Hello lovelies! After that brief hiatus I am well and truly back. Like properly, this time, as I’ve just actually finished all my coursework and finals for university. I haven’t *officially* graduated yet but I will officially have my Food Science and Nutrition BSc degree in about a month and a half.
So now that I’m properly moved back to London I can focus on creating recipes again! And that break has given me ample time to get inspired so there’s much content in the works. I’m also going to Portland and New Mexico in a few weeks which I’m sure will inspire some future recipes. Today, however, we’re focusing on these little gnudi (pronounced nyew-dee) dudes!
You may be wondering what these are: think of them like ricotta gnocchi but less flour-y and more ricotta-y. As a result, the dough is a LOT wetter than a classic gnocchi dough and thus, they have a little clever step to help you form them; you blob the mixture into a tray generously lined with semolina and sprinkle even more semolina on top. This then sits in the fridge for 2-48 hours so that the gnudi soak up that semolina and form a light crust around the outside. This stops them falling apart when you boil them.
Usually, gnudi are plain but here I’ve used my Vitamix Ascent Series blender to blitz cooked carrots into a puree which I folded into the dough. They’re boiled and then fried in a bit of sage butter to get super criiiiispy. I made a classic Italian walnut sauce which the Vitamix is perfect for, blitzing the nuts into THE MOST smooth, luscious sauce which sits under the gnudi. I even scattered on some roasted carrot coins to add extra flavour & veg to the dish. All in all it’s a pretty easy yet impressive dish to make (so perfect for dinner parties) but it’s also fun and a bit hands-on so is great to make with kids!
Carrot Gnudi with Creamy Walnut Sauce
Makes 35-40 gnudi (serves ~6 people as a main or 12 people as a starter)
For the carrot gnudi:
1250 g carrots, tops removed
250 g semolina
1 tbsp olive oil
2 medium eggs
500 g ricotta cheese
150 g plain white flour
salt + black pepper
For the creamy walnut sauce:
150 g walnuts, toasted
1 slice (~50g) bread, crusts removed
200 ml water
30 g Parmesan cheese, grated
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled
To finish:
3 tbsp olive oil (refined)
1 tbsp unsalted butter
12 sage leaves
Preheat the oven to 200oC (400oF). Dust two baking trays with half of the semolina.
Take 500g of the carrots and slice into 2mm thick coins. Toss on a tray with the olive oil and roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes until golden.
Make the gnudi:
Cut the remaining carrots into quarters and add to a pot of boiling water. Leave to simmer on the stove for 20-30 minutes until super soft. Drain and tip into a blender and blitz until you get a mostly smooth puree (I use the tamper stick with the Vitamix to help it all blend up). Tip the puree into a large bowl.
Line a plate with two pieces of paper kitchen towel and dump the ricotta out onto it. Cover with two more pieces of paper kitchen towel and press down to flatten the ricotta out (this is to remove lots of the moisture from the ricotta). Peel off the paper towels and tip the ricotta into the bowl. Crack in the eggs and mix together until well combined.
Add the flour and a generous pinch of salt and ground black pepper to the bowl. Gently stir together until just combined.
Use a mechanical ice cream scoop or a tablespoon to scoop up some of the mixture – you want about 2 tablespoons of dough per gnudi. Blob that onto the tray lined with semolina and repeat until all the mixture is used up. Sprinkle the remaining semolina over the top of the blobs (and you can even spoon the semolina off the tray onto the gnudi). Set in the fridge for 2 to 48 hours so they soak up the semolina.
Make the walnut sauce:
Tear the bread into small pieces and soak in the water for 5 minutes. Tip the bread and water into the jug of a blender (like a Vitamix) along with the walnuts, parmesan, olive oil and garlic. Blitz until silky smooth then season with salt and pepper, to taste.
To serve:
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Lower in some of the gnudi (I think 4-5 per person is a good amount) and let simmer for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile heat the olive oil, butter and sage leaves in a large frying pan over a medium-low heat. Lift the gnudi out of the pot with a slotted spoon and gently place into the frying pan. Let cook until golden underneath (about 2-3 minutes) then flip and let the other side get golden before removing them from the frying pan along with the sage leaves.
Spread a heaped tablespoon of the walnut sauce in the bottom of the bowl. Top with the gnudi, crispy sage and the roasted carrots. You can also grate some extra parmesan on top, if desired! Eat immediately.
once the gnudi have been soaking up the semolina for at least 2 hours, you can freeze them for later: Just freeze on the baking tray for 1 hour until firm before sliding them into a sandwich bag and placing back into the freezer. You can cook them straight from frozen in 6 minutes as per usual!
I first became aware of GramXpert as their Gear popped up in the German Ultraleicht Trekking Forum. Since then their backpacks and quilts are also sold at the trekking-lite-store.com, and their kit is light and looks good, with some unique solutions. Reason enough to get in touch with the two brothers and hear their story!
Maj and Kajo, please briefly introduce yourself and tell us who you are. Since when are you backpacking, and how did you start?
We are two brothers with a passion for anything active and outdoorsy. Hiking is almost folklore in Slovenia so we’ve been at it from a very young age. The biggest influence was our father. He regularly took us on multi-day hiking and biking trips when we were kids, and those adventures sparked our interest. We still have fond memories of our first bike tour at the age of 8. It was a 4 day, 120km tour and we rode fully loaded 20” bikes with only 6 gears :) Similar adventures on bike & foot were on the menu every summer vacation since. As we got older we started planning our own trips. They became longer and more challenging and with that came better and more elaborate gear.
