We want to put up a metal shed, about 12x8 or 12x10, to put my extra books, craft supplies, etc in. It needs to be waterproof & rat-proof (so, metal instead of wood or resin). Needs to be a DIY ready-to-go kit. I’ve been looking at Arrow and other brands, but the reviews say the holes aren’t in the right place, the roof leaks, etc. We will caulk the shed, of course, but you only need one leak to show up in a roof and it’s a problem!
So, are there better brands of metal sheds that I don’t even know about? (I’m in California, so I’m looking for brands available in the US.) I can spend some money on this, it doesn’t have to be the most inexpensive solution.
Alternatively, can you REALLY waterproof a metal roof? My first thought is a tarp, but are there permanent applications of some sort? Really looking for advice! Thanks!!

For context we are going to my husbands parents lake house. So we will have all the normal necessities, however this will be our first time taking the LO and not sure what I need. I have baby sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat and both long/shirt sleeve swimsuit. We will be taking boat rides which is 80% covered by a tarp so we will be in shade. What I don’t have but I’m sure I’ll need is a safe flotation device or waterproof diaper? If that is a thing.
Any advice is much appreciated!

Ok, so, let's start with context: my bug out (rural) location is about 60 km from my current (urban) location. (I should stock up the bug out location pantry now that I think about it, otherwise I'll escape the violence of the city only to face the hunger of the countryside. Anyway...). The main adversity on the route is lack of water. I would almost surely be with my mother and ideally with my father too (he doesn't live with us). Other people could join too but at the moment I'm not prepping for them. The three of us are all in between obesity and being overweight, none of us can run and we are pretty sedentary (trying to change all that but we all start somewhere), so I'm trying to keep the bag lightweight. Money are tight too.
I'm slightly better prepared for bugging in but you never know what the situation will require. Anyway neither scenario is well thought and completely prepped for yet, I'm trying to cover all bases in a really short time and I should probably focus on one or two things instead, do them well and then face the next challenge, but I'm a bit confused and overwhelmed (it probably shows even from this single post) with all I need to learn, to train, to try, and to have.
As far as skill go at the moment I should be able to set up a tarp with some rope and a knife and start a fire with a ferrocerium rod. My parents have zero skills being office workers.
Regarding laws, in my country wild camping is prohibited and I can't get a permit to bear arms or a hunting licence because I suffered from depression in the past. Any blade of any size is prohibited too unless you can demonstrate you have a good reason to have it and you carry it out of reach and strictly for that reason.
According to Google a person could travel those 60 km on foot in a single day, in about 12 hours. To be on the safe side I'm trying to prepare bags that would allow us to spend the night too.
Now let's take a look at the bag's content:
-Water: the biggest problem. Unfortunately I have to bring as much water as I can comfortably carry because I can't replenish the bottles. I settled for 3 bottles of 2 liters capacity in the main bag (the heaviest one that I would carry myself) and 2 others 2 litres bottles in my mother's bag. I have yet to prepare a bag for my father. To be safe I'm bringing a SAWYER mini filter + a 750 ml titanium container if I were to find extra water as they are very small and lightweight
-Shelter: the only tarp I currently have (it's about 2.5 m x 2.5 m...) + 27 m of type III paracord + 5 sturdy steel pegs (I mean I could make them with a knife and some wood but the comfort of having them ready to use is worth the weight to me) + (optional) big carbon steel knife (I know it's essential and maybe the most important item together with water but I keep it on top of the bag because depending on how much law and order is still in place when I bug out I could have to do without) + work gloves (one pair in the main bag and another in my mother's bag) + 3 mylar blankets + a couple of random plastic bags (those used for trash bins) that might have a small hole or two
-fire: 3 BIC lighters, 2 boxes of waterproof matches, 1 ferrocerium rod with striker + cotton balls (I have to buy some petroleum based substance to put on them, it's just cotton for the time being)
-other: paper map of the city, paper map of the region, compass, important documents, a small amount of cash, a couple of photos I hold dear
I had food in the bags (about 12 packets of ready to eat food in the main bag and another 12 packets in the other -the reasoning was that it was a 72 hours bug out and it would have been about 1 pack per meal, so 4 small meals for 3 days for 2 people -it's not very caloric food to be honest but it's food that doesn't get wasted if I don't bug out because I eat it in everyday life too, while I don't eat things that contain added sugar so most snacks aren't an ideal candidate. It's also already hydrated and ready to eat and cheaper than military MREs-) but I opted to be more mobile and end the trip sooner rather than have food and have to carry even more water to last for more days because we are slowed down by the weight, so I took it out. I don't know how good of a choice this is, I have quite a bit of experience with fasting and I had a really bad experience once when I exercised heavily (I walked about 40 km that day and pretty fast too, now it's been quite a while since I move that much) in a fasting state -ended up in the hospital, long story I don't want to get into, please respect that-.
I want to know your opinion, I know that the plan is not perfect at all but it's more of a draft of a plan right now and "better than nothing".
Also I would love to try bugging out with my parents and test the bags but I think it's basically impossible to convince them (and my country's regulations make it ecen more difficult). Do you have any suggestions on how I could go about it, maybe once I perfected the plan and the equipment?

A dust shield for a metal cage that will house tools, etc. Suggestions for fabric/material? Attachment ideas and how to construct it?
Here are the criteria:

• Will fit inside the cage rather than over it, so it has to have some non-permanent way of affixing it
• Opaque
• Water-resistant or waterproof
• Front "door" should be easy to open without a lot of fuss (so no velcro)
• Basically a big rectangle (roughly 5' x 4' x 4')
• Inexpensive

The requester suggested tarp, but issues include thickness, stickiness, large size, being unable to turn it easily and to sew corners. I considered polyester shower curtains, but the requester doesn't think they will keep out enough dust. Opinions?
Cost is a factor. Thinking about material other than tarp. Elastic loops with a bead on the end might work for affixing, but would need reinforcement on attachment points. Not averse to gluing or taping instead of sewing. I have gorilla tape, self-stick industrial velcro, E-6000, 1/4" elastic, plus the usual sewing person's collection of stuff.
Right now I'm thinking about making the top like a shallow lid and attaching it to the frame with elastic and beads. Then affixing the sides and front as one continuous piece with gorilla tape. The "door" will be wide hook and eye clipping to the top. Have to also figure out how to affix the sides/top so they don't bow inward. Outside of cage is not accessible.
Thanks for any suggestions you creative folks have. And for reading this long explanation. o.O
Edited to add image: My understanding (I don't have access) is that it's something like this but smaller. Each worker has their own and the side walls are shared (except maybe for the ends).

Hi all! First time posting here and new to MYOG in general, so I thought this would be a good group to ask for some help. I'm hoping to add some additional guyout points to my existing tent (MSR Hubba Hubba) rainfly, and think that something similar to this would be a great solution. I'm planning on using circular sample patches from RSBTR, joined to either the outside (if possible) or inside of the tent with seam grip. A few questions for those with more experience:

• Will the seam grip linked above provide a strong adhesion on a my silnylon rainfly? If so, I'd love to just stick it to the outside of the tarp (rather than on the inside, and the cutting a center hole in the tarp), but I'm worried the tension from a guyline may pull the patch off if I stick it to the outside.
• Any idea where to find something similar to the rubber(?) guyout point in the MSR photo? If not, I could always just sew on grosgrain loops, but I do like the 'polish' of how those rubber guyout points look.

Thank you in advance - I appreciate any help here before I do something stupid and ruin a perfectly good rainfly!

