Philip J. Smith's Blog

Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Hilleberg Tarp 5 Backpacking Tarp Review

It's easy to adapt the 5-sided Tarp 5 to the local environment, using trees as well as stakes to erect unique shelter shapes.

The Hilleberg Tarp 5 is an unconventional, five-sided tarp that weighs 11.3 oz, including guylines and line tensioners. Most backpacking and hammock tarps are four-sided rectangles or six-sided hexagon shapes, so a five-sided tarp is a real departure from the norm. That's not all that sets the Tarp 5 apart. In addition to its unusual shape, it's made with a super-strong, tripled coated silnylon fabric that is three times more waterproof and substantially more tear resistant than most double-wall backpacking tents. The combination makes the Tarp 5 both dependable and unique to use, combining bomber durability, function, and elegance, the qualities that characterize many of Hilleberg's other tents and shelters products.

Specs at a Glance

Weight: 11.3 oz, including guylines and tensioners (11.2 oz actual, tested)
Fabric: 20 D High Tenacity Ripstop Nylon 66
Dimensions: 10′ x 7'3″ (see below)
Number of guy out points: 8, includes guylines, tensioners, and stakes
Sides: 5
Seam sealing: Not required, because there's no center seam
Hydrostatic head: 5000 mm

The five sided Tarp 5 is designed to be used by a single person as part of a complete tarp shelter system that includes a tarp, a waterproof sleeping bag cover or bivy that provides insect and rain-splatter protection (rain bouncing off the ground and under the tarp), and a groundsheet. The tarp's function is to protect you from rain, sun, or wind, while providing a lightweight and well ventilated shelter, that's more intimately connected to your surroundings than say a tent, which walls you off from it. Learning how to set up a tarp to optimize the degree of protection it provides is more difficult than a tent because the ends are open to the elements, whereas most tents can be set up any which-way without regard to their orientation, except in extremely windy conditions.

Tarp Dimensions

Because of its unusual shape, it helps to look at a design spec of Tarp 5 to understand its unique properties and construction. While the Tarp 5 is 10.3 feet long and 7 feet wide, those dimensions are a little misleading because the tarp tapers from front to back and none of the corners is a right angle.

The extra side wings on the Tarp 5 give the occupant more interior space even when the trap is staked to the ground in a storm-proof pitch — The extra side wings on the Tarp 5 give the occupant more interior space and height, even when the tarp is staked to the ground in a storm-proof pitch designed to prevent wind-blown rain spray.

The dashes on the diagram represent the seams of extra material sewn to the sides of the Tarp 5, to give it more width than a rectangular symmetric tarp. You can see the seams and extra panels clearly in the photo above. While they increase the width of the tarp, they also make it possible to increase the interior height of the A-frame style pitch and improve interior livability. You do need to have poles that are long enough to take advantage of the added height, or a tree that you can secure the tarp to.

The nice thing about this design is that Tarp 5 doesn't have a center seam, like most other tarps, so there's no seam sealing required. What about the seams for the extra side panels? I wouldn't bother sealing them. If you're in a howling gale, you'll probably pitch the tarp in an A-frame configuration, with the side panels more vertical than normal, and staked directly to the ground. If they were to leak, they're not going to leak on you, since you'll be under the tarp's center line.

The extra side panels really boost the interior width of the Tarp 5 — The extra side panels really boosts the interior width of the Tarp 5

But the spec diagram obscures an important dimension of this tarp, something that I'd call the "effective length" or "effective rain barrier." In reality, the effective length of the Tarp 5 is more like 7′ 10″, which is the length of the dashed lines, above. For example, if it were blowing rain against the side of the tarp (top of the diagram), you'd have a barrier 7′ 10″ long to hide behind to avoid getting wet. If you're under 6′ in height, that's a manageable length to avoid any rain coming in at the open ends. But it is borderline "short" for a tarp and you might have to rely on your waterproof sleeping bag cover/bivy to carry more of the burden of keeping you dry than the tarp alone. Even more so, if you're taller than 6′.

Learning how to position a tarp to minimize the effect of oncoming weather, together with good campsite selection, can help mitigate the impact of bad weather, but requires experience to learn. That bumps up the skill level required to use this tarp, making it less suitable for beginners. Don't write this tarp off, though. It has other qualities that are unique and highly desirable.

All of the guyout points are reinforced and com ewith pre-installed metal rings, guylines, and tensioners — All of the guyout points are reinforced and come with pre-installed metal rings, guylines, and adjustable tensioners.

Construction

One of the things that sets the Tarp 5 off from other tarps is the quality of its manufacture. At 11.3 oz, this is a pretty lightweight tarp, even though it's made with silnylon. But the silnylon that Hilleberg uses is vastly superior to the silnylon used by other manufacturers. It's triple-coated with a hydrostatic head of 5000 mm. That's over three times more waterproof than most lightweight double wall tents, which have a hydrostatic head of 1200-1500 mm. So you don't have to worry about wind-blown rain being forced through the Tarp 5 fabric.