Kajo: I am interested in many outdoor activities, I am not taking anything as a competitive sport but rather as an adventure. I was into rock climbing for a long time, but lately caving and paragliding got my attention. I am responsible for designing new gear and coordinating custom orders, also the main craftsman and tester. I am also finishing my degree in geotechnical engineering so at the moment I can only work part-time.
Maj: My approach when it comes to life is holistic. I’m a trained chef and passionate about nutrition. I’m currently also an assistant coach, a Tuina masseur, and a TCM student. I am also an advocate for animal rights and a promoter of sustainable lifestyle. I’m the one that takes care of the bureaucratic side of the business, but I enjoy customer service, various daily tasks and of course sewing.
How often are you outdoors nowadays?
As often as we can be. We are very busy these days, but we always make sure to take some time off and go outside in order to recharge our batteries. We take every opportunity we can to go out, test our prototypes and work out the kinks.
Are you two more of “weekend warriors” or do you have some long distance trips under your belt?
We regularly go on two or three day hikes and one or two week-long trips per year. Too busy for anything longer at the moment. We want to experience thru hikes also, we just weren’t able to do it so far. Hopefully sometime in the near future.
Hiking in Finland Readers & me, we are gear-nerds! What is your typical baseweight?
Kajo: It depends, but generally about 3-3.5kg for a 3 season setup. While I am very selective about each individual piece of gear, I never really weigh the total pack or bother with the LW/UL/SUL tags. I also still have quite a bit of room to optimize the setup.
Maj: I have similar base weight as Kajo, but I usually carry heavier food (fresh if possible). Thankfully it counts as a consumable :)
Please tell us where the name “GramXpert” came from, and what it stands for.
As you might expect Gram comes from grams. As for the Xpert, we would never claim to know everything and are always happy to learn more, but we felt like our experience and almost obsessive research of design and materials justified the Xpert part :)
What makes GramXpert different from other cottages?
We really try to keep up with our short lead times, keeping the products at high quality levels and most importantly providing good customer service. Our products are also highly customizable. Each person has different needs and wants and we are always willing to adjust and adapt to every individual’s wishes.
Is GramXpert your full-time job or “just a hobby”?
Maj: A little bit of both. At the moment we are also busy doing a bunch of other things as we mentioned before, so we are not sure if this will be a full time job for both of us. I would like to keep working halftime at GramXpert so I can simultaneously work on other projects, but Kajo will put more effort into it in the future, after he graduates. European market for UL gear is quite small and most people (at least here in Slovenia) are day hikers and tend to sleep in huts. Despite that the business is on a positive trajectory and steadily growing. Our mantra is: “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
GramXpert makes lightweight and stylish quilts, accessories and a backpack. Can you tell us how the idea to start the company emerged and how you see its future?**
It started with us trying to tweak the gear we bought so it would fit our needs. Then we made the first quilts for ourselves and our friends. The key moment was when Kajo’s plan to thru-hike the PCT fell apart due to bureaucratic obstacles. He realized he wouldn’t get the necessary visa in time, so he invested his savings in the company instead.
We’re very enthusiastic and full of ideas and plans for the future. We spend most of our free time thinking about our craft, our mission, and our vision. We’re aware of the areas in which we are lacking, but we always strive to improve. We never want to sacrifice quality in order to get a few extra sales, so while we definitely want to grow and flourish, we plan on doing it strategically.
Any intentions of starting to branch out into other segments, for example offering shelters and bivys?
Yes! Eventually we would like to branch out and offer most items backpackers need. R&D takes a lot of time especially if you want to test the gear thoroughly. Bivys will be available soon. Later we will add some clothing items that are currently in the development phase. Branching out proved to be quite challenging seeing as different gear requires different sewing machine settings, or sometimes an entirely separate machine if you want to do it right. We learned a lot while we were launching our backpacks and we hope we can optimize the process and streamline the workflow in the future. Our workspace is quite limited, we’re currently cramped in a 20 square meter room and this makes some things an impossible task. We would like to produce shelters as well, but first we need to move to a bigger workshop.
Are there any other cottage manufacturers in Slovenia that you work with?
No, we are not aware of any other similar cottage manufacturers nearby, but we do collaborate with a couple of independent local suppliers.
And are you in touch with other cottage manufacturers in Europe, Japan, Canada, the USA and other places?
Not at the moment, but we are open for collaboration. It might be interesting to work on some joint projects.
Your company is still young and already has been getting good reviews and praise from all across Europe. Is business going well?
We’re slowly but surely increasing the visibility and hopefully building a good reputation. We are very happy with how things are going, but it will take a while before everything will run smooth. We’re planning on expanding our product range so we can reach more people, but like we said, quality over quantity.
Can you tell us a bit how you went about the design process of eLite quilt, and where the inspiration came from?
Kajo: Our past experiences inspire all of our products. The same thing happened with eLite. I remember winter camping a few years ago. Trying to find those tiny cordlocks to completely close the footbox in the middle of the night drove me crazy. As soon as I came home I designed a new quilt with a handy closure. With eLite you can close the footbox in a breeze, even with your gloves on.
Kajo and Maj, we love to be let in on the work-in-progress stuff! What kind of new products are you working on at the moment?
