Gear Reviews

Ti Tri Caldera

We used the Caldera for cooking both breakfast and dinner at Wilson Prom, for breakfast it was porridge followed by coffee, whilst in the evening it was Cous Cous and coffee. For each meal we heated about a litre of water, which required approximately 35 mls of alcohol using the caldera with an MSR 0.85 litre pot.

However, we also used the Gram Cracker and Esbit Tablets (14 gm) which required 1.5 tablets per meal. When we are able to access the smaller tablets we intend to try these instead.

The total weight of the system (consisting of Ti Caldera, Gram Cracker, alcohol burner and MSR pot) was 180 gm.

Our observation is that it is efficient and user friendly system as well Birgit is impressed by the design, in future we will take a closer a look at the wood burning option, fires are not allowed in Wilsons Promontory NP even in winter


Pacer Poles

I have used the poles for well over 12 months now having previously used Carbon Fibre (CF) poles. Whilst these poles are heavier than CF poles I have always been impressed with their comfort in use in particular the handles which provide a more natural walking position. For walking I find these poles allow me to walk more upright as well providing an easy follow through with the pole.

At first glance it may appear that these poles would be difficult to use as tent poles but this is not the case and we have used them as poles for a Black Diamond Betalight as well as for a variety of tarps.

Final comment whilst there are lighter poles around I prefer to use Pacer Poles.


Montane Terra Pants

I have long been interested in these pants but as it has been difficult to find a pair to try for size I have had to wait until I could visit a "real shop" which happened in Melbourne. Putting these trousers on I was immediately impressed by the comfort level and even more surprised to find that they are sized on the large side so persons considering them may need to go down a size. Things I liked about these trousers were the pockets could be accessed even when hipbelt of pack is closed, the side thigh vents allow for ventilation as well as freedom of movement when climbing, the stretch fabric also aids movement. The fabric of the pants is not designed for winter conditions however, winter at Wilson Prom with temperatures ranging between 5 and 15 degrees C were ideal for these pants. The Montane Terras will now form part of my regular hiking kit for 3 season use.


Silkbody Long Sleeve Crew Neck shirt.

Silkbody clothing is a recent newcomer to the hiking market, these NZ made clothes consist of 72% Silk, 15% cotton and 13% wool. I used this shirt in preference to my normal icebreaker merino wool body layer. I was extremely impressed with the comfort level of the shirt, the non clamminess of the fabric even when damp with perspiration and the lack of odour. The shirt worked perfectly on its own or when combined with the Paramo Valez Smock. This shirt will now form part of the my 3 season hiking kit and I will trial it during winter as part of my 4 season kit.

Fortunately in Melbourne we have found a number of suppliers with a much greater range of silkbody clothing than appears to be currently available in Europe.

Wilsons Promontory

For our European summer holiday we travelled south to Australia to visit family and friends, and yes it is winter in Australia.

We took the opportunity to visit one of our favourite spots Wilson Promontory National Park at the southern tip of the Australian Mainland. The park takes in the southern most point on the mainland and consists of mountains, heath land, swamps and sandy beaches. The Prom as it is affectionately known is a popular tourist destination, especially in summer where up to 200 000 people can be visiting, camping, hiking, sea kayaking, surfing as well as many other sports.

There are many hiking opportunities including a number of circuit walks of varying length and difficulty. We chose to walk the Eastern Circuit walk which takes in Sealers Cove, Refuge Cove and Waterloo Bay. This popular 35 km walk can be completed easily in 2 days, but we decided to take our time and spent a night at each of the 3 campsites on the east coast.

We departed for our first day from the Telegraph Saddle Carpark, heading south along the Lighthouse track, before turning towards Waterloo Bay. The Lighthouse, located on South East Cape is a further 11 km along the track. The undulating foot track to Waterloo Bay is a pleasant walk interspersed with the occasional boardwalks over streams and swampy areas, ultimately the track arrives at Waterloo Bay with its white sandy beach and exquisite turquoise waters. From Waterloo Bay it is a short walk to Little Waterloo Bay, the first of the designated campsites on the east coast.

The following day was another short day to Refuge Cove with the highlight being the climb to Kersops Peak which provides commanding views south to the lighthouse and the conically shaped Rodondo Island as well as to the northern beaches of the prom and further north to Strezlecki Ranges of southern Victoria. Refuge Cove is a cove of 2 coves and is recognised as a safe harbour for boats and yachts in bad weather. We were fortunate to have the entire camping area to ourselves accompanied only by a variety of Australian birds.

The third day saw us walk to Sealers Cove, again a short walk, we were blessed by beautiful sunny weather which provide for excellent views both north and south along the coast. Sealers Cove was once used by whalers and sealers as it provided shelter for their boats as well as ample water for camping. The final day took as through the beautiful rainforests of Sealers Creek, before the climb to the aptly named Windy Saddle, where we were greeted by a Wombat grazing, and finally the Telegraph Saddle car park.

We were fortunate to experience 4 sunny days with crisp cool nights which made for a pleasant trip with outstanding views. We would recommend this walk as ideal for the entire family and if you are able to visit the prom when there are less people around it makes for an even more enjoyable experience.

Our equipment report on the Ti Tri Caldera, Pacer Poles, Montane Terra Pants, Silkbody shirt will follow.

Backpacking Light on the Internet

Backpacking Light on the Internet

Backpackinglight USA site founded by Ryan Jordan, this site with its associated forums, gear shop, gear reviews, publications has in my view become the premier site for information and well researched discussions on the ultra light philosophy. They have often produced new gear that is both lightweight and innovative in design. The forums contain many insightful conversations about the techniques associated with ultra light hiking. It has been fascinating to watch this site grow from one which was very much a USA based site to one that now has forum participants from Europe, Asia Australia and New Zealand.

Backpackinglight UK, this site has developed with a very different focus of podcasts and a shop specialising in light weight gear. Given the different climate and hiking conditions in the UK the site has promoted appropriate gear for lightweight hiking in the UK (and possibly Europe) and as a consequence is seen by many as in the fore front of the lightweight movement in the UK.

Backpackinglight Australia, is located in Melbourne and has been around for a while now and like its namesakes in the other countries is a provider of lightweight gear to bushwalkers, the company has imported such brand names as Integral Designs, GoLite, Montane, Pacer Poles along side of Australian and NZ brands such as Aarn and Gondwana.


It is apparent to us that the advent of these sites and their accompanying stores has led to increase in the use of lightweight techniques in the outdoors which is to be commended and we can recommend each of the online stores on these sites as being reliable providers of high quality ultra light gear.