I just moved into a new apartment and I was thinking, "hey -- how cool would it be if I could collapse and store all of these cardboard boxes I just used to move, in case I need to do it again next year?"
The problem I'm facing though is how to keep moisture and bugs out of my boxes. I thought about plastic bins but none of my boxes would fit (and I'd rather not spend a ton of money on those when I'd like to reuse these boxes).
I also thought about buying a waterproof tarp and wrapping them up tight in that, but who knows -- maybe a cockroach could get through.
Any advice for a simpleton?

Got a bunch of ish to unload before the summer starts. I'll do PayPal G&S or Venmo, either one is fine. I was scammed once on this subreddit and am still quite butthurt over it so if you need me to send different pics, FaceTime, or anything else to prove I'm real, just let me know. I do not mind.
Prices do not include shipping because I have no idea how much that will cost, but everybody says pirateship is the way to go so it will be reasonable
I have a cat and she has a habit of roaming around the house and flouncing on my gear. No scratches on any of the gear and I use hypoallergenic litter b/c I have wimpy sinuses, but she DOES shed. So as a heads up: if you are deathly allergic to cats, please do not buy any of this stuff

1. Warbonnet Superfly $105 https://imgur.com/a/D0O3BpO - bought off this subreddit and only replacing it because my buddy gave me a HG Journey. Absolutely nothing wrong with it and I love this tarp. Former user cut the D-rings off but no holes or tears. Olive green not sure if silpoly or silnylon but I believe silpoly based off my last camping trip. Kept me warm and dry during a winter storm
   
2. Oboz Bridger Mid Waterproof Hiking Boots https://imgur.com/a/ZIob53j $50 - M's 11.5 Wide. Great boots and hiked about 10 miles in them before realizing they were too large for me. I was going to return them but I am dumb and left them too close to the fire so they got burned on the sides, as seen in the pics. Don't be "that guy" who returns gear s/he burns. Absolutely nothing wrong with them though, the melting is purely cosmetic
   
3. Cotopaxi Teca Fleece Jacket Men's M $30 https://imgur.com/a/J1jlF5b - Nothing wrong with it but I've hit my 30's and my fat self doesn't fit into it anymore. Fits on the small side of medium
   

[SOLD] 4. Black Diamond FLZ Trekking Poles $40 (16.7 oz w/o baskets) https://imgur.com/a/j9gnjG6 - bought off this subreddit. Some cosmetic wear but have tons of life left. I just like the grip on my current poles better and I'm picky with my delicate paws

1. Smartwool 150 Sport t-shirt Men's M $30 https://imgur.com/a/l0jLbYx - This t-shirt is actually excellent but it's on the large side of M and while my gut is expanding, it hasn't expanded that far. Very soft, used twice and washed gentle cycle
   
2. Hoka One Bondi 7 M's 11 Wide $50 https://imgur.com/a/z6wTafF - basically new, worn maybe 20 miles. Nothing wrong with them, just don't like the arches or the fit. I bought them 2 years ago and kept threatening to return them and then I didn't. So here we are
   
3. Saucony Peregrine's 11 and insoles $40 https://imgur.com/a/j7qKYKg - same story as the Hoka. Nothing wrong, I'm just lazy and didn't return. Now I lose moneyz for it. C'est la vie and stuff. Have some Currex Run insoles in them if you'd like.
   

Etc. Coolnet UV+ Buff https://imgur.com/a/l0jLbYx - if you want this I'll throw it in with any purchase. Everybody told me to buy a Buff and I hate it. Feels like I can't breathe when it's over my mouth and it's way too tight around my fat head and neck. But if you're into being choked while you hike, it's all yours fo' FREE
Cat tax: https://imgur.com/a/sY2dG4j

Hi! So i have a 4 night trip planned in a week and its supposed to rain the whole time! Id love any tips on cheap ways to stay dry, i have several tarps, waterproof spray, and lots of towels already! what are fun things to do with 6 people on a rainy trip?

My biggest issues with hiking has been finding a fitting tent/hammock/bivy, as it seems like a jungle with people saying that everything is bad.
I’ve mostly used shelters, which are strewn all across the country. But after corona it’s become a requirement to book them beforehand, which I don’t want to.
I’ve used a tarp, combined with a pad and sleeping bag, and has been pretty happy with it, but I might want something more closed and roomy.
I like the thought of a hammock, not having to be as worried about the ground, and not having to risk water getting in from underneath, but as I’ll be hiking with my dog sometimes I’d have to leave him outside. I’ll also be dependent on trees to tie it to, and while I expect to mostly sleep in wooded areas I’d hate not being able to settle down for the night just because there isn’t a forest nearby.
Tents are, from my experience very expensive, very heavy, or both. Or not waterproof. They’ll obviously give me more space when Camping, but is it worth the extra weight and money.
Tarps are pretty good, light weight, as roomy as I like, but if it rains I’ll most likely get wet, which I dislike. I’m also, like hammocks, dependent on trees nearby to tie it to.
What do you use, why, and what would you suggest I try?
I’d like to go with a pretty low budget if possible

I’ve been searching online relentlessly but can’t seem to find any quality mattress protectors that hit all of these marks. I’m willing to spend more if it means better quality by all means, but unfortunately I’m becoming frustrated in my search. I feel like I’ve phrased and googled what I’m looking for, in what seems like, every way possible and to no avail. There are some that definitely made it in my cart in case I can’t find something better, but they still don’t necessarily check all my boxes for what I’m looking for. A lot of item descriptions just say the EXACT same thing no matter what I search and are still vague at that so I feel lost. The things I’m looking for in a mattress cover are: 1) Waterproof— top obviously AND down the SIDES 2) Cooling material that doesn’t sleep hot 3) Zippered & fully encased 4) Non-noisy/crinkly (I absolutely hate the ones that feel and sound loud like your sheet is over a mega tarp) 5) Deep enough for a 10” memory foam king mattress and WASHABLE
Please please please drop useful recommendations if you have any!! It’s important to me I purchase something of quality because I plan on spending a decent amount of money on a very nice and new mattress that I plan on keeping for a long time, so I need a cover that will protect it the best for longevity

I looked and couldn't find an answer. I want a sexy blanket for sex. All the professional ones are expensive and look like the tarp you put under a tent. It doesn't have to be waterproof, just washable. I look for fur like blankets online and I'm worried they'll be crappy or will be too thick to fit in my washing machine. A lot of cute fuzzy blankets have bad reviews because they shed. Help!

