coLAB

how to: hang your mitymug over an open fire

2009-01-22T14:59:12+00:00

if you want to use your mitymug over an open fire like a loop handled pot use 2 small bulldog clips attatched to the rim and a suitable length of wire/ chain etc.

simple, not my idea, taken off bcuk.

Alpkit ‘Nails’ - and how to find them

2009-04-27T18:24:02+00:00

Ok, so I bought the latest lightweight tent. I looked at the supplied tent pegs, laughed, and ordered a set of Alpkit ‘Nails’. Now I don’t see too well and it could get expensive losing a Nail each time I camp. So lightwight, high visibility loops tied to the top of each nail seems to be the obvious answer - but what material?

My first attempt (currrently in the post somewhere courtesy of eBay) will be fluorescent yellow sea fishing line. I’m guessing that 60lb (0.7mm) line will be thick enough to spot in the grass and strong enough to pull the Nail out of tough ground with. It seems to me that the weight of a couple of inches of line should be bugger all…

Anyone have a better suggestion for suitable material and where to get it?

Rob

bulb upgrade

2009-11-03T22:52:22+00:00

hey guys,
just thinkin about the possibility of an led upgrade, the way cree make there xr-e leds is by sorting them into different bins which corresponds to there brightness(and efficiency), this would give me the possibility of getting more light!
does anyone no what bin is currently used? is the emitter mounted on a mcpcb star? if so what type of star? has anyone done an upgrade? how easy does it come apart?
i was thinkin also of perhaps trying to put an xp-g in there instead, then id be able to get 111 lumens per watt, making it 46 percent brighter and 64 percent more efficient than the highest-performance XR-E LED!

or should i just leave it be, do i really need any more light output?

the cost of a xp-g is about £4, so itd b a fairly cheap upgrade, n id probs use the old led for somethin else anyway!

what do you guys think?

Gamma / Bulb bike light bodge

2009-02-14T14:16:13+00:00

The guys in the office had been messing around with their bike lights since the nights started drawing in at the start of winter. Pete came up with a nice method of fitting two Gammas to his handlebars zip tying the battery packs to the handlebar stem. It was neat and gave good long to mid range visibilty on some of the trails we ride on the way home. At the same time Jim was trying to fit a BULB to both his helmet and handlebars to give a closer flooded light, just what was needed to spot ruts in the path and kamakase ducks.

I sacrificed my old Cateye lamp which was proving to be inadequate but kept the mount and lower casing to act as a craddle for a BULB. The result is secure and adjustable. I had to stick some blue tape over the top of the bulb since the glare was effecting my night vision!

Make your own lightweight stove

2008-09-23T15:06:09+00:00

The ultimate lightweight stove? This classic home made lightweight stove uses your regular fizzy pop can and weighs in at just 10g! Wikipedia explains the theory of the beverage can stove, but many sites such as Zenstoves or Cobra stove offer instructions for making your own.

How to come up with an idea!

2008-09-25T10:27:02+00:00

So you think you’ve got what it takes to come up with the next great thing in outdoor gear. You just arent sure what exactly it is yet.
I can give some advise that i had to learn the hard way while working on the Linelight idea entered in the ‘08 CoLab contest,... less-is-more.

Backpacking:
Its about being lightweight
small
strong
multifunction
ultimately utilitarian

Cyclists:
Its about being lightweight
strong
smart (looking)
highly specialised function (you may need to have a graduate degree in
design or CAD engineering!)

Climbing:
Its about being lightweight
strong
highly specialised/engineered

The point is that smaller, lighter, stronger, and smarter looking will account for about 80% of your “new” idea. So maybe like Nick suggests in the intro, remaking the wheel is not necessary, but start looking at your gear with these ideas in mind. Then when you figure out some wild “what if” way of reducing weight on your backpack, tent or stove you may have just stumbled upon a simple idea thousands of people would be interested in buying if it was taken to market. The really bright ideas that ive seen while searching the web for new product designs usually take an existing product, and think hard about what is “really” needed for that product to work. Eliminating the rest in a strong, smart, and lightweight way may make for a novel product.
Good luck, and hope this helps for that first step.
-derek