There are many prototypes of different gear in the works and you can certainly expect new and exciting things in the near future. Insulated balaclava and backpack accessories will be out in the upcoming months. We’re also currently testing two bivy models along with a simple rectangular 1P tarp/ ponchotarp.
And are there any new lightweight materials that have you all excited?
Not really, but we’re looking forward to the day when super light and breathable DCF will be available :) 10g/m² or lighter shell fabric for quilts would be really awesome.
How works the R&D at GramXpert, do you have a need yourself that you try to fix, or do some of your clients inspire you for new products and ask you for solutions to their problems, which then are adopted in the GramXpert line-up?
The “base” products are mostly inspired by our own experiences. We design the prototypes, then incorporate any improvements we might feel are needed. Due to our gear being highly customizable, we can always consult each individual customer and figure out a solution for their specific needs.
Where do your customer come from, and how do they find you?
All over the world, but mostly from Europe. Some find us organically, but it seems that most of our customers discover us through word of mouth.
When and where was your last trip?
We took a two day trip two weeks ago. We hiked through Kamnik-Savinja Alps, mainly because we live nearby, so it was really convenient on top of being gorgeous. Our last week-long trip was last autumn. We did a section hike of Slovenian mountain trail.
And where is your dream backpacking trip taking you?
Kajo: My dream backpacking trip is constantly changing. Currently it’s PNT (Pacific-Northwest Trail).
Maj: I enjoy taking short trips all over the world, but if I had to choose, the ultimate backpacking experience would be exploring South America.
Any favourite piece of gear which you always carry with you?
Kajo: That would probably be my wind jacket. It’s super convenient if you are always a bit cold like I am. In the colder seasons I always bring a pair of Climashield pants with me to keep me warm and cozy.
Maj: I also never leave home without my wind jacket, but other than that, I always pack my knife so I can prepare fresh meals.
Are you planning to get out for a trip soon, and enjoy the spring in the Julian Alps?
Our trips are mostly planned a day or two before they actually happen. There is still a lot of snow in the Julian Alps, so we’re focused on other areas at the moment. Our next trip will probably be somewhere in the coastal region. What we really like about Slovenia, and in particular the area near the capital, is that a short 1 hour drive can take you to a sub-mediterranean climate at SW, alpine at NW and continental in the eastern parts of the country. So on a good winter day you can choose between snowshoeing or rock climbing in a T-shirt :)
Social Media - on which channels is GramXpert active?
We’re not very active on social media at the moment, but we plan to change that in the future. We occasionally post on Facebook and you can also find us on Instagram.
Maj & Kajo, I thank you very much for taking the time to answer my questions =) Is there something you would like to add?
We’re really happy that the ultralight community is growing and supportive when it comes to smaller manufacturers. Hvala Hendrik for this opportunity to showcase our work, and all the best to you and your readers!
Synthetic quilts have become very light, warm & compact during the last five years - reason enough for me to check out the Sestrals Quilt from As Tucas.
Disclosure:This article has been supported financially and with gear from As Tucas. As you know: I’m keepin’ it real and tell you how it is - I maintain full editorial control of the content published on Hiking in Finland. Read the Transparency Disclaimer for more information on affiliate links & blogger transparency.
tl;dr
The As Tucas Sestrals Quilt is a very light, comfortable and very well made synthetic quilt. It packs small, has little problems with condensation and other sources of moisture, and keeps you toasty at night. Watch the Video to get the full low-down in moving images:
Time
I received the As Tucas Sestrals Quilt in time for my Cairngorms Traverse last October and have used the quilt on half a dozen trips in the autumn and spring since. Overall it has been slept under for some 14 nights and been used since nine months.
Function
The function of a quilt, like a sleeping bag, is to keep you warm at night. Ideally it is light and packs compact during the day, and is comfortable, easy to use and warm during the night when you are resting.
Features
The Sestrals packs a bunch of features, here’s the list straight from the As Tucas Website:
It is Longer than most quilts
It is Wider than most quilts
It has a Closed footbox
Very easy to use
Made from schoeller®-ftc fabric with ecorepel® finish
Uses Climashield® APEX synthetic insulation, available in three weights
Handcrafted in the Pyrenees, Spain
Available in four lengths, two widths and three insulation strengths (for a total of 24 different configurations - without the colour options!)
Technical Innovations
I have used dozens of (down) quilts and have seen lots of different designs, so it’s hard to see something new. However, I really like that As Tucas uses a schoeller fabric for this quilt, schoeller from Switzerland make some of the best UL fabrics out there, and they’re not just light & functional but also have a solid environmental record.
Oh, and while I’m not 100% sure, I think this quilt qualifies as being Vegan 🌿💚
Quality
The craftsmanship is top-notch. It is a very well designed and manufactured piece of kit and I found nothing to complain about.
Weight
My As Tucas Sestrals Quilt is a Size M with a Regular Width and an Climashield Apex 200 insulation, and weighs 658 g. That is a wee bit heavier than the claimed weight of 625 g but still acceptable.
In use
I have used some 18 years ago a light and compact synthetic sleeping bag. It packed about the same size as the Sestrals quilt, but it was nowhere near as warm or easy to use as this quilt. Happily I used it mostly in Central America, where it didn’t get too cold at night! As I started to pay attention to the weight of the gear in my backpack some 10 years ago I quickly switched to a quilt. The advantages for me were just too good to pass up, and it has improved my nights outdoors so much that I would encourage anyone who camps outdoors to try a quilt. The Sestrals Quilt from As Tucas is my first synthetic quilt, and thus far I really enjoy using it.