This list will look a lot longer than most gear lists I've seen as it's itemized and detailed and includes every last atom and crumb in my bag and on my person + I'm in a pretty cold state even in the summer which will require more warm clothes for nighttime. Never lived the hobo lifestyle before but I'm getting bored with normal life so I'm gonna go freighthopping and roughnecking for a good long time. See what you can knock off my gear list. It just seems like it's a lot more than it should be...
2x---Carhartt "Duck Pants" black double reinforced work jeans. These. 3x---Boxers. 3x---Shirts. One warm flannel full-sleeve snap button up shirt. One normal weather full-sleeve snap button up shirt. One warm full-sleeve sleep shirt. 3x---Socks. 1x---Thorogood 1957 Series waterproof 8" tall leather moc-toe steel toe boots. 1x---insulated leather jacket. 1x---Rain jacket. 1x---Warm billed beanie hat. 1x---Ski-mask. 1x---Cheap sunglasses. 1x---Longjohns. 1x---Leather gloves.
Clothing summary & notes: 3 pairs of clothes + cold/wet weather outerwear. Shirts are all full sleeve so the sleeves can be pulled up and turned into temporary short sleeves shirts. Button up's because they can be unbuttoned in hot weather.
Toiletries:
1x---Straight Razor. 1x--- Small bottle of dish soap. 1x---Scrub/wash Rag. 1x---Toothbrush. 1x---Small toothpaste. 4x---Condoms. 1x---Micro deodorant stick. 1x---Nailclippers. 1x---Small bottle of lotion. 1x---Toilet paper.
Toiletries notes: Dish soap will be used as laundry detergent, shampoo, bodywash & shaving lubricant.
Tool's & gear:
1x---Fixed blade knife. 1x---20 feet of paracord. 1x---Tarp. 1x---Sleeping bag. 1x---Headlight. 3x---Lighter. 2x---Metal cup/pot. 1x---Floss and sewing needle. 1x---Fork. 1x---Spoon. 2x---Earplugs. 1x---hot sauce in plastic bottle. 1x---Scanner. 1x---MP3 Player. 1x--- Fishing line spool. 5x---Fishing hooks.
Tools & Gear notes: Can opener not included as the knife already does the job.
First aid:
1x---Duct Tape. 1x---Super Glue. 1x---Plastic nail polish bottle of rubbing alcohol.
Miscellaneous:
1x---Book. 1x--- Liquor. 1x--- Pack of smokes & dope. 1x---Notepad. 1x---Pen.
This seems like way to much shit to me. See what you can knock off the list. This is supposed to be a permanent hobo setup. Travels will be in cold and harsh places like Alaska and remote Canada. Freighthopping will be the most used form of transportation + walking and biking. Not hopeful for getting picked up hitchhiking.
Questions:
Would a canvas tarp be better than plastic or would it let water through?
What's the best way to carry a gallon of water without getting plastic leaching into it?
What's a good tough duffel bag? I've done long walking hunting trips with normal backpacks, frame BP's, and duffel bags, I greatly prefer duffel bags but I don't have one that will survive being scrubbed around on a freight train and thrown on and off.
Can a jerry rigged bivvy be made by wrapping your sleeping bag in a tarp and cinching it closed with rope?
Would partaking in some road scrunt be advisable or are most vagrant women you meet riddled with diseases?

