Manufacturers, are you listening?

[bilko]

Ever had a good idea about a bushcraft invention but lack the skills and time to make it?
Ever bought a bushcraft product which was excellent or would be with minor modifications?
I don't know how many hits this site has but any camping or bushcraft material manufacturer worth their salts would keep an ear to the ground by trawling through sites like these.
I propose we take this oppertunity to tell them ( indirectly ) what WE want. Furthermore i summise that bushcrafters in general will pay for well made quality materials that do the job better than WELL.
If they \are not listening it might be fun anyway to air your imagination on this thread so to speak.

I'll go first; tentatively
Map cases and OS maps :aargh4: :aargh4: :aargh4:
Before the northern meet the other day i bought the appropriate OS map and a good mapcase. It's by outdoor designs and i picked it from a choice of 4 products at Millets.

But....anyone who has shelled out the £7 for an OS or similar may marvel at their usefullness but realy wonder at the person who designed it. Have you ever tried to fold one up to get the square mile or so you want? or worse, tried to unfold one in Cumbrian winds?

Now i realise that they will not change the design of the maps overnight but i wonder why noone has thought of a complete map case for one. ( if they have let me know and i'll buy a few ) so long as they meet these criteria.
It must be waterproof and clear ( as they all are although some moreso than others )

You must be able to fit the whole map in it unfolded .
It must be possible to fold up the map and case into a single oblong section or more easily and still be able to read
This folding must be possible without cutting the map.

I realise this may take a master of origami to figure out but i believe it is at least possible. If i owned a full set of OS maps then i would be tempted to get them laminated on both sides and do the bending myself. But i think any company that manufactured these could include the maps as well. Yes you would pay extra ( maybe £5 by the time theyve got their bulk buy discount ) but i think it would be worth it. Just a thought

Over to you ( don't be shy....they are listening )and who knows, we might even get some excellent modifications.

 

[raskusdrotti]

Bilko,
try this Map proof

I also have this map case map case

and it's not too bad as it folds out and is clear both sides - but chances are you need the part on the fold!!!!

 

[andyn]

Psst...you can buy waterproof OS maps from Aqua3.com

 

[Goose]

Don't forget the card cover comes off, it makes folding them for use so much easier.

 

[cossack]

went in local library earlier this year to find them selling old books inc laminated OS maps @ 10p each, took the 19 they had left and was asked for £1 for the lot. As my main use is classroom work teaching cadets map reading, the Areas did not even matter at that price or that they were all 2-3 years old.

 

[jdlenton]

I have the same map case as raskusdrotti it works really well for me as you can use both sides of the folded square and fold that in half too so you have a snall oblong i also nikwax all my maps too.

As a cartophile of many years experence I tend to carry the map and case (with attached compass) for short walks as my navigation kit and on long walks over numerous days carry it as a back up and use copies of the map in small laminated folding sections that cover thats days route so i don't need to unfold that map whilst on the top of a hill avoiding all the complications it has to offer.

The trouble with the idea of a case that covers the hole map and folds down would be the thickness of the transparent material say 1to 1,5 mm this would end up quite bulky when folded down and would act even more like a sail than the map on its own did in the wind when unfolded.

it's a good idea but i dont think we have the materials technology yet to make one thats is light ,compact and durable enough to use.

just my 2p keep them ideas flowing and you'll find one that'll work - inventing is fun

 

[bilko]

Bilko,
try this Map proof

I also have this map case map case

and it's not too bad as it folds out and is clear both sides - but chances are you need the part on the fold!!!!

Thats the map case i chose!, streets ahead of all the others on diplay there. But wouldn't it be great if it was the size of an unfolded OS which you could fold to your needs.
Thanks for the info on the waterproofing etc guys
I thought of another small mod to containers and steel mugs etc. Now i know there are some available but why don't they all have markings on them for quantites etc? Such a simple thing would make me buy that mug as opposed to one without. ( not in the market for btw )
I hope to hear some good mods or wants in the future

Like maybe paracord in a round tapemeasure type container. spring loaded with a lock and safety cutter. Easily dismantable for inserting refills. Perhaps pictures of the 5 or so most usefull knots on the back. You get the Idea.
Retractable spatular for camp cooking with a cap on the handle and an insert that you por cooking oil into for storage. OK going wild now but the idea is to get quality products and not flimsy throwaway rubbish.
Not everything has to be an inspecter gadget and indeed, the simplicity of some items are what makes them so appealing.
I suppose if Victorianox made spatulars i would steer clear of them.
Just looking for that extra bit of finish in a produc realy. Forget my OTT screwball inventions .
I'm sure you get my drift

 

[jamesdevine]

Why not have the map printed on the plastic. Obvisouly a plastic that is soft and flexable enough so you can bend it anywhy you wanted and it must be strong and durable enough to withstand the wear and tear of outdoor live. It really is time thinks changed from paper.

They could also be recyclable so you brought them back each year and got the latest on for on the printing cost.