The same fabric, which Hilleberg calls Kerlon 1000 (read more at Hilleberg.com), also has a high tear strength so you don't have to worry about a microburst blasting through the roof. The same can't be said for a UFO landing top of the tarp, but no one makes a fabric that strong yet. These ultra-durable fabrics are what makes Hilleberg tents so much stronger and wind-worthy than other tents and more expensive. Although the Tarp 5 is quite inexpensive at $160, all things considered.

More details:

All of the guy out points on the Tarp 5 are reinforced and have pre-attached metal rings that fit over most trekking poles tips, including Pacerpole tips. This makes trekking pole pitches super easy to put up.
The Tarp 5 comes with pre-installed reflective guylines and tensioners. The guylines are 6′ long, which is perfect for a wide range of pitching needs. The tensioners are easy to use, but are more oriented to trekking pole pitches using tent stakes. They can still be used to tension the guylines when tied to trees, but you'll want to learn some easy friction knots to anchor the free end. If you don't like the guylines or tensioners, they're easy enough to replace. After using them for a while, I think they're actually the best option for mixed use.
The center guyouts (where the ridgeline would be if the tarp had a center seam) are color coded with red stripes to make them easy to locate when pitching.

The Tarp 5 is great for creating pitches that incorporate organic landscape elements

Organic Pitches

The five-sided shape of the Hilleberg Tarp 5 makes it more amenable for incorporating natural elements, like trees or fallen logs, into a pitch than a four-sided rectangular or catenary cut tarp. The silnylon construction also helps because it has some stretch to it, unlike cuben fiber, which lacks the same elasticity.

While an A-frame pitch is expedient, some people find it really boring. But it can be a lot of fun and an intellectual challenge to create tarp "shapes" that incorporate natural elements. For instance, you can use a fallen log or boulder as an extra side wall to block wind and rain, or as a heat reflector if you've built a fire to help keep you warmer at night. The variations possible are only limited by your imagination and your ability to recognize opportunities in the landscape. It's actually easier to do than it sounds. Experiment.

While there is a degree of symmetry in the Tarp 5, it can be used in a non-symmetrical way, depending on how you orient the guyout points. Having extra long guylines, like those included with the Tarp 5 is also helpful. You'll have wrinkles in your pitch, but that's not such a big deal in protected campsites that are littered with natural elements to block the wind.

Using a tarp breaks down the barrier between you and the outdoors, unlike a tent which insulates you from it

Recommendation

The Hilleberg Tarp 5 is an ultralight backpacking tarp designed for backpackers who want a greater connection to the outdoors than can be experienced with shelters that have walls. Lightweight but "Hilleberg" durable, the Tarp 5 has extra side panels that increase its width and comfort. While the Tarp 5 is an excellent value even if you just want to pitch it using a more conventional A-frame style configuration, its unique 5 sided construction excels when it comes to incorporating natural elements into your tarp set-up like logs or boulders. While more experienced tarp users will love this capability, the Tarp 5 is still suitable for less experienced tarp campers eager to experiment with different set-ups and who wish to increase their campsite selection and backpacking skill set.

Compare 3 Prices

Last updated: 2018-06-05 14:50:44

Hilleberg loaned the author with a tarp for this review, but he has to give it back at some point.

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The post Hilleberg Tarp 5 Backpacking Tarp Review appeared first on Section Hikers Backpacking Blog.

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IndieView with Mike Wehner, author of The Girl Who Can Cook

That is a huge theme in the book. How it's hard to see the people you love for what they are, good or bad. Your wife will probably never recognize your genius because she was in the bathroom with you that time you got food poisoning, the same way you'll never see your best friend as an idiot because you're wired to always take his side.

Mike Wehner – 5 June 2018

The Back Flap

It's been three years since chef Erin shot her boyfriend, John, five times during a domestic dispute. Two years since she was found not guilty on murder charges by way of self-defense. And one year since she opened Essen, a German restaurant in San Francisco's East Bay. You can read all about it in her memoir; there's a copy on the front seat of the car parked in front of Essen. The man in the driver's seat was John's best friend, Alex. He's taken justice into his own hands, what he doesn't know is that soon he'll be inside, using those hands to peel carrots for the girl who can cook.

About the book

What is the book about?

It's a psychological thriller/romantic comedy noir. A man goes to work as a cook in the restaurant of the women who murdered his best friend after she's exonerated by the courts.

I set out to write a simple revenge story, but I've learned that books are rarely about what the author intends—this one is no different.

When did you start writing the book?

Initial outlines started in early 2016 and the novel itself started that summer.

How long did it take you to write it?

The first draft took about two weeks and each subsequent draft was another few weeks of writing. There were long gaps in between. I wrote something like 300,000 words to get an 80,000 word final product, talk about killing your darlings.

Where did you get the idea from?

A real-life friend from college was murdered during a domestic dispute. My friends were were eager for his murderer to get what she deserved (she did). In the aftermath of the shooting I began to wonder how I would feel if she went unpunished. The real person who was murdered was a sweetheart, a really fantastic human being, so I also wondered how strongly I would feel if he wasn't so nice. Would that tribal instinct to protect your own override reason? Can you see someone for what they are when you love them?