The dilapidated, wooden building whose sign proclaimed it as the home to “Allegheny Adventures,” its red paint weathered and peeling, looked more abandoned than closed. The van parked next to the building was equally devoid of habitants, though there were three canoes loaded onto its attached trailer.
“Where the hell is everyone?” Dad wondered to himself, hands tapping the steering wheel annoyedly. The SUV idled quietly on the dirt road that terminated at the gravel lot adjacent to the building. The car windows were down letting in the comfortable warmth of a mid-August afternoon.
“What’s going on, Dale?” Sean called to Dad from the jeep behind us, his head sticking out the window. Through the windshield I could see my older sister, Tara, asleep next to him, her foot braced against the dashboard where she was riding shotgun, but couldn’t spy her friend Amanda in the back seat.
“Dunno, babe,” Dad answered back, “looks like the Dead Heads forgot we were coming.”
“Seriously?” Sean’s voice carried a put-upon tone, “you said this was going to be fun.”
Dad rolled his eyes. “I’ll take care of it.” He turned to me as he opened the door and stepped out. “Stay here, Paul, keep an eye on your brother.”
“He’s not my brother,” I mumbled quietly under my breath as he slammed the door.
“What was that?” Dad asked leaning back in the window.
“Nothing,” I replied quickly.
“That’s what I thought,” Dad said with an arched eyebrow, “Stay here.”
He hitched up his shorts and started walking to the building.
“I’m booooored,” Dennis whined from the seat behind me.
“Shut up, Dennis,” I told him, still looking at Dad as he climbed the three rickety steps and banged on the screen door at the top.
“That’s no way to talk to your brother, Paulie Waulie.”
I turned back to him.
“Just because our dads are married doesn’t make you my brother, you little scab.”
He stuck his tongue out at me, but my glare was enough to make him turn back to his video game magazine with a grumble. I returned my attention to the building where Dad had switched tactics and was trying the door. It swung open as he pulled and he called back to us, “Be right back,” before stepping inside, the screen banging noisily behind him. I checked my watch and saw it was just a little past two.
Sean got out of the jeep, pushing his designer sunglasses up his nose and stretching exaggeratingly. For a moment everything was serenely quiet, the only noises the low rumble of the car engines and the slight whisper of a breeze.
“Dale, everything ok in there?” Sean shouted toward the door Dad disappeared through. There was no answer, and the silence extended for several long heartbeats.
Abruptly, the screen door practically exploded outward, slamming against the side of the building and eliciting a shriek of surprise from Sean. A haggard looking man wearing a scraggily beard and a brilliantly colored tie-dye t-shirt emerged, stumbling down the steps. He barely caught himself from face-planting in the dirt before spinning in place back toward the building, his balance wavering. Concerned, I opened the door and got out, but didn’t know what else to do. Looking back, I saw Tara was awake and that she and Amanda had gotten out of the jeep, their mouths both twisted into frowns. Dennis had dropped his magazine, his jaw open in dull shock. My dad exited the building after the man, a look of confused bemusement upon his face.
“No! No way, no how. I ain’t going and I ain’t taking you, dude,” the man I recognized as Jerry Conroe, the owner of Allegheny Adventures, shouted at my dad, jabbing his finger towards him violently.
“Jerry,” Dad spread his hands in a placating gesture, “What are you talking about? Paul and I have been coming here for years. We paid in advance months ago.”
“Nuh uh, man,” Jerry shook his head vehemently, “not a chance. You know how we ain’t gotten any rain this summer? River’s the lowest it’s been in like eighty years. Turns out that ain’t a good thing.”
“I looked online just yesterday. Everything says the water’s still deep enough for canoes, just not some of the bigger stuff. We shouldn’t have a problem.”
“I ain’t TALKING about the fucking canoes, man,” Jerry screamed, spit flying everywhere.
Dad wiped away a few flecks that landed on his beard. “Gross. Look, Jerry, I think you’re a little too stoned to be talking business. Where’s Cheryl?”
“Cheryl’s….” Jerry drifted off before collapsing to his knees sobbing, “Gone, man. Cheryl’s gone,” he managed to get out.
“Dale?” Sean had walked up near our car, eyes wide with concern. Dad held his hand up, warding Sean back. He knelt down next to Jerry, speaking quietly near the crying man’s ear. Jerry kept sobbing but after a minute or two started nodding his head, wiping the back of his hand across his eyes. Dad stood and clapped him on the shoulder, then helped him to his feet.
“We’ll get the trailer loaded with our gear. Get sobered up and I’ll let you know when we’re ready to go.”
Jerry continued to nod before stumbling back up the steps and back into the building, the screen again slamming noisily behind him.
“Paul?” Dad looked at me, “Sean and I will park the cars. Could you take Dennis and the girls to the shed and help them get the lifejackets and paddles?”
“Sure, Dad,” I turned back to Dennis, “let’s go, puke stain.”
“Is that normal?” I heard Sean ask Dad as I walked behind the building towards the equipment shed.
“Nah,” Dad said, “Jerry’s just a little more baked than usual. I think his wife left him.”
“Can’t imagine why.”
“That’s the guy you and Dad have always talked about?” Tara asked, catching up to me as we reached the shed. “I thought you said he was cool.”
“He is, his wife too. I mean, they always have been anyways,” I shrugged as I pulled open the door, “I guess that’s why Dad tells us not to do drugs.”
“You’re such a square, Paul,” Amanda ruffled my hair as she walked behind Tara into the shed, perusing the equipment, “I bet he could get us some really good shit. Now,” she turned back to me with a malicious grin, “think you could help me find a lifejacket that will fit over my girls?” she arched her back, causing her chest to stick out provocatively.
Tara rolled her eyes and gently shoved Amanda, “You’re ridiculous. Don’t tease him,” she turned to me, seeing my eyes practically bugging out of their sockets, “and you’re a pig.”
“Hey!” I protested.
“Ooooo, Paulie’s got a girlfriend,” Dennis crooned from the doorway.
“Shut UP, Dennis!”
“Sorry, Paul,” Amanda smiled wryly, “You’re cute, but you’re not my type. I like my men older. Now your dad on the other hand…mmm, if he weren’t gay…”
“Oh my GOD,” Tara shrieked, grabbing a lifejacket and paddle at random and storming back out of the equipment shed, “I can’t believe I invited you on this trip!”
“You need me, honey!” Amanda called after her, “Without another source of estrogen on this trip you’ll die!”
She chuckled, turning back to me. “Seriously, though, can you help me find a good lifejacket?”
“Sure. Dennis, grab a small, I’ll help you get it sized in a second,” I told my stepbrother, pulling on my own jacket with practiced motions before handing Amanda a medium, “Here, try this one.”
Amanda tapped her lip with her finger thoughtfully as I adjusted the various straps. “How’s that work anyway? I mean, Sean throws a giant blip on my gaydar, but your dad is, like, totally hetero-seeming. And both of them obviously had kids with previous wives.”
I shrugged.
“I think it was just a different time. When they were our age, they felt forced to try and fit in. Sean says he ‘finally realized he couldn’t repress who he was anymore’ and that’s what ended his first marriage. My mom left Dad, Tara, and me when she found her ‘soulmate’ in her weekly bible study.“
“Dude, that sucks. No wonder Tara never told me. How’d Sean and your dad meet?”
“Community theater. They played Jean Valjean and Javert opposite each other in Les Miserables. The rest is history.”
“That is so CUTE! And your dad does theater? MUSICAL theater?!” Amanda gasps, “God, he would so be my type.”
It was almost four by the time we got the gear on the trailer, had Jerry, still likely stoned but considerably less upset, drive us the twenty-five miles north to the river entry point, unloaded, and got the canoes ready to launch.
“Ok, Jerry,” my Dad stroked his beard, “you get back home safe and we’ll see you in a couple days, yeah?”
Jerry mumbled something under his breath but nodded agreeably and waved before slamming the van door closed and driving away.
“You know the most interesting people,” Sean mused.
I went to get in the canoe my dad was standing next to, but he put a hand on my shoulder.
“Ah, hold on a sec, Paul. I think you and Dennis should share a canoe.”
“What?! Dad…”
“No come on, think about it. You’re the most experienced one here besides me,” he lowered his voice conspiratorially, “Sean’s not much of an outdoorsman, but I think he’ll do ok with Amanda.”
“Well, why can’t Dennis go with you, and I get Tara then?” I hissed back.
“Big senior too cool for his little brother? No, come on Paul. He’s too light compared to me. You know it’s important to keep the canoes at least somewhat balanced. Besides, he looks up to you.”
“Dad, I don’t…”
“Paul…” Dad interrupted my protest and crossed his arms. I could tell an argument wasn’t going to end my way.
“Fine,” I grumbled, “but remember it’s your fault if the little idiot won’t listen to me and tips the canoe.”
“Good man,” Dad slapped my back and turned his attention to the rapidly darkening sky. “Now, we’d better get a move on. Despite what Jerry said about not having any rain this summer, I think we’re about to get some. Let’s just go to the first island down to pitch camp for the night. It’ll ease the others in, and with good luck we’ll get the tents up before the weather hits.”
If we had any luck, it wasn’t good.
The issues started almost immediately. Dennis was not only too weak to really help with the paddling from his seat in the front of the canoe, but the little shit actively worked against me. He dipped his paddle in the water forcing me to constantly change the side I was rowing on, and at one point even back paddled, snickering at his cleverness. Before long, we were far behind the other two canoes. I cast what I hope was an “I told you so” look in Dad’s direction, but even from as far away as I was I could tell he and Tara were laughingly engaged in conversation and he didn’t notice.
“Stop it, you little fart muncher.”
At last, Dennis tired of being annoying and simply leaned back on the gear we had piled in the middle of the canoe, pretending to go to sleep. Without having to compensate for his sabotage I was at least able to get us going in something resembling a straight line, though with just me rowing there was no hope we would be able to catch the others before they got to the campsite.
The island in the middle of the river that Dad had chosen was only about a mile and a half down from the launch point, but even that took us the better part of an hour to navigate. The rain started to fall about half a mile out, a slight drizzle at first but gradually increasing. I could see ahead where the other two canoes had made the bank of the island. Dennis sat up with a shriek of surprise. As the rain picked up, he actually started helping me row. Even with both of us paddling in unison, by the time Dennis and I finally reached the campsite and managed to pull our canoe out of the water, we were fully soaked through.
Coming into a clearing we had used in past years, Dad was in the process of staking the weather fly down on a small two-person tent, while Sean sat hopelessly in the middle of a pile of poles and tarp. The girls were nowhere to be seen so I could only surmise they were in the tent Dad was working on. He paused as he saw us stumble up.
“Paul, I’m going to finish getting the girls settled, then I’ll help Sean with our tent. Why don’t you and Dennis unload the gear from your canoe and stack it under that tree over there with the rest of it. Then take the hatchet and the hacksaw and try to find some wood so we can get a fire going.”
“In this?” I raised my hands to indicate falling rain, a distant rumble of thunder helping illustrate my point. “It’ll all be soaked.”
Dad threw me a grin.
“Don’t worry, kiddo, I packed some dry tinder. Once we get it started the wood’ll burn, might just be a little smokier than normal.”
I grumbled but moved towards the canoe and started pulling out bags and coolers, shuttling them to the tree with the other equipment and supplies. To my surprise Dennis helped without even a snarky comment. By the time we got the gear unloaded, Dad and Sean had the second tent about halfway up. I walked towards them, hatchet in one hand and a waterproof flashlight in the other.
“We’re all set. How come you didn’t have the girls go get wood while you were waiting for us?”
Dad laughed.
“Didn’t trust them to find the right kind. Also, come on, will it kill you to prove that chivalry isn’t dead?”
I shook my head and sighed.
“Come on Dennis.”
