So I bought some new gear for the summer and have finally gotten out to use it. Initial thoughts:

CSS Lean-2:
I've been coveting one for years, so it's no surprise I came away impressed. Spent time practicing in the yard pre-trip, so I felt fairly efficient setting up. Loved it! Was a great place for the family to play cards after dinner, to read in, to get out of the rain/away from the bugs. Amazing amount of space for the weight. Felt bomber. Seemed to take a long time to dry out though.

Oh, and I also loved the ridgeline stuff sack.

Bushbuddy:
Loved it! Couldn't believe how quick and easy it was. I gathered up twigs from around the campsite and dinner cooking in no time. At the time of purchase my wife thought I was crazy. After one meal she was sold.

Trangia alcohol stove:
Had hi hopes for this stove, but came away underwhelmed. Though i liked how silent it was (except the one time it went out and I didn't know), it seemed to take forever to boil water on our bigger family pot, and also seemed to use a lot of fuel to do so. For a solo trip, paired with the bushbuddy I think it might be just the ticket, but for a go-to family stove, I think I'll stick with the whisperlite.

Bungee Dealee Bobs:
Never tire of saying the name. Gave me kids a few each, just to see how they'd put them to use. I used 'em to secure my water bottle to the thwart, to lash a few paddles together for the portage. They were nice to have.

BDB's are the bomb.

I bought about a dozen for tripping a few years back, now I'm using them all over my shed and garage for various purposes.

My paddling/tent mate brought his Lean 3 on this year's trip to Canada in early June. What a great piece of gear - all six of us fit in comfortably on a rainy day. Now I want one.

johndku: "BDB's are the bomb.


I bought about a dozen for tripping a few years back, now I'm using them all over my shed and garage for various purposes."

How long are dealee bobs unstretched_

TechnoScout: "How long are dealee bobs unstretched_"

I estimate the ones sold at Midwest Mountaineering are about 8ish inches long but, the design and construction are basic. A guy with a little shock cord on hand could make them any size necessary.

OCDave: "

TechnoScout: "How long are dealee bobs unstretched_"

I estimate the ones sold at Midwest Mountaineering are about 8ish inches long but, the design and construction are basic. A guy with a little shock cord on hand could make them any size necessary."

Thanks. I have some shock cord and slider clips arriving today. I am going to print the bar on my 3D printer. Just wanted a good reference point for the length.

It is probably not worth the effort to DIY, but I get a kick out of doing this stuff and I have to keep my 3D printer humming doing something!!

Nemo Cosmo sleeping mat. Most comfortable I have ever slept.