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

Yes and yes and yes. I struggled a great deal with pacing and fitting the epistolary elements of the story in the right spots. This is a split narrative. The main story comprises seventy percent of the text while the rest is filled with journal entries and excerpts from a fictitious memoir that plays a key role in the story. I can't believe how stupid (or arrogant?) I was to think this was a simple idea and an ideal candidate for a debut novel. I eventually got it all together by making a graph of Fibonacci spirals and overlapping them according to numbers that appeared in each section. That sounds really convoluted but it was just a method of outlining for nerds. The main character used to be an engineer so I based all the numbers in the book on the Fibonacci sequence, so the book has an unusual emotional arch for a psychological thriller.

What came easily?

Tone and diction. I knew exactly how I wanted the story to sound, if that makes sense. Voice is the only part of writing that comes easily to me.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

Since this book was inspired by an actual tragedy I went out of my way to make sure none of the characters resembled anyone I knew. I didn't want anyone to think I was retelling it or trying to somehow profit on the death of a friend.

Looking back, all of the characters are actually some aspect of my personality. The main character is a guy who abandoned his fancy engineering job to rediscover his life through art. Writing this very response I just realized the extent to which this book is about me. I'm blowing my own mind, lol.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

This is a complicated question. I don't know that any modern author influences my actual prose but so many authors, writers and storytellers have had a profound impact on the way I think and experience the world. Aldous Huxley was the first person to tell me that magic was real when I was fourteen. George Carlin taught me to question everything. Jack Kerouac to live the stories I want to tell. Joseph Campbell, Carl Jung, Mike Mignola, Ken Kesey, Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, Chris Cornell, Franz Kafka, Kurt Vonnegut, Shel Silverstein and so, so, so many others influence me all day, every day. These are my heroes, my uncles, my psychologists, my friends, my adversaries, my teachers, my shepherds, my mentors, my role models.

Do you have a target reader?

Based on beta reading this book has been best received by adults 22-49. I'd never intentionally put an ideology into a work but many of the readers commented that it had feminist themes. There's a really powerful female lead character and I certainly believe in equality but it isn't intentionally feminist, it is what it is. If girls like it a bit more because they get to see a chick kick some ass, fantastic.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

My process is to not engage with the so called "war of art." I write from 9 p.m. to midnight, Monday through Friday. No exceptions. Fiction, essays, blogs, whatever. I may write at other times but this is when it's compulsory.

If I am having trouble getting words out then I write "Shellies." That's the word I use for grown up versions of Shel Silverstein poems. I was obsessed with Where the Sidewalk Ends when I was a kid, so much so that my grade school librarian gave me the school's copy. I scribble out one or two or ten poems and maybe do an illustration or two and then I get back to it.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

I outline at the outset so I feel like I am getting something accomplished. I know I'm going to ignore it, but I do it because it's a way to avoid doing the real work (for me). I'll outline a haiku if it means I can put off doing the hard stuff.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you've finished?

I discarded a Fellowship of the Ring's worth of material editing this book. I finished a draft and then edited. This book was edited four times. It'll be nice to go dumpster diving for snappy dialogue one day in all that refuse.

Did you hire a professional editor?

No, I'm a madman. I did everything myself (don't do this). I wouldn't know how to hire an editor unless I've edited a book. The same with anything else in life. I'm one of those really odd, self-learning people. It's unbearable for me to hire someone to do something I don't know anything about. It's not that I want to know, it's that I have to know. I did it all. Editing, cover design, book layout, typesetting, eBook design. I even made my own imprint, who knows what I will do with that. It's not that I'm arrogant or feel I can do it better than someone else, it's that the world is so incredibly fascinating to me and filled with a million different sandwiches—I want to eat them all. Oh, I'm in the process of reading and producing the audiobook too. I'm not kidding, I'm nuts.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

If I'm writing fiction I need silence, but for essays or other creative pursuits like illustration I like the baroque guys, Vivaldi or someone like that. I've been playing the guitar since I was a little kid, I can't have music on that I like, I get distracted.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

I spent about nine months querying. First to agents then to publishers once I found representation.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

It was a particular event, well two. I received two offers for this manuscript and I turned them both down. I'll elaborate.

The first was a small, hybrid publishing house and I didn't see how they offered anything beyond what I was capable myself. I was able to parlay this into representation and after six months or so of querying in earnest I got an offer from an established house. I was really excited until I read the terms. It wasn't an especially bad deal, from what I understand it was the exact same deal offered to most new authors. Maybe I understand the math of it a bit better than the average creative-type human. Simply put: it's wildly unfair.

Mainstream publishing is too risk averse in their handling of new authors. They invest very little and in the unlikely event that author does hit, they make a windfall. It's not about what you deserve or the merit of your work, it's about what you can negotiate. It's about metrics, twitter followers, visibility. The intersection of business and art will always be an ugly place but the entryway is by far the worst. I truly believe in the book I've written, so for now I am going to go at it alone and see if I can find an audience. I'm not ruling out the mainstream but I'm not in a great place to negotiate what I think is fair, so until I am I'll be over here.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

I did it. I work as an illustrator, I have a drawing tablet and an art studio. The cover I ended up using isn't what I intended. The girl is actually my wife. I took a photo for reference because I was going to do an ink drawing or a painting or something. I imported it into Photoshop and farted around for 45 minutes and knew I had the cover. Happy accident.