From previous stays on the island, I knew it wasn’t huge, maybe a ten-minute walk from end to end. Each year there were usually one or two decent sized trees that have fallen over, so I was fairly confident we’d be able to find some deadwood, though I was still skeptical how well it would burn with all the rainwater soaking through it. I just knew that sometimes there was no point in arguing with Dad.
Despite the extended daylight hours of summer, the clouds had caused night to fall prematurely. I was glad I thought to bring the flashlight; otherwise, it would have been way too easy to trip and fall face-first into a mud puddle. I played the beam on the ground in front of me, carefully choosing my steps, periodically pausing to shine the light off to the sides, looking for fallen logs. Dennis followed me, head down and grumbling, swinging the hacksaw he was carrying and letting it hit against the tall grass and various plant life that lined the narrow animal trail I had us walking on.
Finally, after maybe ten minutes of searching, I found something promising. A tree had fallen, and the way it rested against one of its still-standing neighbors seemed like it may have even gotten a little bit of top cover from the rain. I handed the flashlight to Dennis.
“Here, hold the light for me. I’m going to use the hatchet to try and get some of the small stuff cleared off then I’ll swap you for the saw.”
“Why can’t I saw?”
I looked up at the still falling rain.
“Because I can do it faster and I’d like to get out of this crap and into dry clothes as soon as I can, wouldn’t you?”
Dennis mumbled something under his breath but grunted and shined the light on the fallen tree as I’d asked. I started to clean off the smaller twigs, working by the light. Dennis started hopping from foot to foot to try and stay warm, causing the beam to sway, but I managed to bite my tongue and not say anything.
I had switched to the hacksaw, cutting off and stacking some good looking, inch thick branches, when a keening wail carried high over the falling rain, sounding from somewhere not very far down the river. Dennis snapped the flashlight beam around wildly.
“Paul! What was that?”
I paused for a moment, listening, and heard an answering call echo, this one from farther up the river in the opposite direction. Its solitary weirdness sent a shiver down my spine that had nothing to do with the temperature that had dropped fiercely with the storm. The hairs on the back of my neck stood at full attention.
“I..I don’t know. Maybe some kind of bird or frog or something.”
“In this rain?” Dennis’s voice hissed, incredulous.
I shook my head, shrugging off the fear.
“Doesn’t matter. It’s not here. Let’s get this finished up and back to the tents.”
I got back to work, and to his credit, Dennis held the light steady.
We returned to the campsite maybe twenty minutes later, both carrying armfuls of cut branches. The tents were both now fully set up. Dad had also erected a makeshift tarp over a circle of stones he’d arranged to serve as a bonfire pit to help protect the flame from the weather. He’d crouched over a small pile of paper and would scraps, carefully setting them to provide the maximum chance of the fire catching.
Dennis dumped his wood next to him.
“Where’s my dad?” he asked, and Dad nodded toward our tent.
“He’s getting changed, Dennis. Why don’t you go do the same? Paul, can you help me get the fire going?”
I sighed internally but nodded and moved to help him as Dennis disappeared into the tent.
Waiting until the flap zipper closed fully, I whispered to Dad, my voice low.
“Did you hear those noises?”
Dad nodded.
“Yeah, we all did. Scared the crap out of Sean, he jumped about a mile. The girls were pretty freaked out too.”
“They aren’t the only ones. Dad, what the heck was that?”
“Dunno, son. Can’t say I’ve heard anything quite like it before. Maybe a mountain lion?”
“A mountain lion?” I squeaked. “TWO of them? Do they even live around here?”
“Maybe they got lost from over near Penn State. Hey, they probably don’t swim very well.” Dad grinned, “But all the more reason to get this fire started.”
We finished arranging the starter, the tarp doing a surprisingly good job of keeping it dry, until Dad at last nodded in approval.
“That should do it. Let’s give it a shot.”
He took out a long Bic lighter and set the flame to the rolled newspaper in several different spots. The tinder caught quickly, the wood snapping merrily, and we moved to stack the branches Dennis and I cut into a rough pyramid over the starter material. The sticks smoked considerably as they began to dry, but eventually caught just as Dad predicted. He looked over to the remaining pile.
“Nice job, Paul. Those won’t last very long though. We need something bigger if we want to keep this going through the night.” I sighed. “I think the tree I got these from will work, I’ll just have to cut some logs from farther down the trunk.”
“Ok. I hate to ask,” Dad glanced up at the still falling rain, a peal of distant thunder rolling from away over the mountains that line the river, “but any chance you could go cut a few good-sized ones before you get cleaned up?”
“You can’t come with me?”
“I think I’d better stay here, just in case any of the camping newbies need anything. I’m sorry this trip is off to such a rough start. You want to take Dennis again?”
I didn’t have to take a moment to think about it.
“No. I’ll get it done faster by myself. Besides, he’s already probably changed.”
Dad clapped me on the shoulder.
“Proud of you, Son.”
I rolled my eyes and stood, grabbing the hacksaw and flashlight from where I’d set them.
“I’ll leave the hatchet with you. Don’t think I’ll need it to cut the big stuff.”
Dad nodded in agreement.
“Hey!” he called.
I paused, turning back to him.
“I love you, Paul.
“Love you too, Dad.”
“We’ll be waiting here!” he grinned.
I scowled and trudged away back towards the fallen tree.
I found the spot Dennis and I had come from without difficulty and got to work, setting the light in a way to shine on where I was cutting. The rain had blessedly stopped, at least temporarily, but the cold front that brought it had caused an eerie fog to begin to seep sinuously up from the undergrowth. The temperature had continued to drop and it was only the physical activity that was keeping me from shivering. It was probably not too cold yet, maybe in the lower fifties, but the change from the upper eighties of the earlier afternoon made it feel much worse than it actually was.
Something nagged me at the back of my mind as I worked on the tree, but it was several long minutes before I realized exactly what it was. Other than the rasp of the saw gliding back and forth against the tree, and the distant gurgle of the river flowing past the island shore, the night was utterly still and quiet. No birds called, no insects chirped, just dead silence. Another chill ran down my back as my mind returned to the mysterious cries from earlier, and then back farther to Jerry’s strange warnings from this afternoon. Despite what I told Dennis, and what Dad told me, those sounds were like nothing I’d ever heard before.
I got back to my work with a will, focusing on getting enough wood to last the night so that I could get out of my sopping clothes and curl up in my sleeping bag until morning. I told myself that surely the light of day would ward off whatever it was that made those sounds, but a little voice at the back of my mind asked “but what if it doesn’t?”.
The going was slower than earlier, the lower parts of the tree between six and eight inches thick and taking much more effort to work through. Still, I’d managed to cut a good number of pieces, enough that I was thinking it may take multiple trips to get back to the campsite, when I paused, my ears registering another sound from back the way I came. Thinking about it, I realized that the noise had been going on for several minutes now, interrupting the earlier silence I had previously noted, but I was so focused on my work that at first I didn’t notice the change. The sound was faint but distinct.
Screaming.
I hesitated for just a moment, fear causing paralysis, before another cry, high pitched and full of pain, launched me into action.
The firewood forgotten, I sprinted back towards the campsite, saw in one hand, flashlight in the other, the beam bouncing wildly in front of me as I ran. I took a bad step and fell face first, sliding along the wet ground, the hacksaw dropping from my hand and skittering into the undergrowth. I left it, having managed to keep hold of the light, picked myself up, and continued my mad dash. I ran as fast as I could, my breath pounding in and out of my lungs, a stitch cramping along my side, but all the while my fears told me that my greatest efforts won’t be enough.
I burst from the brush into the clearing. The fire still burned merrily where Dad and I set it, but the rest of the campsite was in utter disarray. The tents were collapsed, the flaps violently torn open, poles snapped jaggedly, reaching like broken bones of a compound fracture. Our gear was strewn about haphazardly. Of the rest of my group, Dad and Sean, Dennis, Tara, and Amanda, I saw no sign, outside of a terrible, wet, redness that seemed to mark and stain every piece of gear. I stood, mouth open in shock, my mind whirling as it tried to comprehend what I was seeing, but knowing the shallow pools dotting the soaking ground here and there could only be blood.
A wordless groan alerted me to the collapsed tent.
I rushed to the noise and cried out in horror at the sight of my father’s ruined body. I knelt down beside him, cradling his head in my lap. The flickering firelight was enough to see the vicious wounds all across his face, pouring red. His jaw was horribly broken, his chin shifted almost two inches to the right of where it should be. His eyes were swollen shut, and his nose turned at an impossible angle. The hatchet I’d left with him at the fire was buried three inches into his chest, and I could see white poking through a hole in his left pant leg. The rest of him was fully covered by the deep furrows of claws, as if a wild animal tried to tear him apart.
I’d done a couple years in the Boy Scouts, earned a medical merit badge, but I was at a loss for anything to do for him. Still, I gently started to lay Dad down, thinking to try and find the first aid kit that must still be somewhere in the ruined piles of gear, but he reached out, grabbing my wrist with surprising, desperate strength. In a haze, I noticed two of his fingers had been torn from his hand. I stopped moving him, leaned down to listen, to see if he was going to try and say something. Maybe he could tell me what caused this catastrophe, what happened to the others. All I could hear, though, was the rough wheeze of his breath being painfully forced in and out of his lungs. Tears fell from my eyes, intermingling with the blood still seeping from his face, as his breathing caught, rattled, and then stopped.
A sob escaped my throat as I clutched at my father’s corpse, the best and strongest man I’d ever known. My thoughts were a jumble of puzzle pieces in my head, shock and grief and disbelief all fighting for position. My entire body trembled uncontrollably.
Unexpectedly, one realization managed to push through the gauze that my mind was wrapped in, the thought cool and cold as a piece of granite. Whoever did this to Dad was still out there. They had the others, and they might come back for me.
My stomach turning, I reached down, bracing myself, and managed to pull the hatchet out of Dad’s chest, the blade releasing with a sickening crack. A downpour of blood escaped from the newly revealed opening, but I told myself I wasn’t causing any more harm. There was no more harm to cause.
I sniffed hard to clear my incredibly stuffed nose. I stood and took stock of my situation. There was no phone to call for help. Dad always insisted on completely unplugging for the trip, and it’s not like there’d have been service even if I had one. Sean, Dennis, and the girls were missing, possibly dead, or possibly worse. If I tried to find help, it would be hours before I got back with anyone, and by then it would be too late to do anything. I moved down to the canoes.
All three were where we left them, but enormous tears had been ripped in each of their hulls. There was no way I could use one as is. As I looked over the boats, trying to determine if there was any way to repair one enough to make it at least partially floatworthy, the beam of my flashlight caught on a series of footprints impressed in the riverbank, the dirt made soft by the recent rainfall. I shuddered to see them. Larger than a grown man’s, the prints were made by something heavy, its feet both clawed and webbed like an enormous platypus. A rustling in some nearby bushes caused me to start. Cautiously I approached the noise, using the hatchet to push away some of the tall grass hiding the motion, my mind going numb as my flashlight found the source.
