A couple of new camping items that are small but perfectly formed!
Exped Ultra Pillow
For all of my camping life so far, I have made a pillow out of my fleece tops and jackets folded into a stuff sack. Why on earth would I need anything else, I always wondered. However, I have been struggling to make a pillow deep enough with this method to be comfortable with a new air mattress which is a short length but quite thick. So I bought this pillow just for that purpose but decided to test it out on a winter camping trip with my usual, full length mattress. Oh my, what comfort. Never again will I make a pillow out of fleece tops!
The Exped Ultra pillow is supremely comfortable but barely noticeable in the pack as it folds up into a tiny package measuring approx 12cm by 7cm by 3cm. It weighs only 55g (on my scales including the stuff sack). It has a soft outer fabric that is very pleasant on the cheek and inflates quickly with just a few breaths. It deflates easily and packs back into the stuff sack without a struggle. It stays firm all night and I found that this medium size fits nicely inside the hood of my sleeping bag so there is no risk of it sliding off the mat during the night. It cost £27 from Tiso.
Kovea Spider Stove
On cold winter camps when the temperature slips below zero, it can be painfully slow to get my usual canister mounted, three season gas stove to work. For years, I have put up with gradually coaxing it into life in the mornings by warming the canister repeatedly inside my sleeping bag whilst worrying that I may never get my porridge that day. So finally I bought this four season, remote canister stove.
On the first test in a temperature of minus seven celsius, it worked very well and I was never in any doubt that it would deliver hot coffee and cook the porridge. The stove has a pre-heat tube which helps it to keep working in colder temperatures. A lot of remote canister gas stoves are quite heavy and bulky but not this one. It's really very compact for what it is. With the legs folded away and placed inside its stuff sack, it weighs 185g and measures 13cm by 9cm by 3cm. It's very easy to unfold for use and to then pack away again.
It boils water as fast as any stove that I have used and I'm really happy with it. I did notice that being so lightweight, the legs are a touch unstable as you unfold the stove but they are perfectly firm on the ground once there is a pot on top. Also, it did struggle to use the dregs of an almost empty canister but that's easily solved by always taking fuller canisters when using this stove. It cost £46 from Mercator Gear.
Here is a photo of the pillow and the stove with a spork in shot for size comparison.
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