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  1. Caelan

    Building Arrakis (2016 JKUR)

    Part 2: Storage Jeep Wranglers are not known for their storage capacity. Arrakis is an incredibly capable off-road machine, but weight and space are at a premium. Plus, it didn’t take long before just stacking bins in the back got to be a hassle. So I took over my dad’s well outfitted...
  2. Caelan

    Building Arrakis (2016 JKUR)

    That's exactly it. Once everything was set up it was amazingly posh but getting everything built took forever and breaking camp in foul weather was guaranteed to spark some foul moods. On the rare chance we'd hang out in a camp for more than a day or two, it felt good. I think it only...
  3. Caelan

    Building Arrakis (2016 JKUR)

    Part 1: Living Space It was pretty much a given that we’d end up in a Wrangler. My 6’8″ frame doesn’t fit in Land Rovers or Toyotas and Sophia grew up riding around in Jeeps with dreams of having one of her own. And then there was this prophetic wooden sign, proudly featuring a Jeep, that...
  4. Caelan

    RTT mattress options

    It made a huge difference in comfort! The double uses its stuff sack as an inflation pump, too. To deflate it, we'd just pop open the deflation valve and close the tent up like normal.
  5. Caelan

    Order of Operations (What should I buy first?)

    I'm hoping to pick up one piece every three to four months but since my work is fairly seasonal, I might be able to buy a couple pieces rapidly in the busy season. My tentative thoughts is to buy the 24-70mm and a new body first. Ideally I'd buy them together, but the lens is a higher priority...
  6. Caelan

    Order of Operations (What should I buy first?)

    My budget is good enough to cover the 2.8 lenses if I buy used. It's a stretch, but it fits. Especially since those lenses will probably last longer than I do. I haven't gotten into any kind of nighttime/starscape photography yet, but it's an area I'm curious to check out. Right now I don't...
  7. Caelan

    Order of Operations (What should I buy first?)

    Well, the D810 isn't the current best of Nikon's offerings anymore since the D850 hit the scene a little bit ago. Which means the price on that body is falling (slightly) as the gotta-have-the-best folks upgrade their bodies. I'm been very firmly committed to Nikon for over 20 years now, ever...
  8. Caelan

    Order of Operations (What should I buy first?)

    I'm busily running around in circles trying to figure out how to build out my camera kit, so hopefully you folks can give me a bit of advice. For the most part, I focus on landscape photography. I'll dip my toes into wildlife photography every now and then, but I can't afford the big primes to...
  9. Caelan

    Ursa Minor Pop-Top Jeep JK

    It's a bit of a trade off. You're not going to get a "built-in" look regardless of what you pick, but you can come close with thin film solar panels. The down side is you'll need a larger surface area for an equivalent wattage as compared to rigid panels. Dan Grec has the cleanest setup I've...
  10. Caelan

    RTT mattress options

    We tossed a Klymit Double V inflatable camping pad between the mattress and the condensation mat in our RTT. With the air pad and the mattress that came with the tent, we slept wonderfully every night. It fit great in our Tepui Autana and is completely flat when it's deflated so it doesn't...
  11. Caelan

    5-7 days in the back country of Death Valley....

    From our latest trip to Death Valley, then biggest things we found lacking were water storage and a good trash solution. We had five gallons of water for two people and a dog and it barely made it through three days. Pack more than you think you'll need. Trash is another big issue we hadn't...
  12. Caelan

    Ursa Minor Pop-Top Jeep JK

    I guess you and I have different opinions on what outstanding customer service entails. John is incredibly friendly and helpful, but his follow through is horrible at best. It feels like adding the shop in Portland has broken the communication chain since John still handles the bulk of customer...
  13. Caelan

    Ursa Minor Pop-Top Jeep JK

    I just got off the phone with John. Apparently there's a small batch of units with failing rain gutters who all came out of the same shipment of parts. It sounds like the supplier changed their adhesive, so he's looking at different tape options over the weekend and doing a test run on Monday...
  14. Caelan

    Ursa Minor Pop-Top Jeep JK

    Well... a few weeks in on our Ursa Minor J30 and things are already looking rough around the edges. The double stick tape that holds the rain gutters in place is failing on both sides. The extra strip on the rear door to keep the window sealed tight is trying to run to the hills. Put that...
  15. Caelan

    Tom Sheppard: Jeep Update

    He talks about the JK here and there in the newer edition of Vehicle Dependent Expedition Guide. Good reviews over all, but he's critical of the tiny load capacity.
  16. Caelan

    SOLD - Gobi Jeep JK Stealth Rack Awning Mounts - $75

    I've sent you a couple messages. If you're still interested I'll happily ship them to you.
  17. Caelan

    SOLD - Gobi Jeep JK Stealth Rack Awning Mounts - $75

    I've got a pair of awning mounts for a Gobi JK Stealth rack. I had them installed for about a year with an ARB 2500 awning, so they're obviously used but in good shape overall. They'll work for most awnings with the exception of maybe a few 270° models. I paid $120 for them, they're yours for...
  18. Caelan

    SOLD - M101-A2 Trailer With Ribs and Canvas

    I've got an M101 A2 trailer that I'm looking to part ways with. I used it to move down to California from Oregon and was planning on building it out into a mobile workshop, but life has a funny way of changing direction. So now I'm just looking to get out of it what I paid a few months ago...
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