Rain drizzle tapped on the tent around 4:00 a.m. I slept for another two hours and it had stopped by then. I was happily surprised that the expected downpour didn't arrive. But it was time to go. As I packed up there were a few more small showers and they continued as I walked to Starbucks.
When I got there I ordered my regular dark roast and ice water then nursed them as I worked on the day's blog post. I was waiting for a respectable time to head over to the Super 8, which was just up Cox Street. I figured I'd go around noon. About a half hour before that, the skies opened up...
I was so glad I wasn't still at the camp site and that I had a room for this night.
The rain subsided after the above. So I took the chance to get to the motel. I checked in easily. The manager was a kind Indian woman who seemed quite interested in the project. She didn't have a regular single available, so she gave me a handicapped room. This was fine with me, as it was likely to be very well maintained and on the first floor (even had my own parking space--ha!). Saggy and I walked around the corner to Room 133. Inside, I pulled out all the tent and tarp stuff and hanged it all on the clothes racks to dry.
I was waiting for word on the Gaston Gazette article, but was prepared to wait through the next day too, if necessary, to see it published. In the meantime, I processed pictures and finished my blog post. I took the lull afterwards as an opportunity to watch some cooking shows on PBS and go over notes about new equipment designs I had in mind. It is my intention to develop these ideas when I return to Maine. I know nothing about how to get prototypes fabricated (if anyone has ideas, please let me know). But I do want to share these in case anyone is interested in helping with the development process or would be interested in investing in the venture.
* * * * * * *
AN URBAN CAMPING LINE
Modular Backpack
I've learned quite a bit about what I like and don't like about ol' Saggy the wonder pack. It is called "Saggy" because it droops in back. This is mainly due to the design's emphasis on packing things by layering them out in back. What I'd like to see is more weight and bulk distributed to the sides of the pack. The thing I really like about this pack is its bottom pocket (which runs the whole width of the bottom) because I can fit my whole sleeping bag in there. I have not yet seen another pack that has that feature.
My concept of urban camping consists of wearing a backpack that doesn't look like it has anything to do with hiking or camping. That means all equipment needed should fit inside the pack and its pockets and not look too bulky.
In different situations, alternate configurations of the pack would be done using heavy and wide velcro strip pockets. These pockets would all come included as different sizes and would have a storage place of their own in the pack. The cloth pockets would be taken out of their storage place unfolded and velcroed onto whatever part of the backpack they were needed; with unused ones being unvelcroed, folded and put back into storage. This was the original idea of modular pockets...
I've learned quite a bit about what I like and don't like about ol' Saggy the wonder pack. It is called "Saggy" because it droops in back. This is mainly due to the design's emphasis on packing things by layering them out in back. What I'd like to see is more weight and bulk distributed to the sides of the pack. The thing I really like about this pack is its bottom pocket (which runs the whole width of the bottom) because I can fit my whole sleeping bag in there. I have not yet seen another pack that has that feature.
My concept of urban camping consists of wearing a backpack that doesn't look like it has anything to do with hiking or camping. That means all equipment needed should fit inside the pack and its pockets and not look too bulky.
In different situations, alternate configurations of the pack would be done using heavy and wide velcro strip pockets. These pockets would all come included as different sizes and would have a storage place of their own in the pack. The cloth pockets would be taken out of their storage place unfolded and velcroed onto whatever part of the backpack they were needed; with unused ones being unvelcroed, folded and put back into storage. This was the original idea of modular pockets...
[Suggested ~$100.00]
My Added Features
Various sized, interchangeable pockets
Sleeping bag pocket, slightly bigger than the one I have now
Large, wide zippers on all pockets
Velcro patches on all parts and pockets
A back lift to hold the pack away from the back, allowing ventilation
Large main compartment for clothes, tent and tarps
Tablet/notebook mini-case, detachable to carry separate from the pack
Hard eyeglasses case
Tall enough for tent poles to fit alongside in their own pocket
Wide padded shoulder straps and waist belt
Lightweight aluminum frame support with attachable stool*
All water resistant, with waterproof sleeping bag and laptop components
*Still needs to be designed
Sleeping Bag with Pad
The sleeping bag I have now, a Suisse Sport, is warm down to 18 degrees F and looks exactly like this...