I love how simple it is constructed and how seams have been kept to a minimum, but at the same time paying attention to useful features like the longer hood. It packs down to a compact package and with some pushing and getting the air out I can pack it down to a size of around 6 l volume (that Helsport drybag it is in on the photos is a 10 l sack). It fluffs out easily when in camp, and condensation and dew do it no harm. I have had in the past some sketchy nights in the mountains when from the really warm day temperatures the thermometer suddenly plummets towards 0°C as soon as the sun sets - in those conditions gear that lays outside immediately starts to accumulate small droplets of water, and I had some uncomfortable nights with down quilts in the past.
With the Sestrals Quilt that is no longer a worry. There’s two fabrics to thank for that: First is the schoeller ftc fabric with the ecorepel finish, which is water repellant and the dew or rain just forms in little drops on the top of the fabric (as seen in the photo above, which I shot during my Sipoonkorpi Microadventure) and that sweet fabric is also free from fluorocarbons (PFC), so it is not harmful to humans, animals and nature. Secondly, the Climashield APEX insulation is synthetic and does not collapse from moisture, unlike down (Hydrophobic down is another story). I had a down sleeping bag collapse on top of me on a winter trip (I sweated it wet) and that was a very uncomfortable night. Even when the quilt would get wet the insulation would not collapse, so while you still might have an uncomfortable night under a wet synthetic quilt you actually could wring it dry and possibly have a halfway decent sleep (now there’s an idea for a future article!).
But away from such horror scenarios! A quilt for me needs to pack small while I am hiking and be light, and on both accounts the Sestrals quilt convinces. At camp I want to easily unpack it and not need to worry about condensation, where it also scores top marks. And then it obviously needs to be warm, comfortable and easy to use while sleeping. I tuck in the quilt at my sides when I go to sleep, and usually have a leg out to “cool down”. I also turn a lot while sleeping, from my left to my back to my right to my stomach and back, and with a quilt that is no problem. I remember nights in a sleeping bag where I ended up trapped inside because I turned too much, and well, that just ain’t nice. All quilts give you that freedom of movement, and the Sestrals maybe even gives you a little bit more freedom because there’s no drawstrings and straps which can trap you.
Warmth-wise the Climashield Apex 200 is rated to -5°C Comfort, and I found that a realistic rating. In Scotland we had some cold nights which were around the -2°C mark, and I was toasty under the quilt. I am a very warm sleeper so these kind of ratings are always dependent on the person, your metabolism, and many other factors. If you easily feel cold at night take at minimum the APEX 167 quilt if you want to use it from spring to autumn, or maybe even the APEX 200 if you really, really easily feel cold.
In the morning the quilt dries fast in the sun if some dew collected on it (in black at least), and it is easy to pack up again to a compact package, ready to hike. And while I haven’t washed it yet (it hasn’t seen that much use yet) it should be easy to clean this quilt, just toss it in the washing machine, wash it at 40° and then hang it to dry. No need to send it to a special dry cleaner or throw tennis balls into the dryer, like you have to with a down sleeping bag.
Could be better
The quilt itself is for me pretty much perfect, but I would like that it also comes with a stuff sack or dry bag when you buy it. A spacious storage bag is included, so the absence of a stuff sack for hiking was a bit strange - a cuben dry bag would be perfect!
Bottomline
In ultralight backpacking you always try to optimize the gear to the conditions of the trip ahead. The As Tucas Sestrals Quilt is my spring, summer and autumn quilt when the temperatures at night are expected to be around 0°C but can go colder, and when I expect a lot of rain and wet ground. For these trips the Sestrals quilt has performed admiringly and I had never any concerns that I might have a cold night - be it hiking in the rain in Scotland and camping out or on the Microadventure near Helsinki earlier this month. It is light, compact and very easy & comfortable in use, and I like to take it along on most trips as it’s just a very well made piece of kit that I know will perform and which I don’t need to worry about. With that it makes my backpacking trips more relaxing, and I have had great nights of sleep under the quilt. I look forward to take it along on a trip with the ENO Sub6 Hammock later this summer and see how it works in a hammock 🌳🌲!
If you are in the market for a quilt which should keep you toasty from spring to autumn, you can order the Sestrals Quilt directly from As Tucas in every configuration you want, or from Trekking-Lite-Store.com.
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The Cottages Interviews 2018 Series is a go and kicking things off is Paul from Tread Lite Gear, who makes amazing kit in the UK 🇬🇧!
I know Paul and Tread Lite Gear since several years and have interacted with him on Twitter on and off. Paul’s gear gets very good reviews from other bloggers and the wallets I bought from him a few weeks ago are very nice indeed. Paul has found a niche and serves it really well. But enough from me, here’s Paul’s answers!
Paul, please briefly introduce yourself and tell us who you are. Since when are you backpacking, and how did you start?
