PTC*

I believe in science and dinosaurs.

21  06 2008

What’s this?

Blog of the Week: PTC

PTC is a lightweight gear enthusiast hailing from the bonny land of Scotland.  His blog has become a major inspiration for many people to go down the ‘ultra-lightweight’ route, and really challenge what they need to take with them on the hill.  This has earned Pete (as he is known to non forum users) a column in Trail Magazine, where he gives tips and tricks to allow you too, to go lightweight. His blog is filled with stories of his many backpacking trips, often in the wilds of Scotland.  Great stories and in depth gear reviews on products and brands that you may not have come across before. So if you have ever wondered what this lightweight thing is all about, or simply want to read some humorous and well written trip reports, check out the PTC Blog.

Just spotted that above on the Ultimate Outdoors website. I keep forgetting folk can see this bloody thing. It’s very nice indeed, and it’s also a clever way of getting reciprocal links to your webstore. But, anyone who stocks the new Haglöfs Ascent packs in summer and the LIM Ultimate pants with the full length yellow side zips at any time is forward thinking and deserves custom.

Anyway, I should be in the Cairngorms right now. But work intervened, and maybe that’s not a bad thing seeing who the weather has turned out. A bit pish. Can I now be arsed doing something else outdoorsy like a trail run by headtorch, or shall I eat tandoori delights and watch The Taking of Pelham 123 which I just got back from Craig?


Items Various

17 Responses to “What’s this?”

  1. shuttleworth, Said:
    on June 21st, 2008 at 18:06


    Ultra-lightweight?

  2. Taran, Said:
    on June 21st, 2008 at 18:11


    Tandoori delights would be the obvious choice!
    My plan today was also to head into the hills,but alas the weather down here is rather unjoyous too,rain wind and fog…crap.But if the sun is out tomorrow then I shall don the gear and get out there.
    Spent the afternoon playing my way through my guitars and basses instead,off now to help empty a nice bottle of chilean merlot and eat jam doughnuts…oh the joy of rainy days!
    Btw did you know that you are now officially Trail’s ‘lightweight Gnu’?

  3. PTC*, Said:
    on June 21st, 2008 at 18:30


    Aye, ultra lightweight. My Snow Peak mug is really really light though.

    I’ve stuck a random tagline on at the top to indicate my promotion to “Gnu”. Jam doughnuts….
    Talking of guitars, I’ve been putting back together my early 80s Jaydee Arrow, which is a ’58 Flying V from John Diggins who made Tony Iommi’s guitars and Mark Kings basses. There’s a bridge pickup in the post and thet’ll be it :o)

  4. Martin Rye, Said:
    on June 21st, 2008 at 18:50


    Start using that tarp you have on order and you will be Ultra-lightweight and get even more grief over at the Trail forum, (funny as I remember Brasher designed his boots in response to painful feet after using normal ones). Any way you got a citation as your site is worthy of it and well done and keep up the good work. Also what next? Super Ultra-lightweight.

  5. Taran, Said:
    on June 21st, 2008 at 19:35


    I had a loan of a Jaydee mark king bass a few years back,great sound and playability.Look forward to seeing pics of the arrow when its finished…pointy guitars rule.There is/was a website called pointyguitars.com full of stringed delights.
    My current favourite bass is my Charvel fusion iv early 90′s and very metal,it gets used a hell of a lot and still plays and sounds awesome,this was taken to pieces and thoroughly cleaned and rebuilt.
    What pickup are you fitting to the arrow?

  6. PTC*, Said:
    on June 21st, 2008 at 19:50


    Taran, a zebra striped Gibson 498t for the bridge. I’ve always liked the pickup and I’ve kept them as stock on any Les Pauls I’ve had. There’s a Seymour Duncan Jeff Beck in there just now, but it’s a bit honky sounding, so back to the familiar before I restring it.
    I’ll stick some photies up when it’s done.

    Martin, the lighweight labels are getting out of hand aren’t they :o)
    The Trail forum, ah there’s a thing. I try with it I really do. There’s so many folk on there looking for outdoors stuff and they’ve got to wade through the shite to get to it. It’s a shame.
    The forum format is rubbish, it’s really holding it back now.