[$40.00]
The idea would be to integrate a self-inflating sleeping pad for snow camping. The best pad that I've seen is this--the Therm-a-Rest...
[$49.99]
I believe that theses two items could essentially be combined and still fit into the bottom of the newly designed pack above. The pad would be in a large velcro-edged pocket of the bottom of the sleeping bag and removable for washing the bag, when necessary.
My Added Features
Light, compact, and warm down to 18 degrees F
Able to sleep directly on winter snow with the pad
Soft enough for rough desert gravel with the pad
Waterproof Tent
I have been so impressed with the North Face Particle 13 tent. Unfortunately, the company discontinued it. I don't want to "reinvent the wheel" when it comes to a tent. I can't imagine a better design than the Particle 13, but some do come close. There have been some "bivy sacks" that are simply glorified sleeping bags, with a pole that lifts the roof off the sleeper. But from reviews, even though they are claimed to be breathable, apparently that isn't the case. Now, after investigating the situation more, it looks like another company has come up with a new tent that appears to be even easier to set up. I like the design...
[$248.95]
My Added Features...
Zippable openings in the rain fly for windows and extra ventilation
Enough waterproofing on the floor to have the tent immersed in six inches of water.
Higher flood sides on the floor
More loops and hooks to hang things inside
Zippable openings in the rain fly for windows and extra ventilation
Enough waterproofing on the floor to have the tent immersed in six inches of water.
Higher flood sides on the floor
More loops and hooks to hang things inside
Bowless Eyeglasses
I noticed after my glasses' bows broke off that I could attach an adjustable cord to the frames and wear the cord comfortably over my ears. This made the glasses much less susceptible to crushing, and the cord held them as tightly on my face as I needed, but also allowed them to be worn around the neck. My glasses also got terribly scratched up, so glass lenses would be a must. A slicker frame design would be good. Here is the idea (simple enough)...
[Suggested ~$100]
My Added Features...
Cord instead of bows
Glass lenses
Sleek design
Collapsible Camera Tripod
Just as my tent poles are aluminum tubes and have an elastic cord running down their middles-- snapping them together into place for full length, I'd like to have a camera tripod with three legs made the same way, but with thinner tubes. The idea would be to pull out the collapsed tripod and give it a shake, allowing the tubes to fall and connect into three legs (max height ~ 40"). Adjusting height would be done by folding in the leg segments where they can be separated. And, it would have a standard camera adapter bolt on top. [Illustration to come.]
[Suggested ~$10.00]
These five are the basics. I have other ideas too (sunglasses lenses that adhere to regular glasses via tiny double stick pads and can be easily removed, shoes with specially made replaceable memory foam insoles, a multitool walking stick, etc...), but am waiting until I can formulate a better explanation of them.
I would make urban camping packages available: (1) backpack, (2) sleeping bag/pad, (3) waterproof tent, (4) cord frame glasses (and/or sunglasses), and (5) other accessories like the collapsible tripod.
The concept would be that a camper buys the backpack already filled with everything needed to camp, except for clothes and small items like toiletries. When I'm able to free up room on my computer drive I will download Sketchup (a CAD program) and get started on the design plans. As indicated above, I'm not interested in developing something that is already on the market. The only thing that I'm positive is not out there yet is the backpack. Therefore, even if items could be bought and combined into an all-in-one package, it would be good enough. I think the entire thing could be sold for about $450. Of course there would be a submarket for replacing accessories that may break or get lost. I will definitely do the new backpack design and try to sell it to a bigger organization I would love to partner with LLBean.
* * * * * * *
By early evening I was ready to begin working again, and got some more writing done before beginning to nod off. Soon after, I took a shower and went to bed.
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