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The value of a Pocket Bellow

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    • The value of a Pocket Bellow


      Yes it looks like a radio antenna, but it isn't and for a few ounces it is a practical thing to have in your kit right next to the lighter. Starting a fire you need to move air. In the past I would vigorously shake the sit pad as a fan. If your fire is going out this will bring it back in short order.

      (From the Inventor)
      After a great deal of experimentation we designed our Pocket Bellows basically from the inside out. We start by using rust resistant brass alloy shims to connect the tube sections together (unlike the vast majority of standard antenna). Why is that important? My son Austin pointed out that: "blowing through the tubes creates moisture, and moisture creates rust, and rust will destroy the bellows in short order. With brass and stainless steel our bellows will last indefinitely." At that point I knew I had him for a reason. With your basic car or radio antenna, there are a number of other problems that limit its function as a bellowing tool. For instance most antennas, once you remove that little ball on the end with the solid tube, it will work adequately... ONCE. When you collapse it after cutting off that little ball end, the end will fall into itself and you will need needle-nose pliers (and extreme patience) to extract because that's what the little ball is for. We engineered the Pocket Bellows to never have this occur. You can crush the fat end or turn up the skinny end, but you take the chance of damaging the whole works,and it will still rust then fall apart.
      Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! :thumbup:
    • LIhikers wrote:

      odd man out wrote:

      I've never built a fire while backpacking. But for car camping, I might find a use. I wonder if you could just use a hollow carbon fiber golf club shaft.
      After you cut off the head and the handle.That sure would be one expensive straw! :D
      And like others, I don't make a fire when backpacking.
      It's bad enough that I blow up my sleeping mat.
      Depends how bad a golfer you are and how bad a temper you have. While they may not want to admit it, I am sure there are some weekend warrior golfers that have broken their share of clubs. :D
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • That comment about blowing up your sleeping pad reminded me of this summer at the Garfield Shelter.

      NormallyI use my tent, but I was exhausted and knew I was probably flirting with hypothermia, so the first thing I did was get out of all the wet clothes. Then to save my spot in the shelter I started to blow up my pad. Needless to say it took longer than normal, which drew a comment from one of the guys in the shelter. I told him normally it doesn't take that long (just NeoAir XLite I bought from Jimmy Jam), but that evening I was just happy be dry and off Mt Lafayette. :)
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General