This is a psychological thriller but it isn't all doom and gloom, it's quite funny. The first reference that comes to mind is that great Colin Ferrell movie In Bruges. That movie is about him killing a little boy but it's incredibly comic too. I wanted the cover to reflect that. A good deal of the plot is hidden around in there and it shows there's going to be food but it isn't too bleak. A black and white and blood red ink drawing is going to be bleak, so I'm glad I didn't go that route.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

I don't know anything about what works in book marketing. There are endless blog posts and $.99 eBooks but at the end of the day I put the majority of my effort into writing a great book. A book that twisted trope and convention and had something to say. Hopefully I've succeeded there. As for marketing that, I am going to try and win people over with sincerity.

No author sells their book, other people sell your book.

I don't have much of a base audience or email list to work with so to grow that and let people really get to know me I'm launching a podcast in May called "Interesting Sh!t with Mike Wehner." Each week I write an essay and then I riff on that theme for the podcast, it's a one-man show. It's lighthearted but filled with, uh, interesting sh!t. It's a way to keep content pumping into the world in a healthy way and not spamming away on twitter or writing the zillionth article on why adverbs and the passive tense make for bad writing.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

You are going to die one day, but that ole' axiom is wrong. Life isn't too short. Not if you start right now. Live as passionately as you write and write as passionately as you learn.

Anyone can kick a crappy book with a garbage cover and terrible prose out into the ether of Amazon. It takes a real champion to go at it alone and make something great, something indistinguishable from a professionally published book. Like the infamous sign coming out of the locker room at Notre Dame, "Play like a champion today."

About You

Where did you grow up?

Northwest Indiana, the region as they like to call it. A few miles from the worst stretch of Lake Michigan imaginable, the part lined with steel mills, ports and other assorted sludge factories.

Where do you live now?

Bloomington, Indiana. Home of the IU Hoosiers and some of the best and worst Chinese food on planet earth.

What would you like readers to know about you?

I'm a low-rent polymath in the age of specialization. The truth is that I'm not truly great at anything but I do a little bit of everything.

End of Interview:

For more from Mike, visit his website and follow him on Twitter.

Get your copy of The Girl Who Can Cook from Amazon US or Amazon UK.

from The IndieView https://ift.tt/2JvExhb

IndieView with Mike Wehner, author of The Girl Who Can Cook

That is a huge theme in the book. How it’s hard to see the people you love for what they are, good or bad. Your wife will probably never recognize your genius because she was in the bathroom with you that time you got food poisoning, the same way you’ll never see your best friend as an idiot because you’re wired to always take his side.

Mike Wehner – 5 June 2018

The Back Flap

It’s been three years since chef Erin shot her boyfriend, John, five times during a domestic dispute. Two years since she was found not guilty on murder charges by way of self-defense. And one year since she opened Essen, a German restaurant in San Francisco’s East Bay. You can read all about it in her memoir; there’s a copy on the front seat of the car parked in front of Essen. The man in the driver’s seat was John’s best friend, Alex. He’s taken justice into his own hands, what he doesn’t know is that soon he’ll be inside, using those hands to peel carrots for the girl who can cook.

About the book

What is the book about?

It’s a psychological thriller/romantic comedy noir. A man goes to work as a cook in the restaurant of the women who murdered his best friend after she’s exonerated by the courts.

I set out to write a simple revenge story, but I’ve learned that books are rarely about what the author intends—this one is no different.

When did you start writing the book?

Initial outlines started in early 2016 and the novel itself started that summer.

How long did it take you to write it?

Where did you get the idea from?

A real-life friend from college was murdered during a domestic dispute. My friends were were eager for his murderer to get what she deserved (she did). In the aftermath of the shooting I began to wonder how I would feel if she went unpunished. The real person who was murdered was a sweetheart, a really fantastic human being, so I also wondered how strongly I would feel if he wasn’t so nice. Would that tribal instinct to protect your own override reason? Can you see someone for what they are when you love them?

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

Yes and yes and yes. I struggled a great deal with pacing and fitting the epistolary elements of the story in the right spots. This is a split narrative. The main story comprises seventy percent of the text while the rest is filled with journal entries and excerpts from a fictitious memoir that plays a key role in the story. I can’t believe how stupid (or arrogant?) I was to think this was a simple idea and an ideal candidate for a debut novel. I eventually got it all together by making a graph of Fibonacci spirals and overlapping them according to numbers that appeared in each section. That sounds really convoluted but it was just a method of outlining for nerds. The main character used to be an engineer so I based all the numbers in the book on the Fibonacci sequence, so the book has an unusual emotional arch for a psychological thriller.

What came easily?

Tone and diction. I knew exactly how I wanted the story to sound, if that makes sense. Voice is the only part of writing that comes easily to me.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

Since this book was inspired by an actual tragedy I went out of my way to make sure none of the characters resembled anyone I knew. I didn’t want anyone to think I was retelling it or trying to somehow profit on the death of a friend.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

This is a complicated question. I don’t know that any modern author influences my actual prose but so many authors, writers and storytellers have had a profound impact on the way I think and experience the world. Aldous Huxley was the first person to tell me that magic was real when I was fourteen. George Carlin taught me to question everything. Jack Kerouac to live the stories I want to tell. Joseph Campbell, Carl Jung, Mike Mignola, Ken Kesey, Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, Chris Cornell, Franz Kafka, Kurt Vonnegut, Shel Silverstein and so, so, so many others influence me all day, every day. These are my heroes, my uncles, my psychologists, my friends, my adversaries, my teachers, my shepherds, my mentors, my role models.

