Archive for February, 2021

A weak flashlight

Feb 22 2021 Published by under Uncategorized

Of all flashlights I have ever tested there is none that is weak enough for night use without blinding. So I suggest making one.

It should start in the weakest setting. It is better to start at a too weak level and then adjust up than to start with blinding the user and then decrease.

By weak it is meant Weak. Go sit in a wardrobe for 5 minutes and first then find out the lowest light needed for reading; weaker than that. Start with what a youngster needs to read a sea map. A grown up probably needs more.

Red light is said to not blind the user but the red is often too strong and blinds anyway. It also makes it harder to make out colours.

Also do Not have flashing light as part of the turn on/adjust/turn off cycle. Flashing light is more or less Never needed.

Uses

When hiking in the forest and reading the map you don’t want to blind yourself. Make a small light attached to the hand that can shine down on a map but not much more.

When night sailing way too many (all?) instruments are too bright. Make a small light to fasten to the (inside of the) arm of the sailing/foul weather gear. Make it big enough to light up a map but small enough to not light up the surroundings.

In a tent one sometimes need a “ceiling mounted” down light. Bright enough to find shoes but weak enough to not wake companions or ruin the night vision.

At a scout jamboree or when just taking a leak 20 paces into the forest to show the way. It can be mounted on small poles at regular intervals or situated near hazards, like trippable stones.

Put it on the top of the brim of a cap. It will show your position but not take away your night vision.

Put the weak light at a hazard or a junction or a sign, for any use or when laying out a trek for night hikers.

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Thick bag as slide

Feb 10 2021 Published by under Uncategorized

I have carried a plastic bag with me when hiking in the mountains. I use it as a slide when I happen upon a piece of snow “snölega”.

It is light weight, does not take too much space and can be useful for 1000 other things.

Why not make a slightly heavier/sturdier for use at home, in the regular slope.

It is small enough to stay in the car trunk all winter of one discovers a slope when traveling from point A to point B.

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Slippery shoes

Feb 04 2021 Published by under Uncategorized

I suggest creating shoes that can go from slippery to not slippery by some simple manipulation.

Say you are on your way home and you see a puddle of ice. Of course you want to skid a little. So remove the antislip from your shoes, slide over the puddle, put the antislips back, and continue as you were. But slightly happier.

There can be many “slipperies”. For ice, for snow, for show-ish, for wet grass, for grass, for sand, for marble floor, for wall to wall carpet. You name it.

The slipperies can be omnidirectional (you slip in all directions) or forward directed (slipping forward like ice skates) or directed (slipping slightly sideways to make up for humans having their feet slightly outwards).

Curling contestants already have it; an omnidirectional slippery on one foot. Now let’s take it further!

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Downhill skating

Feb 03 2021 Published by under Uncategorized

I suggest making covering a sloped area with ice. I will be like downhill skiing but with skates instead of skis.

It means areas that are too flat for downhill skiing can be used.
It means areas with sub zero temperature but no snow can be used.

Why not make skate boarding ramps out of ice? It would be like a mix of a skate board ramp area and a half pipe.

The danger of people skidding with sharp blades and uncovered throats springs to mind. But is it really a problem? No one talks about slalom skis and sharp sides. Nor have I heard anyone discuss it when ice skating.

Difficult to create such a slope? I guess we have to learn, just like we have learned how to prepare for skis.

Update

The other day I stumbled upon some sort of this. It was just a few seconds on youtube and it looked like a smaller variant of the sport where they go 4? people next to each other over bumps.

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