James

 

[jdlenton]

I understand I hate the fact that loads of todays kit is made of injection molded plastic that you are supposed to use for 2 weeks, throw it away and buy another and that you have to hunt for good quality kit that could will last you a life time do i want too much or have i been brought up the wrong way

bilko keep them ideas coming and note them down in a note book one day you may well come up with an idea that could make you very rich indee ( well thats the dream)

I like the cooking oil handle idea

 

[arctic hobo]

Psst...you can buy waterproof OS maps from Aqua3.com

I don't own a single paper map
Like stainless knives, I just don't want to leave it to chance. But unlike stainless knives, nobody disputes that waterproof maps are identical to the paper ones!

 

[bambodoggy]

I've always bought waterproof maps and the ones I was issued when in the forces I dutifully highlighted every single grid number on the map with a highlighter pen and then had them laminated...it does make them a little more bulky but hey ho, least they survive a soaking.

The highlighting of all the grid numbers would be a worth while manufacturing addition though.

The other option of course is to work on your "map memory" skills, we regularly had our maps taken off us between check points to ensure we knew where we were and weren't replying on the map too much.

I don't use a spatular much but if I did then I'd just carve my own and burn it when I'm done.

Sorry if this sounds a bit nagative...maybe I should just keep quiet but I don't mean it in a funny way.... but I'm trying to reduce the amount of kit I carry and use not increase it! lol

Some very ammusing ideas though

Bam.

 

[Ogri the trog]

Oops, only just came across this thread,
When in the forces, we'd take our maps (admitedly fresh from the map store where they were stored flat not folded - but I recon you could do a reasonable job if you ironed it) cover the ink side with "Fablon" sticky back plastic. You have to take your time to get it right with no wrinkles. Then into a bath for 15 minutes or so, then turn it over and peel off the paper!
This left the ink and a very thin paper layer as a virtually indestructable "map" that could be scrumpled into a ball and stuffed into a pocket, could be used to shelter under, carry water etc etc etc all without loosing the integrity of the information of the original map.

If I was serious about mountaineering, this is the product that I'd be looking out for.

Ogri the trog

 

[andyn]

Oops, only just came across this thread,
When in the forces, we'd take our maps (admitedly fresh from the map store where they were stored flat not folded - but I recon you could do a reasonable job if you ironed it) cover the ink side with "Fablon" sticky back plastic. You have to take your time to get it right with no wrinkles. Then into a bath for 15 minutes or so, then turn it over and peel off the paper!
This left the ink and a very thin paper layer as a virtually indestructable "map" that could be scrumpled into a ball and stuffed into a pocket, could be used to shelter under, carry water etc etc etc all without loosing the integrity of the information of the original map.

If I was serious about mountaineering, this is the product that I'd be looking out for.

Ogri the trog

That is a technique i'd like to see! Might have to try it out at somepoint - I take it that the original map goes in the bin afterwards?

 

[2blackcat]

Did they ever do silk maps commercially?

Surely todays technology could do something with a natural product
Folds small, ecologically sound

Errr, stitch two together for a sleeping bag liner

 

[innocent bystander]

Probably wouldn't work, but digital map + t shirt transfers + suitable material ?

Or just digital mapping, and print of the bit's you need...

 

[oops56]

Just make a 2x2 digital screen down load map off computer battery power and solar power. Up & down &side to side plus x times to make bigger.or have it built into a digita camera

 

[Brian]

The only thing I find with using Fablon is that I create my own contours as I can never get the whole map covered and flat. I use an Ortlieb document pouch now, the only thing I don't like is I can't write on it, but at least I'm not trying to read paper mache at silly o'clock in the morning in the pooring rain.

Brian

 

[Sickboy]

Saw a great idea/invention on crafty tricks of war the other week, when they were dropping agents behind enemy lines in WW2 they issued some with silk maps of the area, folded down to nothing, used indelable(?) ink and wouldnt hold any water Not sure on the cost of wipping these up nowadays but made sense to me, i know a printer so i'll make a casual inquiry, don't want to give the game away

 

[Toddy]

Saw a great idea/invention on crafty tricks of war the other week, when they were dropping agents behind enemy lines in WW2 they issued some with silk maps of the area, folded down to nothing, used indelable(?) ink and wouldnt hold any water Not sure on the cost of wipping these up nowadays but made sense to me, i know a printer so i'll make a casual inquiry, don't want to give the game away

I can get you silk that's been sized to take ink or paint if that would help. About 54" wide, £3.99 a metre. Don't know how it would work on a printer...I need to give it a go with one of those print out on special paper from the computer and iron it on images.....I'll run this past Gavin, might save me a fortune buying him those waterproof walkers maps

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[Jared]

Another method maybe to print onto a transparency, and use that for creating a stencil with photo sensitive gel for silk screen printing.
Though would have to make multiple stencils for each colour etc.

Though I suspect far easier, if can print your own maps, is to print multiple copies out, once one gets wet/muddy/dogeared becomes fire tinder.