[pct-l] Oil can use and uber lite pad

[Vic Hanson]

Hey Mike, another use for oil cans! I cut the bottom off of one, just a little longer than the height of my soda can stove, and use it for a flame snuffer. I never measure the amount of fuel, just pour in plenty and then after extinguishing the flame, pour it into the snuffer and then into the fuel bottle (much easier than trying to pour directly into the bottle because the alcohol runs out of the burner holes) . I used it for my PCT thru hike this year and it worked great. EXCEPT when it got a little bent up on the open end and instead of going over the stove and putting out the flame, it knocked the stove over. So as always, make sure you have your stove on a bare patch of dirt. The flames also shoot out around the bottom as you put it over the burning stove so practice it a few times in a safe setting. Not being a beer drinker and too cheap to buy one and dump it out the beer, I used a can I found laying along a trail. Fortunately many beer drinkers like to leave them
 laying around for that use. TIC
   
  I also used a Pacific Outdoor Equipment Insul Mat Uber Micro pad for the whole hike, however not by itself. I used it as an additional pad under my Ridge Rest pad, as well as to wrap around my Tarp Tent, which I carried on the outside of my pack. It protected the tent well and got pretty gouged up in the process. I never did try sleeping on it by itself, but probably could have after getting used to a thin mat as the hike progressed. The main problem I saw was that it is too short, it barely went from my hips to my shoulders, and I am only 5'7". Any moving during the night and you are off the pad. This was especially a problem when sleeping on sloping ground, as was often the case on the PCT.
   
  Enjoying the first days of summer here in Peru!
   
  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
   
  Sugar Daddy

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