Hello all, Im Paul, im 47 and hail from Coventry in the UK. Its about as central in the UK as you can get and is also about as far as you can get from anywhere interesting to walk. Im married and have a 12 year old daughter. Back in my youth I was in the scouts and my Dad also took me on some hiking trips. I think that’s where my love of all things outdoors started. I suspect like many people life gets busy and you put things on the back burner whilst you chase a career, get married and have a family etc. I started getting back out maybe 10 years ago. At the time Ray Mears was doing his thing and for me it started with bushcraft. I quickly realised that what I really wanted to do was get out in the hills and I started to put away the all the heavy kit and look to ways to lighten my load so I could have a more comfortable journey. I also love to hammock and tend to hang in the winter months. If only there were more forests at altitude.
How often are you outdoors nowadays?
Back when I was in employment I tried to get out at least once a month. After starting the company I was permanently broke and reinvesting everything to get it off the ground so trips were pretty thin on the ground. Last year saw a few health issues that kept me off anything too strenuous but hopefully that’s behind me now and im really looking forward to some proper summit time this year. I have already got two long weekends in the diary for end of May and middle of June. It will be a bit of a shock to my legs im sure!
Are you more of a “weekend warrior” or do you have some long distance trips under your belt?
These days I’m mostly out on the weekends but back in the days when I had paid holidays I did a few longer trips in Norway, Estonia and Scotland. I think Norway is a stunning country, its hard in the UK to enjoy my love of a hammock but combine it with walking any great distance. My first time was just a week walking around the Nordmarka. It was cool to walk out of Oslo station and get the metro to the trail head. Easy walking and trees on top of most peaks made for some great hangs. My other Norway trip was very different as I headed off to Karasjok way up in the arctic circle for a winter trip. Pulling a toboggan along frozen rivers was truly fantastic. The Estonia trip was great too. Another winter getaway to Laheema National Park. Living in a temperate climate I’d never seen the sea frozen so that was pretty cool. Im hoping to do something special for my 50th in a few years so need to get my thinking cap on for a destination. I’m never likely to get the time to do anything epic but maybe I could do a few sections of one of the big American trails. I hear the AT is pretty hammocky so that appeals.
Hiking in Finland Readers & me, we are gear-nerds! What is your typical baseweight?
It is getting there now. Back in the first year of the business I sold pretty much all my high end kit to keep the lights on. At the time it was painful but looking back it did allow me to start with a clean slate. Like most folks I’d learned a lot of lessons over the years about what worked for me and what didn’t so I was able to assemble my ideal kit list as funds permitted. Im at about 4kg base for 3 season ground camping. I recently got hold of a lightly used DCF Khufu from Locus Gear and it’s a really quality bit of kit. The inner I find a little tight on length so I’ve just ordered an EE recon bivy to give a bit more room. My go to pack is an old GG Mariposa, it’s a vintage version in silnylon with acres of external mesh pockets. I don’t like to go into my pack until I hit camp so the mesh works great for stuff I need to access through the day. It’s a bit big for most trips but at just over 500g I’m happy to pack my sleep kit loose to pad it out. I always think its strange when I look at the current model and it weighs nearly double. Gossamer Gear, if you are reading this how about an anniversary special that hits the old weights? A 1.5oz DCF body Mariposa would be my dream pack. I have two so maybe one day I might get busy rebuilding one. My sleep mat is a GG Airbeam XL. Sadly no longer made but I love the extra width over my Neoair. I use a Cumulus 250 quilt from spring through autumn and an EE Enigma 10f for winter. Cooking is a Toaks 850 with titanium cone from Stormin Stove Systems and a Speedster alcohol stove all wrapped up in a Tread Lite bag for 179g total. I own a lot of ti pots but the Toaks is great. I can get a meal and a coffee from one boil and the handles located right at the top means its great in a cone and you don’t get hot handles. I won’t bore you with the whole list, but these are the main ones!
Please tell us where the name “Tread Lite Gear” came from, and what it stands for.
Getting a name was a nightmare! You start off thinking of every word associated with being light only for a quick google to reveal someone got there first. I wanted something that reflected the UL sector I was aiming at but that also covered all the bases and didn’t pigeon hole any future product plans. In the end a short list was quickly whittled to Tread Lite Gear on the basis it was the only one I could get the domain for. I like it though, I think it sums up what the company is about and it rolls off the tongue nicely.
What makes Tread Lite Gear different from other cottages?
I think the main thing would be the focus on just hiking accessories. Most cottages offer a full service from the small stuff right up to packs, shelters and sleep systems. I wanted to be able to offer off the shelf products with no long waiting time to a high standard and at a reasonable price point. It’s a very simple ethos. It’s just me, one guy, one product at a time. I’m small enough that I get to interact with my customers on a more personal level and I think people like that connection, I know I do!
I don’t do mailshots or undertake paid marketing. I wanted to take a very organic approach to growing the business at a pace that was comfortable. I get sick of emails asking me to review my purchase so that’s a feature I’ll never implement on the site. Life is too short. I also took the decision not to give away kit for review. It’s not that im tight, it’s just that I believe a review carries more weight if someone has parted with money to get it.
Is Tread Lite Gear your full-time job or “just a hobby”?
I’m full time. I work long hours but I wouldn’t change it. It’s very rare that it actually feels like work. I get to sit and watch box sets on Prime or Netflix all day while I work. Some people say I’m really a TV critic and sewing is a by-product of the process =) I remember after I finished watching Breaking Bad that I’d love to convert a big camper van into a mobile sewing studio!
I love what I do though. I choose my own hours so there is great flexibility and I find it really rewarding. I think I’m probably unemployable now in the real world and every day I’m thankful that I don’t have to put on a suit, get in a car and drive ridiculous distances at the beck and call of others and tow the line. Its taken me a long time to find what I’m happiest doing and I’d never go back. Paying income tax in one go each year takes some getting used to though!
I love what I do. I choose my own hours so there is great flexibility and I find it really rewarding.
Tread Lite Gear makes lightweight lanterns and a massive amount of different pockets and bags accessories. Can you tell us how the idea to start the company emerged and how you see its future?
In my old life I was a surveyor. I worked in the public sector for a large funding body providing capital funding for education. I left that to go into private practice on the other side of the table preparing property strategies and funding bids for clients. It was a great job and provided a comfortable life but it was stressful and involved a huge amount of travel and staying away from home. When the credit crunch hit, government funding collapsed. I managed to stay in employment and even started my own consultancy company. Eventually there were too many people chasing too little money and work started to be hard to come by. I kept it going a little too long. Usual story of flogging a dead horse when I should have cut and run. So one day I woke up with a pile of debt and no clue about where I wanted to go next but I knew I needed a change. With little cash to fund my gear I started playing at making my own. I bought a singer 201k sewing machine on ebay for £50 and a knackered MSR Hubba Bubba. I cut up the tent and made some awful looking monstrosities haha! I found I really enjoyed it though and after a few weeks of practice stuff started to look good. I thought the UK market was under represented and had potential so I shut the surveying business, flogged my car to release some funds and started the company. My wife went back to work full time to support us while I slowly set about building the business. Year 1 was really tough and I considered chucking it in more than once but deep down I thought it had the legs to go somewhere. Year 2 was much better and Year 3 finally saw the point where it seemed to start to gather some momentum.
In my mind I thought that summers would be really busy and winters would be quiet allowing me to hike more but it didn’t work like that and I seem to be busy year round. December is probably the only time I get to take a proper rest over Christmas and we usually rent a cottage in Norfolk. Long dog walks on huge beaches with big skies are a family favourite and it’s nice to switch off and relax.
I still use the same sewing machine for the majority of my work. It was built in the 1950s and it is still perfect. I like the juxtaposition of sewing space age fabrics on an old machine. I do have a bit of a habit of picking up more Singer 201s. There are 8 in the loft as we speak. A good investment though as prices are going through the roof.
The future is something im thinking about now a lot. Im about at the limit of what one guy can do in a small workshop. I think I’ll tough it out this year but next year I’m going to need some bigger premises and maybe some staff if growth continues. I have a largish garden and would have loved to construct a workshop but alas it’s a big investment so I’ll end up leasing I think. Expansion brings all sorts of extra hassle and more risk but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.
Any intentions of starting to branch out into other segments, for example offering backpacks or stoves?
I don’t see it but I never say never. There are a few barriers that make it difficult. The UK has lost much of its fabric manufacturing base over the years and the type of materials customers want need to be imported. Packs, and shelters in particular use huge swathes of fabric and I’m not in a position to import tons of fabric at costs that make the economics work. My workshop is pretty compact too which means I don’t have the space for a huge cutting table. Watch the Workshop tour Video to get an idea:
In the short time I’ve been doing this I’ve seen many cottages go to the wall or have huge problems. The online communities are full of stories of people folding and still taking money from people for gear that doesn’t arrive. They always seem to be big ticket items where payment is taken up front and lead times can be huge. There are some very sad stories behind some of these situations and whilst you can empathise, I never want to be in the position of needing to take up front payment or suddenly having a workload that is out of control. Life throws things at you that you have to deal with and always at a time that is inconvenient. Although people cut cottages a lot of slack, when all said and done it’s a business and, you need to act accordingly and fulfil your obligations. For that reason if I ever did branch out into big ticket stuff I would only sell what I could put on the shelf.
Are there any other cottage manufacturers in the United Kingdom that you work with?
Not at this time.
And are you in touch with other cottage manufacturers in Europe, Japan, Canada, the USA and other places?
Not really although there are often interactions on social media.
Your company is now three years old has been getting good reviews and praise from all across Europe. Is business going well?
Yes it’s good. Cash is always tight but each year gets a little easier. I launched the website this year so that’s brought a new dimension to things. I kind of thought that ebay sales would subside as the web became more popular but ebay seems to continue to grow as does the website. In time I hope to get off ebay as it’s a terribly expensive platform to sell on and they are making it more and more admin intensive and bureaucratic for businesses. Im already introducing lines that won’t go on ebay.
Can you tell us a bit how you went about the design process of Chest Pack / Front Pouch, and where the inspiration came from?
The chest pack in itself is very simple in its construction. I’d always liked the idea of a chest pouch and it’s something that customers asked for a lot. Reaching for side pockets can be a pain so it is nice to have somewhere easy to get to. The problem was always attachment to the pack. I’d tried some commercial versions in the past like the OMM trio and a Salomon one and always found them hard to mount to my pack and the weights were poor. I tried a few prototypes of my own but never quite got something that I thought would be a universal fit. The current model seems to tick those boxes and feedback has been great.
Paul, we love to be let in on the work-in-progress stuff! What kind of new products are you working on at the moment?