Do you have a target reader?

Based on beta reading this book has been best received by adults 22-49. I’d never intentionally put an ideology into a work but many of the readers commented that it had feminist themes. There’s a really powerful female lead character and I certainly believe in equality but it isn’t intentionally feminist, it is what it is. If girls like it a bit more because they get to see a chick kick some ass, fantastic.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

My process is to not engage with the so called “war of art.” I write from 9 p.m. to midnight, Monday through Friday. No exceptions. Fiction, essays, blogs, whatever. I may write at other times but this is when it’s compulsory.

If I am having trouble getting words out then I write “Shellies.” That’s the word I use for grown up versions of Shel Silverstein poems. I was obsessed with Where the Sidewalk Ends when I was a kid, so much so that my grade school librarian gave me the school’s copy. I scribble out one or two or ten poems and maybe do an illustration or two and then I get back to it.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

I outline at the outset so I feel like I am getting something accomplished. I know I’m going to ignore it, but I do it because it’s a way to avoid doing the real work (for me). I’ll outline a haiku if it means I can put off doing the hard stuff.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

I discarded a Fellowship of the Ring’s worth of material editing this book. I finished a draft and then edited. This book was edited four times. It’ll be nice to go dumpster diving for snappy dialogue one day in all that refuse.

Did you hire a professional editor?

No, I’m a madman. I did everything myself (don’t do this). I wouldn’t know how to hire an editor unless I’ve edited a book. The same with anything else in life. I’m one of those really odd, self-learning people. It’s unbearable for me to hire someone to do something I don’t know anything about. It’s not that I want to know, it’s that I have to know. I did it all. Editing, cover design, book layout, typesetting, eBook design. I even made my own imprint, who knows what I will do with that. It’s not that I’m arrogant or feel I can do it better than someone else, it’s that the world is so incredibly fascinating to me and filled with a million different sandwiches—I want to eat them all. Oh, I’m in the process of reading and producing the audiobook too. I’m not kidding, I’m nuts.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

If I’m writing fiction I need silence, but for essays or other creative pursuits like illustration I like the baroque guys, Vivaldi or someone like that. I’ve been playing the guitar since I was a little kid, I can’t have music on that I like, I get distracted.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

I spent about nine months querying. First to agents then to publishers once I found representation.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

It was a particular event, well two. I received two offers for this manuscript and I turned them both down. I’ll elaborate.

The first was a small, hybrid publishing house and I didn’t see how they offered anything beyond what I was capable myself. I was able to parlay this into representation and after six months or so of querying in earnest I got an offer from an established house. I was really excited until I read the terms. It wasn’t an especially bad deal, from what I understand it was the exact same deal offered to most new authors. Maybe I understand the math of it a bit better than the average creative-type human. Simply put: it’s wildly unfair.

Mainstream publishing is too risk averse in their handling of new authors. They invest very little and in the unlikely event that author does hit, they make a windfall. It’s not about what you deserve or the merit of your work, it’s about what you can negotiate. It’s about metrics, twitter followers, visibility. The intersection of business and art will always be an ugly place but the entryway is by far the worst. I truly believe in the book I’ve written, so for now I am going to go at it alone and see if I can find an audience. I’m not ruling out the mainstream but I’m not in a great place to negotiate what I think is fair, so until I am I’ll be over here.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

I did it. I work as an illustrator, I have a drawing tablet and an art studio. The cover I ended up using isn’t what I intended. The girl is actually my wife. I took a photo for reference because I was going to do an ink drawing or a painting or something. I imported it into Photoshop and farted around for 45 minutes and knew I had the cover. Happy accident.

This is a psychological thriller but it isn’t all doom and gloom, it’s quite funny. The first reference that comes to mind is that great Colin Ferrell movie In Bruges. That movie is about him killing a little boy but it’s incredibly comic too. I wanted the cover to reflect that. A good deal of the plot is hidden around in there and it shows there’s going to be food but it isn’t too bleak. A black and white and blood red ink drawing is going to be bleak, so I’m glad I didn’t go that route.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

I don’t know anything about what works in book marketing. There are endless blog posts and $.99 eBooks but at the end of the day I put the majority of my effort into writing a great book. A book that twisted trope and convention and had something to say. Hopefully I’ve succeeded there. As for marketing that, I am going to try and win people over with sincerity.

No author sells their book, other people sell your book.

I don’t have much of a base audience or email list to work with so to grow that and let people really get to know me I’m launching a podcast in May called “Interesting Sh!t with Mike Wehner.” Each week I write an essay and then I riff on that theme for the podcast, it’s a one-man show. It’s lighthearted but filled with, uh, interesting sh!t. It’s a way to keep content pumping into the world in a healthy way and not spamming away on twitter or writing the zillionth article on why adverbs and the passive tense make for bad writing.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

You are going to die one day, but that ole’ axiom is wrong. Life isn’t too short. Not if you start right now. Live as passionately as you write and write as passionately as you learn.

