A look at two new pieces of gear from Ultimate Direction for 2018. The FK Tarp and FK Bivy.
Testing out the tarp and bivy system during a solo overnight trip in mid-March on a self-created backpacking loop.
A muddy morning wake up on the Appalachian Trail in May. My footprint, tarp, bivy and gear had a light coating of mud from a night of heavy downpours, but I remained dry the entire time.
Here's another shot from that morning.
Early morning for the second day of the Allegheny 100. I was struck with food poisoning before the event and arrived to this spot around 1:30am. The lack of shelter setup was influenced by both, but it held up.
Home for the night during a guided summer trip on the New England Trail.
With its sheer simplicity, even when the conditions create solid ground, there are still ways to rig this system. Here guy lines are cleverly tied to nature's provided anchor points.
The sleeve construction which houses trekking pole grips is quick and effective.