The creature was big. Not huge, certainly, but definitely over six feet long and weighing several hundred pounds. It had four limbs, roughly arranged in the same anatomical layout as a human. The beam of my light reflected dully off slimy scales covering the entirety of its body, their color a dark green, almost black. Both its hands and feet were webbed and clawed like the footprints I found, but its fingers looked like they might be dexterous enough to use tools. The thing’s head was some kind of hideous cross between human and fish. Whiskers like a sturgeon drooped from its cheeks and it opened its mouth to snarl at me, its teeth arranged in a circular pattern like a lamprey. The sound it made was weak, but I recognized the same strange call that Dennis and I heard earlier.
I could also tell it was badly hurt. The thing was trying to drag itself back to the river, but there was an enormous gash in its shoulder impeding it. Its left arm was almost torn from its body and leaking blood, though not as much as I would have expected. I realized that Dad must have been the one to wound this creature, though he certainly got the worst of the exchange. A cold fury began to work its way up from deep inside my stomach, and I raised the hatchet with the intent to finish the monster off before a thought stopped me.
I had no way of knowing where Tara and the rest were taken, but it must have been by other creatures like this one. It appeared to be aquatic, or amphibious, and with no way of even knowing which way they went down the river, I’d have no way to find their lair on my own. I considered the dilemma and came upon a possible solution. Noting the relative slowness that the creature was managing to claw its way to the water, I went back to the trashed campsite and began rifling through the gear. It didn’t take me long to find what I was searching for: a spool of all purpose parachute cord and a box of chem lights. I pulled out my pocket-knife and quickly cut lengths of cord, tying slip-knot loops through half a dozen of the lights before cracking them to life in a bright green flash of neon. I also took a pair of two-foot long pieces of cord and tied one end to each handle of the hatchet and flashlight, the other to my belt, before securing the tools as best I could in my waistband.
Returning to the creature, who was only feet from the river, I took my lifejacket from the ruined canoe and pulled it on. I took four others and used their straps to tie them to each other, considering the next step of my strategy. The closeness to the water, or possibly my nearness, sent the monster into greater efforts, as it flopped, squirming towards the perceived safety of the river. I softly approached it and, as it thrashed, managed to loop three of the chem lights around its various limbs, securing the last one just as it made the water. It would have to be enough. Being submerged seemed to invigorate it, confirming my suspicions of the creature’s aquatic nature, though it was still clearly hampered by its wound. If it weren’t for my doctored lights, it would have been impossible to tell where the creature was in the water, and even with them I could tell I’d have to try to stay close or risk losing it.
Slipping into the river, I arranged myself on the secured lifejackets like a makeshift raft and began to follow the fleeing fish monster, hoping against hope that it would take me to wherever my family is.
I abandoned all sense of time, my focus entirely kept on keeping track of the three, small balls of glowing light moving gradually down the river. I followed the creature through one fork, then another, then another, before I lost track and stopped trying. I was thankful the thing was as badly hurt as it was; I realized its injury was all that was keeping it moving slowly enough that I could keep it in sight, and likely the only reason it hadn’t attacked me.
My throat tightened when I saw one of the chem lights separate from the others, falling to the bottom of the river and sinking into the silt, apparently having been kicked lose from the monster. Somewhat unsteadily, the other two glided away though, continuing in the same direction they had been, so I kept following, sending up a silent prayer that the remaining cords stayed secure.
Abruptly, the motion stopped. The lights which I’d been following perhaps two feet underwater now bobbed to the top. Cautiously I approached, fearful I knew the reason. Before long, I confirmed I was right; the monster had bled out. It floated on the surface of the river, a lethal goldfish dead in its massive bowl.
The cold and wet and dark, unnoticed until now, warded away by fear and the adrenaline of my pursuit, came crashing down on me. I shivered, supported by the extra lifejackets I could only hope I’ll need, trying to figure out what to do next.
I tried to work things through logically. We’d been traveling quite a way from the island. The monster lair couldn’t be much farther. Besides, for a lack of better ideas, and since I didn’t have anything truly better to do, I’d just have to try and search the riverbank for a cave or something. And pray.
I moved to the side of the river the creature seemed to be heading for. Nearing the bank, I fumbled for my flashlight. My heart leapt when I found it wasn’t there before I remembered the safety line I’d tied to it. Thanking my past self for his preparations, I traced the cord still secured to my belt and pulled the flashlight into my grasp. I had to smack it against my palm a time or two before it weakly turned on, its claims of a waterproof nature apparently more for advertisement than actual use.
It didn’t take me long to find what I’m looking for.
The Allegheny isn’t terribly deep even in wet years, maybe eight or nine feet on average. I could see from the marks on the bank where the water would typically be four feet overhead, and the yawning hole I found was only submerged about halfway. I thought back to what Jerry had said earlier, about how this was the driest season in decades. Any normal year, the opening would be fully underwater, but now…
I shone the flashlight into the hole, fear of dark enclosed spaces gripping my heart. The opening was certainly big enough that I could fit, but there was no way to know that it stayed that way, no way to know this was in fact the monster’s lair, or that Tara or Dennis or Amanda or Sean were still alive.
My mind returned to Dad’s ruined face, his last, gasping breaths, and I sighed. I had to try.
It was awkward going to say the least, dragging the four extra life jackets with me, but if I found any of the others, and if they were in bad shape, and if we had to swim any distance to get out…
There were way too many “ifs” going through my mind.
The tunnel went into the riverbank for fifty yards or so before dipping down. It remained consistently half-full and I float-swam along. My breathing rate increased, reaching the point I was practically hyperventilating, the claustrophobic sense of the earth crushing in around me competing with the understanding that I may be trapping myself in a den of killer fish monsters. I managed to get ahold of myself and continue onwards.
After a subjective eternity, the passage I’d been swimming through emerged into a cavern of significant size, maybe fifteen or twenty feet tall and three times that across. Coming out of the wall I fell with a splash into a sort of underground lagoon that took up the majority of the cavern. The walls of the cave glowed with a faint luminescence, enough to faintly see by, though I didn’t know enough marine biology to say what kind of algae or whatever was causing it. I swam to the shore, and found my efforts were rewarded. There were dozens of webbed clawprints similar to those on the island, as well as some other marks that looked like something had been dragged. I could only hope it was the rest of my group.
There were at least a dozen different passages off the cavern I was in, but the freshest prints and drag marks seemed to head down three of them. There might have been other exits to this underground warren, but I didn’t know where they were, and it was going to be way too difficult to bring the lifejackets with me. I had no idea how we would get back up the passage I came in through, but that would have to be something I figured out later. I found a small recess in the wall that I was able to stash the extra vests in before taking out the hatchet and flashlight, picking the leftmost footprint marked tunnel at random, and creeping along as stealthily as my squelching shoes would let me.
The flashlight was almost unnecessary. The algae persisted enough to light my way so I kept the beam off, and moved as carefully as I could, pausing every few steps to listen for sounds that might reveal the location of more monsters or my family. Seemingly far away down the passage, I heard hooting calls like the ones Dennis and I heard earlier, but there was something about the tone that made me think it was just the creatures communicating, rather than an alarm that they knew I was there.
The passage floor was slimy, so I very careful to avoided slipping and falling. Fortunately, there didn’t seem to be any other passageways to choose from, or else I would have had to start making some difficult choices. The tunnel I’d chosen opened into a cavern only slightly smaller than the one containing the lagoon. The algae on the walls here was even more highly concentrated, and though it was not as bright as lighting a lamp, the glow was still more than enough for me to see by.
I wished I couldn’t.
Sean was suspended upside down, his arms and legs secured spread-eagle to poles on either side of him by rough looking rope and surrounded by four of the fish-monsters, one considerably larger than the others. A piece of wood had been wedged in his mouth, but I could see he was awake, his wide eyes fear-filled and wild, his head whipping back and forth.
My earlier suspicion that the creatures could use tools was confirmed as the largest creature took a flint knife and deftly cut away Sean’s clothes, leaving him hanging naked. It made its strange cries all the while, and I realized that, based on the rapt attention of the three smaller creatures, this must have been the monster’s version of a school lesson. Clothes fully removed, the monster took Sean’s hair in one clawed hand, bent his head back, and cut his throat.
I stifled a cry, jamming my hand into my mouth as Sean’s life poured from the gaping wound. I could tell he was trying to scream himself, but between the wooden gag and his own blood choking him, he only managed to emit a panicked gurgle. The gout didn’t last long, the creature must have severed both carotid arteries, and soon the blood was only dripping. I fought the urge to be violently ill as the fish monster continued to dress its catch, slicing open Sean’s belly and removing his stomach and intestines, the smell like nothing I’d ever experienced before.
I cautiously edged away from the gruesome scene, unable to take it for even another moment. I was furious that I didn’t do something to save Sean but at the same time knew there was nothing I could have reasonably done. I could only pray I would have better luck with Dennis and the girls.
I made it back to the entrance cave and followed the second tunnel with the drag marks. I still moved cautiously, but faster than I had before. If I’d been only a few minutes faster, maybe I could have done something to help my stepfather; I couldn’t let something like that happen to the others.
Similar to the first tunnel, this one also didn’t seem to have any offshoots. Part of me wondered whether these paths are natural rock formations or if the creatures somehow carved them out. Where the other was fairly straight, this one was far more winding with noticeable changes in elevation. The height of the tunnel remained relatively constant, thankfully, and other than having to duck a time or two my earlier feelings of claustrophobia were generally kept at bay.
The room the second tunnel emerged into was smaller than the one Sean was murdered in. The algae remained on the walls, though in lesser concentration. The room was dim and, if I was right that these passages had been designed by the creatures, there must have been a reason for that. The floor was covered in almost a dozen of what I could best describe as nests, their makeup comprised of everything from ratty blankets and old scraps of leather to tree branches and castaway clothing. I carefully peeked into the closest nest, my stomach turning at the mass of squirming flesh writhing and convulsing in its middle. It was several long seconds before I realized what it must be: a pile of fish monsters in some kind of larval stage. I’d stumbled upon the monster’s version of a nursery. The tadpole things, their mouths gaping wide with those lamprey-like teeth, wiggled and gnashed disgustingly.
“They’re all gone.”
(continued in comment below)

