Where is Mark?
BY Mark | POSTED My Adventures, Tahoe 100 miler, Videos
Here’s a video from the footage I filmed at the Tahoe 100 mile race my friends Adrian and Mark were running. Since they are both pretty soft I had to help carry them most of the second half and wasn’t able to capture the footage I had hoped to.
If you’re curious how they did, I wrote it up in an earlier post here.
;D
I’ve been using the Tilopa for the last 6 months and having taken it on several trips internationally I feel comfortable to give you my review.
I chose the Tilopa because it’s dimensions are the largest for carry-on allowable by all major airlines operating today. That does make it a large bag and a useful one too but it’s far from perfect and you may find some qualities deal breakers for you.
Below are the pros & cons as I see them, I dig into more details in the video. You can also see my review of the KATA Sensitivity bag, my daypack and the other half of my travel bag setup.
Pros
- It’s volume is the largest allowable for carry-on.
- Lots of external straps and pockets. I use them to attach a tripod and monopod and store snacks and Powerbars to avoid the ridiculously priced and unhealthy airport food.
- One of the few backpacks that fits a ton of camera gear and a 15″ laptop (mine is a Dell XPS M1530).
- The internal metal frame helps the bag keep it’s shape.
- The reinforced ICU (Internal Camera Unit) is removable and nicely compartmentalizes your camera gear.
- ICUs come in different sizes so you can use the one that’s best for your trip. One comes with the bag and additional ones are ~$40USD (less if you buy several at once).
- The zippered opening on the back provides access to your camera gear in the ICU without having to remove it. It’s not easy access so I wouldn’t consider it for spontaneous shooting.
- Waterproof compartments I haven’t tested in more than a light rain but they work well in those conditions.
Cons
- On smaller commuter aircraft that typically serve short-hop connecting flights, the overhead is too small for the Tilopa and you’ll need to gate-check it. That means it’ll sit in the cargo hold but at least be spared the baggage carousel.
- The center grab handle is located on the back instead of the top, well off the center of gravity, causing the bag to bump against your leg making it a useless carrying point.
- When fully loaded with camera gear it can get very heavy.
- It starts to cause pain between my shoulder blades after 15-30 minutes of walking. The chest and waist straps only delay the inevitable. This could be a result of the weight but still a big issue for me. I would dream of bringing this bag on a long hike without lightening it.
- The Large ICU that shipped with my bag took up alot of space leaving little for clothes and other travel bits. F-Stop told me they will offer the option to choose your ICU size on ordering soon.
- No iPod pouch/compartment. Every bag should have one of these.
- Small dealer network means you have to buy the bag online and unseen. They do have a 30 day return policy but it’ll cost you the shipping.
- The price. At $295USD this bag is not cheap.
I looked at over two hundred bags before picking the Tilopa and I can’t say I’m completely thrilled with it. The ergonomics over time are my main issue but if you want to travel with camera gear and a 15″ laptop without checking baggage and in backpack form, this is one of the few bags that fill those requirements.
Btw, if you know if another bag that does all this drop me a line.
Do you remember fruit picking as a child? I do. There were cherry and plum trees on the farm in Poland where I spent the summers. Poland shares a similar latitude to Toronto and right around this time of year (July) the branches would burst into deep red ripeness and my cousins and I similarly burst out of the house, swarming the trees like starved locusts as our grandmother waved bowls in the air yelling for us to fill them up. Of course we eventually did, but not before ravaging the trees for our own selfish gains. Some activities have the power to awaken the child in us and fruit picking is one of them – splashing around in a creek, water balloon fights and playing retro video games are others that do the trick.
No matter where you live there are U-pick farms in the area. Pickyourown.org is a website which despite it’s terrible design is the most comprehensive database of U-pick farms in the world as well as listings of what fruits are in season and recipes to try if you manage not to eat everything you pick. And with many farms using organic growing practices, there’s no better way to eat well, locally and inexpensively.
But those are just the reasons to appease the adult side. The child in us is content to lie in the shade, simultaneously loathing and relishing the sweet stomach ache that results when fruit and carefree come together.
I love getting packages in the mail. This one arrived from Amazon and had books from a couple of the adventurers I’m currently most impressed by. These men possess uncommon bravery and are master storytellers. Here’s the unboxing and below links to each book.
Adventure Book Unboxing from Mark Rabo on Vimeo.
“Fate is the Hunter” by Ernest Gann
On Amazon
“Song of the Sirens” by Ernest Gann
On Amazon
“Wind, Sand and Stars” by Antoine de St-Exupery
On Amazon
From a single day playing hookie from work to epic multi-week transcontinental runs, roadtrips are the easiest and cheapest way to get away. I talk alot about being free in mind when traveling so you can move in the moment. On roadtrips that means being able to take sideroads and detours without worrying about your safety even if something were to go wrong. Carrying the proper supplies will give you that peace of mind.
