have some very special gear or a very small appetite.
By IanB ( - 217.158.179.194) on Wednesday, January 22, 2003 - 08:08 pm:
As far as filling the bottle goes, I only stop for a rest when the bottle needs filling, so I don't find myself going out of my way during the event to get my water. The top guys may not do it, but as usual its down to what suits you, or more particularly, me.
By Sarcastic B*rst*rd ( - 193.132.31.237) on Thursday, January 23, 2003 - 05:10 pm:
I've just read the KIMM kit list, I would never have thought of carrying "emergency rats" What do they do? carry a message to the Mountain Rescue like a carrier pidgeon? or are they just a handy form of extra food that saves you the bother of carrying it by running along at your heels?
Does anyone think they could keep up with a bike?
By Beans.... ( - 62.254.64.4) on Thursday, January 23, 2003 - 10:16 pm:
By Filthy, Cheating, Sarcastic B*rst*rd ( - 193.132.31.237) on Friday, January 24, 2003 - 01:02 pm:
Just wash your bum in the stream at the overnight camp and give everybody else the sh*ts.
Come to think of it, that could also be a way of improving your position!
By daz ( - 195.93.50.10) on Friday, January 24, 2003 - 11:39 pm: