Topic
MYOG: The Incredible Rulk – Rucksack and Pulk Combo
Forum Posting
A Membership is required to post in the forums. Login or become a member to post in the member forums!
Home › Forums › Campfire › Editor’s Roundtable › MYOG: The Incredible Rulk – Rucksack and Pulk Combo
- This topic is empty.
-
AuthorPosts
-
May 5, 2009 at 8:16 pm #1236125
Companion forum thread to:
May 6, 2009 at 1:20 am #1499362I want to see something like this brought to market.
I've done a few traverses in the PNW where the beginning and end are on dozens of kilometres of logging roads, while the rest of the trip is on glaciers or icefields. Half the time I want just a pack, but the other half a pulk would be better.
If the pack was built with the "rulk" in mind, there would be a couple of benefits – by having one side of the pack replaced by the aluminum of the rulk you would eliminate the possibility of snow running along that side, resulting in less drag and wetness.
Rather than using flexible tent poles to pull the rulk, what about a couple of rigid poles, that can then be used to support a pyramid shelter?
A "keel" could help with tracking, and a foldable outrigger could help with stability.
Jorgen, did you ever meet a young man named David Persson? Your stories of service in the Swedish military reminded me of him.
May 6, 2009 at 1:54 am #1499366Jörgen!
Congrats!
I think the Norwegian outdoor brand Norrøna have been working on the same idea. So if they are or have you beat them!I've missed a pulk but have never done anything to realize it. But I have some thoughts:
Use a plastic Paris pulk and cut away the plastic you don't need. I think the plasic will handle deformation better than aluminium ( ok 7075 series AL will probably do the trick, and cost a fortune….), glide well over snow.What do you think?
Anders
May 6, 2009 at 3:13 am #1499371Hum … thinking …
I found it refreshing to have a Version 1.0 MYOG article. Sometimes, just getting SOMEthing started is the hardest part.
Thanks!
Cheers
May 6, 2009 at 6:10 am #1499384I wonder how loud aluminum is to drag on snow/ice versus the paris plastic. I found the plastic irritatingly loud. Bill Fornshell probably has the coolest pulk/pack combo. I did the same with my paris sled on the way out of a trip (carried on back) because I got sick of the noise.
May 6, 2009 at 8:02 am #1499404Jörgen!
Nicely done! yet another project to add to the list.May 6, 2009 at 12:19 pm #1499478Thanks for your kind words. Much appreciated :-)
Some replies:
Yeah, I think that what kinds of poles to use and how to make them serve multiple purposes is an interesting field with quite a few possible permutations.
Some sort of keel or rudder would probably be feasible. Takes some thought: Not to heavy and not too 'murphoid'.
And no, I do not remember any David Persson. But at the time all Swedish guys went through the Army after high school, so the odds are slim.
Cutting away the rear end of an existing pulk is pretty clever. If you could replace the existing poles or use them for a tent you might have something. I don't know how much it would weigh though. I'd like to stay really close to a 1000 grams with a Rulk.
About noise: You would think that aluminium had the potential to be really loud, but I wasn't bothered. Cinching the pack tightly against the metal took away most of the tinny-ness.
If you want a bit more info on the trip itself you'll find it at http://www.fjaderlatt.se/2009/04/along-northern-rails-with-incredible.html. It's in English also, although the site so far isn't, but will be to a higher degree.May 6, 2009 at 1:09 pm #1499493With the ease of this project I forsee v2 and v3 from other readers being a distinct possibility (myself included). A simple set of fins along the rear for tracking and a couple pieces of wire attached from the curved front to the sides to maintain the shape would be easy additions.
May 6, 2009 at 2:52 pm #1499531Great piece Jorgen. For those trips where a pack is best some of the time and a pulk some of the time this is an excellent item. I might have to try and make one!
May 6, 2009 at 10:14 pm #1499614Great Stuff!
Thanks for the article!
If it is of any help, dog mushers have access to special plastic strips which can be bolted onto sled bottoms as low-friction runners.
I really like the simplicity of your design and particularly the harness!
I use a rigid-ABS plastic water pipe to connect the sled to my waist belt—a system I bought at a garage sale, then found a sled at another garage sale. I use mine for hauling groceries when there is too much new snow for winter biking. I don't entirely trust the plastic components out on the land below -25C, where plastics become brittle…
Thanks again!
Paul
Whitehorse
60N 135WMay 6, 2009 at 10:21 pm #1499615Jorgen,
That's very light but efficient. It would be nice to be able to have some shock-corded sectional aluminum poles to haul the Rulk with instead of just rope. Crossing the poles is the best way, I've found. IT gives more control on turns and permits shorter turns. With ropes only turns become a hand-on-the-ropes job.
My plastic JetSled is almost too big for putting on even the large Dana Terraplane pack I use in winter but I may try it next winter.
My ski patrol has an Avalanche II course with an overnighter. I may have to carry the pulk in some steep sections so I better try it out first.Eric
May 7, 2009 at 1:04 am #1499630Really well done, loved the read…..now if it only snowed here :)
May 7, 2009 at 3:40 am #1499643Wow, lots of ideas coming up here. I can add some from the Swedish forum. One is using a fullsized plastic pulk and cutting the rear end of where the pack ends. Another is using childrens skis and some crossbars to build a ski sled.
I had ideas about skipping the aluminum and just dragging a Kevlar bag behind me on the snow. Maybe a combo of this and the kid skis?May 7, 2009 at 11:58 am #1499731Ortlieb x-plorer L works very well if you turn it inside out. It is pack an a pulk.
May 7, 2009 at 3:45 pm #1499809Hi Timo
Blimey! Talk about lateral thinking! MOST interesting!
Cheers
May 7, 2009 at 11:41 pm #1499910.
May 8, 2009 at 12:26 am #1499914Very interesting. How does it wear on different types of snow?
Turning inside out means that you have to repack? So switching from pack to pulk takes a while?Jörgen
May 8, 2009 at 9:28 am #1499993I use this drybag style only one day. It was ortlieb drybag PD 350 and jam2 inside. PD 350 is weakest material what ortlieb have. I get small hole in it but i repair it with spinnakertape.
My friend use X-plorer L for couple times. PD 620 is strongest material what ortlieb have. No problem. No holes.
And yes, it has to be repack when you change pulk to pack. It is not easy when temperature is about -4F (-20C)
(sorry my bad english..)
May 8, 2009 at 3:56 pm #1500075Timo
We understand your comments. Your English is just fine.
Cheers
Apr 1, 2010 at 7:54 am #1593161For this years winter outing I took something that is already on the market, The Paris Pulk, and sawed it off to fit my pack. It worked very well. For more details you can check the link below. Also, I'm interested in hearing if anyone has done anything similar, or made an improved version of the Rulk.
http://www.fjaderlatt.se/2010/04/across-sarek-in-winter-rebooted-rulk.htmlApr 1, 2010 at 11:01 am #1593218In 2007, I bought the Paris Glad-A-Boggan Sled (4 foot version) and carried it attached to my backpack. I hiked in with it as a pulk, but didn't like the noise it made on the snow, so on the way out I carried it on my back (as I had wanted to be able to do if needed).
Why no picture of you carrying the pulk as a rulk? That picture would seem necessary in an article of this type.
Apr 7, 2010 at 4:24 am #1595183Hi John,
You might have gotten the wrong article, there are several on the trip, all titled "Across Sarek in winter- something".
In the article on the following link there is a picture of me carrying the rulk.
http://www.fjaderlatt.se/2010/04/across-sarek-in-winter-rebooted-rulk.htmlJörgen
-
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Forum Posting
A Membership is required to post in the forums. Login or become a member to post in the member forums!
UPDATED August 2024: See our recommendations for lightweight gear at REI »
Our Community Posts are Moderated
Backpacking Light community posts are moderated and here to foster helpful and positive discussions about lightweight backpacking. Please be mindful of our values and boundaries and review our Community Guidelines prior to posting.
Get the Newsletter
Gear Research & Discovery Tools
- Browse our curated Gear Shop
- See the latest Gear Deals and Sales
- Our Recommendations
- Search for Gear on Sale with the Gear Finder
- Used Gear Swap
- Member Gear Reviews and BPL Gear Review Articles
- Browse by Gear Type or Brand.