The secret of the Rainbow

[Franco Darioli]

This is the world premiere of the one and only floating tent.
Henry has now patented the idea so I can safely show you not a lightweight freestanding tent but a “Levitating tent” At the moment I can only say that a device is required for it and it will not be cheap. Some of you will be chosen, only the worthy ones.
Behold the FLOATING TENT !!!

I am standing on a chair to show you that the tent is about one foot off the ground, please notice that in this mode even the beak is freestanding.
In the near future a greater distance from the ground could be possible.
The Rainbow is now zero weight, totally freestanding AND hammock brigade friendly.
Eat your socks
Franco

[Miguel Arboleda]

“Cough. Cough.” Franco, you’re going to have to do better than that! Anyone can see what kind of photo manipulation you did! After all, you’ve already given away that you’re living Down Under. I took the liberty of reverting your picture back to its original orientation:

There. No you can tell that you are using fishing line to hold the corners of the Rainbow to the sod and that those two supposedly “chair” legs you can just barely make out behind the tent floot are really the legs of one of those contraptions that you hang from upside down by your ankles. All you’ve convinced me of is that the Earth really is lighter than the Rainbow!

Franco, you’re not supposed to be having so much fun, especially not on a Sunday in mid-summer. But I have to admit, you’re a consumate salesman. One who goes to controversial lengths to break the levity!

[paul johnson]

many thanks, you two (F. & M.). you have started my day off on a very good note. i’ll be thinking of your two posts off-and-on today. it should keep a smile on my face all day. thanks again.

Franco may be the next David Copperfield (no…not a Dicken’s character,…the magician/illusionist)…or, were you the fella’ who taught Copperfield his craft?

i was thinking how much this lighter-than-air tent might benefit the SUL hiker. you could erect it, afix it to your pack, and have it float along behind you on the trail (assuming it doesn’t catch and hang up on any branches). not only would it NOT count as weight in your pack, but its lighter-than-air aspects would also provide some small modicum of lift offsetting a small amount of wt. in your pack. who says the sub-5lb SUL hiker has to make do with austere sleeping accomodations, now that there is the Darioli modified HS Rainbow available. i just hope that it is not nicknamed the “Hindenberg” – no cooking allowed in this shelter.

[Franco Darioli]

From your comments I gather that you are not true believers. In the grand tradition of Jack and Dan you are both off my list for the “device activated” floating version. No FD version of the Rainbow for you two.
BTW I never did say that it would be lighter on your back, it is only lighter when the device is activated.
Much more useful than the bipod idea.
I am going to bed now and I will take my tent with me.
Franco

[paul johnson]

you’ve broken my heart. i was counting on one.

i’m sorry, “Jack and Dan”??? don’t get the reference.

anyways…

pleasant dreams.

[EndoftheTrail]

Methinks Franco has sniffed in too much seam sealer…

[paul johnson]

BT, good one. this Thread is sure brightening up my day.

[Franco Darioli]

I would like to tell you that I have enjoyed seam sealing the Rainbow. That is what I would like to tell you but it would not be true, as you know by now I only deal with TRUE and PROVEN facts. I spent most of the time sniffing the turp.
( for anyone under the age of 116, don’t do this at home, better if you don’t do it in the park either)
I have to say that after meticulously going over every bit of stitching, twice, I stood back, looked at my handiwork and a little tear came to my eye. Yes I am total crap at it.
Just to ruin a good story, you can hardly see it, just an opaque stripe if you look from the inside out.
I am now afraid to check the new weight.
After having used syringes and sponges, for some strange reason I decided to use a small paint brush ( something like 00 )It works.
It finally occurred to me that the syringe bit is actually a practical joke started by the guys in Utah. (The Todd Bibler mob)
I will not disclose the “floating device” to them either !
I am still upset at your lack of belief.
One day when I am over it, I will post another picture that will settle the argument, then we will see who is going to feel silly.

[paul johnson]

Franco,

as to seam sealing, i would add, do not drive or operate heavy machinery while under the influence of seam sealant. anyone doing so is highly unlikely to pass a field sobriety test if pulled over by the local law enforcement authorities.

>>”The Todd Bibler mob”

good one.
“The Todd Bibler mob” aka “the Scourge of the West” [actually i like their BipodBivy – “this bivy is too big, this bivy is too small, this BipodBivy is just right” – Goldilocks].