As I mentioned in another question im about at the limit of my time so I don’t have anything major planned. As I write this I’ve finally added cuben packing cells in a few sizes to the website which I’d only ever done previously on a custom basis. My focus over the summer will be weeding out the stuff that’s not really cutting it on the rosta, improving some of the photography and getting more pictures of gear in use whilst expanding some of the options on stuff that’s already there. My time outdoors is precious to me and I hate taking work out with me but I do appreciate studio photos are not as nice as stuff pictured on the hill. I seldom take a camera out with me. It’s too easy to live trips looking through a lens so I tend to just drink it in. I am also a little camera shy.
I’d also like to get a budget range of gear up on the website too as I’m always conscious that we don’t all have unlimited funds to splash out with. It is hard though as the labour costs and overhead are the same no matter what the fabric cost.
Any new lightweight materials that have you all excited?
Not really, DCF (I still prefer the cuben name) is still really the benchmark and I don’t see anything to challenge it in the near future. I see lots of new, heavier weight fabrics that I like though, particularly from the racing sail side of the industry, but obviously their UL appeal is limited. I’m not a huge fan of the recreational lite skin for instance but some of the racing sail lite skin laminates are beautiful.
How works the R&D at Tread Lite Gear, do you have a need yourself that you try to fix, or do some of your clients inspire you for new products and ask you for solutions to their problems?
I think it’s a mixture. UL hikers are very knowledgeable. I mean we all spend hours on end looking for solutions and looking at Gucci kit to shave a few more g’s and for sure customers are your biggest asset when it comes to product development. You can’t make every customer suggestion work due to practicalities or economics but you can often implement small changes that make gear more useable. A good exampIe would be the roll top camera strap pocket which came into being after it was requested by Ed and Robin on the trek lite forum. Took me a while to get something I was happy with but they are very popular now.
I’m always kicking around ideas with the guys I walk with too. On my last trip to the Lakes I was testing a new UL rechargeable cuben lantern. Rich and Chiseller quickly made a few suggestions to improve the design and it was on sale the following week. Cheers chaps!
I do love doing something new as it breaks up the routine. I have a list of stuff that I’d like to make or develop when time permits. Some of that is customer driven and some are my own musings on gaps in my lineup.
Where do your customer come from, and how do they find you?
Last financial year 66% of sales were in the UK and 34% overseas. USA and Germany are about equal as the biggest overseas markets but I ship pretty much everywhere there is a reliable postal service. The UK decision to leave the EU has had a big impact on the strength of Sterling and it has been good for exports. It’s a double edged sword though with most of my input costs being in Dollars or Euros. I’m nervous about the deal that will be put in place post Brexit. It all seems a bit of a mess currently but hopefully it will get hashed out. Whatever happens I guess you just have to adapt. Filling in customs paperwork is already the bane of my life so I hope there isn’t a need for more of it. Politics eh? Its enough to make you go hiking =)
I’m on social media and forums so that is a big pathway to my door. I’ve been lucky to have some exposure from other areas which I’ll mention later if I may. Ebay and Google are probably a big route too.
When and where was your last trip?
Ennerdale in the Lake District late March for a couple of nights in the hammock. It was dry too. That’s probably my last low level camp this year. It is time to get some high level stuff in, get my fitness back and escape the midge season!
And where is your dream backpacking trip taking you?
I was recently chatting to a Norwegian customer who is about to embark on a trip from the far SW of Norway right up to North Cape (3000km). It’s not a recognised trail but of all the backpacking I’ve done in Norway just makes me glow inside. I think some of that has to do with the great company of people I went with, the warm welcome from local people we met as well as the great beauty of the place. So yea I reckon something similar.
Any favourite piece of gear which you always carry with you?
Too many! I love my little cuben lanterns and there is one clipped to all my shelters and hammocks. They weigh very little and its nice not to burn the battery on my head torch in camp and it saves the need to carry a spare cell. I’m a coffee fuelled entity too so my little cuben coffee caddy bag is something that sees a lot of use. Other stuff I’m never without is my Zebralight head torch. It has never let me down. My swing lite flex brolly, my old school Mariposa pack and a Fenix 5 watch for route tracking and data. I never thought an Umbrella would be something I’d take but it’s surprisingly useful and hey it is orange! I do like bright colours and own very little stuff in earthy tones. Top of my wish list is the new Garmin Inreach Mini. I seldom have a phone signal when hiking so it would be nice to text the wife to tell her I’m alive once in a while. I’ll wait a while and see what people think of it in use.
Are you planning to get out for a trip soon, and enjoy the spring in the United Kingdom?
Yes indeed. Lake District end of May and middle of June. May to meet up with a few mates and June to meet some of the friends I’ve never met from the excellent Trek-Lite.com forum. After that I’d like to get over to Snowdonia for a few trips. I like my mountains craggy and gnarly. Tryfan and the Glyders are a favourite.
Social Media - on which channels is Tread Lite Gear active?
I am on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for work and active on the Trek-Lite.com forum which I try to keep for more personal enjoyment although work does creep in as you’d expect. I recently culled a lot of the Facebook groups I’m active on a personal level as my feed was just solid hiking related and sometimes it’s nice to see what my family and friends are up to. I read BPL from time to time but I prefer smaller more close knit places. Hammock forums is somewhere I visit too and Reddit occasionally as I’m not mad on the interface although the content is good. I probably spend too much time online but most of the people I hike with I met through online community meetups. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone I didn’t get on with and it’s always nice to put a face to a name.