Since I have both the Summit Observer and the FECSA Observer, I decided to make a comparison for the people who cannot decide between the two.
With the poles included (275g) the and without the storage bag the Summit Observer weighs about 1800g and the FECSA Observer weighs about 2100g. (I did use the FECSA extensively and have washed and retreated it, so this MAY have impacted the weight).
The differences: • Obviously, the FECSA comes in Dutch DPM and the Summit only in grey. • When laying on your back, the Summit opens on the right, the FECSA on the left. • The peephole & the mesh cannot be opened from the outside on the Summit, but they can be opened from both sides on the FECSA. The front opening can be opened from both sides on both bags. • The mesh on the Summit is thicker and black. On the FECSA it is thinner and olive colored. • The mesh on the Summit is also completely sealed off. For some reason on the FECSA there is a hole (this really should be sewn shut tbh) • The Summit uses YKK zippers. The FECSA uses cheaper ones. • The Summit uses "GORE-TEX BEST DEFENSE gas permeable laminate", the FECSA uses SEEMINGLY unbranded "Air-Permeable Laminate". • The stake loops on the Summit are shorter than on the FECSA. While I don't stake out my bivvy bag, for someone that does, this can be annoying. • The Summit comes in a carrying back that uses the same material as the bivvy bag itself. The FECSA carrying bag uses a thinner fabric that has a waterproof rubbery layer on the inside.
PERSONAL OPINION: If you want a quick and easy to set up camouflaged bivvy bag, the FECSA is better. If you decide to bring a camouflaged tarp and don't care about the time needed to set up an additional tarp (or you don't care about camouflage at all), the Summit is better. It uses better materials and is lighter in weight.