About You

Where did you grow up?

Northwest Indiana, the region as they like to call it. A few miles from the worst stretch of Lake Michigan imaginable, the part lined with steel mills, ports and other assorted sludge factories.

Where do you live now?

Bloomington, Indiana. Home of the IU Hoosiers and some of the best and worst Chinese food on planet earth.

What would you like readers to know about you?

I’m a low-rent polymath in the age of specialization. The truth is that I’m not truly great at anything but I do a little bit of everything.

End of Interview:

For more from Mike, visit his website and follow him on Twitter.

Get your copy of The Girl Who Can Cook from Amazon US or Amazon UK.

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Monday, June 4, 2018

Platypus Platy Water Bottle Review

I've been using Platypus Platy Water Bottles since 2009 for bulk water storage, filtration, and purification because they're so reliable and durable. I use a 2L Platy Bottle on almost every day hike or backpacking trip I take, so it gets a lot of use and abuse, and comes back for more, time and again.

Platy Water Bottles have a lot of benefits. They're:

Transparent – so you can see how much water you have left and how silty it is *before* you choke your filter on it
Lightweight – a 70 oz/2 liter Platy only weighs 1.3 oz. That's less than 2 x one-quart soda bottles.
Foldable – so you can roll them up and tuck them away when not needed
Measurable – with permanent markings in fluid ounces and liters, so you can tell how much water you have
Self-standing – with a gusseted bottom, which is handy when cooking or around camp
Hangable – with reinforced areas in the bottom that you can punch out and run cord through (or hydration pocket dowels)
Sawyer Compatible (see below)- with Sawyer water filters and a good replacement for Sawyer Squeeze bottles
BPA Free – Safe to store water and drink from
Taste-Free – Polyethylene lining doesn't retain flavors
Bomber Durable – my last Platy Water Bottle lasted for 8 years of near constant use

Platypus bottle rolls up compactly when not needed and makes a good back end water bag for a Sawyer Filter — Platypus bottles roll up compactly when not needed and make a good back-end water bag for a Sawyer Filter

Sawyer Water Filter Compatibility

I mostly use my Platy as the backend "dirty-water bag" for a Sawyer Squeeze Filter when I want to filter water on the move. People say that Sawyer Filters (the squeeze, mini, and new micro) and Platy Bottles aren't compatible, but I've been using them together since 2011. I simply wrap the threaded Platy spout with a little white plumbers tape to ensure a drip-free seal between the filter and the reservoir and it works perfectly like that. It's a no brainer. There's really no reason not to use these two great products together. Try it if you don't believe me.

Wrap plumbers tape around hydration reservoir threads to get a tight connection

When not in use, I roll my Platy up and stuff it into the front stretch pocket of my pack along with my wet water filter so they don't get the rest of my gear wet. The other times I use the Platy are when I need extra storage capacity to get through dry water areas or if I want to batch purify a large amount of water with Aquamira Chlorine Dioxide drops. This has the added benefit of sterilizing the inside of the Platy bottle with chlorinated water so I can pour it into my cook pot without filtering it or pack the Platy away between trips without having to wash it out.

I never put flavored drinks into my Platy, although they are polyethylene lined and don't retain odors. I rarely bother washing them between my frequent trips because my water filter will remove any bacterial contaminants or a dose of Aquamira will kill them off.

Caveats

Some people find it difficult to refill soft water bottles, especially those with narrow pour spouts like the Platy Water Bottle. It's pretty easy if you have running water available, like in a stream. You just need to find a small "drop" like a cascade, water rushing around a rock, or even over a stick, and put the spout in front of it. Gravity will force the water into the bottle. If you only have still water available, like from a pond or water tank, you will need some kind of scoop to collect and pour the water into the Platypus, but it can be as simple as a cook pot or a snack bag.

You also need to be careful not to lose the cap of your Platy Water Bottle when you refill it or mate it with a water filter. I'm meticulous about keeping track of it and have only lost one once, after a 2 week backpacking trip, when it didn't matter so much. But I wish Platypus would come out with a cap keeper that keeps the two together, like Evernew does. That's really the only thing I'd wished changed about these bottles, but it's not a showstopper for me because I've developed habits to compensate for it. (I used to carry a spare cap in my first aid kit, but don't bother anymore.)

Recommendation

While Platy Water Bottles have myriad benefits, the thing I like the most about them is their dependability. They last and last no matter how many times you bend them, drop them, and roll them up. What other piece of backpacking gear costs so little and lasts so long?

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Last updated: 2018-06-04 17:14:53

The author purchased this product.

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Sunday, June 3, 2018

Ultimate Direction FK Bivy Review

The Ultimate Direction FK Bivy is a bug-proof bivy sack designed to be used under a tarp shelter. It has a self-standing hood with two flexible wire-rods to keep the mosquito netting off your face, backed by solid fabric panels that can be rolled down for added wind protection and warmth. But the FK Bivy is very cramped inside and a lot less comfortable than it sounds. It's also quite fragile and surprisingly easy to damage, even with light use. I'd give this one a pass.