Paul, I thank you very much for taking the time to answer my questions =) Is there something you would like to add?
Well firstly thanks for reaching out to do the interview Hendrik. I’ve been lucky to have a lot of other people help in getting my name out there too so I would like to also offer them some thanks if that’s OK.
Bob Cartwright at the Outdoor Station interviewed me last year which I really enjoyed and definitely had a positive impact on the business. To Chris Townsend and the TGO Magazine team who recently did a feature which has again given a boost to things and rather impressed my daughter at the same time. She took great delight in going to buy a copy and then texting pictures to everyone.
Thanks also to all the people on Facebook, Twitter, Insta, blog writers and Youtubers who share my posts and mention my products - many of whom have become friends!
My wife deserves special praise for her support, allowing me to steal away time working when I should be spending it with the family and yet still encouraging me to get out and hike.
Last but no means least, my customers. I get tons of messages offering thanks and encouragement. You keep the dream alive! It is deeply appreciated!
Happy Trails,
Paul
How much did you spent on your last piece of outdoor gear? And how much did you support your favourite blogs in the last months? If you enjoyed this interview & other articles buy me a coffee - I work Full-Time on Hiking in Finland to bring you inspiring trip reports, in-depth gear reviews and the latest news from the outdoors. You also could subscribe to the rarer-than-ever Newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Twitter and Youtube for more outdoorsy updates!
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In Finland, Sweden and Norway we have plenty of 🌳🌲🌲🌳🌲🌲🌳🌳🌲🌲🌲, a logical conclusion is thus to carry a hammock when you want to relax in the forest! In the past hammocks have been bulky, heavy and difficult to set up - that is not the case if you carry the ultralight ENO Sub6 Hammock and the amazing ENO Helios Suspension System. They let you lay in your hammock in less than two minutes on your next backpacking trip or dayhike - reason enough for me to check them out!
Disclosure:This article has been supported financially and with gear from Eagle Nest Outfitters. As you know: I’m keepin’ it real and tell you how it is - I maintain full editorial control of the content published on Hiking in Finland. Read the Transparency Disclaimer for more information on affiliate links & blogger transparency.
I have tried several hammocks over the last years, but never really fell in love with them. Either they were too bulky, too uncomfortable or just too troublesome to set up. That changed as the Sub6 Hammock and the Helios Suspension System from Eagle Nest Outfitters arrived at Hiking in Finland HQ. At first I couldn’t believe how tiny and light the hammock and tree straps were, so I went out in the garden to see if they really work.
Well, they do! I came back in, showed them to my wife (who loves hammocks!) and told her that I got a nice hammock in which she can relax the next time we go on a day hike or visit the beach. She too couldn’t believe how light and compact they were, but after another demonstration in the garden she was convinced! “So how light are they” you might be wondering. Well, according to my scale the Sub& Hammock is 163 g including the Stuff Sack, and the Helios Suspension System is 123 g total, that’s 5 g for the stuff sack and 58 g per strap. Together they are 286 g, which is pretty amazing in my books!
Since then I had the hammock along on some bike rides and day hikes and was always again amazed at how light and how easy to set up this combo is. That alone means it’s almost a no-brainer to take these two along instead of a sit pad, as they are smaller than a 500 ml water bottle (in Fact they are so small that I sometimes need to rummage through my backpack to find them =). It now takes me less than two minutes to put up the hammock to the trees and lay down in it, and after some practicing I also have it down to operate the stove from the hammock and prepare the coffee while chilling! It adds a whole new layer of relaxation in nature to my hikes, and I have found myself napping in the shade of the trees while the wind plays with the leafs far above me.
But that ain’t all: ENO makes everything you would need for hammocking, including an underquilt so you don’t get cold, the Underbelly Gear Sling which is a Mini-Hammock for your backpack & gear, a bug net to keep the Mosquitos out and a Tarp which keeps you dry. That means if you fall in love with hammocking after you’ve had the Sub6 along on some day hikes and feel like you want to sleep in it, you now can add the gear you need and are ready for sleeping elevated in the forest! I have a bunch of ENO hammocking gear here and plan to try hammock camping again this summer, and I have a feeling that I will like it much better this time around.
In conclusion it is safe to say that for day trips in the forest and afternoons at the beach we have a tiny & light addition to the backpack with the ENO Helios Suspension System and Sub6 Hammock. They are easy to put up, so very comfortable to chill in and don’t need a lot of space in the backpack. And with all the 🌲🌲🌳🌲🌲🌲🌳🌲 we have here in Finland it’s about time we elevate ourselves from the ground! If you’d like to try the SUb6 Hammock and Helios Suspension System yourselves, head over to Partioaitta who carry the gear here in Finland!
How much did you spent on your last piece of outdoor gear? And how much did you support your favourite blogs in the last months? If you enjoyed this trip report & video buy me a coffee - I work Full-Time on Hiking in Finland to bring you inspiring trip reports, in-depth gear reviews and the latest news from the outdoors. You also could subscribe to the rarer-than-ever Newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Twitter and Youtube for more outdoorsy updates!
So now that I’m properly moved back to London I can focus on creating recipes again! And that break has given me ample time to get inspired so there’s much content in the works. I’m also going to Portland and New Mexico in a few weeks which I’m sure will inspire some future recipes. Today, however, we’re focusing on these little gnudi (pronounced nyew-dee) dudes!