***Price updated - Looked back at the wrong invoice. I had it as $166 but I only paid $146. Also the weight should be around 14oz but I can't update the title. I don't have my scale so that's a combination of the tarp weight from Borah and a guesstimate on the extra tie outs weight.
Pics and verification - https://imgur.com/a/Hf83iWO
Selling my custom 8x10 Borah Gear tarp. It's only been out on trail 5-6 times and it's still in excellent condition. I seam sealed it myself and it was my first time so I put it on a little thick. Not sticky or tacky though and the ridgeline is waterproof. To be honest, I love this tarp but I need the money more than the tarp right now.
8x10 Coyote Brown tarp with 4 corner tie outs, 3 tie outs on each side(not counting the corners), 3 ridgeline tie outs, and 2 panel tie outs on each side. The tie outs are grogain loops. No hardware or guyline included.
Paid $146 originally. Selling for $120.

"troublepiggins" (@: [email protected] ) (Instagram: www.instagram.com/troublepiggins ) (Reddit: www.reddit.comtroublepiggins ) (TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@troublepiggins )
I posted in this group a little while ago with a different Reddit account before I decided to create a unified social media handle. I'd like to journal my experiences on Reddit and have it all located under this account, but I also don't want to delete the original post because it has some great information that I believe is beneficial for others. That being said, I would like to carry-over a lot of the same ideas into this post and re-discuss new ideas.
I have decided to ride my KLR650, Piggins, back to Utah where my van is currently located (The van's name is Marvan if anyone out there is wondering.) I'm not sure if this is one of the best ideas I've ever had or if I'm having a life crisis but it is happening.... at least as far as I can make it. It is an intimidating amount of miles and I'm admittedly a bit nervous. I have ridden mostly in the Florida Keys around traffic flowing from 20-60mph with the exception of a couple of Miami trips around 85mph traffic and now a couple Daytona and Tampa trips. I rode on the interstates a bit on my most recent trips, sticking mainly to the right lane. Piggins was handling the high speeds(70-85mph) surprisingly well; even with an oversized windscreen (idk what I was thinking 🤦), a pair of saddlebags and gear stacked up on the rear. At one point I realized that Piggins was doing about 90 so I rolled off a bit. Traffic around me was moving to say the least. That being said, I don't think I could comfortably rock interstate all day long but depending on where and what's going on for traffic I wouldn't mind banging out some decent stretches to shrink time. Time is money, and in this instance I'm thinking lunch money. The quicker I can crush the non-scenic, bland stuff, the more time and money I can dedicate to enjoying the spice(Dune reference) of the journey....or money towards repairs. 😅
I originally was thinking that I would like to stick to 100mi increments for refueling, but I think upon reassessment, 180mi would be more than safe and would cut way back on my slow down/speed up times for the journey. I don't mind stopping in between to get off the bike, stretch, bathroom etc., the 180mi. is only to make sure I'm fuel-safe. I will not be bringing a reserve gas can with me, so I need to remain aware of how far I am from a gas pump and consider variable mpg. Q: KLR650 owners, How many miles do you get do a full tank?
I have decided to do some filming along the way so I plan on traveling mostly during the day. I like the idea of getting a routine going of waking up early, doing some tai chi/stretching and drinking some coffee before getting the day rolling (🏍️ pun intended). That all being said, I know I will find myself in some places where I will just want to cook through as quickly as I can in order to jet to the next intended destination. Ya ya ya, I know....the journey is also the destination, but I am worried about money, so if I can crank out some decent mileage on the boring stretches I'd love to, and in doing so cut back on expenses that come with traveling for longer. Q's: Where are there no sights to see? Where is just entirely not worth it that I will still have to travel through?
Route is outlined in pencil as follows: A • Summerfield FL • Gainesville FL • Ginnie Springs FL • Madison FL • Tallahassee FL • Panama City Beach FL • New Orleans LA • Lafayette LA
B1 • Alexandria LA • Shreveport LA • Tyler TX • Dallas TX • Amarillo TX
B2 • Beaumont TX • Houston TX • McQueeney TX • San Marcos TX • Austin TX • Abilene TX • Sweetwater TX • Lubbock TX • Amarillo TX
C1 • OK/NM/TX Corner • Clayton NM • Garden of the Gods CO • Manitou Incline CO • Castle Rock CO • Parker CO • Denver CO • Idaho Springs CO • Frisco CO
C2A • Taos NM • Great Sand Dunes Nat'l Park CO • Garden of the Gods CO • Manitou Incline CO • Castle Rock CO • Parker CO • Denver CO • Idaho Springs CO • Frisco CO
C2B • Taos NM • Great Sand Dunes Nat'l Park CO • Gunnison CO • Crested Butte CO • Grand Junction • Loma CO • Rangely CO • Dinosaur CO • Duchesne UT • Heber City UT • Morgan UT • Roy UT
D1 • Vail CO • Glenwood Springs CO • Rifle CO • White River City CO • Rangely CO • Dinosaur CO • Vernal UT • Roosevelt UT • Duchesne UT • Heber City UT • Morgan UT • Roy UT
D2A • Leadville CO • Buena Vista CO • Sargent's CO • Gunnison CO • Crested Butte CO • Gunnison CO • Montrose CO • Palisade CO • Grand Junction CO • Loma CO • Rangely CO • Dinosaur CO • Duchesne UT • Heber City UT • Morgan UT • Roy UT
D2B • Leadville CO • Buena Vista CO • Sargent's CO • Gunnison CO • Crested Butte CO • Gunnison CO • Montrose CO • Palisade CO • Grand Junction CO • Crescent Junction UT • Moab UT • Green River UT • Castle Gate UT • Duchesne UT • Heber City UT • Morgan UT • Roy UT
D2B+ • Leadville CO • Buena Vista CO • Sargent's CO • Gunnison CO • Crested Butte CO • Gunnison CO • Montrose CO • Palisade CO • Grand Junction CO • Crescent Junction UT • Moab UT • Arches Nat'l Park UT • Canyonlands Nat'l Park UT • Capitol Reef Nat'l Park UT • Bryce Canyon Nat'l Park UT • Zion Nat'l Park UT • Rt89N›Rt189N UT • Heber City UT • Morgan UT • Roy UT
There is a temptation to try to knock out some of the Trans America Trail but I don't think I have the skills for a lot of it. Especially not when weighted down. Q: • Are there any stretches that would be easy to explore that align with my journey? • Where along my routes are there reasonable stretches to try to accomplish at night? / Where is there truly nothing worth seeing? • What would be a reasonable amount for me to estimate I'll cover in a day? • I prefer to hammock camp but it seems like that is going to be a solid no-go for the most part in TX judging off of Google Maps. Am I wrong there • I was originally planning on refueling about every 100mi. I'm a little more comfortable stretching it to 180mi instead to cut down on my slow down/speed up times over the duration of the journey. For those that have KLR650s and have run them dry, what did you get mile-wise out of a full tank?
I had intended on leaving around May 14th-16th but have postponed that briefly to spend some more time with my dog who is starting to approach the rainbow bridge. It is looking like I will now be departing on either the 20th/21st or on the 26th/27th.
Bring list: • Riding gear (helmet, gloves, boots) • Paperwork (registration, insurance, license) • Wallet • Phone/chargecable • Towel (don't forget to bring a towel) • Sandals, • Camelback • Clothes • Pen/pencil/paper • Camera/charging cable/case • Shower kit (toothbrush/toothpaste, shower pouf/soap) • Medical kit (pain reducers, allergy meds, Pepto/Imodium, band aids, Neosporin, tourniquet, sewing needle/thread, gauze, wrapping tape) • Hammock/straps • Tarp/paracord/stakes • 2p Tent • Bug spray Q's: • Can anyone in the areas I am driving through let me know what is typical for weather around this time of year? I have Frogtoggs but not waterproof boots. • What would be some must haves in your pack for this trip? • I don't mind packing light clothing-wise but what's unreasonably light?) • Is a sleeping bag necessary? • Is a 2 person tent actually big enough for 2 people? I may be riding 2up after Denver. Usually I would scoop a 2p for myself alone.
I want to save money by bringing food but am not sure it's worth the trade off for occupying space. It would require me to bring a jet boil type of system, fuel, a pot and utensils. I mostly just want to save money on coffee in the mornings but would obviously carry more food with me to take advantage of a set-up if I had it with me. Q'S • Has anyone regretted bringing their cooking set-up? • Maybe cold, instant coffee would be the move instead?
I plan on taking photos and short videos along the way but would like to livestream some of the ride. I believe my camera is capable of it as long as my phone can hit 4G. Q's: • Does anyone have any experience with livestreaming?/Will TikTok be a viable way do it?
I'm pretty sure that I'll need to replace at least the rear tire about halfway through my journey. Recently bought a new pair before I left the Keys but I know rears burn through a bit quicker. I am riding on Shinko e705s. Which leads us into a discussion about tool kit/maintenance.
Repair kit • Klymer manual • Chain lubricant • 2x Clutch cables • Replacement clutch lever • Extra tubes • Tiire spoons/lubricant • 3,4,5,6,mm hex keys • Pliers • Duct tape, • Zip ties • WD-40 • 6,8,10,12,14,26mm sockets, • Breaker bar • Electrical kit (fuses, electrical wire, multimeter, connecting pieces, heat shrink tubing, scissors/wire strippers Q's: • Being that I don't have much money, how necessary is a battery jumper? • How do the CO2 tire chargers work? • Can I get by with a bicycle pump? • Anything crucial I'm slipping on?
Thank you for taking the time to read this post I greatly look forward to reading what y'all have to offer in the way of advice and knowledge. Wish me luck and ride safe out there, y'all!
Peace, love & Piggins ✌️💓🐽