Specs at a Glance

Weight: 6.6 oz (8.2 oz, actual tested)
- Bivy sack – 7.1 oz
- 2 wire poles – 1.1 oz
Size: Regular
7D Nylon Micro-ripstop, light Cire (this means "shiny"), with PU kiss-coat
20D Nylon Ripstop, calendarized, with Silicone outer and PU inner face
- Base is not seam-taped
- No stake-out loops
Length: 82 in /208.3 cm (72 in, actual tested)
Width: 23″ wide at torso, tapering to 16″ at feet

There are two kinds of bivy sacks:

Fully waterproof and bug-proof, minimalist shelters like the Outdoor Research Advanced Bivy or the Rab Ridge Raider, that can be used in three or four season weather, instead of a tent and footprint.
Sleeping bag covers that provide wind, splash-back, and insect protection, but must be used together with a waterproof tarp, and often with a thin plastic sheet for moisture protection from the ground.

The FK Bivy is designed as a sleeping bag cover to be used together with a tarp

The Ultimate Direction FK Bivy falls squarely into the sleeping bag cover category, because it's not sufficiently waterproof to be used alone in rain. Its main function is to provide warmth by blocking convective heat loss from the wind, deflect any rain that might splash back under your tarp, and insect protection. That said, you could also use it as a standalone shelter for wind and bug protection, if rain isn't an issue.

The hood is held up by two wires. Note top snap, to hold wire in place.

Entry and Exit

The first question you want to ask about a bivy sack, is how easy is it to get in and out. Because if you're like most people, you need to get up to pee at night, especially if you've been drinking water all day.

The only way to get in and out of the FK Bivy is through the hood, which I cover in more detail below. You need to slide into it feet first and somehow scootch yourself out at night to stand up, which is awkward and annoying. This product would be so much better with a side zipper, to make the process of getting in and out of the bivy easier and intuitive.

Interior Volume/Space

I've owned a couple of bivy sacks and the FK Bivy is the tightest and most claustrophobic one I've ever used. The biggest issue is the amount of space available in the area below the hood, from your upper torso to your feet. For example, there's barely enough space for me to lie on my back, on a 2.5 " Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite sleeping pad in a 40 degree Feathered Friends hoodless sleeping bag. It's so tight, I can't pull up or adjust the zipper of my bag to reduce or increase my warmth. There's simply not enough room to move. However, there is a marked improvement in interior space if I switch to a thinner 1″ thick Therm-a-Rest Prolite sleeping pad, but forget about using this bivy sack with a thick pad and/or a puffy cold weather sleeping bag. It's just too cramped.

The only way to enter and exit the FK bivy is through the hood

The FK bivy also has a sleeping pad sleeve to hold your pad in place, but it still slides around because the strap is wider (22″) than a 20″ pad and the interior floor of the bivy is very slippery. If you don't mind the extra weight, it's best to use the FK bivy with a full length 72″ long mummy sleeping pad, so it can't slide as far down and away from you, and because the bivy sack is tapered at the feet.

Finally, there's the issue of length. Ultimate Direction specs a size regular FK Bivy at 82″ in length. It's just not so. The one they sent me to review is 72″ long and weighs almost 25% more than spec.

The Hood

The FK Bivy's hood is one of its distinguishing feature. While a self-standing hood is a nice luxury, it's seldom necessary if you're using a bivy sack with a tarp, because you can tie the mesh to a tent pole or prop it up from the inside to suspend it over your face.

The exterior of the FK Bivy's hood is bug proof mesh. Additionally there's a solid pice of fabric that you can zip down over the mesh to block wind or dust from coming through it. When not in use, the solid fabric can be tied back, although it has a tendency to fall back down.

The hood is held up by two wire rods which are looped together for transport

The hood is held up by two flexible wire rods that slip into four sleeves in the hood. Once inserted the rod is held in place with a small strip of fabric with snaps, that loops over the rod and snaps back into itself, holding the rod in place. The rods are also tipped with plastic caps to prevent them from cutting through the base of the sleeves.

Unfortunately, the hood is fragile. If you tug too hard on a snap, it tears out of the fabric strip, making it impossible to keep the rod inserted. Further, when one of the end caps falls off the rod, it slices right through the base of the sleeve, again rendering the hood area useless. These are serious durability flaws, inflicted just after a few nights of use, so I'd caution you against putting too much faith in this product.

Assessment

While it's exciting to see a mainstream company developing ultralight gear for trail runners and fast packers, the Ultimate Direction FK Bivy isn't ready for prime time. It's too small, too difficult to use, and falls apart after light use. Reinventing the wheel is all fine and good, but this product is a flat.

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Last updated: 2018-06-03 18:57:36

Ultimate direction provided the author with this product for review.

The post Ultimate Direction FK Bivy Review appeared first on Section Hikers Backpacking Blog.

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Friday, June 1, 2018

IndieView with Linda I. Meyers, author of The Tell

If it's going well, I don't want to stop—I can edit later, but if I'm struggling, then I keep retracing my steps until I find my direction.