Winter travel requires the most precautions; a few hours in the cold can be unpleasant if not dangerous. In warmer climates you can get by without some of the warmth related items but don’t underestimate nighttime temperature drops.
Here are some things to bring along (not all the items are mentioned in the video so check the list under it).
Roadtripping Must-Have Supplies from Mark Rabo on Vimeo.
Gas can – A 20L gas can will save you a long walk should you run out. Gas goes bad after a few months so I fill it up the day of the trip and if I don’t use it, feed it to my car when I get home.
Windsheild washer fluid – A 4L (1 gallon) jug will do. I use the -40oC type all year round so I don’t have to think about changing it when the seasons switch.
Antifreeze/Engine coolant – A 4L (1 gal) jug of 50/50 water and coolant premix. You can buy the jugs premixed from the store or mix yourself (the premix is about double the price). Water cools better than coolant so in the summer months you can get away with using distilled water but be sure to return to 50/50 before the temperature drops below freezing and your engine cracks like a sidewalk.
Tire pump – Get a mechanical one (foot pumped if possible). Electric ones are useless if your car has electrical problems or a weak battery. You can find them for as little as $10.
Oil – At least 1L of motor oil should be in your car whether you’re roadtripping or not (and you should check the level regularly too).
Jumper/Booster cables – Again, a set should be in your car at all times.
Blanket – A wool or fleece blanket will keep you warm. Even in the summer, it can get very cold and you’ll be glad you brought it if you need to car camp one night.
Hats/Gloves/Scarves – Same idea as with the blanket. Bring one for each passenger.
Bivvy Sack – This is a sleeping bag that reflects 90% of your body heat back to you. People have survived nights exposed in the mountains thanks to these little bags. They’re super lightweight and cost next to nothing.
(http://www.amazon.com/Adventure-Medical-Kits-Heatsheets-Emergency/dp/B000WXX0JS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=grocery&qid=1265862960&sr=8-3)
Multitool – I carry a multitool wherever I go especially on adventures, they have an infinite number of uses. This one by Gerber is well-equipped and not too expensive.
(http://www.amazon.com/Gerber-22-41517-Freehand-One-hand-Multi-Plier/dp/B000EDRTT8)
Survival kit – Like with a multitool, a survival kit should go with you on every adventure. The fire starting bits are most important but there’s lots of good stuff in most. I like the one below: it’s got lots of useful pieces and comes in a sardine can.
(http://www.amazon.com/Adventure-Medical-Kits-Pocket-Survival/dp/B000G7WRDU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=grocery&qid=1265863127&sr=1-1)
Spare tire – Check it’s properly inflated (and that it’s in the car). You’d be surprised how many people I’ve stopped to help on the side of the road and the reason they’re stuck is because their spare tire was flat or not even there.
——
Roadtrip with these items and you’ll be prepared for the majority of situations. Keep them in your car at all times and you’ll even be able to take a “Good Intentions Roadtrip” (where you leave the house with the good intention of going to work but end up on a roadtrip adventure instead).
Happy driving!
The Kata Sensitivity V is one half of my The Ultimate Adventure Photography Travel Bag System (see this post for what I mean by that).
It’s the daypack whose main qualities are: lightweight, comfortable, roomy and compact; below is a quick review. The review for the second half of the system, the F-Stop Gear Tilopa is coming soon.
A couple of packages met me in here San Francisco; if they’re what I think they are, I’m gonna be one happy photographer.
Btw, the Japanese references are talking about this awesome video (love the smokes) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCe8C3Q7zIY
I’m a huge fan of hand-holding, it lets you capture interesting angles that you’d never think of composing and when you get good, you can take photos where you shouldn’t (or aren’t welcome) to.
But walking around with you camera one-handed is risky; one bump from a passerby can send it crashing to the ground. Many companies sell a special strap that replaces the neckstrap and makes it great to handhold. I’m not a fan of these because you need to put your camera down to use both hands; an easy target for thieves.
I found a way to wrap the neck strap around your hand in such a way that it holds tight preventing a drop but can still be unraveled and hung around your neck when so you don’t have to put it down.
ADVENTURE DOESN'T MEAN EXPENSIVE TRAVEL OR EXOTIC PLACES, IT MEANS INTERESTING AND EXCITING EXPERIENCES. THIS IS A BLOG ABOUT GETTING OUT THERE AND DOING EXCITING STUFF ON ANY BUDGET. THAT COULD MEAN A LOCAL ROADTRIP OR FLYING THOUSANDS OF MILES ALL FOR LESS THAN YOU EVER IMAGINED
My name is Mark and i'm a professional photographer. My curiosity for people and places drive me to travel and the nerd in me wants to find the cleverest ways to do it. When i'm not on the road you'll find me riding motorbikes, flying with buddies or hanging at the local best buy. Toronto is homebase and life is good.
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