Kittila February 2023

[Wayland]

I've just finished the trip report for our trip to Kittila this February.

I'm not going to try and post it all up on the forum because it's a nightmare keeping the picture links live so I'm linking you to the first page here: https://www.ice-raven.co.uk/html/202...--kittila.html

Hope you enjoy it.

[Tim]

Hello Wayland,

I enjoyed this very much, and plan to enjoy it again, along with the other accounts you have posted, when I can spend more time vicariously enjoying your expeditions. Incidentally, I didn't find the candles to be excessive at all!

I only have experience with traditional snowshoes. I have found that lampwick bindings work well in that context, have fewer potential points of failure, and spare wick is easily carried for any repair or replacement needs in the field. I am not sure whether that approach holds any promise for modern snowshoes, but thought it worth mentioning for consideration.

Regards,
Tim

[SD_Motak]

We haven't had much of a winter here in SE Wisconsin in terms of deep cold or very much snow cover, but your musings about canvas vs nylon for tent fabric...("They used a cotton canvas version but there is a lighter nylon version available. I’m not sure which way I would go on that decision.")...leads me to comment about my experiences this winter, such as they were.

My brother-in-law used a hub-style shelter for ice-fishing for a weekend fisheree. The inside of that nylon shelter and his clothing were coated with propane and condensation residues that will need to be cleaned at the end of the season. By contrast, I've had my canvas Snowtrekker tent continuously up in my backyard since early November (4+ months) and I've been using it several days per week during that time - heating with propane or wood or electric radiator. It's stayed dry and has no stains or residues except for where squirrel droppings have landed from the trees above.

We easily haul his lighter hub when we head out for a short day of fishing and I recognize that I would need to be in better physical condition if I planned a multi-day winter outing with the Snowtrekker, but my preference would be for canvas over nylon when sheltering within an enclosed space for more than a day.

[Wayland]

Hello Wayland,

I enjoyed this very much, and plan to enjoy it again, along with the other accounts you have posted, when I can spend more time vicariously enjoying your expeditions. Incidentally, I didn't find the candles to be excessive at all!

I only have experience with traditional snowshoes. I have found that lampwick bindings work well in that context, have fewer potential points of failure, and spare wick is easily carried for any repair or replacement needs in the field. I am not sure whether that approach holds any promise for modern snowshoes, but thought it worth mentioning for consideration.

Regards,
Tim

I’m looking at replacing the soft plastic with leather which should be a lasting solution.

I have a traditional pair but they are too long to pack into the bags I usually use unfortunately.

[Wayland]

We haven't had much of a winter here in SE Wisconsin in terms of deep cold or very much snow cover, but your musings about canvas vs nylon for tent fabric...("They used a cotton canvas version but there is a lighter nylon version available. I’m not sure which way I would go on that decision.")...leads me to comment about my experiences this winter, such as they were.

My brother-in-law used a hub-style shelter for ice-fishing for a weekend fisheree. The inside of that nylon shelter and his clothing were coated with propane and condensation residues that will need to be cleaned at the end of the season. By contrast, I've had my canvas Snowtrekker tent continuously up in my backyard since early November (4+ months) and I've been using it several days per week during that time - heating with propane or wood or electric radiator. It's stayed dry and has no stains or residues except for where squirrel droppings have landed from the trees above.

We easily haul his lighter hub when we head out for a short day of fishing and I recognize that I would need to be in better physical condition if I planned a multi-day winter outing with the Snowtrekker, but my preference would be for canvas over nylon when sheltering within an enclosed space for more than a day.

That fits well with what my heart is telling me. I much prefer traditional materials.

My head tells me there is a 5kg weight penalty, £100 financial penalty and if I’m not using a stove inside the tent and having the front open most of the time then condensation should be less of a problem.

I used a canvas tarp on my first trip and because we got caught in a thaw freeze cycle it ended up weighing a lot more on the return trip.

Heart says canvas, head says nylon at the moment…