Jay Ham
Latest
Make Your Own Gear: Tarp Guylines
A clean, simple way to attach guylines to your tarp or shelter
Make Your Own Gear: Aloksak Chest Pocket
You say your SUL pack doesn’t have enough pockets? Using inexpensive materials, add some storage with ultralight appeal.
Make Your Own Gear: Sealing Silnylon Seams
A better way to apply seam sealer, producing a nearly factory perfect look.
Lightweight Backpacking Gear for Kids
A review of commercially-available, lightweight gear suited for - if not made for - backpacking with kids.
Make Your Own Gear: Carbon Fiber Trekking Poles
Complete instructions for making your own SUL carbon trekking poles from fishing, golf, and kite parts.
Black Diamond Mega Light and Mega Bug Pyramid Tent REVIEW
The Mega Light is a solid, well designed pyramid tent, but the weight-conscious should leave the bug liner behind.
MontBell U.L. Thermawrap Action Jacket SPOTLITE REVIEW
A synthetic-fill, full-zip jacket with highly breathable stretch panels and thumb-hole wrist sleeves
Patagonia Lightweight Travel Pack SPOTLITE REVIEW
A lightweight travel/daypack with 3-point compression, pockets, and hydration compatability.
Gregory Iso Backpack SPOTLITE REVIEW
A full-featured and comfortable daypack using lightweight materials to keep the weight down.
MontBell Versalite 20 Backpack SPOTLITE REVIEW
An 11.5 ounce lightweight toploading daypack with top pocket, side panel pockets, and hydration compatability.
MontBell U.L. Alpine Down Hugger #3/#5 SPOTLITE REVIEW
Lightweight 725 fill power down filled sleeping bags with unique draw corded foot section.
MontBell Handy Scoop SPOTLITE REVIEW
A lightweight stainless steel trowel for digging cat holes in hard, rocky ground.
Make Your Own Gear: Five Yards to SuperUltraLight
Part 4, Pack
Complete instructions to construct a 3.1-ounce, 1700-cubic inch pack.
Make Your Own Gear: Five Yards to SuperUltraLight
Part 3, Tarp
Complete instructions to construct a 6-ounce tarp with improved weather protection.
Make Your Own Gear: Five Yards to SuperUltraLight
Part 2, Stuff Sack
Complete instructions to construct a 0.2-ounce stuff sack sized right to compress a SUL tarp (Part 3) into a tidy 4 x 4 x 8 inch bundle.
Make Your Own Gear: Five Yards to SuperUltraLight
Part 1, Introduction
Not for the frail at heart, in this article we dive into making a SUL tarp, pack, and stuff sack out of a single 5-yard piece of spinnaker fabric.
Make Your Own Gear Sewing Primer: Reinforcement Stitches for Lightweight Fabrics
Why standard reinforcement stitches may not be suitable for your lightweight fabric, which ones are, and how to sew them.
Make Your Own Gear Sewing Primer: Sewing Machine Setup
Sewing machine setup instructions with photos, and tips for sewing lightweight fabrics.
Make Your Own Gear Sewing Primer: Straight Stitch and Top Stitch
Instructions on how to properly sew two workhorse stitches.
Make Your Own Gear Sewing Primer: Sewing a Felled Seam
A tarp and tent ridgeline standard thanks to its water impeding fold.