[Franco Darioli]

A little surprise for Miguel later on tonight.
PJ , I still use my Bibler Pinon if I expect bad weather with someone else with me. I think that the 3 season rating hurt the Pinon sale , in my opinion (not necessarily correct) it is better (stronger,better vestibules, better breathability) than some other ” 4 season tents”.
Who knows I might end up getting the Double Rainbow as well if I find a young energetic lady that likes camping.

[Miguel Arboleda]

Curioser and curiouser. I have to go to my evening job now, but the anticipation surely will cause me to teach my English students how to say the letter “a” with a strange accent…

[Rick Dreher]

As I look closely at this photo, I think I perhaps spot Franco’s Rainbow passing through the trees in the background.

http://contaxg.com/document.php?id=23765&full=1

Either more Aussie magic or I’m already done with winter.

[Franco Darioli]

Contax G1, 35mmF2 …………….
The G1/G2 lenses are some of the best (combination of sharpness and contrast) ever made.
It really helps having a good photographer taking the shot.

[Rick Dreher]

You’re a man of vast good taste, Franco ;-)

I have a G2 system, which is my favorite photo gear by far. Sadly, it’s been orphaned by the maker, but mine still works! (Let’s hope they keep making film for a couple more decades.)

[Franco Darioli]

Not to sure about Kodak, but Fujifilm are committed to……….film for some time yet. One of our guys was in Japan recently and one of the stores there dedicates more space to film than our total shop area. (film only not film cameras etc.) Go and give a big sloppy kiss to your G2.
Franco

[Mark W Heninger]

Dont’ forget the Czech Fomapan for black/white shooting – its great stuff – old school emulsions. I really like the 100 and even the 400 stuff.

Foma Film

I’m partial to Leica gear, and my M6 will be going for years.

[Miguel Arboleda]

I’ve got the GR1s and love it. I’m thinking of getting the GR Digital, since I just can’t afford to develop so much film, but I still much prefer film (especially the richness and warmth of the colors). Digital has me spending way too much time fiddling with controls, while film is a lot more in my head, using my brain. I also use the Nikon FM2 (my standby for years after my Pentax MX system was stolen), the Nikon D70s (which I also love), and the Nikon 5400 (way too slow). I really miss my old Yashica Twin Reflex… for me photography will always be a top-viewing, ground-glass screen, 120 mm wound up film, and the smell of old leather.

Japan is interesting. Though they have embraced digital with a vengeance, the serious photographers have been much slower to change. It’s the way they do everything here: quality before quantity. You can see it in the way they publish books… even the cheapest pocket books are made of non-acidic paper, well-bound. You never see books yellowing to the point of falling apart. And notebook paper, too, always high quality, with printed lines clear, never broken. Film is the same; people value its advantages and the legacy it has given them. So they don’t just throw it away as if it no longer matters.

For backpacking I still think film makes a lot of sense, especially for long distance hikes where renewing batteries is a major problem. Last year I did a six-day walk of the Yatsugatake range west of Tokyo and halfway my Nikon 5400 ran out of juice, with no way to replenish the batteries. I take way more photos with digital, but spend less time thinking about the composition.

Hard decision, which is better.

[Franco Darioli]

Hard choice, film /digital. For a nifty gadget to recharge the batt. have a look at this
http://www.solio.com/html/index.html
165g
I will be testing one soon.

Just showing off here.
A few years ago I visited the Leica factory, did the “accademy” 5 days. Great experience. Got to try out some of their best lenses, it was at the start of the R8 system launch.

[paul johnson]

glad to see this Thread evolve. y’all continue to have fun here. for my part, in my entire life, i’ve never owned a camera. however, i do admire and very much appreciate beautiful photographs.

[Franco Darioli]

PJ I am not sure about over there, but here it is illigal to have less than three cameras per family.

[paul johnson]

hope i look good in federal pinstripes or day-glo orange jumpsuits.

[Rick Dreher]

If averages are acceptable, I can adopt Paul and several other listers so we can all hit the 3/family requirement.

Nothing’s free–somebody’s got to mow the lawn.

[paul johnson]

let’s see, if i do the math…

…well, anyways, you must have a lot of camera’s to maintain the 3-per standard. BTW, i like mowing the lawn – the hills of my backyard provide some of the best cardio i can get (HR continuously over 170bpm for 45min – of course, the weather is warmer when the lawn needs mowing and some of the HR/bpm is for “heat-dissipation”/cooling purposes and NOT oxygen debt).

[Rick Dreher]

Yup, a LOT of cameras–just ask my spouse =-0

I can testify that my “lawn” areas are flat as the proverbial pancake and barely populated by actual grass much of the year, much to my neighbor’s chagrin I suppose. And yes, it does get toasty here too!

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