[pct-l] threrma-rest with a leak and MSR

[CMountainDave@aol.com (CMountainDave@aol.com)]

Hate to pop your thermarest, but a friend of mine punctured his with a cactus 
needle on a Grand Canyon trip. It took a while but all the air leaked out 
long before daybreak. He tried all the suggestions offered here but the leak 
was so tiny that it showed no bubbles when submerged. Maybe you could put 
soapy water inside, blow it up,shake it, lay on it and watch for soap 
bubbles. Or just get a lightweight Ridge rest instead. (Yeah, I'm aware of 
the comfort issue and if it makes you go then by all means use one, but to me 
they cost so much, are prone to leaks, and weigh a lot.)
  MSR stuff - love the XGK as a gas stove-it has a simmer (I don't care about 
the noise), hate the whisperlite . Remember the fabric  braided fuel tube 
fiasco? There was a recall because too many people forgot to put on the 
reflector shield, overprimed, and the resulting fireball burned through the 
fabric fuel tube causing lawsuit happy lawyers to be really happy. They 
replace the fabric fuel tubes with metal braided ones. The same overprimed 
fireballs also do a number on those plastic pumps. They frequently clog if 
there's any impurities in the gas. Sometimes it unclogs when I shake it, 
sometimes it doesn't and I have to use the wire needle tool to clean it. 
Kinda frustrating. Very happy with the dromedary bags. Much easier to store 
empty than water bottles and they really are bombproof.