  7. Martin Rye, Said:
    on June 21st, 2008 at 19:58


    Try the BPL forum for a like minded chat and learn something new as well

  8. PTC*, Said:
    on June 21st, 2008 at 20:17


    Subscribing to BPL’s been on the to-do list for ages!

  9. Martin Rye, Said:
    on June 21st, 2008 at 20:28


    Do it and see the quality of the reviews like they did on the SPoT and the knowledge of the staff like Roger Caffin is superb. Look at his web site and his gear section.
    http://www.bushwalking.org.au/FAQ/

    I have had long, deep and insightful chats on the BPL forums. see When have you gone too light.

    Have fun

  10. PTC*, Said:
    on June 21st, 2008 at 20:32


    Good lad, thanks.

  11. shuttleworth, Said:
    on June 21st, 2008 at 21:28


    I got the feeling that BPL was a bit too snobby, “this is the only way to do things” type of feeling. Also it gets incredibly tied up in little details, in a way I like the “why let the truth spoil a good story” type of approach.

  12. PTC*, Said:
    on June 21st, 2008 at 21:46


    $84 to sign up for the full whack. I’ll have a think and read my mate’s magazine for the moment.

    It is quite high density on info, which I can take for a while. It’s a fine resouce for sure.

    But, I do like the banter more :o)

  13. Martin Rye, Said:
    on June 21st, 2008 at 21:57


    I just have the online option and got the magazine as a digital edition thrown in. shuttleworth I can understand that BPL might appear that way but I have learnt a lot from it. Geeting in to a chat with Chris Townsend, or Roman Dial can only be positive. What I like on the kit is the depth of the information you get from BPL staff (PTC as well), you can post your own reviews on kit etc, and it may appear American but in truth it is world wide in its members so you gain so much more from it. Worth the online subscription in my view.

  14. Craig, Said:
    on June 24th, 2008 at 10:05


    That’s pretty interesting. Sadly, looks like you’re going to be stuck with this daft ‘Pete’ nomenclature for the rest of your days. I don’t get it. What forces people to call you that? I wonder if it’s just English folk. I don’t think I know any Scottish folk that call you anything but Peter or PTC? I dunno. Weird.

    Next – ultra-lightweight? Do they actually read this blog? Haven’t they noticed that you make a habit of slapping down weight weenies and their back garden adventurer antics?

    Ach well, either way, it’ll drive more visitors your way, and they’ll be able to call you ‘Pete’ too. Nightmare.

  15. DavidG, Said:
    on June 24th, 2008 at 10:46


    Oops – I think I have referred to Peter in the abbreviated form and I can’t cite Sassenachicity as an excuse. Sorry – didn’t realise it caused offence. Maybe he just looks like a Pete though ;-)

    Regarding “slapping down weight weenies and their back garden adventurer antics”, I’m not sure that some of them even make it as far as their back garden. I am frequently appalled by the number of characters lording it over certain outdoor sites, who invariably reveal themselves to be experience-lite, clueless wannabees.

    Which is why Pete…er…PTC*’s site is worth reading. He actually knows what he is talking about.

  16. shuttleworth, Said:
    on June 24th, 2008 at 17:07


    Craig said: “Sadly, looks like you’re going to be stuck with this daft ‘Pete’ nomenclature for the rest of your days. I don’t get it. What forces people to call you that?”

    Page 97 of the July issue of Trail, under the heading ‘Expert two’ it says Pete Macfarlane, and various references from then onwards, the mans done it to himself, perhaps an alter ego he’s just discovered ;)

  17. PTC*, Said:
    on June 24th, 2008 at 18:56


    Aye, the Peter, Petesy, Pete, PTC thing… I must say I have never once in my entire life introduced myself as, or signed myself as “Pete”. In saying that, I couldn’t give a monkey’s, folk use all the above variations all the time. A name is just a point of reference, it’s not part of your DNA. So as long as it’s uttered in goodwill I’ll respond to most things :o)

    Thanks for the kind words above. I don’t normally talk about stuff like the link from Ultimate Outdoors, but it would be churlish not to have mentioned that one I thought.
    It’s all just another way to spread the joy.

    Photobucket

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