Linda I. Meyers – 1 June 2018

The Back Flap

Linda I. Meyers was twenty-eight and the mother of three little boys when her mother, after a lifetime of threats, killed herself. Staggered by conflicting feelings of relief and remorse, Linda believed that the best way to give meaning to her mother's death was to make changes to her own life. Bolstered by the women's movement of the seventies, she left her marriage, went to college, started a successful family acting business, and established a fulfilling career. Written with irony and humor and sprinkled with Yiddish, The Tell is one woman's inspirational story of before and after, and ultimately of emancipation and purpose.

About the book

What is the book about?

The Tell is the story of before and after my mother's suicide and how her death changed my life. It visits Jewish Brooklyn in the '30s, bungalow colonies in the '50s and the women's movement in the '70s. It tells the story of how, after her suicide, I left my husband, began college and started a family acting business. It is a story of emancipation and purpose.

When did you start writing the book?

I started writing the book after my husband died in 2007.

How long did it take you to write it?

About nine years.

Where did you get the idea from?

It is a memoir. I wish I'd known more about my parent's and grandparent's lives. I wanted to provide that for my grandchildren.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

It was hard to about my difficult marriage to my children's father. I struggled with how to tell the truth as I lived it from the truth as they imagined it.

What came easily?

Surprisingly, and for reasons I don't fully understand, it was easy to write the chapter of my mother's suicide.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

Jo Ann Beard's Boys of My Youth was an honest exposition that modeled the use of the compilation of personal essays into memoir.

Do you have a target reader?

Women who have overcome tragedy. Women who are interested in the women's movement of the '70s and women who appreciate that coming of age takes a lifetime.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

I begin by reading memoirs. It is other author's stories that trigger an idea that gets me off the couch and to my desk.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

I don't outline. When the writing is going well, it is dictated by my unconscious.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you've finished?

It depends if I'm in the flow. If it's going well, I don't want to stop—I can edit later, but if I'm struggling, then I keep retracing my steps until I find my direction.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

Bach and Rachmaninoff.

About Publishing

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

I decided to go with SheWritesPress, a hybrid press, because I wanted professional guidance and a quick publication. I did not want the book to be in publication as long as it was in gestation. I wanted to see it in print.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

It was done by SheWritesPress. I think they did a beautiful job.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

I have hired JKS Communications as my publicist.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

I would definitely recommend a hybrid press.

About You

Where did you grow up?

Brooklyn

Where do you live now?

NYC

What would you like readers to know about you?

That I'm having a very exciting third act.

What are you working on now?

After the promotion of The Tell is over I would like to write a memoir about the years I was stalked by a former patient.

End of Interview:

For more from Linda visit her website or like her Facebook page.

Get your copy of The Tell from Amazon US or Amazon UK.

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IndieView with Linda I. Meyers, author of The Tell

If it’s going well, I don’t want to stop—I can edit later, but if I’m struggling, then I keep retracing my steps until I find my direction.

Linda I. Meyers – 1 June 2018

The Back Flap

Linda I. Meyers was twenty-eight and the mother of three little boys when her mother, after a lifetime of threats, killed herself. Staggered by conflicting feelings of relief and remorse, Linda believed that the best way to give meaning to her mother’s death was to make changes to her own life. Bolstered by the women’s movement of the seventies, she left her marriage, went to college, started a successful family acting business, and established a fulfilling career. Written with irony and humor and sprinkled with Yiddish, The Tell is one woman’s inspirational story of before and after, and ultimately of emancipation and purpose.

About the book

What is the book about?

The Tell is the story of before and after my mother’s suicide and how her death changed my life. It visits Jewish Brooklyn in the ‘30s, bungalow colonies in the ‘50s and the women’s movement in the ‘70s. It tells the story of how, after her suicide, I left my husband, began college and started a family acting business. It is a story of emancipation and purpose.

When did you start writing the book?

I started writing the book after my husband died in 2007.

How long did it take you to write it?

About nine years.

Where did you get the idea from?

It is a memoir. I wish I’d known more about my parent’s and grandparent’s lives. I wanted to provide that for my grandchildren.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

It was hard to about my difficult marriage to my children’s father. I struggled with how to tell the truth as I lived it from the truth as they imagined it.

What came easily?

Surprisingly, and for reasons I don’t fully understand, it was easy to write the chapter of my mother’s suicide.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

Jo Ann Beard’s Boys of My Youth was an honest exposition that modeled the use of the compilation of personal essays into memoir.

Do you have a target reader?

Women who have overcome tragedy. Women who are interested in the women’s movement of the ‘70s and women who appreciate that coming of age takes a lifetime.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

I begin by reading memoirs. It is other author’s stories that trigger an idea that gets me off the couch and to my desk.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

I don’t outline. When the writing is going well, it is dictated by my unconscious.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

It depends if I’m in the flow. If it’s going well, I don’t want to stop—I can edit later, but if I’m struggling, then I keep retracing my steps until I find my direction.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

Bach and Rachmaninoff.

About Publishing

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

It was done by SheWritesPress. I think they did a beautiful job.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

I have hired JKS Communications as my publicist.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

I would definitely recommend a hybrid press.

About You

Where did you grow up?

Brooklyn

Where do you live now?

NYC

What would you like readers to know about you?

That I’m having a very exciting third act.

What are you working on now?

After the promotion of The Tell is over I would like to write a memoir about the years I was stalked by a former patient.